Chương 86: Saving Private Ryan

Corel opened her eyes as the bond between her and Rose settled into place. She had done it. Her quest was complete, and it was nearly time to return. She smiled softly, gaze drifting to the naked, pink-skinned Vries Mortifi lying beside her. The princess was absurdly beautiful, so flawless it stirred a flicker of jealousy in Corel. Why is she so perfect? she wondered. Rose's eyes opened, locking with hers. They smiled at each other and embraced warmly.

A moment later, Daisy approached and tossed a drape over their shoulders.

"Now get dressed. Before someone sees you both," Daisy said with a teasing laugh. It had been a gruelling three months for Corel. Training under Rose and Daisy had pushed her beyond anything she'd imagined possible. Rose focused on practical application, sharpening Corel's instincts and execution, while Daisy buried her in theory, unlocking levels of understanding she never knew existed. And yet, even now, she felt as though she'd only scratched the surface. There was still so much more to learn.

But her growth had been undeniable. As promised, she had gained a second profession, Enchanter (Rare), and levelled it to 110. Her original profession, Nature's Seeker, had reached level 115. Two days ago, her class had ascended to Legendary, becoming Divine Seeker, transforming her appearance in the process. Her hair was now black with white streaks, and her eyes, once typical, now glowed with crescent moons of soft purple, void of pupils. Her stats had skyrocketed.

With Rose's guidance, she'd earned several titles, stacking into a 60% total stat boost. Add that to nearly 200 combined levels gained between professions and class, and Corel felt like a different person. A different Voldura. The strength and clarity she now possessed were beyond anything she had hoped for when she first arrived here. She also found out that being part of an integration meant she had a much faster levelling speed than those who were born in the Multiverse. She looked at Rose again.

A kiss to thank her was tempting, her lips were so full… But instead, she smiled with mischief, recalling how she had slipped Rose some palace-acquired drugs, just a little something fun, while Daisy wasn't looking. Rose had promised to use them on Joe the next time they met. The thought of hearing Joe recount how Rose had drugged him was enough to make Corel grin. It was going to be fantastic.

Once Corel was dressed, her quest informed her that she had another thirty minutes before being teleported back to the integration. Rose had darted off to retrieve a farewell gift, so Corel was left waiting in the princess's room. Rose burst back through the door moments later, her excitement practically bouncing off the walls.

"First gift," Rose said, handing Corel a ring. She took it and used Identify. It was a sky vessel, an Eludian ten-person personal craft. She scanned its specs and top speed, her eyes going wide.

"It is so fast," she murmured, stunned.

"Thank you, Rose," she added, hugging her with elation.

"You might want to save the hugs until the end, or we'll be stuck in a loop," Rose giggled.

"Next!" She handed Corel a full set of battle gear, styled similarly to her own, but this was E-grade instead of Rose's D grade version. Corel didn't hesitate to change, stripping without concern. At this point, modesty between them was long gone. Moments later, she stood fully garbed in sleek purple-and-white gear, her stats swelling the moment she equipped it. Her mouth fell open.

"These boost every stat by a thousand! Rose, this is… too much. Is this even allowed?"

"Yes!" Rose replied.

"Mother checked. Everything falls within Integration stat limits. Next!" She passed Corel a box. Inside were two pure white short swords, each about twenty inches in length. Elegant engravings ran along the blades, one with a pink rose, the other with a thorned green vine. Corel's eyes shimmered with emotion as she lifted them and gave a few test swings. The balance was flawless; they felt like extensions of her arms. She strapped on the deep purple sheath, securing the swords at her sides.

Then she stepped forward and gave Rose the biggest, longest hug yet. Rose returned it just as tightly.

"Now," Rose said softly, "are you ready? Do you remember everything I told you?" Corel released the hug with a slow breath.

"Yes, I am ready,""I have one last thing before you go," Rose added. Corel tilted her head, confused.

"Now that we have established our bond. I wanted to make sure you understand my expectations. You are my sister now, nothing can change that. Therefore you must return to Eludia once the Integration ends. Feel free to bring… him along. Not that my pet matters. It will be a long journey to reach here, but you are strong and I expect you at my side within one year of the Integration ending. Am I clear?" Corel nodded respectfully.

