[Ding!]
[Your strength has increased by one point.]
[Your agility has increased by one point.]
[Your endurance has increased by one point.]
"Haaah, haaaah, this feels... fucking great!" Axel panted, collapsing onto the floor of his chamber. Sweat dripped from his forehead, pooling around him, but a wide grin spread across his face. The hours of relentless training had paid off, and he could feel the subtle shift in his body—the tightening of his muscles, the lightness in his movements. It was exhilirating, addicting even.
Sylva chimed in, her gentle hum resonating with Axel's excitement. 'Siiil!'
"Haha, you may be my guardian angel for now," Axel said, pulling Sylva close for a cuddle, "but in the future, I'll be yours." He pressed a soft kiss on her smooth surface. Despite the short time since her summoning, Sylva had become his anchor in this foreign world. Her presence was a comfort, a reminder that he wasn't alone. Axel had already viewed Sylva as his family, his one true family. Not even the one from his old life could be considered by him as family.
The thought of their shared journey ahead filled him with determination. "We're still at the bottom of the food chain with our status of F rank and D rank. We have to reach A rank or S rank, or even SSS rank. I won't settle until we're strong enough to protect everything we care about."
---
"Now, time to learn some magic," Axel muttered, his resolve fueling his next task. After a quick refreshing bath in his makeshift tub, he settled at the table with the magic tome, now properly reading its contents.
The tome was dense, filled with intricate diagrams and lengthy descriptions, but Axel skimmed to the basics. Magic required aether—a mystical energy that is present in the environment and within individuals. The more aether someone had, the more spells they could cast, and the purer their aether, the stronger their magic.
Axel frowned. "Shit... System, can you check my aether levels?"
[As you are not a native of this world, there is no aether within your body. However, your body may adapt to the environment over time and begin to generate aether naturally.]
"Ugh, how long will that take?" Axel groaned, already sensing the answer.
[I cannot determine the duration, as there are no precedents. Additionally, the aether you may eventually generate could be of low quantity and purity.]
Axel slammed the tome shut, frustration bubbling over. "You've got to be fucking kidding me... Haaah... Well... Guess its physical all the way now..."
Sylva's soft chime brought him back from his anger. 'Siiil...'
He sighed, reaching out to pat her. "Don't worry, Sylva. Who needs magic anyway? I'll just focus on my physical strength. If I can become strong enough to break through anything, fast enough outrun any danger, and tanky enough withstand any attack, I won't need aether to protect us."
The conviction in his voice was unshakeable. Axel knew he couldn't rely on magic, but his physical prowess could become his greatest weapon. With that, he resolved to continue training, to push his body to its limits, and to become the guardian that Sylva deserved.