The plaza was emptying out by the time Anos decided to leave.
He walked through the quiet streets, his stick slung over his shoulder like some kind of broke adventurer cosplayer.
The adrenaline from the first trial was finally wearing off, leaving him with an unsettling calm. He looked around at the city, its flickering streetlights and quiet houses.
Everyone seemed to have someone to go home to. Friends, family, teams celebrating their survival.
But not Anos.
His "home" was a half-empty apartment with peeling paint and a broken fridge.
When he finally reached the apartment and shut the door behind him, the silence was suffocating.
He tossed the stick into a corner and collapsed onto the couch, staring at the ceiling.
"…Well, that was fun," he muttered to himself. "Beat a Goblin Chief, almost died, got yeeted out of the Tower, met some edgy powerhouse from inside it… and now I'm just sitting here like a loser."
The System pinged softly.
[User appears unsettled.]
Anos sat up. "No kidding. Hey, System… I need to ask you something."
[Listening.]
Anos hesitated, chewing on his lip.
"That monster from the the gate earlier… he said something weird. Said I wasn't human. What the hell was that about?"
The System went silent for a moment.
[Affirmative. User is no longer classified as a standard human.]
Anos froze. "…Excuse me?"
[When a System fuses with a host, certain biological, spiritual, and mental parameters are altered. User is not entirely human anymore.]
Anos stared blankly at the floor. "…So you're saying I got an upgrade?"
[Correct. User's body has been strengthened beyond baseline human limits. Additionally, user's soul has been modified to synchronize with the System.]
Anos let out a short, humorless laugh. "Oh, great. So I'm not even human anymore. Awesome. Totally not identity-shattering news."
[User requested truth. Truth provided.]
Anos stood up and paced around the room, running both hands through his hair.
"Okay, okay… calm down, Anos. It's just like in those novels you used to binge at 3 A.M., right? Protagonist gets a system, becomes stronger, loses humanity — y'know, normal Tuesday stuff!"
He stopped pacing, looking at his hands.
They looked the same as always. A little scarred, a little calloused. But now that he thought about it, he didn't feel tired from the trial. He didn't feel sore. In fact, he felt better than ever — like his body was humming with energy just waiting to be unleashed.
"…System. What else did you change?"
[Enhanced strength, speed, reaction time. Cellular regeneration increased. Pain resistance improved. Energy absorption unlocked.]
Anos blinked. "…You just casually dropped 'energy absorption.' That sounds kinda important."
[Correct. With sufficient control, user can absorb ambient energy, monster cores, or even magical attacks to increase power.]
Anos' grin returned. "…Okay, I take back my complaining. This is badass."
He flopped back down onto the couch, resting his arms behind his head.
"But still… not human, huh? Guess that explains why people keep looking at me like I'm a walking natural disaster."
The System stayed quiet.
Anos sighed, staring at the ceiling again.
"…You know, I used to hate being just some random guy. Waking up, working, eating cheap ramen, going to bed — every day the same. Now? I'm in some cosmic death game with literal Tower Entities coming to check me out like I'm some rare Pokémon. Kinda ironic."
[Observation: User appears to be adapting well.]
Anos smirked. "Adapt or die, right?"
There was a long pause.
Then, just to break the silence, Anos muttered, "Hey System… if I'm not human anymore… does that mean I don't need to pay rent?"
[Incorrect. Financial obligations remain unaffected.]
Anos groaned. "Figures. Even after becoming a half-supernatural being, capitalism still wins."
He grabbed his stick from the corner and twirled it lazily in his hands.
"…Still, though. Tomorrow's trial is gonna be even harder. And that Tower guy is gonna be watching. I can't slack off."
[Recommendation: Use remaining time to train and familiarize with upgrades.]
Anos stood up, determination flashing in his eyes.
"You know what? You're right. Let's test this new body of mine."
He left the apartment and headed for an empty field just outside the city. The night air was cool, the stars above twinkling like tiny watchers of his destiny.
Anos planted his feet, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.
"Alright, System. Let's see what this energy absorption thing can do."
[Affirmative. Activating Low-Level Energy Intake.]
Anos felt it immediately — like a warm pulse running through his chest. The air around him seemed to shimmer, and he felt energy trickling into his body, filling him with a strange sense of completeness.
"…Oh," he muttered, a grin spreading across his face. "Oh, I could get addicted to this."
For the next hour, Anos trained. He tested his speed, his strength, even tried a few swings with his stick (which he still refused to call a sword).
Every movement felt sharper, faster, stronger. His punches cracked the air, his steps left faint imprints in the dirt.
By the time he was done, he was breathing hard — but not exhausted.
He stood there under the stars, sweat dripping down his face, and he couldn't help but laugh.
"Not human, huh? Good. Maybe it's about time I stopped living like one."
The System pinged softly, almost approvingly.
[Status: Training Complete. Power increased slightly.]
Anos smirked, gripping his stick and pointing it toward the Tower in the distance.
"Tomorrow," he said, voice low but full of conviction. "I'm coming back stronger. And whoever's watching me better bring popcorn — 'cause I'm about to put on one hell of a show."