As soon as Leo tapped the proceed button, a timer appeared in front of him. His heart pounded as the seconds began to tick away. Suddenly, a wave of paralysis surged through his body, locking his muscles in place. His vision blurred, and the world around him splintered into countless screens, each one a window into Amanda's past.

The cacophony of images and sounds crashed over him like a tidal wave. What have I done? The thought barely had time to form before it was drowned out by the flood of memories. He saw Amanda battling monsters, her face a mask of pain and determination. I can’t… Her laughter echoed faintly, almost lost beneath the din of her cries and shouts of defiance. …take this…

Each flickering scene blurred by, an endless storm of memories. But then, for the briefest moment, there was clarity—a glimpse of Amanda laughing, the joy in her eyes almost palpable—before the storm pulled him under again, harder than before.

For the first five seconds, a nauseating dizziness engulfed him. Focus, Leo… you have to focus. His stomach churned violently as he struggled to hold onto some sense of reality.

The pain from Amanda’s battles—every strike, every cut—lashed through him like bolts of lightning. I have to… His body, untouched yet utterly ravaged by the sensations, convulsed under the invisible blows. …endure this… for her.

His consciousness began to fragment, thoughts scattering like leaves in a storm. She lived through this… so can I. But as the memories intensified, doubt crept in. What if… I can’t? What if… I fail? The questions clawed at his mind, but he shoved them aside, clinging to the one truth that kept him anchored.

_I have to…

I will…

For the first five seconds, Leo felt a wave of nausea. His head spun, and his stomach churned. Every part of Amanda's experiences flooded his mind at once. He felt every blow she had endured, every cut and slash, the searing pain of a monster's strike to the gut. His body, though unscarred, felt every sensation as if it were happening in real-time.

His consciousness began to drift as he experienced years of Amanda's life compressed into mere seconds. He felt her joys and sorrows, her triumphs and defeats. He laughed with her in moments of happiness, cried with her in times of loss, and screamed in agony with each injury she had sustained. His body convulsed as the intensity of her experiences overwhelmed him. He coughed violently, tasting blood in his mouth, his vision swimming with the rapid succession of memories.

The world around him became a blur of motion and emotion. He felt the weight of Amanda's psychological and physical burdens. The love she had for her friends, the grief of losing them—all of it washed over him in a relentless tide.

After forty seconds, his body could no longer hold itself up. He slid from his chair, dropping to the floor. His body twitched uncontrollably, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. As the syncing process continued, the flood of experiences showed no sign of slowing.

Finally, the timer reached zero, and the overwhelming barrage of sensations ceased. The screens vanished, leaving Leo lying on the floor, his body still twitching and convulsing. His breath came in ragged gasps, and blood continued to seep from his lips.

Sync with Amanda completed.

Calculating synced years.

Successfully synced 100 years.

Congratulations, receiving successful sync reward.

Increasing all stats by 1000.

Leo lay there, his body gradually stilling as the system completed the process. The room was silent except for the faint sounds of his labored breathing.

In a split second, everyone on the farm, as well as those on neighboring lands, felt an inexplicable shift in the atmosphere. It was as if an invisible force had suddenly pressed down upon them, thickening the air and making each breath a laborious task. The once lively sounds of the farm—clucking chickens, lowing cattle, the rhythmic swish of scythes—were abruptly silenced. Birds took to the sky in panicked flocks, their frantic calls adding to the sense of impending doom.

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Farm workers paused in their tasks, looking around in confusion and fear. Some caught mid-motion, crumpled to the ground, their bodies unable to withstand the sudden burden. Their tools clattered to the dirt, forgotten. Animals, sensitive to the shift in the atmosphere, either bolted in fear or collapsed where they stood, eyes wide with terror.

Adventurers in the vicinity, more attuned to the fluctuations of magical energies, felt the shift with even greater intensity. Those practicing their combat skills found their weapons suddenly too heavy to wield, their limbs trembling with effort. Several fell to their knees, gasping for breath, their faces pale with strain.

