[Blood Vitalization Spell learned.]
[Blood Vitalization Spell, D Rank, Level 1.]
[Wow, you will do everything but put stat points in Constitution. I can’t tell if you are a genius, or just plain crazy.]
[Effect: Minor increase to endurance, mental freshness, and a minor full body reinforcement.]
The effect confirmed exactly what he had hoped for. The spell increased his stamina, and although the reinforcement was labeled as minor, he could already tell it was roughly on par with Level 10 Body Reinforcement Spell while requiring far less concentration.
Moreover, mental freshness was always welcome since his mind was repeatedly strained by using multiple spells during combat.
Even if the effect was only minor, it would reduce the mental fatigue that accumulated over the course of a long fight, making it easier for him to stay focused when it mattered most.
Alex was satisfied with the spell. His heart was no longer under constant strain even when he stopped reinforcing it manually because the excess mana was now being used to strengthen his blood instead of simply remaining compressed inside his heart.
The pressure that had been bothering him ever since his mana pool grew larger had almost completely disappeared.
That also meant he no longer needed to spend his free stat points on Constitution just to protect his heart.
Blood Vitalization had addressed that problem while also improving his stamina, allowing him to solve two issues with a single spell. He still intended to obtain a Life Element Rune as soon as possible, as that would let him fight for a long duration, but it was no longer an urgent necessity.
Alex gave a small nod to himself. Waiting before assigning his stat points had been the right decision after all.
Since mana could solve the problem directly, there was no reason to invest precious stat points into Constitution simply to deal with its symptoms.
Now that he had confirmed the result for himself, the last of his hesitation disappeared. Without wasting another moment, he assigned both of his free stat points to Mana.
[Mana: 23 → 25]
Alex immediately felt the increase inside his heart. The mana pool expanded once more, so he adjusted Blood Vitalization Spell accordingly, allowing the additional mana to reinforce his blood cells instead of remaining idle.
His heart stayed comfortable, confirming that the spell was functioning exactly as he had hoped.
With nothing else demanding his attention, Alex continued practicing Blood Vitalization while waiting for Ophelia to finish cooking.
Each repetition made the spell feel a little smoother and more natural to cast, reducing the concentration needed to begin the process. He also trained with Battle Instinct. Before long, the rich aroma of the meal drifted through the room, and his stomach responded with a loud grumble.
Alex looked toward the back of the shop where Ophelia had disappeared earlier. A minute later, Ophelia stepped out with a smile.
"The food’s ready. I’ll go call everyone," she said.
She headed outside, and soon Kevin, Robert, Tina, and Sophia came back inside together, while Charlotta skipped happily beside her mother.
Using whatever leftovers she had found around the food shop, Ophelia had put together a simple but hearty snack. She had toasted cubes of stale bread in a pan with a little butter before mixing them with sliced smoked sausage, onions, mushrooms, and a handful of herbs from sealed spice packets. A bit of grated cheese melted over everything, turning it into something that looked far more appetizing than Alex had expected.
She handed everyone a bowl before taking one for herself. Alex took a bite and found the bread crisp on the outside while still soft enough to soak up the flavor from the sausage and vegetables. It wasn’t a complicated dish, but it was warm, filling, and exactly what everyone needed after such stressful hours.
Robert finished chewing before looking at Ophelia with an impressed expression. "This is really good."
Tina nodded in agreement and smiled. "Exactly. Mrs. Ophelia somehow made random ingredients taste like an actual meal."
Ophelia laughed awkwardly and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thank you for your praise. I’m happy you like this even though it’s nothing special."
Before anyone else could reply, Charlotta proudly puffed out her chest.
"I told you Mama makes the best food," the little girl said.
Everyone smiled at the little girl’s declaration. Sophia reached over and gently patted Charlotta’s head, making her grin even wider. For a few minutes, the tense atmosphere eased as everyone quietly enjoyed the warm meal together.
While eating, Alex pulled out his phone and opened Dwitter. The internet was working for now, although everything loaded noticeably slower than before. His notification tab was packed with messages, but one stood out immediately because he had pinned Ben and his family members.
The rest of the direct messages were far less pleasant to look at. Many strangers had sent desperate requests for help, attaching pictures of injured family members, collapsed buildings, or missing loved ones while begging Alex to save them. His stomach tightened as he scrolled past one message after another.
For a moment, he simply stared at the screen. He didn’t use Battle Instinct to suppress his emotions or force himself to stay calm. Instead, he hardened his resolve and kept scrolling because he already knew there was nothing he could do for them.
Right now, his priority was to protect his own family and the people around him. He couldn’t run around the city rescuing everyone who sent him a message, no matter what their situation was. Ignoring those pleas wasn’t easy, especially with the photos attached, but his priorities were already clear.
He opened Ben’s message.
[Ben: We heard about you and Stefan defeating the Wild Orc. Thank you for it.]
Alex read the message twice before leaning back slightly. The Wild Orc must have terrified everyone at the Supermart far more than he had realized if they were thanking him just for defeating it, even though the rescue hadn’t even begun yet. He quickly typed out a reply.
[Me: No problem. We will commence the rescue soon. Please wait until then. Also, don’t forget about our deal.]
Ben replied almost immediately.
[Ben: Got it. Once again, thank you.]
Alex returned to the main feed and immediately noticed something different. Stefan’s post claiming Alex was terrible at close combat had disappeared. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Looks like he finally woke up.
He continued scrolling until a trending topic caught his attention. Curious, he opened one of the posts under #RelativityOfRankings.
..
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