Chapter 87
Nille and Lin Yue finally arrived at the clinic after walking through the busy streets of the main city's shopping district.
The place looked different from a normal animal clinic.
It was built between crowded stalls and noisy vendors at a bustling flea market, yet the moment they stepped closer, the atmosphere shifted slightly, calmer, more grounded, almost as if the space resisted the chaos around it.
At the entrance stood the clinic's caretaker.
A man named Jose Cruz.
But he was not ordinary.
Inside him resided a guardian anito, Lampong, a spirit tied to wild animals and forest life. It was said that Lampong did not simply protect creatures, but also guided hunters and travelers who showed respect toward nature rather than destruction.
Jose Cruz himself was once a Filipino farmer before his life changed completely. After graduating from the Shamanic Institute of Veiled Origins at Yamatai Island, he became both a veterinary healer and a spiritual vessel, allowing Lampong to act through him when needed.
As Nille stepped closer, Jose's gaze briefly sharpened, not hostile, but observant, as if something within him recognized the small life Nille was carrying.
Lin gently spoke.
"We need help for this kitten."
Jose nodded once.
"Bring it inside."
Inside the clinic, the environment was quiet but filled with subtle spiritual presence. Herbs, talismans, and containment charms lined the walls, mixed with medical tools and veterinary supplies.
Jose carefully examined the kitten while Lampong's presence subtly influenced the air around them, stabilizing weak life forces.
Outside, through the clinic windows, the distant direction of Sector 3 could be seen.
A place known as The Hundred-Vine Knot Tree Domain.
A land where ancient plant entities ruled and fought in an endless cycle of dominance and survival.
Dryads and Treants, two of the only truly sentient plant beings, tried to maintain balance within the region.
But the rest were far more dangerous.
The Yateveo, a parasitic flesh-eating tree with tentacle-like limbs, capable of paralyzing anything that came too close.
And the Jubokko, a blood-soaked tree that grew stronger from the remains of battles.
These four entities shaped Sector 3's unstable ecosystem, locked in an eternal conflict where survival itself became the only law.
Only Dryads and Treants could be reasoned with.
The rest responded to instinct and hunger.
However, scattered throughout Sector 3 were rare neutral and medicinal plant entities that did not participate in the violence. These beings survived by healing rather than attacking.
Among them was the Mandrake Bloom, used in spiritual medicine despite its dangerous cry when disturbed. In calmer zones grew the Lotus of Nirvana, which stabilized spiritual energy and reduced corruption.
Along riverbeds appeared the Ginseng Root Spirit, known for restoring stamina and internal injuries. In safer clearings, the Healing Aloe Sentinel produced healing sap that neutralized toxins and minor curses.
High in the canopy, drifting petals of the Sakura Spirit Blossom released calming pollen that eased aggression and mental strain.
These entities formed a hidden layer of Sector 3, life that survived not through violence, but through healing and balance.
Back inside the clinic, Jose gently placed his hands over the kitten.
Lampong's presence flared softly, not aggressive, but protective.
"It's weak… but it's still holding on," Jose said calmly.
Lin exhaled in relief.
Nille stayed quiet, watching carefully.
The kitten twitched slightly as warmth slowly returned to its body.
For a moment, the noise of the outside market, the distant danger of Sector 3, and the complexity of the world all faded into the background.
Inside the clinic, there was only a small fragile life being pulled back from the edge—
and the quiet decision of those willing to help it survive.
Jose Cruz carefully continued examining the small creature while Lampong's spiritual presence moved subtly around the room like a silent forest wind.
At first glance, it looked like nothing more than a weak stray kitten.
But after several moments, Jose's expression slowly changed.
Lampong had already identified what it truly was.
"This isn't a normal cat," Jose said quietly.
Lin looked surprised.
Nille immediately focused on him.
Jose gently lifted the small creature while faint green markings briefly flickered across his arms—the sign of Lampong actively synchronizing with his senses.
"It's a Lakivot."
A brief silence followed.
"And it should not even be here."
Nille frowned slightly.
Jose carefully explained.
"Among the Bagobo people, Lakivot are known as powerful spirit beasts resembling giant palm civets. They're territorial creatures tied closely to deep forests and spiritual zones near the Philippine sea territories."
He glanced again at the tiny weakened creature.
"But this one…"
"It's still a newborn."
The small Lakivot weakly shifted beneath the cloth covering it.
Jose's expression became more serious afterward.
