Inside the guest room, everyone quietly settled in for the night.
The room was simple, furnished with sturdy wooden furniture, a small table, and several neatly made beds. It lacked the elegance of the Overworld's Goethe Hotel, but the warm lantern light and rustic décor gave it a comforting atmosphere.
One by one, everyone retired to their own rooms.
Caelus dropped onto his bed with a weary sigh.
The mattress creaked beneath his weight.
The bed isn't very soft, but this room feels more homey than the coldly-decorated Overworld hotel.
He looked up at the wooden ceiling.
He let out another exhausted breath.
Caelus: "So tired... hope I can get a good night's sleep."
His eyelids slowly grew heavy.
Within moments, sleep claimed him.
Darkness.
Then...
A familiar office appeared before him.
Moonlight poured through the tall windows.
Stacks of official documents covered an elegant desk.
Standing beside it was Cocolia, her long blonde hair hanging freely over her shoulders instead of being tied neatly as usual. Her posture looked weary, almost fragile.
Cocolia clutched her head.
Her shoulders trembled.
Cocolia: "I lost her... My wish, your so-called plan... What is the point of it all?"
A low whisper echoed through the room, ot was the Stellaron answered with its cold, emotionless whisper.
Stellaron: "Your grief... sorrow... useless sentiments... abandon them all..."
Cocolia's head snapped upward.
Pain and anger flashed across her face.
Cocolia: "Silence! She is my daughter, my only..."
Her voice cracked.
She clenched her fists.
Cocolia: "You soulless thing — how could you begin to fathom!? You will never understand... Never!"
Its whisper became gentler.
Stellaron: "You did not lose her... She waits to be reunited with you on the other side."
Cocolia's breathing slowed.
Her resistance wavered.
Her eyes gradually lost focus.
She whispered almost absentmindedly,
Cocolia: "A new world..."
The Stellaron's voice echoed throughout the room.
Stellaron: "Rise... guardian..."
Stellaron: "Fulfill your destiny... Fulfill a mother's wish."
Caelus' eyes suddenly flew open.
"Hah..."
He sat upright, breathing heavily.
The room was silent.
Only the faint glow of the bedside lamp remained.
His heart continued pounding against his chest.
He pressed a hand against his forehead.
Caelus thought to himself.
'That dream...'
He lay back down and closed his eyes again.
"..."
Minutes passed.
Sleep never came.
With a sigh, Caelus climbed out of bed, quietly slipped on his shoes, and left the room without disturbing the others.
Outside the Goethe Grand Hotel...
The streets of Boulder Town were almost deserted.
Only a few lanterns illuminated the quiet roads.
The distant sounds of machinery echoed through the underground city.
Standing near the hotel entrance was Bronya.
She remained alert despite the late hour, carefully watching the empty streets.
The moment she heard approaching footsteps—
She immediately turned.
Her hand instinctively moved toward the place where her rifle would normally rest.
Bronya: "Who goes there? Show yourself!"
She quickly recognized the figure stepping into the lantern light.
Her tense posture relaxed.
Bronya: "...It's you. Don't sneak up behind me next time. Lucky for you I wasn't armed."
A faint smile crossed her face.
Bronya: "No sleep for you either, huh?"
Caelus scratched the back of his head.
Caelus: "I've been having nightmares recently."
Bronya gave a slow, understanding nod.
Bronya: "I understand. The more that weighs on your mind, the more your fears become dreamscapes."
For a few moments, neither of them spoke.
The quiet atmosphere of the sleeping town surrounded them.
Finally, Bronya broke the silence.
Bronya: "Actually, seeing as there's no one around... can I ask you some things?"
Caelus nodded.
Bronya looked toward the distant ceiling of the underground.
Bronya: "This Stellaron you speak of... if you were to find it, how sure are you that you could stop the Eternal Freeze?"
Caelus thought carefully before answering.
Caelus: "I don't know."
It was the truth.
This would be his first time helping seal a Stellaron.
Still...
