There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)
Chapter 613 - 607. Breaking Free

Chapter 613: Chapter 607. Breaking Free

"I was running over as fast as I could, and you’re not even here," Radia shook his head.

When they returned from the mountain, Radia and Han Joon were already in the Sanctuary, waiting for them. Zein tilted his head, watching the summoner lounging on a beach chair beside the lake.

"You don’t look that disappointed."

"Well, you’re clearly fine if you’re healthy enough to run around right after waking up," Radia shrugged and stood up, a casual smile playing on his lips. "Care to show me around the house, Sir Ishtera?"

Zein raised his brow slightly, but he silently nodded and gestured toward the little forest where the emergency command center was situated. The others were not such dimwits and let the two of them have their privacy--even Bassena.

Passing the command tent, like a backyard to a cabin, there was a small space the others used to grill meats and such. The place was chosen because of the creeping plants with blossoming blue flowers that climbed the wall of trees in this section. Those who were stationed in the Sanctuary sometimes brewed tea using the flowers, but Zein and Radia just stared at the peeking blossom quietly for a while.

"I don’t think our contract is done yet," Zein started the conversation after a minute.

"I’m trying to get used to it."

"I’m never going to meet you again if you keep calling me that," the guide frowned; the corner of his eyes twitched at the way Radia called him earlier.

The summoner chuckled. "I’m practicing for the formal events," he smirked, confirming what Zein had dreaded. "You’re going to have them a lot once you get out of here."

He could just stay as a guide during the whole reclamation project, but once everything wrapped up and he stepped back into society, he would return to be Luzein Ishtera, the clan’s patriarch. Naturally, there were some duties he had to uphold as a member of an Old House, and a connection he needed to maintain. Like it or not, one of the reasons why House Ishtera vanished in the past was because they were isolated themselves. Watching Radia maneuvering Trinity, Zein realized one could not stand alone in this world. He would need allies if he wanted his father’s clan to continue even after his time.

Still...

"Haa..." Zein closed his eyes and exhaled heavily. "Suddenly this whole operation feels like a vacation."

No matter how much he had changed, Zein would rather dive into the dungeon than the high society. At least, he could kill the beasts if they annoyed him.

Radia laughed as he could easily deduce Zein’s mind. "At least there’s something good out of it."

Zein chuckled and took a deep breath afterward. That was enough of a glib. "We’re not done yet, aren’t we?"

"No," this time, the one who let out a sigh was Radia. "Have you found a way?"

"...yeah."

Radia’s eyes widened slightly. "Oh?"

The last ten percent of this reclamation project was to get rid of the miasma so the area could be developed and people could live there. This last important part depended on Zein; would they be able to utilize the shards, or should Radia start the mass production of purification devices?

"It’s just..."

Despite saying he had a way, however, Zein sounded a bit hesitant. Radia turned so he could face the guide directly. "What is it?"

Zein let out a wry smile and spoke. "So, the thing is..."

* * *

Three days after Zein woke up, reporters were finally allowed to come inside the Sanctuary.

They had heard about the place, but just like everyone else, they couldn’t help but marvel at the place that fit the word ’sanctuary’ like no other. Still, they only allowed themselves a few minutes of amazement before getting back to their work and setting up their camera, connecting the cable to the giant beacon outside the Sanctuary.

For the first time since the project was underway, there would be a live recording from the Deathzone.

"Are you sure about this?" Radia asked one last time. He could still cancel the broadcast at this point, but once they started, it would be harder.

"Well, you said it’s a good way to say we’re the ones who make it happen," Zein shrugged, glancing at the cameras lining a few meters behind them. "I don’t like the thought of someone else swooping in trying to claim our hard work."

"Don’t worry," Radia chuckled at the narrowing blue eyes, knowing full well where the suspicion came from. "That man won’t be president next year."

Zein glanced at the flashing crimson eyes. For all he knew, Radia hated that man even more than Zein for screwing things up and putting Han Joon in jail. "I thought as much," he smirked.

