Liam stood at the edge of the jungle clearing for a moment, watching the firelight flicker across the faces of the others. They were exactly where he'd left them—some still tending to their weapons, others lost in their own thoughts. The mood was subdued. No one was speaking now. There was no laughter, no jokes. Not even Marcus had a word to say.
But more than their silence, something else troubled Liam.
The system notification.
The others hadn't received one.
Not Marcus. Not Jason. Not Sophia or Eleanor.
Just him.
He'd returned to the group quietly, expecting maybe a surprised glance or even a congratulation. But they didn't so much as look his way. Their expressions were weary, blank. It wasn't like before, back in Arthalon, when a level-up was something they all shared—when they celebrated new abilities, laughed about new stats.
This time… nothing.
He sat beside the fire and said nothing either, but his mind was racing. Why only me? Why now?
