Aeon's figure reappeared a few kilometers away, panting heavily. The fog-like disguise around him faded, revealing his proper form. His long brown hair cascaded down his face, and his sharp green eyes were wide with exertion as he struggled to compensate for the mana exhaustion wracking his body.

"Damn it,"

He cursed, clutching his chest and biting his lip.

He staggered towards a large oak tree, using it for support as he tried to steady his breathing. His mind raced, reflecting on the encounter with the young heroes. They were dangerously naive and stubborn, to the point where he had to over-exhaust himself just to explain a few more things to them.

He was far too weak at the moment to maintain the [Encapsulate spell] for extremely long periods of time, even if he had modified it to only be used as a disguise.

'At least this part is done. Although I wasted a majority of my vacation time doing this, at least I've set the future into a stable path. However, I don't know if it is a good path."

William sat there for a few minutes, trying to slowly recover his mana through meditation. It was only after an hour that he was able to get up, stretching his limbs in annoyance.

He glanced around, ensuring he was still alone. The forest was quiet; the only sounds were the rustling of leaves and the distant calls of birds. He couldn't afford to linger. There were other tasks to complete and other pieces to move into place. With a final deep breath, William set off towards a small, hidden cave nearby where he had stashed some supplies.

Inside the cave, he found his magic staff and a small satchel filled with potions and a few items. He quickly drank one of the mana potions, feeling the energy flow back into him. It wasn't a full recovery, but it would suffice for now.

Reaching into his satchel, he pulled out a small glass sphere. Channeling a tiny bit of his mana into it, it began glowing in a blue hue, and a voice could be heard coming from it.

"Will? Did you finish? I was worried those idiots would attack you."

William couldn't help but smile as he listened to the voice.

"Everything is alright, I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Okay, I'll be waiting."

Like that, the sphere stopped shining, and William placed it back into the satchel. He had already taken long enough to get to Baryngoria. Thankfully, Larjia was the nearest city to the dungeon.

Clenching his magic staff tightly, he began casting enhancement spells and also activated his aspect.

Soon, his entire body shone in multiple colors while his speed had increased considerably. Making sure all his items were tightly secured, he began running towards the capital.

It didn't take long before the city came into view, its towering walls and bustling streets a welcome sight after the solitude of the forest.

Upon reaching the gates, he slowed to a walk, deactivating his spells to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. The guards, recognizing his adventurer's garb, let him pass with a nod. The city's energy enveloped him—vendors shouting their wares, children playing in the streets, and the distant hum of a blacksmith's forge.

He made his way through the winding streets, eventually arriving at a nondescript tavern tucked away in a quieter part of town. The sign above the door read "The Wandering Blade," a popular spot for adventurers and mercenaries. He pushed the door open, the smell of ale and roasted meat greeting him as he entered.

Inside, the tavern was lively but not overcrowded. Groups of adventurers huddled around tables, sharing stories of their exploits and plans for future quests. William's eyes scanned the room until they settled on a figure in the back corner, seated alone at a table.

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Noticing William walking in, the figure raised his hand to sign him over, and William couldn't help but smile. It had been over a year since he had seen him.

William made his way through the bustling tavern, weaving between tables and dodging serving staff until he reached the back corner. The man who had signaled him stood up, revealing his tall, imposing figure.

His appearance was that of a battle-hardened young man with a few scars running across his face. Messy brown hair, almond-shaped amber eyes, and an angular face made him blend in with the other adventurers and warriors next to him.

"Adam," William greeted, embracing his elder brother tightly. "It's been too long."

"Far too long," Adam replied, his voice gruff yet warm with familiarity. "You look exhausted, Will. Sit down and rest."

William took a seat, sighing as he did.

"I'm sorry for making you go through so much trouble. As I expected, there were far too many people trying to manipulate them, even here."

"Honestly, I didn't understand why you wanted me to come here so badly and take care of those fools. Thankfully, there were many opportunities for growth here, and this older brother of yours is already close to the peak of the Aura Breathing rank. I might soon become a Saint."

Adam responded, shaking his head and letting out a small chuckle.

William leaned back, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Always the overachiever, aren't you?"

Adam shrugged.

"Just making sure I can keep up with my genius little brother."

William couldn't help but laugh at his response, but a strange sorrow couldn't help but engulf him at the same time. In the previous timeline, Adam had long perished, and his talent was never to be unleashed. It was obvious that the Virtu bloodline was far more unique than William had initially thought.

All three children were talented and intelligent, which was odd since their father wasn't someone from a powerful lineage and only acquired a noble title through merit, and his mother was the daughter of one of the merchant kings, who only acquired that position after years of work.

Adam noticed the fleeting sadness in William's eyes but chose not to comment on it directly. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, signaling a passing barmaid for two ales.

"So, what's the next step?"

Adam asked, his tone turning serious.

William took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts.

"The heroes are on their way to Anchorage. I've given them the first clue, but there's a lot more work to be done. There will probably be a lot more trouble now that the heroes have some knowledge about the matter."

Adam nodded, his expression hardening.

"I figured as much. The amount of people trying to manipulate them is far too many. I've already dealt with a few, but there's always more in the shadows."

The barmaid returned with their drinks, placing the frothy mugs on the table. William took a sip, savoring the familiar taste. He hadn't drank at all ever since he had returned to the past, so he enjoyed it quite a bit.

"I need you to stay here a bit longer," William continued. "Keep an eye on any suspicious activity and intervene if necessary. I'll be returning home tomorrow after I complete my tasks here."

Adam took a deep gulp of his ale, nodding.

"Consider it done. But you need to take care of yourself, too, Will. You're no good to anyone if you burn out."

William smiled, appreciating his brother's concern.

"I'll be fine. This is too important to let up now. Once the heroes are ready, we will be much safer."

William couldn't reveal the truth of his regression to Adam or his family, but he could still come up with reasonable excuses for his actions. He had already given Adam a briefing about what he should be careful of and how vital the survival of the heroes was.

The looming threat of the barrier shattering was far too dangerous and being too obvious would only bring them more danger. So, they had to make sure that they did everything carefully.

Adam was an unknown variable that only William knew. He had grown rapidly, and his aspect was slowly becoming similar to the Draconian Heroes [Transmute].

Adam raised his mug.

"Since you're going to leave tomorrow, let's enjoy ourselves today! Here, let's exchange stories; I bet you have some entertaining ones from that mage academy?"

William laughed, clinking his mug against Adam's.

William took a long sip of his ale, smiling at Adam's suggestion. He leaned back in his chair, trying to think of something interesting from his time at the mage academy.

"Well, most of my time there was spent in the library or practicing spells. I'm not sure if I have any entertaining stories to share."

Adam chuckled, shaking his head.

"Typical Will. Always the scholar. Come on, there must be something. Any rivals? Unusual spells? Interesting professors?"

William thought for a moment, then shook his head. He didn't really have anything interesting to share.

'Well, maybe he will be interested in knowing about Andrew or even Regina, but I'd rather not get him riled up, especially if I speak about a girl."

Adam looked at William with a hint of disappointment but quickly masked it with a smile.

"Well, not everyone can have wild adventures at a mage academy, I suppose. But let me tell you, the Royal Knight Academy was a different beast altogether."

He took a long drink from his mug before continuing, a nostalgic gleam in his eyes.

Like this, the two spent the entire day having a heart-to-heart conversation, catching up after a long time.