Chapter 68: Bursting Forth, Growth

Before the dawn had fully broken, a nimble figure darted through the dim, narrow alleys with incredible speed, the hourglass tucked at her waist rapidly shedding its white sand from the upper chamber, faster and faster.

"Click!" With a crisp chime, the sand in the upper chamber ran dry, and the figure’s momentum slackened; her high-speed traversal was no longer impossibly swift.

"Damn it, to waste a once-a-month artifact just because that brat startled me—I could have killed him easily, why the panic?" Hela tore off her mask, revealing a young, beautiful face, her previously raspy, feminine voice now turning soft and warm.

After running a short distance further, her unpatterned leather boots stepped onto a brick by the roadside, causing a concealed door covered in masonry to flip open; she leaned in, dropped down, and the panel flipped back and locked, leaving not a trace behind.

Passing through a cramped corridor and pushing open another hidden door that appeared identical to the wall, Hela emerged from a fireplace burning with magical flames—the roaring logs, in truth, held no heat at all.

Hela shed her assassin’s tight-fitting cloak, revealing a standard maid’s uniform underneath, and without a moment’s hesitation, she picked up a broom leaning in the corner and began to sweep the floor of the study.

"Well? Did you manage to secure that new member of the Special Operations Unit? Our intelligence network shows he’s just a knight who started late, with no background whatsoever."

The middle-aged figure sitting with his back to the desk in the study did not turn around, merely posing the question.

"I apologize, sir, I failed. He is indeed a weak worm, but his tolerance for pain is remarkably high. I had intended to use his people to threaten him, but Zig, the clerk from the action group, arrived. I don’t know how he did it, but I had no choice but to retreat."

"Zig, is it? Never mind, if it was him, there was nothing to be done."

"But I only retreated because I feared reinforcements might follow. If I hadn't used the 'Chronos Hourglass' at the start, I might have been able to hold that clerk hostage and perhaps gained more. This is my error; please punish me, sir."

"Heh, I forgive your ignorance. Threatening that clerk? Don't make me laugh. Even with the 'Chronos Hourglass,' you could never have threatened him. The 'Dragon with Broken Wings' is merely someone who cannot use magic, nothing more."

"The 'Dragon with Broken Wings'…?" Hela’s body shuddered violently; the aura and pressure she had felt when Zig entered the room—that was no ordinary thing, that was…

"As long as you understand. We didn't catch him this time, but that’s fine; there will be plenty of opportunities. Weakness is the original sin. I don't know why he was chosen for the Special Operations Unit, but his weakness is his flaw, and he is our breakthrough."

"Yes, sir…" Hela bowed slightly, a sense of stability washing over her. The master was always like this—steady, calm, and calculating. He would not punish his servants for a momentary lapse; perhaps that was why so many were willing to follow him.

"Very well, go and deal with the traces on your body. Although this identity is temporary, I have no desire to be exposed just yet."

"I have already dealt with them; there should be no residue left."

"Come here, let me check you carefully."

"Yes."

Hela lowered her head and stood behind the chair, eyes downcast, refusing to look at the man she called master.

A palm covered the top of her head, and a fissure opened above her; several pitch-black eyes with blood-red patterns blinked a few times before retracting. A fair hand reached out and flicked away the blood scabs on Hela’s scalp.

"Hmm, no residue. No one will discover anything. It is fine now; continue with your duties in the mansion. I will call for you if I have need."

"Mm… yes, sir!" Hela steadied her slightly dizzy head, bowed respectfully, and retreated, pulling the study door shut behind her.

"Tap, tap, tap." The sound of knuckles rapping against the desk echoed in the room, the middle-aged man tilting his head, lost in thought.

…

"Click!" A steel pin was plunged into a location on the map of the Royal Capital.

"Here," Wang Yu’s steady voice rang out.

"Here? Very well, I understand. I will arrange for an investigation immediately. Get some rest."

"It’s nothing, not a serious wound." Wang Yu said, pouring a green, pasty substance into his hand and rubbing it onto the wound on his back. A subtle, skin-crawling gnawing sound followed as the wound was gradually covered by a translucent, gelatinous layer, stopping the flow of blood.

