The More the Healer Gets Hit the Stronger He Become

2 – Healer…? (2)

Listening to those around him, it became apparent that the man belonged to one of the three guilds competing for the top position in Korea’s towers, the ‘Ilgeon’ guild.

Large guilds were keen to preemptively secure new rookies by picking out those showing promise and signing them up with preliminary contracts, and that man was one of those rookies.

‘But didn’t he just frown a moment ago?’

Kang-woo tilted his head in curiosity, watching the man who was creating a warm and friendly atmosphere with the people in front.

When all preparations were complete, as if by some trick, the system addressed them.

[Basic weapons suitable for your abilities will be distributed.]

[Pass through the cave to reach the other side.]

[Rewards will be dispensed based on contribution upon success.]

Clusters of light began congregating in mid-air, then started distributing individual weapons.

Shields, swords, and various other weapons.

How they were judged and distributed was unclear; the weapons were so diverse that it was hard to find two that were the same.

“Wow!”

People exclaimed in admiration, but Kangwoo merely smirked at the weapon he was given.

It was unmistakably a healer’s staff, with a magic stone embedded in the center, protected by wing-like decorations.

The staff, slightly over one-meter long, had this effect.

[A staff gifted by ‘Asper’s Fist.’ Healing +2, Magic power +1]

Crunch.

His teeth gritted.

The basic weapons given before the first trial each had only one effect.

Hence, the two effects of ‘healing’ and ‘magic power’ on Kangwoo’s staff were courtesy of ‘Asper’s Fist.’

Although Kangwoo knew this, it was no comfort to him.

‘Give a staff to someone who can’t even heal? What? Healing increase 2? Who are they trying to fool?’

What, should he get hurt so he can use the heal?

While Kangwoo was mumbling, a man from the Gilgeon Guild looked at him and his staff back and forth, eyes full of confusion.

The man was about to say something.

[The trial will commence.]

Kuwoooong!

The ground shook, and the once sturdy wall started to crack.

“Ahhhhh!”

“What, what is it!”

“Calm down! Everyone, keep your places!”

Shattered pieces of stone rebounded off the floor towards the people, but the front row, armed with large round shields, blocked it off.

Kwaang!

Immediately after, one side of the wall completely fell apart, and the obscuring dust obstructed the vision.

Only the sound of stones occasionally hitting the shields echoed, when the man in the lead, who had secured his visibility, shouted.

“We will move forward! Everyone please follow while keeping your line!”

It was the man from the guild earlier.

The place where they slowly stepped in following the moving lead was a cave wide enough for ten people to enter side by side.

Drip, drip.

Water droplets formed and fell from the stalactites on the ceiling.

As the chilly breeze brushed against the skin, the body couldn’t help but shrink.

Kang woo gripped the staff that he’d been holding loosely with both hands.

How long had they walked?

The sporadically placed lights at regular intervals and the similar-looking sceneries inside the cave here and there.

Not even the passage of time could be felt, as everyone started to tire when suddenly a fetid smell stabbed at their noses.

‘Is this…the smell of faeces?’

Kangwoo wore a look of puzzlement just as Seondu stopped in his tracks.

“Oh my god! So cute!”

Exclamations erupted from the mouths of the girls.

Curiosity piqued, Kangwoo craned his neck to see a pack of puppies stationed at a fork in the road about 10 meters away.

“Huh?”

From their fluffy white buttocks to their tiny pink paws and shimmering eyes.

The sudden appearance of puppies no bigger than an arm’s length caused a stir within Seondu.

With the challenge of the tower underway, the appearance of the puppies in this way was unexpected.

How would they handle the adorable creatures now before them?

“Is this a test to see if we can kill these cute puppies without hesitation?”

Someone’s words echoed emptily in the previously quiet cave.

The seemingly reasonable suggestion left others taken aback, leading them to exhibit doubts and frustration.

Then, during their sudden standoff.

One of the girls, who had exclaimed at their cuteness, stepped forward.

“It’s dangerous to get closer!”

“You know about my powers. I’ll check them out myself.”

Speaking confidently with a staff in hand, the girl faces the puppies. The male guild member hesitated for a moment but chose silence.

Considering he stepped aside, the girl’s power seemed quite formidable.

Unable to hold back as she glared at the puppies with her staff in hand, the girl yelled out.

