Chapter 8: The Weight of Power

Karma's eyelids felt heavy, like they were glued shut, but the faint sound of soft breathing beside him slowly pulled him from the depths of unconsciousness. As he blinked his eyes open, the white ceiling of the **Adventurer's Guild Medical Ward** came into view. His body felt like it had been through the wringer, every muscle aching with the dull throb of exhaustion.

Turning his head slightly, he noticed **Maria** sitting next to the bed, her face filled with concern. As soon as she noticed him stirring, her expression softened with relief.

"Karma," Maria said softly, her voice filled with a mixture of worry and warmth. "How are you feeling?"

Karma groaned slightly as he sat up, though the sudden rush of pain made him wince. His entire body ached, and it felt like every muscle was protesting his movement. He rubbed his temples before looking back at Maria. "How long… how long have I been out?"

"You've been unconscious for **two days**," Maria replied, her tone firm but gentle. "You collapsed at the reception after your quest, and we had to bring you here. The guild's healers said your body was pushed past its limit."

Karma frowned, the memories of the ogre fight flooding back to him. The adrenaline, the synchronization with **Shiro**, the way his body had felt like it was filled with untapped power… and then the crash. The overwhelming fatigue and sudden collapse. He hadn't realized how much of a toll it had taken.

Before he could process it all, he felt a familiar weight on the bed, followed by a soft nudge against his arm. He looked down to see both **Shiro** and **Kuro** jumping onto the bed, their small bodies pressing against him in relief. Shiro, ever the affectionate one, nuzzled his face against Karma's hand, while Kuro gave a soft, quiet yip, its tail wagging slightly.

Karma smiled, his heart swelling with warmth. "Good to see you two too," he said, gently patting both of his companions. The pain that had wracked his body moments ago seemed to fade, even if just a little.

Maria stood up, giving Karma a bit more space. "I'm glad you're awake and feeling better," she said. "But we need to talk about what happened. You've been pushing yourself too hard."

Karma looked up at her, the curiosity clear in his eyes. "So it wasn't my mana core that caused the problem, right?"

Maria shook her head. "No, your mana core is actually fine. When you synchronize with your tamed monsters, your mana core temporarily moves to the next stage, increasing your mana reserves significantly."

Karma's eyes widened slightly. "Wait, so you're saying my mana level temporarily increases when I synchronize?"

"That's right," Maria confirmed. "It's part of the process. The problem isn't your mana reserves—it's your **physical body**. Synchronization puts an immense strain on your muscles, bones, and nervous system. Your body wasn't ready to handle the heightened abilities for that long, and it's limiting your ability to use the skill safely."

Karma sat back, the realization hitting him hard. His newfound powers—especially through synchronization—were incredible, but they came at a cost. His own body was the limiting factor. It wasn't his mana that was the problem. It was the physical toll.

Maria gave him a sympathetic look. "You need to be careful. Pushing yourself like that without training your body can be dangerous."

She didn't press the issue further and instead left the room quietly, giving Karma some time to think and rest. The door closed with a soft click, leaving Karma alone with his thoughts—and with Shiro and Kuro, both snuggling against him for comfort.

---

**Weighing the Options**

Karma lay there for a while, staring up at the ceiling as his mind turned over Maria's words. His mana wasn't the problem, which was a huge relief. Mana growth took years, sometimes decades, to evolve to the next stage. He had seen adventurers stuck at their current mana capacity for years, frustrated by the slow process. The fact that his synchronization temporarily pushed him beyond his normal limits meant his potential was far higher than he'd initially realized.

But that left the physical toll.

There were two paths in front of him. The first was **physical training**—rigorous, daily exercises to strengthen his body to handle the strain of synchronization. The problem? That kind of training could take years. He couldn't afford to wait that long. He wanted to grow stronger now. He needed to.

The second option was to **find a skill**—some sort of spell or technique that would help his body cope with the physical demands of synchronization. But that was easier said than done. He didn't know if such a skill even existed. If it did, it would likely be in the **Expert Tamer's Guide**, if such a thing existed at all.

