Cinderela filled a glass with water and handed it to Daniel, who was sitting at a chair.
"But Zane quickly handled the situation and used his powers to stopped the crack from spreading. And what you’re talking about is a different issue," she added in a thoughtful tone.
Daniel narrowed his eyes. "Then does that mean someone else broke the barrier? Rather than Klaus?"
"I guess..." Cinderela shrugged. "When your master and I headed toward the forest, we found the barrier in perfect condition. That’s what makes me wonder. Because, it’s impossible for a dungeon to spawn inside the safe zone when the Pilgrim Barrier is perfectly intact."
A brief silence settled between them.
"Then where is Zane right now?" Daniel asked in a concerned tone.
"I don’t know. He’s probably hiding somewhere. When the fight broke out, I managed to get Zero out of the underground base and carry him away. But as I moved toward the edge of the forest, I saw the Cinder Town guards marching toward us.
I told him to back off, but he wouldn’t listen. So I carried Zero here instead. He’s been in a deep sleep ever since, trapped under a powerful spell that I’ve been trying to break."
Cinderela glanced toward Zero, her expression turning serious.
"Status," Daniel whispered, his eyes locked on Zero.
——————
Name: Zero Dane
Age: 42
HP: 9200/9200
Mana: 7600/7600
Description: A hardworking, calm man who wanted a simple life, yet was blinded by revenge. One day, he returned home to find his wife and children reduced to ashes. From that moment onward, the pursuit of answers consumed him, driving him into a path from which there was no turning back.
——————
Daniel conjured a small drop of water onto his palm and sprinkled it over Zero’s face. Obviously, it didn’t work at all, but a try was a try.
His gaze then wandered around the room. It resembled a small kitchen, with various utensils and pans scattered around. Several clay pots filled with water sat along the walls, while a simple wooden table and a few chairs occupied the center of the room.
"Huh? His finger moved," he murmured in a low voice.
"Hm? What did you just say?" Cinderela asked, narrowing her eyes.
Daniel repeated what he had seen.
However, Cinderela wasn’t entirely convinced by his words, then, instead of arguing, she waited with him.
Both of them kept their eyes fixed on Zero.
...
Five minutes passed, yet not a single movement followed.
"Are you sure you saw his finger move?" she asked again, seeking clarification.
Daniel gave a firm nod.
"If what you’re saying is correct, then his conscious mind must be fighting against the cursed spell," she said, her expression growing grim in the dim lantern light. "Agh... but we need a Pasimyst."
Daniel’s narrowed his eyes. "What’s a Pasi... what?"
"Pasimyst. Also known as a Passiano Mystic. It’s a fruit that grows on Mystic Trees, and there’s only a tree that produces fruits each season." She began pacing around the room, one hand resting against her chin as she thought. "Unfortunately, it grows in the northern part of the forest, where dozens of guards are stationed to protect the only tree."
Hearing that, Daniel slipped a hand into his right pocket.
"If only we could somehow breach the—"
"Is this the fruit you’re talking about?" Daniel interrupted.
Before she could finish her thoughts about how they might get past the guards, Cinderela’s eyes flew wide.
"Hm? Hm! What?! How did you get this?" She stared at the fruit in disbelief. "Yes, this is the fruit I was talking about! But how did you—?"
Her voice trailed off as she stared at Daniel, baffled.
Cinderela took the fruit from him, cut it open, scooped out its pulp and seeds, and began chanting under her breath, voice low.
The seeds slowly glowed with a golden light, flickering like tiny fireflies between her fingers.
Daniel watched as she squeezed the pulp, extracting its liquid.
Cinderela carefully poured it into Zero’s mouth, making sure not a single drop went to waste.
She then stood, took something small that looked like a red chili from the cupboard, and gently pushed it into Zero’s mouth before gently pouring a small amount of water between his lips.
"Okay, everything’s set. If this doesn’t work, then there’s no way he will—" she sighed, crossing her fingers.
Patience was the key to success.
...
A brief moment later, Zero’s finger twitched again.
Cinderela’s eyes widened. She immediately dropped to her knees and began performing chest compressions on him.
"Come on, Zero. You can do it," she urged, pressing down against his chest.
Daniel dropped to his knees beside Zero, moving closer to see what was happening.
Cinderela gently tapped his cheeks before returning to chest compressions, alternating between the two as she desperately tried to wake him.
But as the seconds ticked by, Zero’s response grew weaker and weaker. Even so, she refused to give up — not that easily.
Then, an idea flashed through her mind.
"Daniel, place your hand here and release a tiny amount of lightning. Can you do that?" she asked in an urgent tone.
Daniel gave a quick nod and placed his palm against the left side of Zero’s chest, exactly where she had instructed.
*zap*
The moment the lightning surged through him, Zero’s body shuddered from the shock. His fingers curled, his legs stiffened, his entire body jerked as if every nerve had suddenly come alive, and face contorted in a brief spasm of pain.
*zap*
*zap*
*Zap*
"Oops, that’s a bit much," Daniel muttered.
Zero’s body suddenly stopped responding and went limp.
"I said a tiny bit, didn’t I?" Cinderela scolded.
But just then, Zero abruptly jolted awake, gasping for air. His eyes darted around in panic — the kind of desperation that comes from waking from a dream you never wanted to leave, only to be dragged back into reality.
"Vanessa!"
Zero shouted in panic and spun around, his palm suddenly blazing with fire as if he had sensed an immediate threat.
"Oh shit!" Daniel blurted out.
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