Chapter 7: She isn't that kind of a lady
Not so surprisingly, the hunter team had defeated the troll.
Bryce had been watching their battle and formation expressionlessly, but he was clearly interested and wary of their ways of dealing with monsters. Those could be easily used against a human like him, after all. He was particularly intrigued by the tank's skills, which had seamlessly drawn the troll's attention.
'It was a taunt, wasn't it?'
A skill used in many types of games, [Taunt] simply pulled the attention of a monster toward the user, mainly the tank aka the toughest guy with the most defenses, easing the battle for more vulnerable allied classes, such as healers and mages. Primarily used to keep monsters on the front, the skill also was a life-saving grace should the tank be nearby the endangered light-geared classes.
Back on Earth, whether it was MOBA or MMORPG, Bryce often screamed with joy at people with that skill as truly experienced players are real life savers and pain in the ass for enemy forces. Playing with them was fun; if they failed, Bryce could shrug it off and try again.
But in real life, in another world, at that, that skill seemed deadlier than offensive skills.
As annoying as he was, the tank was someone Bryce decided not to mess with, at least until he learned means to oppose or mitigate the taunt's effects.
"Any trolls?" Bryce asked his friend, who had shaken his head the second before the question rang out. It looked like Gengo became more sensitive about Bryce's heart, and he knew what his owner had in mind before Bryce even voiced it out; it was a pleasant change.
Knowing that their surroundings were safe, Bryce returned to his research, and while four hunters picked up the dead body of the troll and the rest tended to their wounds with the help of the healer, Bryce visualized their struggle again. The next thing that had caught his attention were arrows.
Fast, decisive, and on-point, could Bryce take them head-on while protecting Gengo's side? He couldn't imagine himself dealing with them, let alone defending his friend, so Bryce grew nervous. Of course, Gengo was no longer the same, and his speed was much higher than before — would that be enough to deal with hunters, though?
'Alright, now that I saw them fighting with the troll, I realize how lucky we are and how much we have to learn if we want to survive as a duo. Getting teammates doesn't sound like a bad idea, but with the heroic and demonic bloodline, not many would want to team up with us…'
Still, Bryce saw through the archers just fine, he learned that they have been using a technique to cloak their presence before and during their battle with the troll, and their levels were between twenty and thirty, so with his level seven strength, Bryce wasn't that far off from a common hunter.
If he wanted to fight one versus one, he probably would do fine.
Those were just his speculations, though.
At last, the petite girl called Bryce and Gengo to her side — they answered her call and came closer — but she was naturally not alone, and two swordsmen, who hadn't had occasion to unsheathe their swords yet, warily stared and followed every move of Bryce and Gengo.
She extended her hands and stopped just an inch before Bryce's chest. Her little hands shone with golden light, and the most common healing skill spread across Bryce. A difference between her skill and Bryce's was noticeable, for her light was pale while Bryce's had been rich in golden allure.
[A foreign "Holy Healing" has been used on you.]
[Your heroic bloodline has accepted the gesture of a young healer, her kindness reached your soul. The effects of the foreign skill have become stronger on you.]
[The foreign "Holy Healing" has been upgraded.]
Because Bryce chose to meet humans with his heroic bloodline, it primarily coursed through him while the demonic bloodline went into a slumber. It wasn't odd for a hero to receive more love from the holiness, but Bryce actually felt weird as he didn't even know the name of the god or the girl before him.
This very healer was surprised but also quick-witted. To hide Bryce's identity, she purposely weakened her healing skill, her golden light dimmed, which made swordsmen and other hunters grow worried about her, but ignoring them owing to an immense focus of her mind, the healer sacrificed all of her attention to Bryce.
Finally, all his wounds closed, and bruises became a past.
"We can head back to the village now," The healer said, wiping sweat off her forehead, then smiled at everyone.
It took a few seconds for an objection. "Are you sure about him?" The tank impolitely pointed at Bryce, not liking him at all because he had exhausted their healer the most, her pale and sweaty skin, against her wish, seemed to alert the hunter party.
"Yes, Mr. Arnold, he's safe. Please, look at his friend," the healer clapped her hands after replying with a lovely voice, showing that she had enough strength and was just fine, then trained her eyes on Gengo, all hunters and swordsmen did the same, then she continued, "a person who takes the brunt of a harsh life by himself, protects his friend, and gives all of his love to him can't be a bad person. I have also asked our Lord and he agrees with me."
