Melinda stared into the cup.
The liquid inside wasn’t merely green. Threads of fel energy twisted through it, turning the water into a slow, swirling vortex that looked more alive than any drink had a right to.
Her nose wrinkled instinctively.
People actually consume thi s?
She almost took a step back.
Then she clenched her jaw.
Forget it.
Pretend it’s green apple soda.
Under Evenson’s watchful gaze, she slowly raised the cup toward her lips.
Just before she drank, a voice drifted across the basement.
"But, Evenson... what’s the price?"
The question didn’t come from Melinda.
She had already accepted that power demanded sacrifice.
It came from Claire.
She hadn’t witnessed everything leading up to this moment, but she’d pieced together enough. Whatever Evenson was doing, it was some kind of ritual that would grant this woman access to supernatural power.
And Melinda wasn’t an ordinary civilian.
She dressed like an office worker, but every unconscious movement betrayed years of combat training. Her posture, her eyes, the way she shifted her weight... those belonged to someone who knew exactly how to hurt people.
Someone with physical skill that rivaled seasoned fighters.
Yet Claire could tell she possessed no magical talent whatsoever.
Granting magic to someone without aptitude had to come at a tremendous cost.
The only question was...
Who paid it?
If Melinda suffered, Claire could accept that.
If Evenson had to bear the burden instead...
Melinda paused with the cup halfway to her lips.
Evenson turned toward Claire.
His expression froze.
His pupils contracted.
Beside Claire...
...was a fire axe.
A completely ordinary fire axe.
His shop technically counted as a commercial property, so he’d bought basic fire safety equipment to satisfy inspections. Afterward, he’d tossed the axe into the basement and promptly forgotten about it.
Now, for some inexplicable reason, it radiated the most cursed energy he’d ever felt.
Why is that thing here?
Why didn’t I notice it before?
...And has that rust always looked so much like dried blood?
A cold shiver climbed his spine.
He immediately straightened up, casually tossed his staff several feet away, and did everything possible to distance himself from anything remotely resembling that particular archetype.
Unfortunately, his mouth moved faster than his brain.
"Everything."
The instant the word left his lips, he regretted it.
The fire axe seemed to gain an invisible aura.
It practically screamed:
Pick me up! It’s time for a dramatic head-splitting scene!
Evenson swallowed hard.
"No," he corrected quickly. "After you drink this, you won’t be an ordinary person anymore. Everything that defines an ordinary life will slowly fall away."
Melinda looked down at the swirling green liquid.
"Ignorance may spare you pain. Being ordinary can be a kind of happiness."
Her voice grew colder.
"But every one of my regrets came from being ignorant... and being ordinary."
Bahrain.
Coulson.
The helplessness afterward.
The bitter realization that there were battles she could never even begin to fight.
She hated that feeling.
Without another word, she tipped back the cup and drank every last drop.
"...Agh!"
The empty glass hit the floor.
Melinda collapsed to her knees with a cry of agony.
Fortunately, Evenson had already sealed the basement with a soundproofing ward.
Otherwise, the neighbors would have called the police within minutes.
She curled onto the floor, every muscle trembling violently.
Her body convulsed.
Bones snapped and shifted beneath her skin before twisting back into place.
Muscles swelled grotesquely, stretching fabric to its limits, only to shrink again moments later.
Each transformation lasted only seconds.
Each one brought unimaginable pain.
Her screams echoed through the magically sealed basement.
Evenson watched without flinching.
Power beyond human limits demanded a price beyond human experience.
There was no shortcut.
Claire, meanwhile, found herself unable to look away.
The sight made her stomach tighten.
But at the same time...
She quietly relaxed.
So this was the cost.
Good.
At least Evenson wasn’t the one enduring it.
Not that she’d seriously expected otherwise.
Knowing him, sacrificing himself for someone else wasn’t exactly high on his list of hobbies.
About five minutes later, the transformation finally subsided.
Melinda lay sprawled across the floor, exhausted, breathing in ragged gasps.
Just as expected, Evenson thought.
Physically, she remained almost entirely human.
Aside from the faint green tint creeping into her fingernails and the tips of her hair, there were no obvious mutations.
Two more minutes passed before she finally gathered enough strength to push herself upright.
The moment she lifted her head...
Claire was suddenly standing much closer to Evenson.
"Her crow’s feet..."
They were gone.
The fine lines around Melinda’s eyes had completely disappeared.
Her lips had darkened into a subtle charcoal shade, almost like expensive lipstick, making her look noticeably younger... and unexpectedly attractive.
Claire silently raised Melinda’s threat level several notches.
I was completely wrong about him.
I actually thought Evenson was honest.
I’ve only been away for a month, and somehow he’s already surrounded himself with two women.
If I don’t keep an eye on him, who knows what he’ll do next?
"...What?" Melinda asked, still dazed. "Did you say something?"
"Nothing."
Evenson wasn’t surprised by the change.
Fel magic naturally prolonged youth and lifespan.
It was one of the reasons so many people willingly embraced it despite its dangers.
"How do you feel?"
Melinda rubbed her forehead.
"Like I got run over by a truck."
She gave him an exhausted glare.
"You neglected to mention it’d hurt that much."
"I told you ordinary life would leave you behind."
Evenson shrugged.
"Ordinary people never experience pain like that."
Melinda shook her head.
There wasn’t much she could say to that.
"Now," Evenson said with a smile, "try using your power. Focus. Follow the desire you feel inside and let it answer you."
She closed her eyes.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Then—
Whoosh.
Green flames burst from both of her hands.
She stared at them in disbelief.
"So this..."
"...is my power."
"It has already strengthened your body enormously," Evenson explained. "You’re probably capable of matching Captain America in raw physical strength now."
"And..."
"Evenson."
Claire interrupted him, staring thoughtfully at the green fire dancing across Melinda’s hands.
"You didn’t move anything from my old house after I left... did you?"
When Claire departed, she’d entrusted Evenson with the keys.
The house held too many memories for her to sell it, so she’d simply left it untouched.
But now...
An idea had occurred to her.
"I didn’t touch a thing," Evenson answered.
"It’s exactly as you left it."
Claire’s eyes curved into a delighted smile.
She walked straight over to Melinda.
"So, Ms. Melinda..."
She clasped her hands behind her back with the expression of someone making an irresistible sales pitch.
"Interested in an ancient martial arts manual?"
"I happen to offer the complete Yagami Style package."
"It includes classics like Maiden Masher, Dark Thrust, Oniyaki, and Ya Otome."
She smiled sweetly.
"Premium techniques. Lifetime access. Want to give it a try?"
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter