Arianna woke up alone again. Just like yesterday. And the day before that. She frowned. Why was Cassis getting up so early?
She stretched, feeling light and pain-free, and couldn’t help but marvel at her body’s adaptability. Two days of gruelling training, and yet—no soreness. That was the power of Enhanced Regeneration. She smiled, grateful for the small blessing.
After stopping by the bathroom, she made her way to the living room, where Cassis was already eating breakfast.
"This is the last of our food," he said. "But today, we should get the message that the shopping mall nearby is open again."
Arianna nodded. That meant they could relax a bit. Which, for her, meant meditation and experimenting with her mana pattern again. She glanced at Cassis, wondering if he would do the same. Probably. But for him, it was harder. She would, of course, teach him, just like he taught her to fight.
She grinned to herself. She had helped him before, but she had been kind about it. This time, she wouldn’t be. It would be payback—mental training as brutal as the physical torture he put her through the last two mornings.
After all, he wanted her to grow stronger. She wanted him to do the same.
But before her little revenge could begin, Cassis’ phone rang.
He answered abruptly. "Yes?"
Rude, as always.
Then his expression stiffened. "What?"
Arianna caught his eye and gestured for him to put it on speaker. He did.
"Helen, you’re on speaker. Arianna is with me."
"Hi there," Helen said, her voice brisk. "Sorry, I don’t have a lot of time. Here’s the situation—an officer, a high-ranking one judging by his stripes, just came to your parents’ house. He wants to speak with them and Liam. Probably because of that world announcement. I’ll join them in a bit. I just thought you should know. Chances are, your area will be cleared today too. You’ll be in the same situation soon. Don’t worry—I won’t let anything happen to them."
And just like that, she hung up. Arianna barely had time to react before Cassis turned to her, frowning.
"What do you think the government wants?" she asked. "Maybe they just want to reward us for our role in the first trial?"
Cassis let out a dry, humourless laugh.
"That’s sweet. But you’re too naive. Even if they reward us, it’ll come with strings attached. The government doesn’t just give—they take."
Arianna frowned. That was patronizing. She wasn’t naive—just optimistic. She levelled a long stare at him until he sighed and rubbed his face.
"Alright, sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. Well… I did, kind of. But it came out worse than I intended."
He reached for her hand.
"I’m just… too jaded for this. Too much has happened in the other timeline. And you’re too… optimistic, even after all you’ve seen them do."
Arianna squeezed his hand in return. "Then maybe together we make one rational human being."
That finally made him laugh. But the shadows in his expression didn’t fade.
"Helen is with them," she reminded him.
He nodded, but she could tell—he was still worried.
She knew why. The years of slavery the government had forced upon weak awakeners – F- to D-ranks – in the other timeline. The strong ones never really had to worry about anything as the collars couldn’t hold them anymore. Freedom through Strength, that slogan was still haunting her sometimes. It was eerily similar to what famous dictator from her own world had told his prisoners: Work sets you free. Of course, he had lied and most had died. Only some survived due to being freed by the dictator’s enemies. As with her own history, most awakeners who had worn the slave collar, had never been able to take it off.
Back then, Cassis had been weak, only E-rank. He had kept his head low, hiding in lawless zones, places where the government had no power anymore—only criminal guilds and warlords. She had been so afraid for him.
He had lost the few friends he had left to the slave collars. He had seen things. Horrible things. She had seen them too. But he had lived them.
And yet—this time was different. This time, he was strong. Probably the strongest awakener right now. They couldn’t push him around. He could make a difference.
This time, she was here and could do more than just watch. And if she had any say in it, that future would never happen.
Cassis exhaled sharply, as if willing himself to focus on something—anything—other than his worries.
They still had time before the announcement of a safe shopping place. It wouldn’t do to arrive too early and risk drawing unnecessary attention.
"Alright," he muttered. "There’s nothing I can do about it right now. I just have to trust Helen… Let’s work on our mana circuits until the alert."
Arianna’s lips curled into a slow smile. A perfect opportunity. Cassis needed a distraction—and she would provide one. One so consuming, so relentless, that he wouldn’t have a moment to dwell on anything else. Finally, her turn for payback.
