CHAPTER 108 — PERCY'S DECISION

The Council building's first floor was the mission hall.

Meeting rooms occupied the second.

And the entire third floor...

Was reserved for the Mage Shop.

The six friends stood side by side at its entrance.

Arthur lifted his head.

Looked at the shelves stretching to the ceiling.

Hundreds of items glowed in different colors.

Staffs.

Armor.

Necklaces.

Rings.

Core crystals.

And things whose purpose was absolutely impossible to guess at a glance, but which looked terrifyingly expensive anyway.

Arthur's eyes lit up.

“Finally.”

William scanned his emblem at the crystal by the entrance.

Numbers appeared on its surface.

CURRENT TEAM POINTS: 125,000

Their first mission had earned them fifty thousand points.

Their second had brought in seventy-five thousand.

Arthur rubbed his hands together.

“Today, I'm rich.”

William looked at him.

“We have a hundred and twenty-five thousand points as a team.”

“I know.”

“You personally have zero.”

Arthur's face fell.

“Why do you have to bring facts into every nice thing?”

“It's my job.”

Marcus headed into the shop.

Charlotte followed, looking at the shelves.

“Let's browse first.”

Arthur hurried after them.

“Let's look at armor.”

Charlotte didn't turn.

“I'm looking at healing items.”

“We can look at both.”

“Healing first.”

Arthur thought for a few seconds.

“If I get hurt, you'll heal me.”

“Probably.”

Arthur turned to her.

“Probably?”

Charlotte smiled.

“Keep walking, Stone Man.”

Arthur stopped.

“Don't call me that.”

“Okay, Stone Man.”

Percy and Clara brought up the rear.

Clara looked at the glowing stones on the shelves.

“It's huge.”

Percy lifted his head.

From outside, the shop had seemed to occupy only part of the third floor.

Inside, the aisles stretched deeper and deeper.

Some shelves had no visible end.

“Spatial expansion magic.”

Clara looked at him.

“They can do that?”

Percy checked the price of a ring on the first shelf.

350,000 POINTS

“Judging by the prices, they can do anything.”

Clara stopped.

“Is that a joke?”

Percy read the ring's description.

“Reduces Orin loss during use by two percent.”

Arthur called from farther away.

“How many points?”

“Three hundred and fifty thousand.”

Arthur's voice echoed through the shop.

“TWO PERCENT?”

One of the attendants looked up at him.

Arthur lowered his voice.

“Two percent is very important, of course.”

They moved a little farther.

Another item...

1,000,000 POINTS

William adjusted his glasses.

“What does this do?”

Marcus checked the description.

“Repairs the user's broken staff. One use.”

Arthur hid his own staff behind his back.

“Mine won't break.”

Charlotte looked at him.

“You sat on it just last week.”

“And it didn't break.”

“Because it was on the bed.”

“Details.”

The prices kept climbing as they moved through the shop.

A million.

Ten million.

A hundred million.

Then Percy stopped in front of a display case.

Inside was a black sphere.

The price beneath it...

5,000,000,000 POINTS

All six friends looked at it at once.

Arthur slowly turned to William.

“How many missions do we need to buy that?”

William calculated for a few seconds.

“Assuming we earn as much as we did on the second mission, approximately sixty-six thousand six hundred and sixty-seven.”

Arthur looked at the sphere again.

“What does it do?”

Marcus read the description.

“Offers a chance to rebuild a shattered Inner Core.”

Clara frowned.

“A chance?”

William nodded.

“It's not guaranteed.”

Arthur spread his hands.

“I pay five billion points, and it's not guaranteed?”

Percy moved away from the case.

“If you find something else that can rebuild a shattered Inner Core, buy that.”

Arthur went quiet.

“Okay.”

Percy continued between the shelves.

The others followed.

Charlotte looked around.

“What are we looking for?”

Percy didn't answer.

He turned right.

Passed another aisle.

At last, they reached a quieter section of the shop.

There was no armor or weaponry here.

Only crystals in different sizes.

Percy stopped before the central shelf.

Six small crystals lay side by side in a glass box.

The Orin inside them didn't move irregularly as it did in normal Core crystals.

Each spiraled inward...

Then unfolded outward.

Again.

Again.

Again.

William stepped closer and read the description.

INNER CORE ENHANCEMENT CRYSTAL

ADVANCED GRADE: EPIC+

AWAKENED GRADE: BEYOND PERFECT

CRAFTING LEVEL: INTERGALACTIC

UNIT PRICE: 12,500 POINTS

Arthur stopped in front of the case.

“We're buying these?”

“Yes.”

“Six?”

“Yes.”

William calculated instantly.

“Seventy-five thousand points.”

Percy nodded.

“We're getting them.”

Arthur's mouth hung open.

“We haven't even looked around the shop.”

“We have.”

“That wasn't looking around. We looked at prices and learned we're poor.”

Percy looked at one of the crystals.

“The items here are good.”

Arthur spread his arms.

“Yes!”

“Some are very good.”

“Yes!”

“But raw development matters more than all of them.”

Arthur's arms slowly lowered.

“No.”

Percy turned to him.

Arthur's face fell.

“I knew you were going to say that.”

Charlotte studied the crystals in the case.

“How are they different from normal Core crystals?”

Percy pointed to one.

“These don't take you to a new level.”

William read the rest of the description.

