Selena nodded, swallowing her fear. She looked at the glowing demon cores and then at Kael, realizing the sheer responsibility he bore—not just the physical fights, but the knowledge of how dangerous these items were.

She whispered softly, "I’ll learn... I’ll be strong too... someday."

Kael’s gaze flicked up, meeting hers. "That’s the spirit. Just don’t rush. Strength isn’t just about power—it’s about control, patience, and understanding what you hold in your hands."

Selena nodded again, this time more determined. "I understand."

Kael exhaled sharply, finishing the last step in patching his wound.

The narrow corner shop smelled faintly of dust, old wood, and iron from tools long forgotten.

Blood had stopped flowing for now, but the wound was deep, and the pain throbbed steadily.

Selena knelt beside him. "Kael... are you sure you can do this by yourself? You should let me help..."

Kael shook his head, his jaw tight. "No. This... I need to handle myself. You just... stay close."

He winced again as he opened his small bag and pulled out a needle and a spool of thick thread.

The metal glinted under the dim lantern light.

Selena gasped slightly. "You’re going to stitch yourself? Are you insane?"

Kael glanced at her.

"Will you stop talking too much"

He gritted his teeth, lifted the needle, and pressed it to his thigh. Pain shot through him immediately, and he let out a sharp shout, startling Selena.

"AHHHHH—!"

Selena’s hand flew to her mouth. "Kael! You’re hurting yourself!"

Kael clenched his eyes shut, sweat beading on his forehead. "I know... I have to... just stay still!" His other hand grabbed the bandage roll as he worked, stitching carefully but swiftly, muttering under his breath with each pull of the thread.

"Kael... it looks so deep... how can you even..." Selena trailed off, shivering.

Kael shot her a glare. "Stop watching like that! Focus!"

She swallowed hard, turning her attention to the wall. "I... I’m trying... just... don’t bleed too much!"

Each pull of the needle was agony. Kael’s muscles tensed.

The metal of the needle felt cold, but the pain burned hot.

He let out another short, sharp shout as he stitched the final part of the wound.

"AHHHHH! DONE!" he yelled, slamming the needle down onto the floor with a clatter. His hand was slick with blood and his leg throbbing painfully.

Selena immediately rushed forward. "Kael! Are you okay?!"

Kael gritted his teeth but forced a faint smile. "I’m fine... now. Bandage it tightly." He grabbed the roll of cloth and began wrapping his leg with precise, strong movements, ensuring the wound was completely covered and secured.

Every twist of the cloth was careful but firm, binding the muscle and skin together.

Selena assisted him. "There... that should hold until tomorrow," Kael muttered finally, leaning back against the wall.

Selena let out a sigh of relief. "You... you’re incredible. How can you endure so much pain and still think about fighting tomorrow?"

Kael shrugged. "Tomorrow, I have a quest. I can’t afford to be weak. I’ve survived this much, I won’t stop now."

Selena’s eyebrows knitted. "A quest? Already? You just came back from the demon fight... Kael, you need rest!"

Kael shook his head slowly. "No. Rest comes after the work is done. And this... this is just another step."

He stood up carefully, testing the leg. It throbbed sharply but didn’t buckle. "Come on. Let’s leave before anyone notices something unusual."

Selena nodded. "Okay... let’s go."

The soft glow of lanterns reflected on the stone pathways as Kael and Selena made their way toward the outskirts.

His steps were uneven, the bandaged leg dragging slightly with each stride, but he kept moving forward with determination.

"Kael... how do you walk like that and still stay so fast?" Selena asked, struggling to keep pace.

Kael smirked faintly. "Pain slows most people. It doesn’t slow me... just learn to endure, that’s all."

By the time they left the city walls behind, the sky had grown dark, dotted with twinkling stars.

The forest beyond the city looked omnivorous.

Kael’s steps were quieter now, careful to avoid sharp rocks or broken branches.

"Look at the academy... it’s... quiet tonight," Selena said softly, pointing to the faint glow of lights from the distant towers.

Kael followed hers. "Good. We should reach there soon. You need rest too."

They arrived at the academy just as the night deepened.

Selena sighed. "Good night, Kael," she said.

Kael, still limping slightly, nodded. "Good night," he replied.

As they walked along the main courtyard, a few of their classmates noticed them.

Whispers started immediately, tinged with envy and curiosity.

"Kael... what were you doing with her this late at night?" one of the first-year students called out with a teasing grin.

Kael didn’t respond. He ignored them completely.

A group of students chuckled among themselves. "Look at him... limping like that. Did that second-year girl give him a rough punishment?" one of them said loudly, laughter bubbling over.

The others joined in, some snickering, some shaking their heads. "Hahaha, poor Kael! Can’t even walk properly now!"

Kael didn’t flinch.

Each step hurt, but he refused to show weakness.

The teasing faded behind him as he reached the dormitory, opening the door and stepping inside.

Kael carefully placed the bag with demon cores on the table and his sword.

He breathed in deeply, the ache in his thigh screaming at him, but his mind was already thinking ahead.

"I’ll be fine. The bandage will hold. Just... need to rest a little. Tomorrow... I have to prepare for the quest.

Kael leaned back, closing his eyes for a brief moment.

The whispers from the academy courtyard still echoed faintly in his mind, but he didn’t dwell on them.

He thought instead about the quest ahead, the skills he still needed to refine, and the demons he had faced.

His thoughts drifted to magic.

Though he had always relied on his sword, he realized that knowledge of magic could give him an edge.

The demon cores, the spells, the hidden arts in the novels—there was so much to learn. Kael knew he had to train not just his body, but his mind.

He sat there, staring at the faintly glowing cores, imagining the forging possibilities.

"Magic... not just sword skills... maybe I can learn it," he said to himself.

"If I can refine the cores using magic, understand them... maybe I can even amplify my own combat skills."

The pain in his leg was sharp again, pulling him back to the present.

He took a deep breath, stretching carefully. "Tomorrow... focus on the quest. Survive, fight...learn and use the novel skill to the secret path."

In the dormitory, Kael sat silently, wrapped in his thoughts, determined to grow stronger.

"what about these coins?"