Now I was left with a choice: submit and live, or rebel and die. What a fate, huh. But it was my own fault in the end. I should've known better, and now it was too late for regrets. I needed to get out of here.

"You can go die in a ditch for all I care. I'll never submit to you or anybody." I met her gaze without flinching, watching the shift in her eyes as anger mixed with amusement. "Death would be an escape for me. I'm not afraid of it."

"Is that so…"

Her tone shifted, losing that playful edge she flaunted before. There was something off about Silver. Even though I wanted nothing more than to rip her throat out, she seemed strangely invested in keeping me alive. Was it genuine interest… or was I just a convenient tool to piss off Hera?

Her fingers slid lightly across the iron bars, the torchlight catching her face just enough for me to see the curve of her cheek and the shadow under her eyes.

"Well then… I'll see you on the day of your execution. Until then, I hope you stay comfortable in this… lovely abode."

She gave me a smile that wasn't a smile at all, more a quiet attempt to dig under my skin, to make sure I felt as trapped and powerless as she wanted.

She turned to leave, her steps echoing through the chamber. I knew she wouldn't just walk away for good. If she truly wanted me alive, she'd be back soon enough.

"Wait," I called out, my voice barely more than a breath.

Her steps halted, and an expectant, drawn-out "Yes?" slipped from her lips. But I wasn't planning on giving her what she wanted. I needed something else.

"How many days until my execution?"

Silence followed. The torchlight flickered once before fading, swallowing me in darkness again. A moment later, her laughter rolled through the chamber, slightly unhinged, cold enough to scrape along my spine.

"Are you finally afraid, little vampire?" she asked, her voice drifting as she began to walk again, still refusing to give me an answer. Only her laughter remained, echoing off the stone as if she'd already won. "I'll see you tomorrow, my cute little slave."

That tone pissed me off so much it made me want to vomit.

"Bitch…" I muttered under my breath.

But at least she'd given me something to cling to. If I wanted to survive, I had only one path left: clear the system trial. I needed my acupuncture needles back. With them, I could tear these shackles off and get out of this hellhole.

With some luck… and a trial by fire, of course.

Time passed slowly for me. I couldn't fall asleep and slip into the system trial whenever I wanted. Sleep only dragged me under when my body had nothing left to give, pulling me straight into that place like a hook sinking into my spine. The moment my consciousness dipped, I stood once more in the cold white room, facing my own clone.

She didn't even acknowledge me this time. Her back was turned, the needles swirling around her in a fast, controlled orbit, each one humming faintly as they cut through the air.

I drew in a deep breath, steadying myself. I had trained for this. I could do this. I had to. This wasn't about getting stronger anymore. My life was on the line, and if I didn't get those needles back, I would die for real. There was no room for hesitation.

The clone finally turned her head, just enough for me to see her profile. Her expression was carved from ice, entirely unmoved by my presence. She raised her hand, and the needles spun faster, forming a circle of crimson points around her. I felt the familiar tension crawl under my skin. She was ready. And the moment her foot shifted, the needles launched.

I reacted on instinct. My body moved before my mind caught up, twisting out of the way of the first needle while the second grazed my cheek. A thin sting followed, warm blood sliding down. I ignored it and kept moving, stepping forward instead of backward. Retreat would only get me killed. I had learned that over and over again.

The third needle curved toward my ribs. I lowered my arm just in time to let it skim past, the air splitting against its speed. The fourth one followed, aiming for my throat. I ducked, rolled, and sprang up again, my legs shaky but determined. The sharp whirring of metal circled my ears, a constant reminder that even one mistake meant I would be skewered.

I lunged forward, reaching for the nearest needle orbiting around her, but the clone shifted her stance, and the entire formation snapped into a new pattern. Six needles shot outward like arrows. I crossed my arms to guard myself, feeling each impact shove me backward. My skin split. My bones rattled. The white floor cracked under the force of my fall.

She didn't aim for the nerves? For the first time, something clicked in my head. This trial wasn't like the others. Something had shifted.

I pushed myself up with trembling hands. The clone watched with that same cold expression. She simply existed to break me until I learned.

She flicked her wrist. The needles answered instantly.

This time they moved lower, targeting my legs. I jumped back, but one clipped my left shin, carving a shallow line that burned. Another sliced the air near my ankle. I twisted away, teeth clenched so hard I thought they might crack. My heartbeat pounded in my ears, the rhythm almost drowning out the shrill spin of the metal.

I moved in again. I had no choice. Staying at a distance got me torn apart. Up close was hell too, but at least I could try.

She was slower today… I felt it immediately, something off in the way she moved. Maybe the weaker I became, the weaker she turned as well. Whatever the reason, I had to use this chance. This might be my only shot to finally clear the trial.

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