บท 72: Wait a Minute
Don't worry.
A single phrase he had heard countless times throughout his life.
Born with an infirm body since he was a child, Xiao Ju always considered himself a burden to his family due to his condition.
A special case of Paraplegia.
At first, it was manageable. Whether it was to help him move or help him get the things he needed, his family would always be there for him.
His father, brother, and sister would all do it with a smile and assure him it was fine and that he shouldn't worry.
However, despite them doing this, he still felt guilty, seeing himself as so helpless, and a dark emotion began to plant itself in the corner of his mind.
But due to his family's constant and loving support, this feeling thankfully didn't blossom and instead, he felt like he had a chance to improve after meeting with some doctors.
This continued for 200 years and even without any significant breakthroughs with his condition, Xiao Ju felt like he could pull through while grasping that blurred dream where he could walk.
Being supported by his family he persevered and held on. Until it all came crashing down when both his father and brother died in an incident.
That time was like a blur to him. In an instant, the bright and warm home was replaced by a dull and cold house.
He could still remember the night when his cheerful sister he had known since he was born suddenly broke down in tears in front of him while he tried his best to comfort her.
The hoarseness in her voice and the tears staining his shirt. It hurt him so much but he could only vividly remember the words she told him.
Don't worry.
The dark emotion that was suppressed for years finally blossomed and all he could feel was bottomless guilt and shame.
Because of his legs, he was a burden to his father and brother before they died, and now he was a burden to his sister.
Countless doctors and his legs never improved.
This eventually caused a change in him and he didn't care for the solution anymore. All he wanted was to help get rid of this guilt and get rid of the burden his sister would eventually have.
And like finding an oasis within a desert, an opportunity finally presented itself in front of him. A clinical trial for a confidential project of the Alchemy Commission.
Xiao Ju immediately left home leaving behind a letter and took part in this project where he tested the development of new medical treatments.
Coincidentally one so happened to be for various chronic diseases that afflict patients for hundreds of years on the Xianzhou.
At first, he felt no changes but in the weeks going forward, his condition rapidly improved and before he knew it, he could walk as if he was doing so his entire life.
The alchemist said his recovery was like a miracle in itself. He didn't understand but all he knew was that the medicine was effective.
Of course, his experience so far wasn't all sunshine seeing as sharp piercing pain would affect him every night but remembering his sister. Xiao Ju held on.
And thinking that this night wouldn't be any different from usual, a strange person suddenly presented himself holding a flag.
[You're bleeding.]
"Th-That's…"
Probably due to the initial confusion from suddenly seeing a person enter his room to the symptoms his medicine usually had, Xiao Ju now noticed that his hands were wet.
He looked down and saw that his fingernails were digging into his palm. Likely due to him clenching his hands after he curled down to deal with the pain he felt.
[Open your hands.]
Hearing the rustle of a robe abruptly come near him Xiao Ju tensed up and obediently opened his hands to Yuuto in disguise.
Hovering his hand over his wound, a bright light enveloped the palm and Xiao Ju felt a warmth that made him nostalgic.
Like he was back to when his family was still complete.
[That should do it.]
"Ah…" Feeling the warmth gradually disappear, Xiao Ju subconsciously reached forward but took his hand back feeling embarrassed. "Thank you…"
[Umu, you're welcome.]
As Yuuto took a step back, Xiao Ju managed to get a whiff of a scent that oddly made his impression of Yuuto more favorable.
Reigning in his newfound composure, he spoke. "...Can I ask you a question quickly?"
[Go ahead. This one will listen.]
"Who are you?"
[I thought I already told you? You can refer to me as the Immortal Sanctifier.]
"No not that…" Xiao Ju slowly shook his head. "Why are you here in my room?"
[You called for me.]
"Pardon?"
[You called for me.]
Yuuto repeated his answer which stumped Xiao Ju.
Overcoming his initial confusion from before, all he knew so far was that a strange person had suddenly appeared but he didn't.
Especially seeing the attire and atmosphere he radiated.
It may be just a simple rope but the frame hidden underneath can be seen. It may not be as bulky as the Cloud Knights he was familiar with.
But even he could see that the person was familiar with fighting. On top of the strange flag he carried and the ability he briefly showed, it was all a mystery that he was hesitant to look into.
On top of the scent, he leaned towards hoping that he didn't come to harm him. As it wouldn't take that much effort to get rid of him.
