I Became a Leader in a Wretched Prison

“When are we going to continue?”

“We must not overlook the basics, Prisoner Helios.”

“That d*mn prisoner title is really getting on my nerves. Even without calling me, I know I’m a prisoner.”

“When guards call prisoners, they use terms like ‘prisoner,’ ‘dog’ or ‘bast*rd’. So, is being called a ‘bast*rd’ your preference? I respect preferences.”

“…Being called a prisoner is probably the best,” Helios replied, grinding his teeth.

His neatly shaped eyebrows rose slightly, and upon closer inspection, he had a quite handsome face, although marred by perpetual creases.

Out of curiosity, I touched his face and received a blow instead. It didn’t hurt, but I learned not to touch him carelessly and decided to be more cautious in the future.

‘It’s a basic rule not to touch others recklessly,’ she thought.

The prisoners here, whether tired of loneliness or driven by curiosity or madness, did as they pleased. I wasn’t much different.

Indeed, when common sense disappears, these things become inconvenient.

“Kia can be considered as fuel. It can move a train or become a fire that harms people.”

Kia was a power that could do anything.
It was like mana used by mages in fantasy novels, but more common as it can be used by half of humanity.

“There are five ways to use Kia,” I continued.

“I guess I’ve heard that at least ten times by now.”

“Counting the numbers, a very diligent disciple,” I commented, even though he looked at me as if to say, ‘Who said I’m your disciple?’

He kept quiet obediently. From my experience, speaking up here would only delay the story he wanted to hear.

“So, you want to learn Kia from me?”

“…Yes. But I suppose you won’t tell me everything from the beginning to the end.”

Although Helios only asked to learn how to create a shield, in reality, it was no different from a child who can’t even memorize multiplication tables asking to learn calculus.

“While you learn Kia from me, you can call me ‘Master’.”

“What nonsense,” he scoffed.

“Oh, among the colleagues of your esteemed master, there was one who cursed me for being too nice. Are you like him too?”

“….”

Helios showed a very enthusiastic reaction to my offer to teach him.

Honestly, from what I could see, he had just awakened his perception of Kia, but it was still lacking.

‘At this rate, he’ll die as soon as he reached the 11th floor.’

It wouldn’t do.

Since he would eventually become a formidable person, it wouldn’t hurt to teach him the basics.
Of course, it didn’t matter if the novel’s plot didn’t unfold according to the knowledge I possessed. As long as I’ll be released.

I had no interest in anything else.

“First, the basics of handling Kia…”

“Observing the dispersed Kia in nature, then touching it, and finally gathering it in your hands? Also, the weapon I held in my hand on the first floor was a tool that aided in these basics,” he interjected.

“Excellent. I’ll say it again, if you can’t memorize the things you’ve been hearing for a month, then you’re simply a subpar human being.”

A few years ago, when I taught new prisoners, there were those who couldn’t even understand, let alone memorize what I taught them for a whole month. Yes, there were many like that.
That was why I only taught them the basics for a month.
“Just because you’re smart doesn’t mean you should think others are at the same level.” I continued with the explanation.

In fact, by reaching the fourth floor, Helios had already cleared the basic stage.

“Anyway, there are a total of five methods for manipulating Kia: Somatic Type, Attribute Type, Material Type, Mental Type, and Other Type, which doesn’t belong to any of the previous methods.”

“….”

“Everyone is born with one of these five types, and with effort, they can use up to two methods.”

“….”

Helios looked at me with a disgruntled expression. Ah, I think I understand this expression now.
It was an expression that seemed to say, ‘I know that already, so what?’

Indeed, he was at a different level than the new prisoners I taught when I was a prisoner myself. So…

“Stand up.”

Helios opened his eyes wide. His violet irises was seen clearly, giving him a somewhat playful yet indifferent look. It was quite captivating.

‘Even when he’s just sitting still, he has a face that can captivate people.’

If I hadn’t become his assigned guard, he would have easily become a target of torment.
Among the higher-ranking prisoners, there were also wicked individuals who treated these beauties as their personal toys.

