Still carrying Alice slung over his back, Arthur grunted as he forced the cell door open. The metal groaned under his strength before giving way with a sharp clang. Without wasting a second, he reached for Leclerc.
"Come on, we don't have time," Arthur said, breath short. "You're getting out of here too."
Leclerc stumbled forward, still dazed. Arthur hooked an arm around him, dragging him along while Alice's weight pressed down on his shoulders.
"Fuck, both of you are heavy," Arthur muttered, staggering slightly under the combined weight.
Leclerc didn't respond. He glanced down at himself, lifting an eyebrow as he eyed his stomach and limbs.
I'm not that fat… right? he thought, frowning.
The sound of boots slamming against stone floors echoed down the corridor behind them—reinforcements were coming.
"Move your damn feet, Leclerc!" Arthur barked, tightening his grip.
They burst into the main hallway, alarms blaring, torches flickering. Shadows of guards stretched along the walls, growing closer with every second.
As they neared the end of the corridor, Arthur spotted a large barrel stacked near the exit. With no time to think, he let out a grunt and swung his leg, slamming his boot into it. The barrel crashed into the gate lever with a loud crack, jamming it open.
Light poured in from the other side. The way was clear—at least for now.
Arthur didn't look back.
as they exit the building all they can see is that they in an forest
"Fuck!" arthur shouted before running again
Moments later, the three of them found shelter in a cave nestled between jagged rocks. The air was cold and damp, but it was safe—at least for now. Arthur knelt near a pile of dry branches, his fingers glowing faintly as he summoned a small flame.
A soft whoosh filled the cave as fire bloomed on the wood. The warm glow danced across the stone walls, casting flickering shadows around them.
Click clack.
The quiet sound echoed just as Arthur placed his hands over Leclerc's battered limbs. With a deep breath, he channeled his remaining energy, casting a golden light that surged through Leclerc's body. His severed hands, eyes, and tongue slowly began to regenerate, muscle and skin knitting back together.
The magic consumed the last of Arthur's mana—his vision blurred slightly, and a wave of fatigue washed over him. But at least he didn't have to carry both of them anymore.
"You... you can use healing magic?" Leclerc asked, voice raspy as his tongue finished reforming.
Arthur sat back against the wall, catching his breath. "More like regeneration," he said, wiping sweat from his brow.
Back when he was younger—around fifteen—he had to learn this spell out of desperation. Too many battles fought alone, too many wounds left unattended. In those days, he'd been weaker, barely scraping by. But the need to survive had pushed him to master something most people never even tried.
Leclerc flexed his fingers, eyes wide in awe. Alice, still unconscious beside them, let out a faint breath, as if reassured by the warmth.
Arthur stared at the fire, the flames reflecting in his tired eyes. His voice dropped to a whisper.
"…What is even happening right now?"
"I'm sorry… it was my fault, Arthur," Leclerc said quietly, guilt heavy in his voice. "I should've known taking the artifact would cost my daughter—and a stranger—their lives."
Arthur didn't respond right away. The fire crackled between them, the only sound for a long moment. Then, with a slow breath, he pushed himself up. His legs trembled slightly, his mana drained, muscles aching from the escape.
He grabbed his arm, trying to steady himself. His body felt like it could collapse at any moment.
I need to work out, he thought grimly. If I want to survive, I can't let myself stay this weak. My core's stuck—if I don't build my strength now, it'll never grow.
Froop.
A small flame flickered to life in his palm, lighting his path. He turned toward the mouth of the cave, each step sluggish but determined.
Leclerc raised his head. "Where are you going?" he asked, still seated by the fire.
Arthur didn't look back.
"Train," he answered simply, walking into the cold night with nothing but the fire in his hand and resolve in his heart.
Outside the cave, beneath a sky veiled by mist and moonlight, Arthur stood barefoot on the cold earth. The air was crisp, biting at his skin, but he didn't care.
He took a deep breath and began to move.
His feet pounded the ground in steady rhythm, each step echoing faintly across the sleeping forest. He wasn't just running—he was awakening something. This wasn't for speed or stamina. It was for flow.
Cardio strengthens the legs—and more importantly, the Vrutj.
The Vrutj, known more commonly as mana veins, ran like hidden rivers throughout the body, guiding energy from the core to every limb. Without healthy veins, magic was sluggish, spells delayed, and aura dulled. Tight Vrutj meant tight flow—like trying to pour a flood through a straw.
Arthur remembered what the old warrior-mage once told him:"Train your legs, and your mana will follow. A strong body is a strong channel."
So that's what he did. He trained.
Lap after lap through the uneven terrain. Knees high. Breathing sharp. Sweat stinging his eyes. His muscles burned, his lungs cried out, and still he pushed forward.
Faster veins, faster cast time.Better flow, stronger aura.Stability, control, power—all begin in the body.
Of course, the Vrutj had a limit. Training legs could only take him so far. To strengthen the core was to touch the core of mana itself. And training the full body? That's what enhanced aura rings—those elusive, invisible circles that determined how much raw magical force one could channel at once.
But that would come later.
Right now, Arthur was focused on step one: fixing his flow.
No spells. No swords. Just sweat, breath, and the steady thump of determination in his chest.
He would not stay weak.
Not again.
'ah crap I need to kill something' arthur said on his mind