*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
The rhythmic sound of perfect-form push-ups echoed through the room like a metronome of pure determination.
Sweat dripped onto the floor in steady drops, each one a testament to a month of grueling transformation.
"798... 799... 800… Done."
Nero collapsed onto his back, chest heaving as steam practically rose from his glistening body.
What used to be a body for a scrawny wimp has now turned into a fit, and athletic person.
The man lying on the floor looked like he'd stepped out of a fitness magazine's "before and after" section.
There were lean muscle definitions that traced along his arms and shoulders… each of them earned through countless hours of a hellish training regimen.
His core was tight, while his posture was naturally sturdy and confident even while exhausted.
The weeb look was still there, obviously, but now he was a weeb who could probably benchpress his old self.
"A sigma male grindset, huh."
Nero chuckled at his own transformation while wiping sweat from his forehead.
One month of training had taught his body to crave exercise and workouts while rewiring his pitiful, lazy mindset on how to be truly disciplined by doing what Aurelia incorporates within his body for 24/7.
*Wipe… Wipe… Wipe…*
At the side, the sound of metal rubbing against a soft cloth filled the comfortable silence as Aurelia maintained her personal broadsword with practiced precision.
She sat cross-legged in the corner, looking like a warrior goddess taking a coffee break.
Black tight pants hugged her curves perfectly, while a loose bluish-gray t-shirt somehow managed to look both casual and divine.
Every few seconds, her golden eyes would wander over to watch Nero's workout routine.
… Not that she's curious about the physique of another gender, especially her Lord or anything.
"... Lord Nero, your form has improved significantly."
"Thanks to your guidance, angel… Though, it only took me nearly dying of exhaustion every day for a month."
Nero sat up and stretched, feeling the satisfying burn of muscles that had actually been used properly.
"Speaking of improvements, how are you feeling about tomorrow's plan?"
The plan they'd hammered out over the past few hours with others was simple enough to be stupid… and stupid enough to maybe work.
Hit the Verdant Tyrant hard, fast, and with everything they had.
No fancy strategies, no elaborate tricks.
Just overwhelming firepower applied directly to the plant monster's face until it stopped being a problem.
In the first place, despite many attempts on how to kill or restrain that plant monster, Juno's ability didn't yield any sureball probabilities that would completely solve the problem.
"The tactical approach is sound, given our limited options."
Aurelia's blade caught the light as she examined its edge.
"Though I suspect the others still remain skeptical of our capabilities."
She wasn't wrong.
During the planning session, Jin and her team had kept shooting worried glances at Nero and Aurelia.
They'd seen the angel fight, sure, but facing down an SR-rank anomaly was different from clearing out random monsters.
None of them have faced any SR-tier monster or any sort before.
But from what they can gather based on experience, each tier of monsters is dimensionally different from those of the lower ranks.
Just like how a single A-tier monster can theoretically massacre a hundred B-tier monsters in a direct battle or destroy hundreds of C-tier monsters like a bunch of small ants.
That is because not only were the gap in base stats massively big, but the abilities, skills and experience or even intelligence each monster possesses are different from one another.
Of course, the parents were somehow confident, but they were also borderline insane anime archetypes who thought friendship could solve anything.
Though, in reality they were actually more worried, since they hadn't seen Aurelia's prowess in action.
"Let them be skeptical."
Nero grinned as he stood up and grabbed a towel.
"They'll change their tune when they see you turn that plant into a vegan paste."
"Your faith in my abilities is... appreciated."
Aurelia's voice carried just a hint of warmth beneath the usual stoic delivery.
"Though I should mention that facing an evolved SR-rank entity will be more challenging than any of our previous encounters."
"Yeah, but you leveled up recently, right? That's got to count for something."
Nero paused mid-towel swipe as a thought occurred to him.
'Ah shit, I almost forgot.'
He'd been so focused on his own pathetic stat gains that he completely forgot to check Aurelia's progress.
Time to see what his angel waifu was working with.
*Mental click.*
---
Summon: Aurelia – First Star Valkyrie (SR)
Level: 1 → 2
Race: Angel
Class: Valkyrie
Stats:
STR: 3.25/10 → 3.45/10
DEX: 3.5/10 → 3.7/10
INT: 2.7/10 → 2.8/10
VIT: 3.25/10 → 3.45/10
LUCK: 2.2/10 → 2.3/10
CHA: 8.5/10 → 8.55/10
Summoned Abilities:
– [Divine Slash, Lv: 2 → 3] – Channel divine energy into a sword, dealing radiant AoE damage.
– [Star Barrier, Lv: 2 → 3] – Temporary shield that nullifies 1 incoming attack.
– [Light's Wrath, Lv: 3] – Unleashes a burst of holy light. Good luck surviving.
---
"..."
Nero stared at the status screen like it had personally trashtalked his mother.
Then he stared some more.
And then he finally made a noise that could only be described as the death cry of a dying walrus.
"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!"
His voice cracked like a 13 year old going through puberty.
"0.2 points per level?! 0.2?! I get 0.05 and you get 0.2?! And not only one stat but ALMOST ALL STATS AT THE SAME TIME?!"
