Chapter 7: 7. Normal Quest
Ryota stared at the new quest notification, his mind whirling with the potential this challenge presented. It was a daring proposition, especially considering his current situation in a highly secure prison with harsh conditions and vigilant guards.
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**Quest: Escape and Descend**
*Objective:* Break out of your current cell and make your way to Level 5.5 of Impel Down, without being detected by any staff members or the Warden of the Impel Down.
*Time Frame:* Complete within 45 days.
*Rewards:* 20 stat points and one active skill.
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Ryota read the quest notification carefully, feeling both nervous and thrilled. "Escape and Descend," the words stuck in his head, sounding like a big adventure. It wasn't just any task; it was something daring that would really push him to his limits.
As he thought about his goal, a strong feeling of resolve filled him. Escaping from his cell wouldn't be simple, especially in a tough place like Impel Down. The prison was known for its tight security and alert guards. Ryota felt trapped, like he was in a maze with no easy way out, and guards watching his every move.
He understood he had to get better, to enhance his physique, if he wanted to complete the quest. But just being strong wouldn't work; he couldn't risk getting caught by trying to break the cell forcefully. The guards came by regularly with food, so he had to plan his escape carefully to avoid getting caught.
A thought flickered in his mind about the surveillance systems within the prison. Den Den Mushi. Were they present here? If so, he'd have to navigate their watchful gaze, ensuring his movements went unnoticed. Yet, a part of him doubted their existence within Impel Down; surely, if they were, they would have detected Ivanko's presence in Level 5.5 long ago.
But then came the question: what awaited him in Level 5.5? The mention of Ivanko stirred a mix of curiosity and caution within Ryota. Meeting the guy could hold the key to his escape, but it also posed its own set of challenges.
Ivanko's reputation preceded him, known for his peculiar habit of transforming men into women. Ryota couldn't help but wonder about the encounter; would Ivanko be an ally or a hindrance? Could he be trusted, despite his eccentricities?
'Maybe I could temporarily join the Revolution army so that they could take me in? But would they really take in a guy who was about to be executed by a Celestial Dragon in a year?' The questions kept plaguing Ryota as it would decide his future options and movements.
Ryota, after a few seconds ignored the arising questions. There was still time for the completion of quest. His current focus should just be on to survive and become stronger within those two months. Additionally he decided to keep an eye on the guards and Warden who would come to patrol at regular intervals in order to find the proper time to go to Level 5.5.
Since he had already completed the daily quest, he huddled himself near the wall of the cell and started thinking if he had missed anything regarding the system.
Actually it had been quite a long time since he had read that Solo Levelling novel.
'Two years? Three years? I don't remember?' Ryota tried to remember but he couldn't recall the last time when had read it. Deciding to focus on more important things, he started to try to go over the entire novel from the start.
Since he had already completed the daily quest, he huddled himself near the wall of the cell and started thinking if he had missed anything regarding the system.Actually it had been quite a long time since he had read that Solo Levelling novel.
'Two years? Three years? I don't remember?' Ryota tried to remember but he couldn't recall the last time when had read it.
Deciding to focus on more important things, he started to try to go over the entire novel from the start.
'What did Jin-woo do in the beginning? Ah, right. He got a lot of useful skills and passive abilities early on, like poison resistance and debuff immunity.'Ryota's eyes widened as he recalled this.
'If I had those, it would make things a lot easier here. I wouldn't have to worry about any toxins they might use to keep us subdued, and I wouldn't be affected by any weakening devil fruit abilities or something.'
He quickly opened his system panel and started scrolling through it from top to bottom. There were sections for his stats, skills, inventory, and quests, but nowhere did he see anything about passive abilities like poison resistance or status debuff immunity.
'Mabye the system I have is not same. Afterall I didn't have to go through all that sh*t to get it like Jin-woo,' Ryota thought.He sighed, feeling a little disappointed.
'I guess I'll have to manage without those passive skills. But at least I have the system. It's better than nothing. I need to make the most of what I have.'
He checked his stats again, noting his progress since he first received the system. He had gained some stamina, but it was clear that he needed more if he wanted to succeed in his quest.
'I'll need to train hard. If I can increase my stats significantly over the next month, I'll have a much better chance of making it to Level 5.5 undetected.'
Going over his thoughts, Ryota decided to sleep for the day as he had to be ready for tomorrow's quest too. The next day, he woke up due to the urge to pee. He stood up, feeling the stiffness in his muscles from sleeping on the hard floor of his cell.
Walking to the corner where the toilet was kept, he relieved himself, his mind wandering momentarily to thoughts of warmth and comfort.
'How good it would be if I had warm water to shower,' he sighed inwardly, the idea of a simple luxury like a warm shower feeling like a dream in the confines of Impel Down.
Stretching his limbs a bit to alleviate the stiffness, he mentally prepared himself for another day of survival in the harsh prison environment.
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