Chapter 523: Main Quest 2 Complete, Everyone Gathers

Chapter 523: Chapter 523: Main Quest 2 Complete, Everyone Gathers

In response to Seraphina Sullivan’s question, Rosa sighed and slowly began to explain.

"You’ve probably realized by now. All the plants, animals, and even the water sources in this world have been tainted by the Power of Demonization."

Seraphina Sullivan nodded.

"The Power of Demonization is everywhere.

Those beasts, those plants—they are products of the Demonization themselves.

But they aren’t the most terrifying part."

Rosa paused, her gaze shifting to the villagers working in the distance. "It’s us humans."

"Because of the Demon God’s fall, all the food that grows in this land contains the Demonization Factor."

She continued, "Even the most common wild vegetables, the cleanest spring water—as long as it grows from or flows out of this land, it carries that stuff."

"Eat it, drink it, and the Demonization Factor will slowly accumulate in your body. Once it reaches a certain point..."

She made an exploding gesture with her hands.

"BANG."

"And people turn into those things you saw earlier."

Seraphina Sullivan fell silent.

She thought of those frenzied people.

No pain, no sanity, no whites to their eyes, driven only to tear apart any living thing.

They were like zombies, but even more terrifying.

"Then how have you all survived?" she asked.

Rosa gave a bitter smile. "We eat less, drink less, and do our best to delay the Demonization. But delaying isn’t a solution. Sooner or later, everyone will..."

She didn’t finish, but Seraphina Sullivan understood what she meant.

’Sooner or later, everyone will become one of those monsters.’

Seraphina Sullivan lowered her head, looking at her own hands.

’The Nurse Profession.’

’Medical Soothing.’

’In this world, this Ability is practically god-tier.’

’Others have to rely on "eating less and drinking less" to delay their Demonization, but I can use my Calming Skill to directly dispel the Demonization Factor from a person’s body.’

’Others can only watch helplessly as their loved ones turn into monsters, but I can pull people back from the brink of Demonization.’

In the days that followed, Seraphina Sullivan barely rested.

She was busy from morning to night, using Medical Soothing on the villagers one after another.

Those with mild Demonization recovered after one treatment; those with severe cases required multiple sessions.

The villagers lined up, waiting for her to treat them.

The line was very, very long.

But Seraphina Sullivan didn’t complain.

She just worked in silence, casting Medical Soothing again and again, watching as clarity returned to once-cloudy eyes and the light of hope reappeared on once-numb faces.

Crystal Lynn’s heart ached for her and urged her to rest.

Seraphina Sullivan shook her head. "Time waits for no one. Every person I treat is one less person turning into a monster."

Crystal Lynn stopped trying to persuade her, instead just staying quietly by her side, handing her water and food.

[DING!]

One day, as Seraphina Sullivan was using Medical Soothing on a child, a system notification suddenly rang out in her mind.

[Congratulations, you have completed Main Quest 2: Save the Native People in the Demonic Instance (100/100)]

[Quest Completion: 100%]

[After completing Main Quest 1 (Survive for 30 days), you may choose whether to return.]

The movement of Seraphina Sullivan’s hands paused for a moment.

’It’s done?’

She lifted her head, looking at the busy villagers around her, at the people who had been given a new lease on life after her healing, and a complex emotion welled up inside her.

’One hundred Native People.’

’Without even realizing it, I’ve already saved so many people.’

"Sullivan?" the child in front of her asked, looking at her in confusion. "What’s wrong?"

Seraphina Sullivan looked down at the small, innocent face.

This was the child she had pulled back from the brink of Demonization just yesterday.

He had already gone berserk at the time, nearly biting his own mother to death.

Now, he was blinking his clear eyes, looking at her with curiosity.

Seraphina Sullivan reached out and patted his head.

"It’s nothing," she said softly. "Let’s continue."

A gentle white light once again flowed from her palm.

Sean Chandler was gathering more and more Players.

The Demonic Apocalypse was simply too dangerous; surviving alone was impossible, as the threat of Demonization was ever-present in this instance.

Meanwhile, there was finally good news from Sean Chandler’s side.

The points of light on the Three Realms Compass grew closer and closer. Leading Brandon Barton and a few other Players they had met along the way, Sean Chandler finally found Dexter Luther and Matthew Dawson deep within the Demonic Forest.

The two were hiding in an abandoned basement, surrounded by the corpses of seven or eight Demonic Creatures.

Dexter Luther was leaning against the Wall, panting heavily, while Matthew Dawson was bandaging a wound. The moment they saw Sean Chandler push the door open, they both froze for a second before their faces broke into ecstatic relief.

"Sean!" Dexter Luther nearly jumped to his feet. "Holy shit! We finally found the group!"

Matthew Dawson also let out a long sigh, nearly dropping the bandage in his hand. "I thought we’d be stuck hiding in this hellhole until the quest was over..."

Sean Chandler walked over and clapped them both on the shoulder, a rare smile touching his lips. "Let’s go. Time to head back."

Brandon Barton hadn’t been idle, either.

He had taken out a special item of his own.

A special item that could sense the location of his teammates.

He began searching for his missing squad members.

Perhaps his luck had finally turned, or perhaps the instance was finally showing them a sliver of kindness.

A few days later, on the other side of the forest, Brandon Barton found Heath Summers and Vincent Sharp.

The two of them were battered, but at least they were alive.

Heath Summers had a deep gash on his face, and Vincent Sharp’s arm was wrapped in thick bandages, but the moment they saw Brandon Barton, the eyes of all three of them reddened.

"Captain..." Heath Summers’s voice was choked with emotion.

Brandon Barton walked over and hugged them tightly.

"As long as you’re alive," he said. "That’s all that matters."

The various groups gradually made their way back to Rosa’s settlement.

Seraphina Sullivan was already waiting at the entrance.

Seeing their battered appearances, she didn’t say much, simply raising her hand.

[Medical Soothing]

A gentle white light flowed from her palm, enveloping each of them.

Dexter Luther felt a warm current flow into his body. The irritability, aggression, and impulsiveness that had built up from long-term exposure to the demonic environment felt as if they were being gently swept away by a pair of soft hands, and his entire being relaxed.

"Sullivan..." he started to say, opening his mouth.

"Don’t talk," Seraphina Sullivan cut him off. "There are still several more of you."

Dexter Luther obediently shut his mouth.

One by one, Seraphina Sullivan used Medical Soothing on all her returning teammates, dispelling the Demonization Factor that had accumulated in their bodies.

Only after the last person’s mind had cleared did she lower her hand and let out a soft breath.

"Alright," she said. "Now you can talk."

Everyone gathered in Rosa’s wooden hut.

The Flame in the fire pit danced, casting flickering shadows on everyone’s faces.

Leaning on the Demon God’s Pillar, Rosa sat in the innermost position, her cloudy eyes sweeping over everyone present.

Her gaze lingered on Brandon Barton and the others for a moment before she slowly began to speak:

"I am grateful that you are willing to stay and help our world eradicate those five beasts."