We headed out of the outpost but stopped by the Cleaner’s office on the way. The gang waited for me while invisible, and I slipped into a shadowed corner, dropped mine, and walked in plain sight for what I figured would be my last visit with Fu. His secretary had already left for the night, but Fu was still in, his door open and light spilling into the hall.

I leaned on the frame and stuck my head inside. “Can I come in for a minute?”

Fu glanced up from the papers on his desk. His sharp eyes softened, and he gave a short wave. “Did you come to tell me about your idea?”

Stepping fully in, I closed the door behind me and crossed the room. “Yeah. I talked with my team, and they agreed. We’re relocating to another outpost, at least until House Pelmen reaches there.” I hesitated, then added, “That’s why I came. I know you’ve got ways to reach the other outposts. Do you know who needs my help the most? I’d rather go where I’m actually needed.”

Fu reached into a drawer, pulled out a pad that looked like the one we’d bought earlier, only more compact, and tapped on it. His brow furrowed as he read. “Outposts Three or Twenty-Four. Both are in trouble. Neither has any healers in the parties stationed there right now, which means they’re stuck paying exorbitant prices to the Eliminator healers whenever something urgent comes up.”

I opened the Map and checked. Outpost Three was closer, but reaching Twenty-Four would mean crossing near the center of the zone. I didn’t know what the rest would say, so I just nodded. “We will head to one of them. I’m not sure yet which.”

Fu rose from behind his desk, the chair scraping against the floor, clasped my hand firmly, and pressed a small pouch into my palm. “That’s another fifty gold,” he said with a faint smile. “A bonus. You’ve earned it.”

I nodded, feeling the heft of the pouch. “You didn’t have to.”

“Maybe not,” he replied, letting go of my hand. His expression turned more serious. “When you get to the new Cleaner’s office, you will not need to pay the registration fee. Just say who you are, and they will know.”

I nodded. “Thank you.”

He moved a stack of papers aside and leaned closer across the desk. “Tell the manager there to contact me directly. I will make sure they hear about the trouble with House Pelmen. They will take the necessary measures to keep your work secret for as long as possible.”

I thanked him and bid him goodbye. Outside, I turned invisible like the rest, and told the gang about our options telepathically.

“Let’s go to Three,” Rabban said.

“Why?” Mahya asked.

“We stayed in Twenty-Four for a while and didn’t like the post leader. He’s a stuck-up noble who treats everyone like dirt. I’m sure he’d notify House Pelmen immediately.”

“I was hoping you’d say the opposite, so we could cross near the center of the zone,” I said.

“You can go there whenever you want,” Mahya said.

“I don’t recommend it. It’s too dangerous,” Rabban said.

“I will be invisible,” I said.

“It’s not that simple,” Sonak said. “A lot of creatures, especially the high-level ones near the center of the zone, have other senses besides sight. My Stealth’s level is over ten and my Invisibility’s twenty-one, and they still found me without trouble.”

I would never get used to communicating with invisible people. It was always strange to talk to someone without being able to see them. However, it’s only when you communicate telepathically with an invisible person that you realize how much information body language and facial expressions convey.

“So, number three?” Mahya asked.

“Fine,” I said.

“I do not have preferences,” Al said.

We headed out of the outpost through the gate facing the zone and ran the first couple of kilometers before switching to our bikes and the ATV. Rabban and Sonak rode Dunehoppers with their ridiculous pilates-ball wheels. Since the vehicles couldn’t be made invisible, we had to drop our own invisibility as well.

More than once, we had to push the engines hard, outrunning packs of monsters that came after us: some ran on too many legs, some flapped wings that beat the air like drums, and others crawled with alarming speed across the dirt. The terrain shifted constantly. We crossed stretches of flat, cracked ground that threw dust into the air, dipped into gullies filled with loose rock, and rode through patches of scrub with roots that tried to catch our wheels in the dark. At one point, the ground turned soft and marshy, slowing the vehicles until we hit solid ground again. Each change in terrain brought its own problems, and often, more monsters were waiting for a chance to chase us down.