He couldn't help but feel reassured.
Not because of his own strength...
But because Kouga was here.
If things truly became impossible, Caelus believed Kouga would find a way.
Bronya smiled faintly.
Bronya: "I see... Well, thank you for being sincere. In itself, it's a comfort to me."
She rested both hands behind her back.
Bronya: "You know, it was difficult for me to believe you. Some of the words you use are too alien for those that have lived their entire life in Belobog."
Caelus quietly nodded.
Bronya's gaze became distant.
Bronya: "As far as I was concerned, Madam Cocolia's order to arrest you sounded reasonable... but why didn't she issue it straight away?"
She frowned.
Bronya: "She must have realized something about you... Something I haven't yet been able to perceive for myself, and it bothers me..."
A gentle breeze drifted through the empty street.
Bronya: "What must have transpired to cause her such a drastic change? ...Still, orders are orders. It's not for soldiers to question their superiors."
Caelus looked at her sympathetically.
Caelus: "You had no choice."
Bronya slowly shook her head.
Bronya: "I don't need you to absolve me. The truth is, I didn't have every confidence that I was doing the right thing, but the sense of duty to carry out an order is bound to prevail with me."
Her expression became noticeably heavier.
Bronya: "In the past, Overworld soldiers on the front line would lose their lives in droves, and yet the Fragmentum's advance would remain unaffected."
She lowered her eyes.
Bronya: "Nevertheless, that was her reason for deploying all the Silvermane Guards to the front line. The transport line for supplies and Geomarrow remained open, but the passage between the surface and the underground ceased. I approved of that decision..."
A long silence followed.
The guilt in her voice was unmistakable.
Bronya: "I never thought that the Underworld would sink into such ruin without the Silvermane Guards... Perhaps mother was wrong..."
Her hands unconsciously tightened.
Bronya: "But how can I change her mind? I've tried, but she won't listen. I don't know how to get through to her..."
Caelus looked at her with quiet determination.
Caelus: "We'll help you."
Bronya blinked, slightly surprised by his immediate answer.
A faint smile appeared, though it was tinged with sadness.
Bronya: "Help me change the mind of the Madam Guardian? Not easy. Nobody knows that better than I do."
She let out a weary sigh.
Bronya: "The more I think about it, the more disoriented I get, which in turn makes me think about it even more... I just want a better life for the people of Belobog..."
Caelus folded his arms.
Caelus: "The world is more complicated than you think."
Bronya gave a small, thoughtful nod.
Bronya: "...Maybe you're right, or not. Right now I just... need more time to think."
She looked down the quiet street stretching through Boulder Town.
Then, for the first time that night, she smiled genuinely.
Bronya: "Walk with me. Let's forget our problems for a while."
Without another word, the two walked side by side through the quiet streets of Boulder Town.
The underground settlement was unlike anything Bronya had ever experienced. Lanterns cast warm pools of light across the worn stone roads, and the distant hum of mining machinery echoed softly through the cavern. People had long since gone indoors, leaving the streets almost completely empty.
Bronya looked around in silence, taking in the atmosphere.
Bronya: "I can't remember the last time I went for a walk like this. I never thought I'd take one through such a strange place, with someone I'd only just gotten to know."
She paused, listening to the stillness around them.
Bronya: "It's so quiet here I'm not used to it... sigh The quieter things are around you, the louder they are in your head."
Caelus glanced at her but said nothing, letting her continue.
Bronya: "I'm surprised the vagrants in the Great Mine go after the mining teams, they must be desperate."
Her expression grew thoughtful.
Bronya: "Still, whatever their situation, a crime is a crime. sigh How is the law supposed to find a balance between justice and compassion in the face of such complexity..."
Before Caelus could respond, a familiar voice drifted through the night air from a nearby alley.
Seele: "...How much longer can you last with your current supplies?"
Bronya stopped walking.
Bronya: "Is that... Seele?"
She turned toward the direction of the voices.
Bronya: "Caelus, let's go take a look."