"It's dying because of a curse."
Lin's eyes narrowed slightly.
"A curse?"
Jose nodded.
"Something attacked it spiritually."
"Normally, a newborn Lakivot wouldn't survive this kind of damage."
Lampong's presence stirred faintly around the room.
"But for some unknown reason… it endured."
Nille quietly looked at the small creature resting weakly on the table.
Something about those words strangely resonated with him.
Enduring despite not being meant to survive.
Jose then sighed softly.
"Honestly… I'm reluctant to even interfere."
He crossed his arms.
"These creatures belong far from this island. If one appeared here naturally, then something unusual already happened."
But after a moment, Jose shook his head.
"Still… I'll help it."
Then his gaze shifted directly toward Nille.
"Tell me honestly."
"Have you already formed a bond with it?"
Nille immediately shook his head.
"No."
"I only found it outside my rented dorm room this morning."
Jose nodded slowly before speaking again.
"Then do it now."
Nille blinked once.
Jose continued calmly.
"Give it a name."
"A single drop of your blood."
"And establish a spiritual acknowledgment."
He looked at the weak Lakivot.
"Otherwise, it may die before its spirit stabilizes."
Lin quietly stood beside Nille as Jose prepared a small ritual bowl made from carved wood and ash markings.
Lampong's energy slowly filled the room with a faint scent of rain and forest leaves.
Jose motioned toward the creature.
"Names matter."
"Spiritual beings respond to identity."
"Once acknowledged, it will recognize you as its anchor."
Nille stared silently at the small Lakivot for several seconds.
Then his eyes softened slightly.
"Luna."
Lin looked at him quietly.
Jose raised an eyebrow.
"Why that name?"
Nille lowered his gaze toward the creature.
"I once help a stray cat , that I always have coincidental encounters with it many time, so i just named it Luna when I was younger."
A faint smile appeared briefly.
"She stayed and came out from no where and help me during difficult times. in the past"
His fingers gently brushed the newborn Lakivot's head.
"And… this one somehow reminds me of her."
Not because they looked alike.
But because of the strange feeling of comfort it brought simply by being there.
Jose slowly nodded.
"Then the spirit accepts the meaning behind the name."
The ritual began shortly afterward.
Jose placed the small wooden bowl between Nille and the newborn Lakivot while Lampong's spiritual aura surrounded the area in silence.
"Place your hand above it," Jose instructed.
Nille followed quietly.
Jose handed him a small needle crafted from sharpened bone.
"One drop only."
Nille pricked his fingertip and allowed a small drop of blood to fall gently onto the Lakivot's forehead.
The reaction was immediate.
The blood did not drip away.
Instead, it dissolved into faint glowing particles that spread briefly across the creature's small body before fading beneath its fur.
Lampong's presence stirred strongly for a moment.
Then Jose spoke the final step calmly.
"Speak its name."
Nille gently lowered his hand over the creature.
"Luna."
The newborn Lakivot weakly opened its eyes for the first time.
Soft silver pupils stared directly at him.
And somewhere deep within the bond, something fragile quietly recognized him in return.
Nille and Lin Yue remained inside the clinic while Jose Cruz carefully continued treating Luna's weak body.
The small Lakivot rested inside a woven basket lined with warm cloth and spiritual herbs while Lampong's presence quietly stabilized the curse damage lingering inside the creature.
The clinic itself felt peaceful despite the crowded market outside.
Guāi rested calmly on a wooden perch nearby while Lin and Nille sat beside one of the old wooden tables, casually talking as Jose worked.
After a while, Nille spoke.
"Lin… are students allowed to go home?"
Lin glanced toward him.
"Sometimes."
She leaned slightly against the chair.
"I heard there were cases before where students lost family members or had emergencies outside the island."
"If the reason is valid enough, the academy allows temporary return requests."
Nille quietly listened.
Lin continued.
"Outside communication is allowed too."
"Letters, calls, and messages."
Then she gave a faint amused smile.
"But it's expensive."
"Ten points per minute for direct communication."
Nille slightly raised an eyebrow.
"That much?"
Lin nodded.
"Points are the real currency inside the academy."
"Money is mostly for personal items outside school grounds—food, supplies, clothes, and things from the market district."
"But inside the academy itself…"
She shrugged lightly.
"Everything important runs on points."
Nille leaned back slightly in thought before asking another question.
"Were there students before who tried escaping using mystic arts or awakened abilities?"
