The One Who Stayed

Chapter 65 — The One Who Stayed

Aether disappeared between the trees.

The two Blackridge soldiers dragging the injured Origin Beast barely had time to react.

A shadow flashed across the ground.

Aether emerged directly in front of them.

Both soldiers froze.

"Drop it."

One soldier immediately released the beast.

The other raised his weapon.

Aether moved first.

A single strike sent the man crashing into a tree.

The second soldier swung at him.

Aether ducked beneath the attack and drove his elbow into the man's stomach.

The soldier collapsed.

Aether caught the injured beast before it hit the ground.

"You're safe."

The enormous creature opened its crimson eyes.

Aether looked at the wound.

It had reopened.

He glanced back toward the battlefield.

The Blackridge soldiers were still fighting his people.

"We're leaving."

He lifted the beast and started walking.

Then—

A spear flew through the trees.

Aether turned.

CLANG!

He knocked it aside.

The Blackridge Commander stepped from the forest.

"You really are troublesome."

Aether placed the beast behind him.

"You keep coming back."

The commander retrieved his spear.

"Because you keep interfering."

Aether smiled.

"Then we're both persistent."

The commander charged.

Aether met him head-on.

Their weapons collided.

The impact shook the surrounding trees.

The commander pushed forward with all his strength.

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Aether held his ground.

But then Lyra arrived.

She struck the commander's side, forcing him to retreat.

"You really thought we'd let you fight him alone?"

Aether glanced at her.

"I didn't ask you to."

Lyra smiled.

"I know."

Aria arrived a moment later.

"And that's exactly why we came."

Seris followed behind her.

"The others are handling the remaining soldiers."

Aether looked at the three girls.

For a moment, he was silent.

Then he smiled.

"Fine."

The commander looked around.

He was now surrounded.

His expression darkened.

"Four against one?"

Aether raised his weapon.

"You brought twenty people."

Lyra laughed.

"He's got a point."

The commander suddenly threw a smoke bomb.

Dark smoke exploded across the forest.

When it cleared—

he was gone.

Aether looked toward the trees.

"He escaped."

Lyra sighed.

"Again."

Aether wasn't angry.

He looked down at the injured beast instead.

"He's not the priority."

He carefully lifted it.

"We need to get this creature back."

Back at the cave, the battle was finally over.

The remaining Blackridge soldiers had either fled or been defeated.

Aether placed the injured beast near the cave wall.

Seris immediately began treating its wounds.

"You've been using too much Origin Energy."

Aether looked at her.

"How do you know?"

"Because I can see your exhaustion."

He glanced at his hands.

She was right.

His Origin Energy reserves weren't empty, but the continuous fighting had drained him.

Seris smiled faintly.

"You don't have to handle everything yourself."

Aether looked at her for a moment.

"I know."

Seris seemed slightly surprised by the answer.

Then she returned to treating the beast.

Lyra sat beside Aether.

"You know..."

"What?"

"You looked pretty cool earlier."

Aether glanced at her.

"Earlier?"

"When you used that shadow technique."

She leaned closer.

"For a second, I thought you were going to appear behind me."

Aether raised an eyebrow.

"You would've attacked me?"

"Maybe."

"Then I'd have to win."

Lyra smiled.

"Confident."

"Usually."

She laughed.

A few meters away, Aria watched them.

She wasn't upset.

Instead, a small smile appeared on her face.

Aether noticed.

"What's funny?"

Aria shook her head.

"Nothing."

"You're smiling."

"I can smile whenever I want."

Aether walked toward her.

"You've been acting strange lately."

Aria's smile disappeared for a moment.

"Strange?"

"You keep watching me."

Her face became slightly red.

"I've always watched you."

Aether paused.

That was true.

Aria had always been there.

When they were children, she had followed him everywhere.

When he trained, she watched.

When he was injured, she stayed beside him.

Even now, after everything that had changed—

she was still there.

Aether's expression softened.

"You haven't changed much."

Aria smiled.

"Neither have you."

Aether shook his head.

"I've changed a lot."

"Maybe."

She looked into his eyes.

"But you're still Aether."

For some reason, those words stayed with him.

Before he could respond, Lyra called out.

"Aether!"

He turned.

She was holding something.

"Look."

Aether walked over.

In her hand was a small black crystal fragment.

The same type as the one he had assimilated earlier.

Lyra smiled.

"I found this near the battlefield."

Aether took it.

The system responded immediately.

[Foreign Origin Fragment detected.]

[Assimilation possible.]

Aether looked at Lyra.

"Good find."

She smiled proudly.

"So?"

"So what?"

"Do I get a reward?"

Aether thought for a moment.

"What do you want?"

Lyra's smile became mischievous.

"I'll decide later."

Aether laughed quietly.

"Fine."

Aria watched them from nearby.

This time, she walked over instead of remaining silent.

"You two seem to be getting along."

Lyra turned toward her.

"Of course."

She looked at Aria.

"You should join us."

Aria blinked.

"Join you?"

"Yeah."

Lyra smiled.

"You're always standing a little too far away."

Aria looked at Aether.

Then she moved closer.

"Maybe I will."

Aether looked at both girls.

He didn't say anything.

But he understood something.

The people around him weren't merely companions anymore.

They were becoming important to him.

Each in a different way.

And perhaps—

that difference was exactly what made their bonds worth protecting.

Aether closed his hand around the crystal fragment.

The system appeared again.

[Foreign Origin Fragment detected.]

[Would you like to assimilate?]

Aether looked at the fragment.

Then at the people beside him.

A faint smile appeared.

"Not yet."

He put it away.

There were more important things to do first.

And for the first time since arriving in this world—

Aether wasn't simply building strength.

He was building something worth becoming strong for.