Return of the Fallen Volume 2 Chapter 7
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Author: Blue_Rat
ch7
Nunully’s description of the black rock managed to only fill everyone’s heads with questions.
Danny, of course, was the first one to ask.
“With a name like Magnitium, you’d think it was a magnet. Can it only affect gravity or is there something else to it. I ask because there seemed to be something wrong with Sam a moment ago. I noticed Kimi calling out to him but when she went quiet I thought nothing of it. Only when Ryuta shouted did I notice that Sam seemed off.”
Sam interrupted the conversation and replied back.
“I was off?”
“Hmm, well more like you just weren’t paying attention or something.”
Sam went quiet for a moment before he turned to Kazuki.
“Ryuta, you noticed something, didn’t you. I was concentrating on that Magnitium rock thing when I suddenly heard your shout and when I turned around to see what you wanted, Kimi was already…”
Sam clenched his jaw in shame for what he had done to Kimi. Even now he still didn’t know how it had happened.
“The only thing I noticed was Kimi’s breathing had stopped and since you were nearest to her I called out to you.”
Kazuki quickly gave an excuse. He couldn’t tell them that he knew the rock was Magnitium beforehand, otherwise, that would bring up other issues about his knowledge. With the current excuse, he could simply add a detail or two more and it would cover his ass. And just like he thought, Danny jumped on his statement.
“You noticed her breathing had stopped. How, from here, how is that possible?”
Kazuki feigned confusion and asked everyone.
“Have none of you noticed. Ever since the Karada Cauldron, our bodies have clearly been improved. Don’t tell me you all thought it was merely our strength and speed that was enhanced.”
Everyone looked around at one another as if to say [ “What are you talking about.” ] before Kazuki continued.
“Close your eyes and relax your breathing. Even without full concentration, listen to your surroundings.”
Asuna was the first one to shut her eyes and listen.
Slowly but surely the world of sound seemed to open up to her. The first thing she could hear which was also the loudest thing around at the moment was the crackling of the fire. A moment later she changed her target and she heard everyone’s breathing. Underlying those breaths, several small sounds could be heard from everyone’s chest.
Like the beating of a tiny drum, she could hear everyone’s heartbeats without having to place her face on their chest. Some were clearly beating faster than others but one, in particular, was steady and calm. Looking over she could tell the calm steady beating was coming from Kazuki.
The two shared a look and suddenly, the beating got louder and louder. She wondered who it was coming from until she realized it was her own heart. A tinge of red spread across her face and she quickly tore her gaze away from Kazuki’s. Only after a moment or so after did her heart begin to calm down.
After that, she concentrated again and she could hear the flame of a candle slowly burning from across the room. Looking over to the candle her eyes went wide in astonishment. She had to test it a few more times until she was absolutely certain that the noise she was hearing was truly coming from the candle and after a minute she confirmed it.
Everyone else began to open their eyes and they all wound up sharing a similar look. Even Danny who seemed slightly skeptical at first opened his eyes stunned.
Danny abruptly stood up.
“How did we not notice this until now, what the hell is happening?”
“Hahaha. This is interesting. To find out something new about yourself in such a way is kind of refreshing. Ryuta, how did you know about this?”
Shin was enjoying this like it was a comedy. To go for so long without realizing you were capable of something was like being a fish and not realizing you could swim. To Shin this was hilarious.
Kazuki laughed as well and finished off his excuse.
“Hahaha, well actually, I didn’t know until a few hours ago when we were first attacked by that demonic bird. The first time it cut off the noise around us, the only thing I could hear at that time was my own heartbeat. Because I was terrified, my heart was beating incredibly hard. I focused on it a bit and the resulting sound pounded in my head like someone was banging on a sheet of metal with a hammer. It scared the shit out of me and I thought my heart was about to explode or something. It was only then that I remembered how our bodies had undergone transformations and it was the only thing that made sense at the moment. Only when we finally got here and I could calm down did I confirm it.”
