Flashy Adventurer System : Show Off to Get Stronger! - Chapter 965

Chapter 965: The Burning Seed
Seconds passed, then minutes, then hours, days, and eventually months…

Time does slowly heal all wounds, and even the Crowley family, who had been grieving in solitude, occasionally began to emerge from their temporary abode in Valenzia City, forcing themselves to enjoy meals at reestablished restaurants and take in the local scenery.

Despite their internal struggles, they had spent the past few months lifting each other’s spirits, gradually coming to terms with Shye’s loss. Their hearts were still far from healed, but they were getting there.

They were slowly moving on.

Naturally, the members of the unsealing cohort—except perhaps for Shirley—were coping with the loss better than Shye’s immediate family.

Some of them could laugh from time to time now.

A certain midget, for one, had managed to open up her heart to another, going on dates with a guy who was only a few centimeters taller than her.

The man had long pursued her and had proven that he was willing to risk his life for her, so she decided to at least give him a chance.

This helped her cope with the loneliness in her heart a bit better, even if only slightly.

Aside from her, most went into seclusion for a year, determined to increase their combat power to be worthy as someone who was left behind.

They wanted to be able to carry on the undying will and noble spirit of their fallen friend.

Wendy, for example, had been training at luxury fitness centers in Valenzia City, lifting weights to build strength and improving her endurance through cardiovascular exercises and pain tolerance training.

She seemed to have quite the knack for it.

Slowly, she developed muscles, well on her way to becoming the toughest priestess that ever lived.

Her plan was to acquire shielder as a subclass, as it would allow her to wield a life staff in one hand and a shield with the other, increasing both her survivability and her overall utility to whatever team she joined.

With her [Contact Casting] talent, her barriers and defensive skills would be nearly indestructible.

She was undisputedly the one with the most raw talent in their entire crew.

Even Siegfried could only claim second place.

Speaking of the young man, he had been enjoying life, coping really well with Shye’s loss.

A small, twisted part of him somehow felt relieved that he would no longer be in second place, though he would never admit it out loud.

He was only human, flawed like everyone else.

What mattered was keeping those feelings in check, ensuring they never consumed him.

Siegfried began to enjoy life a bit more, finally stepping up as Lesurii’s lover after being quite the insensitive rascal in the past.

Of course, he never slacked on training, dedicating at least ten hours a day, sixteen if his dear didn’t bother him.

He and a few others who remained in Valenzia City also sparred from time to time.

Ian was one of those he regularly trained with.

Meanwhile, Harry and David returned to their clans in Colzen City, choosing to cope with their grief there.

Contrary to appearances, they were working harder than ever, realizing they were among the weakest in their group.

Neither of them was satisfied.

Day after day, they pushed each other, improving through sheer brotherhood.

In turn, their clans grew closer than ever.

It seemed that things were slowly falling into place for everyone in the world.

The situation steadily improved, and the world continued to function without Shye, as if his loss were but a small, insignificant ripple in the grand scheme of things.

It made sense, though.

Though he had become a true immortal, his name spoken far and wide, he was now merely a glorious memory—a brave existence that inspired competence and ambition in those who yearned to be like him one day.

In the end, everyone had their own lives to worry about.

By the eleventh month since the war’s conclusion, everyone had changed.

Not necessarily in combat prowess—at least, not to extreme measures—but in wisdom and outlook on life, the unsealing cohort members were vastly different from who they once were.

For most of them, this was the first time they had lost someone they had been with for nearly a decade.

It was a heavy loss, one that hardened their mental fortitude and strengthened their ability to endure profound emotional blows.

Even Shirley was beginning to accept that Shye was gone, though she lagged behind the others in the process—which was perfectly understandable.

In any case, the time for the awards ceremony was approaching, and those who had chosen to return to their hometowns were already preparing to leave.

The event would take place in Yon Augenn Square, after all.

Even with the aid of teleportation formations, the journey was still considerable.

Moreover, some among them, not particularly gifted in speech, needed time to prepare their words.

They certainly didn’t want to embarrass themselves in front of a massive crowd.

***

The fiery seed in the dark depths continued to burn.

Its sacred vermillion flames roared, growing ever more intense with each passing day.

The seed did not know how long it had been burning.

However, it refused to remain dormant any longer. It raged in protest.

It demanded to face the world once more.

Yet, for now, its existence remained unknown—unnoticed and uncared for, as no one even knew it was burning.

The flames raged on for days, growing fiercer—until, suddenly, a crack split through the fiery seed.

Then, a final roar erupted—not the voice of fire, but of something else entirely.

A human.

‘AAAAAHHH!! F*CK!! HOT!!! HOT!!!’

A blazing figure burst from the fissure, rocketing heavenward with mind-boggling speed, defying gravity itself.

An ashen-haired young man then shot out of the abyss, crashing onto what once seemed to be a crystalline floor—his butt ablaze with sacred flames.

Shye frantically slapped at the flames scorching his bare butt, gritting his teeth in sheer agony as he hopped around like a madman.

Thank the heavens no one was around to witness his pathetic and embarrassing state!

“Aihh… that damned phoenix seed! Did it have a grudge against me?! Why the hell was the recovery process so unfairly painful?! I felt like I was burning for an eternity! No… ten!! Or was it eleven? Bah, who cares? I need to get out of here! Who knows how long I’ve been gone? Damn… have they already made a grave for me?! I hope not…”