In the divine realm, it had become routine for the administrator to watch Kael. Well, she had nothing better to do and tended to become hyper-focused once she found something entertaining. It wasn't as if she monitored him twenty-four hours a day.
Today began as usual. She was ready to enjoy a good show, even creating popcorn and a drink named Cola—a beverage people from Kael's world seemed to like.
She had expected a boring day, but things escalated quickly. The boy was dragged somewhere sinister, and the mortal with twisted hobbies began to torture him. Despite having lived for millions of years, she rarely observed scenes like this. Her mood plummeted, and she felt a strong urge to see that mortal punished. Ceasing her hesitation, she sent a small white orb into the unconscious Kael's body.
"Let's see how you escape from your current predicament. Hopefully, it will be fun. Good luck, boy. Take your fate into your own hands and be free," she whispered, earnestly wishing for his success.
°°°
Kael didn't know how long he had been unconscious, but it must have been quite a while.
Chained in a dimly lit dungeon, it was hard for him to pinpoint the exact time, but he guessed it was around evening.
His stomach growled as he sat up. The itchiness had disappeared, but his whole body still ached. The little maid must have treated his injuries again; she was probably the one who made the itchiness vanish. He was grateful. As before, she had sneaked in hard bread and water. He was now dressed in torn pants, his upper body laid bare, countless scars covering his chest and back. Once these new injuries healed, they would leave more scars.
He ate the hard bread and drank the water to alleviate his hunger for a moment. Perhaps it was because he had eaten, but his mind suddenly cleared. An unknown energy began running through his veins, strengthening his frail body. He could feel a connection to a strange power he couldn't name. The moment he connected with this energy, he felt he could accomplish marvels with it.
It was then that he noticed a floating window before his eyes, and he immediately understood.
"Yes! It's finally here, my fucking golden finger!" Kael roared with laughter. He wished he could laugh more boisterously, but he was afraid of depleting the little energy he had gained from the bread, so he restrained himself.
"It is time to check what I've got," he mumbled, a wide smile on his face.
The floating window looked like a game interface—a player status screen, to be exact.
[Kael]
[Mage Level: Rank One]
[Magic Affinity: Elemental (Low), Space (Perfect)]
(Levels are Low, Medium, High, Super, Perfect; higher levels mean more efficient cultivation of that magic series)
[Learned Spells: None]
[Mana: 1000/1000]
[Items: None]
[Achievements: None]
[Achievements Overview (viewable)]
"Wow! Perfect affinity with the space element. What a godsend!" he exclaimed, ecstatic with the cheat he had received.
It seemed that in this world, one's affinity with any element was ranked from lowest to perfect. In elemental magic—which he assumed included Fire, Water, Wind, etc.—his affinity was basically trash. But with the Space element, he had a perfect affinity, meaning the highest possible compatibility. He could use extremely powerful spells and achieve incredible things.
His status window indicated he was a Mage at Rank One. The energy he had felt circulating through his veins, strengthening his body, must have been the result of reaching this first rank. As for the connection he had established with that new source of energy—the one that gave him such a wonderful feeling—that must be Mana.
At the moment, since he hadn't learned any spells, the "Learned Spells" section was empty.
Finally, there was the "Achievements" section. He assumed it was related to exceptional deeds he would accomplish, or perhaps the system—as he decided to call this window—would issue random missions. Completing them would count as an achievement.
"Let's hope it gives generous rewards if it issues a mission," he thought sincerely.
With this cheat and a perfect affinity for space, if he could learn a spell, he could use it to escape. Suddenly, a notification rang in his mind.
[You have learned Spatial Magic: Teleportation]
[Teleportation (lv.1): Consumes 300 mana to teleport, maximum distance no more than five meters (Magic level improves as your level increases, with stronger effects)]
Countless bits of information flooded his mind, assimilating instantly. He immediately understood how to use the spell.
"Puhahaha!" Kael threw his head back and laughed heartily, forgetting his earlier concern about wasting energy. A happy occasion must be celebrated, and right now, laughter was all he could do. But the surprises didn't end there.
[Achievement earned: The One Who Didn't Break – Even without a cheat, your will remained unbroken. You possess a strong and unbreakable will.]
[Achievement Reward: A Special Spatial Magic]
[You have learned Spatial Magic: Spatial Transfer]
[Spatial Transfer (Special Space Magic): Swap the positions of two spaces within a fifty-meter radius around yourself. Maximum space size is 4m×4m×4m. Casting this magic consumes no mana and can only be used twice per day. (This magic does not improve with the user's magic caster level)]
"Hahahahaha!" Kael laughed like a madman, so hard that his belly hurt and his stomach growled.
Just as he thought, achievements gave rewards, and this one couldn't have been more timely. With these two spells, he could escape. If he couldn't manage it now, even with these tools, he would be a complete moron.
Joining his hands together, he prayed.
"Thank you for sending this exceptional gift to me. Even if it was a little late, I don't mind; you must have been busy with something important. Truly, thank you, oh mighty one." He smiled, showing his not-so-white teeth.
[New mission: The Unbound – Escape from your current predicament.
Rewards: Two Large experience books and one spatial magic book.
Completing the achievement grants a special magic sometimes. Unlike normal magic, special magic can be cast without consuming mana. However, its limitation is fixed—it cannot be upgraded.]
"Right off the bat. I was planning on escaping anyway, and now I'll receive a reward for it. I can be more motivated."
Kael's eyes turned resolute. In the next session, he would escape this hellhole.