CHAPTER 79: SOMEONE IS WATCHING OVER YOU

An epic confrontation between humans and monsters unfolded, lasting well over an hour.

During this time, the fierce battle had nearly reduced the vast cavern to ruins, almost turning it into a wasteland.

Countless sword-like stalagmites dotted the wreckage, along with the remains of white-boned warriors scattered in every corner, mingling with broken stones and debris, resembling an unearthed graveyard.

From start to finish, Reiger stood at the entrance of the cavern, observing the carnage without intervening.

It couldn’t be helped.

Once Reiger joined the battle, he could potentially siphon off Ais’s experience points, preventing her from accumulating the achievements she needed.

So, aside from the two spells cast at the beginning, Reiger did not lift a finger, quietly watching the battle unfold.

He saw Ais being knocked back countless times.

He also saw Ais stagger to her feet and charge toward the enormous skeletal monster with a shout.

The giant skeleton repeatedly summoned stakes and soldiers to surround and attack Ais. Even as Ais charged forward, the monster roared and smashed its massive limbs down, pushing her repeatedly to the brink of death.

It could be said that without the two spells cast by Reiger, Ais would likely have lost the ability to fight now.

Fortunately, the effects of Reiger’s two spells were astonishing.

"Lamu" could enhance "endurance" and greatly strengthen "agility," with the effect’s strength depending on Reiger’s "Magic Power." Now at level 5, Reiger used this spell to significantly enhance and prolong its effects, providing substantial aid to Ais.

"Diya Flatel" was the highest-grade healing spell in this world. It could heal wounds, restore vitality, expel toxins, remove curses, treat groups, and even act continuously. Thanks to this magic, its healing effects were continuously maintained on Ais, allowing her to recover from injuries and regain strength time after time.

To maximize the effects of these two spells on Ais for as long as possible, Reiger had infused nearly all his spiritual power into chanting them, enhancing their effects and extending their duration to the utmost.

With their help, Ais managed to stand up again and again, charge again and again, swing her sword again and again, and fight repeatedly, displaying extraordinary willpower and determination.

Of course, Reiger, thinking this, did not know that his own manner of fighting appeared the same in others’ eyes.

Every time Ais was struck and fell to the ground, nearly choking in pain, unable to stand, the first thing that flashed through her mind was Reiger’s figure in battle.

For example, at Lv. 1, when a Lv. 2 crocodile topped him and rammed its way through, smashing one pillar after another, one rock after another, yet Reiger still defiantly fought back, chanting magic and blasting the opponent away.

Or at Lv. 4, when he was repeatedly knocked back by a monstrously female creature using her flat arms, yet still rode the winds relentlessly, charging at the opponent, wielding his sword to execute numerous slashes.

The last image that emerged in Ais’s mind was of Reiger moving at an astonishing speed to stand in front of her, placing his sword at her throat.

These scenes only fortified the resolve and determination in Ais’s heart, fueling her to keep standing up, charging at the giant foe, just like the man she had unconsciously come to regard as a "hero."

If one were to say that Ais learned swordsmanship, magic, and fighting style from Reiger, then what she had learned from him was this resolve, this will.

Perhaps even Ais herself hadn’t realized that she saw many dazzling things in Reiger, and she had unconsciously started to yearn for and aspire to those dazzling things.

In others’ eyes, Reiger and Ais seemed very similar in many ways.

Ais felt the same.

But she was still thinking—

"I want to run forward, just like him."

"I want to constantly move forward, just like him."

This was an obsession.

This was a future without end.

This, too, was a form of redemption.

Realizing all this, the transparent golden pupils also reflected the silhouette running ahead, and Ais, as if wanting to chase after him, desperately accelerated her pace.

"Awaken, Tempest."

A whirlwind strong enough to be called a storm enveloped her entire body.

"Strike, Tempest."

Her sword-hand clenched tighter, causing the winds wrapped around her body to surge upward.

At this moment, Ais, enveloped in a tornado and wielding the sword of wind, sped towards the giant enemy like a cyclone, her figure indeed overlapping with that of the former Reiger.

The former Reiger too had unleashed a decisive strike, defeating an enemy that seemed unbeatable.

However, unlike Reiger, the powerful attacking magic that Ais was about to unleash, a divine wind capable of overcoming all, had a name.

"Shouting the name during a finishing move can increase its power, Ais!"

The words of some deceiving chief god echoed in the girl’s heart, making her shout loudly.

"Microburst!"