"You are clear, Princess. I will return, with Joe at my side. I am still his Seeker."

"I guess that's fine," Rose replied teasingly.

"Now, go. And remember. Don't let anyone stop you from taking what… is… yours." Corel lingered on that final declaration. What did she mean? What exactly was hers? What was her goal now? These thoughts tumbled through her mind as the teleportation took hold. Corel blinked and found herself once again inside the room she had left months ago, back within Kunlun. Rubbing her head, she tried to gauge how much time had actually passed. Strangely, it didn't feel like much at all.

The teleportation back had been much shorter than the one to Eludia. As she exited the room, a small human male appeared before her.

"Seeker, we are happy to have you back. Gao YuanYuan requests your attendance immediately. We have news regarding the Progenitor."

"Joe? Has something happened?" Corel asked, startled by the urgency in his tone and how quickly she was being met.

"Gao YuanYuan will explain. If you will," the male said, offering his hand. She took the proffered hand, and the world shimmered as they teleported out of the building. She reappeared in a small clearing with roughly ten humans. She quickly picked out Gao, Esha, and Samira, Joe's friends. The rest were unfamiliar. As she oriented herself, a red blur zipped toward her, and Veda wrapped herself around her shoulders. She stiffened in surprise.

Their relationship had never been particularly warm, and she couldn't recall Veda ever voluntarily sitting on her shoulders. Something was off.

'Welcome back, Corel,' Veda sent into her mind. Corel took a half-step back, stunned by the gentleness of the message. Veda… being timid? Something was definitely wrong.

"Corel, it's good to see you," Gao said, stepping forward. Her expression was tight, her greeting polite but strained.

"It's good to be back," Corel said, though her voice was tight with worry.

"I feel like something must have happened while I was away. Where is Joe?" The sight of Veda here without him was deeply unsettling.

"There isn't much time, and what we have to tell you is not good." Corel listened intently as Gao informed her about the events that led to Joe's apparent capture at the hands of Pathfinder.

"How long ago was this?" Corel asked. Her knuckles were pale from the unconscious grip she had on her sword's hilt.

"About twelve days ago. Veda only arrived yesterday, and she ran the entire way here." Gao said. Corel felt Veda shiver against her, the fear rolling off her in waves. Corel understood. She knew about the restriction placed on Veda. Corel's jaw tightened. Pathfinder. That monster was trying to take someone from her again. Her anger surged, and her Aura slipped loose. The oppressive energy rolled through the area. Of everyone present, only Gao, Esha, and Samira didn't flinch.

Instead, their eyes narrowed, studying her. Esha stepped forward.

"What level are you?" she asked, tone clipped. Corel took a deep breath, reining in her Aura. Her mind steadied as she forced her emotions under control.

"Level 150," she replied calmly. Esha gave a small nod, visibly surprised.

"Your Aura… It's stronger than mine. Are you ready to fight with us? We leave today. We're bringing the Farmer back." Corel met Esha's eyes, saw the hidden fear buried beneath the woman's determination. She let out a small, steadying smile.

"I'm ready. I'm done hiding. We end this today." A tingle of anticipation ran down her spine. It mingled with fear, but she didn't falter. Everything she had worked toward was leading to this moment. Please… let us make it in time. He was alive, she could feel it. She touched the bond tattoo on her chest and felt its warmth. He was still there. But for how much longer?

"Great. If we leave now, we should reach the city in two days," Esha said.

"Two days?" Corel echoed, blinking. Then she remembered Rose's gift. Her lips curled into a confident smile.

"We won't need two days. I can get us there in a couple of hours." All eyes turned to her in surprise. And Corel just smiled. Three hours later, Corel stood one hundred metres from the southern entrance of Ghoyusiffiy City, arms crossed, waiting. Veda lay curled around her shoulders.

"This is a terrible plan," Veda grumbled.

"This is a Joseph plan. I thought you were smarter than this, Corel."

"Ssshhh. Someone's coming," Corel said, cutting her off. Veda fell silent as two burly Voldura approached. They stopped a few feet in front of her.

"Seeker," the smaller one mumbled.

"Feder. What do you want?" Corel asked, her stance unwavering.

"Pathfinder has ordered you brought to him. Now," Feder growled, lifting a hand.

