After leaving the 'Moonlit Temple', Leonhart and I spent the following days diving into the nearby dungeons of the Frozen Plains. We focused on consistent farming to stabilize our levels, dutifully turning over all the monster ores, item drops, and magic crystals to the 'Atlas' Guild. It was a small price to pay to keep them from poking their noses into my business, and since I had no need for standard loot, it was a win-win.
Moving Leonhart out of the tower, however, required a bit more discretion. As a Tower-resident, his presence in the outside world would cause an immediate uproar, so I had him hitch a ride inside Cero's dimensional subspace. Keeping my "team" hidden was a top priority for now; the world wasn't ready to see the Residents of the Tower outside yet.
"[Time Remaining: 9 days 14 hours 37 minutes 12 seconds]"
Ten days had passed since the floor clear. The global atmosphere was thick with tension as guilds finalized their preparations. The Tower had finally dropped a teaser for the next stage, and it was a doozy.
"[Notice: The 3rd Floor of the 'Tower of Trials' is a B-Rank desert-type maze. This will be an official joined Floor across the world. Further details will be available once the Time Remaining reaches 0.]"
A world-joined floor meant the difficulty was about to spike exponentially. During our downtime at my place, I had officially introduced Melchior, Leonhart, and Cero to one another. Leonhart's face when he realized "Mel" was a Vampire was absolutely priceless, a mix of sheer terror and combat-hungry excitement. I didn't get into their deep backstories, but letting them bond was the first step toward building a real unit.
However, I couldn't ignore Leonhart's "injury" any longer.
"Leo, talk to me," I said, leaning back as we sat in the quiet of the room. "What can you tell me about that injury on your left side?"
I knew the technicalities, but I needed to know how much he remembered. Too many variables had changed already, and relying solely on game knowledge was becoming a dangerous habit.
Leonhart looked flustered, rubbing the back of his neck as he stared at the floor. "I don't remember much, Hyung. Just flashes. I remember dueling a man... he hit me with this weird 'Sword Energy.' Since then, the wound just won't close. My body usually fixes itself, but this? It's like it's stuck. And I can't seem to pull my 'Prana' together anymore."
"What you were hit with is called 'Energy Blockage,'" I explained, watching his eyes widen. "It's not technically a spell or a seal, but if it's left untreated, it acts like a permanent physical lock. It's actively sabotaging your meridians, which is why your innate regeneration has stalled."
"I don't really get all the complicated stuff," Leonhart replied, his battle-maniac personality surfacing through his confusion. "But if you fix it... does that mean I can finally fight you for real, Hyung?"
I chuckled, shaking my head. "Only after you're healed. If we leave it any longer, it'll become fatal."
In the original lore, Leonhart would have wandered until he met a legendary hero, who would have saved him. By intervening now, I had officially ripped him away from his original 'Fate.'
"[Activating 2-Star Barrier, 'Restoration of Meridian Flow'!]"
"[Activating 'Moon Imprint' Lvl 1!]"
"[Notice: Your 'Barrier' Skills have been greatly enhanced!]"
I traced the Runic symbols in the air, the light amplified by the [Moon Imprint]. As the barrier expanded, a soft, restorative hum filled the room. Leonhart gasped as the blocked paths in his body began to slowly crack open, the stagnant energy being flushed out by the runic resonance. I didn't have the mana for a high-tier purge yet, but this was enough to stabilize him.
Suddenly, a system window appeared that caught me completely off guard.
"[Notice: The individual 'Leonhart Francis' is feeling deep gratitude toward you. The hidden Copy Condition has been fulfilled!]"
"[Notice: A random Skill has been selected as the Copied Skill from Leonhart.]"
"[Congratulations! You have obtained the A-Rank Passive Skill 'Longevity' Lvl 1!]"
"[Info: The Passive Skill 'Longevity' will automatically heal all diseases, poisons, and status effects. Sleeping will explosively increase Regeneration ability.]"
I stared at the screen. A passive healing Skill? That was one of Leonhart's core abilities. But more than the Skill itself, the 'Hidden Copy Condition' bothered me.
The System was favoring me, there was no doubt about that. But the way it was practically handing me the keys for higher Rank based on the emotions of those around me felt... calculated. It made me wonder if the System's "favor" was a gift, or if it was preparing me for something else entirely.