This time, Lin immediately answered.
"Yes."
But her expression became more serious afterward.
"The island's defense system activates the moment someone tries bypassing the authorized routes."
Nille stayed silent.
Lin continued carefully.
"You can leave the island that way…"
"But once you do, you lose access permanently."
"The barrier system marks you as unauthorized afterward."
"Meaning you can never enter again."
That explanation caused Nille to quietly think deeper about the island's structure.
Then Jose suddenly joined the conversation while preparing medicine beside Luna.
"She's telling the truth."
The older man chuckled lightly.
"I graduated from this academy myself."
Nille looked toward him.
Jose casually continued working while speaking.
"But unlike most people, I decided to stay here permanently."
He smiled faintly.
"I was already an orphan anyway."
"And honestly?"
"The money here is much better than outside."
Lin laughed quietly at his blunt honesty.
Jose continued.
"That's why they mainly use dollars here."
"It's easier for international transactions."
"Though Euros are accepted too."
He carefully adjusted one of the spiritual seals near Luna.
"There are other hidden institutes besides this island."
Nille immediately focused on him again.
Jose nodded.
"The European branch exists in England."
"Hidden near Wyming Brook Nature Reserve in Sheffield, South Yorkshire."
Lin looked mildly surprised hearing him mention it so openly.
Jose casually continued.
"Its official name is"
The Avalon Institute of Veiled Origins.
A brief silence followed afterward.
Then Jose smiled faintly.
"Compared to Yamatai…"
"Those Europeans prefer quieter methods."
Outside the clinic, the market noise continued normally.
But inside, Nille slowly realized something important:
Yamatai Island was not the center of the supernatural world.
Jose Cruz gave a faint laugh after hearing Nille's question.
He continued arranging medicinal herbs beside Luna while speaking casually, almost like an older graduate giving advice to younger students.
"There are many academies like this one hidden around the world," Jose explained.
"Different regions. Different cultures. Same rules."
He glanced briefly toward Nille.
"Unauthorized exit means permanent loss of access."
"Once the system marks you as someone who bypassed academy law, every linked institution recognizes it."
Nille stayed thoughtful for a moment before asking another question.
"Were there any records of students returning anyway?"
"Like… forcing their way back and getting detained by academy security?"
Lin slightly looked toward him after hearing that.
Jose, however, answered almost too casually.
"Planning to leave?"
Nille didn't answer immediately.
That alone made Jose smirk faintly.
The older man leaned back slightly in his chair before continuing.
"Every academy like this has security officers."
"You just never notice them."
Lin quietly listened while Jose explained further.
"The guards students usually see near the sectors?"
"Those are mostly there to prevent unauthorized people from entering the academy zones."
"these are the non Academy students or personel "
"They aren't the real internal security force."
Nille's eyes narrowed slightly.
Jose pointed upward casually.
"The real ones monitor everything quietly."
"Movement patterns."
"Spatial distortions."
"Forbidden rituals."
"Unauthorized awakenings."
"Smuggling."
"Illegal exits."
He chuckled once.
"Trust me, if they openly walked around in uniforms all day, half the academy would constantly panic."
Lin crossed her arms slightly.
"So… what happens if someone returns after escaping?"
Jose's expression became calmer.
"Depends on the situation."
"Some are detained."
"Some disappear."
"Some are questioned for months."
Then he looked directly at Nille.
"And some are never officially acknowledged again."
The atmosphere briefly became quieter after that statement.
Jose sighed lightly before continuing in a more neutral tone.
"But there are rumors."
Nille listened carefully.
"A few students throughout history supposedly managed to return without triggering the system properly."
"No official records."
"No names."
"Just stories."
He tapped one finger lightly against the wooden table.
"Most people believe it's impossible."
"Because the island barrier doesn't just track physical movement."
"It tracks spiritual authorization too."
That immediately caught Nille's attention.
Jose narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Meaning if someone bypasses the barrier through abnormal methods…"
"Then either the system failed…"
"Or something older than the academy interfered."
For a brief moment, Nille instinctively touched Granny Amparo's pendant beneath his clothing.
Jose noticed Nille touching the pendant beneath his clothing, but he chose not to question it further.
He had worked in Yamatai long enough to understand that many students carried secrets, strange artifacts, or personal connections they were not ready to explain.
And honestly, he preferred it that way.
The supernatural world already had enough people forcing themselves into matters that did not concern them.
Jose simply returned to tending Luna while casually continuing the conversation.
