Jay looked back at Pompa, whose disfigured body regenerated rapidly from the steady influx of looted stats, and it wouldn't be long before his lost body regenerated.
Jay paid him no more attention and turned around before making his way back as he mentally communicated with MJ, "Shouldn't his Fate Stats save him? Why are there still no changes? He might really die and....and I can't do anything about it."
Sensing the emotions stirring within Jay, MJ stayed silent. It was his first time seeing Jay show such concern for those other than his family.
Seconds trickled away as an unknown anxiety bubbled within Jay's heart. He couldn't push away the helplessness as just a minute remained.
Using the Vitality Fruits was out of the question since Dante had exceeded the threshold and couldn't temporarily consume any more. If he did, that would poison him and only hasten his death.
Andrea and a bunch of Alpha Chosen with healing abilities from other Trial Zones were doing their best to save Dante but couldn't be of much help due to the fatal injuries.
Those with keen senses had witnessed the role Dante played in ending the Plasma Predator. Jay wouldn't have had enough window to deal his final attack if it wasn't for him.
If Dante hadn't risked his life, it would have meant no different from a disaster for everyone.
While many were grateful for his efforts, those who personally knew Dante were downhearted.
Gently, Jay touched Dante's forehead as he entered Dante's mind.
The world around him faded, replaced by the swirling depths of Dante's consciousness. Hidden within were layers of memories, moments of joy and sorrow, each playing in an endless loop.
As Jay observed these memories, his heart tightened. He saw scenes from their journey together, times when Dante's laughter echoed through the air, and moments of shared struggle.
Jay had always been stoic, trying to take on everything by himself, but seeing how central he was in Dante's memories struck a chord deep within him.
He had not realized how much Dante admired him, how much his presence meant to his acquaintance.
Seconds ticked away, and the anxiety within Jay bubbled over. The helplessness he felt was a foreign sensation, one he struggled to push aside.
There was less than a minute left, and he could do nothing to save Dante. Desperation clawed at him as he tried using the Origin SIGILS, a power that had always been reliable.
But no matter how many times he tried, all he received were the same notifications he received back when he tried to do the same.
[Your Origin Energy Mastery is insufficient to grant an ORIGIN SIGIL to a Unique Innate Talent user.]
[Your Origin Energy Mastery is insufficient to grant an ORIGIN SIGIL to a Unique Innate Talent user.]
[Your Origin Energy Mastery is insufficient to grant an ORIGIN SIGIL to a Unique Innate Talent user.]
[Your Origin Energy Mastery is insufficient to grant an ORIGIN SIGIL to a Unique Innate Talent user.]
[Your Origin Energy Mastery is insufficient to grant an ORIGIN SIGIL to a Unique Innate Talent user.]
The notifications repeated, mocking his efforts. Jay's frustration grew as the little hope he had in saving Dante gradually diminished.
Reluctantly, he ceased his efforts. Looking at the blood-smeared pale face, Jay's mind flashed back to the day he first met Dante.
Jay saved him from the Shaman Hobgoblin that brought Dante near to the death door on Day-2.
Ever since then, Dante was almost always by his side in the Trial World and unbeknownst to himself; Jay grew attached to his cheerful unlucky acquaintance.
Trust was a fragile thing for Jay. He had been betrayed by friends and abandoned by a lover at his lowest point, with scars that had never fully healed.
He distanced himself from everyone except his family and his friend Rownak.
Despite knowing how narrow-minded it was to judge everyone based on what a few did, he didn't mind being a pessimist and grew distrustful over time.
Deep down, Jay knew he didn't dare to bring himself closer to anyone and experience the same thing all over again.
He had built walls around his heart. Yet, somehow, Dante had slipped through those defences.
With just 20 seconds left, Jay sighed with eyes closed, finding it hard to accept Dante's impending death.
He activated , seeking one last conversation with Dante.
It was the same skill that he used on Moro and Urzo, compelling them to give honest replies before forgetting everything about the conversation.
There are a few things Jay wanted to ask but was afraid to find out since he knew Dante's replies deep down.
The consciousness of both Jay and Dante materialized within an empty space once the skill's effect came to fruition.
Jay wanted to talk with him and ask him many things but held himself due to the time constraint.
Instead, he asked just the one question that burned in his mind, 'Why…..why did you save me when you knew you could most likely die?'
Dante responded, his face expressionless yet his words carrying weight, 'I noticed the Plasma Predator's Fate Halo and realized it would still be alive for the next minute. If I hadn't intervened, you most likely would have died.
In all my life, I am only grateful for two people. They were the only ones who accepted me despite the misfortune I carried along. For either of those two…..'
Jay's voice quivered, his eyes downcast, 'Please don't…...'
Disregarding his plea, Dante continued, 'For either of those two, Uncle Roberto and…..'
Jay's body shook, his fists clenched tightly, 'Please don't….. don't say it!'
Dante's words echoed in the empty mind space, 'For either of those two, Uncle Roberto and you, I am willing to shield them with my own life, over and over again.'
Without even realizing it himself, a tear slipped down his cheek. It was a tear not of sorrow but of a long-forgotten warmth.
At that moment, an unknown feeling resurfaced, breaking through the layers of pain and distrust he had built over the years.
Just then, he was interrupted by a pair of notifications that brought a gentle smile across his face.
'It seems you're destined for a long life. I will make sure you live it to the fullest, my friend.'
Jay ended his skill and focussed on the miracle that could save Dante's life, a renewed hope sparking within him.
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