Kael’s excitement died down slightly after hearing Dun’s final statement.
The current version of the potion wasn’t some miracle medicine that could turn ordinary people into Awakeners overnight.
That would be far too ridiculous.
Still, that didn’t make this discovery any less shocking.
What Dun had created wasn’t simply a better cure.
It was the first step toward an entirely new field of research.
A completely new direction for alchemy.
For decades, researchers had treated ambient mana as nothing more than a harmful contaminant when it entered the bodies of ordinary humans. The solution had always been the same: remove it.
Purge it.
Destroy it.
No one had ever seriously considered another possibility.
What if it could be refined instead?
What if it could be made harmless?
What if it could even become beneficial?
Those questions alone were enough to shake the foundations of modern alchemy.
Kael slowly nodded to himself.
It wasn’t a bad start.
Not bad at all.
And the craziest part?
His interference had caused it.
In his previous life, the mana sickness cure Dun eventually released never possessed this effect. It had simply been a more refined version of the original concept, a safer method of purging mana from the body.
But now things had changed.
A single investment.
A single decision.
That was all it had taken to push Dun down a completely different path.
And the result was something even the future Kael had never seen before.
For a moment, Kael couldn’t help but wonder.
If helping one genius could create a breakthrough like this...
Then how many other opportunities were hidden throughout the world?
How many talented individuals simply lacked the resources they needed?
How many discoveries had never been made because nobody had given the right person a chance?
A new thought quietly took root in his mind.
Perhaps this life shouldn’t be solely about growing stronger himself.
Perhaps he could nurture others as well.
After all, the stronger humanity became, the greater their chances of surviving whatever was hidden behind the mysteries of the Towers and the Rifts.
Fortunately, Kael wasn’t worried about his ability to help.
With his Multiplier Talent and knowledge of the future, he had more than enough tools at his disposal.
Pushing those thoughts aside, he returned his attention to the conversation.
"So what now?" he asked.
Dun quickly answered.
"More testing."
"I’ve only conducted small-scale experiments so far. The results are excellent, but I need more data before releasing anything publicly."
Kael nodded.
That made sense.
"Well, if you need anything, let me know."
"I will."
Dun’s voice carried genuine gratitude.
Then a brief silence followed.
Kael noticed it immediately.
There was hesitation in Dun’s voice now.
As though he was debating whether to bring up something sensitive.
"Anything else?" Kael asked.
"Well..."
Dun paused.
"I’m not sure if you’re comfortable discussing this."
"You can always say no."
Kael frowned.
"Just say it."
A few seconds passed.
Then Dun finally spoke.
"Your sister was one of Director Hayes’ victims, right?"
The atmosphere instantly changed.
The warmth disappeared from Kael’s face.
His expression turned cold.
Very cold.
After a moment, he answered.
"Yes."
The single word left no room for misunderstanding.
"What about that bastard?"
Dun exhaled slowly.
"Now that the cure is almost complete..."
"I think it’s time."
"Time for what?"
"Time to expose everything he’s done."
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
He had already been thinking about how to deal with the director himself.
There was no way he intended to let that man walk away after what he had tried to do to Lyra.
But hearing Dun bring it up caught him by surprise.
"So," Kael said slowly, "what exactly are you planning?"
As he asked the question, Dun was silent for a moment before replying.
"Well, you know once I release this potion to the public, it’s going to cause quite a commotion."
Kael nodded to himself.
That was true.
A potion capable of curing mana sickness alone would already shake the medical world. But this new version wasn’t merely a cure.
If something like that didn’t attract attention, then Kael honestly didn’t know what would.
"So what are you planning to do?" he asked.
Dun didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, his voice became noticeably more serious.
"You know if that happens, I’ll be at the center of everything. Reporters will want interviews. Media companies will want exclusive stories. There’ll be television stations, online news outlets, and all sorts of people trying to cover it."
"Yeah," Kael replied.
"Well..."
Dun paused briefly.
"I’m planning to use that attention."
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"Use it how?"
"I’m going to expose the director."
The moment those words left Dun’s mouth, Kael’s expression hardened.
Dun continued before he could respond.
"I doubt the director’s backing can withstand public outrage if enough people find out what he’s been doing."
Kael couldn’t help nodding.
It was actually a good plan.
No matter how powerful an individual became, the power of the masses still remained terrifying.
Money could suppress some things.
Influence could bury some scandals.
Connections could silence a few voices.
But once enough people became aware of something, once enough eyes were focused on the same target, even powerful figures would begin distancing themselves.
Nobody wanted to be dragged down alongside a sinking ship.
If the director’s actions became public knowledge and gained enough traction, his backing would no longer be enough to protect him.
At least, that was the ideal outcome.
Still, there were problems.
Lots of them.
The first and most obvious issue was evidence.
Without evidence, it would simply become one person’s word against another.
The director had money, influence, and connections. He could easily spin the narrative, paint himself as a victim, or even suppress the story entirely.
For something like this to succeed, they would need undeniable proof.
Proof strong enough that people couldn’t simply look away.
Proof strong enough to keep the story alive long after the initial shock wore off.
# #
[AN_ Please don’t forget to drop a review if you’re enjoying the book so far. Thanks for reading.]