"I see. I saw you taking blood from the beasts last time we killed last time. That means the blood doesn't necessarily need to be that of the demons, right?" Arthur observed.
Arthur was expanding the target pool. Clearly, if the demons weren't enough, he would go for the next.
Jasmine looked at him with an understanding expression. I knew he was going to ask this question. Arthur would really drown the world in blood if the need came.
She nodded slowly. "Yes. It's not only the demon blood."
With that point settled, every powerful creature becomes a potential medicine.
Arthur's expression was sharp enough to cut dimensional barriers. The second solution opened possibilities.
Hunt anything. Everything.
"What level of creature provides effective blood essence for strengthening?"
"Epic-rank minimum for some results. Superior-rank for decent improvement. Legendary-rank for stability. Although it has to be known that this is only for the current Charlotte, and like I said before, she will constantly need the improvement,
The second solution I gave you is the worst case scenario. The best case scenario is for you to bring those medicines to help her improve her body." Jasmine paused.
Jasmine was clear. She had given him measurable goals.
Arthur's mind went through the creatures he'd encountered across multiple places. Epic-rank entities were becoming pathetic targets. Superior-rank were slightly better, and legendary-rank were a decent challenge.
He had killed bloom with the help of Aether at that time. So getting the blood of legendary rank beasts or demons would definitely be within range as long as the level difference wasn't high.
Above...Legendary-rank. Now that's interesting. Would I even find such a being at my current level? It will be difficult.
I can hunt. I can kill. I can harvest.
"Could we combine approaches?" Arthur asked. "Use herbs for stabilization, and blood treatments for long-term strengthening?"
Jasmine's eyes lit up, her expression shifting with sudden clarity."Actually... that would be optimal. The herbs will stabilize her core, provide a structural foundation. The blood treatments would then reinforce and strengthen her from the inside out."
She hesitated, her gaze drifting. Then she looked back at him, more serious now.
"With both at full effectiveness, she'll have a real chance. Not just to survive—but to wake up. To move. But Arthur..."
Her voice softened, the brightness in her expression fading into something more grounded, almost solemn.
"You need to understand what this really is. Charlotte's condition—it's not something that can be 'cured.' This won't end after she wakes up. It's not a one-time solution. This is permanent."
Arthur didn't flinch, but his silence deepened.
"Her mana purity... it's unlike anything I've seen. Not even you have that kind of reservoir. She's gifted—blessed, even, but with a gift that's tearing her apart. Her body isn't built to contain it. It can't regulate it."
Jasmine took a breath, steadying herself before finishing:
"She'll have to keep growing, Arthur. Keep fighting. Keep killing. Leveling. If she stops, even for a while, her own mana will begin to destroy her from within."
She looked directly at him now, unwavering.
"The herbs aren't to restore her health. They're just to wake her up—so she can start surviving. So she can stand beside you... and keep pace with the storm building inside her."
Arthur nodded. He had obviously understood this dilemma. But... he didn't care. He would hunt every last monster in every last world if necessary. The universe was filled with demons—there was no shortage of them.
He knew that while there didn't seem to be a cure at this point, there was bound to be one somewhere. He didn't believe that once he fully explored Armageddon, he would find something that would be able to permanently help his sister.
There has to be something. In all of existence, there has to be an answer.
Arthur refused to accept that Charlotte's condition was truly permanent. Power beyond imagination existed in the merged reality. Whether it was of legendary rank or above, there was bound to be something.
I'll find it. Whatever it takes.
Glancing at her sleeping pale face, Arthur stood up with renewed determination. The chair scraped against stone flooring as his legs carried him upright.
"Take care of her for me, I will try to find the herbs in the meantime. also...Thank you for your help, it means a lot," he said to Jasmine.
Jasmine shook her head with a soft, warm smile. "It's nothing, Charlotte is the sister that my mother didn't birth, I will take care of her."
Arthur returned the smile with one of his own.
Arthur then looked at Aether, who was still perched on his shoulder. The little dragon's usual cheerful demeanour had dimmed considerably, his void-black eyes reflecting genuine distress.
"Master... big sister..." Aether's voice carried worry that made Arthur's chest tighten, too.
The little dragon was clearly upset about what he had heard.
Before the dragon could finish, Arthur interrupted him, rubbing the tiny head with gentle fingers. "Don't worry, Aether. Let's go to the guild first. We need to quickly settle Gates and the others back on Earth. I've got many things to do now."
Aether nodded with subdued enthusiasm. Reality shifted around them as spatial manipulation activated, carrying both figures away from Charlotte's bedside.
Power Guild Headquarters
Inside the guild hall, Gates and the fifteen new captains waited with patience. They'd distributed the equipment Arthur had provided, organising rare and uncommon items with efficiency.
The logistics were complete. They were simply waiting for deployment.
While Gates could use his ring to travel between dimensions, the others lacked that capability. They were essentially stranded until Arthur returned.
Spotting Arthur's figure after his teleportation, Gates immediately noticed something had changed. Arthur's aura carried new intensity; something had clearly changed about his demeanour, although Gates couldn't tell.
Something's wrong. Something important has happened.
Arthur approached the assembled group without preamble. "Gather around. We're returning to Earth immediately."
The captains formed a circle immediately. They could tell from his tone that he didn't want any time wasted. Gates positioned himself among them, his instincts recognising crisis management mode.
Reality folded around them as Aether's spatial manipulation activated on a massive scale. The guild hall dissolved, replaced by familiar corporate architecture.