Growths and Rewards

After another grueling session, the sun began to rise over the ruined city, casting long shadows across the street. Laura finally signaled for a break, allowing them to collapse onto the ground, catching their breaths.

Eric, still riding high from his breakfast victory, stretched his arms with a triumphant smile. "Think we're ready for anything now?"

Laura shook her head, her expression turning serious. "Not yet. We've got a long way to go. Today's focus is mastering your class abilities."

Essei perked up, gripping her bow with renewed determination. "Let's get to it, then."

Laura nodded, dividing the group. She assigned Eric to work on his fire spells, guiding him through the basics of mana manipulation. It took him a few tries, but by his second attempt, he conjured a steady flame in his palm, his face lighting up in excitement.

"Good work," Laura praised. "Now, practice making it second nature. The goal is to be able to conjure and control it without needing to think."

Leaving Eric to his fire skills, Laura moved to Miara, guiding her through her healing abilities. She explained how to sense life mana around her, using calm, patient instructions. Miara followed closely, her focus intense as she tried to tap into her healing power. After a few minutes, Laura tested her by making a small cut on her hand, encouraging Miara to heal it. Though it took some effort and drained her quickly, Miara managed to heal part of the wound, her face glowing with pride.

Laura then turned to Essei, instructing her to practice her aim using pebbles and her Target Lock skill. She pointed out a few distant birds, and Essei took aim, missing her first few attempts but finally managing to strike her target on the fourth try. Essei beamed with pride, and Laura gave her a nod of approval.

---

As the morning sun climbed higher, Laura observed each of them, a small smile playing on her lips. They had come a long way in just a few days, and she could see their potential beginning to take shape.

"Alright, everyone," she called, her tone softening slightly. "Let's wrap it up. You did well today. Remember, same time tomorrow morning. This is only the beginning."

Eric grinned. "And the breakfast race?"

Laura chuckled. "Every day until you're strong enough to face what's coming."

With that, they began their walk back to base, each of them exhausted but carrying a sense of pride. As they reached the rooftop, Laura looked over her team, feeling a renewed sense of hope. They were growing, learning to rely on each other, and she knew that if they kept this up, they would be ready for anything the apocalypse threw at them.

~~~~~

The week passed in a blur of sweat, competition, and exhaustion. Each morning, before the sun rose, Laura and her team would sprint through the ruins, their footfalls echoing down empty streets as they pushed their bodies to the limit. The daily race to their training spot became a ritual—an unspoken challenge that spurred each of them to run faster, push harder, and leave behind any lingering weakness.

In those extra six days, Eric managed to win two races, his strong legs and incredible stamina carrying him past the finish line more than once. Laura, true to form, won three, her sheer determination and experience helping her maintain an edge. The real surprise of the week came when Essei managed to win a race through what could only be described as creative cunning—tricking both Eric and Laura into taking a wrong turn. It had been a clever move, one that earned her a begrudging laugh from Laura and a groan from Eric. They let her keep the win, amused by her ingenuity.

Now, on the eighth day since the start of their competition, the time had come to rank each of them by performance. Laura gathered the team on their rooftop, the morning sky a hazy mix of gray and amber. She stood with her arms crossed, her eyes scanning each of them in turn.

"So, after one week of training and competition," she began, a hint of pride in her voice, "it's time to announce who came out on top."

There were no surprises when she revealed that **Eric** was the overall winner. He beamed, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish smile. "Guess I had a head start with my stats," he admitted, but there was no arrogance in his tone.

What did surprise everyone was **Miara**'s placement. She had come in second, her progress during the week evident in her newfound endurance and growing confidence. Miara flushed under the attention, a shy smile breaking across her face. "I just… did my best," she said softly.

**Essei** took third place, her competitive spirit tempered by a wry grin. "Not bad for a trickster, right?" she said, eliciting a chuckle from the group.

Laura nodded. "You all did great," she said. "But now it's time for Eric to claim his reward."

Everyone's eyes turned to Eric. Laura had explained that the winner would receive something to make their battles easier—a weapon or item that would strengthen them in their journey. Eric looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking, his voice steady.

"I want a bow," he said, surprising everyone. "But not for me. It should go to Essei. Her class needs a weapon more than mine does."

For a second, there was stunned silence. Even Laura blinked, caught off guard by the selflessness of his request. But then she smiled, warmth flickering in her eyes. "Are you sure?" she asked.

Eric nodded without hesitation. "It makes sense. She needs it. We're a team, right?"

Essei's eyes widened, and for a moment, she looked like she might cry. She quickly brushed it off with a laugh. "You're a good guy, Eric," she said, though her voice was thick with emotion. "Thanks."

Laura stepped forward, her expression thoughtful as she regarded Eric. "That was selfless of you," she said softly. "And you're right. We are a team." She paused for a moment, then continued. "It just so happens I can make that request a reality. I didn't tell you before, but the system granted me currency."

There were murmurs of disbelief from the group, but Laura silenced them by raising a hand. "I can use this currency in the system's shop. I'll get a bow and arrow set for Essei."

She opened the shop interface, and the others crowded around, watching with wide eyes. The interface displayed items in a glowing grid, and Laura quickly navigated to the weapon section. She selected a well-crafted bow and a quiver of arrows—a basic but reliable set that cost her half of her total currency. When she confirmed the purchase, the bow and quiver materialized in her inventory.

Laura pulled them out, the air shimmering as the bow appeared in her hands. She held it out to Essei, who accepted it with a mix of awe and reverence. "Don't waste the arrows," Laura cautioned, her tone serious. "You'll need to learn to make each shot count. Wait a day before using them—I'll find more arrows for training."

Essei nodded, clutching the bow tightly. "I understand. Thank you, Laura. And… thank you, Eric."

Eric shrugged, a lopsided grin on his face. "Just make sure you cover us when things get tough."

Essei nodded again, her eyes bright. For the first time since the apocalypse had begun, she felt like she had a real chance to grow stronger—to protect herself and her team. With the bow in her hands, she knew that her training would be different from here on out. More focused. More meaningful.

Laura looked over her team, pride swelling in her chest. In just over a week, they had come so far—from scared, scattered survivors to a group of people who were learning to trust each other, rely on one another. There was still so much work to be done, but for now, they were on the right path.

"Alright," Laura said, breaking the momentary silence. "Let's take today to solidify what we've learned. Essei, practice handling your bow. Miara, work on your mana control. Eric, keep refining your fire manipulation. And tomorrow… we push even harder."