Percy continued.

“Every level you pass leaves power in your body and Inner Core. But you move on to the next level before claiming all of it.”

Arthur frowned.

“Meaning?”

Percy clenched his fist.

“Right now, when you punch someone, your punch produces a certain amount of force.”

“Yes.”

“After using the crystal, you'll punch the same way.”

Arthur listened closely.

“You'll use the same technique. Spend the same amount of Orin.”

“Yes.”

“But your punch will be stronger.”

Arthur looked at the crystal.

“How much stronger?”

“If you can bring your foundation at every level you've passed up to fifty percent...”

Percy looked at him.

“You'll feel the difference with the first punch.”

William nodded.

“So it doesn't just increase the amount of Orin.”

“No. It makes your body and Inner Core actually capable of carrying that power.”

Clara looked at her own hand.

Percy continued.

“Even when your active power runs out, that foundation stays with you.”

Arthur looked at the crystal again.

“If you'd said that first, I'd have given up on my dream sooner.”

Percy nodded.

“I wanted to watch you suffer.”

Charlotte smiled.

“My condolences, Stone Man.”

Arthur turned to her.

“Don't you take his side too.”

“Okay.”

A brief silence.

“Stone Man.”

Arthur closed his eyes.

“Patience.”

Percy stopped just before touching the purchase symbol on the display case.

“After the crystals, we'll look at staffs for you.”

All four turned to him.

Arthur's face changed instantly.

“I've never considered you my enemy.”

William raised an eyebrow.

“Ten seconds ago—”

“Don't dwell on the past.”

Percy looked at the staff in William's hand.

Then at Arthur's, Charlotte's, and Marcus's.

“Your staffs aren't as good as ours.”

Clara lifted her own staff slightly.

Percy continued.

“Your levels keep rising, but your staffs stay the same. Past a certain point, they'll start holding you back instead of strengthening your magic.”

Marcus nodded.

“True.”

Arthur was excited again.

“Armor?”

“Staff.”

“Sword?”

“Staff.”

“Both—”

“Staff.”

Arthur fell silent.

“Fine.”

They found Arthur's staff first.

The dark gray staff lay in the shop's defensive section.

Its shaft was reinforced with bone taken from a King Monster's rib.

Rather than stopping attacks directly, the broad metal ring at its tip spread incoming force across the entire defensive surface.

BULWARK'S OATH

45,000 POINTS

Arthur picked it up.

The moment it responded to his Orin, a translucent shield formed before him.

It didn't only cover the space in front of Arthur.

It spread to both sides.

Encompassed Percy, Clara, and Charlotte too.

Arthur's eyes widened.

“This...”

Percy touched the shield's surface.

“You're my shield.”

Arthur looked at him.

Percy ran a finger along the surface.

“But if you only protect me, you leave everyone else exposed. This staff spreads the impact across the whole shield. It's harder to break through a single point.”

Arthur looked at the staff again.

This time, the excitement didn't leave his face.

“I want this.”

Charlotte looked at Arthur from inside the shield.

“It suits you.”

Arthur turned to her.

“Really?”

“Yes, Stone Man.”

Arthur's face fell.

“I thought you meant the staff.”

“No.”

“That's worse.”

Percy took the staff.

“We're getting this.”

The second staff was for William.

Small silver rings encircled its slim, dark blue shaft.

There was no Core at its tip.

Instead, it gathered the movements of surrounding Orin.

SILENT COMMAND

42,500 POINTS

The moment William touched it, a small map of the shop appeared in his mind.

Shelves.

Aisles.

His teammates' positions.

Arthur took two steps left.

William tracked his movement even with his eyes closed.

“It doesn't show the whole battlefield,” Percy said. “It only combines the areas you or your teammates perceive into a single image.”

William opened his eyes.

“It can mark up to six people.”

“There are six of us.”

NovelPhoenix carries this author's chapter, but permission was not given for this copy; reading the published chapter there supports their work.

William gripped the staff tighter.

“I can send orders through the marks without using my voice.”

Arthur immediately backed away.

“Don't talk inside my brain.”

William looked at him.

“It can't do that.”

“Good.”

“But I can put a 'shut up' sign on you.”

Arthur frowned.

“Don't do that either.”

One of the little rings around the staff glowed.

A blue mark appeared on Arthur's chest.

It carried a single message.

SHUT UP.

Clara laughed.

Charlotte tilted her head.

“Really suits you, Stone Man.”

Arthur tried to pull the mark off.

“I hate both of you.”

Marcus's lips curved.

Percy nodded.

“We're getting this too.”

The third staff was for Charlotte.

Red veins ran around its white shaft.

The stone at its tip came from a King Monster's regeneration core.

WEAVE OF LIFE

50,000 POINTS

The red veins lit up when Charlotte held it.

Six thin Orin threads emerged from the staff and reached toward her teammates.

Charlotte stared in surprise.

“It links us together.”

Percy nodded.

“You can share your healing spell among up to six people. But that's not its main feature.”

Charlotte read the bottom of the description.

Her expression changed.

“It can distribute some of the nonfatal damage one person takes among the other links.”

Arthur spoke without thinking.

“Give it to me.”

Charlotte looked at him.

“What?”

“The damage.”

Arthur pointed at the staff's red veins.

“If one of you gets badly hurt, transfer it to me.”

