Shadow Husband:I Have a Hidden SSS-Class System-Chapter 93: PURIFICATION

The golden light from Rama’s hand spread like wildfire up Budi’s corrupted arm. Where it touched, black veins retreated. Purple corruption recoiled. The void energy that had granted temporary power was being forcibly expelled.

Budi’s scream wasn’t just pain. It was the corruption fighting back. Resisting purification. The void didn’t release its victims easily.

"What—what are you doing?!" Budi tried to pull away. Corrupted strength making him stronger than before. But Rama’s grip held firm.

"Saving you from yourself," Rama said through gritted teeth. Speaking was difficult with broken ribs grinding against each other. "Corruption isn’t power. It’s death sentence. I’m removing it before it becomes permanent."

"I don’t—I don’t need saving! This power is—"

"Temporary. Corruption grants five minutes of enhanced capability. Then it begins eating your sanity permanently. You’re at minute two. Three minutes until point of no return." Rama poured more energy into [Champion’s Purification]. The golden light intensified. "Hold still. Fighting makes this harder."

But Budi wasn’t capable of holding still. The corruption was in control now. Rational thought suppressed by void influence. Pure aggression taking over.

He struck Rama with his free hand. Corrupted fist to already-broken ribs. Agony exploded. Vision whited out momentarily. But Rama maintained his grip. Couldn’t let go. Letting go meant Budi lost to corruption permanently.

Around them, the unconscious twenty hunters were starting to wake. Groaning. Disoriented. Seeing their leader consumed by black corruption while golden Champion fought to save him.

At Eternal Bond headquarters, Sekar was mobilizing. Rama could sense it through their connection. She’d seen the corruption crystal. Seen Budi’s transformation. Seen Rama get hit. Now she was coming whether he wanted backup or not.

Good. He might need it. Purification required concentration. Defending himself while purifying was nearly impossible.

"Champions!" Sekar’s voice carried across the distance. "Defensive positions around Rama! That’s void corruption! Don’t let it spread!"

Fourteen Champions moved. Not attacking. Just surrounding. Creating barrier between corruption and potential civilian exposure. Professional response to unknown threat.

Budi thrashed. Corruption fighting harder as purification progressed. The black veins were retreating but slowly. Too slowly. This was fresh corruption—less than three minutes old—but already deeply embedded. The crystal had been potent.

"Stop fighting me," Rama said. Trying to reach whatever remained of Budi’s rational mind beneath the void influence. "You’re not enemy. Corruption is enemy. Let me help you."

"I don’t need help! I need power! Power to—" Budi’s words cut off as another wave of purification hit. More corruption retreating. More golden light spreading.

Rama could feel the cost. [Champion’s Purification] wasn’t free. It drained his energy rapidly. His stamina. His System reserves. And he was already injured from the fight. Broken ribs. Exhaustion from defeating twenty hunters. This was pushing him past sustainable limits.

But the alternative was letting Budi become permanently corrupted. Letting void influence claim another victim. Adding one more corrupted human to the enemies humanity would face when Herald arrived.

Unacceptable.

Rama pulled deeper. Found reserves he didn’t know existed. Champion abilities responding to desperate need. [Regressor’s Determination] activating automatically—the passive that granted boost when defeat was imminent.

Golden light flooded brighter. Purification accelerated.

Budi screamed again. This time different. Not corruption fighting. Human pain. The purification was reaching his core. Burning out the void influence directly.

"Almost there," Rama said. More to himself than Budi. "Just a little more. Hold on."

The corruption made final stand. Concentrated in Budi’s chest. Around his heart. Trying to embed itself permanently in vital organ. If it succeeded, purification would become impossible. Heart corruption couldn’t be cleansed without killing the host.

Rama recognized the tactic. He’d seen it before. Timeline 1. Different victim. Same void strategy. Protect corruption by making removal lethal.

He had maybe thirty seconds before corruption succeeded.

Standard purification wouldn’t work. Too slow. Too gentle. He needed something stronger. Faster. More decisive.

[Absolute Purification].

The enhanced version of his ability. One-time use per day. Cost was enormous—complete energy depletion, temporary System ability shutdown, guaranteed unconsciousness afterward.

But it would work. Would burn out corruption completely in seconds instead of minutes.

Only question was whether he trusted the Champions to protect him while unconscious. Whether he trusted Sekar to handle aftermath. Whether partnership meant relying on others even when vulnerable.

Timeline 1, he’d always fought alone. Died alone. Failed alone.

Timeline 2 had proven partnership worked better.

"Sekar!" he called out. Voice strained. "I’m using [Absolute Purification]! I’ll be unconscious after! Secure the area!"

"Understood! Champions ready! We’ve got you!"

That was enough. Trust established. Partnership confirmed.

Rama activated [Absolute Purification].

The golden light exploded. Not gradual spread anymore. Instantaneous purge. Every trace of void corruption in Budi’s body targeted simultaneously.

The corruption around his heart tried to resist. Failed. Burned away like darkness before sun. The black veins throughout his body evaporated. Purple tint in his eyes cleared. Distorted voice returned to normal.

Budi gasped. Not scream this time. Just sudden intake of breath as corruption released its grip on his lungs.

