In the hospital room, Kaelum and his nephew were deep in conversation, mostly about the Abyssal Plane.
Mike was more of a listener, tuning into their casual chat. It was clear that Joseph and Kaelum had a tight bond; they didn’t seem to hold back on topics.
This meeting wasn’t just about introducing Mike to Joseph Windrider; Kaelum had another agenda—digging up info on the demon god Vortexarchon!
Joseph Windrider, as the deputy commander of the Nightmare Corps, wouldn’t just leave the Abyssal Plane for no good reason. The fact that he was sent back to Earth for healing was all because of Vortexarchon!
Vortexarchon had just appeared, and Joseph Windrider had the misfortune of running into him. Caught off guard, Joseph took a major hit, nearly losing his life!
Because the demon god Vortexarchon was such a counter to the wind element class, the Supreme Being Ares decided to pull all the wind element powerhouses back to Earth.
If it were anyone else, such a drastic move would have raised eyebrows. But when Ares did something, it somehow always seemed justified.
Kaelum, being of the wind element himself, was naturally concerned about the future of his class.
“You mentioned the demon god Vortexarchon?” Joseph Windrider’s face twisted into a peculiar smile, his tone loaded with meaning, “Let’s just pray we don’t end up on the same battlefield as him.”
Kaelum bristled, “Nephew, we can’t just boost the demon god’s morale and undermine our own prestige!”
Mike observed Joseph Windrider, noting various details.
[Joseph Windrider, Lv979, Title (Assassin of the Winds)…]
[Wind element, Space element]
[SS-tier Talent (Endless): In single combat, every 10 seconds, damage increases by 10%…]
Mike felt like he had stumbled upon a true prodigy.
“Alright, it’s getting late, and the Tower of Truth will open soon, cough, cough…”
As he spoke, Joseph Windrider began to cough violently, blood staining his gown a bright red. Even so, his first action before coughing was to lift the [Wind’s Reach] skill books in his hands to avoid getting them bloodied.
“Holy fuck, where’s the priest?!”
Kaelum hadn’t realized how severe his nephew’s injuries were. Before he could step out to call for help, a priest rushed into the room to stabilize Joseph Windrider’s condition.
“Gentlemen, please, you’ll have to leave now; his condition is fluctuating…”
Escorted by a Priest, the two headed for the door. Just as Mike was about to leave, he glanced back at Joseph Windrider and a note appeared before his eyes.
[Perfect Healing Method: Obtain 16 drops of demon god Vortexarchon’s blood, mix with ashes, and apply evenly to the wound…]
Having obtained the information he wanted, Mike finally turned to leave.
“This treatment method is a bit tricky… Getting blood from a demon god, and it involves ashes too? That’s hardly showing any respect for the opponent!”
It looked like healing Joseph Windrider’s injuries would depend on Ares now.
The two retraced their steps, with Kaelum dropping Mike back at his dorm before heading off himself.
…
When left alone, Mike cleared his throat softly.
“Shadow Nine?”
“Speak.”
“You saw it too, Joseph Windrider’s injuries are severe. Even though he’s a ninth-tier Battle Lord, his life could be in danger without timely treatment…”
“Cut the crap and get to the point!”
Mike didn’t pause, smoothly transitioning, “But now I know how to treat him. The specific method requires…”
“I’ve got the treatment method down. Someone will check with you about the credit.” Shadow Nine seemed particularly irritable today. “Kid, something big is going down in two days. You aware?”
“Yeah, need me to do something?”
“Survive.”
Shadow Nine’s voice was hoarse, a slight tremble audible, “I can’t be by your side then; I’ve got my own things to handle. No Battle Lord will trouble you, but you’ll definitely encounter a Battle Chief… Your only job is to survive, by any means necessary.”
Shadow Nine’s words were unusually serious, and Mike knew this was no joke. He nodded slightly. “Got it.”
“And, don’t be alone with Apollo when I’m not around.”
“Okay.”
This wasn’t the first time Shadow Nine had warned Mike about this. Always cautious, Shadow Nine, as Apollo’s mentor, must have his reasons. Although Mike didn’t fully understand the situation, he decided to follow the advice for now.
“But, Shadow Nine, why do you seem so on edge today?”
“For the battle in two days, I’ve used a secret technique… It’ll significantly boost my combat strength, but it’ll also make me more bloodthirsty…”
As he spoke, Shadow Nine’s voice gradually faded away.
Mike’s eyelids twitched, a chill running through his body. More bloodthirsty? What kind of method was this? Hoped it wouldn’t blur the lines between friend and foe, turning him into a ruthless killing machine on the battlefield.
Tick-tock, tick-tock—
Time ticked away, and Mike waited for midnight to arrive, for the Tower of Truth to open.
…
In the Forest of Truth, Maxen Stoneheart’s peace was shattered by a phone call.
“Who the fuck is calling me at this hour… Oh, it’s Master Shadow Nine, what can I do for you?” Maxen’s tone shifted to one of utmost respect as he spoke into the phone, nodding continuously.
From the other end of the line, a raspy, aged voice responded, “I’ve found an ancient recipe that can heal Joseph Windrider’s injuries. Take note…”
“Right on it, I’ll get to it as you command!”
After hanging up, Maxen hurriedly made his way to the Abyssal Plane, even carrying a calculator and constantly crunching numbers, “This mission should provide a substantial subsidy, might even pay off some of my debts…”
It’s somewhat ironic that a ninth-tier Battle Lord, ranked first on the Lone Wolf Star Chart, was drowning in debt…
Before long, Maxen returned from the Abyssal Plane with the healing recipe in hand. He burst through the doors of Joseph Windrider’s emergency room, shoving aside the attending Priest.
“Let me see, where’s the injury!”
“Such a minor wound and it’s still not healed?”
As he spoke, Maxen poured a bottle of medicine over the wound. Joseph Windrider clenched his teeth in agony, writhing on the bed like a maggot.
From deep in his throat, he roared, “What the fuck did you just pour on me?”
“Medicine.”
Maxen glanced down and noticed the label on the small bottle read [Chili Oil · Torture-grade].
Wrong one!
“Cough, cough, severe illnesses require strong medicine, that was just for disinfection.”
Quickly, Maxen pulled out another bottle. This time, he scrutinized it carefully before applying it to the wound.
“Hiss—”
The long-persistent wound began to heal!
The medicine worked wonders!
The Priest standing by was utterly astonished. Joseph Windrider had been wounded by a demon god, and the injury was notoriously difficult to treat.
And it was healed by just a small bottle of medicine?
Before Joseph could express his gratitude, his eyes caught a glimpse of the label in Maxen’s hand.
“Chili oil…”
That day, everyone at the summer camp heard a furious roar,
“Maxen Stoneheart!”
“Once I’m healed, I’m gonna beat the crap out of you!”