The Drum of Mutilation.

HUH?

The red lines pulsated with an unsettling intensity, accompanied by a piercing ringing in my ears. The fragmented glass transformed into triangular shards, swiftly coalescing into a round drum adorned with enigmatic symbols along its edges. A lengthy shard pierced the center of the drum, and soon peculiar signs resembling mountains, clouds, trees, and other indescribable shapes appeared.

[What is happening?]

[You have failed to fulfill the mission's conditions. You shall be punished with the Drum of Mutilation.]

[An odd name. Can I postpone my punishment? There is something I wish to accomplish before that.]

A blue-furred cat, its coat fluffy and luxurious, materialized beside the drum, grinning with three rows of menacing fangs.

[Of course not. We both understand the possible outcomes.]

Asshole.

No one seemed to acknowledge my presence in the low-ceilinged room adorned with machinery, long conveyors, and a multitude of toiling monsters. Yet, I no longer felt like a cog in the factory's mechanism. After casting a final glance at the mutilated body parts strewn about, I averted my gaze.

Gripping my left wrist tightly with the fingers of my right hand, I directed my gaze toward the cat.

[What awaits me?]

[That shall be revealed soon enough.]

I doubted I had a choice.

A plump paw clung to the arrow on the drum and exerted a forceful downward pressure. The arrow spun at a rapid pace, and the symbols it struck emitted an ethereal blue glow. Swallowing hard and wiping the green liquid from my nose with the back of my hand, I observed as the arrow settled upon an image— a figure with wings and crossed arms over his shoulders.

[Oh. You shall traverse the Initial Punishment Stage of "Nemfisa."

Chaos. Primitiveness. Sadness.]

[Is-uh...] I stammered, before a sudden abyss opened up beneath my feet, swiftly swallowing me whole. Within the darkness, the itching sensation that plagued my body and the tormenting pains faded away.

[You are now en route to the Lands of Punishment. Additionally, your body within the Arena shall be influenced by the experiences you will endure during the Initial Stage.] the system's voice resonated in this void.

[Will I face the punishment in my original body?] I questioned, pondering the implications.

My burgundy leather exterior became adorned with needles and spikes. No ulcers, no pus. Pure energy coursed through my being, eliciting uproarious laughter.

Here it was—the joy of being in one's own body.

[It is too soon to rejoice. Your statistics have returned to normal. Would you like to adopt any parameters or Lower Loss skills to augment your capabilities?]

Two distinctly different, yet strangely familiar figures materialized before me—one towering and grotesquely deformed, bearing minuscule numerical markings; the other lithe, exuding a martial aura. Blue windows with familiar information also materialized:

[Race: Lower Loss.

Rank: 0.

Profession: The porter.

Strength: 65.

Dexterity: 7.

Endurance: 100.

Magic Resistance: 0.

Luck: 1.

Experience Points: 18.

Perception of manna: 3.

Intelligence: 2. (You can't fight two enemies at the same time)

Mental Strength: 1.

Regeneration: 8.

Skills:

Hard worker (initial-red), Hand-to-Hand Combat (initial-yellow), Sound Attack (initial-red), Witchcraft (level 0).]

[Name: Participant 137.

Race: Humanoid.

Grade: 4 (42/100).

Strength: 1600.

Dexterity: 1490.

Endurance: 1630.

Magic Resistance: 1280.

Luck: 3.

Mana Perception: 1373.

Intelligence: 1460.

Mental Strength: 1365.

Regeneration: 1950.

Experience Points: 120.

Health - 10 700

Skills:

Melee (middle-red), Dragon Scales (Level 1), Iron Stomach (middle-red), Bone arrows (middle-red), Dark Threads of the Abyss (full-yellow), Ignition (Level 4), Shadow Strike (intial-red).

47/200 - to the next level.]

[How can I acquire the necessary skills?]

[First and foremost, you should pay attention to the quality of the skills.]

In the vast expanse of space, square cells materialized, forming a field comprised of small blue squares. It resembled a battlefield within an Arena, albeit devoid of spectators or adversaries. Several hundred square meters of the floor were covered with a unique material that shattered the darkness, shimmering with sparks.

Two figures stood on the field, their bodies moving with an illusion of life despite their dimmed pupils suggesting otherwise.

[Please, try issuing a command. This is where you can enhance your skills]

[I was apprehensive that the punishment might prove fatal. But it seems to be a training ground.]

Mentally, I gave the order: "Run."

