Chương 59: Dancing is the Answer

Joe braced himself as a massive gust of wind roared past, nearly knocking him off balance. Corel's grip around his neck tightened, her legs clinging to his waist as she tried not to be blown away. Somewhere in the chaos, he faintly heard Veda screaming something incoherent, but the sound of wind and fire drowned out her voice. A section of his barding sprang up around his shoulders and chest, securing his two passengers and freeing his one good arm. He leaned forward, planting himself with all his strength.

Slowly, he regained his balance, crouching low against the roaring winds. A small mana barrier flickered into existence in front of him, deflecting some of the force to the side. Joe dropped to one knee as the last of the gale pressed against him, bracing with a hand on the ground. Then he activated Nature's Paradise. Energy erupted outward. Trees sprang from the ground; grass swirled to life beneath him.

The wind and fire howled through the gaps between the trunks, but the flames did not burn the trees or the earth. There was no heat. It was all illusion, mana manifesting without the destruction. The blood flowing from his arm finally stopped, though it still hung limp at his side. He ignored the pain. After another minute, the winds began to subside. Joe rose slowly to his feet. All three of them, Joe, Corel, and Veda, stared up at the sky.

Above them, a river of mana now flowed, pale yellowish-grey, like misty sunlight over dirty glass. Joe breathed deeply. The scent of oranges and lemons filled his nose, sharp and revitalizing. The tension in his muscles lightened. He exhaled, then took a step and twirled. Corel's legs flailed as he spun, forcing her to tighten her grip. She wrapped her legs more firmly around his waist.

"Really? Do you have to dance right now? At least put us down," Veda complained from his shoulder, her tone half-exasperated, half-disbelieving. Joe ignored her and kept moving. At first, he followed the steps of a solo tango, letting the familiar rhythm guide his body. With every step, his mana flowed outward, restored, now glowing faintly gold. He popped a mana pill into his mouth, keeping the beat. That's when he noticed something strange. His mana bar was nearly empty…

except for what had just been restored by the pill. Yet above it, a second bar glowed, a rich yellow, faintly pulsing with power. He focused. The new bar was labelled Enriched Mana Bar. Somehow, the mana he'd absorbed had transformed. It wasn't regular mana anymore. It was something stronger. He smiled and danced. Joe felt the tail around his torso loosen as Veda slipped free from beneath his barding and curled herself around his arm.

She was light, at least to him, so her weight didn't interfere with his movements. She hugged his arm tightly, and he continued the dance. Behind him, he felt Corel shift, her legs loosening around his waist. He remembered her injury; her leg was likely throbbing, or worse. Without breaking stride, he focused and activated Mana-Coating. Enriched Mana flared to life around her, lifting her weight gently, allowing her to fully relax without falling.

"Thank you. My leg is numb," she whispered into his ear. Her head was right next to his now. Joe had an idea. He gently took her hand in his and released his barding. Carefully guiding the mana holding her in place, he let her glide free from his back. Corel floated forward, suspended in a soft cradle of golden light. Joe pulled her up until they were eye to eye. Their gazes met.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Corel gasped as he spun her in the air. She stopped directly in front of him, still floating. Veda's tail gently tugged her close. Joe took her other hand. He stood firm while she hovered before him. His solo tango now shifted into a dance for two.

"Just go with it. Trust me," he said, grinning. Corel gave him a look that spoke of betrayal and mild terror, but she resigned herself to her fate with a grimace. Above them, the river of aura-ignited mana spread wider across the sky. Its golden current shimmered, and then, something new emerged. A couple danced within the river, silhouettes etched in light. A human man and a Volduran woman. They spun together, moving in sync, locked in a perfect tango. The watching world saw them clearly now.

The Voldura's face came into focus, and she was smiling. __ Sarah raised a hand to her mouth as she watched the scene above, Joe and Corel dancing together in the sky over Heliopolis. There was no mistaking it: everyone awake in the city was watching. She hoped they all were. She hoped every soul could see it, a human and a Voldura moving together in perfect harmony. No violence. No fear. No hatred. Just joy. Just dance. She flinched slightly at the sudden sound of music behind her.

