Chapter 39 – Embers Beneath the Surface

The fog of the southern marsh had long since lifted, and the sky above Dawnhelm was bathed in a dull amber glow. The aftermath of the wolf hunt still clung to Auther's bones — muscle soreness, faint cuts, and a pleasant ache in his core where mana had surged and settled.

Back at the Association branch, the guild clerk raised an eyebrow as Auther placed six mutant wolf cores on the desk with a casual thud. "All targets eliminated. One E9, rest E1 and F9 s."

"Impressive," she muttered, quickly scribbling details on a parchment while the system updated the board behind her. "First time out with a companion?"

Auther nodded. "She didn't fight directly, but she helped."

The clerk glanced at Veira — who stood silently behind him, half-hidden by her cloak and the shadows of the marble pillars — and offered a curious look. "That one's not registered."

"She will be," Auther said firmly.

The clerk didn't press further. Moments later, the rewards arrived: three low-grade mana crystals, as promised, and a sealed F-rank item crate.

> [Item Acquired: Marshwolf Hide Armor (F-rank – Tier 7)]

Light leather armor with enhanced resistance to claw-type attacks.

It was better than what Veira wore now. Auther handed the armor to her without ceremony. "Here. You'll need better gear if we're going out again."

She looked up at him, surprised. "You… don't want to keep it?"

"You'll be at my side," he said, turning. "If you fall, I fall. So no, it's yours."

For a heartbeat, something flickered in her violet eyes — not just gratitude, but longing. And something else.

It was happening more often now. When her emotions surged, Auther could feel her mana change. Faintly, like a pulse buried beneath water. But it was there. Old. Powerful. Sleeping.

---

Back in their room that night, Veira finally spoke.

"I… felt something," she said, curled up on the edge of the bedroll, the armor now snug on her frame. "When the wolves circled you. My heart raced, and the mana inside me—" she hesitated, "—it answered."

Auther leaned back against the wall. "Answered how?"

"It pushed forward. Like it wanted to… protect. No, not protect—dominate. It felt ancient. Heavy." She frowned. "Like I wasn't alone in my body for a second."

Auther watched her quietly. "It's your bloodline."

She blinked. "Bloodline?"

"There's something inside you. I don't know what. But it's strong. Sleeping, maybe sealed. But real."

Veira swallowed hard. "Is that why you… bought me?"

"No," Auther said. "I saw the resolve in your eyes. The chains on your soul. I knew what that was like." His voice lowered. "I didn't save you because you're useful. I saved you because I could."

Her expression softened, then turned thoughtful. "What if I lose control of it someday?"

"Then I'll stop you." His words weren't threatening. They were steady. Assured.

For the first time since they met, Veira smiled.

---

The next morning, the Association called for Auther.

When he arrived, the same clerk from yesterday gestured toward a back hall. "Senior Officer Yareth wants to speak with you. Regarding your evaluation."

Auther raised an eyebrow but nodded. Inside the private chamber, a tall man in dark battle robes leaned against a table scattered with maps and core samples.

"You're Auther Finn," he said without looking up. "The one who cleared the marsh mission solo?"

"With support," Auther said. "But yes."

Yareth finally met his gaze. There was no malice — just curiosity. "You're not registered under any noble house. No mentor. No faction. But your growth rate is… interesting."

Auther remained silent.

"I'm not here to pull you into a faction," Yareth continued. "But I want to observe your potential. We're assigning you to a new mission. Officially this time. Still solo, but higher risk."

He placed a parchment on the table.

> Mission: Investigate Disturbance at Ruined Shrine – Outer Forest Region

Target: Unknown anomaly. Mana density is rising unnaturally.

Rank: Mid E

Reward: 1 Mid-grade Mana Crystal + potential dungeon fragment bonus

Notes: Magical interference suspected. Caution advised.

"A fragment dungeon?" Auther asked.

Yareth nodded. "Miniature gates. Unstable. But sometimes, items form inside. Rare techniques. Strange relics."

Auther accepted immediately.

---

By dusk, he and Veira were trekking through the outskirts of the northern forests. The air here was different — sharper, laced with untamed mana. Cracked stones jutted from the earth like broken bones. The shrine stood in ruins, surrounded by moss-covered statues of beasts long forgotten.

Auther's Mana Sensor pulsed.

> [Mana Density: Elevated – localized fluctuation detected]

Something was here.

He extended a hand, feeling the air. The mana wasn't just dense — it was twisting, like it was trying to take form.

Suddenly, the air rippled — and a rift tore open just beyond the shrine. Small, no more than the size of a doorway, but seething with black-purple energy.

> [Mini-Gate Forming: Estimated Stability Duration – 2 hours]

"A gate…" Auther whispered.

Veira stepped beside him, eyes wide. "I've seen this before. It happened once when I was little. My village vanished."

Auther gritted his teeth. "We don't run. Not this time."

He turned to the system.

"Time to prepare."

---

> Skill Creation: Enhanced Barrier (F-rank)

Description: Creates a short-lived mana shield that absorbs a single medium-impact strike.

Cost: 17 SP

Confirm?

✔ Confirmed.

> Remaining SP: 31

> Skill Creation: Mana Slash (E-rank)

Description: A high-speed long-range slash formed from condensed mana and projected via blade medium.

Base Cost: 50 SP

Added Range Modifier +10 SP

Total: 60 SP

❌ Not enough SP.

Auther cursed and adjusted the concept.

> Skill Creation: Mana Arc (F-rank)

Description: A short-range burst of arc-shaped mana launched from blade.

Cost: 15 SP

✔ Confirmed.

> Remaining SP: 16

Good enough for now.

The gate began pulsing.

From it, something crawled through — a creature like a stitched-together hyena and serpent, flesh oozing corruption.

> [Unknown Entity – E3]

Mutation Level: Moderate

Behavior: Hostile

It shrieked — and lunged.

Auther didn't hesitate. He activated Mana Arc, his blade slicing through the creature's chest, staggering it. It retaliated with a wild swipe — Enhanced Barrier flared and shattered under the blow, but Auther was already moving.

Veira shouted a warning. Another rift flared—smaller—but leaking more mana.

Auther finished the beast with a spinning Mana Edge slash that split its spine.

> [Enemy Eliminated – E3]

+10 SP Gained

> Total SP: 26

Veira's breath caught. "Another's coming."

"Then we stand."