Chapter 86: The Safest Lie Was the Truth
Chapter 86: The Safest Lie Was the Truth
Glitch was heavier than he had been yesterday.
His scales had thickened, the muscle beneath them felt tighter, and even his bones no longer seemed like they belonged to a garbage-tier Grey Rock Lizard. Reaching 3-Star had clearly improved him.
It had also turned carrying him into strength training, which was unfair to Jin personally. He had spent his entire life avoiding that kind of thing.
He made his way toward the dorm with Glitch hanging over his shoulder. Every step seemed to land inside his skull harder than it hit the floor. Eight hours had passed since the start of Glitch’s twenty-four-hour recovery, and Jin was functioning on something too brief to count as a nap.
A combat-track student walked by, looked at the black lizard drooling onto Jin’s collar, checked Jin’s face, and decided not to ask anything.
A wise choice.
Jin needed two attempts to open the dorm door. Once inside, he let it lock behind him, carried Glitch to the bed, and began a proper examination.
Anyone else would have seen an exhausted student staring at a puzzle game. The perception filter kept the truth hidden.
What Jin saw was the information that kept Glitch alive.
[Combat Level: Rank 1 Novice, 3-Star]
[Physical Condition: Stable]
[Synchronization Recovery: In Progress]
[Estimated Recovery Remaining: Approximately 15 Hours, 40 Minutes]
[Recommended Action: Hydration, Nutrition, and Uninterrupted Rest]
Two fingers pressed lightly against Glitch’s side. His breathing was slow, his heartbeat regular. His body temperature remained high, though it had dropped below anything Jin considered dangerous.
Data Appraisal supplied exact values. Years spent looking after cheap beasts told him how to read them.
Glitch was exhausted.
He was not in danger.
Jin placed a carefully measured amount of water near his snout, then checked the feed bin.
Almost nothing remained.
One Sync had consumed two-thirds of Meridian’s monthly Iron-feed allowance. There was still a week to get through. Eight days, maybe, if Jin rationed everything carefully and kept Glitch from doing anything demanding.
That problem worried him more than tomorrow’s assessment.
The Engine could force growth to happen faster, but it could not replace the nutrition required to support it. Meridian’s allowance had been enough for one major Sync. Doing another was impossible. He also could not use an entire month’s supply twice in the same night without somebody wondering where all the food had gone.
At the top of his phone, the Engine placed a much more dangerous option in front of him.
[Regional Dungeon Signals Detected: 7]
Seven sealed opportunities. Routes, fragments, loot, and possibly something useful for Glitch’s food problem.
Jin’s thumb moved toward the list.
Then he stopped.
Downloading an unfamiliar dungeon while half-dead from exhaustion would be stupid. Glitch’s real body was still recovering, and they had no resources for another Sync anyway. Kade had already spent three scenarios teaching Jin what happened when he treated failed attempts as free information.
Once in a day was enough.
He closed the interface.
Since Glitch had taken the bed, Jin lay down on the floor and planned to work through the skill declaration for tomorrow.
He did not reach the first option before falling asleep.
When Jin woke, something was judging him.
The room had darkened into evening. From the bed, two black eyes stared down at him.
[Synchronization Recovery: In Progress]
[Estimated Recovery Remaining: Approximately 2 Hours]
[Physical Condition: Stable—Not Yet Cleared for Exertion]
Glitch was awake.
He was not fully recovered, but that had not stopped him from glaring at the measured serving beside his water dish as if Meridian had personally cheated him out of money.
"That food was meant to last a month," Jin said.
Glitch turned his attention toward the nearly empty feed bags.
"Yes. You ate the evidence."
His personality had returned in full. Proud, theatrical, and deeply offended by the idea of controlled portions.
His movements were more stable than before. Each step carried the solid weight of a true 3-Star body, though fatigue still slowed him.
Then Glitch noticed the strange pressure sitting inside his chest and throat.
His head rose.
Interest moved through the bond.
"No."
Glitch remained interested.
"You are not testing Acid Breath in the dorm. If you melt a hole through the wall, the next inspection finds damage an Iron Grey Rock Lizard shouldn’t be able to cause. Then the staff stop wondering and start investigating properly."
A low grinding noise came from Glitch.
After a long display of reluctance, he allowed the pressure to fade.
Jin gave him another measured serving.
They could not afford it, but Glitch needed the food to finish recovering. Keeping the supply intact by starving him would defeat the purpose of having feed in the first place.
There was also another obligation Jin had been avoiding.
His family needed an update.
More importantly, Elsa was more frightening than sleep deprivation.
The call connected after two rings. Three faces crowded the small screen because nearly the entire apartment could fit into one camera frame.
"Jin." Relief and worry crossed Elena’s face at the same time. "You look pale. Did you eat?"
"I’m about to."
Her expression said that answer had been inspected and rejected.
"Listen. Glitch broke through. He’s 3-Star now. It happened after registration, so I reported it right away. Meridian examined him. The breakthrough is stable and genuine. He’s resting."
Silence held for one second.
Then Elsa took over the screen.
"He’s what?" Her grin appeared sharp enough to start a fight. "Three-Star after one day? His entrance report said he had low growth potential. Everyone who laughed at that egg owes this family a written apology. A formal one. In ink."
"I’ll make the form. Want to see him?"
Jin turned the phone toward the bed.
At the sound of Elsa’s voice, Glitch raised his head with slow dignity. He clearly believed being seen by her was worth the effort.
Elsa made a noise high enough to damage nearby glass.
Elena ignored the celebration and focused on what could have gone wrong.
"Is he injured? Have you slept? Are you actually using Meridian’s medical facilities like you promised?"
"He isn’t hurt. I checked him, and the medical staff confirmed it. I slept for most of the day. I passed the tactical component this morning with a high mark too. If Glitch passes his final examination tonight, the physical assessment happens tomorrow."
"And you’ll eat after this call."
"I’ll eat after this call."
Arthur had said nothing until then.
"What did you tell the school?"
"That Glitch ate well, trained hard, and completed a stable breakthrough."
"Was any of that false?"
"No. Every word was true."
Arthur nodded once.
"Then don’t step outside the truth. Every lie gives you more details to remember. Growth that fast will make people pay attention. Don’t hand them a story you’ll have to keep fixing later."
He held Jin’s gaze through the screen.
"And don’t wear Glitch down just to earn a placement. No class slot is worth his health. Or yours."
"I know. He rests, I rest, and we both come home."
"Send us a message after the assessment," Elena said.
"Both of us?" Elsa asked.
"Both of you," Jin promised.
The call ended.
Under the accusing reflection of his mother’s face lingering on the dark screen, Jin ate a ration bar and opened the notice for Day Two.
[Assessment Day Two]
[Component: Command, Mobility, and Controlled Combat Response]
[Registered Beast Participation Required]
[Medical Clearance Required Before Entry]
[Permitted Skills Must Be Declared]