Rocky read Karna's letter and let out a deep sigh. Ever since Liam's death, his emotions had been in turmoil, but the letter gave him a moment of clarity.
"The finals start in 14 days and will last for 7 days. To join the floor 21 attack alongside the Elites, I need to clear floors 18, 19, and the ascension test on floor 20 alongside Erin and Buhara—all within the next fourteen days.
Plus, I need to prepare as best I can for the finals and receive the highest evaluation in it to complete the system quest I recieved at the start of the semester.
Finally, my work with Sophia also needs to reach its conclusion. I have to use all the faith she's built in me to my advantage," Rocky thought, as his mind cleared of useless emotions, focused on the tasks ahead within a tight timeframe.
With the final exams being preponed and the floor raid being preponed as well, Rocky's initial plan of settling into his new fighting style and taking his time in manipulating Sophia was now thrown out of the window as regretfully he did not have much time anymore to complete his goals.
While he did learn a few new tricks and was making fast progress as a fighter in his spars with Principal Maven and Professor Mae, he was still far from perfectly settling into his new style of fighting as while he had improved his defense, and movement to some degree, his offense still solely relied on his natural strength and swordsmanship which was by no means ideal.
He was in desperate need of a proper mentor, someone who could shape him into becoming a proper fighter, however unfortunately, he was not going to meet that figure within the university, as with principal Liam dead and the semester approaching its end, his days within the university were unfortunately numbered.
*********
( Within the boys dorm )
"So let me get this straight, you want us to attempt the floor 18 raid Tuesday, floor 19 raid Thursday, and be done with the tier promotion test on Sunday?" Erin asked, as he felt a little flabbergasted about attempting three floor raids within a single week, including a tier promotion test.
"Yes... it's the only way, because we need to prepare well for the final exams too-" Rocky said, as he reminded his friends that they were really pressed for time and had no other option but to go hard now.
"But even if we complete this, Sophia is only at floor 15. She won't be able to come with us to the floor raid anyways" Erin said, as he pouted and pointed out a flaw in Rocky's planning.
"Just tell me... are we friends or are we not" he said, as Sophia thought about the question for a second and then looking at Rocky's emotional mood, decided to nod her head as she said "You're my only friend here.."
"Okay..." Rocky replied emotionally, as he bit his lips and looked up towards the sky, leaving Sophia to ponder for a moment as to what was going on.
"Is everything alright?" She asked eventually, when the awkward silence bothered her, as Rocky let out a deep sigh and pretended to contemplate about asking her something difficult.
"If I ask you for a favor.... Will you help me?" Rocky asked, sounding serious, as Sophia immediately got the vibes that whatever Rocky was going to ask was probably going to be something difficult for her to answer.
However, with her connection to family strained and her life in a mess, the only friend she genuinely had was Rocky and hence although she did not wish to do him a favor, under the duress she was in, she did not wish to lose him either as she said "Sure..."
Giving Rocky the chance to ask what he wished to know the most.
"I got a letter from the True Elites Guild, they are planning a raid on your brother.... It seems like they have received a confirmed report that my sister is being held in the prison of floor21.
I know that you are not your brother and if my previous interactions with you have been a sign for anything, I feel like you're nothing like your brother and detest him as much as I do, which is why I'm candidly confiding in you today.
I'm going to join that raid Sophia.... I'm going to try save my sister.
So please tell me everything that you know about the underground prison system... my friend.... Please do me this favor" Rocky said, in the most demanding and emotional voice, as Sophia was taken aback by his candid admission of plans.
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/// A/N - This bonus chapter is sponsored by Patron TheBossIsBack via PayPal. Please thank him in the comments for the same. ///