[ "I JUST WANT A FULL MP BAR IN ANOTHER WORLD" ]

Chapter 23: One Son's Strength... One Father's Strength

Sometimes... the power of the new generation may be strong and swift... but it lacks depth and stability...

And the power of the old generation may be slow and weathered... but it is filled with experience...

Yet when these two forces combine as one... it is a power that can shatter even fate itself.

— From "The Legend of the Hammer and the Anvil"

The morning of the final day... was the day of "system activation."

The air was crisp and cool... and the sky was clear... It was a day brimming with hope.

All of us... Team Faelix... stood gathered before the "Main Control Stone" that now stood tall in the center of the backyard. The atmosphere was a mix of excitement and anxiety.

We all checked the connections of the "mana-conducting silver thread" one last time.

"Ready, everyone?" I asked... looking at each of my friends' faces.

Leo nodded eagerly, Maya gave an encouraging smile, Thorin stomped his foot lightly with fighting spirit, Elwin took a deep breath, and Lunaria... she looked at me with a gaze of absolute trust.

My father and mother watched from a distance... their eyes were the greatest blessing.

I had designed a "Fail-Safe System"... a backup circuit that would automatically "cut the power" if the reverse energy flow exceeded a set value... But even so... I still felt worried.

"Elwin... you're on the 'safety valve'... If I give the signal... you pull that lever immediately... Understood?" I said to my elven friend.

Elwin... who understood "mechanisms" the best after me... nodded firmly.

"Everyone, stand back. I'll be the one to channel the energy to activate the circuit."

I placed my hand on the cool surface of the main control stone... and slowly, carefully, channeled my MP into it...

[...Channeling MP into 'Mana Circuit'...]

[...Notice: A total of 250 MP is required for system activation...]

[...Warning: Your MP possesses properties different from standard mana... Unforeseen reactions may occur...]

I ignored the warning... I trusted my calculations...

Thin lines of soft blue light began to flow from the main stone... racing along the silver threads we had buried underground... like roots of light spreading throughout the property.

Each runestone began to glow, one by one... by one...

[...MP: 425/1000... 350... 275... 200...]

[...Detection Ward... Online.]

[...Audio Illusion Ward... Online.]

[...Visual Concealment Ward... Initializing...]

"It's working!" Leo shouted.

But then...

FWOOM!

One of the stones furthest away... under the ancient oak tree... flashed violently... before letting out a soft "crackle" and going dark!

[...ERROR: Circuit shorted at Node 37!]

[...Mana energy is reversing flow... WARNING: Main control stone detonation imminent in 30 seconds!...]

"It's bad!" Leo yelled.

"Elwin! Pull the lever!" I screamed.

Elwin pulled the lever instantly... but nothing happened! "It's stuck! Faelix!"

I immediately used [Gaze of Structure] to focus on the problem area...

The roots of the ancient oak, which should have been long dead... its life force had returned and was "interfering" with the mana flow! It was a biological "variable" I had failed to calculate! The reverse energy flow was immense... it had "fused" parts of the fail-safe mechanism! Elwin was trying his best to fix it, with my father rushing to his side to help.

"Lunaria!" I shouted. "Channel your mana into the control stone! Stabilize it!"

Lunaria ran and placed her hands on the stone instantly. A faint purple aura emanated from her, trying to slow the rampaging energy reversal...

[...Detonation delayed... 20 seconds remaining...]

"We'll help too!" Leo's voice rang out! He and Thorin rushed to the other side of the main control stone. Using Thorin's "oak shield" and all their combined "strength"... they braced against the violently shaking stone!

"AGGHH! It's hot!" Thorin roared, but refused to let go.

"Faelix! Over here!" Maya's voice cried out! Not panicking... The fastest among us, she had already grabbed the "water buckets" we had prepared for emergencies, running ahead of my mother to douse the "silver threads" near the main stone!

Sizzzle! Steam erupted... It didn't solve the root problem... but it helped "reduce the temperature" and prevent a fire from breaking out!

I clench my fist tightly... then grabbed my father's sharpest chisel and hammer and sprinted towards the problem node.

I used the chisel to pry up the stone... then slammed the hammer down on the silver thread... but it only dented! It was too tough!

[...10 seconds...]

Damn it... I'm not going to make it! Use magic? No! The seal is still active... Even if I try to force it... gathering the concentration for [Wind Cutter] or [Aqua Jet] takes time... We don't have that kind of time!

In that split second... I made the riskiest decision.

I dropped my tools... and grabbed the silver thread, searing hot and sparking with mana energy, with my "bare hands"...

[...You are taking electrical damage... HP decreasing...]

I ignored the pain... I used [Gaze of Structure] to find the "weakest point" in the thread's structure... and used all the strength I had...

"Hnngh!"

I pulled with all my might... but the tough thread only strained... it wouldn't break!

[...5 seconds...]

It's over... I'm sorry, everyone...

...

"Two hands are better than one... kid!"

My father's deep voice boomed beside me!

His calloused, muscular hands... came down over my own scorched ones...

"Father...!"

"No time to talk! Pull... together!"

[...You have received the effect of 'Paternal Support'...]

[...STR temporarily INCREASED!]

"One... Two... HRRRNNGGGHHH!!"

SNAP!

The silver thread tore apart!

The circuit that was about to explode... fell silent... All the stones began to glow again with a steady, stable blue light...

> Circuit re-stabilized... 'Shadow Bastion' is now operational...

> Main Quest 'Shadow Bastion' C O M P L E T E !

> Level Up! LV 16 -> LV 18!

> Immense experience and achievement have caused a massive restoration of MP!

> MP: 812/1000!

I collapsed to the ground... gasping for breath... my hands scorched and burning with pain...

My father collapsed beside me... He looked at my burnt hands... then at my face... and broke into a smile... a smile of the utmost relief and pride.

"You know... this is the first time... I've ever felt like I've truly 'worked' with my son."

I looked at my father's face... and smiled back... tears welling up in my eyes...

That day... our home gained an invisible "fortress" to protect it...

And within my heart... another, stronger fortress was built...

A fortress... built from trust... friendship... and the love of a family.