Chapter 2: Trapped in a Cage.

Chapter 2: Trapped in a Cage

Hitoshi's eyelids fluttered open, his senses hazy as he struggled to make sense of the strange, cold surroundings. The air was damp and filled with the stench of sweat, rust, and despair.

 Groaning softly, he tried to shift his body, only for a sharp, metallic clang to echo around him. His heart thudded as he realized the source of the noise—a thick, iron cage with bars close enough to pinch his small fingers.

"What...?" he croaked, his voice raspy.

Blinking rapidly to clear his vision, Hitoshi's breath hitched as he took in his surroundings. Rows upon rows of cages lined the dimly lit space. Each cage housed beings that barely looked human. Some had furry ears atop their heads and beast like tails coiled around trembling legs and a few had protruding snouts and scales which gleamed faintly under flickering torchlight. 

Creatures with the features of animals and humans alike stared vacantly into nothingness, their expressions hollow and defeated, looking listless without any drive whatsoever as if their wills had been crushed years ago.

" Wasn't I supposed to be dead?."

Hitoshi felt his throat tighten. "How come I ended up here, is this....hell?" he whispered.

The weight of panic quickly pressed against his chest. He grasped the cold bars of the cage, shaking them violently.

" No no no no! this isn't real!."

" This can't be happening!." 

"Let me out! Let me out!" he cried, his voice cracking. 

" Let me ou–Arrrghh!!!"Suddenly, a surge of foreign information flooded his mind, sharp and overwhelming like a tidal wave crashing into his brain.

He gritted his teeth, trying his best to endure the pain. After a few moments his expression soon eased of pain yet in the blink of an eye, that relief was soon replaced with bewilderment.

It turns out that after having died, He had been...

Reincarnated...to a foreign world.

The word echoed in his thoughts. Images and knowledge that weren't his own played before his eyes, memories of a boy or to be specific , This bodies original owner, who looked exactly like him. A boy born to loving parents who died tragically without clearing their debts. Sold into slavery, the original owner of this body had perished, not from sickness or violence, but from sheer anxiety and hopelessness.

"Your kidding me...." Hitoshi muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "Dying from anxiety?, is that even possible?" Hitoshi wondered yet when he compared his father's abusing ways to the untold torture and horrors his bodies previous owner was forced to undergo as a slave who was sold left and right he couldn't help but shiver unconsciously.

His lips quivered as he stared at his own small hands. They weren't quite his hands, slightly thinner, slightly paler. 

Staring at the detailed veins that pumped blood below his skin he knew that this isn't a dream... 

This was all real.

Hitoshi's chest heaved, overwhelmed by the crushing realization. His eyes burned with tears as he took in the sights of the other slaves, their battered bodies, bruises both old and new, and expressions devoid of hope. 

It was simply too much for a little boy like him to bear. 

Hot tears quickly began to stream down his face in the blink of an eye.

"This isn't fair..." he sobbed quietly. "Why me?, Why did this have to happen to me?....am I really that cursed..." Dark lines clouded his face at the thought.

His voice, though soft, carried enough weight to disturb the silence of the dark chamber. It wasn't long before a low, guttural growl shattered the stillness.

"Who's crying?!"

Hitoshi's heart froze. The voice was deep and filled with malice. Heavy footsteps thudded against the stone floor as the figure emerged from the shadows, at a glance what Hiroshi saw caused his heart to shudder without hesitation. In his line of sight was a towering orc with mottled green skin and a permanent sneer etched across his grotesque face. Tusks jutted from his lower jaw, and his red eyes gleamed with cruelty as it came out from a corner and approached him.

"You wanna cry, runt?" the orc snarled, cracking a thick leather whip in his hand. "I'll give you a reason to cry!"

Terror gripped Hitoshi's body. His knees buckled as memories flooded his mind, memories that didn't belong to him but to the boy whose body he now inhabited. Images of this very orc beating slaves until they couldn't stand flashed vividly. The crack of whips, the agonized screams, and the sickening sound of bones breaking filled his mind.

"I-I'm sorry..." Hitoshi whispered, trembling uncontrollably. His body refused to move, paralyzed by the sheer weight of fear.

The orc's eyes scanned the cages, his lip curling in disdain. "Pathetic worms," he spat before stomping away, the echoes of his boots fading into the distance.

Hitoshi collapsed onto the filthy floor, gasping for breath. His entire body shook as sweat clung to his skin. "I-I can't do this..." he whispered, choking on his sobs. "Someone... please... help me."

His desperate plea hung in the air, unanswered.

Until suddenly....

A soft chime echoed in his ears.

Hitoshi's teary eyes widened as a glowing holographic panel materialized before him, hovering inches from his face. Its design was strange yet beautiful, adorned with rose and heart motifs that seemed completely out of place in such a grim setting. Bold letters glowed at the top:

Affinity System

"What... what is this?" Hitoshi stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. He backed up until his shoulders pressed against the cold bars of the cage, but the panel followed him relentlessly, floating just before his nose.

"No... no... get away!" he cried, swatting at it frantically. But it remained stubbornly fixed in place, shimmering gently like it had all the time in the world. Fortunately Hitoshi hadn't raised his voice to high, narrowly avoiding another meeting with his orc of a slavemaster.

Breathing heavily, Hitoshi hesitated. 

Is this some kind of trick?...just what is this?. He thought to himself, his innocent child like eyes gleaming with curiosity.

His curiosity, however, got the better of him. With a trembling hand, he reached out and touched the glowing surface. The panel shimmered and shifted, revealing a new display:

---

Status Window

HP: 10/10

MP: 0/0

Strength: 1

Charisma: 4

Agility: 1

Stamina: 3

Intelligence: 2

Perception: 1

Vitality: 2

Skills: (SSS Class) - Emotional Bubble Wrap.