Asuna’s face all of the sudden paled. She swiftly tucked her head into her hands and whispered.
“So just now when my heart was beating like that, did…did you hear it?”
Kazuki very awkwardly shifted his gaze away.
“I…I have no clue what you’re talking about.”
Asuna’s face changed from pale to red back to pale again. She got up and hid behind Sam’s large frame in embarrassment, whilst yelling.
“Nobody listen to my heart, just ignore it. I’m just feeling slightly sick at the moment.”
Shin teasingly asked.
“Hehe, do you need some medicine? I happen to know the perfect remedy for lovesickness, hahahahaha.”
Asuna grabbed a wooden plate from the ground and threw it at Shin’s head with a dangerous speed but Shin easily dodged it and continued to laugh. Then a ridiculous scene took place of Asuna picking up any object she could find before tossing it over Sam’s shoulder with her top speed at Shin’s head and Shin in return would dodge the objects and continue to laugh.
While the two were horsing around, Danny scooted closer to Nunully.
“Nunully, we got way off course but I’m still interested in this Magnitium, can you tell me more about this black rock?”
As Nunully started to explain, Asuna had run out of objects to throw and sat down while fuming, her embarrassment gone long ago. Shin as well found Danny’s inquiry intriguing and sat down to listen.
“Before that, Sam, how are your wounds? We didn’t have time earlier due to us being chased but now that we’re safe I can provide treatment if you wish.”
Sam shook his head no to Nunully’s offer but Kazuki gave him a spiteful look and he swiftly changed his tune. With a small nod he said.
“Please.”
Nunully walked over and examined his arm. Out of all of the elements, the most powerful healing ones were both earth and water. Those that had one of these two elements could naturally heal faster than those that didn’t. The only exception that Kazuki knew of was himself. He could easily cut away Sam’s wounds with the element of darkness and then heal his wounds in a matter of minutes but for obvious reasons, that was something he wouldn’t do.
Watching from the sidelines, Kazuki admired Nunully’s natural skill. Although not as fast as himself, she was noticeably efficient and had good technique. She first cleaned the wounds on Sam’s shoulder and arm before she covered her hand in a glove of water. The water on her hand glowed a bright blue and she slowly passed over his wounds.
With precision, she went directly for the most damaged areas and focused on fully stopping the bleeding. Kazuki’s eyes concentrated on where her hand was and noticed something interesting. In order for her to stop the bleeding, she would freeze the wounds shut with a small layer of ice.
Then she would manipulate the ice to melt slightly from beneath the surface of the skin. Kazuki came over to get a better look. Sitting about three feet away, his ki just managed to give him a look inside of Sam. To his amazement, the top layer of Sam’s skin was frozen closed but beneath it, the ice melted slightly and the water healed Sam from within.
Usually, healers would either work from the surface first then they would send their powers deeper within and heal someone or they would start healing someone from within and work their way outward. Nunully, though, was healing both the outside and the inside at the exact same time. To do this required an extremely high amount of concentration as well as a dual focus.
She was splitting her powers into two and doing two jobs at once. This was not something that could be done by an average person and wouldn’t even be attempted by someone who didn’t have a high level of skill. For if they messed up, it could be the patient who ends up worse off or the healer themselves.
If she lost focus for even a moment her ice could invade a person’s body and cause serious harm or even kill them. The reverse to that was in splitting one’s powers into two, you could easily lose track of the rate your magic was being depleted. One could wind up incurring the wrath of mana sickness.
Sam’s wounds began to heal and the ice atop his skin brought a cool refreshing soothing feeling. He had been running nonstop through the forest and using his muscles, pushing them towards their limits. This ice was just like an ice pack and brought him a pleasant chill down his spine. The feeling almost brought a sigh from his lips but this was Sam, of course, so the most that came from it was a slight rise from his eyebrows.
Sam felt a slight movement from his lap. Looking down, he saw Kimi’s eyes slowly flutter open.
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