Extra Chapter ■ - Leila is ■■■■ ■■■
Confused, terrified, exhausted, and with overwhelming anxiety piercing her chest—that was how Leila had experienced the entire nightmare inside the first scenario, something she hadn’t understood from start to finish. Every hour, every minute, every second that passed in that place, she could only think about how she shouldn't be there; it all felt like a bad dream. She remembered returning from the market after finally earning enough money to buy groceries to cook her young son’s favorite meal; after all, it was his birthday. And suddenly, she found herself in the middle of an entirely white room, surrounded by people she didn’t understand.
Unfortunately, her level of education was abysmal, so she could never have dreamed of learning English or any of the other languages the others were speaking. This only fueled the paranoia building inside her. Had she been kidnapped and sent somewhere as part of some cruel activity by a criminal group? Sadly, she lived in a place where human trafficking wasn't that uncommon, so it was a possibility.
However, any illusion of reality crumbled quickly—not just because she suddenly found herself in a ruined city with a horrifyingly terrifying appearance, but also because some grotesque creatures resembling human skeletons began to crawl toward her soon after. One of them managed to scratch her right hand—a minor wound, yet for some reason, it felt as though her hand was being pressed against burning hot metal. Throughout the rest of her ordeal, she had to endure an excruciating pain—one of the worst she had ever felt—but she managed to bear it, tears welling up in her eyes. After all, it wasn't her first burn suffered without treatment, and she was still clinging to the hope that this was nothing more than some kind of nightmare.
Even when they were attended to by a group of armed foreigners, when they were attacked by more and more of those horrible creatures, and when they wandered for quite some time as more and more people perished along the way, Leila kept telling herself that it was all just a horrible illusion—a feverish dream that would vanish at any moment. She would then be able to return to how things were before, just about to cook for her little Damião, who should be coming home from school any minute now.
However, even with that, there was little that interested the woman. Not only was she still clutching her hand due to the burning sensation she felt, even though there didn't seem to be any visible wound, but she also began to feel the anxiety growing in her chest. Why was she still in this place? Why wasn't she waking up already? Her mind wasn't paying attention to what the guy with the straw hat was saying, but some words still reached her ears, especially the ones that mentioned a way to "get out of there."
"Can I really get out of here? How?"
Leila asked with desperation, a question that seemed to unsettle the others present. Before anyone could explain further, she had already pressed the button confirming her desire to leave the room, blinded by a beam of light that appeared out of nowhere.
⌠A world without imagination is a dead world; the only redeemable grace of humanity is the ability to create—the one thing that sets them apart from mere dust blowing in the wind. You, who despise the gift of creation—the gift of the gods—who were granted a second chance and rejected it as well, you have nothing left but to endure the punishment of entering "Abyss"... But don't worry, there is still hope for someone like you. You just need to earn P.O.I.N.T.S.⌡
A robotic male voice echoed in Leila's mind, a message she didn’t fully understand but felt she would never forget. When she opened her eyes, she found herself no longer in the white room she had left behind. Instead, she was in an elegantly furnished home. The walls were adorned with various decorations, the furniture looked expensive and well-maintained, and there were paintings of different styles and sizes, alongside a large wooden table surrounded by chairs, and a blazing fireplace cast a warm glow over the room… What was that place?
“Hello, newbie!”
A feminine voice sounded behind her, startling Leila. She turned around to see a young girl with blonde hair and green eyes, so pale she seemed to have no blood in her veins. The girl looked no older than 15. Leila was so taken aback and confused that the girl laughed for a moment before speaking again.
“Hahaha, don’t worry, I understand. We all go through the same thing, you know? But anyway, let me be the first to welcome you to ‘Team Abyss’! The home for everyone who wants to escape this damned place.”
Leila still didn’t understand. Hadn’t she left by choosing the option to leave? Why was she in this place? The robotic words she had heard moments ago echoed again in her mind.
"Leave? But... I should have left already. I need to get out of here. My son is about to come home, and if I’m not there..."
Anguish overtook her once more, so much so that she didn't even notice the pain gradually spreading through her right hand. Meanwhile, the blonde girl watched her with sympathy, understanding what she was going through and recalling how she had felt when she first arrived in this place. It was never easy to witness.
