"Amazing, amazing! Hehe... If only these 'One-Eyed Monsters' weren't so big, I'd love to take them home!"
Toke circled the tall 'One-Eyed Monsters' with a delighted expression, momentarily forgetting about finding his brother.
"Over here, over here, Brother Feng Yi, Sister Ying, and Paimon, come quickly! The One-Eyed Monsters here are way cooler than the ones outside!"
Toke noticed that Brother Feng Yi and the others had arrived and eagerly beckoned them over to join the fun.
"This Ruin Guard looks so powerful, completely different from ordinary Ruin Guards..."
Paimon's attention was immediately drawn to the more terrifying-looking Ruin Guards.
These modified Ruin Guards were more imposing, with numerous additional mechanical parts at their joints, granting them greater mobility. Their chest-mounted energy cores were also significantly more potent.
"Impressive, right? This is a surprise my brother prepared for Toke – upgraded, 'limited edition' One-Eyed Monsters!"
Toke's joy was palpable.
"Toke, where's your brother? Where did he go?"
Feng Yi's brow had been furrowed since entering the hall. These modified Ruin Guards were approaching the level of Khaenri'ah's Ruin Machines.
The modification techniques were remarkably similar, armoring the Ruin Guards' bodies with heavy metal and adding energy cores at their joints to power their even larger frames.
These combat machines had not appeared in the story. It was clear someone was orchestrating this behind the scenes.
In the story, the Eleventh Harbinger quickly dispatched ordinary Ruin Guards after using a Delusion. However, these modified Ruin Guards were considerably stronger. The Eleventh Harbinger would undoubtedly need to draw upon more of the Delusion's power, which would in turn place a greater strain on his body.
He needed to find the Eleventh Harbinger's whereabouts quickly. The man might be struggling to even fight a Slime right now, and he couldn't afford to be exploited by the remaining monsters in the ruins.
"Oh, right, where's my brother? Where did he go... I remember! Brother and I were playing hide-and-seek. He must be hiding somewhere!"
Toke, in his excitement, had almost forgotten about the game of hide-and-seek. He asked Brother Feng Yi and the others to help him search.
Feng Yi agreed. After sending Toke away, he extended his divine sense to encompass the entire ruin. In a narrow secret chamber not far away, he detected the Eleventh Harbinger's weak aura.
"I've found the Eleventh Harbinger. Don't tell Toke yet. Let's go check on him first."
Feng Yi gestured for silence to Lumine and Paimon. Then, while Toke wasn't paying attention, they quietly left the hall.
"Who's there?! Phew... Good thing you found me first... Activating 'Massive Delusion' while injured is more taxing than I imagined..."
Upon seeing that it was Feng Yi and the others, the Eleventh Harbinger relaxed his guard and sheathed his short blade.
He couldn't let Toke see him in such a weakened state; that would be too embarrassing.
"Ahem, if I recall correctly, didn't a certain 'duck' claim he wouldn't use the power of a Delusion unless absolutely necessary?"
Feng Yi glanced at the Eleventh Harbinger, who was struggling to even breathe. He wondered who it was that had so confidently made that statement.
"Hey, give me some face, there are so many people here... Can't you avoid bringing up old embarrassments? Besides, in that situation, it was truly a last resort..."
The Eleventh Harbinger knew that "The Doctor" was quite insane. If he didn't comply with his wishes, Toke might be endangered.
He had no choice but to use the Delusion!
"But is it really worth it?"
Paimon sighed. To fulfill his brother's dream, he had pushed himself to such a state.
"Worth it! More than earning ten million Mora! A child's dream is the most fragile thing. If left unattended, it will shatter on its own one day, so someone must protect it, right? Promises made should be kept, mistakes should be apologized for, and the dreams bestowed should be cherished until the very end..."
The Eleventh Harbinger smiled freely. If he had the chance to start over, he would still do the same.
This was what it meant to be family!
"Even in this state, you're still trying to be cool. Talk less, be careful you don't choke and kick the bucket!"
Paimon had been a bit confused, but when the Eleventh Harbinger used ten million Mora as a comparison, she seemed to understand.
"It's alright, I can still manage. Could I trouble you all with one small request? I hope you can deliver this item to Toke..."
The Eleventh Harbinger smiled. Though physically weak now, he wasn't as frail as Paimon described.
However, he certainly couldn't see Toke in his current condition.
"Huh? Is this... a 'One-Eyed Monster' plush toy? It looks quite exquisite."
Paimon's eyes lit up with understanding when she saw what the Eleventh Harbinger produced.
"That's right. I commissioned a blacksmith to make it a long time ago. I intended to bring it back to Snezhnaya as a gift, but it seems like a better souvenir for our travels now. Also, leaving without a word is a bit cruel to Toke. I'll rely on you all to look after him..."
"Eleventh Harbinger, wait. We've been looking after him all day, it's your turn to play with Toke."
Feng Yi interrupted him with a smile. The Eleventh Harbinger's current state gave him the impression of Zhuge Liang entrusting Liu Shan to him at Baidi City.
"But in this condition..."
The Eleventh Harbinger couldn't help but give a wry smile. If he could, wouldn't he want to spend more time with Toke?
"Given how long we've known each other, I'll sell you this drop of Water of Life for two hundred million Mora."
Feng Yi took out a jade bottle and opened the cap. A potent life-giving aura gushed out.
Just from the scent, the Eleventh Harbinger felt his aches and pains ease considerably.
Having experienced it firsthand, he had no reason to doubt the authenticity of the Water of Life. But as far as he knew, hadn't the World Tree that condensed the Water of Life disappeared long ago?
"Two hundred million Mora, this..."
Although he hadn't tasted the Water of Life, he had read about it in ancient Snezhnayan texts.
Treasures of this caliber couldn't be bought with money alone.
"Hey, you Eleventh Harbinger, don't be ungrateful! Two hundred million Mora and you still think it's expensive? Others would kill to buy it!"
"No, what I mean is, I'll pay five hundred million Mora. Can you sell me two drops?"
The Eleventh Harbinger didn't think it was expensive. On the contrary, he felt he was getting a bargain.
Besides, the Fatui Harbingers' bank limits were refreshed annually, and since it wasn't his own money, the Eleventh Harbinger felt no pangs of regret.
The Rich Man: 6!