"I wouldn't do that, Feder. Tell him to come get me if he wants me. Or is he scared of the Seeker?" Corel said, flicking her hand in a dismissive shooing motion. Feder's face turned crimson with rage. He tensed, clearly about to strike, too slow. Corel moved first. In a flash, her palm sparked with mana and struck Feder square in the chest, launching him backwards toward the city in a blast of force. She calmly returned to her stance, arms folded.

Her eyes locked onto the second Voldura, who took an involuntary step back before turning and retreating toward the city.

"Well, that was dramatic," Veda sighed. Corel said nothing, standing her ground. She tried to hide the butterflies stampeding through her stomach. Was this a bad plan? Should I reconsider? What would Rose or Daisy do? Her mentors flashed through her mind. No, too late now. He knew she was here. Roughly one hundred metres northeast of her position, Esha, Gao, and Samira crouched under a shroud, hidden from sight.

They were waiting for Pathfinder to show himself and for Corel's secret signal before infiltrating the city. Thanks to her party link with Joe, Veda knew exactly where he was, just a few hundred metres north of their position, somewhere inside the city. All they needed now was for Pathfinder to take the bait and leave the safety of the city boundaries. Once distracted, they would have their chance to reach Joe, free him. The whole plan depended on Pathfinder leaving the city.

After a while, Corel's heart skipped a beat as a figure emerged from within the city, flanked by four massive Voldura. She didn't need to use Identify to know who they were. Something inside her flared, a rage she hadn't realized was building, suppressed all this time. It had been a very long time since she last saw him. The Voldura who had shattered her life, destroyed her clan, imprisoned her, and killed the only friends she had left. She closed her eyes, drawing in a slow breath.

She couldn't afford to show weakness now. Too much was on the line. This wasn't about revenge, not yet. First, they had to find Joe and free him. Then, together, they would face this monster. She exhaled softly, steadying her mind. As Pathfinder stepped across the threshold of the city, Corel felt a flicker of relief. Good. Now all she had to do was stall. The four Voldura at his back however, lingered at the city's entrance, watching, waiting.

As Pathfinder drew closer, she slowly pulled back the hood hiding her hair, then let the cape fall from her shoulders as Veda zipped away. Pathfinder halted, his eyes following Veda briefly, momentarily wide with surprise. She smiled, the smallest curl of satisfaction blooming in her chest as a flicker of confusion and worry passed through Pathfinder.

"Corel," Pathfinder drawled, his voice thick with mock sincerity.

"You've finally returned. I missed you. Are you ready for the Bond of Rites?" Once, those words alone would have sent a shiver up her spine. But not now. Not anymore. She was no longer that weak, scared Voldura.

"Big words for a Coward," Corel said smoothly. Satisfaction rippled through her as anger flashed across Pathfinder's face.

"Corel, come with me. It's time to go," Pathfinder demanded, extending a hand. His eyes flicked over her hair, pointedly avoiding meeting her gaze. And that's when she saw it, the exhaustion in his face. He was diminished from the monster she remembered. That has to be because of Joe, she thought.

"No," she answered coolly, stepping back.

"Why would I do that?" She let her eyes dart nervously, feigning fear.

"Then why are you here?" Pathfinder hissed, irritation creeping into his voice.

"It's time for you to return to my side. That human can't protect you anymore." He took another step forward. Corel retreated once more.

"Where is he?" she asked softly.

"Inside the city, I'll show you the way. Come," Pathfinder said, stepping forward and gesturing with an impatient flick of his hand. Corel matched him, stepping back smoothly, keeping the distance between them constant. His eyes darted around scanning the area, searching for hidden threats. She smiled.

"Something wrong? Worried?" she asked, casually, the hint of mockery in her voice slicing through the tense air. His snarl broke through, the cool veneer slipping.

"This is not the time for games, Corel. You're trying my patience," he growled, the words rumbling from deep in his chest. Good. She saw the cracks in his composure and pressed harder, pushing against his ego, aiming to crack it wide open.

"Where was your patience when you killed my clan members?" Corel's voice sharpened, her control unraveling as years of buried fury surged to the surface.

"Where was your patience when you attacked after my brother's death?" She took another step back, steady but defiant, her eyes burning into his.

"You are nothing compared to him. You are nothing!" The dam broke, and her anger flooded through, raw and unfiltered.

