The SSS-rank Guide Doesn't Need Saving

"Bloodline?"

It was the first time she heard of it. She tried to look into her memories, accessing whatever this body knew about that word, but came up with nothing.

Seeing the look of puzzlement on her face, Zeke said, "It’s normal you wouldn’t know this. This is classified information that only people from the military factions would know."

Hearing this, Aisha’s curiosity deflated. Sometimes, it was better to be clueless about some things. And besides, she wouldn’t force anyone to tell her things that didn’t have anything to do with her.

However, Zeke couldn’t have any way to read her mind as he continued, "Bloodlines are usually genetically inherited traits. In the past, Gaia was predominantly a Human Bloodline with nothing special about it other than being smarter than animals. However, some have special Bloodlines that can manifest into their Spiritual Beasts."

Aisha thought about her past life. The way humans were reduced to prey and had to hide from the mutated creatures just to survive, like mice hiding from cats. In this world, on the other hand, humans lived slightly better. Although there was miasma that constantly corrupted their bodies, they could awaken as a Sentinel or a Guide and heighten their chances to survive. In addition, they gain strengths that transcend common sense and fight against the Corrupted Monsters that lived in Contaminated Zones. If there was anything that made them ’nothing special,’ it was that they could not live without the support of the Otherworlders because the star Gaia was not a place where natural food could grow.

But Aisha sensed that it wasn’t just because of that. She looked into the night sky and sighed. Humans lived too complicatedly. Ambitions. Politics. Greed. Selfishness. And Hunger. These are all things that made her live a life of hardship.

"Do these Bloodlines affect our Spiritual Beasts?" Aisha showed more interest in this. In particular, she wanted to know whether her Spiritual Beast could have anything special about it other than being able to devour things bigger than its size.

Of course, that burst of light Nibbles had shown before was another thing that made Aisha want to know more.

Zeke nodded. "Bloodlines can affect the Spiritual Lineage of a Spiritual Beast. An awakened Guide and Sentinel could manifest an ancient or rare mythical creature that only exists in legends. For example, a Human Bloodline can manifest animals that only exist in a distant past. But this isn’t the only thing a Bloodline can do."

They stopped before a hover car, and Zeke gestured at it before the door slid open. "Let’s go. I’ll take you back."

The ride back to the Novalis family villa took a shorter time without the traffic the ceremony caused earlier. And with them coming back later than anyone, the air routes were spacious and unhindered.

Cough, cough.

Aisha, who was looking out the window and staring into the starry sky, turned to where the noise had come from. The man at the forefront of the hover car hadn’t spoken to her since they’d entered it. He had his back turned to her, so she was unable to see clearly what was wrong with him, but the hand on the front of his chest drew a reaction from her.

Frowning, she stood up and approached him.

"Are you alright?"

Could it be that the fight against Nykos caused more injuries than she thought? But he looked fine earlier...

The only reason why she felt concerned about him was that Zeke had waited for her to come out of the emperor’s residence. Although he didn’t say a word about it, Aisha could tell he would’ve come for her if the emperor didn’t allow her to go out.

"I’m fine." His voice sounded raspy and low.

Aisha stared at him for a moment, debating whether to press him further. But seeing him not even turn toward her, his gaze fixed ahead, she decided to let this matter drop and go back to her seat.

Just then, a warm and big hand clasped around her own, almost pulling her down.

Stumbling slightly at the forceful pull, Aisha rested her hand against the back of his chair to support herself. Because he pulled her too hard, she ended up almost leaning her full upper body towards him.

But that wasn’t all. If the arm that shot up to wrap around her waist, she might have hit the cockpit. Even though it was a small matter, bruising herself because of someone for no reason was not something she’d like to deal with.

She opened her mouth to rebuke him, but he said something that made her freeze.

"I’m sorry."

Aisha lowered her head to glance down at him.

"Can we stay like this for a short while?"

Zeke had his face almost pressed against her chest, his arm encircled around her waist, and the other hand still clasped around her wrist. His words came a little too sudden that Aisha didn’t know how to respond to them.

Besides, wasn’t he a little too late to ask?

However, Aisha didn’t immediately untangle herself from him. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to, but because she was unsure of what was wrong with him. And another reason was that it wouldn’t be good if the instructor they’d roped into their side ended up getting sick before the match even started.

Aisha furrowed her eyebrows. What would she and her classmates do if he missed the match?

"What happened to you?" she asked him.

He shook his head and didn’t reply. But the tiny tremors in his hands made the frown on her face deepen.

"...Is it because of the stone in your chest?"

"..."

She didn’t hear him respond again. But that was enough of an answer because the miasma inside him responded to her instead.

Although it wasn’t as lively as the one she cleansed out of the monster meat or what she faced inside Nykos’ mental landscape, it still squirmed inside him and seemed to crawl to her.

She thought about the deal and wondered whether this was the right time to bring it up. They had agreed to do it after the match, but with Zeke’s condition right now, it seemed she had to bring it forward.

"Do you want me to guide you now?"

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