Turning, she found Kai kneeling by what looked like a dusty old boombox, his fingers fiddling with knobs and wires. The music grew louder, clearer, until it resonated in the sky above. The silhouettes dancing overhead slowed, then subtly adjusted, beginning to move in perfect sync with the rhythm now echoing through the night air. Sarah turned back toward the sky and smiled. Joe and Corel were laughing. They looked so free, so light. A hand slipped into hers. She looked over at Kai.

"Joe always was the best dancer in the group," Kai said, his voice soft with nostalgia. A grin spread across her face as she tugged him gently into the open grass.

"Wait, I'm a terrible dancer," Kai protested, panic rising in his voice.

"I can't match that."

"You don't have to match them," Sarah said, spinning to face him. She rose up on her toes and kissed him lightly. Just follow my lead. One two three. One two three." They danced. __ Lucy and Victor sat quietly in the park near their home, watching as the glowing figures above multiplied. Joe and Corel still led the dance, but now Sarah and Kai had joined them, two more bright silhouettes twirling through the glowing current above the city. It was surreal. Beautiful.

Victor stood and turned to Lucy, extending a hand with a slight bow.

"A dance, my lady?" Lucy laughed and leapt to her feet, taking his hand. The music carried across the city, and as they danced, others joined, couples swaying together in the streets and parks, on balconies and rooftops. Heliopolis danced. __ Soon, hundreds of pairs were dancing across Heliopolis as music rang out through the city. For a brief time, all thoughts of war and violence faded. People let themselves sink into the rhythm, into the joy of movement and connection. Peace reigned, if only for a night.

As the hours passed, more and more joined in, and the city came alive with laughter, music, and tapping of feet. It wouldn't be until nearly four hours later that the music finally faded, and the dancers slowly made their way back to their homes, breathless from joy. Everyone wore the same look of wonder, still processing the strange notifications they had all received. After hours of dancing, Joe finally ran out of steam and brought everything to a halt. The glowing image above faded from the sky.

Gently, he picked up Corel and cradled the small Voldura in his arms, his mana supporting her weight. She was still far too light, still a long way from full health, but there was a brightness in her eyes now, a spark he hadn't seen before. At Sarah's direction, he carried her inside and took her to the room she'd prepared. He laid her down carefully, and she was asleep before her head even touched the pillow. Smiling faintly, he pulled the blanket over her and slipped quietly from the room.

Joe made his way downstairs and collapsed into an incredibly comfortable chair.

"Goodnight!" Sarah called as she disappeared up the stairs. Joe waved in response, too tired to speak. Veda curled up in his lap, and he scratched gently behind her ear. A mountain of notifications blinked for his attention. With a tired swipe of his hand, he pushed them into the corner of his vision. He'd check them later. Right now, he just needed sleep. But before he could even drift off, his body suddenly revolted. A wave of searing pain tore through him, like fire exploding from the inside.

His muscles clenched, and his vision blurred. He didn't need to suppress a scream, as no sound emerged from his throat. The last thing he remembered was Veda's worried eyes before pain consumed him completely, and he passed out. __ The following two days were a blur for Sarah. The aftermath of the dancing figures in the sky had triggered an overwhelming wave of work. Most of it involved managing the constant stream of officials and residents eager to express their thanks for the blessing they had received.

Everyone wanted to personally thank Joe and the Voldura girl, an idea Sarah flat-out refused. She used the excuse that both were injured and recovering, which, thankfully, was true. Initially, she had been surprised by the public's response, but once she checked her notifications, it all made sense. System Message Congratulations. You have witnessed a Mana Convergence. This rare sight has blessed everyone who gazed upon its glory. Title - Witness has been granted. Effect: +5 bonus to luck. Congratulations.

You have witnessed an Aura Convergence. This is a sight even rarer than a mana version. Title - Witness!! Has been granted. Effect: +5% bonus to all stats. Remember to thank the Voldura and High Human who created the Convergences. Sarah had seen her fair share of strange system messages, but this was easily the strangest she had ever encountered. It didn't just give out titles and stat bonuses. It literally told them to thank Joe and Corel.

Nearly everyone in the city had received a five per cent boost to all stats. The effect was immediate. It lifted the mood of the entire population, creating a ripple of optimism she hadn't felt since the city was founded. She had given both Joe and Corel the biggest hugs she could manage. Being around Progenitors was never dull. But being around Joe? It was like wandering through the eye of a tornado. Somehow, chaos followed him. How did he always manage to create such insane events?

