Chapter 96: Heliosa

Lucion's breath was ragged as he sprinted past trees and thickets, tumbling down rocky inclines with a dagger gripped tightly in his hand.

Sliding to the side, he halted near a massive tree, pressing his back against its trunk to hide.

Is it still following me? he wondered, glancing around while struggling to steady his ragged breathing.

Then, a rustle echoed from a few paces away. It didn't come from the ground; it descended from above. Piercing through the leaves was a massive cyan swan, diving straight toward Lucion.

Dammit!

Hurling a rock toward the magical beast as a distraction, he resumed his escape.

Thank god I practiced early by running those 100 kilometers, or I would already be torn to pieces! He scanned his surroundings as he ran, his eyes widening when he spotted the entrance to a small cave. But the difference is: I don’t have the Maiden's stamina buff anymore.

He glanced back at the beast one last time. Seeing it was still too far away to properly track him, he began casting an explosive spell.

Extending a palm, he unleashed the magic, sending the spell detonating a short distance past the cave. Immediately after, he slid into the cave entrance, ensuring he remained hidden from the skies above.

As expected, when the avian beast reached his vicinity, it charged straight toward the lingering smoke of the explosion without slowing down.

Lucion collapsed to the ground, resting his back against the cool stone.

These types have keen sight, but their intelligence and sense of smell are far worse than that lion's. Good thing I increased my speed attribute.

Back in Gergrain, Noa looked at Elina. “Hey, can you cast spells like that?”

Elina met his gaze, but instead of answering, she simply stared at him with an expression of pure disgust.

“That was just Tier-1 magic.” She looked back at the screen and spat, “And what kind of lame and weak element is that? Fire is the best element there is!”

Noa made a skeptical face. “Sooo… can you cast that spell or not?”

“I-I can, you idiot!” she squeaked.

Catching her defensive tone, Noa’s expression shifted into a mischievous, teasing grin. “Then… what about a Tier-2 explosive magic?”

Elina avoided his gaze and muttered low, “Maybe I can…? I don't know.”

Noa pressed his lips together, struggling to suppress a chuckle. She only knows fire magic, doesn’t she?

While recovering his stamina, Lucion observed the sprawling forest outside.

I have to gather materials to build a temporary shelter for the night, and also hunt down some food.

Taking a long, deep breath, he rose to his feet.

If the map is the same as in the game, the Necklace of Ishlim lies at the western edge, but… He peered up at the sun bleeding through the canopy. This dimension's sun doesn't follow the same rotation or laws as the outside world's. Since the game provided a built-in compass, I never bothered figuring out how to navigate by the environment either. Which leaves only one option…

He simply began walking in whichever direction his head turned.

Along the way, Lucion encountered more magical beasts—horned rabbits he butchered for their meat, shadow tigers he slaughtered to accumulate points, and massive serpents he only barely managed to evade.

[Points: 760]

He marched endlessly, yet the item he wanted remained nowhere in sight.

Will I fail to find it before the event concludes? Two Tier-1 spells. That’s all it took to completely drain my Aether Core. I have to find the Necklace of Ishlim somehow.

“P-please let me go!” A terrified scream echoed a short distance away.

Slipping his dagger back into the sheath at his waist, he drew his longsword and stalked toward the voice with cautious steps.

As the voices grew louder, Lucion crouched behind a dense thicket to observe.

A green-haired girl in the academy's uniform had collapsed onto the dirt, staring up at two looming figures in terror. Standing over her were a boy and a girl; the boy twirled a dagger, while the girl held a sword.

Vionette clutched her popcorn cup tightly and leaned forward with a thrilled smile.

“Ohh shit, shit is gonna pop off!” She turned toward Noa. “Hey Blackie, look at that.”

Noa turned his gaze to where she was pointing. “Where—oh, it's that guy again?”

“Don’t worry, we will make it quick.” The armed girl offered a smile that offered no comfort.

The boy mirrored her grin. “Yes, it won't hurt. We will just take your points.”

The girl desperately tried to crawl backward, biting her lip to hold back her unshed tears. “B-but I'm scared of the pain… please…”

I don't really remember her much. Was she just an NPC? Lucion turned his back, silently walking away from the scene. Well, manage on your own. Even if you die here, you will resurrect anyway—

“Bruh… that's it?” Noa muttered.

“He's gonna leave just like that?” Vionette mirrored his deadpan expression.

Hey, where did those two rascals sneak off to? Noa wondered, glancing at the empty seats beside them.

Lucion cast a final glance over his shoulder, but his footsteps suddenly froze. Poking out of the green-haired girl's coat pocket was a vibrant flower, its petals a gradient of pink and orange.

That's it! A Heliosa! Lucion quickly reached for an Aether recovery potion.

The green-haired girl frantically looked around, silently praying for someone or something to save her.

“I know you're not going to make it painless.” She stared at the duo's mocking smiles, feeling a crushing sense of hopelessness. “I don't have many points, so please… please leave me alone.”