"…" Watching Wang Yu, who had been half-dead moments ago, now standing and applying harsh medicine to himself, Zig’s brow twitched.

Spinel stimulant, acid-dissolving regenerative mixture, bone-knitting fluid… Wang Yu injected himself with concoctions that would drive a man mad with pain without batting an eye. Aside from "ruthless," Zig could think of no other word to describe him.

The pain was terrifying, but the results were excellent; Wang Yu, who had struggled to breathe just moments ago, was now able to walk on his own.

"Wang Yu, I want to ask, what would you have done if I hadn't arrived?"

"Hmm, I would have done everything in my power to kill her."

"Could you have done it?"

"I don't know, perhaps. I chose the 'Bloody Gale' knight secret technique with that possibility in mind. I don't know what I could have achieved in a final burst, but I believe killing her would not have been a problem."

"I apologize that your status in the Special Operations Unit has brought you such trouble. A branch of the Night’s Edge will be deployed to the tavern on your street; they will keep a special eye out for you."

"It’s fine. I was just too weak. No matter what one faces, if one’s own strength is lacking, relying on external help for salvation is never a complete solution. Since joining was my choice, I will not blame anyone."

"Hmm." Zig said nothing more, placed a magic crystal card on Wang Yu’s table, and left. His tightly clenched fists betrayed that he was not as calm as he appeared.

"Phew… another two thousand. It’s only been a few days, and the available funds have already exceeded five thousand gold coins. Truly terrifying. It’s time to turn strength into capital; hoarding money is meaningless."

Glancing casually at the card, Wang Yu crouched down and leaned against the wall, letting the terrifying pain course through his body while waiting for his physical repair process to reach a certain point.

This was far too dangerous. If Zig hadn't happened to be in the tavern, he might have died. He had pushed the 'Bloody Gale' to the verge of a rampage.

He didn't yet know the full extent of this newly acquired secret technique, but he knew that the power of all the blood spilled, combined with the blood inside him, would never be easily parried.

But whether he would die after the burst, that might depend on Avia’s secret energy to save his life. Thinking of this, his rage flared up uncontrollably.

Being threatened… he hated being threatened. He had always been a loner, and thus reckless, but now, he did not want the tragedy of the old knight to repeat itself. He had ties now, but he had also become more terrifying. Beneath his somber expression lay a boiling intent to kill.

He hadn't expected to advance his development of the 'Ripple' at a time like this. Picking up a drop of blood seeping from his wound, he saw the Ripple frantically vibrating within it. He squinted, then flicked the drop out the window.

Soon, the blood was over fifteen meters away, yet the Ripple remained inside, not vanishing from Wang Yu’s perception.

By circulating the Ripple within his own blood, Wang Yu had successfully pushed the limit of his observation range beyond fifteen meters, and this upper limit depended entirely on how far his blood could travel.

The Ripple could carry Wang Yu’s senses; there was no limit to the feedback, only to the release… and now, Wang Yu knew the location of that assassin, and even that strange man.

"Still too weak. Don't be impatient, Wang Yu." He repeated to himself in his heart. Now was not the time to rush for revenge or to erase hidden threats. He was too weak; he needed to grow stronger.

After a moment, Wang Yu looked at Avia, who was still unconscious. It was some kind of sleeping potion, administered roughly, but thankfully not to the point of direct harm.

"Phew… I knew it would come to this." Wang Yu wiped his face, feeling helpless, but at least now he had some ways to eliminate such threats.

Taking the small statue of the Lady of Night from his pocket, Wang Yu silently called her name within his mental space.

A phantom figure gradually manifested beside Wang Yu, her face covered in a black veil, looking down at him as he leaned against the wall.

"Thou art wounded," the Lady of Night’s voice resonated.

"Yes."

"Dost thou require My aid to heal?"

"No, it’s a minor injury. There is something I would like to ask of you."

"Speak."

"Can you help me protect her? We are too weak right now; I cannot look after those around me." Wang Yu gestured toward the still-unconscious Avia.

"I can. However, outside the special territory of the Royal Capital’s shadows, I must expend a great deal of energy to manifest My power. With the amount of faith crystals thou possessest, I may only be able to act once or twice before they are exhausted."

Wang Yu wore a satisfied smile. He was glad; this friendship with a "God" was real.

