Chapter 52 – The Awakening of a Rival

Morning crept into the northern forest with a chill that cut through the trees, a stark contrast to the suffocating darkness of the night before. The campfire had been rekindled, its flames crackling softly as a pot of herbal tea simmered above it. The aroma of bitter leaves filled the air, washing away the lingering tension in their chests.

Zareen sat near the fire, his staff resting across his lap. His gaze kept drifting toward Gino, who was still lying beneath a thin blanket. The man’s breathing had steadied, but his face remained unnaturally pale.

The wounds on his body were nearly gone—Perfect Cure had restored him to perfect health physically—but Zareen knew deep down that some wounds couldn’t be healed with magic.

“He still hasn’t woken up?” Sari’s voice was a whisper, as if afraid to disturb the fragile quiet.

Zareen shook his head. “His aura’s clear now. He just needs time.”

Doni held his cup of tea with both hands, still visibly trembling. “Seriously, my heart hasn’t stopped pounding since last night. If it wasn’t for that insane skill of yours, we’d all be compost by now.”

Zareen gave a faint smile but said nothing.

Across the fire, Yuna sat cross-legged, her sword resting beside her. She had been watching Gino in silence for a long while before finally speaking.

“That skill you used last night…” Her voice was calm but heavy. “I’ve never seen anything like it—not in any beta database, not in any raid logs. It was… completely new.”

Zareen looked down at his hands. “I don’t understand it either. It just… appeared. I didn’t think. I just wanted to save him.”

---

### Gino Awakens

A rough, raspy voice cut through the morning air. “Would you all shut up already? You’re too loud.”

Every head turned toward the voice.

Gino’s golden-brown eyes cracked open, glinting with that lazy, almost mocking look they all knew so well.

“Gino!” Zareen exhaled in relief.

With a groan, Gino sat up, wincing as if his head weighed a ton. “Ugh… feels like a giant hammer just smashed my skull a thousand times.”

“More like you turned into a monster last night,” Doni said without a shred of tact.

Sari immediately smacked the back of his head. “Oi! Don’t just blurt things like that!”

“Ow! What? I’m just telling the truth!”

Zareen let out a small chuckle despite himself, then turned back to Gino, his expression sobering. “You do know what happened, right?”

---

### Gino’s Admission

For a moment, Gino didn’t answer. His eyes fell to his hands. He clenched them, then slowly released his grip as though testing if they were still his.

“…I felt it,” he finally said. His voice was low, stripped of its usual cocky tone. “It was like something was crawling into my skull, whispering. Telling me to destroy everything. To tear apart anything that moved.”

No one interrupted. They all stayed still, listening.

“Ever since that dragon’s aura appeared, I’ve had headaches,” Gino went on. “I thought it was just fatigue. Turns out…” He let out a humorless laugh. “Turns out I was about two steps away from becoming a beast.”

Sari’s jaw tightened. “That isn’t something you should laugh about!”

Gino looked at her, his smirk faint. “When something terrifies you that much, sometimes the only thing you can do is laugh.”

Zareen’s hands clenched around his staff. “If I hadn’t been there last night, you would’ve been gone, Gino. Do you get that?”

Gino turned to meet Zareen’s eyes. His usual playful expression was gone—his gaze was sharp, serious.

“I get it. And I owe you my life.”

---

### Rivalry Rekindled

For a moment, silence reigned between them. Then Zareen’s stern face softened into a small smile.

“A rival like you isn’t allowed to die that easily,” he said. “I still have to surpass you someday.”

Gino let out a quiet chuckle, his old grin returning. “You still talk like some wannabe sage. Fine. I’m not letting myself fall a second time. Next time, if the darkness comes for me, I’ll fight it off with my own hands.”

They held each other’s gaze for several seconds before both of them started laughing softly.

The tension in the camp eased just a little. Even with the threat of corruption still looming, there was something reassuring about hearing Gino’s determination.

---

### A Bit of Humor

Doni suddenly raised his tea cup. “If you two are done with your heartfelt rivalry reunion, can someone give me a little pep talk too? My nerves are still fried.”

Sari promptly smacked him again. “Don’t ruin the moment!”

“Hey! That hurts!” Doni yelped, rubbing his head. “I’m serious! If you two are rivals, what does that make me? The party mascot? The guy paying for admission?”

Even Yuna’s lips twitched, her shoulders shaking as she stifled a laugh.

Zareen finally grinned. “A mascot isn’t a bad idea. You could be our good luck charm.”

“Good luck charm that always ends up covered in bruises?” Doni grumbled.

---

### A Serious Discussion

The laughter died down, leaving a thoughtful quiet behind.

“This isn’t over,” Yuna said suddenly, her tone flat but her eyes sharp. “What happened last night proves it. The dragon’s influence is spreading faster than we thought. If even Gino can fall to it…”

Her words hung heavy in the air.

Sari clenched her chain weapon until it rattled. “That means we’re not just fighting monsters anymore. We might have to fight… our own friends.”

Zareen’s grip on his staff tightened. His voice was steady, but there was fire in his eyes.

“If that happens again, I’ll use it,” he said quietly. “Perfect Cure. I won’t let anyone be lost to that darkness. Not if I can help it.”

Yuna held his gaze for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Finally, she nodded once.

“You really are different, Zareen,” she said softly.

---

### Closing

The first rays of the morning sun broke through the canopy, painting the clearing in soft gold. The light fell across Gino’s still-pale face, making his hair look almost like molten gold.

Despite his exhaustion, a faint smirk tugged at his lips.

“In that case, Zareen…” His voice was hoarse, but steady. “Let’s see which of us lasts longer in this world. You, with your strange magic… or me, with my willpower.”

Zareen straightened, meeting his gaze with quiet resolve. “I’ll be waiting, rival.”

And as the morning mist slowly thinned, Zareen felt it in his chest—the real battle had only just begun.