Axel learned something on the third day.
Pain had layers.
The first day hurt because it was unfamiliar.
The second day hurt because his body remembered.
The third day hurt because his body understood.
He woke before the alarm this time.
Not because he was rested.
Because his nerves were already screaming.
Every muscle felt dense, heavy, like it had been packed with lead overnight. When he sat up, his joints cracked softly, a dull ache spreading through his spine.
He breathed slowly.
In.
Out.
The blue screen flickered into existence, hovering at the edge of his vision like a bad thought he couldn't shake.
[Daily Training Routine — Day 3]
[Status Check…]
Axel tensed, half-expecting it to lie to him.
[Physical Condition: Damaged.]
[Recovery Rate: Improved.]
[Overall Status: Still Weak.]
"…Figures," he muttered.
But his eyes lingered on one line.
Improved.
He stood.
His legs shook—but they held.
That alone surprised him.
The training grounds were quieter this morning.
Mist clung to the reinforced floors, mana circuits glowing faintly beneath the surface like veins under skin. Trainees stretched, joked, complained.
Axel didn't join them.
He moved to the edge of the field and began warming up slowly, deliberately.
Cross arrived without announcement.
One moment the air was normal.
The next—it wasn't.
Axel felt it instantly.
Not overwhelming like the Chairman.
Sharper.
More focused.
Like a blade held inches from his throat.
"Today," Cross said calmly, "we add resistance."
Some trainees groaned.
Others smirked.
Mana pylons rose from the ground with a low hum. Gravity fields snapped into place.
Axel stepped forward—
And nearly collapsed.
His knees buckled as invisible pressure slammed down on him, pinning his muscles inward. It felt like his bones were being squeezed from all directions at once.
His breath left him in a harsh gasp.
So this is normal training…?
To everyone else, the field was heavy.
To Axel—
It was hell.
The screen flared violently.
[Hidden Training Modifier: Active.]
[Body Load: Increased — x2.3]
Axel's vision blurred.
"That's… not normal," he whispered.
No response.
He forced his foot forward.
The ground resisted him like thick mud.
Every step tore at his calves. His thighs burned. His core screamed as he tried to stay upright.
Around him, other trainees struggled—but moved.
Axel crawled.
Literally crawled.
Hands trembling, palms scraping against the reinforced floor, teeth clenched hard enough that his jaw ached.
A shadow fell over him.
Cross.
"You can quit," Cross said casually. "No penalty."
Axel didn't look up.
If he opened his mouth, he knew he'd beg.
Instead, he dragged himself forward another inch.
His arms shook violently.
Cross watched for a moment longer, then walked away.
Axel didn't feel relief.
Only pressure.
By midday, his body stopped screaming.
Not because it stopped hurting.
But because it couldn't afford to waste energy on noise anymore.
His movements changed.
He stopped fighting the weight head-on.
Instead, he leaned into it.
Shorter steps.
Controlled breathing.
Micro-adjustments in posture.
The system flickered again.
[Movement Efficiency: Adjusting.]
[Minor Optimization Detected.]
Axel's eyes widened slightly.
"…So you're watching too."
Still no answer.
During combat drills, he was paired against a trainee far stronger than him.
Axel lost.
Every time.
But something was different.
The first blow didn't send him flying.
The second didn't knock the air from his lungs.
He still hit the ground—but he rolled with it.
Recovered faster.
By the fifth round, the other trainee frowned.
"…You're annoying."
Axel didn't reply.
He was too busy breathing.
That night, alone in his dorm, Axel lay flat on his back, staring at the ceiling.
Every inch of him hurt.
But it was a quiet pain now.
Manageable.
The blue screen appeared once more.
[Day 3 Complete.]
[Adaptation Rate: Above Expected Parameters.]
[Growth Curve: Stable.]
Axel swallowed.
"So I really am changing."
He flexed his fingers slowly.
They shook—but not as badly as before.
For the first time since the dungeon…
He smiled.
Just a little.
Then the system displayed one final line.
[Notice:]
[Current growth is insufficient for survival in high-density threat zones.]
The smile faded.
Axel exhaled slowly.
"…Then keep going."
Outside the dorm, unseen, Cross stood for a moment longer than necessary, reviewing data on a floating screen.
"No spike," Cross muttered. "No abnormal mana surge."
He looked up at Axel's window.
"Just grit."
Cross turned away.
"Let's see how long that lasts."