Apocalypse Cheater

[: Daniel POV :]

Defeating the Ice Saint was both a triumphant and bittersweet moment for Bella.

She couldn't help but feel a surge of pride in her victory, proving herself against her mother's spirit.

However, a sense of longing washed over her as she stared at the fading essence of the Ice Saint.

There were countless things she wished she could say to her mother, words left unspoken for far too long.

Bella yearned to share her joy and newfound strength, to recount the stories she'd bottled up inside, and to convey how much her father misses her.

If only she could have that chance, she would express it all with a proud, heartfelt smile.

But the cruel truth was that she couldn't.

The emotional weight of this unspoken yearning lingered in her heart, leaving Bella with a mixture of emotions she couldn't express.

"Mother..."

Bella's legs gave way, and she sank to the floor, tears streaming down her face.

The more she gazed at the distorted form of her mother's soul, the deeper her sadness grew.

This was the first and last time she would ever meet her mother, and the finality of it weighed heavily on her heart.

She didn't want their encounter to end like this, but there was nothing she could do to change it.

As Bella wept, I decided to approached her, placing a comforting deeper her sadness grew.

and the finality of it weighed heavily on her heart.

This was the first and last time she would ever meet her mother, She didn't want their encounter to end like this, but there was hand on her shoulder.

She turned her face toward mr, her eyes filled with misery, and I could feel the depth of her sorrow.

"Daniel..."

At this point, Bella didn't care anymore.

She jumped into my arms, wrapping her hands around my back, unwilling to let go.

At first, I was taken aback by her sudden embrace.

It was a mixture of surprise and sympathy that welled up within me.

I couldn't simply reject her when she was in such emotional distress.

She cried out my name, her voice trembling with sorrow and longing.

Her tears soaked into my shoulder as I held her tightly, offering whatever comfort I could provide.

I knew she needed someone to lean on in that moment, and I was more than willing to be there for her.

I wasn't a idiot for not realizing that Bella might have some feelings to me and it was because of how much I had helped her.

When there was no one to turn to, I was there, appeared out of nowhere and supported her in the most unimaginble way.

But perhaps because of that, she may have become dependent.

As I looked at the distorted soul of the Ice Saint, my mind was filled with conflicting thoughts.

Should I...?

I questioned myself, struggling to decide if the choice I was contemplating was the right one.

A year ago, when I opened the Mysterious Box, I had acquired a treasure that was considered a worldly rarity – the kind of treasure so scarce that it might be the last of its kind.

The treasure was known as the Tear of Phoenix, meticulously crafted by a renowned artisan.

Its extraordinary ability lay in its capacity to resurrect deceased individuals up to three times, with the sole requirement being something that had belonged to the departed.

This could mean hair, blood, DNA, body parts, or even a soul, and the perfect opportunity presented itself now as the Ice Saint's soul remained intact in this realm.

Yet, I found myself caught in a dilemma.

Is it worth it?

The Tear of Phoenix was an exceedingly precious treasure, one that I would prefer to reserve for my own needs or those of my loved ones.

Using it for someone I didn't even know seemed like an extravagant waste.

From my perspective, the connection between Bella and me was primarily a friendship.

We had spent less than five days together, so it hadn't taken on any special significance to me.

However, I couldn't ignore the fact that I had developed a slight attachment to her.

There was a genuine desire within me to assist her to the best of my abilities.

But the question that lingered was whether it was worth it.

This is why I grappled with the difficult decision of whether or not to use the Tear of Phoenix on the Ice Saint.

It wasn't a matter of good or bad, but rather, a question of potential regret.

Would there come a time when I desperately needed the Tear of Phoenix but found it unavailable?

It was a consideration weighing heavily on my mind.

But at the same time, how would the human continent change if the Ice Saint was revive?

She was a valuable being that held unimaginable powers just like the King, and there is one part of a mission that greatly needs people like her.

She was one of the keys figure that could perhaps change 'that outcome'.

And now, I'm on a thread between the choice of using the tear of phoenix on her, and there wasn't so much time left before her soul dissipates.

As I observed Bella's tears, I couldn't help but contemplate the idea of using the Tear of Phoenix.

Maybe, just maybe, fulfilling this act would trigger a hidden quest or something similar.

Perhaps I wouldn't come to regret this decision.

I sighed inwardly, thinking, If only there were a secret mission.

To my astonishment, as if responding to my thoughts, I suddenly received an unexpected notification.

What is this!?

My eyes widened, and my heart raced wildly.

I never expected such an outcome.

[: You have received a hidden mission :]

[: Revive the Ice Saint. Difficulty: ???. Rewards: ???. Time Limit: 1 minute :]

I couldn't believe it.

This was an exceedingly rare event, something that almost never happened to anyone.

Even I had only heard of three players who had ever received a hidden mission.

The likelihood of a hidden mission occurring was shrouded in mystery.

However, the truth was that it was intricately linked to the ongoing mission.

It was part of the main plot meant to happen.

However, because of the countless failures of quest, it couldn't meet the requirements for it to appear.

At the same time, there were also specific requirements for hidden missions to trigger.

And I guess that If I didn't possess the Tear of Phoenix, it would never have manifested.

Furthermore, there were two more essential prerequisites for the hidden mission.

One was Bella's deep desire to have her mother back, and the other was the Ice Saint herself.

Perhaps, somewhere deep within her fraction of a soul, perhaps there was also a burning desire to reunite with her daughter and her husband.

Now that I had received this hidden mission, I had no choice but to use the treasure to complete it.

The rewards were a mystery, but Iknew for a fact that they would surpass anything I had obtained so far.

Still, uncertainty lingered about this decision, as I was stepping into an entirely unknown future.

Eventually, I comforted myself by reminding that there were more treasures like the Tear of Phoenix waiting to me to obtained.

"Sigh, Bella, you owe me big for this,"

I muttered, ultimately deciding to use the treasure on the Ice Saint.

Bella looked at me, tears streaming down her face with an expression that said, "What are you talking about?".

Without hesitation, I activated the Tear of Phoenix.

[: Tears of Phoenix has been activated. Searching for target is in process...found a fraction of soul :]

[: Processing Soul Identity has been found :]

[: Target Elia Hugh can be resurrected, do you wish to consume 1 Tear of Phoenix :]

I agreed with the request and moments later, one Tear of Phoenix had been consumed.

As I activated the treasure, a flamed feather materialized out of thin air and traveled towards the distorted form of the Ice Saint's remaining soul.

An incredible phenomenon unfolded as the flamed feather circled the soul and began to condense.

Bones formed first, followed by nerves, organs, and finally, muscles.

The transformation had ended with the Ice saint forming her beautiful snowy skin.

It was a breathtaking sight that left both Bella and me in awe.

This was the first time I had witnessed such a resurrection up close.

If I had that...No, stop it Daniel. There's no use in remembering about the past.

For a fleeting moment, memories of past deaths crossed my mind, and I couldn't help but wonder if having this treasure back then would have made a difference.

But the answer was clear - it wouldn't have changed a damn single thing.

The treasure would have only delayed their inevitable deaths and it was because I was too weak.

But now, everything had changed.

But I couldn't help but wonder.

What would the Ice Saint be like when she woke up?

How would Bella react to her mother's return?

It was a curiosity that I wanted to now and how Bella might feel about this.

The seconds felt like hours as we waited for the transformation to conclude, and the weight of my decision hung in the air.