Chapter 25: Divine Affinity.

Blaze halted in his tracks and cast a raised eyebrow in Myra's direction. He hadn't anticipated her yielding so easily, but it worked to his advantage as he wanted to test the capabilities of the [Wish Granting] ability.

As for Blaze, he didn't concern himself with the issues Myra was facing. While Neo might be more sympathetic, Blaze wasn't eager to jump into a sinking boat and risk drowning. With Bella by his side, he felt he could afford to overlook others unless they specifically sought his help.

Blaze then posed the question, "Are you certain? Remember, I mentioned that the price might be higher than you anticipated."

Myra's clenched fists loosened slightly as she nodded, fully aware that this might be her one and only chance to transform her life. Neo's enigmatic presence always left her feeling adrift and uncertain, as though there were depths to him, she couldn't fathom.

Blaze's gaze lingered on Myra for a moment, causing both girls to squirm under his penetrating stare. It felt as though he could see through their very souls. Eventually, he withdrew his gaze and posed the crucial question, "Okay, then tell me, what is your desire?"

Myra took a deep breath, her once cold expression now tinged with a trace of longing. Notifications materialized before her once again, prompting her to choose carefully. After a brief pause, she mustered the courage to say her desire aloud, "I want to be free."

Mira stood there in stunned silence, completely taken aback by Myra's unexpected desire. It was a stark departure from what she had presumed, realizing that Myra sought liberation from her family's ongoing struggles.

Blaze nodded, contemplating how he could fulfill Myra's desire for freedom. However, before he could formulate a plan, a notification appeared before him, catching his attention.

『 Bella Verres's Desire: Freedom.』

『 -50 to all stats.』(Not from Luck, Perception, and Willpower)

Blaze managed to maintain a composed expression on the outside, but internally, he was taken aback by the unexpected notification. He couldn't help but curse silently, wondering about the nature of this newfound ability.

Myra, on the other hand, couldn't hide her astonishment. She found herself enveloped in a radiant golden glow, as if being molded and transformed. A notification appeared before her, signifying the changes taking place within her. And just when she thought it was over, another notification appeared before Blaze, adding to the intrigue.

『 -5 Chaos Point.』

Myra endured the intense pain coursing through her body, feeling as if a powerful force was tearing her from within. However, she also sensed a soothing and healing energy, almost divine in nature, working to alleviate her suffering. Tears streamed down her face as she clenched her teeth, determined to endure the ordeal.

Mira, filled with concern and frustration, confronted Neo, demanding to know what he had done to Myra. But Neo remained silent, focused on monitoring the diminishing Divine energy and ensuring Myra's safety.

After a moment of contemplation, Neo made a decisive move, disregarding Mira's objections. He swiftly grabbed both of their hands, his speed still unmatched despite the decreased stat points, and vanished from the Dungeon, transporting them to the safety of the Twin Towers.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Neo observed Myra's eased expression, recognizing that the pain had lessened. He carefully guided her closer to the Divine Gate, a place where the Divine energy could be harnessed and utilized.

Mira stood in awe as she found herself in a pristine white room, filled with countless mana cores that emitted a vibrant energy. Two immense gates stood on opposite sides of the room, emanating contrasting sensations. The gate nearest to her filled her with an overwhelming sense of dread and pain when she tried to gaze at it for more than a few seconds. In contrast, the gate beside Myra exuded a comforting golden glow.

Her attention turned to Neo, who had positioned Myra next to the gate emanating the golden light. Mira cautiously approached them, taking in the sight of Neo standing near the other gate, which was veiled by a shroud of intense black energy. There was something floating in front of him, but the darkness made it difficult for her to discern its nature.

Blaze instructed them to stay put and not wander. Mira couldn't help but feel a warm, comforting embrace enveloping her, causing her cheeks to flush. However, Neo had already moved away and stood by the gate shrouded in black energy, with an object floating before him. Mira strained her eyes to see, but the darkness obscured her view.

Neo focused his attention on the corpse he had brought into the Tower, realizing that it was not what he had anticipated. A faint, slow pulse can still be detected within the body, beating at a rate of only four to five times per minute.

"What is happening?" He asked.

{Beats me. But I think the corpse is absorbing the Nether energy.}

Neo felt a growing unease as he witnessed the nether energy being absorbed by the corpse, causing it to become increasingly pale. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something ominous might occur, but Blaze seemed unperturbed, questioning whether the corpse would reanimate.

Deciding to leave the corpse for the time being, Neo turned his attention back to Myra, who had completed her transformation or evolution. He paused, taking a deep breath, for her beauty now seemed ethereal and captivating. The mere slightest movement from her could potentially bring kingdoms to their knees.

Recognizing the potential power she now possessed, Neo came out of his daze and asked, "How do you feel?"

Myra remained in a dazed state, her gaze fixated on the notification before her.

