Day 152:

  I woke up this morning in an unfamiliar place. It was a fancy-looking infirmary, ones much better than the infirmary I was accustomed to.

  I was surprised to see the white-haired girl who was sitting on that important man’s lap fast asleep on the side of my bed.

  Before I could say anything, a woman who I assumed to be a doctor came bursting in with a clipboard. She frantically looked around for something, before noticing I was awake.

  She suddenly let out an ear-piercing shriek, which woke the girl up in the process.

  She shouted to other doctors that I was awake, and they proceeded to test my vitals multiple times before sending me back to my room.

  Apparently I had been asleep slightly over a week ,falling in and out of consciousness.

  Oh….one more thing.

  The white-haired girl revealed herself to be named Zero. She seemed keen on talking to me, but the doctors wanted complete privacy.

  I will most likely see more of her in the coming days.

  Day 155:

  My room was visited by the head researcher today.

  He came by to tell me that he was impressed by my performance at the tournament, and that the finals of it would be taking place three months from now.

  I honestly didn’t want anything to do with him. As the head researcher, he was most likely the reason I was here in the first place. Him being impressed with me did nothing but put me on edge.

  However, before he left he gave me a hopeful piece of information.

  Through the method he’s been using, every person that has awakened to a gift has fallen into a mini-coma like I did. Thus, to monitor me easier, I would be spending more time with the single-digits and their training.

  I questioned if me being in a comatose-state was due to the events I experienced

  I asked him if that would be an issue considering what happened last time, with him just telling me that with my strength it wouldn’t be an issue.

  My dream of living peacefully during my time here was just shattered.

  Day 161:

  As expected, I was visited by Zero sooner rather than later.

  She came in the room carrying bundles of crayons and drawing paper, and dropped them down next to me with a confident expression.

  I suppose she expected me to open up to her and talk if she brought something. Frankly, I have no interest in drawing so unfortunately for her she brought them for nothing.

  She tried for about 30 minutes to talk to me, until eventually beginning to draw something in silence.

  She asked me if I wanted to see what she was drawing, in which I again did not reply.

  With a huff, she took her drawing items and stomped out my room, mumbling how she’ll get me to talk eventually.

  If she brings something of worth, I might be inclined to talk. However, I doubt that will happen anytime soon.

  Furthermore, it is partly because of her I was forced to participate in that grievous tournament. I have no wish to get friendly with someone that forced cruelty on me per her own amusement.

  Day 165:

  I was brought in for another “test” today.

  They took me into a room with a large tube, and told me to step inside.

  Air swirled in the tube so fast, that it soon became a vacuum that was impossible to breathe in.

  I could see my skin begin to slightly change color as I was forced to kneel down in the tube.

  I couldn’t breathe, and right before I thought I was going to pass out they pulled me out of the tube.

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  They wrote a couple of notes down before sending me back to my room.

  It wouldn’t be an understatement to say that today was one of my worst experiences here by far.

  Day 173:

  I was informed a couple of days ago that I would be beginning training with the single-digits soon.

  Apparently today was that day.

  The head researcher told me I was a “probationary single-digit” due to the fact that I’m showing signs of awakening to some sort of power.

  I was escorted to a large hall….completely contrasting anything I had seen before in this facility.

  I had always wondered with the amount of technology why our living standards were so dreary, and this place seemed to explain half of it.

  I know I’ve already written a couple of lines about this already, but I can’t express how lavish this hall was.

  Gold, diamonds, and other expensive minerals adorned the walls. There were shining chandeliers by the rows hanging from an exorbitantly high ceiling.

  Where I walked, there was a red carpet outlined with yellow-gold patterns accompanying it on the edges, and there was a large fountain in the middle.

  I asked the head researcher if this place held any significance, in which he responded it was a waiting room for important guests.

  That was the first time I’ve been genuinely annoyed since my stay here.

  Regardless, once we left that room I was introduced to a new room I had never seen the likes of before.

  A room of all white, with soft padding on the walls and floor. On the far end, were countless weapons hanging from the wall, labeled from Melee, Ranged, and Other. Above those weapons were a large glass pane with multiple seats, and what seemed to be a panel with a variety of buttons.

  After I finished admiring the scenery, I noticed all of the other single-digits except Zero doing basic warm-up exercises.

  I was told to just take in the scenery for today, as I would begin daily training with them tomorrow.

  Besides fire boy and swamp hair, I had never actually acknowledged the other numbers. It was like I was just seeing them for the first time.

  I asked where Zero was, and the head researcher scowled for a moment before telling me that she was a special case.

  After that question, I was escorted out and back into my room. The head researcher told me that the staff is busy, so I would have to find my own way back to the training hall tomorrow, and as a “probationary” single digit, I would no longer needed to be confined to my room 24/7. He warned me of overstepping my bounds with this newfound freedom.

  It seems I unknowingly took one step closer to my escape.

  Day 174:

  I did my first daily training with the single-digits today. It honestly was nothing special.

  I had thought I was going to be able to see all their powers in action, but we were merely doing strength and agility drills.

  50 Push-ups.

  100 Sit-ups.

  A 1 mile run.

  10x sprints from one end of the room to the other.

  We did all of this in the open training area. It was a big track-field with cameras all around it. All around the area were various scientists, tinkering with monitors on the walls. It seems this entire training area was a data-gathering center. Based on the monitors, they were constantly monitoring the other single-digits vitality, speed, and strength in accordance with their abilities.

  Once we finished our warm-ups, we were taken to a room with a variety of weights and treadmills on them.

  I was told to run at full-speed until I couldn’t anymore, along with the other single-digits.

  The blond-haired boy from the cafeteria(the one that was staring at himself in the mirror like a damn narcissist) was the first one to stop. It only took him 1 minute to collapse on the treadmill in a heap of sweat and tears.

  One by one, the rest of them soon dropped off the treadmill, until it was just the swamp-haired boy and I remaining.

  He looked over grinning, and asked if I wanted to make it a competition.

  I almost indulged him considering how he had slighted me earlier with the tournament, but a competition would only make him happy, so I declined and stopped running. He made an annoyed face, but I didn’t care.

  When I looked at his complexion and demeanor, there were no signs of fatigue. His breathing was steadier than mine, and while his top speed was slower he showed no signs of stopping.

  Even if I wanted to compete, I deduced that there would be no point in competing as I would have lost without a doubt.

  Oh….and for anyone who was curious, we had reached the 12 minute mark. I believe I would have lasted about 5 more minutes at best.

  Day 175:

  I was spoken to by the black-haired boy with glasses today. The one who treated himself like a captain compared to the rest of the single-digits. He expressed his interest in becoming closer considering I was “one of them” now, and introduced himself as No.2.

  I was surprised to learn that he wasn’t No.1 with the way he had been acting, and it seemed he noted my reaction. He explained the rankings here were established by by the facilitator’s view of strength, it doesn’t matter how smart or capable you are apparently. He seemed to be discontent with this arrangement with how annoyed he seemed while talking about it.

  Our conversation was interrupted by the emo kid with the piercings. He sauntered up to us, calling No.2 “four-eyes” and made fun of him for his lack of friends. I eyed him up and down, which seemed to catch his ire. He stepped up to me, inches away my face.

  His breath was horrible by the way.

  He spat that I was acting too haughty for a shrimp, even though he was barely taller than me. He told me his designation was No.5, and that I should watch where I’m looking next time, before bumping past me.

  I will be sure to remember that.