My head felt unbearably heavy as I delivered my final slap. My body swayed, weightless, and the stinging pain on my cheek had long since crossed the threshold of tolerable.

I must be hallucinating.

I caught a glimpse of a small, dark cloud hovering in the air. Strange… I had the oddest feeling I'd seen it before.

Slowly, the cloud's color shifted, glowing an ominous red, like smoldering embers right before they burst into flame.

BOOM! A deafening explosion rocked the air.

[Blazing Cinderstorm activated]

The cloud exploded into a thick, suffocating smoke, sending the barbarian sprawling, coughing and gasping in shock. He hadn't seen it coming. Honestly, neither had I. My sluggish brain struggled to process what had just happened.

I could figure it out later. Right now, I had more pressing matters, like collapsing.

Without a second thought, I stumbled off the podium and let myself fall onto the hard, pink floor. Somewhere beyond the mirrored walls, I heard a faint yelp, followed by several startled voices.

"Wait, what are you doing? Are you casting some kind of spell?" a suspicious voice asked from behind the mirror.

"No, I didn't cast anything," I replied weakly.

"Just… let me rest for a bit," I mumbled, my voice barely above a whisper.

Lying there, I cast Rejuvenation, replaying the events in my head, trying to make sense of what had happened. I forced myself to recall every detail, all while attempting to ignore the searing pain wracking my head.

Then, suddenly, realization struck me. I bolted upright.

Was that… Horrogoth's passive skill?

Yes. Yes, I remember now. That damned cloud. I knew where I had seen it before. The memory rushed back, vivid and sharp. I had been trying to help Elena after she got caught in the explosion, and then, another explosion had taken me down too.

So, I had finally activated it. But how? What triggered it?

Did I seriously have to get smacked into oblivion just to activate it? That was ridiculous.

No. Muradin and Darwyn had already attacked me multiple times before, trying to force it out, and nothing had happened.

I let out a long, frustrated sigh.

Darn it. This was still a mystery. There had to be a specific condition for activating the skill. I just had to figure out what it was.

"Hm? Something on your mind?" The woman's voice cut through my thoughts. She looked at me, surprised that I had suddenly sat up.

I hesitated for a moment before responding, "That was my passive skill, the one that made the barbarian fall. So, technically, I didn't break any rules. I won fair and square. That means I pass, right?"

Come on, please. Let this be it. I really need this job.

There was a brief murmur of discussion before, suddenly, a section of the wall shifted. From within the dark opening, the same one the barbarian had entered, emerged a much smaller figure.

A young woman, likely in her early twenties, stepped forward. She wore trendy glasses and a neatly pressed office-like outfit, though the bright pink color made it anything but conventional. Her face was warm and approachable, neither strikingly beautiful nor plain, but with a certain charm that made her stand out. Her smile was wide, revealing perfectly aligned white teeth. Every detail about her appearance was meticulously tidy, from her sleek black hair, which fell perfectly in place without a strand out of order, to her polished shoes.

"Congratulations, Eryndor Leafshade," she announced with an enthusiastic grin. "Your performance was outstanding. You're the first to successfully pass all three of our tests to become the bodyguard."

A wave of relief washed over me. I wanted to jump up and cheer, but at this point, I barely had enough energy to lift a finger. Instead, I settled for a small, satisfied smile. I did it.

I blinked. "So... when do I start? And what do I need to prepare?"

"I'll fill you in on the details later," she said, handing me a document. "For now, just sign this contract and submit it to the receptionist up front. Oh, and keep in mind, this job is highly confidential."

She gave me a knowing look before adding, "You can call me Vivian. Vivian Greer. I'm the personal assistant of the one you'll be guarding. We'll be working together a lot."

"Got it."

"Wait. You'll need this," she said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a ring. "If this vibrates and starts glowing, just touch the gemstone in the center and channel your Mana into it. Make sure no one else is around when you do. If you ever need to contact me, use it the same way."

