As Seren walked on the streets heading back home, he mulled over the limitations and potential of his abilities. ‘There's no definite way for me to increase my strength in a short time other than making new concepts’ he mused inwardly.

‘Nano craft is quite useless to me at the moment. I could try using it to make guns, but I never learned how to make gunpowder, and I'm not sure how useful guns would be against a rank 1 Lexarch’.

Although Seren had acquired an immense amount of knowledge during his past lifetimes, it had to be said he was not all-knowing and there were still many things he did not yet know or understand. His thoughts paused momentarily as he considered his options. ‘I should first create a concept that has good syner-’

Before he could finish his thought, a pair of hands lunged for his head from the sides, but Seren had been sneak attacked by the locals' multiple times over the years, and he already had inhumane reactivity from his past experience so he was used to always keeping his guard up. With a swift duck and a graceful sweep of his leg, he sent the would-be attacker tumbling to the ground.

Before the assailant could regain their bearings, Seren instinctively reached for his concealed blade, as he was about to stab the attacker.

"WAIT WAIT STOP, IT'S A PRANK!"

Seren froze on the spot when he heard a familiar voice. His grip loosened, and he stopped the dagger mid-air. Blinking in surprise, he saw Susie, sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain.

"Oww, I was just trying to surprise you! Who attacks someone without even looking at their face?" Susie exclaimed, her voice tinged with agitation as she rose to her feet.

Realizing there was no threat to his life, Seren retracted the blade into his sleeve, and then helped Susie get up. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that," he chided gently, though his eyes betrayed a hint of amusement.

Susie pouted, but sensing that the moment had passed, she let the matter drop, opting not to press the conversation further.

“Oh, wait I forgot, look my arm is fully healed and I can even do a handstand without problem,” Susie said as she swung her arms around excitedly.

Seren smiled lightly when he saw Susie’s injury had healed without any complications. He then asked, “Did Elder Luna ask who healed your arm?”

“Yes, she did but I did as you said and didn’t tell her” Susie reassured as she said proudly.

Seren, pleased that Susie followed his instructions, then patted her on the head as he said, “Good” with a smile on his face.

Susie was a bit taken aback by Seren’s sudden move and on the surface, she showed a slightly irritated expression to Seren for treating her like a child. Seren just chuckled at her reaction, but internally Susie felt a warm feeling rising in her chest.

Seren and Susie then continued their conversation on their way home, chatting about their day.

In a dark alley of the streets of Chimera Vale, a man stood silently watching Seren and Susie with his abyssal-black eyes. Dressed in a brown tuxedo and a black coat, the man exuded an air of sophistication, his cane tapping lightly against the ground as he observed them with keen interest. In his hand, a pocket watch ticked steadily, its hands pointing precisely to midnight, despite the fact that it was still late evening.

With a faint smile playing on his lips, the man murmured to himself, "The Divine Paradox is finally here”. His serene demeanor was then abruptly shattered as his skin began to writhe and squirm; black centipedes slowly erupted from beneath its surface. The grotesque creatures dispersed into the darkness, some disappearing into the shadows, others burrowing into the earth, and still others stealthily infiltrating the clothes of unsuspecting passersby.

Unaware of the sinister presence lurking nearby, Seren and Susie continued on their way, their conversation oblivious to the ominous events.