The next morning—
before I even woke up—
someone knocked on my door.
I opened it, still half-asleep.
Khaun stood there.
Early.
Too early.
Before I could even speak, he said—
"I'm leaving."
That woke me up instantly.
He stepped forward and handed me two folded sheets of paper.
I opened them.
Magic circles.
One for Dark Hand.
The other for Mana Shot.
Clean. Detailed. Precise.
"My last gift," he said.
I looked up.
He was smiling—but not lightly.
"Use them… or don't. That's your choice."
He paused, then added—
"Just remember one thing."
"There's a thin line between a madman… and a desperate man."
His eyes met mine.
"Don't cross it without knowing."
Before I could respond—
he turned and left.
Just like that.
No farewell.
No looking back.
I stood there, papers still in my hand.
"…What a man."
Later that day, the Duke gathered all the mercenaries.
Nothing dramatic.
Just rewards.
Payment increased.
Basic acknowledgment.
And an order—
"We leave tomorrow."
Packing began immediately.
But my mind was elsewhere.
Two things stayed with me:
Defense.
And Rany's advice.
One point. One strike.
I found him later.
"What do you call that technique?" I asked.
He shrugged.
"Nothing. Just something I use."
I nodded slowly.
"Then I'll name it."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Single Point."
He smirked.
"Sounds fancy."
After that, I went to see Rusty.
The moment he saw me, he perked up.
Ears raised. Eyes bright.
I smiled and placed a hand on his neck, stroking him gently.
"We're going back soon."
He huffed softly, leaning into my touch.
For the first time in days—
I felt calm.
The next day, we left.
No farewell from the Duke.
No sign of Lerana.
Just—
departure.
From a distance, Lerana watched.
Then turned toward her father.
"I want to win in six years."
Von looked at her.
"You already have a teacher."
She shook her head.
"No."
"I don't want her anymore."
Silence.
"I want Mother's closest companion."
Von's expression shifted slightly.
"…You mean the vice-captain of the Six Thorn Roses?"
She nodded.
Von frowned.
"She's a barbarian. Even other barbarians don't like her."
Lerana didn't hesitate.
"That man fights to survive."
"He uses everything—even his own blood."
Her hands tightened slightly.
"I still hesitate."
Her voice lowered.
"If I want to win…"
"I need to abandon elegance."
"I need to learn the true Thorn Style."
Von looked at her for a long moment.
Then—
a faint smile appeared.
"I'll arrange it."
The journey back was uneventful.
Caravans.
Merchants.
Dusty roads.
A few minor fights with monsters—nothing serious.
During the journey, I trained whenever I could.
Beast Breathing.
Beast Absorption.
Trying to gather aura.
Trying to understand mana.
But one thing remained clear—
I lack defense.
Whenever we stopped, I moved away from the others and sat near the edge of the tents.
I took out the papers Khaun gave me.
Magic circles.
I tried to recreate them.
Slowly.
Carefully.
But every time—
they collapsed.
The structure wouldn't hold.
The moment I tried to force mana into it—
it broke apart.
Again.
And again.
Frustration built.
I tried harder.
Focused more.
Forced it.
Then—
I coughed.
My chest tightened.
My head spun slightly.
I stopped.
Breathing uneven.
"…Don't force it. Let it flow."
Khaun's words echoed in my mind.
I clicked my tongue.
"If it doesn't flow… how am I supposed to use it?"
I tried again—
more gently this time.
But the result didn't change.
Nothing formed.
Nothing held.
My head started to ache.
A dull pressure building behind my eyes.
I exhaled slowly.
"…Not now."
Standing up, I walked back toward my tent.
Each step steady—but slower than before.