“I understand, but it’s the only thing we can do. Did you hear the system’s voice in your head? That’s the only thing you need to cling to. Eventually, we’ll all have the chance to leave.”
“But… But my son!”
"I know! Do you think you’re the only one with someone important left behind in the real world!? I have someone I’m praying is still waiting for me to come back. But there’s nothing you can do for them right now, just follow what this damned game tells you to do."
The girl shouted, raising her voice for the first time and grabbing Leila by the shoulders, shaking her with force to make her come to her senses. She knew it was futile; no rookie could calm down easily, and most refused to accept the reality they had to face, that’s why Team Abyss had the highest death rate of all. However, to the astonished gaze of the blonde, Leila stood up and slapped herself four times, the sound echoing around the room. Then, she reopened her eyes and took several deep breaths.
It wasn’t the first time Leila had to endure a situation where she was separated from her son, the only good thing that ever happened in her life, and one in which she had to fight tooth and nail to move forward. It clearly wouldn’t be the last time. Now, more composed and aware that crying and shouting wouldn’t get her anywhere, Leila resolved to ask everything she needed to know to leave as soon as possible, even though she felt her heart might burst from the stress and anguish she had accumulated.
"Well, I have to say I’m impressed. Never in all the time I’ve been here have I seen a newbie calm down so quickly. Usually, they cry and moan for days until they either die or slowly come to terms with this life... But anyway, there’s always a first time for everything, I suppose. My name is Beatrice. I’ve been here just over a year, I think, and so far I’ve accumulated 33 points. We’re supposed to be able to leave once we collect 100."
The girl said, now sounding more cheerful, and pointed out the way for Leila to exit the room, suggesting they walk together.
"I vaguely remember something about what the people I was with earlier said, but I don't understand. How do I earn these points to get out of here?"
Leila said, wiping away the few tears still trying to trickle down her cheeks and mustering all the courage she could at that moment.
"Oh, well... You know, we have to complete the missions given to us in each scenario. But don’t worry, you don’t have to do anything right now. As long as someone else finishes everything, it’ll be fine. Luckily, we all get along relatively well here."
Leila wasn’t pleased that the answer had been evasive, but she figured she’d find out sooner or later. For now, all she had to do was wait for one of those "missions" to start. If it was anything like what she had just endured, she knew it would be an uphill battle, but she was determined to find a way to push through, all in the hope of returning home.
"And when does the next mission start?"
"Woah, calm down, believe me, you'll soon hate that they come so often. But I understand, the next mission will probably start any moment now; they usually begin almost always after a new person arrives here. But before that happens, please come with me. We need to get you something first."
Beatrice guided Leila out of the room, revealing what lay beyond. It was a small village—literally a village—with various shops around, such as food stalls and a library. There were also green spaces, a park, and a large fountain in the middle. The only strange thing was that the sky was completely black, and there wasn't even a hint of a breeze.
"This is the new lobby. You'll find it's a bit more advanced than usual, though I’m not sure how your previous team’s setup was. But our destination is that armory over there. You'll need to gear up properly if you want to survive your first mission here."
Normally, Leila's curiosity would have led her to look around, but between the determination she felt and the growing pain in her right arm, she simply followed the blonde girl to a small wooden house. They entered without even knocking.
Leila couldn’t help but be impressed by what she saw. It was very much like a tailor's shop, except instead of rows and rows of clothing, there were strange black suits in all imaginable sizes.
“Oh? A new member?”
Another voice emerged in the room, this time from a short, chubby man with a thick beard, a shaved head, and an extremely kind expression on his face.
"Hey pops, yes, she’s actually a pretty promising rookie. She’s calm and eager to start, so I’d better take good care of her and get her the best support gear we can."
The man didn’t lose his smile or his gentle tone, but it was clear that he became genuinely interested in what had been said.
“If that’s the case, then certainly. Please follow me; we’ll provide you with our best survival armor available... Although truth be told, they’re all pretty much the same, hohoho.”
A few minutes later, as Leila was assisted by Beatrice in putting on one of those black suits—fitting snugly to her body like latex but without being uncomfortable—the man continued to take some additional measurements.
“By the way, I’d like to introduce you, as you’ll be seeing Pops quite a lot if everything goes well. His name is Benjamin, and he repairs and supplies us with gear. He’s one of the oldest members here, although he only has 9 points so far. Believe it or not, he spends them on buying things for others. Everything is distributed to each new arrival with the hope they can survive long enough to fend for themselves. All of this is funded by him, with occasional help from me and a few others who share that idea.”
