Sora studied her, impressed. "So, what else did you unlock?"

  Kara's eyes lit up. "Well, thanks to the prolonged use of my [Time-Bending] skill, I made signifit progress in refining my mana. My mana quality has greatly improved. I feel that I increase the time difference factor by 220 if I push it to the maximum" She paused for a moment before adding, "And I also developed a new ability: [Mana Absorber]. It's a skill that boosts my mana regeios me actively absorb mana if needed, and even increases my mana pool over time."

  Sora raised an eyebrow. "That's a lot of options"

  Kara nodded. "Yes. It ic when I first unlocked it, but toward the end of the year, it evolved into a Unique skill. It's one of the main ges, aside from a few other minor boosts to my mental strength, tration, and overall abilities."

  Sora crossed his arms, deep in thought. "Not bad. But now that you've refined your mana, what do you want to focus o?"

  Kara tilted her head slightly. "I'm not sure. I either train my life force skills or work on improving my trol over [Time-Bending]. Both have a lot of potential."

  Sora's eyes narrowed slightly, sidering the options. "Both paths are important. I don't want to limit yrowth or push you in a dire that doesn't suit you. But I offer advice if you want."

  Kara's smile widened. "I trust your advice. You're more experienced, and I'd love to hear your opinion."

  Sora looked up, refleg on his own journey. "In the past, I unlocked fake skills in batches and then traihem. Once I filled in any weaknesses with other skills, I focused on refining eae. In your case, you only have [Fake Heal] right now, and holy, it's not enough. You need a range of skills to match your new css and capabilities."

  Kara nodded in uanding but grimaced slightly. "I get it, but I'm not thrilled about spending another year to get a new skill."

  Sora waved a hand dismissively. "It won't take as long this time, not with the support of your Supreme Skill. You'll progress faster."

  Kara looked thoughtful for a moment. "I had 14 skills I mastered in the past. Maybe I should focus on recreating those."

  Sora nodded. "That's a good start, but focus on quality over quantity. Having too many healing spells, for example, is redundant. What skills do you want t back?"

  Kara listed them one by one:

  A skill that removes damage over time (DoT) effects and purifies poison. A skill that removes crowd trol effects. A strength buff. A speed buff. An HP buff. A defense buff. A mana regeion buff when immobile. A boost to healing abilities.

  Sora nodded as he listened. "Good. Foastering these. They cover a bre of uses and will support both yourself and others. Ighe healing abilities skill. It's probably useless because of your Supreme skill. However you also train you new css inside"

  Kara smiled, her determination evident. "I'll do that. Should I start training now?"

  Sora raised an eyebrow. "It's up to you"

  Kara nodded enthusiastically, her motivation clear. "Here we go again"

  They both prepared for another round of training, and Kara activated her [Time-Bending] ability, creating a time bubble around herself. This time, she pushed the limits of the skill, accelerating time by 200 times.

  Ihe bubble, Kara trated. She could still go faster, but she didn't want to risk draining Sora's mana too quickly. When she checked on him, Sora appeared frozen, standing outside the bubble with one finger in the barrier, slowly releasing mana into the bubble.

  Kara smiled to herself, grateful for his support. With his help, she could focus entirely on mastering her skills.

  As she began practig, Kara noticed something different. The obstacles that had once made trolling life force difficult had disappeared. In the past, maniputing life force felt like wrangling a group of unruly children, but now, it flowed easily. It was almost too easy.

  She spent hours honing her skills, and before long, she had successfully recreated many of the abilities she had mastered in the past. After that, she switched to learning and mastering skills of her css. She didn't have many as her new css was low level.

  After a while ...

  Hiyoko, who had been pying cards with Sora, was the first to react. They both stared at Kara, speechless.

  "You're back already?" Sora asked, blinking in surprise.

  Kara smirked. "I've been watg you two py cards for 3 days already. Last time it was a whole year. Don't you get bored? "

  Embarrassed, Sora quickly shuffled the cards away. "We were just passing the time."

  Kara chuckled but got serious again as she shared the list of skills she had recreated. Snced over the list, impressed by how quickly she had mastered them.

  "Not bad," he said, his to but approving. "But don't get too cocky. You've recreated them, but now you o master them."

  Kara grinned but didn't let his words defte her. "I know, I know. I'll keep training."

  Before she returo training, Kara shared her skill list with Hiyoko, showing off to her. However, the little bird was unimpressed.

  Kara returo the bubble, fog this time on perfeg the skills she could use on herself. After a few more days of accelerated training, she emerged again, having pushed most of her skills to their perfected forms.

  Sora stood up, Hiyoko perched on his shoulder. "I think it's time for a break. I haven't seen my parents for a few days, and it might be good to visit them before we leave France."

  Kara was surprised by the suggestion but nodded. "That sounds nice."

  After gathering their belongings, Sora took the lead, carrying Kara on his back as he sprioward his parents' house in Ales. Kara protested at first, hitting his bad demanding he release her, but Snored her. He ran so fast that the world around them blurred, and Kara, uo see anything clearly, eventually gave up her pints.

  When they reached the door of Sora's parents' home, both of them fell silent, the weight of the momeling in.

  As Sora and Kara stepped into the warm, cozy home, the familiar st of baked bread and the soft murmur of a televisioed them. Kara took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves, unsure of how to i in this family setting.

  Before she could gather her thoughts, a booming voice cut through the air. "Sora! Yht a girl home?" Sora's father appeared from the living room, his eyes wide with pyful disbelief. "I hought I'd see the day!"

  Sora rolled his eyes, already brag himself for the barrage of teasing. "Dad, please."

  But his mother had already crossed the room, her hands gently reag out to Kara's. "Oh my, you're absolutely beautiful!" she excimed, her eyes shining with genuine warmth. "Look at you. Such a lovely young woman!"

  Sora looked at her, as he didn't take a closer look the first time he looked at her.

  Kara's dark auburn hair now cascaded just below her shoulders, its soft waves giving her a natural, effortless elegahat hi the year she had spent training iime bubble.

  The length of her hair framed her face, atuating her sharp brown eyes, which had gained a newfouh. Despite the fieress in her gaze, Kara still exuded an approachable, gentle energy.

  Hearing the pliment and sensing Sora's gaze, Kara blushed, a polite smile. "Thank you, ma'am." She looked at him, as if hinting at him to ge the subject or crify their retionship !

  Sora's father, not to be outdone, moved closer and gave Kara a quice-over before nodding in approval. "You know," he began, gng at Sora with a grin, "she reminds me of Lara. That same kind ale vibe."

  Sora's mother tilted her head in thought, then smiled. "You're right. She does give off that warm, easygoing feeling." She looked back at Kara, her eyes soft with affe. "It's a wonderful energy to have. You must be very special."

  Kara, caught between the pliments and the family dynamic, shifted awkwardly. She was used to quests and farming, not this familial warmth. "Thank you," she mao say, her smile remaining polite. "It's really o meet you both."

  Before the versation could get too seal, Sora's father chimed in again. "As long as they're your friends, i'm happy with anyone y home, son"

  Sora finally spoke up, eager to move things along. "Mom, Dad, this is Kara Spirine, my… teammate."

  Sora's father, Henri, and mother, Marie, now properly introduced, nodded warmly at Kara. The teasing from before softened, and Marie gestured toward the kit. "Why don't you both stay for dinner? It's nearly ready."

  Kara smiled gratefully. "It would be lovely, thank you."

  Marie turo Sora, raising an eyebrow. "You go set the table. Let the girl rex after traveling with you."

  Sora sighed but did as he was told, disappearing into the kit.