“Uh—hi. Um,” I fumbled, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically nervous as such a bright, beaming smile greeted us. Sia’s mother looked just like her—so much so that, if she were slightly younger, I might’ve assumed they were twins.

Her fiery red hair cascaded down her back in soft waves, faint streaks of silver woven through the strands like embers glowing among vibrant flames, enhancing her beauty rather than detracting from it. Almond-shaped eyes, a deep and piercing emerald green, radiated both warmth and an undeniable wisdom, as though they had seen and endured much yet refused to lose their kindness.

High cheekbones framed her face, their definition lending her an air of quiet elegance. A gently pointed chin softened her features, giving her an ageless grace. Her fair skin was dotted with light freckles—a trait Sia must’ve inherited—further softening her otherwise sharp and commanding presence.

Even standing behind the counter, her posture was straight and confident, exuding a quiet strength that felt welcoming yet unwavering. There was something about her—a mix of poise and warmth—that made me feel like we’d stepped into a safe haven, albeit one guarded by someone who could handle any challenge with ease.

Finally, I remembered the paper map crumpled in my pocket. Pulling it out, I held it up. “Sia told us to come here,” I said, handing her the note.

Her face lit up instantly. “Wow! Sia has more friends now!” she exclaimed, her smile so bright it was almost blinding—Elric might finally have some competition in outshining the sun. “Lyra is such a sweet girl, but Sia is so closed off. She never talks to anyone but her.”

I opened my mouth to reply but quickly realized I had no idea what to say. So, I just waited.

“Sia has always been so gentle and shy,” she continued, the warmth in her voice making it clear how deeply she cared. “I’m always worried about how she’ll handle training. But she’s already been there for a full year! Can you believe that?”

I blinked, trying to reconcile her description of Sia with the girl I knew. Gentle? Shy? The Sia I’d met was more like an intimidating guard dog, fiercely protective of Lyra. A far cry from the soft image her mother was painting.

“She always had this way of looking out for others,” her mother continued, her emerald eyes sparkling with pride. “Even as a little girl, she’d step in when she thought someone needed help—never mind if they were twice her size.”

I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. The Sia her mother described sounded almost unrecognizable, yet… maybe there was truth to it. Perhaps the intimidating strength I’d seen in her wasn’t just an act of dominance but a deeper reflection of her protective nature.

Her mother suddenly paused, her expression shifting as if she realized she’d been talking too much. “Oh dear, listen to me rambling on,” she said with an apologetic laugh. “You didn’t come here to hear an old woman brag about her daughter.”

She reached under the counter, pulling out a thick leather-bound book with the word Residents embossed on the cover. The pages inside were lined with neat rows of handwritten names, presumably of past and current lodgers.

“Now, how will you all be staying?” she asked, her tone warm and professional.

“Is it okay if we’re all together?” I asked cautiously.

She nodded, her smile never wavering. “Of course. All of you in one room is perfectly fine. Both floors have a bathroom and shower, and meals are served in the mornings and evenings. Just remember, no fights are permitted here.” Her eyes twinkled with subtle authority as she added, “And it will cost twenty-five points per person.”

She pointed across the street. “There’s a practice hall if you need a place to train or spar. It’s a bit more expensive than the basic rooms in the Hall of Heroes due to the payment method, but the facilities are excellent—top-notch, really. I go there for exercise myself and take Sia and Lyra there for training when I can.”

Her voice softened, a fond look crossing her face. “You should see those two—Sia is always so focused, pushing herself to do better. And Lyra, she’s just the sweetest thing. Always helping out, always so polite.”

She sighed with a smile. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of them both. Lyra’s talent is remarkable, and Sia? Well, she’s got that fire in her. Sometimes I think she works harder than anyone else in the hall.”

She caught herself rambling again and let out a laugh, shaking her head. “Oh, listen to me going on about them. I just can’t help it. They’re such good girls, you know?”

We nodded along, exchanging glances. The warmth in her words was hard to ignore, but I wondered if she knew how fierce Sia really was.

Finally, she returned her focus to us, her professional demeanor slipping back into place. “Now, would you like me to show you to your room?”

