Chapter 13
That night—
Rudeus collapsed earlier than usual.
His breathing uneven.
"…Too much…"
For the first time—
His healing didn't fully keep up.
Muscle damage lingered.
Pain stayed.
Sharp.
Persistent.
But—
"…Good."
Because that meant—
He had pushed further again.
Mana drained completely.
But this time—
It wasn't enough.
"…Then I need more."
For the first time—
Rudeus consciously tried to expand it.
He forced the last remnants of mana outward—
Then pulled it back in.
Again.
And again.
Like breathing—
But deeper.
More forceful.
More deliberate.
And slowly—
Something changed.
His capacity—
Grew.