After hearing Selphy's explanation, Leon stood stiff and irritated, his brow twitching with annoyance.
"What a joke…! How am I supposed to believe any of this?"
The pain in his ribs flared again, forcing a sharp breath through clenched teeth.
He glared at the floating woman, who still appeared to be some kind of holographic projection—her form flickering with a soft glow. Despite everything, he slowly walked toward the spot she had pointed out earlier.
There, half-buried under dust and debris, was a small pill container. Strange symbols covered its surface—characters from a language Leon didn't recognize.
He hesitated.
Leon had never learned to read or write, especially not in old world tech text. Taking something, he didn't understand made his stomach twist, but the pain in his body left him with little choice.
Selphy floated nearby, still smiling, watching him with quiet amusement.
Leon opened the container and looked at the pills inside. He studied them briefly, then—with a grunt of resignation—popped five into his mouth and swallowed them in a single gulp.
There was no taste at all.
Minutes passed.
He felt it.
The pain in his ribs disappeared, replaced by a strange warmth that spread through his chest. The pressure in his lungs eased. The dull ache in his muscles vanished. Even the searing burn on his left arm was gone.
His body… felt whole again.
He looked down at his arm, stunned. The burn had completely vanished, leaving smooth skin behind.
"What the hell did I just take...?" he muttered, eyes wide in disbelief.
Selphy floated closer, beaming with pride.
"NexHal," she said sweetly. "The last and most advanced healing pill developed before the Collapse. It contains a swarm of nano-robotic repair units that target internal injuries and regenerate damaged tissue on a cellular level."
Leon was startled by what Selphy had just told him. He had no idea what half of her explanation even meant.
"Could you... explain that in simple terms?" he asked, blinking.
Selphy tilted her head, then smiled cheerfully.
"The pill healed your body. That's what it does!"
Leon's eyes widened.
He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Wait… Did I just take something that valuable and expensive?! I should've kept it and sold it!"
His voice rose in disbelief.
As someone who had grown up dirt-poor, Leon's instincts kicked in immediately. Something that powerful could have been sold for a fortune. On the black market, or even at a private auction, a single pill like that could've changed his entire life.
(I just swallowed five of them like candy...)
He wanted to scream.
Leon rushed over and snatched the pill container from where he left it. He opened it with trembling hands.
Only three pills remained.
He stared at them, frozen in disbelief.
"I just swallowed five of these... I should've sold them. I could've—"
His grip tightened around the container.
That could've been his ticket out of this hell.
"It's all right!" Selphy chimed in with a bright voice, hovering beside him. "Your life is more valuable than that!"
Leon shot her a flat glare, still clutching the container like it was his last shred of hope.
But Selphy's smile faded.
She turned her head sharply toward the door.
"...But I think you might want to do something about that."
The sound hit them instantly.
A deep, mechanical snarl.
Then a heavy slam against the door.
THUD.
The metal creaked.
Another kick.
THUD. CRACK.
The door rattled violently as the Spinehounds clawed and smashed at it from the other side.
Leon narrowed his eyes, the pill container still gripped tightly in his left hand. He could hear the snarls clearly now—deeper, louder, more numerous than before.
(They brought the whole pack…)
The one that had been waiting outside must've gone and returned with the rest of its kind.
He had no idea how many.
And that uncertainty made his chest tighten.
Without a word, he slipped the pill container into his pocket and checked his pistol.
One bullet left.
A cold weight settled in his gut.
He stood there, frozen in silence, eyes fixed on the trembling door. Sweat formed under his brow, trickling down the side of his face. His heartbeat quickened—thump, thump, thump—faster with each passing second.
Then—
"Wielder. Your heart rate is increasing. What seems to be the problem?"
Selphy reappeared before him, her bright form flickering into view with a concerned expression.
Leon flinched.
"How the hell do you know that?"
His voice cracked slightly as he stared at her, stunned.
Selphy smiled gently, her tone soft and precise.
"I already told you, didn't I? Once your blood activates Seraphim, you become its Wielder. Your vitals, neural stress levels, and biometrics are all linked to the core interface. Unless the Wielder dies... Seraphim remains bound."
A chill ran down Leon's spine.
So, it was true.
He really was bound to this thing.
Life or death. No in-between.
"So... what is your Seraphim, Selphy?"
Leon asked, his voice edged with desperation.
The moment he spoke, Selphy vanished from his sight.
Then—
A faint hum pulsed from his right wrist.
The thin, styleless bracelet he'd nearly forgotten about began to glow—soft at first, then flaring into a radiant golden light. In the blink of an eye, it expanded and reformed, metal shifting and folding in mid-air.
Before Leon could react, a blade materialized in his hand.
It shimmered with light—sleek and curved like a katana, but larger, sharper, and infused with unfamiliar energy. Gold filaments pulsed faintly along its surface, and the hilt was wrapped in dark synthetic fibers that flexed with his grip.
"…What in the hell?"
Leon's eyes widened, stunned.
Then, a voice echoed—not in his ears, but inside his mind.
"This is Selphy," the voice chimed calmly, "the latest Seraphim-class weapon system developed just before the Collapse."
"Wha—? Why am I hearing you in my head?!"
His voice trembled as he looked around wildly, but there was no Selphy in sight.
"Just like I told you, Wielder," she replied playfully, "once bonded, Seraphim and Wielder become one. I'll be with you... until the day you die."
"Are you excited to be a Wielder?"
Selphy's voice echoed in his mind, playful and teasing.
Leon scowled, gripping the blade tighter.
"Excited?! What the hell am I supposed to do with a sword against those things?!"
He jerked his head toward the door, where the Spinehounds continued to slam against it, snarling.
"You should've just given me bullets instead!!"
"But Wielder—based on your current vitals, you can't access Selphy's full potential yet unless you become an Awaker."
Leon blinked.
"A what?!"
"An Awaker," she repeated, her voice echoing softly in his mind.
"A human who has synchronized completely with a Seraphim Core by completing the Seraphim trials. Only then can a Seraphim reveal its true form and power."
Leon gritted his teeth.
"Why does everything come with a catch?"
"Don't worry!" Selphy said brightly. "Even without awakening, I'll assist you fighting those monsters !"
Before Leon could retort, the door finally gave way with a violent crash, hurling across the room.
[CRASH!!]
The Spinehounds were here. And they were hungry.
Leon steadied his breathing, forcing his body to move. He gritted his teeth and took his stance—both hands gripping the golden-edged blade now humming faintly with energy.
The emergency light above flickered wildly, casting broken shadows across the floor.
Five Spinehounds stalked into the room, one by one. Their glowing red eyes locked onto him like predators sizing up cornered prey.
Each one let out a low mechanical snarl, their metal jaws twitching—sharp, serrated, and eager to tear him apart.
Leon tightened his grip. His arms trembled—not from fear, but from the sheer tension of knowing this could be his last stand.
"Five of them, huh…" he muttered under his breath.
"Fine… Let's see if this 'blade' of yours is worth anything, Selphy."
Inside his mind, her voice chimed, playful but focused.
"Ready when you are, Wielder."