Nathan's face was softly lit when the first rays of dawn peeked through the dormitory's big windows. A vivid reminder of his late-night training exercise was the soreness in his limbs when he stirred groggily. A slight smile pulled at his lips despite the pain.
Level 2. The previous evening, the system had verified his advancement, and now he was interested. He sat up, swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and concentrated.
"System, show my status."
Clear and sharp, the bright interface blinked into vision.
[Heavenly Ascent System Interface]
Name: Nathan Caelum
Level: 2 (Beginner Tier)
Core Attributes:
Strength: 6
Agility: 6
Endurance: 6
Intelligence: 5
Mana: 5
EXP to Next Level: 150/200
A tiny smile formed on Nathan's lips. He felt a surge of satisfaction at the tiny improvement in the numbers. He had gained one point apiece in strength and agility, and even more endurance. Although it wasn't much, it demonstrated that his efforts were having an impact.
His focus returned to the interface as the system gave a gentle chime.
"Tip: Consistent training accelerates growth. Current progress is on track for Beginner Tier milestones."
Nathan said, extending his aching arms, "Good to know." Even though he still had a long way to go, the road ahead seemed a little less intimidating.
By the time Nathan arrived, the training grounds were already bustling with of activity. In the open field, student groups engaged in precise and sharp combat. In the distance, spells clashed and crackled, and the air was alive with energy, both magical and physical.
Peers gave Nathan a couple sidelong glances as he joined his customary circle. Nathan Caelum was the constant weak point, and he knew what they were thinking. Ignoring them, he concentrated on the work at hand. The students were already being divided into pairs for sparring sessions as the instructor began to yell commands.
The teacher pointed to a burly boy with a frown on his face and said, "Nathan, you're up against Garin."
Nathan let out an inner grunt. One of their group's more aggressive trainees, Garin was well-known for his physical prowess and propensity to give it his all during sparring sessions. Fantastic. It was just my luck.
With their wooden swords ready, the two of them faced off in the middle of the field. Garin twirled his blade languidly and grinned.
He said, "Caelum, try not to embarrass yourself too much."
Nathan didn't even try to answer. His mind whirling, he gripped his blade tighter. He vaguely remembered the system's instructions from the previous evening: pay attention to your breathing, hold your posture, and predict your opponent's next move.
"Start!" the teacher yelled.
Nathan had a bad start to the match. Garin's blows were so strong and constant that Nathan had to back off every time. His stance was poor and his blocks were unsteady. His confidence was being eroded by the whispers he heard the other pupils making.
Then, however, something changed. Nathan saw a slight hesitancy in Garin's motions as he swung once more, a brief delay before each blow. He changed his timing, avoiding the following blow and delivering a sharp jab in return. He grunted in surprise when the tip of his blade tapped Garin's shoulder.
The system chimed faintly in Nathan's mind: "Improvement detected: Agility +1."
Nathan felt his heart leap. He pushed forward, his blows becoming more accurate and swift. He saw an opportunity to strike back with each hit he deflected. Even though he was running low on energy, the system's enhancements offered him a slight advantage to keep going.
Nathan disarmed Garin at the end of the match, causing his sword to fall to the ground. For a brief period, the field was silent as the other students gazed, their faces displaying a mixture of surprise and perplexity.
Together with an almost unbelieving tone, the instructor declared, "Winner: Nathan Caelum."
Nathan's chest heaved as he lowered his blade. Even though his legs were about to buckle and his arms felt like jelly, he couldn't stop the smile from lighting up his face. Although it wasn't a perfect win, it was nevertheless a win.
Nathan sat cross-legged on his bed and gazed at the brilliant system interface that night. After practicing for the day, his numbers had somewhat improved, and the EXP counter indicated that he was getting closer to the next level.
[Heavenly Ascent System Interface]
Name: Nathan Caelum
Level: 2 (Beginner Tier)
Core Attributes:
Strength: 6
Agility: 7
Endurance: 6
Intelligence: 5
Mana: 5
EXP to Next Level: 180/200
"Just another twenty," Nathan whispered. The hilt of the practice sword he was holding in his lap was touched by his fingertips. He would reach Level 3 after an additional hour or two of training, but his body was already pleading for a break.
The system chimed softly, offering a new notification:
Minor Quest Available: Push Your Limits
Objective: Complete two hours of continuous training.
Reward: +50 EXP, +1 Core Attribute Point.
With a grunt, Nathan collapsed back onto the bed. "Two hours? Aren't you trying to kill me?
However, he was unable to control the smile that was spreading across his face as he complained. One step, one point at a time, he felt for the first time that he had a clear way forward.
And he intended to take them all.