Twin Moon City was alive again by the time Daniel and Aria stepped out of the last technique hall they had visited. The sun had begun its slow descent, painting the rooftops in soft orange light. Merchants were shouting their evening discounts. Hunters in groups walked back from daily missions. Conversations floated in the air like dust particles swirling in the light. It was lively, warm, and full of motion, yet Daniel felt a strange sense of disconnect from everything around him.
His chest still carried the dull ache from earlier. Every technique he had touched recoiled from him as if rejecting his very existence. His body reacted as well. When he had reached for a simple low grade lightning absorption scroll, a sharp sting, almost like a spark biting his palm, shot into his bones. Even
