My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse novel Chapter 327

Though he was powerless to help her with the internal battle, Duke’s presence alone was a silent promise of protection. He was prepared to face any threat, no matter how great, to ensure that when Kisha finally emerged from this grueling struggle, she would do so with her newfound power fully realized.

When Kisha finally came to her senses, the first thing she noticed was the soft, golden light filtering through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. The once suffocating tension had lifted, replaced by a serene quiet that seemed to envelop everything.

She blinked, her vision slowly adjusting to the gentle morning light, and for a moment, she simply lay there, trying to gather her scattered thoughts.

The faint murmur of voices drifted in from outside, just barely audible through the window. It sounded peaceful, normal, almost mundane—such a stark contrast to the chaos that had ravaged her body only hours ago. A cool breeze slipped through a small gap in the window, brushing lightly against her skin like a soothing balm, reminding her that she was still grounded in the real world, still alive.

Her muscles ached, and every inch of her body felt like it had been through a storm, but the unbearable pain that had gripped her before was gone. In its place was a strange, deep calm, as though the two energies inside her had finally settled—reluctant allies in an uneasy truce. She exhaled slowly, feeling the tension drain from her limbs as her breathing returned to normal.

Kisha’s gaze swept across the room, taking in her surroundings with a newfound clarity. Her eyes finally landed on Duke, seated nearby, his entire being radiating both relief and exhaustion. His rigid posture betrayed the intensity of the night, his broad shoulders tense, as if holding the weight of the world. His eyes—red-rimmed and glassy—were filled with an overwhelming mix of worry and fatigue.

The deep crimson veins crisscrossing the whites of his eyes told her everything: he hadn’t slept, not even for a moment.

He had been watching over her, relentless and unwavering, every second filled with anxious vigilance. The way his chest rose and fell in ragged breaths signaled just how close he’d come to breaking down, yet his gaze never faltered, locked onto her with such intensity it almost hurt to see.

When their eyes finally met, Duke’s lips parted, and he let out a long, trembling sigh of relief, as if he’d been holding his breath all night. She could see the faint glimmer of unshed tears, his emotional restraint barely holding. For a moment, his composure cracked, and Kisha could see just how much he’d suffered watching her fight this internal battle.

The exhaustion etched into his face wasn’t just physical; it was emotional, the toll of seeing someone he cared for teetering on the edge.

"You’re... okay," he whispered, his voice hoarse from the sleepless hours, the relief in those two words almost palpable.

Kisha’s heart clenched as she realized how long she must have been out of it. Duke’s weary state only confirmed what she feared—this wasn’t a brief struggle. It had taken hours, possibly the entire night, for her to finally force the two battling energies within her to accept one another. What had once been a violent clash between spiritual energy and mana was now something entirely new.

She could feel it coursing through her veins—calm, steady, and unified. A fusion of the two, stronger and more stable than anything she’d felt before.

Her body, though still weak, felt lighter. The heat of the earlier battle had cooled, leaving a strange, serene energy in its place. She had done it. Somehow, in the chaos and desperation, she had survived the turmoil and emerged with something greater. A new power.