I Got Reincarnated in Danmachi But Got No Cheats?!

Chapter 54 - Awakening in Chains

I don't know how long I was unconscious.

The last thing I remember was Zagan's hand gripping my throat with terrifying strength, then everything went dark.

Now, as my consciousness slowly returns, the first thing I feel isn't relief at still being alive.

But...

Confusion.

Yeah, I'm so confused.

My eyes are still closed, but I can feel something's wrong.

My body feels heavy, like there's some giant weight crushing down on me.

The air around me feels different: more stifling, more cramped.

Even without opening my eyes, I know I'm not in the same cell anymore.

Slowly, I try to open my eyes.

1 second.

The scene in front of me is still blurry, like looking at the world through fogged glass.

2 seconds.

Shapes start to form. A lower ceiling, darker stone walls.

3 seconds.

4 seconds

And then pain suddenly hits like a tsunami wave.

"ARGHHHHHHH!"

The scream tears from my throat before I can stop it.

It hurts so fucking much!!

My voice echoes in this cramped space, creating a deafening reverberation.

But I don't care about that.

Because the pain is absolutely insane.

My entire body feels like it's being torn apart from the inside.

Every muscle screams in agony, every joint feels like it's being twisted 360 degrees by invisible hands.

It's like thousands of needles are stabbing every inch of my skin from within.

Instinctively, I want to roll around on the floor, trying to find some position that might ease this pain.

My body tries to curl up, attempting to hug myself.

But then...

CLANG! CLANG!

The sound of metal clashing startles me.

I feel something cold and hard wrapped around my wrists.

Same with my legs.

Chains.

I'm bound with thick, heavy chains.

My arms are stretched out to the sides, tied to the cell walls. My legs are locked the same way.

My position is like someone being crucified, except I can still sit, though barely.

"Shit..." I growl, trying to pull the chains with all my strength.

But it's useless.

The chains are too strong, and my body's condition right now...

Even moving a finger feels like torture.

This makes me abandon any thoughts of breaking free from these chains binding me.

The pain keeps throbbing, like waves coming over and over again.

Every second feels like an hour, every minute like a day.

I feel like I'm being burned alive from the inside.

I can't take it!

This is beyond what my body can handle!

Slowly, my consciousness starts to fade again.

My eyelids feel heavy, and the world around me begins to spin.

The incredible pain finally defeats my will to stay conscious.

The last thing I want to say before darkness swallows me again is 'is my body being recycled right now?'

•••

I don't know how long I was out for the second time.

I mean unconscious.

What's clear is that when I wake up, my condition is slightly better.

The pain is still there, still gnawing at every part of my body, but not as bad as before.

At least I can think clearly now.

I try moving my fingers slowly.

Movement that's usually so easy and automatic now feels like lifting tons of stone.

Every joint that moves makes small cracking sounds, like dry twigs snapping.

"What the hell actually happened to me?" I mumble quietly, my voice hoarse and barely audible.

While I'm trying to understand my condition, familiar footsteps start echoing from the corridor.

Firm steps, regular, and slightly hurried.

I don't need to look to know who it is.

Hasana.

I'm already pretty familiar with him.

The sound of keys turning in the lock, then the iron door opening with an annoying creaking sound.

Light from the corridor outside streams in, making my eyes (already accustomed to darkness) sting a little.

"Awake already?"

His voice is cold, not like usual.

I slowly lift my head (a movement that turns out to be much harder than I imagined) and see Hasana standing in the cell doorway with an extremely grim face.

Even in this cell's darkness, I can see the disappointment and anger clearly written on his face.

His eyes, which usually look indifferent, now stare at me with such a cold gaze, like looking at a serious criminal.

"I..." I try to speak, but my voice comes out like a frog's croak.

"Shut up!" he cuts me off with a very harsh tone.

"Don't try to talk yet!"

I fall silent, shocked by his reaction that's so different from usual.

Hasana steps into the cell, and for the first time I see just how angry he is, even angrier than when he first caught me!

His hands are clenched tight, his jaw is tense, and his breathing is slightly labored as if he just ran or is holding back tremendous rage.

I feel like he wants to beat me up right now.

"I thought you'd behave until Goddess Hestia rescued you," he says with a voice trembling with emotion.

"I thought you were an adventurer with common sense, who knew how to survive in a place like this without causing trouble."

He pauses for a moment, taking a deep breath.

Clearly trying to suppress his emotions.

"But look at you now!"

His voice rises a notch, echoing throughout the cell.

"You fought with another prisoner! Not just any fight, but you beat him nearly to death! What the hell is in your head?!"

My eyes widen.

Zagan... nearly dead?

No way!

I don't believe it!

I know Zagan isn't ordinary.

Now you're telling me he's dying?

"If I'd been ten minutes later, he might already be dead!" Hasana continues, this time his voice really shouting.

"And do you know what that means?!"

I shake my head weakly, though the movement feels incredibly heavy.

"It means even if Goddess Hestia proves you're innocent in the original case, you still won't be able to go free! You'll be caught up in a murder case! A much more serious case!"

Hasana approaches and crouches in front of me, his eyes staring directly into mine with a gaze full of anger and disappointment.

"I've seen all kinds of prisoners. Stupid ones, smart ones, desperate ones, ones who still have hope. But you... you're the first to make me truly disappointed."

His words cut deeper than the physical pain I'm feeling.

I can feel how genuine his disappointment is, and it makes me feel incredibly guilty.

"I can explain..."

"No!" he cuts me off again.

"I don't want to hear any excuses or justifications! What's clear is you almost killed someone! Period!"

Hasana stands and turns around, ready to leave.

"I hope you think hard about what you've done."

He heads toward the door, then stops for a moment without turning around.

"Oh, and your new cell? This is an isolation cell for dangerous prisoners. Congratulations, you've been promoted."

SLAM!

The cell door closes hard, leaving me alone.

I stay quiet for quite a while, processing everything that just happened.

My mind is still chaotic, but slowly I start to piece together the events from before.

My new cell is indeed much smaller than the previous one.

If the old cell was enough for two people, this one feels cramped even for one person.

The walls are thicker, the door heavier, and there's no window at all.

Really like what Hasana said: a cell for dangerous prisoners.

But what makes me most curious is...

Zagan nearly died?

I start reconstructing the last events I remember.

Zagan choking me, me losing consciousness, and then...

What happened after that?

All I remember is darkness.

No memory of fighting, hitting, or anything.

But if Hasana says Zagan's dying because I beat him, then...

My experiment worked?

My heart starts pounding hard, not from fear, but from excitement.

If what I'm thinking is really true, then the [Survival Instinct] skill really works like I hypothesized!

When there's an external threat that truly endangers my life, my body will move automatically to protect itself.

Even when I'm unconscious.

But...

Didn't Ryuu hit me before?

Why didn't this skill react?

Does it only react if there's intent to kill me?

If this skill automatically activates against killing intent, doesn't that mean I have the best bodyguard in the world?

I could sleep soundly anywhere without worry.

But...

What confuses me is...

How strong is this "instinct" really?

I clearly remember my feeling when I first saw Zagan.

My skill immediately warned me that he was dangerous.

Very dangerous.

Even with all the training and fighting experience I have, I wasn't sure I could beat him in a fair fight.

But now, while unconscious, I could beat him nearly to death?

That doesn't make sense.

Unless...

Suddenly enlightenment strikes my mind like lightning, like a monk achieving enlightenment.

"Muscle memory," I mumble quietly.