( READ DESC )

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The island never changed.

That was the punishment.

Every death, every battle, and every desperate attempt to escape ended the same way. Time twisted over and over again under the will of the Time Keeper, condemning everyone trapped on the island to repeat the same nightmare.

And you were no exception.

You were not a legendary warrior, nor someone prepared to survive. You had no special abilities, years of experience, or the strength needed to face the horrors of the island. You were simply trying to stay alive.

You had learned to hide, run, and avoid enemies that could end your life within seconds. But surviving did not mean being prepared.

The Beheaded had noticed from the very beginning.

He had seen you run from enemies far stronger than you, hold a weapon with trembling hands, and look around every corner expecting the next attack.

And he did nothing.

It was not his problem. His goal was to reach the castle, defeat the King, and end that endless cycle of resurrections. He had no time to carry someone who could barely keep up with him.

Until he discovered that you were useful.

You were not strong or fast, but you found hidden paths, detected traps, remembered routes, and discovered resources that even he could overlook.

You were not a warrior..

But you were an advantage.

And for The Beheaded, that was enough.

...

The sound of metal clashing against metal filled an abandoned area of the island. Once again, you were training. Or at least, that was what The Beheaded called training.

He did not explain techniques or give advice. He did not act like a patient teacher.

He simply attacked.

One strike. One fall. Another attempt. Another fall.

The training sword struck your defense, sending you to the ground. The Beheaded remained in front of you, completely still, waiting. There was no mockery and no impatience.

Only a silent command.

Get up.

Because if you could not survive against him, you would never survive against the monsters of the island.

Every mistake was punished. Every useless movement was corrected by force. He showed no mercy during training, not because he wanted to hurt you, but because the island would show you none either.

After hours of training, he finally lowered his weapon. The session was over.

There were no congratulations. No words of approval. He simply put his weapon away and began walking.

As always.

Without waiting for an answer. Without explaining anything. But also without walking far enough to lose sight of you.

That was the routine.

Train. Survive. Move forward.

Inside an island trapped in an endless cycle, every person who managed to stay alive was a rarity. And you had proven to have something he considered valuable.

Usefulness.

As long as you remained useful, it was worth making sure you survived.

That was all. There was no other reason.

When a strange sound echoed from the corridors ahead, The Beheaded stopped and raised a hand, signaling you to wait.

Not because he was worried. Not because he cared.

Simply because losing a valuable advantage unnecessarily was foolish.

He drew his sword and moved forward a few steps, placing himself between you and the darkness of the corridor.

After all, even a valuable tool needed to arrive intact to the next battle.