『Your Body has been successfully enhanced.』

『Received: SSS grade Divine Affinity.』

『Received: Divine Conduit.』

『The transcendent are watching you.』

『The Collector has cut off the connection. You are free now.』

『Received: Divine Might.』

『Received: Heaven's wrath (Locked).』

『All stats have been promoted.』

『Collector has completed his end of the bargain.』

Myra finally tore her gaze away from the notifications and noticed Blaze's teasing expression. His comment about her smile caused her to nod unconsciously, still feeling stunned by the transformation she had undergone. Mira, too, found herself nodding in agreement, captivated by Myra's newfound beauty.

Blaze, unaffected by Myra's charms, continued to observe her with a composed demeanor.

"You should smile more often, it looks good on you. It could be the perfect weapon to disarm others."

Myra's cheeks tinged with a hint of red, but her lowered head concealed her reaction from him.

Taking a deep breath, Myra lifted her head, her formerly cold expression now bearing a touch of warmth. Although she still exuded an air of indifference, it was tempered with a newfound sense of approachability.

"Thank you for this chance."

"You better be. This cost me 200 attributes plus 5 chaos points. You owe me a lot, young miss."

Blaze maintained his grin-ish smile as he tried to put a hurt expression on his face.

Myra was stunned when she heard the price he paid and felt that it was a debt she could never repay. She clenched her hand, anticipating that Blaze would ask for something equally valuable in return.

Blaze sat down and said, "Now, for payback."

Myra and Mira held their breath, realizing that this was the decisive moment that could determine their fate.

Blaze continued, "How about you tell me about your family?"

"…."

"…."

There was a moment of silence in the room as Myra and Mira looked at Blaze with a mixture of surprise and confusion. They had anticipated a more demanding request, but his inquiry about their family caught them off guard.

Myra examined Blaze's face, searching for any signs of deceit or ulterior motives. However, his genuine smile and unchanged expression reassured her that he had no hidden agenda.

"So, you helped me just to ask about my family?" Myra asked, still trying to make sense of the situation.

Blaze shook his head. "Nope, I helped because you had a desire, and," a glint flashed in his eyes, "I'm a collector after all."

Myra was at a loss for words. Exhaustion had taken its toll, leaving her unsure of what to believe anymore. She took a seat next to Blaze and mustered the strength to share the details of her family history. She recounted the rise and fall of the Verres family, their once high status, and the circumstances that led to their downfall.

Blaze listened attentively, completely engrossed in the story Myra was weaving. When she finished, he simply replied, "Interesting."

He then retrieved a book from his belongings, the one he had obtained from the Summoner, and tossed it to Mira.

" I don't have any other unique ones at the moment, so make do with this for now. If I come across another unique one, I'll get it for you," Blaze explained.

Mira caught the book, her eyes widening in surprise as she realized its contents. She looked at Blaze with a mix of astonishment and gratitude.

"Alright, put it away. We should leave now, and remember, do not speak of this place to anyone," Blaze instructed firmly.

Both Myra and Mira nodded in agreement, vowing to keep the secret of the dungeon to themselves. Mira carefully stowed the book away, ensuring its safety.

With that settled, they left the room, leaving behind the corpse that continued to absorb the nether energy.

Back in the dungeon's main room, Blaze turned to Myra and said, "If you want to leave, you can. I have something to attend to here." He then made his way towards the Spider Queen.

Myra's voice broke the silence, suggesting an exchange of contact information. Neo paused for a moment before nodding in agreement. They proceeded to share their contact details, bid their farewells, and left the dungeon.

As they departed, Myra and Mira carried with them a sense of gratitude and curiosity for the enigmatic individual they had encountered.

As Myra exited the dungeon, her thoughts turned to the unique class scroll she had obtained earlier. She contemplated returning it but was interrupted by a ringing phone. It was Neo calling, and she answered, hearing a clanking noise in the background. Blaze's voice came through the phone, instructing her to keep the scroll and start the trial, as it was part of their agreement. The call ended abruptly, leaving Myra bewildered by Neo's seemingly clairvoyant knowledge of her thoughts. She shook her head, deciding to set aside her questions for now. This day had already been filled with an abundance of surprises and shocks.

Her attention then shifted to the book Neo had given to Mira. Curiosity sparked within her, and she asked, "What did he give you?"

Mira handed her the book, and along with it, a notification appeared, revealing the [Summoner] class. Myra's astonishment deepened, realizing that the summoner class was not only rare but also highly sought-after among the various classes available. She didn't know what to say anymore and thanked her lucky star that they met Neo but also felt a burden when she remembered how much he did for them without even asking for anything.

"Say, do you think he was telling the truth when he said that he sacrificed that many attribute points?" Mira asked as she still remembered the figure that Blaze said along with the unknown "Chaos Points."

Myra was silent, as she didn't know if this was true or not, but seeing how Neo acted, she didn't think he was lying about the figure.

Myra took a deep breath as she took out the scroll and told Mira to also start her class quest and that they'll meet in the city Inn after they are done with that. She felt free for the first time and a faint smile appeared on her face as her figure slowly faded as she said.

"Thank you."

Mira also selected acceptance, and a quest appeared before her telling her what to do, and she left in the direction.

.....

Neo was standing next to the belly of the monster, which was now opened by him as he put away the phone and looked at what was squirming in the monster's belly.

"Really?"