Caelus nodded, and the two quietly followed the sound through a narrow passageway between the buildings.
They soon arrived at a small clinic, its windows glowing softly from the light inside. Through the open doorway, they saw Seele speaking with Natasha.
Seele: "...I know. I'll go to Rivet Town and bring them back for you."
Natasha looked concerned.
Natasha: "It's too dangerous to go alone. Get Oleg to send someone with you."
Seele shook her head.
Seele: "The rest of Wildfire has barely gotten any sleep the last few days. They should rest. They'd only be holding their eyelids open and slowing me down."
She glanced toward the crowded clinic behind Natasha.
Seele: "Besides, didn't you say some of the miners were gravely injured? Lives are on the line..."
Caelus stepped forward.
Caelus: "Is there trouble?"
Both women turned toward him.
Seele immediately frowned.
Seele: "Aren't you supposed to be sleeping? What are you doing out here?"
She then noticed Bronya standing beside him and crossed her arms.
Seele: "...Up to no good, perhaps?"
Caelus rolled his eyes.
Bronya answered calmly.
Bronya: "We're just having a walk. Neither of us could sleep. You can rescind your baseless accusations."
Seele snorted.
Seele: "Hmph. Walk somewhere else, then..."
Natasha stepped between them with an amused smile.
Natasha: "Easy, Seele, maybe they can help."
Caelus nodded without hesitation.
Caelus: "No problem. We'll help with anything."
Natasha laughed softly.
Natasha: "Haha, oh yeah? Well look at you swaggering in like the protagonist in your own story."
Caelus scratched the back of his head, chuckling in embarrassment.
Natasha's smile faded into a more serious expression.
Natasha: "Here's the situation: The clinic is packed full of people injured in the mines incident. Since you helped us resolve things, Seele and I have been busy caring for them."
She gestured toward the interior of the clinic. Through the doorway, Caelus could see wounded miners lying on makeshift beds while volunteers hurried from patient to patient.
Natasha: "As you know, the underground is lacking resources to begin with. Add on the sudden nature of the incident, and it's no surprise that the clinic is almost out of medical supplies. We need to acquire more... somehow."
Caelus looked around.
Caelus: "Are there other towns in the underground?"
Seele let out a tired sigh.
Seele: "sigh The situation in other towns is even worse than ours."
Her voice grew heavier.
Seele: "As the Fragmentum spreads underground, more monsters go roaming around causing trouble for all the towns. That means more vagrants in the mines."
She clenched a fist.
Seele: "The towns' resources have been swallowed up by the Fragmentum. To get anything now, people have to risk their lives!"
Natasha gently placed a hand on Seele's shoulder.
Natasha: "...Easy now, Seele. Anger isn't good for one's health."
After a moment, she continued.
Natasha: "Seele and I actually aren't from here. We both come from an industrial town to the north. A few years ago, the Fragmentum began to seep into the town center."
She looked into the distance, remembering.
Natasha: "I used to manage an orphanage and clinic there, but after the Fragmentum corroded the area, I had no choice but to move here to Boulder Town. After all, I have to survive myself if I want to save more people."
Bronya stepped forward.
Bronya: "Go to a corroded town to collect some useful resources? I'm in."
Caelus immediately agreed.
Caelus: "Alright, what's the plan?"
Bronya looked at him with concern.
Bronya: "You want to come as well? But you look quite tired."
She wasn't wrong. Caelus still felt the lingering exhaustion from the day's battles and the nightmare that had awakened him.
But another thought lingered in his mind.
This is a good chance to test the power I have... the Ganbarider power.
Seele folded her arms again.
Seele: "Hold up! I never said you could join us!"
Bronya met her gaze evenly.
Bronya: "People's lives are at stake. Why wouldn't you want another person to help? Besides, I have some experience with the Fragmentums. I'm sure I will be of use."
Seele stared at her for a few seconds before looking away with another sigh.
Seele: "sigh Well... just don't slow me down!"