She shook her head, sighed, and returned to the mountain of paperwork that still awaited her. __ Joe lay stretched out on a thick branch, his feet dangling lazily below. He flexed his now-healed fingers and glanced at his forearm with a small grin. Fully recovered from the events of two days ago, he still couldn't get over the strange, satisfying sight: two mana bars. Even now, the idea felt surreal. He didn't understand it, and apparently, neither did Veda.

When he had asked her, she'd stared blankly, muttered something about "geniuses being infuriating," and then promptly began avoiding him. He didn't mind her temporary cold shoulder. Sooner or later, he knew he'd wake up with her curled around his neck like nothing ever happened. That was just how Veda was. The thought made him chuckle. Sitting up, he peered down at the patch of grass where Corel sat cross-legged, focused intently on her alchemy. She had surprised him with her skill, far beyond his own.

While Joe could craft basic healing and mana pills, mostly of common or uncommon grade, Corel's capabilities were on an entirely different level. She could make antidote pills, nutrient-rich food pills, and temporary buff boosters for both combat and professions; her range was seriously impressive. Today, she was working on something new. A pill she was engineering herself, one that could potentially restore full function to her leg. From what Joe could tell, she was making rapid progress.

At this rate, she might be walking again within the next day or so. He watched as she finished an orange-blue pill and swallowed it, then immediately pulled out a small disk, touching it to her head before it vanished back into her storage. A shake of her head told him this one hadn't done the trick, but she was already back at it, muttering to herself as she calculated her next attempt. Joe lay back again, eyes drifting up toward the sky.

He didn't want to disturb her while she was in full alchemist mode, but it had been two days, and they still hadn't talked about… it. His fingers brushed lightly over the mark etched into his skin. The second bond. He pulsed a flicker of amusement into it. Below, Corel yelped and fumbled the pill she was creating. She whipped her head up, shooting him a glare with those sharp purple eyes. Joe raised his hands in mock surrender, a sheepish grin on his face.

"Just testing," he said, using this moment to finally bring up the subject that had been floating through his mind.

"We should talk." The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Joe dropped down from his branch, landing lightly upon the grass. He noticed the subtle tension in Corel as he sat across from her. She didn't meet his eyes. He decided to ease the mood; this wasn't meant to be a heavy conversation, just an important one. He simply wanted to understand why the bond had happened.

"Relax, I'm not about to complain or anything like that," he said gently.

"I was just wondering if you knew what a bond of fate is?" Corel finally lifted her gaze to his. She nodded, then spoke.

"I had an idea of sorts. I did not know we'd… share emotions. But Rose warned me at the end."Joe resisted the temptation to ask what else Rose had whispered to her at the end.

"Okay. I'm not one to dwell on what has been done. I just wanted to know why. We barely know each other. You aren't… planning something crazy, are you?" Joe asked.

"It's hard to explain," she said softly.

"I felt compelled to do it. Like a greater power had led us to that moment…" Joe nodded, listening as she continued.

"I won't ask much of you, just for your help," she said.

"It's as Veda mentioned. I needed something to aim for, a goal. All I want now is to free my people and remove Pathfinder from power. He has caused so much pain." That made perfect sense to Joe. Sarah and Kai had told him about the attack on Heliopolis, the pillars Pathfinder had seized, and the millions he had enslaved. Joe didn't even need to think about his answer to her unasked question.

"Sure. I'll help," he said with a smile.

"But promise me one thing. Don't believe anything Rose said about me…" Corel finally relaxed, her shoulders easing as the tension she'd carried melted away. Her eyes softened, and Joe saw peace in them for the first time in days. The two convergences Joe had created brought many changes to the citizens of Heliopolis, so many, in fact, that Sarah had arranged an entire day of meet-and-greets for people to personally thank him and Corel. Joe had managed to convince her to delay it until Corel's leg had healed.

For now, it was set to take place in three days, which just happened to be two days before his integration meeting would summon him off-world. Corel had kindly explained what to expect at the meeting, having attended the first one a year into the Integration, back when her brother and father were still alive. She'd said the meetings were primarily used to form alliances with other integration worlds and to meet with representatives from the major empires in the Multiverse.

