They made their way into the corridor, where several girls were already waiting outside for Seana.
Most of them were the senior students, and seeing them standing there with expectant expressions brought a small smile to her face.
At least... humanity hasn’t given up yet, she thought.
Meanwhile, Lothe walked toward one corner of the ruined archive and picked up an overturned table.
He dusted it off before setting it upright, then did the same with a nearby chair and carefully arranged them for Seana.
"There," he said with a satisfied nod. "You can use this."
The first girl stepped forward, but just as Seana was about to begin, a thought suddenly crossed her mind. She looked at Lothe before speaking.
"Uhm... Lothe?"
Lothe turned around. "Hmm?"
"I think you can go for now. If I need you, I’ll send someone to call you."
Lothe was about to ask why, but the answer hit him almost instantly.
Right... these were all girls, and his presence would probably make them uncomfortable during the examination.
"Okay," he replied with a nod. "I’ll be downstairs if you need me."
Just as he reached the doorway, he paused and returned to their room. A moment later, he came back carrying several medicines, which he neatly placed on the table before Seana.
"These should be enough for now," he said before finally leaving.
Watching him disappear down the corridor, Seana smiled faintly before turning her attention back to the waiting girls.
Her gentle expression slowly became serious as she prepared herself.
"Since we don’t have proper medical equipment, we’ll have to do this the traditional way," she said calmly.
"Luckily for you all, I also studied traditional medicine before learning modern medicine."
The girls exchanged doubtful glances. It was difficult for them to believe that someone around their age could possess such knowledge.
Seana simply ignored their expressions and gestured toward the first girl. "Stretch out your hand."
The girl hesitated for a moment before doing as she was told.
Seana gently placed two fingers on her wrist and closed her eyes, carefully feeling the rhythm of her pulse.
Before the apocalypse, she had learned traditional medicine from her grandparents.
Pulse diagnosis, acupuncture, herbal brewing, and many other techniques had become second nature to her long before she entered The Crowns Academy.
At the same time, she quietly activated Blood Sense.
The blood flowing through the girl’s body became as clear as a map in her mind, allowing Seana to detect internal injuries, poison, and abnormalities with remarkable precision.
Thankfully, there was no poison in her body. Apart from exhaustion and a few internal injuries, her condition wasn’t life-threatening.
Seana opened one of the medicine packets before picking up a tablet. Using a thin strand of Qi, she cleanly split it into two and handed one half to the girl.
"For now, take this," she said gently.
"The Qi released into the atmosphere is already helping your body recover, but if you want to heal faster, you’ll have to do your part too."
The girl accepted the medicine with both hands.
"Thank you... and my name is Ruth." She hesitated for a few seconds before speaking again.
"I... I want to become as strong as you."
Seana blinked in surprise before smiling warmly.
"To be honest, I still don’t fully understand how this new energy works."
"But from what I’ve observed, if your body is compatible with it, you’ll awaken a special ability. That’s only a theory for now, so don’t take it as absolute."
She paused before continuing.
"Even if you don’t awaken a superpower or a System, you can still become stronger. Kill monsters, collect the orbs they leave behind, and you’ll gradually obtain treasures, techniques, and other resources."
"Who knows?" she added with a smile. "You might even be lucky enough to obtain a high-grade treasure."
Ruth’s eyes lit up at Seana’s words, and even the girls waiting behind her couldn’t hide the hope that flashed across their faces.
However, the excitement only lasted for a moment before their expressions gradually darkened again.
Seana understood exactly what they were thinking.
They had all experienced terrifying things since the apocalypse began, and many of them believed they no longer had what it took to survive.
"You don’t have to feel inferior because you didn’t awaken a superpower or a System," Seana said softly.
"As long as Qi flows through your body, you can still use it to strengthen yourself and become stronger."
She looked at every girl standing before her, making sure none of them avoided her gaze.
"A superpower shouldn’t decide whether you survive in this new world. Your determination to live should."
"The world may have ended, but our lives haven’t," she continued.
"As long as you refuse to give up, there will always be another chance waiting for you."
"If you truly want to live, then fight for it. Even if the whole world stands against you, never be the first person to abandon yourself."
Silence filled the corridor.
Many of the girls lowered their heads as her words echoed in their hearts.
The despair clouding their minds slowly began to fade, replaced by a tiny spark of hope they thought had long disappeared.
At that very moment, a blue screen suddenly appeared before Seana.
[Passive Skill Awakened]
[Heart of Hope - Lv.1]
Description:
[A heart that refuses to abandon others naturally becomes a beacon in times of despair. Your sincere words inspire those who have lost the will to live, strengthening their resolve and gradually restoring their hope. Allies affected by this skill gain increased resistance to fear, despair, and mental corruption. The stronger their trust in you, the greater the effect.]
Seana blinked in surprise.
"A... passive skill?"
Before she could think any further, a quiet sob reached her ears from the back of the line.
Turning toward the sound, she noticed a girl around her age sitting against the wall with her knees pulled tightly against her chest.
The other girls lowered their heads, unable to meet Seana’s eyes. They all knew why Melody was crying.
When the apocalypse had broken out, they had been trapped inside the medical building.
Before anyone could organize a rescue, the Boss and his gang had found them first.
The physical injuries could heal with time.
The wounds left on their hearts... were much deeper.
Seana slowly walked over before crouching in front of the trembling girl.
She gently placed a hand on her shoulder, allowing her Blood Manipulation to calm the girl’s racing blood flow.
"Hey," she said softly. "What’s wrong?"
The girl slowly lifted her head, revealing swollen red eyes filled with tears.
"I... I don’t want to live anymore," she whispered. "If my parents ever find out what happened to me... they won’t want me anymore."
Fresh tears streamed down her cheeks as her body trembled uncontrollably.
She couldn’t even bring herself to finish her sentence.
Seana remained silent for a few moments before speaking.
"If your parents reject you because of something you never chose, then they don’t deserve to be called your parents. None of what happened was your fault, and you shouldn’t carry the burden of someone else’s sins."
She gently took the broken piece of glass from the girl’s shaking hand before continuing.
"You still have dreams waiting for you. You still have a future worth protecting, and you still have people you’ll meet along the way."
"The world may have become cruel, but that doesn’t mean you have to become another victim of it forever."
Seana looked directly into the girl’s tear-filled eyes.
"Tell me... would you want another girl to experience what you went through?"
The girl immediately shook her head. "No..."
"Then become strong enough to stop it from happening again," Seana replied.
"The only way to protect others from monsters like them is to stand back up and face this world instead of letting it defeat you."
The girl stared at Seana for several long seconds before slowly reaching out her hand.
Seana smiled warmly and helped her to her feet.
"My... my name is Melody Samuels," the girl said quietly. "And... if you’ll allow it... I want to follow you from now on."
The determination in her eyes had replaced the despair from only moments ago.
One after another, the remaining girls nodded their heads.
"We want to follow you too."
Seana froze, completely caught off guard by their response.
"I..." she began before letting out a helpless laugh. "Let’s focus on treating everyone’s injuries first. We can talk about everything else afterward."
The girls smiled and nodded in agreement.
One by one, they stepped forward, and Seana resumed treating them.