Chapter 21: The Resolve to Survive

Noah stirred, his body still aching but his mind sharper than before. When his eyes opened, the dim glow of the research center greeted him. The sterile yet foreign environment was slowly becoming familiar, though it still unsettled him. The events of the past days—or however long it had been—flooded back into his consciousness like a wave, leaving him momentarily breathless.

His team. Alice. That monster.

He clenched his fists, feeling the bandages tighten against his skin. His teeth ground together as anger and grief churned in his chest. They were gone. All of them. And yet, he was still alive.

Why me?

"Good. You're awake again," came Valerie's voice.

Noah turned to see her standing in the doorway of his small room, holding a tablet in her hands. She looked tired but alert, her sharp eyes scanning him as if evaluating his condition.

"How long was I out?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"About eighteen hours. You're lucky you didn't bleed out. Whoever trained you did a decent enough job, but you've still got a long way to go if you want to survive here."

Survive. The word hit him like a hammer. That's all he had been doing since the beginning—barely scraping by.

Noah sat up slowly, wincing as his muscles protested. "So, what happens now?"

Valerie leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms. "That depends. You're stuck here, like it or not. And this world isn't kind to the weak. If you want to stay alive, you'll need to get stronger. Fast."

Her bluntness stung, but she wasn't wrong. Noah glanced at his Grindstone interface, which hovered faintly in his vision. His stats had improved over time, but he was nowhere near strong enough to face what this world had to throw at him—let alone the aberration that had killed his team.

"Can you help me?" he asked, his voice low but determined.

Valerie raised an eyebrow. "Help you? You've got guts, I'll give you that. But I'm not your babysitter. I've got my own mission to worry about."

Noah frowned. "Then what am I supposed to do?"

She sighed, setting the tablet down on a nearby table. "I'll give you the basics. Show you how to survive here. But after that, you're on your own. This world isn't just dangerous—it's relentless. If you're serious about getting stronger, you'll have to prove it."

Noah nodded, his jaw tightening. "Fine. Tell me what I need to do."

Valerie studied him for a moment, then gestured for him to follow her. "Come on. There's something you need to see."

The two of them stepped out of the small room and into the main chamber of the research center. Noah noticed more of the strange equipment now—machines with glowing screens, canisters filled with unknown substances, and maps pinned to a large board on the far wall.

Valerie led him to a large monitor near the center of the room. She tapped a few buttons, and the screen flickered to life, displaying a map of the surrounding area.

"This," she said, pointing to a section marked with red and orange zones, "is where we are. And this—" she tapped another area farther out, marked in dark crimson, "is where you'll die if you're not careful."

Noah frowned. "What do you mean?"

"This world isn't just a barren wasteland," Valerie explained. "It's teeming with aberrations. Some are low-level, like the ones you fought, but others…" She trailed off, her expression darkening. "Let's just say you're not ready for them."

"Then where do I start?"

Valerie pointed to a smaller zone on the map, marked in yellow. "Here. It's relatively close, and the aberrations there are manageable for someone like you. Think of it as a training ground. If you're serious about leveling up, that's where you'll begin."

Noah stared at the map, his mind racing. He didn't have a choice. If he wanted to survive—if he wanted revenge—he'd have to embrace this world for what it was.

A battlefield.

"What about supplies?" he asked. "Weapons? Food?"

Valerie smirked faintly. "You're looking at it." She handed him a worn survival knife and a small pack filled with basic rations. "This isn't a charity. Make it last."

Noah took the items, gripping the knife tightly. "Got it."

"One more thing," Valerie said, her tone serious. "Your Grindstone—it attracts aberrations, doesn't it?"

Noah nodded. "Yeah. I've noticed."

"Then be careful," she warned. "Out there, you'll be a beacon. If you're not smart, you'll end up overwhelmed again. And this time, I won't be there to save you."

Her words hung heavy in the air, but Noah didn't falter. He tightened the straps on the pack, slipping the knife into its sheath.

"I'll manage," he said, more to himself than to her.

Valerie gave him a long look, then nodded. "Good luck. You'll need it."

As Noah stepped out of the research center and into the alien landscape, the reality of his situation hit him once again.

The sky above was a sickly, swirling gray, with jagged black clouds that crackled faintly with energy. The ground was uneven and covered in a strange, pulsing moss that seemed alive. Spires of dark rock jutted out at odd angles, casting eerie shadows over the landscape.

The air was heavy and humid, carrying an unidentifiable scent that made his skin crawl.

Noah's grip on the knife tightened as he surveyed the terrain. Somewhere out there, his first real trial awaited. He took a deep breath, steeling himself.

"I'll get stronger," he muttered. "I don't care how long it takes."

As he moved forward, the faint glow of his Grindstone interface flickered in the corner of his vision.

New quest initiated: Survive the Unknown.

End of Chapter 21.