"Ah… thank you."
Ten-plus minutes later, inside an empty room, the burly man—Zard—stared at his hands in disbelief.
They were still his hands, still strong, but now… they were clean. Not a single callus remained.
It wasn't just the "curse-like" toxin rotting inside him that was gone.
His ruined organs, the wounds on his face—everything had been repaired. Even the hardened skin and scars earned over years of training had vanished, as if he'd been given an identical body that simply… had no flaws.
To him, it was nothing short of a miracle.
In that moment, he had been reborn.
"You were in really awful shape, Mr. Zard," Xien said with a quiet sigh. "The fact you held on until now… that wasn't easy."
He wasn't exaggerating. During the treatment, after tracing through Zard's condition, Xien finally understood just how catastrophic it was.
From the outside, Zard looked fine.
Inside, it was a wreck.
Most of his organs were half-rotted, like a nest of poison. If not for his terrifying constitution—and the sheer depth of his innate life force—an ordinary person would've died long ago.
"No… what's truly unbelievable is what you did," Zard replied hoarsely.
He still felt like he hadn't woken up.
A terminal patient restored to perfect health—who could even process that?
A dream he never dared to believe in had stepped into reality, and the life he had already lost… had been handed back to him by a smiling boy.
And the boy hadn't hesitated for even a second. The moment he confirmed Zard needed help, he treated him.
That kind of mercy… that kind of heart…
In Zard's mind, Xien's name had climbed straight into the top ranks of the people he respected most.
The giant dropped to one knee in solemn respect.
"I will never forget this debt," he vowed. "By the name of Zard, I swear it. From this day forward—if you ever need anything, say the word. I will give everything I have."
Xien scratched his head, a little embarrassed.
"Haha, don't be so serious, old man. For me, it was just… a small thing."
"And besides, you're a hero who stood against the Black Dragon. Being able to help you is an honor for me. I'm honestly happy it worked."
Zard blinked, then slowly nodded.
"I misspoke, then. But my meaning stands. I owe you a favor. Whatever you ask—ask it."
He'd already adjusted his view of the boy once. Now he adjusted it again.
Xien wasn't a man bound by formalities.
And that only made him more admirable.
No wonder that proud friend of his had accepted Xien as a disciple—temperament, character, talent… nothing was lacking.
It was almost impossible not to want to be close to him.
Xien hesitated for a beat, then spoke.
"…Alright, if you insist. You're that strong, so—could you train my Familia for a few days?"
Xien silently applauded his own genius.
A walking experience pack had just fallen into his lap. Letting it go to waste would be criminal.
Zard froze. He hadn't expected a request like that—something not directly tied to "repayment," and yet perfectly aligned with what he could offer.
After a moment, he answered carefully.
"I can. But… I'm a warrior. I've never been a teacher. I'm worried I'll cause an irreversible accident."
He wasn't refusing—he was wary of his own power.
Against a group whose strongest members were only around Level 3, a moment of carelessness could cripple someone for life. That wasn't a "favor." That would be a tragedy.
Xien's face lit up instead.
"That's exactly what I want!"
He clapped his hands like he'd just solved a puzzle.
"Let's make it even simpler. Have everyone attack you together."
"You just have to hold back enough not to kill anyone in one hit. Leave everything else to me."
"As long as they don't die, I can pull them back up fast."
"Only someone like you can really force out their potential. Level 7 tempering isn't a joke, you know?"
"And if it's pure combat training, it won't take too long—saves time for both sides."
"What do you think?"
Zard stared at him for a moment, then… he laughed.
"…Very well."
"I accept."
"In the name of Gluttony, I will give you an answer you can be satisfied with."
Xien grinned.
"Seriously—thank you."
They agreed on training times for the next few days. Then Xien escorted Zard out of the residence.
Outside, Zard stopped and looked up at the sky.
For the first time in a very long while…
he smiled.
"So… this is how blue it is," he murmured. "How did I never notice?"
And then, as if waking from a long nightmare—
he felt hunger.
"Now then… maybe I'll eat something. I suddenly feel like I could devour the world…"
Changed a key figure's future. Interference +3000.
Back at Astraea Familia
Xien returned and shared the "good news."
The room went dead.
Then the complaints exploded internally.
We really thank you, little brother… truly.
Even at a time like this, you're thinking of us.
You're such a good kid.
But that's a Level 7!
Did you even consider our feelings!?
With our tiny bodies, can we survive that!?
Especially the only two Level 2s besides Xien—cold sweat poured down their backs.
A five-level gap. And not just any Level 7, but a survivor of the Black Dragon campaign.
Even collateral impact from his movements could cripple them.
Of course, there were also the battle-hungry types—Nize, Iska, and a few others—whose eyes basically ignited.
Training with the strongest man in Orario? That was the kind of chance you prayed for and still never received.
Their captain stood, voice steady.
"Everyone. Since Xien secured this opportunity, we can't waste it."
"Get your spirits up. It's training. No one is going to die."
"And besides—Xien is here."
"We also truly need a teacher like this right now."
"Our enemies are watching us with hungry eyes."
That calmed the panic and reignited the fighting spirit in the room.
Truthfully, no one was upset at Xien for "arranging" training.
They were just… intimidated by Zard's name.
In Orario, people respected strength as a rule of life. At Zard's level, it was reverence.
