Mad Hatter's Guide to Clearing The Game
Chapter 92: Ch90. Pain as a teacher (14) - Boy savior

Chapter 92: Ch90. Pain as a teacher (14) - Boy savior

The world erupted in light.

For a moment, that section of the Black Market was consumed in Mara’s flash bomb, its brilliance slicing through the underground gloom. Shadows recoiled, figures stumbled, and startled cries rang out. Even the air itself seemed to hold its breath.

Then, chaos resumed.

A guttural roar split through the Market as one of the werewolves lunged blindly, its massive claws swiping through empty space. Sarissa, still mid-motion from her last attack, reeled back, eyes narrowing against the sudden flare. Her instincts screamed at her—this was not part of the fight.

"The fuck was that?!" She snapped, pivoting, searching for the source.

Mara, already in motion, grabbed Diego’s wrist and yanked him toward the nearest alley.

"No time! Move!"

Diego stumbled but obeyed, his ears still ringing from the disorientation. He stole a glance back at Sarissa, who stood with her blade poised, her sharp eyes sweeping over the battlefield like a hawk.

The werewolves hesitated, their senses overwhelmed. One let out a snarl, ears flattening in confusion. Another snapped at the air, expecting an enemy to still be there. The largest of the three, however, did not lash out.

It watched.

Mara felt it too, the shift in the fight.

The werewolves weren’t attacking blindly anymore. They were waiting.

Then, the largest one turned sharply, eyes locking onto the retreating figures of Diego and Mara.

And it ran.

Not toward them, though. Toward the cloaked figure.

"Mara. He’s still there." Diego stiffened.

"Yeah," she muttered. "I see him."

The figure hadn’t moved through the chaos. It stood at the Market’s edge, watching Sarissa, watching the werewolves, and now, watching them.

A low, guttural growl rumbled from the leader’s chest. The other two hesitated before falling in a step behind it, like soldiers heeding a silent command.

And then, they vanished into the maze of Market alleys.

Mara’s stomach twisted.

That wasn’t a fight. It was looking more like it was a test.

"Oh no, you fucking don’t!" Sarissa took a step forward, her flames still licking at the soles of her boots.

Before she could pursue, Mara caught her wrist.

"Don’t."

"That was you, wasn’t it?" Sarissa whipped around, eyes blazing.

Mara didn’t flinch.

"Why were you drawing so much attention?"

Sarissa wrenched her arm free.

"They came at me first. The guards turned into those... Those things, and then everything was a blur." Her chest rose and fell with sharp breaths. "And you thought throwing a goddamn sun in my face was the best solution?"

"Yeah, actually," Mara said flatly. "You were getting reckless. Thought I’d remind you that you’re not the only one in this place."

Sarissa’s lip curled downward.

Diego, still rubbing his eyes from the light, quickly interjected.

"Uh, maybe save the screaming match for later?" He motioned toward the alley where the werewolves had disappeared. Sarissa clicked her tongue but didn’t argue.

"This wasn’t just some random attack." Mara exhaled.

"No. It wasn’t. They were after me." Sarissa rolled her shoulders, eyes narrowing.

"And how would they know where to find you?" Mara folded her arms.

The answer was obvious as Sarissa’s jaw tensed.

"Shinji."

Diego shifted uncomfortably.

"Wait! Sakura guild’s guild master Shinji?" Mara let out a long, sharp breath. "Alright. Much as I love standing around looking pretty, we need to figure out where the hell he went."

"I’ll handle it," Sarissa said immediately. "My guild has scouts down here. If something big is moving, they’ll know."

"So that was how you know about this place and The Archivist..." Mara raised an eyebrow. "Fine. But I’m taking Diego with me."

"Wait, what?" Diego blinked.

"You’re not ready to deal with this yet, and I’m not letting you run around clueless about your own powers." Mara jabbed a finger at him. "You’re coming with me to The Archivist."

"I’m fine." Diego hesitated.

Mara gave him a deadpan stare.

"I swear if Miles were here, he’d be throwing a damn fit. So unless you want me to tell him how you went blindly healing people left and right-"

"Okay, okay!" Diego groaned. "Fine. I’ll go, but... How did you know? I thought you were focused in the fight."

"You really think my attention span is this short, Dee?" She pursed her lips at him.

Sarissa sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Do whatever you want." She turned on her heel, already moving toward the alley. "But don’t get in my way again, Mara."

"No promises." Mara smirked.

Sarissa vanished into the Market, and Mara turned to Diego.

"Alright. Let’s get moving-"

She froze. The murmurs came first. Low, hushed whispers threading through the crowd like an unseen current. Then, movement.

A ripple spread across the Market as figures stepped forward. One, two, then dozens. They emerged from the broken stalls, the alleyways, the remnants of their homes. Some still bore injuries. Some had been dying minutes ago.

But now, they stood.

And their eyes, dark, wide, knowing, fixed on Diego.

He tensed under their collective gaze. Then, a single voice broke the silence.

"Boy... Savior."

The orcish merchant from before, the one who had sold Diego his first underground meal, was the first to kneel. His heavy frame lowered slowly, deliberately, his massive hands pressing into the dirt.

Another voice followed. A guard, one of the men Diego had healed.

"Boy Savior."

Then another.

And another.

And then, it was not just a few voices. It was a chorus.

"Boy Savior."

The words carried weight. Reverence.

"I-I just healed them-" He took an instinctive step back, eyes darting between them.

"Not just healed," the orc murmured. "Saved."

The murmurs continued, whispers swirling through the gathered people. Some faces were filled with hope. Others, with hunger.

Mara’s gut twisted.

’Shit.’ She had seen this before. The way power – real power – changed the way people looked at you. Diego wasn’t just a kid to them anymore.

He was something else.

Something they could use.

Mara stepped forward fast, gripping Diego’s wrist.

"Alright, show’s over." Her voice was sharp, cutting through the murmurs. "Back to your business, people."

The crowd hesitated. Some looked reluctant. Others looked angry, but Mara didn’t care. She tugged Diego away, lowering her voice.

"We need to go."

Diego didn’t resist, but he cast one last look at the people kneeling for him.

And despite his confusion, despite his unease, for the first time in gods knew how long, he looked...

Happy.