After a brief exchange, Joe stopped responding entirely.
He just stood there, staring—no, fixated—on the Golden Jade Seal in his hands, as if the rest of the world had been quietly erased.
"Hey… Joe?"
No answer.
I tried again, waving a hand in front of his face.
Nothing.
Not even a blink.
"…Seriously?"
I let out a small breath, lowering my hand. Up close, his eyes weren't just unfocused—they were pulled toward the artifact, like iron filings to a magnet.
'This is bad.'
I had planned to hand over the horns as well—let him inspect them, maybe even start working on something useful. If anyone could turn raw materials into something dangerous, it was him.
But like this?
'No chance.'
Joe, the man who would one day become a master craftsman, a warrior capable of holding his own against elite demons—right now, he looked like a kid who had just discovered fire.
Completely consumed.
"…You're really gone, huh."
I leaned back slightly, watching him.