"You suppressed the clans. You chained and slaughtered them as you pleased. And now, you dare ask me to come with you?" Her voice trembled with rising emotion.

"You have no power over me anymore."

"Pas shoothar!" Pathfinder roared, his mask of control shattering completely. His eyes flared with savage fury.

"I am the leader of the Voldura! You are my Seeker, mine!" His voice thundered across the clearing.

"Everyone thinks they can take what's mine," he seethed.

"But they're wrong. I took control of the clans, me and me alone! No one else could do what I did. You… you are mine." He stepped forward, no longer pleading. No longer bargaining. All facade gone. Corel crouched slightly, preparing for the attack she knew was coming.

"If my brother hadn't died," she said, voice like steel, "he would have taken your head." Pathfinder's mouth curled into a vicious grin.

"Good thing I had him killed, then, isn't it? He can't save you now. I'm done with this…" Those words hit Corel like a blow to the chest. He had her brother killed… All this time, he had been the cause. The fire of her anger didn't erupt. It condensed. Hardened. The storm inside her went utterly still, every thought, every breath narrowing to a single, razor-sharp point. She immediately changed her plans. There was only one thing that mattered now. Today, she would kill her brother's murderer.

Pathfinder lunged forward, blasting toward her with all his speed. Dust and dirt exploded outward in his wake, the ground trembling under the sheer force of his charge. And right there, he made his first, near-fatal mistake. He was still thinking of Corel as the Seeker he'd once known. The weak Voldura whose growth he had deliberately stunted. The one whose path he had sabotaged and boxed in.

He hadn't accounted for the current version, who stood before him now, reforged, reborn, crafted into something else entirely under the ruthless tutelage of a Multiverse Princess. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. She crouched low, and the moment Pathfinder closed the distance, she spun beneath him, a blur of motion. His eyes widened in shock; her burst of speed wasn't just fast, it eclipsed his own.

He tried to pivot mid-strike, but he was too late. Her foot arched upward, slamming into his midsection. In a desperate reflex, he activated a defensive skill, wooden armour encased his torso in an instant. That move saved his life. Corel's kick detonated against his chest, shattering the wood plating and crushing it inward. His ribs cracked under the impact, and blood splashed from his mouth. He doubled over, but she wasn't done.

Without breaking momentum, her spin continued, her elbow whipping around toward his temple. He just managed to raise his arm, blocking the blow, but the force was overwhelming. The impact rocked him sideways, his vision blurring for a heartbeat. Then came her knee. It crashed into his flank, driving the breath from him again, folding him over before launching him bodily across the ground. He hit the dirt and skidded through mud and debris, the world tilting wildly as he struggled to regain control.

With a roar of rage, Pathfinder dug his hands into the earth, wrenching himself upright. He staggered, gasping, pain lancing through his ribs and side. Wild-eyed, he whipped around, scanning the clearing in frantic search of her. Corel landed lightly, straightening as Pathfinder scrambled upright, his head whipping side to side in search of her. The first exchange had gone better than she'd hoped. His arrogance had blinded him to her transformation.

Her eyes flicked briefly to the four Voldura still standing at the entrance of the city, their attention pinned entirely on her. None of them noticed the faint shimmer slipping like mist into the city behind them. She snapped her gaze back to Pathfinder and surged forward. Activating Seeker's Sight and Seeker's Pursuit, the world sharpened. Lines of motion flickered ahead of her eyes, snapshots of near-future possibilities. She saw him crouch, shifting left, and matched him, appearing before him in an instant.

His teeth clenched; she caught the subtle shift of mana beneath her and pivoted just in time, evading the spear of wood that burst upward where her chest had been. She spun fluidly, driving her foot into the side of his leg. He buckled, snarling, but stayed on his feet. She let momentum carry her past as his roar shook the air, wooden armour snapping into place over his body in a flash. She activated Seeker's Coverage.

A shimmering pulse rippled outward, forming a perfect circle around her, trapping them both in its glowing embrace. Sound warped, the city's noise cutting off as if submerged underwater. Pathfinder's eyes darted toward the city gates, alarm flashing across his face. No, you don't. She flared her Aura, snapping his attention back to her as she pounced. His foot kicked off the ground, trying to disengage, but she was already there.