He'd said it so naturally that...

A brief silence fell.

Arthur noticed everyone looking at him.

“What?”

Charlotte's grip tightened around the staff.

“I decide that first.”

Arthur nodded.

“Okay.”

Charlotte lowered her staff.

A small smile touched the corner of her mouth.

“Thank you, Stone Man.”

Arthur looked at her for a few seconds.

“The thank-you would've been nicer without the nickname.”

“Don't get used to it.”

Arthur immediately faced forward.

“I'm not.”

William moved one of the rings on his new staff.

Another mark appeared on Arthur's chest.

LIE.

Clara burst out laughing.

Arthur turned to William.

“Let's return that thing.”

Percy took Charlotte's staff.

“We're getting this too.”

The last staff was for Marcus.

Black and shorter than the others.

Its shaft had no ornamentation.

The small translucent stone at its tip had been made from the lens of a King Monster's eye, one with an invisibility ability.

BLIND SPOT

35,000 POINTS

Marcus picked it up.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Arthur waited.

“Didn't it work?”

Marcus disappeared.

Arthur's eyes widened.

A voice came from behind him.

“It worked.”

Arthur spun around.

Marcus stood directly behind him.

“Don't do that.”

Marcus looked at the staff.

Percy read the description.

“It doesn't grant complete invisibility. It draws people's and monsters' attention away from you. You can also briefly shift your perception to wherever the staff can reach.”

Marcus aimed it at the other end of the shop.

Closed his eyes.

“There are three attendants by the door.”

Clara looked back.

There really were three attendants.

Marcus opened his eyes.

“I'm getting this.”

Arthur looked at him.

“If you ever appear beside my bed, I'll kill you.”

Marcus set the staff down.

“You won't see me.”

Arthur thought for a few seconds.

Then turned to Percy.

“Don't buy him a staff.”

Four staffs had been chosen.

The Core crystals were ready too.

William added all the prices.

“Two hundred and forty-seven thousand five hundred points, including the crystals.”

Arthur remembered their balance at the entrance.

“We have a hundred and twenty-five thousand.”

Percy nodded.

“I know.”

“How are we paying the difference?”

Without answering, Percy looked deeper into the shop.

There...

Stood a glass display case on its own.

At first glance, the crown inside wasn't as spectacular as the other items.

It was made of thin white metal.

Six small stones adorned it.

Each looked dark.

But the moment Clara approached...

The first lit up.

Then the second.

Then the rest.

The shop's lights flickered slightly.

Everyone stopped before the case.

Clara looked at the description.

DOMINION OF LIGHT

100,000 POINTS

Percy's eyebrows rose.

“Whoa.”

Arthur looked at him.

“What?”

“Cool name.”

William began reading the description.

“Changes how those with one hundred percent light affinity use light.”

Clara moved a little closer.

“Changes it how?”

William continued.

“Allows light to be transformed directly into defense. Can create automatic protection against attacks the user cannot consciously react to.”

The smile left Percy's face.

His gaze dropped to the bottom of the description.

There was another feature there.

PHOENIX BOND

The user can form a distance-independent bond with one chosen person. The bonded person can be summoned to the user's side regardless of location or circumstances.

COOLDOWN: FIVE MONTHS

No one spoke.

Percy didn't take his eyes off the description.

Five months was a long time.

But there was no distance limit.

No obstacle.

No battlefield.

No monster.

Whenever Clara wanted...

She could call him to her side.

Arthur slowly looked at Percy.

So did Charlotte.

William's gaze shifted from the description to Percy.

Marcus said nothing.

But he understood too.

Clara stood before the case.

“It's nice.”

Percy looked at her.

Clara turned her head.

“What?”

Percy didn't answer.

Arthur cleared his throat.

“Actually...”

Percy turned to him.

Arthur pointed toward the Core crystals.

“We don't need those crystals.”

Charlotte nodded.

“We can buy the staffs later too.”

William looked at the crown's price.

“This matters more.”

Marcus nodded silently as well.

Clara's expression changed.

“No.”

Arthur looked at her.

“Clara—”

“No. We're buying six crystals.”

“Five is fine.”

“No, it isn't.”

Charlotte came to her side.

“We might never find something like this again.”

Clara shook her head.

“You heard Percy. Raw development is more important.”

Percy looked at them all.

“I understand what you're thinking.”

Arthur was about to speak when Percy raised a hand.

“After what I did for her...”

Clara looked at him.

Percy paused briefly.

“Yes. I understand perfectly.”

His gaze moved over them one by one.

“But know this.”

Arthur.

William.

Charlotte.

Marcus.

“I'd do it for you too.”

No one answered immediately.

The smile vanished from Arthur's face.

Charlotte gripped her staff a little tighter.

William adjusted his glasses but said nothing.

Marcus only lowered his head.

Clara was watching Percy.

Then her lips curved.

“Percy.”

Percy turned to her.

He saw that expression on her face.

She'd thought of something.

“What?”

“Technically, there's another reward you haven't collected.”

Percy frowned.

“What reward?”

“We haven't done another mission since the last one.”

Arthur nodded.

“We haven't.”

William looked at the points crystal.

“All our rewards have been credited.”

Clara folded her arms.

“Didn't your grandpa give you his emblem so you could get through?”

Percy paused.

“He did.”

“Technically, that counts as permission.”

Percy's eyes widened slightly.

