A year had passed since the Titan Gaja incident. The echoes of that harrowing encounter had long faded, but its impact remained ingrained in both Jin and Yuna. Their growth was undeniable.
Yuna, gifted with an affinity for both Water and Wind, had mastered the integration of mana flow circles and Praxis casting. She could now conjure compound spells like boiling water, quagmire, and even a flame tornado. Her control over elements had become fluid, a testament to her relentless training.
Jin, on the other hand, had walked a different path. Through Zegion's teachings, he had grasped a crucial truth—Aura wasn't about shaping external mana but commanding the power within. It required sheer will, grit, and determination. He had learned to reinforce his body with Aura, enhancing his speed and strength far beyond an ordinary child's. By wrapping weapons in Aura, even a wooden sword could strike with lethal force. His fists, once fragile, could now tear through flesh and bone, just as they had against the Wildrush Boar.
Their efforts had been rewarded. Both had acquired adventurer cards, official proof of their capabilities. After their battle with the Level 60 Wildrush Boar, their levels had surged—now standing proudly at Level 15. Among Zilt's children, Jin was without equal. He had grown stronger, faster, more skilled. But with strength came something else. Arrogance.
With Zegion restricting access to the Vichitra Vana due to increasing tremors—rumored to be the result of a Dominance Fight between apex monsters—Jin had been left to roam the town. He spent more time with weaker back alley kids, his confidence swelling with every effortless victory over small-time threats.
Yuna had begun to notice his growing cockiness, but before she could address it, fate had something else in store.
The stench of sewage and decay clung to the air near the Sewage Dump, where a group of back-alley kids found themselves in the middle of a dangerous encounter.
A Devourer Slime.
Towering at nearly eight feet, the grotesque mass of gelatinous flesh quivered with unnatural hunger. Its translucent body pulsed, digesting remnants of the smaller slimes it had consumed. The putrid stench of acid filled the air as it excreted a corrosive liquid, sizzling upon contact with stone and debris.
Jin stood at the forefront, sword in hand, his expression unfazed.
"Keep the smaller ones away!" he barked, his voice sharp with authority. "If it eats more, it'll grow stronger!"
One of the kids hesitated, eyes wide with fear. "B-But we're not strong enough to handle this kind of request!"
"Just hold them off! Jin will finish the big one!" another, Mir, called out, desperation laced in his voice.
"This is insane…" Wen, the youngest, whimpered as the smaller slimes spewed acid. "They're spitting corrosive liquid! It burns!"
"Shut up and fight, Wen! Be like Jin!" Mir snapped.
Jin grinned, reveling in their reliance on him. He was their hero, their leader, their strongest fighter.
With a swift leap, he evaded another splash of acid, the ground beneath him corroding into blackened sludge. The Devourer Slime quivered, preparing another attack.
Jin saw his opening.
Summoning Aura, he surged forward, his steel sword glowing with raw energy. The slime's core—a faint glimmer within its shifting mass—came into view. With a precise, powerful swing, he sliced through the gelatinous body, severing the core.
A grotesque gurgle echoed before the massive slime collapsed into a lifeless pool. The core, however, was shattered from the impact of his aura-infused strike.
Jin smirked, triumphant. "See? Told you guys I got this."
Then a scream.
Mir clutched his arm, a smoking wound eating into his flesh. A stray splash of acid had burned deep, sending him into convulsions of pain.
Jin's stomach dropped. He had been so caught up in his own strength that he hadn't noticed.
Wen scrambled to apply Old Amanda's herbal ointment, his hands trembling. The boy bit his lip, his face pale as he worked. The wound festered, but the ointment slowed its spread.
Jin swallowed hard. This wasn't supposed to happen.
"Mir…" His voice was softer now, guilt creeping in.
Mir let out a shaky breath, forcing a smile through gritted teeth. "It's fine… just hurts a bit."
Jin didn't believe him.
"Come with me. Lumine can use healing magic. She'll fix it." Without waiting for an answer, Jin grabbed both boys and dragged them toward the house.
Jin barged into the house, expecting an empty hall. Instead, Zegion was there.
The moment Jin stepped inside, his body froze. Zegion sat cross-legged, tinkering with several small mana cores, seemingly absorbed in his work. Yet, the instant Jin entered, his gaze snapped up.
Jin felt it.
The weight of Zegion's silent scrutiny.
Zegion's gaze flickered to Mir's burned arm, then back to Jin. He processed everything in an instant. No words were needed.
"Lumine," he called, his voice calm but firm.
From the backyard, a cheerful voice rang out. "Yes, brother?" Lumine appeared, clutching a clay wolf figurine.
Zegion gestured. "Heal them. Disinfect first, then basic healing."
Lumine blinked before nodding. "Got it!" She rushed to Mir and Wen, her hands glowing with soft, golden light.
Meanwhile, Zegion stood. His gaze was now solely on Jin.
"Backyard. Now."
Jin stiffened. This wasn't good.
Outside, Yuna and Ludwig were engaged in a spellcasting duel, testing who could cast faster. Though Ludwig was lower level, his precision and control made up for the gap, making it a surprisingly close match. The battle paused as Jin and Zegion entered.
Yuna's eyes sparkled with mischief as she took in Jin's dirt-covered clothes and the unmistakable stench of sewage.
Zegion's voice was flat. "Yuna. Big water ball."
Yuna's grin widened. Oh, she was not about to waste this chance.
Before Jin could react, a massive sphere of water slammed into him, drenching him from head to toe. He sputtered, Aura flaring instinctively to block the impact, but it was too late. His reddish-brown hair, which normally had a wild, flame-like appearance, now lay flat and soggy—just like a Flame-Maned Lion that had been drenched enough to lose its fiery mane.
Zegion's voice cut through the silence.
"Now, explain. Every. Single. Detail. And remember, Yuna can now cast Cold Water too."
Jin gulped. "B-Brother, please—anything but cold water!" He cast a glance at Yuna, whose expression had morphed into something truly terrifying.
"Then talk," Zegion said simply.
And so, Jin confessed everything.
By the time he finished, Mir and Wen had joined them, listening in silence.
Zegion didn't scold him. He simply extended a hand.
"The mana core. Now."
Jin hesitated before handing over the broken core.
Zegion studied it before turning. "We're going to the Adventurer's Association. You three are coming with me."
Jin swallowed hard, his previous arrogance washed away in an instant.