OLD-WORLD EXTRA

494  Iron

Emir, still on the bed, sat in a lotus position, eyes closed as he further processed what changed inside his body.

It all had been a surprise, an unexpected but very welcome leap forward.

He hadn't felt that sense of accomplishment in a while.

Emir missed the time when advancement was as 'easy' as breathing...

Shaking his head, he looked over to Lyra, who was watching him quietly, thoughtful as always.

"You understand why I leveled up now, don't you?" She nodded slowly.

"I do. It wasn't just about increasing your overall strength... it was about refining something extremely specific."

"Exactly. I became faster, but not just generally fast. Quick Draw is very targeted, and that's why it worked. I dare say... I was lucky. If not for Weiss, I imagine we'd be stuck on the previous step for a while."

He could see her eyes narrow slightly, the gears turning in her mind.

"Focus on one aspect of your CQC skill. Find a way to turn a single move into a specialized skill."

She thought about it, her gaze lowering to her hands as if imagining the gauntlets already there.

"Faster slashes, a more precise pierce, maybe... Even if it's just a tiny improvement, it could make a huge difference."

"Yeah, if you find one thing, just one, and specialize it to a point where it's not just an attack but a true skill that you've mastered, it'll push you forward."

Lyra gave a small nod, completely agreeing with what he was saying.

Her mind had already begun thinking of what aspect she was best to focus on, and Emir noticed that, so before she went too deep, he interrupted, wanting to request something of her:

"By the way, can you—"

His words suddenly paused in his throat. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Emir could no longer speak. He felt a tightness in his chest, a pressure that quickly built up, like a flood trying to break through a dam.

Lyra looked up, noticing his expression.

"P-prince? Are you alright?"

Emir tried to answer, but the words wouldn't come out; instead, a strangled noise escaped him.

His vision blurred, and before he knew it, he let out a scream, raw and agonizing, his hands gripping the edge of the bed.

Lyra's eyes instantly widened in panic as she rushed to him, eyes scanning his body for any injuries. "What's happening?! Talk to me!"

But, again, he couldn't answer.

He gritted his teeth, feeling something shift within him, deeper than muscle or bone.

Blood began to drip from his nose, then his eyes and ears.

He could barely see or hear, yet he felt the warmth of Lyra's hands, her shaking voice pleading with him.

"Emir, please! What do I do? Just... just breathe! Stay with me!"

He forced himself to take slow breaths, each one feeling like dragging a truck up a steep hill.

Through the haze of pain, he managed to meet her eyes.

"Ly... I'm—this... Iron." Her face was frozen with worry, but as she repeated his last word, realization dawned on her. "An advancement?" "Yes. The... the nanobots. They're restructuring. It's the next rank... I-Iron."

The last word left his mouth in a strangled gasp.

It was a grueling process, each second feeling worse than the last.

His body was being reconstructed, but this time, it was more intense than anything he'd felt before.

The pain he felt when ranking up to Seraphim, the one he imposed on himself using the machine, even the mental pain he felt when he remained in that forsaken maze, or the time he became a virtual cannibal, or when he starved, or even when he saw Mr. Player's reflection in the 'fog.'

All of that combined didn't even come close to what he was currently feeling.

Right, Emir wasn't going through hell on earth, but he was on the deepest floor of hell itself.

And yet even then, he had somehow managed to keep himself shut, teeth digging into each other.

'ENDURE!'

That one word repeatedly echoed in his mind as he gripped the bed harder, feeling his muscles and bones shift over and over again.

His entire body was both falling apart and being welded back together at the same time, almost liquefying and then rebuilding itself in layers.

The nanobots within him were going wild as they worked to enhance every cell, every fiber of his being.

Lyra was watching him, and he could see the fear in her eyes, her hands trembling.

She didn't know if he'd make it through this, but he forced himself to keep breathing, to focus on her face.

"Lyra... It's... fine. I'm not... dying."

"Emir, you're bleeding from everywhere! How is this fine?"

"...Heh... not the... first... time."

He tried to give her a reassuring look, but even his facial muscles felt like they were being stretched, twisted, and compressed.

So instead, he just kept breathing, feeling the changes happen with every beat of his heart.

The pain was blinding, and he cursed the world for it, but somewhere in his mind, he blamed only himself.

He'd chosen this path after all, knowing full well the price of each step.

Time passed, and he stayed there, trembling, bleeding, his back caressed by Lyra, though he couldn't feel it.

And then, finally, after several hours, the pain began to lessen.

His muscles settled, the nanobots slowing their activity as the final adjustments were made. His vision cleared, and the sound of his own labored breaths filled his ears.

Emir opened his eyes fully and saw Lyra, her hand gripping his shoulder, her face inches from his.

"...Emir?" He took a deep breath, letting the last remnants of pain fade away, and this time, he managed a faint smile. "I'm... okay. It's done."

Lyra's expression shifted from panic to cautious relief.

"You really scared me. I thought... I thought I was about to lose you."

He shook his head, still catching his breath.

"Not today."

He tried to laugh, but it came out as a weak cough.

"But... thank you."

She gave a small, hesitant nod.

"So... Iron rank now, huh?"

"Yeah..."

They sat in silence for a moment, both letting the intensity of what had just happened settle in. And then, as if nothing happened, Lyra slowly asked:

"What were you about to say?

"Oh..."

Emir stood up from the bloody bed. "Was just gonna ask you to update my status."

She closed her eyes for a short moment, then gestured for the bathroom with her chin.

"I sent it, but go wash up first. I fear you'll hit yourself if you look in the mirror."

He chuckled at her words.

"Sure thing, Ly."