They arrived before their voices did—justice falling from the heavens.
"Crimson Justice" and "Gale" had finally made it.
A combined strike driven by two girls' fury forced the enemy to retreat, widening the distance to preserve his life and abandoning the finishing blow he'd planned.
There was no choice. As an assassin, his defense was never going to withstand the full-force attack of two enraged fighters. It was frustrating—but now he had to consider withdrawal.
"Xien—!"
Ryuu reached him first.
The moment she saw the wound—so severe it was practically an official declaration of death—this veteran of countless battlefields, a woman who never hesitated to kill when needed, began to tremble uncontrollably.
Regret. Rage. Grief.
Wave after wave of emotion slammed into the fragile line holding her composure together.
"Ryuu, I'll hold him! Heal!"
The captain's shout snapped Ryuu back to herself.
Her voice shaking, she forced her healing magic into motion.
And Xien's consciousness…
Began to blur.
Am I going to die?
His magic was completely depleted—no way to activate One Thought: God and Demon.
His sense of his own body was fading.
A coldness swept through him.
And strangely, in that moment, he gained a sliver of insight into what life truly meant.
So… life is this fragile?
Something slick flowed over his skin.
His blood.
Was I… too arrogant?
He'd drowned in the pleasant illusion of "getting stronger," and forgot one simple truth:
Real enemies never wait for you to grow.
The failing vessel of his body made his consciousness drift apart. Those two familiar figures felt farther and farther away, and fear—raw, stubborn fear—rose inside him.
No… I don't want to die. I finally got a second chance…
Something fell onto his face.
In the haze, he saw the elf girl's sorrow—
I can't accept this… Ryuu… Captain… I don't want to leave everyone behind—how can I just die like this?!
"Xien! Wake up—don't fall asleep!!"
As if answering that call, the consciousness sinking toward sleep fought back with everything it had.
It searched desperately for a way out.
Fragment by fragment, it began to mobilize the life force stored within that seed inside him.
Abundance… wouldn't fail at something this small.
I've already done it once—there's no reason I can't do it again.
Control. What matters is control—
Come together… COME TOGETHER!!
With that roar from deep in his soul, Abundance answered his will once again.
May there be no sickness or disaster in the world.
May all beings live in peace and joy.
May all who feel and love, obtain what they seek.
In the vast starry sky, the Healer cast down a compassionate gaze—drawn solely by this life's fierce will to survive.
A shocking amount of life force erupted from Xien's body.
A green pillar of energy formed as his mouth released a cry he didn't even realize he was shouting—its sheer presence stunned the three beside him.
And it also shook the attention of countless gods who felt that surge.
For a brief time, green light poured across all of Orario.
Across Orario—The Gods React
In Hera Familia, Lady Hera lounged with wine in hand, watching the green starlight fall—recognizing its source immediately.
"So quickly… it's already become this pure?"
"Unexpected, Astraea."
This might be the only good news she'd received in a long time.
With that kind of power… perhaps…
In Loki Familia—
"Oh? Now Orario's going to get lively. The balance will break, won't it?"
A red-haired, narrow-eyed beauty spoke with interest. Strangely, despite being female, her chest was… far less generous than some men.
"Loki… what is that?" asked a blond pallum boy who'd been snapped out of work by the phenomenon.
"Life force," Loki replied. "That little brat from Astraea's side has some real talent. Only a few days and he's grown to this level? Or… did something happen over there?"
"Could it be…?"
"Yeah. The 'special talent' I told you about."
In Freya Familia—
The Goddess of Beauty raised her wineglass, watching the green pillar with clear interest.
"He really is more promising than Heith. Astraea…"
"How enviable. She drew a fine card."
She'd seen that child before, and his soul hadn't looked especially dazzling—nothing that should've caught her attention.
So why would such an ordinary soul call forth power like this?
In Zeus Familia—
An old man stared at the magnificent sight, frowning in confusion.
Why… could he see nothing at the center?
The Assassin Withdraws
"Tch. So it works even like this?"
With the outcome now fixed, the assassin didn't hesitate further. He vanished—melding into shadow and disappearing on the spot.
He'd wanted to see if he could still finish the job.
But he hadn't expected the target to "cheat" like this.
And with this kind of commotion, if he didn't leave immediately, even his skills would start to feel strained—
After all, this city had two Level 7 monsters.
If he drew their attention, he'd be in real trouble.
Alise didn't chase him.
Even though rage burned in her chest, reason told her she couldn't. Because right now, what mattered most to her was Xien's safety.
The Light Fades
Soon, the glow dispersed.
Xien's body reappeared.
That massive, fatal wound had closed—healed.
But the boy had fallen unconscious.
A will to live that broke past its limit had earned a merciful glance.
But that will was still small.
It still needed to grow.
Then—
A system prompt flashed across his vision… though he couldn't see it clearly in the moment.
Congratulations: you have comprehended the intent of Abundance and are practicing the Abundance Path.
Abundance Apothecary (Apprentice) → Abundance Walker(one who understands Abundance and steps onto the Path)
"Breath of Abundance" → "Touch of Abundance": You can generate Abundance power by will, with finer control. Can heal any life-form. Healing level increases with understanding.
"Resilient Body" → "Body of Abundance": Greatly improves physical ability, shortens recovery time, increases control over the Seed of Abundance.
"Pharmacology Mastery" → "Way of Life": Higher efficiency when researching "life"-related knowledge.