We all nodded, and she led us upstairs. She motioned to the first two rooms on each side of the hall. “This is the women’s bath and restroom,” she said, gesturing to one side. “And the opposite side is the men’s.”

Continuing down the hall, she stopped at the very last room. “Here you are,” she said, her tone warm. “There’s one bed in the room, so you’ll have to handle the bedding for two of you on your own.”

“Thank you,” Thea said politely.

Sia’s mother gave a nod and a kind smile before turning to leave us to our business.

“Shall we head in?” Elric asked.

I opened the door, greeted by a modest yet cozy room. A single bed with neatly tucked white linens stood against the far wall, its wooden frame sturdy and unadorned. A small desk and chair were set beneath a window, its pale curtains fluttering slightly in the breeze. A potted plant rested on the windowsill, adding a touch of life to the space. The air smelled faintly of lavender and freshly polished wood.

Thea’s eyes lit up as she stepped inside. “This is perfect!” she exclaimed, her stormy eyes darting around the room.

Near the bed, the floor had enough space to easily fit two sleeping bags. It wasn’t luxury, but it had everything we needed: functional, simple, and welcoming.

We all put down our things before I mentioned, “Thea, we need to get our supplies from camp. We left them there.”

She groaned at the thought. “Alright, but then we check out the training rooms across the street. I want to see what they have to offer.” She paused, her tone growing more serious. “And we need to cultivate. Increase the carvings on our body and practice techniques using cultivation.”

“And,” I added, “I need information on systems.”

She groaned again, exasperated. “Can’t we do that tomorrow? We haven’t done a bit of cultivating today.”

Elric turned his gaze toward me, his expression curious. “You seem to know very little about systems… even for a Late Bloomer.”

Thea and I froze, exchanging uneasy glances. “Uh—yeah.” I hesitated, then sighed. Screw it. Why am I even trying to hide this from him? “Look, Elric, it might be… well, honestly, near impossible to believe, but I’m not from this place, this world. I just kind of appeared here a few days ago. And I don’t think I’ll ever get a system. That’s why I want to focus on cultivating so much.”

I braced myself for disbelief or shock, but instead, Elric just said, “Weird.”

“Weird?” Thea repeated, her brows furrowing. “That’s it?”

“If I deny it, what would come from that? Plus, I can’t think of a reason for you to make up a lie like that,” Elric reasoned, his tone calm and measured.

His response left both Thea and me blinking in surprise, but it was oddly reassuring.

“Um, alright then,” I said, shaking my head as if to clear the surreal moment. “Thea, let’s get our stuff and stop by the training hall across the street. Though I doubt it’s cheap.”

Thea smirked, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “I’ll race you.”

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“I’ll stay here and study,” Elric said, settling into the room like it was already his. “I want to figure out how exactly my skills work.”

We both nodded and headed out, met with a warm goodbye from Sia’s mother. Unfortunately, Thea took the idea of a race seriously, and we sprinted all the way to the campsite and back, much to the amusement of passersby.

When we returned, panting and red-faced, we collected Elric and made our way across the street to the training hall. The building stood tall and solid, a medieval structure of stone and wood with cleanly swept steps and well-maintained shutters. The wooden sign above the door was etched with the name Greats Training, its lettering bold and precise. Despite its utilitarian appearance, it was clear the place was kept in excellent condition—no signs of neglect or wear.

As we stepped inside, the warm scent of polished wood greeted us, mingling with the faint tang of metal and leather. A booming voice followed almost immediately.

“Welcome!” A large man with a bushy brown beard called from behind a sturdy desk. His wide grin and enthusiastic tone were far more welcoming than anything we’d encountered at the Hall of Heroes. “This is Greats Training. What can I do for you all?”

Thea strode up to the counter confidently, her voice steady and authoritative. “We’d like a room for training—one that can fit at least five people.”

The man stroked his beard thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing in calculation. “Hmm… we only have one room that size—the six-person training hall. But to rent it, you’ll need to sign a contract. A month minimum.”

