Mav frantically waved his arms as the carriage approached. The single horse pulling it was enveloped in a soft, shimmering yellow flame. He recognized the enhancement skill immediately—an experienced flame user no doubt, but nothing too complex. Just enough to keep the horse going at a steady clip. He wondered if the coachman had ever tried pushing it further. To his relief, he slowed the horse, eyeing him with a mix of curiosity and caution.

"What's the matter, boy?" the coachman called out, his voice rough.

"Are you headed to the capital, sir?" Mav asked, trying to keep the urgency out of his voice.

"That's right. Need a ride?"

Mav felt a wave of relief. "Would you take me with you?"

The coachman chuckled, a smile breaking through his scruffy beard. "Of course. Been driving half the day alone, could use some company. Besides," he added, glancing at Mav's clothes, "you don't look like an ordinary villager. I take it you can handle yourself in a fight? Wouldn't mind some extra protection on the road in case we run into any Daimoniki. Those beasts can be nasty."

The coachman’s hands were rough, his fingernails caked with dirt, and a few gray hairs peeked out from under his wide-brimmed hat. Mav noted how his eyes, though kind, had the look of someone who had seen too much of the road’s dangers.

He smiled faintly. "You're right, sir. How did you know? I’m not even wearing a guild cape."

The coachman let out a hearty laugh. "You get a sense for these things. I've hired plenty of flame users over the years, and there's something about the way they carry themselves. You can tell by the way they stand and the look in their eyes." He gestured toward the carriage. "Hop on."

"Thank you, sir. I just came from hunting and injured my leg," Mav explained, climbing onto the back of the carriage, careful to hide his wince. "I don't have much affinity with the Blue flame, so I was hoping to find some healing in the capital. But don’t worry, I can still protect us, even with this injury."

"Well, that’s reassuring," the coachman said with a grin, urging the horses forward.

Mav settled in, his eyes scanning the interior of the carriage. It was filled with fresh vegetables, the earthy scent of them reminding him of his mother’s garden back home. He breathed in the familiar smell, comforted for a moment by the simple nostalgia.

"Why don’t you use your item box to store your goods, sir? Wouldn’t that keep them fresher and protect them from dirt?" He asked, his curiosity piqued.

The coachman shrugged. "I could, but sometimes when I pass through villages, people see the vegetables and want to buy them. It's easier for them that way, saves them the trip to the capital."

"That’s kind of you," he replied.

The coachman chuckled softly. "Kindness, maybe. But it’s good business too. The look of relief on people’s faces when they see my cart makes the long journey worthwhile."

Mav smiled, but the sense of impending doom in his chest tightened. "How long until we reach the capital?" he asked, his mind racing as he remembered the countdown on his status.

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"We’re not far, maybe two hours."

His heart sank. "Two hours? I’ll be dead before we get there," he thought, glancing at his status screen, 36:23.

"Is there any chance we could go faste—" his question was cut off by a chilling howl. He spun around to see a pack of gray wolves closing in on them, their eyes gleaming with hunger.

"Mister, I think we’ve got a problem," he said.

The coachman turned, his face paling at the sight of the wolves. "Gray wolves? Out here in the open fields?" His voice trembled with fear. "What in the Flame God’s name are they doing here?"

Mav frowned, his mind racing. "Are they drawn to me? Do they sense my impending death, like vultures circling over a dying man?" He shook his head, dismissing the thought. "No, that wouldn't make sense."

"Hey, kid! There’s too many of them!" the coachman shouted. "Can you handle this?"

Mav glanced at the wolves, calculating his options. "I could handle them easily," he thought, "but that would take too much time," and time was something he didn’t have.

He needed to get to the capital as quickly as possible. The coachman didn't know it, but Mav’s life was dangling by a thread, and he had only minutes left to cut it free.

"There are too many of them," he said instead, choosing his words carefully.

The coachman’s panic deepened. "Then what do we do?"

"How good are you at handling that horse, sir?"

"What? Why does that matter right now?"

"Just answer me."

The coachman hesitated, then replied, "I’ve been driving this horse for over twelve years."

"Perfect. Now listen carefully. If you don’t want to lose your vegetables, put them in your item box. Quickly."

The coachman blinked in confusion. "What are you thinking, kid?"

"Just do it! We don’t have much time!"

The coachman muttered under his breath but complied, waving his hand over the vegetables. One by one, they vanished into his item box.

"Good. Now, can you put the entire carriage in your item box?"

"What? Are you insane? I mean, maybe... but that would take serious concentration, and with the wolves right on us, I don’t think I can focus."

"Leave that to me. Just get ready."

"Kid, I hope you know what you’re doing," the coachman muttered, then moved to the back of the horse.

Mav hesitated for a moment, then called out, "Just give me permission, and I’ll handle it."

The coachman paused, glancing back over his shoulder, a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. "Alright, kid. Just make it quick."

Mav climbed up as well, carefully positioning himself as the wolves grew closer, their snarls filling the air. With a deep breath, he concentrated, and with a flicker, the carriage disappeared.

Small-Sized Carriage X1 Obtained.

The coachman’s eyes widened in disbelief as the carriage vanished into thin air. He blinked a few times, his jaw dropping. "What in the Flame God’s name—"

"You’re really something else, kid," he muttered, a mix of awe and wariness in his voice.

The moment the weight lifted, the horse surged forward with newfound speed, but the wolves adjusted, gaining on them again. The coachman gripped the reins tightly, fear evident in his voice. "Now what?! They’re catching up!"

Mav’s eyes narrowed. "I hope you weren’t lying about your skills with that horse."

"I wasn’t!" the coachman yelled back.

"Good. Hold on tight."

The coachman hesitated, glancing from Mav to the encroaching wolves. Doubt flickered in his eyes.

"I’ve seen a lot of crazy things on this road, but this might top them all." He took a deep breath, finally relenting.

"Alright, kid, I’m trusting you on this one."

Mav also braced himself, gripping the ropes tightly. He inhaled sharply, his chest tightening as he casted, "Dark Yellow Transcendence." The flames roared to life, dark yellow embers swirling violently around the horse, its muscles bulging with raw energy. The beast let out a startled whinny but charged forward, its hooves pounding the earth like thunder.