The boy knelt, placing the tip of his dagger under her chin and forcing her head up. “You don’t trust? We will make it painless.”

A sudden explosion erupted out of nowhere, drawing both of their attention toward the sound.

The armed girl muttered, “What was—”

Suddenly, the boy screamed in agony. Taking advantage of his distraction, a throwing knife had pierced the hand gripping his dagger, forcing him to drop his weapon.

The armed girl stared at him, her eyes wide with shock. She frantically scanned the trees.

Then, descending from the top of a nearby boulder, Lucion lunged forward with his sword drawn.

“Oh fuck! He went in!” Vionette shouted, grabbing Noa’s shoulders and shaking him.

Lucion's blade clashed harshly against the girl's sword, while the boy jumped back, clutching his bleeding hand. After parrying Lucion's strike, the girl retreated to stand beside her partner.

“Who are you?!” the boy barked, drawing a spare dagger with his uninjured hand.

Out of terror, the green-haired girl had squeezed her eyes shut the moment the explosion rang out, fully expecting a blade to sever her neck. Yet as she fluttered her eyelids open, she saw a silhouette standing in front of her, casting a shadow over her.

‘Hey, you okay?’ the armed girl whispered to her partner.

The boy grimaced at the wound he was hastily wrapping with a strip of cloth. ‘I can temporarily hold out for now. Who is that moron?’

‘I don’t know, but he is our enemy right now.’ She glared at Lucion's glowing bracelet. ‘Look at his points—a whopping 700!’

She charged straight toward Lucion. “Come on, it's two against one!”

Lucion observed the incoming attackers with calm eyes.

This is not going to be easy… He shifted his gaze to their left. At least, it wouldn't be, if I weren't prepared.

The girl closed the distance with her sword held forward, a wild smile twisting her features. But suddenly, an ice-crystal shot out from the woods, flying directly toward her.

Forced to divert her attention, she swiftly slashed the icy projectile into pieces.

When she snapped her focus back, Lucion was already within striking range. He executed a swift upward slash, but she narrowly evaded it by shifting her weight backward.

[Basic Aether Sensitivity]

[Vein Lock]

Lucion spread the fingers of his free hand, summoning a pre-prepared gust of wind magic within his palm.

He unleashed the gale directly against the flat of the girl's sword. The sudden impact struck the center of her blade, throwing her slightly off balance.

Lucion stepped in for a follow-up strike, but his steel was intercepted by the boy's dagger.

Seeing the boy seamlessly join the fray, Lucion retreated a few steps.

In the game's mechanics, there are specific elemental combinations you can utilize to forge a combined magic. And one of them is…

Contrary to the duo's expectations, Lucion tossed his sword aside. Reaching into his leather pouch, he withdrew three parchment scraps inscribed with magic circles—one bearing a fire spell, one wind, and one lightning—before discarding the pouch as well.

Sensing something wrong, the duo immediately rushed forward, refusing to give him a single second of preparation.

Lucion stacked the three parchments together, then tore them straight down the middle.

The three spells activated simultaneously, surging toward the duo as their elements fused. The unstable reaction erupted into a dense, crackling cloud, completely blinding his opponents.

“W-what is this?!” the boy yelled, futilely trying to wave away the blinding white mist.

But was it truly just an ordinary cloud of smoke?

Tiny arcs of lightning began to spark within the vapor, weaving through the mist in branching lines. They were faint at first, but rapidly intensified into violent electrical surges.

Just as the girl realized the impending danger, her metallic sword acted as a lightning rod. A current struck the tip of her blade, surging down the steel and directly into her hands, shocking her as a scream tore through the forest.

Now, target the injured one. Lucion slipped silently through the fog, positioning himself right behind the boy.

Gripping a thick wooden branch he had snatched from the ground, he slammed it hard against the back of the boy's head, knocking him out cold.

Unaware of anything happening inside the dissipating cloud, the green-haired girl waited in anxious silence.

She wasn't certain if her savior could handle the two attackers alone, but she didn’t want to escape without him either.

Then, the whiteness finally began to clear, and she saw Lucion kneeling beside the unconscious boy, the assailant's own dagger raised above his chest.

“Wait—!” she squeezed her eyes shut and quickly looked away just as a wet plunge echoed through the clearing.

As Lucion stood up and retrieved his discarded items, the two lifeless bodies behind him disappeared, the defeated duo instantly respawning back on the safety of the academy grounds.

He walked toward her, brushing the dust off his coat with a faint pulse of Aether.

“Hey, Miss, what's your name?”

The girl's face instantly flushed crimson. “‘M-Miss’?! Me?”

Lucion tilted his head in mild confusion. Mmm? Is that not formal enough?

He extended a hand down to her. “...then, Lady, what's your name?”

Vionette sighed, “He said it. The rizz can't be unintentional.”

The girl flinched, her cheeks burning an even deeper shade of red. “Ah! Please don't call me ‘Lady’!”

“Then…?”

She nervously took his hand and let him pull her to her feet. “I-it's Emerald! Emerald!”

