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The past seven months had brought growth in ways I hadn't foreseen. My skills surged under Julia and Celeste's guidance, transforming my understanding of genetics, data analysis, and even deeper layers of ki. Looking at my status panel now, I couldn't help but feel a spark of pride.
No Pain No Gain
Name - Kairos
Year - 738
Power- 650
Life Stage- 0.00089
Intelligence - 269
Endurance - 405
Ability - None
Techniques - Floating Technique(level 2), Ki(level 6) , Afterimage fist(level 2) .
Bloodline - Human
Physique - None
Evolution Stage - 0.00002
Talent: Mechanical Engineer ( level 7) , Biological Researcher(Level 8) , Mathematician (level 8), Cellular Biologist (Level 9), Researcher( level 7) , Accounting ( level 4 ), Programming (level 4 ), Coding(level ), Genetic engineering (level 5), Gene Expression Data Analyst(level 4)]
Reminder:
[ Author : You may think the level is low but let me give you a brief of much exp is required for such upgrade.
All this rules are followed in the panel .
Level 1- 100 exp
Level 2- 500 exp
Level 3- 1200 exp
Level 4- 2500 exp
Level 5- 4000 exp
Level 6- 8000 exp
Level 7 - Need to reach level 6 plus need enlightenment for higher understanding
Level 8- 13000 exp
Level 9- 20000 exp
Level 10- 50000 exp .
Using exp talent can be upgraded but it takes long time while for special case , item given as reward by system can directly level up .
There is also grade for technique such as
F Grade , E(-) Grade, E Grade, E(+) Grade, D(-) Grade, D Grade, D(+) Grade, C(-) Grade, C Grade, C(+) Grade, B(-) Grade, B Grade, B(+) Grade, A(-) Grade, A Grade, A(+) Grade, A(-) Grade, A Grade, A(+) Grade, SR(-) Grade, SR Grade, SR(+) Grade, SSR Grade, Rainbow Grade.
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Every small gain brought satisfaction, like small steps up a vast mountain. I could feel the power flowing within, each level earned through hours of effort and unwavering focus.
But… as I thought back on those months, a bittersweet memory stood out—something that marked both progress and a kind of loss.
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Flashback (Four Months Ago)
It was a perfect morning. The world outside burst into life, every inch of the garden glowing under a warm sun. Gentle breezes filled the air with the rich, earthy scents of newly bloomed flowers, while soft bird songs added a peaceful rhythm.
I remember standing in that sunlight, feeling something beyond the mere thrill of progress. Julia and Celeste arrived with their usual warmth, but I could sense a growing connection with them. A hope kindled in my chest—that maybe, in the time we'd spent together, they might feel something more, something beyond mentor and student.
So, in a moment of rare vulnerability, I asked.
"Do either of you… feel anything special between us?"
Celeste smiled, the gentle, understanding look in her eyes making my heart beat faster. "Hmm," she started, with a teasing note in her voice. "Yes, I think I do."
My breath caught. "Really? What kind of feeling?"
She stepped closer, her gaze warm as summer sunshine. "It's the feeling," she said softly, "of not being able to stay away from you."
Her voice held a warmth that felt like an invitation, something deeper than I'd dared hope.
Excitement flickered in my chest. "… I feel that way, too…"
But she only laughed, a lighthearted sound that danced on the morning breeze. "Perfect. That makes you my adorable little brother!"
A sharp pain flared in my heart , and I tried to mask it, being suddenly called as brother is painful. Julia, catching the exchange, held back a grin, one eyebrow raised in amused satisfaction.
My words lodged in my throat. I managed a quiet, "Ah, right…your little brother."
That was the end of it. I never spoke about my feelings again, keeping them tucked away, hidden beneath my training and my work. But even now, months later, that memory lingered, just beneath the surface.
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Present Day
The squeak of the door snapped me back to the present, as both Celeste and Julia entered the lab. They walked toward me with familiar smiles but carried a different kind of energy today—a farewell, lingering on the edge of their expressions.
Celeste spoke first, her voice soft. "Brother," she began, her affectionate term tugging at my heart, "we've finished teaching you everything we know. Our time here is over."
Julia nodded, giving a small, approving smile. "I'm impressed you were able to learn everything so fast. You've grown a lot, Kairos."
Celeste's smile wavered, and a faint shadow crossed her face. "I don't want to leave my little brother," she said, her voice catching slightly. "This place feels like home now…"
I took a breath, feeling a mix of gratitude and heartache. "You could stay here," I said quietly. "Both of you. With me."
Julia gave a gentle shake of her head. "No, we have more to learn, Kairos. There are things out there waiting for us, places we've yet to see. Just as you've grown, so must we."
Her words settled around us, and I knew they were right. But it didn't make parting any easier.
Outside the lab, under the morning sky, we shared a final, long embrace. Celeste clung to me, her quiet tears tracing paths down her cheeks as she whispered, "Goodbye, little brother… until we meet again."
A bittersweet smile touched my lips as I watched them go, their figures growing smaller until they disappeared from view. The bond we shared, the days spent together, would linger in my heart like a bittersweet melody.
"Goodbye for now," I murmured to the empty air. "We'll meet again."
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