The glowing blue crystal cluster was heavy in Donald’s hands. It felt warm, like a cup of hot tea. The light from the pure mana lit up the dark, dirty sewer chamber.
Evelyn walked over. She could not take her eyes off the crystal. Her breath was shaking.
"I have never seen a cluster that big," Evelyn whispered. "The Golem must have been eating from this broken vent for months."
Donald looked at the crystal, then at Evelyn. "You said you needed five hundred crystals to fix your core. The... my magic senses tell me this is enough. But how do we do it? Do we take it to a Guild hospital or—"
"No," Evelyn said quickly. She shook her head. "If we walk into a hospital with a raw D-Rank crystal, they will ask questions. Worse, raw mana evaporates. If we do not seal this in a special Guild container, it will turn into useless dust in an hour."
Donald felt a spike of panic. "Then what do we do?"
"We do it right here," Evelyn said. She looked around the broken sewer room. The ambient blue mana from the broken pipe made the air feel thick and safe. "You have your [Soothing Hands] skill. You can use your magic to push the raw crystal energy directly into my chest."
Donald’s eyes went wide. The System had told him he could initiate the repair, but he didn’t realize how physical it would be. "Are you sure? What if I mess it up?"
"I trust you, Donald," Evelyn said firmly. Her blue eyes were completely serious. "More than I trust anyone else in this city right now. So, Let’s do it."
She didn’t waste any time. Evelyn sat down on a large, flat piece of broken concrete near the glowing vent. Just like in the apartment, she pulled off her ruined leather jacket. Then she pulled off her thick gray shirt.
This time, she didn’t stop there.
"The mana needs a direct path to my sternum," Evelyn explained smoothly. She reached behind her back and unhooked her tight black bra, tossing it onto the wet floor.
Donald choked and immediately spun around, covering his eyes with his free hand. His face turned completely red.
"Evelyn!" Donald squeaked, his voice cracking like a teenager’s. "What are you doing?!"
"I am preparing for a medical procedure, kid," Evelyn sighed, though there was a small, teasing smile on her face. "Don’t act like a baby. You’ve seen a woman before, haven’t you?"
"N-no! I mean, yes! I mean, not like this!" Donald stuttered, keeping his back turned.
Evelyn laughed softly. It was a nice sound. "Turn around, Donald. Sit in front of me. I won’t bite you."
Donald took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He slowly turned around, keeping his eyes firmly locked on Evelyn’s chin. He refused to look down. He walked over and sat cross-legged on the concrete right in front of her.
"Press the crystal against the center of my chest," Evelyn instructed. "Then, put your hands over it and use your healing skill. Push all your mana into the crystal."
Donald nodded stiffly. He reached out with shaking hands. He pressed the smooth, warm crystal against her bare skin, right between her breasts. His knuckles accidentally brushed against her soft skin, making his face burn even hotter.
"Focus, kid," Evelyn whispered. Her voice was suddenly tight. Being this close, he could feel how much pain she was hiding.
"Right. Sorry." Donald closed his eyes, thankful he didn’t have to look anymore.
He called upon the warm energy in his chest. His hands began to glow with the soft green light of [Soothing Hands]. But he didn’t just use the skill. In his mind, he pulled up his secret screen.
[Target: Evelyn Vance]
[Required Asset (500 Mana Crystals) is present.]
[Do you wish to invest this asset into the Target?]
Yes, Donald thought.
The moment he accepted, the green light around his hands turned bright gold.
The heavy crystal cluster suddenly turned into pure liquid energy. It didn’t spill; it soaked directly into Evelyn’s skin like water sinking into dry dirt.
Evelyn let out a loud, sharp gasp. Her hands grabbed Donald’s shoulders tightly. Her fingernails dug into his jacket.
"It burns!" she grunted, her body shaking.
"I’m sorry! S-Should I stop?" Donald asked in a panic, his eyes flying open.
"No!" Evelyn ordered, her eyes squeezed shut. Sweat was pouring down her pale face. "Keep going! Push it all in!"
Donald pushed harder. The golden light from the System mixed with his green healing magic, acting like a bridge. He could feel the shattered pieces of her mana core inside her chest. It felt like a broken glass cup.
As the pure blue energy from the crystal flooded in, the golden System light acted like glue. It pulled the broken pieces of her core together. The sharp edges smoothed out. The cracks sealed up.
The process took three long minutes. Evelyn groaned and panted, holding onto Donald so tightly his shoulders bruised. Finally, the last drop of the crystal melted into her chest.
The golden light faded.
Evelyn slumped forward, completely exhausted. Her bare chest rested heavily against Donald’s chest. Her head dropped onto his shoulder. She was breathing deeply, but her body was totally relaxed.
Donald sat there, frozen stiff, holding a half-naked, incredibly beautiful mature woman in his arms. His brain was completely short-circuiting.
"E-Evelyn?" he whispered, afraid to move.
"It’s... quiet," she mumbled against his neck. Her voice was weak, but full of pure joy. "The breaking sound... it’s gone. My core is whole."
Before Donald could say anything else, a massive wall of golden text exploded in front of his eyes. The System was going crazy.
[Investment Complete!]
[Asset Value: 550 Pure Mana Crystals.]
[Target: Evelyn Vance]
[Impact: Critical Lifesaving Core Repair.]
[Calculating Exponential Returns...]
[Reward 1: Massive Experience Gained. You have leveled up! (Level 3)]
[Reward 2: Massive Experience Gained. You have leveled up! (Level 4)]
[Reward 3: +10 to all Base Stats.]
Donald’s jaw dropped. Two levels at once? Plus ten to all stats? That was an insane amount of power. But the System wasn’t done.
[Reward 4: Target’s Class Core has been restored. Collecting Dividend Skill...]
[Skill Acquired - ’Bull Rush’ (C-Rank).]
[Description: Rush forward with explosive speed. Your body becomes a weapon. The heavier your armor or weapon, the more damage you deal upon impact.]
A roaring wave of heat rushed through Donald’s veins. It was ten times stronger than his last level up. His muscles tightened. His bones felt denser, harder. He felt like he could lift a truck with his bare hands.
Evelyn slowly pushed herself up. She didn’t bother covering up right away. She held out her hand.
A spark of bright, pure blue magic flickered on her fingertips. Then, it grew into a steady, bright flame.
She looked at the magic flame, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. "I have my power back. I am only at D-Rank strength while the core rests, but... I am a true Awakener again."
She looked up at Donald. Her blue eyes shone with intense gratitude and something much deeper.
"You have saved my life, Donald," she said softly. "I owe you everything."