The AI POD hummed softly as Dave stood in its center, focusing his thoughts on the system's shop menu displayed before him. Despite the brutal training sessions he'd endured inside the POD, Dave was more determined than ever to push himself to the next level. He'd reached Rank E, but he knew that his powers were still far from reaching their true potential.
"Alright, Bella, let's see what I can get to improve my abilities," Dave said, scrolling through the long list of skills in the system shop.
"Of course, Dave. You've accumulated a substantial number of system points. May I suggest looking at two specific abilities that would complement your current skill set?" Bella's voice chimed, filled with her usual playful energy.
"Which ones?" Dave asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Teleportation and Matter Control," Bella responded. "With Teleportation, you'll be able to travel instantaneously across short or even vast distances, making you nearly untouchable in battle. And Matter Control will allow you to reshape the physical world to your will, whether that means creating barriers, forming weapons, or even manipulating the elements around you."
Dave nodded thoughtfully. He could already imagine how powerful those abilities would be in combat. With Teleportation, he could outmaneuver any opponent, and with Matter Control, he'd have the power to change the battlefield itself.
"Alright, I'm sold. How much for both?" he asked, glancing at his balance of system points.
"Teleportation costs 5,000 system points, and Matter Control is priced at 4,500 system points," Bella stated. "That leaves you with enough points for a bit more training after these purchases."
"Perfect. Let's buy them," Dave said decisively.
"Confirmed. You have successfully acquired the skills Teleportation and Matter Control," Bella announced with a satisfied tone.
Dave felt a surge of energy rush through him as the skills were integrated into his system. The sensation was strange but exhilarating, as if new pathways in his brain were being forged to accommodate the newfound powers.
"Okay, let's test these out. Bella, start the training simulation for Matter Control," Dave instructed, rolling his shoulders as he prepared himself for another intense session.
The environment around him shifted, and he found himself standing in the middle of a vast, rocky landscape. Large boulders and jagged cliffs loomed on all sides. A clone of himself materialized across the field, its eyes glinting with a deadly focus. Dave took a deep breath and raised his hand, concentrating on the ground beneath him.
"Let's see how this works…"
Slowly, the ground beneath Dave began to tremble. He could feel the particles of the earth shifting and bending to his will. With a sharp motion, he raised his arm, and the earth responded. A massive chunk of rock rose from the ground, hovering in mid-air as if weightless.
"Wow," Dave breathed, staring at the floating boulder. "This is incredible…"
The clone suddenly charged forward, its movements fluid and precise. Dave barely had time to react. With a wave of his hand, he sent the massive rock hurtling toward the clone. It dodged to the side with ease, but Dave wasn't done yet. He reached out with his mind, manipulating the trajectory of the boulder, causing it to spin mid-air and chase the clone.
"That's it, Dave! You're getting the hang of it!" Bella cheered enthusiastically. "Now try using smaller objects—something faster."
Dave nodded, his eyes narrowing in concentration. He shattered the large boulder into dozens of smaller pieces, each one hovering in the air around him. With a flick of his wrist, the shards shot toward the clone like a barrage of bullets. The clone deflected some, dodged others, but a few struck it squarely, sending it staggering back.
"Yes!" Dave shouted, exhilaration coursing through him. But before he could celebrate further, the clone retaliated with a brutal punch that sent him flying.
He crashed into the ground, gasping for breath. Every bone in his body ached, but he forced himself to stand. "Damn, it's fast," he muttered. "Bella, start the Teleportation training. I need to be able to keep up."
"Switching to Teleportation training now, Dave. Prepare yourself!" Bella announced, her voice brimming with excitement.
The environment around him shifted once more. This time, he found himself standing in an empty white space with glowing markers placed sporadically across the field.
"To use Teleportation, focus on a specific point in space and will yourself to be there," Bella explained. "You can use it to evade, surprise your opponents, or create distance."
Dave nodded, focusing on a marker in the distance. He took a deep breath, feeling the new power thrumming within him. In an instant, his body vanished from his original position and reappeared at the marker.
"Haha! That's amazing!" he exclaimed, laughing as the thrill of teleportation surged through him. "This will definitely give me the upper hand."
"Good job, Dave!" Bella chimed. "But that's just the basics. Try combining it with combat and Matter Control. It'll push your skills to the next level."
Dave nodded, gritting his teeth as he prepared for another fight. His clone reappeared before him, and the battle began once more. This time, Dave combined his powers seamlessly—teleporting behind his clone, using Matter Control to launch a flurry of stone shards, then teleporting again to avoid a counterattack.
The clone's attacks became fiercer, faster. Dave felt his stamina draining rapidly as he tried to keep up. But with every dodge, every teleport, every manipulation of matter, he could feel his control improving. The clone lunged at him, but Dave vanished just in time, reappearing above it and sending a massive stone pillar crashing down.
"Take that!" Dave roared, but his victory was short-lived. The clone burst through the rubble and delivered a crushing blow to Dave's chest.
Pain exploded through his body, and everything went dark.
He awoke a few moments later, gasping for air. "Ow… Bella, what the heck?!"
"Oops!" Bella giggled mischievously. "I forgot to warn you that the clone's attacks would be just as powerful as yours now. But hey, you're learning, right?"
"Learning?" Dave groaned. "I almost died just now!"
"But you didn't! And you're stronger because of it." Bella's voice suddenly shifted, her tone becoming sultry and teasing. "You're doing great, Husband."
Dave froze, his eyes widening in shock. "H-Husband? What are you talking about, Bella?!"
Bella giggled again. "What? You don't like it when I call you that? You did say you were giving me a name, so I thought I'd spice things up a bit."
"Bella, we're not married! Stop calling me that!" Dave stammered, his face flushing red.
"Oh, fine," Bella huffed playfully. "But it was worth it to see you freak out!"
Dave sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. "You're going to be the death of me one of these days…"
With a chuckle, Bella responded, "Not if I can help it! Now, are you ready to continue training?"
Dave took a deep breath, steadying himself. He knew he still had a long way to go before he could master his abilities. "Yeah… let's keep going. What's next?"
"Next, you'll be working on your Mind Control abilities. It's going to be tough, but I believe in you, Dave!"
With renewed determination, Dave prepared himself for the next grueling round of training. He knew that if he wanted to reach the top, he'd have to give it everything he had—and more.