Chapter 119: Leave It to Fate
"Steve, just a passing miner."
Steven introduced himself with his usual alias as he reached out to support the girl named Yelena, who nearly collapsed again due to her lingering weakness.
Her Oripathy infection was far worse than anyone Steven had ever encountered—even worse than that of Frostleaf, who had been on the verge of death back then.
He couldn't imagine how she had managed to survive this long. Given the level of Originium concentration in her body, she should have succumbed to the disease long ago.
Fortunately, she had the luck to run into him. Though he hadn't fully cured her Oripathy in one go, at least now she wouldn't die from a sudden worsening of the infection.
"...A miner?"
The white-haired, rabbit-eared girl tilted her head, her long ears twitching slightly in confusion. The sight made Steven feel an almost irresistible urge to reach out and give them another squeeze.
This guy—who had just fought against a nightmarish monster the size of a building—was calling himself a miner?
What kind of miner could fight like that?
She didn't even need to bring up anything else—the fact that he could unleash invisible sword slashes and send a two-story-tall monster flying with one hand was already ridiculous enough. And he expected her to believe he was just a miner?
Yelena wasn't exactly well-educated, but even she knew he was obviously lying to her face.
"Yeah, I was captured and forced to mine. The other workers at the mining site can vouch for me. As for that thing we just fought, well, you know how it is—accidents happen when you're mining, right?"
Steven had always been very clear about his professional identity. Whatever task he was performing at the moment determined his role.
If he was mining, then he was a miner.
If he was treating someone, then he was a doctor.
If he was fighting, then he was a fighter.
No one said you couldn't have multiple jobs, right?
"…Do you have some kind of misunderstanding about the word 'accident'?" Yelena's expression darkened slightly. "That monster—do you really think it can be described as just an 'accident'?"
She instinctively turned to point at the corpse of the terrifying creature they had just fought—only to realize, in stunned silence, that it was gone.
She had only been distracted by pain for a short while, but now, the enormous body of that monster had vanished without a trace.
"…How?"
"Ah, don't sweat the small stuff," Steven waved dismissively. "Why focus on little details? As a patient, you should be worrying about getting some rest. Looks like your companions are on their way, anyway. That means our business here is done."
He patted his hands as if wrapping things up. "We'll meet again if fate allows."
Steven could already tell from Yelena's expression that she was about to bombard him with a ton of questions. He had seen this kind of look too many times from Talulah—he was more than used to it by now.
But he had neither the patience nor the interest to explain everything to her.
As far as he was concerned, there was no longer any reason to continue digging at this mining site. His goal for coming here had already been achieved, and it was time to head back and sort things out.
As for Yelena, she had gotten involved because of him, and she had even helped him during the fight. He had repaid that favor by treating her Oripathy—so as far as he was concerned, they were even.
Sure, he felt a slight, inexplicable fondness for her.
But that was about it.
He had already done enough for her—essentially extending her lifespan. What more could she expect from him?
So, when Steven saw those strange people, dressed in a similar fashion to the girl, slowly approaching from the ruins surrounding the mining site, he knew it was time to part ways.
At least he had fulfilled his wish of squeezing those rabbit ears. That alone made this whole encounter somewhat worthwhile, didn't it?
"Eh? But— Mr. Steve, you—"
Yelena was caught off guard by Steven's sudden decision to leave. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but no words came out.
At the end of the day, Steven was shrouded in mystery—his appearance, his actions, everything about him. If she hadn't recklessly stepped in to help him back then, their paths might never have crossed at all.
And to be honest, her so-called assistance had been completely insignificant to someone like him.
But the lightness in her body, the newfound energy coursing through her veins, reminded her just how effective Steven's treatment had been. No one understood her condition better than she did. The sensation of strength bubbling up from within—something she had never thought possible—was all the proof she needed.
"Would you be interested in joining the Guerrilla Fighter? Even if you're not an Infected, I don't think you'd just stand by and watch as these oppressed people continue to suffer, would you?"
After much hesitation, Yelena finally made up her mind and extended the invitation.
