Chapter 22: How the hell did you end up in a mess like this?
[[Essence Record — Kill Confirmed]
[Target: Mutated Rat (LVL 2) x70]
[Reward: +1 STR | +1 AGI ]
[Level Up: LVL 5 → LVL 6]
[Level Up: LVL 6 → LVL 7]
[Stat Points Gained: +8]
Adam froze. A wave of familiar relief washed through his body like a warm current. Every muscle, every fiber of his being trembled with a faint buzz of satisfaction. He knew this feeling well — the effect of a Level Up.
But his mind... it was still overloaded. Void Manipulation had left behind its familiar burn — like someone was stretching nerves from the inside and refusing to let go. His thoughts clung together, sluggish, like they were wading through syrup. It wasn’t anything new, but it was still maddeningly exhausting. Mental fatigue didn’t disappear with leveling up. If anything — it lingered like smoke after a fire.
He looked around.
The rest of the warriors were beginning to straighten up as well. One cracked his neck, another exhaled in visible relief. Even those who moments ago could barely stand now looked as if someone had lifted a hundred-pound burden off their backs.
"It really works..." muttered the woman with the sword and shield. "One level up and the fatigue just disappears."