It wasn’t too dangerous since the vehicles were fast enough, but some moments made my blood pressure rise. A beast the size of a truck, with a head resembling a boar and the body of a lizard, lunged for the ATV. I hit it with lightning. Its hide smoked, but not much else. Rabban and Sonak fired their strange contraptions—half wand, half rifle—and had better success.

“It’s an earth-aligned creature,” Rabban sent me telepathically. “It grounds lightning. Raw mana is better.”

The next time one of those tried to ram the ATV, I shot it with Mana Darts in quick succession and had better luck. For some reason, those specific creatures completely ignored the others, but had serious trouble with my ATV.

Another time, while driving through the scrub area, a long-necked bird with hooked talons swooped low, its wings blotting out the moon, before Al’s crossbow bolt and a few bullets from Mahya caught it. It started dissipating even before it hit the ground. The boar-lizard trucks didn’t.

In the marshes, we tried to outrun wolf-like things with spines along their backs, but couldn’t. The sucking ground slowed us down too much. I almost used lightning but stopped at the last moment. The water was too conductive, and I probably would’ve fried our vehicles. Instead, I pulled water from the marsh into spears and shot the things. Rabban and Sonak used their wand-rifles to help, and together we decimated a big pack of them. In that fight, Al and Mahya couldn’t help. Their wheels were too narrow, and they struggled to drive through the marsh without sinking.

“Your elemental control is much better than I remember,” Sonak commented.

I almost didn’t answer him, since I was still pissed. But then I decided to let it go for Rabban. I liked him, and Sonak was his friend. “Yeah, I worked on it.”

After an adrenaline-filled night, we reached Outpost Three a short while after sunrise. The closer we got, the fewer portals and creatures we saw. A few kilometers out, we dismounted and took a break after all the fighting and outrunning. Everyone dropped to the ground while I passed around cups and a pot of ready coffee, and we finally took a breather. Rue got a big steak and water.

“That was fun,” Mahya said with a huge grin.

Rabban, Sonak, and Al stared at her like she was a lunatic, but I got it. Usually, fighting wasn’t my cup of tea, but this time, maybe because of the pursuit and the fact that we outran almost all the monsters, I understood what she meant. “Yeah, it was,” I said.

Now Al stared at me like he was seeing me for the first time.

Mahya laughed.

Rue wagged his tail furiously. “Rue had lots fun. Rue like fast.”

Sonak shook his head. “You’re all insane.”

Mahya waved him off. “Yeah, you said that already.”

“I take exception to that sweeping generalization,” Al said, his nose pointing skyward.

“How much did you pay for the cool gizmos?” Mahya asked, waving at their Dunehoppers.

“Three hundred mithril each,” Rabban said.

I let out a low whistle and shook my head. That was one hell of a price.

Rabban tilted his head toward me. “Yes, it’s not cheap, but worth the price.”

“Yeah, but I’ll stick with mine for a bit longer,” I said, patting the front grid of my ATV.

Mahya tapped her fingers against her thigh, eyes narrowing in thought. “I thought about your idea of us going invisible. But I don’t like it. I think a better option would be for the four of us to go in together as a party, and then you and Rue coming in alone. There are so many adventurers with familiars and riding beasts that you’ll get lost in the noise. Come in a short while after us, and rent a small house beside us. This way, we could visit you like neighbors.”

Al folded his hands in his lap, his posture stiff. “You merely wish for John to continue providing meals for you.”

Mahya gave a careless shrug, lips twitching. “Of course.”

We did as she suggested, and after I moved into my small one-bedroom house and opened my glorious house inside, they all joined me, looking way too excited.

“What’s with the grins?” I asked.

“Breakfast, and then we need to check the loot from the attackers,” Mahya said, rubbing her hands together.

I made us breakfast, a rich spread of fried eggs with runny yolks, thick slices of smoked meat, fresh rolls I baked, and a pot of strong coffee that filled the room with its sharp aroma. After we ate, we turned to the loot as planned.