"Sorry… Uh, Sir Immortal Sanctifier—-"
[Argh…]
"Huh?"
[It's nothing. Just bearing the consequences of my actions.]
"I see…"
Xiao Ju may have heard the flag Yuuto was holding crack but it may just be his imagination.
"Anyways… I want to thank you for healing me but I don't recall inviting someone here…"
[Really? But I could clearly remember you calling me.]
"...."
[You looked like you were in pain so I came as fast as I could. I feel hurt.]
He could only look up in greater confusion as Yuuto crossed his arms and spoke in a convinced voice.
'Did I really?..'' Xiao Ju felt dazed at his quick response and saw how serious Yuuto's eyes were. 'Maybe I did…?'
He started to feel convinced but he shook his head as the conversation was going in the wrong direction and he stood up. Feeling like he would get swept up in Yuuto's pace if he continued.
Using the wall to assist him, Xiao Ju leaned back and felt his legs tingle. He quickly looked for a pouch that contained his medicine and noticed it was just a few steps away from him.
Reaching forward to take another dose as prescribed by the head alchemist, he suddenly saw Yuuto use his flag to sweep up the pouch before him and look inside.
"Hey! That's mine—!"
[Interesting, using such deadly poison as medicine. I wonder if all Sanctus Medicus Disciples take these kinds of pills?]
Xiao Ju's eyes widened when he heard his mumblings while inspecting the medicine inside the pouch and how he disdainfully spoke about the Sanctus Medicus.
A term he was both familiar and unfamiliar with since the head alchemist would always speak about it. He didn't know the details of what they were but all he knew was that they helped create his pills.
A sort of 'blessing' that they fervently prayed for.
He might not understand it fully but the amount of miracles that this medicine created for him. Xiao Ju raised his voice seeing Yuuto speak so disrespectfully.
"I appreciate your help from before but give me my medicine or else I'll report you to the Cloud Knights this instant."
[Quite agitated? I wonder how far you're willing to walk this ruined path before seeing the dire consequences it brings~]
Yuuto tossed the pouch lightly in the air and spoke playfully. Making Xiao Ju grit his teeth.
"It doesn't matter, this medicine gave me back my legs and if I just endure the pain for just a few more trials, I can return home and give back to my sister."
[Oh! So pain is the only thing you think you need to endure? Those alchemists surely got you around their fingers.]
Xiao Ju frowned when he heard Yuuto's ominous words and couldn't fight the urge to ask. "What do you mean?"
Yuuto didn't immediately answer but he stabbed the flag he had into the floor and leaned against it. A mysterious grin can be seen behind the veil he wore.
[How great would you consider your memory to be?]
"...I would say above average."
[Do you remember what you had for dinner yesterday?]
"Of course I can."
[How about the day before?]
"I can."
Xiao Ju impatiently spoke as he didn't understand what he was getting but the next question made his heart tighten.
[Hmm. How about the names of the people you consider close?]
"My sister's name is Xiao Lei. My brother's name is Xiao…."
He suddenly felt a lump in his throat as he was about to say his brother's name.
'His name is Xiao… Xiao…' The feeling grew and his heart began to turn colder.
A pounding headache suddenly attacked him as he tried to think more but his memories were jumbled up. As if they weren't there in the first place.
"I… can't remember. B-But that's—!!"
[Impossible? I thought your memory was above average but you can't even seem to remember your brother's name~.]
Yuuto continued to smile and took a step forward. While Xiao Ju shrank back.
[Not only pain but I can see the injuries this medicine causes to your mind. Memories are delicate little things, you know.]
Yuuto lightly tapped his head and took another step.
[Who knows~ You could keep taking the medicine if you want but maybe tomorrow you'll forget that your dear sister even exists.]
He didn't realize but Yuuto was already standing beside him. Xiao Ju didn't have the confidence to refute what he said.
Scared that if he said anything it might come into reality.
"But this is the only solution! Hundreds of doctors couldn't help but this medicine did! I can now walk, which was only a dream in the past… This is the only thing I can do…"
Deprecating words continued to come out of him and madness began to grow within his eyes. His voice began to grow louder before he was practically yelling at Yuuto.
Yuuto just stood in silence as he saw the man in front of him gradually fall, seeing that his false sense of hope was actually making him stray further from what he wanted.
