Elegy from Another World

In the dim light, I carefully examined the magic-suppressing collar around my neck. The chains seemed uneven in thickness, noticeably thinner in some places. A thought flashed through my mind: perhaps I could break it by force? I picked up a sharp-edged stone, aimed it at what appeared to be the weakest point on the collar, and smashed it down with all my might.

"Clang!" The crisp sound of impact was particularly jarring in the silent cell.

"Stop! Are you crazy?!" the girl in the opposite cell cried out in a terrified whisper, "Do you want to commit suicide?"

I stopped what I was doing and looked at her with a puzzled expression.

She explained urgently, "These magic-suppressing chains were designed with the possibility of someone forcing their way through! Unless opened with special dispelling magic or the corresponding key, the magic embedded in the collar will instantly activate, destroying the wearer's bones and nerves! You will die an extremely painful death!"

I gasped. These bandits were truly ruthless and thorough! But then, a near-mad thought surged into my mind: A devastating counterattack? Excruciating pain? For ordinary people, this would be a dead end, but for me…

"It's okay," I tried to make my voice sound calm, even with a strange excitement. "Just watch. Trust me."

Under her bewildered gaze, I raised the stone again and smashed it with even more focus and force against that weak spot! One, two, three... With each impact, the collar groaned under the strain, the cold metal digging painfully into my skin, but "Eternal Burning" twisted this pain into a strange stimulation.

About fifteen minutes later, with a crisp crack, the chain on my right wrist snapped and broke! Almost simultaneously, an indescribable, high-voltage-like force exploded from my right wrist, instantly engulfing my entire body! It wasn't pain, but a more fundamental, violent release of energy, as if every cell was being forcibly torn apart and reassembled. Immediately afterward, an extreme sense of fullness, transcending pleasure and almost numbing, spread from my right arm, causing my whole body to tremble slightly uncontrollably.

I bit my lip hard, grateful for the existence of "Eternal Burning," otherwise what I would be letting out right now would not be suppressed gasps, but heart-wrenching screams. To outsiders, I might be enduring torture, but the feeling inside was a distorted, almost dizzying "comfort."

I didn't stop. As my right arm gradually regained feeling in that eerie energy, I repeated the process, smashing the chains off my left hand, left foot, right foot, waist, and neck in turn. Each time a chain snapped, it was accompanied by a destructive energy surge and a strange, overwhelming feeling. I collapsed to the ground, my muscles twitching uncontrollably, and an almost obsessive, foolish grin involuntarily appeared on my face.

To be honest, because of "Eternal Burning," I feel... not so bad right now, even with a dangerous sense of addiction. But I shook my head sharply, warning myself: I can't let this feeling bind me! This is just a means, not an end.

I forced myself to sit up and channeled the magic I had just reconnected with, casting a healing spell on myself. Warm life energy flowed through my body, repairing the internal damage caused by the backlash from the chains. A few minutes later, I stood up again, feeling the surging magic within me.

With a thought, a highly compressed water blade, its edges crackling with electricity, materialized in my hands. I swung it like scissors, easily severing the thick wooden stakes of the cell, and stepped out.

The girl in the opposite cell stared in shock, speechless.

"Wait for me," I said, looking at her with cold, resolute eyes. "I will come to save you."

Having said that, I slipped into the shadows of the cave like a ghost. My detection magic spread like ripples on water, clearly outlining the locations of the 24 bandits on the first floor—some fast asleep, some drinking, and some patrolling.

The revenge has begun.