The quiet hum of the city outside felt distant as Renji closed the door to his small apartment.
The weight of the day still clung to him—the fight, the blood, the strange conversation with the system, and the unsettling grin from Mr. Ain.
He tossed his jacket onto the bed and sat down, exhaling slowly.
"Status."
The translucent panel unfolded before him, a cascade of numbers and text hovering in the dim light.
[Status Panel]
Name: Renji Kurozawa
Rank: E (Bronze)
Level: 11
Beast Resonance: 26%
Unassigned Points: +26
Stats:
• Strength: 26
• Speed: 24
• Perception: 29
• Endurance: 24
• Vitality: 12
• Luck: 12
Skills:
• Feral Claw (E Rank)
• Predator's Gaze (E Rank)
• Fearless Tenacity [Passive] (E Rank)
• Dash (E Rank)
• Serpent Shedding (E Rank)
• Viper Aura Armor (E Rank)
• Alpha Aura (E Rank)
• Echo Sense (E Rank)
• Void Sense (E Rank)
• Heavenly Eyes (Special)
Renji leaned back, fingers tapping the air as he thought.
"First E-rank gate tomorrow… The enemies won't be like the ones I've been fighting. They'll be faster, stronger… deadlier."
He dragged points with precision, watching the numbers climb.
+7 Strength.
+6 Speed.
+6 Perception.
+5 Endurance.
+2 Vitality.
The panel flickered.
[Stats Updated]
• Strength: 33
• Speed: 30
• Perception: 35
• Endurance: 29
• Vitality: 14
• Luck: 12
A faint grin tugged at his lips. "Yeah… this feels right."
He flexed his hand, feeling the quiet power humming beneath his skin. For a brief moment, the thought of the Heavenly Eyes skill crossed his mind—the way it could reveal a person's beast type. A tool that could be priceless in the gates… and dangerous in the wrong situation.
He stood, stretched, and poured himself a glass of water. His mind kept circling back to Mr. Ain's words and that unreadable smile.
The ceiling above him stared back blankly as he lay down on the bed.
"E-rank tomorrow… first step into the deeper waters."
His eyes slowly closed, but his thoughts didn't quiet—not until exhaustion finally claimed him.
Outside, the city kept moving, but for Renji… the real world waited on the other side of the next gate.