The Lady of Night said she could only act once or twice, not that it would cost a price so great she could not act at all. This meant she was truly willing to help, and that was enough. This investment was definitely not a loss.

"Thank you so much." Wang Yu pressed his palms together and bowed toward the Lady of Night—it was the only way he knew to express respect to a deity. In this moment, he bowed with sincerity.

"Hmm, thou art welcome…" The Lady of Night’s words faltered; it seemed she was unaccustomed to speaking in such a "mortal" way.

"As long as thou hast her carry My statue, I shall provide her with sanctuary."

"Understood." Wang Yu did not hesitate, placing the small statue into the pocket of Avia’s clothing.

"Don't worry, I will find a way to get more faith crystals. May your church continue to grow."

"It shall." A hint of a smile touched the Lady of Night’s words, and her figure gradually faded and vanished.

After she disappeared, Wang Yu fell into deep thought. Should he tell Avia about what happened? The girl would only worry about him, and it seemed telling her would serve no purpose…

Yet, in an instant, Wang Yu cast that thought aside; what an arrogant notion it was, for what right did he have to make decisions for Avia? None at all.

He saw the girl’s brilliance clearly, and to face the future together was both a mark of his respect for her and a testament to his trust; surely, she possessed better ways to cope than he.

Wang Yu rummaged through the room, found a vial of smelling salts, poured a drop, and gently dabbed it onto the tip of Avia’s nose.

"Achoo..." The girl sneezed and slowly stirred, her hazy eyes finding Wang Yu crouching by the bedside.

"Hi," Wang Yu waved, offering a faint smile.

"Wang Yu..." Avia struggled to rise, but her body was limp, devoid of strength, and in her growing anxiety, she reached into the void. Energy began to surge as she prepared to use her arcane powers to restore her state.

"Don't rush..." Wang Yu pressed a hand to her shoulder, signaling her to stay calm.

"Listen to me, don't get agitated..." Wang Yu’s composed tone settled the girl’s nerves.

Once she was calmed, Wang Yu recounted everything that had transpired, omitting nothing and embellishing nothing, including the Nightfall Church he had founded in the Shadow of the Royal City and the protection Lady Night had bestowed upon her.

He had expected the girl to react with agitation or alarm, but to his surprise, she listened to his entire account with profound focus.

As he finished, Avia’s control over her body gradually returned; she fell silent for a moment, first drawing the statuette of Lady Night from her pocket to gaze at it in her palm, then saying with great sincerity, "Thank you very much, Lady Eunice; I shall rely on your care hereafter."

Wang Yu saw the statuette vibrate slightly; it seemed Lady Night could hear her after all.

Then Avia turned to Wang Yu, her expression etched with apology and, beneath it, an unwavering resolve.

"Wang Yu, I am sorry for holding you back again, but I promise you, I will surely catch up to your pace, and I will absolutely be of help to you."

The girl’s expression was earnest, and the firmness in her voice was something Wang Yu felt with absolute certainty.

Startled, he parted his lips, then broke into a smile; his strength was growing, and so was the girl’s spirit. Avia’s talent was inferior to none; she simply required time.

She would never be the one to hold him back!

"Good! I will be waiting." Wang Yu reached out to clasp her fair hand, looking steadily into her eyes.

"Uh..." Flushed by his gaze, Avia turned her face away in embarrassment.

"Ah, this... well, Wang Yu, I want to show you something I have been researching; having borrowed my teacher’s laboratory, I finally managed to create a prototype! It will surely be of use to you!"

Suddenly remembering something, Avia pulled an object from the cabinet beside her bed.

"What? Hmm?!" Wang Yu looked over, an involuntary sound of surprise escaping his lips.

It was a massive book, its design identical to the tome worn at the waist by the protagonist of "Wizard of Legend," a game he had once mentioned to Avia, used to unleash arcane spells.

(Note: "Wizard of Legend" is a pixel-art roguelike game where the protagonist wields a book of arranged spells; because it features many melee-style arcana and all spells are cast with rapid, stylish flair, the combos are more terrifying than those in fighting games—calling them spells is a stretch, as they look more like a berserker, making "Legendary Berserker" a more fitting title.)