As the Naga moved his hand over Zack’s bruised skin, the latter could vividly feel the scales of the former brushing against his skin like a rough brush, keeping the force barely enough to not scrub his skin off.

The Naga continued, “Didn’t you feel your head feel spinny? Still, you want to train? Ever heard of something by the name of a fever? Even if we don’t count that, don’t you feel a thing with these bruises? I’m amazed you can still stand. As a doctor, I’d say that you’re doing so well in maintaining your health that it brings a tear to my eyes; for your information, I don’t mean it in a good way.”

Zack snapped back, “But—”

“You want revenge, rather desperately at that, I know.” The Naga cut him off. “For that, you want to get strong. As for your reasons, I didn’t bother listening in. It wouldn’t have made for a tale pleasing to the ear anyway.”

As soon as the Naga paused, Zack opened his mouth to say something. But before he could, the Naga seized the opportunity. “Yeah, yeah. I know you want to retort. Either something like I’m wrong or something about stopping you or I don’t understand you. You’re right in the second case. Meh. I wouldn’t stoop to bicker with a brat who’s wet behind the ears.

“Think about it. If you’re not alive to see the day, how will you take revenge? Become a ghost or something along those lines? If you plan that, sorry to disappoint, becoming a ghost also needs a level of strength. And you’re not strong enough. Ah, sorry—forget that. I’m not sorry at all. Going to the bother of sugar-coating my words isn’t my thing. In any case, neither am I used to your human race’s way of speaking, nor am I a human, and I certainly don’t have any interest in learning the ways of an idiocracy like that.”

The Naga spread his hands in a shrug. Letting go of Zack, he turned around. Looking at Zhu’s weary expression, the Naga chortled.

“Since I bothered speaking this much, Softie Zhu, wouldn’t you say it’s just right I get atleast some water? You wanted to train, right? Go get me a glass and a jug of water. That’s your first task today. Get going.” While directing the words near the end towards Zack, the Naga waved his hand as if shooing a fly away.

Zack turned to look at Zhu, who nodded.

Heaving a long breath, Zack wobbled his way back towards the hut. Every step aggravated the bruises on his back, but despite that, his expression remained thoughtful.

You need to get to see the day… He’s right. I need to live that long. I know that if I keep going on like this, I would collapse, but I can’t help it. This feeling of burning from inside, I can only take my mind off of it if I concentrate on training. And by his words, ghosts do exist. But I’m not strong enough to become one. I’m pretty weak, aren’t I?

Smiling bitterly, Zack entered the hut, taking a jug full of water and two glasses back with him. Returning to where Zhu and the Naga were, he heard Zhu speaking, “Neils, you might be right. It was an oversight on my part.”

The Naga, Neils, laughed, speaking with a bragging tone: “Naturally. Unlike you meatheads, I am someone with a brain. An actual, functioning brain. Not a mass of muscles.”

Zhu’s brow twitched. Looking at Zack walking over, he switched the topic. “Your water has arrived. Drink it. Just a reminder, we humans take it’s as good manners to keep your mouths shut when eating or drinking.”

Neils chortled. Pouring the cup into his mouth, Neils breathed out, “That was good! Kiddo, one cup more. Softie Zhu, when’re we going off again?”

Looking at Zack, Zhu rubbed his chin. “How about as soon as his fever ends? Fine by you?”

“I’m fine even now. Just that the better the condition, the higher the chances of success.” Neils replied. After a pause, he added, “As I said before, I can’t be any surer than 10 percent. Maybe even less. I’ve only ever read or heard about stuff like that. This is my first case dealing with something like this in person.”

Zhu cursed helplessly, “Damned William.”

Hearing the helpless tone in Zhu’s words, Neils chortled, “You’re using his only precious son. It’s natural he’ll ask you for an exorbitant price in return. Still, why go so far for this kid? What’s his relation with him?”

“Who knows?” Zhu rolled his eyes. “Although I have a guess, it doesn’t matter at the end of the day. It is a give and take.”

Hearing the two’s words, a vague smell of an underlying plot tingled Zack’s nose. At the same time, deep curiosity regarding that shrivelled man in a wheelchair welled up within him.

Just what is Uncle exactly? How come he’s this well known? And if he’s this famous, why stay in that village of all places? Is he a massive criminal—Hmm?

Before he could continue down the train of thought, Zhu said, “Kiddo, this little snake here will treat your bruises and fever. Today, you’re forbidden to train. We have more pressing matters to deal with tomorrow.”

Swallowing his saliva, Zack looked at the smiling Naga, his gaze filled with a part curiosity, a part awe and apprehension occupying the rest.

Feeling his gaze, Neils's smile turned into a wide toothy grin as he revealed his two long-sharp canines.

“O-okay.” Zack replied timidly before coming to stand timidly behind Zhu, not looking up at the Naga.

“He reminds me of that Mei girl.” Nei mused. “I wonder what they’re doing? More than anything, how’d you think that the expedition will go? Will we get some good story to hear like last to last time? Heh.”

Brows sinking, Zhu replied, “I don’t know, and this isn’t the place to talk about things like that. Get to work. How long it’ll take you for this? I’ll prepare the materials for tomorrow.”

“Fine, fine. I’ll give you a day for good measure. We’ll leave tomorrow.” Neils’s expression grew stern. Focusing his gaze on Zack, he said, “Kid, lead me to the place Zhu arranged for you.”

Nodding, Zhu left. He left behind a few words floating in the air: “Alright, see you tomorrow. The same place.”

With only him and Neils remaining, nodding hesitantly, Zack led the way with Neils following behind. Later that evening, pained groans resembling someone being beaten echoed through the surroundings, the hoarse voice resembling that of a young kid. Yet, the noises didn’t last long, disappearing abruptly as if the latter had died.

Patting his hands, Neils pulled out a piece of cloth from his pocket to clean his hands while clicking his tongue.

“This kid isn’t bad. I was getting bored, so I started making things hard for him. But damn, he stood it till he passed out. Just what did they make him eat to be like this? Knowing Zhu, it probably was those fruits of his. And who was it that made his bandages?! Although it looks neat, what crude runes! Tch!”

Meanwhile, somewhere else, Aria sneezed. “Maybe my health is falling behind. I should pay more attention to it.”

After watching over for a period of time and verifying there was nothing wrong with the treatment, Neils closed the door and left, leaving behind a fainted Zack covered from head to toe in patches of medicine.