Nyx woke up feeling refreshed. After a long stretch, she got out of bed and bathed, slipping on the blouse and trousers adorned with Airy and Ori. She still wore the bracelet the Peacock had gifted her—it felt light and comfortable on her wrist. Suli braided her hair while Nyx ate breakfast: a hearty meal of meat, vegetables, and milk. She enjoyed every bite.

Drac approached her after breakfast, his expression as stern as always. "I have a surprise for you when you come back," he said, his voice gruff but warm.

Nyx’s eyes lit up. "A surprise? I can’t wait!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing on her feet.

Len, Ryu, Suli, Nabi, and Guerim were already waiting for her outside. As she walked toward them, Nyx made a decision. "I’m not teleporting today. I want to take my time and enjoy the day."

Everyone agreed, and they decided to race toward the Tiger’s territory first. Len grinned and began counting down. “Three… two… one… GO!”

With that, everyone launched into the air, streaking toward the east. Nyx was lagging behind, but she didn’t mind. She wanted to savor the moment—the rustling leaves, the smell of fresh pine, the crisp morning breeze against her skin. She felt at peace.

As she wandered, though, a strange noise caught her attention. It was coming from the west, closer to the Snake’s territory. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she quietly moved toward the sound. She reminded herself to just look and leave—nothing more.

But when she got there, her heart sank. A group of small, magical creatures were trapped beneath a large rock, their sorrowful cries echoing through the trees. Worse yet, they were surrounded by a pack of snarling, dog-like monsters.

Nyx’s breath hitched. What should I do? she thought, panic rising in her chest. She couldn’t just leave them.

Without thinking, she sprang into action. She summoned her Claw of Eternal and tried to fight off the monsters. Her strikes were weak, barely scratching their hides, but she wasn’t about to give up. She slashed and dodged, doing her best to protect the creatures beneath the rock. She was getting scratched up herself, but she knew her Restoration Mastery would heal her wounds.

Still, the monsters were too strong. Her energy was draining fast, and it wasn’t long before she collapsed to the ground, her limbs heavy and her vision fading. Just as the leader of the pack lunged toward her, fangs bared, she braced herself for the worst.

But the blow never came.

A powerful force swept through the clearing, sending the monsters flying. When Nyx opened her eyes, she saw the towering form of the Snake God. His silver-white scales gleamed in the sunlight, and his ruby-red eyes burned with silent fury. With swift, deadly precision, he dispatched the remaining monsters with ease.

Nyx lay there in shock, her chest heaving. Why did he help me?

The Snake turned to her, his voice cold and sharp. "Come with me."

Nyx’s heart raced. She hadn’t meant to offend him. "I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude. I won’t—"

"Quiet," the Snake interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Just follow."

She opened her mouth to protest, but when he began slithering away, she had no choice but to obey. She hurried after him, her nerves on edge. “I need to go to the Tiger,” she said softly, trying to explain. “We’re supposed to train today—”

“It’s been taken care of,” the Snake cut in. “You’ll miss today’s session.”

Nyx’s stomach knotted, but she followed him to his cave. When they finally stopped, he turned to her, his expression unreadable.

“Why did you do that?” he asked, his voice lower now, but still firm.

Nyx blinked, confused. “Do what?”

“Try to help when you clearly couldn’t,” the Snake clarified, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Nyx hesitated, then met his gaze. “Because they needed help. And… and I would’ve been fine either way. I have a skill that lets me heal myself.”

For a moment, the Snake didn’t say anything, just looked at her, his gaze intense. Then, something shifted in his eyes, like a flicker of curiosity. Without a word, a message appeared in front of Nyx.

New skill detected.

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Authority: Eye of Analysis – Level S.

The Eye of Analysis grants the user an enhanced ability to perceive and understand the world around them in vivid detail.

Do you accept it?

Yes / No

Nyx’s eyes widened in confusion. She glanced up at the Snake. “Why are you giving this to me?”

The Snake remained silent for a moment, then shrugged slightly. “Do you want it or not?” he snapped, though not as harshly this time.

Nyx hesitated for only a moment before nodding. "Yes, I do."

Congratulations!

You have acquired the skill: Authority – Eye of Analysis (Level S).

You can now perceive the world around you in greater detail.

A faint glow enveloped Nyx as the new skill settled into her system. The Snake watched her closely. “You’ll need to use it in conjunction with your Echo Vision to see clearly.”