Even though she hadn't said anything more, her wide eyes hovering on the tank added, 'Do you not agree with our Lord?' and that was enough for all hunters to accept Bryce and Gengo to their party.
Arnold was the last one to nod, he turned around and helped others pick up the troll's body. He complained about the weight and more work after the battle; his buddies shared his view, grunting curses and complaints every few steps.
Bryce followed them, just behind the healer and her bodyguards, feeling somewhat pleased with his gifts of bloodlines as he and Gengo had inventories stored in their systems. In this way, they were like real players from a game world and could store equipment and items there.
Gengo had an even more spacious inventory, but that was because of his class, the hero's companion, and his will to support Bryce. He was on his path to become a porter and hunting dog, and in a world abundant with dangers and enemies, Gengo would surely evolve into more than that.
Soon, the party left the forest, Bryce glanced at his minimap and confirmed the path, then lifted his eyes as the village loomed on the horizon. On the hill, with the background of the sunset, the village's sturdy walls and silhouettes of hunters atop it stood out, forming an image of the fortress in Bryce and Gengo's minds.
One path led to this stronghold, and though everything else around the hill seemed natural, Bryce had an inkling it wasn't so peaceful, and for example, there were traps strewn around it in a way only hunters were aware of. Soon, two guards confirmed the identities of the hunter team, smiled at their prey, then questioned the tank about Bryce and his dog.
He used the healer's words, mentioned Lord's name, and effortlessly brought these two into the village.
"Our quest here is done." The two swordsmen said in tandem, standing abreast.
Hearing them, the tank turned around, his face crumbled with disappointment, and he faintly asked, "I thought we have become good buddies, you know? I really believed you two would continue working with us!"
Like an abandoned wife, he asked what these two didn't like in their village and bluntly promised to take them to good taverns with nice services; the way he said his promise sounded as though he had been saving this card to stop their parting.
Ignoring the lame promise, Bryce inferred that the two swordsmen were mercenaries, their job was to protect the healer, and as the tank vividly expressed his feelings, they must have shown their skills at least once.
"Arnold, only if you knew about women of the Freedom Metropolis…"
"If you only knew, you would know how stupid you sound…"
"What are you talking about? You can actually afford some fun here?"
Bryce was getting more curious about them and reared his ears to listen to their conversation, but then, out of nowhere, the petite girl tugged his shirt and pulled him and Gengo out of the crowd. In this village, she was so safe that she no longer needed bodyguards.
But the sight of the healer with an unknown boy of her age stirred conversations from others, people grinned at them and supported the lady, and some bold uncles straight encouraged the girl to relieve her stress through cuddling, only to get their heads smashed by their wives, and some were more curious about Bryce's identity: he had no boots, his clothes were torn, and he looked like a foreigner, too.
Still, nothing stopped them, and these two, plus Gengo, finally ended up in the healer's dwelling.
"Ah, so tired!" the healer stretched her arms, sounding less official and more like a girl her age. She turned around, gestured for Bryce to take a seat by the table with a grin, Gengo to freely curl up on the sofa with a lovely smile, then went to the kitchen to prepare some snacks and milk.
She added that she was hungry, too.
Bryce and Gengo exchanged eye contact.
'I am not really hungry and I ought to not drink from strangers.'
Gengo narrowed his eyes, making his owner recall that time when he had forced him to eat the meat of a troll. He then took his eyes away in a revolt, disappointed that his owner didn't trust the healer.
'I might have a hero bloodline, but that's not enough- Well, that's actually enough to invite me to her house.' Honestly speaking, if the healer was a girl from the village and not some vast kingdom or church, it was normal for her to favor a weak hero, build a relationship with him, and strive to get a better position in the world by working alongside him.
If that was the case, then the girl was bound to be disappointed, just like Arnold.
Bryce whispered to Gengo, "She doesn't have a golden retriever lady."
Gengo jerked his head in Bryce's direction and glared at him as though he was an idiot: his tail was rapping the sofa, making beetle-like sounds.
Chuckling, now that Gengo knew Bryce had a good reason to not trust the healer so much, Bryce leaned comfortably in the wooden chair, it was not that comfy compared to the stuff he had sat on Earth, but it was much better than the unknown forest.
A few minutes later, the healer returned to their side, she wore new house clothes, and other than snacks and drink, she also had an item that shattered Bryce's initial expression of her.
She wasn't a lady that wanted to hug the hero's thighs!