Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey

The next day....

The time went as it always been... waking up going to class practice and nothing else.

Then come night, I was in my apartment room deeply in thought.

'Darkheart...'

I never thought that my this name would become so famous just after playing [Battelground] for first time.

There was many notifications of friends request and offers from many popular scouts for me in my E-main box.

But unfortunately I had to reject those since I don't have time to play this game.

Of course I'm not stopping...I will play but not that much more, Since I'm already busy enough at is.

I also have to mute and block all of these friends request I was getting it.

Anyway... It's time for my night work out then after that I'll sleep.

I opened the door then, I headed to the Fitness Center.

After about five minutes of walking, I arrived.

When I came out of the changing room in my sportswear, I ran into Isabella who was also entering the Fitness Center.

It was quite awkward to see her since we haven't run into each other so much and we also doesn't Team 7 practice.

"What, you're here to work out too?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah."

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"...Alright, work hard."

Isabella walked past me into the girl's changing room. I then headed to the treadmill without much thought.

Beep—

I set the treadmill speed to 20km. I wouldn't have even imagined it in the past, but now it wasn't so difficult.

For the next 30 minutes, I ran on the treadmill. By the time I got off, I was soaked with my own sweat.

"Huu...."

I took out a sports drink from the fridge.

Isabella, who just got out of the gravitation room, slowly came up next to me.

"Hey."

I stared at Isabella silently. She fidgeted around, trying to buy time.

"What? Say something."

"...You see, my team got the Poison Beetle Dungeon."

It seemed Isabella was worried about her team challenge. A Poison Beetle Dungeon.... She ended up taking an insect Dungeon, which was one of the trickiest out of all Dungeons.

"Do, do you know anything about it?"

"...How did you choose the most difficult one?"

"I know right? The annoying mage in my team kept telling me to choose it."

The mage in Isabella team was Silva. He was recorded in my settings book. Although he was skilled, he was a bit of an ass.

Because his aunt was a [S] rank mage, he probably wouldn't bend down to Isabella either.

Of course, If it was old Isabella...she would make him bend him no matter what whithout thinking of consequences but she was not same anymore.

Aft her sister wake up from coma...She changed little...She was still cold towards everyone but she began tolerance their presence.

That's why she hasn't taken any dramatic measures and was asking for my advice.

"He probably thought that he could get bonus points with a difficult assignment. But he's probably going to be sloppy in his presentation. He's going to stutter and make you facepalm."

"I know, I was willing to overlook it, but now... Ehew, I've never met someone who is more headstrong than me."

At least she knew she was headstrong.

"If possible, let someone else do the presentation. Unexpectedly, they might be more prepared. As for the Poison Beetle Dungeon, it's tricky but manageable if you know what to expect."

Isabella looked at me intently, clearly eager for more advice. I took a deep breath, organizing my thoughts. The Poison Beetle Dungeon was notorious for its difficult challenges, but with the right strategy, it could be conquered.

"First, you'll need to be prepared for the poison. Antidotes are a must, and so are protective gear and spells. The beetles themselves have a tough exoskeleton, so conventional attacks might not be effective. Aim for their underbelly, it's their weak spot."

Isabella nodded, absorbing the information. "Anything else?"

"The dungeon layout is also a maze. It's easy to get lost, so make sure someone in your team has a good sense of direction or a mapping spell. And watch out for traps—they're everywhere."

She sighed, looking more determined than before. "Thanks. I'll make sure we're prepared."

As Isabella walked away, I couldn't help but reflect on how much she had changed. The old Isabella wouldn't have asked for advice, let alone accepted it. But her sister's awakening had softened her edges, if only a little.

Finishing my drink, I headed back to the treadmill for another session, my thoughts drifting back to my sudden fame as Darkheart.

The offers and friend requests would have to wait. For now, my focus was on my training and my studies.

But in the back of my mind, the allure of the virtual world and its challenges lingered, waiting for the moment when I would step back into the Battleground.

After another intense workout session, I returned to my apartment, feeling the familiar ache of muscles well-used.

As I prepared to sleep, I glanced at my AI bracelet one last time. Notifications continued to flood in, but I ignored them, knowing that my priorities lay elsewhere for now.

I set my AI bracelet to do not disturb mode, allowing myself some peace from the incessant digital noise. The virtual world could wait; tonight, I needed rest.

As I lay in bed, my thoughts drifted back to the day's events. The unexpected fame, the training with Yato, and the conversation with Isabella all swirled in my mind. It was a strange mix of exhilaration and exhaustion. I closed my eyes, letting the weariness of the day wash over me, and soon drifted into a deep sleep.

---

The next morning, the sun streamed through the window, waking me from a restful sleep.

I stretched, feeling the familiar soreness from the previous night's workout.

After a quick shower and breakfast, I glanced at my AI bracelet.

Despite the do not disturb mode, the device was still flashing with notifications and messages.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I scrolled through some of the latest updates.

There were more friend requests, more offers from scouts, and several messages from people I didn't recognize.

Among the sea of notifications, one message stood out—it was an official invitation from the Arcadium.

I opened the message, reading it carefully.

The Arcadium was offering me a chance to compete in their elite dueling tournament.

The invitation was formal and respectful, acknowledging my recent achievements and expressing genuine interest in seeing my skills on their grand stage.

I pondered the offer. Competing in the Arcadium would be a huge step up from the Battleground.

It was an opportunity to test myself against the best of the best, to see how far I could go. But it also meant more time away from my studies and training with Yato.

After a moment of reflection, I decided to reject the invitation.

Since I already don't have time to do all of this.