Damned Healer-Chapter 694: The Decisive Day

Lucy looked at the couple ahead and suddenly felt like something was off. Darian was tense and holding himself back, while Niara was radiating worry; that definitely had nothing to do with Alear and Alirio.

Niara murmured, "Dan..."

"I know," he replied in a serious tone.

The moment Darian looked up and imagined himself breaking through to immortality...

…it was like the world around him froze. A chill ran down his spine, leaving him stunned; it was an instinctive, premonitory feeling of absolute danger.

Something was very wrong. Niara felt something similar almost at the same time he did. Of course, trying to become an immortal would be dangerous, but what they were feeling was far more intense and serious. It was as if, by trying to do what he had just imagined, Darian would be throwing himself into a bottomless abyss with no return.

Darian reflected tensely, searching through everything he knew, wondering if he had overlooked something important.

Quickly, he noticed something peculiar. In the technique his master had given him, there was nothing beyond the nine rings. Not even the slightest comment about it.

It was as if that was the limit. Meru also never said anything beyond nine rings at any point, as if it were irrelevant or… as if he could never reach that level.

But if something problematic existed, why had she never mentioned it?

Darian couldn't see the logic in that. But what he felt was real. He was certain his chances of dying were almost guaranteed.

Mortal danger was something he had faced more times than he could count.

But should he risk it now?

He thought deeply for several minutes.

'Master Meru said that when I had nine rings, I would already be strong enough to defeat the Spiritual Sovereigns. Compared to the Celestial Shadow, they're much more powerful. I've already given the Celestial Shadow two years of peace to prepare something in secret. If I try to break through now, even if I survive, the consequences are unpredictable. In the mildest case, I'd have to give him even more time to do whatever he wants… I don't think it's worth it.'

He spoke mentally, and Niara nodded in understanding.

'I'm still missing two of those Books. Ailik said he can already use his power to help me cross the underworld and go to another universe more easily. It's very possible I'll be taken to another universe with a Book; that way, I can ask Master about this.'

Niara took a deep breath, gripping his hand firmly. He chose not to try breaking through now, and she felt immense relief. She had never felt such fear before; she was sure something truly terrible would happen if he tried it now.

…

"Time's up."

Darian spoke loudly, and his voice reached everyone in the distance.

They all rose, radiating confidence and will. They turned and focused on Darian from afar.

Darian was calm. This army was far more prepared than the previous one. Now they had practical knowledge from those who had already become immortals. They knew exactly what to expect.

This time, they didn't need to use a nurturing tactic for the weaker ones, and everything could flow more directly, without leaving room for mistakes.

"Begin."

Darian spoke, and they all nodded. Without hesitation, they started gathering the Qi from the surroundings into their rings.

A few minutes later, the entire planet was covered by dark clouds.

Darkness and oppressive power blanketed everyone there.

…

The first stage flowed smoothly, and everyone managed, without issue, to nourish their bodies to the limit.

The real challenge began when an army of millions of creatures formed from heavenly lightning appeared.

For any mortal, including cultivators, these creatures were the most terrifying things they could face. That was because they radiated a mental and spiritual pressure coming from the very laws of the world. But…

Everyone fighting alongside Darian had gone through countless complex battles. They were used to fighting opponents stronger than themselves, or enemies ten times more numerous. Any carelessness or lack of coordination would result in a horrific death.

There had been many battles, and even in those where they felt powerful and confident, fighting against ten times their own number changed everything. Even so, acting as a group, they overcame everything without a single casualty. That gave them the confidence needed not to be shaken at this moment.

Those who had recently joined the army, even though they hadn't gone through something that extreme, had been trained to the limit over the past few years, deliberately thrown into fights alone against the most powerful Risen.

Many of them almost died more than once, but those who endured and kept moving forward were now there, standing in the middle of the army that would ascend to immortality.

In the end, everyone acted in balanced groups and fought in coordination, just like they had over the past years.

…

After nearly a full day of fighting, with many brushing against death, they won. Then, the final challenge appeared.

There were a dozen Lightning Beasts.

They were the size of mountains, and their power was definitely equivalent to that of an immortal. It was millions against just a dozen, but… the gap between an immortal and a mortal was simply absurd. Anyone would fall into despair; something like that couldn't be defeated by numbers alone.

Fortunately, they had all patiently saved their best cards for this final moment.

Pills appeared in their hands.

Their weapons and armors pulsed as runic seals activated.

Their eyes changed, and Magical Techniques never seen before were unleashed along with their blessings.

It was all or nothing.

They all knew Darian was watching everything from right behind them.

With pride, they were showing him—the one who had given them everything they were using—that his effort to help them wouldn't be in vain. They would fight, and they would win.

They split into twelve armies, gathering their groups together.

Then, a violent and terrifying battle erupted.

The Tanks, thanks to the abnormal pills Veyle had managed to create, didn't die even when the enemies attacked them with everything they had; they were left hanging by a thread. That was enough for the supporters to act, shielding them and helping them recover.

With weapons and armor engraved with runic seals, everyone had devastating offensive potential, along with mobility options and unexpected plays.

With everyone acting in a calculated and unified way, the enemies were slowly cornered.

…

Two days after everything began.

Darian watched over a million figures lying on the ground, covered in blood, barely breathing, almost without any vitality. They were on the brink of the end.

But the rest who could still stand and fight threw themselves at the last opponent, consumed by frenzy.

"Go!" Niara roared, watching and cheering from afar.

Alear moved, covered in her scales, becoming the absolute tank.

The Lightning Beast struck her with its claws. An explosion, along with a wave of furious electricity, spread in every direction.

Alear shot backward, slamming violently into the ground.

"DIE!"

The moment the beast was 'blocked,' Alirio and Leander appeared from opposite sides.

The two attacked with everything they had, burning the last drop of power within them.

**BOOOM!**

After a thunderous blast, a rain of electric runes fell across the battlefield.

All the fallen felt it penetrate their bodies. Then, they sensed an energy that hadn't existed before, and it began to flow through their souls.

"Immortal… power…"

The fallen people stammered.

"They won!" Lucy roared from behind, full of excitement.

Niara smiled. It was the happiest and most thrilled smile she had ever seen Lucy show.

Leander had now become an immortal just like her, so Lucy could finally give herself fully to that relationship. After the final battle against the Celestial Shadow, surely a new wedding would take place.

***

The seven days Darian had mentioned had come to an end.

The new immortals had only a few days to get used to their new strength. But with the help of the older immortals, everything was easier.

That day, Darian slowly stepped out of the building.

He saw Niara standing ahead, wearing a rare expression of nervousness. Her eyes were fixed on the sky, slightly distant.

Darian approached and firmly took her hand, pulling her out of that daze.

No wonder. The day of the decisive battle had finally arrived.

Niara was certain. This day would be remembered in the universe forever as the day of its complete rebirth. After killing that bastard, everything would finally be over, and the place could be fully reset.

What she had desired more than anything since the day she was born was now right in front of her.

Her mind drifted back to when she escaped from the claws of the Mannaz with dragon blood and wandered alone through the universe for years. She saw so much until she finally had the chance to become a Summoner.

In the end, her bad luck hadn't changed at all. And the luck she thought she had found had actually been her death sentence. But…

Her amber eyes locked onto Darian. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Everything changed when they met.

"Let's go," he murmured, encouraging her.