Her fist slammed into his armoured arm, sending a siphoning pulse rippling across his defences, weakening them fractionally. She flipped over him, knee crashing down on his helm, driving him to his knees. He lashed up, grasping for her, but she was gone, landing lightly behind him. A heartbeat later, jagged wooden branches burst from the earth in a vicious barrage, one, two, three. She ducked and wove through them, fists flashing as she shattered two mid-leap.

The third she snatched midair, splintering it in her grip. She hurled the broken branch at his head. The makeshift missile exploded against his helm in a burst of wood and dust, blinding him for a precious second. She gathered a surge of mana into her arm and, with a burst of force, unleashed a Mana Shock directly into Pathfinder's right leg. His wooden armour detonated in a spray of splinters, the disrupted mana shattering the defenses in an instant.

Pathfinder stumbled, a cry tearing from his throat as blood seeped down his leg.

"Ahhh!" he roared, staggering back within the glowing circle of Seeker's Coverage.

"They're in the city! Go!" His voice was muffled, reaching no ears beyond the sealed area Corel's skill had created. Outside, the four guards stood idle at the entrance, oblivious to the intruders already sprinting toward Joe's location. Corel took a deep breath and activated Seeker's Persuasion. A pulse of invisible pressure swept outward, locking every eye on her, commanding their focus. She moved like water, slipping through Pathfinder's frantic defences, each precise strike unravelling his armour bit by bit.

Shards of wood burst and fell, his composure cracking alongside his protection. With a feral snarl, Pathfinder erupted, wooden spikes blasting out around him in a desperate shockwave. Corel pivoted back, dodging clear as the attack gave him just enough space to lurch free of her circle.

"You fools! They're in the city! Go!" Pathfinder roared, his voice no longer muted. The watching Voldura blinked, shaking off the mental haze Corel's influence had wrapped them in. Two bolted into the city, the other two following moments later, their realization dawning too late. Corel pulled a small device from her storage, clicked it once, then tucked it back away. A snarl curled her lips as she locked eyes with Pathfinder.

He stood panting, covered in splintered fragments of his once-imposing armour, his gaze a mix of fury and, she saw with satisfaction, growing panic. For almost two years, she had dreamed of this moment: watching him crumble, piece by piece. Mana glowed faintly along her skin, the crescent moons in her eyes shimmering as she launched forward, feet barely touching the earth. With a sharp exhale, she drove a punishing kick toward the Voldura she loathed more than any other.

__ Esha skidded to a halt as she entered the walled-off zone around the small, shattered house. She stared, breathless, at the sight before her, confusion twisting through her chest. Joe lay unconscious in the rubble, his body battered, bloodied, and barely recognizable. But it wasn't just his condition that froze her. Rising from his elbow, towering and writhing into the air, was a massive white vine, flailing wildly, radiating a force she couldn't comprehend.

"What… the hell is that?" she whispered under her breath. Beside her, Samira let out a sharp gasp.

"He's alive, Sam. Don't panic," Esha said, forcing a steadiness into her voice she didn't feel.

"It takes more than this to kill our Farmer." But even as she spoke, a knot twisted in her gut. She had never seen Joe like this before. Not even close. Her communicator flickered. Incoming message: Company was on the way.

"Gao, with me. Sam, wake up, sleepyhead," Esha ordered, pivoting fast and dashing toward cover, Gao right on her heels.

"How the hell am I supposed to do that?" Samira shouted, exasperated. Esha didn't answer. She and Gao ducked into a crumbling alley, prepping traps and etching arrays into the ground. They needed time, whether to stall or kill as many as possible; it didn't matter. They'd make every second count. __ Samira paced deep in thought, eyes locked on Joe's swaying form.

"What am I supposed to do…?" she muttered under her breath. Without Veda here for guidance, she was on her own. The little serpent had insisted she couldn't step inside the city without triggering a system penalty, which left Samira staring at the unconscious man beneath the pulsing, thrashing vine. First, she tried arrows, launching them in rapid succession. But the vine moved impossibly fast, batting them away like flies.

They didn't just deflect away, they disintegrated on contact, vanishing as though they'd never existed. A sick twist churned in her stomach. Next, she grabbed a massive slab of stone, heaving it overhead and hurling it straight at him. The vine smashed it apart midair, sending shards exploding outward.