“What are you planning?”

“Training and real combat. I thought I’d show you what you’ve been so eager to see.”

“….All of a sudden?”

As he said that, he seemed somewhat excited. I couldn’t make the theory lessons boring, did I? Did he find he basics boring since he already knew?

“I have had the opportunity to teach people before.”

“I’m not the first?”

“That’s correct, but…”

“….”

Helios had a strange expression but urged me to continue.

“What’s with your reaction? You’d rather have someone with more experience? But not anyone will be willing to teach you.”

“Well… it’s nothing. It just seemed interesting because you seem quite young.”

I see. I nodded and brought one hand behind my back as if adjusting my posture.

“What are you doing?”

“Through my long experience, I’ve come to realize…”

Familiar faces flashed through my mind. The high-ranking prisoners I had associated with, the faces of Ramona and Deryl.

“…If you’re the kind of guy who won’t listen when I give advice like this, then I won’t teach you any longer.”

“……”

I took a step back.

“From now on, I’ll show you the five types of Kia firsthand.”

Helios’s eyes lit up with interest and focus.

“I want you to imagine gathering Kia inside your body.”

“What…?”

“Just that alone will provide you with minimal defense.”

“Wait, explain properly!”

“You’ll learn it through your body.”

I exerted force in my foot and raised one hand.

“It’s most effective this way. By the way, I’ll only be using one hand.”

In an instant, I swiftly raised my hand, causing Helios to summon his Kia.

As expected.

The corners of my mouth slightly curled upward.

Boom!

My clenched fist struck Helios’ abdomen.

“That is the Somatic Type.” I calmly explained.

“It’s the ability to gather Kia in one part of the body to maximize attack and defense power.”

“Cough, cough…!”

“Among all the types, it’s the easiest and most convenient in terms of offense and defense. Beginners find it the easiest to handle and can surpass average attack and defense capabilities. Those born with this power tend to have a larger and more muscular physique, regardless of gender.”

“….”

“Individuals with this type of power generally have a robust and sturdy build, much like yourself,” I said as I looked at the fallen Helios.

“Like me?”

Surprisingly, Helios was sitting with one knee bent. Wasn’t he supposed to be knocked down?

I let out a small whistle.

Of course, even though he was glaring at me as if he wanted to kill me.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Crazy, it was clearly madness.

Helios glared at Mint as if he wanted to kill her, but Mint could feel the cold sweat running down his back. It was understandable because, with that attack, Mint could have been killed him.

‘If he hadn’t stopped, I would’ve died.’
Of course, Mint had the ability to stop even at the last moment if she judged that Helios couldn’t defend against it, but Helios couldn’t possibly know that.

“Hmm, you look fine,” Mint remarked.

Where?

Helios felt a throbbing pain in his stomach.

If Mint were to lift his clothes, there would probably be a wound visible. Judging by the significant pain, he would likely have bruises by tonight.

“…You’re weak.”

In Helios’ ears, his father’s voice echoed as if floating in the air. Due to his childhood experiences, he was very familiar with pain.

When Helios stood up, Mint looked at him with satisfaction.

He was stunned that Mint thought he was completely unharmed.

‘Even if a human were made of steel, no one would believe it from just looking at their appearance.’

Although Helios wasn’t a Kia user, being born as the son of a Duke, he was well aware of the basics.

So even without Mint’s tedious theoretical explanations, he knew everything!

However, even someone like himself knew that it wasn’t so easy to understand and learn one’s own attribute.

He had only awakened to Kia a month ago, at most.

It was like pushing someone off a cliff and telling them to try tightrope walking.

Yet, Helios persevered through it.

‘That guard… is skilled with Kia.’

Although he knew nothing, his strange guard was incredibly strong. If there was something he needed, he was willing to lower his head to obtain it. He wanted to survive.

“Stand up. Next is the ‘Attribute Type.'”
Until the day he could escape this prison and return to his father, who had sent him to this hell, for revenge, he’ll persevere.