The bandits quickly realized the unnatural cold was emanating from Lancer. One of them, braver or more foolish than the others, stepped forward, raising his weapon. "Don't let him intimidate you!" he shouted, rallying his comrades. "He's just a kid—take him down!"
With a fierce yell, he hurled a spear directly at Lancer. For a moment, it seemed like it might connect, but then it stopped mid-air, trembling before breaking apart into countless fragments that scattered to the ground.
In Lancer's mind, a voice echoed clearly:
[Conditions met: Skill derivative of Architect's Dominion available— Molecular Collapse. Cost: 2000 Magic Points. Acquire?]
He didn't hesitate. Do it.
[Skill acquired: Collapse. Warning: Insufficient mana for long-range area of effect. Alternate option available: Diffusion of nearby physical entity. Target: Subject Selene's body. Proceed?]
Lancer froze. His heart twisted at the suggestion, knowing what it meant. He clenched his fists, trembling. It felt wrong—unthinkable—but he glanced down at Selene, her lifeless body a reminder of his failure. He closed his eyes, his jaw tightening as he made the choice. Yes.
Selene's body began to glow, her form dissolving into shimmering particles of light. The light flowed into Lancer, surrounding him in a brilliant aura before disappearing into his core.
[Diffusion complete. Magic power increased: 400 → 21000.]
As the power surged within him, Lancer rose to his feet. His eyes, once filled with grief, now burned with an icy determination. The remaining bandits stumbled backward, their bravado fading as fear crept into their expressions.
The cold deepened, and Lancer turned to face them, his presence now overwhelming.
Lancer faced the bandits, his voice cold and devoid of emotion. "It's so easy for you, isn't it? Funny, even—to take someone else's life. Let's see how you like being on the other end of it."
He pointed at the one who had thrown the spear. The man froze, a look of terror overtaking his face as he dropped to his knees, clutching his chest. A blood-curdling scream tore from his throat as his body began to disintegrate. Skin peeled away, followed by muscle and bone, until nothing remained.
The others stared in horror before breaking into a desperate sprint to escape. Lancer's voice, laced with cold malice, cut through the chaos. "Where do you think you're going?"
Blue energy flared around his body, casting an eerie glow across the area. The remaining bandits stopped mid-run, their bodies convulsing as the same gruesome fate overtook them. One by one, they dissolved, their cries echoing in the empty village until there was only silence.
For a long moment, the air was still, the chill lingering like a specter. Livia stood frozen, her hands trembling as she looked at Lancer. Tears welled in her eyes, spilling over as she whispered, "What… what did you do to them?"
Lancer didn't respond. He stood motionless, his gaze fixed on the ground. Without a word, he turned and walked away, leaving the ruins of the village behind. Livia watched him go, her expression a mixture of grief and fear.
He entered the forest, the shadows closing around him as the voice echoed in his mind once more:
[Skill activated: Essence Assimilation. Magic power from defeated enemies absorbed. Current magic power: 156000.]
The next few days were a blur of sorrow and effort as the surviving villagers worked tirelessly to rebuild their shattered homes. The damage was overwhelming, and despite their best efforts, they had barely managed to restore even a small fraction of what was lost. The silence that hung over the village was heavy and oppressive, broken only by the sound of hammering or the occasional murmur of quiet conversation.
The weight of their grief was palpable. They had lost not only their leader, the chief, but his daughter as well, in a single tragic day. Their bodies were nowhere to be found, but those who had been close to the scene swore they had seen them die. The void left behind by their absence was immense, a wound that seemed impossible to heal.
Even more troubling was the disappearance of the one who had saved their village. Lancer was nowhere to be found, and his absence weighed heavily on Livia's heart. She couldn't stop thinking about him—about the raw, overwhelming power he had unleashed and the chilling aftermath of his actions. Her fear of him gnawed at her, but so did her concern for his well-being.
