Breakthrough with the Forbidden Master Chapter 435: Do Nothing

In a land laid waste by calamity, a spirit of rebuilding pulsed through its inhabitants.

Their shared resolve was clear: "We shall restore this land!"

This determination stemmed from a desire to welcome back their cherished loved ones with newfound pride.

However, amidst this collective effort...

"Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!"

A young girl, clad in padded gloves, delivered a flurry of blows to a sandbag suspended from a tree.

Her cheeks were visibly puffed, her eyes red-rimmed from what was clearly a copious amount of crying.

"The High Priestess, the Goddess, and my Elder Brother… even Sister Shinobu are all deceivers! Fools! Thwack! Thwack!"

The girl, Amae, channeled all her pent-up frustration into the sandbag.

This was no martial training; it was a raw, emotional release.

Her family and friends observed with pained smiles and strained expressions.

"Ah, haha, Amae, perhaps it's time to cease? Consider this string game Shinobu devised. Or perhaps the spinning top? Big Sis will be your playmate. Uncle Machio, won't you join us?"

"Um, yes. Having completed my daily tasks and training, I am available for amusement."

For several days now, Amae had been prone to tears, ill temper, sulking, and even directed her ire at inanimate objects.

Initially, her elder sister Tsukshi had merely observed, thinking, "Perhaps a distraction will offer some solace…" But witnessing the surprising force behind Amae's childish punches, she began to feel genuine concern.

"…No. Big sister is clumsy. Uncle tends to sever the strings, and with the tops, he frequently gouges holes in the ground."

"Ugh…"

Tsukshi sensed an impending crisis – should Amae remain uncheered, a permanent twist might form in her young heart. Yet, Amae, enveloped in a cloud of sullenness, showed little inclination to open up.

"A, Amae, consider me your elder sister and partner in play! How does that sound? Since you are the little sister of Earth, you are akin to a little sister to me as well!"

"…Phianse?"

"Um, indeed, that is correct! W, well, you see, though I currently lag considerably, in the future, Earth and I――――"

"Absolutely not! Older Brother's intended is the Goddess. Phianse, no!"

"Hagh!?"

"Older Brother's bride is the Goddess! Sister Shinobu and Sister Sadiz follow next!"

"H, hold on, that constitutes bigamy! Such a union is forbidden, Amae! Or perhaps, even with polygamy, I am still not considered worthy!?"

And so, Phianse, who earnestly desired to foster a deeper connection with Amae, found herself struggling, ill-equipped for such delicate emotional maneuvers.

"Ugh… I cannot even reach or mend the heart of a child… I remain as undeveloped as ever…"

"How pitiable… Phianse…"

"Do not despair, Rebal. The Princess strives valiantly… With the reconstruction efforts and her personal training, she must be utterly depleted… And her mind is burdened by numerous other concerns…"

Witnessing Phianse's tearful struggle, Rebal and Fu, her childhood companions, could only offer their sympathy.

However, though the scene might appear comical to an outsider, Phianse suddenly let out a profound sigh…

"Indeed, Fu… My mind is indeed besieged by countless worries… You must share this burden, no? While I comprehend your concern, might I suggest you also seek some respite?"

"U, un… I understand… but… I find myself unable to achieve much sleep."

"Fu… Have you, by any chance, received any telepathic communion? From Lord Benlinerve…?"

"…No…"

"…I see… I too questioned Father about it, but he offered no clarification. He even explicitly forbade my involvement in any affairs pertaining to Japone…"

Phianse bit her lip, her expression a complex tapestry of emotions, as Fu nodded, his eyes heavy with concern, visible dark circles beneath them.

"The joint investigation contingent from the Demon Realm has vanished within Japone… There has been no discernible progress… and the internal political climate of Japone is apparently quite volatile… I suspect this turbulence is also the reason for Shinobu's unannounced departure…"

"Precisely. I conveyed my concerns about Shinobu to Father as well. He indicated he is currently procuring intelligence via his close confidant, Lord Mikado, and Master Koujiro of the Seven Heroes, however…"

Phianse and her companions, residing in Cacretale, had likewise received news concerning the perplexing incident in Japone, where the joint investigative force of the Empire and the Demon Realm had disappeared without a trace.

Furthermore, the directive head of the Imperial investigative team was none other than Benlinerve, a distinguished member of the Seven Heroes and Fu's own father.

