"Stop it, Evelyne."
A voice of a woman's voice.
Hearing the familiar voice, Evelyne turned her head sharply.
Out of thin air, Professor Lysira materialized, a deep frown carved into her elegant face as her sharp eyes scanned the chaos.
Even Evelyne, a seasoned Six-Star Mage, immediately bowed her head with respect.
"Professor Lysira," she greeted.
Lysira gave a short nod, her eyes already locking onto Max.
"You know this boy?" Evelyne asked, picking up on the flicker of recognition in her mentor's expression.
"Yes. He's a new first-year admission at Saladors," Lysira replied, her voice low, laced with irritation. "I left him at Kemric's shop not long ago... and now I come back to this."
She paused, her frown deepening as she took in Max's changed appearance his longer hair, the dead calm in his eyes. The innocence once in them was gone, replaced by a distant coldness. Something darker. Something proud.
Arrogant, even.
"A new student in Saladors?" Evelyne echoed. "No wonder his talent is... so unique."
Lysira's voice sharpened. "And if I'm not mistaken... were you just about to attack my student, Evelyne?"
"Ah no! Please, Professor, don't misunderstand!" Evelyne raised her hands slightly, quickly explaining. "This boy… just now, he killed a man. Right in front of me and under my custody. I had no choice. He disobeyed direct orders and—"
"Killed?" Lysira cut in, incredulous. "Under your custody? Don't joke with me, Evelyne."
Her eyes narrowed.
"This boy doesn't even know magic. He's a mana virgin. I'm sure you can sense it. And you're saying he killed someone in front of a Six-Star Mage?"
"I know how it sounds, Professor," Evelyne said tightly. "But it happened. I'll explain everything, please let me—"
But she was cut off again this time by a strange feeling.
Both women froze.
They didn't know why, but something was pulling their attention back to Max. Like a silent whisper. A wordless summons.
Weird... they both thought.
Max's gaze slowly lifted this time, looking straight at Lysira.
Evelyne braced herself. Was he going to attack again?
But instead, Max raised a single finger... and pointed at her.
Then, without warning, he turned the finger inward, pointing toward himself.
And finally, both his fingers extended toward his own eyes.
Then towards her
As if to say:
Watch me. I'll be watching you.
Then his body collapsed.
Not all the way he remained standing, but his upper body slumped low, almost doubled over. His head dipped to his knees like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
"...What the hell?" Lysira muttered.
Evelyne said nothing, equally stunned.
But before either of them could make sense of it, Max's body snapped back upright.
He looked around slowly, blinking in confusion. "What... what just happened?"
He scratched the back of his head, glancing around like someone waking from a dream. "Did I die? Ehhh… no, I can feel stuff."
His expression was clueless.
He looked like he had no memory of what had just occurred.
He scratched the back of his head, blinking. He didn't know why, but his entire body felt alive. No more than alive. Like he'd just been blessed with a thousand buffs and chugged an elixir of immortality.
He felt stronger. Lighter. Almost… invincible.
But that high didn't last.
His gaze dropped to the ground.
And his smile vanished in an instant.
Lying in a pool of blood was the black-haired boy the one who had saved his life just moments ago.
"Hairnet…?" Max muttered, stepping forward in disbelief. "Ahh no, wait… what happened?!"
Suddenly, like a slap to the brain, memories rushed in getting impaled, tortured, nearly dying. And him. The mustached man. The pain. The fear. This boy… protecting him through it all.
Max dropped to his knees beside him, ignoring the sticky blood soaking into his clothes.
The boy's chest barely moved. His eyes were half-lidded, trembling to stay open. He was slipping.
"No, no no no… hey, stay with me!" Max said quickly, lightly slapping his cheek. "Look at me. Look at me!"
His voice trembled, but his mind was unnaturally calm focused, like everything had slowed down.
There has to be something…
And then, as if struck by lightning, a thought surfaced.
The skill. The one from that diamond chest.
"C'mon… it's gotta work," he muttered.
He stared down at the boy, his bloodied face almost unrecognizable. He looked back, barely conscious, eyes blinking sluggishly.
"…Forgive me for this," Max whispered, biting his lip. "But this is the only way."
He stood up, raised his fist… and aimed it not at the boy but above.
High.
"This is gonna hurt like hell…" he muttered to himself. "But it's for the greater good."
He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them with resolve.
The half-dead boy on the ground looked up, confused beyond reason.
A giant glowing question mark practically appeared above his head.
And then
Ding! Ding! Ding!
System Notification
---