The purification took seven seconds total. Complete cleansing. Not a trace of void influence remaining.

Budi collapsed. Unconscious from shock and energy drain. But alive. Human. Uncorrupted.

Rama released him. Tried to stand. Legs wouldn’t respond. Energy completely depleted. [Absolute Purification] had taken everything.

He fell backward. Caught by someone—Dewi, one of the Champions, moving fast enough to prevent him hitting the ground.

"I’ve got you, Champion," she said. Professional calm despite circumstances. "You’re safe. We’re secure."

"Budi?" Rama managed. Words slurring. Consciousness fading.

"Unconscious but breathing normally. No corruption visible. You saved him."

"Good. That’s... good..."

Darkness closed in. Not threatening. Just exhaustion. His body shutting down to recover from energy drain.

Last thing he saw before unconsciousness: Sekar running toward him. Expression mixing worry and fury. She was going to yell at him for pushing himself too hard again.

He’d deal with that when he woke up.

For now—sleep.

He woke to white ceiling. Again. Hospital. Again. Third time in two weeks.

This was becoming pattern.

"You’re awake," Sekar’s voice. She sat in the same chair as last time. Looking exhausted. "Doctors say you depleted your System energy completely. Plus re-broke your ribs. Plus caused internal bleeding from overexertion. You’ve been unconscious for six hours."

"Budi?" Rama’s voice was hoarse. Throat dry.

"Alive. Uncorrupted. In different hospital under police guard. He’s facing charges for the attack but also receiving treatment for corruption exposure trauma. Doctors are amazed he survived void corruption at all. They’re crediting your purification ability."

"The twenty hunters?"

"All arrested. All conscious. All giving statements about who hired them. Turns out it was rogue Dragon’s Gate faction. Not officially sanctioned but funded through hidden guild accounts. More evidence against Dragon’s Gate leadership."

"Media coverage?"

Sekar pulled up her tablet. Showed him.

#RamaIsBayangan - Trending #1 globally

#ChampionPurification - Trending #2

#VoidCorruptionReal - Trending #4

Video clips everywhere. Rama revealing Bayangan identity. Defeating twenty hunters in four minutes. Fighting Budi. The corruption crystal. The golden purification light. All captured in high definition from multiple angles.

"You’re global phenomenon," Sekar said. "Bayangan reveal alone would’ve been massive story. But adding void corruption demonstration plus purification ability? Every news outlet is covering it. Every social platform is discussing it."

She showed him comments:

@GlobalHunterNews: BREAKING: Rama Kusuma IS Bayangan! Underground tournament champion! Beat Hendra Wijaya while hiding identity! Everything makes sense now! #RamaIsBayangan

@VoidBeliever: Corruption crystal used in live combat! Rama purified it with golden light! This proves void entities exist! Herald is real! 10 days until prophecy! #VoidCorruptionReal

@SystemAnalyst: [Champion’s Purification] ability is unprecedented. No documented cases of corruption removal before this. Rama’s showing abilities we didn’t know System could grant. What else can Champions do? #ChampionPurification

@SkepticalHunter: I didn’t believe void threats. Thought Herald prophecy was delusion. But that corruption was real. That purification was real. Maybe... maybe March 40th is real too. #ConvertedBeliever

Public opinion had shifted dramatically. The corruption demonstration had done what arguments couldn’t—proved void threats were tangible, immediate dangers requiring preparation.

"Public belief in Herald went from sixty-one percent to seventy-eight percent," Sekar reported. "Seventeen percent increase overnight. Association is getting flooded with requests for void preparation information. Director Hartono called emergency meeting for tomorrow. Full mobilization."

"My survival odds?" Rama checked his System interface. Still weak but functioning.

[YOUR SURVIVAL PROBABILITY: 28% → 34%]

[REASON: INCREASED PUBLIC SUPPORT = MORE RESOURCES + STRONGER BELIEF = ENHANCED SYSTEM RESPONSE]

Six percent increase. Twenty-eight to thirty-four percent. Still likely death but improving.

"Thirty-four percent," Rama said. "Better."

"Not good enough. You’re not dying in ten days. I won’t allow it." Sekar’s yandere intensity was focused entirely on preventing his prophesied death. "We have ten days. We use every second to improve those odds. Training. Equipment. Backup plans. Everything."

"Sekar—"

"No. Partnership means I get input on your survival planning. Thirty-four percent isn’t acceptable. We’re getting it higher. Fifty percent minimum. Preferably seventy. You’re not dying on my watch."

Her determination was fierce. Absolute. The woman who’d survived two Dragon’s Gate attacks was refusing to accept his death as inevitable.

"Okay," he agreed. "Ten days. We improve survival odds. Together."

"Together."

A knock interrupted. Doctor entering.

"Mr. Kusuma. Your energy levels are recovering but slowly. System depletion of this magnitude requires days to fully restore. Normally I’d recommend a week of rest minimum."

"I don’t have a week. Herald arrives in ten days."

"I’m aware. Which is why I’m recommending modified rest. No combat. No System ability usage beyond minimal. Just recovery and light activity. That gives you seven days recovery, three days final preparation. Better than pushing now and collapsing before Herald even arrives."