Perhaps her thoughts were a little too obvious, because Cassis shot her a suspicious look. She only grinned and nudged him toward the couch before settling beside him.
"I’ll help you with your pattern," she announced. "I managed to keep mine running through my chest and stomach all of last night and this morning. I’ll help you stabilize yours first—then I’ll work on expanding mine."
Cassis nodded, closing his eyes.
She watched him slip into concentration, his awareness shifting as he attuned himself to his mana.
She had learned to sense it—the difference between passive energy and the moment a person became aware of their mana. It was subtle, yet unmistakable. His mana became… alive.
"Alright," she instructed. "Draw in ambient mana. Use your own to assimilate it into your stream. Once you have enough, start at your core. Feel your centre ignite with fire." He had described his pattern to her before so she could visualize it.
She observed carefully as he followed her guidance.
As expected, he still struggled. His mana control was rough—too volatile, too unrefined. He had trouble pulling the ambient energy into himself, unable to fully integrate it.
If only she could show him. The thought struck her like a spark to dry tinder. She could, maybe.
Her ability to strip mana of its element – like when she used Heal – left it in a neutral state. If she infused some into his stream, he would be able to see and feel the process directly. The theory felt right, so she decided to try it out.
"Okay, don’t panic, but I want to try something new. If it works, it’ll help you a lot."
Cassis cracked one eye open, studying her. Then he simply nodded. He trusted her. The quiet certainty of it sent a peculiar tightness through her chest.
Swallowing, she lifted her hand and focused. When she healed, her mana became something different—pure, elemental-less. She concentrated on that sensation, drawing a thread of her own energy into her palm, then carefully peeling away its water affinity.
It worked. A pale, neutral glow flickered between her fingers. This should be safe, she hoped. She hesitated for only a moment.
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"I need to make physical contact," she explained. "I’m going to place my hand on your chest and guide my mana into you."
A pause. Then another nod. Arianna took a steadying breath before pressing her palm lightly against his heart.
Slowly—so, so carefully—she eased a single tendril of mana into him.
And in an instant—
—she was inside.
For a fleeting second, panic threatened to claw its way to the surface. But she forced it down.
Because this—this wasn’t just mana.
This was Cassis. His warmth. His quiet ruthlessness. His unspoken fears and carefully guarded thoughts. His dry humor, his sharp mind, his relentless will, his hidden kindness. Everything that made him him.
But there was no time to lose herself in it. He could see what she was doing now. So, she showed him.
Her mana flowed like water—fluid, adaptable. His, however, burned. It crackled, flickering like embers catching in the wind.
It took a few tries to adjust, but she found the rhythm.
Every time his flames leapt, she used their momentum to catch the ambient mana, guiding it downward, feeding it into the fire until it was fully assimilated.
Cassis caught on quickly, much quicker than with just an explanation with words, beginning to replicate the process himself.
She remained with him just long enough to reinforce his movements—
Until, without warning, she was thrust out. The abrupt separation sent a dizzying jolt through her, leaving her momentarily unmoored. It had been like an out-of-body experience.
Blinking, she stared down at her hand that had just been at Cassis’ chest. The neutral mana was gone—only faint traces lingered within Cassis, rapidly dissolving into his own energy.
"Alright… that was different," Arianna muttered to herself, still shaken by the experience. Then she had a look at her Features and couldn’t believe it:
- Energy Perception (Expert → Master)
- Mana Sight (Expert → Master)
- Mana Control (Expert → Master)
Next a system message came up:
[Three skills concerning mana have reached Master level. Fusion possible. Proceed with Fusion?]
Arianna had no idea what was happening and but she mentally clicked yes. Then next message said:
[Congratulations! The Features Energy Perception, Mana Sight and Mana Control has fused into the higher Tier Feature Mana Manipulation (Basic)]
“Ok…?” Arianna wondered what she could do now, but first she had to help out Cassis. After that she would try her own pattern again.
Cassis, however, didn’t seem to notice what had happened to her. His entire focus was on his mana, utterly absorbed in the newfound ability to control it—properly, efficiently, finally.
