Kabanata 26

However, before she could even leave, Captain Yora stopped when she felt a unique power erupting from Keenan. She looked back and realized that Keenan was undergoing another suffering. She immediately understood why. In this wilderness, Keenan didn't have anything to eat except N-cores.

"I see, so you only eat N-cores. Now, the backlash is happening and your body is starting to disintegrate."

She was impressed, what Keenan did was suicidal. But she couldn't blame him, he didn't have a choice but to eat them. He needed to become stronger to increase his chances of surviving. 

Keenan's body was starting to crumble, the concentration he lost was starting to return because an immense pain was devouring him. His foot and hands started to disintegrate and they were slowly becoming grains and sand. 

He was screaming as he felt excruciating pain. This was the first time he experienced this kind of thing, this was different from dying where his senses fade away. Keenan felt like his presence was disappearing, this was much brutal than dying.

"It's not your body that's disappearing, it's your whole existence. This is the curse of continuous consumption of N-cores. When your body is completely eroded, you will explode."

Captain Yora explained, she stopped walking away and watch Keenan's destruction. She decided to watch what would happen, she was interested. As a powerful Nightbreaker, she could withstand even a nuclear bomb. Her Aura was enough to protect her. 

"Let's see what you got. Will you die and succumb to darkness or will you fight and continue living?"

She said. She sat on the floor and looked intently, her eye gazing at the young man who was slowly crumbling. She communicated with Shana through the device on her ear.

[What? You're saying you want to see what will happen to him? Are you crazy? We know that surviving disintegration is 99% impossible! In the first place, why did you not save him? I thought you want to save the student?]

Shana asked, she was massaging her temple right now. Behind her, dozens of mercenaries were listening to their conversation. 

"Don't nag me okay, we can use this mobile ship as scrap metals, and perhaps the engine is still working. His life doesn't matter in the first place, we all want is to get money."

[Just make sure that he's not from a huge clan. We can't afford to face them, you know that.]

Shana added.

"Don't worry, he's not from a clan. I can verify that. He didn't have any special features and the only thing he promised me is this bag of N-cores. Except for that, he has nothing."

"Good… Make sure you are safe."

Shana said with a tint of worry. However, what she heard was a laugh from Captain Yora.

"Who do you think am I? I will not die easily."

Captain Yora ended the call. She returned her eye to the man who was screaming. Right now, the disintegration reached almost his leg and shoulders. If it reached his heart, it was automatic that he would die. 

Captain Yora knew a way to survive this ordeal but she decided not to talk. Besides, the chances of achieving it would be impossible.

' Concentration is hard factoring that you're in deep pain. He will not last long even if he started meditating. At best, he could stop it for a few seconds but that's it.'

She thought, but one thing was tugging her mind. One percent is small but still a probability. 

'On top of that, I feel like something will happen… Or perhaps it's just my delusions. Yeah, I must not put expectations on anyone, or else I'll be disappointed just like that time…'

Captain Yora returned her focus on Keenan.

" I will wait, give me something fun to watch okay?"

She smiled but Keenan couldn't hear her. The young man was in deep anguish as his body slowly disappeared, the pain was too much for him. 

Right now, his leg and shoulders completely faded and the disintegration started to eat his upper body. Only a few minutes and his heart would be eaten too. 

"Ah yeah, I remember that Veloce. I still didn't get its N-core."

She stood up and checked the monster she murdered. She stabbed its chest and took out the N-core. Its N-core was big since the Veloce was a Class-S, the crystal was releasing pure energy. Captain Yora inspected it and identified that it was so-so. She had far better N-cores than this. Well, Class-S is Class-S so she could sell this at a good price. 

She returned to her sitting spot and added the N-core to the pouch. 

However, when she looked at Keenan she realized that the man stopped screaming. 

"Eh? Did he die? What a letdown."

She said, but when she further inspected, she realized that his body stopped disintegrating. In fact, his body started to regenerate!

Yora's eyes widened. She started laughing when she affirmed that Keenan stopped the crumbling.

"Seriously?! This man is talented! Fufu, looks like I found a good man."

She was smiling. Her eye was shining as she looked at Keenan. She couldn't believe that she would witness this right before her very eye. This is one in a million. 

"A student that has a deep focus that he can even prevent disintegration. This man…"

She grinned gleaming dangerously. Keenan caught her interest. Having this strong concentration was hard to accomplish. However, now she was witnessing it. 

"This is great, fufu."

She didn't know why but something awakened in her.

………
……
…

On the other hand, Keenan who was in deep pain started concentrating on the exploding energy inside him. This energy was the reason why his body was crumbling. The built-up energy because of the N-cores he consumed was destroying his body. 

While he was aching crazily, he recalled one thing. The energy that was destroying his body, he could use it to do the opposite. Keenan could use the energy to heal his body. However, he needed strong concentration to pull it off. 

He had to control the energy and flowed it in circulation. He had to use the energy to heal him, but not too much, or else he would explode. He had to circulate the energy, heal his body, and control the amount of energy. If one of these things failed, then the disintegration would start again and he would lose his chance to live. Fortunately, Keenan, the assassin, is a man who mastered deep focus.

'I can do it, I must do it!'

He gritted his teeth and started controlling the energy. The limbs he lost started regenerating, he didn't let the energy linger on. The energy traveled all over his body rotationally. 

He almost lost his consciousness but he was holding in and bit his lip instead. Blood crept out of his mouth and he continued the process, repeating it until he could heal his body. Then, his shoulders and legs started materializing. Keenan didn't lower his defense and continued concentrating, one mistake and the disintegration would begin again. 

He didn't know how much time passed, he felt like it took forever to heal him. The pain gradually vanished changed by a refreshing sensation. He only realized that everything was over when he heard a voice.

"Fufu, congratulations. You overcome it."

He weakly opened his eyes and saw that a brunette woman who had an eyepatch was looking at him. The woman was grinning, her figure was being showered by the rising sun and it looked angelic.

Then, he further looked around and realized that it was morning already.