The party of four walked toward the town, each step a drumbeat of tension as the air grew heavier with approaching bloodshed. Battle-ready, their gazes were sharp — a storm on the verge of breaking.
"Aaron, if things go south, please don't hold back your strength. I take a mana oath on our behalf that we will keep your true strength a secret until you're willing to reveal it," Nathan said, his voice calm but resolute, echoing with the strange clarity that always made Aaron uneasy.
Aaron threw a sideways glance at him, a spark of frustration flickering in his eyes. He couldn't stand the young man anymore — not because he disliked him, but because of how naked he felt in his presence. Not physically, but spiritually, fundamentally. Nathan saw through him like a mirror polished by the gods themselves.
"System, should he really be able to see through me that easily?" Aaron asked in his mind, his tone laced with irritation.
