In front of Darian wasn't just a stunning woman — her presence dragged up some really old memories, bubbling up from the depths of his mind.

Amara Rorik had that kind of striking beauty that was hard to ignore, with an air of nobility that clung to her. Her long dark hair fell like a waterfall, perfectly framing her delicate, expressive face. Her pale skin made her eyes pop — a hypnotic mix of gray and violet.

She was wearing full-body armor from the neck down. Mostly black, with gorgeous red and gold details, the suit hugged her body like a second skin, accentuating every curve of her feminine figure. A golden crown studded with red gems rested on her head — a clear sign of her status.

That armor was part of the Living-Tech Technique — the unique power of the Polar Circle Empire. It allowed the creation of insanely versatile tech-armors and weapons, and they were a pain to fight against.

These suits weren't just strong or fast — they were often both — and their users were deadly from a distance with projectile weapons or up close with energy blades. The real kicker was that this tech had secrets only the locals of the empire knew. It couldn't be stolen or sold off.

But more than the armor or the tech, the most shocking thing about Amara… was how eerily similar she looked to Darian's mother. Aside from the eye color, even a pair of twins would've done a double take.

A subtle pain stabbed through Darian's chest.

"Hmm? Why do you look so sad to see me?" Amara caught the shift in his eyes.

Darian took a deep breath; even Niara looked puzzled by his reaction. "Sorry… just remembered something bad, that's all."

She stared at him calmly, as if she understood something hidden. But this wasn't the time for personal talks. Still, sensing the honesty in his emotions, she seemed much more at ease.

"They say you're a healer? A support class?" she said with a slight smile, making Darian look at her. "The folks from New Arcadia are pretty clueless. You're a Mystic. Just like me — and everyone in my family."

Her words made Darian's mind reel. Just like her family?

She seemed to catch on to his thoughts without any trouble. Around someone who felt so familiar, Darian couldn't even pretend to hide his feelings anymore. He even triggered his curse to check her karma… it was gray — very different from the norm.

"Yeah, on this whole planet, I'd say 90% of all Mystics come from my family. We're known for having talent in basically everything. If we work hard and get the right opportunities, we can learn anything." She looked him right in the eye, her message clear as day.

Humans were known for their adaptability and wide variety of classes. But even among them, the Mystic class was extremely rare.

It wasn't just a matter of raw talent — people's bodies naturally leaned toward one or two specialties. It was a genetic thing. Even the most talented person usually had to stick to a single path. But Darian and the twins had always shown an insane knack for being Mystics.

People calling Darian a healer had always been about circumstances. But after this tournament, no one would call him that again.

He took another deep breath. This confirmed it. Amara was... the Rorik family was his mother's family. She had run away and changed her name to keep her family and empire out of trouble. After all, the Wube family was a powerful mess. And now, fate had brought them back together.

The exchange of glances and words between them lasted just a little over two minutes.

"Guess that's the case... anyway... I'm Darian. I've got a younger brother and sister, they'll love meeting you later."

He muttered with a sigh. Amara smiled, clearly happy with that indirect confirmation. Now, both of them wanted to get this over with so they could actually talk.

"Let's fight. I really wanna test myself against you." Amara said, her eyes glowing. "Just me and you, winner takes all. How about it?"

Darian stayed quiet, tense. He felt like he couldn't go all out against someone who looked so much like his mother.

Amara narrowed her eyes and nodded. At that moment, her armor pulsed. It was made up of tiny metal plates linked to her ring's power, acting like nanobots that moved freely. That's why it was called living tech.

Darian saw small dots crawling up her neck and covering her face completely. Now she wore full armor, with only two red dots showing where her eyes should be.

'You're a bit too emotional... is this better now? I really do want to fight you.' Her voice echoed straight into Darian's mind.

He nodded back. Amara now looked like anything but human.

She reached to her waist and pulled out something small that looked like a sword hilt. When she pressed it—

*Buzz*

A reddish light flared to life, turning solid and forming a light-sword. It was her ring's raw power channeled through a unique technique from her empire.

This living tech was the perfect match for mystics. Amara could fight head-on like a tank, use melee weapons like a Fighter, or attack from afar like a mage. Even in the support role, everyone from her empire who used this tech had a special method that only worked between them, letting them heal even without a healer.

Darian took a deep breath. On that special mission, everyone was limited to two rings at most, and people from her empire didn't have enough power to use that technique. He wondered if, without realizing it, he'd ended up letting members of his mom's family die.

'That special mission that just happened...' he asked mentally, without hesitation.

Amara was quick to understand what he meant: 'All the Earth empires were caught off guard when that special mission popped up. No one from my family got sent — we were focused on this tournament and already had three rings. Only a slightly above-average group got sent. I don't know what happened, but I'm sure they died because of their own choices.'

Darian nodded, relieved. Only then did he pull out two daggers and look at his opponent seriously.

"That pet of yours won't get hurt, right?" Amara asked with a robotic voice coming from her armor.

Niara scoffed, a little annoyed, and spread her small wings. "Don't worry about me — worry about yourself. I'M HIS PARTNER, and I'm not leaving his side. If Dan wants, I can help crack that metal shell of yours."

Amara felt something odd in the way she said that — the irritation and emphasis. That little newborn dragon wasn't what she seemed. She looked into Darian's calm eyes and knew he had a lot of secrets.

The two had just met. And the best way to understand each other... was through their abilities.

"Alright then!" she said, spinning the light-sword into position and taking an attack stance.

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