When Julian finally pushed open the front door, the silence of home pressed against him.
"I'm back," he muttered, voice rough, footsteps dragging.
The system notification had already appeared during the bus ride, glowing faint in the corner of his vision:
[MATCH PERFORMANCE RATING: +12.5 Points]
The biggest reward he'd ever received from a single game.
Enough to push him closer to that milestone.
A hundred points. A normal skill.
Something new. Something that could change everything.
But not tonight.
Not with the bruises burning across his ribs and legs, souvenirs from East Valley's battlefield.
"Oh, you're back."
The voice came from the living room. Crest, calm and composed, her sharp eyes watching him the way they always did. Protector. Judge. Shadow.
"Another win?"
Julian froze for a second. It felt like he hadn't seen her in days. His chest loosened.
"Yeah," he answered, dropping onto the sofa, "but… it was bad."
