Chapter 11: Second Phase

BEEP 

BEEP 

BEEP 

In a hospital room, a young man lay on one of the beds. Sweat dripped from his forehead, and groans escaped his mouth through clenched teeth. After a few visibly agonizing minutes, his eyes opened. 

GASP COUGH COUGH 

"Mr. Li, awake already? That was quick," said a voice. Contrary to his expectations, it belonged to a man around his age, blonde with light eyes. "Seemed like you were having a nightmare..." 

"If I had known the first face, I'd see upon waking would be yours, I would've preferred to stay in the nightmare," Jihan replied with difficulty. 

"Oh, already in a good mood. What incredible resilience!" 

"How long was I out? Where am I?" 

Looking around, Jihan noticed that although it seemed like a regular hospital room, the devices he saw didn't appear normal, a kind of radiant energy powered them. 

"You really always get straight to the point, don't you?" Michael smiled. "You're in the second phase. And as for how long... just one week." 

"ONE WEEK?" Li put his hands over his face. "I'll never make up for that time quickly." 

"You should be happy; given your injuries, you should have died! Argh, I almost used a prismatic contract," he lamented. "Anyway, stop the drama. You don't even know how long this phase lasts." The man extended his hand, raising three fingers. "It's three months. Think that's not enough?" 

"Where's Akemi?" 

"Who? Oh! That Half-Elf? She stopped by several times in the past few days, but she's also in the competition. Just like you, she doesn't have the luxury of losing time..." 

"Is she okay?" 

"Shut up, boy. I don't want to waste my time here; I'll explain how things will work for the next few months, and then you can go look for her." 

Li immediately fell silent and waited for him to start. 

"Very well. First of all, I have to congratulate you; I told you to think positively, but I never imagined you'd get this far, scoring so many points in the first phase!" 

"Points?" 

"Yes! See, boy. The real objective behind this start is to separate those who are here to pass from those who are here to reach the top." 

Hearing the man's words, Jihan remembered what Itzal had told him. The memory of the old man made him feel a pang in his stomach. Michael, ignoring his reaction, continued. 

"Honestly, you should be dead right now! It was only by paying the proper amount of your points that you got the emergency treatment!" The blonde then pointed to his arm. 

Looking at his wrist, he noticed a strange digital bracelet with the number "10,528" written on it. 

"Is this what I still have? How much did I use to heal?" 

"About five thousand points!" Smiling, he announced. 

"Is that a lot?" 

Michael's smiling face suddenly turned serious. 

"Boy, I don't think you understand. Not even I know how you're alive. Five thousand points might be a high amount, but I'm sure you'd pay fifteen if it meant saving your own life." 

"Was I that bad?" he asked, surprised by the man's seriousness. 

"Much worse than you can imagine... but... it's not all bad. You achieved something I've personally never heard of. Forcing mana out without having your channels open." Michael frowned. "To put it more clearly, it's like you drilled a tunnel through a mountain without putting any supports to hold the ceiling. Eventually, everything collapsed, and by some miracle, you weren't buried." 

"So, everything worked out in the end!" Jihan celebrated. 

"Take what I'm saying seriously, Li!" For the first time, the man showed anger. "Don't throw your life away so easily... haah," sighing, he continued. "Anyway, you can use your points to acquire some things. I don't know your fighting style, but you'll surely find something useful." 

Michael picked up a device that looked like a camera and clicked. In front of Jihan's bed, a projection appeared. 

"Are you using PowerPoint?" Li joked. 

"Shut up and listen! I'll explain how things will work from now on." Michael showed step by step on the projector. "Firstly, we'll have 2 months of training. Specialized gyms and a battle arena are available for free for everyone. Additionally, you can get instructors and nutritional supplements by paying or, if you're lucky, by catching the attention of one." 

"These points... can I use them outside here?" 

"No way! Once you pass, they'll disappear." Rejecting the question, he continued. "To accumulate points, there are two ways. The first is through missions, which are available on the board located in the food court. The second is through bets. You can challenge another opponent in the arena for a certain number of points." 

"Sounds fair to me!" 

"In a way, yes, but there's a rule in such places. Those who have an advantage in the beginning keep it forever. It's very difficult for someone who has the opportunity to get so many paid benefits to lose to someone who has none." 

Turning off the projector, he continued talking. 

"Unfortunately, that's all I can reveal for now. In two months, I'll return to tie up loose ends and warn you about the final test of this phase. Until then, get stronger. You'll be dead weight as you are now." 

Watching the man leave the room, Li looked at his own body. Apparently, he had lost a lot of weight during his time unconscious. Feeling a bit better, he decided to leave the room to explore the facility. 

The place was a mix of technology and magic. Everything was illuminated artificially, and the walls seemed to be made of blue marble. It was dazzling. Walking through the corridors, Li finally reached a large open space. Getting his bearings, he was on the third floor. Apparently, the food court Michael mentioned was just below. When he leaned over to see the place, he started hearing an argument. 

