The next day, Nathan woke up before the alarm.
His eyes opened sharply, consciousness snapping into place almost instantly. For a moment, he lay there staring at the ceiling of his room, the faint morning sunlight creeping in through the curtains.
'I won't mess up this time.'
The thought surfaced immediately, firm and unyielding.
He swung his legs off the bed and stood. Yesterday had carved itself deep into his memory, not just the pain he had experienced but also the embarrassment.
'That won't happen again.'
He moved quickly through his routine, washing his face, brushing his teeth, splashing cold water over his skin to fully wake himself up.
The reflection staring back at him in the mirror looked different somehow. He looked sharper, more focused.
As he dried his face, as yesterday replayed itself in fragments.
He had came back home, not speaking a single word to anyone, skipped dinner and didn't even meet Ethan or Lena.
Walking straight into his room and he had shut the door behind him.
Sitting on the edge of his bed, he kept replaying the fight again and again in his head, obsessing over every mistake.
'My footing was wrong.'
'I shouldn't have hesitated.'
He then got up and starting practicing his spear technique.
Over and over, correcting his stance, adjusting his grip, forcing the movement into his body until it felt less like imitation and more like instinct.
Even when exhaustion threatened to drag him down, he kept going pausing only to sit on the floor and replaying the experience in his mind.
Nathan tightened his jaw.
'Never again.'
Only heading to sleep when he felt like his body was going to break.
Today for him wasn't about testing the waters, it was about doing things correctly.
He slipped on fresh clothes, checked his gear one last time, and stepped out of his room. The apartment was quiet.
But as he came out he saw that Ethan was already up.
Nathan found him in the kitchen, holding a mug of coffee, hair neatly combed, suit jacket draped over the back of a chair. He looked up when Nathan entered.
"Lena's still asleep," Ethan said quietly.
Nathan nodded. "I figured."
Ethan studied him for a moment, eyes sharp in that way Nathan had grown used to, concern hidden behind composure.
"You okay lil bro?" Ethan asked.
Nathan didn't even hesitate, "Yeah."
He wasn't lying.
"I'm just… planning on taking today more seriously."
Something shifted in Ethan's expression. Surprised, he put the mug down slowly and straightened.
"I see," he said.
There was a pause, then Ethan nodded once. "I wish you the best of luck."
The words were simple, but they carried weight.
Nathan met his gaze. "I'll be careful."
Ethan smile, as his eyes softened slightly. "I know."
Nathan grabbed his spear and bag, slipped on his shoes, and left the apartment without another word, he door closing quietly behind him.
The city was already stirring as he made his way toward the transit hub. Yesterday, everything had felt overwhelming.
Today, it felt comparatively quieter.
'Stay focused.' he told himself.
By the time he reached the Rift Building, his nerves had settled, he felt sharper and more focused.
He entered the building right away without hesitation.
Inside, the familiar hum of activity greeted him. Nathan didn't bother lingering around. As he moved straight toward the counter where Elliot stood, reviewing something on a terminal.
Elliot looked up as Nathan approached and blinked.
"Well," Elliot said, genuine surprise plastered all across his face. "Didn't expect to see you back so soon."
Nathan handed over his license without a word.
Elliot took it, scanned it, then looked back at him with a small smile. "I'm glad you came back."
Nathan nodded once.
The scanner chimed.
"You're checked in," Elliot said, handing the card back. "Good luck."
Nathan took the license, turned, and headed straight for the rift.
No stalling this time.
The blue tear rippled as he stepped through.
The sensation of being pulled through space hit him again, brief and disorienting but unlike before, he was ready for it this time. When the world reformed, he found himself back in the familiar underground chamber.
The same lights and same soldiers.
And looking around he saw the same soldier from yesterday.
Nathan caught the soldier's surprised expression the moment their eyes met. The soldier clearly recognized him as the bloodied rookie from yesterday.
Nathan didn't care.
He looked around instead.
Today, he wasn't going back into the same tunnel.
His gaze drifted across the six entrances, lingering on one marked with faint signs of frequent use and chalk writings besides the entry point.
'This one should be more predictable, unlike the last one.'
Nathan adjusted his grip on the spear and headed towards the entrance.
As he entered the tunnel, darkness wrapped around him once more but unlike last time, he moved carefully, deliberately, boots placed with intention.
He wore the same leather vest from yesterday, still damaged torn at the front. His backpack rested firmly against his back, one regeneration potion ready on standby. His spear felt ready in his hands.
'Stay aware.'
He advanced slowly, listening.
The tunnel echoed faintly with distant sounds, water dripping slowly and air moving around the curved shafts.
Just then, he heard it.
The gibberish from yesterday.
Nathan slowed immediately.
The harsh, broken sounds crawled through the tunnel toward him, unmistakable now.
'Goblin scout.'
He shifted closer to the wall, body angled to minimize his presence. Every movement controlled and deliberate.
The goblin rounded the corner ahead.
Short, green and with the cleaver in it's hand, same as the ones he killed yesterday.
Before it could fully register him, Nathan moved.
'Today i will be the one taking initiative-'
The thought cut through everything else.
He rushed forward.
The goblin's eyes widened, surprise flashing across its face as Nathan closed the gap in seconds. It didn't even have time to scream.
Nathan planted his feet mid-stride, body flowing smoothly into the stance he had practiced relentlessly the night before.
Thrust.
The spear drove straight into the goblin's torso.
Clean hit.
The goblin's body jerked once and then went limp.
[DING]
The sound echoed in Nathan's ears, sharp and satisfying.
He didn't linger.
Without hesitation, Nathan kicked the goblin's body off the spear, wrenching the weapon free in one smooth motion.
'No way I'm planning to get jumped like yesterday.'
He immediately crouched, eyes scanning the tunnel.
He didn't see anything, no movement, no sounds, no voices.
Satisfied, he reached into his backpack and pulled out the kitchen knife he had brought with him specifically for this purpose.
He turned back to the goblin's corpse.
'Left ear… which one's left?'
For half a second, doubt flickered—then he saw it.
The ear with the black marking.
"There," he muttered.
He cut it cleanly and shoved it into his bag without caring about the blood smearing his bag.
He straightened and began moving back toward the administrated area, steps light but controlled.
As he walked, his attention drifted inward instinctively.
A system notification hovered at the edge of his awareness.
[Goblin Scout Slain, +0.1 AGI]
Nathan's lips curved upward faintly.
'I'm just getting started.'