William's head shot up.

They both looked at Clara at once.

William shouted.

“KING MONSTER!”

Everyone in the shop turned to them.

William lowered his voice a little.

“You killed a King Monster.”

Percy's mouth slowly fell open.

Clara smiled.

“You should collect your reward.”

A huge smile spread across Percy's face.

Clara backed away.

“No.”

Percy walked toward her.

“That's my girlfriend!”

Clara's eyes widened.

“Percy.”

“My girlfriend!”

Clara tried to escape.

Percy caught her around the waist and lifted her off the ground.

Clara went scarlet.

“PUT ME DOWN, PERCYYYY!”

“NEVER!”

Arthur started laughing.

Charlotte covered her face with her hands.

William shook his head.

Marcus looked at another shelf as though he didn't know them.

Clara reached out and pinched Percy's cheek.

Percy's expression changed.

“OW! WITCH!”

The moment Clara was back on the floor, Percy pulled her hair.

“Let go of my hair!”

“Let go of my cheek!”

“You first!”

“You first!”

Within seconds, they were grappling in front of the case.

Clara grabbed Percy's ear.

Percy wouldn't release her hair.

Laughing, Arthur turned to William.

“They're back to themselves.”

William watched them.

“Yes.”

Charlotte raised an eyebrow.

“By what standard?”

Arthur shrugged.

“Their own.”

Marcus watched the pair briefly.

“Their old selves.”

Clara finally released Percy's ear.

Percy let go of her hair too.

They looked at each other, breathless.

Percy held his cheek.

“You're ruthless.”

Clara fixed her hair.

“You shouldn't have picked me up.”

“You found me a hundred thousand points.”

“Not yet.”

Percy's smile returned.

“We will.”

He activated the Shiri on his wrist.

“Call Grandpa.”

A short tone came from Shiri.

The connection opened.

Holar's image appeared in the air.

Eleanor was behind him.

Sylvia sat in an armchair, drinking something.

Holar looked at Percy.

“What happened?”

Percy spoke without waiting.

“Grandpa, where's my reward?”

Holar frowned.

“What reward?”

“Mission reward.”

“Your mission rewards should have been deposited.”

“Those were.”

“Then what do you want?”

Percy raised his emblem.

“This one wasn't.”

Holar looked at the emblem.

Percy continued.

“Technically, I killed a King Monster under your emblem.”

Sylvia lowered her cup from her mouth.

Eleanor's lips curved.

Holar said nothing for several seconds.

Percy tilted his head.

“Doesn't killing a King Monster count as a national achievement?”

Sylvia started laughing.

Holar looked behind him.

“It's not funny.”

Sylvia nodded.

“It's very funny.”

Eleanor joined in the laughter.

Holar turned back to Percy.

“Percy.”

“Did I need a mission?”

Holar's eye twitched slightly.

“You threw me in front of three Emperors and fourteen King Monsters.”

Percy listened quietly.

“Made me clear your path.”

Percy's lips moved.

“Technically—”

“Technically, shut up.”

Arthur laughed behind his hand.

Holar continued.

“You walked toward your death and nearly gave me a heart attack.”

Percy's smile slowly disappeared.

Holar looked at him.

“And now you want a reward?”

Percy fell silent.

His shoulders drooped a little.

“Okay, Grandpa.”

Holar narrowed his eyes.

Percy lowered his head.

“If I run into another monster someday and die, I won't blame you.”

Clara turned away.

Arthur bit his lip.

William closed his eyes.

Eleanor's laughter stopped.

Sylvia's eyes widened.

“Don't...”

Holar's expression changed instantly.

“Percy...”

Percy tried to look even sadder.

“It doesn't matter.”

Sylvia turned to Holar.

“Your grandson has you wrapped around his finger.”

“I know!”

Percy lifted his head a little.

Holar took a deep breath.

“You little brat.”

A brief silence.

“Fine. I'm sending fifty thousand points.”

Percy's sadness vanished instantly.

“Fifty thousand?”

Holar looked at him.

“Yes.”

“The reward for a King Monster is the same as what we got for monsters that weren't even Advanced?”

Holar fell silent.

Percy shook his head.

“So that's why our nation's progress is so slow.”

Sylvia leaned on the armrest, laughing.

Eleanor was covering her face with her hand now.

A vein stood out on Holar's forehead.

“How much do you want?”

Percy didn't hesitate.

“Five hundred thousand.”

“Seventy-five.”

“Three hundred.”

“A hundred and fifty.”

“Two hundred and fifty. Final offer.”

Holar raised an eyebrow.

“You're the one ending the negotiation?”

“Otherwise, I'm going on a Monster Raid right now.”

Percy showed the emblem in his hand.

“I've got my emblem too.”

Holar leaned forward a little.

“Want to try your courage?”

The laughter in the shop stopped instantly.

The look in Holar's eyes had changed.

“The last one to display courage against me was an Emperor Monster.”

A brief silence.

“You know how that ended.”

Percy swallowed.

But didn't back down.

“Two hundred and fifty. Final offer, Grandpa.”

Holar looked at him.

Percy looked back.

They watched each other silently for several seconds.

Eleanor finally intervened.

“Just give it to him.”

Holar turned around.

“Stay out of it.”

Sylvia raised her cup.

“I say give it to him too.”

Holar turned to her this time.

