Seeing his mother crying, Logan gently clasped her shoulder and asked, "Mother, what's wrong?"

After a moment, Alice finally released him from her embrace, wiped her tears, and said, "You were unconscious, Logan. No matter what we did, you just wouldn't wake up."

Logan frowned slightly. "How long was I unconscious?"

"Five days."

"What? That long?!"

"Yes," Alice replied softly. "Everyone was so worried."

"W… well, I'm really sorry, Mother."

"It's alright," she said with a faint smile. "Now that you're awake, we can all finally breathe again."

Before long, the others arrived — Rudeous, Noah, Emily, and several family members. The moment they saw Logan awake, their faces lit up with relief and joy.

"Logan, you really gave us a fright," Noah said.

"How are you feeling, son?" Rudeous asked with concern.

"I'm feeling great, Father. There's no need to worry," Logan replied, smiling reassuringly.

Emily stepped forward, her brows slightly furrowed. "Logan, what exactly happened to you? Do you remember anything?"

Logan paused for a moment, thinking carefully before answering. "I think I was just too exhausted. After that… everything went blank."

"But what was that golden aura?" Daliah asked. She had been standing quietly until now — though she was overjoyed to see Logan awake, she hadn't been able to get a word in while everyone else spoke. But this question had been burning inside her, and she couldn't hold it back any longer. Rowan and Lilith, standing nearby, seemed to share the same curiosity.

Logan blinked in confusion. "Golden aura? What golden aura?" he asked, clearly baffled.

"You don't remember?" Lilith asked. "While I was using my gravity magic, you were pinned to the ground and couldn't move. But then, all of a sudden, a golden aura began radiating from your body. The next moment, you broke free and started fighting again."

"I… I don't remember any of that," Logan said, looking utterly flabbergasted.

"Oh… well…" Lilith murmured, unsure what to say next. After all, if Logan truly didn't remember, what else could they possibly add? One glance at his face told everyone he was being honest — he genuinely had no recollection of what had happened. So no one pressed further.

Gradually, everyone began chatting lightly with Logan, asking how he was feeling and if he needed anything. Then, one by one, they quietly left the room.

Finally, only Alice remained.

"Logan, do you want to eat something?" she asked softly. "You've been unconscious for five days. You must be hungry."

"Mother, could I… take some time alone?" Logan asked in a gentle, almost pleading tone. "I'll let you know when I feel like eating."

"Of course," Alice said kindly. "Just tell me right away when you're ready."

"I will," Logan replied with a faint smile.

Alice ran her hand lovingly through his hair, placed a kiss on his forehead, and left the room. She knew that since he had just regained consciousness, what he needed most right now was rest.

Once everyone was gone, Logan fell into deep thought. "What was that golden aura they were talking about?"

In both of his lives combined, it was the first time he had ever heard of such a thing. And since he hadn't seen it himself, he couldn't be sure what Lilith, Rowan, and Daliah were referring to.

After a pause, he called out softly, "Audrey."

The soul sword floated out from its resting place, hovering before him.

"Were you observing my training earlier?" he asked.

"Yes," Audrey replied.

"Did you notice the golden aura they mentioned?"

"Yes."

"You did?" Logan leaned forward slightly, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Do you have any idea what it might be?"

"Nope," Audrey said bluntly. "It wasn't anything related to magic. And if it's something tied to cultivation, shouldn't you be the one to know better?"

"Yeah… I thought I did," Logan said quietly, his voice thoughtful. "But now… it seems like the opposite."

That night, Logan sat cross-legged before a mirror, his reflection illuminated by the faint glow of moonlight spilling through the window. Closing his eyes, he tried once again to sense the strange feeling he had experienced during the sparring session — that mysterious surge that had awakened the golden aura everyone spoke of.

But no matter how hard he tried, nothing happened.

He remained still, breathing steadily, trying to recall every detail — the pressure, the sensation, the rush of energy — yet there was only silence within his core. Hours passed in quiet struggle, the candles around him slowly burning out one by one. Eventually, he let out a deep sigh and opened his eyes.

'No use forcing it,' he thought tiredly. Letting the matter go for the time being, he closed his eyes again — this time to cultivate instead. The familiar rhythm of Qi flow replaced the frustration, and soon his mind grew calm and focused once more.

