The lively lunch party was in full swing when Lara approached Jack, her expression serious despite the celebration around them. "Seems my decision was right," she said, crossing her arms. "This hunt was far too dangerous for you."
Jack looked up at her, a flicker of determination in his eyes. "I'm not the same as before, Lara. I can survive whatever comes my way now."
Lara raised an eyebrow, skepticism clear in her gaze. "You're still weak, Jack. You would have died out there."
Jack smirked, a spark of defiance in his voice. "You're underestimating me. I'm stronger now. You can't judge my strength just by looking at me."
Lara's eyes narrowed. "Oh really? I can tell from your weak body."
Jack chuckled, leaning back slightly. "Don't judge a book by its cover, Lara. You have to read it first."
A slight smile tugged at Lara's lips. "So, do you want to prove it? Fight me."
Jack's smirk widened into a grin. "After the party ends, let's meet in the training hall."
Lara nodded, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Alright. Let's see what you've got."
When the party ended, Jack made his way to the training hall, his heart pounding with excitement. As he entered, he saw Lara already there, casually stretching as she prepared for their fight.
"I didn't expect you to actually show up," Jack said with a smile.
Lara straightened, looking at him with a confident smirk. "Neither did I, but here we are."
Jack approached her and extended his hand. "Just a greeting before the fight."
Lara gave him a puzzled look but eventually took his hand. "Okay, sure."
As their hands met, Jack whispered under his breath, "Dual lock." Instantly, two small blue screens with red font appeared on either side of his vision. The one on the right displayed the dual contract information, including an EXP counter for each hit he landed, while the one on the left showed his body condition and stamina status.
They released hands and took their positions on the training mat. The atmosphere grew tense as they both prepared to fight. Jack's heart raced—not just because of the duel itself, but because of the contract he had secretly activated. This was his chance to gain the experience points he needed.
"Ready?" Lara asked, her stance steady and poised.
Jack nodded, "Ready."
The fight began. Lara was fast and relentless, her strikes precise and powerful. Jack struggled to keep up, his training from the past months barely enough to fend off her attacks. But every time he managed to land a hit, however small, the EXP counter on the right side of his vision ticked upward.
After several minutes of intense combat, Jack found himself on the floor, breathing heavily, bruised and exhausted. Myth's voice echoed in the head "congratulations you have gained 41 exp points."
Lara stood over him, a triumphant smirk on her face. "You lost, just like you always do."
Jack, still on the ground, managed a weak smile. "Maybe, but I managed to land 41 hits on you."
Lara looked at him, confused. "You were counting?"
Jack chuckled, feeling a sense of satisfaction despite his defeat. "In a way."
Lara extended a hand to help him up, her expression softening. "You're getting better, Jack. But you're still not there yet."
Jack took her hand and got to his feet, the blue screens in his vision fading away as the battle ended. He had gained 41 EXP points—41 steps closer to unlocking his full potential.
"I'll keep getting stronger, Lara," he said, determination burning in his eyes. "Just you wait."
Lara smiled, shaking her head slightly. "We'll see, Jack. We'll see."