"Come on, think," Samira hissed, pacing, her fists clenching.

"Fuck!" she growled, spinning, heart pounding. She activated every skill she could, unleashing a storm of arrows and mana. Blasts cracked through the air, firelight flickering over the broken house.

"WAKE UP!" she roared, hurling everything she had, desperate for something, anything, to break through. __ As chaos raged around him, Joe lay, dreaming of pie and biscuits. Completely detached from the violence, he drifted in a fog of comfort, his mind curled in a space where pain couldn't reach. He felt faint pulls, his body jerking left and right as the massive vine thrashed, tearing through everything that dared approach.

His mind hovered in a strange limbo: the spike embedded in his leg blocked Nature's Healing, leaving him stuck on the edge of consciousness, unable to wake, but not close enough to death for his body to fully give up. The bleeding had finally stopped. Now he was just coated in a layer of dried, cracking blood, unmoving, battered, but somehow stable. Far away, in some faint corner of his awareness, a voice called to him. Someone was yelling at him to wake up. But, no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't.

Waking up meant pain. Sleep meant… pie. So he drifted. __ Esha cursed as her dagger plunged deep into Clors's arm, slicing through flesh. Blood spattered. The big Voldura swung blindly, his massive arm sweeping through the air and forcing her to leap back, releasing the dagger still lodged in his bicep.

"Damn it," she hissed, spinning away. No time to mourn the lost blade, she drew two more from storage, activating her speed skill, and blurred into motion. Across the open yard, Gao's water elemental surged forward, battering another Voldura with a high-pressure jet. Esha flashed to his side, ducked under a swipe, and slashed across the attacker's calf. A scream tore out as the enemy crumpled, swept away in the elemental's onslaught, crashing hard into a crumbling wall.

Without missing a beat, Esha darted toward Gao, both of them weaving through incoming mana bolts raining from a Voldura on the rooftop. Esha shot Gao a quick wink. And then, gone. Her form blurred again, speeding up the side of the building. The Voldura on the roof barely had time to raise a barrier. Esha's dagger slammed into it, sparking off with a sharp gong, bouncing her backward onto the tiles. He snarled, raising his wand, only to stagger as Gao's water strike slammed into his back.

His barrier flickered; his balance wavered. Esha smiled thinly and vanished again, changing targets mid-motion, streaking back toward Clors. She yanked a short sword free and slashed at his armoured back. A heavy metallic clang echoed as her weapon rebounded off his reinforced plates. Clors spun, eyes wild, but she was already gone, a flicker of movement, a ghost. Around her, curses erupted from frustrated Voldura.

Esha moved faster, sharper, never stopping, always laughing inwardly as they failed again and again to catch her. __ Pathfinder crouched, panting hard, his chest heaving, sweat and blood mixing as they ran down his battered body. Today was turning into an absolute disaster. First, word had come that the Cartheno and Yousofu clans were abandoning him, pulling out of the city and slipping from his control. A massive part of his fighting force had simply disappeared.

And now, the Seeker he had hunted for so long, the one he had believed would secure his dominance, was standing before him, and he was losing to her… How? How had she become so fast? How was she reading his every move, anticipating his attacks like she was inside his head? And where in the divine light had she learned this fighting style? He groaned as he raised an arm to block a swinging kick aimed at his head, stumbling back.

His foot slipped; he hit the ground hard, only to roll aside just in time to block another brutal strike that sent him skidding backward. At least, he still had the advantage in raw strength. All it would take was one good grip. Just one moment. And he could end this. Frantically, he flicked his gaze to his city map, eyes scanning the flashing dots of combat. Why were they still fighting? Why hadn't they subdued the intruders yet? Was his entire force losing?

He groaned as he ducked a blast of mana, only to be met with Corel's spinning form. She was there, anticipating, already on him, twisting, turning, a flash of movement that caught his crouch and spun it into a throw. He was sent flying, crashing through branches, thudding hard against a tree. With a roar of frustration, he staggered up, only to realize the horrible truth: she wasn't just stalling him, she was herding him, pulling him away from the city with every engagement, using his own momentum against him.

She was invading his mind. His hands clenched. Rage surged through him. This wasn't supposed to happen. With a snarl, he sprinted for the city entrance, but there she was again, in his path.