Natasha smiled knowingly.
Natasha: "—Seele's lack of outright rejection means she approves of you, hehe. With you all accompanying her, my mind will be more at ease."
She walked back into the clinic and returned with a folded piece of paper.
Natasha: "Come. Let me give you a list of materials we need."
She handed the list to Seele.
Natasha: "The place you are going to is called Rivet Town. Follow the path through the mountains to the north for a bit and you'll arrive there."
She began counting the items on her fingers.
Natasha: "Let me think... I'm almost out of metal plates and bandages used for immobilizing broken bones. There's a market in the center of Rivet Town. Residents left behind piles of materials there when they evacuated. Please look for some there..."
She remembered something else.
Natasha: "Oh! Also, rubbing alcohol. I kept a bunch at the orphanage, since the kids often got into tussles. I didn't bring it with me when I left... I hope it's still intact."
Finally, she added one last item.
Natasha: "...Lastly, painkillers. There should be a bunch stored in the old lab. Hopefully they haven't been destroyed by monsters..."
She looked at the three of them with genuine concern.
Natasha: "These should be enough to get by for a bit longer. Be careful. Don't push yourselves too hard."
Seele folded the list and tucked it into her pocket.
Seele: "Metal plates and bandages, rubbing alcohol, and painkillers... Got it, piece of cake."
She turned toward the northern road leading out of Boulder Town.
Seele: "Let's go, if we leave now we can still make it back before sundown. When it comes to helping injured people groaning in pain, the sooner the better."
Caelus and Bronya exchanged a glance, then followed Seele into the night as the three set off toward the abandoned streets of Rivet Town.
The three of them left Boulder Town behind and followed the northern path that wound through the rocky tunnels toward Rivet Town. The deeper they ventured into the abandoned district, the colder the air became. Crystalline veins of Geomarrow glowed faintly from the cavern walls, casting long blue shadows across the road.
Bronya broke the silence first.
Bronya: "If we hadn't happened to be passing by... were you really planning to go into the Fragmentum alone?"
Seele shrugged as she walked ahead, hands in her pockets.
Seele: "Of course. What's all the fuss about? I've done that loads of times."
Bronya frowned.
Bronya: "So reckless... According to the rules of the Silvermane Guards, any expedition into the Fragmentum must have a squad of at least four members, as well as a communications officer."
Seele didn't even look back.
Seele: "Exactly, a rule of the Silvermane Guards. Don't apply your rules to us."
Bronya sighed quietly but let the matter drop.
After another stretch of walking, the tunnel opened into a ruined settlement.
Collapsed buildings, broken street lamps, and abandoned homes spread across the valley before them.
The sign near the entrance had long since faded, but enough letters remained to identify the place.
Rivet Town.
Seele stopped for a moment.
Seele: "We're here. This is Rivet Town... sigh Everything looks familiar..."
Her expression softened with nostalgia.
Seele: "Let's go, and watch your step. I haven't been here in a long time. There are probably some monsters around."
She scanned the ruined streets.
Seele: "We can't see anything here... Let's find higher ground to get a better view."
The three climbed a broken stairway onto a raised platform overlooking the town.
From there, most of Rivet Town came into view.
Seele pointed toward a large building perched on a hill.
Seele: "Way over there, see that house on the hill? That's Natasha's old orphanage."
Her voice became unexpectedly gentle.
Seele: "After Oleg found me, he sent me there. I spent over half my childhood in that place."
Caelus looked toward the building.
Caelus: "It looks quite impressive..."
Seele nodded.
Seele: "Natasha said that the house was donated by some rich businessman. Whatever his business may have been, he must have been a good person."
A faint smile appeared on her face.
Seele: "Oh, I miss those carefree days as a kid..."
Bronya remained unusually quiet.
Seele noticed immediately.
Seele: "What? Nothing to say?"
Bronya looked around the ruined town.
Bronya: "No, it's just... this place seems familiar somehow. Never mind."
Seele blinked.
Seele: "...Weirdo."
