The bench creaked a little under their weight, sun warming the back of rlin’s neck. Nathan was still nursing his bruised pride, turning the water bottle in his hands like it had answers.
"So," Nathan said, squinting up at him. "Be honest. When you knocked flat the first ti—did you use mana?"
rlin stretched his arms over his head. "Nope."
Nathan groaned and flopped back like a corpse. "That makes it worse."
’He’s not wrong.’
The training field had mostly emptied. A couple of younger students still lingered at the far end, tossing half-hearted spells at a scarecrow target. An instructor sat under a tree nearby, chewing a sandwich and not paying much attention.
Nathan kicked at a clump of grass. "You ever think you’re gonna outgrow everyone else? Like, actually be alone at the top?"
’Already there, man.’
"I think I’m still catching up," rlin said instead. "It’s not a race."
"Bullshit. Everything’s a race when you’re stuck in a world where people rank your worth by how shiny your stats are."
rlin didn’t argue. Nathan wasn’t wrong.
A faint pulse vibrated through his wrist. His system. Silent, invisible to everyone else.
[Rathan Integration Rate: 21%]
[Warning: Physical Strain Threshold Approaching – Rest Recomnded]
’Yeah, yeah.’
He rubbed at his forearm. The ache wasn’t bad. Not yet. But it was constant now. The weight of power building inside a container that wasn’t quite made for it. Like filling a leather pouch with molten steel.
"Hey," Nathan said suddenly. "You hungry now or hungry in an hour?"
rlin blinked. "Now, I guess."
"Cool. Let’s get out of here. I swear, if I sll that academy stew one more ti I’ll throw hands."
rlin stood, rolling out his shoulders. "Where?"
"Street carts, man. Real food. Fried, greasy, with at least a 30% chance of stomach trauma. That’s how you know it’s legit."
rlin actually laughed.
As they headed toward the edge of the field, a familiar voice called out.
"You two done flirting or should I co back later?"
Elara stood at the gate, arms crossed. Her braid was pulled back tight, a bead of sweat still rolling down her temple.
"Hey," Nathan said. "rlin’s the one tossing around like a ragdoll. I’m just trying to survive."
"Mm-hmm." She raised an eyebrow at rlin. "And here I thought you’d gone soft since the whole... coma thing."
rlin shrugged. "Still kicking."
"Barely," Nathan muttered.
Elara stepped closer, her eyes flicking between them. "You guys sparring seriously?"
Nathan nodded. "Serious-ish. He’s holding back. Like, a lot."
"Of course he is," she said. "He’s been different since coming back."
rlin stiffened. Just slightly.
"Different how?"
"More focused. More... I don’t know. Sharp. It’s like you’ve got answers the rest of us don’t."
’I’ve got mories I didn’t earn and powers I didn’t ask for.’
"I’ve just been thinking more," rlin said. "That’s all."
Elara tilted her head. "That new thinking include teaching your friends so of those crazy moves?"
Nathan brightened. "Yes. Thank you. Say it louder for the people in the back."
rlin rubbed the back of his neck. "You want to learn?"
"Maybe," Elara said. "But not here. Sowhere quiet."
Nathan pointed at her dramatically. "You two better not ditch ."
"No promises," Elara said.
They laughed. rlin managed a smile.
They started walking again, the three of them weaving toward the exit of the academy grounds, their steps slow, lazy, comfortable. Like nothing had changed.
And maybe for them, it hadn’t.
But rlin could feel it every ti he moved, like sothing else was walking just behind his shadow.
Waiting.
Preparing.
Watching.
[Rathan Legacy Archive – 23% Accessed]
[Next mory Trigger: Proximity to Tier-3 Combatant Detected]
His jaw tightened.
’It never ends, does it?’
He glanced at Nathan and Elara, both laughing now about sothing dumb, sothing real.
And for a second, he let himself laugh too.
Because if the pain was always coming?
At least he wasn’t alone. Not yet.
—
Nathan stumbled back, dragging the flat of his blade to keep balance. His breathing was already off, too quick on the inhale, clipped on the exhale. He shook out his left arm, which was starting to twitch from blocked mana flow.
rlin didn’t move. Just stood there, sword down, shoulders relaxed.
"You’re still overthinking your footwork," rlin said, eyes flicking to Nathan’s rear heel. "You pivot with your hips, but your weight’s stuck on your back leg."
Nathan grunted. "You sound like the instructors."
"I’m worse," rlin said. "I don’t get paid to be patient."