"You two know about the public announcements broadcasted throughout the city, right?"
Lin nodded immediately.
Nille quietly listened.
Jose pointed vaguely toward the clinic window where distant digital screens and announcement towers could be seen across the shopping district.
"This entire city is monitored constantly."
"Thousands of high-definition CCTV cameras."
"Thermal sensors."
"Spiritual fluctuation detectors."
"Movement tracking systems."
He chuckled faintly.
"People think this place is only protected by shamans and barriers."
"But half the security here is technological."
Nille remained attentive as Jose continued.
"Those systems never shut off."
"Everything important gets monitored somewhere."
He leaned back slightly in his chair.
"Back when I was still a student, there were only a few incidents serious enough to trigger full city-wide alarms."
Lin looked mildly curious.
"Like what?"
Jose answered casually.
"Illegal drug circulation."
"Malignants escaping from their assigned sectors."
"And one terrorist attack inside the city years ago."
The atmosphere became slightly quieter after hearing that.
Jose calmly continued.
"The rest?"
"Handled quietly."
"Discreet response teams."
"Silent containment."
"Memory suppression in extreme cases."
"Most civilians and students never even realize something happened."
Nille narrowed his eyes slightly.
"So the academy controls information too?"
Jose shrugged.
"Every hidden society does."
"Panic spreads faster than monsters."
He pointed lightly toward Luna resting nearby.
"That's why most dangerous incidents get managed before rumors even start."
Then Jose gave a faint amused smile.
"You'd be surprised how many strange things happen around this island every month without students ever noticing."
Lin crossed her arms slightly.
"That's not exactly comforting."
Jose laughed softly.
"It's not supposed to be comforting."
"It's supposed to keep the city functioning."
Outside the clinic, the crowded market continued normally.
People bargained.
Students walked past.
Street vendors shouted prices.
And somewhere above the city, hidden behind ordinary infrastructure and quiet systems—
the island watched everything silently.
Nille listened quietly before eventually asking another question.
"What are the academy classes actually like after the first year class curriculum ?"
Jose smiled faintly after hearing that, clearly recalling memories from his own student years
Jose leaned back slightly after, finishing Luna treatment and grab a chair and sat down atfer hearing Nille's follow-up question.
"After first year?" he repeated with a faint smile.
"That's when the academy stops treating students like protected children."
Lin quietly listened beside Nille while Jose explained further.
"First year exists to stabilize people, classes are mostly fundamentals," he explained."
"Spiritual control."
"Basic combat."
"Mystic theory."
"Sector survival."
"Core stability."
"History."
"Things like that."
"Most awakened students enter the academy emotionally unprepared, spiritually unstable, or lacking real understanding of the supernatural world."
"So the first year focuses on survival foundations and control."
He crossed his arms calmly.
"But after that… the curriculum becomes harsher."
Lin nodded slightly since most of it matched what they were currently experiencing.
But Jose continued.
"The real change starts halfway through second year."
His tone became more serious.
"That's when the curriculum shifts toward actual field application."
"Not simulated training anymore."
"Real missions."
Nille stayed attentive.
Jose leaned slightly against the table while speaking.
"You start handling complex supernatural scenarios."
"Cursed humans."
"Spiritual contamination."
"Possession cases."
"Artifact recovery."
"Barrier instability."
"Localized dimensional overlap incidents."
Lin quietly listened while Jose continued recalling the past.
"I was lucky during my time."
"Our batch still experienced controlled supernatural immersion scenarios directly."
Nille tilted his head slightly.
"Controlled?"
Jose nodded.
"Back then, students were sometimes brought near Sector 1."
Even Lin slightly reacted hearing that.
Sector 1 was rarely discussed openly among lower-year students.
Jose continued calmly.
"Sector 1 belongs to the High Elven Race. or in our language Tamawo"
"Their dominion is divided between winter and spring."
His eyes slightly narrowed as if remembering the place vividly.
"Massive forests."
"Ancient cities."
"Castle towers."
"Farming lands stretching beyond sight."
"Creatures everywhere."
"Some peaceful."
"Some violent enough to wipe out entire groups if provoked."
Nille remained silent while imagining it.
Jose's tone became quieter.
"The northern regions remain cold permanently."
"The southern regions stay in eternal spring."
"And both climates exist simultaneously inside the same realm."
Lin crossed her arms slightly.
"So the High Elves work with the academy?"
Jose nodded.
