My Pheonix System

Chapter 6: new ally and new set of equipment

The Giant Alpha hit the ground with a final, earth-trembling thud, its roar choked into silence. Lucian stood amidst the settling dust, his breathing the only steady sound in the sudden quiet. His teammates were frozen, not just in disbelief. Ronan leaned heavily on his sword, bleeding visibly on his arm. Lyra was slumped on one knee, her spear lying forgotten beside her as she stared, wide-eyed, at the fallen beast and the boy who had slain it.

“Shit…” Adrian breathed, his eyes wide not just with surprise, but with dawning realization. He accepted the returned Galestorm Blade, his hands trembling not merely from shock, but from muscle fatigue. “You actually killed it.”

“...It’s actually over,” Lyra whispered, her voice a mix of ecstasy and sheer exhaustion, her shoulders slumping in profound relief.

Lucian gave a faint nod, the cold focus in his eyes finally softening. “Yeah… guess I did,” he muttered, his own body beginning to register the echoes of the fight.

“We really underestimated you,” Adrian said, his gaze intense. “What’s your actual rank?”

“I really don’t know,” Lucian replied. “I haven’t gone for re-evaluation yet…. But I think I should be at mid stage of 1 star”

A pained groan cut through the tension as Ronan tried to put weight on his injured leg. “Then remind me,” he grunted, offering a shaky, lopsided grin, “never to piss you off again.” The resulting laughter from the group was brittle, raw, and cut with the shared understanding of how narrowly they had all escaped death. “Alright guys, let's gather up our spoils so we can get going,” said Adrian.

They simultaneously concurred and began retrieving the crystals from the beasts scattered around the battlefield, distributing them amongst themselves. Lucian received a share, including the giant Plainstalker crystal since he had been the one to defeat it. He was reluctant to accept, which but later accepted since they insisted.

“Lucian, you have our thanks,” Adrian said sincerely. He pulled a sleek black card from his pocket and handed it over. “If you ever need assistance, you can reach out to me.”

Lucian recieved the card and turned it over, on it was engraved Voss Group.

“No way,” he muttered, eyes widening. “You’re from the Voss family?”

Adrian smirked lightly. “Yeah. I’m the young master. My family’s always open to talented individuals.”

Lucian studied the card a moment longer before slipping it into his pocket. “I think I’ll take you up on that offer. I need a weapon. I don’t know if you could find someone who can craft something from the giant Plainstalker crystal… and I’d like to sell off the rest.”

Adrian nodded. “We have a weaponsmith. I’ll have them craft a perfect weapon and armor set for you. I can also buy off the other crystals based on their market grade. It’s the least I can do, considering you saved my life.”

“Sure,” Lucian said. “That sounds great.”

Right there, Adrian opened his terminal and transferred the funds to Lucian’s account.

“Alright, it’s best we get going,” Adrian said. They headed toward the glowing portal leaving the secret realm behind.

Back in the quiet confines of his room, the adrenaline of the secret realm had faded, leaving behind a profound stillness. Lucian sat on the edge of his bed and willed the system interface to life. The blue holographic screen materialized, displaying data of his growth.

[Status]

Name:Lucian

Race:Human

Level:2

Class:Warrior

HP:25/25

MP:10/10

Strength:20

Agility:14

Stamina:12

Perception:12

His eyes scanned the numbers, noting the single point added to each attribute. A faint, sharp smile cut across his face. Twenty Strength, he thought, the number echoing in his mind. It was enough to crush a plainstalker's skull, but the Alpha... the Alpha sent me flying. The memory of his broken ribs flared like a phantom pain. His smile tightened, not with satisfaction, but with a simmering hunger. "This expedition was just the start... but what comes after Level 10? Level 50? How strong can this 'Warrior' truly become?" The system was no longer just a lifeline; it was a challenge, and he was only just beginning to understand the rules of the game.

Before he could think further, his phone buzzed beside him. The caller ID flashed Adrian Voss.

Lucian answered. “Hey, Adrian. What’s up?”

“Hey, Lucian, what’s good?”

“I’m alright.”

“Great. I forgot to ask—what kind of weapon do you prefer to wield?”

Lucian tilted his head, thinking. “Hmm… to be honest, I haven’t really thought about it.”

“You looked natural with a sword,” Adrian said.

“A sword? I’m not sure. Doesn’t really feel like my style.”

Adrian chuckled. “Then how about gauntlets? Something that suits your strength.”

Lucian’s mind flashed back to when he’d crushed the head of the green Plainstalker with his bare hands. He smirked faintly. “You know what? I don't think that's a bad idea.”

“Good Gauntlets it is. I’ll also include breastplates and boots as well as a Full armour set.”

They discussed a few minor details, from what colour he wanted to size of armour.

“It’ll be delivered to your address,” Adrian said finally.

“Appreciate it,” Lucian replied.

The next morning, Lucian transferred a substantial sum to Aunt Velma’s account. The chime from her terminal broke the morning quiet, and her eyes widened in disbelief as she saw the amount. “Lucian,” she said, her voice dropping to a hushed, serious tone. “This is… this is more than I made in half a year. Where did you get this?” The question was full of concern. Lucian smiled faintly, carefully avoiding her searching gaze. “It’s just payment from a job I did. You’ve been wanting to fix things up around here, right? Consider it handled.” He turned to leave, a clear dismissal, but her voice stopped him. “Lucian.” She waited until he reluctantly looked back. “A ‘job’ doesn’t cover this. Are you in some kind of trouble?” The silence hung heavily for a moment before he shook his head. “No trouble. I promise. Don’t worry about it.” He left the room then, but the weight of her suspicious, unanswered gaze followed him long after.

A few weeks passed quietly. Lucian trained in the mornings, strengthening his body and experimenting with how the system affected his recovery and stamina.

Then one afternoon, a knock came at the door.

Harry went to answer it. In front of him stood a man in a black suit, holding a small silver case.

“Good day,” the man said. “Is this Lucian’s residence?”

“Yes, it is. He lives here. Hey, Lucian! Someone’s here for you!”

Lucian came down the stairs. The man gave a polite bow. “I was sent by the young master of the Voss Group. He couldn’t come personally due to urgent matters.”

He handed Lucian a storage ring. Inside was a pair of dark steel gauntlets, light armor, and matching boots.

Lucian’s eyes sparkled while looking at that armour set. “This is… impressive craftsmanship. Tell Adrian I’m grateful.”

The chauffeur nodded and drove off.

Harry leaned against the doorway, smirking. “So… how exactly did you get mixed up with Adrian Voss?”

Lucian shrugged. “We crossed paths in a secret realm.”

Harry folded his arms, still smiling. “I see…. You’ve been working out a lot lately. Even the nurse back at the hospital said the same thing. You’re like a new person.” he sighed in amazement

Lucian froze for a moment, then forced a laugh. “you know ever since that alley incident, I decided I never want to feel helpless again. I want to get stronger—strong enough to protect the people I care about.”

Harry chuckled and nudged him. “Fair enough. But don’t think you’ll ever be stronger than me.”

Lucian smirked. “We’ll see about that, bro.”

They traded light punches with their laughter filling the air until Velma called from downstairs, shouting for help with dinner.

Lucian looked at his brother one more time, that faint smile lingering. One day… I’ll be strong enough that no one I love will ever get hurt again.