Chapter 5: Awakened Core Rank.

In the solitary confinement cell, Dawn sat against the cold floor, his back to the wall. Despite the isolation, he maintained a stoic expression while focusing on the screen before him.

[Inspect Lv. 1]

[Mastery: 3.21%]

[This skill allows the user to select a target for inspection. The system then analyzes the selected object and displays the details.]

'Interesting... My mastery improved just by using the skill a few times. That's handy,' Dawn thought.

He had inspected every corner of his cell, from the austere walls, the sturdy door, down to the humble chamber pot. While there wasn't much variety in his subjects, the few inspections he carried out enhanced his mastery. 

He noted, however, that repeated inspection of the same object didn't improve the skill.

'Also...'

[Disguise Lv. 1]

[Mastery: 0.00%]

[The user can change their appearance at the cost of energy.]

'This skill is also intriguing… I am curious to see how it works, but with no mirrors around, it would be a waste of energy.'

He sighed, his gaze shifting from the interface towards the solid metal door. There was a slot for a tray, but so far, it had remained empty.

Beyond his cell, the only sounds were the occasional footsteps of guards passing by. There was no sign or hint that anyone would be fed anytime soon. 

Although it was challenging, he was trying to gauge the passage of time. By his estimate, at least five hours had passed since they'd been locked up.

Dawn kept himself distracted with the system but the hunger and thirst were gradually becoming unbearable. His body was already lacking meat, and malnourished. If he didn't eat, it was clear what fate awaited him.

'They wouldn't starve us… right? They need us to awaken or whatever… they wouldn't let us die without reason…'

Convinced, Dawn settled into silence. Seconds transformed into minutes, and minutes stretched into long, weary hours.

During that time, Dawn found himself surrounded by a series of different noises. The walls echoed with the muffled sounds of distant sobbing.

The cries and whispers of others echoed through the cold, confined space, overtaking the silence. Despite the increasing tension, the guards ignored the occasional rustling and the soft pleas for release.

Some considered causing a scene, but the fear of losing their lives still weighed on them. The memory of the boy's horrifying demise, his body grotesquely expanding before bursting, was still fresh in their minds.

They were also certain that it would be a waste of energy, leading nowhere. None of them had that energy to spare.

And so, marked by the sporadic sounds of unrest, time sluggishly crawled by.

'I seem to have miscalculated...' Dawn realized, his exhaled breath visible in the cold, dimly lit cell.

'They have no intention of feeding us...'

Throughout this ordeal, Dawn had remained vigilant, tracking the passage of time. By his calculation, it had been roughly twenty hours since they were locked up, and no food or water had been provided.

The initial quiet pleas had erupted into an uproar as others began begging for something to eat. The hunger was torturous, but the thirst was even worse

Despite it all, the guards remained unresponsive, or maybe they weren't even present. It had been hours since Dawn last heard their footsteps echoing down the hollow corridor.

[You are starving.]

[HP: 67% -> 66%]

[Energy: 63 -> 62%]

[You are thirsty.]

[HP: 66 -> 65%]

[Energy: 62 -> 61%]

All of a sudden, the system alerts reverberated in Dawn's mind. His health and energy levels were depleting. Hunger and dehydration had begun to gnaw at his vitality, threatening a slow but certain death.

'Food is one thing; people can survive without it for up to three weeks on average... But water is another matter; people can only last three to five days without it on average,' Dawn assessed.

He glanced down at his malnourished body.

'Given the condition this body is in, I doubt I'd last two days. I need to break out of here and find food before I'm missed... that should be manageable—'

Just as Dawn braced himself to break out, he collapsed onto the floor after taking his first step. Looking down at his trembling legs, he realized their strength was failing.

'Damn it... If only this body wasn't so weak...!' With a grimace, he slammed his fist against the cold, unyielding floor. 'If I can't do anything else, at the very least, I can try to locate the parasite...'

-

-

-

'...How much time has passed?' Dawn pondered, struggling to keep his eyes open.

He was desperately thirsty. His lips were parched, his breathing rapid. A wave of dizziness washed over him, and he teetered on the edge of unconsciousness. His muscles had begun cramping some time ago, rendering him immobile.

The other inmates were probably in a similar dire state, given the eerie silence that had fallen over them.

'I couldn't find anything... no signs of the parasite anywhere... not that I'd be able to extract it even if I did...'

'...This isn't looking good...'

[HP: 11 -> 10%]

[Energy: 7% -> 6%]

'Is this really how it all ends...? After everything I've survived?'

His life was hanging by a thread. As his eyelids grew weightier, he finally allowed them to close.

.

.

.

Dawn descended into dreams of his past life—a childhood like any other, complete with loving parents and a doting sister. 

Having immigrated to an economically developing country, they'd settled in a quaint rural beach town. Their lives were simple; they were neither rich nor poor, simply an ordinary middle-class family with retired parents.

Life was tranquil and filled with joy until one day when war broke out, shattering their peaceful existence. A bombing wiped out his entire family, leaving Dawn the sole survivor, an orphan stranded in a war-torn land.

A band of mercenaries found him, and under their brutal tutelage, Dawn was groomed to survive. Day after day, night after night, he withstood the grueling training. Despite the fear and the relentless demands of his training, no matter who he had to become or how many lives he had to take... he persevered.

His exceptional skills eventually caught the attention of those in power, and thus, Dawn—the greatest spy—was born.

"...!"

Dawn's eyes flew open, finding himself floating in a vast, endless void. In the center, a large shadowy mist was slowly condensing.

"Where am I…? Am I… dead?" he wondered aloud, his gaze sweeping over the infinite expanse. The emptiness stretched as far as he could see.

But then, a distant object caught his eye. A colossal crimson crystal pulsed eerily in the void, calling out to him.

'That's… the prototype–'

Before he could finish his thought, he felt a powerful force sucking him in another direction. He turned towards this force, finding that the shadowy mist had transformed into a dark sphere. 

Despite his futile attempts to resist, he was ruthlessly pulled in, and the sphere consumed him completely.

-

-

-

"Argh…" Dawn groaned as his eyes snapped open again.

[Congratulations! You have achieved an awakening!]

[Core Rank: Undeveloped -> Awakened.]

[You have completed the main quest: Awaken!]

Upon awakening, Dawn was met with two system screens floating above the ceiling of his solitary cell. He slowly moved his gaze from the messages, scanning the shadowy contours of the room.

'I… I fell asleep…? How long was I out… and…'

His vision had significantly improved, allowing him to see with surprising clarity in the darkness. His senses seemed heightened too, he could distinctly hear the steady rhythm of his own heartbeat. The gnawing pangs of hunger and thirst had retreated to bearable levels.

But the most noticeable change was the warm sensation originating from the center of his chest. Not quite understanding what it was, he instinctively began channeling it throughout his body, taking deep, measured breaths.

The process felt natural, as if he had been doing it his whole life. The warmth felt like a lifeline, a vital force he needed for survival. He conducted it to the cold parts of his body, sensing that without it, he would die.

As his mobility was limited, focusing on his breathing and circulating this energy became his only means of survival.

'...Awakening... So this is what it means... I'll continue channeling this energy, slowly... and slowly...' He thought to himself, taking deeper breaths. 'If I fall asleep here... I'll die...