Medusa lay collapsed on the shattered ground.
Beside him—
Mike's blood-covered body rested motionless.
The air was filled with the smell of blood and burnt stone. Smoke slowly rose from the destroyed battlefield. Everything had become silent, as if the world itself was trying to recover from the destruction that had just taken place.
Mike's breathing was slowly fading away.
His entire body trembled weakly.
Blood flowed down from his lips and stained his neck crimson.
Yet despite that—
He slowly opened his eyes slightly and looked toward Medusa.
His voice trembled as he spoke.
"Your…"
"Th-thank you…"
"Medusa…"
The moment those words left his mouth—
His eyes slowly closed.
And a terrifying silence swallowed the battlefield.
For several moments—
Only the cold wind could be heard.
Then suddenly—
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the ruins.
"Ssshhh—!"
Sota was running toward them at full speed.
Fear covered his face.
The moment he arrived and saw Medusa and Mike lying there—
His steps froze instantly.
His breathing stopped.
"Medusa…"
"A-are you okay?"
Sota immediately dropped to his knees beside him.
Medusa slowly raised his hand and gently placed it on Sota's head.
"I'm… fine…"
"But… Mike…"
The moment he said Mike's name, he suddenly coughed violently.
Blood spilled from his mouth.
Sota's heart trembled.
Slowly—
He turned his eyes toward Mike.
"Mike…"
"Is… is he okay?"
Medusa remained silent.
He gave no answer.
And that silence alone—
Was enough to shatter Sota completely.
His hands began trembling.
His voice broke apart.
Countless thoughts filled his mind.
"What if…"
"What if this went too far…?"
"What if…"
"This becomes just like before…?"
He slowly walked toward Mike.
Every step felt heavier than the last.
"Mike…"
No response came back.
Sota's eyes slowly widened.
His mind became blank.
"Mike…"
"Mike…"
"What happened to you…?"
He grabbed Mike's body and shook him desperately.
But Mike's body felt lifeless.
Cold.
Empty.
As if no life remained within him anymore.
Sota froze completely.
His mouth remained open, but no words came out.
Tears slowly filled his eyes.
Then—
He slowly pulled his hands away from Mike's body.
And in the next moment—
He screamed.
"AHHHHHHH!!"
"NO…!!"
"NOT AGAIN…!!"
His scream echoed across the battlefield.
And then—
The atmosphere suddenly changed.
Tiny lights began appearing around him.
Small particles of mana floated through the air.
Their pale white and blue glow illuminated the darkness around them.
The particles circled Sota like tiny stars drifting through the night sky.
Sota looked at them through tear-filled eyes.
And suddenly—
He remembered something.
A memory from earlier.
Back when he had been half unconscious.
At that time—
His body had been covered in deep wounds.
His flesh had been torn apart.
Even his bones had nearly become visible.
Yet despite that—
He had seen the same light.
The same mana.
The same glowing particles.
They had slowly entered his body.
And his wounds had begun healing little by little.
At that moment—
He had felt as if his body was being rebuilt from the inside.
As if something was reconstructing him piece by piece.
Sota's eyes widened slightly.
Slowly—
He reached his hand toward the floating mana lights.
The moment his fingers touched them—
"WHOOOOSHH—!"
The mana exploded outward violently.
Sota instinctively stepped backward.
Shock covered his face.
But in the very next moment—
The mana began gathering once again.
Only this time—
It moved toward Medusa and Mike.
The instant the mana touched their bodies—
Their entire bodies shook violently.
Their hands trembled uncontrollably.
Their muscles began swelling unnaturally.
As if something inside them was being torn apart.
"Ghh…!"
Medusa groaned painfully.
Even Mike's lifeless body began reacting.
The mana was destroying them from the inside.
But strangely—
Sota felt no pain at all.
Instead—
He felt lighter.
Stronger.
As if his body itself was becoming better.
A realization flashed through Sota's eyes.
"If…"
"If this mana healed my wounds…"
"Then…"
"Maybe it can save Mike and Medusa too…!"
Without hesitation—
He closed his eyes tightly.
Then he grabbed both Medusa and Mike with his hands.
The surrounding mana immediately began flowing violently toward them.
The air grew heavier.
The ground trembled beneath them.
The pressure of the mana became so intense that nearby rocks began cracking apart.
And then—
Pain struck Sota's body.
Blood began flowing from his eyes.
Blood dripped from his nose as well.
His flesh slowly started tearing apart.
Cracks spread across his skin.
But despite all of that—
He refused to loosen his grip.
"AHHHH…!!"
The pain tore through his entire body.
His breathing became unstable.
Yet he still refused to stop.
Only one thought remained inside his mind—
"Just like my wounds healed…"
"If I can heal Mike and Medusa too…"
"Then…"
"Maybe Mike can still survive…"
The flow of mana became even more violent.
Tiny lights spun around the three of them endlessly.
The entire battlefield became covered in glowing particles.
And within that endless light—
Sota continued trying to save them both, even as his own body slowly broke apart.