Nyx nodded and activated the new skill, feeling the world around her shift. Though her vision remained cloudy, she could now see the Snake clearly—a gigantic serpent with shimmering silver scales and fierce ruby-red eyes. He was both beautiful and terrifying.

Her breath caught in her throat as tears welled up in her eyes. Overwhelmed, she stepped forward and hugged the Snake, her small arms wrapping around his massive form. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice filled with gratitude.

The Snake stiffened, clearly not used to such gestures. Gently, he pushed her back. “Enough,” he muttered. “It’ll take time to get used to it.”

Nyx smiled through her tears, wiping her face. “I’ll do my best.”

Nyx blinked, wide-eyed, taking in her surroundings with a fresh perspective. She could see. Every detail of the Snake's cave, every shimmering glint on the walls, and the fine, intricate lines of the stone floor—it all filled her with a sense of wonder she hadn’t felt in so long. A smile slowly spread across her face as she turned, her heart light.

The Snake, however, stood quietly, watching her with a mixture of curiosity and something else—something even he couldn’t quite grasp. Why had he done this for her? The question tugged at the back of his mind, but he decided to let it go, focusing instead on her training.

"You’ll need time to adjust," he said in his cold, measured tone, the soft hissing of his voice lingering in the air. "This skill is powerful, but it will overwhelm you if you don’t practice using it. Start slowly. Let your eyes adapt."

Nyx nodded, still smiling as she absorbed his instructions. Hours passed, with the Snake guiding her through exercises to strengthen her use of the Eye of Analysis. At first, it was difficult, but Nyx’s determination never wavered. She took to the skill with an eagerness that even the Snake couldn’t deny was impressive.

But after a while, her stomach rumbled. She blushed slightly, breaking the quiet atmosphere. "I’m, uh, getting hungry."

The Snake gave her a flat look, his ruby-red eyes flicking toward her before he responded. "You can leave now."

Nyx laughed, a warm, carefree sound that echoed around the cave. "I’ll be back tomorrow then."

"Don’t come back," he replied sharply, clearly unaccustomed to her warmth.

But Nyx, as always, paid no attention to his coldness. Before he could react, she threw her arms around him in a quick hug. The Snake froze, his body stiff and clearly annoyed, but she just grinned and waved a cheerful goodbye. With a flicker of light, she teleported back to Drac’s cave.

When she arrived, she saw Len, Ryu, Suli, Nabi, and Guerim all gathered, waiting for her. Their faces brightened the moment she appeared.

“I can see!” Nyx exclaimed, running toward them with excitement bubbling over. “I can see all of you!”

Their joy was palpable as they rushed to her side, eager to hear her impressions. Nyx laughed, her voice filled with delight, and began to describe each of them in turn.

“Len, you look even brighter than I imagined!” she gushed. “And Ryu, your eyes are like stars—so full of life. Suli, you’re so graceful and strong. And Nabi, Guerim,” she laughed, “you’re both adorable and energetic! You look exactly how I imagined, but better.”

The group shared a round of laughter, their spirits lifted by Nyx’s excitement. But then her gaze shifted to Drac, and for a moment, everything else seemed to fade.

The sight of him took her breath away.

Drac stood tall, his massive black scales shimmering under the light, shifting between shades of deep blue and purple with every movement. His sheer size was staggering, and he radiated a sense of power that made her heart skip a beat. But what caught her attention most was his right eye—closed and unmoving.

“Drac,” she whispered, stepping closer, her voice full of awe, “you’re... incredible.”

He didn’t speak at first, his gaze holding hers, as if weighing something in his mind. Finally, he smiled, just the slightest hint of warmth breaking through his usually stern expression.

"I’m happy for you, Nyx," he said, his voice soft but tinged with an undercurrent of thought. Something about the Snake’s sudden kindness left him uneasy. He would have to investigate.

Before he could dwell on it, a loud growl echoed from Nyx’s stomach, breaking the tension. The others burst into laughter, and Nyx blushed, grinning sheepishly.

“I guess I’m still hungry,” she admitted, laughing along with them.

Suli and Ryu quickly rushed to bring her something to eat, while the others teased her good-naturedly. As they handed her a plate of food, Nyx’s eyes sparkled with joy. For the first time in what felt like forever, she could see everything on her plate—the colors, the textures—and it made each bite more delicious than the last.

She ate with a smile that reached her eyes, basking in the warmth of her friends’ laughter. She was truly happy. For the first time in a long while, she felt whole.