‘Even though I can’t use my full strength, this man, Isakawa, is withstanding the pressure of my aura despite me only using a small portion of it. It seems King chose a capable father for me in this world,’ Death mused with a light chuckle.

‘This human is interesting,’ she thought, observing the parents.

{ Soul Chains }

Suddenly, rays of blue chains erupted from all directions, wrapping around Death. Her Dark Knights sensed the shift in energy, realizing the source of this strange power. Despite Death’s fierce resistance, the chains held firm, causing her to be very pissed.

“If you want to fight, then I shall gladly be your opponent. { Grand Star }” Death declared. And Isakawa sensed the magical fluctuations intensifying around them and acting weird.

“Masters, something is happening outside!” one of the servants burst in, visibly shaken and struggling to maintain his composure.

Through the windows, they saw a massive magic circle enveloping their home, shards of light piercing through.

“Shit!!” Isakawa cursed, feeling the immense magical pressure coming from the circle. If it activated, it would annihilate the entire area.

“Isakawa, tell us what’s happening!” Takase demanded, frustration evident in his voice. He clenched his fists, furious with himself for not intervening earlier to stop Ray. If he had acted sooner, none of this would have spiraled out of control.

“Since you didn’t listen to me, I might as well not say anything,” Isakawa replied, shrugging nonchalantly, his eyes glowing.

Takase’s frustration mounted. His son was still trapped in the Rift, and he had no choice but to rely on Isakawa. His patience wore thin as he turned his attention back to the screen, where Iris’s smirk was unmistakable.

‘Death, stop!!!’ Iris’s childish voice echoed in Death’s mind, causing a severe headache. Iris sensed Death’s murderous intent towards her father and desperately tried to intervene.

“Death, stop!!” Iris’s voice rang out again, and Death screamed in agony, clutching her head in pain.

However, Death was unprepared for what happened next.

However, Death didn't expect that….

Isakawa would stab his own daughter. A bright blue chain, with its edge like a sword, pierced through her belly.

“Ack!?” Death coughed up blood, stunned as she realised what happened. That bastard!

Death wasn't the only one who was shocked, Tael too witnessed this and gritted his teeth. How could Isakawa attack his own daughter?

[ I’m forcing you to sleep, Death. ] The system stated.

“No, wait! Iris has been stabbed!!” Death cried out, her expression one of sheer panic as she worried for Iris, now bleeding from the wound.

[ Don’t worry. You two are one, so she’ll also gain your healing abilities. ]

"Daddy," Iris murmured softly, her skull-shaped eyes reverting to their bright blue hue. The enormous magic circle encircling the Subaru house faded away, and the Blood Knights dissolved into pools of blood. The Dark Knights began to vanish as well.

Iris, no longer floating, started to fall. Fortunately, the [ Queen ] caught her, gazing at her through its helmet. Iris, now smiling slightly, looked up at the Knight. The Queen extended its other hand and lightly touched Iris’s body. The gaping wound in her belly began to heal, and her once-pale face regained its color.

"Thank you," Iris said, smiling gratefully at the Knight. The Queen then transformed into a dark light, which flowed into Iris’s body before disappearing. Iris fainted as the last traces of the dark light vanished.

If anyone had been watching closely, they would have seen a dark black Gemaris tattoo with two beings appearing briefly on her belly before vanishing entirely.

Tael rushed to Iris and scooped her up into his arms. He examined her face and the now-reverted black hair. He panicked momentarily, noticing the previous wound had disappeared completely. Iris was fully healed.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

Tael sighed in relief and carried Iris away, relieved that the ordeal was finally over. The entire family conflict had been a significant headache for him.

Isakawa, still reeling from the chaos, looked over at Jennifer, who was visibly upset. Suddenly, Jennifer clutched her stomach and began to cough up blood. Isakawa quickly moved to her side, attempting to use a healing spell.

"You know it doesn’t work on me, husband," Jennifer teased weakly, trying to lighten the mood. Despite her attempt at humor, Isakawa’s expression remained serious.

"Then let’s go for our daughter," Isakawa said, patting Jennifer lightly to help her up. He guided her away, focusing on their daughter.

"Father, you saw what Isakawa’s daughter did! Are you not going to punish them?" Lena shouted in frustration, unable to accept the situation. He was envious of Isakawa’s daughter’s natural-born abilities, which made him jealous.

At such a young age her powers are already frightening. She could even be classified as an S class in the near future. Even if they were to tell others no one would believe them. And the monitors in the Rift were to watch the children and not record it, since they can't get information like this leaked out into the public.

