People turned to watch the commotion, their murmurs filling the air.
"Forgotten me so soon?" The person's helmet retracted, revealing his face.
Long blonde hair framed a sharp, oval face, and piercing green eyes locked onto Draven.
Draven's eyes widened. 'Jude?'
Jude's hand tightened around Draven's throat, snapping him back to reality.
Draven tried to summon his sword, but before he could, a figure shot from the crowd and lunged at Jude, throwing a lightning-fast punch.
Jude raised a hand to block it, but the force sent him sliding backward.
Draven's sword materialized, and he slashed at Jude's armored arm. The blade struck with a soft thud, leaving no scratch, but Jude groaned and retracted his arm.
Draven quickly retreated, readying himself for battle.
Jude glared at Draven, his brow furrowed, before turning his attention to the person who had interrupted him.
Surprisingly, it was Vera, now dressed in a tracksuit.
"Who are you?" Jude asked, his tone laced with curiosity but masking unease.
"That's not important. Killing someone in the Council Association can result in your death, so you should be grateful I saved your ass. Stop acting like a child, even if you are one," Vera snapped, her shoulders squared and her expression cold.
Draven's lips twitched at her words, but he kept his eyes locked on Jude.
"Thank you," Jude said curtly before stepping through the mirror into the Plane.
The area fell silent.
Vera exhaled loudly and turned to Draven. "What even made you beat him into a coma with a fire extinguisher?"
Draven shrugged and dismissed his blade. "He told me to be his follower."
"And?"
"I might die soon if I don't obey him."
"And?"
"That's all."
"Is that why you beat him like he killed your family?"
Draven chuckled and rubbed his neck. 'Because I got the news of my impending death that day, and that motherf*cker came to rub it in my face.'
Vera continued, "He awakened eight months ago, so he's strong. I'm surprised you managed to beat him before awakening despite his training. Plus, he's from a wealthy family, which means he's well-equipped. That armor he's wearing is Third Order Transient rank—you don't stand a chance. He might be staying in our Haven, even though there's a second Haven in the Green House Plane. Be careful."
"I will. And thank you," Draven said, offering her a smile.
"And do your research!" she snapped before walking away.
Draven left the building, his mind racing. 'Yeah, I better do my research. The way he overwhelmed me… I'll die at this rate.'
He met with the receptionist, who advised him to clean up and change, which he did before leaving.
The sun was setting as Draven reached his house. After a quick bath, he grabbed his phone and searched: "Do Elites advance without increases in Constitution or Physique?"
As he expected, there were no threads or discussions about his specific situation.
A honk jolted him from his thoughts.
'Strange. Who owns a car in this area?'
Draven stepped outside and saw a black off-road truck with tinted windows parked nearby. The driver's window rolled down, revealing platinum blonde hair and dark sunglasses.
It was Brenna.
"Get in. We need to talk," she commanded, her voice cold.
Draven hesitated. He was exhausted, and the events at the Council Association still weighed heavily on his mind. But then he remembered:
'I need to understand how Physique, Constitution, and Will work. My basics are shaky, and I can't afford to rely on the internet for this. A single mistake could cost me my life—especially with the curse hanging over me.'
Draven climbed into the car, and it sped off down the rough road.
The ride was awkwardly quiet until Draven broke the silence. "Can you explain how Physique, Constitution, and Will work? You know, I missed classes… because of my condition."
"I hate when people use their condition to manipulate others," Brenna said impassively, her eyes fixed on the road.
Draven pressed his lips together and looked ahead.
She added, "But I'll explain it to you. In return, you'll owe me one favor."
"What favor?"
"I'll tell you later. Don't worry—it won't be detrimental to you. If it's something you can't accept, you're free to refuse," she said, glancing at him briefly before focusing on the road again.
Draven nodded reluctantly.
Brenna began her explanation, her tone still impassive. "There are three stats for Transient-rank Elites: Physique, Constitution, and Will.
"Physique combines physical strength and agility. At the start, everyone has the same base value—2. Gears, body coordination, weapon finesse, and reflexes are what set Elites apart. You might have a high Physique, but if you don't know how to use it, it's useless.
"The Elite system seems designed to eliminate excuses for laziness. Even if class didn't exist, if you utilize your good stats, gears, and well-trained battle abilities, you can rise to the top for Transient rank."
Draven nodded, but internally, he was screaming. 'But my situation is different. I'm a Second Order Transient with the Physique and Constitution of a First Order. My Will is off the charts, but what does that even do?'
Brenna continued, unaware of his turmoil. "Some Elites have innate advantages from their class, which enhance their Physique or Constitution."
Draven thought of Vera. 'Jude has been an Elite for months, but Vera, who just awakened, punched him without gear and still sent him back.'
"Constitution is a combination of physical defense, endurance, healing speed, and resistance to adverse conditions. Like Physique, it's the same for everyone at each Order in the Transient rank until the next rank—Primal."
Draven sighed inwardly at his predicament.
Brenna's expression remained neutral as she spoke.
"Will is mental strength. Like the other stats, the increase during progression is the same for everyone. But the base value varies depending on past experiences. The highest recorded base Will at awakening is 5, while the lowest is 1. Will becomes crucial in the Primal rank."
Brenna pulled up in front of the hospital and stepped out of the car.
Draven stared at her back, his mind racing. 'What do these sisters want from me? Annie's enthusiasm is strange enough, but Brenna—cold, aloof Brenna—is asking for a favor. It has to be related to the virus, but what exactly?'