Not even a second after he started running, Mav realized how foolish it was to sprint without any protection. The wind battered his entire body, especially his eyes, almost as if it were drying them out. Dust and grit filled his mouth, and the wind’s roar was deafening. The enhancement of his senses from Dark Yellow Transcendence only compounded the problem. The pressure of the wind was so intense that he had to squint just to see ahead.

To make matters worse, accelerating caused loud booms and shockwaves, which completely undermined his plan to approach the capital stealthily. Mav had severely underestimated the effects of Dark Yellow Transcendence.

He halted his run and sat down on the grass, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. He realized he needed some kind of shield to protect himself from the wind and another to shield the environment from the disturbances he was causing. "My Dark Green Invincibility lasts as long as Dark Yellow Transcendence—10 seconds," he muttered, pulling up his status to review the skill’s description.

Description: Conjures a green flame that expands to envelop its target(s), rendering everything within its glow completely invincible to all physical and magical attacks.

"I’ve used this skill before to land safely from a high impact, so I know it protects me from environmental effects as well. However, it still created a crater and a loud noise, so it doesn’t protect the surroundings. What if I could control its expansion to create a double barrier—one for me and one for the environment?" He closed his eyes, concentrating. "Alright, let’s give it a shot. I only have ten seconds, so I need to focus."

He activated "Dark Green Invincibility" again, and dark green flames enveloped his body. He envisioned the first layer as a tight, protective sheath, conforming perfectly to his form. It felt solid and unyielding, like a second skin guarding him. "One barrier done. Now for the second one." With a deep breath, he expanded his focus. The flame radiated outward, forming a larger, translucent shell that surrounded him. Mav smiled with satisfaction. "I can’t believe it worked. I’ll call this Suppression."

"Dark Green Invincibility form: Suppression saved to database."

A box popped up in front of him, startling him.

"What? I can save this in the system? That’s incredibly convenient for the next time I need it!" Mav said, excited. "So, I can just say those words, and it’ll activate exactly as I want?"

Realizing he had spent too much time experimenting, he refocused on his mission to reach the capital.

He prepared to cast his skills again but suddenly remembered he had just used them. He pulled up his status screen, and his heart sank when he saw that both "Dark Yellow Transcendence" and "Dark Green Invincibility" were still on cooldown.

"Looks like I need to wait a bit," he muttered, sitting back down on the grass. As he waited, he mulled over his new discovery. The idea of combining "Dark Green Invincibility" with "Dark Yellow Transcendence" had worked better than he expected, and the potential applications were vast. If he could refine this technique further, it might open up new strategies for both offense and defense.

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"Imagine if I could create different types of shields or even barriers with this approach," he thought, excited by the possibilities. "Or even use it in combination with other skills for unique effects. This could really change how I approach combat."

As Mav waited for the cooldown, he glanced at the clear blue sky, the morning sun now high and warm. “I hope this works,” he murmured, feeling the weight of his mission pressing down on him. “The sooner I get this done, the sooner I can figure out how to get rid of that threat in the forest.”

After some time, the cooldown timers finally reached zero. Mav stood up, renewed with determination.

"Alright, let’s test this out," he said, brushing the grass off his pants.

"Dark Yellow Transcendence"

"Suppression"

The dark yellow flames enveloped his body, and shortly after, the dark green flames enveloped him tightly. Another, larger layer of green flame surrounded him, forming three layers of colors.

"This is incredible," Mav said, admiring the three layers of flames around him. "Oh right, the duration, I need to move quickly." he said, preparing to run.

When he started running again, the difference was night and day. He no longer felt the wind’s pressure or the sting of dust. No sounds emanated from him, and his enhanced legs no longer damaged the ground beneath him.

But Mav had another idea. "What if I shape the front part of my outer shield to be pointed, like a rocket or a bullet train? Would that make me even faster? Let’s see."

He focused on his skill, altering the shape of the shield. Instantly, he shot forward even faster. As he resumed running, the sensation was transformed. He ran silently and swiftly, feeling like a green-colored comet.

It took him only seven seconds to reach a small clearing near the capital. He stopped to avoid being spotted and began walking normally towards the gates.

As he approached, a guard stepped in his path. "Hold up, kid. You can’t just walk in here. What’s your business?"

Mav stopped, looking casual. "Oh, I’m just visiting the capital. My dad wasn’t scheduled to bring goods today. I hitched a ride with a merchant I met on the road."

The guard narrowed his eyes. "Really? And you expect me to just let you through? You don’t look like you have any official business."

Mav anticipated this. He pulled out a neatly folded letter from his pocket, his secret weapon, and handed it to the guard with a confident smile.

The guard unfolded the letter and read it slowly. His eyes widened as he took in the contents. "You’re a friend of Father Organos?!"

"There it is," Mav thought, a grin spreading across his face. "That’s right. And if that’s not enough, I also have this." He pulled out a small wooden library card.

The guard’s eyes widened further. "You’ve got a library card too? Alright, kid, you’re good to go."

"Thanks," Mav said, reaching out for the letter. "Can I get this back?"

"Sure thing," the guard replied, handing it back. "Go on in, but keep a low profile."

Mav nodded and stepped through the gate, heading straight for the Temple with a determined stride.