If it were them, even if they somehow earned Zard's gratitude, they would never dare ask him to train them.
It was the same with Xien's master. When everyone first heard that she would personally teach him, they'd nearly fainted.
And their worries had been justified.
One afternoon of her "instruction" had almost demolished the training ground. By the end of that day, the earth had been carved down by half a layer.
For a while, they'd genuinely feared Xien might be beaten to death.
But Xien—because of where he came from—didn't carry that instinctive awe.
To him, Zard wasn't an untouchable legend.
He was an honest, straightforward patient… who happened to be absurdly strong.
And since Zard insisted on repaying the debt, Xien simply chose the most "professionally appropriate" request.
In hindsight, it was perfect.
For any Familia in the city, this chance would be once-in-a-lifetime.
If they endured this trial, their overall strength would surge.
Xien really had done something incredible.
Sometimes life was like this:
Someone hands you a clubbing, and you still have to smile and say thanks.
And somehow… you grow stronger from it.
The Guild Consultant
With that settled, Xien finally had time to visit the "little miss" at the Guild.
It had only been a few days, but it felt like an entire season of events had happened.
The streets were as lively as ever.
And when Xien walked by, people kept stopping to stare.
After the last incident, the most sensitive details had been sealed—only a handful of top Familias' core members knew the full truth.
But smaller things didn't need to be hidden.
Like the fact that Astraea Familia had gained a miracle-class healer.
That reputation had spread fast.
So of course he was eye-catching.
Xien responded the same way the captain did—naturally greeting people back.
Most of the attention carried goodwill.
Astraea Familia growing stronger was good news for ordinary citizens.
As for the fact that the new healer was a man… people were curious, sure.
But they left that problem to the goddess.
In this era, with Zeus Familia and Hera Familia not yet disbanded, Evilus still existed—but they weren't bold enough to run rampant openly.
They stayed in the shadows, pulling small strings.
To be honest, if Xien had noticed the warning signs earlier, the last crisis might never have become a life-and-death situation.
But there was no "if" in reality.
If one danger led to strangling a disaster in its cradle, then for everyone involved, it was worth it.
He arrived at the Adventurers Guild.
The moment he stepped inside, it was like he'd cast an area-wide silence spell.
The previously noisy hall went dead.
Everyone turned to look at him at the same time.
Even for Xien, it was… intense.
But since they were all staring anyway, he figured he might as well do something about it.
He grinned and waved.
"Yo, everyone—thanks for your hard work."
"I know I'm handsome, but you don't have to stare that hard."
"Get back to it. I'm just here to see someone."
Some people went stiff.
Some people immediately spat out what they were drinking.
The mysterious aura around him shattered instantly.
So this was Astraea Familia's new monster healer?
…He was just a goofy idiot.
Curiosity evaporated. The hall returned to normal noise.
Satisfied, Xien walked toward the small figure he'd spotted earlier.
"Yo, my consultant, Zuru. It's been a few days. Miss me?"
Their relationship was familiar enough now that he could greet her with casual teasing.
Zuru played along with a straight face.
"Let me see… no, I didn't miss you."
"But I did worry."
Xien nodded solemnly, as if receiving a royal decree.
"That's still good. It means I occupy a place in Consultant Zuru's heart."
"Please stop saying things that sound like harassment, Mr. Xien," she said calmly.
"Or I'll have the military police arrest you."
With a small sigh, Zuru finally finished organizing the documents in her hands.
But she was happy.
Happy that he was safe… and happy that he still treated her like a friend, not like some distant official.
As a Guild staff member, she knew fragments of the internal report.
That last incident—an ugly crisis—had been stopped by a joint effort led by Astraea Familia and Ganesha Familia.
And she strongly suspected the boy in front of her had been involved.
For a Level 1 to survive something like that, and still be himself afterward…
she was genuinely relieved.
She'd seen it too many times during her trainee days:
A new adventurer, bright-eyed and motivated one day…
then after a Dungeon run, they came back trembling, eyes full of fear—
and soon vanished into anonymity, becoming "just another person."
It happened constantly in Orario.
Not everyone was qualified to be an adventurer.
The first requirement was overcoming fear and taking that first step.
And what Xien faced wasn't even monsters—it was Evilus.
She really had been worried.
So Xien put on an exaggeratedly wounded expression, trying to lighten the mood.
"Ah, how heartbreaking…"
"I even brought a homemade bento to compensate Consultant Zuru for the days I was gone."
"And this is how you treat me… my poor heart…"
"Homemade… bento?" Zuru's eyes widened.
"…Ahem."
"In that case, I suppose I can forgive you this time."
Her face almost broke character.
After remembering the taste from last time, her traitorous saliva gathered at the corner of her mouth.
She was still a kid, after all.
Xien, satisfied, didn't tease her any further.
He simply handed the bento over.
And it was a good thing they were in a private consultation room.
If he'd done this in the main hall, he would've been murdered by a hundred jealous glares.
Zuru accepted the bento and opened it instantly.
The moment she saw the food—perfect color, aroma, and presentation—her stomach, despite the sweets she'd eaten earlier, made a loud, embarrassing sound.
She glanced at Xien, flustered.
Seeing that he wasn't making a big deal of it, she relaxed and grabbed a bite with her chopsticks—
and stuffed it straight into her mouth.
....
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