Chapter : 702

"Do not use fire!" Zinia warned loudly. She blocked Laxmi's arm. "If you burn her vines, you will cause a massive magical backlash! You will hurt her!"

The situation was critical. Risa stood in the center of a swirling tornado of thick, angry green vines. She cried uncontrollably. Her magic grew more and more aggressive. The concrete walls of the laboratory cracked. The ceiling groaned. If she exploded, the entire underground facility would collapse. They would all be crushed.

Ken Eliot stood near the doorway. He watched the massive vines whip through the air. He popped a green apple gummy ring into his mouth. He chewed it slowly. He did not look panicked. He ran the situation through his flawless slacker logic.

"This is the classic berserk healer trope," Ken analyzed casually in his mind. He swallowed his candy. "The innocent white mage experiences a massive emotional trauma. Her immense mana pool goes out of control. She turns into a giant area-of-effect hazard. Friendly fire is definitely turned on right now."

Ken drooped his shoulders. He slipped his hands deep into his pockets.

"She has way too much mana," Ken thought simply. "She is going to wipe the entire party. I need to cast a debuff immediately. I need to use a crowd-control skill. Illusions are fantastic for crowd control. They cost almost zero magic points. And they are very stealthy."

Ken knew he had to intervene. He could not let Risa destroy the room. He could not let her hurt herself. But he also needed to protect his own disguise. He could not just snap his fingers and erase the vines. He had to be subtle.

Ken stepped away from the doorway. He dragged his cheap shoes on the cracked floor. Scuff. Scuff. Scuff.

He walked directly toward the swirling tornado of angry green vines. He looked relaxed. He looked like a clueless, boy walking into a deadly trap. But the lazy slacker was ready to fix the entire problem with a very simple, invisible trick.

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The biological containment ward shook violently. Thick green vines whipped through the air. The concrete walls cracked loudly. Dust fell from the ceiling. The red emergency lights flickered in the dark room.

Risa stood in the center of the chaos. The sweet pink-haired healer cried uncontrollably. Her tears fell onto the broken floor tiles. Her unstable nature magic surged from her chest. The bright green light blinded everyone. Her immense grief and trauma fueled the destructive vines. She was seconds away from a massive, catastrophic explosion.

Naomi tried to push through the vines. "Risa! Please listen to me! You are safe!"

A thick vine slammed into the ground right in front of Naomi. The impact forced the fierce vanguard leader to jump backward. Naomi could not get close. The magic was too aggressive.

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Ken Eliot walked casually across the room. He wore his baggy navy blue sweatpants. His white dress shirt hung completely untucked. He sagged his shoulders as far as they could possibly go. He slid his hands deep into his pockets.

He walked directly toward the whipping green vines.

A massive vine swung sharply toward his head. It moved with lethal speed. Ken did not panic. He did not run. He did not summon a magical shield.

Ken simply tilted his head one inch to the left. The thick green vine sailed harmlessly past his ear. It missed him . He took another step forward. Another vine crashed down toward his shoulder. Ken lazily shifted his weight to his right foot. The vine smashed into the floor right beside his shoe.

He moved through the chaotic tornado of magic with impossible, flawless precision. To the girls watching, it looked like pure, unbelievable luck. It looked like the clumsy boy was just accidentally stumbling through the gaps in the vines.

Ken reached the center of the storm. He stood right in front of Risa.

Risa did not see him. Her bright green eyes were unfocused. She was lost inside her own painful memories. She remembered her family. She remembered their suffering. The anger burned hotly inside her chest.

Ken looked down at her. His sleepy dark eyes were kind. He did not use a strict voice. He did not yell commands. He just wanted to help his friend.

"Illusions are the best utility spells," Ken thought casually to himself. He kept his goofy, relaxed expression. "They do not cause any physical damage. They just change the background scenery. It is like changing the wallpaper on a computer screen. I will just install a very peaceful wallpaper in her mind."

Ken pulled his right hand out of his pocket. He held a bright red strawberry gummy worm.

He reached forward. He gently tapped the gummy worm against Risa's forehead.

The moment the candy touched her skin, Ken cast an invisible illusion spell. He placed the magic directly over her mind. He bypassed her erratic mana core . He did not use a massive, flashy aura. He used a microscopic pulse of absolute, god-like power.

The invisible illusion activated instantly.

Inside Risa's mind, the dark, scary laboratory vanished . The flashing red lights disappeared. The twisted, mutated test subjects faded away.

The illusion projected a perfectly calm, beautiful mental space. Risa suddenly saw a bright, sunny meadow. Soft green grass touched her shoes. A gentle, warm breeze blew through her pink hair. She smelled fresh blooming flowers. She heard the quiet, soothing sound of a distant river. It was a space of pure, unfiltered safety. The illusion wrapped around her mind like a soft, warm blanket.

Risa blinked. Her breathing slowed down. The frantic, gasping sobs stopped. The intense anger melted away . The profound grief was gently placed into a quiet box.

The physical results in the laboratory were immediate.

The bright green light radiating from her chest dimmed softly. The destructive, whipping vines stopped thrashing. They dropped to the floor. The violent shaking of the room ceased . Her mana stabilized perfectly.

Risa focused her green eyes again. The unfocused, terrified look was gone. She saw Ken standing right in front of her. She saw his untucked shirt. She saw his messy black hair. She saw the red gummy worm touching her forehead.

Ken smiled a big, goofy smile.

"You look very hungry, Risa," Ken mumbled lazily. He lowered his hand. He offered her the red gummy worm. "You should eat this. Strawberry flavor is highly effective for reducing stress. It is a scientifically proven fact."

Risa stared at him. She felt peaceful. The terrifying emotional storm was gone. Her mind felt clear and calm. She did not understand how it happened so fast. She just felt a profound sense of safety standing next to the lazy boy.

She reached out and took the gummy worm. She popped it into her mouth. She chewed it slowly. It tasted very sweet.

"Thank you, Ken," Risa whispered softly.