Leila listened attentively to everything she was told and quickly introduced herself, thanking the man from the bottom of her heart for what he was doing for her. After all, if a hundred points were needed to leave, the fact that he used some to get things to help newcomers was a sacrifice she couldn’t imagine making herself.
“You don’t need to thank me. I’m not suited for this, and I’ve long since resigned myself to the fact that I won’t be able to leave. So why not use what little I can get to help newcomers? I’m sure that someday someone will manage to get out of here again and return to their life.”
Although that thought was sad, what stood out the most was the fact that he had said "again."
"So it’s true that someone managed to leave this place before?"
Leila asked, nearly bursting into tears at the sudden surge of hope she had just received.
"Yes! ... Or at least one is supposed to have succeeded. I didn't see it with my own eyes, but pops here says he did."
Beatrice continued, first with enthusiasm and then pointing to Benjamin, who smiled more than ever upon hearing this.
"Yes, it happened on my first day as a novice. I never knew his name, but I remember how he looked... He was a tall guy wearing a very worn-out school uniform, supposedly as a reminder of the life he was trying to regain. He carried two long swords, one in each hand, and he supposedly never spent any of his points except after his first mission, all to save as much as possible. A real legend, especially since the last scenario he faced, and which I had the luck to only observe, was a battle against 'Eden.' After that, he simply disappeared when he reached a hundred points. A true inspiration."
With a small tear of nostalgia, Benjamin finished the last adjustments to Leila's suit and left her to try it on and move around a bit.
"Although from what I know, it was after his departure that the system here changed and the points were renamed P.O.I.N.T.S, giving us only one type of mission from that moment on. It's really unfortunate."
Leila took a few steps in different directions and felt that her body was lighter than it had ever been, almost as if all her muscle aches had disappeared, except for the burning in her arm, which was now starting to spread more and more. She gritted her teeth to endure it without showing it and then asked something that seemed odd to her.
"I think I understand, but what is 'Eden'?"
The question wasn’t purely out of curiosity. If someone had managed to leave by defeating this ‘Eden,’ then there was likely some connection, or at least that’s what Leila hoped. Any information could be valuable in helping her return. While Leila might not have had a high level of formal education, she was exceptionally astute and, above all, had never stopped picking herself up every time life knocked her down.
"Well, 'Eden' is the..."
But Beatrice's words were cut off by a siren that blared throughout the place, so loudly that Leila had to involuntarily cover her ears. The noise ended as suddenly as it had started, and the blonde turned her gaze back to the woman, smiling.
"I'll explain it to you later. For now, we need to head to the central plaza. Another mission is about to start, and Anton doesn't like it when someone is late for the meeting."
Leila didn’t waste any time. She put on a dress over the black suit she was now wearing and followed Beatrice and Benjamin to the main plaza where she had seen the fountain. Upon arrival, she noticed they were not alone; a large group of seven other people had gathered as well. They were all different from each other—men and women with varied clothing. One had a motorcycle, and another had a large metallic tail protruding from his pants. However, the most striking figure was the man standing at the front of the group. He had pale skin and tousled brown hair, wore a sleeveless shirt that revealed his impressive musculature, and was barefoot. A black cloth belt hung from his pants. Although Leila didn’t know it, this was the traditional attire of a martial artist.
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At that very moment, a window identical to the one that had appeared the first time Leila was in the white room materialized before everyone, displaying a story and its synopsis once again. However, unlike the previous one, this one had something quite particular in its final section.
image [https://i.imgur.com/VanvO9g.png]
"Alright, listen up! This time, not only will the world be incredibly hostile, but we'll also be facing the 'Top Rankers' team again. We can't let the same thing happen as last time. This time, I want absolutely everyone to stay together and focus our attack on their leader, Vikramaditya. His skill, [Illuminated Roar of the Sun], took the lives of five of our members last time, so some of you may die this time as well. But it’s something we must do if we want to earn points. Understood?"
The man shouted sharply, his words met with silence and hushed murmurs from the rest of the group. It was a typical reaction when someone spoke so casually about many of them possibly dying in an attack. Was he out of his mind?
"I said... UNDERSTOOD!?"
