The walk to the Academy's high-tier infirmary was a blur of white corridors and the rhythmic, rhythmic clicking of Seraphina's boots. Kaito leaned heavily on his broken practice sword, his breath hitching with every step. Beside him, Luna trotted with her head low, her silver fur matted with dried ichor and soot.
As they passed through the main hall, the usual chatter of the late-staying students died instantly. Necks craned and whispers hissed like steam.
"Is that... Kaito? Look at his clothes, they're shredded!"
"Who's that woman? Wait—is that the Crimson Valkyrie? Why is an A-Rank Frontline Captain here?"
Kaito ignored them. His focus was entirely on the back of the woman in front of him. Seraphina moved with a grace that was deceptively calm, yet every muscle in her back seemed coiled like a high-tension spring. She didn't look back to see if he was keeping up; it was a silent test, and Kaito refused to fail it.
They reached a private medical suite reserved for the faculty. Seraphina swiped her ID, and the doors hissed open.
"Sit," she commanded, pointing to a high-tech diagnostic bed.
Kaito collapsed onto the padded surface. Almost immediately, a pale green light swept over him.
[System Notification: External Diagnostic Detected]
[Scanning injuries... Internal hemorrhaging detected in 3 locations. Mana pathways strained. Fatigue: 94%]
Seraphina stood by a terminal, her emerald eyes scanning the holographic data. Her brow furrowed as she looked at the numbers—specifically his Intelligence and Mana density.
"Haruto wasn't exaggerating," she murmured, her voice losing some of its edge. "Your mana capacity is that of a seasoned B-Rank, yet your physical body is barely holding together. You're like a high-voltage current running through copper wires meant for a desk lamp."
She turned toward him, pulling a small, crystal vial from her coat. It glowed with a soft, golden luminescence. "Drink this. It's a High-Grade Mana Stabilizer. If you don't even out your core now, the jump from C to B-Rank will cause a permanent fracture in your pathways."
Kaito took the vial, his fingers brushing against hers. For a split second, a jolt of pure, refined Mana passed between them—a spark of Seraphina's A-Rank aura. It felt like ice water in his veins, sharp and clarifying. He downed the liquid. It tasted like ozone and honey.
[System Notification: High-Grade Stabilizer Consumed]
[Mana Pathways: Repairing... 15%... 45%... 80%]
[Fatigue Reduced to 40%]
"Better?" she asked, arching a perfectly groomed eyebrow.
"A lot," Kaito said, his voice finally regaining its strength. He looked at her properly now. Up close, her beauty was as sharp as her blade. She looked to be in her early twenties, but the depth in her eyes spoke of a hundred battlefields. "You said I fight like a rabbit. If you're my teacher now, what's the first thing you're going to change?"
Seraphina leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. The silver rapier at her hip hummed, sensing her shifting mood. "The first thing we change is your delusion that a System makes you invincible. You've relied on 'Blinking' to avoid damage because you're afraid to get hit. Against a Gold-Rank Behemoth, that works. Against a human assassin who can read your intent? You'll blink right onto their blade."
She stepped closer, her presence suddenly overwhelming. "Starting tomorrow, we begin CQC—Close Quarters Combat. No Mana. No Fox. Just you, me, and a wooden sword. I'm going to teach you how to feel the air move before a strike even lands."
Kaito felt a rush of adrenaline, but also a strange sense of anticipation. "And the Eclipse Order? Haruto mentioned them. If they're as dangerous as you say, why let me stay at the Academy?"
"Because out there, you're a target," Seraphina said, her voice dropping to a serious tone. "In here, under my watch, you're a secret weapon. The Order doesn't know you cleared the 6th Floor yet. Haruto has scrubbed the Rift logs. To the public, you simply 'failed' the deeper floors due to exhaustion."
She reached out, her hand lingering near his shoulder before she pulled it back, her expression turning strictly professional again. "Go home. Sleep for twelve hours. And Kaito... don't tell your family about the Behemoth. If the Order finds out where you live, they won't just come for you."
Kaito's expression darkened. "I understand."
"One more thing," Seraphina said as he stood to leave. She looked at the bag where the Unidentified Egg was hidden. "That egg... it's not a normal beast. I felt it devouring the residual mana in the hallway. Keep it shielded. If it hatches before you're ready to bond with a second creature, it will consume you to fuel its birth."
Kaito nodded, the weight of her words settling in his gut. He whistled for Luna, who stretched and trotted to his side, her fur looking much cleaner after the infirmary's auto-wash.
As Kaito walked out of the suite, he looked back over his shoulder. Seraphina was still standing there, her silhouette framed by the green glow of the monitors. She looked lonely, he realized. A warrior who had spent too much time at the top of the mountain.
"See you tomorrow, Instructor," Kaito called out.
Seraphina didn't answer, but a small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Good luck, brat. You'll need it."
Kaito walked through the quiet streets toward his home, the cool night air feeling like a blessing. The Void-Slayer Katana he had received was currently stored in his system inventory, appearing as a shimmering icon of a black blade with golden runes.
[Item: Void-Slayer Katana (Star Rank 5)]
[Status: Sealed — Requires B-Rank Mastery to Wield]
[Effect: 50% Damage bonus against Void-type entities. Inflicts 'Gravity Rend' on hit.]
Soon, Kaito thought. I'll be strong enough to draw that blade.
When he arrived home, the lights were low. His mother and Aiko were likely asleep. He crept up to his room, his body finally demanding the rest he had earned. He placed the Monster Egg on his desk. It was no longer vibrating; instead, it emitted a soft, rhythmic hum that sounded almost like a purr.
[System Notification: Synchronization — 16.5%]
[Estimate to Hatch: 45 Days (Accelerated by Combat Mana)]
Kaito collapsed onto his bed, Luna curling up at his feet. His mind drifted to Seraphina—her emerald eyes, her terrifying speed, and the way she looked when she spoke about the Northern Rifts. She was his teacher, his guardian, and perhaps the only person who truly understood the power he carried.
Tomorrow, the real training would begin. No more systems, no more easy levels. Just a boy, a Valkyrie, and the shadows that were growing ever longer.
Kaito Yamada
Level: 30 (B-Rank)
Current State: Stabilized (Mana Pathways 90% repaired).
New Item: High-Grade Mana Stabilizer (1 dose remaining in inventory).
Training Schedule: CQC Training with Instructor Seraphina (Starts 08:00).
The Unidentified Egg
Status: Feeding.
Growth Factor: Increased by 1.5% after the Behemoth encounter.