“You know, why don’t you go ahead, Thea? I’ll register after you,” I said as our group walked toward the combat center.

I had a plan brewing in the back of my mind—a little something for her birthday, whether birthday gifts were a thing in this world or not.

“Alright!” Thea said confidently, her chest puffed out like a victorious general. “I’ll see you after I win.”

“Good luck. I’m going to buy a few things. Maybe some food—want anything?”

“Dried fruit and other rations, please. I’m starting to feel like Carapace Hound meat is going to come crawling back out of me in my sleep.”

“Got it.” I turned to Elric. “You mind showing me around, my first disciple?”

The glint in Elric’s eye was downright unsettling. “Sure, oh great master. We can also talk about my new system mission. Looks like I might be unlocking a new spell. An effective one.”

Oh great. New and effective? That definitely sounded like it would hurt.

Lyra turned to Elric with her usual gentle tone. “We’re going to head out too. We need to earn back our points.” She smiled softly. “It was nice meeting you all. Bye, Elric.”

With a quick nod, Sia and Lyra left, heading off to… whatever it was they did to earn points.

Thea gave us a small wave before heading to register for her match, leaving Elric and me to explore the marketplace.

The marketplace was busy as always, filled with the clatter of wooden carts, the hum of conversation, and the occasional bark of a vendor hawking their wares. I ended up spending forty points on supplies—a mix of dried fruits, meats, and nuts.

As I browsed through one particularly chaotic stall, I mulled over the idea of a gift for Thea. Something meaningful, something… her.

“Elric,” I said, turning to him as we walked, “do you know anything about the beast fights?”

He tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Hmm… I think they’re ranked, just like our compulsory matches. You only get five points per win, and you can only enter four times a month.”

“That’s good to know,” I said, nodding. “If they have their own ranking system, it might be worth looking into. Maybe we can earn more points the higher rank we are.”

We walked a little further until we reached a familiar storefront—the bookstore from before.

I let out a small sigh of relief. Thank whatever mystical forces decided the spoken language here sounded like English. Reading, though? That was still rough. The characters were different, but at least they matched the same phonetic pronunciation.

I could read most things now—slowly, sure—but I’d gotten better.

“Come on, Elric,” I said, pushing open the wooden door. “Let’s see if we can find something interesting.”

The faint smell of parchment and ink greeted us as we stepped inside. Rows of wooden shelves lined the small shop, each overflowing with leather-bound tomes and fragile scrolls. A small bell jingled above the door, and somewhere in the back, the shopkeeper gave a faint grunt of acknowledgment.

“Didn’t picture you as much of a reader. Why are we here?” Elric asked, his tone light but curious.

I ignored the jab. “I’m not, but Thea seems to like it. Unfortunately, cultivation information is sparse. Last time we checked, there were only books on the basics and some vague theories about core formation. I’m wondering if there’s anything else we can find.”

Elric’s eyes lit up with a knowing grin, far too wide for my taste. “You’re getting a book for Thea?”

I cleared my throat, choosing not to dignify his smirk with a direct answer. Instead, my mind turned to an idea that had been nagging me—martial techniques. The system granted people techniques, sure, but there had to be rules, right? Some internal logic for how those abilities worked. If the system could teach them, surely there was a way to figure them out manually. Reverse-engineer them, maybe.

Before approaching the counter, I paused to ask Elric another question, this time keeping my voice low. “Hey, do you know anything about martial techniques people can learn without a system?”

Elric gave me a look like I’d just asked if fish could breathe fire. “Without a system? Why would anyone know about something like that?”

“What? You’ve never heard of late bloomers wanting to shoot fireballs? Trying to get a head start?”

He squinted at me, suspicion creeping into his expression. “I mean… I guess someone must have tried. But most people would just wait until they got their system. Obviously.”

I sighed and shifted tactics. “Okay, fine. What about system techniques—can people copy or learn each other's moves?”

Elric tilted his head thoughtfully. “For melee fighters, yeah. If you understand the concepts behind the energy flow and the movements, it’s possible to mimic them. But spells… that’s different. They require an understanding of the world. Like, the laws behind how the spell works. It’s not something you can just copy. The system… it sort of teaches you that. Instinctively, I mean. You’d understand if you had a system already.”

“Right. As long as it’s possible,” I muttered, more to myself than to him.

With my theory still buzzing in my head, I walked up to the counter. The attendant, a thin man with ink-stained fingers and an expression like I’d personally offended him by walking in, gave me a tired look.

“I’d like to see books on warrior, tank, and mage techniques.”

The attendant’s brows shot up, and he sighed dramatically, like I’d just asked him to haul an entire library uphill. “We can’t just show you those. Even seeing the titles might give you insights you haven’t earned yet.”

I held up my orb and let it hover in front of him. “Twenty points. If you bring them out.”

Suddenly, it was as if I’d flipped a switch. The man’s expression smoothed into a pleasant, professional smile. “Right away, sir.”

He pressed his orb against mine, and the points drained away. Without another word, he vanished behind the shelves, moving with a speed and energy I hadn’t thought possible from someone who looked like they spent their days hunched over dusty ledgers.