Now that he had a firm grasp on assimilation, replicating the pattern should be easier.
"Good," she said, slipping seamlessly back into instruction. "Now, shape the pattern."
He obeyed without hesitation.
Under her careful guidance, his mana flickered and surged, struggling at first to take form. It took multiple attempts—hesitant starts, collapsing structures—but then, slowly, the pattern began to emerge.
A sea of flames.
It swelled and burned—beautiful, alive—
Then it collapsed.
"Again."
Her voice left no room for argument.
Cassis clenched his jaw and restarted. And when it fell apart once more—
"Again."
Every failure was met with relentless command. She didn’t let him rest. Didn’t let him pause. He had to get it right.
His brows drew together, frustration evident, muscles in his jaw tightening as though warding off an impending headache. But he followed her orders without protest.
Again. And again. And again.
Until—finally—he held the pattern steady. She counted down the seconds. One full minute and it hadn’t wavered yet.
Arianna let out a slow breath, satisfaction curling in her chest.
"Alright, that’s enough," she said, her voice far gentler now. "Good job."
He groaned, letting the pattern fall away. Then he tilted his head back against the couch before cracking his eyes open. He winced slightly, blinking against the light.
Then, with a pained scowl, he pressed his hands against his temples.
"You’re a demon," he accused, voice heavy with exhaustion. "How the hell could you make me do this for over two hours?"
Arianna blinked. Two hours?
She glanced at the clock and—ah. So, it had been. She’d completely lost track of time. Better not tell him that. Instead, she simply grinned.
"I need a break," Cassis groaned, stretching his neck with a wince. "Maybe another shower. I feel terrible."
Arianna hadn't realized he could be so fussy. It was kind of cute.
He looked at his status. “Although it was worth it. My Mana Control went up to Intermediate and Energy Perception reached Advanced. And, wow, my MS is at 31%.”
"Take your time," she told him, amused. "And later, try meditating comfortably. It'll help. Oh, and before I forget: My Energy Perception, Mana Sight and Mana Control reached Master, then the system asked me if I wanted to fuse them. Of course, I did and now I have the ‘higher Tier Feature’ Mana Manipulation instead."
Cassis looked at her in shock: “What…? How is that possible?” Then he stopped himself: “Why am I even asking? It’s you. Of course, it’s possible.” Then he stood up and turned around while shaking his head.
He muttered something unintelligible as he walked away, rubbing his temples, and disappeared toward the bathroom.
Arianna shrugged her shoulders, exhaled and refocused. Now, it was her turn.
Watching Cassis had given her new insight, but in the process, her own pattern had collapsed. No matter—she would rebuild it.
This time, she discarded the idea of forcing the flow into separate channels. She had been thinking too rigidly.
I need to be like the ocean, she realized.
Not separate, not structured. Just endless, flowing.
With that in mind, she started from her chest, weaving spirals, swirls, and currents into her mana stream.
The spirals pulled in ambient water mana, the swirls mixed it with her own, and the currents carried it outward—spreading, expanding.
First, she let the currents reach a little further—testing one direction, then another, feeling the ebb and flood within her.
The pattern held strong in her torso. Over her shoulders. Then—her arms. That was where it failed. Again. But she didn’t stop. Slowly, steadily, she pushed the pattern outward, beyond her previous limits.
Minutes blurred into an hour of relentless focus. And at last, she felt it—
The flow surging through her, sweeping into her arms, her hands, down her legs and feet, even threading through her throat and head.
The strain was immense, her mind stretched taut trying to hold it together.
She gritted her teeth. Then, carefully, she let go.
The pattern unravelled gradually, but she didn’t allow it to collapse entirely. Instead, she settled it at a manageable level, holding it steady around her heart.
Finally, she opened her eyes.
Cassis was watching her, eyes filled with fascination.
"Did you just spread the pattern through your entire body?" he asked.
She nodded, catching her breath. "Yeah. But it was ridiculously hard. I'll have to practice a lot more. Oh, and Mana Manipulation reached Beginner."
His expression was somehow funny. He wasn’t surprised but didn’t seem to know what to make of her abilities with mana. "I could feel the mana surge from you. Even I picked up on it. But then it just—vanished." Then, with a groan, he rubbed his face. "If it’s that hard for you, will I ever be able to do it? There’s a reason it's considered an advanced pattern. In the other timeline, I struggled just to get the basic one working. The only reason I made it work was that it was similar to my natural mana flow. But my flow is more like a burning fuel line not the sea of flames the pattern wants me to do."
Arianna smiled, undeterred. "I’ll help you again, once I get mine to work properly."
Cassis let out another groan—more dramatic this time—before shooting her a teasing smirk. "Great. More ‘help’ from you."
Then he geot more serious.
"I was waiting for you to finish," he said, gesturing to his phone. "Didn’t want to interrupt. But the alert’s come in twenty minutes ago."
She blinked at him, still coming down from her intense focus. How long had she been at it?
"The small shopping mall two streets over has been cleared by the military," he explained. "People can resupply now. They’re also asking everyone to come in for a census—see who survived."
Arianna nodded, stretching out her stiff limbs. "Well, just like we thought. Let’s go."
They stepped outside and immediately noticed the steady stream of people moving in the same direction. It seemed most of the neighbourhood had received the alert and wasted no time heading to the mall.
When they arrived, several military vehicles were parked in front of the entrance, and makeshift registration stalls had been set up to process citizens.
Arianna frowned with a sudden thought. "Why not just do this online?"
Cassis didn’t hesitate. "Some of their systems probably got fried—at least, that happened last time. It’s like the system doesn’t want society to recover too fast."
That was a troubling thought.
He continued, "Besides, a lot of people don’t trust online processes, especially after how useless the military and government were during the monster wave. Doing this in person lets them offer safety and supplies at the same time, which makes people more willing to cooperate."
Arianna nodded, understanding the logic. Most survivors likely resented the government for their inaction, unaware that the system had deliberately crippled military and law enforcement forces by having stronger monsters spawn around them. Then their firearms and other advanced weaponry didn’t work anymore, leaving them with massive losses.
They approached one of the registration stalls.
A soldier took their personal information, then paused, eyes flicking between them. "Cassis Walker and Arianna Sloane," he confirmed, his tone shifting. "From the world announcement?"
"Yes," Cassis said evenly.
The soldier studied them for a moment but ultimately just nodded. "Thank you for your service and for registering. You’re free to enter and buy whatever you need. Payments with credit cards are back online."
They exchanged polite thanks and walked past the checkpoint into the mall.
"Well, that was anticlimactic," Arianna muttered.
Cassis wasn’t as convinced. His gaze was sharp, thoughtful. "No, he was clearly scoping us out. We’ll probably get a visit from the officer who went to my parents' house tomorrow."
Arianna sighed. "You’re so cynical."
"I’m realistic," he corrected.
Unfortunately, he was probably right. She was curious about what the government wanted from them, but there was no use worrying until they got a call or visit.
For now, they focused on their original goal—groceries. They quickly gathered the essentials from the supermarket. Then Cassis suddenly led her toward a clothing store.
"Get enough to last one or two weeks. We can do laundry in the laundromat across the street," he told her. "Buy some sportswear, casual loungewear, whatever you need."
Then he handed her his credit card.
Arianna raised a brow. "And what will you be doing?"
He shrugged. "Browsing the other stores, getting you a new phone, and people-watching."
"So… you don’t want to shop with me for clothes?"
"Not particularly, no."
His tone was almost too nonchalant, as if he were trying to downplay something.
Arianna narrowed her eyes slightly. What was so bad about shopping for clothes? Was it just a typical guy thing? Not wanting to stand around while she picked out what to wear?
It wasn’t like she’d be shopping for cute or fancy outfits. She just needed practical, well-fitting clothes. She wouldn’t even try on most of the clothes.
She shrugged. "Alright. Let’s meet at the entrance when we’re done."
Cassis looked strangely relieved. Without another word, he turned and left.
Arianna watched him go, shaking her head. "Sometimes he’s really weird," she muttered before heading inside to shop.