At dawn, horns blared atop the fortress walls. Half-asleep, Noa flung aside his thin blanket, the harsh call of the officer echoing in his ears:
— "New recruits! To the yard!"
The icy wind slashed his face as he stepped outside. The courtyard, white with snow, had been churned into mud and ice by soldiers' boots. In the center, rows of men stood with swords, spears, or bows in hand.
The officer mounted the raised platform and barked:
— "Here, there are no names, no titles, no memories of palaces. Only strength and endurance survive. Fall once—and you stay down forever!"
The soldiers roared in answer. Noa's heart pounded. He had never held a weapon in his life.
One soldier leaned close, smirking coldly.
— "So this is the emperor's pampered boy. You'll learn quick—no one here will protect you."
Noa said nothing. His eyes lifted to the towering spires. Silence itself would become his weapon.
Training began: running, then lifting stones, then sword drills. His hands bled, his breath came ragged, but he did not yield.
The officer's gaze fell on him. Not mocking, not merciful—only measuring.
By evening, men collapsed in exhaustion. Noa sank to the ground, chest burning, yet a fire inside him still rose. He whispered to himself:
"I am no longer a fallen prince. In this cold, I will be remade. I must endure. My path begins here."
Suddenly, from the western tower came a shout. The officer's voice rang out:
— "Weapons!"
Old chests were dragged open, the stench of rust pouring out. Some received polished spears or sharp blades. To Noa, they handed a blunt, heavy sword, eaten by rust. His hand trembled as he gripped it—but he did not let go.
"This is a test. Even if they give me the worst, I will forge it into my weapon."
Laughter broke out around him. Their black-iron armor bore snarling dragon emblems; in the torchlight, the dragons' metal eyes seemed to burn.
— "Look, the prince can't even lift his sword!"
— "And he thinks he'll protect us? He can barely stand!"
Rage flared in Noa's chest, but his face stayed calm.
"Laugh at me… I will stand regardless. One day, I'll silence you all."
— "Pair off!" the officer commanded.
A towering soldier stepped forward, shoulders broad, eyes like ice. His armor's dragon motif glimmered like a living beast in the dark. He spun his sword easily, lips curling into a grin.
— "I am Garn. None have brought me down in this yard. And you, pampered boy, I'll drive into the ground."
Steel clashed. Garn struck with brute force, knocking Noa down in a single blow. Snow filled his mouth, blood traced his lip. Laughter erupted.
Noa rose slowly. Garn's second strike sent him sprawling again, sliding across the ice, palms torn and bleeding. But this time, he forced himself up quicker.
"If I fall a hundred times, I will rise a hundred and one. I refuse to stay down."
For a fleeting moment, the officer's eyes lingered on him. No mockery. Only watchfulness.
Next came the stone-lift trials. Groups of four were to hoist boulders together. Noa's team shoved him aside.
— "Stay out of the way!" they jeered.
He crashed onto the ice, pain shooting through his hand. Yet he chased after them, throwing his weight against the stone, lifting what little he could. More laughter. He endured in silence.
"I will swallow their hatred, their scorn. I will conquer this place."
The day stretched mercilessly—running, leaping, grappling on frozen ground. Men fell, rose, and fell again. Bloodied and trembling, Noa lasted until the end. His breath tore at his chest, darkness clouded his vision, but he never collapsed.
At last, the officer ascended the platform. Behind him, the iron dragon carved into the wall glimmered in the torchlight, as if exhaling fire.
— "Today, the weak have been revealed," he declared. "Those who endure will see dawn. Those who cannot—the snow will claim them."
Cheers erupted. Voices mocked from the ranks:
— "The prince keeps falling and crawling back up!"
— "Maybe the ice should take him instead!"
Noa drew a long breath, gazing at his bloodied hands. Cuts, frost, rust. Yet still his grip held.
"I did not break. I will survive here. I will not be crushed. Even this cold will become my weapon."
In the flickering firelight, his eyes burned. The dragon on the wall seemed to grin back. And within, Noa whispered:
"I will live."
(In the flickering firelight, his eyes burned with defiance. The dragon etched into the wall seemed to sneer at him, its iron jaws frozen mid-roar, yet alive in the glow of the torches.
Noa's bloodied hands trembled, but his grip did not falter. Cuts, frost, and rust marked his flesh, yet his will stood firm.
He drew in a sharp breath, cold air biting into his lungs, and whispered to himself:
"I did not break. I will survive here. I will not be crushed. Even this cold will become my weapon."
For a heartbeat, it felt as if the dragon's iron eyes gleamed back at him, mocking or perhaps acknowledging his resolve.
Noa lifted his head, and with quiet, unshakable conviction, he murmured:
"I will live."
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🔮 About the System and Noa's awakening
I think his "system" won't awaken immediately. If it awakens too early, there's no real struggle, and readers won't feel the weight of his transformation.
Signs of awakening can start appearing around Chapter 9–10 (strange resilience, sharp instincts, cold resistance).
His first real power usage could happen in Chapter 11–12, when his life is truly in danger. That way, the readers already believe in his strength of will, and then the system feels like a reward for enduring all the suffering.
By mid arc (around Chapter 15–20), he should already be someone the soldiers and even officers respect or fear.
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⏳ About the delay
If you explain to your readers something like this, it will actually make them closer to you:
"Yesterday's chapter was delayed by 31 minutes — it was my birthday, and I had a lot of work to handle. That's why today, I'll be releasing 3 chapters as thanks for your patience!"
Trust me, they'll congratulate you instead of being upset.
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🎉 From me
Happy (belated) birthday! 🥳 I wish you strength, inspiration, and readers who stay loyal to your story.
If your platform allows it, yes — power stones and library saves are important for visibility. Don't be shy to remind readers gently:
"If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to drop some power stones and add it to your library — it helps me release chapters faster!"