She also mentioned that Pathfinder had told her two gods were present at the last meeting, though they hadn't interacted with anyone. That piece of information gave Joe a sinking feeling. He glanced up at the sky. Surely she wouldn't be there, right? He thought. The image of a beautiful, tiny, red-skinned Mortifi God flashed through his mind. No. Of course not… Veda was still ignoring him when Corel shared all this, so he was left to process it on his own, which was fine.

He couldn't rely on her for everything, though she was basically a walking library. Besides, he enjoyed just going with the flow most of the time. After explaining what she could, Corel had returned to her alchemy work, and Joe was left with time to himself. His mood had significantly improved from the brooding that had consumed him in the days following the battle royale, the weight of so much bloodshed still heavy, but easier to bear.

Things lifted even more when he finally got around to checking his flood of system notifications. He had almost a hundred to go through. Most were irrelevant now. Generic system messages: You are in the presence of an entity. An entity has attacked you. The system has helped you against an entity. There were a lot of those. Only one had granted him a new title, and even that one, disappointingly, came with no stat bonuses.

Joe had received ten notifications about the mana convergence, and another ten about the Aura Convergence. Each came with a title, both providing stat boosts. One gave him a five per cent bonus to all stats, bringing his current total to an impressive eighty-six per cent. The other granted a plus five to luck, his first title to ever increase that stat directly. All in all, Joe was a very satisfied man. But there was one more change that had taken place. One that was… different. His arm.

Joe wandered over to the pond nearby, glancing down at his reflection in the water. With a tap, he dismissed the upper layer of his clothes, standing shirtless and observing the bond tattoos along his chest, and then staring at his arm. At first glance, everything seemed normal. But when he activated Mana Sight and Dao Sight, a strange detail emerged. His left arm was veined with faint white cracks, spiderwebbing out from his fingertips, running over his shoulder, and branching onto his chest.

They shimmered subtly under his enhanced vision, like a fine network of mana fractures. He tilted his head, studying it. The cracks weren't visible to the naked eye. He had even asked Corel about it the day before, curious whether her Seeker's Sight could pick anything up. She'd seen nothing. Apparently, whatever had happened, only he could perceive it. What was even more shocking was that Corel seemed to have no memory of the whole event that resulted in the void in his arm.

It was as if the whole thing had never happened. Another weird thing to worry about in the future, he thought. Whatever that vine was, it saved his life… and it's not hurting him now, so that's good enough. He dressed again and returned to the house, heading straight for the kitchen. He spent the next thirty minutes cooking an absurd amount of food, piling plates high with savoury dishes and sweet desserts. Once satisfied with the spread, he carried everything outside.

Corel was sitting in her usual spot, focused entirely on her alchemy. She didn't even notice his approach until he had finished laying out the feast in front of her.

"Take a break; it's time to eat," Joe said, settling down beside her. He grabbed a plate piled with meat and broccoli and began eating without ceremony. Corel glanced at him, shook her head, and set aside the pill she'd just created. Her hand drifted to the nearest plate, and the moment the scent hit her nose, her mouth began to water. She dug in. Joe watched her eat with a satisfied grin. She was looking much better now.

Not quite one hundred per cent, her leg was still a problem, but everything else had recovered. The gaunt, hollow look from before had vanished. Her form had filled out again, lean but muscular, and much more like the ethereal image of her he'd seen during his bloodline triggering with Rose. He also found out she was the tallest of his female travelling companions. Remembering his bloodline skill, an image of Rose flashed into his mind, all her pink-skinned grace and sharp charm.

Before he could stop it, he let his emotions flow into the bond pulsing softly on his chest. A moment later, a wave of amusement flooded back into him. He laughed.

"What?" Corel asked between bites.

"Just thinking about Rose," he said with a shrug, then added, "Also, you're looking a lot better now." Corel didn't reply right away; she was focused entirely on devouring her food. Joe noted the faint beginnings of purple hair starting to return to her scalp. It matched her eye colour, something that stood out every time she looked at him. A question formed in his mind.

"Do all Voldura have purple hair?" She polished off another plate before answering, pausing just long enough to think.

"Most do. I have seen a couple with light brown hair. I even saw one with golden blonde hair a long time ago." She returned to eating like the question had never been asked. Joe chuckled and leaned back, watching her. She tilted her head at him but said nothing, seemingly fine with being watched. His eyes found hers, those strange, unique purple orbs. No irises. Just an endless sea of violet with a dark, bottomless pupil at the centre.

