The next morning, Zack skipped his usual routine.
He immediately logged into Conquest Carnival using his HypeBeast27 account, waking up to his familiar playfully trying to tickle his nose using its furry tail.
"Quit it, would you Shenlong? I don't want to-" *Achoo!* "-. . .Don't want to do that."
Shenlong seemed to cackle, its mouth curling up into a slight smile. Zack huffed while gently pushing its tail aside.
"Today's the day for the tournament, so I'll probably be gone longer than usual. Will you be alright?"
Shenlong nodded its head, before moving to the table and curling up around the decorative bonsai tree at its center. Zack smiled at that scene, but he had some things to do before he could leave.
Taking on the lotus position, Zack sat on the bed and focused on his Ardor Flow. He took control of it, and slowed it down. And then, his mental energy spread out from his meridians, enveloping every inch of his body.
