That was said to be one of the abilities representative of a Second Awakening. Beyond that, skills are enhanced or an effect that ignores attribute resistance arises.

"I heard you also have a skill that ignores an opponent’s frost resistance, Hunter Walfred, so I asked whether you might be a Second Awakener..."

Chloe said carefully.

But she’d guessed wrong.

In Walfred’s case, it wasn’t a Second Awakening; he ignored attribute resistance thanks to a special skill manifested through his resonance relationship with Elsa.

’But...’

He didn’t feel the need to explain all of this in detail, so he decided to just gloss over it.

"Well, it’s roughly similar."

"So that’s it! Whew, to think I’d see a Second Awakener twice in my lifetime...!"

She wore a deeply moved expression.

Clasping her two bony hands tightly together, Chloe murmured with tears welling up:

"So there was still hope for us after all."

"Hope?"

"Yes, because if it’s you, Hunter Walfred, then someday you’ll be able to retake New York, seized by monsters, and gather the survivors scattered far and wide."

"...?"

What was she on about now?

Walfred tilted his head. Chloe, however, paid it no mind and continued saying her piece.

"Hunters naturally gather around the strong, so when that happens, I believe it’ll even be possible to build an enormous shelter someday."

Bring the hunters together as one?

Become a rallying point for the survivors?

At those words, Walfred couldn’t help but scoff. Because he had no such intention in the slightest.

’Once I find Jenna...’

After that, he planned to live quietly.

Finding a gate suitable enough to settle down in, like the Blue Hole at the Lower Manhattan Tech District Hall, and living in peace.

That was Walfred’s ultimate goal.

But there was no reason to tell a third party about it, so he simply kept his silence.

"While you’re here, I’ll do my utmost to make sure you can rest comfortably. If there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to say so."

With those words.

The conversation with Chloe came to an end.

After that, a bit more time passed, and around the time night had grown deep. Elsa, who’d been playing with the children, losing all track of time, came over with a sleepy face.

"Daddy. I’m sleepy..."

"Alright. Let’s sleep."

Elsa soon drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

Walfred stroked Elsa’s hair and looked at Sienna.

The book, now showing its final page.

And a while later.

"----- "

The long, drawn-out recitation came to an end.

Soon, an immense light burst from the book, like an explosion of light.

Paaaaaat!

A fleeting instant, without even time to shut his eyes.

His consciousness grew distant, and he felt a strange sensation, as if he were being sucked into an unfamiliar space.

Then, whether it was an illusion or a trick of the mind, he got the feeling that someone was inside the unfamiliar space.

Just then.

[Is there really a need to go this far?]

The whisper of an unfamiliar presence pierced clearly into Walfred’s mind. At this, Walfred realized that what he’d just felt was no trick of the mind.

There had definitely been someone there.

’No, more accurately...’

It felt like he was peering into someone’s memory.

Because back when he’d peered into Elsa’s memory at the White Dome, he’d felt something similar to now.

[I worry it’ll only be a waste of effort...]

[Even if that’s so, it must be done.]

Then a new voice spoke.

A voice utterly different from the first one, vast and majestic. The unidentifiable voice, whose very gender couldn’t be told, continued:

[Just as we received the help of all, somewhere among the countless dimensional realms there may be a world desperately wishing for our help.]

[Lord □□□...]

After finishing the inscrutable conversation.

The unfamiliar space filled with silence. But it wasn’t perfect silence. Because he could see the unidentifiable presence writing something in the book.

And a while later.

He felt the presence that had been writing in the book turn its gaze, as if to look this way.

[And so. You. I bless.]

A feeling as if it were speaking directly to Walfred.

With that single phrase as the last, his distant consciousness returned. Along with it, the intense light died down in an instant, and the original scenery came into view.

Walfred’s face hardened.

’...What was that just now?’

For one thing, it hadn’t been a dream or a hallucination.

Because it was this vivid even now.

After some deliberation, Walfred asked Sienna about the unidentifiable memory he’d just seen.

He thought that she, who’d read the book directly, might know what this memory was. But the answer that came back was not what he’d hoped.

"I’m sorry. I don’t really, either..."

In the end, it meant she didn’t know.

Then Sienna, her face pale and drained, gasped for breath as she asked:

"More importantly, h-how do you feel?"

"About what?"

"The blessing. Can you feel, that something’s changed...?"

Oh, right. I received the blessing, didn’t I?

Snapping out of his thoughts, Walfred checked his skill list. And at the bottom, he confirmed the existence of the blessing marked as [Eternal Blessing of Light].

-----

[Divine Protection: Eternal Blessing of Light]

[□□□ blesses you.]