“You especially stay out of it.”

Sylvia smiled.

“Two against one.”

“This isn't a vote.”

Eleanor folded her arms.

“Your grandson killed a King Monster.”

“If I hadn't cleared his path—”

“Did he kill it?”

Holar went quiet.

Eleanor smiled.

“Pay up.”

Holar looked at Percy again.

“Fine.”

Percy's face lit up.

The connection closed.

The number on the points crystal began to rise.

Percy drew in his chest and stomach.

The instant Clara saw it, she closed her eyes.

“No.”

Arthur covered both ears.

“Dude, again?”

William had already backed away.

Charlotte looked at them in surprise.

“What's happening?”

Arthur nodded toward Percy.

“You're too late.”

Marcus quietly stepped behind a shelf.

Percy threw both arms into the air.

“BOOOOOOOOOOW YEAAAH!”

His voice echoed through the entire shop.

Small crystals on the shelves trembled.

Every attendant looked at him.

Arthur uncovered his ears.

“One day, we're getting kicked out of this shop.”

William looked at the points crystal.

The number settled.

CURRENT TEAM POINTS: 350,000

William adjusted his glasses.

“Hey.”

Percy still stood there looking victorious.

William checked the calculation again.

“He sent two hundred and twenty-five thousand.”

Percy's arms slowly lowered.

“What?”

William pointed at the display.

“Two hundred and twenty-five.”

Percy looked at Shiri.

The connection was long closed.

“You damn old man!”

Laughter rose through the shop again.

All the items were brought to the counter.

Six Inner Core Enhancement Crystals.

Four new staffs.

And Dominion of Light.

The attendant calculated the total.

347,500 POINTS

William checked their remaining points.

2,500 POINTS

His face fell.

“We're poor.”

Percy shrugged.

“We'll earn more.”

Arthur held his new staff.

“Right now, I don't care.”

Charlotte looked at the red veins along Weave of Life's shaft.

“We can tell, Stone Man.”

Arthur turned his head.

“Tell what?”

“You won't put the staff down.”

“Neither will you.”

Charlotte looked at her staff.

Then back at Arthur.

“I'm a healer.”

“And I'm a shield.”

“A stone shield.”

Arthur took a deep breath.

Marcus slipped his new staff into his belt.

William examined the rings around his one by one.

The attendant handed the crown to Percy.

Percy accepted it in both hands.

Then turned to Clara.

Clara looked at him for a few seconds.

Then bowed her head slightly.

Percy carefully placed the crown on her head.

The moment the last stone settled into place...

The entire shop turned white.

A burst of light spread in a wave in every direction.

Arthur covered his eyes with both hands.

“MY EYES!”

William turned away.

Charlotte raised her staff.

Marcus's new staff could draw people's attention away from him.

It couldn't draw the light away.

Percy had closed his eyes too.

After a few seconds, the light slowly faded.

Clara straightened.

All six stones on the crown were glowing.

The light around her no longer merely rose from her body.

It obeyed her.

It formed a thin layer around her shoulders.

Then passed around her back and joined in front of her chest.

Clara looked at her hands.

“I feel so much better.”

Arthur blinked.

“I don't feel anything.”

Charlotte looked at him.

Arthur tried to open his eyes.

“Because I can't see anything.”

Percy stood before Clara.

The joy on his face abruptly turned serious.

“Establish the bond.”

Clara touched the stones on the crown.

“Okay, just wait.”

Percy kept looking at her.

“I need to understand how it works first.”

Percy said nothing.

Clara tilted her head.

“Don't look at me like that.”

Silence.

“It can only be used once every five months.”

Percy's expression didn't change.

“If I activate it by accident—”

Percy was still looking at her.

Clara sighed helplessly.

“Okay.”

She reached out.

Took Percy's hand.

The first stone on the crown lit up.

Then the second.

A white light passed from Clara's hand to Percy's.

A small phoenix mark appeared in the middle of Percy's chest.

It flashed once.

Then sank beneath his skin.

One of the crown's stones turned gold.

The bond was established.

Clara lifted her head.

“It's done.”

The happiness on Percy's face...

Was greater than when he'd killed a King Monster.

“Say it again.”

Clara frowned.

“What?”

“Say it's done.”

“It's done.”

Percy smiled.

“Again.”

“Percy.”

“Last time.”

Clara narrowed her eyes.

“It's done.”

Percy took two steps back.

“Can you summon me now?”

Clara looked at him.

“You're standing beside me.”

Percy took another three steps back.

“Now?”

Arthur covered his face with his hand.

William shook his head.

Marcus started walking toward the exit.

Clara folded her arms.

“I'm not using an ability with a five-month cooldown for five meters.”

Percy backed away a little farther.

“Ten meters?”

“No.”

“Twenty?”

“No.”

Arthur moved closer to Charlotte.

“He's going to talk about this for five months.”

William passed them.

“Technically, they haven't used it yet.”

Arthur's face fell.

“That's worse.”

Clara walked over to Percy.

Took his hand.

“Come back now.”

“The bond's established?”

“Yes.”

“You're sure?”

Clara raised her hand.

Percy protected his ear.

“Okay, it's certain.”

Clara pulled him toward the exit.

Arthur shook his head.

“She's wearing the crown, but Percy's the happy one.”

Charlotte looked at Arthur.