"Listen here, girl! Either you pay up or get lost. Otherwise, we can't guarantee your safety." 

"I didn't ask for help, you pigs came after me." 

That voice? 

Looking down, he saw a small 'elf' arguing with two brutes and a woman. 

"Honey, you should teach her a lesson, or the others won't respect you," said the woman to the biggest man. 

"Angel, let this bad blood live a little longer," the big man replied. 

"What did you call me?!" The Half-Elf walked quickly towards the brute. 

Without touching her, he provoked her again. 

"What's up, half-breed? What are you gonna do? Challenge me? HAHAHA. I dare you to try." 

"You bet I will—" 

"Akemi!" A voice from the third floor shouted her name, interrupting her. 

Tsk 

"Looks like the slut has backup. Let's get out of here," the third man called, taking charge and leaving. 

Descending the floors, Li finally saw her face. It was a bit bruised, and her appearance somewhat deteriorated. Even without knowing the reason, he could guess why. 

"Are you okay?" 

"I'm fine!" Passing by him, she ignored him. 

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" 

"I'm fine! And late for training." 

"Can't you show me around first? I just woke up, you know..." 

"I'm not your guide, figure it out!" Akemi announced, leaving the court. 

What just happened? Li was confused, not understanding her treatment of him. Distracted, he didn't notice the pair of eyes watching him from the top floor. 

"Anyway, I guess I'm on my own here." Looking around, Li noticed the lack of people in the court. The only place that seemed to have a crowd was a large stone mural in the center. There must be something there. Approaching, he noticed that the wall had a series of crystal balls embedded in it. 

"Excuse me, are you new here?" A young woman with glasses approached him. 

Nodding, he confirmed he was. 

"Nice to meet you, I'm Liming." Bowing slightly, she introduced herself. "You must be confused. I'm one of the facilitators this year. Can I explain some things to you... er... your name?" A bit shy, the small woman asked. 

"Oh, sorry. My name is Li Jihan, but you can call me Li." 

"Alright, Mr. Li. Do you need me to explain how it works?" 

"Do I look that lost?" Jihan laughed at the situation. "But you're not wrong. I'd appreciate it if you could." 

"I'll proceed then." Adjusting her glasses, she began. "What you're seeing in front of you is the mission board. From the lowest grade to the highest. The missions at the bottom are basic, like training, basic combat instructions, and study." 

"Study...?" 

"Yes! Newcomers might not find it important, but my motto is 'Know your enemy better than yourself.' The objective is simple, basically to read a book for an hour." 

"And do I get anything for that?" 

"You mean, besides knowledge?" Running her finger through her long hair, she asked. Visibly dissatisfied with his priorities, she extended her hand, raising five fingers. 

"500 points?" Without a reaction, Li made another guess. "50?" 

"5! You get five points." 

Jihan's eyes fell, and like an old man dismissing a subject, he simply stopped looking at the missions. Turning his gaze, he saw Akemi heading towards a platform, disappearing inside it. 

"Do you know that woman?" Noticing the direction he was looking, Liming asked. 

"Yes, she was with me in the test." 

"The Half-Elf trains every day, as much as she can. Whether in combat, study, or physical training. You should learn more from her. Well... not that she has much choice anyway." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Most of these missions require a group to complete them. And besides, they require a certain deposit of points to be accepted. Logically, they reward much more than the fee. However..." Turning towards the platforms, she continued. "That woman has neither. No points, no people to help her." 

"That's impossible, she was with me. If I have so much, there's no way she has nothing!" 

"I don't understand either. She was one of the top performers in the first phase. However, everything she had just... disappeared." Adjusting her glasses again, Liming sighed. "Anyway, I suggest you try the training dummies. They're made to improve your fighting skills. To accept, all you must do is grab one of the crystal balls, go to the platform, and smash them. That's all for today, see you later, Li." 

Jihan just nodded and continued thinking. Something wasn't right. Unfortunately, he couldn't figure it out at the moment. "The attendant said she trains all day." Near the mural, Li noticed a directional sign. 

"I think I'll look for those shops Michael mentioned, maybe there's something there that can help me improve. He's right, I can't just be a glass cannon." Finishing talking to himself, he headed towards the shops the sign indicated. 

In another plane, different from where the participants were, several consciousnesses observed everything happening in the center. 

"And then? What do you think of him?" The first voice asked. 

"Nothing special..., however, we can't dismiss him. I helped that old man because I owed him a favor. He never goes so far for a person, especially someone who has never set foot in Erebus." The second voice replied. "There must be something more. Keep observing him." 

"Understood!" 

After the owner of the second voice left, the first whispered to herself. 

"Muhali, what are you scheming..."