The summoner just flashed a second of an eerie smile before tilting his head toward Senan, who came with a neatly folded outer robe. The robe came directly from the Temple of Frejya; a ruse to guise the real nature of Zein’s power. Rather than letting the world know about the power of Setnath inside of him, they would let the world think they borrowed Frejya’s power.

"Well, ready?"

Zein let Senan put the robe over his uniform; a blue one with a familiar pattern on it. Taking a deep breath, Zein took out the Saint’s staff and nodded while looking at Bassena’s smiling face on the side. "Yes."

Radia turned around and gave a signal to the reporters before moving out of frame. The lights on the cameras were turning one by one, five of them. Each bore different logos of broadcasting stations. That day, around 2 pm, February 2nd, history would be made.

Using a transparent bridge that Tian Yu had made, Zein stepped into the lake. The bridge, made of a thin but sturdy barrier, was almost invisible. In the camera, it looked like Zein was walking on water. Even from the back, he looked so ethereal that the reporters and cameramen were holding their breath.

Although they had no idea what they were actually witnessing.

Other than saying they would do the last step of the reclamation project, Radia Mallarc didn’t give more explanation. But it was enough for every major broadcasting channel to try getting one of the five tickets for the live broadcast, so there they were.

"Hey, isn’t that a Saint staff and robe? But I thought he was just a Saint Candidate?" one of the reporters whispered.

"Idiot, you should do your research," another one replied. "He’s an Honorary Saint now--it’s on the Temple’s link site."

"But what are they going to do?"

"I don’t know..."

"Who cares? It’s still a scoop anyway."

Someone chuckled and spoke teasingly. "Aren’t you glad you wrote something good back then?"

As expected of Radia Mallarc’s pettiness, he only considered the reporters who made reasonable articles back then. It didn’t have to be talking well; critics were fine as long as it was made with compelling analysis. But those who made baseless slander or simply rode the wave faced instant elimination.

"Kekek~" the reporters chuckled in good nature. "Oh, is it starting?"

Zein had stepped onto the island made of roots and stopped in front of the shining core. Holding the staff in his right hand, he raised his left arm and opened the seal of the ring circling his left thumb and index finger. With a slight vibration, twelve lights shot out of the rings, and twelve glowing crystals hovered around the core and Zein.

Ignoring the collective gasp coming out of the lakeside, Zein swept his gaze across the shards one by one. It would be his last time seeing them in their separate form like this, and although it was a moment they all had been waiting and fighting for, he sensed a pang of loss in his heart.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes to not let his heart waver any longer. Without wasting more time, he placed his hand on the core.

Light showered him and the familiar voice of a long-haired young deity echoed in his mind. "Are you ready?"

Yes

"You might feel uncomfortable with your body for a while."

Something that had been a part of him for twenty years; that had helped him survive all this time. To part ways with it would upset his system, but what did it matter?

Doesn’tmatter, Zein glanced at Bassena on the other side of the lake. I don’t need this power anymore.

"I see," there was a smile accompanying the voice. "Well, see you later."

Huh? What are y--

Zein gasped before he could finish his thought. His nape felt cold, and his heart was burning. His vessel was contorted, ripped into two. The fragment of Setnath inside of him was wriggling, writhing as the seed and the power separating themselves.

If there was no Celestial Being to share their power, then they only had one other option; to use Setnath’s power itself. The power that was stored inside the strongest fragment.

Zein gritted his teeth as he felt his mana core ripped away from him. After this, he wouldn’t be able to convert miasma into mana. After this, his vessel’s capacity would be reduced to half. After this, he would become nothing more than a regular guide.

But what did it matter?

Gasping as the power he held for twenty years was yanked away from him, Zein watched the core shining bright and flying up, away from his hand. Twelve glittering crystals spun and, like puzzle pieces, fitted themselves around the core until they became one, seamless, perfect fragment.

Like a rising sun, the complete fragment shone brightly, bathing the world in a warm light.

And the Tree of the Eastern Shore grew, ripping out the black canopy.

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