Chapter 7
Rudeus woke up—
As always—
Restored.
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But something was different.
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His body felt—
Heavier.
Denser.
More… complete.
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"…So it works even like this."
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Last night—
He had gone beyond his limit.
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And survived.
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Which meant—
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"I can go further."
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Outside—
Paul was waiting.
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Watching him carefully.
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"…Rudy. We need to talk."
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Rudeus tilted his head.
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"You're pushing yourself too hard."
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Silence.
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"…Why?"
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A simple question.
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But Paul didn't have a simple answer.
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"…Because you're just a kid."
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Rudeus looked down at his hands again.
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"…Then I'll stop being one."
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Paul froze.
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That wasn't ambition.
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That wasn't determination.
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That was something else entirely.
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Something far more dangerous.
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That night—
Rudeus trained again.
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But now—
With intention.
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He wasn't just improving.
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He was **forcing evolution**.
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Muscle fibers shattered under extreme repetition.
Healing magic surged constantly—
Barely keeping pace.
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Mana drained faster than ever before.
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And yet—
He didn't stop.
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Because now he understood—
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Growth didn't come from comfort.
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It came from destruction.
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And rebuilding.
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Again.
And again.
And again.