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Seletina’s chest heaved up and down. She sheathed Elyutinias and wiped the sweat from her forehead, which glistened thinly. Fatigue lingered in her body, yet there was no scorching heat or heaviness weighing her down now.

“……”

Seletina fixed her gaze on her palms. The palms, resembling delicate white porcelain, had a red hue to them while remaining steady. This alone testified to her good health.

Clenching her fists, Seletina softly traced her fingers along her neck. Though there was no sensation, it stirred a sudden surge of emotion within her heart.

“Dicentra…” she murmured, the image of The Witch of Black and White coming to mind. Seletina pondered what Dicentra had engraved in her, what was the reason behind it… and whether this current sense of fulfillment was a result of this crest.

Gently withdrawing her fingers from the Snake Rose crest Seletina shook her head.

“There’s no point in thinking about it now. There are more pressing matters!”

Placing Elyutinias’s sheath on her waist, Seletina skillfully navigated through the crowd of people.

A large cluster had formed in front of the stone gate. Woodback, now lying on his side, was encircled by mages and medics, with numerous humans overseeing the scene.

The accomplishments of Woodback in the war were truly remarkable. Had he not closed the gate, Ulbdor would have inevitably succumbed.

The Beastian and Gigantian sub-races were commonly regarded as impure half-breeds, tainted by their connection to beasts and demons. These beings were typically shunned by the pure-breed humans.

However, the humans observing the fallen Woodback displayed a warmth in their eyes, a genuine respect befitting a true hero. Every onlooker expressed deep concern for his condition.

Despite lying in a pool of blood, Woodback’s breaths were rapid and shallow, indicating the severity of his injuries. It was evident that he’d sustained numerous fatal wounds.

The mages’ pale green light seeped into Woodback’s wounds, however, that did not stop the blood from oozing out. The medic doused him with buckets of hemostatic drugs, but their efforts proved futile.

They were, in the sheer sense of the word, useless.

“No…”

The sight before her left Seletina stunned. An intuition gripped her, if the feeling in her gut was correct then Woodback was already-

With determination, Seletina pushed her way through the gathering crowd, positioning herself at Woodback’s side.

As the angel of the battlefield arrived, the tumultuous voices of the soldiers gradually hushed. Seletina clung to a fragile hope that perhaps some miraculous intervention could be orchestrated. Yet, the mages’ Healing Magic remained ineffective.

Kneeling beside the giant, Seletina’s lips formed a tight line. A sense of foreboding inevitability settled upon her. She understood the tormenting state of Woodback’s body, the ordeal he was enduring.

“Eupho, Yopha.”

Seletina murmured, her voice barely audible. From the shadows emerged ethereal figures, glimmering like mirages

“Can’t you do something?”

Upon hearing Seletina’s earnest plea, their response was a solemn shake of their heads, their features remaining expressionless.

Seletina let out a short sigh, acknowledging their answer with a subdued, “I understand.” Her demeanor showed that the hopelessness had at last washed over her.

Gradually, the once bright, deep blue eyes of the group dulled, casting a shadow over their countenances. Seletina stepped closer to Woodback’s face, her movements deliberate and measured.

“Please cease your treatment. You’ll only be wasting valuable Mana and medicine if you continue.” she directed, her words prompting the mages and medics to pause, their attention momentarily diverted due to the soprano voice that was unusual for a male-dominated battlefield.

Seletina then continued, “His body won’t respond to Healing Magic anymore… This is a little-known fact, but that is what happens when one overdoses on Potions.”

Seletina said, resting her hand on Woodback’s cheek. His complexion was pallid, his frame trembling, and his skin cold to the touch.

When ingested in large quantities at once, the Potions forced the body to undergo a change that renders it resistant to all forms of restoration. This was the fact that Seletina had mentioned just now. Though, this was a piece of knowledge that was quite obscure.

The lack of mass production and the restricted distribution of Potions to a selected few were the main causes of this. Which led to the scenario of large-scale consumption being impossible.

Crimson blood trickled down Woodback’s cheek, staining Seletina’s pure white hand with scarlet. Unperturbed by the stain, she focused on alleviating her friend’s labored breaths.

“Then… angel… is he already-”

Seletina’s eyelids drooped as she turned to face one of the medics who weakly addressed her. “He did his best. He acted, driven by consideration and unwavering conviction. He truly exemplifies the noble path of a true hero.”

A veil of sorrow fell over Seletina’s expression. The grief of being powerless to save another friend, who wanted to manifest itself through tears, agony, and frustration, consumed her heart like a venomous toxin.

If only I’d gotten here earlier…

If only Seletina could have extended her aid to him prior to the circumstances that compelled him to resort to Potions…

A veil of despondency shrouded those gathered and trying to rescue Woodback. Even the soldiers encircling him appeared crestfallen. Woodback’s salvation appeared elusive, casting a silence that settled like a lingering ache, muddying the atmosphere.

Yet, a streak of gray cleaved through the stillness.

“What are you doing?! Don’t stop!” Imitia Belbed’s voice pierced the stillness as she emerged with unsteady steps through the crowd.