The dungeon was quiet now, but the air still vibrated with tension. The remnants of shattered stone and scorched earth crumbled slowly to the ground.
Marcus was kneeling, one hand pressed to his side, breathing heavily. Blood seeped through his uniform—but a faint glow shimmered over his wound, knitting it together.
"You okay?" I asked.
"I… I'll manage," he muttered. "Just need a moment."
"Manage?" I echoed.
He looked up at me, eyes serious. "Healing isn't free. When I fix injuries… I feel them too. The stronger the damage, the more it hits me."
I frowned. That was new. "You mean you feel their pain?"
He nodded. "Every cut, every bruise… it's like I'm taking it on myself. If I push too hard, I could collapse or worse."
I stared. That explained a lot. And it meant I had to be careful—not just for my sake, but for him too.
We left the dungeon, our footsteps echoing on the cracked stone floor. Rumors had already spread; students whispered about how the D-class attacker and the healer survived a C-rank evaluation dungeon. Most were impressed. Some were cautious.
Back in the dorm, Marcus sat on the edge of the bed. "You didn't hold back," he said.
"Not exactly my choice," I replied.
His gaze sharpened. "Whatever you did… it worked. But I could feel the cost on you too. If I hadn't healed you…" He shook his head, cutting the thought off.
I leaned back against the wall, arms crossed. "Don't worry about it. I know how this works now."
Marcus studied me, silent for a moment, then finally said, "We'll have to work together if we're going to survive missions. I can keep you standing… but only for so long. And I won't be able to heal you constantly without consequences."
"Good," I replied. "I don't need a babysitter. Just someone who doesn't get in my way."
He smirked faintly. "Deal. And you? Don't overdo it either. I can handle your reckless side, but only for so long."
I stared out the window at the training fields. Fire, swords, shields… controlled chaos everywhere. And yet here we were: a healer no one wanted, and a D-class attacker no one expected.
Our pairing was unstable. Dangerous. But necessary.
Marcus leaned back on the bed, a faint glow still lingering in his palms. "We'll figure it out… together," he said quietly.
For the first time, I realized something: I didn't need to hide from my own power. I needed to learn how to control it—because if Marcus and I survived this, nothing could stop us.
And the real test hadn't even begun.