NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 1278: Welcome Back
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Crack, crack…!
CRASH!
The bony exterior of Patrick gained cracks until it quickly crumbled down into a pile of giant black bones out of nowhere.
Or well, not completely out of nowhere, as Blake had infused his energies inside his heart and deactivated his skill forcefully!
"WHAAAT?!"
Doctor Hazma, Hermes, Emilia, Henriette, the soldiers, everyone screamed at the same time. It was a strategy no other person had thought about, mostly because they were unable to even do such a thing to begin with.
"Patrick, hang in there!"
Blake ran inside the pile of bones, finding Patrick amidst it. Indeed, he looked terrible, his skin was bone, and his bones had grown in various places out of his bones and muscles, piercing them.
The ability was deactivated, and all excess bones fell, but this left his body riddled with holes, bony spikes, and an horrendous appearance, he was not bleeding, but he seemed to be in a trance, agonizing internally.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have given you that ability… I was reckless and didn't think of the consequences," Blake sighed, as he manifested his Alchemy Grimoire, and took an Elixir from his Inventory. "Here."
He poured the Elixir over Patrick's whole body; the people watched this scene in disbelief. The grimoire, the weird potion, everything didn't make any sense anymore!
FLAAASH!
And as the Elixir was poured on top of the young man, his entire body beamed with white light, shining brightly before the light slowly dissipated. When everyone was able to see again…
"H-Huh? Blake…? I-is that… you?"
Patrick was back to normal, completely naked though, and looking terribly exhausted, but he was fine, his skin was gone, his bones were back to normal as well.
The Healing Elixir not only healed all his parts, but the excess bones he still had were "molted" like reptiles molting their scales after a while.
"Welcome back Patrick," Blake said. "And I'm sorry… you ended becoming an uncontrollable being and unable to go back because of the power I gave you. I've already fixed it though; it has been sealed and modified."
With the help of Aurora, he was able to modify his Neutonium core by sealing it at first, he modified the second ability, adding a transformation duration of 30 minutes and a full heal after that, which worked quite well.
The transformation seemed indefinite, so he traded off this power for healing, and it worked just fine, making the skill as equally balanced, if not almost balanced.
"Thank you… I… don't know what to say… I really thought I would die a monster…"
Patrick started crying, as Blake let him hug him, he was still technically a child that was forced to mature into an adult through a single year since his birth.
"It's alright now friend. You're fine. Let's go, you should get dressed too."
"A-Ah? Aaah! I'm naked?!"
Patrick took a bit to realize that he was showing to the world all his beauty. After getting dressed, he and Emilia and Hermes had a heartfelt hug and celebrations, while Hazma and Henriette, although happy as well, were still rather scared of what Blake truly was.
As they were leaving already though, he was stopped by Doctor Hazma, his face full of seriousness, he really wanted to discuss or ask Blake what in the world he truly was…
"You… Blake…" he muttered. "Just what in the world are you?"
"…" Blake remained calm and composed, silent as he glanced at the old man.
"You used powers that shouldn't even be possible even with Neutonium Core Abilities…!" Hazma said. "Just please, for my research, for my passion, tell me! What… what are you?"
"I am a human like you, doctor," Blake smiled. "I just happen to be very talented… Goodbye."
Blake didn't say another word, leaving with his friends.
"W-Wait Blake! Let me join as well!"
And Henriette ran after him, leaving her grandfather alone.
Doctor Hazma sighed, gripping his fists tightly.
"If only we could harness his miraculous powers… But… well, there's nothing I can do anymore." He muttered. "The future now belongs to the younger generations, it's time for old men like us to step back and let the young'uns take the lead… You better do well, kids. I'll be watching."
.
.
.
It was an arduous battle, followed by even more arduous things, and yet I didn't even feel tired after such an intense battle and then healing Patrick. I didn't know why that was the case, but for some reason, I felt ready for the next battle already. Perhaps something within me is not satisfied yet, and only wants to defeat the monsters and win.
It'll be tomorrow, yes, but every day it feels more and more distant. The days have become longer and slower, and my attachment to these people… these friends, it has only grown, even against my own will.
I know I'll have to leave them behind, but I've already reached the point where it'll hurt me a bit… To not worsen things anymore, I decided to act distant from them; to build more memories would only make me wish they were with me after the trial even more, an impossible thing to even accomplish or think about at all.
However, as we ate inside the karaoke, and as I heard them singing, I ended up smiling. And when they forced me to sing some weird lyrics, with Eleanora, Saphira, and a few other of my androids also singing with me, I suppose I ended yielding.
Yeah, without a doubt… I will miss them, Hermes, Patrick, Emilia, Henriette even…
They're only four but… They're the closest thing to friends I've made here, in this desolate and cold place, in a society where people is treated like livestock by the majority, I've filled the hearts of the people with not only hope but love, strangely enough.
I never thought of myself as a hero that would do any of the things I've done until this point. But since I got here and rallied them together, since I protected them and led them to battle, it has been… a very endearing experience.
Even more when I had a buddy here, a friend I made only briefly, but that left a mark in my heart forever, a hero that never gave up, a friend that inspired me, despite my age and everything.
Braveblitz…
His sacrifice, even now, I remember it, and it pains me every time.
Wherever you are right now, I want you to know that I'm grateful for having been your friend.
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