I opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw was Rafaela's blue ones staring back at me. She was sitting beside me, looking like she'd been watching me sleep for a while.
She gasped when she saw me awake and immediately hugged me."Big bro Troy!" she cried, eyes shimmering with tears.
"Don't worry, Raf," I said, trying to comfort her. "I'm still kicking."
She sniffled, wiped her tears, and leaned her head on my arm with a soft smile.
I wanted to pat her head, but… yeah. My body wasn't moving.
Okay, that's concerning.
Was I crippled? Or did my last attack nuke my muscles into pudding?
"Oh, you're finally awake."
I turned my head slightly to see Xin leaning casually against the doorway, arms crossed.
Wait a second… This wasn't my room.Thanks to the oversized pillow propping me up, I had a clear view of the spacious room—and Xin, standing a few meters away.
"How long was I out?" I asked.
"About three days."
"Damn." I blinked. That passive skill from Hephaestus really was a mana leech. "Also… why can't I move my body?"
Xin walked over, keeping that calm vibe like a guy who never rushes for anything."You broke several bones and drained every last drop of your mana during your fight. That's what happens when you use an evolved fire magic without control."
Huh. So he does know about Hephaestus.
"How many are we talking here?" I asked, frowning. "Because I'm pretty sure all my bones are broken."
He chuckled. "If anyone else took the beating you just did, they'd be buried six feet under."
"I know! That guy was built like a damn boss fight!"
"Funny to hear that from the guy who beat him."
"…Speaking of, where is he? Don't tell me he's in the same condition as me."
"Nope. Apparently, he's physically stronger than you, and he's used to his skill's backlash. He's already in the living room."
I nodded—thankfully, that part of me still worked.
Cherubim, I called out mentally, convert mana to heal me.
[Roger]
Instantly, warmth spread through my limbs like hot honey. I could feel bones knitting together and tension easing. In a few minutes, I could move again.
I sat up on the bed and found Xin staring at me like I was some mythical creature.
"…Is something wrong?"
He shook his head slowly, a faint smile on his face. "Come on. I'll show you outside."
We walked down a pristine white corridor, the floor covered with a long red carpet.
"Where are we, exactly?"
"Our base," Xin replied. "Your fight with Leo happened just outside."
Wait, this clean and elegant place was that same scrapyard from earlier?
"Seriously? It looked like a garbage zone outside."
Xin nodded. "That's the venue for every challenge. It gets wrecked regularly. Hence, the mess."
"Wow… I thought our battle made that mess."
"It wasn't you," Xin said with a smile. "It was me. I wrecked the place while fighting Leonidas three years ago."
"…Ah. So it was you."
Note to self: never let his calm aura fool me again.
Eventually, we reached the living room. Laughter echoed through the air as I saw ten people lounging on sofas.
Then, suddenly, nine of them stood up in unison and bowed deeply.
"Greetings, Boss!"
Oh right. I won.That means I'm the new leader now.
It still felt unreal.
"Y–yo," I replied awkwardly.
Leonidas, wrapped in bandages, sat on the sofa and turned to me. His forehead furrowed in disbelief.
"Oy oy oy, are you kidding me right now? I couldn't even lift a finger for a week after using that skill the first time—and here you are, walking around like you stubbed a toe?" He pointed dramatically. "There's definitely something broken in your body."
We locked eyes—and both burst out laughing like idiots. Even the others couldn't help but chuckle.
When we finally stopped, he reached out his hand. "Welcome to the faction, Boss."
I grabbed it firmly. "Honestly, based on your attitude, I thought you were a sore loser."
"I am. But that was a damn satisfying fight. No regrets. Plus, you did offer me the position of your right hand, right?"
…Did I?
"Well, sure. Let's go with that."
Now that I was up close, I noticed the scars covering his arms and neck. Deep, jagged ones.
What the hell kind of warzone has he lived through? It looked like he tried cuddling with a blender.
Suddenly, the whole group erupted in laughter again. Even Xin was chuckling behind his hand. Rafaela just stared at them, visibly confused.
Leonidas tapped my shoulder. "Now I get it. It was my defeat, fair and square."
"Yeah, sure," I said. "By the way, where's my robe?"
Leo smirked. "You destroyed it. But don't worry—I got something better."
He pointed across the room. There, hanging from a rack, was a sleek black cloak and a sword.
"What are those?"
"A new cloak, stronger than the last one. And that sword? A holy blade that can conceal what you want hidden. Suits you better than anything else."
I took the cloak and sword, though I had no idea what kind of sword it was. Everyone looked away when I turned to them—even Xin.
"Wait, did I really destroy my robe?"
"You did," Xin confirmed, nodding solemnly.
"Damn. I'm not used to walking around without it."
Leo shrugged. "Then wear this one. You're the new face of the faction. Don't be shy. Show them who you are."
I sighed. "Fine. I'll take your advice."
He gave me a thumbs-up with the most smug grin possible.
Totally not suspicious at all…
"So," Leonidas said, "any plans as the new Boss?"
I took a deep breath. "I want to unite all the factions, bring equality, and get rid of poverty in this town. I heard this place is a sanctuary for different races—I want to make it truly free."
Leonidas blinked. "That's… ambitious. But the two remaining faction leaders are stronger than me."
"I'll do my best," I said. "And when it's time to leave, I want to leave this town in unity."
Leonidas and Xin exchanged looks and smiled.
"You've got a big dream, Boss."
Later, I took Rafaela back to the inn. On the way, people stared. Hard.
We stopped at a restaurant for dinner, and the second we stepped in, everyone froze. Forks mid-air, mouths open, eyes locked on me.
A waitress bolted toward us and bowed deeply."Please, allow me to escort you to your table, Master Troy!"
Master—what!?
How fast does word spread in this town!?
I followed her and sat down, dazed.
"Here's your menu, Master Troy."
"Yeah… thanks," I muttered, massaging my forehead.
After dinner, we walked back to the inn. Once inside, I collapsed onto the bed.
Cherubim, I thought. Show me my status.
[Roger]
A glowing blue screen appeared in front of me. My first time actually seeing this.
Name: Troy HerculesAge: 18Race:Unknown
Wait… Unknown?!I'm a human, dammit! What do you mean by "Unknown"?!
Cherubim! Explain!
[Negative]
WHAT!?
MP: 2000/2000+
Did I gain MP?
[Affirmative. You had 1000 before. Training and Hephaestus added 500. The most recent evolution—Hephaestus + Warrior's Rage—forced your body to generate 500 more to handle simultaneous physical and magical strain. Hence, three-day coma.]
Hahaha… Hephaestus is terrifying.
[Evolved skills drain absurd amounts of mana. Increase your MP pool, or risk death.]
Noted…
Magic Attributes:
Fire Magic – Common
Fire Resistance
Hephaestus – Evolved (Active/Passive Unlocked)
Wind Magic – Common
Nature Magic – Common
Ice Magic – Common
Earth Magic – Common
Water Magic – Common
Electric Magic – Common
????
????
Physical Attributes:
Warrior's Rage
…That's it?
[For now. You'll gain more.]
Let's hope I gain them before I blow myself up again.