The system notification kept catching Erie off guard. He couldn't process everything happening around him. Taking a step back, he tried to gather his thoughts and make sense of the information flashing before his eyes.
"Ugh, a spar? I don't think I can win…" Erie muttered, stepping back further, searching for the perfect moment to escape. Just then, another notification appeared.
"User attempt to flee detected. If user flees from battle, a stat deduction will be applied."
"Stats: Currently locked."
Erie's eyes widened. He had no idea what any of this meant. Did everyone have a system like this, or was it just him? He didn't like it, not one bit. But one thing was certain—if he stayed and fought, he would definitely lose.
"Hey, Erie!" Charles called out, finally stepping forward. "If we're supposed to treat you like one of us, then let this be your first lesson!"
Charles lunged, attempting to shove Erie to the ground. But Erie, moving purely on instinct, sidestepped just in time, causing Charles to stumble forward.
"So, you're good at running away, huh?" Charles sneered, clenching his fist.
Without warning, Charles swung wildly at Erie's face. Erie barely dodged, jerking his head to the side. If he hits me, I'll definitely lose, he thought, his pulse quickening.
He had no choice—he had to fight back. Spotting a small rock on the ground, Erie quickly picked it up and hurled it at Charles. His aim was off. Instead of hitting Charles in the head, it struck him square in the chest.
Erie's stomach dropped. Was that a bad idea? Did I just make him angrier?
A faint blue hue began to pulse around Charles, the air shifting as water swirled around his body. "You little runt!" Charles growled, his stance shifting into something more refined—like a kickboxer. "I was trying to take it easy on you, and you go ahead and throw a rock at me?"
The swirling water intensified, twisting around Charles like living streams. Then, in a blur of motion, he spun into a roundhouse kick. A sharp arc of water trailed his leg, cutting through the air with a violent whip before slamming into the tree behind Erie. The impact echoed through the clearing.
"That was just a warning shot!" Charles shouted. "Now stop messing around! Use your enhancement ability and fight me for real!"
Before Erie could react, Charles rushed forward, leaping into the air. His body twisted mid-jump as he performed a spinning kick aimed straight for Erie's head. Erie barely had time to raise his arms in defense.
The impact was devastating. The force crushed through his guard, the kick connecting hard against the side of his head.
"Critical hit!"
The system's voice rang loudly in Erie's mind.
"User health is currently low. Health status: Locked."
Erie collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. His body screamed in pain. Why is everything locked? he thought in frustration.
Before Charles could land another blow, two boys suddenly stepped in front of Erie, arms outstretched.
"We were ordered to protect him like one of our own, and right now, you're acting like a threat to our ally, Charles!" Zain shouted.
A strong gust of wind rustled through the trees as his hair lifted slightly, reacting to his power.
"Get out of my way, Zain!" Charles barked. "That brat needs to learn his lesson!"
Lennox stepped forward, flicking his hair out of his face. "Hey, Charles, he's our ally, not the enemy. Whatever happened to you in the past has nothing to do with him. He's only five."
The tension in the air eased as the wind and pressure died down. Charles kept his gaze locked onto Erie, staring past Zain and Lennox as if they weren't even there.
"I'll be waiting for you to come back and fight me, Erie," Charles said before turning away.
Erie remained on the ground, breathing heavily. His eyes shifted between Charles and the two boys standing between them. He wasn't sure what to say.
Zain glanced back at Erie, then at Charles. Without another word, Charles leapt into the trees and disappeared from sight.
Lennox turned around, eyeing Erie curiously. "Can't you use your Sun Warrior powers yet?" He reached down, pulling Erie to his feet. "Why didn't you use your Sun Slash? Or your Sun Ship?"
Erie hesitated. He had no idea what those were. Basic Sun Warrior training started at seven years old, and he was only five. He didn't know any moves, any skills, or even how to cultivate energy properly.
"Umm…" Erie lowered his head. "I don't know any yet."
Zain patted Erie on the back with a small chuckle. "Well, kid, you're gonna have to learn one day."
He gestured for the group to keep moving, then crouched down and picked Erie up, placing him on his back. This time, Erie didn't resist as much. He was starting to trust Zain and Lennox, even if just a little.
"After all," Zain added with a grin, "you'll learn how to fight like us soon enough—especially at Beachside Academy!"
The conversation paused for a few moments as Erie turned his attention to his system.
'Welcome, Erie Sunheart.'
'System update: Question failed.'
'Five experience points granted.'
'5 of 100 experience points.'
'You are gaining strength.'
'Energy regained.'
"Energy?" Erie muttered out loud.
Lennox glanced back at him. "Sounds like you want to know more about energy reserves?" he said. "Well, just know that we all use it for our abilities. The academy should explain more to you."
Before Erie could ask more questions, they arrived in front of a school. It was built right on the beach, with wooden docks extending out over the water. Construction was still underway, with ability users shaping buildings, structures, roads, and lights. Some were even working on the pier system that powered the school.
Lennox gestured toward the workers. "Some of these guys are in our group, Erie. So if the Purple Snakes try to bother you, just run over there."