Elric leaned in, whispering as we waited. “You know, for someone who’s supposedly bad with books, you sure are committed to this.”

“Desperation breeds creativity,” I replied with a shrug, my eyes already scanning the shelves, anticipation thrumming in my chest.

If I was right—if martial techniques had patterns or principles that could be mirrored with cultivation—then Thea’s birthday gift might be something far more valuable than just a book.

The shopkeeper returned, balancing a small stack of books in his arms. “Here you are, sir.” He set them down carefully on the counter, their worn covers catching the dim light of the shop.

I squinted at the titles, mouthing the words silently as I deciphered the text.

The warrior books read: Spiral Fang, Dancing Leaf, and Last Stand.

The first two caught my attention immediately. From what I knew about martial arts tropes back home, Dancing Leaf sounded like some kind of evasive movement technique, graceful and quick. Spiral Fang had the sharp edge of an attacking skill—something fast and deadly. As for Last Stand… well, Thea had already explained how burning through all your energy could be devastating, both to your opponent and yourself.

The two tank books were Bark Skin and Shield Fortification. Shield Fortification sounded situational—probably only useful if you had an actual shield. But Bark Skin… body fortification, maybe? Could I use that concept to reinforce the body with cultivated energy?

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Finally, the mage book stood out with its refreshingly simple title: Fireball. Straightforward, explosive, and something I could definitely picture Thea grinning about as she hurled one across an arena.

“How much for each book?” I asked, already bracing myself.

The attendant gave a faint shrug. “Eighty points apiece.”

“Peter—” Elric started, but I cut him off with a wave of my hand.

“I’ll take these four,” I said, pointing at Spiral Fang, Dancing Leaf, Bark Skin, and Fireball.

With a faint ding and a draining sensation in my chest, my points dropped from 145 to a measly 65. The shopkeeper tucked the books into a cloth bag and handed them over with surprising care, as if he respected the weight of the knowledge they held.

Before heading out, I made one more stop to grab some writing materials, dropping my balance to 45 points. I had a lot of reading—and experimenting—ahead of me.

As we stepped back into the sunlit street, Elric gave me a sidelong glance, his brow furrowed with doubt. “Are you sure that was a good idea? Once you and Thea get your systems, those books might be as good as garbage. The system will teach you those techniques when you need them.”

I shook my head, clutching the bag tighter against my side. “I’m not looking to just learn the techniques, Elric. I want to understand them. If I can figure out how they work—how the energy flows, how they shape power—then I can combine them with cultivation. I can create something new.”

He sighed, his lips twitching into a faint smile as he shook his head. “Learning isn’t that easy, Peter. You could’ve just waited for your system. But… well, I guess I can’t argue with your stubbornness.”

We walked back to the registration area, the sounds of combat echoing faintly from nearby arenas. As we approached, I spotted Thea sitting on a bench, a few fresh bruises coloring her arms and cheek. Elric hurried over to start healing her, his hands already glowing with faint light.

“How was it?” I asked as I crouched beside her.

She winced slightly as Elric’s magic started knitting her bruises together but managed a triumphant smile. “I won. But the fight was harder. My opponent actually had some real skills—techniques, even. It wasn’t just brute force and flailing. But in the end…” Her smile turned sharp and confident. “…I pulled through.”

“Good,” I said, grinning back. “You’ll need those skills. We’ve got work to do.”

Thea raised an eyebrow, glancing at the bag tucked under my arm. “What did you buy?”

“Surprises,” I said smugly, clutching the bag tighter. “We can talk about it later.”

As Thea gave me a curious look, I thought about the ranking system. It took ten victories to rise from bottom rank to beginner rank.

This made two victories for her. Eight more, and she’d climb up the ladder.

“That’s great,” I said with a nod. “I’ll sign up for my match now. You can wait out here.”

Leaving Thea and Elric behind, I walked toward the registration counter. The familiar attendant was there, head bent over a stack of paperwork, her pen scratching lightly across the surface.

“Welcome back,” she said without looking up. “Ready to listen this time?”

I hesitated, the phantom ache of cracked ribs and bruised pride bubbling up for a moment. Then I took a breath, pushing the memory away. “Yeah… but first, I want to fight a beast.”

That got her attention. She looked up sharply, one eyebrow arched high. “Are you sure you want to do that?”

I nodded, firm. “Yes.”

She studied me for a moment, her eyes sharp and assessing, like she was trying to gauge whether I was brave or just stupid. “There will be no stopping this fight, recruit. Even if you’re… losing. Many new recruits die fighting beasts. They’re not like humans. They don’t stop. They don’t hesitate. Are you sure?”

Her words carried weight, and I let them settle in my chest. I thought of the Carapace Hound, the way its claws had shredded the air, its jaws snapping with ruthless hunger. Beasts weren’t bound by fear or hesitation—they just attacked.

But I also remembered the rewards.

“What are the rewards for ranking up?” I asked. “And how many victories do I need?”

