The air was thick with the lingering scent of sweat and exhaustion as Harry collapsed onto his bed, still damp from his quick shower. His arms sprawled out limply, and he let out a deep groan of satisfaction.
"Finally…" he mumbled, his voice muffled against the pillow. "That was hell. When's the damn objective clearance gonna happen?"
Tess had said it would be around 10 PM. But the clock on his mind was already creeping past 11 PM, and still—nothing.
Max, who had opted to sit at the edge of his bed rather than throw himself into it like a corpse, nodded slightly. He wasn't impatient, but… he was curious. Why the delay?
Then, as if answering their thoughts, a voice echoed inside their minds.
[2nd Trial of Stage 0 has come to an end.]
Harry and Max exchanged quick glances, all traces of exhaustion momentarily forgotten. They both sat up.
[Objective: 'Observe – Learn – Prepare' has been completed.]
[Performances are being calculated…]
Max frowned. "What does that mean?"
Harry lazily waved a hand, stretching his legs out. "Remember what Tess told us about the End Log? We're probably being evaluated like the first trial. And, if we're lucky, we'll get some amazing rewards again."
Then, with a dramatic sigh, he muttered, "I just hope I don't get bananas again."
Max nodded in understanding, though his own thoughts were elsewhere. Evaluation… rewards…
More than anything, he hoped—no, needed—to receive something that could help him make sense of his situation. His amnesia, his instincts, his burden—whatever it was that weighed on him so heavily, he wanted a clue.
Then, the final message appeared.
[Performance Calculation Complete.]
[Evaluation and Rewards Granted.]
Before Max could glance at Harry, a blue-tinted system window flickered into view in front of him.
___
[Traveler Max, your performance has been evaluated.]
"You are walking forward, but do you know where you're going?
You have observed, but only what is in front of you. You have learned, but only what is easy to grasp. You must see deeper. You must question more.
The road ahead is not kind to those who hesitate. Doing fine is not enough to carry your burden.
Keep going. Do not just look—understand. Do not just react—decide."
___
Max frowned at the words, a strange sense of déjà vu washing over him.
It wasn't just the mystery of his lost memories that bothered him. It was this feeling—like he was chasing something he couldn't see, something important, something his own body and soul remembered but his mind didn't.
"Doing fine is not enough to carry my burden…" he muttered under his breath.
What exactly was his burden?
The thought stirred something in his chest, an ache he didn't understand. But one thing was clear—
He had to move forward.
He took a deep breath, setting those thoughts aside for now.
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Then, the system window shifted, revealing his rewards.
---
[ Rewards Granted ]
? Traveler's Coin (A strange coin with an unknown symbol. It feels oddly familiar.)
? Cracked Mirror Shard (A fragment of a broken mirror. It faintly reflects something…)
[ Choose One of the Following ]:
? Iron Grip – Enhances grip strength and control, making it harder for weapons, objects, or enemies to be pried from your grasp.
? Unshaken Resolve – Strengthens mental fortitude, reducing the effects of fear, confusion, and mental interference.
? Second Wind – Grants a sudden burst of stamina and clarity when fatigued, but exhaustion hits harder afterward.
_____
Max's eyes narrowed slightly as he read the descriptions.
Each of them felt useful, but he had no frame of reference to compare them properly. He had no memory of what kind of person he used to be—what would complement him?
Then, Harry's voice echoed in his mind.
"If you get a choice, consult me first."
Max instinctively glanced at his 'mentor'.
Harry, however, looked completely absorbed in his own screen—his eyes locked onto empty air, scanning through whatever evaluation he had received. His lips twitched from time to time, shifting between a smirk and a frown, deep in thought.
Max hesitated, then exhaled softly.
He could wait.
For now, he would analyze his options.
And when Harry was done—
They'd figure it out together.
_____
[ Evaluation:
"Oh, you've really outdone yourself this time, haven't you? Training like there's no tomorrow, twisting logic into knots, and finding 'genius' methods that no ordinary person would dare attempt.
Observe? You did. Learn? Questionably. Prepare? In ways that defy explanation.
Unlike the others, you see things differently. Perhaps a bit too differently.
Perhaps… a bit too much.
A word of caution Mr.Fool—seeing too much has its own dangers. But hey, who am I to stop you?" ]
Harry's lips twitched.
He narrowed his eyes at the floating words, feeling personally attacked.
"…This thing is stealing my style just to mock me," he muttered.
What was this? A system evaluation or a roast session?
He could almost imagine some smug entity writing this while cackling. Seeing too much? What kind of ominous nonsense was that? If there was something to see, he would see it—simple as that.
Still, despite the insults (or backhanded compliments?), he couldn't deny that it made him feel oddly satisfied.
The words faded, and a new message replaced them.
___
[Rewards Granted]
? Fool's Token – A small coin engraved with a laughing jester. It hums with strange luck.
? Seer's Lenses – A pair of frameless lenses that enhance perception, revealing hidden details. For those who wish to keep seeing.
? Mystery Box – A box that can contain anything. The contents are unknown until opened. Let's hope they won't be bananas.
[ Choose One of the Following ]:
? Slippery Instinct (When in danger, your body sometimes moves on its own to dodge. The effectiveness is questionable.)
? Echoing Instinct (A sixth sense for danger. Because thinking ahead isn't always your strong suit.)
? Unshackled Sprint (Run faster, recover stamina quicker. Because running away is still your best strategy.)
____
Harry's dissatisfaction instantly vanished.
"Ohhh—now this is what I'm talking about," he grinned as he skimmed the rewards.
"Oh!"
"Woah!
"Good."
He gave a satisfied nod.
Then his eyes drifted downward.
[ Choose One of the Following ]
Harry immediately straightened up, reading carefully. His grin faded slightly as he focused.
"Okay… these are all good," he murmured, rubbing his chin.
Slippery Instinct sounded like a reflex-based dodge. Could be useful if it actually worked properly, but given the way it was phrased, he wasn't entirely convinced.
Echoing Instinct was vague. A sixth sense for danger? Did that mean premonitions? A gut feeling? Was it reliable? Would it be annoying? He had enough going on in his head already.
Unshackled Sprint, on the other hand, was straightforward. Speed and stamina recovery. A solid choice. Running away was, after all, a perfectly valid strategy—when necessary.
Harry groaned, slumping back onto his bed. "Damn it. Why is choosing so hard?"
He shut his eyes for a second, trying to weigh the options. Then, out of habit, he glanced to his side—
And nearly jumped when he saw Max staring at him with a strange expression.
"...What?" Harry blinked.
Max tilted his head slightly. "You done?"
Harry hesitated. "No, but—what about you? What did you get?"
Max's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer before he exhaled and relayed his evaluation and rewards.
With each passing second, Harry's headache grew.
"Ah, great," Harry muttered, rubbing his temples. "So you got a mirror shard, a coin, and mental or stamina boosts? Fantastic. That helps so much with my decision."
Max gave him a flat look. "You were the one who asked."
"Yeah, yeah," Harry waved a hand, still lost in thought. "Alright, let's do this logically. We claim our base rewards first. Open our boxes. Maybe—maybe—it'll make it easier to pick later."
Max gave a small nod. "Alright."
Harry sat up, cracking his knuckles.
"Alright then," he smirked. "Let's see what we got."
