I stepped into my room and took a quick look around.
It was simple but functional, just how I liked it. A living room, a bedroom, and a small kitchen. The best part? A personal training room attached to the bedroom. That would come in handy.
In the living room, a large TV was mounted on the wall, and a personal laptop sat on the desk. Next to it was a booklet labeled Member Guide, about twenty pages thick.
I decided to get cleaned up first, eat something, and then go through all the details I needed to check.
I stepped into the bathroom and let out a breath.
After nearly two months of dirt, blood, and sweat, this was long overdue. The bathroom was spacious, with a sleek shower panel that looked high-tech.
I turned the dial, and warm water cascaded down, hitting my skin like a soothing wave. For the first few seconds, I just stood there, letting it wash away the grime.
With a sigh, I ran a hand through my hair, feeling how stiff and tangled it had become. I grabbed the soap and scrubbed myself down, watching the water swirl into a murky mess before disappearing down the drain.
My muscles ached in that satisfying way, the kind that reminded me how much I had pushed my limits.
As I reached for my necklace, I hesitated for a moment. It had been on my neck the entire time through fights, through injuries, through everything. Slowly, I unclasped it and held it under the water, rubbing away the dirt that had built up. The metal shone faintly under the bathroom lights.
My mind drifted. There was a lot to do.
First, the skill core, I needed to use it and see how it could strengthen me. Then, I had to figure out which class to select. That was a priority.
Next was my weapon choice. A staff still seemed like the best option, but I had to refine my fighting style for it.
My thoughts shifted to North. We had a few conversations then I jumped into the volcano, but now that we were back at the training compound, I would have more chances to get to know her.
Lastly, my Generator talent, I had to focus on evolving it. There was more potential locked inside it, and I wasn't even close to reaching its limits.
I finished rinsing off, feeling lighter, both physically and mentally. I stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel rubbing the water off myself.
I found my luggage inside the bedroom, the same bag I had submitted back at Avenue Academy.
Opening it, I took out my belongings and arranged them neatly in the cupboard. Pulling out a black pair of shorts and a white t-shirt, I slipped them on.
Stepping in front of the mirror, I took a moment to look at myself. I actually looked… good.
My eyes had a sharpness to them, almost as if I could see Essence swirling within. All the scars I had gotten, mostly from fighting Guro, were completely gone.
Exhaling, I stepped into the living room and stretched, feeling the slight pull in my muscles. Then, grabbing the phone, I called the cafeteria. I knew what Steve liked, so I ordered three of every dish that he and I liked.
With that done, I flopped onto the couch and switched on the TV. Most of the news revolved around Abominations and Phantoms, with occasional segments about the Emperor.
Vaythos had once been a world of six continents. Now, we were down to four.
The loss wasn't just some slow, natural disaster, it was brutal. The Abominations invaded first, tearing through our lands, and then came Peanu, another human ruled planet, trying to claim a piece of ours.
The Empire didn't hesitate. Rather than risk those places becoming enemy strongholds, they wiped them off the map entirely.
Two continents. Gone. Just like that.
What remained was the Central Continent—home to the capital, Astra, and my own city, Cairo.
To its east, the Eastern Continent; to the west, the Western Continent; and up north, the Northern Continent.
They used to have actual names, but after the Throne War, they were renamed to something simple and direct. It was easier that way, I supposed. Less attachment to places we could lose.
A knock on my door pulled me from my thoughts. I grabbed the remote, turned off the TV, and opened it.
Steve stood there, dressed in a hoodie and shorts, casual enough, except he also had his sword strapped to his waist.
I raised an eyebrow and pointed at it.
"Why?"
He shrugged.
"Trying the whole 'a swordsman lives and dies by his sword' thing."
I snorted.
"Yeah, sure. Come in."
As he stepped inside, he glanced toward the kitchen.
"Did you order?"
"Yup. Three of each."
Steve let out a satisfied sigh and flopped onto the couch, sinking into the cushions.
"Hell yeah. Finally, some soft cushion for my butt."
Shaking my head, I joined him on the couch.
I leaned back on the couch, rubbing my chin. There was a lot to cover, and I wasn't sure where to start.
Instead of deciding, I figured I'd let Steve pick.
"So, what do you want to hear first?" I asked. "My talent, my secret meeting with Arkas, what I did inside the volcano, or what I'm planning next?"
Steve let out a low whistle.
"So many secrets, bro. So many secrets." He grinned. "Alright, let's go with your talent first."
I shrugged and started explaining my talent to him.
For once, he actually listened in silence. Normally, Steve had the attention span of a goldfish, especially when a topic didn't interest him. He even refused to celebrate birthdays mine or his. His reasoning? "Why waste time celebrating the year we lost?"
When I finished, he let out a slow breath.
"So, you have access to Essence, which, mind you, most people won't get until level 100. And even then, not like the way you have it." He shook his head. "That's… that's a crazy talent, dude."
I grinned, my excitement bubbling up.
"Right? I knew it! Just imagine how high I can push my stats! And when I hit level 100, using Essence is gonna be effortless."
Steve nodded.
"Yeah, the stat boost thing is bonkers. But you know what's even better? The fact that your class is gonna be centered around Essence. Your laws will be insane. And on top of that, your shitty talent can evolve too."
He suddenly paused, his eyes narrowing.
"Hey… why does this sound like a conspiracy?"
I tilted my head.
"What do you mean?"
Lowering his voice, he leaned in.
"I mean, this is too good to be true. You're not exactly a saint. If we're talking about merit, out of the two of us, I'm obviously the good one."
"Hey! What do you mean you're the good one?" I shot back. "You're too lazy to get something this good."
Steve shook his head.
"You're getting distracted. What I'm saying is, I smell a conspiracy."
I rubbed my chin, playing along.
"Okay, let's assume for a second that you're not just jealous. How could talent distribution be a conspiracy? Are you saying someone intentionally gave me this talent? Who the hell has that kind of power?"
Steve didn't even hesitate.
"The System."
I blinked. Then blinked again.
"…You're kidding, right?"
"Fucking idiot." He rolled his eyes. "The System assigns talents to everyone. What if it gave you this on purpose? What if you're supposed to be something bigger? Think about it. Why would a weak guy from a weak world get something this overpowered?"
I opened my mouth to argue, then shut it.
I didn't have an answer.
Steve held my gaze for a few seconds before shrugging.
"I don't know, man. Just a hunch. But I smell a conspiracy. Call it a swordsman's intuition."
I sighed heavily.
"Dude, since when did you become a swordsman—"
A knock on the door cut me off.
I stood up and opened it. Our food had arrived.
The delivery staff stepped in and neatly arranged everything on the dining table. Seventeen dishes in total, all different kind of meats.
Both of our eyes lit up at the sight of the feast.