Yuzu awoke in his tower room with a sharp breath, the pain and exhaustion from his previous battle completely gone. His body felt light, the familiar ache from his wounds now replaced with a strange sense of renewal. He blinked, slowly sitting up, surprised by how fully recovered he was. There wasn't a single bruise or scratch on him.
The glowing screen in the corner of the room was already up, displaying his status. He rubbed his eyes, curious to see how the system would gauge him after his first trial.
Name: Yuzu Nakahara
Age: 16
Level: 1
Title: None
Stats:
Strength: 10Speed: 12Technique: 8Stamina: 9Intelligence: 11Perception: 7Luck: 5
Points: 26
Skills:
Sword Mastery Lv. 0.5
Yuzu scrolled through the system, noting that his stats were painfully average, except for the small boost he had received from defeating the creature during the trial. He knew he had to do better, especially with what lay ahead. There was no telling how long he'd be trapped inside this tower, and if the trials were going to keep escalating, he needed to get stronger.
His fingers hovered over the world chat menu for a moment. The idea of talking to people from all over the world intrigued him, and he wondered what kind of advice or tips they could share. Without much hesitation, he accessed the chat.
The screen blinked, and a flurry of messages flooded the display. Conversations were happening in real-time, with people exchanging tips, trading items, and forming alliances. Yuzu couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement. Maybe this was his chance to learn more about what was going on.
He typed quickly, sending out a message:
YuzuN: Does anyone want to team up for the next Exodus?
After a moment, a response popped up.
ElenaX: Team up? Sure, but what if it's a mass Exodus?
Yuzu furrowed his brow, unfamiliar with the term.
YuzuN: What's a mass Exodus?
ElenaX: It's when the Exoduses operate across multiple worlds. Instead of just us humans here in our world, we compete against participants from different worlds too. The challenges become much bigger and far more dangerous. But the rewards... they're worth the risk.
Yuzu's heart skipped a beat at the thought. Different worlds? It seemed impossible, yet here he was, trapped in a mysterious tower, battling creatures straight out of nightmares. Was it really that far-fetched to think that other worlds existed too? He tried to wrap his mind around it, but the more he thought about it, the more the possibilities expanded in his mind.
YuzuN: That sounds insane. How do you prepare for something like that?
ElenaX: You don't. You train, build your stats, form alliances, and hope for the best. I suggest you use whatever points you've earned wisely. The next Exodus could be anything, and it won't be kind to the unprepared.
Yuzu closed the chat window, her words echoing in his mind. He had 26 points, and he needed to use them wisely. With a few taps, he accessed the system shop, considering his options. The points could be spent on upgrading his stats, purchasing items, or even skills. After a moment of deliberation, he made his choices:
16 points on stat increases.4 points on 20 arrows.2 points on an all-over healing potion (restores health, stamina, and removes status effects).4 points on a skill: Sword Mastery Lv. 0.5.
Yuzu's fingers paused for a moment, hovering over the final confirmation. He felt a mix of excitement and fear as he realized how much more dangerous the trials would become. With a single tap, his decisions were locked in.
For the next few days, Yuzu trained relentlessly in his tower room. He focused on his swordsmanship, practicing strikes, parries, and movements with his short sword. He pushed his body to the limit, his mind sharp on improving his technique. Every day, he grew faster, more precise with each swing. The system rewarded his hard work as his skill level increased.
By the third day, he had earned a title: Young Master of the Blade.
The title gave him an additional 20 points to use in the shop, and with the newfound confidence in his ability, Yuzu wasted no time. He purchased a limited 1/1 sword called Crescent Luna Judge—a beautiful, glowing blue blade with a sleek black handle. It felt perfect in his hands, light yet sturdy, the edge gleaming with an almost ethereal sharpness.
He also gained another 17 points from his training and battle experience, bringing his total stat points to 33. With careful thought, Yuzu allocated them as follows:
Strength: 20
Speed: 25
Technique: 13All other stats raised by 1.
Yuzu looked at his reflection in the blade of Crescent Luna Judge. His body felt stronger, his movements swifter. He was no longer the unsure boy who had stumbled through his first trial, barely surviving by luck. He was becoming something more, someone capable of handling the threats within the tower.
But in the back of his mind, he couldn't shake the thought of what Elena had said. The possibility of facing off against participants from other worlds loomed over him like a shadow.