Chapter 13 – The Watcher Above
*Tick.*
In a place where neither time nor space flowed, a throne stood alone.
It was not made of gold, nor stone, nor shadow.
It was made of fractured constellations—shards of frozen timelines orbiting a single seat.
A man sat upon it.
One leg crossed.
Elbow resting against the armrest.
Chin supported by relaxed fingers.
Before him floated countless translucent screens.
On them—
A mountain.
A ruined tomb.
A bleeding boy.
A dying guardian spirit.
The man's lips curved faintly.
"You survived again."
A thin stone device hovered near his wrist like a broken watch. Its surface shimmered with unknown symbols—similar to a system, yet older. Deeper.
He adjusted one of the floating panels.
Chrono staggered through the tomb ruins below.
"Good."
*Tick.*
The screens dimmed.
And somewhere far beneath—
Chrono collapsed.
--------------------------------------------
Cold air burned his lungs.
The ghost's fragment lay in his trembling hand—its faint blue glow unstable, almost fading.
Gran supported his left side.
Glask steadied his right.
Blood stained Chrono's torn clothes.
His ribs throbbed.
His leg dragged slightly.
Broken.
The tomb behind them had fallen silent.
The corrupted guardian spirit was gone.
But its pressure still lingered in memory.
'I need holy water…'
Before leaving the tomb chamber, he had found the relic lamp near the altar.
When he scanned it—
[Relic – Soul Lantern]
[Effect: Purifies weakened or corrupted spiritual entities.]
[Restriction: Requires holy energy infusion.]
It was old.
But usable.
If he reached the church in time.
If he did not collapse first.
The forest path blurred.
Each step felt like sinking into deep water.
By the time the church spires appeared through the trees, his vision darkened at the edges.
The doors opened before they reached it.
A priest hurried down the stone steps.
"What happened?!"
Glask answered calmly.
"He defeated the tomb boss."
The priest froze.
"The burial guardian?"
"It was corrupted," Glask replied.
Chrono forced his voice out.
"I volunteered."
The priest looked stunned.
"You went alone?"
Gran snorted quietly.
Hands lifted Chrono carefully and brought him inside.
Incense filled the air.
Soft candlelight flickered against wooden walls.
He was placed onto a small bed in an inner chamber.
Voices murmured.
Prayers echoed.
Darkness swallowed him.
--------------------------------------------
Light returned slowly.
Sunlight touched his face through a circular window.
Chrono's eyes opened.
Pain pulsed across his body—but contained now.
He inhaled sharply.
A priest stood nearby mixing herbs.
"You should not move," the priest said gently.
"How long?" Chrono asked.
The priest paused.
"Seven days."
Silence.
Chrono's fingers tightened against the bedsheet.
Seven.
'The Nine-Tail…'
He forced himself upright despite the pain.
"I need holy water."
The priest studied him.
"For what purpose?"
Chrono held up the Soul Lantern.
"This. It can purify weakened spirits."
Recognition flickered in the priest's eyes.
"You intend to cleanse something."
"Yes."
The priest sighed softly.
"Glask told us everything. You volunteered to investigate the tomb. You defeated the corrupted guardian spirit for this village."
He walked toward a wooden cabinet and retrieved a small crystal vial filled with faint golden liquid.
"Holy water. Refined at dawn prayer."
Chrono accepted it carefully.
But before closing his hand—
He hesitated.
"Can I have more?"
The priest blinked.
"For what reason?"
Chrono met his eyes calmly.
"I may need it again. I don't know what I'll face."
Silence lingered in the room.
Then the priest nodded slowly.
"You have earned it."
He returned with a slightly larger container—sealed with wax and marked by the church's crest.
"This should be enough for several uses."
Chrono accepted it with both hands.
"Thank you."
The priest's voice softened.
"You risked your life for spirits you did not know."
Chrono lowered his gaze slightly.
"I needed it."
That was the truth.
But not the whole truth.
As the priest turned away—
Chrono subtly tilted the smaller vial.
A portion of the holy water flowed into a tiny empty glass container hidden inside his coat.
Carefully.
Measured.
Not enough to be noticed missing.
He resealed both containers.
'For emergencies.'
Holy water could weaken curses.
Slow corruption.
Counter spiritual poison.
He had learned that the hard way.
[You obtained Holy Water x2]
[Holy Water stored.]
He exhaled quietly.
Gran and Glask waited outside the chamber.
Gran let out a low rumble of relief.
"You look fragile," Glask observed.
"I feel worse."
He stood.
Pain shot through his leg.
He steadied himself against the wall.
The priest approached once more.
"You are not fully healed."
"I can't stay."
The priest nodded reluctantly.
"Then may the light guide you."
Chrono walked toward the church doors.
Just before crossing them—
*Tick.*
The sunlight dimmed slightly.
His shadow stretched unnaturally long across the wooden floor.
For a brief moment—
He felt it again.
That presence.
Watching.
Cold.
Familiar.
His eyes narrowed.
'You again…'
Far beyond reality—
The man on the throne leaned back.
"You noticed."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
Chrono's status window flickered faintly—just for a fraction of a second.
Not visible to anyone else.
Not even to Chrono clearly.
The Unknown Man tapped the floating stone device near his wrist.
A barely noticeable ripple passed through existence.
A minor adjustment.
Nothing drastic.
Just—
A subtle shift in probability.
Plausible: 56 points
The number shimmered faintly.
The man smiled.
"That's enough."
He did not intervene further.
Only watched.
*Tick.*
The world resumed.
The church felt normal again.
Chrono frowned slightly but said nothing.
He stepped outside.
Wind brushed against his face.
The mountain stood in the distance.
Gran lowered himself.
Chrono climbed onto his back carefully.
Glask positioned himself beside them.
Chrono looked down at the sealed holy water container inside his coat.
Then at the smaller hidden vial.
'If this fails… I'll use the second one.'
He looked toward the mountain again.
The air felt heavier.
As if something was waiting.
Above all—
The throne room glowed faintly.
Stats floated before the seated man.
Name: Chrono
Level: 30
Health: 78/78 (+30)
Mana: 110/110 (+40)
Race: Shapeshifter / Monolian
Class: Sorcerer / Fighter
Strength: 25
Defense: 30
Arcana: 30
Intelligence: 25
Dexterity: 20
Wisdom: 15
Charm: 18
Agility: 20
Mental: 27
Plausible: 56 points
Skills:
[Doom: Level 2]
[Creation: Level 1]
[Magic Missile: Level 5]
[Mana Circle: 4th]
[Combat Force: 3rd Stage]
[Sword Dance]
[Basic Smithing]
The Unknown Man's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You're still behind."
He watched Chrono ride away from the church.
"But you'll get there."
A pause.
A faint whisper.
"Because you already did."
*Tick.*
The screens dimmed.
Chrono left the church grounds—
Carrying holy water for the Phoenix.
And some for himself.
End of Chapter 13