“If you ever care about someone that much, you'll understand, Stone Man.”

Arthur looked at her.

He was about to say something.

Then thought better of it.

“Walk.”

Charlotte smiled.

“I'm walking.”

The Second Academy's battle arena was empty that day.

The six friends formed a circle at its center.

Percy set the Inner Core Enhancement Crystals in front of them.

Everyone took their own crystal.

Before speaking, Percy looked at each of them.

“We're not using these yet.”

Arthur looked at his crystal.

“Why?”

“Because first, you're going to understand what you're doing.”

Percy held the crystal in his palm.

“Starting with Core 1, every level you've reached left a separate foundation in your body and Inner Core.”

William listened closely.

“Most of you are between twelve and fifteen percent of the power those foundations can carry.”

Clara turned her crystal over.

Percy looked at her.

“You're at thirty-two percent.”

Clara nodded.

“You're at fifty.”

“Up through Advanced 3.”

Arthur looked at Percy.

“Up through Advanced 3?”

A brief silence.

William frowned.

Charlotte lifted her head.

Marcus looked closely at Percy.

Clara turned to him with the others.

Arthur asked slowly.

“What level are you right now?”

Percy looked away.

“Advanced 7.”

No one spoke.

Arthur's mouth fell open.

William took off his glasses.

Wiped the lenses.

Put them back on.

Percy was still Advanced 7.

“When?” Clara asked.

Percy scratched the back of his neck.

“While fighting the King Monsters.”

William frowned.

“How did you pass four levels at once?”

“I don't know.”

William looked at him.

Percy shrugged.

“I pushed a little too hard trying to improve myself among the King Monsters.”

Clara narrowed her eyes.

“A little?”

Percy went quiet for a moment.

“I almost died.”

Clara's jaw tightened.

Percy reached out and took her hand.

“That was when I realized I could do it.”

Arthur still stared at him in shock.

“You really don't know how it happened?”

“No.”

Percy looked at the crystal in his hand.

“I'll tell you when I find out.”

William nodded.

“You reached Advanced 7. But your foundation...”

“Hasn't settled yet.”

Percy turned the crystal in his palm.

“I could level up again right now. I could reach Advanced 8.”

William narrowed his eyes.

“But you won't.”

“No.”

Percy gripped the crystal.

“Because if I keep going like this, my number will rise, but my power will be hollow.”

His gaze moved across the team.

“All of you will reach fifty percent at every level you've attained in the past.”

Arthur looked at his crystal.

“How long will it take?”

“I don't know.”

“Weeks?”

“I don't know.”

“Months?”

“I don't know.”

Arthur sighed.

Charlotte touched his shoulder.

“Be patient, Stone Man.”

Arthur turned his head toward her.

“My patience gets shorter when you say that.”

“You'll be a stronger Stone Man.”

“I'm not stone.”

Charlotte looked at Bulwark's Oath.

“Are you sure?”

Arthur hid his staff behind his back.

Percy suppressed a smile.

Then grew serious again.

“But this is a requirement.”

His voice hardened.

“When we face monsters like Halmea again, fighting in the same place won't be enough.”

Charlotte held her staff.

“We need to be stronger together.”

Percy nodded.

“Yes.”

Marcus raised his crystal.

“How do we start?”

Percy sat on the ground.

Held the crystal between his palms.

“First, we go back to Core 1.”

Arthur's face fell.

“The very beginning?”

“The very beginning.”

Clara sat beside him.

The others followed.

Six crystals lit up at once.

A dense wave of Orin formed over the arena.

But none of their levels rose.

The power flowed not outward...

But inward.

It found the incomplete foundations past levels had left in their bodies.

Core 1.

Core 2.

Then the next.

Each layer...

Slowly began to strengthen.

They parted ways that evening.

Arthur and Charlotte went in the same direction.

Arthur carried his new staff over his shoulder.

Charlotte walked beside him.

“Careful, Stone Man. You're going to hit the wall.”

Arthur looked ahead.

“The wall can get out of my way.”

“It can't.”

“Why?”

“You're stone.”

Arthur's voice came from the end of the street.

“ONE DAY, YOU'LL STOP SAYING THAT!”

Charlotte's answer followed.

“OF COURSE, STONE MAN!”

William examined his new staff as he turned down another street.

Marcus abruptly disappeared.

Arthur shouted again from the distance.

“MARCUS, STOP DOING THAT!”

Marcus's voice came from nowhere.

“No.”

Percy and Clara kept walking side by side.

Eleanor opened the door when they reached Holar's house.

Her eyebrow rose as soon as she saw the crown on Clara's head.

“It's lovely.”

Clara smiled.

“Thank you.”

Eleanor's gaze shifted to Percy.

Then to the gold stone on the crown.

It took her only a second to understand who the bond was with.

Percy looked innocently ahead.

Eleanor's lips curved.

But she said nothing.

Percy took their bags upstairs.

Entered their old, joined rooms.

The wall between them had been removed years ago.

Not everything was as it had been.

But both sides of the room still belonged to them.

Percy opened his bag.

Took out the black pillow he'd secretly bought.

Placed it on his side.

Clara's voice came from behind him.

“You bought it, didn't you?”

Percy froze.

Slowly turned to her.

Clara stood in the doorway, arms folded.

Percy stepped in front of the black pillow.

“Bought what?”

