Chapter 33: The Healer's Warning (Grammar Fixed)
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The ship was silent. The rain was still strong, though weaker than yesterday's. Last night, everything had happened so fast. The failed plan. The fight between Rowan's team and ours. Me almost dying. I could still feel the ache from the stab wound—more annoying than painful, thanks to being a berserker.
I heard footsteps in the medic room as I lay on the bed. I sat up and reached for the axe, then saw Raemon.
"At least your reflexes are still sharp." He chuckled softly.
I leaned against the wall behind the bed. "Sorry. It's just that a lot happened."
"I understand, Zain. Out of everyone on this ship, you've clearly faced the most."
He pulled a chair and sat, leaning forward slightly. "How's the wound?"
"Getting better. Thanks to your doctors' healing magic." I folded my arms, my posture relaxing. "They said I shouldn't fight today."
"I actually need to talk to you about something serious." Raemon's expression shifted. I hadn't seen him this serious before—not even when we first met. "It's about the priest you killed."
"So you know?"
"Everyone knows. The whole ship knows. You're seen as a wildcard now." He paused. "Listen, I understand. Even the Adventurer's Association is against that religion. The human sacrifice."
"Yeah... I realized that too." I stared at the floor. "I killed a man because he worshipped a god I didn't like. Can you imagine?"
Raemon nodded slowly. "When I was your age, I was an adventurer too. My guild was A-rank. We discovered what that religion does. My guild leader swore he'd destroy it—but instead of attacking the source, he just murdered anyone who worshipped. Warriors. Priests. Innocents. He saw them all as enablers. As murderers."
He looked at me with heavy eyes.
"Eventually, the Association sent two S-ranks to hunt him down. He was a kind man, like you. But like you, he reacted on emotion, not reason. I understand your hatred, Zain. I've seen what that religion does. But that doesn't excuse killing innocents."
"Adventurers protect the weak when countries can't. We hunt threats. We kill beasts. We're protectors—not psychopaths."
I understood. Even my jaguar—the source of my power—had called me out. I'd reacted on emotion. I hadn't thought about that man as a person. I'd just killed him.
I came to this world to find purpose. To understand what I truly wanted. Attacking innocents wouldn't help. I was acting more like those cannibals than the protector I was supposed to be.
"I made a grave mistake, haven't I?"
"You have, Zain." Raemon's voice was gentle but firm. "The moderators are watching you closely now. If you keep acting this way, you could be killed."
My stomach dropped. I understood the consequences. I could have died for killing that priest. Instead, they gave me a second chance. That alone meant something.
I touched my abdomen. The bandage was faintly stained with blood. My vision blurred slightly—probably from all the Lumin I'd lost using Shaman of War. Demon Bear Pelt drained my reserves. Combined with the berserker state, which drained my stamina... losing both took a serious toll.
Raemon stood slowly. "It's almost midnight. I need to sleep. Don't disturb the Eighty—or your friends."
He left. The soft click of the door was the last thing I heard.
I needed to be more careful. I shouldn't kill anyone now, or people would suspect me even more. Besides, I would have stood a much better chance against Rowan if I'd had my claymore. The axe was good, but it didn't fit my fighting style.
Then I heard faint footsteps. A silhouette moved closer.
"Who's there?"
"I'm not here to attack, Zain. I just want to talk."
She stepped into the light.
The same olive-skinned, curly-haired woman. She looked mixed—South Indian and Black—with hair that curled into an almost afro-like volume. Her golden eyes met mine, relaxed and calm.
"What's your name?" I stood slowly, wincing at the ache in my side.
"Alexandria Angelos. From Konstandrianople—the capital of Zendorium."
"Name's Za—"
"I already know your name. You're quite famous on this ship."
I frowned. The confiscation and Rowan's announcement had made me popular. Not in a good way.
"I'm here to talk to you about something."
"Elaborate." I looked up at her. She was tall—maybe six feet.
"It's about Rowan. I don't trust him."
"What do you mean?"
"Rowan..." She looked away, toward the floor. "I'm really suspicious of him."
She paused, then continued. "I heard a rumor among rookies that this whole death thing is part of the exam. Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't. But I just want to pass this crap."
"How does this involve Rowan?"
"I suspect he's the killer."
My heart beat faster—much faster than it should have. His own ally suspected him. That meant something.
"What do you mean you suspect him? Aren't you loyal to him?"
She crossed her arms. "I've never been loyal to him. Orion would die for that man, but I don't trust Rowan. I never have. He acts like a saint, but deep down, I know he's full of rage and hatred."
She met my eyes again.
"My unique skill is called Crimson Truth. It lets me detect everything about a person—their Lumin capacity, their unique skill, even incoming attacks. But it costs too much Lumin to use freely."
"Why are you telling me this?" I raised an eyebrow.
"To earn your trust. Right now, you're low on Lumin. One more technique and you're finished. Is that enough?"
"Fine. But what do you want?"
"I need you to beat Rowan. Before we reach the Highlands. Beat him."
"Why me? Why can't your people just attack him?"
"He has an army of rookies, Zain. And out of everyone, Rowan is obsessed with you."
That made sense. I'd blasphemed his god. He was willing to kill me for it.
The voyage to the Highlands would take two weeks. That was enough time to prepare. I'd already beaten two skilled warriors in the battle royale—Dell was a tank, Dominio was a wasp.
"Fine. But you'll help me."
She raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"I'll help you, but you have to give me everything you know about Rowan. His weaknesses. His habits. His strengths. I need that information to beat him."
She smiled slightly. "You're smarter than I thought. I honestly believed you were just a brute who acted on emotion."
I stood and grabbed the axe, using it as a cane. "I've been through enough crap since I got here. You learn to think."
I walked past the empty beds, the only sound the soft patter of rain against the ship's hull. Calming. Like a reward for surviving.
I continued down the empty hallway, the floor creaking beneath my feet.
I needed to take this more seriously. If Rowan was one of the stronger ones, I couldn't imagine the other rookies on this ship.
I needed to get stronger. I needed to focus.
I wasn't dying here.