Eclipse of Eternity: Awakening of the Forsaken

Chapter 16: Chapter 16.



Chapter 16

Days passed, and it marked my seventh day here. In that time, I'd established a strict routine to keep myself busy. I would wake up, freshen up, grab breakfast (if I felt like it), mumble a few incoherent words in prayer—mostly to keep myself sane—then dive into studying. Lunch was another optional part of the day, after which I continued studying, added a bit of exercise, ate dinner (compulsory, to my annoyance), and finally collapsed into bed.

I'd learned something during my stay: breakfast and lunch weren't mandatory, but dinner was. The staff made sure everyone showed up for it. Blondie, however, often tried to skip meals altogether, but I didn't let him. "If you don't eat now, you'll regret it later," I'd remind him, dragging him to the cafeteria. The food was far from appetizing—it was bland, with an unidentifiable texture—but it was better than an empty stomach.

Despite keeping myself occupied, the dreams didn't stop. They came every night, vivid and strange. The crimson skies, the ominous chants, and the eclipsed sun haunted my sleep. No matter how much I tried to distract myself, they lingered in the back of my mind, like a puzzle I couldn't solve.

But something else caught my attention—a discovery that changed everything.

It started in the laundry area. I was putting away my clothes when I spotted a cockroach scuttling across the floor. My instincts kicked in, and before I knew it, I'd hurled a laundry basket at it. The poor thing never stood a chance.

The familiar ding of the system startled me.

[Strength Attribute: +0.1]

I stared at the notification in disbelief. This wasn't the first time this had happened. Back in the junkyard, I'd accidentally crushed another cockroach in a fit of frustration, and the system had unlocked my strength attribute for the first time.

Realizing the potential, I embarked on a mission. I became the scourge of cockroaches, hunting them down like a man possessed. Every time I spotted one, I eliminated it without mercy. By the end of my campaign, I'd killed 28 of them.

Standing over the pile of tiny corpses, I folded my hands together and said solemnly, "Don't worry, little ones. I'll pray for you to be reincarnated into a better household. It's better you died at my hands than from the agony of insecticide. See? I did you a favor."

I couldn't help but laugh at my own absurdity. Still, the effort wasn't in vain. My strength stat now sat at 2.8—not impressive by any means, but far better than where I started.

Then, the system threw me another curveball.

[Title Unlocked: The Cockroach Killer]

I froze. A title? For this? I clicked on the details, and my face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and disbelief.

[The Cockroach Killer]: When activated, those with lower intelligence than the host will perceive the host as a predator. There is a 50% chance they will obey the host's commands.]

It was both mortifying and oddly satisfying. The title was more useful than I expected, but the condition stung. My intelligence stat was still locked, which meant it was useless for now.

"Are you mocking me, system?" I muttered, kicking the bathroom wall in frustration. Yes, I was in the toilet. It was the only place I could find some semblance of privacy. The rest of this facility felt suffocating, with eyes watching every move.

Leaning against the wall, I sighed, letting my thoughts drift. The system's mention of intelligence reminded me of my struggles in my past life. Back then, my school didn't even teach English until the fourth grade. When they finally introduced it, I was hopeless. It took me a full year just to read simple words fluently, spelling them out letter by letter like a toddler.

But I'd persevered. Through sheer determination, I caught up, even if it meant late nights and endless frustration. Thinking about it now, I realized how much I hated feeling inadequate. That same hatred drove me to study harder here. If I wanted to survive, I needed to unlock my intelligence stat soon.

I shook off the memories and steeled my resolve. Tomorrow, the real challenge would begin.

A sudden knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Hey," Blondie's voice called from the other side, laced with urgency. "The staff called for you."

My heart sank.

"Alright, I'm coming," I replied, dragging myself to my feet.

I didn't know what the staff wanted, but I had a feeling it wasn't good. Whatever it was, I'd have to face it head-on.

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