The next morning, Mike woke up with a heaviness still lingering in his chest.

Is Misty okay now? he wondered.

He stepped out of his room and walked toward his parents' room. Before he could knock, the door opened.

This time, it was his mother.

"She's fine now," she said softly, a gentle smile on her face. "She's no longer shivering in her sleep."

Mike felt his shoulders loosen slightly. "Can I see her?"

His mother nodded and stepped aside.

Mike looked inside.

Misty was sleeping peacefully on the bed, her small arms wrapped around her bunny plushie. Her breathing was steady, her expression calm—just like before. There was no trembling, no fear etched into her face.

And in the air, there was still a faint, soothing fragrance.

Mike inhaled slowly and finally let out a quiet breath of relief.

"…Good," he murmured.

I'll buy more of those flowers, he decided silently. There are still three petals left. I won't take any chances.

His mother noticed his expression and simply nodded, understanding without needing words.

"Where's Dad?" Mike asked.

"The city needed more healers," she replied. "Your father left early this morning to help. He also went to see if there are any priest-class awakened he can arrange for Misty, just to be safe."

Mike nodded. "That's good."

He took one last look at Misty—sleeping calmly, hugging her bunny—and then quietly stepped away, closing the door behind him.

"You're awake," someone said.

When Mike reached the living room, he saw Lily and Candace talking to each other.

"How is Misty?" Lily asked.

Mike smiled. "She's fine now."

Lily nodded in relief.

"We're being called by the City Lord to his mansion," she said. "We're going to get rewarded there."

Mike nodded. "I'll get ready."

He returned to his room, changed, and soon came back out in a formal suit.

As he stepped into the hallway, he saw Lily as well.

She was wearing a formal red dress, with a slit along the side that accentuated her figure. The color contrasted beautifully with her blonde hair and black eyes, making her look even more striking.

Mike paused for a moment.

"You look… amazing," he said honestly.

Lily smiled slightly. "You don't look bad yourself."

Just then, Candace walked in. "Let's go. Both of you are ready."

With that, they headed out together.

The moment Mike stepped out of the mansion, he froze.

The city before him looked… untouched.

Not a single trace of yesterday's destruction remained. The streets were clean, buildings restored, and even the faint scorch marks from the battle were gone—as if the chaos had never happened.

Mike stared in disbelief.

"What kind of class can do this?" he asked, stunned.

Candace glanced at the city calmly. "There are many kinds of classes," she said. "As well as skills and large-scale restoration abilities. Some can even reset an area to a previous state."

Mike exhaled slowly. "That's insane…"

They got into the car and began heading toward the City Lord's residence.

As they drove, the structure came into view—a massive estate resembling a fortified castle, its walls tall and elegant, radiating authority.

They weren't the only ones arriving.

Many vehicles were already lined up, and powerful awakened individuals could be seen entering from all directions.

"Everyone who contributed yesterday is being rewarded today," Candace explained. "After the ceremony, there will be a banquet in the evening."

She glanced at them through the rearview mirror.

"Your families are invited as well."

Mike and Lily both nodded.

Mike and Lily got out of the car and walked toward the entrance.

Along the way, many people noticed them.

Some of them had fought alongside Mike and Lily the day before. When they recognized Mike, they stopped to greet him.

"Hey, thanks for yesterday."

"You saved my team. I won't forget that."

"Good to see you again."

Mike nodded back to them politely, answering a few greetings.

Others were people he had helped evacuate or protected during the chaos. They bowed slightly or thanked him with sincere expressions.

But not everyone reacted the same way.

Some awakened standing nearby frowned when they saw Mike and Lily.

"Rank 2?" someone whispered.

"Why are kids at Rank 2 here?"

"This place is for Rank 3 and above."

A few looked at Mike with clear confusion, even doubt.

"He doesn't look that strong."

"How did he get invited?"

Mike noticed the looks but didn't react. He simply kept walking.

Lily stayed close beside him, her expression calm.

Candace, walking slightly ahead, heard the whispers and spoke without turning back.

"Don't mind them," she said. "They'll understand soon enough."

Mike nodded.

Whether they believed it or not didn't matter.

He knew what he had done yesterday—and so did the people he saved.

They reached the entrance of the City Lord's mansion, where several attendants were already waiting.

"Welcome, honored guests," one said, bowing slightly. "Please proceed inside. The ceremony will begin shortly."

Mike and Lily stepped in, and the hall opened up before them—large, spacious, and filled with awakened of all ranks. Some were chatting quietly, others were inspecting the decorations and the prepared awards.

As they moved through, more people who had fought with them yesterday came forward again.

"Really glad to see you both made it," one said. "You saved so many of us yesterday."

"Yeah," another added, "I still can't believe how fast you handled those fanatics."

Mike nodded, acknowledging them. Lily smiled faintly, waving her hand politely.

Candace stayed beside them, guiding the way. "The City Lord will see all of you in the main hall. Follow me."

As they walked, other who don't know them, learned from others as they now glanced at Mike and Lily with surprise.

"Those kids… Rank 2, and yet they've already made a name for themselves?"

"Not even fully grown, and already handling dangerous fanatics…"

"They must be S rank or above awakened," one said, and the others nodded in agreement.

S rank? I'm just an F rank… though I do have SSS rank talent, Mike thought, rolling his eyes inwardly. He kept his focus forward, simply following Candace.

Soon, they reached a large door. The guards there straightened as they approached, then opened the door.

Inside, another awakened stepped forward, looking at Mike and Lily with a curious gaze.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.