Chapter 2: The Rules of the Game

The next morning starts with a jolt—literally. A deafening alarm blasts through the barracks, accompanied by flashing red lights. Instinct kicks in, and I roll off the thin cot, hitting the cold floor with a practiced motion. In two seconds flat, I'm on my feet. Boots laced. Weapons? None. Gear? None.

Standard protocol: Strip the guinea pig of everything that could let him fight back.

System Alert: Physical and Mental Readiness Check... Passed.

Good to know. Not that I had any doubts.

The door to my cell—sorry, "quarters"—slides open with a metallic hiss, revealing a soldier I haven't seen before. He's decked out in full tactical gear, his eyes hidden behind a visor, and his stance is rigid.

"Training grounds. Now," he barks. No pleasantries, no explanations. Just orders.

I don't argue. I've learned long ago that arguing with soldiers isn't worth the breath. They're not here to answer questions, just follow them.

I step into the hallway, where three other soldiers are already waiting, their faces as cold as the steel walls. They flank me on all sides—guard dogs keeping a dangerous animal on a leash. Except I'm no dog. I'm a predator biding my time.

We march through the maze of corridors until we reach an enormous open space—a dome-shaped arena lined with observation windows above. Military-grade lights beam down, casting shadows over the artificial terrain below. Walls and obstacles are scattered throughout: concrete barricades, sandbags, climbing walls. A killing ground disguised as a training field.

As I step into the arena, the system pings again.

New Quest Initiated: Survive Initial Combat Test. Completion Reward: 200 XP.

Optional Objective: Eliminate All Targets – 100 XP Bonus.

A soft chuckle escapes me. "They really know how to make you feel welcome."

The soldiers shove me forward, and I get the message loud and clear: No hand-holding. No pep talks. Just trial by fire. Fine by me. I've faced worse than whatever they have planned.

Up above, Commander Briggs appears behind the observation glass, his cold eyes fixed on me. His voice crackles through the loudspeakers, commanding and full of barely concealed menace.

"Today, we'll see how far the serum has taken you, Kane. No second chances. No backup. You live, or you don't."

The floor beneath me hums, and several hatches slide open. Out of them crawl humanoid combat drones—sleek, fast, and designed for one thing: killing.

The system pings again.

Hostile Targets Identified: MK-V Combat Drones (10). XP per Kill: 50.

Note: Drones are equipped with non-lethal ammunition but are programmed to incapacitate with extreme force.

Great. So even if they don't shoot to kill, they'll happily beat me within an inch of my life.

I roll my shoulders, already feeling the serum stirring inside me. Adrenaline floods my veins, but this isn't ordinary adrenaline. It's like liquid fire, igniting every muscle, every neuron. I can feel the changes happening in real time—tendons tightening, reflexes sharpening.

The drones spread out, circling me like wolves around a wounded deer.

System Update: Combat Skill – Enhanced Reflexes Unlocked (Level 1).

Stamina Usage Reduced by 15%.

"Show me what you've got, you metal bastards," I mutter under my breath, sliding into a loose combat stance.

The first drone lunges at me, metal legs clanking on the ground, aiming a baton at my head. Time slows. Not in the mystical "life-flashing-before-your-eyes" way, but in a brutally calculated, mechanical fashion. I see every angle, every weak point in its stance—like solving a puzzle in milliseconds.

The baton comes down, but I'm already moving. My body twists effortlessly, dodging the strike by a hair's breadth.

Evolution Choice Unlocked: Adaptive Combat Mode – Critical Dodge Success.

+10 XP.

I step into the drone's guard, planting my foot behind its leg and shoving hard. It topples backward, its circuits whining as it tries to regain balance. Before it can recover, I grab the baton from its hand and slam it into the base of its neck, where the power core hums.

With a crunch of metal and a burst of sparks, the drone goes limp.

MK-V Drone Eliminated. 50 XP Gained.

Progress to Next Evolution: 240/500 XP.

The second drone charges in, learning from the first one's mistake. This time, it keeps its distance, swinging wide with its baton to force me into the open. Clever. But not clever enough.

I duck low, sweeping my leg under the drone's stance. It stumbles, and I leap onto its back, jamming the baton into the joint between its shoulder plates. Another burst of sparks, and the drone collapses.

MK-V Drone Eliminated. 50 XP Gained.

Optional Objective Progress: 2/10 Targets Neutralized.

The system hums approvingly. I can almost feel it growing with each successful takedown, like a living thing feeding off my victories.

New Trait Unlocked: Spatial Awareness (Level 1) – Increased Precision in Close Quarters Combat.

By the time the third and fourth drones close in, I'm already ten steps ahead. They come at me together, trying to box me in. I slide between them, moving faster than they can react, and deliver a brutal elbow to one's chest plate. It staggers, and I slam the baton down on its exposed head. Another down.

MK-V Drone Eliminated. 50 XP Gained.

The last remaining drones hesitate, recalculating their odds. I grin, blood pumping through my veins like a roaring river. They may be machines, but they can still sense fear—or at least, the programming equivalent of it.

The fight is over before they even realize it. I dismantle them one by one, a flurry of strikes and counters that feel more like muscle memory than conscious thought.

MK-V Drone Eliminated. 50 XP Gained.

Optional Objective Completed: Eliminate All Targets. 100 XP Bonus Awarded.

Total XP: 540/500 XP. Evolution Ready.

As the last drone crumples to the ground, the system buzzes with new energy.

Evolution Protocol Activated. Select Evolution Path:

Berserker's Fury – Unlocks temporary strength boost in critical moments.Phantom Step – Enhances movement speed and grants short bursts of invisibility.Iron Fortress – Significantly increases endurance and pain tolerance.

I take a moment to catch my breath, wiping sweat from my brow. The three choices shimmer in my mind, each tempting in its own way. But I don't pick impulsively.

Fury sounds great, but reckless strength burns out fast. Iron Fortress? Too defensive—better suited for someone who likes getting hit.

That leaves Phantom Step. Speed and invisibility. Now that sounds like my style.

I make my selection.

Evolution Path Selected: Phantom Step. Activation Threshold: 20 Stamina Points.

Trait: Shadow Ambush – Bonus Damage to First Attack from Invisibility.

The serum settles into my veins again, a warm hum that makes my skin tingle. My muscles relax, the fatigue washing away like water off stone. I feel faster, lighter, more dangerous.

Up in the observation deck, Briggs leans closer to the glass, his expression unreadable. But I can tell what he's thinking.

They weren't expecting me to adapt this quickly.

"Not bad, Kane," Briggs's voice crackles over the speakers. "You might just survive after all."

I flash a grin, even though I know he can't see it from down here.

"Surviving's the easy part, Commander," I say softly to myself. "The real trick is winning."

The system hums in agreement, and I know one thing for sure: whatever game they've started, I'm going to beat it.

Because in this life, I don't just survive—I evolve. And I win.