Before we could even process the words, let alone pretend to refuse, he began speaking again, his tone picking up speed with every word. “But the price is unbeatable, and the facilities are top-notch! All-day access, full stat and class analysis, damage tracking—you name it! We’ve got a complete encyclopedia of monsters from across the continent, information on class basics, and even a book on core formation.

His face grew steadily redder as his voice climbed higher in pitch, and for a moment, I was genuinely worried he might pass out from lack of air.

Thankfully, Elric stepped in, his signature calming smile cutting through the man’s frantic sales pitch. “Why don’t you explain the clauses in the contract before anything else?” he suggested, his tone polite yet firm.

The man blinked, clearly caught off guard, before nodding quickly. “Ah—yes, yes, dear customers. Right away.”

He pulled out a large sheet of parchment from beneath the desk and laid it flat before us. The writing was dense, lines of small text crammed into every inch of space. I could read, but much slower than Thea or Elric, so I let them handle it. I still had plenty of studying to do, and thankfully, the characters were phonetic—manageable, even if it wasn’t my native script. At least they weren’t some complex pictograms or hieroglyphs.

“So basically,” Thea began after scanning the document, “we agree to pay for an entire month upfront—thirty points a day—and get full access to all the facilities?”

“Yes, miss, that’s the gist,” the man replied eagerly. “It’s far cheaper overall than the Hall of Heroes, but,” he hesitated, “you must be able to pay the entire amount upfront.”

He glanced at us, his expression a mixture of hope and doubt, as though he’d had this conversation countless times with newer recruits. “Nine hundred points, in total,” he finished, his tone slightly resigned.

I glanced at the others. “I think it’s a good idea. Especially for you two since you already have your systems. This place could really help.”

I turned back to the manager. “The six-person room—does it have spaces for quiet study? And are nights allowed?”

He nodded, his beard twitching slightly as he spoke. “It has two separate areas. One is a study space filled with books—fighting is strictly prohibited there, so please refrain. The other is for sparring and training. The rooms occupy half of the second floor together. As for staying overnight… while it’s allowed occasionally, please don’t treat it as a sleeping area. If it becomes a regular occurrence, I’ll have to investigate its usage.”

I nodded thoughtfully before holding out my orb. “I need points, guys.”

Without hesitation, Thea and Elric extended their orbs. After a few adjustments, the glowing green numbers added up to a perfect 900. We handed over the total, draining our combined reserves. Once we paid for the inn and now this training hall, Thea and I would be completely emptied, our orbs showing a haunting zero. Elric’s orb still glowed faintly with 170, which might cover us at the inn for a couple days, but it was clear we’d need to start earning points fast.

The man’s brows raised slightly as I handed him my orb. For a moment, he looked almost guilty, as if he wasn’t sure we could afford it. But he quickly pulled out a larger, official-looking orb from beneath the counter. Its surface was smooth, polished, and opaque—its number concealed. He tapped it gently against mine, and I felt a strange pull as the energy drained from my orb.

The glowing number on my orb dimmed to zero.

“I’ll show you to your room then,” the large man said, squeezing his bulk through the narrow gap between the counter and the wall. He had to turn sideways and rise onto his tiptoes, his movements almost comically delicate for someone of his size. By the time he was free, his face was slightly red, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. “Right this way.”

We followed him upstairs to a door near the top of the landing. A little further down the hall was another door, but he stopped at the first one. When he opened it, I nearly fell to my knees in gratitude.

“Mats,” I whispered, reverence in my voice.

“What did you say?” Thea shot me an odd look.

“Plush mats,” I clarified, my tone bordering on worshipful. “I’ve never made a better purchase in all my life.” Finally, no more being slammed onto hard floors by Thea. Now I just had to figure out how to avoid being electrocuted to death during our spars.

“Uh, yes, sir,” the man said, clearly unsure how to respond to my strange enthusiasm. “The floor is covered in thick padding. It’s fireproof and can withstand most elements—earth, wind, and water. The walls, too.” He pointed toward a rack of evenly distributed dumbbells along one side of the room. “And the weights are over there. The study room is through that door.” He gestured to a door on the far side. “Both rooms are soundproof, so you don’t have to worry about noise.”

He left us with a polite nod, and we stepped inside.