Interference Value +400
Ryuu immediately checked Xien's condition—hands moving quickly over him, confirming that it was mana exhaustion and mental fatigue.
No major physical issue.
The two finally breathed out.
But the incident wasn't over.
They exchanged a glance, and Ryuu hoisted Xien onto her back and hurried away.
As the captain, Alise needed to support other places still needing help. And Ryuu had to bring Xien back to their base—his condition was unclear, and only after Lady Astraea examined him would they feel at ease.
Because even if the "fatal" injury had miraculously healed…
Who could say what the price was?
Was it really a miracle?
Or a curse they didn't yet understand?
Awakening
Xien's awareness drifted again into that starry expanse.
He saw the spiral of starlight at the center of his vision and, without thinking, stepped forward… and forward…
Then his consciousness returned.
Not like waking up from a nap—quick and clean.
But slowly.
As if he'd been asleep for a long time.
His senses sharpened in fragments, feeling strangely distant—like a world apart.
Then he felt motion—jostling.
He seemed to be on someone's back.
Warm.
Fragrant.
As his mind gained control, he turned his head and looked around—
He was on Ryuu's back.
And she was moving fast.
"Ryuu… how long was I out?"
"Xien—you're awake? Thank the gods… it's… really good."
He could hear relief.
And trembling.
A few seconds later, she steadied herself, voice still tight with emotion:
"You weren't unconscious for long—just a little while. Do you want to sleep again? That magic must've cost you a lot. Don't push yourself. You've… done more than enough."
"And we're here now. Other Familias are here too. The area's under control. It's safe—so don't worry."
After hearing what he'd done from the survivors, they'd felt pride—
And then guilt.
Pride in his composure and how he minimized the damage.
Guilt that they'd thrown such massive responsibility onto a boy—and he'd nearly died because of it.
And yet his will had been strong enough to call down a miracle.
"It's okay, Ryuu. I feel like I've mostly recovered."
"Take me to the other explosion site. I can still save people now."
He wasn't lying.
The Seed of Abundance had healed his injuries completely.
His mana still hadn't recovered. His mind still throbbed with pain.
But none of that stopped him from healing.
And he'd seen the notice on his retina.
Confusing, yes—but one thing was clear:
His healing had advanced.
Now, even without relying on One Thought: God and Demon, he could regenerate severed limbs.
So he was still useful.
Was this… blessings hidden inside disaster?
"But…"
"Let me go, Ryuu. That old woman is probably there. I have to."
His voice was unshakably firm.
Ryuu reacted—lifting her gaze, realizing the direction…
It really did line up.
She understood his obsession.
They'd only met once, but that kind, warm old woman… if something happened to her, Ryuu would be heartbroken too.
"…Alright."
Seeing that his spirit truly seemed stable, Ryuu found herself persuaded.
Worse—when he looked at her like that, she couldn't bring herself to refuse.
For some reason, when it came to him, she couldn't say "no" to his decisions.
And staring at his still-weak body, all she felt was aching tenderness—
And regret.
Why am I so weak? I couldn't even protect a junior…
Am I really… incapable of anything?
She ran—fast, as if trying to outrun the emotion itself, or simply obeying his request.
A Level 3's speed—especially Ryuu's, a speed specialist—was beyond human.
In just minutes, they arrived.
The scene was just as brutal.
But thankfully it was already controlled.
Ganesha Familia members were on-site. Reinforcements had arrived. Unexploded bombs had been secured.
This attack had been stopped in time.
But—
"No… why… why is it like this… AAAAAH!!"
An elderly man knelt on the ground, weeping violently, still covered in dust—he'd likely only just arrived.
Xien and Ryuu recognized him immediately.
Their hearts sank.
It was the old man—Hawk.
And before him—
A corpse burned black.
Even from the few surviving identifying items, the identity was clear.
Xien didn't need to be told what had happened.
That gentle smile from earlier flashed in his memory.
The warmth of her hands still seemed to cling to him.
Coming from a peaceful world in his previous life, Xien felt only endless rage.
Life—thin as a strand of silk.
Snuffed out in an instant.
So easily.
Life and death…
So close.
A Ganesha Familia member approached them quietly.
"All survivors were treated. But someone already dead like this…"
"The old man was the first family member to arrive—also the only one who could recognize her. The others… some don't even have bodies left."
"At the moment of the explosion, she wasn't directly hit. But she was nearby, her mobility wasn't good, and the fire started right at the doorway, so…"
That was enough.
No one wanted to imagine the rest.
"We've restrained all the suspects we found. But the real mastermind seems to have escaped."
"The good news is this was likely a long-term plan meant for a more critical moment. The layout wasn't complete yet, and you discovered it early."
"Thank you—truly. At this point… this may already be the best possible ending."
She looked at Ryuu and relayed what they currently knew.
Even if she didn't understand why Ryuu had arrived carrying a boy, as a friend and a collaborator, she owed them the on-site facts.
"Thank you, A'di. And… you've all worked hard. You came so fast…"
Ryuu's ears drooped without her noticing.
The worst outcome had still happened.
And more than herself, she worried about Xien's mental state.
Seeing the death of someone close—too early, too directly—was devastating.
"Can I save her?"
The question rose in Xien's heart—almost like he was asking himself.
"No, meow," Orange Cat replied. "Your mana is exhausted, and… her life aura is almost completely gone, meow."
....
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