The old man's eyes were complicated. Realizing he had been saved, he suddenly broke down and sobbed.
"With these old bones of mine still alive, I'll only be a burden to Tetsuichiro and his wife."
"Anyway, I don't have many months left. Better to just end it here."
"You two go on. Don't mind me."
In just a few short sentences lay an overwhelming amount of information that made Leon and the other frown slightly.
"Old one, I can tell you can't bear to part with your children and grandchildren. Will you tell us what happened?"
Leon's voice was gentle, carrying a magical quality that soothed turbulent emotions.
"…I heard the roar of that gigantic monster. My body started showing symptoms. The doctor said there's no cure—only relief."
The old man's agitation eased considerably. His wrinkled hands were covered in calluses, knuckles white.
"Tetsuichiro and Suzuko… they've had such a hard life because of me."
"To take care of me, Tetsuichiro answered the shogunate's call and participated in forging blades to save the world."
"Suzuko felt sorry for Tetsuichiro and took the initiative to share his burden by helping transport blade-forging materials."
"But not long ago there was an accident. Suzuko's arm was crushed to pieces, and her lower leg had to be amputated."
"Suzuko still has a chance to get expensive prosthetics and stand again, but these old bones of mine are nothing but a burden."
"It's been over a year. All the money Tetsuichiro earned has been wasted on me."
"I've seen Suzuko's diagnosis. If a nerve-matching prosthetic isn't installed within four hundred days, the nerves near the stump will gradually necrotize, leaving her disabled for life…"
"They're still young, and I'm already old."
"…"
Leon's expression showed no change. He simply took the old man's hand, and a gentle wind flowed from his palm into the old man's body, probing his condition.
"Old one, I'm a doctor too. May I examine your right arm?"
"Sigh…"
The old man tremblingly rolled up his sleeve, revealing horrifying traces of necrotic flesh.
"I see you're not Oni. You must still be young. Don't waste your time on me. Go help those who still have a future."
"Please believe me, old one. I can treat you."
Black-death disease—the illness that began spreading after Tenjo Tatokami-dono's descent.
Before the specific medicine was developed, the mortality rate was 100%.
Leon helped the old man straighten his sleeve, his gaze shifting slightly.
"Mei, Z-2 type, dosage 3."
Before the echo of his voice faded, Mei had already taken out the corresponding type and dosage of the specific medicine.
Clearly, after seeing the condition of the old man's arm, she knew exactly which medicine and how much was needed.
"Old one, please drink this."
"No, no, I can't add any more burden to Tetsuichiro and Suzuko…"
"No charge. Please rest assured."
The old man stubbornly shook his head.
"Why save a useless person like me? Go! I'm grateful you're willing to help."
"If you can really cure this disease, save the precious medicine for the young."
"Using it on an old thing who's about to enter the earth isn't worth it."
Leon shook his head slightly and stopped trying to persuade him.
With a hook of two fingers, an invisible wind drew the liquid from the vial and poured it down the old man's throat.
After doing this, he stood up and started walking.
"Let's go, Mei."
The old man stared blankly at the two leaving figures, unable to react for a long time.
Only when he felt the pain fade and changes occurring in his body did he roll up his sleeve again.
Witnessing those shocking necrotic traces rapidly disappear, complex emotions of having survived a calamity surged in his heart.
Looking toward the place where the young man and the Oni woman had vanished, the old man's face—now with much better color—was filled with gratitude.
…
Leon and Mei arrived at the village and went straight to the only small clinic to retrieve medical records.
Then, without pause, they headed to the patients' locations to distribute the specific medicine.
The village wasn't large.
In about half an hour, they met the old man's family.
From Suzuko, who had lost an arm and a leg, Leon could see the special aura she emitted.
She was a woman born kind, who had never committed evil, yet suffered a tragic fate.
Whether in the past or now, she perfectly met the conditions for a follower of the Path of Mercy to cast THEIR gaze and grant salvation.
Leon "cured" her injuries, then left.
On the way to the last patient's house, Raiden Bosenmori Mei couldn't hold back the question that had been in her heart for a long time.
"Leon, just what is your true identity? I've never seen abilities like this."
"When I was injured in battle, you healed me the same way—with wind."
"You said that to obtain something, there is always a price."
"…Rapid healing of wounds, even full regeneration of severed limbs… To obtain this power, what price do you have to pay?"
Leon stopped walking, silent for a few seconds, then looked up at the gloomy sky.
"Right now, every time I use this power, I am essentially paying the price."
"I… don't quite understand what you mean."
"I have told a lie. That lie requires equivalent repayment. As for what the lie is, you'll understand in the future. I can't tell you now."
"…Then I won't ask."
"As for my identity… just think of me as a nameless traveler. And the power… heh, it is called Abundance."
Raiden Bosenmori Mei pondered for a moment, then silently nodded.
"Nameless traveler, Abundance… Mei will remember it in her heart."
"Wait! Watson, I've discovered a blind spot!"
Ah Xian immediately paused the plot and pulled out the notebook she always used when researching Leon's backstory.
"This segment directly tells us that Leon knows of the existence of the Path of Abundance, but—"
"His voice lines don't include Yaoshi. There are only a few possibilities."
"The closest possibility is: the 5-star Leon we pulled, whose era of existence is unknown—at that time, several Aeons whose voice lines are missing hadn't been born yet."
"He doesn't know THEM, so there are no related voice lines."
"Yet now he speaks the name Abundance. My reasonable guess is that the birth of Abundance is related to the death of the god the Sky Haven Clan worshipped."
"Just guessing, stacking armor so no one rewrites history later."
"Also, they just added a Simulated Universe DLC, right? The Swarm Disaster."
"If I remember correctly, one of Leon's lines about his experiences after leaving Ether Star mentions the hive."
"I don't think that's a coincidence. Also, moderator, send me that plot screenshot from when the Seven Holy Envoys of the Sky Haven Clan were still alive."
Ah Xian switched to OBS, displayed the image, and zoomed in proportionally.
"See that? Those black shadows are clearly bugs. Thinking back now, the sound effects at that time were exactly the buzzing of insect wings."
"Initial inference: the god worshipped by the Sky Haven Clan, like Ena, fell during the Swarm Disaster."
"If later we can find related text proving the Swarm Disaster occurred around Amber Era 1300 or later, this inference can basically become confirmed fact."
"And this also means the memory segment we're seeing right now takes place after the Swarm Disaster."
"The information isn't huge, but at least we have a rough timeline."
[What lie did Leon tell?]
[Probably… willingly carrying out the plan the entire clan agreed to, when in reality he wasn't willing at all?]