Charles trudged through the grove, muscles sore and spirits low.
He'd spent hours searching for another animal to practice on, like the bull he'd taken down earlier, but found nothing.
Not a rabbit, not a deer—zip.
Desperate, he'd asked the system if it could help locate creatures, but got the same old response:
[System level too low for that function.]
"Damn it, system!" Charles growled, kicking a rock on the path. "You're a pain in the neck."
The sun was setting, painting the sky orange and purple, and hunger had him on the verge of collapse.
He decided to head back to the riverside clearing, too exhausted to keep searching.
When he arrived, he collapsed onto the grass, breathing heavily.
'What a waste of time…' he thought.
He'd tried practicing the martial arts the system showed him via holograms: basic punches and kicks floating before him like a video game tutorial.
But every move was clumsy, and his muscles screamed with each attempt.
"What a mess…" Charles muttered, staring at the darkening sky. "Seven days… Am I really gonna be ready for those fights?"
Lira had warned him his arena opponents were tough, trained for years.
Charles, stuck in Rian's body, could barely keep up with a bull, and that was using his power.
Without it, he didn't stand a chance.
"If I hadn't blown all those points on you… what am I gonna do…?" he said softly, closing his eyes.
Exhaustion washed over him, and for a moment, he considered dozing off right there.
But a soft rustle beside him snapped him alert. He opened his eyes and whipped his head around, heart racing.
There, lying on the grass less than a meter away, was Nora, eyes closed, hands behind her head.
Her black tunic with white trim was slightly rumpled, and her brown hair fanned out over the grass.
She looked so calm Charles nearly yelped in shock.
"What the hell?!" he exclaimed, bolting upright. "How long've you been there?"
Nora didn't open her eyes, but a small smile curved her lips.
"A few seconds…" she said, her voice so relaxed she sounded half-asleep. "You're real loud when you talk to yourself, you know."
Charles's stomach knotted.
'Shit. Did she hear me talking to the system?' he thought, panic rising.
If Nora had caught his muttering about the system, she might think he was using magic.
And if she reported him, he was toast.
"What… what'd you hear?" he asked, trying to sound casual, though his voice wavered.
Nora cracked one eye open, looking at him with amusement.
"Who knows…" she said, closing it again. "I heard you're a total disaster."
Charles let out a breath, relieved but still on edge.
"Yeah, well, thanks for the compliment," he muttered, scratching the back of his neck.
He glanced at Nora, who lay there like the clearing was her personal lounge.
"Why're you here, anyway? Shouldn't you be back at the clan or something?"
Nora shrugged, not moving.
"This place is peaceful," she said. "Compared to the hallways… I like the sound of the river."
Charles looked at the river, glinting under the last rays of sunlight.
"Guess you're right," he said, leaning back on the grass.
But curiosity nagged at him.
"How big is this clan, Nora? All this—the woods, the river—is it part of the territory?"
Nora sighed, like the question was a chore.
"No clue," she admitted. "The clan's big, that's for sure. Everything you see here—woods, fields—is clan land. But don't ask me for exact measurements; I'm not a map."
Charles chuckled, surprised by her laid-back tone.
"You've never left the clan? Never seen the outside world?"
Nora shook her head, eyes still closed.
"Nope," she said simply.
"And you're not curious?" Charles asked, turning to look at her. "I mean, there's a whole world out there. Cities, tech, I don't know… something more than this place?"
Nora finally opened her eyes, gazing at the sky now speckled with stars.
"Sounds like a lot of effort," she said with a lazy smile. "Besides, why bother? I've got everything I need here. A comfy tree, a river, and no one bugging me… well, almost no one."
Charles laughed.
"Hey, I didn't ask you to plop down here," he said, pointing at her. "Why'd you ditch the tree, anyway? Get bored?"
Nora nodded toward the bull, still motionless a few meters away.
"Wanted to ask what you're doing with that thing," she said, eyes closed again. "The meat'll spoil soon if you leave it there. Oh, and by the way, I've been using my wind to keep the scavenger birds off it. You're welcome."
Charles blinked, stunned.
"For real? You've been babysitting my dead bull?" he said with an incredulous laugh. "You know how to cook that? 'Cause I've got no clue."
Nora laughed, a soft but genuine sound.
"Cutting the meat's no problem," she said. "But I don't have cooking gear out here. You?"
Charles feigned offense, clutching his chest.
"Hey, I'm a man of many talents," he joked. "You eaten today, by the way? 'Cause I'm starving."
Nora sighed, stretching on the grass.
"I'm fasting."
Charles stared, eyebrows raised.
"Fasting? Why the hell would you do that?"
"It's part of my training," Nora explained, yawning. "Helps me focus, control my element. It's no big deal. Been two days without food."
Charles's jaw dropped.
"Two days? And you fought me yesterday on an empty stomach?" he said, incredulous. "That's nuts! How'd you have that much energy?"
Nora smiled, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Curiosity," she said simply. "Wanted to see what you're made of, Rian. It's not every day someone like you shows up."
Charles shook his head, laughing.
"Well, I'm flattered, I guess," he said.
But then he noticed Nora staring at him, her expression half-teasing, half-expectant.
"What?" he asked, frowning.
Nora sat up, stretching her back.
"I was thinking," she said. "Two days without food… I wouldn't mind a bite now. You know where the dining hall is, right?"
Charles blinked, catching the hint.
"You want me to fetch food for both of us?" he asked with a crooked smile. "Unbelievable. You're using me as a servant now."
Nora laughed, springing to her feet with an agility no one two days without food should have.
"Hey, I'm not forcing you," she said, stretching her arms. "But if you wanna share some grub, I won't complain."
Charles sighed, standing.
"Fine, fine," he said. "But if you fought me while hungry, I don't wanna see you with a full stomach."
He paused, glancing at the bull.
"What about that?"
Nora waved a hand, and a gust of wind lifted the bull's body, floating it a meter off the ground.
"I'll carry it," she said with a grin. "You remember where the dining hall is, or need me to draw you a map?"
Charles smirked, muttering under his breath, "System, guide me to the dining hall."
A blue arrow appeared, pointing back the way he'd come.
"I know a quick route," he said confidently. "C'mon, follow me."
They walked together through the grove, the moon rising and bathing the path in silver light.
Nora strode beside him, the bull floating behind her, held by an invisible current of wind.
Charles couldn't help sneaking glances, impressed by how effortlessly she made it look.