Perhaps it was just a hallucination caused by the burning sensation she was feeling, but Leila could have sworn she saw a massive figure, something resembling a demon, appear behind the man the moment he shouted. It was as if that terrifying form had unleashed the roar that made everyone step back and bow their heads in terror and agreement.
“Good, then we will go shortly… You, Beatrice! I see you have been with the new member, use her at the best of her abilities for this one, even if you have to use her as meatshield”
What was wrong with this guy? How could he speak so callously about the lives of the others there? Leila tried to say something, but Beatrice quickly pulled her arm, stopping her. She still seemed shaken by what had just happened.
"Don’t do it—don’t contradict him or talk back”
Whispered Beatrice, gripping Leila’s arm tightly.
“That’s our leader, Anton. He’s the most powerful one here, with 59 points accumulated. Of course, he tends to hoard them... But don’t worry; we get a few points for supporting too. And I won’t let anything happen to you—you have my word.”
Leila could hear the concern in the girl’s voice. Though she tried to reassure her, the words couldn't hide the reality of the situation. The burning sensation in her arm continued to intensify, but for now, the only option was to trust in this strange alliance.
Shortly after, a blinding flash of light engulfed them, forcing everyone to shield their eyes. When they opened them again, they found themselves in a completely different place—just as it had happened to Leila before. But this time, instead of a ruined and abandoned city, they were standing in a natural meadow under the serene glow of a full moon on a beautiful night.
"Hyeon, how much time has passed since the scenario started?"
Anton said, looking around and then asking one of the men nearby, a man dressed in a business suit with thick glasses, which he quickly adjusted before replying.
"It seems that the information from my [Satellite] indicates that five days have passed since the scenario began."
"Alright, if we're here, it means something really big is about to happen. Which direction is the castle or the entrance to the city or whatever Emberveil is? Something is likely going to happen there."
The conversation continued, and the man with glasses kept adjusting his equipment until he was finally able to respond again.
"It’s to the east; we’re not too far. However, according to what [Satellite] has observed, there’s already a massive conflict happening at the gates of a large castle. From the signals recorded, there must be other users there as well."
“Perfect, let’s go, everyone!”
Everyone moved into action, including Leila, Beatrice, and Benjamin. At that moment, the blonde girl decided to explain a bit more about what was about to happen.
"See, our opponents are the two teams you saw mentioned on the starting screen. Normally, they have quite a head start before we're sent into a scenario. But luckily for us, our presence here is a secret; they’ll never know when our Team Abyss will enter their story, so that gives us a slight advantage."
Leila frowned as she ran, marveling at how much faster she was moving thanks to the power suit she wore. Fighting against others wasn't something she relished, especially since she was generally non-confrontational when possible. However, if it meant the chance to return home to her son... any price was worth it. A few tears fell down her face as she thought of Damião, who was probably home by now, wondering where she was.
With a renewed sense of duty, Leila didn’t slow down and continued with the others until they reached what appeared to be a cliff. At that point, a woman from the group began making strange hand gestures until a peculiar *poof* sound was heard, causing everyone present to become unusually transparent.
As Leila watched in amazement, she looked at her arms and legs, only to realize she could now see through them. Meanwhile, Anton and a couple of other men observed what was happening below the cliff.
On a narrow path flanked by rock walls, just under a kilometer from the entrance of an imposing castle, a brutal battle raged. Armies of humans clad in shining armor and armed with shining swords clashed with shadowy beings. Knights on horseback charged against monstrous black wolves ridden by skeletons in heavy, rusted armor. In the sky, a large number of dragons soared, guided by riders in golden and silver armor, battling winged beasts straight out of the most terrifying nightmares, and amidst all this chaos, a group of individuals who did not seem to belong to either army fought on.
A hooded figure launched green bolts of energy at the knights, causing the ground to erupt and sending an entire squad flying. A woman in military garb wielded a sword larger than her own body, her every swing leaving behind a trail of blue flame in the shape of a serpent that incinerated any specters it touched. Another individual floated above the fray, unleashing a hail of bullets at the knights from a myriad of floating weapons. A man with outstretched arms had a yellow circle forming above his head from which numerous robots with white wings and golden halos emerged. And so it went, a chaotic clash of powers and abilities as they all collided with one another.