I examined the ring closely. It looked ordinary at first glance, a simple silver band with a small green gemstone set in the center. "So... it's a long-distance communication device?"

"Exactly. This is called Jasper Ring. It's a state-of-the-art magic device developed by the Wizard Academy. It hasn't been released to the public yet, and only select individuals are allowed to have one. It's extremely valuable, so take good care of it," she warned.

I slipped the ring onto my finger, still scrutinizing it. "So how does it actually work? Do I have to talk into it or what?"

Vivian chuckled. "It's better to experience it yourself rather than have me explain everything."

"Can it be used for group communication, or is it strictly one-on-one? And what about people who don't have Mana Affinity?" I pressed further.

She smirked. "You sure ask a lot of questions for someone who was just lying half-dead on the floor."

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I frowned. "Hey, it's a valid concern."

"I don't have the answer to that," she admitted. "But as a druid, you shouldn't have any trouble using it."

"Alright, but what about my other question? Can multiple people use it at the same time?" I persisted.

"As I said, I don't know," she replied with a small, patient smile. "What I do know is that you can use it to contact me. That should be enough for now."

She adjusted her glasses and stretched slightly. "I have a lot of work to do, so I'll be in touch with more details soon. Make sure you answer when I call."

With that, she gave me one last smile before disappearing back into the dark opening in the wall, leaving me alone with the contract in my hands and a brand-new future ahead of me

Not long after, the barbarian who had been sprawled on the floor after taking my attack finally stirred. He groaned, clutching his head where the wound still throbbed.

"Sorry for that," I said, eyeing the burn mark on the side of his face.

"Sorry for what?" he replied, blinking at me in confusion. "We fought fair and square. Nothing to apologize for."

Typical barbarian. Straight to the point, no unnecessary chatter. Most people thought they were rude or small-minded, but I liked that about them, simple and honest. I wasn't one for pointless pleasantries either.

"You're strong, druid. Next time, let's have a rematch," he said, stepping closer and clapping me on the shoulder. The sheer force of it nearly knocked me over. I barely managed to stay upright, nodding weakly. "O-okay."

There was no way in hell I was agreeing to a rematch with this mountain of a man. Even with the luck I had gotten from the Golden Harpy, I doubted I could pull off another win like that.

Without wasting any more time, I gave a quick farewell and exited the overwhelmingly pink room. I filled out the equally pink form and handed it to the receptionist before making my way home.

Agnar Terelin. What a unique barbarian.

I glanced down at the wooden totem he had given me. The small carving featured three stacked animals. At the base was a star-marked beast resembling an elephant, its colors dominated by shades of blue and green, with three massive horns on its head. Above it sat a fox-like creature with brown fur. And perched at the very top was a griffin, a blend of lion and eagle, with its wings spread wide.

I turned it over in my hands, examining it closely. Unfortunately, it held no real use for me. Totems were special items unique to barbarians, symbols of their pride and heritage.

As I walked, I began to list what I needed to do before starting my new job as a bodyguard.

I had a lot to get done. First, I needed to check on Elena's condition and stop by Sam and Luther's place. After that, I had to visit a few people in Willow's End and gather ingredients for some potions, just in case. I also still needed to figure out how to activate my passive and continue my investigation into a few names on my list. On top of that, there were several small things to do.

That should cover everything.

***

When I returned home, I found Orin was already there, a nice coincidence. So, I decided to spend some time with her.

Our conversations ended up revolving mostly around the druid build I had recommended for her and our next exploration plans.

"Are you sure about this, Eryndor?" Orin asked hesitantly. "I was actually torn between Cernunnos the Elderwood Stag and Alderon. They both have great synergy with my abilities."

"I'm a hundred percent sure," I replied without hesitation. "If you pair it with the Talisman I mentioned before, you'll become an incredibly versatile and powerful support, even if it's in an unconventional way. That's also why I suggested the Gravelurker Soul Fragment for you earlier."

