A week had passed since the confrontation on the stage, and Jelo found himself lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, lost in thought.

He was now looking through his profile:

Name: Jelo Milton

Rank: level 2

Species: Hatchling

Speed: 20

Strength: 20

Stamina: 20

Draconic Essence( Ess) : 210/250

Health 80/100

Flaw: Draconic Hoard

Skills:

Dragon Claw

Scaled Guard

Wingburst

Then, without warning, a notification flashed across his vision.

<Warning: Critical condition. Low fuel reserves.>

Jelo's eyes snapped wide. His entire body went rigid, and he sat up so abruptly that the bedframe creaked beneath him.

"No, no, no," he muttered under his breath, his heart beginning to race.

The reason for Jelo's panic was because the last time his fuel reserves had run low, he had suffered a severe headache. Not just any headache either. It had been debilitating, a crushing pressure that felt like his skull was being squeezed in a vice. The pain had been so intense that he could barely think, barely move. That headache had only subsided after he consumed the heart of a dabba.

Which meant he had to get a dabba as soon as possible.

And eat its heart.

Jelo swung his legs off the bed, his movements sharp and urgent. His mind was already racing through the logistics. He needed to get to the portal room. He needed to hunt. He needed to do it now, before the headache got worse, before he was completely incapacitated.

He stood quickly, his hand reaching for the door handle.

Atlas, who had been lying on his own bed across the room, flipping through something on his wrist interface, glanced up. His brow furrowed slightly at the sudden movement.

"Hey," Atlas said, sitting up a little. "What's wrong?"

Jelo paused at the door, his hand already on the handle. He turned his head slightly, just enough to glance back at Atlas, but his expression was tight, distracted.

"It's nothing," Jelo said quickly, his voice clipped.

Atlas's frown deepened. "Doesn't look like nothing."

"I'm fine," Jelo insisted, already pulling the door open. "Just need to take care of something."

Before Atlas could press further, Jelo slipped out into the hallway and let the door swing shut behind him.

The corridor was dimly lit, the overhead lights casting long shadows across the polished floor. Jelo moved quickly, his footsteps echoing softly as he headed toward the common room. His breathing was steady, but he could already feel it, a faint pressure building behind his eyes, a dull throb that pulsed in time with his heartbeat.

Not yet, he thought, gritting his teeth. Not yet.

He hoped to run into Mira at the common room. She was the only person he could trust with this, the only one who knew about his situation and they would break into the portal room together.

But as Jelo walked, the pressure in his head intensified. His vision blurred slightly at the edges, and he had to blink hard to clear it. His steps became less steady, his balance wavering just a little.

Students passed him in the hallway, heading in the opposite direction. Some of them glanced at him curiously, their eyes lingering on his unsteady gait. A couple of them whispered to each other, and one girl pointed, her friend giggling softly as they walked past.

Jelo barely noticed. His focus was narrowing, the world around him becoming distant and muffled, like he was moving through water.

By the time he reached the common room, his head was pounding. He stumbled slightly as he crossed the threshold, his hand reaching out to steady himself against the doorframe.

The common room was moderately busy, students scattered across the couches and tables, some talking in groups, others absorbed in their wrist interfaces or reading. The hum of conversation filled the space, low and indistinct.

Jelo scanned the room quickly, his eyes moving from face to face, searching.

Mira wasn't there.

A sharp bolt of pain shot through his head, sudden and vicious, like someone had driven a spike through his temple. Jelo groaned aloud, his hand flying up to clutch at his forehead. He squeezed his eyes shut, his jaw clenched tight as he tried to breathe through the pain.

Several students nearby turned to look at him, their conversations faltering.

Jelo forced his eyes open, blinking rapidly as the pain subsided just enough for him to think clearly again. His breathing was ragged, his heart hammering in his chest.

He couldn't wait around. He needed to find Mira. Now.

As Jelo fought through the lingering throb in his skull, a sudden idea struck him. The arcade.If she wasn't in the common room, there was a good chance she'd be there.

And if she wasn't… well, Jelo would have to break into the portal room alone.

He pushed himself away from the doorframe and headed out of the common room, moving as quickly as his unsteady legs would allow. The hallway stretched out before him, and he focused on putting one foot in front of the other, ignoring the curious stares and occasional snickers from passing students.

The arcade wasn't far, just a few corridors over, and within a couple of minutes, Jelo was pushing through the entrance doors.

The arcade was dimly lit, the walls lined with glowing screens and immersive gaming pods. The air hummed with the low thrum of machinery and the muffled sounds of virtual battles and explosions. A handful of students were scattered throughout the room, each absorbed in their own games.

Jelo's eyes swept the space, and relief flooded through him when he spotted her.

Mira was sitting in one of the Arena Nexus pods near the back, her body reclined in the padded seat, her eyes closed, her face relaxed. The faint glow of the interface flickered across her features as she played.

Jelo approached slowly, his headache momentarily waning now that he'd found her. He glanced at the timer display on the side of her pod.

Just a few minutes left.

He lowered himself into the seat next to her pod, exhaling slowly as he let his body relax. The pressure in his head was still there, lurking just beneath the surface, but for now it was manageable.

He waited.

When the timer finally hit zero, Mira's pod hissed softly as it powered down. Her eyes fluttered open, and she blinked a few times, adjusting to the real world again.

Then she turned her head and saw Jelo sitting right beside her.

Her eyes widened in surprise, her lips parting slightly.

For a moment, Jelo was caught off guard. With her widened eyes, the soft glow of the arcade lights reflecting in them, she looked beautiful. Jelo found himself staring for a beat too long.

But he quickly closed his eyes and shook his head, breaking the spell.

Focus.

"I need to hunt dabba hearts," Jelo said bluntly, his voice low but urgent. "As soon as possible."

Mira blinked, her surprise shifting into concern. She sat up straighter in the pod, her brow furrowing.

"Oh your system has demanded it?" she asked.

"Obviously," Jelo snapped, his tone sharper than he intended.

Mira raised her eyebrows, leaning back slightly. "Okay, okay. No need to snap, sheesh."

Jelo exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Sorry. I just… I need to do this now."

Mira nodded and climbed out of the pod, brushing off her clothes.

"Alright," she said. "Let's go."

Jelo looked her over properly for the first time since she'd opened her eyes. She was dressed in a full-length, free-flowing gown, the fabric light and airy, swaying slightly as she moved. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun, loose strands framing her face.

He raised an eyebrow. "You want to go dressed like that?"

Mira glanced down at herself, and a faint blush crept across her cheeks. She looked back up at him, her lips pressing into a thin line.

"Right," she muttered. "Probably not ideal for sneaking around and fighting dabbas."

She gestured toward the exit. "Stay here. I'll go get changed and brainstorm a plan to break in."

Before Jelo could respond, she hurried off, her gown flowing behind her as she disappeared through the arcade doors.

Jelo watched her go, then turned his gaze back to the Arena Nexus pod she'd just vacated. The seat still glowed faintly, inviting, the interface humming softly.

It was tempting. Really tempting. Just a few minutes to distract himself, to push the headache out of his mind…

He shook his head firmly and leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms.

Not now.

He had a more important thing to worry about.

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