“It looks like the ‘Top Rankers’ team has allied with the kingdom of Emberveil, while the ‘Signals Gamma’ team has somehow allied with the Shades. Quite intriguing.”
Hyeon said, still adjusting his glasses and observing from above, something that Anton took as if it were the best news he’d heard in his life.
“This couldn’t be more perfect. Let them finish each other off first, then it will be our turn.”
——————
Minutes passed, and the battle raged on. One by one, the knights, shadows, and even the users from both teams fell. It wasn’t until the forces of the Shades seemed poised to prevail over the dwindling army of knights and their allies that a figure leaped from the crowd and landed amid the sea of shadows. A tall man with a toned, bronze body that shone so brightly it seemed like a sun even in the darkness of night... No, he was actually glowing!
"Here he is, just as I suspected. He’ll need to use it if he wants to get out of this."
Anton said with a smile, watching as the figure’s brilliance intensified.
"Cover yourselves!"
The entire group obeyed instantly, ducking down to shield themselves. Beatrice and Benjamin did the same, but Leila's momentary hesitation allowed her to notice a bright flash from the cliff before she looked away. The light was so intense it seemed like daylight had suddenly arrived, followed by a tremor that shook the surroundings. When the commotion subsided and everyone peeked out again, they were met with the surprising sight of no more shadow warriors remaining. Only a handful of foot soldiers remained, as all the mounted knights and dragon riders had vanished from the world of the living.
Among them were also four other individuals: the woman with the flaming sword and two other men, all clearly injured and struggling to recover but visibly elated from their victory. On the other hand, the bronzed man stood in the same spot, surrounded by a large crater, his body still emitting steam from the intense heat. He took a moment to move again and attempt to join his comrades, at which point Anton shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Now!”
They all jumped immediately, one after another, leaving Leila astonished. Before she could ask anything, Beatrice grabbed her by the waist and leaped off the cliff with her, laughing. The sudden appearance of the entire group stunned the onlookers, both users and knights alike, rendering them unable to react to the sudden movements.
Anton vanished from the landing spot and seized the bronze-skinned man by the neck, while other team members rushed towards the remaining opponents, clashing with swords, a scythe, and mechanical arms.
“Amil!”
The military-suited woman exclaimed, unable to reach her teammate as two enemies held her back.
“I never thought it would be this easy, especially after how you humiliated us last time, Vikramaditya, ‘The Sun of Valor’—or should I call you Amil? Hahaha, I’m sure your life will earn me a lot of points.”
Amil’s body was still steaming, but it was clear he was too exhausted to defend himself. All he could do was futilely try to free his neck with both hands. It was difficult to watch, but Leila decided to ask anyway.
"What does he mean by saying that his life will give him many points?"
Beatrice looked startled as if it was something she had deliberately delayed telling her until that moment. But considering they were already in the middle of the mission, Leila needed to know.
"Well... As they say, we in 'Team Abyss' earn points by killing users from other teams."
Killing other people? Does that mean that she needed to kill other people to get out? That was a horrible thought, would she be able to do it? Her son's face flashed into her mind once again. Was she ready to renounce her humanity just to see him again? Well, yes? She might be, but…
While still contemplating the mixed thoughts flooding her mind, Leila lifted her gaze to see the scene in front of her once more. This time, however, Anton was holding a small child by the neck. The adult and muscular body of Vikramaditya, the powerful warrior they had seen, was nothing more than a skill that the boy possessed. The child's adult body was now disappearing into clouds of steam, weakened from expending all his energy to defeat the Shades.
"Goodbye, kid."
Anton was just about to crush the kid's neck now that he no longer had a body as resistant as before. However, he was hit hard from behind before he could do so. Although the blow didn’t make him fall or release his prey, it did make him stagger and take a few steps forward to steady himself.
"What?!"
It was Leila, who, without even realizing it, had launched herself like a rocket at the man in an attempt to knock him down, aided by the boost in strength and speed provided by her survival suit. Even she couldn’t fully understand why she did it; just as she was about to accept to herself that ending others' lives was a necessary step to return to her world, she saw Damião’s face reflected in that child about to die.
"Let him go, he's just a child!"
She yelled as she clung desperately to Anton, who wore an expression of complete and utter rage.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing!?”
