Chapter 61: Level Up
Alex settled back against the stone wall of his cell, the familiar weight of exhaustion pressing down on him like a physical force. The arena’s roar had faded to memory, replaced by the oppressive silence that filled these underground chambers. His body ached in ways that went beyond simple physical fatigue. The coordinated battle against the SS-ranked Devourer had pushed him to limits he hadn’t known existed.
The guards had deposited him back in his cell with their usual indifference, the suppression field reactivating the moment the door slammed shut. But this time, something was different. The constant drain on his essence felt less oppressive, as if his core had developed some resistance to the sigils’ effects during his absence.
Once again, he was served the unknown meal. The gray, processed substance arrived on its usual metal plate, carried by one of the Ironhide servants who never made eye contact. The taste remained as displeasing as ever: a combination of bitter herbs and something that reminded him uncomfortably of copper. But his body had adapted to the alien nutrition over these weeks of captivity. What had once made him violently ill now provided the energy he needed to survive.
Alex ate mechanically, his mind focused elsewhere. The battle had taught him crucial lessons about precision and technique, but more importantly, it had finally provided what he’d been waiting for. His system interface flickered to life at the edge of his vision, displaying the message he’d been anticipating.
**[LEVEL UP AVAILABLE]**
He focused on the notification, and additional information materialized:
**[Congratulations! You have gained sufficient experience to advance.]**
**[Current Level: 2]**
**[Available Advancement: Level 3]**
**[Would you like to level up?]**
**[Y/N]**
Alex paused, studying the prompt with analytical interest. ’Would I like to level up?’ The question seemed almost rhetorical. Of course he wanted to advance. But his experiences with the system had taught him that nothing was ever straightforward. There had to be some reason for the conditional phrasing, some factor he should consider before accepting.
His mind worked through possibilities. Perhaps there were disadvantages to leveling up in this suppressed environment. Maybe the advancement would trigger changes that could be detected by his captors. Or possibly the system was warning him about side effects he should prepare for.
But ultimately, the mathematics were clear. He needed every advantage he could get in this place, and whatever risks came with advancement were preferable to remaining static while facing increasingly dangerous opponents.
Alex selected ’Y’ without further hesitation.
The transformation began immediately.
A massive, stabbing pain erupted in his chest, centered on his heart but radiating outward like molten metal being poured through his cardiovascular system. His heart began beating faster than it ever had before, not the rapid pulse of exertion, but something far more violent and urgent. Blood rushed through his veins with such force that he could hear it roaring in his ears.
Alex collapsed to his knees on the stone floor, his hands clawing at his chest as waves of agony crashed over him. The pain was beyond anything physical he’d experienced, deeper, more fundamental, as if the very structure of his existence was being rewritten at the cellular level. Every nerve screamed warnings his brain couldn’t process.
He bit down hard on his tongue, tasting copper as he fought to contain any sounds that might alert his captors. The guards had shown no interest in prisoner welfare during his time here, but unusual noises during what should be rest periods might draw unwanted attention. Whatever was happening to him, he needed to endure it alone.
The agony spread outward from his heart, following pathways through his body that shouldn’t exist. His essence channels, already damaged and rebuilt from previous battles, began transforming with brutal efficiency. The scar tissue that had formed after his soul core damage wasn’t just healing. It was evolving, becoming something stronger and more resilient than the original structure.
His legs trembled as foreign sensations raced through his muscular system. Not pain exactly, but a deep burning that suggested fundamental alterations to how his body would function going forward. His bones felt like they were being dissolved and reformed, each one becoming denser, more durable.
The most significant changes were happening to his soul core itself. The fractures that had nearly killed him during the Void Stalker battle were finally sealing completely, but not in their original configuration. Instead, they were forming new pathways that would allow him better access to his massive essence reserves despite external suppression.
Alex pressed his face against the cool stone floor, sweat soaking his prison clothes as the transformation continued. His vision went white with pain, then red, then something beyond color as his nervous system struggled to adapt. The suppression field from the cell bars actually seemed to be helping, containing and focusing the changes rather than preventing them.
