Adventure Time Rebellion: Fight for the Throne

Chapter 54: The Aftermath of the Storm (2)

"Sika..., how long have I been here?" he asked immediately, his voice rough and cracking, as he leaned his entire weight forward, clinging to any scrap of balance.

[Twelve days.]

"What?!! Arghhh!" The shocked scream tore from his throat, so sudden and violent that it sent a sharp, stabbing pain surging up his back. Only then did he finally notice the wide, raw wound stretching across his back like a brutal scar. His clothes were completely torn and shredded in that area, exposing a large, dark circle of dried, crusted blood that looked almost burned into his flesh.

At least this injury was something he could endure — it felt almost insignificant compared to the soul-wrenching blow he had suffered twelve days earlier. Gritting his teeth, he dragged himself toward his bike, every step echoing the echo of old pain, and finally mounted it. He forced his fingers to grip the handles, his whole body trembling, as he drove forward at the slowest, most cautious speed he could manage, each breath carrying the heavy weight of survival.

"Now tell me what happened?" His voice shifted, taking on a serious, sharp edge that cut through the air like a blade. His expression grew harder, his eyes locking forward with unwavering determination.

[Summary: Something strange jumped into your body and attacked your soul. The damage isn't too big, and that pain you're feeling is due to minor soul damage. Don't worry — I managed to stop it in time before it killed you.]

"Kill me even?" he echoed in disbelief, his mind immediately flashing back to that last haunting scene he had glimpsed right before everything went black and he collapsed.

[Yes. If I hadn't been there, it would have. I'm wondering now, who's actually more useful: me, or that hunk of scrap metal you insist on riding?]

In her place, despite all the tension and danger they had just faced, Sika crossed her arms with smug satisfaction, a clear and triumphant delight gleaming in her eyes — savoring the moment of her victory over Finn's earlier stubborn words.

[Oh yes, now that you're fully conscious, I can finally deliver this notification.]

[Congratulations]

[Breakthrough to Entry Phase]

[Breakthrough: Entry Phase Level One]

[Breakthrough: Entry Phase Level Two]

[Breakthrough: Entry Phase Level Three]

"....."

[What? Aren't you happy? You literally just advanced to a whole new major phase and shot up three small levels on top of that.]

"I literally did nothing but sleep for twelve days!" he shouted, his voice cracking with sheer shock and disbelief at the absurdity of it all.

[You really did nothing. That invading energy is what did it.]

"Meaning?" His eyebrows furrowed, his mind trying to wrap around this sudden, incomprehensible explanation.

[Well, let me simplify it for your thick skull. That thing, after it invaded your body and tried to take over your soul, I managed to seal it completely. But a tiny percentage of its power escaped my seal and ended up merging with your soul.]

"Merged?" he repeated, his voice quieter this time, as though tasting the word on his tongue to understand its full weight.

[Yes. A minuscule percentage — less than one percent, actually. But even that was enough to push you through a breakthrough and make you advance three small levels.]

This hadn't been Sika's intention at all; her original goal had been to seal every last drop of that dangerous energy, but that small leak had been a mistake on her part. The crucial point was, she could have stepped in to stop that remaining fraction from merging and boosting Finn's power — but she chose to let it happen. After all, if it contributed to making Finn stronger, there was no known downside that she could see.

For Finn, everything had already become far too complicated to grasp. A strange encounter less than three weeks ago with an unknown individual, alongside Huntress Wizard; a competition he absolutely had to win at any cost; Flame Princess, who still remained a total mystery to him and whom he had never even set eyes on yet.

Problems he hadn't even finished dealing with now loomed larger and more chaotic, and he found himself suddenly facing an even bigger, more bewildering issue. It might have been tolerable if he could at least understand it, but this new threat carried the same level of deep, impenetrable mystery as the sudden, violent soul invasion.

Yet Finn didn't dwell on it any longer. Instead, he let out a long, deep breath and a soft smile spread across his face. "You'll never have peace in your life as long as you're bold and greedy... That's what you always said, Dad." His eyes shimmered under the morning light, and his features softened, overflowing with a bittersweet mixture of sadness and warmth.

"If you were in my place... I know for certain you would have chosen a peaceful life, avoiding every conflict and all that pointless greed..." He twisted the throttle and pushed himself to move faster, his voice now carrying a resolute firmness. "I'm sorry I'm not like you, but these are my decisions, and I'll bear them on my own shoulders." A wide, almost defiant smile bloomed across his face, contrasting sharply with the single tear that slipped down from his right eye. The heavy emotions that had burdened him before now seemed to melt away, leaving behind a renewed, lighter spirit.

Thinking of that one person alone was enough to re-ignite all his passion and drive to face whatever was coming next. It even forced a full tear to break free — a loud, undeniable testament to the absolute, immeasurable value and love he held for that one, irreplaceable figure called "Dad."