Izuku woke up slowly, his entire body feeling like he’d just gotten a beating from the [Great Mole].

 

“Uuuuuugggggghhhhh…”

 

The groan left his mouth involuntarily as his newly conscious mind seemed to test every muscle in his body, only to get back ‘out of order’ reports when he tried to use any of them. Even his eyelids were failing to respond…

 

“Izuku! You’re awake!”

 

“You’re not dead!”

 

“Mei!”

 

The nearby voices startled him, and his body instinctively jolted, causing him to groan out in pain again as everything from the neck down refused his instinct's call to action. He felt something cool get placed on his forehead, and soothing energy flow through him.

 

“Hey, it’s alright. It’s just us, Melissa and Mei. You’re… definitely not up to moving around at the moment, and you should probably just try to go back to sleep, honestly. Granted, It’s been almost 2 whole days since you fell asleep, but it's helping you heal faster.”

 

Izuku was shocked at her words and wanted to vocalise as such, but he had given up trying to get his body to move for now and was content to just lie there and try to minimise pain. With that thought, his body seemed to relax a little, his tensed (as much as they could be) muscles from his shock finally settling down.

 

“Yea! You gotta get all the sleep you can! ‘Sleep is important for a full recovery of the mind and body, you should try to do it more often!’ That's what Otto always tells me, at least!”

 

Izuku snorted internally that Mei of all people was trying to sell him on the idea of sleep, and the laughter from Melissa seemed to indicate she thought that same. Her laughter was the only sound for a moment before soft giggling from Mei joined her.

 

Izuku was still, lying on the bed while he listened to the girls laugh for a few more moments, his eyes falling closed again as a smile formed on his face. But as he soaked up the positive atmosphere of the room, he felt his menu mentally pinging him.

 

Slowly moving his palm so it was face up, he summoned his menu, showing off the recent alerts.

 

Warning! You are experiencing [??? 12] from continued contact with the blood of the [Juvenile ??? Dragon]

 

[120 Damage Taken!]

 

[??? is ???]

 

[??? 12] has been cleared by [???] using [???]

 

[120 HP Healed!]

 

You are no longer in contact with the blood of the [Juvenile ??? Dragon]

[HP returned to max]

 

[Trait (loading) Gained!]

(Loading): unable to create a description at this time. 

Will be updated as soon as trait information is available.

 

[Notice!]

[Some abilities have undergone adaptations due to the extreme amount of Mana and Level bonuses present during their use. Would you like to review these changes?

[Yes] | [No]

 

Izuku coughed as he saw the two notifications at the bottom of the current list of notifications, catching the two girls' attention. 

 

‘Goddamnit. I hadn’t even scrolled down the page of notifications at all… couldn’t I have a few days without something weird happening to me?’

 

Melissa was standing in an instant, green light over her palm as she stepped towards the side of the bed. “What’s wrong, are you alright?!”

 

Izuku shook his head slightly, the most he was able to at that point, and showed her and Mei his menu screen. He watched as she read down to where he had gotten up to on the large amounts of missed updates he had, and she just kinda blinked, as if she wasn’t sure what she was reading was real.

 

Izuku could relate.

 

“You should -cough- probably -cough- get your dad.”

 

“Uh… yea. There might be an issue with that right now...”

“Identify”

 

Sir David Shield, High Mage of Mightia

Level: 78

Classes: Magic Craftsman, Mana Mage, ???, ???

HP: ???/???

Mana: 0/???

Stamina: ???/???

 

Current Buffs:

[Overhealed]

 

Current Debuffs:

[Mana Drained]

[???] (Forming)

 

Izuku stared at the screen in front of his face, only half-registering the words as his mind went into overdrive. First of all, he could see Sir Shield’s level now? And what the hell was [???]?!

 

Melissa had told him that her father was still unconscious and that none of the healers in town had been able to wake him up, and when he had asked if he was able to see Sir Shield, Mei had run out of the room, returning with a device, essentially a chair with wheels instead of the back legs.