Nero clutched his head like he was having an existential crisis.
Which, to be fair, he probably was.
"That's four times my increase! Four fucking times!"
He started pacing around the room, but then stopped himself.
"Wait, actually... This is good… This is really fucking good."
Nero's brain shifted gears like a car switching from reverse to overdrive.
"If you're getting stronger this fast, that means we can actually handle whatever shit the world throws at us."
"Your vitals appear to have stabilized."
Aurelia observed with that clinical detachment she used when humans stopped making sense.
"I was experiencing temporary emotional distress about statistical disparity."
Nero waved off her concern while his mind raced through the implications.
"But seriously, a 0.2 increase per level on almost all your stats is insane. How many kills did it take you to level up anyway?"
"Considerably more than your requirements."
Aurelia flexed her fingers experimentally.
"I estimate approximately hundreds of C-tier entities, almost a hundred of B-tiers, and some A-tier beasts."
"Holy god of angel hallelujah… no wonder the increase is 4 times for almost all stats with some abilities level ups as a cherry on top…"
Nero whistled at the massive difference in experience requirements.
"That's like... what? hundreds more times than what I need?"
"The disparity appears massively different for each rank."
"So you need more kills but get better rewards. I need fewer kills but get screwed on the stat gains."
Nero nodded like he was working through a complex math problem.
"Actually makes sense from a game balance perspective."
"Lord Nero… I should mention something unusual about this level increase."
Aurelia's expression suddenly grew thoughtful.
"What is it?"
"The statistical improvements… do not feel like growth like other beings experience when "leveling up" as you would describe."
"What do you mean?"
"When most beings increase their capabilities, it feels like developing new strength… Like muscles growing stronger through exercise."
Aurelia stood and moved with that new fluid grace.
"But this feels different… It's like... like removing restraints that were already there."
"Restraints?"
Nero's Greater Instincts picked up on something important in her tone.
"You mean like you were already this strong, and leveling up just unlocked it?"
"That is... an accurate description, yes."
Aurelia's golden eyes grew distant as she tried to explain something she barely understood herself.
"As if a part of my past strength has been unsealed."
"... Past strength, huh."
Nero repeated the words slowly, his mind spinning with possibilities.
If Aurelia was right, that meant she's way more overpowered before she became his summon.
Like, potentially "world-ending levels" of powerful.
It makes you think just what kind of shit had happened to her before he'd summoned her?
What kind of tragic story is behind her before losing her memories and… why is it her memories are even fragmented?
And why the hell had she been weakened enough for a Level 1 mob like him to summon her in the first place?
'Focus, Nero. We're getting off topic here.'
Nero shook his head and forced himself back to the present situation.
Mystery backstories could wait until after they dealt with the plant monster from hell.
"Alright, so you're not just getting stronger, you're remembering how to be strong."
"That appears to be correct, though I cannot explain the mechanism."
"Doesn't matter how it works as long as it works."
Nero grinned despite his earlier stat envy.
"If this keeps up, you'll be back to whatever badass level you were at before I summoned you."
Nero lay flat on the floor and stared at the ceiling like it held the secrets of the universe.
"Haaahhh… I'm never going to catch up, am I? I'm going to be stuck as the weak summoner while you become an unstoppable goddess of destruction."
"Lord Nero."
Aurelia's voice carried a gentleness he rarely heard.
"Your worth is not determined solely by statistical values."
"Easy for you to say. Your stats are actually good."
"You have accomplished remarkable growth in a short time. Many humans would require years to achieve what you have in a month."
Aurelia set aside her sword and moved closer.
"Additionally, your tactical thinking and adaptability have improved significantly."
"Thanks for the pep talk, but the numbers don't lie."
Nero sighed and hauled himself back to his feet.
"At least tell me you feel different after leveling up. Please tell me those stat gains actually mean something."
"I do feel... enhanced."
Aurelia flexed her fingers experimentally.
"My physical capabilities have increased noticeably. My mana capacity feels deeper, and my abilities respond with greater power."
"Great. So you really are becoming an unstoppable angel of destruction."
"If it provides any consolation, I have no desire to be unstoppable without you."
Nero paused his self-pity spiral.
That was... actually pretty sweet.
In a completely stoic, matter-of-fact way that somehow made it more meaningful.
"You know what? Show me."
Nero's expression shifted from hopelessness to curiosity.
"I want to see what 0.2 stat points and leveled-up abilities actually look like in action."
"You wish me to demonstrate my enhanced capabilities?"
"Hell yes, I do. If I'm going to be the weak link in this partnership, I at least want to see what my angel waifu can do."
Aurelia stood gracefully, her movement somehow more fluid than before.
"Very well. Though I should warn you..."
She reached for her sword, and even that simple motion carried an elegance that made the air shimmer.
"The increase in power is more significant than the numbers might suggest."
And just as cool-looking Aurelia was about to draw her sword…
"Wait!"
"???"
"I think… we should do it somewhere outside and with a big space… just to be sure, you know?"
"... Understood."
Can't have her ruin the place they would be sleeping, after all.
***
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