CHAPTER 85: I WANT THEM ALL TO EXPLODE!

Mina didn’t pause anymore as she spun in place, pointing next at the barren, lifeless soil beyond the walls.

"The land here isn’t fertile like it used to be, I want it healthy again! Rich enough to grow anything!"

Whoom!

The ground beyond the gates rippled as though a wave had passed beneath it. Patches of dull brown transformed into a vibrant green carpet, sprouting grass, flowers, and fresh shoots of crops that shimmered with vitality. Farmers in the crowd stared, slack-jawed.

She then whirled back toward the villagers, her gaze catching on the threadbare tunics and patched trousers they wore.

"And everyone—" She declared, voice rising. "Everyone should have proper clothes! Strong, warm, and new!"

Whoom!

The entire square flashed in a ripple of light. When it faded, every man, woman, and child wore garments of fine, sturdy fabric, clean, fitted, and colorful.

Children twirled to show off their dresses, men tugged at their jackets in disbelief, and women brushed their hands down smooth, unpatched skirts, their eyes glistening.

Mina’s excitement was snowballing now. She turned again, her gaze hardening as she spotted the hunting party, their weapons little more than splintered sticks and rusted blades.

"The hunters need strong weapons! Weapons that can protect us and take down any beast!"

Whoom!

White flares burst in each warrior’s hands. When they dimmed, spears gleamed with steel tips, bows shone with polished curves, and swords reflected the sunlight in brilliant flashes. The men stared, some gripping the hilts like they were holding relics from a dream.

"And everyone’s pantries!" She cried, spinning again. "Fill them with food! Enough to last through any storm or drought!"

Whoom!

From every home, the faint sound of doors swinging open and cupboards creaking echoed in the air. Villagers peeked inside to find shelves stacked high with bread, fruit, vegetables, salted meats, and jars of preserves.

The smell of it drifted into the square, rich and warm, sending more shouts of joy through the crowd.

Now there was no stopping her. With each command, blinding bursts of white transformed the village.

Shops appeared where empty streets had been.

Pathways paved themselves with smooth stone.

Lanterns lit every corner, casting a warm golden glow.

Gardens bloomed in front of homes, fences stood sturdy and straight, and even the air felt cleaner, fresher.

By the time the final seconds ticked away, Mina stood at the center of something entirely unrecognizable.

The ragged, crumbling village had vanished. In its place was an advanced, thriving town, solid walls, fertile fields, elegant houses, bustling streets, and enough resources to carry them through any hardship.

It looked as if it had been plucked from the dreams of kings and set down here overnight.

The villagers were stunned, their eyes wide, their mouths open. For many, it was so extravagant that they struggled to believe they were still standing in the same place they’d lived their whole lives.

And at the heart of it, Mina stood, her chest heaving, her eyes wide, her hands trembling, not from fear anymore, but from the overwhelming truth of what she had just accomplished.

She looked around slowly, taking it all in. The towering fortress walls, the fresh green fields beyond, the newly clothed villagers laughing in disbelief, the shops and homes that glowed like something out of a dream.

She had done this. Every single change had been her will alone, and with it...she knew the village would thrive. For a hundred years, maybe more, they would be safe. No one would starve. No one would freeze in the winter or thirst in the summer.

The satisfaction was deep and warm in her chest, but so was the awareness that her time was almost gone. She could feel it, like grains of sand slipping through her fingers.

Probably...one more wish. That was all she had left.

And in that moment, she knew exactly what it would be.

Her heartbeat quickened. The thought was sharp, almost blinding in its clarity.

But it was also big. Too big. Too extreme. Her lips pressed together as she realized she didn’t even know if she could make it happen.

Quickly, she turned to Mika, her eyes searching his face.

"Mika...there’s one more wish I have. But...I don’t know if I’m able to do it. It’s...it’s kind of extreme."

He didn’t even blink. Instead, he shrugged lightly, his usual calm, sly confidence unshaken.

"As long as it doesn’t involve bringing people back from the dead, since that’s one line you don’t cross." He said with a faint smile. "But anything else? Say it. Now."

"...We don’t have time to waste, tell me before the last second is gone."

She searched his face, looking for any sign of doubt, but there was only confidence. The steadiness in his voice steadied her in turn, so slowly, she straightened, meeting his gaze with something fiercer, something braver.

"I’m tired, Mika. Tired of the village being attacked by cursed beings. Tired of seeing people die, people I know, people I love, because of those monsters. I want it to stop. Forever."

