Recuperation

Mark got back to Max, tending to him and even going as far as feeding him and helping him drink water.

Unbeknownst to him though Max's body began recovering at an alarming speed after getting enough nutrients, the only limit being the small amount of food he got which was just a normal portion for a human.

"Thank you" Max sincerely said after feeling able to do so, being touched by the amount of care Mark showed him.

"Stop talking. You might feel better but that doesn't mean that you have energy to spare" Mark said so, but he felt reassured by those words as it was a sign that Max was getting better.

"Mark, I know how it sounds but I am starving, please bring me more food" Knowing that Mark wasn't going to listen to anything else, Max used the opportunity to ask for what he needed; the hunger he felt at this moment being limitless.

"I'll go get some more then, you don't have to explain anything; while I am gone you have to promise that you won't move though" Mark didn't retort after seeing Max ask a favor, immediately heading toward the door to leave.

"Lots of food" Max muttered softly just before Mark closed the door and as a sign of hearing him the former opened the door slightly, nodding toward Max's direction before closing it shut.

Max heaved a sigh of relief finally, straightening his body to look upward toward the ceiling before closing his eyes.

'I'm such an idiot' Max lamented inside his thoughts before hearing Matt respond to him in an attempt to comfort him.

'You weren't yourself last night Max, you'll have to be more careful and not let anger control you again.' Matt pitied Max, he was alongside him ever since the two got united after the tomb dungeon a few years ago. Together they experienced hardships and even while Max experienced the peerless pain brought by the feeling of his body burning Matt was there, knowing exactly what he had been through.

'This is why I am judging myself Matt, if I wasn't so hotheaded I wouldn't have experienced that pain ever again' Max judged his actions further, admitting his mistakes.

'You're giving yourself too much of a hard time, an immense number of people wouldn't be able to go through what you have been; countless choices created your path, the right ones paved while the wrong ones strengthened' Matt comforted Max and it seemed to work but he felt displeased by his way of thinking, mindset playing a big role in anyone's life.

'Matt!' Max called in his soul realm, not being able to feel his friend with him after disappearing.

"MATT!" Max shouted as he jolted awake, gasping for air while looking around the room.

"What is it Max?" It was Mark who responded to him though and his calm expression changed after seeing the way he woke up.

Max looked toward Mark, looking disappointed for a second before his expression changed into a neutral one.

"It's nothing, I fell asleep while waiting for you; and I just got scared… that's all" Max lied to Mark, not wanting him to feel even more stressed about things that didn't really concern him.

"I saw that…" Mark bought onto the lie "I got you quite an amount of food but I am not allowed to bring it into the dorms so we have to go to the cafeteria. Do you think you can manage a trip over there and back?" Mark then informed Max of the situation, after seeing Max searching for the food he was supposed to bring back.

"I think so" Max then, without warnings, jumped onto his two feet abruptly. His bones were suddenly pressured and his stiff muscles were forced into motion, so the next seconds weren't unpredictable.

Max was deceived by his own body as it couldn't hold itself erect, falling forward as soon as his feet hit the floor; his face standing where his feet should.

***

It took a while but Max was able to get to the cafeteria with the help of Mark and he was now sitting on a chair with his back leaning on a wall in order for him not to fall.

Mark brought food overtime and Max gobbled it all, albeit some meals being meat-based or plant-based he didn't refuse any and soon finished all the food a human could eat for an entire week.

After that the duo went back to Max's room and while getting there Mark felt his pocket lighter than before, getting so dejected that he felt like crying because of it and not feel sad at this reason at the same time.

'It's all for a friend in need' He repeated in his mind.

"I really am grateful Mark!" Max felt a lot better after eating, his new physique being able to restore its power at an alarming rate while consuming food.

"It's no problem, you would've had done the same" Mark replied, staring at Max with wide eyes. He was sure that Max shouldn't be able to even talk but after he ate each time he showed great improvement, first being able to speak and now walking on his own just fine.

"I know that this might sound weird but I want to be left alone now to sleep, everything has been exhausting today and I should get some rest" After talking for a while, informing Mark of the fight with the Mid-Tier Beast while omitting stuff such as him almost getting killed and being transformed into a shapeshifter, Max told his friend.

"Next time something happens I want you to know that I will help Max, alright? I don't know what happened recently and what is the reason you are not telling me the whole story but I'll not pry into it anymore. At first, I thought that you were forced into silence by those three; being by your side all the time after all; but even now when there is just the two of us, you keep hiding and backing them up" Mark felt angered but he stopped himself from going further into details.

He got up from the chair he sat on and left to his room, slamming every door he placed his hand on in the process.

"I'm sorry" Max muttered after knowing that Mark wasn't going to hear him. He knew that it was something unavoidable, he wasn't going to involve a human into a mess that even he wasn't able to understand properly; and especially if that human was a good friend of his.

'Now that he left though' Max laid his head on the pillow with sorrow welling up in his heart.

He closed his eyes while connecting to the soul realm, looking at a vast valley that was situated between four fearsome mountains.

'I'm better Mark and I hope you are going to talk with me now. I wanted to ask you but you ignored my calls so far. Why?' Max then turned around, spotting a child clad in white looking in the distance.

'You have been getting out of hand, I hope that we can have a serious talk about it' Matt then turned, his eyes burning in shades of red as he stared deeply into Max's eyes who couldn't revert his gaze.