The sky had gone dark by the time Aaron pushed open the door to the dorm building.
Night lights cast long shadows across the empty corridors. The usual noise was gone. Most students had already locked themselves in their rooms, trying to sleep before the elimination round hit tomorrow. Even the reckless ones knew rest mattered now.
Aaron walked down the hall without hurry. His bag felt heavier with the two skill books inside. He stopped at his door, turned the handle, and stepped in.
Rei lay flat on his bed, staring at the ceiling like it owed him money. The second the door clicked shut he rolled his head over.
"Brother Aaron. You're finally back."
Aaron dropped the bag on the desk. "You didn't go out?"
Rei snorted. "Tomorrow's the elimination round. I'm not stupid enough to burn energy tonight." His eyes dropped to the two worn books Aaron had set down. "Wait. Those are skill books?"
Aaron nodded. "Basic ones."
Rei sat up so fast the bed frame creaked. "Basic ones? You bought skill books the night before the tournament?"
Aaron sat at the desk and picked up the first book. The cover was faded and cracked. Minor Flash Step Technique.
Rei stared at him like he'd grown another head. "You're serious. Everyone else is resting or panicking and you're out buying new skills?"
Aaron didn't answer right away. He opened the book. The pages were simple, the instructions straightforward. The system reacted instantly.
[Skill Book Detected]
Minor Flash Step Technique
A beginner movement technique that channels spiritual energy into the legs for short bursts of high-speed movement.
[Do you wish to learn this skill book?]
[Yes / No]
Aaron tapped Yes.
Knowledge poured into his mind, clean and direct. A second later the system updated.
[Skill Learned]
[Skill Reward: Flash Step]
Description: Short-range burst movement skill. Allows rapid repositioning during combat.
Spiritual Energy Consumption: Moderate
Cooldown: 5 seconds
Rei was still talking. "Most people take weeks to even get comfortable with a basic skill and you're—"
The system cut in again.
[Effort Theft Activated]
[Unknown Amplification Factor Applied]
[Skill Evolution In Progress...]
New information flooded Aaron's head. The simple dash twisted and sharpened into something far more dangerous. His fingers tightened on the edge of the desk without him realizing it.
[New Skill Reward!]
[Phantom Void Step]
Description: High-speed spatial movement technique. Instantly traverses short distances while leaving behind afterimages. Momentarily bends surrounding space, making the user extremely difficult to track.
Effects:
• Instant movement up to 10 meters
• Creates multiple phantom afterimages
• Movement speed greatly increased for 2 seconds after activation
Spiritual Energy Consumption: Low
Cooldown: 1 second
Aaron exhaled through his nose. Ten meters in a blink. One-second cooldown. In close combat that was almost unfair.
Rei finally noticed the silence. "Brother Aaron? You okay? You're staring at nothing again."
"I'm fine," Aaron said. He set the first book aside and picked up the second. The cover was even more worn. Basic Spirit Recovery Meditation.
Rei leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "You're not even listening. You bought two books the night before the biggest fight of the year and you look like you're reading the weather report."
Aaron opened the second book. The system pinged again.
[Skill Book Detected]
Basic Spirit Recovery Meditation
A basic recovery technique that slowly restores spiritual energy when the user is calm or stationary.
[Do you wish to learn this skill book?]
[Yes / No]
He tapped Yes.
Knowledge settled in his mind. Then the amplification hit.
[Effort Theft Activated]
[Unknown Amplification Factor Applied]
[Skill Evolution In Progress...]
The transformation was quieter this time, but deeper. The passive circulation formed inside his body like a second heartbeat. Energy began to flow steadily, even now, while he sat still.
[New Skill Reward]
[Eternal Spirit Core]
Description: Forms a self-sustaining spiritual circulation core within the body. Spiritual energy regenerates continuously during all states of activity, including movement and combat.
Effects:
• Constant spiritual energy regeneration
• Recovery rate increases during battle
• Spirit reserves gradually expand over time
Activation Condition: Passive
Cooldown: None
Aaron closed the book and set it down. His spirit energy already felt different. Fuller. Steadier.
Rei watched him for a long moment. "You're really not going to tell me what those books do, are you?"
Aaron leaned back in the chair. "They'll help tomorrow."
Rei let out a short laugh that didn't sound amused. "Help. Right. Everyone else is worried about surviving the first round and you're sitting there like you just bought groceries." He rubbed his face with both hands. "I swear, sometimes I don't know if you're calm or just insane."
Aaron looked at him. "Both, maybe."
Rei dropped his hands and stared at the ceiling again. "Tomorrow's going to be ugly. The bracket drops first thing. Zheng Luic is seeded first. Kang Yue second. Half the academy thinks the rest of us are just filler."
Aaron didn't answer. He could already feel the new skills settling into his body. Phantom Void Step ready in his legs. Eternal Spirit Core humming quietly in his core. Tomorrow the arena would light up and the entire academy would learn exactly how much those edges mattered.
Rei turned his head on the pillow. "You're really planning to go all the way, aren't you?"
Aaron met his eyes across the room. "I didn't come here to place."
Rei held the stare for a second, then gave a small nod. "Yeah. I figured."
The dorm room fell quiet. Outside, the last few lights in other buildings clicked off. Tomorrow the elimination round would begin. No more qualifiers. No more second chances.
Aaron closed his eyes and let the new skills settle deeper.
Two days of grinding had just become something sharper.
And when the first match started, the arena would feel it.