The cool relief of the potion spread through him, quenching the fire of his fatigue like a soothing balm. Though the pain remained, the drowsiness completely vanished. His mind, now as sharp as it was before he had drained his mana, was abuzz with renewed clarity.

Glancing at his status, he saw the timer: 23:08. His mana had returned to 120/120.

"Alright, time to get back to work," he whispered, eyeing his skills.

"Dark Blue Miracle," he casted on himself.

Immediately, the warm, dark blue flame enveloped his body. It flickered gently around him, radiating a calming heat.

"So this is how it feels..." he murmured, watching the flames swirl around him.

The last time he had used this skill on himself, he hadn’t paid much attention—his focus had been on the threat before him. But now, free from the urgency of battle, he allowed himself to savor the sensation. The warmth seeped deep into his bones, soothing his aches. The pain in his leg faded, and the lingering exhaustion melted away like frost under the morning sun.

He sat on the bed, feeling lighter than before, then opened his status. The weight that had been dragging him down, the curse that had gnawed at the edges of his sanity, was gone. Finally, he could breathe. His shoulders sagged, the tension leaving his body in waves. He hadn't realized just how tightly his muscles had coiled until now, the relief hitting him all at once. For the first time in hours, a genuine breath escaped his lips, shaky and fragile, like a prisoner released after years in chains.

"He got me good, that guy," he muttered to himself, clenching his fist.

"Next time I see him... he’ll probably think I’m dead. I’ll have the advantage. I just hope I don't run into him too soon."

After sitting in silence for a few moments, Mav stood, stretched, and walked to the window. He pulled back the curtain, allowing the warm afternoon sunlight to spill into the room, then stepped outside.

At the counter, Ana was seated, her head resting in her hand, lost in thought. The customer who had been there earlier was gone. He could see the faint signs of fatigue on her face, the way her eyelids drooped ever so slightly, and the tension in her fingers as she fidgeted absentmindedly.

"Sorry about the sudden bother," Mav said, breaking the silence.

Ana jolted slightly, startled by his voice.

"Mav! What’s up? You nearly scared the life out of me earlier," she said, sitting up straight.

"Sorry about that. I know you don’t just hand out potions like that, but... I don’t have any coins on me. The king sure is taking his time paying up, huh?" He gave a half-hearted chuckle.

"It’s fine," she replied, waving a hand dismissively.

"You’re not exactly a stranger anymore. Besides, I was paid yesterday—100 gold coins! I felt a bit guilty since I didn’t do much, but I didn’t argue. You should get your reward today. I told them your address yesterday, so expect it soon."

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"Oh crap," Mav thought, his heart skipping a beat.

"If I'm not home when they arrive, I’m in trouble with my parents."

"I gotta go then!" he blurted, rushing toward the door.

"Wait! Mav, tell me what happened earlier!" Ana called, stopping him just as his hand touched the doorknob.

"Nothing too big. Just got cursed by some Daimoniki," he replied casually, opening the door.

"Huh? What do you mean ‘cursed’?! Mav, wait—"

But before she could ask another question, the door chimed as he bolted outside, already heading toward the temple.

"Hold on. I should report to Father Organos while I’m still in the capital. Better make it quick, though."

Arriving at the temple, he noticed families pouring out of the entrance, the bestowal ceremony clearly just finishing up. He sidestepped the crowds and slipped inside.

In the quiet temple, he spotted Organos tinkering with a familiar device near the altar. Without wasting time, Mav approached him.

"Father, I need to talk to you. It’s urgent."

Organos turned at the sound of his voice. "Mav? Don’t tell me you ran all the way here again," he said, shaking his head with a small smile.

But his face quickly turned serious. "What’s the matter?"

"By the way, I’ve already reported what you told me to the Red Flame Guild leader," Organos continued. "He was the closest, and honestly, the easiest to talk to. They’re going to open an investigation once they’ve confirmed the disappearances."

"Actually..." Mav scratched the back of his head, "I’ve already taken care of it."

"What?"

Mav quickly explained everything—the battle with Maimou, Kastanos, and the stats he’d discovered. He left out the parts where he had nearly died multiple times, not wanting to worry Organos too much.

Organos froze in place, staring at him in disbelief. His hands stilled on the device he’d been working on.

"You’re saying they could talk? And... those stats. Exceeding the limits of flame affinity?" He shook his head, struggling to wrap his mind around it.

"I know unusual skills exist. You've shown me yours, after all. But these affinities? It’s... hard to believe."

Mav nodded, understanding his reaction. "Maimou’s dead now, so I can’t show you his stats anymore, but I can still show you Kastanos'."

He pulled up Kastanos’ information on his database. Organos stared at the display, his mouth agape, then stumbled back, collapsing into the floor.

"This... this can’t be real..."

Mav helped him back to his feet, both understanding and sympathy in his eyes.

"We can’t keep this to ourselves, Mav," Organos finally said, his voice trembling with urgency.

"This is too important. It could mean the survival of humanity. We need to report this—immediately."

Mav could feel the weight of his words settling in the air, like a storm cloud looming just above. The flicker of disbelief in Organos' eyes was soon replaced with dread, the kind that clung to the back of your mind even when you tried to brush it away.

He hesitated, glancing away. "But..."

Organos gripped Mav’s shoulders, forcing him to meet his gaze. "How about this, we'll only tell the Red Flame's guild leader. No one else. And we won’t show him your skills, just Kastanos' stats. He’ll know what to do. He’s the most trustworthy person I know."

Mav thought it over, his mind racing. After a moment, he nodded slowly. "Alright. I’ll think about it."

"Thank you, Mav." Organos’ grip softened.

"I know it’s a lot to ask, but please make your decision quickly. Humanity’s future could depend on it."

"I will," Mav said, stepping back.

"But for now, I need to get home. The king might be there by now, and I can’t keep him waiting."

"The king? What—"

But before Organos could finish his question, Mav had already sprinted out the temple door.

"I’ll explain next time!" he called over his shoulder as he dashed into the street.

He ran through the city, weaving between people and carts, until he reached the outskirts. Once he was certain no one was watching, he activated his skills and surged forward, his feet barely touching the ground as he raced toward home.

As the forest began to blur past him, Mav’s enhanced eyesight allowed him to catch sight of his house in the distance. A carriage stood nearby. Outside, he spotted his mother, Emily, her familiar silver hair glinting in the sunlight. Beside her stood his father, Nacht, both of them talking to a figure near the carriage, worry etched on their faces.

"Oh crap, I was too late," he thought, already scrambling for excuses as he neared home.