She pointed toward a cluster of ruined market stalls below.
Seele: "Look down there. See the mess that remains of those old stalls? That's Rivet Town's market. The supplies Natasha wants are probably there."
She started moving again.
Seele: "Let's keep moving. Watch out for monsters."
As they descended into the streets, fragments of corrupted crystal protruded from the buildings like frozen growths.
A low growl echoed from around a corner.
Several Fragmentum monsters emerged from the ruins, their distorted bodies pulsing with blue energy.
Seele immediately raised her scythe.
Seele: "Careful! Enemies ahead."
She shifted into a fighting stance.
Seele: "These aren't like vagrants. They won't—"
Bronya drew her rifle.
Bronya: "Don't treat me like a new recruit. I'm all too familiar with the monsters of the Fragmentum. Let's get ready to fight!"
Before either of them could move—
A flash of brilliant light erupted beside them.
Caelus had already transformed into Ganbarider.
His armor shimmered with radiant energy.
Across the screen embedded in his chest plate, emblems began appearing one after another in rapid succession.
Kabuto. Gatack. Drive. Turboranger. Carranger. Red Buster. ect ect
The icons rotated with blinding speed.
Caelus vanished.
A sonic boom cracked through the street.
The monsters never had time to react.
A streak of light darted between them faster than the eye could follow.
Slash.
Slash.
Slash.
Metallic echoes rang through the ruins.
When the light finally stopped, Caelus stood behind the monsters with one arm lowered.
The creatures remained motionless for a single heartbeat.
Then—
Their bodies separated into dozens of cleanly cut pieces before collapsing into sparkling Fragmentum dust.
The entire battle had ended before Seele and Bronya had even finished drawing their weapons.
Caelus calmly de-transformed.
Silence.
Seele looked at the pile of monster fragments.
Then at Caelus.
Then back at the fragments.
Bronya stared at him with wide eyes.
Seele let out a long sigh.
Seele: "Someone have to nerf you guys."
She was clearly referring not only to Caelus, but also to Kouga, March, and Dan Heng.
From everything she had seen so far, Kouga was absurdly powerful, and if Caelus was this strong, she could only assume the others weren't far behind.
Bronya slowly lowered her rifle.
The group continued deeper into Rivet Town.
They passed the remains of shops, workshops, and old apartment buildings reclaimed by the Fragmentum.
As they approached a weathered restaurant with broken windows, Bronya looked up at the faded sign.
Bronya: "A... restaurant?"
Seele chuckled.
Seele: "Heh, the most famous restaurant in town. Natasha would bring the kids who behaved well here for a special meal."
Bronya smiled slightly.
Bronya: "So did she ever bring you?"
Seele looked away.
Seele: "Do I seem like I was a goody two-shoes? Of course not."
A little farther ahead stood a large workshop.
Its doors were rusted, but many of the machines inside remained intact.
Bronya: "The facilities here seem to be in pretty good shape, not like those of a place that has been abandoned for years."
Seele frowned.
Seele: "Now that you mention it, it does seem a little... Could people still be living here? Impossible..."
They eventually reached the market district.
Rows of collapsed stalls lined the square, and stacks of wooden crates were piled against the walls.
Seele pointed toward them.
Seele: "There's a bunch of crates piled over there. Maybe we can find what we're looking for."
She looked around cautiously.
Seele: "Watch out for monsters. They like to hide. If you need to, clear the area before you dig for the supplies."
Caelus nodded.
A second later, he transformed into Ganbarider again.
The chest screen flashed with speed-based emblems.
He disappeared in a burst of light.
The entire market erupted with explosions, slashes, and flashes of energy.
Monsters hiding behind stalls, inside buildings, and beneath the streets were eliminated one after another before they could even reveal themselves.
Within seconds—
The entire market was silent.
Not a single Fragmentum creature remained.
Caelus returned to normal.
Seele and Bronya stood there, feeling almost completely unnecessary.
"..."
"..."
Seele shook her head.
