"Come with me."
Hannah's voice cut through the quiet hum of the office as she stopped in front of Aura's desk.
Aura studied her for a brief moment. Hannah's expression was taut—pent-up and simmering. With Clair out of the country, Aura knew the balance of power in the guild's social circle had shifted. Hannah and her little crew could do whatever they pleased without restraint.
"...Alright." Aura rose from her seat and followed without question.
They arrived on the rooftop.
The wind carried the city's noise faintly, but here, it was drowned out by the sound of Hannah's boots clicking against the concrete. Before Aura could react, the twins, Lorenzo and Philipe Dominguez, moved with coordinated precision. Their skill pinned her against the wall—helpless.
Then the beating began.
Hannah's magic tore through the air in explosive bursts. Each shot could have shredded a normal hunter to pieces, but Aura endured every strike in silence. It wasn't mercy—Hannah enjoyed the fact Aura didn't crumble easily.
"You—!" Hannah's voice cracked with rage.
"How dare you!" she screamed, firing another blast into Aura's midsection.
"You made me look like a fool!"
The rooftop lit up with each attack. Hannah was a renowned mage under the Lakan Guild, publicly known as Kyle Fredhind's official girlfriend. She'd always wanted to grow closer to Theresa, another mage like herself, and idolized Clair's strength. But the girls she wanted to befriend spent their time clinging to this intern—this nobody—with a brother who was nothing more than an F-rank hunter.
"You should've stayed out of the way... stayed quiet like the nobody you are!"
Another blast. Blood spilled from Aura's lips, dripping to the ground.
Yet she didn't scream. She didn't plead. She stared at them—cold, unwavering. That look alone sent an involuntary chill down their spines, no matter how many times they'd cornered her before.
"You six really don't know what you're toying with, huh..." Aura's voice was low, almost amused. She spat a mouthful of blood onto the rooftop. Her stomach was a map of bruises and burns, her skin marked with fresh cuts—clear proof Hannah wasn't the only one who had taken their turn.
"There she goes again," Ophelia muttered from the side."She still thinks she's some kind of fairytale princess with a happy ending," Doris sneered.
"She needs another lesson," Unis said coolly.
The three stood behind Hannah like loyal shadows—Ophelia, the fighter; Doris, the assassin; and Unis, the marksman. Together with Hannah, the mage, and the Dominguez twins, tanks by class, they formed one of the Lakan Guild's elite squads—second only to the team led by S-rank Captain Blake.
A thin line of blood traced Aura's neck as a blade nicked her skin, yet she neither flinched nor blinked. Her burnt clothing hung loosely, exposing patches of skin, but her gaze remained unshaken—fearless.
"She sure knows how to endure," Lorenzo said with a smirk.
"Which is what makes it worth it," Phillippe replied.
"By the way," Unis said casually, "have you heard the news?"
"The new S-rank hunter?" Phillippe asked.
"Yes. Lola Winchester," Unis confirmed.
"She became S-rank during that summit in China last week?" Hannah asked, lowering her staff slightly.
"Yeah. And I heard there was a fight during the summit—between Ruciel Faithhood and someone named Snow Quincy," Unis said.
"A fight?" Hannah tilted her head in mild interest.
Aura's fingers curled at the sound of her brother's name, though her expression didn't betray it. No one noticed the slight shift in her breathing.
"They say after breaking up with Lola Winchester, this Snow Quincy promised to help Ruciel become S-rank... if she became his woman." Unis' tone dripped with mockery.
Ophelia laughed. "What a pathetic guy."
The laughter carried across the rooftop, mixing with the wind—while Aura remained silent, her blood-stained eyes locked on them all.
"Indeed," Unis continued, her tone casual but tinged with amusement. "But here's the surprising part—I heard Ruciel Faithhood actually agreed to the deal. And as of yesterday, the two of them were spotted at a café... apparently, on a date."
"What?" Doris's eyes widened.
"And not just that," Unis went on, "it seems they're genuinely dating. Spending time together. And to top it off... a new alchemist has surfaced."
"An alchemist?" Lorenzo asked.
"Wasn't the Hephaestus House considered the best in the world?" Ophelia chimed in.
"Well," Unis said with a faint smirk, "according to the net, a man going by the name 'Black Mask' released a few potions—one of which is already being called an Elixir."
"Has the guild gotten their hands on it for testing?" Hannah asked.
"No chance. It sold out the instant it was released. The remaining batch will be auctioned off at the Bright Auction House, hosted by the Hephaestus Family."
"Wow... all this happened in just a week," Philippe muttered.