He finally erupted, slamming the child to the ground and using his now-free hand to pry Leila away from him effortlessly. With a powerful punch to her stomach, he made her cry out in pain and even vomit the little she had left inside. Not satisfied, he delivered another punch, then turned his gaze to the members of his group nearby, especially the blonde woman who had her hands over her mouth, her expression one of horror.
“This is your damn fault, Beatrice! After this mission is over, I’ll have to punish you too!”
By that point, Leila looked more like a rag doll than anything else, held up only by her right arm by the man who showed no sign of letting go. However, before delivering another blow, Anton stared at the limb he was gripping.
"You’re damned... You have a fucking curse eating away at your body from the inside, hahaha. You're nothing but a defective being, you never had any chance in this world. I'll do you the favor of ending your suffering since I’m so generous."
With that, he slammed Leila's body violently onto the ground, then placed his right foot on her head and began to apply pressure progressively, clearly enjoying what he was doing instead of ending it quickly.
"The only thing I regret is that getting rid of another member of my team doesn't give any points."
Leila could do nothing. She struggled with all her might to remove the man’s foot from her head with both hands, but even with the suit, she couldn’t match the strength of a veteran. The searing pain was starting to cloud her judgment, and tears kept streaming down her face. Meanwhile, images of her entire life flashed before her eyes: her sad and harsh childhood, alone and fighting to survive another day; her terrible youth, forced to do unspeakable things just to have something to eat; the moment she met what she thought was the love of her life that will finally protect her, only to end up in an abusive relationship; and finally, the birth of her son, little Damião. At first, she had thought about abandoning him, but then one of his tiny hands grasped one of her fingers, smiling at her for the first time.
After that, she had finally found a reason to live beyond just the fear of dying, all because of the small ray of happiness that had entered her life. There was nothing she wouldn't do, no challenge she wouldn't overcome for him. Damião, waiting at home for her to return, the only person he had in the world. No! Her life couldn’t end like this.
“What the fuck?!”
To everyone's astonishment, Anton's foot began to lift slowly, not by his own volition, but because Leila's arms were gaining ground and overpowering him. How was this possible?! The man's eyes fixed on the woman, seeing something that was clearly invisible to her.
“250% synchro rate?! How the hell?!”
But before he could react, a powerful shove from the woman’s arms made him stumble, allowing her to rise. Her face was swollen, her eyelids puffy, and her lip split, but her eyes burned with a fury and determination, unlike anything anyone had seen before.
“That's enough!”
⌠User Leila Almeida’s potential is brimming with determination!⌡ ⌠The system is resonating with the user’s ambitions and memories!⌡ ⌠Congratulations!⌡ ⌠’Personal Skill: True Adaptability’ has been created⌡
[Personal Skill: True Adaptability Lv1] [Extremely high-level skill that provides the user the ability to negate all harmful effects on its body, it then absorbs it and creates a skill based on the affliction.] [Level and proficiency of the newly created skill is based on the negated effect level or rank] [...] [...] ⌠’Personal Skill: True Adaptability Lv1’ has absorbed ‘Ghostly Virus Lv5’⌡ ⌠’Personal Skill: True Adaptability Lv1’ has created the skill ‘Soul Predator Lv5’⌡ ⌠Congratulations!⌡
So many windows appeared so quickly that Anton didn't know how to react; it was something that had never happened before. But Leila lost no time, driven by a force beyond her own awareness. She stepped forward and delivered a powerful downward punch directly at the man. Her fist, charged with spectral energy, formed a set of gnashing jaws that slammed into their target.
“Aaaahhh!!!”
Anton’s scream was so intense that everyone froze at the sound, including the knights and other users still fighting. All eyes were fixed on what was happening. However, Leila didn't stop. After the first impact, she unleashed one, two, three, four more punches until finally, the man ceased all movement, lying on the ground with his eyes rolled back and foam at his mouth.
“That's… *Puff* … enough!”
Leila finally said, panting heavily, and absolutely no one dared to move, as a status screen appeared in front of her. This sight even stopped the few members of Anton’s team who had actually sympathized with him.
⌠Name: Leila Almeida⌡ ⌠Age: 35⌡ ⌠Species: Human - Rank F⌡ ⌠P.O.I.N.T.S: 0⌡ ⌠Potential: Calculating…⌡ ⌠Calculating…⌡ ⌠Calculating…⌡ ⌠Potential: A⌡