In contrast, Veda's red eyes were distinctly reptilian, with narrow, vertical slits in place of round pupils. Corel's were more human by comparison, but still different. The deep purple hue of her eyes wasn't static; it was rotating, slowly and steadily, in a clockwise direction. As soon as Joe noticed it, curiosity overtook him. He activated his Dao Sight and focused on her eyes. Behind the rotating Violet, he glimpsed something faint, a subtle mana weave, hidden within the colour.

Intrigued, he leaned forward slightly, focusing harder. Tiny threads of mana were woven together in intricate patterns, like a hidden diagram buried beneath her gaze. Corel blinked, and the spell broke. Joe found himself staring into her eyes, just as she was staring back into his. They were only inches apart. Realizing it, he pulled back slightly. She jolted when he moved and leaned away as well.

"Your eyes have changed," She said.

"They have? In what way?" Joe asked.

"They're cracked... And there are dots," she murmured, her focus drifting back to the plate in her lap. Cracks? Joe blinked, puzzled, and pulled a mirror from his storage ring. He examined his reflection closely, focusing on his eyes. He saw it, thin, almost imperceptible white cracks, webbing across the entire surface of each eye. They were faint, but visible if you looked closely. Even with his improved vision, it took effort to spot them.

Then he saw the dots she'd mentioned: tiny specks within his pupils and irises, glowing faintly like stars. They were rotating, slowly, almost lazily.

"They look pretty," Corel said.

"You should be careful. With eyes like that, you'll attract attention," her voice dropped.

"Eyes like ours are a curse." Joe looked at her, feeling a pang of sadness. She'd been through so much, yet here she was, still standing, still pushing forward. Stronger than he was, in some ways. He nodded to himself, quietly acknowledging that truth.

"I like your eyes," Joe said.

"They're beautiful. Just as beautiful as Rose's." He smiled as the sparkling blue eyes appeared in his mind.

"How did you two meet?" Corel asked. Joe launched into the story, what he remembered from their first encounter, then the banquet he'd attended in her world. At some point during the tale, Corel stopped eating and simply stared at him, eyes wide.

"The system can do that? Teleport you to random empires on quests?" she asked.

"Yep. Though from what Veda has told me, it's quite rare," Joe replied. He also explained some of the details of the bloodline gate and receiving Veda's egg.

"So you were given the egg by the Gate attendant? Which was once the woman who tortured you?" Corel said. A faint fizzle might as well have gone off inside Joe's head as his mind froze, then shattered into a hundred pieces. What did she just say? Veda was the woman who tortured him? Joe's thoughts slammed back into motion. Suddenly, it all made sense, the wisp, the bloodline gate, her impossible knowledge, her power, her presence, the way she spoke to him. Catalina Terravignion. She was the wisp. She was Veda.

He slapped his own forehead, groaning. Was he stupid?

"Did you only just realize that?" Corel said, bursting into laughter.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh, but the look of complete shock on your face was… unexpected." Joe stared at her for a beat, then started laughing too.

"Holy shit."

"Will she be returning soon? I haven't seen her for over a day," Corel said, tenderly rubbing at her now-growing hair.

"Careful," Joe chuckled, "mention the demon, and she'll appear." He glanced at his mini-map and spotted her dot about a mile east of their position.

"She's in the city somewhere; no idea what she's up to." Corel gave a small nod, then reached for another plate of food. Joe was honestly surprised she still had room to eat, but he was glad. She needed nourishment.

"How close are you to finishing your pill?" He asked. Corel swallowed her mouthful and then let out a sigh.

"I don't know. I feel like I'm missing something."

"Like ingredients? Is that something you can use to make a pill?" Joe asked, brow raised.

"Certain ingredients are needed for some pills," Corel explained.

"But most only need mana and knowledge of how to fuse it properly." That gave Joe an idea. He pulled out his integration pillar, and the screen flared to life. Navigating to the shop interface, he scrolled through the profession items section. Corel leaned in, her curiosity piqued as the items slid past. When one particular entry appeared, both of them reacted at the same time.

