Chương 4: Awakening

Levi sat atop the beast's lifeless body, his chest heaving from the fight that had nearly cost him his life. His trembling hands rested on his knees, sticky with blood and dirt. The creature lay still beneath him, its fangs frozen in a final snarl, but Levi couldn't feel the satisfaction of victory. Something deeper was taking hold—something far worse than exhaustion.

Without warning, a searing pain erupted in his chest, sharper than anything he had felt before. It was as if a thousand needles pierced him all at once, radiating outward from his heart. He gasped, clutching at his chest as the pain spread, rippling through his veins like wildfire. His muscles locked, and he toppled off the beast's corpse, landing hard on the blood-soaked ground.

The agony was relentless. Each heartbeat felt like a hammer blow, sending another wave of torment crashing through his body. His skin burned, his bones ached, and his limbs refused to move, frozen in the throes of whatever was happening to him. It wasn't just pain—it was a transformation, something alien and unnatural forcing itself into his very being.

Levi groaned, his breath shallow and ragged, as his vision blurred. His dry, parched throat screamed for relief, but there was nothing around him except the dark pool of blood spreading from the beast. The metallic tang of it filled his nostrils, and the mere thought of drinking it twisted his stomach. But as the pain surged again, his mind screamed in desperation.

Is this it? Is this how I die? The thought was suffocating, the weight of defeat pressing down on him. He had fought, survived, and won, only to collapse here, alone and helpless in an alien world. The victory felt hollow, as though the universe itself was mocking his struggle.

Through the haze of agony, a memory cut through like a ray of light in the darkness.

"You will not forget your promise, right?"

Elara's voice echoed in his mind, soft yet insistent. Her face appeared vividly, her eyes filled with trust and warmth, her smile unwavering. That day in the park, her playful question about their future, and his promise to her—it all came flooding back.

Levi clenched his teeth, his body trembling as he forced himself to focus on her memory. No. I can't die here. I won't. He had made a promise, and he wasn't going to break it—not to her, not to himself. The pain clawing through him was unbearable, but the thought of failing Elara gave him something to hold onto.

The burning in his chest intensified, but Levi gritted his teeth, digging his nails into his palms to anchor himself. Slowly, inch by agonizing inch, he began to move. His muscles screamed in protest, but he ignored them, dragging himself toward the pool of blood. His vision blurred with each movement, but he refused to stop.

"Elara… I won't give up," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

The dark, sticky liquid glistened in the dim light, and Levi hesitated for only a moment. Survival instincts overpowered his revulsion. Lowering his head, he pressed his mouth to the pool and drank. The blood was warm, metallic, and thick, its taste nearly making him gag. But as it slid down his throat, the unbearable dryness began to subside, bringing a faint, desperate relief.

The burning in his chest cooled slightly, the fire within him dimming to embers. His limbs grew heavy with exhaustion, but the pain ebbed, replaced by a strange, pulsating warmth deep within his core.

Four hours later…

In the center of the blood-soaked clearing, Levi lay motionless, his body curled into itself as though guarding against unseen enemies. His small hands clutched his chest tightly, his knuckles white with effort even in sleep. His breath was shallow but steady, his face pale and stained with streaks of blood.

Slowly, his fingers began to relax, the tension in his body easing. His eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, he stared blankly at the canopy above him, the world around him silent except for the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze. The pain was gone, replaced by a lingering ache that felt more like a memory than a wound.

Levi sat up slowly, his body protesting with every movement. His clothes were soaked, the sticky warmth of the beast's blood clinging to his skin. The metallic scent filled the air, overwhelming and suffocating. He glanced down at his hands, stained red, and then at the lifeless beast nearby. His breath was unsteady, his heart pounding against his ribs.

And yet, something felt different.

Levi's hand instinctively went to his chest, where the burning pain had once been. The skin there was sensitive, as though it had been seared from the inside. But beneath his fingers, he felt something else—a faint pulse, not of blood but of energy. A subtle, rhythmic hum.

The world around him blurred, and Levi felt his consciousness pulled inward. His surroundings dissolved into darkness, replaced by a vast, infinite void. In the center of this space floated a massive heart, its slow, deliberate beats echoing through the emptiness. At its core was a glowing orb, a swirling mix of colors—white, black, red, and blue—blending and shifting endlessly.

Levi stepped closer, his movements slow and hesitant. The orb seemed alive, pulsing faintly with energy that resonated deep within him. He reached out, his fingers brushing against the surface, and a surge of light and information flooded his mind. He staggered back, his breath hitching as the glowing core pulsed brighter.

Levi squinted at the marble-like core nestled within the heart, its swirling colors shifting hypnotically. He stared at it for a moment, his mind working through what he was seeing. It felt… familiar, like something he should recognize but couldn't fully grasp.

"What is this?" he muttered, his voice low, almost to himself.

As he focused, the answer became clear. It was a mana core—or something close to it. He had read about such things in stories back on Earth. Protagonists often unlocked strange powers after defeating a powerful foe, their first step toward survival in another world. It made sense, even if it felt surreal.

But this wasn't a story.

His thoughts churned as he tried to make sense of it. Was this a blessing? A curse? The idea of gaining power wasn't unwelcome—he'd need it to navigate this world. But at the same time, there was unease. Power like this didn't come without strings, and Levi had no interest in being someone else's pawn.

"Well, who cares about all that stuff? Now my main goal is to go back to my world, and for that, I can be someone else's pawn, but after getting stronger, I will kill them."

As Levi thought about it, he returned to the world and sat there, leaning to the beast.

Just as he was about to rest for some time, a sound came into his ears.