She convinced herself he was still somewhere in the forest, alone and possibly struggling with the same grief and guilt she felt. Livia hated herself for hesitating, for letting fear of his power cloud her thoughts. He had saved them, after all, even at great cost.
Clenching her fists, she made up her mind. She would go and find him, no matter how scared or uncertain she felt. He was out there, and she couldn't abandon him.
Livia pushed through the dense forest, her heart pounding as the eerie silence of the woods surrounded her. Even in the daylight, the gnarled branches and faintly glowing moss gave the place a sinister feel, but she forced herself to press on. Lancer had been gone for days now, and she couldn't ignore the heavy atmosphere in the village. Everyone was mourning Selene, but Lancer had taken it harder than anyone. She knew him well enough to understand the storm of thoughts that must have been consuming him.
A faint light ahead caught her attention. She quickened her pace, pushing through the underbrush until she stumbled into an enormous clearing. Her eyes widened as she saw the devastation—a massive swath of forest reduced to nothing but flattened ground and splintered wood. At its center, leaning against the last tree standing, was Lancer.
His head hung low, his shoulders slumped, and his eyes... they were empty. He didn't even react as she approached.
"Lancer," she called softly, her voice trembling.
There was no response.
She moved closer, carefully kneeling in front of him. "Lancer, it's me, Livia. Please, say something."
Still, nothing. His blank stare didn't shift, and the lifelessness in his expression sent a shiver down her spine.
She reached out and touched his arm gently. "I know what you're feeling. Selene's death wasn't your fault."
His shoulders tensed slightly at her words, but he didn't speak.
Livia sighed, tears stinging her eyes as she tried to think of something, anything, that might reach him. Finally, she placed her hand on his forehead, her skill Mind Probe activating. Crimson light enveloped her hand as she felt her consciousness slip into his.
She was immediately swallowed by darkness. The void was thick, suffocating, and silent, save for the faint whispers that seemed to echo endlessly around her. She could feel the weight of Lancer's despair pressing down on her chest, a deep, aching sorrow that threatened to pull her under.
"Lancer!" she called, her voice breaking through the whispers.
The shadows swirled around her, hostile and unyielding, but her crimson light pushed them back just enough for her to move. She followed the faintest thread of his presence, weaving through the oppressive darkness until she finally saw him.
"It's all my fault."
"I couldn't protect her."
"I should have been stronger."
He sat slumped on the ground, his form dim and shrouded in shadows. "Lancer," she said again, kneeling before him.
He didn't look up. "Go away," he muttered, his voice hollow.
"I'm not going anywhere," Livia said firmly. "You're hurting, and I get it. But staying here, in this place... it won't bring her back."
"You don't understand," he whispered. "I let her die. I couldn't protect her. I'm too weak."
"You didn't let her die," Livia said, her voice gentle but unwavering. "Selene chose to protect you because she believed in you. She saw something in you, Lancer, something worth fighting for. Don't throw that away."
His head tilted slightly, and the whispers around them grew louder, swirling with guilt and self-loathing. Livia grit her teeth, her light flaring brighter to push them back.
"You're not alone in this," she said, her voice breaking slightly. "I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you. But you have to let me in, Lancer. Please."
For a long moment, he didn't respond. But then, slowly, he lifted his head, and she saw a faint glimmer of something—hope, perhaps, or maybe just recognition. It wasn't much, but it was enough.
Livia pulled back from his mind, her hand dropping from his forehead as she returned to the clearing. She watched as his eyes flickered, no longer completely blank.
"Come on," she said softly. "Let's just... stay here for a while. We don't have to go back yet."
Lancer didn't speak, but he didn't resist as she helped him up and guided him to a shaded spot beneath the tree.
Over the next few days, Livia stayed with him in the clearing. She didn't push him to talk, instead simply being there, sharing her presence in the silence. Bit by bit, the emptiness in his eyes began to fade. By the time a week had passed, he finally spoke again, his voice hesitant and quiet.
"Thank you," he said one evening, staring at the sky.
Livia smiled softly, her heart aching with relief. "Always, Lancer."