Chapter 23: Breaking the record and a strange encounter
After leaving the hospital, Alex trudged back to his little home nestled in the outskirts of Avaloria.
The moment the door clicked shut behind him, all the emotional walls he had built began to crack. He slumped onto the couch—well, it was more like a crooked chair with aspirations—and let out a long, weary sigh.
His gaze fell on the flickering lights, the cracked wall, and the dusty air. A grin tugged at the corner of his lips. "Still a dump. But at least it's my dump."
After a warm meal made of mana-infused noodles (mostly because it was the only thing left in his EtherFridge), Alex lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
"I need to reach Advanced Rank. I can't afford to stay weak. Not now."
The memory of Lily smiling despite her condition stabbed at his chest. Her voice echoed in his mind.
> "Don't try to fool me, Alex. I know you're worried. But it's okay. I'm still your big sister, you know."
He chuckled softly. "Yeah, a big sister in a twelve-year-old body, huh?"
The next morning, Alex wasted no time. After a quick meal, he headed straight to a nearby high-tech training facility in Sector 6, known as "Mirage Core Arena".
It was famous for its highly immersive virtual combat simulations, often used by aspiring students and even licensed adventurers.
After paying the hefty fee and booking a full session, Alex changed into the standard black bodysuit. A technician scanned his EtherPad and activated the pod.