The restaurant was called The Crystal Spire, a revolving eatery perched atop the highest skyscraper in the East District. It was the kind of place where the napkins cost more than Sam's usual shoes, and the windows offered a panoramic view of the glowing mana-lights of the city below. To Arthur Light, it was a celebratory expense; to the Storm family, it was just Tuesday.
As the two families settled into a plush circular booth, the atmosphere was thick with the scent of roasted basilisk and aged wine. Sam sat directly across from Eli. She had changed out of her casual gear into a sharp, military-style blazer that made her look older, more focused.
'Alright,' Sam thought, his heart hammering against his ribs. 'Gaea said I was some kind of powerhouse in a past life. Time to see if I can at least handle a simple menu interface.'
Mentally, he whispered: [Exp Bind].
A semi-transparent window, visible only to him, flickered into existence.
[Exp Bind] Initializing...
Scanning available targets in proximity...
Arthur Light (Level 42 - Scholar) - Invalid: Level exceeds user.
Victoria Light (Unawakened) - Invalid: No Exp flow.
Elizabeth Storm (Level 0 - Awakened) - Valid.
Warning: Once bound, you cannot gain experience through manual effort for 30 days. Do you wish to bind to target: Elizabeth Storm?
Sam glanced at Eli. She was currently arguing with her father about the effectiveness of heavy plate armor versus mana-reinforced leather. She was vibrant, intense, and—most importantly—bound for the Military Academy's front lines.
'Yes,' Sam thought.
Target Bound: Elizabeth Storm.
Synchronization: 100%.
A portion of all experience points gained by Elizabeth Storm will be mirrored to Samuel Light at the end of the month. Current Level: 0.
Sam let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He felt... nothing. No lightning bolt, no sudden surge of power. It was a silent, invisible tether. He felt a slight twinge of guilt—like he was stealing her homework—but then he remembered Gaea's nonchalant attitude about the world ending. If the world was going to go to hell in a few years, he needed to be the most efficient "leech" in history.
"You're staring again, Sam," Eli said, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips. "Is there something on my face, or are you just intimidated by my sheer presence?"
"Neither," Sam retorted, recovering quickly. "I was just wondering how someone who eats as much as you do stays so fit. Is that part of your talent? Calorie Nullification?"
Eli laughed, a loud, genuine sound that drew looks from the neighboring tables. "It's called 'training until you vomit,' Sam. You should try it sometime instead of burying your nose in those dusty history books."
"Now, now," Arthur intervened, polishing his glasses. "The boy has a Mage-type talent now. [MP Recovery] might not look like much on a training field, but in a prolonged dungeon siege, he's the one who keeps the barrier up while everyone else is gasping for air."
"Speaking of [MP Recovery]..." Sam muttered. He wanted to test the limits. Under the table, he focused on the air between his palms. He didn't know any spells yet—those required skill books or intensive meditation—but every awakened person could perform a basic 'Mana Vent.'
He pushed.
He imagined a pool of blue liquid inside his chest and tried to force it out through his fingertips. Slowly, a faint, flickering blue spark appeared between his fingers.
MP: 98/100
He felt a tiny prickle of exhaustion, like he'd just sprinted ten feet. But then, almost instantly, a wave of cool refreshment washed over him.
MP: 99/100... 100/100.
'Ten seconds,' Sam noted, his eyes widening. 'It really is 1% every ten seconds.'
To an outsider, 1 MP didn't seem like much. But Sam began to do the math in his head. A standard Tier 1 Fireball cost about 15 MP. A mid-tier Mage with 500 MP would take hours, sometimes an entire night of sleep, to recover their full pool. Sam could recover 15 MP in just two and a half minutes. While other mages were retreating to drink expensive blue potions that tasted like battery acid, Sam could just... wait. He was a human fountain.
The dinner progressed into a blur of laughter and tactical talk. The adults moved on to discussing "Rift Fluctuations" and "Guild Politics." Sam and Eli, bored by the talk of market shares, wandered out onto the restaurant's observation deck.
The wind was cold up here, whipping Eli's red hair across her face.
"So," Eli said, leaning against the glass railing. "You're really going to the Magus Academy? We won't see each other for a while."
"Probably," Sam replied. "The East District Magus Academy is a boarding school. Five years of theory, circles, and chanting."
"Sounds boring," she punched his arm playfully, though her eyes were soft. "I'm heading to the 'Iron Isle' next week. The Military Academy doesn't wait. They want us at Level 10 before the first semester ends."
Sam winced. Level 10 in a semester? That was a brutal pace. It meant hunting low-level slimes and goblins in controlled zones almost every day.
'But for me,' Sam thought, 'that means I'll hit Level 10 by sitting in a library reading about ancient ruins.'
"Don't get yourself killed, Eli," Sam said, his voice dropping the playful tone. "I heard the rogue beast activity is picking up near the coast."
Eli looked out at the horizon, her expression hardening. "Let them come. I didn't awaken a 'B' Rank [Ignition Blade] just to hide behind a wall. I'm going to be a Vanguard, Sam. Just like my dad."
Sam felt a surge of respect for her. While he was playing the system, she was ready to bleed for her growth. It made his [Exp Bind] feel even more like a responsibility. If he was going to take her experience, he had to make sure he used that power to back her up when the time came.
"Hey," Sam said suddenly. "If I... if I get some good support spells, I'll come find you during the summer break. A Vanguard always needs a battery, right?"
Eli turned to him, a bright, challenging grin on her face. "A battery? Is that what you're calling yourself? Fine. But you better be a high-voltage one, Samuel Light. If I have to wait for you to charge up, I'll leave you in the dirt."
"Ten seconds," Sam whispered to himself, a small smile tugging at his lips. "That's all the time I'll ever need."
As they stood there, the Blue Planet's twin moons rising over the Lion God continent, Sam felt a strange sense of clarity. The memories of the white room and the wooden door were fading into a dream-like haze, replaced by the cold wind and the warmth of the girl standing next to him.
He was Sam Light. He was a 15-year-old with the soul of a veteran and the mana of a god.
Gaea had told him to "sit back and enjoy for a few years," but as he looked at the distant, flickering lights of a Dungeon Gate on the horizon, he knew he wouldn't be sitting still for long. The world was breaking, and he was the only one who knew the expiration date.
'First step,' Sam thought as they headed back inside to join their parents. 'Find a way to spend MP faster than I can grow it. Second step... don't let Eli find out I'm using her as a human power-leveling service.'
"You coming, Battery-boy?" Eli called out from the doorway.
"Right behind you, Sparky," Sam replied, stepping back into the warmth of the restaurant, his mind already spinning with the possibilities of his new life.