Frustrating but logical. Rama couldn’t fight Herald if he was already broken.

"Forty-eight hours complete rest. Then modified activity. Deal?"

Doctor nodded. "Deal. I’ll inform your Champions to handle any immediate threats without you."

After doctor left, Sekar showed more media coverage.

"Budi gave statement from his hospital bed. Confirmed Dragon’s Gate rogue faction hired him. Confirmed corruption crystal came from Dragon’s Gate supplies. Testified they’ve been stockpiling void corruption items for months—preparing for something but he doesn’t know what."

"Preparing for Herald," Rama said. "They knew it was coming. Maybe not exact date but general threat. That’s why Hendra was so desperate to discredit me. I was threatening their preparations."

"If Dragon’s Gate was preparing for Herald, why attack us instead of cooperating?"

"Because they wanted control. Wanted to be the ones who ’discovered’ Herald threat. Wanted credit for salvation. My prophecy undermined their plans. So they tried to eliminate me before I could prove them irrelevant."

"That’s insane."

"That’s ego. Pride. Arrogance. Same traits that got Hendra defeated in tournament. Same traits that got Dragon’s Gate destroyed through criminal behavior."

Sekar’s phone rang. Director Hartono.

She answered on speaker. "Director."

"Guild Master Aditya. Champion Kusuma. Emergency Association meeting tomorrow. Ten AM. Mandatory attendance. Full mobilization discussion. Herald preparation protocols. Can you both attend?"

"Rama’s hospitalized," Sekar said. "Energy depletion from purification ability."

"I’ll attend," Rama interrupted. "I’ll be there."

"You need rest—"

"And I’ll rest after the meeting. But Association mobilization is too important to miss. I’ll attend."

Hartono sounded relieved. "Good. Your presence is crucial. Bringing Champions if possible?"

"All fourteen. They need to be part of planning."

"Excellent. Ten AM tomorrow. Conference hall. This is it—full acceptance of Herald threat. Full preparation. Everything you’ve been requesting for weeks."

The call ended.

Rama closed his eyes. Exhausted. Injured. But also—vindicated. Association was mobilizing. Public believed. Resources were being allocated.

Everything was aligning for Herald’s arrival.

Just had to survive the actual fight.

Thirty-four percent odds. Not great. But better than they’d been.

"Rest," Sekar ordered. "You have forty-eight hours. Use them. I’ll handle Champions training and Association preparation coordination. You recover."

"Partnership?"

"Partnership means knowing when to lead and when to let partner lead. Right now, you lead recovery. I lead operations. We switch roles as needed."

Smart. Efficient. Exactly what partnership should be.

Rama slept. Actual rest. Not unconsciousness from injury. Just sleep.

When he woke hours later, media coverage had intensified. His Bayangan reveal was still trending. But new development had emerged.

Dragon’s Gate guild was officially dissolved. Association had revoked their license. All members were being investigated. Assets frozen. The guild that had opposed him so fiercely for months was gone.

Destroyed not by his actions but by their own criminal choices.

Hendra was facing decades in prison. Arif was awaiting trial. Budi was cooperating with prosecutors. The entire Dragon’s Gate leadership was collapsed.

And in ten days, Herald would arrive to prove Rama had been right about everything.

Vindication felt hollow when it came at such cost. But necessary. Dragon’s Gate’s opposition had endangered humanity’s preparation. Their removal meant better coordination. Better defense. Better survival odds for everyone.

His phone buzzed. Message from Yanto.

Yanto: Saw the fight. Saw purification. Saw media explosion. You’re not hiding anymore. Good. Humanity needs to see what Champions can really do. But Rama—you need to stop almost dying every week. This pattern is unsustainable. Rest. Recover. Live to fight Herald.

Rama: Working on it. Forty-eight hours mandatory rest. Then final preparation. Ten days.

Yanto: Ten days. Then everything proves true or false. Network is ready. Champions are ready. Public is ready. Question is—are you ready?

Rama: Ask me in ten days. After Herald. If I survive.

Yanto: WHEN you survive. Not if. When. Think positive.

Rama: Thirty-four percent odds aren’t positive thinking territory.

Yanto: Then we get them higher. Ten days. Everything we’ve got. Make those thirty-four percent become sixty percent. Possible?

Rama: With Sekar’s determination and Network’s resources and Association’s full support? Maybe. We’ll see.

Yanto: That’s all we can ask. See you at Association meeting tomorrow. Rest tonight.

Rama set down his phone. Looked at Sekar sleeping in the chair beside his bed. She’d stayed through everything. Two Dragon’s Gate attacks. Tournament exposure. Multiple hospitalizations. Corruption purification. Everything.

Partnership had survived tests that would’ve destroyed most relationships.

Now they faced final test. Herald. March 40th. Ten days.

Live or die. Vindication or destruction. Everything on single moment.

But for now—rest.

Tomorrow, Association meeting. Planning. Preparation. Mobilization.

Tonight—just sleep.

Beside partner who refused to let him face death alone.

Ten days.

Then the void war began.

And thirty-four percent survival odds became reality.

One way or another.