From Alex Al Horc's Perspective
I was barely breathing after all that running and constant biting.
"Damn that little dog of my fiancée, Emma."
My whole body was full of holes and bruises, despite the healing potions that Marcus poured over me without mercy.
I stood up with difficulty, panting, feeling like my bones were screaming to break out of my skin.
Marcus stood in front of me like a statue, watching me with eyes empty of any pity. He spoke in a cold tone:
"The first part of your training is over… get ready for the second. Unless you wish to quit."
I didn't respond. I couldn't even lift my head. In my heart, I cursed him, cursed myself, and cursed this entire world. But I kept silent. If I opened my mouth now and asked for a break, it would mean admitting defeat — but I would endure it. If this is the way to build my paradise in this world, then so be it. I must endure until I can bring my family back to life.
Marcus gestured to the servants. They brought a bucket of cold water and suddenly poured it over my head. I shivered from the chill, but something strange happened: it felt like the shock woke me up.
I opened my eyes wide, looked at Marcus, and understood something I hadn't before.
This man wouldn't show me mercy — he was just waiting to see when I'd give up. And this world didn't care whether I lived or died.
Either I become strong… or I die like trash.
I stepped toward Marcus, despite the pain and exhaustion. I stepped forward and said mockingly about his training, just to prove I wouldn't surrender:
"So… are we starting the second phase like the last hellish session?"
For a brief second, I saw Marcus give a tiny mocking smile before he said:
"Good… you're starting to resemble a human."
Without giving me time to rest, he pointed toward the back gate of the mansion and said:
"Take a half-hour break, eat to regain your strength, and then we'll begin the real hell."
And with those words, the first phase of my training ended… or rather, the "preparation for hell" ended.
As I headed toward the mansion door to go to the hall and eat lunch, even while thinking about how the next training would be, to be honest:
"I'm scared… but I deserve this."
I was both afraid and somewhat happy, as I saw this as punishment for the many things I had done to the people I loved most — my mother and sister.
I calmed my heart and grabbed my phone with my trembling hand, still shaking from the earlier training, as I approached the mansion door, guarded by two men who tensed up the moment they saw me.
Anyway, I ignored them and focused on the camera on my phone. I didn't know what use it would be, so I stopped near the guards at the gate and opened the camera app, pointing the phone at the guard on the right.
From the Guard's Perspective at the Gate
I didn't know what was wrong with this boy, but I recognized him as Alex, with his golden hair, one black eye, and the other blue.
But he pointed his empty hand at me, holding it strangely like he was gripping something aimed at me. And then I felt a chill when Alex spoke:
"Hey you, guard… is your name Anton Agbor, ranked D in spearmanship?"
Hearing my name made me nervous, remembering my friend's warning that he used to pick guards and force them to fight each other for his amusement. I answered with my head bowed:
"Y-yes, sir… it's me. It's an honor you know my name."
I didn't know how he knew, but I was sure he gathered this info just to pick me for some death fight to satisfy his savage desires.
"Why me? Why was I chosen?" I thought to myself. And when I looked up, I saw Alex smiling evilly.
Why was I, from a poor farming village, the only one picked after finally reaching D rank at 31 years old and earning this prestigious post just a week ago?
I didn't know it would be my end. I missed my daughter. I just wanted to see my little girl one last time. I cried, knowing my final wish wouldn't come true.
From Alex's Perspective (One Minute Earlier)
After pausing for a moment, I took a photo of the guard holding his spear. Maybe they thought I was crazy, since they couldn't see my phone because they weren't "awakened."
Anyway, after taking the picture, I found out I could get info like his name, rank, and other details.
I called his name to confirm — and to my surprise, he bowed and confirmed I was right, even thanking me for knowing his name. His reaction was exaggerated,
but I realized I had something no other awakened person had, and a smile crept onto my face.
But then I saw the guard bending and crying in front of me. I didn't know why. Then he begged me:
"Please, Sir Alex… I just want to see my daughter one last time." He said while sobbing.
"What's wrong with you, guard? Are you insane? … Damn it, if you miss your daughter, then go see her."
Then I watched him run away from the mansion gate. I didn't get why he was so terrified, so I asked the second guard on the left:
"What's wrong with your friend? Is he crazy or what?"
But I saw the second guard had fainted from fear while standing there.
Anyway, I didn't care to know why they were scared. I just wasted some of my break time before returning for my second training — which was more like pure hell.
"Damn it… if only I hadn't talked to them."
I wandered inside the mansion and saw my fiancée Emma petting and laughing with that damn little dog that had chased and bitten me earlier.
Deep inside, I wished I could kill that dog and shove it up that slut Emma's ass. That little dog had bitten my dick multiple times.
I ignored Emma to avoid being seen and headed to eat before training. When I reached the big dining hall, it was empty — just a table with my lunch and a glass of juice.
I saw someone looking nervous — a servant dressed in uniform with short black hair and a small knife scar on his lip.