"Corel! Stop this!" he bellowed, flinging a hand out. Wooden tendrils exploded from the ground around him, curling into jagged spears and walls. He just needed to get past her. Just a few steps… But she slipped between every attack, weaving through the chaos, and in a blink, she was at his side. An elbow crashed into his knee. He screamed, nearly buckling, and lashed out, grabbing wildly. Close now, so close. Desperation surged. With a surge of will, he activated his final, hidden skill, Wooden Solitude.

A prison of jagged wood sprang up around them, twisting, encasing, snapping shut. For a heartbeat, he saw it, the flicker of fear on her face.

"Not so fast now, are you?" he rasped, voice raw as the wooden walls groaned and sharpened, spikes lancing inward. Both of them screamed as the thorns pierced flesh, but he was smiling, a bloody grin cracking his face. He had her. Finally, he had her. His hands closed around her at last. __ Corel screamed as the wooden spikes pierced through her, the prison closing in with a sickening creak. This. This was his hidden trump card.

She hadn't seen this skill before, but the panic flickering in Pathfinder's eyes told her everything. This was his last gamble. His last mistake. His bloody hands clamped onto her with a victorious grin, teeth bared in triumph. But as his arms tightened, her eyes met his, not with fear, not with surrender, but with something fierce and unbroken. His smile faltered. Confusion masks his partially revealed face. Big mistake, she thought.

Slowly, through cracked lips, she raised a trembling finger, pressing thumb to forefinger.

"Seeker's Pride," she whispered, voice raw, yet steady. A spark flared, then fire roared. It surged up her body, searing, devouring, cascading in a torrent of incandescent mana. Pathfinder screamed, thrashing, but Corel barely heard it. Because in that moment… she saw him. Her brother. His face, his smile, his proud eyes watching her from somewhere just beyond the burning light. For the first time since his passing, the weight in her chest lifted, the choking grief loosened.

"I did it, brother," she murmured within herself, tears spilling unbidden as the fire cracked around them.

"It is done. You can rest now." With a last surge of strength, she withdrew her twin blades, her hands sure, her heart light, lighter than it had been in years. In one fluid motion, she plunged the weapons deep into Pathfinder's chest. The screaming stopped. His body slumped, his eyes wide, uncomprehending, mouth working as if to form words. Blood spilt over his lips as he choked a final question: "How…?" Corel met his fading gaze with steady, shining eyes.

"You lost the faith, Lovasta has abandoned you," she whispered. With a last breath, she pulled the blades free, turned, and walked away as the prison around her crumbled, the wood collapsing to dust. Behind her, Pathfinder's body hit the ground, smouldering. One last heartbeat. Then stillness. System Message Congratulations. You have killed a pillar owner and have now claimed a city pillar. Please touch your city pillar to complete the ownership transfer.

Corel's legs buckled, and she fell to her knees, her breath ragged. Blood seeped from her wounds, but none of it mattered. A wave of exhaustion crashed over her, but beneath it, something deep and long-buried began to ease. The hatred. The guilt. The grief. Gone. A tear traced down her cheek, hot and clean. She let it fall, let it carry away years of torment. Slowly, she wiped it away with a bloodstained hand, exhaling like it was her first real breath in years. Veda appeared at her side in a flash of red.

"Take a healing pill. You're still bleeding," Veda urged, her voice sharp but her eyes wide with something softer. Corel obeyed numbly, popping the pill into her mouth and feeling its warmth bloom inside her, sealing wounds, knitting flesh. She flexed her fingers and felt the slow stop of bleeding, the easing of pain. But her heart, it no longer hurt. She turned, eyes lifting to the city. She could hear it, the echoes of battle, the clash of steel, the shouts of Joe's friends still fighting. It wasn't over.

Not yet. With a deep breath, she rose. Steady, strong, light on her feet as if a chain had been cut from her shoulders. Today, she had freed her past. Now, she would help free her future. She ran. __"Wake up, Farmer!" Samira shouted as the small house crashed onto Joe and his thrashing vine. The air exploded with dust and debris, but there he still lay, unmoving, that damn vine still whipping above him. Her wings flapped as she hovered above, out of ideas. Nothing had worked. He was completely out of it.

