Sys’s warning had started suddenly, beeping sharply inside Benjamin’s head like an urgent alarm that cut through everything else.

{Master, this portal has been thoroughly hijacked by a magic user.}

[Huh?! What’s that supposed to mean?!]

Panic was beginning to rise quickly in his chest, because Benjamin and Grey Ivy had already stepped fully into the portal.

A vast world of pure white and shimmering gold now covered their entire vision, surrounding them completely as they hovered weightlessly somewhere in-between realms.

The air felt thick and dreamlike, every sound muffled and distant, while the golden light pulsed softly around them like a living thing.

[So... I’m being kidnapped again?]

{That is correct. And the magic user orchestrating it is immensely powerful... They know exactly what they are doing, Master. There is nothing to be done right now to stop the transfer.}

[Tsk. If it was just me, that would be one thing. But Ragna went in ahead and might be in trouble right now. Not to mention Grey Ivy is right here with me. If this person is so troublesome that even you are disturbed by them, they could possibly hurt us too.]

{Suggestion: Master should allow the culprit to drag Master all the way to their location. Then immediately locate the ogress and Grey Ivy, take hold of them both, and teleport straight back to Fairylynch using [Teleportation].}

[Will it really work? Can Teleportation actually take me across continents?]

{Not before, but Master’s [Teleportation] is different from others in that it evolves with Master. Previously it would not have been capable of such a distance. But currently, it can take Master to any location in Elyndor provided Master has a clear image of how the destination looks. Moreover, Master’s evolution is drawing near. He should not remain in a dangerous area for long.}

[I understand. I bet you’re doing something right now to keep us stuck here in the middle for the moment... I’m ready. Let it go when the time comes.]

{Understood.}

And the immense golden light surrounding them began to slowly dissolve, the bright whiteness fading away like mist burned off by the rising sun.

The next location started to bleed gradually into Benjamin’s retinas, shapes and colors sharpening as the new scenery forced its way through the fading portal energy.

[I got this,] he began to mentally ready himself, his thoughts sharpening with focus. [The moment I sense Ragna, I will teleport directly to her location and pull all of us back to Fairylynch in one go.

[This kidnapper is going to have another one co...ming...

[Ara?]

Ara, indeed.

When Benjamin fully arrived at the camp of the enemies, the first thing that struck him was how strangely familiar the entire area felt.

Tall, ancient trees rose overhead with sturdy wooden houses and small cottages nestled comfortably among their thick branches, connected by rope bridges and winding staircases carved directly into the bark.

Vines hung lazily from limb to limb, dotted with bright flowers, while small animals scurried about—squirrels with unusually long tails, colorful birds flitting between leaves, and even a few curious primates peering down from higher perches.

The ground below was soft with moss and fallen petals, and the air carried the fresh, earthy scent of deep forest mixed with the faint smell of cooking spices drifting from somewhere nearby.

Houses tucked neatly into the large trees stretched as far as the eye could see, forming an entire hidden village suspended in the canopy.

And everywhere he looked, dark-skinned women moved with confident, purposeful grace.

They carried weapons openly—spears tipped with polished stone or gleaming metal, curved blades strapped to their hips, and sturdy bows slung across their backs.

Their bodies were strong and athletic, adorned with simple yet elegant leather and cloth garments that left arms and legs bare for easy movement.

Some wore intricate beadwork and feather decorations in their hair, while others had tribal markings painted across their shoulders and thighs.

They were at full alert and ready for some kind of battle.

And Ragna...

She lay slumped at one side of the clearing, not too far away from where Benjamin had materialized.

Her massive back was resting heavily against the thick trunk of a large tree.

Blood stained her dress and the ground beneath her in dark, spreading patches. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Her once-powerful frame looked broken and lifeless, her red hair matted and sticky with fresh crimson that still slowly trickled from a deep gash on her scalp.

Her eyes had rolled back completely, showing only the whites, and her chest rose and fell in shallow, barely noticeable breaths that seemed on the verge of stopping altogether.

"Crap!"

Benjamin immediately broke into a run toward her, his boots kicking up small clouds of moss and fallen leaves as he pushed forcefully through the group of dark-skinned women who had gathered tightly around the beaten ogress.

He shoved them aside with firm but controlled urgency, clearing a path so he could drop to his knees right beside Ragna’s battered body.

"Ragna, can you hear me?" he asked urgently, his voice low and steady as he gently lifted her head with one hand, searching for any sign of life in the lifeless form before him.

[Yo, Sys. What’s the situation?!] He fired the question straight to his internal partner without wasting a second.

{She is almost fully departed from the plane of the living. Does Master wish to save her?}

[You bet!]

{Creating a veil around Verdant Spire with Imaginary Barrier to trap soul entities. She cannot fully pass away currently.}

That left only the healing itself.

Benjamin’s right hand began to glow with a warm golden light edged in soft, pulsing blue energy that danced along his fingertips like living flames.

He moved calmly at first, drawing his glowing fingers slowly across the deep wound on her scalp, tracing the edges with careful precision as the light sank into her torn flesh.

From there he continued downward, letting his illuminated touch glide over the numerous gashes along her sides.

And then across the bruised and lacerated skin of her powerful thighs, pouring steady streams of restorative energy into every injury he could reach.

{Master, it will be more effective now if you used your lips directly on her lips.}

[Ah, of course.] He agreed without thinking much.

Benjamin quickly bent his neck and leaned in close, pressing his mouth firmly against Ragna’s bloody lips.

He kissed her deeply, channeling the healing energy straight through the contact as his golden-blue light flowed from him into her.

Almost immediately her entire body began to faintly glow from within, as though a soft bulb had been lit deep inside her chest.

The warm radiance was spreading outward until it enveloped her from head to toe.

When Ragna finally opened her eyes, the first thing she realized was that she was being kissed.

And for a brief moment her lips moved instinctively against his, returning the kiss with a faint, dazed pressure.

Then full awareness slammed into her and she pulled back sharply, her eyes flying wide open in shock.

"Wh-wh-wh-why are you kissing me?!" she stammered, one large hand flying up to cover her mouth as she stared at him in complete disbelief, her cheeks flushing beneath the drying blood.

"Huh? You almost died. I was healing you," Benjamin answered casually, still on his knees as he began crawling forward on the ground to close the small distance she had tried to put between them.

"Liar! As if a mere k... kiss can heal a person!" she pointed an accusing finger at him, her voice rising, before the full weight of the situation seemed to hit her all at once. "Ah, no—more importantly; the Amazons interfered with the portal!"

Benjamin then rose smoothly to his feet, still puckering his lips slightly from the kiss.

Then he turned to face the group of dark-skinned women who were now staring at him with open shock and confusion written across their faces.

"S... Sir Benjamin has been retrieved!!" One Amazon yelled, as the others rejoiced over a seemingly work well done.

"C’mon, Heka... hurting a person is bad, you know..." Benjamin ignored their celebration and teased lightly, stepping forward just enough to place himself slightly in front of the still-recovering Ragna, shielding her with his body. "She’s with me. She and that grey cute girl over there..."

Then his expression softened into a bright, genuine smile as a warm blush spread across his cheeks. "It’s good to be back here after so lon—!?!"

{Notice: Evolution to Demigod will commence in 3... 2... 1...}

"...Huh...?"

And darkness swallowed Benjamin whole, rushing in from every direction at once and pulling him under in an instant.