After resting for a few more hours, Karma finally sat up, his body feeling slightly better after the extended rest. He glanced down at Shiro and Kuro, both of whom were fast asleep beside him. A smile tugged at his lips as he gently reached over and cast the **Miniaturization** spell, shrinking them down to a more manageable size before tucking them into his cloak.

---

**Searching for Answers**

Karma made his way to the guild's reception, his movements slower than usual as his body still ached from the overexertion. Maria greeted him with a concerned expression as he approached the desk.

"You're up and moving already?" she asked. "Are you sure you should be walking around?"

Karma gave her a small nod. "I'm fine. I need to ask you something, though." He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Is there any **Expert Tamer's Guide** available in the guild? Something beyond the Intermediate level?"

Maria's face immediately fell, and she let out a sigh. "I was afraid you'd ask that. Karma… there's no Expert Tamer's Guide. At least, not in this guild—or any guild we've had contact with. You've already reached the highest level of documented knowledge that tamers have written down."

Karma's heart sank at the news. He had been hoping for some kind of advanced manual, something that would help him push past the limitations he was facing. The idea that there was nothing beyond the Intermediate level left him feeling disappointed.

"So… that's it?" Karma asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm on my own from here?"

Maria gave him a soft, apologetic smile. "It seems that way. You've reached the point where further progress will rely on your own experience and discovery. Many tamers hit this wall, but the ones who push past it are the ones who experiment and learn from their own journeys."

Karma gave a slow nod, the weight of her words settling over him. He wasn't sure whether to feel discouraged or excited. He had no guide to follow, no map to show him the way. But maybe that meant he was about to venture into unknown territory, paving his own path as a tamer.

With a disappointed look, Karma thanked Maria and left the guild, heading back to the **Stardust Inn**.

---

**A New Discovery**

After checking in at the inn, Karma entered his room and immediately canceled the **Miniaturization** spell on Shiro and Kuro. The two creatures returned to their normal sizes, Shiro hopping onto the bed while Kuro curled up at the foot of it, both looking pleased to be free from the confines of Karma's cloak.

Karma, still feeling the weariness in his muscles, flopped down onto the bed, his mind heavy with the day's revelations. No expert guide. No shortcuts. He was truly on his own now.

But then, as he lay there, staring up at the ceiling, a thought crossed his mind—one that made him sit up in bed. **He had never used his Monster Appraise skill on Kuro.**

"Kuro's only recently been tamed," Karma muttered to himself. "I haven't checked to see what kind of abilities he has."

His heart raced with sudden curiosity as he prepared to cast the **Monster Appraise** spell. This was one of the basic abilities he had learned from the **Beginner Tamer's Guide**, a simple spell that allowed him to see the danger level and skills of his tamed monsters.

"Appraise!" Karma called out, focusing his mana on Kuro.

A soft glow surrounded the grey fox, and moments later, information began to appear before Karma's eyes.

Karma's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat as he read the details of Kuro's abilities. His heart pounded in his chest, and a wave of shock washed over him.

"What…? How is this even possible?" he whispered, staring at Kuro in disbelief.

The revelation hit him like a thunderbolt, leaving him stunned, his mind racing as he tried to process what he had just discovered.

---

**To be continued…**

---

**Author's Notes:**

Hey everyone! Hope you enjoyed **Chapter 8: The Weight of Power**! This chapter was all about Karma recovering from the intense fight with the ogres and learning about the limits of his abilities. Synchronization is a powerful skill, but as we see, it comes with a heavy price. I wanted to explore the consequences of using such a high-level ability too early.

- **The Medical Ward:** This scene was a chance for Karma to take a breath and really think about his next steps. Maria's explanation about his mana core and physical limitations gives us some important context for what's

holding Karma back. I'm excited to explore how he'll overcome these obstacles in future chapters!

- **Expert Tamer's Guide:** Unfortunately, there's no easy path for Karma now. He's in uncharted territory, and that's both exciting and scary. The fact that he has to figure out his own way forward adds a new layer to his journey as a tamer.

- **Kuro's Skills Cliffhanger:** I know I left you all hanging with that shocking discovery about Kuro's abilities! I'm really looking forward to revealing what makes Kuro so special in the next chapter, so stay tuned for that!

Let me know what you think in the comments, and thanks again for reading!