Orin frowned, clearly skeptical. "Hmm... I still don't fully understand your explanation. From what I can tell, this build doesn't seem that strong." She crossed her arms, deep in thought. "But... if you say it'll make me stronger, I trust you."

I held back a grin. I hadn't told her about the secret mechanics behind the build yet. It was too complex to explain in one sitting, and it could change depending on different situations. Besides, I wasn't even entirely sure if it could be applied in this world. That was something we'd have to figure out later.

Just then, the door unexpectedly creaked open.

Darwyn stepped in, followed closely by Elena. It seemed they had just returned from the elven forest.

"Mister Gwydion! Elena!" Orin cried out, tears welling up. "You have no idea how worried I was. I've been looking everywhere for you two!"

Elena ran up to Orin and threw her arms around her. "I'm so sorry, sis."

Darwyn scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish. "Sorry, Orin. I'll explain everything later. But first, there's something Elena wants to say."

Elena looked unsure and a bit embarrassed.

"I… I'm sorry for acting like a brat and snapping at you all," she mumbled, barely above a whisper.

"We understood the situation," I said gently, trying to encourage her. "I hope you're feeling better now."

Elena looked more like herself again, not as grim and tightly wound as she had been ever since the Dorian incident.

"Thank you, Erynd. And you too, Orin," she said, then took a deep breath. "I owe you both an explanation. Let's sit down. This might take a while."

We moved to the dining table and took our seats.

"I suppose I should tell you all about how I managed to get our items back," she said, before launching into a detailed recount of her experience. She explained how she tracked Dorian into the Eastern District.

The room fell silent, all ears on her.

She paused for a moment, as if weighing whether to continue, then sighed and went on. She then explained in detail how she encountered and defeated Albedo Dorgas, and—perhaps most disturbingly—how she had to erase all traces of him afterward.

No wonder she had turned grim and lashed out back then. It turned out the guilt and trauma had been haunting her all along.

"No one blames you, Elena," I said gently, but she shook her head.

"No. This is a burden I have to carry," she whispered, barely audible. "But I've learned to accept it."

The names echoed in my mind like fragments of an unfinished puzzle: Dorian Ashford. Albedo Dorgas. Blackrock.

Something about all this felt connected. Too neatly, too coincidentally. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were only scratching the surface of something much larger. A hidden truth waiting to be uncovered.

"That sounds… terrifying," Orin said, eyes wide. "But I'm just glad you made it back safely."

"Yeah, and you've clearly grown stronger," I added. "You're not the same Elena I first met."

"Speaking of which," Elena said, "my fight with Albedo opened my eyes. I'm still way behind you guys. The only reason I made it out alive was because I managed to consume a Frostclaw Fenrir Soul Fragment just in time."

"Still, that was your effort. I'm proud of you," said Darwyn, smiling.

"I don't want to be a burden to the group anymore," she continued. "So I've decided to begin special training in the Elarion Woods."

"Training? What kind?" Darwyn asked, frowning. It was clear he hadn't heard about this.

"I'll be training for Spirit Convergence," she said quietly.

Darwyn nearly jumped from his seat. "What?! Why didn't you tell me? That kind of training is harsh, dangerous! It's meant for seasoned elves!"

"I… I knew you'd react like that," Elena replied, looking down. "That's why I didn't say anything earlier."

"So what about our next exploration?" I asked.

Spirit Convergence training usually took a long time and required full commitment.

"I won't be able to join for a while," Elena admitted with a hint of sadness.

"Aww… I'm gonna miss you, sis," Orin said. "But I respect your decision. How long will the training take?"

"The first one should last about a month. I'm starting this week."

"Train well," I said with a smile. "I know you'll come out even stronger."

"I can't believe my little sister's starting Spirit Convergence before I am," Darwyn said, equal parts proud and pouty. "Just… don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

Elena nodded with a soft smile.

"Well then," I said, looking around. "Since most of us are here, there's something I've been meaning to bring up too…"

"I seemed to know Albedo."

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