Damian leaned back in his hospital bed, his body still sore from the burns and bruises that hadn’t completely healed. He sighed, letting the weight of the last few days press down on him. The memories of fire, blood, and pain lingered at the edges of his mind. Yet, despite everything, he was alive.

He glanced around the room, trying to distract himself. The white walls and sound from the television playing in the background offered a little comfort. The thought of his belongings—his sword, his phone, even his melted truck—made him grimace.

Couldn’t they have salvaged at least some of my stuff? he thought bitterly. I get that half my clothes were burned, but they didn’t even try to find my phone or my truck keys.

Not that his truck would be of much use now; he had seen it melted into a heap of scrap during the battle. Still, the thought stung.

“Dammit,” he muttered under his breath. He shook his head, trying to focus on anything positive. He had survived, hadn’t he? That was something. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

Then he remembered something—a faint notification he had ignored during the fight. His mind sharpened.

“Status,” he muttered quietly, careful to avoid drawing attention. He knew this was a military hospital, and there were probably cameras in the room. For now, he needed to keep calm and endure the aches in his body, even if his mana had fully recovered.

The familiar blue window appeared before him, and he scanned it quickly.

Damian Park

Race: Human

Level: 09

Mana Points: 10/10

Strength: 10

Agility: 10

Dexterity: 12

Mana: 2

Status Points: 30

Skills:

•Minor Heal Lv 2

•Identify Lv 1

•Blue Lightning Lv 1

•Beginner Blacksmithing Lv 1

•Beginner Sword Mastery Lv 9

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

•Iron Skin Lv 1

Damian’s eyes widened. His breath caught as he stared at the screen.

“Thirty status points?” he whispered in disbelief. He read through the notifications and realized he had leveled up four times during the fight with the copper goblin. On top of that, he’d completely forgotten about the ten unused points he’d saved after the stag battle.

“Idiot,” he hissed, anger bubbling up at himself. If he’d used those points earlier, maybe the fight wouldn’t have been so close.

He shook his head, trying to let the frustration go. What was done was done. Instead, he focused on the new skills he had gained.

Sword Mastery Lv 9

Iron Skin Lv 1: A defensive skill that hardens the user’s skin like iron.

“This is useful, but the mana cost was steep—five points per minute. At my current level, I could only maintain it for about two minutes at most.”

Damian frowned. His mana pool was far too low for a skill like that. He’d have to allocate his points carefully. He couldn’t afford to waste any.

He remembered the copper goblin’s resistance to his Blue Lightning ability. “Could it have been some kind of magic resistance?” he muttered. He’d have to be better prepared for enemies like that in the future.

Taking a deep breath, Damian began assigning his points. He added: 15 points to Agility to increase his speed and reaction time. 10 points to Strength to enhance his physical power and 5 points to Mana, knowing he needed to sustain his abilities longer.

The changes were immediate. His body felt lighter, stronger. He clenched his fists, marveling at the subtle difference in his strength his body has cleary gone through a physical change he had grown slightly and his body small amount of fat had disappeared replacing by a chiseled body.

“Not bad,” he muttered. He wasn’t where he wanted to be yet, but this was progress.

Just as he was deep in thought, there was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” Damian called, startled.

The door creaked open, and his heart nearly stopped when he saw who was standing there.

“Astrid?” he whispered.

His younger sister stood in the doorway, her wide eyes filled with concern. She looked exactly as he remembered—her dark brown hair tied back in a loose ponytail, her face pale with worry.

Before she could speak, Damian was out of bed, crossing the room in a few quick strides. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace.

“Astrid,” he choked out, his voice breaking. His emotions hit him all at once—the fear, the loneliness, the constant struggle to survive. For the first time in days, the weight he’d been carrying crushed him.

He cried, the tears falling freely as he held his sister. He hadn’t realized just how much he needed this.

Astrid froze for a moment, stunned by her brother’s sudden outburst. But then she softened, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tightly.

“Damian,” she said gently, her voice filled with warmth. “It’s okay. You’re safe now.”

He pulled back slightly, his eyes red and swollen. “I thought… I thought something happened to you. To Mom and Dad. I’ve been so concerned over you three.”

“We’re fine,” Astrid assured him, her voice steady. “The hospital called us when you were admitted. Mom and Dad wanted to come, but they thought it be best they try to salvage whatever was left of your belongings and check on Uncle Ben and Aunt Marry would be better . They’ve been worried sick about you, since the hospital called.”

Damian nodded, wiping his eyes. He felt raw, vulnerable—but for the first time in a while, he also felt relief.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “For worrying you all.”

Astrid shook her head. “Don’t apologize. You’ve been through hell, Damian. You’re allowed to feel like this.”

He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. For now, he’d take this moment. He’d let himself feel the relief of knowing his family was safe. But soon, he’d be back on his feet