Five minutes stretched like hours as his body rebuilt itself according to new specifications. His damaged soul core was restructuring, creating more efficient pathways to his astronomical essence reserves. The suppression sigils that had completely blocked his access before would now only be partially effective.
When the agony finally subsided, Alex remained motionless for several more minutes, afraid that any movement might trigger another wave of transformation. His breathing was different, deeper, more efficient. His heartbeat had stabilized at a rhythm that felt more powerful than before, as if his cardiovascular system had been optimized for peak performance.
The system interface materialized with a soft chime:
**[CONGRATULATIONS]**
**[Level advancement complete]**
**[You are now Level 3]**
**[+10 Stat Points gained]**
**[Soul Core Access: Improved]**
**[Suppression Resistance: +25%]**
**[New Skill Unlocked: Enhanced Recovery]**
Alex slowly pushed himself back to a sitting position, testing his body’s responses. Everything felt different, not just stronger, but more integrated, as if all his systems were now working in perfect harmony instead of fighting against each other.
He accessed his status window with growing anticipation:
**[STATUS WINDOW]**
**[Name: Kael Ashford (Alexander Chen)]**
**[Age: 19]**
**[Level: 3]**
**[Class: Adept]**
**[EXP: 62/3500]**
**[Rank: ???]**
**[HP: 120/120]**
**[Strength: 12]**
**[Agility: 12]**
**[Stamina: 11]**
**[Essence: 20,000,000 /20,000,000]**
**[Available Stat Points: 10]**
**[Ability: Mimicry]**
**[Ability Slots: 1/1]**
**[Mimicked Ability: Fire Manipulation - SS Rank]**
**[Skills: Adept Eyes, Phantom Step, Emergency Overdrive, Enhanced Recovery]**
Alex stared at the display, his mind processing each change with growing excitement. The advancement had fundamentally transformed his capabilities in ways that mattered most: access to his power.
The most crucial change was the "Suppression Resistance" improvement. Where before the arena’s sigils had completely blocked his access to his massive essence reserves, now he could feel a steady trickle of power flowing through despite the interference. Not full access, but enough to work with.
The HP increase to 120 suggested enhanced physical resilience, while the new Enhanced Recovery skill would help him bounce back from injuries faster than normal healing. His essence pool was showing another astronomical number, but now he could actually tap into portions of it even while imprisoned.
Alex distributed his stat points with careful consideration:
- **Strength: 12 → 15** (+3) - Better physical combat capability
- **Agility: 12 → 15** (+3) - Improved reaction time and movement
- **Stamina: 11 → 15** (+4) - Enhanced endurance for prolonged battles
The improvements settled into his body with surprising smoothness, unlike the violent transformation of the level advancement. His muscles felt denser, his reflexes sharper, his lung capacity noticeably improved.
A test of his abilities revealed the extent of the changes. Despite the suppression field still being active, a small flame appeared in his palm, weak compared to his true potential, but far stronger than the flickering sparks he’d managed before the level up. The fire responded to his will with improved precision, and most importantly, maintaining it caused no strain whatsoever on his damaged channels.
Alex extinguished the flame and leaned back against the wall, processing the implications of his advancement. The suppression was still there, still limiting him to perhaps five percent of his true power. But five percent of his astronomical reserves was still significant, and his improved core structure meant he could sustain that level of output indefinitely.
The sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the corridor, but Alex remained relaxed against the wall. Let them come. Let them test his improved capabilities against whatever challenges they thought would break him.
The footsteps stopped outside his cell, and the Arena Warden’s massive form filled the doorway. When it spoke, the harsh syllables carried a different tone than usual, not just authority, but something approaching wariness.
"Kresh-vel thuul vorthani," the creature rumbled. "Mori-zhel keth nakul-thurvani. Zhel-korth mekthari vorth."
**[Translation: "Fire-warrior grows stronger. The Master has noticed the change. Tomorrow brings... elevation."]**
Alex met the Warden’s burning gaze without flinching, his enhanced system already analyzing potential threat levels and response strategies. Whatever elevation meant, he would be ready.
He’d leveled up, gained better access to his power, and improved his physical capabilities. The arena had forged him into something stronger, and now it was time to discover exactly what that meant for his chances of survival and eventual escape.