Xeras leaned over the desk not like a receptionist, but like a scientist examining a lab rat.
"In just 20 days... How can a novice purify his body to this level?"
Aren shrugged his shoulders.
"I guess I was lucky."
Xeras examined Aren for a while longer, then shrugged and sat back down.
"Whatever. I don't care what the hell you did. After all, rules are rules. You survived and made it this far."
He reached his right hand out to Aren and handed him a room key with the number '1' on it.
"This is your reward. Go and enjoy it. It's on the top floor. Oh, and don't forget to check the Level 2 Tutorial Shop." he said.
"Thanks." Aren said.
Xeras waved his hand as if saying 'get out of my sight' and buried himself in his notebook again.
As Aren walked toward the elevators, Xeras was muttering to himself behind him.
"Finally, someone noteworthy has emerged from my tutorial area. If I can convince him to join my clan, we can use him to conquer this primitive planet."
When the mirrored doors of the elevator closed, Aren let out a deep breath.
"Don't worry too much. A simple 'Sovereign' like him cannot disregard the system and harm you."
There was no trace of worry on Aren's face. "Before you said 'Saint', and now 'Sovereign'. What are all these names?" he said.
After sighing in exasperation, Seraphina said, "These are 'Titles' you acquire when you reach a certain power level and fulfill certain requirements. We can call it the general power ranking of the universe. When you reach Level 100 and acquire your first 'title', I will explain some things to you. Remember, learning some things early brings more harm than good."
Aren, in a calm voice, said, "I understand."
The elevator ascended at a dizzying speed. When the doors opened, the sight before him eclipsed even the luxury of the lobby.
It was the penthouse floor.
The walls were entirely glass, and outside...
An endless view of space filled with stars and cosmic gas clouds.
It was as if the hotel were not on a planet, but floating in the void of the universe.
In the middle of the room, there was a massive bed, a personal hot spring, a training hall, and a meditation room.
Aren threw his sword and the key onto the bed.
Then, without wasting any time, he opened that 'Shop' Xeras mentioned. He was exceedingly curious.
Weapons. Armors. Equipment. Skills. Potions.
Aren began to carefully examine all the categories one by one. The items here could not be compared to those in the Level 1 shop.
There weren't just simple swords or potions; there were magical items, powerful skills, and special equipment.
While Aren was examining the shop, Seraphina interjected and said, "Forget about the Weapons and Skills. Your weapon is already good, you don't need a better one, and the skills they display are exceedingly mediocre. I will teach you much better ones. Therefore, focus on armors, equipment, and potions."
Aren nodded his head in agreement.
He guessed Seraphina would give him much better things. Even the 'Divine Phoenix Mantra' he learned was exceedingly unique.
Half an hour later, after consulting Seraphina and getting her approval, Aren had decided what to buy.
Storage Ring = A storage ring containing 100 cubic meters of space inside. Note: Only inanimate objects can be stored. (250 Coupons.)
Royal Dragon Silk Robe = Extremely durable against physical attacks, light, and flexible. A stylish robe capable of self-regeneration. Note: Comes with Gloves and Boots. (250 Coupons.)
Strength Boosting Potion = A potion that increases the Strength stat by 10. Note: Can only be used 1 time. (100 Coupons)
Endurance Boosting Potion = A potion that increases the Endurance stat by 10. Note: Can only be used 1 time. (100 Coupons)
Agility Boosting Potion = A potion that increases the Agility stat by 10. Note: Can only be used 1 time. (100 Coupons)
Intelligence Boosting Potion = A potion that increases the Intelligence stat by 10. Note: Can only be used 1 time. (100 Coupons)
Vitality Boosting Potion = A potion that increases the Vitality stat by 10. Note: Can only be used 1 time. (100 Coupons)
"Why are there no wisdom and mana potions?" Aren asked.
A melodic and mocking chuckle echoed in his mind.
"I don't think there is a potion to increase wisdom."
Aren did not respond to Seraphina's mocking words.
He had spent exactly 1000 Coupons in total.
The moment Aren pressed the 'Purchase' button, a small sliver of light appeared in front of him. When the light faded, the items he bought were on the bed.
First, he took the ring. It was a simple golden band. It had a purple stone resembling an amethyst on it. When he slipped it onto his finger, he felt a slight coolness.
"How do I use this?" he asked Seraphina.
Seraphina, in a calm voice, said, "Storage rings are managed by the combined effort of the mind and mana. Focus your mana on the ring and intend to see inside."
Aren immediately did what Seraphina said. An empty space of 100 cubic meters appeared in his mind.
"I understand. It's simple." He said.
Immediately afterward, he sent the black sword on the bed into the ring.
"It's practical." Aren said.
Next was the clothing set he bought as armor.
He took off the tattered tracksuits he was wearing and tossed them aside.
He took the Royal Dragon Silk Robe in his hand. The fabric was incredibly soft, yet equally sturdy.
It was black in color, embroidered with dark crimson dragon patterns that were faintly visible when light hit it.
'I guess it would be good to clean myself before getting dressed.' He thought, and entered the bathroom.
After a hot, healing hot spring session lasting about 1 hour, he put on the robe. It fit his body perfectly.
It was as if it had been tailor-made by a tailor. When he also put on the black leather gloves and boots, he looked at his reflection in the mirror.
The person standing before him looked nothing like his old, ordinary self. He was tall and imposing, handsome and noble, with a sharp gaze in his hazel eyes.
"Not bad." Seraphina said.
