LIMITLESS TROUBLE

The Battle for Strength and Survival

Chapter 5: The Battle for Strength and Survival

Jason sat on a hill overlooking the chaos below, watching as another wave of alien ships descended upon the Earth, their dark metallic forms blocking out the sky. His heart pounded, not with fear, but with a steely determination. He had lived through countless loops now, each one a torturous cycle of death and failure. He had trained his body for months, honed his survival skills, and even learned the patterns of the alien invaders.

But each time he faced them, each time he tried to reach their leader, he failed. His physical training alone wasn’t enough.

No matter how strong or fast he became, the aliens were always a step ahead. Their technology, their weapons, their sheer ruthlessness—it was overwhelming. Jason had tried sneaking aboard their ships, tried fighting through their ranks, but every time, he was killed. And each time, the loop started again, dragging him back to the beginning.

This time, it had to be different.

Jason took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing as he watched the alien forces move below. He had learned so much over the past loops—about their technology, their tactics, even their weaknesses. But he also realized one painful truth: he was still too weak to defeat them head-on. He had overestimated his physical strength and underestimated the sheer power and intelligence of the alien forces.

His goal had become clear now. The key to breaking the loop was killing the alien leader. He was certain of that. But getting to the leader was another matter entirely. The aliens had layers of defenses, and their technology was far beyond anything Jason had ever seen. His training wasn’t enough.

He needed more than just physical strength. He needed to become a warrior.

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The first step was getting inside the alien ship. Jason had done it before, but always failed after being detected. This time, he had no choice but to do something he had avoided in every other loop—he would have to betray one of his own.

Jason made his way toward a group of humans huddled together, captives who had been rounded up by the aliens. Among them was a boy Jason had befriended in one of the earlier loops, a boy named Marcus. He was strong, resourceful, and like Jason, had survived longer than most. But Marcus didn’t know the truth of Jason’s situation. He didn’t know that Jason was living through an endless cycle of death and rebirth, or that Jason had a plan to break free.

Jason’s heart clenched with guilt as he approached Marcus, but he forced the feeling down. He had to focus on the bigger picture. If he didn’t get inside the ship, the loop would keep repeating forever, and everyone—Marcus included—would keep dying.

“Marcus,” Jason whispered, pulling him aside. “We have to do something. I’m going to get inside one of the alien ships, and I need your help.”

Marcus looked at him, his face pale and drawn. “Are you crazy? They’ll kill you the moment they see you. You can’t just waltz onto one of their ships.”

“I know. But I have a plan,” Jason said, his voice steady despite the guilt gnawing at him. He glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then lowered his voice further. “We’re going to get one of their ID chips.”

Marcus frowned, confusion flickering across his face. “An ID chip? You mean from one of the other humans?”

Jason nodded. “It’s the only way in. The aliens scan for these chips. Without one, you can’t get close.”

“But how are we going to get one?” Marcus asked.

Jason hesitated, his heart pounding. This was the moment. He looked Marcus in the eye, forcing himself to push down the overwhelming guilt that threatened to paralyze him.

“I’m sorry, Marcus.”

Before Marcus could react, Jason’s hand shot out, his knife plunging into Marcus’s side. The blade slipped between Marcus’s ribs, a quick and silent death. Marcus’s eyes widened in shock and betrayal, but he never had a chance to scream.

Jason caught him as he fell, lowering him gently to the ground, his hands trembling as he reached into Marcus’s jacket to retrieve the ID chip implanted in his arm. It took everything Jason had not to break down then and there. His hands were stained with the blood of a friend, but it was the only way. He had to do this.

With the ID chip in hand, Jason slipped away from the group, moving toward the alien ship. The guilt weighed heavily on him, but he forced himself to focus. I’ll make it right in the next loop. I have to.

---

Jason made it aboard the ship undetected this time, thanks to the stolen ID chip. He slipped through the cold, metallic corridors, his heart racing. The alien technology was sleek and futuristic, the walls lined with glowing symbols and strange machinery that pulsed with energy.

But Jason didn’t have time to marvel. He knew he was being tracked. The ID chip he had stolen would only get him so far. The aliens could monitor the movements of anyone wearing one, and soon, they would realize something was wrong. He had to move quickly.

