Owen led Alexandre into a small room with a frosted glass window. It looked identical to the sort of room used to administer vaccines at pharmacy chains, but seemed oddly out of place in such a military store. Nonetheless, Alexandre sat in the padded chair and offered his forearm.
Owen swabbed Alexandre's skin with an alcohol swab, then laid out the injection kit on a nearby countertop. Unsurprisingly, it was very similar to what Dr. José had used. "Ready?" asked Owen, a loaded syringe in his hand.
Alexandre gave a nod of affirmation.
Owen said, "If you've never used this product before, the sensation might be unexpected. You'll feel a lot of energy throughout your body during the process." Then he firmly inserted the needle into Alexandre's arm and depressed the plunger.
An intense heat flooded Alexandre's body, far more so than the first injection! He trembled and realized he was having difficulty breathing. It was as though every cell in his body was writhing at once. Yet, somehow, the feeling wasn't completely unpleasant.
Suddenly, several pages appeared in his vision.
╔════════Aurora Tactical System V0.23.1══════════╕
╟─╼[Logs]: You have consumed "Liquid Experience Bottle (Tier 2)."
║ ╰╼[EXP]: +1,500
╚═════════════════════════════════╛
╔════════Aurora Tactical System V0.23.1══════════╕
╟─╼[Info]: You've just reached Level 3!
║ ╰╼[EXP]: -100
║ ╰╼[Level]: +1
║ ╰╼[Statistic Points]: +3
║ ╰╼[Skill Points]: +1
╚═══════════════════════════════════════╛
╔════════Aurora Tactical System V0.23.1══════════╕
╟─╼[Info]: You've just reached Level 4!
║ ╰╼[EXP]: -200
║ ╰╼[Level]: +1
║ ╰╼[Statistic Points]: +3
║ ╰╼[Skill Points]: +1
╚═══════════════════════════════════════╛
╔════════Aurora Tactical System V0.23.1══════════╕
╟─╼[Info]: You've just reached Level 5!
║ ╰╼[EXP]: -400
║ ╰╼[Level]: +1
║ ╰╼[Statistic Points]: +3
║ ╰╼[Skill Points]: +1
╚═══════════════════════════════════════╛
╔════════Aurora Tactical System V0.23.1══════════╕
╟─╼[Info]: You've just reached Level 6!
║ ╰╼[exp]: -800
║ ╰╼[Level]: +1
║ ╰╼[Statistic Points]: +3
║ ╰╼[Skill Points]: +1
╚═══════════════════════════════════════╛
The air around Alexandre seemed to contract and then release. Afterward, Owen asked, "Did everything work out?"
Alexandre replied, "Yes, it seems so!" Then he opened his character menu.
╔═══════Aurora Nexus: Character═══════╕
╟─╼INFORMATION
║╰╼[Name]: Alexandre HautVille
║╰╼[True Name]: Alexandre Goldberg*
║╰╼[Biology] Hunter
║╰╼[Class] Boxer
╠══════════════╡
╟─╼LEVEL
║╰╼[Levels]: 6
║╰╼[Exp]: 51/1,600
╠══════════════╡
╟─╼STATS [Tier]: E+ (12 [+] Statistic Points available)
║╰╼[Strength]: 1.72 [+]
║╰╼[Intelligence]: 1.15 [+]
║╰╼[Agility]: 1.15 [+]
║╰╼[Endurance]: 1.4 [+]
║╰╼[Resistance]: 1.1 [+]
║╰╼[Dexterity]: 1.35 [+]
║╰╼[Perception]: 1 [+]
╠══════════════╡
╟─╼SKILLS (4 [+] Skill Points available)
╟─╼ACTIVE SKILLS [+]
║╰╼[Steel Bones (1/5) (Lv.1)] [+]
╟─╼PASSIVE SKILLS [+]
║╰╼[Immortal]
║╰╼[Hunter Regeneration (Lv.1)]
╠══════════════╡
╟─╼EQUIPMENT
║╰╼[...]
╠══════════════╡
╟─╼GUILD
╟─╼[Guild]
║╰╼[Guild Funds]
╠══════════════╡
╟─╼SUMMARY
║ "Yet another magic potion to power up your body! But what are you worth in a fight?"
╚═══════════════╛
Alexandre nodded with satisfaction as he looked over his sheet. Nothing had changed yet, but he had a large reserve of points to distribute to both his stats and skills. Before he did that, though, he wanted to settle on exactly which weapon he'd be using, to help identify what would eventually be his combat strategy.
Alexandre thanked Owen, then left the imposing shopping center and headed toward Hunter's Paradise's central square. There, he'd been told, lay the bazaar, where cursed weapons could be obtained.