Before he could get lost in thought, a faint light appeared above his head. It traced a glowing circle in the air, then slowly solidified into a physical object. It dropped gently into Alaric's hands.
His reflexes caught it immediately. As the light faded, he found himself holding a short staff, black as night, with fine engravings along its surface. It wasn't very long. About the length of his forearm, but it felt solid and heavy.
"A staff?" Alaric turned it over in his hands, his brow furrowed.
[New item acquired: Time Breaker Staff]
[Ability: Halts time for 7 full seconds within a 10-meter radius. After activation, time resumes as normal. Cannot be used repeatedly—requires a cooldown period.]
Alaric let out a soft breath, a mix of wonder and disbelief. "Stopping time? So this thing... actually freezes the world while I keep moving?"
He stared at the staff a moment longer, imagining the possibilities.
