bruised up, helpful!

In recent days, I've struck up friendships with Elowen and Thalindra, both of whom are diligent and possess a penchant for long-range combat – much like myself. Today finds us in the training class, honing our skills by hitting bullseyes with precision. As my arrow struck the target's center, the astonished gazes of Elowen and Thalindra turned towards me. Elowen couldn't help but express her amazement, saying, "Erica, how do you consistently hit bullseyes? Your aim is remarkable." My response was straightforward: "That demon trained me relentlessly; I had to become this good." Thalindra regarded me with a puzzled expression and inquired, "Demon? What do you mean?" I replied, "I mean Jezebeth. He's been my relentless trainer since childhood." Hearing about the intensity of Jezebeth's training, Elowen and Thalindra exchanged sympathetic glances. Attempting to change the subject, Thalindra mentioned the odd spectacle of a guy practicing some peculiar form of yoga – performing intricate movements while surrounded by white flames. "Is he out of his mind? Who trains like that, focusing solely on their arms and legs? He won't get anywhere with that," I commented. Truthfully, I held a strong aversion towards him; I had noticed his inappropriate behavior the day I entered the classroom – leering at women in a demeaning manner. Elowen expressed her disdain, saying, "Yeah, I don't like him either. The first time I walked into the class, he stared at me as if he'd never seen a woman before. Because of him, I almost considered leaving. But then again, losers seem to exist everywhere." Thalindra chimed in, "I agree. He had that same unsettling stare when he saw me. I wonder why Adrien challenged him to a duel?" The memory of Adrien's challenge jogged my mind. I briefly contemplated asking Adrien about it, but decided against it; I hadn't acquainted myself with him well enough yet.

A week ago, I unlocked my astral profile. This development had elevated my spirits, providing an additional incentive to train and grow stronger. I was pleasantly surprised to find my charm stat higher than I anticipated – a small ego boost. The martial arts technique I received yesterday was proving quite effective. Instead of the monotonous routine of pushups and sit-ups, I now engaged in a dance-like routine, synchronizing my movements with my affinity. This training method not only enhanced my physical prowess but also bolstered my mana core and nexus affinity. While the attention from my peers made me slightly uneasy, I resolved to continue undeterred. The effectiveness of the martial arts became apparent; I was progressing at a remarkable pace, though it came at the cost of quicker fatigue. The techniques were ingrained in my muscle memory, allowing me to optimize every facet of my training regimen. Wiping away my sweat, I decided to call it a day and retreated to my dormitory. After a refreshing shower, I checked my bank account, curious about the earnings from my chess publications.

Nexorias' currency consisted of zeli, veli, and nion, where 1 zeli equated to 100 veli, and 1 nion equated to 100 zeli. "Currently, I have 17 nion and 56 zeli. It's not sufficient yet; I'll wait a few more days," I contemplated.

Upon waking at 5 AM, I followed my established routine. A cold shower invigorated me, and after a simple breakfast, I couldn't help but admire my well-defined six-pack. Glancing at my reflection, I noticed that my hair was growing longer. "Should I trim it? No, I think I'll keep it long. It's a part of my dream from my past life," I mused. Training beckoned, and I wasted no time, well aware that my training regimen demanded dedication. The early hours ensured solitude; no one else was crazy enough to train at this hour. Curiosity nagged me; had my stats improved? I resolved to check after the session.

Name: Cian Eldwood

Age: 18

Rank limit: B-

Nexus Affinity: Ether Glow {14.6% left to evolve}

Nexus Affinity Mastery: G- (upgraded)

Nexus Affinity Abilities:

-Mesmerize (When employed, the "Mesmerize" ability enhances the user's beauty and can momentarily distract opponents for 1-5 seconds, based on their mental resilience. It activates automatically when facing serious danger, diverting attention away from the threat)

-body coating (This ability envelops the user's body in white flames, leading to improved regenerative capabilities and elevating their defense by one minor tier)

Overall Rank: F- (congratulations)

Strength: F- (congratulations)

Defense: G

Stamina: G+ (upgraded)

Endurance: G (upgraded)

Agility: G (upgraded)

Intellingence: ???

Charm: F+ (upgraded)

Mana Power: F

Mana Control: G+ (upgraded)

Mana Capacity: F+

Bloodline Abilities: {locked}

Soulbound Abilities: none

Martial arts: {locked} (grows with you and helps you with your training)

Silent god of fire (can be changed) {can be only used when you are guaranteed in lethal situation}

==============================

upgraded: risen by one minor rank

congratulations: risen to new level

Hmm, I'm pushing myself pretty hard, but with all these plans in motion, it's necessary. It just can't be helped. And wait, is my affinity actually evolvable? How did I overlook this? Am I blind? Ugh. Also, my charm stat is on the rise. Not that it matters to me, of course – definitely not. Ahem.

I grabbed my trusty training suit, hoping it wouldn't shrink after multiple washes. What am I even thinking? This isn't Earth; things don't shrink here after washing. Plus, this is one of the best academy training suits available. Quickly donning the unassuming black attire, devoid of any embellishments, I headed out to further refine my skills. I wished I had a sparring partner for the valuable experience, but alas, that wasn't an option at the moment. This situation truly does suck.

As I muttered those thoughts, my astral profile unexpectedly appeared, prompting me to investigate the icon left by the unknown sender – the martial arts technique. Tapping it, a blue menu materialized, showcasing various categories such as mages, elements, spearmen, swordsmen, archers, dual swordsmen, magical swordsmen, magical dual swordsmen, and so on. Levels were also indicated, ranging from one to ten. My initial reaction was a mix of bewilderment and frustration. Why didn't the mysterious sender explain this function to me? Curse him.

Selecting "spearmen," I was surprised as a blue silhouette of a spearman manifested about 20 meters away from me. There were no additional details provided. I chose a level, and a countdown began – three, two, one, start! The battle commenced, and the spearman lunged at me with a thrust aimed at my head. Reacting quickly, I coated my legs with my affinity, granting a burst of speed. I managed to bend slightly, narrowly avoiding the spear's trajectory toward my head. I countered with a mana-infused punch aimed at his solar plexus – victory seemed imminent. "Yes, got you now, you—" However, in a sudden twist, he sidestepped as if he hadn't been in the midst of a thrust, his foot making painful contact with my rib cage. My exclamation of triumph shifted abruptly into a pained grunt, "Arghh, khark." The display flickered with a blue message indicating "you lost," accompanied by a breakdown of my errors.

As the pain subsided, I analyzed the battle, replaying every moment in my mind. I had made a lot of mistakes, which was evident. I decided to challenge the spearmen again, determined to at least conquer one level. However, my optimism was met with a harsh reality – the spearmen consistently proved me wrong. Despite battling him numerous times, I remained unable to secure a win. I was so close, though! I was literally on the verge of striking his solar plexus, but he managed to outpace me by just a fraction of a second. Time passed quickly, and with each engagement, I gleaned valuable insights. During one particular bout, as I was about to deliver a decisive blow, the spearmen unexpectedly ended the battle with a swift strike to my head.

Casting a glance towards the entrance, relieved to find it deserted, I exhaled a sigh of relief. No spectators to witness my moment of defeat. I felt a sense of accomplishment from the battle, realizing that I had learned a great deal. This experience, despite the loss, was undeniably beneficial.