I saw him pouring something on my food, and when he noticed me, he said while sweating:
"Ah… the cook forgot the salt… I came to fix it."
Then he hurried away. I knew the staff and guards were always scared, but not to this extent.
I sat on the chair, staring at what might be my last meal. Before eating, I noticed the juice glass to the right of the plate was empty, with juice spilled on the floor.
"Damn you, you scar-faced idiot."
I called for a random servant to bring me another juice, and to my horror, Marcus himself came to pour me a glass.
"Ah, Marcus… th-thanks for the juice."
"You're welcome, Alex."
He stood to my right, waiting for me to finish so we could start the second training. So I got the idea to eat as slowly as possible. I decided to ask him to sit with me.
He sat — and in a blink, he had black coffee in his hand. It seemed like he was just sitting, but suddenly a cup appeared in his hand,
and he drank it loudly and calmly, as if he wasn't the same person who'd tortured me earlier.
I was both impressed by his speed and terrified. A deadly silence filled the room, so I broke it:
"Uh, Marcus… how much time do I have left in my break?"
"Nine minutes left. So, hurry up and eat."
Damn, my plan to eat slowly won't work. I knew I couldn't escape him. I didn't want to surrender but also didn't want to train.
I was like a student who wanted to be top of the class without studying.
After thinking, I decided to try photographing Marcus with my phone to see the power level of the head servant. And info appeared — the most important were:
Name: Marcus Al Black
Age: 18
Power Level: S
Speed: +A
Endurance: A
Weapon: Dagger
Dagger Skill: B
Mana Quantity: C
Mana Skill: A (Fire, Wind, Shadows)
Core Skill: Ghost Step (Level B)
Titles: Iron Fist / Survivor of the Brock Training / The Ghost
After reading this, I was amazed and impressed — he was only a year older than me, yet there was little info about his past in the novel.
All I knew from the story was that his father was my dad's assistant, and he had a sister my age, who was opposite in personality to Marcus.
But I was happy to have such a powerful servant under my command, being the rightful heir of the Al Horc family — though I also felt sad.
And scared, because I knew from the novel that I wasn't supposed to join the family bloodshed battle. The plot was supposed to go like this:
Marcus would switch sides to serve my half-brother "Robin," whose level was D after winning the blood duel.
Robin would grow stronger and, thanks to his future memories, would buy a slave from the black market who would become powerful later and kill me, just as the story described. Then Robin would join the best academy in the capital and seek the SSS-level "Shadow Devil" sword.
Damn, I'm so frustrated with the protagonist Robin… but I also envy him.
So my future plan is:
Train to get stronger.
Buy that slave before Robin does and eliminate him.
Win the family blood duel.
Keep my loyal servant Marcus.
Find the SSS Shadow Devil sword and hide it from Robin.
"Yeah… it won't be easy."
I took a selfie, looking miserable and half-insane from my situation, with Marcus watching my weird behavior.
And when I saw my own stats, it only made me feel worse — like I was less than a dog:
Name: Alex Al Horc
Age: 17
Power Level: G
Speed: F
Endurance: E
Weapon: None
Weapon Skill: G
Mana Quantity: (None)
Mana Skill: -G
Core Skill: Mana Capacity (SSS+)
Titles: Burden to Parents / Murderer / Beast / Pervert / Hypocrite
In short, even dog crap is worth more than this. But why these titles?
And how is infinite mana capacity useful when I don't have even a drop of mana?
It's like having a cup the size of the Earth but not even a single drop of juice to fill it.
I think my older brother is punishing me, not saving me.
"Alex, are you going to eat your lunch or what?" Marcus said, checking his watch, warning me to finish before the last minute ran out before hell started.
I had no appetite, so like an idiot, I took a photo of my food — and it showed detailed info:
1. Table made of rare solid wood
2. High-quality white ceramic plate
3. Meat from a unicorn thigh, seasoned with sauce, cumin, salt, and C-level poison
"...."
"....."
"What? Poison? Maybe I misread it… hahaha."
"Alex, why are you raising your hand over the food and laughing like you're holding something? Are you going crazy from training? Just say you surrender," Marcus said, annoyed by my wasting his time.
But my focus was on the screen — I took five photos, and every time, it said the food was poisoned. I turned to Marcus with a dumb expression:
"Marcus… uh, I think my food is poisoned."
He didn't believe me, thinking I was making excuses to avoid the second training, but after I insisted, Marcus tasted the meat himself. Luckily, the poison was too weak to affect him, and he confirmed it was poisoned. He asked me if anyone suspicious had entered the room, and I answered:
"No… just a servant with a scar on his lip. He said the cook sent him to add salt… so I think the cook wants to poison me… yeah, no doubt, it's the cook."
Marcus interrupted me with shocking words:
"Alex… we don't have any male cooks in the mansion. Only a female chef…"
"-_-"
I said, my face twisting in rage:
"Marcus… let's catch that scar-faced son of a bitch and torture him till he begs!"