The Lone Healer-Chapter 193: Focus

Level 70

MP: 1300/1300 (+300)

EXP: 620/700

AP: 3690

IP: 90

WST: 22300

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Endurance: 60

Speed: 47

Precision: 40

Strength: 10

Arcane: 100

Before Neve could continue onto the 10th Floor, she wanted to go back and find everything she’d missed.

To her surprise, oxygen was still a factor, even though the floor had been cleared already, so she and Erin tried to move quickly from one location to another.

Using the keycards Neve had picked up, they were able to locate both one Rare chest and one Legendary chest. The latter of which was the one at the start of the level, and Neve was going to open it now.

Before she could, though, she found something.

Or, rather, someone.

Sitting on the floor, beside the door Neve had opened with her keycard to get here, was someone dressed in what seemed like an astronaut’s suit, like the other locals, but this one’s helmet hadn’t been broken.

He breathed in and out slowly, as Neve walked over to him.

"You... How...?" He asked before coughing twice. Neve couldn’t see his face, because of his helmet, but she could hear how blood threatened to spill from his lips with every cough. "Ah, you must have done it, then. There’s only one other person with the clearance to make it here. Did you-"

Wanting the guy to save some of his strength, Neve cut him off.

"Yeah, I picked this up off some guy who looked like you. Then, I fought a bunch of monsters. They were all absorbed by the star and now I’m here. Cause, uh... I wanted to get something."

"Ah, good, good... So, it is done." He took slow, labored breaths. "You’ve saved the galaxy."

"Hm?" Neve and Erin looked at each other. "What do you mean?"

"You did overcharge the star, right?"

"I think so."

"Then, everything should be fine. The decimites should not be able to get away from this place... And the galaxy will be saved."

"I really don’t understand what you’re saying, dude," Neve told him. "I, eh, I’m not from here."

"Ah, I see... Even braver still, that you would throw away your life to save the lives of many. Thank you."

Neve raised a brow high.

He continued.

"The decemites, the monsters that took over this station, aside from being ravenous and deadly, there’s something else that’s unique about them. They only have a seven-day lifespan," he said. "However, what they lack in longevity they make up for in their ability to reproduce. In just one day, a single decemite can asexually produce 10 more of their kind. And, in 3 days, those decemites would grow into adulthood."

Neve’s eyes widened.

"Damn."

"We tried to contain them in many different ways, but... Ultimately, we could not keep up with the number at which they multiplied. So, we changed plans. We created an artificial star, one that fed off carbon-based lifeforms, in hopes that it would grow, and grow, until one day it consumed this world, eradicating the decemites before they could find their way onto another planet. If you’ve managed to overcharge the star, then, it should be blowing up any moment now. Thank you for your sacrifice, stranger."

"..."

Neve blinked.

In an instant, she opened the Legendary chest and grabbed what was inside without even getting a look at it.

["SACRIFICE", MY ASS!]

"ERIN!"

Neve did not need to say it twice.

Erin pulled Neve onto her back harshly, though Neve could forgive it given that the world was, apparently, about to be blown up.

As quickly as she could, Erin raced all the way back to the boss arena. On the way there, Neve saw that the star had changed colors, becoming a deep, blood-red.

Just as they made it into the boss arena, the star began to implode.

[FUCK!]

Erin, realizing that they were just barely not going to make it, took Neve off her back and threw her, headfirst, into the portal.

Neve went through, seeing the world turn white out of the corner of her eye, just before she entered.

She fell onto another glass platform. Only, this time, it was so bright that Neve’s eyes closed on their own.

Snapping her head up, Neve looked around, finding that her camp, in its entirety, had already been moved here before the star exploded.

"Holy shit," Neve muttered, keeping her head low as she took a few steady breaths.

The floor’s brightness, though, a ground composed of glowing gold, made Neve look away.

In doing so, her eyes fell upon the city she’d just entered.

And, the clouds surrounding it.

Neve’s jaw dropped.

Golden skyscrapers reached up high, threatening to leave the world’s atmosphere. A bridge of light stretched out from the safe zone to the rest of the map, like a luxurious carpet welcoming Neve into a holy fortress.

Neve could see no ground next to that bridge. Stunned, she walked forward and confirmed her suspicions.

This city was floating in the sky.

For a couple of seconds, Neve couldn’t move. The view in front of her had paralyzed the woman. Until she heard:

"Quite the sight, is it not?"

Flinching, Neve snapped her head toward the masculine voice that had just spoken to her.

To the left of the portal, in the middle of the safe zone was a woman sitting at a table Neve hadn’t purchased. A lady with the arms of a bodybuilder and long, golden hair that matched the shade of the bridge leading to the 10th Floor, wearing a set of white robes. The woman was drinking tea calmly, her eyes kept on her drink.

[No level over her head...]

Cautiously, Neve walked over to her.

"I would advise against allowing this view to tempt you, traveler. I don’t know what the gods told you, but walking forward would effectively mean walking to your own death."

Her voice was firm but with a hint of tiredness to it. Her eyes did not meet Neve’s until the woman sat down at the opposite side of the table, which finally brought her bright, golden irises up.

"Uh... Unfortunately, if I don’t walk into that building I’m basically killing myself anyway."

"Ah. It’s that type of challenge that brought you here," the woman quietly lamented. "I’m sorry."

As the lady’s eyes landed on her tea again, Neve’s eyes went to inspect her.

Save for the white halo over her head and the white wings on her back, this lady looked completely human.

A golden necklace the woman wore held a coin of some sort, falling into the valley of her chest. Her wrists held multiple bracelets, each one carrying a few runic markings. Every single part of her body, with the only exception being her face, held scars. Some minor and narrow, others being so large they hinted that she’d nearly had entire body parts cut off.

And yet, her hands didn’t shake the way Neve’s had just a moment ago, after the Survival trail she’d finished. Nor did her eyes hold the same anger Neve’s did whenever she looked into a mirror.

She looked downright serene.

"If you are truly set on venturing into my fallen home, then I suppose the least I could do is provide some information. Though, if your Unity Trials are different from mine, I suppose the gods could end up surprising you anyway."

"I’d appreciate that," Neve replied.

"Very well. My name is Aphria," she said, gently putting her tea down and extending a hand.

"I’m Neve," the healer replied as she shook it.

She gave Neve’s hand a squeeze and Neve almost felt like it was about to break.

[Ow!] She thought, trying not to let any pain show on her face. [How strong is this lady!? I have 60 Endurance!]

"Neve. That name means ’sunset’ in my people’s tongue. Beautiful."

"..."

... Neve’s heart skipped a beat.

"So, Sunset. What exactly is it that you need to do?" Aphria asked, lifting her porcelain cup to her pale lips.

Neve opened her map, focusing on the situation at hand.

"Uh... Well, I need to reach a certain spot. Then, once I’m there, there should be a monster I have to fight. I beat it, and I can leave this place."

"Is that so? It would have been better if you could get through this without having to engage anything, but oh well. I will do my best to advise you."

"Thanks. I..."

Before Neve could continue, a message interrupted her.

Quest Gained!

{Have Aphria help you reach the Boss of this Floor}

{Reward: 10 IP}

{Reward: Spell: Divine Intervention}

Neve trailed off as she read those words.

Once she understood, or believed she understood, what the quest was asking of her, she said:

"But, if it’s alright with you, could you maybe follow me into the city?" Neve asked. "I think I could use the-"

Aphria cut her off.

"No." One word said loudly and with conviction. All of a sudden, Aphria’s hands began to shake in much the same way Neve’s had been. "I refuse."