She turned, flying over to the right where Gao and Esha were finishing off the last two Voldura. The others lay dead. She drew her bow and fired at the huge one over Esha. Her arrow slammed into his shoulder, knocking him off balance just as Esha sliced across his knee. Moments later, he fell, choking on blood, Esha giving no hesitation as she ended it. The last Voldura, Nodo, threw down his weapon, weeping as he surrendered. Gao wrapped him in water until he slumped unconscious.

They tied him up and regrouped near the now destroyed building where Joe still lay.

"What do we do now? Should we go help Corel?" Samira asked. Gao shook her head.

"She's won her fight and is on her way to the city pillar," Gao said.

"Wow, so it's over? We won?" Samira let out a breath.

"Where are the rest of the Voldura? Why is this part of the city so empty?" Gao and Esha shrugged, equally confused about the lack of resistance and empty streets around them.

"We still need to figure out what that is?" Gao motioned toward the vine. Samira grimaced. She'd hoped it would disappear with Pathfinder's defeat, but clearly, it hadn't. She glanced at Joe, for the first time spotting something… thin and black sticking out of his leg.

"Look," she pointed. Gao and Esha leaned forward.

"Skill blocker," Esha gasped.

"No wonder he can't wake up. Nasty things."

"How do we get it out?" Samira asked. Esha and Gao exchanged looks.

"One of us grabs it while the others distract that thing," Esha said, gesturing at the vine. Samira groaned. That sounded simple, but she knew it wasn't. Suddenly Corel appeared between them, eyes wide as she stared at Joe in confusion and worry. Did she claim the pillar already? She was starting to think the city was not as heavily guarded as they had thought it would be.

"What is that?" Corel asked.

"We don't know, we can't get close while it's thrashing around. We need to remove that…" Esha pointed at Joe's leg. Corel's eyes widened as she spotted the skill blocker.

"Let me try," Corel said, teleporting to Joe's side. She appeared by his leg, reaching for the spike, only to have the vine slam down. She barely teleported away in time, unable to even touch it. She reappeared by Samira's side, shuddering.

"That thing moves fast," Corel muttered.

"We could've told you that," Esha scoffed. They gathered briefly, talking through options.

"If we try from four different directions. Esha and Gao, you both attack to distract it. I'll teleport close and keep its attention if that fails. That should give Samira enough time to hook it out of his leg," Corel suggested. The others nodded. They set the plan in motion, two attacks lashed out at different points of the vine, Corel teleported near, and Samira sent a lasso of mana toward the spike. In a blur, the vine lashed, forcing Corel to blink away instantly.

It swatted all the attacks aside, the air cracking from the force. Samira stared, frustrated and helpless. What could they even do now? As they regrouped, Veda arrived, settling before them. She explained what little she knew about the vine sprouting from Joe's arm.

"It's that thing again." Corel said, rubbing her horns.

"Yes. He didn't explain it any further than that, but this is the second time it's happened. He just has to grab it himself and pull it out," Veda glanced at the spike.

"Which of you has the highest endurance stat?" Samira looked over at the almost comical sight of Corel and Esha, both now wrapped in layers of armour and chunks of rubble they'd strapped to themselves. Since mana created armour was useless against the vine's mana-nullifying effects, they were left relying on metal and stone scavenged from the ruins, hoping it would buy just a moment of time. The plan was set: Corel would teleport them both in close.

As soon as the vine attacked, Gao and Samira would make their move to yank the spike free. They all nodded. It was time. Three, two, one. Corel teleported with Esha, the two approaching just above Joe as the vine whipped toward them. At the same moment, Samira fired an arrow, and Gao sent a string of mana toward Joe's leg. A loud crash rang out, Esha was the first hit, flung aside with a yelp as the vine turned on Corel. The arrow and mana string were still meters away.

The vine slammed into Corel's padded frame, but she teleported to the side at the last instant, grabbing hold of it as she reappeared. With a raw, feral scream, she clung on as the vine thrashed, buying just enough time… Gao's string reached the spike. Pop! Corel was hurled through the air, unconscious. Esha, somehow, flashed forward, catching her midair, only for Samira to dive in, grabbing them both as they all tumbled aside in a heap.

"I got it!" Gao shouted, triumph ringing in her voice.