Lucas smiled like a maniac as he looked right into my eyes and...
"Grave of Ashes"
The world around us started to change. The arena was getting closed off by the rising magma walls, and the temperature was sky rocketing while the air started feeling suffocating.
And this entire space was now in his control as this was his talent.
In the story he used this talent of his against Sam in the final match but since Sam was a Ice user he managed to resist and even break off a portion of the magma walls to escape his Talent.
But what was I supposed to do? Pray to some god so that I won't die?
I carefully started flowing mana into my brain to analyze the situation and if I could do something, anything to get more points but it seemed like there was no way.
"Shit"
"ITS TIME FOR YOU TO P-"
"I forfeit" I yelled before he could finish his sentence.
Knowing when to retreat is a good quality too, so there is a possibility I get rewarded more points for this.
The AI's voice rang out.
"Participant Lucas Maxwell, Advances to the next round."
"Please stop the usage of your Talent. The match is over, participant Lucas Maxwell."
A few instructors also came towards the arena to make sure Lucas didn't try to hurt me after I forfeited.
"Tch, you coward. Don't think you can escape this easily, because I will come after you the first chance I get."
Why do I become enemies with literally anybody I encounter?
What have I done to deserve this, God?
After Lucas gave up and stopped using his Talent, they gave me a standart medical check than let me go to my dorm.
*Host, your decision to forfeit has been the correct one.*
*As a reward your insight has been slightly altered.*
*Your Intelligence stat has upgraded (Intelligence:F -> F+)*
"Well, thank you for the consolation prize system."
At least I didn't go out empty handed, huh?
Well I will still get in Class Kings if I look at the results alone but anything can happen so lets not get too hopeful.
Though it would have been better if I managed to get into Class Players.
The system started going off, as if responding to my thoughts.
*Success is not defined by winning every battle, but by enduring to fight the battles that matter.*
"Just what I needed, emotional support from a non living being. I am just joking though system no offense."
...
I realized how weird my life had become.
Here I was, bantering with a system within me.
Well at least I could count you as a friend, right system?
I wanted to say but it felt too cringe to say outloud so I didn't.
...
I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at my hands.
There were slight burns caused from my fight with Lucas and they hurt slightly, reminding me how I had lost.
"Well, at least I didn't become a charcoal" I chuckled.
*Host, talking with oneself may sometimes indicate mental illnesses.*
"The f*ck?" I blurted out unconsciously.
"When did you become so talkative system?"
...
It looked like the system wasn't going to answer me so I decided to focus on my Quest now.
<
Mana is the essence of the universe itself, making countless possibilities regarded as impossible before doable. Discover a new path for yourself to use mana and strengthen your body and soul.
Objective:Understand the origin of mana(partially)
Rewards:+3 Upgrade in Mana Capacity +1 Upgrade in 3 random stats excluding Mana Capacity.
Failure:No punishment for failure.
These rewards were massive but the objective was as hard as the rewards were good.
"Looks like I will have to go out and get some books, I guess."
*Host, talking with oneself-*
"SHUT UP!"
***
In the mall and at the bookstore, a female student whose match already ended was reading a manga.
Although this female student hardly recognizable since she was wearing a disguise albeit not well made, she was Ruby Bianca.
Ruby was known to be a cold hearted and not socially active person with little to no hobbies but she had some secret hobbies with one of her secret hobbies being reading mangas.
Today was no different from her usual, she came to the bookstore to look at any new mangas she could buy after her daily training.
And luckily she found a new series she was interested in so she decided to binge read it here.
A bell jingled as the door opened.
She glanced at the door for a moment to see a boy with black hair but quickly looked back at the manga in her hands.
The boy looked around foolishly for a while before going towards the basic mana control books.
After around 5 minutes of looking at those books he started going towards the advanced mana control books section near the manga section.
He stopped right before taking a book and glanced at the manga section before deciding to look at it.
'What is that guy doing?' Ruby thought to herself.
He looked surprised while looking at her favourite manga and started inspecting it.
'Does he like that manga too? Maybe I can talk to him.' She thought to herself.
The guy started flipping the pages, then started smiling as if he hadn't read it in a long time.
She watched as the guy sat near her table and started reading her favourite manga looking completely immersed.
'After finishing this book, I will go and talk to him. Yes I will definitely do it and I am not running away from social interactions.'
Ruby was afraid of talking to people and it stemmed from her childhood.
After silently reading her book for a while, she finally gathered enough courage to talk to him.
"U- um excuse me, sir."
But he was already going back towards the mana control section, so he didn't hear her.
'Ugh nevermind, I didn't want to talk to him anyways.' Ruby said to convince herself.