"Some do."
" Professor Caelum Verdanis and Instructor Kaori Takamura.
are descendants of these race, but they are , what they call half breed"
"The Yamatai Academy hires certain pure High Elven spatial specialists."
Then he gave a faint smile.
"They're the ones responsible for creating Dream Spaces."
Nille immediately focused on the familiar term. thinking maybe the one the taught him was a high elf.
Jose explained further.
"Dream Spaces are realistic controlled environments created through advanced spatial manipulation."
"Artificial yet real enough to affect the mind, body, and spiritual senses."
"Inside these controlled space , students experience curses, combat, rescue operations, and supernatural events as if they were truly happening."
Lin looked impressed.
"Humans can create that?"
Jose immediately shook his head.
"No."
"At least not naturally."
He pointed slightly upward.
"Only the High Elven race can fully construct stable Dream Spaces."
"Their species possesses a naturally evolved spatial wavelength within their spiritual cores."
Nille's eyes narrowed slightly.
Jose continued.
"Some shamans can partially imitate it after receiving blessings from High Elven beings."
"That blessing opens one additional spatial wavelength inside the shaman's core."
"Most instructors here possess at least a minor form of it. but really strong one with massive amounts of spiritual energy can manifest real space "
Then Jose smiled faintly.
"And there are levels to Dream Spaces too."
"Basic illusionary scenarios."
"Partial reality overlap."
"Emotion-linked simulations."
"And the highest forms…"
A small pause followed.
"Those are almost indistinguishable from reality itself."
For a brief moment, Nille silently remembered the strange portal-like phenomenon he accidentally created through the Mirror Realm.
And for the first time, he wondered if what happened to him was connected to something far beyond ordinary spatial manipulation.
Jose noticed the slight change in Nille's expression.
It was subtle, but people who had lived long enough around awakened students learned to recognize when someone's thoughts suddenly drifted somewhere deeper than the conversation.
Jose didn't press it. Instead, he leaned back slightly and continued in a calmer tone.
"But don't overthink Dream Spaces too much."
He gave a faint shrug.
"They're still tools. Even if they feel real, they're constructed environments."
Lin glanced at Nille briefly, then back at Jose, sensing the direction his thoughts were heading.
Jose continued while gently checking Luna's breathing.
"What matters more for students like you is how the academy uses them."
He tapped the table lightly.
"They don't just train your body."
"They test your decisions."
"Your fear response."
"Your moral judgment under pressure."
"Your ability to survive when things stop being fair."
A brief silence followed.
The clinic felt quieter now, the noise of the market outside fading into background noise.
Jose then added more seriously:
"And halfway through second year, you'll understand why they do that."
"Because that's when people stop graduating based on talent alone."
Lin slightly frowned.
"Then what decides it?"
Jose looked at her directly.
"Adaptation."
Then he shifted his gaze to Nille.
"And mental stability under real supernatural pressure."
Nille stayed quiet.
Jose exhaled softly.
"A lot of students break around that time."
"Not because they're weak."
"But because they realize the world doesn't respond to what they expected it to be."
He gestured slightly toward the window.
"Some thought they were just hunting monsters."
"Some thought they were saving people."
"Some thought they were going to become heroes."
A small pause.
"But the academy doesn't train heroes."
"It trains survivors who can function in systems they don't fully understand."
Lin crossed her arms slowly, her expression thoughtful.
Jose continued in a slightly lighter tone.
"That's also why instructors push students into field exposure early."
"Controlled chaos is still chaos."
He glanced at Nille again.
"And uncontrolled reality is something else entirely."
For a moment, Luna shifted slightly in its basket, letting out a faint weak sound.
Jose immediately checked it again, then nodded.
"It'll survive."
"Weak, but stable now."
Lin visibly relaxed a little.
Jose stood up slowly, stretching his shoulders.
"Anyway."
He pointed casually toward Nille.
"You've already been exposed to more than most first-years should handle."
Then he paused briefly, his tone turning more neutral.
"But that doesn't mean you understand it yet."
A faint smirk returned to his face.
"Understanding comes later. Usually after things stop trying to kill you for a while."
Lin let out a small breath that sounded half amused, half relieved.
And for the first time in the conversation, even the heavy topics felt slightly less suffocating, like they were just pieces of a world still being slowly revealed, one layer at a time.
Jose exhaled slowly, as if deciding whether or not to share something he usually avoided talking about.
