The Warmth of Blessings

‘Blessing of Flint’

Exempt from abnormal conditions caused by ‘Cold’, bestows ‘Flint’, increases resilience.

‘Flint’: Raises ambient warmth, attaches fire attribute to attacks, strongly restrains ice attributes.

Saint Lily passed the blessing. Red Spider Lily felt the warmth, strange as it seemed. Amid this snowy environment, she actually felt it was too hot, as if she were wearing too many clothes.

Within five meters around them, frost and snow melted, white steam rising in wisps.

The blizzard stretched far and wide; this small increase in visibility seemed useless.

Saint Lily looked down at the fallen white rose, crouched, and gently straightened it.

After doing this, she stared for a while longer, still listless.

Her staff spun, and a square blue barrier emanated from her, passing through Red Spider Lily, expanding rapidly in all directions.

“Saint Lily, are you trying to locate White Rose through the barrier’s sensing?” Red Spider Lily asked curiously.

“Huh… there’s a method like that?” Saint Lily hesitated, then smiled. “Red Spider Lily is so clever~”

“Uh, you didn’t think of it?” Red Spider Lily scratched her cheek. But she wasn’t smug about the praise—she knew Saint Lily must have her reasons. So she asked directly, “If not that, then what are you planning?”

“A try: to drive away the wind and snow.” She infused the blessing into the barrier. Could it change its effect from single-target to area-wide?

……

“Ugh!”

He Mo moved slower and slower in the blizzard. An unavoidable ice spear thrust struck him. His sturdy gilded skin finally couldn’t hold out under this blow and reverted to his original bronze complexion.

Knocked back, He Mo pressed against the ice, wiped blood from his mouth, and tried to stand.

But his legs were already covered in frost. The freezing was so fast he couldn’t even feel pain before numbness set in.

He Mo’s pupils burned with rage as he glared fiercely at the figure high above.

“Damn it! With such power, why don’t you take the right path? You villain ability users are the cancer of this world! I can’t let you go—otherwise you’ll hurt more people.”

“Ah!!!” He roared, his fists clashed again, turning gold, then covering his whole body, shattering the ice.

“I will never allow it!!!”

“Not the Villain Alliance, not Su Mo, not anyone who wants to destroy the peace of Hehe City!”

A faint blue light screen passed through him.

“Eh?”

Distracted, the breath he had just gathered loosened, and he spat out a mouthful of old blood.

Σ_(꒪ཀ꒪」∠)

Damn it! Low blow, attacking while he was distracted.

He Mo fell powerlessly to the ground, his pupils losing focus. Was this the end…?

His vision darkened. He sensed his opponent wasn’t letting up, launching an attack directly. As the blizzard came at him, he might never wake again. So unwilling, to die like this.

But his eyelids were so heavy. Just as they were about to close—

A faint floral fragrance came. He felt a warmth surge through his body. The surrounding cold gradually faded. His energy returned.

A final burst of life?

It seemed when hope was lost, the brain released adrenaline and other hormones to excite the heart, constrict blood vessels, raise blood pressure, save from shock, and activate organs as much as possible. But it wouldn’t last.

Whatever! It won’t last, so I’ll use this time to defeat—

He Mo’s vision cleared. He saw lily petals scattering everywhere under the sunlight and warm breeze. Everything felt so comfortable that he hesitated again.

Huh…

Was he dead? Was this heaven?

An ice spear shot straight at him.

WTF!

Why are you here too? I’ll take you with me!

Numerous rings of light flashed before He Mo. The ice spear shattered a shield but dissipated in midair.

“This… this is my power…”

Shock!

“White Rose! Now, right this instant, wake up!”

A sonic boom—a figure appeared high in the sky, then threw a punch. The icy armor covering the girl was melted and dissolved by the flowing white flames that emerged.

“Bang!!!”

Yes, the force was immense. The girl’s figure shot toward the ground like a cannonball, leaving a deep human-shaped crater.

……

****

………………………….Time Split～……………………….

“Mr. He, that’s roughly the situation. That child isn’t a villain ability user; she went berserk due to the characteristics of the dungeon room.”

“Thank you for rescuing the other two children. I’ll take responsibility for restoring your physical condition to its peak. Is there anywhere else you feel unwell?”

“Ah… ah…”

It took He Mo a long time to snap back. He scratched his head. “I feel fine. No issues.”

“That’s great!” Saint Lily beamed. “Oh, Miss Tan is very worried. Would you like to go back and let her know you’re safe?”

“Right, you’re right~”

He Mo was dazzled by her smile. He stood up, took a few steps, then suddenly turned back. “Are you that Saint Lily?”

“If there’s no second Saint Lily, then I suppose I am~”

“You… you’re this strong?” He thought Saint Lily was weak, taking forever to defeat a disaster beast.

“It’s just that I recently advanced and acquired some methods to counter them, so it gave you that illusion.” Saint Lily smiled.

“Is that… so?”

……

After seeing He Mo off, Saint Lily sighed. Her professional smile faded. She turned and walked toward the crater. “How long are you planning to lie in that hole?”

“……” White Rose looked at her for a long time, then finally spoke, her voice carrying a hint of grievance. “Saint Lily, I can’t move.”

“You deserve it.” She scolded without real anger, but then sighed again. She jumped into the crater and helped the girl up.

“Saint Lily, heal me.”

“No healing. Recover on your own!” Saint Lily draped White Rose’s arm over her own shoulder.

“Saint Lily, I’m so scared. Truly scared. I felt like I couldn’t come back.”

“What a rarity! The ‘strong’ one is actually afraid?” Saint Lily jabbed at her, then added, “But if it’s real, remember that feeling. It’ll help you tell right from wrong~”

“Also, don’t think this is the end. The people you truly need to beg forgiveness from aren’t me—it’s your teammates.”

“…Okay.” White Rose nodded lightly, looking at Saint Lily supporting her. “Saint Lily, can you come back? I’ll give you back the captain position~”

“No. Everyone has to take responsibility for their choices. You, me too. This is the last time I clean up after you. It’s time to grow up, White Rose.”

“You need to shoulder your own responsibilities. Put away your childish temper. Don’t always look only at yourself. Look at things outside yourself more often. That’s what I’ve wanted to say to you for a long time, but I never had the chance. And even if I said it, you probably wouldn’t listen.” Saint Lily spoke these words.

“You win this time. I’ll listen.” White Rose had anticipated the outcome, but she didn’t argue.

“Only if it makes sense.” Saint Lily corrected.

“Yes, yes~”

“One ‘yes’ is enough. Otherwise it sounds insincere.”

“Are you my mom?”

“If I had a daughter like you, I’d worry myself to death~”

“Hmph~”

“And you still have the nerve to be angry?”

“……”

“Saint Lily.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry. And thank you for saving me again.”

“……”

Only a helpless sigh followed, and then no more words were exchanged along the way.