Finally, Aren turned to the five differently colored potions on the table.
He drank them all sequentially without hesitation.
There wasn't that bone-breaking, muscle-melting pain he had experienced before.
Because his body had already reached the "Flawless Body" level, it absorbed the pure energy of the potions like a sponge.
He felt a warm flow in his veins. His muscles swelled slightly, his mind cleared. The world had slowed down a bit, his senses had sharpened a bit more.
A screen appeared in front of him.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Your Stats increased by 10 points.
Aren opened the status screen.
Title: None
Level: 12
Name: Aren Khan
Race: Human
Physique: Flawless Physique
Bloodline: None
Age: 26
Height: 189CM
Weight: 86KG
Vitality: 41 -> 51
Strength: 46 -> 56
Agility: 39 -> 49
Endurance: 51 -> 61
Intelligence: 22 -> 32
Wisdom: 22 Spirit: 111
Mana: 13
Skills: Bloodlust (Passive), Advanced Sword Mastery (Passive), Ghost Step (Passive), Divine Phoenix Mantra Part 1 (Passive & Active)
"Seraphina, will I continue to grow taller like this? Or will my weight continuously increase?" he asked.
"Yes. If you want to grow stronger, this is inevitable. If your Volume and Mass remain the same, how can you become physically stronger?" Seraphina said.
As her voice echoed in his mind, it contained a slight exasperation.
Immediately afterward, she continued.
"However, I will teach you a technique in the future, with which you will be able to control your physical form as you wish."
Suddenly, a tremendous sound echoed in the room. This was Aren's stomach growling.
While Seraphina laughed with a melodic voice, Aren said, "I guess it would be good to eat something."
Time flowed differently in the Rest Area than in the outside world. There was no sunrise or sunset; the day and night cycle was merely imitated by the lights in the lobby dimming and brightening slightly.
Exactly ten days had passed since Aren's arrival.
During these ten days, Aren had barely left his room. He had spent most of his time practicing the 'Divine Phoenix Mantra' and undergoing Seraphina's ruthless verbal training.
Every morning he meditated, increased the amount of mana in his body, circulated the mana through his body, and sharpened his soul. But this was easier said than done.
When Aren sat cross-legged on his bed, every breath he drew into his lungs felt like molten lava pouring down his throat.
The mantra didn't just gather mana; it forcefully, savagely trapped it in his body.
"Focus!" Seraphina shouted from the depths of his mind.
Drops of sweat trickling down his forehead dripped from his chin, soaking his silk robe.
"If it were my body, I would draw all the mana on this planet in a single breath!" Seraphina retorted, her voice full of arrogance.
"Gather the energy in your abdominal cavity, in the mana pool. If you lose control, your internal organs will burn. And believe me, dying by burning from the inside is not a pleasant experience at all."
Aren took another deep breath.
Every morning he woke up with this torture, increased the amount of mana in his body, circulated the mana through his meridians, and sharpened it like a knife sharpener.
In the hotel's gym, he wasn't crushed beneath the weights; he lifted them like toys.
For his high 'Strength' stat, 100-kilo weights were no different from paperweights. Therefore, he focused heavily on his sword practice.
Every sword strike he swung against the void produced a sharp whistling sound cutting through the air.
As for Xeras... He was just bored.
He sat at the reception desk, filing his spear-like nails, and occasionally threw glances at Aren as if saying, 'Are you still here?'.
Aren was sprawled on one of the comfortable leather armchairs in the lobby, sitting with a thick-covered book in his hand. He had taken this book from the library in the lobby.
It was a book about what stats meant and how they could be raised without leveling up.
He wore that magnificent, dragon-embroidered black robe. His hair was clean and combed. Holding his book with one hand, he popped one of the grapes from the table into his mouth with the other.
"Quite understandable. Even doing simple exercises can increase our stats by small margins. Increasing Intelligence and Wisdom is a bit unnecessary for now. After all, it would be much better for someone like me to allocate the time I would spend on these to increasing my other stats."
Aren paused and slightly raised his head.
"To increase the Mana stat, it is necessary to practice various 'Mana Techniques'. However, they haven't written anything regarding the Soul stat."
Seraphina's condescending voice appeared in his mind.
"Of course. Those providing all the resources in this tutorial you entered are Xeras's so-called clan. For a primitive planet like yours, their power is greater than the 'Gods' you believe in. But despite this, their understanding of the soul is shallow. So you'd better appreciate the value of the 'Mantra' I taught you."
Deep in thought, Aren said, "I understand." and continued reading his book. A technique that could strengthen the soul. Aren realized once again the value of the 'Divine Phoenix Mantra' he had acquired.
It was an environment of complete peace.
However, this peace was broken when the lights above the massive door in the middle of the lobby suddenly turned from red to green.
Xeras raised his head from behind his desk. An expression of interest finally appeared on his face.
"Finally..." Xeras murmured. "The second person."
Aren slowly closed his book. He fixed his eyes on the door.
"Ten days." Aren said to himself. "It took ten days for the first person after me to arrive."
The massive door creaked ajar with a heavy metallic noise. From inside, an intense smell of dampness and blood spread into the lobby.
A silhouette emerged from the darkness behind the door.
A woman.
She looked to be in her early twenties. The leather armor she wore was torn and full of deep cuts. Where the armor left her exposed, there were stains of dried blood and mud on her white skin.
She was panting. She seemed to barely stand, but there wasn't an ounce of weakness in her posture. Her back was straight.