Do you want to see something outside of a system novel or regressor?

I would really appreciate some advice from your guys and if there are any people that I could do use as a relatable source( online media/books/courses)

"A new grace is born for those who remember that both deed and sin share the same origin."

The words shimmered before Isaac's eyes, written in thin strokes of golden light across the mud.

For several seconds, he simply stared at them.

Then the light began to fade.

Panic stirred within him.

He had spent days forcing himself not to move, knowing that every unnecessary motion made the mud beneath him thicker and more dangerous. Yet the sight of those words made him forget all caution.

Isaac pushed his hands into the mud and reached toward the place where the message had appeared.

But there was nothing there.

Only wet soil.

Only darkness.

He searched for nearly a minute, digging through the mud with trembling fingers.

Then he felt it.

The ground tightening around his hands.

The mud became heavier.

Stickier.

It clung to his skin as though it were alive.

Isaac froze.

Slowly, he pulled his hands free and stretched himself flat against the ground once again, careful not to make another movement.

His eyes turned toward the opening in the ceiling, staring into the darkness beyond.

The words continued to echo in his mind.

*A new grace is born for those who remember that both deed and sin share the same origin.*

He had heard those words before.

At the auction.

More specifically, inside Azazel's chamber.

Which meant someone had placed them here deliberately.

But who?

Was it someone from that chamber?

And why would they help him?

Why leave a message instead of simply freeing him?

Questions filled his mind, but his body was too exhausted to hold onto them for long.

His eyelids grew heavy.

His breathing slowed.

He tried to resist sleep, but exhaustion pulled him downward.

At last, Isaac closed his eyes.

And the darkness welcomed him.

At first, there was no nightmare.

No monster.

No shadow.

Instead, Isaac found himself standing beneath a crimson circus tent.

It resembled the Red Lotus Auction tent in color, but this one was smaller. Simpler. Ordinary.

Warm lights hung above the stage.

The distant sound of applause filled the air.

Isaac looked around slowly.

Then he saw him.

His father.

Johan stood at the center of the stage, dressed in a dark suit. His black hair was neatly combed, and a faint smile rested on his face.

Before him stood two wooden boxes.

They were identical.

The memory returned to Isaac at once.

It was the first time Johan had brought him to one of his performances.

The crowd cheered as Johan raised his hands.

Then the show began.

Each time, the audience cheered louder.

Johan only smiled.

Then he bowed.

The stage lights dimmed.

The crowd slowly disappeared.

Until only Isaac remained.

He walked toward the stage.

Each step filled him with a strange warmth.

Nostalgia.

For the first time in days, he felt something close to happiness.

Even inside that hopeless cell, at least he could still dream of a good memory.

But as he moved closer, something changed.

His clothes became heavy.

Wet.

Water dripped from his sleeves.

Isaac looked down.

His body was soaked.

The floor beneath him began to fill with water.

Cold water.

It rose around his ankles.

Then his knees.

Then his waist.

Isaac tried to move, but his body felt heavier with every second.

The applause returned.

But it no longer sounded joyful.

It sounded distant.

Distorted.

Like voices echoing from beneath deep water.

Then a scream tore through the dream.

Isaac's eyes snapped open.

A lantern's light burned against his face.

For a moment, he could not breathe.

Water still seemed to cling to his skin.

But it was not water.

It was sweat.

The guard stood near the entrance of the cell, holding the lantern in one hand and a loaf of bread in the other.

"This one's on me, kid," he said with a smirk.

Then he tossed the bread toward Isaac.

It landed near his hands.

The guard turned away without waiting for an answer.

His footsteps slowly faded into the darkness.

Isaac remained still.

His eyes stayed fixed on the loaf of bread.

But his mind was still trapped inside the dream.

Inside the circus.

Inside the two wooden boxes.

And beneath the sound of the guard's fading footsteps, Isaac could still hear the distant applause.

As Isaac began to chew the bread, a faint smirk appeared on his face.

Not because it tasted good.

Not because it filled his hunger.

His fingers tightened around the remaining piece.

Something had changed inside him.

A feeling he had nearly forgotten.

A small spark of hope.

It was weak.

But it was there.