“Yes, I am, and I’ll hurt you both badly if you don’t drop the girl!” Henry threatened, his voice steady but filled with urgency. “You sure about that?” Tae replied, a smirk creeping across his face. “You really think you can take down two grade A Awakeners? You must be a grade S Mage Hunter to have such confidence.” “I don’t give a damn about your grade! I’m warning you—drop Ava now!” A fiery aura erupted around Henry, illuminating the room. Tae laughed, already sensing the strength radiating from Henry. “Based on that aura, I can tell you’re not stronger than me. Maybe a high grade C or a grade B Awakener.” “You really want me to put the girl down that badly? Fine.” Tae feigned compliance, letting Ava drop unceremoniously to the floor. In an instant, Joon dashed toward Henry, delivering a powerful punch to his gut. Henry slammed into the wall behind him, winded but not out. With a quick fire explosion, he propelled himself back to his feet and summoned his sword. “You’re not go

Arriving at the old warehouse, Dexter hesitated outside, the dilapidated structure looming like a dark specter against the moonlit sky. He pushed through the creaking door, heart racing, and stepped inside. The air was thick with dust, and the faint glow of moonlight filtered through the broken windows, casting eerie shadows. His gaze fell on a figure slumped against the wall—Ava, unconscious and vulnerable. Relief washed over him, but it was quickly overshadowed by the darkness creeping in at the edges of the room. Just then, he felt it—a deathly aura washing over him, icy fingers crawling down his spine. The twins emerged from the shadows, their expressions unreadable, but the menacing energy radiating from them was palpable. Dexter recognized them immediately, Joon and Tae, grade A awakeners notorious for their ruthlessness. “So you’ve come,” Joon said, a sly grin curling his lips. “How touching. You really think you can save her?” “Let her go,” Dexter demanded, stepping forward

As Tae launched another fireball, Dexter dodged to the side, his body moving on instinct. He retaliated with a Shadow Slash, a quick slice of dark energy aimed at the twins. “Firestorm!” Tae shouted, countering the attack. The two spells collided, erupting in a blinding explosion of fire and shadow. In the chaos, Dexter spotted Ava stirring, her eyes fluttering open. “Dexter?” she murmured, groggy but aware. “Stay back!” Dexter commanded, feeling a surge of protective instinct as he faced the twins. With Ava conscious, he had to end this quickly. “Overdrive!” Dexter activated, pushing his abilities to their maximum as he charged forward. The air crackled with energy, and his speed increased tenfold. He aimed his daggers at Joon, determined to take him down before he could recover from the previous attack. Joon’s eyes widened in surprise, and he barely had time to react. Dexter struck with precision, landing a series of rapid blows that forced Joon to retreat. “Stop him!” Tae yell

The dim light of the hospital room cast shadows over Ava’s still form, hooked up to various machines that beeped softly, measuring her vitals. Dexter paced anxiously by her side, his heart racing as memories of the night before flooded his mind. He could still hear the chaos—the screams, the battle, the moment he had torn her away from the Deer Twins.“Stay with me, Ava,” he murmured, gripping her hand. “I need you to wake up.”The door swung open, and Henry rushed in, his expression serious. “Dexter, are you okay? What happened out there?”Dexter turned, his face a mix of determination and worry. “I thought I could handle it, Henry. I thought I could save her,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.“You did save her,” Henry replied, stepping closer. “But we need to figure out what’s next. The mage cops are on their way to deal with the twins. They’ll be here soon.”Dexter felt a surge of frustration. “They’re not here yet. What if they come back? What if they hurt her again?”He

As dawn broke, casting golden rays through the city’s skyline, Dexter felt the weight of determination heavy on his shoulders. He had returned to the hospital after his meeting with the informant, his mind racing with thoughts of Ava and the Deer Twins. The encounter had only strengthened his resolve to become stronger.When he arrived at Ava’s room, Henry was already there, seated by her bedside, a worried expression etched across his face.“Morning,” Dexter said, forcing a smile as he approached.“Morning,” Henry replied, his eyes darting to Ava. “Any news?”“Just the usual,” Dexter said, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside. “I’ll be taking on some missions to level up.”Henry raised an eyebrow, concern deepening his features. “You’re serious about this, aren’t you? You’re going to put yourself in danger again?”“Henry, I have to,” Dexter replied, his tone firm. “I can’t let them come after her again. I need to get stronger.”“And what if something goes wrong? What if you ca