He had trained for this. He was stronger, faster, and smarter than before. But as he ventured deeper into the ship, Jason quickly realized that no amount of training had fully prepared him for what he was up against. The alien soldiers moved with a speed and precision that was terrifying. They weren’t just physically stronger—they were smarter, too. Their technology allowed them to anticipate his movements, track his every step, and counter his attacks effortlessly.

Jason fought bravely, using every skill he had honed over the months of training. He dodged and weaved, striking out with everything he had. But it wasn’t enough. His muscles ached, his breath came in ragged gasps, and soon, he was overwhelmed.

A group of aliens cornered him in one of the ship’s narrow passageways. Their cold, emotionless eyes locked onto him, and Jason knew it was over.

The energy beam struck him, and everything went dark.

---

Jason’s eyes snapped open. The sky, the meteoroids, the chaos. Again.

He lay there, gasping for breath, the frustration and anger building inside him. He had failed again. His physical training had gotten him further, but it wasn’t enough. He couldn’t beat them. Not like this.

But as Jason sat up, a realization hit him. His body. Each time he died, he retained the physical strength and skills he had built up in the previous loop. It wasn’t just his training that carried over—his body carried over, too. Every time he died, he came back stronger than before.

This wasn’t just a curse. It was an opportunity.

Jason stood up, determination burning in his chest. If I can keep improving with every loop, then I can make a plan. I can set checkpoints. He didn’t need to win in a single loop. He could treat each death as a stepping stone, getting stronger, faster, and smarter every time.

But he needed more than just physical training. He needed new skills, new techniques to stand a chance against the aliens. Martial arts. Weapons training. Battle strategies. He needed to become a warrior, not just a survivor. And he needed weapons—alien weapons—if he was going to take on their leader.

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Over the next several loops, Jason dedicated himself to learning. He trained in different martial arts, watching from a distance as military forces tried—and failed—to stop the alien invasion. He practiced hand-to-hand combat, studied how to disarm the aliens, and learned how to avoid their weapons. He used every death as a learning experience, treating each one as a step forward instead of a failure.

But training alone wasn’t enough. He needed guidance. He needed someone who could help him master the art of combat—someone who could teach him how to fight like a soldier.

And that’s when the idea struck him. The army.

Every loop, military forces tried to stop the invasion. They sent their best soldiers, their best technology, but it wasn’t enough. They were always overwhelmed, always outgunned. But among those soldiers were men and women who had fought in wars, who had survived the worst of humanity’s conflicts.

Jason needed one of them. He needed a mentor.

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In the next loop, Jason set his plan into motion. He positioned himself near the front lines, where the military forces had set up their defenses. The aliens were coming, and the soldiers were preparing for battle. Jason scanned the group, looking for someone—someone who stood out, someone who could help him.

His eyes landed on a grizzled man in his fifties, his face lined with scars, his eyes cold and calculating. He moved with the confidence of a veteran, barking orders at the younger soldiers with authority. This was the man.

Jason’s heart raced as he watched the battle unfold. The aliens descended, and the soldiers fought bravely, but they were no match. The grizzled man was among the last standing, his skills keeping him alive longer than the others. But even he was eventually overwhelmed.

Jason had to act fast.

As the aliens closed in, Jason leapt into the fray, his body moving with the strength and speed he had gained from months of training. He fought off the aliens long enough to reach the soldier, dragging him to safety before the final blow could land.

“You!” the soldier growled, struggling to push Jason away. “What are you doing? You should’ve run!”

“I need your help,” Jason said, his voice breathless but determined. “You don’t understand—I’ve been

through this before. I need you to train me. I need you to teach me how to fight.”

The soldier stared at him, disbelief in his eyes. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“There’s no time to explain,” Jason said, glancing over his shoulder as more aliens approached. “But if we survive this, I’ll prove it to you. Just help me. Teach me how to fight them.”

The soldier hesitated, but something in Jason’s eyes must have convinced him. He nodded, and the two of them prepared to face the oncoming alien horde together.

Jason’s heart raced with a new sense of hope. This time would be different. This time, he had a plan.

And this time, he wouldn’t fail.

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End of Chapter 5