There was a difference between statistics and experience. The numbers measured potential; the battle had given him understanding. Even if his attributes had not increased, his grasp of movement, timing, and positioning had improved. The System had forced his body to act like a true Seedling Fairy. That memory would not disappear so easily.
Apart from the experience gains and the confirmation that he still had six uses left of Auto Fairy Defence, there were no major changes to his system. Still, that information alone was enough for now.
Far in the distance, two figures continued watching him.Johnson and Sarah had not moved from their position throughout the latter half of the fight. Even now, they stood frozen, their gazes locked onto Fai. Amazement and shock were clearly visible in their expressions.
For Sarah, it was mostly shock.
She could not believe what she had witnessed. In her mind, Fai had always been weak. A fragile human in a world dominated by mutants and monsters. Someone who needed protection. Someone she had taken responsibility for safeguarding against the dangers that lurked around every corner.
But the battle had shattered that image completely.
Fai was not a weakling.
He was not someone who needed constant protection.
He was someone who adapted. Someone who adjusted himself according to the situation in front of him. Instead of running away from danger, he learned from it. Instead of collapsing under pressure, he evolved through it. That was what he had always been doing, That was what had brought him this far.
There had been moments during the fight when Sarah had nearly intervened. Moments when Arnold's fury had seemed overwhelming, when the wind attacks had looked fatal. Instinct had urged her to step in and protect him. But every time she had prepared to move, Johnson had stopped her, placing a firm hand on her shoulder.
He had trusted Fai.
And now she understood why.
"Who would have thought this… I guess I was wrong after all," Sarah thought silently, her expression softening as realization settled in.
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Johnson, on the other hand, was not merely shocked.
He was amazed.
From the beginning, something about Fai had felt different to him. A subtle instinct had told him that the boy was not ordinary. And Johnson trusted his instincts deeply. They had never failed him before. Still, even he had not expected this.
To defeat three opponents at once was no small feat. Even experienced fighters would hesitate in such a situation. And these were not ordinary opponents. They were mutants. Individuals whose physical capabilities surpassed those of normal humans.
Even Johnson was not entirely confident that he could win against all three at once.
Yet Fai had done it.
Standing some distance away from the battlefield, Johnson and Sarah remained where they were, their eyes still fixed on Fai. Neither of them had spoken for a while. The dust had settled, the clash of powers had faded, yet the weight of what they had just witnessed lingered heavily in the air.
Amazement and shock were written plainly across their faces.
For Sarah, however, it was mostly shock.
She could hardly believe what she had seen. In her mind, Fai had always been fragile. A weak human in a world that devoured the weak without hesitation. Someone who needed protection. Someone she had subconsciously placed behind her, shielding him from dangers he could not possibly handle alone. That image had been so deeply rooted in her perception that she had never once questioned it.
But now she was forced to.
Because the boy she had just watched fight was not helpless. He had not cowered. He had not waited to be saved. Instead, he had adapted. Every time he was cornered, he found a way out. Every time he was struck down, he rose again. He had adjusted himself to the situation before him, learning in the middle of chaos, evolving in the heart of danger.
And that was what he had always done.
Perhaps she had simply failed to notice it before.
Even during the fight, there had been moments when her instincts screamed at her to intervene. When Arnold's wind attacks seemed too overwhelming, when Dian's strikes looked fatal, she had almost rushed forward. But each time, Johnson had held her back, placing a firm hand on her shoulder and shaking his head.
Now she understood why.
"Who would have thought this… I guess I was wrong after all," Sarah thought quietly, her gaze softening as she watched Fai stand alone among his defeated opponents.
Johnson, on the other hand, was smiling.
Not a mocking smile. Not a surprised grin. But a bright, satisfied expression, as if something he had believed in had just been proven right.
"I told you he'd make it," Johnson said, tapping Sarah lightly on the shoulder.
"This Fai… he's something special," he continued, his eyes still fixed ahead.
Sarah turned her head slowly toward him, studying his expression carefully.
"How did you know?" she asked.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Johnson replied, glancing at her.
"I mean , how did you know he was going to win? That he was going to make it? I'm curious," Sarah asked again, this time more directly.
Johnson scratched the back of his head, his smile fading into something slightly awkward.
"Well… actually, the truth is, I didn't," he admitted, sounding a little nervous.
"Excuse me?" Sarah's eyebrows furrowed, confusion and a hint of irritation flashing across her face.
"Yeah… I'm sorry about that, but that's the truth. I didn't know," Johnson repeated.
"So you convinced me not to intervene when you didn't even know if he cou—?"
"But I trusted him," Johnson cut her off before she could finish. His tone was firm now, no longer hesitant.
Sarah fell silent.
"I know I'm not even in the right place to say this. I mean, it hasn't even been a full day since I met him," Johnson continued. "But my instincts don't lie. Fai is a good person. And one day… he's going to change the world."
He turned to face her fully now, a softer smile forming on his lips.
"And when that happens, I want to be by his side."
With that, Johnson began walking toward Fai.
