Sorry For the Wrong Chapter before!
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Claire hesitated, her eyes darting between Su Zhan and the quiet street behind her. She had never met anyone like him before—someone who seemed to see right through her, as if he already knew her secrets. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the sidewalk, and for a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.
"I don't really understand what you're talking about. Sorry, I… I should go home now. Goodbye," Claire stammered, her voice trembling as she tried to sidestep him.
Su Zhan did not move to block her, but his gaze remained steady and gentle. "You really don't understand? That's a shame. I was hoping you'd see what I can do."
Claire stopped. Curiosity and anxiety warred in her expression. She turned back, her voice barely above a whisper. "You… you have an ability?"
Su Zhan smiled and raised his hand. A small, controlled flame danced above his palm, flickering in the air with a soft, golden light. Claire's eyes widened in awe, and she took an involuntary step closer, drawn to the impossible sight.
He let the flame vanish and offered her a reassuring smile. "That's my ability."
"That's incredible," Claire breathed, her earlier fear momentarily forgotten. "You can make fire appear out of nowhere. It's amazing. It's nothing like… me. I just feel like a freak. Like a monster."
Su Zhan's tone softened. "You're not a monster, Claire. Maybe I can help you."
Her eyes searched his face, hope and uncertainty mingling. "Really? You can help me?"
"If you don't want your ability—if you want to be a normal person again—I can take it away from you," Su Zhan said quietly. He meant every word. He could see how much the burden of her power weighed on her, how much she longed for a sense of normalcy.
Claire's breath caught. "You can really do that?" For so long, she had lived in fear: fear of what she was, fear of being discovered, fear of never fitting in. The idea of being free from it all was almost too much to hope for.
"Would you like to try?" Su Zhan asked, his voice gentle, giving her space to choose.
She hesitated, glancing down at her hands. "I… I don't know. I've been scared of this for so long. I heal from anything. I can't get hurt, not really. But I'm terrified someone will find out. I'm scared of myself, too."
Su Zhan nodded with understanding. He stepped closer, moving slowly so as not to startle her. "You don't have to decide right now. But if you want, I can show you how it works."
Claire nodded, her trust in him growing despite her nerves. "Okay… I'll try."
He reached out, his hand hovering respectfully above her shoulder. Claire instinctively tensed, but seeing the seriousness in his eyes, she forced herself to stay still. She felt the warmth of his palm, but there was no pain, only a strange tingling sensation.
Su Zhan closed his eyes, focusing on his ability to devour powers. He had absorbed many abilities before, but as he reached for Claire's, he immediately sensed something different. Her power was not passive; it fought back, resisting him with a fierce, almost sentient will. It was as if her ability knew what he was trying to do and refused to be taken so easily.
He frowned, concentrating harder. In the past, weaker abilities had yielded quickly, while stronger ones required effort. But this was something else entirely. Despite all the Aether he had absorbed recently, Claire's healing was like a fortress—unyielding, stubborn, and alive.
Claire watched his expression, her anxiety returning. "Is something wrong?" she asked softly.
Su Zhan opened his eyes and shook his head, a rueful smile on his lips. "Your ability is special. It's not just strong—it's aware. It knows I'm trying to take it, and it's fighting back. If we keep trying here, someone might see us and misunderstand. Maybe we should find a quieter place to try again."
A blush crept up Claire's cheeks as she realized how close they were standing. She nodded quickly, grateful for the suggestion. "Let's go into town first. I'll help you find somewhere to stay, and then we can try again."
"Lead the way," Su Zhan said, falling into step beside her.
As they walked, Claire found herself opening up. Perhaps it was the relief of finally sharing her secret, or maybe it was the rare feeling of being understood. She talked about her life, her family, her fears, and the loneliness of carrying a burden no one else could see. Su Zhan listened quietly, offering the occasional comforting word, never pushing, just letting her speak.
For Claire, it was a release she had not known she needed. By the time they reached the edge of town, she felt lighter, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
Suddenly, a soft chime echoed in Su Zhan's mind. "Undead woman: Claire Bennett, friendship increased by fifty percent," the system announced.
He blinked in surprise but quickly masked it. "What is it?" Claire asked, noticing his pause.
"Nothing," Su Zhan replied with a reassuring smile. Inside, though, he was impressed. He had not expected Claire's trust to grow so quickly. Perhaps it was the relief of being able to confide in someone, or maybe it was something more—a sense of kinship, of being seen and accepted.
He wondered if, by raising her friendship to eighty percent, he could unlock the fighting field with her. But if he took her ability, would she still be able to fight there? The system's answer was clear: a character's abilities in the fighting field were fixed at the moment the field was unlocked. If Claire was powerless then, she would remain so in that space. It was a frustrating limitation, but Su Zhan resolved not to dwell on it. For now, the most important thing was to help Claire find peace.
As they continued walking, Su Zhan asked the system, "Isn't this fighting field setup a little flawed? What's the point if the characters have no abilities?"
The system remained silent, as always, leaving Su Zhan to shake his head in resignation. He decided not to worry about it. The ability to devour powers was more important than any simulated battle, after all.
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of sirens. Claire looked up, her eyes widening in alarm. "Something's happened up ahead—it looks like a car accident!"
They hurried forward and saw several fire trucks and police cars clustered around a burning wreck. Flames licked at the twisted metal, and the air was thick with smoke.
Claire hesitated, glancing at Su Zhan. "I want to help," she whispered.
He smiled gently. "Do you want me to go with you?"
Claire shook her head. "I'll be fine. I can't die, anyway."
Su Zhan watched as she ran toward the burning vehicles, her fear replaced by determination. He felt a surge of admiration for her courage. Even burdened by her power, even afraid of what she was, Claire chose to help others, to risk herself for people she did not even know.
He followed at a distance, ready to step in if she needed him, but also knowing that, for the first time, Claire was beginning to accept herself—not as a monster, but as someone who could make a difference.
And in that moment, Su Zhan realized that sometimes, the greatest power of all was the willingness to reach out, to trust, and to try.