"Indeed," Lorenzo agreed.
"Do you think we should stop for now? The Guild Master and Team A will be arriving today," Ophelia suggested.
"I suppose so," Hannah replied with a shrug. "The news just killed the mood anyway."
They all turned to look at Aura. Her body was a canvas of cuts, bruises, and burns, her clothing scorched and torn. She looked like she needed a hospital immediately.
"Release her. Let's go," Hannah ordered.
"That was a good stress relief," Doris said with a satisfied stretch.
"I know, right?" Lorenzo and Philippe chuckled in unison.
With a flick of Lorenzo's wrist, the binding skill dissolved, and Aura crumpled to the rooftop like a felled tree. None of them spared her another glance as they walked past.
(Big Brother...? Did Lola really dump him like I thought? And why is he with the Fallen Flame?) Aura thought, her body screaming in pain. (What is he doing?)
Biting back groans, she fumbled with the spare clothes she'd brought, forcing herself to change. Each movement felt like shards of glass scraping against her muscles, but she endured.
(I need to get home... find out more about what happened in China.)
Pulling her hood up to hide the visible injuries, Aura left the rooftop. She shouldn't have been able to walk—but the mention of her brother's name had sent a surge of adrenaline through her veins. By the time she realized it, she was already standing in front of her building.
And then her body gave out.
She collapsed at the entrance, startling the estate staff, who immediately contacted her mother.
—
Aura's world returned to her a month later, hazy and unfamiliar. The room smelled faintly of medicine. Her body felt heavy, every breath a chore.
The doctor's voice was clinical when he delivered the news: Mana Lore Sickness.
It was a slow, cruel death—a corruption of the body from within, caused by excessive mana saturating the bloodstream after prolonged exposure to mana explosions.
Mana explosions could come from dungeons, raw dungeon herbs, rare items, or—most commonly—from repeated exposure to high-powered skills. Hunters survived them by controlling the flow of mana, but for civilians... it was like standing too close to a detonating bomb over and over again.
Aura had been on the receiving end of dozens of such attacks.
There was no cure. Only methods to slow the corruption. The prescriptions were arranged by the Bloodfallen family's daughter close friend herself, and Vivian visited several times to check on her condition.
"You."
The voice at the door was all too familiar.
Benedict Bloodfallen leaned against the frame, her designer coat draped elegantly over her shoulders, but her face was shadowed with concern.
"I know you want nothing to do with me," she said softly, "but as your mother... it's hard to see you like this."
She stepped inside. "You've been in a coma for a month. And now this sickness... I fear for you. And I fear for him."
Aura's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"
"Snow," Benedict said, her voice dropping. "He went into a dungeon with Ruciel Bloodfallen. He's the only one who was found—unconscious."
Aura's pulse spiked.
"He's been in a coma for three weeks now. No sign of waking. He's at the Association Clinic—waiting."
"...And Ruciel?"
Benedict's lips thinned in distaste. "She's been spotted hunting dungeons... with a man people are calling her new boyfriend."
"I see."
"I plan to bring Snow here once he wakes," Benedict continued.
"Why must you bring him here?" Aura's voice rose, only to be followed by a sharp cough.
"Because you're dying," Benedict said, her tone hardening. "And I refuse to let his resentment linger if something ever happens to you under my care. Whatever quarrel you had, I want it resolved. The moment the Summit ends, I'll bring him here."
She stood. "Until then, stay home. You've nothing left to do at the Lakan Guild—your internship is nearly over."
The door closed behind her.
Aura sank back into the bed, her chest heaving. She knew Snow would never bend to Benedict's plans—but the thought that Ruciel, who should have been at his side, was out with another man after becoming S-rank... within weeks of meeting him... burned like ice in her veins.
(Could it be... my brother has the ability to push hunters beyond their limits?) Aura's gaze lingered out the window, her hair drifting slightly as the winter breeze slipped through the small opening.
(Whatever the case... I need to know everything that happened from the moment I lost consciousness.)
Her eyes drifted downward—and only then did she notice the fresh bandages wrapping her torso and arms.
Two weeks passed in quiet recovery. Then, one morning, the news struck her like an icy gale.
Snow had awakened.
Relief washed over her—followed by the bitter reminder that Benedict would no doubt drag him to Spain the moment she saw fit.
—
Snow fell heavily outside the café's frosted glass windows. Aura sat by herself, nursing a half-empty cup, her attention lost to the blur of footsteps passing in the snow.
"Aura?"
The familiar voice sent a spark of rage crawling up her spine. Her brows knit instantly. She turned to see Lola Winchester approaching, pulling out the chair across from her as if she belonged there.
