Chương 97: Hidden Treasure

After hearing the entire story of what happened that day, Zelier couldn't help but shake his head.

"Marcus... you really went all out." He was way too ruthless toward himself.

"As long as the result was good." Marcus laughed twice.

"Though I'll need some time to recover. I won't be able to take any quests for a while."

"Let me take a look at your wound." Zelier said. Marcus looked slightly confused, but he still pulled open his shirt, revealing his left shoulder wrapped tightly in layers of bandages. Zelier placed his fingers against the bandages, then slowly tore them away.

"Zelier, what are you...?" Grey and Vaelis both looked puzzled. Beneath the bandages, the injury left by the arrow was exposed. Although it had received basic treatment, the surrounding flesh was still swollen and torn apart, making the wound look horrifying. Just as they thought Zelier was simply checking the injury, he suddenly raised his right hand and held it above the wound. A gentle green glow quietly formed, gathering in the center of his palm. [Heal Spell]!

Under the stunned gazes of Marcus, Vaelis, and Grey, Zelier slowly pressed his palm downward, pushing the glowing magic into Marcus's wound. Marcus immediately felt an indescribably soothing warmth spread through his body. The burning pain that had tortured him was greatly reduced. At the same time, the wound began to itch and tingle, as if countless tiny insects were crawling beneath his skin. That was the sign of accelerated tissue regeneration! Under the influence of Zelier's magic, the torn muscles reconnected.

Blood vessels and skin rapidly repaired themselves. In less than a minute, the arrow wound had completely vanished.

"You..." Marcus raised his arm and rotated his shoulder. There wasn't even the slightest stiffness. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. The shock on his face was impossible to hide. Zelier had actually learned a healing spell?! A mage capable of healing magic wasn't merely considered valuable within the Adventurer Association. They were something far beyond that. Finding one was like finding a priceless treasure or discovering a hidden gem.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. A healer was the absolute core of any adventuring party. Someone who could never be allowed to leave. Everyone knew how difficult it was to find a mage proficient in healing magic. And the price required to recruit one was absurdly high.

"And your mana... it seems stronger than before too." Vaelis seemed to have noticed something.

"Yes. I've advanced into a Junior Mage." Zelier smiled lightly. Silence filled the room. The three members of the team once again looked at him as if he were some kind of monster. A month ago, he had only been a Mage Apprentice. And now he had become a Junior Mage... So... Was a mage's path really this easy? Marcus had trained himself to the point of madness, risking severe injuries just to force out his potential and become a Mid-Tier Warrior. Meanwhile, Zelier had casually broken through another rank.

"Hey, hey... do you guys have to look at me like that?" Grey sighed helplessly.

"You're making me feel like I don't even belong in this team."

"How exactly... did you do it?" Marcus touched the spot where his wound had disappeared, still unable to believe what he had witnessed.

"Maybe because I work harder than most people?" Zelier thought for a moment before answering.

"Ha..." Marcus's smile carried a hint of bitterness. He shook his head. Hard work... Perhaps talent would be a more accurate description. Truthfully, part of the reason Marcus had pushed himself so desperately to advance was because of Zelier. Even when Zelier was only a Mage Apprentice, the combat power he displayed had already far exceeded others of the same rank. If Marcus continued to stagnate, he would soon be unable to keep up with Zelier. And when that happened...

Where else would he find another mage like this? Marcus originally thought that after becoming a Mid-Tier Warrior, he would finally be able to relax a little. He would also be able to provide Zelier with more protection. But now he suddenly realized— He still couldn't catch up to Zelier's pace. The most ridiculous part was... Zelier was only sixteen years old. His future was simply limitless.

"Alright, since your wound is healed, there's no reason for us to wait anymore, right?"

"Let's go to the Adventurer Association and pick a quest." Zelier clapped his hands and walked out of the room first. The others exchanged glances. In the end, all they could do was sigh and shake their heads. Their expressions were filled with helplessness.... Inside the Adventurer Association, Marcus's party gathered once again. On the way there, they also stopped by and invited Gark to join them. Gark agreed to the invitation without hesitation. He didn't even bother asking what kind of quest they were taking.

In the past, earning a single Gold Coin from one expedition was already considered lucky for him. But now, following Marcus's team, he could earn at least two or three Gold Coins per mission. It was practically a fortune.

"So..." Standing in front of the commission board, Zelier became interested.

"Should we try checking out the room over there? The Mid-Tier Commission area?" The team's strength had greatly increased. Both he and Marcus had advanced by one rank. Even Challenge-rated monsters might no longer be impossible opponents.

"If Cyr was here, we might be able to give it a try." Marcus said.

"But with our current lineup, fighting a Challenge-rated monster is still too risky."

"If someone gets seriously injured or killed, it wouldn't be worth it."

"We should stay cautious."

"That makes sense..." Zelier thought for a moment and agreed with Marcus. On the way to the Adventurer Association, he had even taken a detour to Alley Street No. 7. But the answer was still the same. Cyr was away on a long-distance mission. Her return date was unknown. Where exactly did she go...?

"Grey, you really need to speed up your training." Vaelis glanced at him.

"Right now, you're the weakest link in the team."

"Seriously..." Grey looked somewhat dissatisfied, but he couldn't argue. Because it was true. Watching Grey, an interesting thought suddenly appeared in Zelier's mind. With the body strengthened by Mana Bond... Compared to a Low-Tier Warrior... Who would actually be stronger?

"Hey, Grey." Zelier walked over to an empty table. He rolled up his sleeve and placed his right elbow on the tabletop.

"Let's compare strength."

"Huh?" Grey looked like he had just heard a joke.

"Zelier... are you serious?"

"You're way too confident."

"I'm a warrior. You're a mage."

"How could your strength possibly surpass mine?"

"Why don't we find out?" Zelier smiled.

"Fine." Grey walked over confidently.

"Let me, your senior, teach you what humility means." Across the table, the two grabbed each other's hands. Grey didn't take Zelier seriously at all. He only used about half his strength. He planned to humor the young mage for a moment before casually pushing his hand down. However...

"Bang!" The instant their hands locked and Zelier exerted force— Grey's hand was slammed directly onto the table. Without any resistance. Grey froze. His eyes widened.

"Wait, wait... hold on..."

"You tricked me, didn't you?"