'I can't quit here….. I can't fail my sister. I can't fail myself. If I fall here, it will be all over. I will never be able to respect myself for having quit here. I need to make it to the end, I need to survive-'
Rocky kept repeating these words in his head as he tried to push himself to the finish line.
With only four days to go and the effects of nourishment deprivation reaching its peak, Rocky faced his hardest mental challenge yet. However, despite a part of his brain constantly urging him to quit, since if he did not, he would 'die', Rocky tried his best to conquer that feeling and push past it.
Survival instinct was something ingrained deeply into one's mind.
It was the base desire of any race, ingrained into them through millennia of evolution.
It was the desire that told one that they were thirsty when their body was running low on water and the instinct that triggered the fight or flight reflex when one faced mortal danger.
Currently, Rocky faced the full might of this instinct as his body urged him to quit this challenge and have some food for the sake of survival and used every trick in the book to make sure that Rocky did as he was instructed.
His mind whispered to him questions like 'what if the challenge would not end in four days? What if he was scammed by principal Liam, Nagini and Nubi and that this was all a facade, a place where Rocky was being tortured willingly?'
Once doubts like these creeped in, it became very hard for Rocky to stay focused and patient, as the urge to quit became stronger.
Nonetheless, Rocky did not quit.
He did not quit because the current him feared losing respect for himself more than it feared death.
Through the course of the past 3 months, Rocky discovered a lot about himself and one of the core things that he discovered about his personality was the fact that he took his own pride, his own word, extremely seriously.
The reason behind why he sought public approval, the reason behind why he behaved in a cool and calm manner was because that is the image he wanted to project outwards, the kind of man he eventually wished to become.
For him to become such a man, he needed to pull through moments like these when it was hard, as Rocky knew that even if he made it out of this place with his sanity intact. If he quit mid-way, especially so close to the end, he would never regain the pride he would lose.
Self-respect and confidence were important to Rocky, almost as important as not failing the expectations of those who believed in him and hence he could not quit.
*************
( Day 89 )
Uptil day 88, the thoughts of quitting and giving up persisted, however, all those doubts disappeared instantly when Rocky reached day 89, the last day of his suffering.
"It's your last day here, you're almost at the end, Sir Rocky….." Nubi said sweetly in his ears as she fed him water, giving Rocky the butterflies in his stomach.
Rocky had never felt time moving as slowly as he felt that day, as just the thought of his senses returning to him felt like enough of a reward for him to get out of this hellish experience.
On this day, he no longer had any thoughts about quitting anymore as although his mental state was slightly delirious, he had weathered through the worst and was now going to complete this challenge with his sanity intact.
**********
( Day 90 )
The last day of his suffering was a sort of joyous occasion for Rocky as tears of joy kept streaking down his chin.
'I did it….. I made it till the end!'
'I did it on my own, without anyone's aid. I'm not as useless as I thought I was'
Such were the thoughts that Rocky had revolving in his head as he felt his self confidence improve by leaps and bounds.
Although he had to wait half a day, until 5 pm where his challenge was officially going to get over, day90 was a day of celebration for Rocky as he achieved the impossible and made history on this day.
**********
Finally, as Nubi carried Rocky on her back towards the evaluation hall to receive his final rewards, Rocky felt his brain releasing a crazy amount of dopamine as he felt like he was in the ninth heaven.
Never before in his life had Rocky felt as satisfied and happy as he did here, as he received his final verdict from the chamber god.
"Congratulations Sir Rocky, for having completed your penance within the chamber.
Not only have you endured the maximum penalty possible, but you have done so in a manner that is most commendable.
Before we talk more, allow me to return the senses I have deprived you of, so that you can stand and talk to me as an equal" The hall god said as Rocky felt all his senses being returned to him.
The moment he felt the cold sensation of the floor on his skin, Rocky felt tears gush out of his eyes as he felt overwhelmed with joy.
The white world around him, now seemed to be so vivid and beautiful although it was only a monotonous white, as after losing his vision for 90 days, Rocky became more thankful than ever before for having his eyesight back.
As he got back to his feet, he felt incredibly weak as his body had grown slightly weak after not having been fed nourishment for the past 15 days, however, despite his weakness Rocky felt like he was standing tall as the pride in his accomplishment gave him the strength to stand with a straight spine.
"Thank you for returning my senses-" Rocky said, speaking for the first time in a while as he enjoyed the sound of his own voice, which sounded sweeter than ever before today.
Rocky had a mental image that the hall-god here was a mysterious entity that took the shape and voice of whoever it was interacting with, however, today, the hall god stood before him in a solid form.
A snake-man, the hall god looked a lot like Nubi if she were a male as Rocky looked towards him expectantly, waiting for his rewards.
" Usually, I never reveal my true form to anyone. However, I've made an exception today for you-" The hall god said as he transformed from looking like a male god, to looking like Nubi to looking like the devil and back.
" I'm the guide here, I'm the devil and I'm the god as well. I punish, I heal, I nourish and I reward…." The hall god said as Rocky felt dumbfounded by this revelation.
" This hall has been established for over 1200 years now. Yet you are the first individual in this timeframe to have endured all six penalties that I have imposed.
The requirements to enter this hall are quite stringent and dependent on age and strength.
If you are too old and have a mature mind you cannot enter and the same goes if you are a floor 25 or higher climber.
Most individuals entering this hall have a weak mind that has not opened to the realities of the tower.
Most cannot even suffer for six months in return for exceptional rewards that can alter their entire life….. However, you are different…" The hall god said as he appreciated Rocky and his mental fortitude.
" The nature of penalties that I impose depends on the nature of the individual receiving the penalty.
My intention is to steer them in the right direction so that they can grow from their misfortune, but most can't do so.
The reason behind why I applaud your stay here is because apart from enduring the penalties, you have grown here as a swordsman, as an individual and as a champion.
Achieving growth, that's not linked to your final rewards at all" The hall god said as Rocky bowed politely at his compliments.
"Since you have accomplished your end of the bargain. It's now time for me to fulfill mine.
Since the rewards I have promised require me to perform a gene unlock procedure and mana sea expansion, I will have to knock you unconscious to make it painless.
I understand your desire to leave this hall immediately, however, you will need to stay here for a few more hours to receive all your rewards…." The hall god said as Rocky nodded his head in understanding.
"I'm not impatient anymore, please take your time, I understand" Rocky said, as the Hall God snapped his fingers and Rocky fell unconscious on the spot.
*********
( Meanwhile back at the university )
"The mid-term evaluation for the survival class will start this Sunday. This is an individual exercise and will affect your final grades.
You are supposed to prepare your own bags for this event, so prepare thoroughly-" Principal Liam instructed before dismissing his class.
Once all the students left, the only ones left within his lecture hall were Sophia, Erin and Buhara as today's lecture marked 3 months of Rocky's absence, which was the promised date of his return.
"What? What do you three want?" Asked Liam sounding annoyed as while Erin and Buhara were here for the first time, Sophia had been pestering him about the same thing again and again for the past three months.
"Where is Rocky? It's been three months now, just where is he?" Sophia asked rather aggressively as Liam broke into a dangerous smile.
"Well, if he's not here yet, he will be here tomorrow, hahaha, that brat's done it!!….. I wonder just how much he has changed in three months….. should be fun-" Liam said, as he did not respond to Sophia's questions directly but rather gave an ominous response.