She injected Alex carefully — across every wound, every pressure point — until the fluid shimmered through his veins like a healing spell. Then she stepped back, her face unreadable, and sent them off.
Inside the car, as the doors clicked shut, Sam finally exhaled like he'd been holding his breath for hours.
"Xan… I thought she was gonna swallow me alive!" Sam muttered, wide-eyed.
Xander wiped the sweat from his forehead and leaned back.
"She was still upset… trying hard not to cry," he said quietly.
Alex, half-laughing in Xander's lap, looked up at them.
"Why are you guys scared of her? She's just a doctor."
"Just a doctor?" Sam shot him a look. "She's a nutcase, Alex! We're not afraid of her—we're afraid of the person behind her."
Xander added, voice low:
"I think she told you everything about your condition. We've got to be careful now…"
As the car slowed to a stop, Alex had already dozed off in Xander's lap. Carefully, Xander lifted him and carried him inside.
Amber spotted them instantly and rushed forward. She took Alex into her arms, cradling him like he was made of glass, and gently placed him on the sofa.
"What happened?" she asked sharply.
Xander explained everything — every wound, every word, every whisper of danger.
Amber's gaze hardened as she looked between Xander and John.
"If Alex gets hurt again... I'll slice you both like onions. Thin and even."
John gulped. Then he grabbed Sam and Xander, dragging them into a room.
"Guys," he whispered, dead serious. "If she snaps — I mean really snaps — she can hit like a damn meteor. Her power absorbs and reflects attacks tenfold. She's capable of completing an SSSS-rank dungeon solo — Asmodius level."
Sam nodded quickly.
"Got it. Crystal clear. We'll be careful. Very careful."
Later that night
After changing clothes, they came down for dinner. Xander glanced at Alex, still sleeping peacefully on the couch.
"I think she gave him a sedative — to help him rest," he said.
Amber nodded, clearing the table.
"I know."
She scooped Alex into her arms again and tucked him into bed. Meanwhile, Ben and Gwen only half-finished their plates before sneaking off to join Alex. They curled up on either side of him like loyal pups.
Amber finished her meal and sighed.
"How long will it take him to recover?"
Xander replied, "He'll be fine. His doctor's coming tomorrow."
That night, when Xander entered the room again, he paused in the doorway. Ben, Gwen, and Athina were all asleep beside Alex — like a pack keeping their alpha safe.
Sam nudged Xander.
"Let the kids be. They'll be fine."
So the two men headed to another room to sleep.
Morning. 7:00 AM
Tring tring! The doorbell rang.
Amber opened the door to find a woman holding a white coat in her arms.
"Is Sir Xander here? And the boy, Alex?"
Amber nodded.
"Yes, please come in."
"I didn't eat — had to rush to work, but this was important. Where's the boy?"
Amber led her to Alex's room, where he still lay surrounded by his friends. The doctor clapped her hands softly.
"Wake up, kids. I need some space."
Ben blinked awake and saw Amber and the new lady by the bed.
"Good morning, lady. Who are you?"
"I'm your friend's doctor."
Ben nodded and gently shook Gwen and Athina awake. They stood on the other side as the doctor checked Alex's wounds and cuts, dressing each with care.
"How is Alex?" Gwen asked softly.
The doctor smiled.
"He's doing fine. Nothing to worry about."
She pulled out a syringe and began injecting some elixirs directly into the wound sites. Then she set up an IV drip from her bag and connected it to a line in Alex's arm.
Ben frowned.
"What happened to him exactly?"
Without looking up, the doctor handed a medical file to Amber.
"He took a lot of damage — cracked rib, fractured leg, bruised knuckles. And…"
She paused.
She added, "Tell Xander to mix the elixirs into Alex's meals. I'll come back tomorrow."
As she continued explaining to Amber, Ben quietly snuck off with the file in hand.
"Hey!" Gwen whispered. "Do you even know how to read that?"
Ben grinned.
"Of course. My mom and grandma were top-tier doctors. They used to teach me everything."
He flipped through the pages.
"He's got rib fractures, a cracked leg bone, deep tissue damage on the knuckles... And yeah — confirmed hypotonia. Basically, his healing rate and muscle strength are way below normal."
Just then —
"Good kid. Who taught you all that medical knowledge?"
Everyone turned sharply. It was the doctor and Amber.
Ben straightened up.
"My mom and grandma taught me. Both were high-end medical experts."
The doctor gave a satisfied nod.
"Then help him. Look after your friend."
She turned and walked out of the house.
Amber raised an eyebrow at Ben.
"The file?"
Ben handed it back sheepishly.
"Sorry, Auntie…"
Amber smiled and ruffled his hair.
"Go freshen up. Breakfast's waiting."
After freshening up, the group trickled down the stairs — hair still damp, faces half-asleep, but stomachs rumbling like war drums.