"You've got guts showing your face to me, Lola," Aura said, her tone sharp enough to cut.
"It's been a while," Lola said softly.
"I hate it when you act warm towards me like nothing happened," Aura shot back, her voice trembling with restrained emotion.
"I... I know I've wronged you—a thousand times over," Lola admitted, lowering her eyes. "And no apology can fix the damage I've done between us. But I'm willing to give everything to make amends... if you'd only give me the chance you once promised."
"Don't you dare use that card on me, Lola!" Aura's palm slammed against the table, the sharp crack drawing the eyes of nearby customers. "You, of all people, shouldn't have done what you did to my brother!"
Her voice rose again. "Do you think our past means you can just walk back into my life because you want to? You must be out of your mind!"
She snatched up her bag and stormed toward the door.
Lola followed.
"Stop following me!" Aura spun on her heels. The snow-swallowed street was nearly empty.
"We may not have the best relationship," Aura continued, her voice cold, "but you—who used me, just like you used my brother—have no right to seek me out for some sympathetic apology!"
Her rage spiked, but before she could say more, her vision blurred. Her knees buckled.
"Aura!" Lola lunged forward, catching her before she could collapse into the snow.
—
Hours later, Aura awoke to find herself in a hospital gown, the sterile scent of antiseptic filling her nose. Lola sat silently beside the bed.
"Aura!"
Benedict swept into the room, flanked by her secretary and the family doctor. The urgency in her steps was rare.
"Calm down," Aura muttered, her tone dry. "I'm not dead." her mother gestured for the doctor to proceed with the check-up.
"I told you to stay indoors!" Benedict's voice was tight with restrained anger. "With your condition, you should be at home recovering—not wandering around cafés!"
"What's wrong with her?" Lola asked suddenly.
The room fell silent.
"...And you are?" Benedict asked, her eyes narrowing.
"She's Lola Winchester," Aura said flatly. "My brother's ex-girlfriend."
"Ah. I see." Benedict's expression didn't change. "Shall I tell her?"
Aura's lips curled into a faint, humorless smile. "She'll find out whether you want her to or not. She wanted to see me regardless of how much I hid my identity; that's why she's here".
"Aura is sick with Mana Lore" Benedict said at last.
"What?" Lola's voice rose in disbelief. "She's not even an Awakener—how could she have been exposed to mana like that?"
"She's been bullied by a set of hunters in her guild," Benedict replied.
The instant the words left her mouth, the room exploded—literally. A violent burst of wind magic tore outward from Lola, shattering the far wall. Staff outside screamed in alarm.
"Who the hell dared—"
"Are you going to unleash that on me too?" Aura's voice cut through the chaos. Instantly, Lola's rage vanished, replaced by the look of a chastised child.
"I... I'm sorry," she murmured. "But tell me who they are. I'll make them regret it."
"It wouldn't end there," Aura said. "My goal isn't to just stop a single group of corrupt hunters. There are thousands of guilds just like mine. Thousands of victims." Her eyes hardened. "I'll turn the guild into a monument—something that makes others think twice before abusing their power."
"...You're doing this to provoke Snow," Lola said quietly.
"You're as sharp as ever. He's awake, isn't he?" Aura asked
"Yes. But you know him—when it comes to you, he'll go to extremes. I'm worried he might destroy the Association itself if he finds out."
"That's why you're still here," Aura said, her voice low. "Until my plan is complete, you'll keep your mouth shut."
"But if he knows, with his current skill in creating elixirs and cures—he might be able to heal you!" Lola argued.
Aura simply stared at her.
"...So you did end the relationship for reasons you haven't told anyone," Aura guessed.
Lola didn't answer.
"Stay around if you have time," Aura said finally.
"I will. But I have to prepare for something," Lola replied.
"Something?" Aura questioned
"Yes, The Summit wasn't just about promoting Ruciel Faithhood—it was also to acknowledge Snow's achievements."
Aura's expression shifted slightly. "Does this have anything to do with the prophecy spoken about"
Lola froze. "i see the news has gotten this far, yes indeed"
"i see, it is fine then" Aura said.
(So... I have only a few days left to set things in motion.)
She was discharged later that evening after a full examination. The snow outside hadn't let up, and Lola stuck to her side like a persistent shadow.
Mana Lore. A sickness that slowly devoured its host from within. In some cases, the victim wasted away over months. In others... days.
Since its discovery, Mana Lore had claimed over 345,000 lives.
And now, Aura was racing the clock.
-------------------------------
to be continued...