 

“The doctors said you might be immobile for a few days so I made you this!”

 

He would have smiled at the memory if he wasn’t frozen in horror at the sight in front of him. Sir Shield was completely fine physically, his HP had to be maxed out after all of the care he had received in the two days since the [Incursion]s…

 

So what the hell was wrong?

 

[??? is ???]!

 

As if a candle had flickered to life in his head, he pulled his menu back up and scrolled back up the notifications, staring at it for a second. It always seemed to follow him taking more than [100] damage, and needing the use of…

 

“Does -cough- does anyone have a [Greater Restoration Potion]?”

 

There was a young lady in the room with them, dressed in the type of robes popular with [Light Priest]s. At his question, the woman shook her head. “No, unfortunately. We did have one… but it seemed to have vanished in the last few days.

 

Izuku coughed again as memories of himself floating in that oppressive void, getting the messages about using [Greater Restoration Potion]s ran through his head. There had been two messages about [Greater Restoration Potion]s. Had he somehow… stolen one from here?!

 

A guilty feeling churned in his gut as the [Light Priest] continued. “We have been using the regular ones… well, regularly, and it has seemed to keep whatever [???] is stuck at “Forming”, which my master told me was the best we can do until another [Greater Restoration Potion] can be bought or made.”

 

A sigh escaped Melissa, and when she spoke, it was with a flat, almost cold tone. “And my father is the only mage in Mustafu at the moment that is high enough level to mix one, isn’t he?”

 

The [Light Priest] let out a small yelp at the tone of her voice but nodded. “Uh.. yes, Lady Shield, uh. Our head [Alchemist] isn’t in the city at the moment, having been called away for a family matter… Master Mitarai really does send his apologies…”

 

Mei hummed. “Wait, do you mean Susugu Mitarai? The [Arcane Alchemist] that created [Wash’s Potion of Water Purification]?”

 

The [Light Priest] blushed a little. “Ah, yes. It is an honour to work with him, but he leaves to be with his family in the capital frequently… I’m so sorry for this, but could we please continue outside? Visiting hours are coming to a close soon. I am sorry for the inconvenience this brings you.”

 

Izuku glanced up at Melissa to see what could be described as a war being fought on her face at the information the [Light Light Priest] had given them. Eventually, her face fell into the most neutral expression he had ever seen from her, an air of sternness around her.

 

“No, you are fine. I was about to leave anyway. Please continue to give my father the best care you can. Mei, Izuku, if you could please excuse me? I have a letter to write.”

 

She turned and was about to walk out of the doorway behind Izuku when he forced himself to reach out and grab her sleeve. It stung like a bitch, but after seeing the look on her face…

 

“He’s -cough- going to be ok, Melissa. If I -cough- can survive it, then -cough-, your father is going to be fine in no time, -cough-.”

 

Her stern expression faltered for a second, and she a hand came up to wipe at her eyes for a moment, before she nodded at him, a soft smile on her face. He didn’t return her nod, not really able to while still dealing with the pain of reaching out to her. Smiling at her, he let go of her arm. 

 

Her hand fell on his shoulder for a moment, before she walked out of the room, most likely off to her father's study. He heard Mei let a small, almost inaudible, whining noise and noticed that she was looking down the hallway at Melissa.

 

“And don’t -cough- you worry either. Once -cough- Sir Shield is alright, she’ll be fine too!”

 

Mei nodded at him, and before either of them knew it, she was reaching out and rubbing the top of his head. Izuku found himself leaning into it unconsciously, the hand running through his hair helping distract him from the soreness of his body.

 

Normally he would probably be embarrassed by this, sitting in the hallway while Mei patted his head… but he was still a bit too shellshocked to be embarrassed. So much had happened so quickly, and he was still trying to process it a little.

 

After about a minute of that, Mei stopped patting him, leaving her hand still on his head. “Hmm, I don't think we should stay here much longer... Let’s go back to your room! Then I can grab a healer to bring us some food!”

