Chapter 48: The Peaceful Miracle!

Leon was already used to the Dungeon by now, so he calmly woke up and looked around, trying to see if there were any monsters nearby. Since he had advanced to Tier 2, the only monsters who could pose a real threat to him here were the Mosspounder and a few Crimson Rabbits who had reached the peak of Tier 1. Although he wanted to have a rematch with the Mosspounder, he wasn’t really in the mood to do anything, and his motive this time was also to find a different way to get out of this dungeon rather than dying. So after checking the surroundings for a bit, he returned to his original spot and tried to sleep. Of course, it didn’t work, but that wasn’t really his goal. He just wanted to give his mind some rest, and the serene atmosphere of the Meadows was perfect for that. His mind was truly cleansed of all unnecessary thoughts as he lay there in the soft grass under the warm sun. A gentle, cold wind caressed his body as if it were massaging him. ’So peaceful here. Sadly, I can’t even sleep here.’ He wanted to cultivate in this place, but he was afraid that the fluctuations in the Essence would alert other monsters. Since they weren’t following the usual pattern, they might really jump on him. So, he simply lay there and enjoyed the atmosphere with no thoughts. No guilt! No planning! Nothing! Hours passed, and Leon didn’t even realise when he actually began to doze off. Soon, his body relaxed even further, and he drifted into a deep sleep. A very peaceful, serene, and comfortable sleep. ... His eyes fluttered open as he yawned and sat up, realising something was amiss with the situation. He frowned and hurriedly looked around, only to find himself in his hospital room. ’What!? How did I get back here?’ Leon was surprised and turned to look at the digital clock, which told him that it was 6 in the morning. The date was 11th January. ’I came back? Without dying? Wait! How did I even sleep there?’ Leon sat up completely, forgetting all traces of sleep, as he finally managed to achieve something he had been trying to do for so many days. ’Alright. Let’s calm down first and see what I did that triggered whatever was necessary to get out of there. But that’s the thing, I just rested there and... slept? But that didn’t work before.’ He closed his eyes and began to think over all the possibilities, quickly arriving at a hypothesis which he believed was correct or at least very close to being right. ’It was just as I had guessed before. There’s a time limit, and once I pass that, the Dungeon will throw me out. Good! This is good! But I hope I get a log-out button someday.’ He rubbed his chin and tried to recall the amount of time he had spent there but couldn’t quite pinpoint it. He just knew he had spent a lot of time. ’Aside from that, none of the monsters attacked me. I can understand the Mosspounder since that guy gets attracted to blood, but what about the Crimson Rabbits? Did they really get scared of my presence and choose to avoid me?’ It was quite possible since this was reality. In the game, monsters wouldn’t care about your strength at all and would simply attack if you entered their range. But now, they were real monsters who would avoid stronger presences and prey on weaker ones—especially Crimson Rabbits, who were never known for being courageous. ’This settles it then. I’ll try this one more time, and if it works, then I’ll always use the Meadows to peacefully return back to this world.’ Leon had already decided to explore the dungeon more to get stronger, as it was the best available option for him, even if it meant suffering there. While he feared death and the pain it brought, he feared even more the possibility of ending up in situations like the Flame Knight Dungeon, where he was utterly helpless against his enemies. But now, he had found a way to get back safely. It could be considered a personal safe zone for him. ’Alright. Now that I’m better, let’s see what to do next. In the game, there was a vacation after the Flame Knight Dungeon too, and it was longer because of the losses they suffered. So the next event should be in February, but I can’t rely on the plot so much. It might happen earlier, so I’ll need to prepare for that.’ He paused as he remembered that he couldn’t really do much for that event. He sighed. ’Whatever. I’ll see it after I’m done with the potion thingy. We’re going to end vacation early anyway. I’ll plan everything this time and be prepared for even the unexpected.’ The only reason he wasn’t that worried about this event was because the lives lost during it were little to none. It was more focused on other aspects, so while it was incredibly dangerous, even more so than the Flame Knight Dungeon, he had means to deal with it. Still, his mind was already working on ways to make future events play in his favour. But his own weakness was always in the way. Even if he somehow spent all his time in the dungeon, it would still be hard to become that strong so quickly. It was then that it hit him. ’Wait! I can just help others get stronger. I’m literally in one of the top Academies. I can find the best talent here and nurture them using the knowledge I have before it becomes redundant. I’ll just need to see if they can be trusted or not.’ Even if they weren’t loyal to him, it wouldn’t matter as long as they were loyal to humanity. After all, his main goal was still to save Earth and humanity from the Apocalypse so he could live a peaceful life later on. Why would it matter if someone else accomplished it? ’Yes. That’s a good plan, but I’ll really need to check everyone first. Before that, I can make a list of characters who will be important later on and nurture them from the early stages. Classic, but it’ll work. There are many with potential who aren’t in the Academy, after all. I can accelerate their growth.’ Because of the butterfly effect, the plot would soon become useless to him, and his interference might also accelerate the story itself. So it was better to accelerate the growth of other characters too. ’Good! I have a rough plan already. There’s nothing much in Vale or at least the game didn’t mention anything since it wasn’t that important. So I’ll come back fast.’ The only reason Vale was even mentioned was because of Silver’s backstory, and then it was forgotten for the whole game. Leon stood up and quickly freshened up before changing into the new clothes provided by the Doodle Nurse. After that, he left the hospital through the back door. The staff didn’t say anything since Amber had already dealt with everything. And there were also a few girls waiting for him at the front entrance... ’I still need to check the gifts but don’t even have the time for it. I hope I can do it after coming back.’ With that thought, he headed towards the Dormant Hall. How could he leave without visiting Silver?