Steven's combat prowess aside, just his ability to treat Oripathy alone made him an invaluable asset—someone any organization would fight over. Even without considering those factors, she still sincerely hoped he would join them.
After all, he was her savior, wasn't he?
"Heh, you think too highly of me."
Steven waved his hand dismissively. "You should focus more on yourself. I don't have any plans to join an organization."
He had no particular interest in the so-called Guerrilla Fighter. He had always been a lone wolf, and getting involved in group politics and scheming wasn't his thing.
More importantly, he hated being told what to do.
"I've treated most of your condition, but if you keep recklessly using your Originium Arts like before, your infection will definitely worsen again. If you want to live longer, I suggest you use your abilities less."
Steven stretched lazily and scanned the approaching guerrilla fighters, who seemed to be preparing to "rescue" Yelena from him. Then, as if he had just remembered something, he casually threw in a warning.
He could sense the immense power within her. That freezing, world-shattering cold she had unleashed earlier wasn't an illusion—it was real. But it was obvious that her body couldn't handle it.
This was the most he could do for her—offer a simple warning. Though, he figured she probably understood the risks herself.
"…Then will we meet again?"
Yelena, already knowing that he was determined to leave, didn't insist on recruiting him anymore. Instead, with a hint of expectation in her voice, she asked her final question.
"If I need your help with treatment again, where can I find you?"
She had no idea how he had done it, but at least she knew he truly possessed the ability to heal her. If that was the case, then maybe—just maybe—her father still had a chance to be saved.
"We'll leave that to fate."
Steven didn't give her a direct answer. Instead, he turned his back to her. And in the next instant, his body disintegrated into a dazzling burst of purple particles—vanishing as if he had never been there.
"Big Sis! Are you alright?"
It was only then that the guerrilla fighters, clad in their signature red-and-white outfits, finally rushed to Yelena's side, their faces filled with concern.
They had only been able to observe the situation from a distance. The mere residual Originium energy waves emitted by that monster had been enough to worsen their Oripathy, which was why Yelena had ordered them to retreat in the first place.
All they could see were the towering beams of Originium light piercing the sky and the relentless, earthquake-like shockwaves that followed.
It wasn't until the turbulent Originium energy finally subsided that they dared to approach and investigate what had happened.
But by then, the terrifying monster was nowhere to be found. All that remained was their leader and a mysterious stranger who had appeared out of nowhere. For a moment, they had no idea how to react.
And just as they arrived, that man had vanished into thin air.
If they wanted answers, it seemed only their leader could provide them.
"I'm fine… In fact, I've never felt better."
Yelena clenched her fists slightly, feeling the unfamiliar sensation of health radiating from within her body. It was almost too surreal, as if she were trapped in a dream.
"Big Sis, as long as you're okay, that's all that matters. But who was that guy? And what happened to that monster?"
Hearing Yelena confirm that she was unharmed, the guerrilla fighters collectively sighed in relief. As long as she was safe, they could ask about everything else later.
They had always known about her fragile condition, yet looking at her now, she didn't seem to be forcing herself to appear strong.
After all, they had rarely seen her with such a healthy flush on her face—like a normal person.
"That guy… He's probably someone really powerful. Anyway, he helped me out a lot. But it looks like this mine is no longer viable for resource extraction. Let's head back—we still need to take care of the miners."
As her comrades brought up Steven, Yelena couldn't help but smile slightly. She didn't know why, but when she thought of that somewhat handsome young man and the warmth he radiated, a strange and indescribable emotion stirred in her heart.
Regardless, she had to report everything to her father.
Setting aside the matter of uncovering Steven's true identity, there was still the issue of that monstrous being hidden beneath the mine. She had never even heard of such a creature before, let alone encountered one with such overwhelming Originium energy.
If Steven hadn't intervened, she would have stood no chance against it.
When had such terrifying monsters begun lurking beneath Ursus' lands?
If she wanted answers, there was no one better to ask than that stubborn old Sarkaz captain—her father.
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