 

Izuku smiled as Mei started carting him off back to his room without hesitation, her hand leaving his head to push on the rolly chair. He might not actually feel up to eating at the moment, but he didn’t really have a choice in his movement while in the chair.

 

He let out an internal sigh, and just for a moment, felt his shoulders loosen as he let himself stop worrying about the system's weird messages, and Sir Shield. Everything was going to be alright.

 

He was confident in that. He had to be.

“And you sure that your potion was claimed by the system?”

 

Mirai nodded solemnly in response to Torino’s question. It was fairly dark in Yagi’s study, night having fallen many hours ago, the soft candlelight dancing on Yagi’s face, enhancing the already intimidating sight of the frowning Emperor.

 

“I am indeed, sire. My [Truesight] was unable to discern any other possible method of theft and the fact that it coincided with a system message thanking me for ‘assisting with a [Heroic] quest’ I can think of no other alternative.”

 

Torino placed one elbow on the table between them all, holding his temple in his hand. “Then we have a major issue. The system, as far as I’ve been able to tell, has only ever interfered ‘personally’, and I use that term loosely, twice before now.”

 

A book appeared in Torino’s hand, an old leather-bound tome full of what was clearly the old man's own handwriting. “The only reports I’ve been able to gather are from 102 years ago when a man claimed that the system had started ringing bells in his ears that helped him sense danger, and-”

 

“-and 20 years ago, during my final battle with All for One.”

 

Torino flinched slightly, not at the interruption but at the sheer amount of anger in Yagi’s voice when he spoke All for One’s name. It was fair in Mirai’s eyes. Rarely had he seen a sight so terrible as an enraged Yagi.

 

“Indeed, sire. I… I fully understand the implications of this claim of mine, but even if I’m wrong, we need to start preparing for the possibility that I’m right. If the Demon Lord All for One still exists in some form or another, and the system's behaviour is a warning of such, then we need to be ready for you to do battle with him again.”

 

His keen eyes saw Yagi’s hands clench around the edge of his armrests, his eyes shadowed. “Yes. Yes, we do. Mirai, Torino, I give you full leave to use the resources of this Empire to prepare for the worst eventuality, but I need you to promise me something.”

 

Mirai frowned, glancing at Torino, who met his eyes and nodded. “We promise you, sire. Anything you wish for.”

 

Yagi sighed. “You need to keep this quiet for now. This information is on an absolute need-to-know basis. If this gets out, that All for One is still alive… it could shake the peace we live in to its core, and we need to be stable and prepared if he shows up again.”

 

Mirari frowned. Did Yagi think them fools? That they would just go out and spread the word of humanity's greatest enemy possibly being alive and kicking? No… no, he was just stressed and paranoid. Mirai had seen it many times, any mention of All for One setting Yagi back into this twitchy, almost scared state.

 

It pained him to see a vanquished foe still have such an effect on Yagi. Although if All for One still lived, then maybe finishing him properly could help fix whatever still plagued the man…

 

Mirai put that train of thought aside and nodded. “Of course, sire. I will be informing only Kaoruko and Juzo, my most trusted agents. And I doubt any of Torino’s men will cause any issues.”

 

Torino nodded. “All of the men I have that I would even consider trusting with this information are professionals of the highest order. They know secrets most couldn’t even imagine, and to the grave, they will take them all.”

 

Mirai felt pride as the tension in Yagi’s shoulders seemed to alleviate a little, their reassurances necessary to his stress-addled mind, to calm whatever thoughts and memories still haunted him.

 

Mirai might have joined his [Party] later than Torino or Shield, but even he knew that the few years before and after Yagi’s confrontation with All for One were some of the highest and lowest points in Yagi’s life.

 

From their seeming success against All for One to the tragic loss of his nascent family, hunted by assassins loyal to the Demon Lord while Yagi was on a diplomatic mission, as he was still stabilising his hold on the empire…

 

Mirai sighed. Yagi was his idol. His guiding light in the world, the one that had proved to Mirai all those years ago that even against the horrors of the world that most couldn’t see, there were still ways to push through and smile.

