"Where am I…?"
I'm floating—weightless, surrounded by light and shadows.
It feels cold. Silent. Empty.
Am I… inside a dream?
Then I see him.
A man standing tall, holding a sword and shield. Every swing is powerful—disciplined.
Who is he? A warrior? A Spartan?
Suddenly, I'm not just watching.
I'm living his life.
At seven years old, he was already fighting in a war.
At twenty, he became a commander, his armor stained with blood and victory.
At thirty, he still charged into battle, fearless against death.
At forty-five, he conquered an empire.
And at sixty-five, he was crowned King—a legend born from endless wars.
Every blow he struck… I felt it.
Every wound, every roar, every victory—it all burned inside my chest like it was me.
Then, a bright panel appeared before my eyes:
> Congratulations!
You have obtained Arthur's Manual – Rank A+
You've experienced Arthur's entire life.
His instincts, discipline, and memories now flow within you.
You gain an advantage over others.
Suddenly—darkness.
Then air.
Then pain.
I woke up gasping, my heart pounding.
Everyone else was still asleep.
My hands were shaking.
My muscles ached—as if I'd just fought a lifetime of battles.
I opened my Skill Panel, and there it was:
Arthur's Manual (Rank A+)
I stared at the glowing letters, still trembling.
A+, huh… not bad.
Below it, a probability list appeared:
> E = 66.0027%
D = 30.0006%
C = 3.52%
B = 1.0%
A = 0.5%
A+ = 0.1%
S = 0.001%
S+ = 0.0000001%
So… 0.1%.
Not a skill or a passive ability—something deeper.
Like I'd lived another life before waking up in this one.
"My watch stopped…" I muttered, glancing at my wrist. "Figures."
Maybe it's midnight. Or two. Hard to tell.
But damn.
The night sky here—
It was breathtaking.
Three moons glowed above, their silver light reflecting off the trees.
Stars scattered like dust across the heavens.
"We're really screwed," I whispered, smiling weakly. "But… it's beautiful."
I started gathering wood, trying to keep my mind busy.
The air was cold, and silence made every crack of a twig sound louder.
Thankfully, my lighter still worked. A small flame flickered to life, slowly growing into warmth and light.
As the fire crackled, I noticed the others stirring awake one by one.
Marco rubbed his eyes. Hyun Woo stretched. Minji sat up, blinking at the firelight.
I just kept feeding the flames, pretending everything was normal.
But inside me…
Something had changed.
My heartbeat was steady.
My grip—stronger.
And in the back of my mind, I could hear a voice.
A deep, commanding tone.
> "Hold your sword. Stand tall. Never retreat."
I froze.
It wasn't my voice.
It was his.
Arthur's.
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