From Trash to Lord of Thunder: The Rise of the Cursed Extra-Chapter 48: New Faces

Charles woke up buzzing with energy, as if yesterday’s lightning had recharged every fiber of his being.

The modest room felt cozier under the dim light filtering through the window.

He stretched his arms, joints popping, and grinned.

"So I’m really at 100%, huh?" he muttered, flexing hands that showed no trace of pain. "Today’s the day..."

The duel against the Master-ranks was set for tonight, and though uncertainty gnawed at him, he was itching to train.

While making the bed, tugging the sheets with quick motions, Charles noticed something odd.

The hallway outside his room was dead silent.

Back as a Novice and Apprentice, there was always some guy barking orders, but now...

Nothing.

He opened the door cautiously, peeking out. The hallway was empty, not a soul in sight.

"Well, that’s new," he said, raising an eyebrow.

He closed the door behind him. Not having to deal with tedious tasks was a relief, especially with the duel looming.

He decided to take a walk around the Storm Clan, soaking in the calm.

The air was crisp, carrying the scent of wet earth from last night’s rain.

As he strolled a path near the training fields, he heard voices in the distance.

Two figures, likely clan servants, were chatting by a supply warehouse.

Charles didn’t pay them much mind at first, but one word stopped him: his name.

"Rian Cole? Yeah, they say he’s fighting two Masters tonight," said one, a young man in a white tunic.

"It leaked last night. Whole clan’s talking about it."

The other, an older woman with her hair in a bun, shook her head.

"No way," she said, skeptical. "No matter how talented, he can’t beat Master-ranks. He’s a Warrior who just ranked up. Bet he’ll back out at the last second."

Charles frowned, ducking behind a nearby pillar to eavesdrop.

’How’d it leak...?’ he thought, curious.

News of his duel shouldn’t have spread so fast. According to Nora, high-profile duels like his were kept hush-hush, and as a low-rank newcomer, no one should’ve assumed he was the fighter.

A suspicion hit him.

’Lira,’ he thought, clenching his fists.

She’d made it clear last night she didn’t want him to fight.

’Is she trying to psych me out...?’ he thought, annoyed.

Spreading rumors that he’d withdraw could be her way of pressuring him to back off.

The idea pissed him off, and for a moment, he considered marching to Lira’s room to confront her.

But before he could decide, four guys in black tunics appeared on the path, heading his way.

They were young, probably around the age of the body he inhabited, which Charles quietly appreciated.

The group stopped when they saw him, exchanging quick glances, like they were sizing him up.

One, a tall guy with short brown hair, stepped forward.

"You Rian Cole...?" he asked, curious.

Charles nodded, keeping his stance relaxed.

"Yup, that’s me," he said, shrugging. "And you guys are?"

The group exchanged looks, an awkward silence settling in, like they were trying to recall something.

The tall guy cleared his throat, breaking the tension.

"I’m Neymar," he said, pointing to himself, then gesturing to the others. "This is Joren, Rowen, and Soren."

Charles raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

Why were they all introducing themselves to him?

Before he could reply, Joren, a shorter guy with lively eyes, blurted out, "Hey, Rian... is it true you beat fifty Novices to rank up to Warrior?" His tone brimmed with admiration, though laced with disbelief.

Charles blinked, caught off guard.

"Fifty Novices...?" he repeated, laughing. "That number’s wild... it was like eight, and trust me, it was more luck than anything."

Rowen, a dark-haired guy with a serious expression, frowned.

"Rumors say you had a demonic grin while crushing them," he said, crossing his arms. "Like you enjoyed it."

Charles laughed, shaking his head.

"No way! I was too busy trying to... win," he said, scratching his neck. "Seriously, whoever’s making this stuff up has a vivid imagination."

Soren, the quietest of the group, finally spoke.

"So... mind training with us?" he asked, voice shy.

The other three shot Soren surprised looks, not expecting him to be so bold with the invite.

Charles blinked, processing.

"Train together, huh...?" he repeated, tilting his head. "What rank are you guys, exactly?"

Neymar grinned, stepping forward.

"Same as you," he said. "This whole floor’s for Warriors. Some servants are around, but it’s mostly for us. No one bugs us."

Charles rubbed his chin, thoughtful.

If no one was guiding them like in the lower ranks... who was teaching them?

Unable to hide his curiosity, he asked, crossing his arms, "What kind of training do you do?"

He wasn’t about to commit without knowing what he was signing up for, especially with tonight’s duel in mind.

Joren perked up, talking fast.

"We start with basic warm-ups: stretches, some running, stuff like that," he said. "Then we spar, but only with martial arts techniques, no powers. It’s for control and stamina."

Rowen added, more serious, "Sometimes we practice with wooden weapons, but only if everyone agrees. Don’t want accidents."

The explanation left Charles stunned—it didn’t match the brutal fight-filled image he’d built of this place.

Soren, still shy, looked up.

"Uh... could you show your explosive fire?" he asked, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Before Charles could answer, Neymar elbowed him.

"Soren, don’t be dumb!" Neymar said, frowning. "That power hurts him when he uses it. It’s not for show."

Soren flushed, looking down.

"Sorry..." he muttered, scratching his neck. "Didn’t mean to offend."

Charles smiled, waving it off.

"No worries, it’s cool," he said.

He studied the group for a moment.

Their attitude might be a front, but Charles needed to level up his system to unlock that new power function.

Training with them could help him understand the Warrior rank better and, best case, score new allies beyond Nora and Lira.

"Alright, I’m in," he said, shrugging. "Wanna see what the vibe’s like."

Neymar grinned, visibly relieved.

"Awesome!" he said, clapping his hands. "The training spot’s not far."

The group started walking. Joren sidled up to Charles.

"Hey... is it true lightning struck one of your opponents too?" he asked, voice brimming with excitement.

Charles sighed, rolling his eyes.

The last thing he wanted was that rumor spreading further.

"Not exactly," he said, meeting Joren’s eyes. "Just exaggerations. I won those fights by sheer luck."

Joren nodded, his admiring smile fading slightly at the words.