Chapter 484: Chapter 179: Deep Sea Maiden
At the time of [], the Hero lying on the [] slowly awakened.
1. Morning
2. Noon♛
3. Evening
D3=d3(2)=2
1. On their own bed
2. Beside the Fourteenth Princess
3. On the Slime King
4. On the grass, under the tree hollow
5.1
6.2
7.3
8.4
9. Above the clouds♛
10. Great Success/Extreme Failure
D10=d10(9)=9
The sudden catastrophe had passed for almost half a month, and the Hero had been back at grandpa’s home for over four days.
Though the unannounced Magic Cloud Undercurrent caused some damage to the forest and left a massive pit, in the end, the Hero and the group led by the Fourteenth Princess were all unharmed, with no casualties.
Most of the supplies they had to abandon when fleeing the disaster were recovered, with only a few being blown too far or broken. Overall, the loss was minimal.
Even though the outcome was a happy one, during those half a month of recuperation, grandpa and the Fourteenth Princess had also regained their peace of mind.
However, for the Hero, some images still occasionally resurface even now.
When she was found at the bottom of the pit, the always regal Fourteenth Princess with her pale face flushed with color, crying tears of joy; grandpa— that stubborn and strong old man, almost losing his balance upon seeing her alive, slowly sitting down with the village chief grandma…
Indeed, it was due to the Hero’s decisive action that everyone avoided injury or death, and even the forest was spared from catastrophic damage.
She saved everyone, but—
[Hero’s Introspection (I hope you’ve been reflecting +30)]
D100+30=d100(31)+30=61
Reflecting on it now, the Hero does not consider her decision at that time particularly commendable.
In terms of results, her actions were undoubtedly decisive and correct; but in terms of process, it was more like reckless impulsiveness— risking life and limb while exposing family and friends to considerable psychological trauma.
And, “What if I had failed?”
Over the past few days, the Hero has pondered this question more than once. What if her punch hadn’t stopped the flow of the Magic Cloud? What if the explosion had been more powerful, covering the entire convoy? What if she hadn’t held on till the end…
Although these what-ifs didn’t happen, and she doesn’t regret standing up for her family and friends, the luck that allowed her to avoid these what-ifs may not always favor her.
These days, the Fourteenth Princess has been holding her while sleeping.
Although the Princess was not affected by the miasma due to the protection of the Demon-locking Ring, the turbulent ride and emotional rollercoaster have left her looking somewhat frail.
Every time the Hero sees the slightly pale face of the Princess, her sense of introspection deepens.
To introspect more profoundly, she deliberately ventured into this quiet and secluded high sky, where the Gleaming Scale Serpent froze the clouds into a sturdy platform for the Hero to rest and reflect.
“Do you think I’m a bit arrogant?”
The radiant sunshine poured onto the white clouds, and the Hero straightened her posture, seriously asking the Gleaming Scale Serpent beside her.
The Fantasy Snowflake Scales, maintaining a crystal core form, floated silently, emitting a calm male voice:
“Her Majesty’s self-critical view is too harsh; after all, not everyone can calmly execute a perfect move in such a perilous situation, but…” the Gleaming Scale Serpent first comforted the Hero, then shifted tone.
“You should indeed consider more before attacking; not all adversaries are Goblins that can be solved with a punch.”
Though the tone was steady, a rare sternness was evident in the Gleaming Scale Serpent’s voice.
Having been near the Hero while she narrowly escaped death, the Serpent witnessed the ordeal firsthand, and calming down was not easy; hence, his demeanor became somber.
“Is, is that so…” The Hero heard, pulled her neck in slightly, and did not retort.
Since becoming a Hero, though she has had several ingenious spur-of-the-moment responses, most of the time, her method of beating enemies and solving problems has been purely straightforward and brutal, sticking to it regardless of consequences.
Charge in, sacrifice, punch.
Or transform into a Beast Spirit, charge in, sacrifice, punch, occasionally using some Magic.
In any case, the Hero’s battle philosophy has never changed: defeat the opponent before the Magic Power burns out. As long as the enemies are all beaten to death, all problems will resolve themselves.
From the inferior Goblins that can be crushed with a single finger, to the Fallen Demons capable of altering skies and lands, annihilating nations, the Hero has demonstrated the unwelcome nature of her approach.
After all, she is still alive and well now.
Proper martial arts training was never undertaken, as it was unnecessary against Magic Creatures. The only Martial Monk skill she learned was Blaze Power, executing an All-out Attack, but she did study human anatomy seriously while healing at the Healer Association.
After the Highland campaign, due to her brilliant military achievements, she was named a Noble, and those around her praised her capabilities without cease.
Though the Hero often reminds herself that it wasn’t entirely her doing, it did build up some confidence in her battle style: there’s nothing wrong with her way of fighting.
Since she could eliminate adversaries, why bother with the process?
Hence, when faced with the Magic Cloud Undercurrent which wasn’t a living being but a mere gathering of Magic Power, the Hero acted purely on muscle memory— delivering a straightforward punch, resulting in a bitter lesson learned.
Although the Magic Power Block was unleashed by the Four-winged King and the Black Gate, strictly speaking, it was neither an enemy nor Magic wielded by enemies, instead a peculiar natural phenomenon. It was the high concentration of Magic Power releasing pressure in a low Magic Element environment, a catastrophe source akin to an Arcane Surge.