They paused in awe.
The breakfast table was a feast: buttered toast, grilled meat, eggs done five ways, fruit trays, smoothies, and even mini chocolate croissants. A full-on buffet.
Gwen squinted at it suspiciously.
"Okay... what's the catch? What's today's special — poison?"
Right on cue, Sam strolled down the stairs, grinning like a fox with secrets.
"From today onwards, kiddos, your training officially begins! So eat up — you'll need the energy."
Ben dove straight for the chicken wings, demolishing a plate like it owed him money. Gwen nibbled at some fruit, eyes still wary, then quietly slipped away with Athina toward Alex's room.
Inside, Alex lay peacefully. Ben peeked in and whispered:
"He's okay. Just needs sleep. Let's let him rest."
But before they could close the door, Sam pushed it open and walked in casually, arms folded, voice suddenly sharp.
"Yeah, he's fine… and you know why he ended up like this? Because you all were weak."
They froze.
Sam walked over to Alex's bedside and looked down at the sleeping boy.
"Rest up, kid. We'll toughen them up for you. You can meet them after… once they're worthy."
And just like that— flash.
Suddenly…
They were no longer in the house.
The group found themselves standing on a vast plain. The earth beneath them was dry and cracked, stretching endlessly under a scorching sun. No trees. No shelter. Just the burning sky and a wide open field.
Sam's voice thundered like a commander on a battlefield.
"Alright, brats! From this moment on, you're under strict training — mornings and evenings. No excuses. No shortcuts."
He pointed toward the horizon, where flags marked a large circular track.
"Your first task — ten full sprints around this field. No powers. No whining. Just run."
Gwen raised an eyebrow.
Ben's jaw dropped.
Athina muttered, "That's insane…"
But Sam didn't flinch. His voice was steel.
"You want to protect Alex? Then earn that right. Forget that you're strong — start remembering that you're not strong enough. You've been playing heroes. It's time to become warriors."
He paused, eyes scanning each of them.
"Now MOVE. Run till your lungs burn. Run till your legs scream. Run until you remember why you're here."
And just like that — the boot camp from hell had begun.
That morning?
They met hell.
It started easy. Too easy. A jog under the open sky. Warm sun. Cool breeze. A false sense of mercy.
Then Sam narrowed his eyes.
He snapped his fingers.
The gravity shifted.
Suddenly, it felt like they were running through wet cement. The ground pulled at their feet like it wanted to swallow them whole. Every step was war.
Sweat drenched their bodies.
Their breathing turned ragged.
When they slowed, legs trembling, about to collapse —
Sam's voice cracked through the air like a whip:
"No stopping. Drop. Give me fifty push-ups — NOW!"
No sympathy. No slack. Only pain.
By the end of the session, they collapsed into the car like survivors of a warzone. Hair matted. Clothes soaked. Muscles screaming.
Inside the Car
Ben groaned, barely lifting his head.
"Gwen... I'm dying of thirst. Water… please..."
Gwen passed him the bottle, her hand shaking.
"Ben, he was literally trying to kill us. That wasn't training — that was medieval torture."
Ben wiped his mouth, eyes wide.
"We were just running normally… then boom! He cranked up the gravity like we're on Jupiter!"
Gwen nodded, still panting.
"Then he upped the temperature! Like, who does that?! We were roasting alive!"
Athina, sitting next to them, looked wrecked. She raised her arms, which were bruised and trembling.
"He strapped extra weights to my hands and legs. Then he whispered — 'Imagine this is your Reaper's throttle.'"
Her eyes darkened.
"It hurt. I felt like my bones were being crushed."
Sudden Stop
The car screeched to a halt.
Ben sat up, groaning.
"What now? Why'd we stop?"
The driver turned, a hint of apology in his voice.
"Master Sam's orders… he asked me to drop you off here."
They turned to look out the window.
And there it was — Aetherion Academy.
The gate alone stood like a monument, wrought from obsidian and etched with glowing glyphs. Beyond it, a sprawling mansion loomed with towering spires, wide staircases, and a grand archway welcoming the chosen.
Departments spread out like districts in a magical city — alchemy labs, elemental training domes, weaponry arenas, and arcane libraries. Separate training grounds lay nestled between curated gardens and wild nature zones, a harmony of power and peace.
Students in sleek, enchanted uniforms walked with purpose, some wielding staffs or swords, others controlling magical drones. It was a gathering of elites — international prodigies handpicked to become the next generation of Hunters.
Ben blinked.
"This… is gonna be wild. why are we here ".
a man knocked the window , the glass went down " are the new students here kids ! did't the headmaster come here ".
the driver say " he say he will visit later !".
" wait why we here any way !", ben asked
"gwen asked ! i feft something was wrong !"