At nine p.m., Hima, Reon, and Kagumo walked along the street.

“Changyuan has so many fun places,” Hima said. They had spent the whole day sightseeing.

“Though there were a few small mishaps, everything went according to my travel plan,” Reon said with satisfaction. She had made the itinerary before coming to Changyuan.

“Today was really fun… but didn’t you say there was a mission from the Family Head? Don’t we need to prepare?” Kagumo asked, watching the two carefree girls.

“Mission…” Hima, probably tired from playing, couldn’t remember immediately.

“It’s the competition a few days from now,” Reon said.

During the Three Great Families gathering, major forces would discuss important issues, share discoveries, and decide future directions. These were matters for the adults, and few younger members could participate.

Yet in such gatherings, each faction secretly compared: Who had more Affinity Users? Who were stronger? Which faction had new talents?

The gathering provided a stage. Before the official meeting, there was a competition. Factions sent teams to fight in a massive free-for-all. Any team that lost combat capability for over ten minutes was eliminated. The team that survived to the end won.

Team size was limited to ten, with at least half under thirty years old.

Reon and Hima were participants.

“Oh.” Hima turned her head. “If it’s about the competition, there will be practice the day after tomorrow.”

“So that’s your mission? Then why didn’t you pick me? I could join too,” Kagumo said, crossing her arms and looking up at Reon and Hima.

“I knew you’d want to join,” Reon said. “But you’re not suited for this kind of competition.”

“Why? I can guarantee the team’s endurance,” Kagumo said, skilled in healing and purification.

“True, but in this kind of competition, it’s mostly a light skirmish. It’s better to choose members who are good at both combat and healing,” Hima said.

For example, in a game, pure healers are rarely chosen. Players prefer units with both survival and other abilities.

However, having other abilities means that their capacity to ensure their teammates’ survival is comparatively reduced, requiring more capable healers under high pressure.

Kagumo specialized in healing and purification, with no other combat skills. Since serious injuries rarely occur in this competition, her healing ability was more than sufficient.

“And that’s me!” Hima said proudly.

“Heh, you’re not the only one like that,” Reon said.

“Anyway, not you,” Hima said, still proud.

Reon raised an eyebrow. “But you can’t beat me.”

“….” Hima was speechless, clicking his tongue.

The three continued joking and laughing toward the inn. Suddenly, Hima stopped and pulled Kagumo behind her.

Reon noticed something was off and stepped in front of Kagumo.

The streetlight was dim, providing little illumination. Several black silhouettes lurked in the shadows, clearly up to no good.

“Looks like we don’t need to wait until the day after tomorrow,” Reon said. “This is a perfect practice opportunity.”

Bang! A gunshot rang out. A vine suddenly appeared, blocking the bullet.

An Affinity User of the Life tendency can manipulate or even create plants.

That bullet seemed like a signal. Immediately, the black figures started moving. Bang bang bang! They weren’t using silencers, so the gunshots were extremely loud in the quiet night.

The vines intertwined, forming a green wall that blocked the three. Ten or more bullets hit the barrier, only a few passing through the gaps.

Weakened bullets grazed Hima’s cheek. He touched the wound and found blood.

Hima could heal himself, but it would divide his focus, so Kagumo handled the healing.

However, as soon as Kagumo finished, the same wound reappeared in the exact same spot.

Kagumo healed it again, yet the wound returned.

“It’s a curse. The bullet carries a curse. Once struck, the wound cannot heal naturally,” Kagumo said. The attacker had an Affinity User behind them.

Was it Dark, Death, or Calamity Affinity? Any of these could cast a curse. First, eliminate Death tendency—it wouldn’t produce such a mild effect.

A holy white light shone, and Kagumo easily purified the curse.