The SSS class adventurer is a divine cleric-Chapter 78: This place is the Treasure

Kaelen gritted his teeth as he poured another stream of healing energy into Alira’s body. His hands were glowing, trembling from exhaustion, but he didn’t stop. He couldn’t.

Neal sat beside him, his fists clenched tight, watching her pale face. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but it wasn’t from the heat. It was fear.

"Still nothing..." Neal muttered. "It’s been too long."

Kaelen didn’t answer.

Seconds passed like hours. The glow from the necklace in Derek’s hand had faded completely now. There were no signs, no signals, no clue if anything they were doing was working.

Neal looked at Derek’s body, unmoving on the floor, and then back at Alira.

"If she doesn’t wake up soon..."

Kaelen’s voice was hoarse. "Shut up. Just keep counting."

But he had already lost count. Minutes had passed. Ten... maybe more.

Derek wasn’t waking up.

Alira wasn’t moving.

The weight in their chests grew heavier.

"What if we... what if we’re too late?" Neal finally said, his voice breaking. ƒгeewebnovёl_com

Kaelen shook his head, but his hands were starting to falter. "No. No, we’re not. I....if I had just known... if I knew it was her..."

Neal looked away. His throat felt dry.

"We should prepare," he said quietly. "If Derek doesn’t come back soon, we have to.."

"No!" Kaelen snapped. "We are not giving up. You hear me? I’ll die here before I give up."

Neal after realising how shameless and heartless he was, his face turned purple with shame, how could he ever suggest such a thing to Kaelen.

What, kill his own father?!

He hung his head low not daring to face Kaelen.

He didn’t dare to look at Kaelen, how could he face him after all that he had said.

They both stared down at Alira’s still and silent body in awkwardness and fear.

Then.

A pulse of warmth.

Soft and bright broke the silence.

The necklace flared to life in Kaelen’s hand. The same moment, Alira’s chest rose with a sharp gasp of air.

Her eyes flew open.

"—Alira?!" both boys shouted at once.

She sat up slowly, confused and wide-eyed. Her body glowed faintly. The paleness of her skin faded away, disappearing like they were never there.

She had returned to the land of living.

Neal let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

"Thank the stars..."

Kaelen dropped his hands, trembling.

But before they could celebrate, Derek stirred with a low groan.

He opened his eyes slowly, his face pale, his expression drained. There were deep marks of fatigue around his eyes, and his limbs moved with great effort.

Kaelen rushed to his side. "Dad!"

"I’m here..." Derek whispered. "She’s... safe..."

But Kaelen could tell. Something was wrong. Derek’s soul had returned, but it was wounded.

Neal supported Derek from the other side. "Don’t move. You’re not in shape to move."

Derek gave a tired smile. "Don’t worry. I wouldn’t even if I could."

He leaned back, eyes half-closed. His voice was barely a whisper.

"She’s free now. But we’re not done yet."

Kaelen looked at Alira with guilt as he was the one who almost got her killed.

She stared back at them, eyes wide, body shaking.

Tears fell silently down her cheeks. "Uncle... Kaelen... Neal.." she paused for a second then. "Thank you."

Then Kaelen reached out and hugged her trying to explain himself like an older sibling when they accidentally made their younger sibling cry. "I am so sorry Alira, I didn’t know it was you, I am really sorry. You know I’d never hurt you. Right?."

Alira buried her head in his chest and sobbed while shaking her head slightly as if saving it’s not your fault. This made Kaelen emotional as well.

Everyone was alive and everything seems all and well for now.

But deep inside, they knew it was not over, the dangers had yet to pass. The evil spirit was always lurking in the shadows.

They had saved her soul. But they have yet expelled the evil spirit out of her.

Whenever she’s weak, the evil spirit would try to emerge again.

And they had to prepare for what comes next.

They didn’t leave right away.

They couldn’t.

For a long time after Alira woke up, the three of them sat in silence. The air was quiet, almost sacred, as if the world itself had paused to give them peace.

Alira was a bit pale because of all the emotions and hardships she just went through but stable, quietly leaning against Kaelen as he healed her with steady hands.

Neal sat across from them, watching over Derek, who rested with his back against a smooth white pillar.

Then he tried to strike up a conversation with Derek. "Uncle I..."

And before he could finish it Derek intercepted his word mid sentence as if he already knew what he was gonna say.

"It’s alright, you don’t have to be guilty about it. I asked for it"

Neal stuttered. "But you ... I.." unable to complete his sentence.

Derek smiled "That’s why I am glad that you guys are friends. He won’t hold grudges against you and would make stupid decisions from time to time when it really mattered and I begged that you’d stop him if he ever does."

Neal choked up on his own tears.

The act of forgiving someone who’s reflecting in their own guilt can truly move a person.

Time passed slowly.

Hours, maybe more.

Then Derek finally spoke, his voice low but clear.

"This place... is called the Land of Origin."

Kaelen blinked. "Land of what now?"

"The Land of Origin," Derek repeated. "A realm that only reveals itself once every few centuries. It’s older than any kingdom we know. Maybe even older than mana itself."

"What do you mean older than mana itself?"

The white ground beneath them hummed gently, warm and calming. The air was thick with energy and obviously it was not mana.

"You felt it, didn’t you?" Derek asked.

Kaelen asked in puzzlement. "Felt what?"

"Mana don’t raise your levels do they?"

Kaelen nodded as if realisation had struck him. "Ahhh! Yeah you’re right even breathing here gives XP."

Neal agreed, still looking a little stunned. "I leveled up just from sitting still."

Derek smiled faintly. "That’s just the surface. The floors... the air... even the light here is made of energy. This place is the Treasure."

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