Clara leaned sideways to look behind him.

“The pillow.”

“No.”

“It's behind you.”

Percy looked behind him too.

Then turned back to her.

“Oh, there it is.”

Clara entered the room.

“You secretly bought a black pillow at the market so you wouldn't have to sleep on a pink one.”

Percy settled the pillow into place.

“You know I'll never sleep on a pink pillow.”

Clara tried to look serious.

“What has pink ever done to you?”

“It damages my reputation.”

“The great Percy Grant, who breaks walls and fights King Monsters...”

Percy raised an eyebrow.

“Go on.”

“Is afraid of a pink pillow.”

Percy looked at her.

Clara managed to stay serious for a few seconds.

Then started laughing.

Percy couldn't hold it in either.

They laughed together.

Percy began putting his things back in their old places.

Books on the desk.

Clothes in the wardrobe.

The black pillow on his side.

Clara helped too.

Like when they were seven...

They would stay in the room where they'd grown up together again.

There was no wall left between them to tear down.

Percy put the last book in place.

Then looked at Clara.

“Done.”

Clara looked around the room.

“You're back.”

Percy was quiet for a moment.

Then walked over and took her hand.

“I'm back.”

Holar and Eleanor were in the living room when they came downstairs.

Sylvia still hadn't left.

She set her cup on the table when she saw Percy.

“If you're here for the rest of your points, I don't have them.”

Percy looked at her.

“You too?”

Sylvia shrugged.

“You shouldn't have settled for two hundred and twenty-five thousand.”

“I didn't settle. He tricked me.”

Holar leaned back.

“Learn to negotiate.”

Percy walked straight up to him.

“Grandpa, I want to talk.”

Holar's lips curved.

“I'm listening.”

Percy raised his hand.

Began gathering Orin in his palm.

A small sphere formed.

Orin rotated in his hand...

But didn't disperse.

Sylvia's smile diminished.

She put her cup down for good.

Eleanor watched Percy's hand closely.

Holar's eyes narrowed slightly.

Percy held the sphere a few seconds longer.

Then extinguished it.

“You were surprised when I did this.”

Sylvia leaned forward.

“Because at Advanced level, you shouldn't be able to hold it that steadily.”

Percy nodded.

“I'm going to show my team how to do it.”

Holar didn't answer.

Percy continued.

“I also recently had an idea about Core enhancement.”

Eleanor's face grew serious.

“What idea?”

“I'm not entirely sure yet.”

Percy touched his chest.

“I'll try it first. Once I understand what it is, I'll share it with you and the team.”

Holar looked at him for a few seconds.

This time, he didn't ask questions.

“Go on.”

Percy took a deep breath.

“I want your permission to go on Advanced Monster Raids.”

Eleanor looked at him.

This time, Percy didn't look away.

“And later, King Monster Raids.”

Silence fell over the room.

Sylvia leaned back.

Clara stood beside Percy.

Eleanor had given permission for their first mission.

And their second.

But this time, she didn't speak.

She left the decision to Holar.

Holar looked at Percy for a long time.

Finally spoke.

“All right.”

Percy's eyebrows rose slightly.

“But...”

Percy's face fell.

Sylvia giggled.

“There's always a 'but.'”

Holar continued.

“After every one of you reaches Advanced 9.”

Percy listened quietly.

“All your previous layers will reach fifty percent.”

Clara nodded.

“Your elemental attributes will exceed fifty percent.”

Then Holar's eyes turned to Percy.

“Yours will be seventy-five.”

Percy's expression changed.

“Seventy-five percent?”

“You're the one asking permission.”

Percy sighed.

Holar raised his hand.

A small bolt of lightning formed between his fingers.

“I can see your newly emerging lightning attribute too.”

Percy's gaze dropped to the lightning.

His expression changed.

“It feels cold.”

Clara looked at him.

Percy's eyes remained on the lightning.

“His was like that too.”

Holar reached out and smacked Percy's head.

Percy held his head.

“What are you doing?”

“Lightning wasn't only his attribute.”

Holar pointed at his own chest.

“It's mine too.”

He pointed at Eleanor.

“And hers.”

Eleanor let a thin strand of lightning dance between her fingers.

Sylvia looked at her own hand.

Then at Percy.

“An element doesn't belong to the person who uses it.”

Holar nodded.

“What matters isn't avoiding an element because someone used it. It's mastering six elements.”

Percy didn't answer.

This time, Holar turned to Clara.

“You'll choose your new element yourself.”

Clara touched the crown on her head.

“Besides light?”

“Yes. There are many elements. You'll need to choose your own six from those that suit you.”

“How will I know on my own?”

“If an element is yours—”

“Darkness.”

Percy's voice sounded through the room.

Holar stopped.

Eleanor turned her head toward him.

Sylvia looked at Percy too.

Clara frowned.

“Darkness?”

Percy nodded.

“Yes.”

“The exact opposite of light.”

“I know.”

“How did you tell?”

Percy was silent for a while.

“When you hit Leon.”

Clara's expression changed.

Percy took her hand.

“The light around your fist went out for a moment.”

Sylvia's eyes narrowed slightly.

Percy continued.

“And your shadow moved before you did.”

Clara looked at her hand.

“I didn't notice.”

“Because you weren't controlling it.”

Percy laced his fingers through hers.

“Your anger didn't create the darkness. It brought out what was already inside you.”