Seele: "...I'm not even going to comment anymore."
She walked over to the crates and pried one open.
Inside—
Nothing.
She opened another.
Empty.
And another.
Also empty.
She groaned.
Seele: "Darn, how could they all be empty? Now even the monsters are gathering supplies?"
Bronya crouched down to examine the ground.
Bronya: "The monsters of the Fragmentum don't need any materials we humans use. And if they did take anything, this place would look much messier..."
She pointed toward a set of footprints leading deeper into the market.
Bronya: "You mean that someone else got here and took everything before us?"
Bronya: "It's just a guess, but there are also some footprints on the ground here."
Seele knelt down and sniffed the air.
Seele: "sniff The scent of dirt is still fresh. They can't have come too long before us."
She stood up.
Seele: "Let's go then. We need to find something, even if we have to search every corner of this market."
Following the footprints, they eventually reached a small alley behind one of the ruined stalls.
There, huddled behind a stack of crates, was a young boy clutching a bundle of medical supplies.
Seele immediately recognized him.
Seele: "...Eric?"
The boy froze.
Seele: "Hey, brat! How could you come here by yourself. Don't you know how dangerous this place is?"
Eric puffed himself up despite trembling visibly.
Eric: "S—Seele? Y—You aren't the boss of me! I—I can go wherever I want, it's none of your beeswax!"
Seele crossed her arms.
Seele: "You took the materials and hid them all here? Not bad, kid."
She glanced around at the monsters Caelus had already destroyed.
Seele: "But if we didn't take care of those monsters, what were you planning to do? Just stay here, shaking in your boots?"
Eric looked away stubbornly.
Eric: "Wh—Who asked you to do anything? I was just about to escape, I didn't need your help at all!"
Seele smirked.
Seele: "Still stubborn, huh? Then tell me, how exactly were you gonna get those big metal plates out of here past those monsters?"
Eric hesitated.
Eric: "Um... There's always a way..."
Caelus stepped forward and crouched to the boy's level.
His voice was gentle.
Caelus: "Can you share the materials? They're to help injured people."
Seele snorted.
Seele: "Don't be so polite to him. Everyone in the Underworld knows this brat is a no-good thief. If I remember correctly, even the clothes you're wearing came off another kid's back?"
Eric looked embarrassed.
Eric: "Uh... About that..."
Seele continued.
Seele: "Tell us, what do you even want metal plates and gauze bandages for? We need them to save people."
Eric stared at the ground.
Barely audible—
Eric: "...200..."
Seele frowned.
Seele: "What?"
The boy swallowed.
Eric: "Uh... 200 shield..."
Seele blinked.
Then groaned.
Seele: "...Are you kidding me? You want to negotiate?"
Caelus quietly leaned toward Bronya.
Caelus: "How much is 200 shield worth?"
Bronya answered honestly.
Bronya: "...Not much, but I didn't bring my coin purse."
Seele threw her hands up.
Seele: "You're actually planning to give this little crook money? I'm telling you. This is his same old trick—"
Eric suddenly interrupted, tears welling in his eyes.
Eric: "No! ...Not this time. I really need money... my daddy..."
Seele looked at him carefully.
Seele: "Pretending to use your dad again as an excuse... If he knew about this, you'd be in big trouble."
Eric's shoulders trembled.
Eric: "No... sob..."
Bronya stepped forward.
Bronya: "Seele! That's enough."
She knelt in front of Eric and removed a medal from her uniform.
A beautiful blue Geomarrow crystal was embedded at its center.
Bronya: "It's Eric, right? Here, you can have this."
Eric stared at it.
Eric: "What... what's this?"
Bronya: "This is a medal given to me by the Architects... See that blue stone in the middle? That's a Geomarrow crystal of the highest purity."
She gently placed it in his hands.
Bronya: "You need money for your family, right? Take this and show it to a knowledgeable buyer, and they'll instantly know how valuable it is."
Eric's eyes filled with tears.
