Alex's eyes opened to sterile white ceiling tiles and the faint hum of medical equipment. For exactly three seconds, his mind remained blank a rare moment of peace before memory crashed back with brutal efficiency.
The arena. The Warden. Clinical death. The Master's offer. The desperate sprint through a collapsing realm.
He was alive. Against probability, against logic, against the Master's calculated eleven percent survival estimate he was alive.
The system notifications materialized at the edge of his vision, waiting with patient persistence.
**[LEVEL UP COMPLETE]**
**[You are now Level 4]**
**[+10 Stat Points gained]**
**[Quest Complete: DEFEAT THE ARENA WARDEN]**
**[Rewards Distributed:]**
**[+20 Stat Points]**
**[+1 Ability Slot Unlocked]**
**[Total Available Stat Points: 30]**
**[Current Ability Slots: 1/2]**
**[Slot 1: Fire Manipulation (SS-Rank) - Active]**
**[Slot 2: EMPTY - Awaiting Selection]**
