Fing and Han had faced numerous challenges in their time working for their father in the Demonic Faction. They had to work hard because they were sure that one day they would be the ones to end up in charge of the Neverfall Clan.
It wasn't just them who thought it, but the other clans and those within their clan as well. They believed what Belil did was quite clever because he was building up the legacy for the next generation.
With all their accomplishments, there wasn't much that Fing and Han could say they were afraid of, but their eyes had opened slightly.
They never thought that a family member of theirs, introduced to them through marriage, would be able to best them. In doing so, at least for now, they decided to give this person great respect.
Because that was what the Demonic FactClan did—they respected great strength, especially one they didn't understand.
When Han and Fing had reached the boiling point of their conversation with their brother, and he reached for his flute, as he tried to blow into his weapon, he felt a chill surround his entire body.
'It's not working... it's not working again! It's just like last time… can it be?'
It wasn't just a chill because his flute wasn't working. An energy, different from Qi, felt like it was surrounding his body from behind, creeping into him, suffocating him and making it hard to breathe.
"Don't touch him... don't touch my friend."
The words spoken were quiet, but the chill Han felt sank into his heart deeper when he heard those words. He was even afraid to turn his head around, but he eventually did, and his eyes locked onto the Dark Magus lying there in bed.
His hand was held out, and there was a deep scowl on his face.
"Raze… Raze, you're awake!" Alba said, thankful that he was up now. There was a slight worry in her head though—what if the situation got worse?
"I have to tell the others, I have to tell them to come here as quickly as possible!" Alba said as she practically ran out of the room, back where she had come from, and immediately informed Cronker and the others to get there as fast as they could.
With so many people, it was unlikely something would happen, right?
"Listen to Raze," Rayna said, standing up. "Raze doesn't want you guys to fight. You said you were protecting him, right? How can you protect him if you fight so close to him!"
Immediately hearing that, both Fing and Han placed their weapons away. It was the same for Dame, who was no longer in his Hybrid form, but he was looking at Raze, his mouth slightly ajar.
"Friend… did you just say friend?" Dame whispered to himself.
He didn't speak too loudly, but when Dame thought about it, those were the words he needed. Words to make clear that his relationship with Raze had cemented and had become something bigger than they originally thought.
He had been with Raze for a long time as well, and it wasn't as if Dame had many people he could call friends either. He was sure of it—it might have been the first time he had ever heard Raze say those words.
Honestly, in that moment, Dame didn't even care for the hurt he had received from his brothers in the room. Hearing Raze say those words, willing to go against his two brothers for him, meant everything.
'I wouldn't hate it… if I had to follow this man for the rest of my life,' Dame thought with a smile.
"Raze, you're finally awake. Is everything okay? How do you feel?" Rayna asked. She went to reach out for his hand but then stopped herself, remembering he didn't like to be touched.
While he was asleep, she had managed to sneak in a few touches here and there, which she wasn't able to do anymore.
"Am I fine?" Raze said, now no longer feeling the Qi in the room. He could tell things had settled down, giving him a moment to think. First, he touched his mana heart.
Closing his eyes, he focused.
'Everything seems to be working as normal. Nothing is damaged... No, it's not just working as normal—I can see another star circling it… I'm now a 6th star mage!' Raze was inwardly smiling, but he didn't want to show it on his face.
Because he was starting to remember what had happened to get there—the breakthrough that had occurred, the powers he used.
It wasn't as if he was a mindless beast. He had been controlling himself, his old body and its powers, and he remembered everything.
The only thoughts that were slightly muddled, like a fog over his mind, were what had occurred toward the end.
'But I did it, I managed to make a breakthrough, and with it, I increased my star level and the magic along with it… but how did I even do it? Is it something that I'm even able to replicate? If not, then it's as useless as having that Bloody woman around.'
'If I do figure it out, I need to know if I can use it properly, or if with every use, I'll end up . There's a good chance I was because I pushed myself too far.'
Concentrating further, there was one more thing he wanted to check on himself, and that was his dantian. As he looked deep into his Qi...
He could feel it as his energy flowed through his fingertips. His senses were sharpened, and his body felt anew. It was hard to say he was even human now, with how slow his heart was beating and how his body was functioning.
The world of magic may have made no sense to others, but to him, the world of Pagna warriors was also an amazing thing.
'I'm now a 9th stage warrior. I've just reached this stage, but I'm on the same level as Sha Mo and Belil. I still have a ways to go to catch up to them with my Qi… but there should now be no one in Pagna who can take me on.'
As Raze thought this, the door swung open, and several people pushed through the crowded area, some falling on top of each other.
Eventually, walking past them, was one girl with a bright smile.
"Safa…" Raze called out. "You're alive… but how?"
"Not because of you." A voice rang in Raze's head followed by an echoey laughter.