Reon's unconscious body kept falling.
The red streak sliced through the thinning air like a dying star on its final suicide run.
Gravity capsule flickering weaker and weaker, tiny cracks spider-webbing across the glowing shell like it was about to explode any second.
CRACK… CRACK… CRACK…
Five kilometers down to four… three… two… the capsule screamed now, barely holding on.
His mind was black, empty, but deep inside that tiny spark of rage still burned like the last coal in a dying fire — refusing to die, refusing to let the world win.
The wind howled around him like a thousand pissed-off demons trying to rip him apart again.
WHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOSH.
He didn't feel it.
He didn't see the river rushing up to meet him like a hungry mouth.
He was still falling.
Far to the south, in a remote stretch of jungle where the trees whispered dirty secrets and the river ran crystal clear like liquid diamond, the morning sun painted everything in soft gold.
Shizu crouched at the water's edge, messy silver-blue ponytail half-falling apart like it always did after a bad night.
Old adventurer clothes stained from days of pure bad luck on the road.
She scooped up a handful of the sparkling water and splashed it on her face, grumbling the whole damn time like the world owed her money and then ghosted her.
"Those Blue Whale Guild assholes… I did everything! I healed their dumb asses after every single fight, I used my last premium tonic on that idiot tank when the Zinoyed almost ate him, and what do I get? 'Sorry Shizu, the monster got away, we can't pay you.' Pay me? They wanted my tonic for free! My precious baby tonic that costs a fortune to make!"
She stood up, still muttering like a pissed-off kitten ready to scratch eyes out, and started unlacing her shirt with angry little yanks.
"Fine. Whatever. I'll just wash up, catch some fish, and find a new party that actually has balls. Or maybe I'll just become a solo healer and tell everyone to fuck off forever. Screw this hero shit."
The shirt came off. Smooth pale skin glowed in the sunlight. Simple black sports bra underneath, hugging her perky tits just right.
She kicked off her boots, then wiggled out of her pants, standing there in just her underwear, cute soft ass and toned legs on full display like she owned the whole damn river.
"Stupid guild… stupid monsters… stupid everything…"
She bent down to splash more water on her legs, ass sticking out, still bubbling complaints.
"Next time I see that tank I'm healing his balls backward so he can't even walk straight… make him piss sitting down like the coward he is. Bet he'd cry like a little bitch."
Shizu's hands lingered on her own thighs, fingers tracing the water droplets sliding down her skin. The cool touch sent a little shiver straight between her legs. She bit her lip, mind wandering to darker places.
"God, I need to get laid or something. All this healing and no one even thanks me with a decent fuck. Just once I want a guy who actually knows how to make me scream instead of running away after I save his sorry ass."
She slipped one hand under the waistband of her panties, just for a second, brushing over the soft heat there. A tiny moan escaped before she yanked her hand away, cheeks burning.
"Focus, Shizu. Fish first. Dick later."
But the thought stayed, making her nipples tighten against the wet bra.
At that exact moment—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.
Something massive slammed into the river fifty meters upstream.
The impact shook the entire jungle like the world itself was throwing a tantrum.
The ground trembled hard enough to make the trees sway and drop leaves like confetti.
Water exploded upward in a twenty-meter geyser that sparkled in the sunrise like a million diamonds raining down.
Birds exploded from the trees in blind panic.
A flock of glowing crystal-winged Lumina Flyers screeched and shot into the sky in a colorful explosion.
A family of fluffy Pufftail Boars puffed up to three times their normal size and squealed in panic, running in circles and bumping into each other like drunk cartoon idiots.
One Pufftail boar tripped over its own glowing tail and face-planted into the river with a SPLASH, then popped back up covered in mud, looking absolutely betrayed, its tail still glowing pink like an embarrassed nightlight.
Shizu's heart nearly stopped.
She jumped so hard her tits bounced in the bra, eyes wide as dinner plates.
"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!"
A troop of Giggle Monkeys started rolling on the ground, holding their bellies, laughing so hard they were crying. One of them accidentally peed a little from the shock, making a tiny golden puddle right next to Shizu's foot.
"Even the monkeys are pissing themselves! This is the worst morning ever! I swear if this is another guild prank I'm healing their dicks backward so they can't even piss straight for a month!"
The water was still settling, a huge crater forming in the middle of the river, fish flopping everywhere in shock like they'd just seen God.
Shizu stood frozen, half-naked, water dripping down her body, mouth open, shirt clutched against her chest like a useless shield.
"Did… did the sky just shit something out?!"
She took a deep breath, cute face twisted into pure tomboy rage mixed with terror.
"If this is some monster or some guild asshole trying to scare me, I'm gonna heal their assholes shut so they can't even shit for a month!"
The Pufftail Boars were still running in circles, one of them bumping into Shizu's leg and squealing like it was the end of the world.
She patted its fluffy head without thinking.
"Calm down, you big baby. It's just the sky being a dick again."
She grabbed her shirt tighter, heart hammering like a war drum, and crept closer to the crater, bare feet stepping carefully on the smooth stones.
Whatever just fell from the sky… it was big.
It was bad.
And it was about to change her entire life in the most ridiculous, filthy way possible.
A couple of Giggle Monkeys crept closer too, one of them tugging at the edge of her panties with tiny fingers, trying to steal the fabric like it was treasure.
"Hey! Back off, you little pervs!" Shizu swatted at them, cheeks flushing. "This is not a free show!"
One monkey chattered back, pointing at the crater and making rude gestures again, as if saying "big thing down there, go look!"
Shizu rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I'm going. Don't get your tiny dicks in a twist."
She waded deeper, water rising to her thighs, the cool touch making her shiver.
Meanwhile, deep in the crater, Reon's body broke the surface.
The capsule finally shattered.
CRACK-BOOOOOM.
His new, rebuilt body slammed into the riverbed, sending another wave crashing outward.
Fish scattered in every direction.
He lay there, unconscious, completely naked, blood still fresh from the jungle massacre, faint red aura pulsing around him like dying embers.
Shizu inched closer, heart pounding in her ears.
She peeked over the edge of the crater.
Her eyes went huge.
A naked guy.
Muscles carved like a god who'd just stepped out of a war.
Faint red glow around him.
And… holy shit, that thick, heavy thing between his legs was…
She slapped both hands over her mouth, cheeks burning bright red.
"What the actual fuck… did the sky just drop a naked hot guy?!"
One of the Giggle Monkeys rolled right up to her, still laughing hysterically, pointing at Reon's body and making obscene gestures with its tiny paws like it was giving a thumbs-up.
Shizu swatted the monkey away.
"Stop laughing, you perverted little shit! This is serious!"
She glanced around nervously.
No one else was here.
Just her.
Half-naked.
And a mysterious unconscious dude who fell from the sky.
She bit her lip, torn between running and… curiosity that was quickly turning into something hotter.
"Fine. Whatever. If he dies here I'm screwed anyway. Might as well drag his fine ass out before the fish start nibbling on him."
She waded into the water, sports bra and panties soaked instantly, clinging to every curve like a second skin.
Her hands reached for him.
The moment her fingers touched his skin, a tiny spark of red energy jumped between them.
Shizu froze.
Her voice came out in a tiny squeak.
"Oh… shit."