Night had fallen. After thinking it over for a while, Logan finally decided to visit Melissa.
He finished his dinner at Delicia and then stepped out, carrying a basket filled with fresh fruit. There were all kinds—kiwis, grapes, oranges, avocados, even a few slices of dragon fruit.
The streets were dark, but the sky above sparkled with stars, glowing brighter than the shadows below.
Logan walked steadily toward the Hunter Guild. Soon, he arrived and stepped inside.
After a short walk through the quiet hallways, he reached the healer’s chamber.
He reached the door and gently pushed it open.
Inside, Melissa still lay unconscious on the bed, her breathing slow but steady. The faint smell of medicine and herbs filled the room. Jessi was sitting beside her, reading a small book by candlelight. She looked up as the door creaked.
"Oh... Aiden," she said softly. "You didn’t eat with the others?"
"I had gone back to the inn and had my meal there. Don’t worry about it," Logan replied, setting the fruit down on the nearby table. "I just thought... maybe she’ll want something when she wakes up."
Jessi smiled faintly. "Thanks. She’ll appreciate that."
Logan looked at Melissa for a long moment. "She fought hard."
Jessi nodded. "She always does. That’s just the kind of person she is... stubborn and selfless."
There was a short silence before Jessi continued.
"And thank you very much, for reaching out to her during the raid. Or else she could have...." She couldn’t finish her sentence.
Her statement pierced Logan’s heart, deepening the guilt he already felt.
"I wish I could have been more useful." He murmured.
"Well, you did your best. Things don’t always go the way we hope. We all chose to enter that dungeon, knowing full well we might not come back alive." She thought Logan wasn’t happy with his own efforts and tried to console him without knowing the actual fact.
"I could’ve done more," Logan whispered to himself.
Jessi didn’t say anything else. She just closed her book and stood up.
"She’ll pull through. You’ll see."
Logan gave a small nod.
"Take care of her," he said before walking out.
Meanwhile, back in the main hall of the Hunter Guild, a young man stood before the notice board. He looked like he was in his mid twenties, tall and lean, with messy dark hair and narrow, sharp eyes. His light leather coat was fastened neatly, and a strange black charm hung from his belt.
His gaze scanned over various papers pinned on the board. Then his eyes landed on one that read: "Party seeking skilled healer. Tier 3 or above. Urgent recruitment before next raid. Fair compensation guaranteed. —Gideon"
He raised an eyebrow.
"Hm... interesting," he murmured.
He reached out and gently touched the edge of the paper. Then he smiled to himself, turned around, and walked away without a word.
Golden sunlight streamed through the high windows of the Hunter Guild’s fighting arena. The air smelled of dust, sweat, and energy. Logan stood at the center of the ground, facing Guildmaster Ali Arkman.
Ali crossed his arms. He looked the same as ever, towering, broad-shouldered, calm but imposing. His long crimson cloak fluttered slightly behind him as a breeze flowed through the open archways.
"Alright," Ali said, his voice strong and steady. "I know, you went through some tough situations yesterday. But you can’t lose your focus now. Are you ready?"
Logan nodded. "I am."
Ali extended his hand, palm facing outward.
"Today, I’ll teach you about magic layering. It’s a technique where you combine multiple affinities—not just at once, but in a way that enhances one another."
He snapped his fingers.
Fire flared in his hand, bright and compact.
He raised his hand ahead and twisted his wrist. Thin wind swirled at the base of the fireball. Suddenly, the fireball shot forward like a bullet, covering twenty meters in less than a blink, before exploding mid-air with a loud boom.
Logan’s eyes widened. The speed, the force, the precision.....
"You used air magic to accelerate it?" Logan asked.
"Exactly. Fire gives damage. Air gives speed. Layering both makes something much stronger than using them separately. Even low-tier spells can become deadly this way."
"Now, your turn. Let me see what you’ve got."
Logan took a deep breath. Then, he closed his eyes and focused.
"Layer fire inside... coat it with ice on the outside... shape it into a spear that pierces... then blast with fire from within."
His hands glowed. A flaming core formed in the center, and a thin layer of sharp ice tried to wrap around it.
But just before it stabilized, the fire flared too much, and the ice cracked due to the heat.
The spell fell apart.
"Damn it!" Logan cursed.
"Don’t worry Aiden. Give it time. It’s a lengthy process."
Logan nodded and tried once more.
This time, he kept the fire smaller. The ice formed better, but it was too thin and melted halfway.
Drip. Splash. Failure.
Ali watched quietly from the side, arms crossed.
"Don’t force the magic to obey you," he advised. "Let each element understand what role it’s playing."
This time, the ice layer was shaped like a spearhead, and the fire remained stable... but the balance broke the moment he tried to throw it.
Boom! It exploded in his own hand, sending a small shockwave back.
He winced and shook his hand. It wasn’t dangerous, but it stung.
Ali chuckled. "You’re overthinking it. Trust your instincts more."
Logan nodded, sweat on his brow.
Each time, it improved slightly. The shape got clearer. The balance more stable. But still—it wasn’t there yet.
By the twentieth attempt, Logan knelt, breathing a bit harder, staring at the scorched mark on the floor.
Ali walked up slowly and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"That’s enough for today."
But as Ali turned to leave, Logan looked at the failed spell remains...burnt ground mark, shattered ice.
He clenched his fist.
"I need to master it fast." He whispered. "And I should try it with my other affinities as well."