Artemis didn't mind Rue's question. Instead, he shifted his focus inward, sending his consciousness deep into his core.
He observed it working with quiet precision, filtering and condensing the Cosmic energy into a more refined, concentrated form, one versatile enough to be wielded for many purposes.
Before this breakthrough, Artemis had only been able to use Cosmic energy in a limited capacity during cultivation, whether to heal his injuries or temper his body. The energy had never been pure or refined enough to execute combat techniques. It had always been raw, unfiltered, scattered.
But now, the barrier that had long restrained his core had finally shattered. The restrictions that once stifled him were gone.
His core could now purify and condense Cosmic energy, storing it in a form ready for immediate use, whenever he might need it.
"Can you at least be considerate about your own health?"
Rue's voice carried both exasperation and concern, her small hands planted firmly on her hips.
"Why didn't you stop your cultivation earlier when you were clearly in pain? Do you want to die again and let all my efforts in saving your life go to waste?"
Rue didn't know the truth: he hadn't stopped because he couldn't. Not because he wanted to push himself beyond his limits, but because his body, his very core, demanded it.
---
Rue Miles.
She was the last grandchild of the Miles family of Riverside City. Mischievous, endlessly talkative, only thirteen years old, and already a prodigy. A true medial-grade Cosmo Adept.
She was exceptional, remarkable, a child who had awakened her Cosmo mere days after birth, despite lacking an innate bloodline.
On the third day of her life, she had already begun manifesting powers beyond comprehension.
Because of this miracle, Rue had been cherished and spoiled from her first breath.
The apple of the Miles family's eye, she was treated not only with affection but with indulgence.
The Miles family itself was famed for its proud service to the military. From Rovan Miles, the legendary general whose name echoed across Riverside City and throughout the whole Arthdel Kingdom, down to his sons and grandchildren, nearly every member had served with distinction and pride.
But Rue was different. Rovan Miles had only one granddaughter born from his sons, his heir to the Miles name in the female line, and she was Rue.
The other granddaughters, born of his daughters, were loved, yes, but never spoiled as Rue was.
She was the youngest, the most cherished, and carried a weight of attention and care none could match.
And yet, despite being coddled and mischievous, Rue had a heart that was pure and kind.
She had helped Artemis when he had fallen into the cave, quietly offering aid and support without ever expecting anything in return.
Though her concern was rarely voiced, it had been present during his struggle in cultivation.
Artemis knew her scolding wasn't born of annoyance, nor a desire to claim credit for saving his life.
It was genuine worry, framed in the only way she knew. What she really wanted was to ask if he was alright, after all, he had been grunting in agony for nearly ninety minutes, and all Rue could do was watch and offer silent support.
---
But Artemis had been consumed by his own worries, his looming death duel with Luke in a month, the desperate urgency of awakening his Cosmo, and in that whirlwind, he had forgotten something important.
He had forgotten to thank Rue for saving his life.
From the instant he had opened his eyes after that ordeal, he had thrown himself into cultivation, not sparing a single word of gratitude.
Guilt pricked at him now, sharp and insistent. All this time, he had thought only of himself.
He remembered Rue telling him she hadn't entered the cave voluntarily either, that she had fallen in just like him.
Twenty-two long days trapped in cold darkness, completely alone.
True, boredom had been scarcely an issue for someone cultivating, but it didn't erase the fact that she hadn't chosen to be here.
Artemis had dismissed it, perhaps because Rue never seemed troubled. She had always been vibrant, talkative, even in the darkest corners, giving the illusion of ease.
Now, with some weight lifted from his shoulders thanks to his Cosmo breakthrough, he could think clearly.
Artemis lifted his head slowly, meeting her gaze. Calm and sincerity filled his eyes.
"Artemis," he said softly, his voice steady. "My name is Artemis Cassano."
Rue blinked, startled. Before he began cultivating, when he had first awakened, she had introduced herself, but he had brushed her off in his urgency. Now, finally, he was responding, offering his name in return.
Her small hands slipped from her hips, uncertainty flickering across her face.
"But… I didn't ask for your name," Rue muttered shyly.
Artemis smiled faintly at her unexpected reaction. He hadn't anticipated that this mischievous, endlessly talkative girl could be flustered, much less shy.
"Thank you for saving my life," he continued quietly. "I know I can never fully repay the debt I owe you, but I can at least show my gratitude."
For once, Rue was at a loss for words. The girl who could chatter endlessly suddenly had nothing to say.
His steady gaze, looking directly into her eyes, only deepened her fluster.
She turned her head quickly, brushing her short hair back behind her ear, her lips curling into an awkward smile.
She looked almost foolish, smiling to herself, but in truth, her heart was racing.