We split the armor and clothes evenly between us to sell later. The three of us then examined the wand-rifles that fired mana balls. Since Rabban and Sonak already had their own, they hung back. The rifles looked strange, more like hybrids than proper weapons. Each had a long black wand etched with runes hidden inside. I couldn’t see the runes, but the clumps of mana were unmistakable. The grips were shaped like rifles without firing mechanisms, with mana crystals set into the stock.

“How does it work?” Mahya asked, turning one over in her hands.

“You hold the handle and pour mana into it,” Rabban said. He tapped a rune etched under one of the crystal sockets. “Then you press this rune, and it shoots. The size of the ball depends on how much mana you feed it. The minimum is five and the maximum is thirty, but I don’t recommend charging it that much. Some of them explode. Twenty-five should be safe.”

It looked simple enough, but I didn’t think I would use one. Al also didn’t look impressed. Mahya shrugged. “Uh. Maybe.” And stored her seven.

The best loot was the rings. Of course, the rings themselves were cool, but the contents were even better. Most of the guards had spare weapons, armor, clothes, some food and drinks, money, and a few small personal odds and ends. In total, we collected forty-seven mithril, one hundred fifty-one gold, and seventy-two silver, and of course, thirty-eight rings.

The healer’s stuff was better. She had three storage rings. One was full of clothes, including some revealing, tent-sized lingerie, and cosmetics. I fed all of it to the house as a material deposit.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

The second ring was packed with books, stacks of them. A few were about healing and magic in general, which was always useful, but most were romance stories. The covers featured half-dressed men showcasing rippling muscles while holding fainting women, with dramatic sunsets painted behind them, and titles written in gaudy gold script. Others showed women in elaborate gowns staring wistfully out of windows, or couples locked in embraces that looked both awkward and impossible to maintain. They reminded me of the bodice rippers back on Earth, the kind you would see on cheap paperbacks in corner shops.

Her third ring had food, drinks, an extensive wine collection, and money. Lots of money. Over five thousand mithril.

In addition, she had seven rings, each with a magical ability, along with a shield necklace and four bracelets, all of which were artifacts as well.

The shield necklace protected against physical attacks, and each bracelet protected against spells of a specific element: water, fire, earth, or air.

Bulwark Necklace

Protects the wearer from physical attacks by absorbing a portion of incoming damage. The pendant can fully block a direct strike from someone of the same level, while strikes from higher-level opponents are only partially blocked. The necklace recharges from ambient mana but can also be charged directly when needed.

Braceletof Flowing Water

Protects the wearer from water-element spells. Reduces incoming water damage by fifty percent.

Bracelet of Burning Flame

Protects the wearer from fire-element spells. Reduces incoming fire damage by fifty percent.

Braceletof Shifting Air

Protects the wearer from air-element spells. Reduces incoming air damage by fifty percent.

Bracelet of Solid Stone

Protects the wearer from earth-element spells. Reduces incoming earth damage by fifty percent.

The rings were more diverse, and some were pretty nasty.

Ring of Leeching Light

Every unit of mana spent on healing others is siphoned back to the wearer, restoring an equal amount of mana. If the target has no mana remaining, the leeching continues, drawing instead on their vitality and life force.

Ring of the Hoarder’s Grace

Increases the effectiveness of all potions and consumables used by the wearer by twenty-five percent.

Mana Spring Ring

Increases mana regeneration by thirty percent.

Ring of Allure

Enhances the wearer’s presence, making them appear more desirable and persuasive. Those influenced are more inclined to trust, admire, and agree with the wearer’s words.

Ring of Hollow Appetite

Suppresses hunger and thirst through a steady drain of mana. While worn, the body consumes stored fat more quickly. Ineffective if the wearer’s mana control is poor or their intake exceeds the ring’s capacity.

Ring of Gentle Restoration

Strengthens the flow of life magic. All healing spells from the Life Magic category cast by the wearer are increased in effectiveness by twenty percent.

Ring of False Benevolence

Healing effects are boosted by twenty-five percent, but the recipient becomes subtly bound to the wearer, developing an unnatural loyalty that borders on compulsion.

Without asking anybody, I fed the Ring of Leeching Light and the Ring of False Benevolence to the house. Those were nasty rings. Nobody argued. Now we only had to distribute the loot.

