Kael's eyes widened.
"Wait. What? Your birthday isn't for another two months."
Ash didn't answer. He just stared at the number on the screen, unmoving.
Max stepped closer, quiet.
"Yeah, I expected this. I was actually calculating your age with your hair growth, but this is better."
He tapped through the interface again. The display adjusted.
[17 years. 21 days.]
He let out a slow breath.
"You've already lost nearly three months."
Ash turned toward him, voice low.
"But I didn't use the skill that much. And it said five times slower. Five. How did I lose three months just like that?"
Max didn't flinch. He didn't even blink.
"Yeah. That's the problem. You didn't think much about the skill."
He walked around the couch, stopped by the wall panel, and pointed to the chart beginning to form on the hologram.
"Five times slower during the time you feel it. But that's not where it ends. You're forgetting the tier system."
He looked over his shoulder at Ash.
