The moment the Moon Wolf collapsed and the adrenaline coursing through his body finally began to fade, Vlad felt it, a creeping pressure along the back of his skull.
It was a cold ache that started behind his eyes and spread like frostbite through the folds of his mind—the aftershock of pushing himself too far.
His body was fine, battered but mostly fine, but his mind had been forced to operate in a state that was previously unknown to it. The results had been spectacular in combat, but the price came now, exacted with quiet violence.
His vision blurred slightly, his focus wavering. It took all his strength just to walk, and with the dungeon reset countdown having only a few minutes left, Vlad kept silent and made his way out.
He didn't speak to anyone as he passed the edge of the barrier and didn't glance at the other players watching from afar. But just before logging out, he sent a quiet message to Elisha through party chat.