"Shut your mouth!!" Goshi snapped, glaring at Lena. "Isakawa warned us, and we didn’t listen. We only have ourselves to blame."

Goshi sighed, his gaze sweeping over the other family members who looked equally frightened. Yue, in particular, bit her lips as she was angry yet too scared at the same time.

_______

Jennifer and Isakawa made their way toward the area where the Rift had been concealed, arriving just as Tael emerged from it. As they approached, Jennifer's gaze fell on Tael, cradling Iris in his arms. The sight of blood staining Iris's body caused a pang of anguish to well up in Jennifer’s chest. Her daughter had been through so much.

She had seen Isakawa stab Iris with his chains and was horrified, but the ominous air surrounding him kept her silent. Kneeling, Jennifer gently took Iris from Tael, her heart aching as she noticed Iris’s was unusually still. Her eyes remained closed, and for a terrifying moment, Jennifer feared her daughter was in a coma. Yet, to her relief, Iris was still breathing.

Rising to her feet, Jennifer prepared to rush Iris to the infirmary for immediate healing. But something made her freeze—there was no blood. The hole that had been there moments ago on screen had vanished, as if it had never existed. A wave of relief washed over her, quickly followed by unease. It was common for Ability Users to develop a slow auto-healing ability upon reaching level 30, but it was never as effective as the powers of a Healer or Priest, and certainly not strong enough to repair a wound like the one Iris had sustained.

Jennifer's mind raced. Had it been the time Iris slaughtered those rify monsters with her summons? Could her level have skyrocketed, granting her new and extraordinary skills? But even then, this kind of regeneration was unheard of, aside from her husband.

"It was probably that giant Knight," Isakawa remarked, his tone indifferent as he watched Jennifer cradle Iris. Despite the blood covering half of Iris’s body, her beauty remained untouched.

"Let her rest," Isakawa added, his words a quiet attempt at consolation. Jennifer wiped her tears and kissed Iris’s bloodstained cheeks, not caring that her lips were now smeared with red. Her only concern was comforting her daughter.

As she started to walk away, Jennifer glanced back at Tael, who remained still, his eyes lingering on Iris. She offered him a small smile and whispered, "Thank you," before continuing on. A strange, yet comforting warmth stirred in her heart—something she hadn’t felt in a long time.

'Is this what a mother’s love feels like?' she wondered, heading toward the infirmary.

Isakawa turned his head, watching Jennifer walk away with Iris. When he shifted his gaze, Tael was standing before him, his eyes burning with silent fury. The intensity of Tael's glare was enough to convey what he was thinking, even without words.

"I can't believe you'd attack your own daughter!" Tael's thoughts screamed, though he remained silent, fists clenched at his sides.

Isakawa’s lips curled into a mocking smirk. "Don’t look at me with those ugly eyes," he muttered, brushing past Tael without a second glance. As he walked away, his voice echoed telepathically in Tael's mind. 'Don’t meddle too much in her affairs, or you'll regret it.'

Tael stood rooted in place, watching Isakawa disappear into the distance. His jaw tightened, veins bulging along his arms as anger coursed through him. He wanted to lash out, but he forced himself to remain calm. Isakawa had saved him, after all. If he provoked him further, it could end badly.

Closing his eyes, Tael's mind drifted back to the day Isakawa had rescued him.

_______

Flames roared all around him, bright and merciless. The young Tael trembled in fear, his small body frozen amidst the chaos. People fled the burning building, desperate to escape, but in their panic, they left him behind.

"Mother! Mother!" he cried, stumbling through the choking smoke. His lungs burned with every breath, his chest tight with pain. But none of it mattered—he had to find his mother. He had to believe she would come for him.

Suddenly, the ceiling above gave way, and debris came crashing down on his frail body. Tael fell to the ground, his vision blurring as he struggled to stay conscious. But even then, his voice broke through the haze. "Mother... please help me..."

Through the flames, he saw a figure approach. Her voice, weak but unmistakable, called out to him. "Tael..."

He couldn’t see clearly, but he knew it was her—his mother. Relief flooded his heart as he reached out for her. But then, to his horror, she stopped. Her outstretched hand recoiled, and with a twisted smile, she turned and fled, leaving him to die.

Tael's heart shattered. His one hope, the person he had clung to, had abandoned him without a second thought. She had always been cold, but this... this was beyond cruelty. She had left him to perish, her expression one of wicked delight.

His vision dimmed, and he no longer cared whether he lived or died. His entire life had been nothing but suffering, ever since the day his Job Class had been revealed when he awakened his Abilities.

Then, as the world around him began to fade, the heat of the flames seemed to subside. Straining, Tael lifted his head, barely able to comprehend what was happening.