The SSS class adventurer is a divine cleric
Chapter 107: Put it away, hero!

Chapter 107: Put it away, hero!

The stench of smoke hung thick in the air. Black soot coated the ancient ruins like a funeral shroud.

And in the middle of the devastation, surrounded by half-conscious survivors and scattered debris, lay a smoldering figure.

Kaelen’s heart dropped.

"NEAL!"

He rushed past the others, shoving aside debris, leaping over craters and dropped to his knees beside the body.

The armor was completely burnt through. Even the only thing that was left of it, his skin was blackened, charred, cracked like dying embers. His right arm was gone and there was no movement from him at all.

But his lifeforce was weakly hanging on between the edge of nihility and existence.

An Epic-class healer was already kneeling beside him, her hands glowing bright with green light.

"Come on, come on, come on..."

She gritted her teeth, furious tears welling in her eyes.

Why... Why is it always me? He was just a kid!

Her magic surged again, brighter this time, as she poured everything she had into Neal.

First it was the Grand Duke. Now a kid is throwing himself to die for others and yet here I am unable to save anyone. Why do they all keep doing this?! Why do they all have to die?! Why can’t I save anyone when it truly matters.

She was a strong Awakened with epic rank but she had failed to save anyone who really mattered to her. The guilt was eating her from inside.

Kaelen felt something tear inside him. His fists trembled at his sides and released every bit of healing power he could muster.

But the result was so disappointing, nothing changed and when they thought all hopes were lost.

Neal’s fingers twitched.

The healer froze. Her eyes widened.

And somewhere, deep inside Neal’s barely conscious mind, a soft chime rang out.

Like the whisper of light returning to a world stuck for too long in shadow.

[System Notification]

LIGHT ORIGIN TRAIT TRIGGERED

Volteras has seen your bravery.

Light of Volteras (Unlocked): Passive – Divine Radiance

Eldraus smiles at your valiant sacrifice.

+10 Levels

Syrox promises to watch over you.

"Do you accept these blessings?"

There was no voice or command.

Just a moment of stillness between heartbeats and a faint flicker in the void.

And then, another line appeared

[The Stars Have Noticed Your Presence.]

You have awakened the celestial body.

Every valiant act will be remembered.

Every sacrifice shall be rewarded.

Undergoing celestial rebirth in 10..9....8....

Neal didn’t respond.

But a slow, cracked smile formed at the corner of his lips.

He accepted.

A soft silver light began to glow around his broken body. It was faint at first, then brighter. The warmth of dawn. The first breath after drowning.

Kaelen exhaled sharply.

He hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath at all.

The healer gasped. "He’s stabilizing...!"

The aura around Neal shifted, no longer flickering like a dying ember.

Now it pulsed stronger than ever before.

Kaelen closed his eyes, his voice was low, but filled with joy and expectations.

"...You better wake up, idiot. I’m not doing this world-saving nonsense without you."

The soft hum of divine energy faded.

The silver light around Neal flickered once, then collapsed inward, like a breath taken after a long silence.

And then, his chest rose.

Once. Twice.

Then... a sharp inhale and with that life came back to his body.

"Neal!" Kaelen leaned forward immediately, pressing his hand to the other’s chest, pouring in one final trickle of mana just to be sure.

Neal’s eyes cracked open. Blurry at first and glazed with confusion.

Then clarity returned and so did his sarcasm.

"...Hands off, Kaelen," he croaked, voice raspy but unmistakably smug.

"You might do weird crap with Jered, but not me, alright?"

Kaelen blinked.

"...What?"

Then looked down.

Oh.

Ohhh.

His hand was still resting on Neal’s bare, glistening chest.

Neal, previously a charred husk, was now completely healed. Muscles sculpted like a marble statue, veins faintly glowing gold with lingering divine energy.

And utterly, undeniably naked.

A chorus of reactions exploded around them.

"AHHHHH—!!"

Several female awakens turned away instantly, cheeks blazing crimson.

"Why does the universe hate me!" one of them wailed.

"Nope, more like blessed." another chimed in and took another peak.

Neal was undeniably handsome and his tall body and well sculpted muscles. It was a real pleasure to the eye.

The male fighters doubled over in laughter.

"Guess death really does strip you bare!"

"Put it away, hero! This is a battlefield, not a pageant!"

The Epic healer who’d been working on him had clamped both hands over her eyes, beet red. "I swear to Eldraus, I’m never healing another black system brat again."

Sairi, crouched nearby with a crooked grin, casually tossed Neal a torn blanket. "Well, well. You’re certainly... well-endowed, soldier. Who knew Solar Princes came with full constellations."

Neal growled, yanking the cloth to cover himself.

Kaelen, however, was staring too intently, his brow furrowed, analyzing Neal’s energy levels.

"You’re literally radiating heat. I can feel it from here." Then a realization dawned on him. "Wait, how did you level up and not just one level?" gasp.. "TEN!!"

"And yet you’re still touching me."

Kaelen narrowed his eyes, a mischievous spark flickering behind the innocent cleric facade.

"Well. You look completely fine now, don’t you?"

He tilted his head. "Maybe I should stop healing altogether..."

"Oh no," Neal said flatly, narrowing his eyes. "You’re thinking something stupid again, aren’t you?"

Too late.

Kaelen’s passive had already triggered.

"Healing with ill intent causes random side effects."

A pulse of mana flickered from Kaelen’s palm.

And suddenly Neal twitched.

Then scratched.

Then twitched harder.

"...What did you do."

Kaelen feigned innocence. "Me? Nothing. Maybe you’re allergic to divine light."

"I’M ITCHING LIKE HELL!" Neal bellowed, now writhing like he’d been rolled in fire ants. He stood, furious, forgetting entirely about his blanket which fluttered away like a fallen leaf.

"STOP SCRATCHING!" yelled one of the girls, covering her eyes again.

But before anyone could laugh again, Neal flared up, literally.

A sudden whoosh erupted from his body. Flames danced across his skin, gold-white and blisteringly hot. But this time... something was different.

The flames weren’t just golden.

A ring of blue flickered around the edges, pulsing like a solar corona.

Kaelen’s smirk disappeared.

"Woah."

Even the Epics nearby look with surprise.

"What... is that?" one whispered.

Neal, now a blazing beacon of celestial wrath, floated a few inches off the ground. The ground beneath his feet cracked slightly.

He looked down at Kaelen, his expression a mix of raw power and pure irritation.

"...If I find out you caused this again, I swear I’ll throw you into the sun."

Kaelen simply grinned.

"So scary, he’s gonna throw me where? The sun! Waaahhhh."