On neighboring lands, villagers and traders halted their daily routines, gripping at their chests or clutching nearby support to stay upright. Children, sensing the fear in the adults around them, began to cry, their wails echoing eerily through the now-silent air. Whispers spread quickly among the conscious few, their voices tinged with a mix of fear and reverence.

"What is happening?"

"Is it a monster?"

"Could it be magic?"

The oppressive energy hung in the air like a thick fog, invisible but palpable, pressing down on everything in its reach. And then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the force began to recede, leaving everyone bewildered and shaken.

Amanda, working a bit further away on the farm, felt her heart race as she pinpointed the source of the unimaginable aura. The sensation was unlike anything she had felt before—powerful, yet disturbingly familiar, as though it brushed against something deep within her, something ancient and unsettling.

"Leo!" she exclaimed, her voice cracking. As the oppressive aura dissipated just as quickly as it had come, a faint glow briefly emanated from the rune on her chest. Unnoticed by Amanda, a faint warmth lingered in her arm, a sensation she dismissed in her urgency to reach him.

The unease lingered, and for a fleeting moment, she felt a tremor in her magical runes, sending a shiver down her spine. "Recall!" she commanded, her words carrying an urgency born of fear as she activated the spell, instantly teleporting her inside their home.

Amanda scanned the area, her breathing slow and steady despite her panic. The room was a chaotic mess: blood spattered the floor, mingling with vomit and the signs of Leo's convulsions. A sharp, cold sensation spiked through her body, and a cold sweat broke out across her skin.

She rushed towards him. Her legs felt weak, almost giving way beneath her as she reached his side.

Her knees hit the floor hard as she skidded to his side, hands shaking so violently she could barely focus. Her breath came in short, shallow gasps as she ran her hands over his body, her mind screaming of any visible injury. But the blood on the floor… it was his. It had to be.

Her whole body shook with fear.

"No injuries," she whispered to herself, her voice quivering. She pressed her head to his chest and felt his heart beating rapidly. Relief washed over her, knowing he was alive. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes to steady herself. When she opened them again, they were filled with determination.

Amanda pulled her hair back, tying it in place. She picked up Leo, her muscles straining with the effort, and laid him gently on his bed.

She began chanting spells, her voice steady despite the chaos around her. Her hands glowed with a soft, golden light, crackling with energy that sent tiny sparks into the air. The room thrummed with magic, the air thick with its power as she chanted spell after spell, her voice a steady rhythm against the chaos.

Each word took more from her, the weight of the magic pulling at her strength, but she pressed on. The room filled with the soft hum of magic, the air tingling with energy as she worked.

Amidst the chaos of blood and vomit, her presence became a beacon of calm. Her voice, steady and commanding, brought a sense of order as her magic began to weave a cocoon of healing around Leo.

"Sanctuary," she intoned, a dome of shimmering light enveloping Leo and casting a gentle glow around the room. The light reflected off the walls, creating dancing patterns that seemed to breathe with the rhythm of the spell.

"Divine Restoration," she continued, her hands hovering above his chest. The light intensified, casting a warm, golden hue that bathed Leo in its glow. His body responded, the tension easing as the restorative magic took effect.

"Greater Heal," she whispered, her voice filled with resolve. A final wave of light washed over Leo, mending any internal injuries and stabilizing his condition. The room seemed to pulse with the energy of the spell, the air humming with the power of her magic.

Amanda's focus never wavered, her spells weaving a cocoon of healing and protection around Leo.

Minutes felt like hours as she continued to chant, her magic flowing steadily. Finally, Leo's breathing began to even out, and the tension in his body eased. Amanda let out a shaky breath, feeling a small measure of relief. She knew the worst was over, but there was still so much she didn't understand about what had just happened.

Amanda stood over Leo, exhaustion tugging at her, but her eyes never left his face. "What happened here, Leo?" she whispered, her voice filled with a mix of worry and admiration. She brushed a damp strand of hair from his forehead, her fingers gentle and trembling.

"I'll keep you safe," she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and love. She brushed a damp strand of hair from his forehead, her fingers lingering as memories of their life together flooded her mind. "You've grown so much… but you're still that boy I promised to protect. And I always will."