"Everyone, listen," the trainer said, standing in front of the four of them. "This is our enemy. They are Team 17. You have to prevent them from blood farming, because that is your main problem in the match. Their contracts are the issue. Overall, they are weak, so end it faster than they can react."
The group stayed quiet.
Then Oniu suddenly stepped forward, words already rushing out.
"Wait, wait, everyone look at the map. They updated it. It is not just more towers, it is like the scrim but bigger, no, not just bigger, it is more places. There is an amusement park, bars, bridges, a river, a mountain peak, Centaurus Plaza, hospitals, a police station, a court, gardens, a swimming pool, a school, the school is even similar to ours, and there is a seaside with sand and rocks and water, and there is a pizza restaurant, fields, grasslands, jungles, more skyscrapers, more city, more malls, there are so many places now, and even the tower looks cool, it looks like a bu—"
Kael immediately stepped in and tied tape over Oniu's mouth.
"That is enough," Kael said flatly.
Oniu froze, his thoughts still racing. He tried to speak, but only muffled sounds came out. The others stared for a second, then began walking out.
Oniu quickly reached for the tape, trying to remove it, but his fingers slipped. He rushed, pulling too fast, making it harder.
"Mm—wait—mm—"
After a moment, he finally ripped it off.
"Hey, wait for me!" Oniu shouted as he ran after them.
Nixxin glanced at him. "Do not overexplain everything. Just trust everyone and yourself. But in the end, it is always up to you."
Oniu slowed slightly, catching his breath. He nodded, though his mind was still moving too fast. He wanted to explain everything clearly, but he always ended up saying too much and losing precision.
---
Later that day, Kael returned home.
"Hey, old man," he said. "What do we do now?"
The old man looked at him. "Ask your father for money. I do not think he would refuse you."
Kael took out his phone and called.
"Hey, Dad. I need 100k. I need it right now. Just send it."
He ended the call. A second later, his phone buzzed.
"Wow. He sent it quickly," Kael said. "Let's go shopping."
The old man sighed and followed him.
---
At the mall, Kael looked around with interest.
"Why do malls always have so many things to do and buy?" he said. "You could actually destroy so many things in here."
He inhaled deeply.
The old man frowned. "Why are you thinking about destroying this place? And stop smelling everything. It smells terrible. This place is chaotic."
Kael pulled him forward. "Come on. What it smells like does not matter."
He paused, sniffed again, then frowned. "Actually… this place really does smell bad."
Suddenly, the speakers rang.
"Everyone, please evacuate the mall immediately. We have a huge problem."
People began to panic. Crowds rushed toward the exits, shouting and pushing. Some dropped their belongings. Others grabbed their children.
Kael and the old man stepped outside with the crowd.
Kael turned back and stared at the building. "Old man… that mall. Someone put something in there."
Not far away, a child stood alone, left behind in the chaos.
---
At the same time, Oniu was at the hospital.
He stood beside his father, watching him treat a patient.
"Oniu," his father said, "have you ever tried to heal someone in the tournament?"
Oniu answered quickly. "Yes, in the scrim, many times. I tried different methods, fast healing, full restoration, immediate recovery—"
His father raised a hand slightly.
"Did you know that instant healing at one hundred percent can actually be harmful?"
Oniu stopped. "What? How can one hundred percent healing be harmful?"
Before his father could answer, the patient suddenly sat up.
"Sir, do you think I can still perform in the circus?"
Oniu's father sat down. "Ectopic beats are usually harmless. However, if you are a fire magician in a circus, I think you should stop. There is a high chance your fire magic will malfunction."
Oniu stood. "I will call the patient's family."
He walked to the door and opened it.
"Hey, Lurain. Are you the family of the patient inside?"
Lurain stood. "Yes. I brought him here. Is your father the doctor?"
Oniu nodded quickly. "Yes, come in. Everything is stable, well, not fully stable, but under control."
He paused, correcting himself.
"What a coincidence."
Lurain entered. After a moment, Oniu's father stepped outside with him.
Then his father began speaking.
"As you know, when your mother was about to give birth to you, the ambulance got into an accident. But one of the reasons she died was because of me. I panicked too much."
Oniu froze.
A memory surfaced. Lurain pointing a fire arrow at him. His own panic.
"Panicking does not help," his father continued. "I used too much blood to heal your mother. I healed her instantly. One hundred percent."
Oniu turned toward the window.
"Then you were born," his father said. "But something was wrong. Her bones became thinner and fragile."
Oniu clenched his fists.
"Everything happened too fast. Giving birth should take time. Instead, it was forced. She was dying from the pain."
His father's voice lowered.
"While I was healing her, some of her hydrochloric acid was misplaced into her bones. That caused their destruction."
Oniu stared at his reflection.
"How can something fast and strong like healing be dangerous?" he asked.
His father stood beside him.
"Look at yourself. Your mother carried you for nine months. Now, after fifteen years, you are already taller than she ever was."
Oniu said nothing.
"Everything needs time," his father continued. "Healing does not have to be slow, but it must be precise. It must allow the body to adjust. It must allow some pain."
He looked at Oniu.
"When you rush, you lose control. When you slow down, you understand. Healing depends on the mind of the healer. It depends on how you see the body."
Oniu stared at his reflection.
For the first time, he noticed it clearly.
He always rushed.
And because of that, he never truly saw what he was doing.
He spoke again, slower this time.
"How did that even happen? How did you mistake hydrochloric acid and let it go into her bones?"
His father leaned against the wall.
"That day was chaotic. The hospital was full. Most of my patients had ulcers or acid reflux. I was dealing with stomach acid problems again and again."
Oniu listened carefully.
"And then your mother arrived," his father continued. "She had broken bones from the accident. She needed precise treatment."
He paused.
"But I did not slow down. My mind was still on my previous patients. Acid. Internal damage. Fast response."
Oniu's eyes widened.
"I treated her condition like the others," his father said. "Even though it was completely different."
Silence filled the room.
"That is what happens when you rush," his father added. "You stop seeing what is actually in front of you."
Oniu swallowed.
"So it was not just the healing," he said quietly. "It was how you were thinking."
His father nodded. "Yes. Healing is not just power. It is awareness. If your mind is not clear, your healing will not be correct."
Oniu took a slow breath.
This time, he did not rush.
"I think… I understand."
And for once, his words were not fast.
Not overflowing.
Just enough.