Consciousness floated up bit by bit like a Fragment submerged at the bottom of the icy sea, piecing itself together.
In a haze, A Mi heard intermittent conversations, as if muffled by a thick curtain of water.
"...Miss Lina... thank you so much..." It was Xiao Ye's familiar voice, tinged with Weakness.
"Hmph, I just happened to be passing by and saw this mess."
It was Lina’s tone, carrying her usual arrogance, yet sounding slightly unsettled.
There was also a faint whimper, laced with sobbing and fear—it seemed to be...
A Mi strained to lift his eyelids, which felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, and his blurry vision gradually focused.
He found himself lying on the crude straw bedding in the Tree House. Xiao Ye was sitting beside him, her face still pale, but the wound on her back seemed to have been carefully redressed with new, noticeably higher-quality ointment.
Lina, meanwhile, stood by the Tree House entrance, arms crossed, the morning light outlining her delicate profile.
To his slight surprise, the Fox Clan Child was still curled up in the corner of the Tree House, hugging his knees, face buried, his body trembling slightly—clearly terrified.
Seemingly noticing A Mi stirring awake, Lina turned her head, glanced at him, and explained in a flat tone, "When I arrived, I saw these few guys knocked out on the ground. Only this little fox was still awake, scared almost to the point of wetting himself."
She pointed outside, "Those Thugs, after I woke them up, I gave them a 'good education.' They probably won't dare bother you again for a while."
As she spoke, she looked at the Fox Clan Child again, her tone brooking no argument: "As for you, you can leave now. Don't hang around with shady characters anymore, and treat your Contracted Spirit well."
The Fox Clan Child acted as if granted a great amnesty, lifting his head abruptly, tear tracks still visible on his face.
He quickly glanced at...
Then, like a startled rabbit, he scrambled out of the Tree House and vanished into the woods in an instant.
"When you were unconscious, Miss Lina woke me up, and then she used an Elf's secret medicine to stabilize your injuries," Xiao Ye whispered to A Mi, her eyes full of gratitude.
A Mi tried to move, immediately feeling as if his entire body had been disassembled and reassembled; every part ached, and his Spirit Body transmitted waves of Weakness. His condition was terrible.
But compared to the feeling of his consciousness being instantly shattered and on the verge of complete dissipation before, this was certainly much better.
He realized this was probably the characteristic of a Contracted Spirit—
As long as it wasn't destroyed on the spot, the Spirit Body would self-repair at a slow rate after leaving combat, even without active rest. His prolonged unconsciousness was, in a way, a passive form of 'out-of-combat recovery.'
"Looks like I won't die," A Mi murmured.
Lina looked at A Mi, her tone still lacking warmth.
"Counting the medicine I bought for you before, and this time... you now owe me two favors."
"Thank you." A Mi propped himself up, leaning against the wall, and thanked Lina with a hoarse but sincere voice. Regardless of her motives, this assistance was real.
Being thanked so directly made Lina somewhat uncomfortable; she turned her face away, the tips of her ears turning slightly red, and habitually started being stubborn: "Hmph, who—who asked you to thank me! I just couldn't stand seeing people causing trouble near my academy, affecting the public appearance!
Besides, if a D-Rank Contracted Spirit were to vanish inexplicably like that, it wouldn't look good for us Elves!"
Though she spoke harsh words, her feet didn't move; she remained standing there.
A Mi and Xiao Ye exchanged a look, both seeing the confusion in the other's eyes.
They certainly had many questions, especially A Mi, regarding that terrifying power called the Sin-Punishing Demon Eye that ultimately decided the battle.
Lina seemed to notice their eagerness to learn. She took a deep breath, as if making a major decision, wearing an expression of, "I really have no choice with you two."
"Seeing your clueless faces, you probably still can't tell the difference between a Magic Tool and an Art Tool, right?
Forget it, I'm not in a terrible mood today, so I'll be magnanimous and explain the basics to you one more time. Listen carefully, I'm only saying this once!"
She cleared her throat, preparing to begin her 'lesson,' while A Mi and Xiao Ye immediately perked up, ready to listen to this crucial lecture that might determine their path into the Future.
"Art Tools were mentioned before; they are relatively common enhancement or utility items."
Lina began explaining, her tone returning to the clarity and composure of a Top Student.
"Now, let's focus on Magic Tools—these are much rarer and far more powerful than Art Tools."
She paused, seemingly searching for more precise wording: "To put it more plainly, Magic Tools are the trump cards that directly grant every Contracted Spirit the possibility of an ultimate comeback in a desperate situation.
They are not external objects, but rather the materialization of Strength deeply rooted in the soul's origin, based on the Contracted Spirit's own Race, characteristics, and historical legends, imprinted at the moment of its summoning."
She pointed to the spot where the Gargoyle had been.
"Take that Gargoyle, for example. Its prototype is often associated with guardians of churches and ancient castles, symbolizing the expulsion and sealing of evil. That's why its Magic Tool, the Sin-Punishing Demon Eye, carries that effect of spiritual impact, judgment, and suppression.
The effects of Magic Tools vary widely among different Contracted Spirits, but without exception, they are the most extreme manifestation of that Spirit's inherent traits."
Lina's expression turned serious: "Furthermore, there are two critical points you must remember.
First, the Contracted Spirit itself cannot activate the Magic Tool voluntarily. The Spirit Master must use the Contract Link to issue a clear command or pour in intent to achieve Magic Tool Liberation.
Second, and most importantly—for a very brief moment immediately following Magic Tool Liberation, the Contracted Spirit enters a state of 'high damage reduction' protected by the Rules, making it virtually invincible!"
Seeing the realization and gravity dawning on A Mi and Xiao Ye's faces, she added, "Of course, this 'invincibility' is not absolute.
There are special methods or extremely powerful Art Tools in The World that can interfere with, weaken, or even forcibly break through this high damage reduction state during Liberation."
"But clearly," she swept her gaze over A Mi and Xiao Ye, the implication obvious, "you currently do not possess such means."
The explanation finished, the Tree House fell into a brief silence.
A Mi processed the information, finally understanding where the seemingly insurmountable gap originated—it wasn't just a difference in rank and attributes, but an overwhelming disparity at the level of foundation and Rules.
Lina watched them look thoughtful, feeling her 'duty' fulfilled, and prepared to turn and leave.
But when she reached the Tree House entrance, she paused again, as if asking casually, "So, what are your plans now? Continue this... well, 'adventuring'?"
Xiao Ye looked at A Mi, then said quietly but firmly, "We... will keep going to the Training Ground, and then... take on Commissions we can handle."
Upon hearing this, Lina made no attempt to hide her expression of 'just as I thought' and 'hopeless.'
She rubbed her temples, seemingly engaged in an intense internal debate.
After a moment of silence, she seemed to finally make up her mind, tossing her golden hair back with some irritation, and said with her back to them:
"...Forget it, you two wait here."
"Huh?" Xiao Ye didn't understand.
Lina didn't turn around, her voice carrying a barely perceptible awkwardness: "I said, don't rush off to your deaths... I'll think of a way for you."
After speaking, she didn't wait for their response, quickly leaving the Tree House as if afraid she would change her mind, only a barely audible mumble drifting in with the wind:
"...Honestly, what am I even doing... meddling..."
Inside the Tree House, A Mi and Xiao Ye looked at each other, both slightly stunned.
This arrogant Elf Top Student seemed not as cold as she appeared.