Auren turned away from the sofa without even glancing at Selene's motionless, naked form.
Her body remained sprawled, breath slow, pupils dilated from what she had endured. She didn't cry. That ability had already been stripped away by obedience.
Before stepping out of the hall, Auren gave one last order, cold and efficient.
> "Tomorrow morning, I'll be leaving for something important. I want breakfast ready at dawn... and travel food packed neatly. Fail me—just once—and you won't even get the pleasure of punishment."
His voice echoed in the silent room like a blade brushing bone.
Selene barely blinked. Her body acknowledged it with a slow, involuntary nod.
Then Auren was gone.
---
Up in his room, Auren shut the door behind him and dragged the bags in. The air smelled faintly of paper, ink, and old magic — a scent he had grown used to over the last few nights.
He sat down on the wooden floor and unpacked everything. The bundle of Mana Herbs, the vial of Luminous Crystal Dust, and the two glowing Spirit Orchids pulsed softly like tiny spirits watching from their petals.
The two daggers he had purchased gleamed with a dull silver edge — well-crafted but ordinary. Not enough. Not for what was coming.
But Auren smiled. He wasn't just a player in this world. In his past life, he had been a scientist. Experiments, mechanics, chemical reactions — they were second nature to him. And now, with the magic of this world, he was about to take things to the next level.
He pulled open a drawer beneath the bed. Inside lay old, dusty magic books — collected and studied by the original Auren, the timid boy who feared even baby snakes. Auren let out a soft chuckle.
"Thanks, old me," he muttered. "Your obsession with magic finally paid off."
He flipped open one of the books, eyes scanning through enchantment circles, reagent combinations, and spell-binding runes.
First, he crushed the Mana Herbs into a paste and coated the daggers. Then, he sprinkled the Luminous Crystal Dust, which immediately reacted — glowing with threads of energy binding to the metal. Finally, he placed one Spirit Orchid on each blade's hilt, letting their ethereal energy fuse.
As the final rune was carved on the blade, a flash of light lit up the room, forcing him to shield his eyes.
When he looked again, the daggers had changed.
Upgraded Daggers:
Passive Ability: Phase Slash – Can cut through low-grade magical shields.
Special Skill: Spirit Echo – Leaves a trace slash of spiritual energy that attacks again after 1 second.
Bonus: Magic Channeling – Allows infusion of basic elemental spells.
Auren smirked, holding the blades in his hands. Lightweight. Efficient. Deadly.
"These will do."
---
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Riven was stuffing clothes into an leather bag. His room was dim, but a small lantern flickered near his window.
He lived with his grandmother, Lysa, a kind old woman who had gone nearly blind over the years, and Elna, a shy maid who had served their family since Riven was a kid.
"You're going somewhere, Riven?" Elna asked, peeking in.
"Yeah... with Auren," he replied, strapping his sword to the side of the bag. "Don't know where yet. But... I think it'll be dangerous."
Elna looked worried, but Lysa only smiled from her rocking chair. "You boys were always meant for bigger things."
Riven paused, staring out the window toward the stars.
"Let's just hope I can still protect him," he whispered to himself, "I will be there soon. Until then, please take care of yourself and my grandmother, tightening the straps on his pack.
[Tomorrow, they'd leave.]
---
The sky was still wearing its early morning gray when Auren stood outside his house, the cold breeze brushing against his cloak. His travel bag was tightly strapped across his back, with two shining daggers secured at his belt—both of them pulsing faintly with magical enhancements.
The mana herbs and luminous dust had merged into their core, reinforcing the blades with soul-sensitive reactions. Auren could feel the energy humming in sync with his own.
Behind him, the wooden door creaked open.
"I made breakfast," Selene's voice called out softly from inside. She stood partially hidden, eyes lowered, face pale, as if still under the spell of everything that had changed. She didn't say anything more—only watched him with a strange mixture of fear and longing.
"I'll be gone for a few days," Auren said without looking back. "Keep things clean. And i have a task for you in day you have to took deep inside that wooden part in your pussy for approx 16 hours until i came back and at night you can took out."
She got scared but unable to speak a single word before he leaves her hands was not in her control they again took the wooden part move downward and shoved it.
He adjusted the strap of his pack and walked off without another word.
---
Across town, Riven was tightening the last strap of his own pack. His room was modest, but warm. The smell of freshly boiled herbs drifted from the kitchen where his grandmother, Maari, was preparing soup. Their family maid, Lila, stood nearby, folding extra clothes and slipping dried bread into a pouch.
"You sure about this, Riven?" Maari asked, her wrinkled hands trembling as she passed him a rolled blanket.
"Yeah. I think... something's changed in him. This isn't just some trip," Riven said, eyes narrowing.
Lila tilted her head. "I don't trust him. Not anymore."
Riven forced a smile. "That's exactly why I need to go with him."
With his gear packed, he stepped outside and saw Auren already waiting near the old stone bridge—the designated meeting point.
"You're late," Auren said flatly.
"I'm carrying a proper kit. You're just carrying knives and ego," Riven teased, trying to lighten the mood.
Auren gave a rare half-smile. "Let's see if your 'proper kit' keeps you alive."
They exchanged a look. quite friendship. Not quite rivalry. Something deeper—something forged from the unspoken.
The road ahead was endless.
The dirt path stretched far beyond the horizon, flanked by crooked trees and wild wind. They both took the first step at the same time.
Their adventure had begun.