 

It broke his heart to have to bring Yagi back to that time, but he wasn’t just his guiding light. He was the empire's best. The true jewel in the crown, Mirai truly believed that. And while he and Torino worked in the shadows to prepare, the empire needed its jewel.

 

“For now, sire, we need to act as if nothing has happened at all. You must finish up your talks with the Noble houses, take your trip to Mustafa in a month and a half, keep up the image that everything is fi-”

 

“-I will leave for Mustafa at the end of the week.”

 

This time it was Mirai that Yagi interrupted. He shivered slightly at the almost cold tone he spoke with, monotone, with none of the pure heart behind most of his other words. 

 

“But, sire! As I said, we need to maintain the image that nothing has happe-”

 

Yagi held up a hand to silence him. 

 

“I will be going at the end of this week, and that is final. The houses I am dealing with at the moment… I can tell that they are stalling for time, trying to curry my favour so they get a better outcome from me. I will deliver them my verdict on their issue in the morning, and then I will start preparing to leave.”

 

Torino stood up. “Yagi, why the sudden rush? You are of course, free to travel as you please, but Mirai is right, you will be showing the people that someone has happened that requires you to abandon your promised schedule.”

 

Yagi took a deep breath, before standing up as well, turning to face the fireplace. A hand came up to his forehead, and he just stood there, holding his head for a moment, before running his hand through his hair.

 

“Something has happened. In his latest message to me, before the item he was using was muffled by a significant surge of whatever energy the [Incursion]s they are facing currently, he mentioned to me that the [Incursion]s were actually… strangely. More powerful than they should have been. Aberrant.

 

“He promised me that he would contact me a few hours later, but he still has not.”

 

Yagi turned again, facing the two of them. “I was originally planning on going there just to congratulate Melissa on her Runecrafting, but I am worried about David. I need to see for myself that he’s alright. That everyone there is alright. That's worth making a few nobles upset with me for a while.”

 

Torino hummed. “The system bugs and an aberrant pair of [Incursion]s, alongside David’s unusual silence. This… I find myself agreeing with you, Yagi. But I’ll need to get some of my men to sort out your escort, and a week isn’t a lot of time, so I will take my leave.”

 

Yagi nodded once, and Torino all but vanished into the darkness of the room an instant later, disappearing completely.

 

Yagi turned to Mirai, a worried look on his face. “I know you don’t mean anything by your protest, Mirai, be sure of that. Ha, most of the time, I would follow your plan, but right now I just need to know that my brother in all but blood is alive and well, not keep up a mask of calm for the nobles.”

 

Mirai swallowed, but eventually bowed, nodding his head. “Of… of course, sire. While Torino plans your escort, should I prepare a carriage for you? I could even hire Swiftwing and his group to transport you if you feel the need for a swift trip.”

 

Yagi chuckled at that, and Mirai smiled as the man shook his head. “Swiftwing pulling my carriage… now that's quite the thought. You always do know how to make me smile, Mirai.”

 

Mirai tried to bow but was pulled into a hug by Yagi. “It truly is my honour to serve you, sire.”

 

Yagi sighed at that, letting Mirai go with a pat on the shoulder. “And I’m grateful that you feel that way every day, my friend. Now, a standard carriage should be fine for the trip, but it needs to be stocked with some of our high-level healing items… just in case.”

 

Mirai actually did get to bow this time, his hand over his heart. “Of course, sire. I shall gather up the best ones we have to use on this short notice. Just in case.”

 

Yagi nodded, turning to stare out the window of his study, out over the capital city of the Empire, as Mirai exited the room. The coming week would be a stressful whirlwind of organisation, but to put Yagi’s mind at ease, to make his smile that much more genuine again…

 

Mirai was more than prepared to go through bureaucratic hell to see that done.