After his new discovery of the other feature of his system, Jake approached Chae Nayun with a big smile. She was still tending to another hunter, her focus unwavering as she worked, even daring to glance and entertain Joo-Hee who was approaching her.
"Ms. Chae, I'm done," he announced, her voice bright with joy. "Thank you again for those potions."
Nayun looked up from her task, a beaming smile lighting up her face. "I guess you're finished practicing your healing abilities and experimenting with them," she said, her eyes glinting with admiration. "That sphere of healing energy you created earlier was rather innovative, but it looked rather mana-intensive. You should come up with a countermeasure for that."
Jake felt a jolt of surprise at her words. The mention of "practice" and "experiment" caught him off guard. He had expected to garner attention after being called out, but he didn't anticipate that Chae Nayun would be so straightforward.
He laughed nervously and gulped as he lied. "Ah, you must be referring to those orbs, Ms. Chae. I actually learned that technique a few months ago. Sadly, I wasn't able to come up with a solution for it."
Nayun chuckled softly, tilting her head slightly as she observed him. "What's with the worried face? You did an amazing job actually, Joo-Hee. And no need to worry about that. People practice to get better, after all."
Her kind words made him feel a bit lighter, but Jake couldn't shake the feeling of suspicion as he noticed Nayun's eyes held the same inquisitive glint as the space mage's.
With a final awkward nod and smile, he turned away and headed back toward his team, his heart palpating with unease.
As he glanced toward the reception area, his gaze landed on Ji-Hoon, who was observing him with a mix of curiosity and scrutiny. A chill ran down Jake's spine, and he instinctively looked away, feeling the weight of the space mage's probing stare.
Dude, how is he still not done with this staring thing? Jake wondered, suddenly feeling self-conscious under Ji-Hoon's watchful gaze. I better lay low in the meantime.
He took a deep breath, steeling himself against the scrutiny. I'm sure they won't figure it out. I have already removed all traces of nature mana from Hyun-Woo's body, after all. Jake quickened his pace as he went back to his team.
As Jake approached his team, his eyes landed on Da-Sol, and a pang of recollection settled in. Right, he thought, the potions!
The memory of waking up and realizing he'd been taken care of in the dungeon, potions used on him without a second thought, stirred a sense of obligation in him.
Pulling out one of the middle-grade potions, he assessed its value; it was half-worthless to him now, considering the benefits from his last quest were already gone. These potions were more like a cash reserve or something to replenish his mana in a tight spot.
His team greeted him with relieved smiles, and he returned the warmth with a nod. "Glad to see you guys back!"
"Ah, I think we'll be heading back to the training center any minute now," he said, glancing over at Ji-Hoon, who was busy preparing the transport gate in the reception area.
"Before I forget, here, Da-Sol," he said, extending the potion towards him. "This is the payment for that debt."
Da-Sol's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, a middle-grade potion? But I only gave you low-rank potions when you were out! You don't have to do this, Unnie."
Jake shook his head, a firm smile on his face. "No, I insist. It's only fair. You helped me when I needed it, and this is the least I can do in return."
Da-Sol hesitated, looking at the potion as if it were a fragile treasure. "I really can't accept this…"
"I mean it, really. I appreciate your help earlier, you know," Jake urged, his voice softening. Take it now, or this broke ass of mine might change its mind, he thought, though his mind said otherwise.
With a reluctant sigh, Da-Sol finally relented, accepting the potion. "Alright, but only because you put it that way," he said, a small smile breaking through his initial shock. "Thanks, Unnieee."
As they continued chatting, Jake's hunch was proven right after just a few minutes. Mr. Kang's voice boomed across the training ground, "Alright, everyone! Gather up! We'll be wrapping this up soon and heading back."
The announcement brought a wave of excitement across the group. Eun-Bi practically lit up. "Finally! I can't wait to get home," she said, her voice filled with relief.
Min-Soo chuckled beside her, patting his bag. "Don't forget, we're getting a prize for finishing fourth!
The whole team buzzed with excitement, speculating about what reward could be waiting for them. Yoon-Ji threw in her guess. "I just hope it would be a discount on dungeon rentals. The entrance fees these days are no joke, after all."
Da-Sol nodded in agreement, looking thoughtful. "I know, right? If that's the reward, then we'd save a couple of hundred thousand won that way."
At the mention of "save," Jake's ears practically perked up like radar, his mind quickly flashing to his dwindling bank account.
A discount?! One could practically see dollar signs in his eyes, keeping his excitement carefully contained.
Clasping his hands in silent prayer, he thought, Please, God of Heaven, I'm just a humble, poor shepherd trying to make it out here. Just this once, let me save a little...
At the reception area, the teams lined up, each waiting to enter the transport gate. One by one, the teams were summoned, each stepping into the manmade portal with a mixture of exhaustion and relief.
When Team 4 was called, Jake's heart thudded with excitement. He could almost imagine the satisfaction of receiving the hard-earned prize.
He didn't forget to prepare to activate his Healing Touch, bracing for the peculiar, soul-tearing sensation that accompanied gate travel. Though he had experienced it before, it still felt strange, as if his very essence were being pulled and reassembled on the other side.
As Jake stood just a few centimeters from the gate, he heard a faint murmur behind him. Ji-Hoon's voice was barely a whisper, but the words struck Jake like a thunderbolt: "Double dungeon."
Instinctively, Jake's head snapped around to look at Ji-Hoon, who was covering his mouth with his hand, a grin spreading across his face.
Crap! I shouldn't have turned my body, he thought, quickly moving forward again as he stepped through the gate.
Inside the training center, his mind buzzed with questions. Is that why that creep kept staring at me like that? he wondered, replaying the scene over in his mind. Wait a minute, he clearly directed those comments to me. How did he lear...
Jake's brows furrowed as he dismissed the thought. One thing's for sure, that bastard must be up to something. A surge of unease washed over him as he scanned the room for Ji-Hoon, but he was nowhere to be seen.
He clenched his fists, feeling the leather cloak wrap around him like armor. I can't put myself or Jin-Woo in danger... not when we are still weak, he thought, the weight of his responsibility suddenly feeling even heavier.