"What is that?" they asked in unison, glancing at each other and laughing. Joe tapped the cauldron icon to bring up its description. Alchemical Cauldron - An enhanced Cauldron used for alchemy. It improves and accelerates pill creation. It also reduces mana consumption and increases the amount of available pills an alchemist can create. This item requires the alchemy skill to use. Joe looked at the price.

"Ten million credits," he said, turning to Corel.

"Ten million credits. How can anyone afford that?" she muttered.

"You want one?" he asked casually.

"I would love one; it would help a lot, but that price is just…" She stopped mid-sentence as the cauldron materialized before her, landing gently on the grass. Her mouth fell open in shock. She shoved aside the empty plates and pulled the cauldron closer, inspecting every detail with wide eyes.

"You could afford that?!" she gasped. Joe only smiled.

"Thank you," she said quietly, her voice soft.

"This means a lot. I might be able to complete the pill now." A single tear welled in the corner of her eye. Joe tidied up the area and stored the remaining food in his storage ring. After cleaning up, he gave Corel some space as she dove back into her alchemy, now with her shiny new cauldron at the centre of her work. __ Corel placed her hand on the cauldron, and a screen blinked to life before her. The moment it synced with her status, a new tab appeared.

A long list of pills she could already make showed up, but now there was a second list, pills the cauldron could assist in creating. Eyes scanning, one option in particular caught her attention. Body restoration pill(E-grade) - This is a high-quality pill capable of restoring a body to perfect condition. It cures most ailments and curses. However, it cannot restore lost limbs. This is a highly resource-intensive pill and can only be consumed once every 30 Multiversal days. Her eyes lit up with excitement.

She raised her hands and began the process of concocting the pill, her focus absolute. __ Joe sat in one of the living rooms in Sarah and Kai's house, reading a book he'd found in Sarah's bookcase. It was titled Tale of Victor Travernian, a collection of short stories chronicling the adventures of a swashbuckling hero in the Constanviro Empire. The tales were surprisingly engaging.

He was currently on the third adventure, where a D-grade Victor found himself trapped on a remote world, locked in battle with a duo of mountain-sized bees. His attention drifted from the book as someone entered the room, a huge smile lighting up their face.

"I did it!" Corel announced as she sauntered in.

"I can walk again!" Joe put down the book and gave her a round of applause.

"I guess that means no more piggyback rides," he said.

"It's about time. I felt so useless having you carry me everywhere," Corel replied, flopping onto the couch opposite him. Her eyes drifted toward the large bookcase.

"I'm surprised you didn't go for a run. Don't you want to stretch your legs?" Joe asked.

"Maybe later. That pill exhausted my stamina, and I have almost no mana left. I feel like I could sleep for a week," she said, reaching for a book.

"What are these?" She asked, turning it over in her hands.

"It's a book," Joe said simply.

"A book?" Corel opened the cover and examined a page.

"Oh, it has writing in it. But I can't read it." Joe blinked at her.

"Did you not have books on your world? Or something you write stories on?" Joe asked, confused.

"No, why would we need books? We just remember everything we need to know." Joe shook his head, unable to make sense of this strange revelation. No books? Not even an alternative among the Voldura? He couldn't understand how that was possible. How had they built a civilization without a written system? How did they preserve history or teach children? The very idea of a world without books felt almost sacrilegious to him.

"Seriously? How do you pass on information? Teach the young? Record who something belongs to?"

"We convey things like that through memory echoes," Corel replied.

"Memory echo?" Joe asked, trying to wrap his head around what that even meant.

"Yes, let me show you." Corel stood and stepped over to him. She leaned down and gently pressed her forehead against his. A sudden wave of memories surged into Joe's mind. He saw Corel as a child, sprinting through a village. She was playing a game with her brother, being chased by another young boy. It was so vivid, so real, it was as if he had lived that moment as her. She pulled back.

"Wow. That was amazing," Joe said, still processing the clarity of the experience.

"See? That is how we teach our children," Corel said proudly, hands on her hips and smiling.

"Well, that explains it. We humans… we have to use books."

"How barbaric!" Corel laughed, settling back onto the couch and gradually dozing off. Joe gave her one last glance, smiling as he returned to his story. He was glad she finally seemed at ease around him. It felt like their impromptu bond of fate had wrapped them in an air of quiet comfort. He just hoped it would last, at least for a little while, before they were swept into another wild adventure.