Chapter 23
“Are you sure this is the way?”
“Just trust me.”
Following the readers’ directions, we reached the outer edge of the forest.
Arriving at the entrance of the forest where we first set foot, we moved quietly, wary of any other survivors nearby.
After walking a bit further, a place appeared that was different from the dense tropical forest we started in, with cliffs surrounding us on all sides.
The height was dizzying, and one wrong step would send you falling. Even Xenon, who usually wasn’t fazed, shivered slightly.
“I don’t see why we had to come to a place like this.”
He scanned the surroundings cautiously before climbing up the cliff, then extended his hand to me after judging there were no immediate dangers.
“This place doesn’t have many places to hide or escape.”
“That’s exactly why we came here.”
Xenon looked at me with a puzzled expression, as if to ask, “What?”
With a shrug, I took his hand and stepped onto the high stone steps.
“If we can’t avoid it, it’s better to come to a place where both the pursuers and the pursued can’t move easily, like a place with cliffs.”
“I don’t understand.”
Having lived his whole life without being hunted, Xenon couldn’t grasp the desperate survival strategies of those weaker than him.
“Just think of it like this: ‘If I’m going to die anyway, I’ll make things difficult for you too.’”
Unfortunately, Xenon’s expression didn’t change. He clearly still didn’t understand.
With a sigh, I continued explaining.
“In open spaces like this, spirits are at a significant disadvantage. If we’re unlucky, we might be hit and killed by a ruler’s attack while running.”
“No.”
“…”
“We won’t die.”
Ah, really.
He’s impossible to communicate with.
I glanced at him briefly and then boldly reached out, placing my hand on his waist.
Xenon’s eyes widened for a moment at the unexpected contact.
I took advantage of that brief moment and pulled him closer to me.
A cool, sharp scent brushed against my nose.
“Do you really believe that?”
“…Wendy Porcelain, what do you think you’re doing?”
Though he looked angry, he didn’t push me away.
But if I held onto him much longer, he might throw a punch my way.
Before he had a chance to react, I quickly let go and brushed the hair stuck to my cheek away.
“If I had pushed you instead, you could’ve died here.”
“…”
“Do you get it now? They came here ready to fall together with their attackers.”
For the first time, Xenon’s expression, usually so unreadable, showed a hint of unease.
“They’re all prepared for that level of sacrifice.”
“…”
“Xenon, they aren’t weak people you have to protect.”
It hadn’t been long since we met, but Xenon had a habit of trying to handle everything himself.
Even if it meant putting his own life on the line.
He acted like all the responsibility lay solely on him.
It was as if he had forgotten that we were a team.
Others might have been content to let him do all the work, riding on the Xenon train, so to speak.
But that didn’t suit my temperament, and it always weighed on my mind.
It felt like he didn’t trust us, like he was desperately trying to solve everything on his own.
‘Besides, if Xenon solves everything, Lyria won’t get the chance to awaken!’
Lyria’s awakening was crucial.
Of course, Hestia’s Hearth was a useful skill too.
But the real deal, the truly powerful abilities, only came after she awakened.
Well, I think he got the message.
He doesn’t look too happy, after all.
‘Xenon looks a bit shaken, so maybe I should stop here for today.’
“So, don’t be overconfident just because of your abilities—”
I was about to lightly caution him when suddenly—
“Sister!”
“Pretty sis!”
I heard familiar voices from the direction of the stairs.
Turning my head reflexively, I saw the twins running towards me, panting.
“Please don’t do anything dangerous anymore.”
“Yeah. It’s not like you have nine lives.”
Without even a moment for greetings, they threw themselves into my arms.
“Sister…”
Beside them, Lyria, her eyes filled with tears, looked at me with a face that seemed like she might burst into sobs any second.
“This crybaby kept calling for you the whole time.”
Eden, who had quietly approached Lyria’s side, spoke with a sheepish smile.
Lyria pouted at Eden’s words, clearly displeased.
“I’m not a crybaby.”
“You are.”
“No, I’m not… Hwaaaa!”
I watched the scene unfold with a resigned expression.
‘Haha, what a ruckus.’
Shortly after, Yeriel, who had been trailing behind, finally caught up, and upon spotting me, called out cheerfully.
“Wendy! Xenon!”
He was so relieved he even dropped the pack he was carrying as he hurried over.
“It’s such a relief you’re safe and together.”
Yeriel’s words revealed how he had been constantly worried about Xenon ever since learning that he had become everyone’s target.
Xenon’s eyebrows twitched in response.
“You were worried about me?”
“Of course! Xenon, you’re my comrade.”
“But I’m a ruler. And you’re all spirits, so…”
“But now you’re a traitor, aren’t you?”
“…”
“Since you’ve been protecting us all this time, now it’s our turn to protect you.”
His words were pure, filled with kindness, free from any malice.
However, to Xenon, who had lived his entire life as the strong, Yeriel’s words seemed to come as a considerable shock.
Usually, he would have grumbled about not saying such sentimental things, but now he remained silent.
“Alright. Now that all the team members are together…”
Just when I thought I might get a rare moment of warmth among the team—
“There they are!”
Unfortunately, happiness did not last long.
“There’s the traitor!”
“Everyone, get him!”
“No, don’t kill him! Capture him alive!”
Before we knew it, the survivors began swarming up the cliff, crowding towards our location.
“Get them!”
“Catch them!”
I looked at the endless crowd gathering around us.
Estimating their numbers roughly, I began to count.
‘One, two, three…’
Even without counting those who hadn’t arrived yet, there were already hundreds of people here.
Their goal was to harm the traitor, Xenon.
Killing wasn’t necessary.
The condition for passing this area was simply to inflict “valid damage” on Xenon.
But even if they didn’t intend to kill Xenon right away, we couldn’t afford to let our guard down.
Even if each person only managed to strike him once, facing thousands would quickly leave Xenon battered.
No matter how much Yeriel’s Bloom of Salvation and Gentle Flowers could aid him.
Facing sheer numbers would be impossible.
‘There has to be a way.’
Usually, my mind would be racing with ideas, but—
‘A way…’
Overwhelmed by the numbers, my thoughts came to a halt.
If things continued like this, Xenon would get beaten to a pulp, and then our entire team would follow suit, becoming pulp one, two, and three.
With my mind blank, I looked at the team members with a desperate expression.
“Step back.”
What is he thinking?
Xenon, clad in a battle stance and surrounded by a dark aura, seemed prepared for the fight.
Thankfully, he didn’t seem intent on fighting all of them directly.
He merely aimed to intimidate those approaching us.
“Are you insane? Do you all want to be buried alive?”
“Take another step, and you’ll fall into a trap.”
The twins stood back-to-back, watching the frontlines.
And Lyria was—
“Everyone, stay as close to the Hearth as possible!”
She was now able to summon a large mass she called the “Hearth” to aid our defense from the rear.
“Path, possibilities… and an opening.”
Beside her, Eden was scanning the surroundings, looking for a potential escape route.
“Wendy.”
And before I knew it, Yeriel had stepped closer to me.
With a flower blooming in his left hand, he spoke.
“To be honest, I regretted leaving you behind all this time.”
Recalling that memory, Yeriel, uncharacteristically, had a sorrowful expression.
“If anything bad had happened to you back then, I would have suffered for a long time.”
“Yeriel.”
I was about to tell him it wasn’t his fault.
That it was an unavoidable choice created by the circumstances.
“Xenon saved you, right?”
He spoke with certainty, looking directly at me.
“How did you…”
“I just had a feeling. It seemed like something Xenon would do.”
He smiled warmly, then muttered with a bittersweet expression.
“Now, I won’t run away.”
His face, filled with conviction, looked resolute.
With those words, Yeriel took a step forward.
Plop, plop!
Green sprouts began to grow around his feet.
“I will stand firm beside you, without running.”
From his feet, thick, mystical vines began to rise.
“Yes, being like a tree would be nice.”
The mysterious white vines, shining brightly, began to wrap around Yeriel.
Crack, crack.
Thin, airy white branches began to emerge from his body.
“What, what is that?!”
He was transforming into a massive tree.
Fully transformed into a perfect tree, he gracefully stretched out his branches.
Whoosh—
The white radiance slowly cleared the mist within the forest.
~~Who is the parent of the flowers blooming brightly in the Western Sky?~~
A pleasant whistle and clear song echoed softly like a heartbeat.
Where the light from the white tree reached, transparent, magical flowers began to bloom one by one.
This power, and the life energy that filled the air.
The gentle radiance, like a spring rain.
It was the single, once-in-a-lifetime moment when a person, chosen to be a savior of a ruined world, undergoes a transformation.
It was an awakening.
—
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