Alex slowly opened his eyes, the soft morning light filtering into the dorm room. The faint sound of calm breathing caught his attention. Turning his head slightly, he saw Kirito seated cross-legged on the floor, eyes closed, hands resting calmly on his knees. A faint golden glow shimmered around him.
"He's already meditating?" Alex blinked. "Wow… such a hard worker."
It had become a daily routine for every first-year student — gather mana, form the core. Still, seeing Kirito so deep into it every single day was oddly inspiring.
"Come to think of it," Alex muttered, "I don't even know what his ability is."
He cast his mind back to the assessment. Kirito hadn't shown any flashy power — only his sword, calm composure, and terrifying precision.
"Even during the weapon class, he never used an ability," Alex thought. "Though... abilities were banned during that class."
He made a mental note. "I'll ask him about it later."
Just as he was about to get up, a sharp, piercing pain stabbed through his abdomen.
"Agh! Shit… I totally forgot about the hunger."
A soft chime echoed in his mind as the system interface appeared before him.
> [System Alert: Hunger level critical – 55%]
Ever since Alex had started eating raw steak, normal food didn't hit the same. Sure, it still tasted good… but raw steak? That stuff satiated something deeper. Something primal.
"System," Alex muttered.
The interface expanded in front of him, flickering to life:
Name: Alex Kairo
Race: Halfling Ghoul
Class:??
Level: 6
Exp: 50/100
Ability: Null
Mana Point: Null (Host cannot use mana until next evolution)
Strength: 19
Stamina: 30
Agility: 20
Hunger: 55%
Energy: 100%
Unallocated Stat Points: 2
Abilities:
Physical Enhancement
Regeneration (Lv. 1)
Enhanced Senses
Half-Starvation Mode (Lv. 1)
Crimson Claw (Lv. 1)
"Whoa… when did the system start showing this interface so neatly?" Alex muttered. He scrolled through it quickly, stopping at the 'Ability: Null' section.
"Right… I still don't have an ability." He sighed. "Oh well. I'll get to level 10 sooner or later. Evolution isn't that far off."
His stomach growled in protest.
"Time to grab some steak."
As Alex got up, he gave Kirito one last glance. The golden glow still circled around his chest — calm and steady. Alex squinted.
"That glow... could it be related to his ability core?"
He shook his head and grabbed his jacket. The hallways were quiet this early, though the buzz of patrols could be heard outside. Hover bikes zipped across the sky while mana-armored officers hovered through the academy campus, keeping watch.
Alex kept walking, enjoying the chill air… until something made him stop.
Presence.
Someone — or something — was following him.
"Hmm… someone's tailing me," he thought, narrowing his eyes.
Without hesitation, he turned sharply into a side path that led behind one of the older buildings. It was a lesser-used route, partially shaded and slightly overgrown.
Ever since he became a halfling ghoul, his senses had grown sharper — sight, smell, hearing, reflexes… all thanks to his passive skill Enhanced Senses. He could hear every footstep now, every shift in weight, and even the faint pulse of someone trying to mask their breathing.
He smirked.
"Let's see who you are."
From the shadows, a figure stepped out — tall, lean, and carrying himself with a confident smirk.
Alex narrowed his eyes. His senses had already picked up on the faint scent of earth and the steady rhythm of someone following him.
"Wow… you noticed me following you," the guy said, clapping slowly. "I must say, I'm impressed."
Alex didn't relax. His expression remained stoic, voice cold. "Who the hell are you?"
The smirk on the guy's face twitched. "Seriously? You don't remember me?"
He pulled off his jacket and tossed it aside. Then, with a slow grin, he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, revealing his arms.
"Maybe this'll help."
With a flick of his fingers, his skin started to shift — not transforming into something monstrous, but hardening into a dull, stony grey. A familiar texture.
Alex's eyes narrowed.
"That's… stone skin."
"Exactly," the guy nodded. "Back at the library. You took me by surprise."
Now Alex remembered — the guy who challenged him after trash-talking him in front of everyone.
"You still mad about that?" Alex asked, unimpressed
.
The guy chuckled, lowering his voice.
"Let's just say… I was sent."
"Sent?" Alex's tone shifted.
The guy stepped closer, his expression shifting from casual to dead serious.
"Drevon doesn't like loose ends. Especially ones that embarrass him."
Alex's eyes twitched slightly. "So that's what this is about… He sent you to test me?"
"Test?" the guy tilted his head. "No, no… this isn't a test."
Then he leaned in slightly, voice like a whisper.
"He sent me to break you."
"So what do you say, Alex Kairo? You up for round two?"