"I-I…" Yelling for a couple of minutes his throat felt dry and Xiao Ju's head fell. "I don't know anymore…"
He felt like all the energy in his body drained away and he slid against the wall.
[Finished?]
Xiao Ju didn't respond as if all his strings were cut and Yuuto felt a small smile grow on his face.
He leaned down and like a person finally finding a hidden treasure. He spoke in a tempting tone.
[How about I help you?]
"...You can't do anything."
[Who said so.]
A dim pale light began to glow around Yuuto's body before it illuminated the dark room they were in.
[See I told you. You definitely called for me~]
Xiao Ju looked up and noticed that Yuuto was already where he was originally and took the flag in both his hands.
[A lost lamb has found itself on the wrong path so I must help guide it onto the right one.]
[Are you willing to accept salvation that you deeply desire?]
"I'm just going to get tricked again right?"
[Who knows? You may or may not but are you sure you want to give up right now?]
[There may also be a solution to your condition that you speak of.]
Every word that came out of Yuuto's mouth felt like an angel whispering in his ear.
Or the devil. He honestly didn't know.
But he felt something tugging at him to follow this person.
"....Will you really help me?"
[When you someday find a way of life that you can truly be proud of, you'll be forced into your own battle whether you like it or not.]
[But know that I will be here.]
The light around Yuuto grew brighter and he opened his arms wide making for quite a memorable sight.
Xiao Ju blankly stared at this and felt something stir inside him.
"...Please help me…"
Hearing his pleas, Yuuto gave a bright smile and lowered his flag. Lightly tapping the floor and creating a snowlike sigil beneath him.
'Time to fight fire with fire Phantylia.'
Yuuto thought as he placed his hand over Xiao Ju's head.
Not knowing that his actions would create a powerful force that would shamefully haunt him in the future.
***
In an alleyway that was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, a dim silver light suddenly flashed behind a few wooden boxes.
A figure popped out and a man wearing long white robes and a veil materialized out of thin air.
His clothes flashed before fading into a familiar-looking coat that was white and had gold embroideries near the edges.
Yuuto looked at the sky as his veil came off and stared at the moon for a while.
'A lost lamb has found itself onto the wrong path so it is my duty to help guide it onto the right one.'
'Are you willing to accept salvation that you deeply desire?'
'When you someday find a way of life that you can truly be proud—--'
—-BANG!!!
"Am... I .... STUPID!!?"
—BANG!!!
Yuuto suddenly slammed his head into the wall where a small crack formed but he didn't seem to mind as he was currently in a state of denial.
"Have I gone insane…!? Why did I go full chunni acting like some sort of miracle savior!??"
His eyes trembled as he thought about his encounter with Xiao Ju and his face began to heat up. Shameless as he is, this was a moment he would take to the grave.
"I just wanted to act a bit but….!!!"
—BANG
"Why did I go out of control at the end?? A lost lamb? Am I a damn shepherd or something— AHHHH!!!"
–BANG BANG BANG
Sounds of concrete cracking continued to go on for minutes on end before it finally died down. Leaving the alleyway as quiet as it originally was.
Yuuto's head was still on the concrete wall but the wall now had a medium-shaped hole that he covered with boxes near him.
He left a few credits as payment for the damage and he let out a breath to control himself.
'Hey neet book.'
—-FLOOF?
'Can you seal those memories for me?'
—FLOOF!
'You damn…!'
Yuuto helplessly cursed as the book inside his mind refused his request. Saying that he should face the consequences of his actions.
"Alright! Enough of that! On the bright side I managed to get an insider that can help me disrupt the Sanctus Medicus Phantylia has a hold off."
Slapping himself in the face and erasing his shame, Yuuto thought back to why he even did it in the first place.
Not wanting to think about his shame any further.
Before coming to the Luofu he brainstormed a few ideas on what he could possibly do since the enemy he was currently facing was a crafty one who already had her entire strings on countless people in the Luofu.
Mainly the Sanctus Medicus.
In every front, Phantylia had the advantage. He could follow the path that he knew from the game but learning his lesson in Jarilo-VI, Yuuto knew that everything was not set in stone.
Especially with his involvement. There was bound to be a variable that he needed to keep note of so creating a scenario that would be in his favor was something he was aiming for.
One of the things he vividly remembered in the game was that the Luofu had so many factions in play that it could be considered chaotic.
