Chapter 18: Violet Devil
Dune sprinted with all his remaining strength, his body screaming for rest. He prayed Nate would fall to the wolves.
If Nate survived and pursued them, they stood no chance. After several grueling minutes, Dune spotted a colossal tree towering above them, its height lost in the canopy.
He halted beneath its massive trunk and turned to Nely. "Nely, have you recovered any of your Neba? Can you create a rope with it?"
He gently lowered her to the ground. She was utterly drained, barely able to lift her head. With tremendous effort, she raised her hand and conjured a thick, long rope from her Neba.
Dune used the rope to tie Nely around him, then he carried her and climbed the giant tree. She was already unconscious.
When they reached a sturdy branch that could support them, he carefully set her down. Exhausted, he collapsed beside her, succumbing to unconsciousness.
He couldn't believe they had survived against foes stronger than both him and Nely. Was Dune simply too lucky this time? Without the wolves, he would have likely perished.
Dune woke after a long sleep, finding himself next to Nely, her head resting on his shoulder. He looked at her face, now healed and clean. It seemed she had woken before him, left the tree to hunt, and washed off the blood. She wore different clothes, her body fully healed. Dune felt a twinge of envy; her Neba and ability to heal so easily were incredibly useful.
Dune's healing was still better than the average person's, but it couldn't compare to hers.
Noticing stitches on some of his wounds, Dune realized he was also wearing a different shirt and jacket. "Did Nely treat me while I was asleep?" he thought, embarrassed. He tried to stand up, managing with some effort. Though his lower body wasn't too damaged, his hands, chest, and bones ached badly.
He ate some fish left on a wooden plate, savoring the simple meal. Soon after, Nely woke up.
"You were asleep for three days," she said softly, sitting up and stretching.
Dune looked at her, a mix of gratitude and admiration in his eyes. "Thank you for taking care of me," he said. Nely smiled gently.
As they exchanged a brief, meaningful glance, the bond of their friendship deepened, forged in the crucible of their shared struggle.
They soon left the tree, continuing their journey. "Where do you think we should go?"
Dune pondered for a moment before replying, "We should venture to the other side of the island and assess the situation there."
But Nely interrupted him, concern lacing her words, "huhhh? The other side? Don't you remember what they said? They will probably kill us. What makes you think they will be any different from Jake and Nate?"
Dune sighed heavily, understanding her apprehension. "You see, we have no other choice. Now that two of their people are likely dead, they have two fewer reasons to reject us. There are probably eight of them now. We must be cautious. Sooner or later, we'll have to confront them."
Nely sighed, conceding, "I trust your plans, Shorty. I'll give you that; you're smarter than me."
They shared a laugh, the tension momentarily lifted. Then Nely's expression turned curious. "By the way, how did you manage to defeat that Zeten? How did you kill Jake? Are you crazy?"
Nely's eyes sparkled with excitement as she awaited Dune's explanation. With a sigh, Dune began recounting his tale. "You see, the wolves... they only consume Neba and Zeten. I don't have either of them, so the wolves didn't attack me. While I stood there, I waited for the wolves to weaken Jake. Then, when he was depleted of Neba and Zeten, I seized the opportunity and struck, ending him. Lucky, right?"
Nely was dumbfounded. "That's it? No way."
Dune simply nodded. "Yeah, that's it."
Nely's realization struck her like lightning. "Wait, you don't have Neba? Or Zeten? How did you even come this far? Even normal people who don't fight have a bit of green Neba at least." She burst into laughter, pointing at Dune.
Dune admitted, "I actually have a little Neba in me, but it's much weaker than green."
Excitedly, Nely asked, "What color is it then?"
Dune looked away, feeling embarrassed. "Colorless, I guess?" he admitted sheepishly.
Nely burst into laughter again. To protect himself, Dune added, "But I can still fight well. My friend Atlas and my brother Ned taught me how to fight! If you and I fought one-on-one without powers, I'd probably win."
The atmosphere around them shifted as Nely stood with an evil smile. "Oh, so you think you'd win?" She conjured two wooden swords from her Neba and tossed one to Dune. "Come on, Shorty, let me show you a good beating."
Dune was taken aback. "Hey, wait, I was joking! Are you serious?"
Ignoring his protests, Nely dashed towards him without using her powers. Dune easily avoided her attack and gently patted her on the head with the wooden sword. "You lose," he said with a proud smile.
Nely then shouted in embarrassment, "Hey, come on, one more time, Please, my wooden sword was weaker, it reduced my speed, my hand slipped, and...!" But Dune ignored her, walking ahead with a proud expression on his face.
More days passed as they delved deeper into the forest, encountering various creatures and battling monsters. Nely took the lead in combat while Dune provided support to the best of his ability.
After a while, they heard a loud explosion nearby, and Dune recognized the distinct Neba signature, causing his heart to quicken.
Oblivious to everything else, he was consumed by the urge to follow the Neba and find the person he had long been searching for.
Dashing forward with determination, Nely followed him, her expression reflecting her confusion. Despite her uncertainty, she trusted Dune's instincts and knew whatever he was pursuing was significant.
They raced together until Dune abruptly halted, his gaze fixed ahead on six lifeless bodies. Standing among them was a guy clad in purple and black garments, his eyes glowing with an eerie purple hue. In his hand, he held a severed head by the hair, his visage smeared with blood and his clothes torn.
Dune stared at him in shock before rushing forward. "Atlas!" he screamed.
Atlas turned to face them, his expression mirroring surprise.
In a soft, almost incredulous voice, he murmured, "I knew you would be alive, Dune," he smiled before collapsing unconscious.
Dune reached him, checking for signs of life, relieved to find a pulse. Nely stood nearby, stunned to learn that the friend Dune had spoken of was a user of purple Zeten, Atlas.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone