Chapter 19: Chapter 19: More Than Pain, She Feared Being Unable to Become Stronger

Hearing Sierra’s laughter, Jayce finally snapped out of his daze.

"Sierra, you..."

Sierra leaned over again and kissed the corner of Jayce’s mouth.

"You must be hungry. Let’s eat first!"

With that, Sierra stood up and walked toward the dining room.

Although she had cleared out the living room, the dining area was untouched.

The dining table was spotless, with nothing on it.

Sierra stopped by the dining table and began pulling out dish after dish of food from her space.

Aromatic stir-fries, steaming rice, a nourishing soup, fruit and dessert for after the meal, and two drinks.

Seeing Jayce still rooted to the spot, Sierra urged, "What are you spacing out for! Come and eat! You haven’t been eating well, have you? You look like you’ve lost a lot of weight!"

The last time they had seen each other was a month ago in this new life.

Even though it had been a while, she could tell at a glance that Jayce really had lost a lot of weight.

Jayce finally stood up and walked over to the dining table.

"Wait! Wash your hands!"

As Sierra spoke, she was about to pull some water from her space.

But then Jayce suddenly raised his hand, a film of water forming over it.

The film of water swirled around his hand.

And just like that, his hand was spotless.

This was the second Superpower User Sierra had ever seen.

The first was Sebastian Crawford.

But compared to Jayce, Sebastian Crawford’s Superpower seemed like a child’s toy, hardly worth a second look.

Jayce walked over to Sierra and used the same method to wash her hands.

When they sat down, Sierra was still staring at Jayce with wide, curious eyes.

She was just so curious about Superpowers!

Jayce could tell what was on her mind with a single glance. "After we eat, I’ll tell you all about Superpowers in detail."

"Okay! Food first! There’s no rush! We have all the time in the world!"

’In this life, we have all the time in the world!’

Over the years, even though they bickered every time they met, they were surprisingly in sync in many ways.

Especially their taste in food, which was a perfect match.

Jayce loved all the dishes Sierra had prepared based on her own preferences.

The two of them finished four dishes and a soup, ate all the fruit, and drank their beverages.

Jayce rubbed his stomach. "No wonder you have to work out. If I keep eating like this, I’m going to lose my abs."

Sierra was speechless.

She knew Jayce had a big mouth and couldn’t be bothered to argue with him anymore.

However—

"You have abs?" Sierra asked doubtfully.

’Jayce looks so thin. How could he have abs?’

"You don’t know?" Jayce shot back.

"Why would I know?"

’What a presumptuous thing to say!’

’After all these years, does he really not have a clue what our relationship has been like?’

Jayce patted his stomach. "Why don’t you come feel for yourself and find out?"

At his words, Sierra immediately stood up and walked toward him. "Well, since you’re offering, I won’t hold back!"

As Sierra drew closer, she watched Jayce’s expression grow increasingly tense.

Seeing him like this, Sierra had to bite back a laugh.

’How had I never realized before? The only tough thing about Jayce is his mouth.’

Standing beside Jayce, Sierra slowly reached out her hand.

Under Jayce’s nervous gaze, she patted him on the shoulder. "Alright, tell me. What’s the deal with these Superpowers?"

Jayce let out a visible sigh of relief but said, "I knew you didn’t have the guts! I gave you a golden opportunity and you blew it!"

Before Sierra could respond, Jayce’s expression turned serious and he sat up straighter. "My Superpower manifested on its own. After the sandstorms started, I fell into a coma. By the time I woke up, I had it. I have a Water-washing Ability!"

As he spoke, Jayce extended his hand, palm up. A ball of water quickly coalesced above it.

Even though she had just seen it, witnessing it again still felt magical to Sierra.

"This water... Is it drinkable?"

’In this sandstorm apocalypse, the most critical shortage wasn’t food, but water.’

Jayce nodded. "It is. I’ve tested it. I can create up to a ton of water at once."

Sierra’s eyes widened in shock. "A ton?"

’That’s a whole ton of water!’

’If he can create a ton of water at once, then if there were just a few more Water Ability Users, wouldn’t the water shortage be solved?’

"I’ve seen other Water Ability Users," Jayce said. "The most they can create right now is ten liters."

Sierra was baffled. "What??? Why?"

’They’re all Water Ability Users. Isn’t that gap a little too huge?’

"I don’t know the exact reason myself, but I think it might be related to my rebirth."

’She couldn’t think of any other reason. Rebirth was definitely a huge factor!’

"Whatever the reason, it’s a good thing!" Sierra said.

’Whether for washing, drinking, or even attacking, it’s an amazing ability.’

Talking, the two of them unconsciously made their way from the dining room back to the living room.

Sitting side by side on the sofa, Sierra heaved a long sigh. "When the sandstorms hit, I was perfectly fine. Nothing happened to me at all. I guess that means I’m not going to get a Superpower."

"Not necessarily."

"What do you mean?" Sierra looked at Jayce, her eyes burning with intensity. "Is there another way to awaken a Superpower?"

Jayce looked at Sierra with admiration. "That’s my Sierra! I’ve known you were smart since we were kids!"

Seeing him getting cheeky again, Sierra didn’t take the bait. "Just tell me!"

Jayce’s expression grew serious. "Consuming a Crystal Core from the brain of an Aberrant Beast can potentially awaken a Superpower. However, the process is extremely painful and carries certain risks. Also... even after enduring all that, there’s no guarantee you’ll awaken a Superpower.

Sierra, you have your space, and I have my Superpower. I can protect you. You don’t have to go through this."

"No!"

Sierra shook her head, her expression one of utter determination.

"I have to awaken a Superpower! This is the apocalypse, and it’s only going to get more dangerous. I refuse to be trapped indoors forever, and I refuse to just wait for you to protect me! So I have to try!"

Jayce showed no surprise at her words. "I knew you’d say that. Which is why—"

"Which is why what?"

"I brought a Crystal Core."

With that, Jayce pulled a Crystal Core from his pocket.

The Crystal Core glittered, its irregular shape resembling a diamond.

In fact, it was even more brilliant than a diamond and was about the size of a peanut.

Sierra looked at the Crystal Core and took it without a moment’s hesitation.

"Do I just eat it?" Sierra asked.

Jayce nodded, his expression grave. "Just eat it. It’s going to be very painful, but don’t be afraid. I’ll be right here with you."

"I’m not afraid!"

With that, Sierra immediately tossed the Crystal Core into her mouth.

Her movements were swift and decisive, her expression calm.

’Compared to the pain, she was more afraid of failing to become stronger.’