The sect leader's body explodes using his blood as a power source; no one knows it is possible except those who witnessed or fell from its might.

Alexander's body froze and started shanking after seeing Sierra's condition. Her left arm and down are missing while she reaches for Alexander's embrace as her life energy leaks. A beautiful and tragic sight as the surrounding area burst with life, growing vegetation, blooming flowers, and trees producing fruits instantly like a miracle.

"Hey... Don't be sad," Sierra let out as she tries to calm Alexander and hug him for the last time.

"..." Alexander can't say a word nor move until he hears Sierra's word.

"This year is *Coughing* the happiest year I'm awake and all because of..." Sierra sincerely said to Alexander as soon as she felt his warm embrace.

"Don't waste your energy," Alexander let out as he gently stroked Sierra's hair, and tears uncontrollably fell, blaming himself for being so weak.

While Alexander hugs Sierra tighter, he can feel her life energy depletes, and her grip loosen every passing second. Alexander smiles and grabs the greatsword, gathering all the power he can muster to save the one person that means even giving his life.

Jio subconsciously grabs Bm's hand, knowing she would do anything to save Sierra.

"Im sorry, Sierra is like a sister to me..." Bm let out with watery eyes and continued, "I would travel the world with you, but..."

"..." Jio didn't say a word and watched the purple tattoo on Bm's forehead glow brighter as he hugged her one more time.

Bm's life force starts to move out of her body and travel toward Sierra's body.

Jio lays Bm's body on the ground and shouts on top of his lung, "TO THOSE WHO WANTS TO SAVE SIERRA, HER FAMILY! DO IT NOW!" And take another deep breath, "I KNOW YOU WANT TO SAVE THE GODDESS, BUT THE TWELVE ELITE MONSTERS MUST STAY AND PROTECT THE FOREST! I'M SURE THEY WILL!"

After the monster kind received the power or knowledge from the Ancient, they quickly understood the meaning of Jio's statements as they sacrificed their lives to save their Goddess with their precious lives. Even the animals and beasts alike near the battlefield run toward Sierra, bowing their head giving their lives.

Everyone fell to the ground, and their body turned to ashes as the sect members celebrated winning the battle while the Twelve Elite Monsters tried their best to hold enemies away from Sierra.

"Too early to celebrate!" Jio angrily expresses with dark magic surging around his body like a growing abyss that eats anything in sight as the sect members realize they are in grave danger.

Jio never thought that the Dark One's ability to take someone's soul to be useful and take the sect members' lives one by one for Sierra's sake. The Twelve Elite Monsters watch everyone in horror even they know Jio is on their side. The helpless souls try to hold their bodies only to break like glass, turning to pure energy and quickly flying towards Sierra.

In Jio's mind, he's doing everything to help Sierra but can not figure out the voice inside his head telling him not to stop, and he needs to torture the human souls instead of turning them into energy to get more from them.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

As the energy flows to Alexander and Sierra, their bodies glow, and Alexander's greatsword melts around his body. Alexander grinds his teeth from the pain of the greatsword process to merge as he starts to look like a statue with cracks around his eye sockets. The light that the two produced prevented anyone from seeing what was happening except for Jio.

*Is that... The Ancient?* Jio thought as he watched Alexander turn into the Ancient's younger version.

The energy coming from all directions did not stop, and Alexander and Sierra's bodies couldn't take it more and created a magic bubble that would pop at any moment.

Jio stopped after realizing that the two were about to reach their limit, and the energy coming from all directions had no sign of stopping. He grabs Bm's body and hopes to survive the blast.

*Why her body didn't turn to ashes?* Jio though, hoping for the best.

With the magic bubble reaching its peak size, it burst into a massive magic explosion, releasing life instead of destruction. Plants and trees rapidly grow, and the remaining Twelve Elite Monsters receive a power-up slightly equal to the Ancient himself if combined; no one will ever invade the forest again.

When Jio opens his eyes and looks around his surrounding, he notices Lala sleeping in his arms and the Twelve Elite Monsters bowing their head. He doesn't know what happened, but all his questions will be answered as the bright white light slowly floats toward him, and when it touches his body, he sees himself standing in a world of white nothingness and the Ancient in front of him waiting.

"Thank you for your help, Jio." The Ancient let out and smiled.

"..." Jio looked at him and didn't say a single thing.

"Jio... Can you help me once again and help my family?" The Ancient asks.

"Everyone thought you died. Are you dead? How are you able to talk to me? And Why me?" Jio ignores the Ancient request and asks questions about how it's even possible.

"It's my thought; my power created a connection to you, and since you're a magician, we can talk longer. I leave the Twelve Elite Monsters a message to follow you after we talk," The Ancient confidently answers and continues, "You already know the answer. Why you? You know I'm a human."

"I see," Jio nods and asks, "Alex... What's your story then?"

"After the explosion, Sierra and I travel through time and space back to the past. Sierra's soul is bound to the forest, and the explosion helps Sierra be born," The Ancient seriously looks at Jio's expression, but it doesn't change even after hearing his story.

"I see," Jio nods again.

"Sierra is a beautiful miracle, and I'm happy to be with her now," the Ancient happily announces.

"What do you mean?" Jio bent his head to the left as it caught him off guard.

"When my body turned to ashes, I transferred my soul to the forest with Sierra," the Ancient happily answers and continues, "I can only talk to her once for one and a half hours every fifty years, but now, I'm with her."

"I see," Jio nods his head again and asks, "Did you knock Bm cold earlier?"

"I did, and she will be fine. She just needs some time to restore her strength, maybe for a year or two," the Ancient answers and continues, "In my place, I collected enough space rock for you for helping my family."

"Thank you for collecting those ores for me," Jio bows and continues, "I should call you 'A.A' That's Alexander and Ancient."

"I think you'll be interested in a person who practices Dark Magic," the Ancient let out after ignoring his new nickname.

"Can I trust this person, A.A?" Jio asks.

"Of course, and I hope to talk to you again in the future," the Ancient confidently answers. He gives Jio information about the Dark Magician as he disappears, and Jio returns to his senses.

Knowing what happens to Sierra and Alexander, Jio stands in front of everyone that their family and friend who defended the forest didn't die in vain while the Twelve Elite Monsters stand behind him.

"I wish each and every one of you to get stronger to protect your family and friends in any danger inside and out of the forest," Jio let out with a serious face and continued, "The Twelve Elite Monsters are stronger, and I know they can protect the forest; your home and help those who are willing to get stronger."

Jio continued his speech and told everyone that he would be leaving in a week or after establishing new leadership.

To be continued,