"Aurora, just say it outright."
Fenric smiled and added, "If it's something I can help with, I definitely will."
Then, silently in his heart, he added: If I can't help… I definitely won't lift a finger.
Aurora said seriously, "Over the years, I've made a lot of enemies. They can't touch me directly, but they might retaliate through my family. I have a cousin I'm close with. She's also in the Samsara Space and will soon reach the Fourth Stage."
Fenric frowned slightly at that.
Is she going to ask me to carry someone through a dungeon?
If that was the request, then sorry—he'd refuse without hesitation.
Fortunately, Aurora wasn't so shameless. She didn't make any unreasonable demands.
"It's actually not a big favor," she continued. "Entering the Samsara Tower is dangerous—that's something everyone accepts. Shura, if you happen to meet my cousin in a dungeon, could you look after her a little?"
"If it's just lending a hand when possible, that's no problem," Fenric replied. "But... what kind of help are you talking about? Don't tell me you want me to form an alliance with her?"
"Of course not!" Aurora Morwyn laughed. "Her name is Belle Morwyn. If you see her in danger, just help her out."
"Oh, that's no big deal."
Since it was just a favor based on convenience, Fenric had no issue agreeing.
Aurora added, "Shura, don't feel obligated just because it's me. If the situation is too risky, you don't need to get involved. Your life is more important than hers. A lot of people see you as a once-in-a-generation genius—they have high hopes for your future."
Fenric nodded, but thought to himself: Girl, you don't need to tell me twice. If your cousin ends up in a situation that even I can't handle... trust me, I'll run faster than anyone else!
"By the way, Aurora," Fenric suddenly asked, "do you know if anyone's selling dungeon cooldown refresh cards?"
Aurora Morwyn was momentarily stunned, then let out a wry laugh. "Shura, you're really relentless. You must want the refresh card so you can clear more dungeons, right?"
She went on, "Actually, a lot of people have cooldown refresh cards. I have two myself."
Fenric was surprised. "Then why haven't I seen any for sale at the consignment center?"
"Because no one buys them!"
Aurora explained, "You think everyone's like you? So eager to clear dungeon after dungeon? People like us sometimes avoid dungeons for months if we're not fully prepared. The Samsara Tower is lethal. Fail a mission, and you die. Who's in a rush to throw their life away?"
Fenric: "…"
Fair point.
Others weren't like him. He had knowledge of the plot—a cheat-level advantage—so he could approach dungeons with confidence.
But other people? They didn't have that luxury. Naturally, they'd be more cautious.
"But couldn't people sell them to players in the Safe Zone? Missions there don't kill you. Someone would buy them, right?"
"The Safe Zone?" Aurora sighed. "That place is full of broke newbies. If they earn 1,000 points from a dungeon, it's a huge windfall. Do you think they can afford to pay good money for a cooldown card?"
"If they're only selling for a few hundred points, might as well keep it," she added.
"In short, we usually use these cards for favors—giving them to juniors or new recruits so they can advance more quickly in the Safe Zone. If we ever sell them, it's usually for cash. But most people who own cooldown cards are already rich, so they don't need to sell."
Fenric finally understood.
He had assumed the cooldown refresh card was a rare and valuable item.
Turns out, the reality was completely different.
"If you really want one, I'll give you mine," Aurora offered without hesitation.
Fenric's eyes lit up, though he quickly put on an embarrassed expression. "Wouldn't that be too much?"
"It's fine. I'm not using them anyway."
Despite her words, Aurora couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Her next dungeon was on the 29th floor—Avengers 3. Rumor had it that a terrifying purple-skinned monster appeared in that one, and she wasn't confident she could clear it.
Fenric smiled. "Well, if you insist, I won't say no."
"The tea's done. Shura, let's head to the trading center."
That made Fenric blink. "Wait... even gifts have to go through the trading center?"
"Of course!" Aurora looked at him strangely. "Didn't you know? Whether it's a gift or a trade, any special item has to go through the trading center. Once it's transferred, it can't be given to anyone else for three years."
"That's a rule of the Samsara Space. It's meant to prevent people from extorting items out of others—or abusing trade loopholes to rack up a ton of Samsara points and ascend to 'godhood' in a short time."
Fenric suddenly understood.
After that, the two of them went to the trading center. Under the system's supervision, Aurora officially transferred two cooldown refresh cards to Fenric.
Two cards, absolutely free. Which made Fenric thrilled.
To most players, the cooldown cards weren't that useful.
But to Fenric, they were extremely valuable.
If he wanted to get stronger fast, he had to keep grinding dungeons.
The next day.
Fenric went back to school.
He hadn't planned to attend anymore, but with only six days left before the college entrance exam, he figured he should show up—at least to avoid a lecture from his father.
When he entered the classroom, he noticed something strange: many students were looking at him with a mix of awe and fear.
"Ric! Ric!" Fatty Jitto called out as soon as he sat down. "After school yesterday, how did you scare Tazhan so badly he peed himself?!"
"They said your aura was terrifying! How did you get so scary, man?"
Hearing this, the nearby students pricked up their ears in curiosity.
"It's called 'killing aura,'" Fenric replied casually, raising his voice on purpose. "You get it by killing enough people in the dungeons."
"Holy sh*t! Big bro, you're amazing!" Jitto gasped, momentarily speechless.