Mahya pushed the Ring of Gentle Restoration toward me. “This one is definitely yours.”

I slipped it onto my finger. “Thanks.”

She picked up the Mana Spring Ring and turned it in her hand, the gem catching the light. “Anybody object to me taking this one? My mana is the lowest out of all of us.”

Nobody did.

Sonak reached for the water bracelet, holding it up between two fingers. “Because my classes are fire-based, I’m vulnerable to water. Can I take this?”

We all nodded in agreement.

Rue put his paw on the necklace. “Rue take protection.”

I helped him put it on.

Nobody else had strong preferences. At first, we thought about distributing the rest at random, but Rabban raised a hand. “Perhaps we should set the rest aside. When a situation arises, whoever needs a piece can take it. If, when we eventually split, some are still unclaimed, we’ll decide then.”

Nobody had any objections.

Loot distribution was fun. I got some money, a few things to sell, and the ring I picked up would definitely help with healing. All in all, I didn’t have a problem if House Pelmen attacked us again. Of course, preferably with a different representative bringing some new cool stuff.

After a few hours of sleep, I headed to the Cleaner’s office to meet the new manager. This time, a woman was in charge. She was petite, with a mop of red curls, bright blue eyes, and a smile that was even brighter.

The moment I stepped inside, she shot up from her desk and hurried over, her energy filling the room. She seized my hand and shook it vigorously. “I’m so happy you arrived. We need you like fish need water. Can you start now, or is it too late?”

I straightened my shoulders and gave her a nod. “I can start now.”

“Great, great.” She clapped her hands once and turned toward the door, her curls bouncing with every step. “I’ll take you to the healing hall.”

The healing hall was overflowing with patients. People were lying on mattresses in the halls and even in the reception area.

Manager Li, who finally introduced herself on the way over, swept a hand toward the crowd. “Those are only the ones too hurt to stay at home and wait for healing. We have more.” Her expression flickered with worry. “Please don’t run away. I promise you can heal them at your own pace.”

I gave her a small smile. “Don’t worry, this doesn’t scare me.”

She exhaled in relief, then guided me to a middle-aged woman at the reception desk. “This is Ur. She’s in charge here.” With that, Li headed back to her office, her curls bouncing and a huge smile plastered across her face. She was a much happier person than Fu, that’s for sure.

That’s how I spent the next three weeks: treating the backlog of patients at the Cleaner’s office in Outpost Three. Al registered as an independent alchemist and continued working with them, splitting his time between the lab and trips into the zone to collect herbs. Mahya, Rue, Rabban, and Sonak went into the zone a few times searching for dungeons or portals not on the list, but Mahya grew disappointed with the resources and eventually stopped. Instead, she left for a week and traveled to the closest city in search of Magitech knowledge.

After three weeks, my red light blinked to life again.

Level Up

+3 Intelligence, +3 Wisdom, +2 Vitality, +3 Free Points

Class: Healer Level 20

The light was still blinking.

Milestone Reached

Reaching Level 20 in a Class is a recognized threshold. It marks the point where a novice is no longer considered a beginner but has stepped onto the path of mastery. At this stage, the foundation of the Healer’s craft is stable enough to allow for new abilities that shape the future of their growth. This milestone deserves a special reward.

New Ability: Range

This is a defining ability for the Healer.

Previously, all healing spells required physical contact with the target. With this ability, healing can now be projected outward, allowing spells to be cast at a distance rather than only through touch. The exact range depends on the caster’s control over mana and their understanding of Life Magic, and it will increase naturally as mastery grows.

The strength of the healing itself does not change, but casting spells at range requires greater effort. Any spell cast at a distance consumes double the normal mana cost.

Milestone Bonus

As an additional reward for reaching the first significant milestone, the Healer gains +1 Vitality.

