Chapter 17: THE TOURNAMENT
The moonlight faded, giving way to a soft bluish dawn. The air in the Forgotten Forest was cold—but not nearly as cold as the silence that had settled between mother and son.
Alice sat on a smooth rock, gently rubbing her wrists where the ropes had dug into her skin. Her eyes stayed locked on Logan as he stood nearby—his cloak torn, dust on his face—but his presence remained unchanged. Unshaken.
Too calm. Too quiet.
"...Logan," she finally spoke, her voice soft and trembling. "Just... what was that back there?"
Logan turned, his expression neutral, but his eyes softened when he looked at her. "How can I let you be in danger, Mom? Of course I had to come."
"No, not that," she said quickly. "I know you would... I knew you would... but..." Her breath hitched. "What I saw back there—it wasn’t normal. That speed, that power... that presence. You fought nine enemies alone. One of them a Tier 4 mage. You didn’t even use magic. That’s not something a boy your age should be capable of."
She looked away, as if afraid to meet his eyes. "Logan... what are you becoming?"
Logan sat down beside her.
"I know what you’re thinking," he said gently. "That I’ve changed."
She nodded silently.
"I have," he admitted. "I’ve been training. Not just mana or spells. Everything. My body. My instincts. My focus. All of it."