Evans stepped out of the dim, rotting cabin of the ship.
The air was thick with the stench of blood and decay. Faint, dark stains smeared the wooden walls of the corridor—blood, old and dried. He gulped, his fingers twitching as his eyes traced the splatters. This was his first time seeing such things outside a simulation, and despite the warning from memory, his body reacted instinctively—his chest tightened, his steps slowed.
He forced himself to breathe. "Don't stop. Don't look. Curiosity will kill you faster than any spell."
Without lingering, Evans made his way out of the ship, his senses heightened and nerves sharp. He didn't dare investigate further—he knew what awaited in the darker corners of that place. It had played out once already in the simulation. That was enough.
The moment his feet touched soil outside the ship, he ran.
He didn't stop.
This time, with the power surging through his body—the result of his first breakthrough to a rank one wizard apprentice—he was no longer a mere human. His strides covered more ground, his lungs pulled in air with ease, and the fatigue that once broke him after mere hours now failed to slow him. The journey that had once taken him five days in simulation now ended in three.
He reached the town: Gale Town, nestled beneath rolling hills and dense forest. A small, insignificant place in the grand continent of wizards.
For one full day, he stayed quiet. No simulations. No movement beyond what was necessary. He found a local blacksmith—an old man with calloused hands and a simple mind—and asked for work. The blacksmith took him in, offered him a place to stay, and by nightfall, Evans had secured both shelter and a cover.
When darkness embraced the sky, he locked the small wooden door of his room behind him. The simulation was ready.
[The Truth Simulation has begun.]
Day One
You settled into the town of Gale. A new life under a simple name.
Day Two
You meditated in your free time, just as before.
Day Ten
You continued meditating, but your progress stalled. Your current meditation technique, Dark Wood Beginner, was simply too primitive.
Month Two
You could no longer advance. You came to accept that without a higher-grade technique, your spiritual growth had hit a wall.
Month Four
By now, you had gathered extensive knowledge of the town and its surroundings. The local lord, Count Leylin, was revealed to be a Great Knight—an individual whose physical prowess could rival low-level wizards. His son had been chosen by the Blue Sea Wizard Alliance and taken away for training.
You knew better than to interfere. Even provoking a Great Knight was suicide.
Month Five
You joined a caravan heading toward Shadowmere, the capital of the kingdom that governed this region.
Month Six
You arrived in Shadowmere. The sprawling city pulsed with life and the scent of ambition.
Month Seven
Once again, you became an apprentice blacksmith in a quiet corner of the city. A cover. A source of coin. Nothing more.
Year One
You continued to meditate, seeking opportunities to join the Blue Sea Wizard Alliance. None came.
Year Two
Recruitment day arrived. You participated alongside hundreds of hopefuls. The first examiner tested your spiritual energy, frowned at your results, and labeled you a waste. You were thrown out.
Year Three
You returned. Unwilling to accept fate. A different examiner this time. When he asked you to demonstrate, you released your spiritual pressure—and the young wizard's eyes widened in shock.
"You're already a first-level apprentice?" he whispered.
Though impressed, he remained cautious. After testing your innate talent, disappointment clouded his face again. Still, he treated you with respect and chose not to reject you. You were brought into the Alliance—Blue Sea's gates finally opened.
You signed the contract.
A hundred years of service upon becoming a formal wizard.
A lifetime if you failed to reach that level.
Your hand trembled, but you signed.
You sought intermediate meditation techniques—but they cost contribution points. With nothing to trade, you accepted the only two free spells available:
[Acquired: Invisible Hand]
[Acquired: Acid Ball]
You went into seclusion, determined to master both.
But before you left, you were warned:
"Each year, one mission is mandatory. Fail to comply, and you will be crippled and cast out."
Year Four
You succeeded. Both spells mastered. Your control and casting had grown sharp.
Then he returned—the wizard apprentice who recruited you.
He smiled as he handed you a scroll. "Your mission date approaches. Come with me."
You had no choice. You followed.
As you exited the Alliance grounds and stepped into the forested valley beyond, a dark presence surrounded you. Before you could react, vines erupted from the earth, binding your limbs in an instant.
Panic flooded you.
Then,a needle stabbed into your neck.
The recruiter stood there.
Calm.
Smiling.
"Let's see what you're hiding, boy."
Year Four, Day Two
He tortured you. You understood then—his kindness had been a mask. He had believed you'd gained a rare opportunity, some hidden legacy or secret method.
He wanted it.
But all you gave him were lies.
Year Five
Your will didn't break. Your body did.
When he realized you held nothing of worth, he killed you.
You are dead.
Do you want to retain your wizard level or your memories?
Evans stared at the screen, breathing slowly.
This time... he had gotten far. But again, kindness had led to betrayal.
His eyes narrowed.
"Power can be taken. But memories? That's mine alone."
He chose:
[Retain Memories]