The next morning, Logan resumed training with Rowan, Daliah, and Lilith. Day after day, their routine continued — occasional sparring and cultivation sessions filled their time. Life at the Smith Villa gradually returned to normal.

Meanwhile, somewhere else on the outskirts of Drahzul.....

Far away, under the blood-red hues of a dying sunset, the ground trembled with violent clashes of magic spells and metal.

An S-Class hunter who had lightning and fire affinity stood panting heavily amidst the ruins of a charred forest. His armor was scorched, his breathing ragged, yet his eyes blazed with fury. Sparks crackled around his hands as arcs of lightning danced along his twin blades.

Across from him stood two figures, shrouded in shifting shadows. One of them was Gazel. He moved with eerie calm, his eyes gleaming with a predatory light. The air around him shimmered faintly with icy mist and swirling gales, every step leaving a thin trail of frost.

Beside him was Sirus, his body surrounded by flickering crimson flames, their heat distorting the air around him. A wicked smile curved his lips.

"You bastards… who sent you?" the hunter growled, tightening his grip on his weapons.

Gazel tilted his head slightly. "Does it matter?" His voice was cold, almost emotionless. "You'll be dead before you get the answer."

Before the hunter could respond, Sirus vanished in a blur. A streak of fire cut through the air as he appeared behind the hunter, launching a blazing kick. The hunter spun around just in time, his lightning-coated sword clashing against Sirus's leg, sending sparks flying.

BOOM!

The shockwave tore through the forest, uprooting nearby trees.

"Fast," Sirus muttered, grinning. "But not fast enough."

Before the hunter could regain his footing, a sharp gust sliced through the air. Gazel's wind blades cut across his side, leaving shallow but bleeding wounds. The hunter gritted his teeth, lightning surging from his body in retaliation.

He raised his hand as mana flared.

Bolts of lightning rained down from the sky, striking everything within range. The battlefield exploded in blinding flashes of blue and gold. For a moment, both Gazel and Sirus were engulfed by the storm.

When the smoke cleared, Gazel stood unharmed, an icy barrier swirling around him, the melted ground steaming beneath his feet. Sirus brushed off his shoulder, flames licking harmlessly around his form.

"Is that all an S-Class hunter can do?" Sirus taunted.

The hunter's eyes widened. "Monsters… you're not human!"

Gazel smirked faintly. "You're only realizing that now?"

In a blink, the duo attacked again. Sirus lunged forward, his flaming fists colliding with the hunter's sword in a series of rapid strikes, each blow strong enough to shatter stone. Meanwhile, Gazel circled behind, weaving hand signs as the air condensed into countless ice spears that rained down upon the hunter like a deadly storm.

The hunter deflected as many as he could, but exhaustion was taking its toll. Blood trickled from his wounds, his lightning flickering weakly.

"I… won't… lose…" he hissed through gritted teeth.

He gathered all his remaining power, his entire body glowing with electric light. Flames erupted from his blades as he prepared a final attack.

"Let's end this," Gazel muttered, his voice cold as frost.

Sirus nodded, his grin widening. Flames engulfed his arm as it began to morph, bones twisting, skin hardening into a jet-black blade that shimmered with an eerie red glow.

The hunter charged, unleashing a desperate roar, but before he could strike, Sirus moved faster than lightning itself. His bladed arm pierced straight through the hunter's chest.

For a second, the hunter's body stiffened. His eyes widened, the last traces of light fading from them.

Sirus twisted his arm and pulled it out with a wet sound. The hunter collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Gazel looked down at the body and spoke in a calm tone.

"Finally! We've found an S-Class body to merge with."

Sirus chuckled darkly, flames flickering across his shoulders. "But the question is… who gets to merge first? You or me?"

Gazel's eyes glinted coldly. "Who else? It should be me."

Sirus raised an eyebrow, clearly displeased. "Why you? I fought just as hard as you did. Don't act like you could've taken him down alone."

"Oh really?" Gazel's tone grew sharp, a chilling breeze swirling around him. "You want to prove it?"

A wicked grin spread across Sirus's face. "Gladly."

"Then let's settle it," Gazel said, stepping forward, the air around him starting to hum with power. "The one who wins… gets the right to merge to merge first."

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