Am I a Healer? You'd Better Think So!-Chapter 72: Trust Him

Niara crashed down from the skies, kicking up a cloud of dust. But she stayed on her feet, wings folding tightly around her body, forming a powerful shield.

That was just a natural reflex after so many battles — she was always the target of ranged attacks. She'd always managed to avoid being hit and corrupted, but... she couldn't dodge forever.

Niara was panting, breathing deep, struggling to regain control over her body.

'No... I have to fight...' she whispered in her mind, eyes shutting tight.

Memories of when she was just an excited little girl living in a huge sunlit castle, cared for by everyone around her, filled her thoughts.

It only took two seconds. Then came the memories from that same time — the days she was forced to isolate in a dark room and go through long, absurdly painful "training" sessions.

Her life had never been easy, but at least it had been bearable — until she hit adolescence. That's when everything sank into complete darkness. That's when she learned the truth about herself. The truth about everything and everyone around her. And after that, she gave in to her bloodthirsty instincts, letting her hatred guide her every move.

Now, she lived a life chasing redemption. She carried the weight of those deaths inside her, and decided she'd make their sacrifices mean something — she would live every second fighting to save her universe from the Risen.

Then memories of the small, adorable slug she spent just a few days with flooded her mind.

Those days with her partner were unlike anything she'd ever lived in her 210 long years. She'd felt hope, felt like laughing, like living, like relaxing — and she saw a clear path open in front of her.

The rumors about Summoners and their partners, which she'd always thought were just nonsense, turned out to be real. He was exactly what she'd been missing. He liked to think things through, while her powers gave her the chance to do what she did best: fight with her own strength.

And honestly, she thought it was hilarious how uncomfortable he got when she shoved him inside her clothes.

She could feel what he felt, so she knew instantly — and she found it kind of cute. She was way too old to care about silly things like that anymore. But he was just a pure, innocent kid. Someone she could be herself around... and maybe tease a little.

But...

Even giving everything she had wasn't enough. He was gone — and with him, all her hope. Still, for her honor, she wouldn't back down. She'd rather die fighting with everything she had.

*Gwah! Gwah! Gwah!*

Sinister laughter, followed by the sound of footsteps, echoed all around her. They came from every direction, surrounding her.

She could barely move. Purple lines were crawling all over her scales. When she opened her eyes — now fully corrupted — she stared at the thousands of enemies surrounding her.

Just regular Risen, led by a single smart one who'd been messing with her from the shadows for a while now.

Niara took a deep breath. A glow lit up on her finger — it was the spatial ring her partner used to wear. When that battle ended, she kept it. Inside, there were still a lot of resources he'd bought and never used.

After Celestia Academy "confirmed" their contract no longer existed, she sold everything and traded it for survival gear. Then she left alone to that defensive region of the galaxy, throwing herself into endless battles against the invaders.

Being a Summoner had been her only shot at changing things. Now that hope was gone. So there was no reason left to stay in the galaxy, just running from her enemies.

From the ring, she pulled out a black potion — the last thing she had, bought as her final trump card before the complete end.

'Life Cataclysm...' She stared at the potion, then downed it without a second thought.

The name was pretty self-explanatory — it sacrificed everything someone had that was most precious: the life energy they were born with.

She'd burn bright one last time like a flame before going out.

Accept death, or turn into a Risen and live under control?

"I'll never be controlled by anything..." her voice came out twisted and torn, "not even the fucking heavens..."

Her eyes lit up, and green light replaced the corrupted purple. All her scales trembled and pulsed. A new force surged through her body, pushing her forward.

"DIE!"

*BOOM!*

Her wings beat like thunder, and her claws tore through the earth and sky with unstoppable power.

The regular Risen didn't even have time to react. They started dropping like ants. Meanwhile, the leader zipped between them, trying to hide.

*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*

But the eyes and movements of a fierce woman tracked him closely. She roared and attacked non-stop, trying to reach him, while he used his followers as shields to move.

In just one minute, pure devastation was unleashed.

Every Risen on the planet was alerted and started moving toward that location. But where she stood, a sea of corrupted bodies already covered the ground.

At the same time, with every passing second, the Risen leader could feel her getting closer and closer. There was no point in running. Those insects throwing themselves at her weren't gonna save him. He could feel it — crystal clear — and he was terrified.

Until he stopped.

Then, he pulled something from inside his body, hidden deep within his purple flesh. It was a small, transparent pearl, glowing faintly.

Niara spotted it from afar, surprised — she didn't sense any Risen corruption in it. It seemed like a...

"!"

Her eyes widened as she saw the Risen crush the pearl.

Immediately, the space around them started to warp. Something incredibly distant locked onto this place, and then a portal began to open behind the Risen.

She'd heard about things like that before. Back in the day, these artifacts were everywhere — in the Academies, scattered throughout the universe. They were pretty common, actually: a pearl that was born already connected to the core of a nearby galaxy.

If someone broke that pearl, no matter where they were in the universe — it created a temporary connection. A stable spatial channel that anyone could use to cross to the other side with ease.

It was the most practical method of intergalactic travel used by everyone... but now, it only existed in history books.

'He's trying to escape?' she thought, eyes narrowing with rage.

But...

As soon as the channel formed, he didn't move.

In fact, a mocking grin appeared on his face.

Suddenly, Niara felt the entire space around her freeze. It was the solid presence of death, wrapping around her body.

A pair of glowing red eyes appeared from inside the portal.

Then, a four-meter-tall figure covered in purple scales stepped through.

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It was a Risen so powerful that the very laws of the planet trembled at his arrival.

The area, already nearly drowned in miasma, had its last traces of light completely consumed. Everything was swallowed by corruption.

Niara was crushed from the sky like a hammer smashing down.

She used every bit of strength she had just to stay standing, and with great effort, lifted her gaze. Only two distant red eyes stared back at her, cold and merciless.

'Why... why would a creature this powerful show up now? Why in my final moments...?'

Suddenly, she felt her body get yanked upward, blood rising in her throat. All her energy was sealed, her body frozen by an overwhelming force. The Risen appeared before her like a ghost and grabbed her by the neck.

No words were exchanged. He just stared at her — and then moved his other arm.

*CRACK!*

He brutally tore off one of her wings, spraying blood everywhere.

He stared at her — but she didn't scream.

She just looked back with cold, emotionless eyes. Then, a twisted smile curled on her lips.

"You think this is gonna be cheap?"

He sealed the power inside her body.

But...

She smiled as she remembered what she'd learned from her partner, back in those first moments they met, in that underground prison.

He'd briefly explained: her bloodline came from a Primordial Dragon — the most powerful creature born directly from the heavenly laws. No mortal, no force in the universe, could suppress that bloodline.

A Risen trying to seal it? Not even a Risen Lord could do that.

She hadn't planned to use that power — it could only be activated once, and the Risen in that region would've died with her normal strength. She would've taken out way more of them that way. But now... this was the perfect moment.

Her eyes gleamed. All the power from the Life Cataclysm was channeled into the draconic bloodline runes in her veins.

A true, magnificent cataclysmic explosion was about to erupt in full force.

Would it kill him? Probably not. But it would injure him so badly that maybe another Risen would take him out, trying to steal his place.

It'd be an end with at least a little taste of victory.

With a huff, her body pulsed, making the enemy's eyes go wide.

'He told me to trust him...'

All she felt inside was frustration.

Suddenly...

*Thump! Thrump!*

"!"

She felt her soul tremble, and the beat of her spiritual heart made her eyes shoot open.

Then... she felt a connection — so faint it was almost nonexistent — come back to life. A connection not even she knew was still there.