“Oh my gosh! They’re so cute! Look at their paws!!”

It was the moment when the woman swung her staff and stepped forward.

Kyaaah!!

The adorable puppy jumped, and its tiny mouth opened wide.

“Uh, uh?”

And in the blink of an eye, the woman’s face disappeared into the grotesquely widened mouth.

Thunk!

A bone-crushing, chilling sound reverberated. The staff that had been held in the woman’s hand weakly thudded to the ground.

“…”

Unexpectedly, silence spread throughout the scene.

The puppy, its white fur stained with blood, turned its head towards the people.

Against the backdrop of the puppy tearing its mouth open, one of the dark crossroads was filled with red.

Creak.

A small, round red mass. It had a shape resembling the eyes of the adorable puppy.

“…Kyaaah!!!”

“aaahhh!!!”

Countless puppies poured out from the darkness, and panicked people began to topple displays and run away.

***

“Damn it!!”

Kangwoo ran with all his might, cursing loudly.

Chomp! Chomp!

As soon as I turned my head, I saw five crazy bastards running towards me, their teeth gnashing with blood.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it.”

The crowd that was once there seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no one to ask for help.

Kang Woo spat out another curse.

What was even more disheartening than the absence of anyone to ask for help was the fact that he had no means of defending himself.

“Ah, why is this so heavy!!”

The weight of the careless staff members kept getting heavier and heavier.

Kang Woo forcefully pounded the ground. He couldn’t tell where he was, or if he was even heading in the right direction.

Ever since the woman’s death, he had only been running frantically, without a second thought.

“Huff, huff. Damn it, stop it already! Chase me!”

The mad dogs’ barking grew closer little by little.

His already anxious mind grew even more restless. Perhaps that was the reason.

In a moment of misstep, his vigorously planted foot slipped.

In an instant, one of the crazy dogs lunged at Kang Woo’s left ankle, tearing into it.

“aaah!!”

The sensation of flesh being ripped apart was eerily vivid.

Kang Woo screamed and tumbled forward. Fortunately or unfortunately, thanks to that, one of the dogs that was about to pounce on him was knocked back.

Was it because death was looming?

Despite trembling in fear, Kang Woo turned around and swung the staff in his hand with all his might.

Thwack!!

Breakthrough!!

A dog that had been following them luckily took a hit for the staff and fell away.

Whether it had high attack but low defense, the dog that collided with the cave wall collapsed weakly.

“Ugh…!”

However, there was no time to be pleased.

In the face of the dizzying pain he felt for the first time in his life, Kangwoo’s vision blurred involuntarily.

Kangwoo shook his arms and legs. The blood vessels flowing down his back were so vivid.

“D-damn…!”

He remembered his mother holding his two hands this morning, insisting that he had to awaken. If only he had listened to her then.

Regret surged, but it was already too late.

Perhaps because one of them died in a single blow, the crazy puppies that were rushing in like mad didn’t attack directly but surrounded him, forming a siege net.

It seemed like they were rushing at him simultaneously no matter where he looked.

Could he block these insane dogs rushing at him simultaneously?

Thinking that his end was such a futile death, tears covered his eyes.

The collapse three years later wasn’t important. Whether the world collapsed three years later after dying miserably today, what did it matter to him?

“If it wasn’t for that crazy bastard…!”

The crazy bastard who tormented him from the beginning to the end in the status window, the crazy bastard called the ‘Fiery Fist of Asper,’ if it weren’t for that lunatic!

Expressing his anger towards the ‘Fiery Fist of Asper,’ Kangwoo sighed at the sudden thought.

“Heal!”

That’s how it was. Lost in thoughts of using it on others, I had forgotten that I had the power myself.

A ray of light descended upon the dark future.

The dogs surrounding him lowered their bodies, preparing to pounce.

Kangwoo tightly grasped the staff and opened his mouth.

“Sacred touch!!”

A warm cluster of light enveloped the staff, starting to wrap around his left injured arm.

Although he could only expect a small effect with a mere power level of 5, he felt relieved as the blood flow seemed to be slowing down.

Kangwoo’s gaze changed after confirming the effect of his power.

He would fight. He would fight persistently and survive.

It was then that Kangwoo prepared for the next battle.

[Strength has increased by 0.1.]

“… Huh?”

As he looked at the crazy dogs charging towards him, Kangwoo muttered absentmindedly.