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The night wore on peacefully, with no beasts attacking or storms rolling in. A few times, Kai or Vexor snapped upright, expecting a predator or beast's roar, but no threat materialized. Perhaps fate had granted them a momentary peace.
Perhaps the savage trials in the deep wilderness were behind them. With that thought, their hearts felt a small spark of relief. This was not safety, but it was better than the endless terror of the previous days.
Kai found himself gazing at the star-filled sky, mind drifting to the star crystal liquid safely in his expanded Soul-Bonded Storage. Part of him longed to study it, to see if it could help him rank up or heal his friends.
But the system's warnings had been clear: it was a special resource, not for casual use. He needed knowledge, or a safe place to experiment, and that might only come once they returned to the kingdom. "One day… I'll see if these secrets can help me surpass all obstacles," he thought firmly.
