Extra's Descent

As soon as Evelyn woke up, she felt her chest tighten. Much to the point where she started groaning in pain.

She knew there was something wrong, and there were certain instances during the day where she couldn't feel any mana. But still, it had never gotten this bad.

It was for that reason, why Evelyn didn't stress her mana core too much, barely using her magic.

She had to get it checked as soon as possible. Which is why she left early, and directly headed for the hospital.

At the moment, she was seated in front of the doctor and had just told him of her symptoms.

"I understand."

The doctor did tell her it was normal after suffering a major injury. Which was the main reason why Evelyn was eased this long while.

"But it shouldn't have lasted this long. We'll need to run some tests."

"How long will the tests take?"

"Not too long."

The doctor started to reassure her.

"We'll start with a mana resonance scan to check the flow through your core and see if there are any blockages or disruptions. After that, we might need to do a deeper analysis."

Evelyn swallowed her saliva, hearing the doctor's words.

A part of her was scared to know what might be wrong, but another part knew that answers were the only way forward.

As she followed the nurse down the sterile white hallway towards the scanning room, she couldn't help but reflect on the weeks leading up to this.

The gradual loss of mana control, the strange disconnect she'd been feeling with her own magic. It had all started after the battle.

The battle against Lancelott, followed by his Wraith transformative.

"Be at ease, Miss Cessna. It's a painless process."

The doctor reassured her once again, setting up the machinery.

Evelyn clenched her fists as she lay down on the cold table for the scan.

Shortly after, the hum of the machine started up, and she could feel the subtle vibrations through her body as the device began to analyze her mana core.

Her mind wandered back to the injury—where her abdomen was split open. She had barely survived.

The memory of that moment, where she found herself powerless against the Wraith resurfaced.

Could it have something related to the Wraith's power?

Minutes felt like hours as the scan continued.

She stared up at the ceiling, trying to keep her breathing steady.

Beep.

Eventually, the machine beeped, signaling the end of the procedure.

The doctor re-entered the room, holding a tablet.

He skimmed through the results, his brow furrowing the slightest bit as he mouthed its contents, reading. Evelyn sat up, her heart pounding.

"What did you find?"

She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She was worried, most definitely afraid even.

"There's a disturbance in your mana core. It's not fully stable... and the flow of mana is disrupted, which explains your symptoms."

The doctor started. He looked at her seriously, and Evelyn's heart raced.

The doctor looked up, meeting her gaze and Evelyn swallowed.

"Miss Cessna, it appears there are small cracks in your mana core."

"Cracks…."

Cracks.

The word hit her like a punch to the gut.

She'd heard of this condition before, though it was rare. Mana cores were resilient, but when damaged, recovery wasn't guaranteed.

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to speak.

"....How bad is it?"

"They're not severe yet, but they are spreading. The strain from your past injury has likely caused these fractures to form over time. If left untreated, it could lead to a complete collapse of your core."

Her hands clenched tightly in her lap, and she felt she was about to burst into tears at that moment.

The thought of losing her connection to mana, to everything she had built her life around, terrified her.

"Is there a way to fix it?"

The doctor nodded, his tone careful but hopeful.

"There is a procedure—mana surgery. It's delicate, but if we perform it soon, we can repair the cracks before they get any worse. The surgery will allow the core to heal and restore its stability."

"Haaa…."

Relief flooded through Evelyn at the prospect of a solution, but it was quickly dismissed due to the gravity of the situation.

"What are the risks?"

"Mana surgeries are generally safe, but because the core is fragile, there's always a chance of complications. The recovery process will be slow, and you'll need to avoid using magic for a while to give your core time to fully heal."

Evelyn nodded, her mind racing as she absorbed the information.

She knew she couldn't afford to wait any longer. The cracks would only grow if left unchecked, and the consequences would be irreversible.

With a resolute look on her face, Evelyn went on to say,

"I'll do it."

***

December 1, 2149.

After returning to the human domain, Brandon was forced to stay home for the time being to recover.

His injuries, while painful, would heal as time passed. It didn't need the kind of delicate treatment that Rafael Asami needed.

However, there were important matters to attend to.

Finally having time to check his phone, as soon he did, he had found several missed calls.

[Missed Call: 19

Contact: Zed]

They were all from Zed.

There were also several text messages—regarding updates of Rafael Asami's condition.

But the most important one.

—The surgery is done. There should be no further complications of this matter.

—Rafael Asami is still asleep. But he should wake up sooner or later.

—Congratulations, you've gotten another powerful business partner indebted to you.

"Heh."

Brandon couldn't help but scoff at the situation.

Things led to another, and everything had been going well so far.

He had planned on visiting later. It was still too bright outside, and Brandon didn't want to step foot outside the house this early.

Especially when….

—An emergence of a new S–ranker!?

It didn't even take a day for the evaluation. This was especially because of the unusual abundance of mana that poured inside the mana crystal.

They had mana samples to use, and it was for that reason why the process didn't take too long.

—An S–rank awakened, comparable to Lucian Frost's awakening?

After all, Lucian Frost too had ascended to S–rank at the youthful age of seventeen.

Thankfully, his identity wasn't revealed to the public.

But just to be on the safe side, Brandon wanted to stay indoors for now.

Brandon looked in front of him.

Aurelia was currently studying on her own. Brandon sneaked up behind Aurelia, who was glancing back and forth between her notes and the answer sheet.

It had to be said, it was basic kindergarten math.

"....Aurelia?"

Brandon whispered and Aurelia was startled. She turned around and looked at him, then smiled.

"Aurelia is studying."

She fixed her expressions, and pretended to look busy, whispering back proudly.

"Want me to help you?"

"...."

However, Aurelia struggled to respond.

"Don't worry, I won't tell Mom."

"Really?"

Her eyes glimmered as she looked back.

"Of course."

"Please help Aurelia, this is too hard…."

"Haha. Okay, let me see."

Brandon passed the time by helping Aurelia study from there, giving her hints, or blatantly giving her the answer itself.

The apartment was currently empty. Brianna had gone shopping. While Belle and Amelia were at the academy.

Just like that, the clock continued ticking. Brandon spent his entire afternoon with Aurelia.

It was now 5:00 PM, and Brianna had returned home carrying shopping bags.

Brandon helped her settle, then informed her of his departure.

He had sent a text to Zed about his arrival, then called for a taxi.

After all, he was still physically incapable of driving his motorcycle.

—I'll be there.