She sighed, setting down her pen as if this conversation had already drained her patience. “You already know the cost: twenty points to fight a beast. You’ll earn twenty-five if you win. It also counts as your compulsory fight for the day, so you won’t need to fight again. But you can only do this four times a month.”

She paused, letting the weight of her words settle before continuing.

“Like regular matches, after ten victories, you’ll rank up from Bottom to Beginner. The cost will remain the same, but you’ll earn a net of ten points per victory instead of five, and you’ll be allowed to fight up to ten times a month.”

Relief flickered through me. If this worked, I could skip the grim spectacle of beating down another recruit just to prove I could follow orders. A beast fight would be ruthless, sure—but it would be clean. Honest, even.

“I’ll sign up.”

She extended her hand, palm up. “Orb.”

I handed it over. With a few quick taps and the faint glow of magic pulsing through her fingertips, she handed it back to me.

The orb felt warm in my palm as I glanced down at the smooth surface. A new line of text had appeared:

* Peter

* Soldier Battles — Rank: Bottom, Victories: 1

* Beast Battles — Rank: Bottom, Victories: 0

The letters glowed faintly in the dim light of the registration hall.

“Good luck, recruit,” the attendant said, her voice flat but not unkind, before turning back to her paperwork.

I tucked the orb securely into my pocket and turned on my heel, walking back to where Thea and Elric waited.

My pulse was steady. My focus, sharp.

A beast fight. No rules. No hesitation. Just survival.

I could handle that.

“Are you really not going to tell me anything about what you bought? And just how much did you spend?” Thea asked, her storm-gray eyes narrowing as she crossed her arms.

Before I could come up with a suitably vague and non-damning answer, Elric decided to help.

“Upwards of three hundred… maybe three hundred fifty points.”

“WHAT?” Thea’s voice cracked slightly as her arms flew into the air in disbelief.

“Thea, listen—”

“We just recovered most of what we’ve been spending, and you went and dropped everything? Are you out of your mind? We could’ve at least discussed it!”

“It’s for cultivation!” I said, holding my hands up in surrender. “I promise, it was well spent. Plus…” I reached into the bag and pulled out a pack of dried fruit, holding it up like it was a peace offering. “I got some food for us. Stuff that isn’t just charred mystery meat on sticks.”

She stared at the fruit, her glare softening just a fraction. “Hmm… Well, if it’s for cultivation, you should’ve led with that. Honestly, Peter…”

Elric chimed in, ever the instigator. “Oh, he led with it all right—led with his points straight into financial ruin.”

“Not helping,” I smirked, clutching the bag tighter. “Don’t worry. Tomorrow, it’ll all make sense. I promise. But for now, it’s a surprise.”

Thea squinted at me, then at the bag, clearly torn between suspicion and curiosity. “Fine. But this had better not be one of those ‘I’ll explain later’ things that turns into never explaining at all.”

I placed a hand over my heart dramatically. “You wound me. Have I ever let you down?”

She raised an eyebrow. “You want me to make a list?”

Before I could defend my honor, the sharp voice of an attendant echoed through the air.

“Peter.”

I froze, my stomach doing a tiny somersault.

Thea’s irritation melted into a warm smile, and Elric gave me an encouraging nod.

“Good luck,” they both said in unison.

“Thanks.”

I walked towards the elevator, my footsteps steady despite the knot tightening in my stomach. The familiar hum of machinery filled the air as the doors closed behind me, sealing me into the stone box. When they reopened, I stepped into an arena drenched in emerald hues—another forested battleground.

But something was different. There was no opponent waiting for me, no eager stance, no mechanical voice asking me to confirm my status.

For a moment, I stood in confusion, the silence pressing against my ears like a heavy weight.

And then—

“Begin.”

A second elevator groaned open on the far end of the arena.

At first, all I saw was shadow—a hulking silhouette framed by flickering fluorescent lights. But then it stepped forward, and my breath caught in my throat.

It was as if a tree and its twisted roots had decided to sprout legs, crawl out of the depths of a nightmare, and audition for the lead role in an eldritch horror movie.

The creature was just taller than me, standing on four muscular legs that seemed carved from gnarled tree trunks. Its hide was a patchwork of dark, bark-like plates and sinewy flesh that pulsed faintly with an eerie bioluminescence. Massive, jagged antlers, twisted like cruel branches, extended skyward from its elongated skull. Its eyes—deep pits of glowing amber—locked onto me, unblinking and hungry. From its mouth, rows of needle-like teeth jutted out, glistening with strands of thick, black saliva that dripped onto the forest floor and sizzled where they landed.

What is that?

I forced myself to breathe, but my lungs felt constricted, like someone had cinched a belt around my chest.

The beast took another step forward, the ground trembling under its weight, leaves scattering with each calculated movement.

Its mouth opened wider, a guttural sound reverberating from somewhere deep in its chest—a sound that wasn’t quite a growl, nor a hiss, but something ancient and awful in between.

I tightened my fists, my mind scrambling to piece together a plan.

For now, though, there was only one thought repeating in my head.

This… is going to be a problem.