"——This is simply a miracle!"
In the ruins of a village utterly destroyed by the Degenerators, the thick stench of blood permeated for days and had not dispersed, with the corpses of Magic Creatures and villagers strewn about, yet not even maggots or flies could be seen, only a ringing silence of death.
The scene before their eyes was extremely tragic, enough to shatter the heart and gall of any witness, but this group had grown accustomed to such despair, normally indifferent and numb.
However, in this Silent sea of corpses and blood, a Magician from among their party carefully picked up a girl who had just resumed breathing, his movements delicate and gentle as if handling a priceless gem.
The girl's body, previously On the Verge of Death, now rose and fell steadily with her breath, and after his ten hours of desperate rescue, this nameless girl finally escaped from life-threatening danger, becoming the village's sole survivor.
Yes, the only survivor.
This once thriving village had been completely turned into a dead land under the onslaught of the Arcane Surge, with none of the villagers spared.
Only she, lying unconscious beneath a mountain of corpses, amidst the ruins, had endured days of torment and awaited their rescue, preserved by the hands of destiny as if by a miracle.
And before this astonishing survival, joy rarely seen painted the faces of her companions.
Even surrounded by mounds of death, the single, insignificant spark of life still brought them exhilaration and cheer.
"Priest, thank you. If it weren't for you, this miracle would not have happened—" the Magician looked up at him, her voice trembling slightly, eyes moist, filled with gratitude.
Her companions' words of praise also lingered in his ears, but the Priest only offered a faint smile, with a tinge of strain.
This girl's body had been contaminated by Depraved Demon Element; though he had managed to prolong her life, he was unable to fully repair the damage and failure of her organs.
She would probably be unable to withstand the burden of a Reincarnation ceremony, unable to become a Professional like them. The path to strength was now cut off; she would have to spend her life performing menial Logistics, living her days in ordinary plainness.
"It doesn't matter," the Magician said with an unchanged smile, her tone resolute, "The tribe doesn't lack food for one or two more mouths. As long as she is alive, that is enough."
The Priest met his companion's eyes, which remained luminous. He opened his mouth as if to say something but ultimately said nothing.
Before leaving this land that had already died, the Priest looked back one last time, watching the ruins where only embers were silently burning, a hint of confusion on his face.
Just being alive, is that really a miracle?
[Deviation exceeds 30, deviation too large, activating Supporting Effect 2: Reassessment]
"Priest, the child has woken up, but she seems to have forgotten her name, so I've decided to adopt her."
"Priest, listen to me, the child is now very healthy, all thanks to you."
"Priest, the child is now a grown Bride, when you return from this expedition, should we find a match for her—"
Every time the Magician talked about the child, her face was always smiling, but it couldn't hide the growing haggardness on her face.
The Priest could clearly see the tiredness accumulating in her eyes, and those eyes, once bright as gemstones, were gradually dimming.
He wanted to say something but always hesitated.
The Great Demon's power was swelling; the living Space of the tribe was constantly shrinking, with warriors dying every day. The tribe hadn't lit a grand bonfire at night for a long time, nor could they hear the merry songs and dances of youth anymore.
Her research had hit a bottleneck. The method that could allow Humankind to become strong as naturally and rapidly as Magic Creatures might not have ever existed.
Nature had a predetermined cycle of chains, different lives given different roles; compared to the blessed Magic Creatures, Humankind might inherently be in the position of the predestined prey, like mice, like insects.
Despite this, they were still fighting, still resisting.
Yet in the face of endless despair, everyone was yearning for the light of salvation.
Thus, he couldn't just ask her to stop her ceaseless research.
One day thereafter, the Magician no longer came to share news about that child with him.
"Sorry… she's already… if only you had been there..."
When he returned from the expedition and heard news about her, it was at her grave.
Faced with his companion's guilty expression, the Priest merely shook his head.
He knew more than anyone that this day would inevitably come.
The Magician had strong control over her body; it wasn't an Assault that could kill her in one go, but years of sleepless research had drained her mental and spiritual strength, and the injuries sustained in battle were just the last straw.
The Priest understood that even if he had been there, doing his utmost, he could not have saved her crumbling life.
Before the destined destruction, there was no miracle—perhaps that's how the world should be.
The Priest thought she, one of the many he saved, the child spoken of by the Magician, would become another fading memory, never to be heard of again.
But one day, she took the initiative to stand before everyone.
She seemed to have experienced an incredible Awakening, like a Sharp Sword reforged by Fire, she transformed overnight from a weak girl in Logistics to a rising new star. With astonishing speed, she was almost leaping in her growth in power and Class.