Becoming a God Starts with Acting-Chapter 65: [The River God’s Wife] - Nerio’s Part (14)

"Nerio, you have a way, don’t you?"

Matthew suddenly spoke up, even as he continued walking forward. Ace’s group frowned in anger at him, but their expressions shifted to surprise upon hearing his words. Meanwhile, the monsters on their backs let out furious roars almost instantly, the sound of water droplets falling onto the still lake echoing through the air—like a sudden downpour in the stiflingly dry room.

Matthew halted his steps and turned to face Nerio. He had no idea where this confidence came from, but somehow, he just knew—Nerio would have a way!

Nerio looked at Matthew, then suddenly lowered his head, seeming a bit dispirited as he muttered, "Yes, I have a way, but..."

The boy’s unfinished sentence only made everyone more anxious and restless, yet no one dared to rush him at this moment.

[Did you hear that? Nerio has a way but didn’t say anything from the start. He knows everything but lets things unfold naturally. I told you there’s something off about him!]

[If he even knows how to handle this, his ability is terrifying. And... I can’t shake the feeling that he’s toying with these humans.]

[Exactly! How he’s acting toward Matthew makes Matthew question his entire existence, hahaha!]

[At least now we can confirm that Nerio’s power isn’t weak. Here’s hoping my baby can escape this dungeon!]

"But?"

Matthew stared at Nerio’s fluffy hair and how his legs swung slightly. For some reason, he felt that if he didn’t press further, the boy would never continue—he would leave them all hanging in suspense, unaware of the danger creeping closer.

Nerio, seemingly oblivious to Matthew’s concerns and thoughts about him, glanced up, his expression a bit dejected as he said, "But I can only use my ability twice. If I use it again now, I won’t be able to use it for the rest of the dungeon. Will everyone still protect me then?"

His eyes became misty as he spoke, making his gemstone-like irises even more striking. He looked so pitiful, on the verge of tears.

Matthew almost wanted to slap himself. So, this was why Nerio had been acting strange and refusing to speak from the beginning. Who wouldn’t want to save their ultimate move for the final moment? Everyone wanted to survive.

But Nerio was just an innocent child. That was why he answered everything the moment Matthew asked him. And yet, before this, Matthew had even doubted the boy.

Matthew felt so guilty that he couldn’t even meet Nerio’s gaze.

Meanwhile, upon hearing Nerio’s words, those outside the door nearly screamed at him to use his ability immediately. They probably would have bombarded him with endless sweet words and empty promises if they had control over their bodies. Unfortunately, the monsters were controlling them at this moment.

"Nerio, no, don’t do this! Don’t trust anyone!" Clow warned.

"If you lose your ability, no one will truly protect you to the end—not even Matthew! Look at Leonard, abandoned in the jungle, and all the other ordinary people left behind!" Julia shouted anxiously.

"You idiot. Sacrificing yourself for others will only lead to misery." Ace sneered coldly.

Matthew glanced at their distorted expressions with icy indifference before turning to Nerio. He quickly strode toward the boy, kneeling so they could be at eye level. His voice was firm and unwavering.

"Use your ability. We need it right now. I swear I’ll protect you until the end."

[If this line had been said by Drake, Silas, Cocona, or one of the Three Great Devotees, it would’ve sounded way more reassuring... But Matthew, of all people?]

[Matthew is kind-hearted, sure, but his ability is not enough. Not to mention, Clow is lurking around, ready to tear Nerio apart, lol.]

[So Nerio’s ability can only be used twice; both times are already spent on the first night. Just thinking about his bleak future makes my head hurt. I can’t even tell if Nerio’s ability is too weak or if his entire dungeon team is just that useless...]

[Nerio’s power needs room to grow. If this is his first dungeon, then it makes sense. But he’s stuck with a team so weak they can’t even fight off monsters properly or devise ways to evade them! If he were with the strongest players, he’d at least have a shot at survival!]

Not only did the comment section think this way, but even the human observers outside the dungeon shared the same sentiment.

"Nerio is going to fall into Clow’s hands!" Frank slammed his fist on the table, his expression hard to decipher.

Silas, sitting beside him, stated the cold truth like a machine. "At the very least, Clow will preserve the boy’s ability."

Frank lowered his head, looking helpless. He couldn’t refute Silas’s words.

Drake sat off to the side, his gaze cold and emotionless.

If the Prophet were here, everything would be different. If the Prophet appeared, Nerio would have a chance to survive. He was just a child who could become a great talent shortly.

Drake knew better than to beg for anything from that distant, indifferent god. But right now, he truly wanted to ask—

Where have you gone? Why have you abandoned us?!

Silvanus was fully immersed in his performance when a slightly irritable voice suddenly echoed from deep within his mind:

[Please, Prophet, save the child named Nerio.]

There was no need to guess—it was Drake. It must be tough for him to sound grumpy even while praying. But perhaps he was sincere enough; that was the only reason his prayer reached Silvanus.

Oh, Drake, how naïve. The Prophet isn’t going to show up here, and Nerio doesn’t need saving. But hey, your kindness is commendable. Thanks for the extra acting points, Drake.

Silvanus chuckled to himself before returning to his role, momentarily dismissing the prayer of his devotee.

Meanwhile, Nerio stared at Matthew, his broad, innocent eyes shimmering as if Matthew’s words had convinced entirely him. In the end, a look of determination appeared on the boy’s face. He jumped from his seat, nodded firmly, and said, "I trust you."

Faced with Nerio’s galaxy-like eyes, Matthew suddenly found himself unable to meet his gaze. Was he feeling guilty? Because deep down, he knew his abilities weren’t strong enough to protect Nerio from every danger until the very end...

What if he suddenly died at some point? From the very beginning, this promise had already been a lie.

Yet Nerio trusted him.

A deep sense of shame stirred in Matthew’s heart. He almost didn’t want Nerio to use his ability anymore. But on the other hand,... six lives were on the line.

While Matthew wrestled with his thoughts, Nerio had already extended his palms.

At that moment, every single person’s gaze locked onto their hands—the people inside the dungeon, the humans outside, the viewers—no one was an exception.

A faint, ethereal blue light radiated from Nerio’s palms. Then, tiny stars appeared above them, quickly arranging themselves, linking together to form unsteady, stick-figure-like shapes.

Six stick figures.

Each one carried something twisted and grotesque on its back, which didn’t even resemble a human. Their joints were excessive in number, bending in unnatural, disturbing ways.

Using various methods, the other stick figures continuously attacked the writhing creatures clinging to the six figures’ backs. One by one, the twisted beings collapsed to the ground, dissolving into nothing.