"Ender State" it is!

"What's gotten into you?" Kara said she looked in the mirror.

"Guess who's a Middle stage Adult-rank?" Phina smirked proudly.

"..." Kara thought in silence. "Who?"

"Uh..." Phina was shocked senseless. "ME!!"

"Aren't you an Intermediate-rank?" Kara went back to her mirror which was essentially a still, non-moving, waterfall. She then smiled lightly. "I've never heard of anyone's rank dropping."

"Can't you just be happy for me?" Phina pouted as she tried directed around 5% of her Life Energy into her back.

"Congratulations." Kara chuckled. She then waited for a quick response, but it didn't arrive. She looked at the couch, confused. "Phina?"

Phina was currently laying back in silence, a pillow covering her face. Kara grew worried, "Phina? You alright?"

All she heard was a muffled and low, "Yeah, just a bit tired."

"Okay." Kara said with suspicion.

Phina did not move or say anything in the next 5 minutes or so. Kara looked at Phina, worried. "I'm leaving now...if you need anything just call for my dad."

"C-Cool." Phina said lightly.

"I'll tell Jack to swing by, if he has the time." Kara said she looked at the motionless Phina. "Bye."

Click!

As soon as the door closed, Phina threw the pillow to the side. It was wet with tears. 'I was so close! Why can't I do it again?!'

She had tried to move her Life Energy to her back, yet she was unable to. She tried again, yet she still failed. 'What's the damn point of using Life Energy if I can't use it whenever I want?! It worked to dry my clothes, but not to heal my back?! Seriously?!'

'I was so close to actually achieving something!' Phina thought with fury. Her fury then turned to sadness and helplessness, 'I was so close to fixing myself...'

'...' Phina looked at the ceiling again, her mind blank. Her eyes widened, "What if I...?"

She immediately looked to the table which had 2 books and a knife on it. She reached out to hold the knife. As soon as she did, a cold chill went down her back, causing her to involuntarily drop the knife on the ground. Phina grit her teeth as she reached out again. This time instead of dropping the knife again, her shaking hand held the knife tightly. 'I need to do this...I need to try.'

The knife in Phina's hand felt like it was a tiger staring her down, waiting for the perfect opportunity to pounce out and kill her.

Gulp.

She shivered slightly as she switched the knife from her right hand to her left. As she held it, she entered her previous state of perfect efficiency. She then tried to move her Life Energy in this state. Phina felt no emotion as she felt the Life Energy rush to her back, though it was not the 5% she wanted, it was merely 0.09% of her Life Energy. The Life Energy stayed there for half a second before it rushed back to her heart, along with 30% of her Life Energy. Her appearance changed as her face donned a few wrinkles. She immediately stood up with a cold expression and started stretching. She walked to the door, knife in hand, and opened the door. She walked to Marrow's door and directly opened the door.

"How many times did I tell you to kno-" Marrow was cut off by his own shock. "Seraphina! You shouldn't be standing, let alone walking around!!"

"Take the knife." Phina said in a voice void of any emotion. She raised the knife in her hand horizontally, pointing her fist at Marrow.

"I see." Marrow narrowed his eyes. He walked forward and struggled to rip the weapon out of Phina's hand. Her knuckles were almost pure white from the force of her grip. Marrow walked to one of his tools and picked it up. He took the pen-like device and pointed it at Phina's wrist.

Bzzz!!

A blue light beam hit Phina's hand, causing the knife to drop to the floor.

"Haaaaaaaaah...haaaaaaaaaah..." Phina breathed deeply. "T-Thanks."

"Why did you-...why do you look older?" Marrow looked at Phina. His eyes widened in realization, "Did you already reach Peak stage Adult-rank?!"

"N-No...I didn't even reach Middle stage yet." Phina said bitterly. "I tried to use that state to heal my back...but I think it used too little Life Energy."

"Well...does your back hurt?" Marrow asked as he grabbed Phina's arm, helping her stabilize herself, yet he didn't need to.

Phina stood up straight. Her posture was immaculate! "B-But how? I used too little!"

"I think you underestimate the sheer power of Life Energy, Seraphina!" Marrow chuckled lightly. He then turned serious as he muttered, "It seems I've underestimated that state of yours. It not only used the perfect amount of Life Energy to heal your back, it also optimized your Life Energy."

"...do you want to research it?" Phina asked as she cracked her back.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't." Marrow said with a raised eyebrow. "But it's too dangerous, not only does your battle prowess increase, your way of thinking is also altered. What if you go crazy on us and start trying to fight us? Unlike many nobles, my field of work does not allow me to hire personal guards. We can't handle an Intermediate-rank Enforcer."

"Well, what should we name the state?" Phina thought happily now. She hated the state, yet it was only helpful to her. She couldn't bring herself to completely forbid herself from using it, after all, it was a very powerful weapon. "If I'm forced to use it, then I want it to have a cool name."

"How should I know?" Marrow laughed lightly. 'What a positive little girl.'

"You're a doctor! What if you find the cure for Marad? Shouldn't you be able to name it?" Phina said in an exasperated tone.

"Marad?" Marrow asked in confusion. "I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with that disease."

Phina's jaw dropped. It was like someone not knowing what a cancer is! "Are you really a doctor?"

"Of course!" Marrow was offended by her questioning his integrity as a doctor. "You know what? I don't have to take this, leave my office!"

"What do you think of Ender State?" Phina asked.

"Leave!" Marrow yelled.

"Hehehe!" Phina giggled as she left his office. She then looked to be in thought, "You know what? Ender State actually sounds really good!"

"Hmm..." Phina fell into thought. 'I guess I better wait for Jack and ask him for help. I already got it once, so maybe he can help me find it again.'