The Man’s Decree – Chapter 5498

"Flaxseed, you‘ve grown bold, haven't you?" Jared turned, voice soft but edged. "Vanishing without a word and charging up to level seven with power that flimsy, you nearly lost your soul back there."

Behind the rebuke lay a current of concern that ran deeper than the words allowed.

"I... I just didn't want you worrying," Flaxseed muttered, scratching at his scalp. "And I thought, maybe if I hurried I'd find my clan's wandering spirits sooner..."

The last syllables dwindled to a childlike whisper. Guilt clouded his features, shoulders slumping beneath the weight of his own recklessness.

"Not worry?" Jared's sigh slipped free. "Running alone into a nest like this is exactly what makes me worry."