Chapter 6: The Perks of Company in Hell

Chapter 6: The Perks of Company in Hell

I sat beside the girl, neither of us saying a word. The silence stretched long enough for me to realize something—this is what happens when you put two introverts together. Just... nothing. A black hole of communication. What did I even expect? A heartfelt bonding moment?

I glanced around the cell, taking in my fellow inmates. The kids here looked lifeless, their gazes empty, pupils dilated as if they were pumped full of some drug. Actually... that might just be the case.

Everyone seemed out of it, dazed beyond belief—except for one boy in the corner. Unlike the others, he was fidgeting nervously, his dirty blonde hair messy, and his eyes darting around like a trapped rat. He looked familiar.

Then it clicked. The junkyard. The boy who'd made a break for it before everything went to hell.

Feeling unusually curious, I raised my hand in a small wave. The boy's eyes widened, and he crawled over to me like a moth drawn to a dim light. Once he reached my side, he leaned in close and whispered, "Alex, how come you're here too?"

What?

I blinked, dumbfounded. Did this guy know me? A hundred questions ran through my head, but none of them had answers. After all, this wasn't my body—it belonged to the original Alex, whoever the hell he was. I was just a tenant in this unlucky kid's skin.

I forced a casual shrug, trying to play it cool. "I came here the same way you did," I said, keeping my tone vague.

He didn't even look surprised, as if my reply was exactly what he'd expected. "You're as calm as always," he said, smiling faintly. "Now that you're here, I kinda feel reassured. At least I'm not alone."

I gave him a look that could only be described as Are you serious right now?

So you're happy I'm also stuck in this mess? Thanks, buddy. Real thoughtful of you.

The boy chuckled nervously but quickly covered his mouth with his hand, his eyes flashing with fear. "I forgot we're in this place," he muttered.

He let out a long sigh before continuing, his tone tinged with regret. "If we hadn't gone scavenging in the junkyard, none of this would've happened. I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. If I hadn't invited you to come along, we wouldn't be in this situation."

Ah. So that's the connection.

This guy must've been a "friend" of the previous Alex, the one who got me into this mess. Inviting him to the junkyard, looking for food, only to bolt when things went south. Some friend.

I just nodded, not bothering to respond. There wasn't much to say.

That's when I noticed something odd. Our clothes had been changed. Instead of the ragged, dirty outfits we'd been wearing before, we were now dressed in clean white shirts and pants.

When the hell did that happen?

While I stared at my clothes, the boy spoke up again. "Yeah, they changed our clothes. Honestly, it's better than what we had before. Cleaner. But…" His voice dropped to a whisper, his tone ominous. "I'm scared of what might happen next. I've heard rumors about this lab. Wanna know?"

"No."

His face fell. "You're no fun."

I sighed. What's so fun about hearing rumors when I already know their goal? The Ouroboros mark on the scientist's neck was enough to confirm it. A snake devouring its own tail—symbolizing eternity. Their objective was simple: experimenting on kids to unlock the secrets of immortality.

The boy whispered again, his voice trembling. "Do you think we'll end up like them?" He gestured toward the other kids in the cell—empty shells, their eyes void of life or hope.

"We won't," I replied automatically. The words weren't confident, but they were something.

His expression softened slightly, though fear still lingered in his gaze.

I glanced at the girl beside me. She hadn't moved a muscle, her face as lifeless as the others'. But I knew better. She wasn't just another victim here—she was a key player, one of the main characters from the game. Her backstory had been tragic, filled with horror and loss, but it had also been thrilling to watch unfold.

Living it, though? Not so much.

I studied her closely. She'd escape this hellhole years later in the game's timeline, but right now, she was just as trapped as the rest of us. Her lifeless demeanor was deceptive. Beneath that mask was the spark of someone who would eventually fight back.

Not that I'm in any shape to fight back myself.

I glanced at my frail arms and sighed. This body was malnourished, weak, and completely useless. Not to mention the lack of mana. Even my system seemed to mock me, refusing to show any trace of it.

I muttered internally, "Status."

---

[System Activation: 37%]

Current Status:

Name: Alex Summers

Age: 10

Gender: Male

Species: Half-Human/[Classified]

State- hungery

Strength: -0.9

Intelligence: [Locked]

Unlock Criteria: Learn how to read and write

Charm: [Locked]

Unlock Criteria: Make someone willingly call you good-looking

Agility: [Locked]

Unlock Criteria: Run 1 km

Mana[locked]

Unlock Criteria: find out your self

Skills:

[Resilience]

Grade: S

Description: Can withstand pain or trauma with reduced impact.

[Bite]

Grade: E

Description: A skill gained after an aggressive bite. Increases strength temporarily. (Note: Painful and effective.)

---

Seeing the "Mana" section appear for the first time made my chest tighten. Finally. But of course, it had to be locked. And the criteria? I think I'll have to find out your my self.

The system activation has increased from 30 to 37% and the Mana section appeared it seems so there is much more for me to find out.

To be continued...♡