Night fell again, and Serena had not yet healed.
Her body was still sluggish, and the pain in her side flared whenever she moved too quickly. But tonight, her mind was sharper than ever. The memory of Cassian's cold eyes haunted her like a scar across her soul.
> ⟨System Update: User's vitals remain below optimal range. Hostile system user threat level: High.⟩
She knew. Cassian would strike again. And if he succeeded, she'd be nothing more than another fragment for him to absorb.
She sat cross-legged on the floor, her room dimly lit by a flickering lantern. Before her lay a set of Wind-attuned elemental stones—weak, but just enough to stimulate her cultivation flow. She held one in each palm and closed her eyes, sinking into meditation.
Wind energy circled her slowly, like a breeze rustling dry leaves. It was gentle… too gentle.
"I need more than this," she whispered. "If I wait until I'm strong… I'll already be dead."
> ⟨Warning: Reckless pursuit of combat may result in permanent damage or death.⟩
"I don't have a choice."
Her hand drifted to the wooden box beside her bed. She opened it. Inside were the remaining alchemy pills—enough to help her recover, but not enough to protect her in battle.
If Cassian came again, she'd need luck. Nothing else would save her.
---
Elsewhere, hidden in the shadows of Valeria's lower districts…
Cassian stood in the center of a ruined training hall, his shirt torn, arm bandaged with bloodied cloth. He'd underestimated her.
"She's not like the others," he muttered, gazing at the faint bruise on his ribs. "She's new… but she learns fast."
He clenched his fist.
Cassian's system fed off victory. Absorption brought power. And the girl he'd tried to consume had slipped through his fingers.
> ⟨Target's system remains Tier 1. Estimated potential value: Moderate to High. Recommend immediate pursuit.⟩
His system was already at Tier 2, and Serena had something different—something his system craved.
He turned toward the window, gazing at the towering walls of the noble district. "Next time, she won't escape."
---
Back at an abandoned house
Serena stood alone in the field. It was past midnight, the sky moonless, clouds blanketing the stars.
She had no sword, no spear, no formal weapon. Just her limbs and elemental energy.
She breathed in.
She imagined Cassian standing in front of her again—fast, vicious, a predator in human skin. She replayed the way he moved, how his energy surged before each strike. She had to find a way to counter him.
Even without system-gifted skills… she could learn. On her own.
She reached out her hand and forced the wind around her to coil tightly. It resisted her command, but slowly, steadily, it responded—whipping into a tight current around her wrist.
Sweat gathered at her brow. Her wound stung. But she didn't stop.
Hours passed. She collapsed twice. Her knees were scraped raw, and her palms blistered from the force of her own raw element colliding against her skin.
But by the time the first rays of dawn crept over the courtyard walls, Serena stood again.
And this time… the wind circled her like a blade.
---
Later that day
She moved quietly through the city of Valeria, avoiding guards and the other nobles who still looked down on her. She didn't speak unless necessary. No more unnecessary drama, no more false pride.
She just needed time.
Time to heal. Time to train. Time to kill.
---
That night
Cassian returned.
Serena felt it even before the alarm spell at the edge of the city flared in her mind. Her system whispered a cold warning.
> ⟨System Alert: Hostile energy detected. Threat approaching. Initiating danger protocol.⟩
She didn't panic.
She was already moving.
This time, she didn't run.
---