Embarrassed, she took two quick steps back from him, her gaze dropping to the floor. She then began adjusting her messy hair and dirtied attire, her movements almost too hasty to be natural.

“Emerald.”

She snapped her attention back up to him. “Y-yes?”

Lucion pointed at the flower poking from her pocket. “Could I take a look at that flower for a moment?”

“This? Um, yes.” Plucking it from her coat, she handed it over to him.

Why? Does he like flowers? Emerald wondered internally.

Lucion inspected the blossom thoroughly, his eyes narrowing.

It really is a Heliosa. It’s already been plucked from the earth, so it's practically useless now. But luckily, they always grow in clusters.

“Is it… something important?” Emerald asked.

“Yeah…” After a few seconds of quiet thought, he looked back at her. “Emerald, where did you find this?” His gaze sharpened. “And why?”

“I found it while exploring nearby. I thought it looked pretty, so I kept it.” She offered a shy smile. “And please, call me Emmy for short. My family calls me that most of the time.”

Seems she really didn't know anything. Well, what kind of idiot would carry it around when it's only useful while rooted anyway? He glanced at the bracelet on her wrist. Her score is over 500? She seems somewhat capable, at least.

“Could you show me the way to where you found it, in return for helping you? I would appreciate it.”

“Ah—yes! Yes, of course! It should be me thanking you anyway.” She spun around, pointing toward the deeper woods. “Follow me, I'll show you the way.”

Lucion fell into step behind her. “My name is Lucion, by the way.”

“Lucion… that's a nice name. It's nice to meet you.”

…

Lucion knelt near a lush patch blooming with Heliosa. The curled tips of every single flower were uniformly bent toward one specific direction.

These flowers reject the laws of this dimension and tie directly to the outside sun. Like sunflowers, they track its movement, bending toward it.

Emmy, standing quietly behind him with her hands clasped behind her back, asked, “Why did you want to see these flowers?”

“To find a direction toward something.” Lucion stood up and offered her a polite smile. “It was nice meeting you, Emmy. I'll be leaving now.”

“Alright…” she replied, her voice dropping to a dejected whisper.

“What is that tone for?” He raised an eyebrow. “Do you want to come with me or something?”

The moment the question left his lips, her head snapped up, her eyes wide and pleading. “Yes—yes! I'm too scared to be alone, please let me come with you!”

“Hey! Hold on a second! I just said that out of nowhere. Are you serious?”

***

Within the Eryndor Archdukedom, Viselle sat perched on the edge of a towering castle roof, idly shuffling her deck of black cards between her fingers.

I never would have guessed Mom and Dad were the rulers of a kingdom based on how they acted in Cirelith, or that Dad was actually someone summoned from that world called Earth.

She suddenly collapsed the cards into a single neat stack in her palm, before flawlessly fanning them out to form intricate shapes.

While I observed from the Void, I also stumbled upon that universe once. It seemed pretty fun over there, relying purely on advanced technology instead of magic. Maybe we should visit if we ever get the chance?

“Isn't that a bit too high up to be playing with your cards?” a soft voice called from below.

Viselle peered over the stone edge. Looking up from the balcony beneath her was Mara, her arms folded and a curious smile gracing her lips.

“Don’t worry, height isn't a problem for me,” Viselle replied easily.

Mara watched as the girl casually rolled off the edge of the roof, dropping gracefully onto the stone balcony beside her.

“Who are you, anyway?” Viselle asked.

Mara placed a hand over her mouth, giggling softly. “You call Noa ‘Dad’, but you don't even know who I am?”

Viselle's eyes widened as she analyzed the woman's features. “Brown hair, warm brown eyes, and a beautiful face…” She slapped both palms over her mouth, gasping dramatically. “G-GRANDMA?!”

She doesn't look like a grandma at all!

Mara nodded with a gentle smile, clearly entertained by the girl's reaction.

She turned around and walked toward a cushioned bench resting near the balcony's entrance.

Taking a seat, she softly patted the empty spot beside her. “If you have nothing better to do, come sit. Let's have a little chat.”

Viselle sprinted over and bounced onto the cushion beside her. Staring at Mara with wide eyes, she pointed an eager finger at herself.

“Can I get a lap pillow?” she asked, her voice brimming with pure excitement.

Mara patted the girl's head and nodded. “Of course. Did you happen to inherit Noa’s personality, too?”

Wasting no time, Viselle plopped her head down onto Mara's lap, staring up at her face.

“Nah, it couldn’t be~” Viselle hummed happily, fluttering her eyes shut. “The first thing I did after getting defeated by him was cry and beg him to give me a self, and I don’t think Dad is the type to cry.”

“You don’t think so?” Mara continued stroking the girl's hair, her gaze drifting out toward the distant horizon. “Well then, your guess is wrong.” She looked back down at Viselle, her smile turning affectionate. “You see, he's actually such a crybaby. I've seen him cry plenty of times before. He cries whenever he gets too emotional.”