Sylvia looked at the crown on Clara's head.

Its light still shone calmly.

“One hundred percent light affinity, and darkness...”

For the first time, clear surprise showed on her face.

Eleanor was studying Clara closely too.

Clara lowered her eyes.

“You paid him back for what he did to you,” Percy said.

He paused briefly.

“But what came out of you in that moment wasn't just anger.”

Clara held his hand tighter.

“I hadn't understood that.”

“It doesn't matter.”

Percy looked at her.

“We'll develop it together.”

Clara lifted her head.

The uncertainty hadn't entirely left her face.

But she nodded.

“Okay.”

Holar and Eleanor looked at each other.

This time, Eleanor spoke.

“Light and darkness are opposites.”

Holar continued.

“If you develop both at once, combining them later will be harder.”

Clara touched the crown.

“Can I combine them?”

Eleanor nodded.

“One day.”

Holar's lips curved.

“But if you succeed, you'll be much stronger.”

Sylvia was still looking at Clara.

“First, she'll need to carry both without letting them harm each other.”

Holar nodded.

“That's why she won't rush.”

Percy looked quietly at his hand.

A small bolt of lightning formed between his fingers.

Blue-white energy...

Crackled with a cold sound.

Clara's hand was still in his other one.

Percy looked at the lightning.

Remembered Leon.

Clara's abduction.

His helplessness in front of him.

Then...

He closed his hand.

The lightning didn't go out.

It was drawn inside him.

Holar's expression changed.

“Percy.”

Percy closed his eyes.

Found the lightning attribute inside his body.

In his Core.

In his Orin pathways.

Everywhere it had reached.

He didn't hesitate for even a moment.

He erased all of it.

The lightning veins shattered one by one.

Blue lights briefly appeared beneath his skin.

Then all of them vanished.

Holar stood.

“What are you doing?”

Eleanor's eyes widened.

“Percy, why did you erase it?”

Sylvia straightened in her seat too.

“You really...”

Percy opened his eyes.

There was no lightning in his hand anymore.

“I don't want this.”

Holar's face hardened.

“Didn't you hear what I just said?”

Percy looked at Clara.

Then turned back to Holar.

“I won't use what hurt her.”

Clara's hand stayed in his.

Sylvia looked at Percy for several seconds.

Then slowly turned to Eleanor.

Eleanor was looking at her too.

The same surprise showed on both their faces.

Holar was about to speak.

Just then...

That familiar voice came from the sky.

“UGHHHH.”

Everyone in the house looked up.

Sylvia looked at the ceiling.

“Was that it?”

Eleanor nodded.

“That's it.”

White text formed before Percy.

ELEMENT CHANGE DETECTED.

LIGHTNING ATTRIBUTE ERASED.

NEW ELEMENT: WATER

Percy's eyebrows rose.

More text followed.

LEARNING DIFFICULTY HAS BEEN INCREASED BY FIFTY PERCENT.

Sylvia looked at the text.

“Fifty percent?”

Percy's face fell.

A new note appeared.

WHAT YOU DESIRE CANNOT BE TAKEN WITHOUT PAYING A PRICE.

IF YOU ARE PREPARED TO PAY IT, TAKE IT.

Clara looked at Percy.

“Think.”

Percy didn't.

“I accept.”

Holar raised an eyebrow.

Even Eleanor looked at him.

Sylvia closed her eyes.

“Of course he didn't think.”

The text flashed once.

The water element began to form in Percy's Inner Core.

But it didn't settle as easily as his other elements.

Percy gritted his teeth in pain.

Still, he didn't back down.

“No matter how hard it is...”

A small drop of water formed above his palm.

It trembled.

Nearly scattered.

Percy held it together.

“Once I've done it...”

The drop slowly became a sphere.

“I'll have done it.”

He lifted his face.

“And it won't be difficult anymore.”

He looked up at the sky.

“You want me to improve.”

The voice didn't answer.

Percy waited.

One second.

Two seconds.

Then a small sound came from the sky.

“Ppppfh.”

Sylvia froze for a moment.

Then burst out laughing.

Eleanor joined her.

Clara laughed with her face hidden against Percy's shoulder.

Holar shook his head.

Still laughing, Sylvia looked at Eleanor.

“Is it always like this?”

Eleanor wiped a tear from her eye.

“It's been worse.”

Percy raised his hands.

“Stop doing that!”

The voice didn't return.

“One day, you're going to give me a serious answer!”

Still no response.

Percy stared at the ceiling for a few more seconds.

Then turned and went outside.

Stopped in the middle of the garden.

Looked up at the night sky.

Advanced 9.

Fifty percent in all previous layers.

Over fifty percent in elemental attributes.

Seventy-five for him.

And his new element would be fifty percent harder to develop than the others.

Percy raised his hand.

A small drop of water appeared above his palm.

It scattered after a second.

Percy formed it again.

This time, it lasted two seconds.

Footsteps came from behind him.

Clara reached his side.

Without a word, she took his hand.

Percy looked at the scattered water.

“It's going to be hard.”

Clara laced her fingers through his.

“We'll develop it together.”

Percy looked at her.

Clara smiled.

Percy's lips curved.

He raised his hand again.

The drop formed for a third time.

This time...

It didn't scatter.

Author's Note:

End of Season 2

Thanks for reading, friends!