This F-Rank Bubble Mage Is Too OP!-Chapter 92: To Her

Even with all the information and clues pointing to River's words being true, Freya still kept her guard up.

Her instincts told her there was a high chance the ocean really would return and swallow Voulton City for the first time in decades. The signs lined up too well to dismiss. But she wasn't the type to throw all her faith into another person's predictions. Even with the pieces fitting, she clung tightly to that sliver of doubt—that tiny percentage that said it might not happen.

And that sliver of doubt shaped her next move.

It was why she made an offer that nearly startled River out of his calm demeanor.

"Take me with you," Freya said, setting down her fork and knife with deliberate precision, as though sealing a deal. Her eyes met his without wavering. "In return, I'll help you enter a C-Rank Dungeon. If you want, even a B-Rank Dungeon."

River didn't respond right away. He leaned back slightly, studying her. Silence stretched between them. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"This," he finally said, his voice measured, "is the 'worthwhile return' you were talking about?"

"Yes." A faint smirk tugged at her lips.

River tilted his head, watching her carefully.

"You're still a mystery to me," she continued, almost tauntingly. "And I hate mysteries, River. I hate not knowing."

His brow arched. "So you want to observe me up close?"

"Of course." Her smirk sharpened into a smile. "I want to see for myself how someone with a useless Skill can fight like that."

River's gaze turned icy, his expression unchanging except for the subtle tightening around his jaw. "It's not useless."

"Negative F-Rank rated?" Freya said with mocking emphasis. "That's as useless as it gets. But in your hands…" She leaned forward slightly, her voice lowering. "In your hands, it somehow defies its own rank. That's what I can't ignore."

She rose to her feet then, graceful but deliberate, as though declaring she had said enough to bind him to her terms. "I don't know how you managed to defeat that D-Rank dungeon boss with just a bubble. I don't know how you singlehandedly killed those D-Rank Hunters in the dead of night. But I do know…" She paused, her eyes narrowing with sharp curiosity. "I want to find out."

River stood as well, the movement fluid, calculated. His mind churned beneath his calm exterior. Her words didn't add up—or rather, the reason behind her sudden interest in him didn't sit right. She wasn't doing this just because she was curious.

"You just want to study how I fight, huh?" His tone was deceptively casual, but his eyes searched hers for cracks, for tells.

Freya didn't flinch.

But then, something clicked in River's mind. His eyes lit with realization, his voice cutting sharper than before. "Are you…?"

"Yes." Her smirk was gone now, replaced by a seriousness that gave her presence a weight she rarely showed. "I'm going to start using my Skill on something more interesting."

Her words carried no hesitation. Her tone was matter-of-fact, like a verdict.

"I don't need to train," she continued, her eyes locking onto him. "I only need to watch. To watch someone capable. Someone strong."

River stared at her, and for a brief moment, he saw past her sharp tongue and calculated words. Beneath her confidence lay something else—desperation, maybe. A hunger. Whatever it was, it was dangerous.

And the word dangerous partnered with one of the future notorious leaders of a criminal organization? That was a matter River couldn't ignore.

When did she start making moves against the Government and the Hunter Association? He searched his memories, trying to align this moment with what he knew of the original timeline. But nothing came up—only the year when her name began to spread like wildfire. That was five years from now, long after he had already become a Hunter himself.

So this is her preparation stage… she's making moves earlier than expected.

Her words echoed in his mind. She didn't need training. She only needed to "watch someone capable." River thought, considering her meaning. It wasn't arrogance—at least not entirely. She must have a method. But pressing her for details now would yield nothing. River already understood the type: if he played along, the truth would reveal itself.

"You're quiet," Freya said, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. "You don't want my proposal?"

River leaned back slightly and let a smile tug at his lips. "Did I say that?"

Her suspicion broke into a grin. "Good!" Freya smirked, her tone carrying satisfaction.

"Do what you gotta do. Tonight, we're leaving."

