Maya stared at her fist.
Then at Ank.
“Grandpa…” “Did I hit him too hard?” The old man did not reply, only looking at Ank’s unconscious body.
He wanted to warn him but did not get a chance.
“Don’t worry, Maya.
It is not your fault.” And slowly lifted Ank and placed him on the bed.
“Maya, let’s leave.
Let Ank get some rest.
After he wakes up, you have to apologize to him.
Have I made myself clear or not?” The old man said in an authoritative tone.
He did not like Maya’s behavior, but as his granddaughter,he could not scold her.
Maya nodded and left the room.
After five hours of restless sleep,Ank woke up again.
His eyelids fluttered and then opened slowly.
His gaze immediately met the same plain wooden ceiling he had stared at earlier.
He simply lay there, letting the silence of the house flow into him.
His body still felt heavy, weaker than he remembered due to Maya’s punch.
A faint groan slipped past his lips as he sat up.
His chest ached with the reminder of his fragile condition.
Note to self, Ank thought bitterly, don’t disturb Maya at any cost.
If I want to live peacefully for at least another day,I’ll keep my mouth shut around her.
The memory of her punch was still fresh in his mind.
His jaw still throbbed whenever he thought about it.
He stood, shaking slightly, and stepped out of the room.
The sun was shining at its peak.
The air smelled faintly of flowers, strange and intoxicating.
Ank followed the scent of the flowers and reached the front gate.
When he finally made his way outside,Ank stopped the moment he saw the old man who had helped him.
The old man sat calmly on a wooden chair in the garden.
His silver hair caught the golden rays of the sun as he leaned back.
His hands rested on the armrests of the chair.
His eyes were fixed on the vast garden before him.
The garden itself was so beautiful that Ank could not take his eyes off it.
Dozens of flowers bloomed there, their petals shimmering with colors that seemed to defy logic, glowing blues, crimson reds that seemed alive, and blossoms that spread faint sparks of peace.
The garden had many different types of flowers that Ank had never seen before.
The old man shifted slightly, sensing Ank’s presence.
Ank also noticed that the old man was watching him.
“Once again, thank you for saving me,” Ank said, lowering his head respectfully.
“Oh, not a problem,”the old man replied.
“And sorry for breaking the wall,”Ank added.
“Let’s forget about the wall.
I will repair it when I have time.” The old man said, looking straight into Ank’s eyes.
After that, the old man returned to watching the flowers once again, thinking about something.
The silence stretched between them.
No one said anything as time passed.
Ank was still standing behind the old man.
Their silence was broken only by the soft rustling of the flowers in the evening breeze.
Then the old man asked, “Tell me, what is your plan for the future?” He was surprised to see Ank standing behind him for the last four hours.
So he asked Ank.
Ank hesitated for only a second before speaking firmly.
“I have to regain my strength as soon as possible.
Can you help me do this?” “What do you mean by regaining your strength?”the old man asked in a curious tone.
Ank thought for a second.
He could not tell the old man that his power was sealed.
He did not want any other person involved in his affairs.
He knew his life would be filled with many twists and turns.
After thinking for a while, he said, “I mean I want to become powerful enough to protect myself, and for that, I need your help.” The old man raised an eyebrow.
“My help?” “Yes,” Ank said, his tone almost desperate.
Before coming to speak to him, Ank had already sensed at the door that the old man was powerful.
He could easily defeat a monster capable of destroying a city.
He realized the old man might be able to help him.
The old man’s eyes narrowed as he studied Ank.
“So, you already sensed my power before coming to speak to me,”he said knowingly.
“Yes,” Ank admitted, bowing his head.
“And sorry for peeking.” A low chuckle escaped the old man.
“Don’t worry.
I’m not like my granddaughter, who would punch you if you made her angry.
I already learned to control my anger.” He said slowly while looking at the sky, as if he were remembering something.
“Let’s move inside.
The sun is going to set.” They returned to the house together.
Inside, the air was warm and smelled faintly of flowers.
Ank sat on a wooden chair while the old man lowered himself onto a sofa in the corner.
The room was modest, neither large nor small, decorated with shelves of books and a few framed paintings.
The old man studied him for a long while before speaking again.
“You know,”he said slowly, “You are ridiculously weak.” “I know,”Ank replied without hesitation.
Ank knew he was very weak.
And all because of the book.
“From what I’ve seen,”the old man continued, “you are not from this planet.
Am I right?” Ank hesitated to reveal these details, but in the end, he nodded.
“Then let me give you a piece of advice,” the old man said, leaning forward slightly.
His voice carried weight, like someone giving a death sentence to an innocent person.
“This planet is called Duskwild.
And Duskwild is one of the most dangerous planets in this sector.
Monsters, predators, and even people here live by devouring the weak.
If you want to survive, you must increase your strength as soon as possible.
Otherwise, you will die.” Ank’s throat tightened.
He clenched his fists and forced himself to meet the old man’s gaze.
“That is why I need your help,” he said, his voice trembling with both determination and desperation.
For a moment, silence lingered in the room.
The old man’s expression softened slightly, but then he shook his head.
“I cannot help you.” Ank was shocked after hearing this.
His voice came out shaking.
“Why?”