The Luofu. The Stellaron Hunters. The Astral Express. The Sanctus Medicus. Luocha and Jingliu. Phantylia.
All of them each had their own goals with a few overlapping or completely following the other. In the end, it was hard for Yuuto to think of all the ripples he would make.
But that was before he read a letter he had gotten from Silver Wolf.
[Do not fear the stains you leave behind.]
"That must be a green light to do whatever I want right."
He still didn't know the reason as to why he got that letter but he didn't feel the need to hold back anymore.
"There will still be chaos but at least it will be organized chaos."
Although Phantylia had everything in her favor there was still something Yuuto had that could be held against her.
His ability to help calm mara.
Many Xiaozhou natives fear the condition known as mara that they might fall into the temptation of people who want to take advantage of it.
Such as how the Sanctus Medicus did to Xiao Ju. So to help fight back he decided that he should fight fire with fire.
Sowing discord and disorder in the faction where another 'entity' can help save them.
"There are still the ones who religiously follow Yaoshi and think that mara as a blessed evolution but gathering all the ones who think otherwise will help a lot in the meantime."
Walking out of the alleyway and looking at his palm where a pendant with a small crescent-shaped moon holding a sun in the middle shined in a cold diamond color.
"Xiao Ju should be able to convert the ones that are in the clinical trial he's in so I can slowly infiltrate the core members later."
He calculated a few things in his mind before placing the pendant he had back into his library.
"This should be the area where a bunch of food stalls are…"
Finding himself walking mindlessly and ending up in a large area where empty chairs and tables stood. Yuuto could imagine the bustling street this place would become once the trailblazer completed a certain quest.
"But is that still possible? I find it impossible to see Stelle change this ghost town into a bustling center…"
Yuuto thought for a bit but felt like her protagonist's aura would eventually activate so he didn't find it too unrealistic.
"That reminds me I still need to get snacks for her."
Finishing his objective sooner than he planned Yuuto looked around to see if there were any stores open but if that wasn't possible, he would just find a vending machine.
He looked around before he saw a dim light coming from around the corner and walked through the empty street.
Only hearing his footsteps he felt a sense of deja vu but he shook his head and continued to walk.
—WOOSH
"Okay, this is feeling way too identical to be considered mere deja vu…" Yuuto whispered as he rubbed his arm and looked around.
He continued to walk past a few alleyways when he looked into one that made the hair on his skin rise.
A pair of bright red eyes gleamed menacingly through the darkness that he felt like it pierced straight through his entire body. Leaving his body doused in a cold sweat.
"Yeah, I'm out."
His body disappeared in an instant leaving behind a streak of moonlight in his place and Yuuto began running on top of a building near him.
A piercing coldness can be felt following his back and the sound of a person catching up behind him echoed through the air.
Yuuto already had a feeling as to who this was but he still looked back to make sure and those piercing red eyes made his smile break.
"Wait a minute, why are you chasing me while holding a sword!?"
"You got faster."
"Damn right, I did! So can you get rid of that thing in your hands!?"
"...."
Jingliu didn't reply and continued to chase him which made Yuuto curse so he began to speed up.
However before he could take a step, countless layers of ice grouped up by his feet forcing him to change directions.
"[Break]!"
Yuuto's hand touched the ice that made itself up his leg and he flipped backward, summoning a sword to support himself in the meanwhile.
The two stood a few meters away from each other and Jingliu looked in interest at how Yuuto broke her ice flawlessly while fixing his stance that she purposely disrupted.
"....."
"....."
The two didn't say anything as they looked at each other. It may be considered a rather abrupt reunion but seeing that the two had swords in their hands.
It felt more like a battle than a reunion.
Enduring the silence and stare he was receiving, Yuuto finally spoke. "It looks like you're doing well Jingliu."
"Mhm." Jingliu nodded as she burdened Yuuto with her stare and noted the vast change he had undergone.
"Your scent got stronger—-"
"Alright, you can stop right there."
***
Just when I thought of saving for the foxian…
Herta. Herta? THE HERTA. Aglaea? AGLAEA?
Remembrance Trailblazer??
WHY MUST THEY HURT MY FUNDS LIKE THIS?? THE 3.0 CHARACTERS LOOK TOO GOOD. There is also Miyabi coming soon for ZZZ…. It looks like hoyo will forever be in my blood.
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