This was a one-hit kill technique named by the chief god and recognized by her peers.

With that, the golden-haired girl turned into a spiral of strong winds, piercing with divine speed—

"Bang!"

The mountain of swords was penetrated.

"Boom!"

The skeletal warrior was shredded.

The spiral of strong winds proceeded relentlessly, piercing through everything, penetrating everything, and amidst the dying howls of the giant skeletal monster, it struck its ribcage.

Instantly, the bones protecting the monster’s ribcage shattered, exposing the brilliantly glowing giant magi stone to Ais’s view.

Ais’s sword, unstoppable, plunged into the giant magi stone.

"————"

The skeleton monster’s howl came to an abrupt halt.

"Crack...crack crack..."

Before long, a cracking sound emitted from the magic stone.

Cracks appeared one after another, gradually covering the entire magic stone, before it suddenly shattered explosively.

"Roarrrrrrrrrr—!"

This time, it was indeed the howl of a dying creature.

The huge skeleton monster let out a long roar to the sky, its body disintegrated and crumbled, bursting at once and turned into a cloud of dust.

The golden-haired girl also dispersed the swirling wind around her, weakly released the sword in her hand, and with the glittering fragments of the magic stone, fell from mid-air.

Before losing consciousness, the girl saw him.

The man, she had just watched walking away, was now flying toward her.

...

"Diya Flatel."

In a daze, Ais heard such a voice.

A warm sensation enveloped her entire body, gradually alleviating the pain and soreness tormenting her.

Ais felt comfort for the first time in a long while, but her head was muddled like paste, seemingly also with a slight sting.

This was a manifestation caused by the overexertion of spiritual power.

The effects of Healing Magic and Recovery Magic could work only on the body, not on the spirit.

Therefore, even if the physical injuries and pain could be healed, the depletion of spiritual power was another matter.

However, if she had to pay merely this much to defeat a formidable enemy, then it was already considered a gain.

Naturally, all this was thanks to that man, who had chased her down from miles away, ultimately choosing to support her, to chant magic for her, pushing her forward from behind.

Ais then opened her eyes and saw him.

He knelt on one knee in the middle of the chamber turned into ruins, holding Ais, standing on a pure white Array, transforming Magic Power into a healing miracle, as countless particles of light surged into Ais’s body.

Ais looked at him, and he looked back at her, their gazes met, but they were speechless.

Ais didn’t know what to say.

He just silently watched her, seemingly not intending to say anything.

"...I’m sorry."

Ais almost subconsciously lowered her head and uttered these words.

Regrettably, these words did not elicit a response from Reiger for a long time.

After a painfully silent moment, a sigh finally reached Ais’s ears.

"The one who should be saying sorry is me," he said softly.

"You didn’t do anything wrong."

Ais unconsciously raised her head, looking at Reiger.

From Reiger’s eyes, Ais saw remorse, saw reflection.

"No, I was wrong," Reiger said as if confessing and as if talking to himself, "It seems I have always only cared about myself, leading to neglect of the people around me. It is my fault."

This incident indeed taught Reiger a profound lesson.

All this time, Reiger had been thinking about how to grow, how to become stronger, how to move forward, to live out his own life, and not be as numb and unfree as in his past life.

Charging ahead like this, advancing, he had unwittingly left many people behind, not only had he run ahead, but he also neglected their feelings.

This time, Ais was severely impacted because of this.

If Reiger hadn’t been so focused on proving his strength, on adapting to his growth, hitting too hard in a well-intentioned practice with Ais and even putting the sword to Ais’s throat, she would not have been so heavily affected.

She had struggled hard for nearly ten years, only to be completely surpassed by a newcomer who had joined the clan for just over three months and had a sword pointed at her throat; that feeling must have been terribly hard to bear, right?

Thinking this, Reiger felt that he indeed needed a good reflection.

"In the future, I need to pay more attention to the people around me," Reiger looked at the girl lying in his arms, smiled, and said, "Thank you for making me realize this important matter."

In his past life, he had not obtained the desired kinship, nor the desired friendship and love.

If that were the case, in this life, he could not repeat those mistakes.

Even if he wanted to advance, to run, he could not forget that there were people caring about him, accompanying him.

Realizing this, Reiger felt his restless heart had become much calmer.

Of course—

"You too."

Reiger gazed at Ais and said so.

"Don’t forget, there are people watching over you by your side."

Upon hearing this, Ais stared blankly at Reiger, looking at the sincere smile on his face.

Her heartbeat slightly quickened.