Progression Levels

"Hey, Arny! Why haven't you called for so long? Is everything okay? Did you get into trouble?"

A middle-aged woman's voice sounded from the other hand of the phone, causing a smirk on Arnold's face. His mother, Anna, was someone who gave unmeasurable care to her children no matter what. If Arnold didn't call home for more than two weeks, she would start to get worried.

"Nothing really happened, mom. The final-year exams had been ongoing for some time now so I couldn't find a space to reach out to you," Arnold replied.

"Oh... My! I can't believe I forgot that you are in your final year. Tell me, how is your performance so far?" Anna asked with a curious tone.

Arnold hesitated a bit and sighed. "Done and dusted."

Arnold expected a joyful response from his mother after giving the news, however, what he noticed was a flow of absolute silence.

"What? Mom? Is everything okay?" Arnold felt a little nervous, furrowing his brows.

Suddenly, he heard unsteady sobs from the other hand. It was clear that his mother's joy had caused her to shed tears rather than jump or do something crazy.

Of course, she wasn't getting any younger now. She was already getting too weak to do those kinds of stuff.

"Mom? Common stop it! Did you expect me to fail after so many years?" Arnold blinked.

"Today marked ten years since we lost your father... I just can't get some things over my head, Arny."

Arnold shrugged. He was fed up with this whole death-period calculation his mother did every year. Even though they urged and begged her to let the trauma go, she just couldn't help it.

Arnold never had this in his memory since he left for Rising Impact University. If his mother hadn't remembered him about it now he wouldn't have recollected.

"I'm so proud of you, my son. And I hope you achieve your dreams," his mother added.

"I promise not to let you down, Mom. Just don't let Dad's demise lead you to yours. I'll be home for a visit when I have enough time, okay?" Arnold said.

He ended up consoling his mother and promising to visit. He also sent 30 dollars to her just to keep up with minor needs and promised to send more later. Now that he would be leaving for Capside Centre tomorrow, he didn't need to worry about funds since the Grindhouse Wrestling Management provides food, clothes, and minor need allowances.

(Call ends)

After finishing the call, Arnold entered his dorm room and noticed that no one was there. While Mrs. May called the selected students, he noticed that both Ben and Karl were listed too.

"They might have gone to a party, maybe."

Arnold guessed as he sat on his bed. He knew that this was what almost all qualifying students would do after passing the exams so it wasn't strange at all. As for him who couldn't even afford a wine, staying in his dorm room while he slept was the best option.

"Even if I want to party, not without Mia "

Arnold lay on his bed and forced himself to get some rest, however, just as he kept trying to cover his eyes, the Pro Wrestling System screen interrupted.

Arnold gritted his teeth.

[Host, your growth progression tasks have successfully been processed. Here are the levels you need to reach to gain new Skills and Anonymous Skills.]

[20 overall attribute points: One Skill "Neckbuster" (unlocked).]

[50 overall attribute points: Two Skills (locked).]

[100 overall attribute points: Three Skills (locked).]

[200 overall attribute points: Four Skills (locked).]

[500 overall attribute points: Four Skills and 50 points to your Intelligence (locked).]

[1000 overall attribute points: Five Skills and 100 points to your Intelligence.]

[When gaining more points to your Intelligence, you can unlock Anonymous Skills at certain levels.]

[100 Intelligence points: One Anonymous Skill.]

[500 Intelligence points: Two Anonymous Skills.]

[1000 Intelligence points: Three Anonymous Skills.]

"And what does an Anonymous Skill mean? Can you just tell me?" Arnold asked.

[I'm sorry but this is not likely to be revealed at this stage... You should know about it in the future.]

Arnold couldn't help but frown. "Whatever."

Inspecting every level of his attributes and Intelligence, Arnold perceived the fierce smell of devastating challenges. Getting just a point to one attribute was like having to carry a lorry on his head... But now, Arnold needed to get a thousand overall attribute points to at least become a great professional wrestler.

"That should be two hundred and fifty points for each attribute," Arnold sighed, "I really need to work harder."

[Of course, host. You need to keep working hard.]

Arnold nodded and lay back on his bed. Before he could know it, he slept off while thinking of how to see Mia before leaving the university tomorrow.

[I thought you would consider going to practice some moves after. The host is now becoming lazy.] The system mumbled as though like a real human being in Arnold's head, but Arnold didn't even hear a word as he was deep asleep.

******

When it was morning, Arnold rushed out of his dorm room and went to check on the cafeteria if he could see Mia having breakfast by any chance. But unfortunately, again, he saw no traces of the beautiful young lady.

"Crap."

Even after waiting for a while, she didn't show up so he left the cafeteria just after being notified that the Grindhouse Wrestling officials were about to leave with the selected students.

Arnold quickly made his way to the vice chancellor's office and saw some other students already standing outside when he got there.

He also spotted Ben and Karl who attempted to approach him until the officials came out of the office, disrupting their plans.

Arnold smiled.

"Alright. We would be heading to Chicago at this moment. Note that you would have to face a Grindhouse star in a match before having to sign a deal with the management. Your performance in that match would determine your pay."

The bald man spoke to the fifteen students who only cast expressionless gazes at themselves as they heard his explanation.

Although this statement held a sense of challenge, it awakened the spirit of all the selected students. Even Arnold was ready to give his best to have greater pay... To become the best, he would have to start beating the best.

Not just having great pay would determine a wrestler's success, getting fans' love and maintaining steady good performances could make a wrestler excel.

With this done, such wrestlers could even gain a quick opportunity to enter the greatest shows of the Ultimate Revolution Wrestling Promotion, earning the full title of a real professional wrestling superstar.

Would Arnold be even able to do that?