I checked my profile to see how the difference looked, since it wasn’t a new spell.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Name: John Rue

Age: 20

Familiar: Rue Level 18

Display Class: Healer Level 20

Healer Spells:

Heal Muscle - 24Diagnose - 23Stop Bleeding - 11Heal Bone - 21Control Blood - 19Healing Touch - 25Neutralize Poison - 6Purify - 23Clean - 24Anesthesia - 21Regrow Flesh - 16Fortify Life Force - 18Cleanse - 3Neutralize Curse - 3Regrow Bone - 10Regrow Enamel - 2Ranged Heal - 3Emotional Healing - 1Explosive Diarrhea - 1Hidden Class: Gate Traveler Level 6

Gates to next level: 14/23

Class Abilities:

ConversionTravelers’ ArchiveIdentify - 5Storage - x18 (373,248 m3)Local Adaptation:

Spoken language

Written language

Runes/Magic ScriptMapOne of the CrowdProfession: Merchant Level 10

Merchant Skills:

Bargain - 23Sense Honesty - 18Appraisal - 15A Nose for Business - 23Inventory - 1Sub-Class 2: Wizard Battle Master Level 14

Wizard Abilities:

Mind Split x5Mana Sense [Adept]Mana Saturation [Apprentice]Mana Control [Medior]Mana Regeneration x 5Mana Oneness [Novice]Wind [Medior]Lightning [Medior]MistNatureFire [Novice]Ice [Novice]Water [Master]EarthSpell Weaver [Novice]Spell Creation [Medior]Mana Siphon [Novice]Wizard Spells:

Harvest Mana CrystalTelekinesis - 18Aggressive CleanHarvest Herbivore [Upgraded]Harvest Snake [Upgraded]Protective ShieldHarvest CropsHarvest Predator [Upgraded]Harvest Bugs [Upgraded]Battle Master Skills:

Unarmed Combat [Junior]Ranged Weapons [Medior]Mana Combat [Apprentice]Blunt weapons [Medior]Bladed weapons [Senior]Polearm Mastery [Junior]Hafted Weapons [Junior]Firearms [Apprentice]Battle SageSub-Class 3: Bard Level 7

Bard Spells and Skills:

Arcane Lullaby - 12Harmonic Illusion - 7Rhythmic Resonance - 1Musical Memory - 1Guitar Playing - 17Flute PlayingViolin Playing - 5PianoSaxophone PlayingHarmonica PlayingLute PlayingCello Playing - 5Poetry - 5General Spells:

Mana Dart - 15Mana shield - 16Spellbinding - 3Invisibility - 23Mend - 2Adaptable Light Ball - 10Restore - 23Heat - 5Absorb Mana - 9Exude Mana - 13Copy Magical Text - 20Telepathy - 15Privacy Sphere - 3Copy Text - 9Verdant Grasp - 2Flourish - 6Nature’s Path - 1Wind Blade - 13Blazing Orb - 8Bramble ShieldFuse Stone - 2Lift Block- 2Stone Shard - 7Thornbind BarrierTranslate Text- 1Print Thoughts - 1Final Reinforcement - 4Bind Timber - 2Swift Joinery - 1Rapid Framework - 1Stacking Aid - 3Mass Lift - 1Auto Alignment - 2General Skills:

Mining - 12Develop Negative - 10Print Photograph - 10Photography - 17Sailing - 10Engraving - 12LTA FlightJump - 2Stealth - 3Riding - 1Motorcycle Mechanic - 3Car Mechanic -1Glassblowing - 1Woodworking - 1Leather Crafting - 1Metalworking - 1Bookbinding - 1Health: 10,750/10,750

Mana: 14,000/14,000

Strength: 90

Agility: 89

Constitution: 93

Vitality: 122

Intelligence: 146

Wisdom: 146

Perception: 107

Luck: 83

Creativity: 53

Tenacity: 6

Free Points: 17

Ability points: 215

It looked exactly the same, except for the levels, of course. I scratched my head, confused, and checked again. Still nothing.

I cast a ranged Healing Touch on the person in the nearest bed, a guy covered in lacerations from some cave creatures in a dungeon I couldn’t even picture from his description, and then looked again.

Now the spell showed as:

Healing Touch 25 / Ranged 1.

I gave the guidance a thumbs up, which confused the patient in the closest bed. Sadly, there was still no reaction from the missing connection point in my mind or from any other source. I sighed and went back to work.