Then, without much ceremony, he turned slightly and lifted the edge of his shirt at the lower back.
A long, deep scar stretched across his spine, old, uneven, and clearly the result of something that nearly ended his life.
Lin immediately went silent.
Even Nille's attention sharpened.
Jose let the shirt fall back into place and spoke in a much calmer voice.
"This is what it means to nearly graduate… with just a passing grade."
He gave a faint, almost self-aware smile.
"Back then… I was cocky."
"Arrogant."
"Honestly? A bit of a show-off."
He lightly scratched the back of his neck as if recalling an embarrassing memory.
"I used to think I was special."
"Spiritual level 4 when I entered the academy."
A small chuckle escaped him.
"I felt like a king living in my own little world."
Then his expression slowly shifted.
"Until I faced a real threat."
The atmosphere in the clinic subtly tightened.
Jose continued, his tone quieter now.
"A cursed Dullahan."
Lin's eyes narrowed slightly at the name.
Jose nodded.
"I almost died."
He glanced toward the floor briefly before continuing.
"I relied too much on my spells."
"Too confident in range attacks."
"Too careless with my body."
His hand clenched slightly.
"I never trained for endurance."
"Never prepared for situations where my magic wouldn't be enough."
A short pause followed.
"And I didn't expect adaptability from my opponent."
He looked up again.
"That Dullahan could enchant its weapon with layered curses."
"Its mount wasn't just fast, it was unpredictable."
Lin stayed completely silent now, listening carefully.
Jose's voice became more grounded.
"Our entire group almost got wiped out."
He pointed slightly toward himself.
"We only survived because an instructor intervened at the last second."
A faint, bitter laugh escaped him.
"Without that… I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you."
He lowered his hand.
"That's when I learned something important."
His gaze shifted toward Nille.
"Power isn't just what you can cast."
"It's what you can survive when everything goes wrong."
The clinic became quiet again.
Even Luna, resting in the basket, seemed to settle more peacefully as Jose's story ended, like the weight of experience itself had been briefly placed on the table between them.
Nille and Lin both stood quietly as Jose finished speaking.
The atmosphere in the clinic had shifted from tension to something calmer, more grounded. Luna remained safely settled in the basket, its breathing steadier now, the worst of the curse damage stabilized under Lampong's influence.
Nille gave a small nod first.
"Thank you."
His voice was simple, but sincere.
Lin followed with a gentle bow of her head.
"We'll come back when Luna is ready to be taken home."
Jose waved a hand lightly, as if dismissing unnecessary formality.
"Don't mention it. Just take care of it properly when it recovers."
He gave a faint smile.
"And don't let it get dragged into something worse again."
Lin gave a small, understanding smile in return.
Nille looked once more at Luna before turning away.
As they stepped out of the clinic together, the noise of the bustling market returned around them—vendors calling out, students passing by, the distant rhythm of a city that never truly paused.
But something between them had changed slightly.
The stories Jose shared weren't just history.
They were lived consequences.
And that understanding settled quietly in both Nille and Lin's minds.
Nille now saw more clearly that strength alone wasn't enough. Talent, instinct, and spiritual ability could carry someone far—but they had limits when reality became unpredictable.
Jose Cruz had once been like many students: confident, skilled, and certain of his own potential. But the Dullahan encounter had forced a correction—one that reshaped how he used his abilities afterward. Not weaker. Not fearful. Just more controlled, more aware, and more deliberate.
And that realization mattered.
Because in a world where supernatural threats could shift without warning, reckless strength often failed faster than careful restraint.
Lin walked beside Nille quietly for a while before speaking softly.
"He didn't stop being strong."
Nille glanced at her.
Lin continued.
"He just stopped assuming strength alone was enough."
Nille nodded slowly, absorbing the thought.
It matched what he had begun to realize during his own encounters—especially against opponents like Eruko and Imto, where raw effort alone hadn't been sufficient.
Working alone had always felt natural to him.
But now…
he understood its limits more clearly.
Without support, without information, without awareness of larger systems, individual strength could quickly become a disadvantage instead of a guarantee.
Lin adjusted her pace to match his.
"You're thinking about it too much again, aren't you?" she said lightly.
Nille gave a faint, tired smile.
"Maybe."
But this time, it wasn't the kind of overthinking that trapped him.
It was reflection.
Adjustment.
Understanding.
And that difference mattered.
Because unlike before, he wasn't just carrying information anymore, he was starting to learn how to use it.