Manuella Track carefully checked Ben's condition, who was now conscious again.

"The treatment has been a success," Manuella reported.

The process was long and challenging since she was doing the work of a group, but Manu didn't seem tired.

"This is what I noted of worthwhile. And which details I sent to my friends. If you have any questions about the process, please ask," She added.

"No worries. Since I decided to trust you, I don't need any more details than this. Just try not to hurt that trust."

"I won't, Sir. And thank you."

"I see you got what I asked?"

"Yes. I got you an arm sling, so see if it feels comfortable."

Ben quickly strapped his arm into a more comfortable position.

"Yep, this helps. Thank you."

"Great! If you need anything else, let me know."

But Ben felt like he had overstayed his welcome already. So, after expressing gratitude again, he said goodbye and left Manu to rest.

His actions a few days ago were too sudden, but he hoped this would likely calm them down.

While walking out, he thought about how he regretted that he couldn't always sleep well like this.

'It's been a while since I rested so well. Hundreds of years, even.'

But after walking out, he found someone waiting for him.

"The seem to be out for hunting season."

"I truly don't see myself as a hunter. I'm so far from it." Doug replied while his glimmering eyes contrasted with his freckles line.

"I can likely guess what the head teacher wants with me so soon. Who noticed it?"

"Sometimes, I wonder if you have the same incredible eyes Ginn has."

"I wish."

"Louis was the one that noticed it. He was doing some strategist work when he ran out yelling at me. So, I went and judged Pax."

"How is it?"

"Positive. And I'm not saying this because of Pax's connection to your friend. He indeed meets all requirements."

As Ben guessed, Doug Groceely was waiting for Ben to talk about Pax.

"His dreams don't seem unfounded. Lucky bastard."

"His talent is a bit unusual, though. And it seems he's a late bloomer. Although, I'm not sure to what degree. But I'm sure he can at least become one of the main forces under Deniz. He's a talented fighter."

"Maybe, he can become his left eye."

"Hahaha. I'll use that! I can already see his amused expression."

"Well, this shouldn't be enough for you to wait here, though. I only hoped you could take a look at the kid, and you did. So, what did you come here for?"

"I saw the dagger, so I wanted to confirm that you didn't intend to take him as a disciple."

"I don't take students. My schedule is too much of a mess."

"Great news for us, then. If you see anyone else talented, let me know."

"I merely ask to push the kid to visit his father more often. Since he doesn't need to be desperate anymore."

"I'll make that happen. And that we expand our influence to Aurora Town."

"I don't care about the details. Treat the kid as just another one of your own. I only ask not to allow him to become even blinder after discovering his talent. But I don't think that will happen given your teachings."

Doug smiled brightly because of the praise.

"Thank you. I only wanted to confirm that. Since that is out of the way, I'll start the process immediately."

"Yeah, yeah, go ahead. But don't be so anxious. Pax won't run away. Well, he can't."

Dough chuckled as he bid his goodbye again.

Left behind, Ben began walking randomly, lost in his thoughts.

'Who would guess such a hopeful and silly kid would be a late bloomer. But no wonder no one noticed since I couldn't either back then. It's nothing major, but that is enough to guarantee him a place on most middle-sized factions. Dill will be thrilled about this good news, despite his annoyance and sadness toward the lack of grandkids.'

Ben stopped at a big window and began looking outside.

'It might be silly, but I'm happy it's his luck. And not Ginn fateful river. Getting to refer Pax is the second thing I did for the kids without being pushed around. Feels nice.'

It was minor, but the feeling of being in control painted the event as more positive inside Ben's mind.

And seeing what Ben believed to be the results of his conversation with Ginn made him hopeful about the future.

Yet, looking outside, Ben felt conflicted.

'I've been feeling quite lonely since I came back. What happened?'

After putting the issue with the Highlands aside, Ben sadly concluded that this faction was too young to have it act alone. Unfortunately, the were still going through growing pains, but the end of the world waited for no one.

'I need to, in some way, share what's happening with the janitors. But can they even take notice of anything I do? I worry they may ignore it since they aren't noticing their houses falling apart, either.'

After Ben noticed the tragic atmosphere, it only became worse.

And although killing one anchor helped, it didn't stop the overall flow towards the refinement of the world.

