CHAPTER 227: CHAPTER 227- SEED

Glain, leaning heavily on Rafael’s shoulder, approached through the haze of smoke. His robes were torn and scorched, his breath shallow yet his old eyes still carried a calm gleam. He looked at Julian, who stood there amid the fading sparks of battle, lightning dim around his arms, his chest rising and falling with exhaustion.

"Is there... nothing left of him?" Glain asked, his voice hoarse.

Julian glanced toward the crater where Leo had been. The ground was still glowing faintly, molten and lifeless. He shook his head slowly. "Nothing," he said quietly.

Glain exhaled, a weary sigh that seemed to carry both relief and sorrow. "I see..."

Julian turned to him, studying the deep wounds still etched along the old druid’s body. His aura was weak, barely enough to keep him standing. "Old man," Julian began, "what did you put inside me?"

The question caught Glain off guard. "Inside you?"

Julian nodded. "When I was down... I felt something enter my body. My wounds started closing, and my energy came back stronger than before."

For a moment, Glain simply watched him, then smiled faintly, though it was clear the effort cost him strength. "Ah. So you noticed."

Rafael looked between them, confused, but Glain continued, "It’s one of my druidic technique [Verdant Genesis]. I placed a seed within your body... and Joe’s as well. It draws on natural energy to restore and stabilize the host."

Julian’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Then... why did Joe not wake up?"

Glain lowered his gaze. "That’s the flaw of the skill," he said softly. "The seed only blooms when the host’s essence resonates with the druidic energy. If it rejects the harmony... the seed lies dormant."

Silence followed for a few seconds, only the crackle of distant flames filled the air. Julian’s expression softened as realization dawned.

’So that’s it...’ he thought to himself. ’It must’ve been the effect of my skill — [Luck]. It pushed the odds in my favor again.’

Julian looked at Glain and asked, "Is there... any side effect to this?"

Glain chuckled weakly, leaning a little more on Rafael. "No need to worry. It’s more like... a temporary blessing. A support spell, not a curse. When its energy fades, it’ll simply dissolve, leaving you as you were."

Julian nodded slowly, glancing down at his hands, still faintly crackling with residual lightning. "I see."

Glain smiled faintly. "Consider it a gift, Julian. The world may call me an old fool, but I’d rather see a seed survive... than watch the forest burn."

Rafael let out a shaky sigh of relief, the tension in his shoulders finally easing. "Yeah, It’s over... finally," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "We actually survived."

Julian didn’t answer right away. He stood among the ruins, his eyes drifting over the crater where Leo had fallen, his expression unreadable. After a long pause, he muttered, "No... this fight was meaningless. The core’s gone, and leo destroyed himself."

Glain chuckled weakly, lowering himself onto a piece of broken stone. "Don’t dwell on it too much, young man," he said with a faint smile. "What matters is that you’re all still breathing. Sometimes... survival is victory enough."

But before Julian could respond, a thunderous sound echoed through the air — boom! — followed by a faint, muffled growl. Julian’s head snapped toward the source. "Zoe," he muttered, recognizing the aura.

He rushed forward, his boots crunching over frost and debris, until he reached the thick sheet of ice that sealed off part of the battlefield. It was a massive ice barrier, cracked but still solid despite Leo’s death.

Julian pressed his hand against it, feeling its weight through the pulsing ache of his arm. "Still this strong, huh..." he murmured.

Drawing from his last scraps of energy, he activated his gravity field, veins of violet light rippling through his hand. The ground trembled as invisible force peeled the barrier apart, shards of ice floating upward before shattering into dust.

And from within, a massive black wolf emerged — Zoe — her fur gleaming like obsidian under the dim sky. She let out a thunderous, exhausted howl that rolled across the ruins.

Julian exhaled with relief, a faint smile tugging at the edge of his lips. He stepped closer, placing a hand gently on her muzzle. "Good work, Zoe," he said softly.

The wolf’s eyes shimmered before her form began to shrink, fur giving way to skin and light, until Zoe stood before him once more in her human form, still bearing faint traces of dark energy across her arms.

"I’m out of energy," she said flatly, her voice quiet but tinged with fatigue. "Carry me."

Julian raised an eyebrow, clearly exhausted himself. "Can’t. I still have to carry Joe."

Zoe blinked, then pouted slightly, her tone dipping into disappointment. "Figures," she muttered.

Julian just sighed, glancing at her sideways. "Don’t give me that look. You did great."

Zoe crossed her arms weakly, mumbling under her breath, "Still unfair..."

Julian turned toward Zoe, his tone flat but firm. "Stay here with Glain and Rafael. I’ll get Joe."

Zoe crossed her arms and huffed, clearly annoyed but too tired to argue. "Fine," she muttered, looking away.

Julian just shook his head, exhaling a weary sigh. Every muscle in his body screamed for rest, his legs felt like lead, his vision wavering from exhaustion. ’Just a little more... then I can finally collapse,’ he thought grimly.

He trudged through the debris, heading toward the far side of the battlefield where Joe lay sprawled out. The smell of burnt earth lingered, and the air still buzzed faintly with leftover mana. As Julian got closer, he slowed then frowned.

There was a soft, unmistakable sound.

Zzz...

Julian froze. He blinked once, twice, and then scowled. "You’ve got to be kidding me," he muttered under his breath.

He stared down at Joe, who was lying face-up amidst the rubble, mouth slightly open, snoring peacefully as if the world hadn’t just almost ended.

Julian’s eyebrow twitched. He clenched his jaw, then with the last ounce of his patience gone, he gave Joe a swift kick in the side.

"Wake up!"

Joe jerked violently, gasping as he shot upright. "Huh?! What—what happened? Did we win?"

Julian glared down at him, dead tired and unamused. "You were snoring, idiot."

Joe blinked, rubbing his eyes. "...Oh."

Julian sighed, muttering, "Unbelievable," before turning away. "Get up. We’re leaving before I change my mind and throw you back into the crater."