Nathan managed a crooked grin. "You’ve never been patient."
rlin rolled his wrist, resetting his stance. ’He’s not wrong.’
[Notice: Passive enhancent—Mana Pressure Suppression—active.]
’I didn’t even turn it on fully.’
He moved forward again, slow steps, letting Nathan brace.
They’d been at it for over an hour. The sun was starting to creep through the high glass, pooling across the floor in long stripes. Dust caught in the light, drifting like it had nowhere better to be.
Nathan raised his sword. "Alright. No more excuses."
rlin didn’t wait.
He darted in, low angle, feinted left then spun hard to Nathan’s blind side. The strike ca fast—just enough force to sting without breaking anything. Blade tapped shoulder.
Nathan hissed. "Gods, you weren’t this annoying before."
rlin lowered the blade again. "I was. You just caught up."
Nathan turned, shaking out his arms again. "You’re stronger. Way stronger."
rlin shrugged. "Bit of training. Bit of luck."
He didn’t ntion the system. Or the hell Labyrinth. Or Rathan. Or carrying centuries of rage in his bones.
"Luck my ass," Nathan muttered. "You disappear for days, co back, and you’re folding in half every five minutes."
"Ten," rlin corrected.
Nathan snorted.
rlin took a few steps back, giving him space. ’He’s still trying. That’s the part that gets .’
Nathan had talent. He’d been one of the best back in the old rotation. Solid instincts. A little wild, a little slow to adjust, but sharp.
But not this sharp.
Not anymore.
’Twelve stars,’ rlin thought, glancing down at his own palm. ’I’m not even using a third of it.’
[Your current output is capped at 2.6% to preserve muscle integrity.]
’Right. Thanks for the reminder, system.’
Nathan stepped forward again. "One more round."
"You sure?"
"Yeah," Nathan said, rolling his neck. "Unless you’re scared."
rlin snorted. "I’ve seen things that make your hair look good."
Nathan scowled. "That doesn’t even make sense."
"It doesn’t have to."
They reset again. The sun had moved higher, and the air inside the hall was warming fast. rlin let his breathing settle. He could go faster. Stronger. He could push his mana higher, let the passive boosts run wild.
But that wasn’t the point.
’He’s still trying to catch up,’ rlin thought. ’And I’m just trying to not leave everyone behind.’
Nathan lunged again, sharper this ti. A better step. Tighter guard.
rlin t it cleanly. No force, just deflection. Like brushing dust off his coat.
’At least he learns.’
He countered. Not fast. Just enough. And this ti, he let Nathan block.
The blades screeched, edge to edge, mana flaring briefly.
Nathan grinned. "Got it—!"
Then rlin dropped low and swept his leg.
Nathan crashed to the floor.
"...Bastard," Nathan wheezed.
rlin offered a hand. "You left your front knee open. Again."
"Why are we even friends."
"Because I’m fun at parties."
Nathan took the hand. rlin pulled him up.
They stood in the middle of the hall, breathing, the fight paused but not done.
And for a mont, rlin let himself relax.
Just a little.
Just enough to pretend things were simple again.
—
Elara rolled her shoulders, shaking out her arms.
"You sure about this?" she asked, glancing at rlin, then at Nathan. "Both of us?"
Nathan shrugged. "He asked for it."
She turned to rlin, raising one eyebrow. "I don’t want to break anything. You just woke up."
rlin stretched one arm over his chest, feeling the pull across his back. ’They still think I’m the sa as before. That I need to prove sothing.’
"I’m fine," he said. "Just try to land a hit."
Nathan grinned. "Cocky."
"Confident," rlin said. "There’s a difference."
Elara cracked her knuckles. "Guess we’ll find out."
Nathan charged first. His form was clean—footwork solid, shoulders tight. rlin stepped back once, let him close the gap, then pivoted. Nathan’s strike ca in from the left, sharp and fast. Elara followed right after, coming low, palm open.
rlin dropped.
Literally dropped, legs folding, body horizontal for a second as he slid between both of them. Dirt kicked up around him.
’Timing’s better. They’re syncing now.’
He kicked off the ground, twisting back to his feet just as Nathan turned, eyes narrowing.
"You weren’t this fast before."
"I’m not the sa."
They ca again. This ti together, Elara leading with a feint, Nathan circling to flank. rlin let them co. Waited until the last half-second, then flicked a barrier out with one hand.
Just enough force to knock Nathan’s blade off-course. Elara ducked under it, a faint grin curling on her lips.
"Don’t get smug," she said.
"Wouldn’t dream of it."
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