Shinobu's sudden vanishing was unmistakably linked to the Japone affair. It was impossible not to harbor profound anxiety.

"Initially, I conjectured that Shinobu had taken a preemptive step to pursue Earth. However, her disappearance coinciding with this specific juncture… it strongly suggests a development in Japone…"

"Indeed. Shinobu always appeared to navigate life with an air of carefree liberation. The very fact that she prioritized this over pursuing Earth or advancing her own cultivation… when I reflect upon it…"

Given Cacretale's isolationist stance, conventional news dissemination methods, such as newspapers, were nonexistent. All incoming information was contingent upon communication from the Empire and, consequently, arrived with a significant delay.

Initially, Fu had intended to proceed to Japone solo. However, the Empire's concurrent warning rendered him immobile, fueling a growing sense of unease.

“The two of you are allowing your anxieties to get the better of you.”

Rebal, in an uncharacteristic display of composure, intervened to pacify them.

“Lord Benlinerve stands as an Archmage whose name is etched in history as one of the Seven Heroes… Regardless of the trials he faces, he is not the sort to succumb easily.”

“Rebal…”

“More pressingly, Fu. Instead of dwelling on worry, you should adhere to the directive given: ‘Do nothing.’ If we truly wielded a strength that caused no concern… His Majesty would undoubtedly have dispatched us to Japone without delay… The absence of that order signifies our current powerlessness in his eyes.”

Fu lowered his head at Rebal’s pronouncement. Phianse, too, accepted the truth of his words.

“The investigation team for the Demon Realm includes Norja, one of the Six Supremacy… A being on par with Paripi, whom we couldn't even touch when we combined our efforts… The Seven Heroes are intended as the counterparts to the Six Supremacy… In our present condition, we would merely be a burden… a hindrance… We are compelled to concede this reality.”

Rebal harbored natural concerns for Benlinerve, the father of his childhood friend and a paternal figure who had looked after him since his youth.

However, given the explicit instruction to “Do nothing,” they were left with no alternative but to accept that, in their current state, they were incapable of taking any meaningful action.

Thus, what were they, who could do nothing, expected to do?

“Yes, that’s right, Rebal… Your reasoning is impeccable…”

“Then you should prioritize rest. Adequate recuperation is an integral part of training. Did Mr. Machio and the Master not impart this wisdom? Continuing in your present state would be counterproductive. If you persist like this, you risk being the sole outlier, left behind.”

“Ahaha, that is certainly undesirable… Yes… I understand. My desire is to grow stronger, after all. I would be loath to remain weak if… if someday His Majesty the Emperor declares, ‘Go forth after all’…”

Their course of action was clear: they had no recourse but to fortify themselves by attaining greater strength, even incrementally, as swiftly as possible.

Fu, recognizing this necessity, resolved to dedicate time to rest.

But before that…

“Hey… Rebal…”

“What is it?”

“If it were Earth… not the Earth of our childhood, nor the Earth of the Academy… but the Earth who relentlessly pushes forward now… what would he have done? Would he have disregarded the warning and proceeded to Japone regardless?”

What course of action would Earth, who had been the epicenter, drawing them along since their childhood, take? What would the present Earth, who was surging forward to heights far beyond their current standing, do?

In response to this inquiry, Rebal’s lips turned down, and….

“Unlike us, he possesses the prerogative to choose his actions based on his strength. After all, he not only vanquished the Six Supremacy but also subjugated them as his subordinates…”

“Haha, that is indeed the case.”

Both Fu and even Phianse found themselves chuckling at Rebal’s uncharacteristically petulant remark.

Precisely. While they were presently constrained by a lack of options, the current Earth had the freedom to chart his own course. Both Phianse and Fu arrived at the understanding that this divergence fundamentally reflected the chasm in their respective power levels.

“That’s enough!”

And then, it happened.

“Hmm? Amae?”

Amae, who had been venting her frustrations upon the sandbag and resolutely rebuffing all attempts at solace, suddenly raised her voice.

Phianse, among those who had faced her rejection, instinctively turned around….

“Amae is resolved to become even stronger! I will head to Vasu’s place and compel him to enhance my strength!”

“Wait, Amaeeeee!”

Observing Amae’s diminutive form swiftly departing towards Vasalar’s location, her determination to grow stronger burning bright, Phianse and the others exchanged wry smiles before giving chase.