She took a deep breath, her eyes locking on his with something fierce.

"That’s why...I want every single cursed monster in this world to be completely erased. I want them all gone. I want every last one of them to just, explode and die."

For a moment, Mika just looked at her. His expression shifted subtly, understanding first, then something warmer, like he knew exactly why she would want this.

And then slowly, he gave the smallest of nods, and for an instant, she thought she saw...pride in his eyes.

He then began to lift his hand, fingers poised for a snap, his lips moving in a quiet, rapid murmur of words she couldn’t understand, which he had been muttering every time she wishes for something.

But then...his expression faltered.

His eyes narrowed slightly, and a faint grimace formed on his face.

It wasn’t fear, it was the look of someone who’d just remembered something deeply inconvenient. Like he’d realized what she’d asked was going to be a massive, exhausting problem to deal with.

His brow furrowed, his shoulders stiffening in hesitation. It was less reluctance and more, annoyance. As if he was mentally grumbling, What a pain in the ass.

But then he looked at the villagers, their faces full of hope at hearing Mina’s wish.

Finally, his gaze returned to her, her small, determined figure, her face both timid and brave, glowing with the belief that she was about to make the world better.

Something in him softened.

So, with a quiet sigh, Mika’s expression shifted. A faint, resigned smile tugged at his lips.

"All right...Let’s finish this."

He closed his eyes for the briefest moment. Then he snapped his fingers as he muttered under his breath,

[Let All Hearts Burst As One, Scarlet Extinction]

The world changed.

Immediately, the air seemed to vibrate, humming with an unnatural energy. Then—

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

The sound of explosions erupted all around them, not just one or two, but dozens, hundreds, thousands all detonating at once in every direction.

It was as if the entire world had turned into a battlefield. The ground trembled beneath their feet, shockwaves thundering through the air.

The noise grew so fierce, so constant, that the individual blasts blurred together into a deafening roar, like an endless storm of stone and fire.

Villagers screamed, clutching at their ears, dropping to the ground in terror.

Mina flinched, but then realized she couldn’t hear the full force of it. Mika was standing right beside her, both his hands covering her ears.

"Wha—" She started, but the sheer intensity of the moment made her words stick in her throat.

This went on until, suddenly, a massive cry tore through the air, a sound so deep and harrowing it was as if some abysmal monster had unleashed its final, vengeful roar in the instant of its death.

Roar!

The earth itself trembled beneath its fury, an earthquake so violent it felt as though the world might crack apart.

Then, just as abruptly, the sound faded, the shaking stilled, and an eerie, absolute calm settled over everything.

The silence was so sharp it felt almost unreal and slowly, the villagers began to rise, still trembling, their faces pale. A few crossed themselves. Others just stared at the horizon, as if expecting the noise to come back at any second.

Mika also lowered his hand from Mina’s ears, while she blinked, swallowing hard.

"What...What happened? What were all those noises?"

"That..." Mika said behind her, his tone calm but edged with finality. "...was your wish. Every cursed being in this world exploded, exactly as you commanded. There’s nothing left of them now but ashes and dust."

Her eyes went wide. "I-It...worked?"

"It worked perfectly without a hitch.."

Hearing his confirmation, a slow smile spread across her face. The thought of it, the cursed monsters that had plagued her people for generations, gone forever, filled her with a giddy, overwhelming relief.

"That means...no more attacks. Ever. We’re safe. We’re—"

She broke off, turning toward him, her face alight.

"Mika, thank you. Thank you so much. I don’t know what we would’ve done if you hadn’t—"

But the words caught in her throat as Mika...

...Mika didn’t look the same.

Even though Mika had always been pale, now his skin had lost almost all color, looking as if the blood had drained entirely from it.

His eyes as well, normally so sharp and bright, were dulled, the shadows beneath them darker than before.

"Mika...?"

She said softly, stepping closer. Her brows knitted in concern as she reached for his hand. It was cool to the touch. She gave it a gentle rub.

"Are you all right? You look...sick."

He gave her a faint smile and reached out to pat her head lightly, almost dismissively. "I’m fine."

"You don’t look fine."

"It’s nothing." He said, his voice even. "Explosions just aren’t my favorite thing. Too loud. Puts me a bit...under the weather." He shrugged faintly, as if it were no more than an annoyance. "Nothing you need to worry about."

But the way he looked at her then, soft, lingering, made her think he was hiding something.

And she was right.

Because the truth was...Mika wasn’t fine.

Not at all...