…

When River finally stepped out of the Fallen Sky, the rundown bar tucked away between the shadows of two buildings, he let out a long breath.

"There's still something I need to do," River muttered, his words swallowed by the noise of distant traffic and laughter spilling from the alleys.

His pace quickened, boots clicking against the street as he moved toward his hotel. Once there, he didn't enter. Instead, he veered toward the parking lot where rows of beaten-up bicycles and dusty motorcycles rested.

And then, there it was—his bike, waiting. A grin spread across River's face as if greeting an old friend.

"I like this about you," River said quietly, brushing his hand against the seat before swinging his leg over it. "You're always waiting for me."

The bicycle wheels whirred beneath him, the steady rhythm cutting through the quiet of the morning. It wasn't just a ride—it was freedom, momentum, a companion that carried him forward without question.

Before setting off for another city with Freya, there was one thing he couldn't afford to overlook. Something important. River's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on the handlebars. This move is going to change the timeline entirely… but against the Red Sky, this is something I have to do.

The memory stirred—a faint, fragmented piece from the original timeline. A stage flooded with sunlight, a voice rising above thousands of cheers, and in the crowd… someone. A face that couldn't be ignored.

That moment had been etched into history, though few ever realized its true weight. River wasn't about to let it slip by this time.

He leaned forward and pedaled harder, weaving past early-morning commuters, the city slowly waking around him. The streets blurred in his peripheral vision, but River's mind was sharper than ever.

Freya's words still lingered at the back of his head, tempting, dangerous. But today, his path was his own.

"I have to find her…" River muttered as the cool morning wind brushed against his face, "and make her realize the truth"

The road stretched ahead, full of noise, choices, and opportunity. River knew one thing for certain—every decision from here on would ripple into the future, twisting the timeline he once thought he understood.

River already knew where she was staying. The internet was buzzing with celebrity gossip, and while everyone knew the place, actually getting inside was easier said than done—at least for most people.

He pedaled toward the area where the concert had been held the night before. But instead of heading to the park, he steered toward the largest building on the street beside it.

There, he spotted reporters and fans gathered outside, waiting for her to appear. Their expressions lacked excitement; they were simply lingering, expecting something to happen. From that alone, River knew she was still inside—and probably wouldn't be coming out anytime soon.

"This is good," River muttered as he quietly parked his bike near a convenience store.

The moment he got off, he activated the Mana Gathering technique. But instead of pulling mana into himself, he spread his senses outward, scanning the massive building for a way in without being caught on camera.

It didn't take long. He found a path.

Moving into a secluded corner where no one would see him, River activated his Skill. Bubbles appeared around him before bursting into thin films that coated his body like a second layer of skin.

Not finished, he tapped into the second ability of his Bubblecrafter Skill. Moisture converged on him, shrouding his figure until his body turned transparent—and then vanished completely.

His presence erased, River carefully suppressed his mana pattern as he walked toward the building.

It was as easy as strolling into a park—but his Mana Points were draining fast.

He had maybe a minute or two before his MP bottomed out.

River approached the back entrance, ready to slip inside, when the door suddenly flung open. Two figures stepped out.

River froze. His mana control spiked as he reinforced his invisibility, forcing it to become even more solid, flawless. His eyes widened, tracking the young man who followed behind.

Golden hair. A scowl etched with irritation and frustration.

Nolan…? What's he doing here? River's gaze narrowed.

"Hmm?" Nolan suddenly stopped, frowning as if sensing something.

"What's wrong, Master Nolan?" his butler asked.

"Someone's here," Nolan said coldly. He closed his eyes. Mana surged from him in a brilliant golden light before retracting back into his body. But when the glow faded, confusion flickered across his face. "Nothing? Was it just my imagination?"

"It must be, Master Nolan. That b*tch is far too stubborn—you must be exhausted from dealing with her," the butler replied.

Nolan stayed silent, his expression grim.