How the hell did I end up here?
Adam helplessly thought to himself.
After the old proprietor had seen Adam’s injuries, he beca very intrigued by the true cause of them. And so, upon his insistence, the youth was brought to a chamber behind the store.
Adam found himself lying on a stone slab, wearing nothing but a loincloth. He had never felt so vulnerable in his life, especially considering the other person was at the Mana Core Rank!
"Relax your body!" The old proprietor reprimanded. "I’m not going to eat you."
"...Auhh."
With great reluctance, the youth relaxed his muscles. The old proprietor finally began to study his injuries.
"Goodness!" he exclaid. "These burn marks are unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. These flas are magical in nature, and they seem to be..."
The elderly Magus froze. He turned to Adam and asked in a solemn voice:
"Boy, did you fight soone at the Mana Core Rank?"
"Auhh." Adam nodded.
The old man scoffed, finding it very amusing. "And you lived to tell the tale, eh?"
He turned his attention back to the flesh injuries. "This type of fire magic... I haven’t heard of any man possessing such flas. Perhaps, a magical beast?"
"Auhh." Adam lied awkwardly.
"Hmm, the fire has seeped deep into your flesh, affecting your muscles," the old man’s diagnosis continued. "However, your bones remain unhard. You’ve got so sturdy bones, boy. No wonder your teeth are still intact—"
Suddenly, the old man froze. He frowned deeply and said, "There seems to be... poison residue? No, this is sothing far worse. This is acid!"
He abruptly turned his head towards Adam and blurted out. "Don’t tell you got eaten by this beast?!"
This guy’s good... Adam thought to himself in surprise.
"Auhh." He then nodded.
The old proprietor was startled. For a few monts, he didn’t speak as he tried to imagine what Adam must have gone through.
"Even after all that, you simply refuse to die, eh?" He shook his head. It was unknown if he was impressed or horrified.
He then observed Adam’s torso. "Multiple stab wounds. Looks like soone really wanted you dead."
Recalling the mbers of the Black Legion stabbing him, Adam’s lips curled into a brilliant smile.
"Now, let’s see your face. Stop smiling!" The old man observed the gaping holes in Adam’s eye sockets.
A mont later, he shook his head. "You can forget about ever seeing with your eyes again. Those injuries are beyond repair."
He then sat down on a stool and massaged his forehead. He then said in an even voice:
"Boy, I’m truly surprised that you’re still alive. Such injuries should have killed you several tis over. Not only is your physique strong enough to endure such injuries, but what’s even more astonishing is your sheer will to live."
Adam slowly sat back up. "Auhh..."
The old proprietor slipped into deep thought, then finally gave his verdict. "It is possible to completely cure your flesh and muscles, but..."
"Auhh!" Adam pressed.
"It’s going to cost you a fortune," said the old man in a solemn voice. "I suggest you forget about it. You seem to be doing fine in your current state. I advise that you—"
Adam rudely interrupted him. "Auhh-auhh?!"
He gestured how much.
The old proprietor deeply looked at Adam and sighed. "You must be a young man. I can understand young people being conscious about their appearance, but this... I believe you can’t afford it."
Adam waved his hand, conjuring a scroll and a quill from his ring. Then he wrote down the following question:
Does the Tsuitsui Clan have the ans to heal ?
The old proprietor chuckled. "What makes you think I’m part of the Tsuitsui Clan? But to answer your question... yes. The clan is ho to so of the greatest healers in this world. There’s nothing we cannot cure."
Adam’s lips curled into an unnatural grin.
Finally! There’s hope! And this guy... he’s part of the clan like I had expected.
He got to his feet, then donned his robes. He then cupped his fists and deeply bowed toward the man. "Auhh!"
The old proprietor nodded ever so slightly and watched the youth leave. He inhaled a long drag from his pipe and thought to himself with slight approval in his eyes:
He should have been dead, but he refused to die...
***
In a jolly mood, Adam spent the next few hours strolling through the market districts. He tried the local cuisine, as well as the finely brewed sake.
In fact, much to his surprise, he even found a sake made from snake venom!
Just as he was sitting outside a food stall, eating and drinking with great relish, a group of disciples from the clan arrived.
When these n stopped by the food stall, the crowd thought that there would definitely be so drama and that the strange-looking man with the black scarf covering his face would get in trouble.
But much to their surprise, the opposite happened.
"Master Ao, we are here to escort you to the Verdant Palace!" A Mana Liquefaction-level disciple cupped his fists and respectfully announced.
"Elder Goro and Elder Reika are looking for you. We hope that you will co with us."
"Auhh!" Adam dusted his hands, paid the vendor, and then left the Outer City along with the disciples.
And within the next hour, he found himself standing before the Patriarch of the Tsuitsui Clan...
***
Dokuto Tsuitsui had an indifferent, almost cold look on his face as he sat on his throne and gazed at Adam standing before him.
He really is blind...
After observing the youth, the Patriarch confird that he truly did not have eyes.
"My children tell you’re quite the warrior, Ao." His dignified voice echoed in the throne room.
"Auhh!" Adam replied, head lowered and his posture humble.
"I believe you know why you’re here," the Patriarch continued.
"Auhh!" Adam nodded, then handed a scroll to Reika, who was standing beside him.
With an arched brow, Reika opened the scroll. Her eyes imdiately narrowed. She turned to Adam and asked with surprise, "You’ve already t him?"
Adam silently nodded, his lips curling into a faint smile.
Reika climbed the stairs to the throne, then respectfully offered the scroll to her father.
Doktuso’s eyes flashed with amusent as he glanced at the words written on the scroll. He turned to Adam, then said in an even voice:
"Indeed, that old man is related to us. His na is Masayori Tsuitsui, the previous Patriarch of our clan, and also... my father."
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