“Oh, sweet merciful ruler of this world,” I groaned as I sank onto the mats. “Thank you for creating such a comfy material.”

“You’re an idiot,” Thea said with a laugh.

“Your fault,” I shot back, smirking at her.

“Alright, you two,” Elric interrupted, his tone exasperated. “Before you get into it, teach me the Grand Carving technique. Then I’ll head out to tell the owner and Sia’s mom to send them here when they return.” He gestured vaguely at Thea and me. “Then you can resume… whatever this is.”

“This?” I asked, feigning confusion.

“Shh,” Thea cut in, slipping into teaching mode. “Go cultivate over there,” she commanded, pointing to the corner.

“Yes, ma’am.” I gave her a mock salute. “Have fun in class, Elric.”

“I will,” he said with a grin, mimicking a sing-song tone.

I settled into a corner and decided to work on more patterns. If Thea joined me after teaching Elric, we could cultivate together and analyze her stats and system details. That would be helpful—although with how unique her blessing seemed, she might not be the best example to study.

Since the effects of the spiral pattern had been so strong before, I decided to make another, this time extending from my chest to my shoulder. I also successfully finished a foci pattern in my fist. The needle still hadn't disappeared so I managed to complete the spiral pattern from my fist to my shoulder.

As usual, I lost about ten percent of my energy in the process, but it didn’t take long to refill my Grand Channel to full using world force. I figured I’d only need a sparring session to get back to my original peak.

When I opened my eyes, Thea was seated across the room, her expression calm but with a faint crease between her brows—the telltale sign of her managing the pain of the Grand Carving technique.

Just as a test, I took a small whiff of myself. Oh no. That smell wasn’t just from the earlier race. The technique’s dissipating energy had definitely done something to our bodies. Hopefully, it was purifying us as we’d theorized, and not just making me smell like sunbathing garbage.

Thea opened her eyes a moment later, catching me mid-sniff with my face practically buried in my armpit. Her expression shifted immediately, her tone tinged with… was that shame? Disbelief? “Peter? What are you doing?”

My face instantly turned beet red. Think fast. Say something smart.

“It’s for science, I swear!” I raised my hands in surrender, like I’d just been caught committing a heinous crime.

Thea stared at me, utterly unimpressed, before rolling her eyes. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Hey,” I said defensively, dropping my hands. “If we’re purifying our bodies, shouldn’t we figure out all the side effects? For all we know, this could lead to another important discovery!”

“You smell yourself and call it a discovery?” she deadpanned, staring at me a moment longer before breaking into hysterical laughter. “Let’s start sparring,” she said between giggles, standing up.

And we did. Thankfully, either her skills weren’t active or her blessing hadn’t developed enough yet, because there were no electric shocks coming from her hands. Just good, old-fashioned brute force. And right as I was slammed onto the blessedly padded mat yet again, the door opened, and Elric, Lyra, and Sia walked in.

Sia, normally stoic unless she was around Elric, looked as red as her hair.

“Sorry,” Elric said, chuckling as he walked in alongside Lyra. “I got to the inn just as they arrived, and Sia’s mom—well, we had a nice, long chat.”

He was clearly enjoying himself, and Lyra wasn’t far behind, her quiet laughter joining his.

I groaned from the floor. “Please tell me she didn’t share her theories about Sia’s nonexistent gentleness again.”

Elric grinned. “Oh, she did, and more.”

They laughed a bit longer, their amusement echoing around the room until I interrupted, dragging myself upright. “Alright, alright, let’s get to work. Elric, you should start the carving, and the rest of us need to do some good old cultivation.”

And so we did. Thea and I pushed ourselves, filling our Grand Channels to about eighty percent, while Elric managed to carve one pseudo reservoir before diving into his own cultivation. Meanwhile, Lyra and Sia sat on the brink of their transformations, the tension in the air promising a breakthrough soon.

“Alright,” Thea said at last, breaking the silence as she walked to a dark, black sphere mounted at the end of the room. She placed her hand on it, her stormy eyes gleaming with excitement. “Let me show you all my blessing.”

She pressed her palm firmly against the ball, her voice steady and full of purpose. “System.”