Eric: "sniffle ...Th—Thank you! I..."
Bronya smiled softly.
Bronya: "But... you'll have to promise me one thing: You'll never steal other people's things again. Promise?"
Eric nodded vigorously.
Eric: "I—I promise! I'll never steal things again!"
Bronya stood.
Bronya: "...Then it's a deal. If you go back on your promise, I'm going to bring my Silvermane Guards with me and catch you myself! Here, take the medal and go back to the town. We already took care of any threat on the way. You'll be safe."
While they were speaking, Caelus had been quietly thinking.
Kouga always summons those Recover Capsems...
'Can i do it too ?'
He transformed into Ganbarider once more.
The sudden transformation made Eric gasp in awe.
Seele and Bronya looked at him in confusion.
Bronya tilted her head.
Bronya: "Caelus, what are you doing ?"
On Ganbarider's chest screen, a new emblem appeared.
Zeztz.
Caelus raised his hand.
Particles of green light gathered above his palm.
Four Recover Capsems materialized and hovered in the air before gently landing in his hand.
Inside the helmet, Caelus instinctively gain the knowlege of the limitation thanks to his helmet.
One-time use each.
Unlike the one Kouga have, they could only be use one time.
He walked over and knelt in front of Eric.
His voice was calm.
Caelus: "If you really need something for your father,i could only give you this."
He de-transformed and handed the boy three Recover Cans.
Eric looked at the strange green capsules.
Eric: "What are these ?"
Caelus: "These are special Capsem that have ability to cure any illness and damage that your father get."
Seele and Bronya exchanged a stunned glance.
They had seen Kouga use these miraculous items several times already.
Even so—
Hearing that they could cure any illness and injury still felt unbelievable.
Eric looked both amazed and doubtful.
Caelus noticed the hesitation and smiled.
Caelus: "Here, let me show you how."
He turned toward Seele.
Caelus: "Seele, can i borrow your scythe a bit ?"
Seele looked utterly confused, but she complied.
Seele: "Sure."
She summoned her scythe.
Without warning—
Caelus grabbed the blade and drew it across his own forearm.
Slash!
Blood immediately flowed from the deep cut.
Bronya : "Caelus!"
Bronya rushed forward in panic.
Seele's eyes widened in shock as she instantly dismissed her scythe.
Bronya was already reaching for her coat, preparing to tear strips of cloth for a bandage.
Before either of them could react further—
Caelus spun one of the Recover Cans.
A burst of green light enveloped his arm.
The wound closed instantly.
The blood vanished.
Not even a scar remained.
The Recover Can turned from bright green to dull black.
A second later, it crumbled into dust and scattered into the air.
Caelus looked back at Eric and smiled reassuringly.
Caelus: "See, to use them, you just have to spin the Capsem, but use it carefully since each of them could only be use once."
Eric stared at the capsules in his hands as if they were priceless treasures.
Eric: "Th—Thank you, whoever you are! You guys can take all of these things!"
He quickly pushed the supplies toward them.
Then he remembered something.
Eric: "Y—You guys need to be careful, too! There seems to be something real scary in that house up on the hill..."
He pointed toward the orphanage.
Eric: "Oh, r—right! The road across from the market is blocked... If you wanna go further, you'll have to go to the shopping street."
Bronya nodded gratefully.
Bronya: "Got it. Thanks for the tip."
Eric waved repeatedly before running back toward Boulder Town.
As soon as he disappeared around the corner—
Bronya and Seele slowly turned toward Caelus.
Both were glaring at him.
Caelus blinked innocently.
Caelus: "What ?"
Bronya walked over and punched him firmly in the arm.
Bronya: "Never cut yourself like that ever again."
A second punch landed from the other side.
Seele folded her arms afterward.
Seele: "Dammit, i agree with her, have more self respect will ya."
Caelus rubbed his sore arm.
Caelus: "Sorry."
The two girls let out matching humphs and started walking again.
Caelus sighed and hurried after them, rubbing his arm the entire way.