Charles was alone in the medical area's room, the sound of rain battering the window and Lira's words echoing in his mind.
He sank into the pillow, still holding the empty ice cream bowl, and sighed.
'Tomorrow's the duel…' he thought, eyeing his bandaged hands.
Facing two Master-rank opponents made him nervous, but a spark of excitement flickered too.
He wanted to see how far he could push himself, even if it meant risking too much.
But before spiraling further, he decided to check his progress.
"System, show my status," Charles muttered.
A blue panel appeared, casting a soft glow in the room:
Name: Rian Cole
Element: Lightning
Level: 5
Stats
Health: 100/100
Energy: 0%
System Intelligence: 3
Control Level: 2
XP: 1571/1600
Available Upgrade Points: 0
"Shit!" Charles shouted, unable to hold back.
'1571 out of 1600!' he thought, clenching his fists despite the pain.
He was just 29 XP from hitting level 6, a milestone that could unlock crucial upgrades.