[Your body becomes lighter and you gain the power to resist the fear of darkness and death. Additionally, the cooldowns of all skills are drastically reduced.]

▷Physical ability enhancement: +300%

▷All skill cooldowns: -50%

▷Dark/death-attribute tolerance: +75%

▶Special skill: [Brilliance]

▷Duration: Constant

-----

After seeing the information for the [Eternal Blessing of Light].

Walfred let out an involuntary scoff of disbelief.

"Heh..."

It was absurdly good.

Good enough that he thought it wouldn’t lose out even compared to the [Blessing of the Frost Dragon]. He especially liked the reduction to all skill cooldowns.

This meant he could use powerful skills like [Frost Nova] and [Icicle Chaser] more frequently.

’But the special skill is a bit different.’

The ordinary [Blessing of Light] came with a special skill called Radiance, whereas the [Eternal Blessing of Light] had one named Brilliance.

Different names, so different effects, right?

Walfred opened the detailed information.

-----

[Blessing of Light: Brilliance]

[While the Blessing of Light is in effect, skills of any attribute can deal resistance-ignoring damage to ghost/spirit-type monsters.]

[You gain immunity to mental interference and contamination.]

[Additionally, when attacked, there’s a 10% chance to completely nullify the attack’s damage. There’s also a 5% chance to reflect the enemy’s attack right back.]

▷Active duration: Constant

-----

In addition to the abilities of [Special Skill: Radiance], an effect that perfectly blocks damage at a set probability.

And on top of that, damage reflection.

Walfred let out a sound of admiration.

’Feels like I’ve got myself one heck of an insurance policy.’

At this level, staying an extra day had been worth it. With a satisfied smile, Walfred looked at Sienna to share his thoughts on the blessing.

But.

"Huh?"

She’d collapsed in place and lay motionless.

Walfred set Elsa down on the floor and hurriedly went over to Sienna.

A moment later, only after checking Sienna’s condition did he let out a sigh of relief.

’She’d just passed out from exhaustion.’

Well, of course she had, having recited the book for more than ten-some hours while up against [Cold Emission].

Walfred carefully lifted the unconscious Sienna into his arms and moved her to a cot. Then he returned to Elsa and quietly settled down to sleep.

And so an eventful day came to a close.

---

The next morning.

Walfred finished his preparations to leave the underground shopping arcade.

Perhaps because she’d severely overexerted herself the day before, Sienna had come down with a bad case of body aches and couldn’t get up. In her place, Mitchell and the other hunters came to see them off.

It wasn’t only the adults who came to see them off.

"Big sis, are you leaving already?"

"Can you come play again later?"

"Uh, that’s..."

At the children’s words, Elsa trailed off and looked up at Walfred. From the wistful look on her face, it seemed she’d grown quite close to the kids in that time.

Walfred gave a small smile and said:

"Once I’m done with what I have to do, let’s come back again."

After he met up with Jenna, he had no intention of deliberately throwing himself into dangerous situations.

At Walfred’s reply, Elsa’s face lit up. Then she beamed brightly at the children.

"Mm-hm! I’ll come again later. I promise!"

As Elsa and the children said their farewells.

Mitchell, who’d come along to see them off, approached Walfred. Then, in a low, sunken voice, he spoke as if in a whisper.

"Hunter Walfred."

"...?"

"There’s one thing I’d like to tell you. When you pass through Hamilton Station later on, please by all means don’t let your guard down."

"Why? Don’t tell me a gate’s been liberated over there too..."

"No, it’s not monsters."

Mitchell shook his head.

His gaze sank low.

"...There’s a band of bandits made up of hunters."

So-called raiders.

A group made up mostly of C-rank or D-rank hunters, they prey on non-Awakened who’ve come out to scavenge for supplies or on small-scale shelters.

Instead of fighting monsters, they hunt people, cycling between survival and pleasure. Human scum. That was how Mitchell described the band of bandits.

"Of course, someone of your caliber, Hunter Walfred, could surely pass through without much trouble, but..."

Trailing off, Mitchell looked at Elsa, who was exchanging goodbyes with the children. At the sight, Walfred’s eyes glinted coldly.

"Yeah. I get what you mean."

"Yes, please do take care."

With those words as the last.

Walfred climbed the stairs leading up to the surface, holding Elsa’s hand. At that, the children followed all the way to the foot of the stairs, waving as they saw the two off.

"Bye, big sis Elsa!"

"Come play again later!"

"Thank you, Hunter Walfred!"

"We won’t forget this kindness."

"If you ever need help down the road, please come find us anytime. We’ll help however we can."

Seen off by everyone.

Walfred left the Trenton Station underground shopping arcade together with Elsa. And following the Northeast Corridor railway, he once again set off southward.