# Chapter 10.2 - The Weight of Steel
The Command Wing's northern corridor stretched before Jin, empty and echoing. He'd found this quiet corner by accident—a small alcove near a sealed blast door marked with faded warnings in multiple languages. Through the thick metal, he could hear them: the Crawlers. A distant scraping of claws and inhuman breathing that never quite stopped. The sounds were rhythmic, almost like a distorted heartbeat that pulsed through the metal walls.
Jin sat cross-legged on the cold floor, back against the wall, eyes closed. The Kageyoshi rested across his lap, its dark scabbard a comforting weight against his thighs. In twelve hours, he'd be out there with them. A blade against nightmares. The thought sent a shiver down his spine despite the warmth of the training room.
"Asha," he said quietly, "show me my status."
His HUD flickered to life, casting a blue glow across his face.
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[PHOENIX CORE STATUS - SUBJECT: JIN TSURUGI]
Level: 8
EXP: 720 / 2000
