"Strength is knowing when to stand. Wisdom is knowing when to stop."
Hunter Academy – Late Night Training Grounds
Joshua stood in the empty training hall, bathed in the soft glow of the mana-infused lights above.
His body was screaming at him to stop.
His arms felt like lead, his breathing was uneven, and the wound on his side—wrapped tightly in fresh bandages—throbbed with a dull ache.
He ignored all of it.
Gripping his Twin Daggers of Equinox, he shifted into position, focusing on the flow of energy inside him.
"I have to get this right."
Aura and Mana—two forces that should never merge.
But he was going to make them.
One more try.
He inhaled sharply.
[Activating Skill: Dual Resonance…]
His daggers pulsed violently, flickering between the energy states.
For a brief second, the balance was perfect.
Then—
BOOM!
A surge of uncontrolled power exploded from within, sending Joshua crashing backward.
His vision blurred instantly. His muscles locked up, paralyzed by the recoil.
His breathing came in short, ragged gasps.
And then—his body collapsed completely.
Sung En Watches in Silence
For the past thirty minutes, Sung En had been watching.
She had sensed his Aura fluctuations from the dormitory, knowing immediately that he was training again.
So she came to check.
She expected to find him pushing himself too hard.
What she didn't expect—was to see him collapse.
She didn't move at first.
Didn't say anything.
Just stood there, staring at the boy who always acted like nothing could break him.
Yet here he was—broken.
Her hands clenched at her sides.
She hated seeing him like this.
More than she thought she would.
"Why is he like this?"
Why did he keep pushing himself past his limits?
Why did he act like he had to carry everything alone?
Before she realized it, she was walking toward him.
"Stop it."
Joshua barely registered the presence beside him before he felt a sharp, firm grip on his shoulder.
"Sung En…?"
His voice came out hoarse, weak.
Sung En knelt beside him, her eyes stormy with frustration.
"Stop it," she said, her voice low but firm.
Joshua forced out a tired chuckle. "Not exactly something I can do right now."
Sung En ignored the joke.
Instead, she gripped his arm tighter, steadying him as he tried to sit up.
"You're an idiot," she muttered.
Joshua smirked weakly. "I get that a lot."
Her grip tightened.
"You keep pushing yourself like this, and one day, your body is going to give out."
Joshua exhaled slowly. He knew that.
But stopping?
That wasn't an option.
Not when he had already lost everything once before.
Not when he had to be stronger than he was in his past life.
He opened his mouth, ready to dismiss it with another sarcastic remark—
But then he saw her expression.
For the first time, she wasn't looking at him as a rival, or as someone to surpass.
She was looking at him like—
Like she was actually worried.
A strange, unfamiliar warmth spread through his chest.
"…You're really that worried about me?" he teased, trying to lighten the mood.
Sung En scowled immediately. "I don't care what happens to you. I just—"
She stopped.
Her fists clenched.
Joshua watched her closely.
She was lying.
And she knew it.
A silence stretched between them before she finally exhaled and stood up.
"Come on," she muttered, holding out a hand. "You're not walking back alone like this."
Joshua blinked.
"Wait, are you—"
"Shut up and take my hand."
Joshua stared at her for a moment—then, with a tired smirk, he did.
Bringing Him Back – An Unspoken Realization
By the time they reached Joshua's dorm, his body was still aching, but Sung En hadn't left his side.
She didn't complain. Didn't question why she was even helping him.
She just stayed.
She helped him onto his bed, watching as he let out a long, exhausted breath.
"Alright," he muttered. "Thanks, Princess. You can go now."
She didn't move.
Joshua frowned slightly. "Sung En?"
She crossed her arms, her expression unreadable.
"I'm staying."
Joshua blinked. "What?"
"You look like you're about to collapse again. Someone needs to make sure you don't die in your sleep."
Joshua chuckled. "Pretty sure I can survive one night."
Sung En raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? Like how you survived the last time you collapsed?"
He had no response to that.
She smirked, taking that as her victory.
"…Fine," Joshua muttered, closing his eyes. "Do whatever you want."
Sung En pulled over a chair, settling into it.
She didn't look at him.
But she didn't leave.
And in that quiet moment, neither of them questioned why.
The Next Morning – A Subtle Change
Joshua woke up feeling better than expected.
He turned his head slightly—only to pause.
Sung En was still there.
Her arms were crossed on the table beside his bed, her head resting on them.
She had fallen asleep.
A strange warmth filled his chest.
He had seen her furious, determined, competitive.
But like this?
It was… different.
He stared for a moment longer before slowly sitting up.
As if sensing his movement, Sung En stirred awake.
She blinked blearily at him, her usual sharpness dulled by sleep.
Then—realization hit.
Her eyes widened slightly, and she immediately looked away.
"You're awake," she muttered.
Joshua smirked. "And you're still here."
Sung En scowled, standing up abruptly.
"Whatever. Just… don't collapse again, idiot."
Joshua chuckled, watching her storm toward the door.
But just before she left—
She hesitated.
Then, without turning back, she muttered, "…Take care of yourself."
And then she was gone.
Joshua stared at the door for a long moment.
Then—he smiled.