To my surprise, the two silhouettes began circling the field, running in tandem. Raising an eyebrow, I listened attentively to the system's explanations.

[This place serves as a gateway to the Lands of Punishment and is unrelated to training per se. It's simply an opportunity for you to develop your strength while having two active Transformations and some free time.]

A chubby cat appeared on my shoulder.

[By the way, Nebula awakened within a replica of the Forbidden Land. This occurred before you lost control of your body. Once you complete your punishment, I can awaken Nebula once again.]

[Nebula? That cub? Excellent. I'm curious to see its growth after cultivation.]

The immense figure struggled to move its legs and eventually collapsed facedown onto the ground.

Damn.

And now I find myself in its body.

I pressed my fingers against my temples and let out a bitter sigh.

[Participant 137, you can also observe their skills. Try pronouncing their names.]

I gazed at the Lower Loss and whispered:

"Sound Attack."

The Loss leaned on its front arms and began emitting an ear-piercing scream, its mouth wide open.

The sound wave became visible to the naked eye. The floor trembled, and certain sections of the field crumbled away into an abyss. The fragments struck the torso of the humanoid figure that was running, as I issued the next command:

"Ignition."

As if on cue, the Loss was enveloped by a visible barrier generated by the system, while blue flames engulfed the entire area.

Lethal power.

And the Sound Attack is truly intriguing. If I enhance it, I wonder if it can evolve?

Stroking my chin, I observed as the system restored the field once again, preparing for further exploration.

---

The field was meticulously restored to its original state.

[But why doesn't the Witchcraft skill have an entry level?]

[Lower Loss are formed from filth, as you might have guessed. Specifically, they are created using human corpses.]

Ah, Frankensteins among the lower beings.

I looked at the Loss, who had freed himself from the protective barrier of the system and stood confidently on the field.

The humanoid figure spread its wings and lazily wagged its tail.

There was a significant distance of at least several tens of meters between us.

[And?] I pressed for more information.

[They are created through magic, but possess only a trace of power. They are like embryos, or still not yet fully formed weapons. Their bodies are too fragile for a proper battle; they would perish before gaining any substantial experience. Therefore, due to their lack of magical prowess and the impurities within their bodies, they do not utilize Witchcraft or magic.

Imagine taking a container and filling it not with just water, but with acid—not particularly strong, but incredibly effective. The container may hold the liquid for a while, but it will gradually corrode from the inside.]

[So, I'm losing health points at the moment? Show me the states of the Loss body.]

The vital signs of my second transformation materialized before me:

[Health Window:

120,695.]

The numbers were steadily decreasing, bringing the decaying organism closer to its demise.

[This is the decline of your vitality. As a worker rather than a fighter, you cannot restore your original health.

This body has less than two months left before it is recycled into top-quality filth.]

The image of the hanging corpses in the Lower Arena flashed in my mind, sending a shiver down my spine. So much dirt produced, not just for fighters, but also for the creation of these "workers." And the experiments conducted with the bodies of the deceased—what was their true purpose?

---

Shaking off those unsettling thoughts, I refocused on the present moment and made my next command: "Witchcraft."

The Lower Loss remained unchanged. Breathing heavily, it glanced around and stood its ground.

[It lacks energy.]

[And how can I replenish it?]

Fluffy landed on the field and approached the Loss closely.

[He can barely handle a single opponent. Try sparring with two transformations.]

[So, you're saying that by increasing his experience, he will be able to raise the level of his skills?]

[Exactly. And most importantly, they are immortal here. They can engage in berserk mode to double their points.]

"Mm, let the battle begin."

---

The humanoid wasted no time and took the initiative, its pointed tail wriggling as it pounced onto Loss's massive form.

A sinister grin spread across the noseless face, clearly eager to overpower its opponent.

Before clawed paw could deliver a fatal strike, the 605th intervened, encasing them both in separate barriers. Garr relentlessly pounded against the barrier surface, attempting to reach Achias.

[In that case, let me equalize their powers so that the battle can continue on a level playing field.]

I could only nod as I observed the humanoid's stats rapidly decreasing.

They became nearly equal.

[Now they can fight.]

The two figures emerged onto the open field once more, their claws interlocked.

The once-purple skin was replaced by a pale hue, and the menacing spikes on the tail disappeared.

The silhouette had diminished in size but exhibited agility and unpredictability.

Garr could only grasp at the lingering shadow as the white heels struck his putrid face.