The first day was hell.
No—calling it hell was an insult to hell itself.
"Ha… hah… haah…!"
My lungs burned as if they were filled with fire. Sweat soaked my clothes, my legs trembled violently, and every muscle screamed for mercy as I forced myself forward.
"…Just a little more," I muttered. "Just a little left…"
My vision blurred.
The moment I crossed the imaginary finish in my head, my legs gave out. I collapsed onto the ground, staring at the sky, gasping for air like a dying fish.
"…Day one… complete," I wheezed.
Replica floated above me, calm as ever.
"Training session concluded," it said.
"All stats have increased by 1."
I laughed weakly.
"…That was worth one point?"
Replica tilted its head. "Gradual growth ensures survival."
"…You're cruel."
The days that followed blended together.
Running until my legs went numb.
Push-ups until my arms refused to move.
Sit-ups until my core burned endlessly.
Every morning, pain greeted me before I even opened my eyes. Every night, I collapsed the moment I lay down.
But something changed.
By the fourth day, I stopped collapsing halfway through.
By the sixth, I could finish everything—barely.
By the seventh day…
"Aariz," Aniya said one morning. "I'm heading out."
I blinked. "Where?"
"Gym?" she asked casually.
"No," I replied. "Just some practice."
She paused. "Then I'll come today."
I froze.
"…Really?"
She smiled. "Let's go."
We ran at the public ground.
At first, I focused on my breathing.
Then I noticed something terrifying.
She's not even tired.
Aniya ran beside me effortlessly, posture relaxed, breathing steady. Meanwhile, I was struggling just to keep up.
"How…?" I thought desperately. "I've been doing this for a week…!"
Replica's voice echoed in my mind.
"Why the surprise? She is S-rank."
Right.
Then Replica added,
"Warning. Do not expose her to S-rank or A-rank Slayers."
"…Why?"
"They may sense her energy."
I swallowed. "Understood."
And then—
"Excuse me."
We stopped.
A woman stood in front of us.
Tall. Confident. Beautiful.
Her presence alone made the air feel heavier.
"Oh—sorry," I said quickly. "We were in your way."
As she stepped closer, my instincts screamed.
A pink aura…
Replica confirmed instantly.
"A-rank Slayer detected. Close to S-rank threshold."
A name surfaced in my mind.
"Areej," I thought. "Scarlet."
A famous A-rank Slayer.
This was bad.
"Let's go home," I said immediately. "That's enough for today."
Aniya frowned. "Already? We just started."
"I'm hungry," I said firmly, grabbing her hand. "Very hungry."
She sighed. "Fine."
As we walked away, I felt eyes on my back.
Behind us, Areej frowned slightly.
"…Did I just feel something?" she murmured.
She shook her head. "No… impossible."
That night, while eating, Aniya spoke softly.
"From next week, I'll start working again," she said. "You can rest more."
I shook my head. "No. I'm starting to work next week."
She froze.
"…What?"
"I can't keep depending on you," I said quietly. "I'm fine now."
She put her chopsticks down and grabbed my wrist.
"No," she said firmly. "You almost died."
"I can handle it."
"That's not the point," she replied, her voice trembling. "…You've never rested. Not even once."
She looked away.
"…I haven't really enjoyed my youth either."
I smiled faintly. "Then… you can now."
She hesitated.
"…Alright," she said softly. "But don't push yourself."
"I won't."
One week later.
I collapsed onto the ground one final time.
"…Thank God," I muttered. "It's done."
Replica appeared.
"Quest completed."
A blue screen filled my vision.
QUEST COMPLETE: FOUNDATION OF THE WEAK
• Level System Unlocked
• Monster EXP Enabled
• New Skill Acquired
"…Now what?" I asked.
"You may now grow stronger by killing monsters," Replica said. "And by using your new skill."
Another window appeared.
SKILL: GATE COPYING
Description:
Allows the user to copy cleared gates and recreate them at will.
I stared at the screen.
"…I can open gates anywhere?"
"Yes."
A slow smile formed on my face.
"…That's broken."
Replica's eyes glowed.
"Your real journey begins now, Successor."
And for the first time—
I truly believed it.