'Well, I may be angry at their blindness. But even I was completely in the dark until not long ago. If I haven't had a breakthrough, I would likely still be unaware.'

Ben was sure that he needed at least half a dozen apex figures moving around to try to stop this ritual. However, he couldn't just tell them to catch the burning stick. He lacked connections.

'It's too big of an issue to send an anonymous letter. It might be too late when the top finally gets to move.'

Fortunately, the increasing pain mellowed down quite a bit, so he knew he had some time to act, probably a few months or even years.

However, he felt that every day now cost him months of his life span.

'This feels bearable. At least when compared to before I killed the anchor, since back then, it felt like I was losing years per day. However, I can't become too relaxed, as it should worsen again once they fix the damage.'

Ben's pain came strictly from the fact that Ben's refined soul had been evaporating away faster due to the pressure building up.

His body reacted strongly against the process, and the humming from nature didn't allow Ben to calm his mind down, either. So, his stress over it only grew with time.

Feeling the urgency, Ben looked at his tied hand hopelessly.

'If I keep a couple of hundred years, would that be enough? But I would also need to stop numbing myself, which may have catastrophic consequences. I don't see how else I can get a good long-range grasp, though.'

Over his thousand years, Ben had done many things to his body while trying to stabilize it. And a couple of those could be undone, although he feared it.

There was always a good reason when he chose to close one door. And although lately, he did change slightly, the change wasn't drastically enough to make Ben confident.

Ben sighed.

"I only see one way forward."

"Don't jump, Sir. How could I ever pay you back then?" Pax joked.

"You're so funny. How is it staying around incredible people?"

"They're scary."

"They seem intent on recruiting you. You charmed the . But you should still go and visit your father, or else you might regret it later."

Pax acted embarrassed and didn't know what to say. And he felt so guilty about his father that he didn't even notice how Ben talked like they knew each other.

After moving his hands around aimlessly, he just took the dagger and tried to give it to Ben while bowing down in gratitude.

"Keep it," Ben said in a very calm and definitive tone.

Pax froze into place, shocked. He stood there dumb and didn't even raise his head for a while.

And when he finally gained the courage to contest such a gift, he merely heard the same message.

"Keep it," Ben whispered as he jumped off the building, laughing.

---

After hearing a knock on the door, Dinna Mortez finally got up from her bed and wore a robe.

Once opening the door, she found Ben waiting for her.

"Good morning, sleepy beauty. Is the other sleepy beauty also awake? Or could you wake him up for a moment?"

"Good morning, Ben. Isn't this too early?"

"Not really. It's 8 in the morning already. You're just tired. But that's expected given the unfolded events."

"I'm quite sad that I haven't had as much time to study the room. Matt didn't even want to come to sleep with me there."

"He's right at least once. The room isn't going to run away. Have patience."

"Dinna, who is it? It's too fucking early!" Matt yelled from under the bedsheets.

"Come on. Wake up a bit. You have a visitor." Dinna replied as she noticed the book in Ben's hand.

"I won't take long, so can I enter for a bit? I only need to give the sleepy beauty a gift."

"Please, Sir. Just don't mind the mess. We were tired."

"I've lived in worse shitholes." Ben laughed as he entered the room.

"Old man, what the fuck do you want?" Matt said as he sat down, uncovering his head and naked upper body.

"Such punchable face. You couldn't do better even if you tried."

"What?"

"I came with a gift. I forgot to give it earlier. So have this." Ben said as he threw the book ["Insights"] on the top of the bed between Matt's covered legs.

"I advise you to read it, as it should serve you well. But if you don't want to, I don't mind, either. However you choose, do whatever you want with it, that's yours now." Ben added and immediately turned around to leave.

"That's quite the gift. But are you leaving already? Why don't we have breakfast together?"

"I think that's the best use I can make of it. Try reading it later too, but have Matt read it and summarize it for you first. And, I still have yet to see Syd, so I'll be looking for him now. I hope you don't mind."

"Thank you for the advice. I'll follow it. And no, please don't worry, we can talk later. You would have to wait anyway since we're still a mess. And, you should easily find Syd with Mirana since she must be awake as she has been working non-stop, like always."

"Alright, sorry for waking up you early, and see you later."

Ben slowly turned around and left after waving goodbye.

"Bye, and thank you again!" Dinna impulsively yelled a little later while looking at the elder's back.