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.