Chapter 74
Chapter 74
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: The Healing God's Reward
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Indeed, there's potential there. I'll investigate this matter further."
"Thank you."
"We should be the ones thanking you. If only we had more time, I'd love to hear about your father too... but sadly, it doesn't look like we'll have that luxury. We still have two more things to discuss."
The God of Healing let her shoulders droop once, truly seeming regretful, but it was only for a moment.
She soon lit up her beautiful green eyes with a mischievous glint, like a playful child, and opened her mouth again.
"Of the two remaining matters, one is about your reward. I must personally grant a reward to you, who has vanquished the Plague God."
The reward for the Chronicle Quest.
And that wasn't all. There was also the wish voucher from the God of Healing, received as the main quest reward.
"Hmm... I'm not sure how to use this......"
As Cheon-ho trailed off and held out the white wish voucher that looked just like a ticket, the God of Healing burst into laughter.
"It's a wish voucher in name and fact, so I'll grant anything I can. However, it can only be used in the depths. I can only wield my power directly there. And... hmm, yes. If it's you, I'll even allow a slightly naughty wish."
Her slight wink at the end was utterly seductive.
She could have been the God of Seduction instead of the God of Healing.
[My child, the God of Healing is just teasing.]
[Don't take it too seriously.]
Mitra spoke in a somehow urgent and earnest tone, and Cheon-ho cleared his throat, nodding his head.
He knew it was a joke even without Mitra saying so.
But some things couldn't be helped.
[...My child.]
"Ahem."
Cheon-ho cleared his throat again, and the God of Healing giggled. Lucille flushed red and couldn't say a word.
"Anyway. Separate from the wish voucher, I need to give the Chronicle Quest reward. As you've probably sensed from our conversation so far, I'm a pretty straightforward personality. I have no intention of giving stingy rewards. Nor do I plan to hand out something ambiguously useful but not particularly standout."
Propping her chin again, the God of Healing grinned slyly as she eyed Cheon-ho and Lucille, then Mitra at Cheon-ho's waist.
"Come forward one by one. I'll use my divine power to strengthen your body and soul."
She said it lightly, but it was no ordinary matter. The God of Healing intended to transfer a portion of her own divine power to Cheon-ho, Mitra, and Lucille.
"Angel, you first."
At the God of Healing's call, Lucille flinched and looked back at Cheon-ho. He smiled reassuringly at her expression, a mix of joy, worry, and tension, and Lucille mustered her courage. She swallowed hard and approached the God of Healing.
"How cute. Come a little closer."
At the enticing call, Lucille moved stiffly, like a wooden doll. When she finally drew near enough for their knees to touch, the God of Healing suddenly reached out and pulled Lucille onto her lap.
Lucille was so startled she couldn't even make a sound.
The God of Healing laughed heartily at Lucille's reaction, then wrapped one arm around her waist. With the other hand, she lifted Lucille's chin.
"Stay still."
It was a divine command. Lucille froze completely, unable to move, as the God of Healing brought her face close.
Unknowingly, Cheon-ho swallowed hard.
Lucille squeezed her eyes shut, and the God of Healing grinned again before pressing her lips not to Lucille's but to her cheek.
In that instant, something extraordinary happened.
A red light enveloped Lucille's entire body, soon turning pink.
It completely shrouded Lucille, making her invisible, then blazed brightly, filling the tent with pink light.
Status windows popped up one after another. Lucille panted with a flushed face, and the God of Healing lightly patted her bottom, making her stand.
And Cheon-ho could directly perceive Lucille's change.
The number of wings.
The ones that always covered him and Lucille at night had gone from two to four.
The halo above Lucille's head had also grown slightly larger and more radiant.
"Ah?"
Lucille let out a dazed voice.
The God of Healing propped her chin once more and said,
"You're a 5th Rank Angel now. And my apostle as well. Take good care of me from now on, Lucille."
At the God of Healing's words, Lucille blinked in a daze, then widened her already large eyes even further.
A 5th Rank Angel. Apostle of the God of Healing.
Just before meeting Cheon-ho, she had been a mere 9th Rank Angel, so this was an enormous promotion.
And so, without thinking, Lucille blurted out,
"R-Really?"
The God of Healing laughed again. After smacking Lucille's bottom and saying how adorable she was,
"Yes, your wings are the proof."
Only then did Lucille look back at her own back and flap her four wings.
"Hero."
"Yes, Lucille."
At Cheon-ho's reply, Lucille flinched again. Not because of his response, but because she hesitated on what she wanted to do.
The God of Healing, sensing exactly what it was, nodded as if giving permission, and Lucille reacted immediately. Spreading her four wings wide, she threw herself into Cheon-ho's arms.
"Hero!"
"Congratulations."
Cheon-ho and Lucille embraced tightly, and the God of Healing let out a sly chuckle, just like Eizel.
"It's a heartwarming sight, but time is short. Hero, come here with the holy sword. I need to bless the holy sword too."
Cheon-ho swallowed again and drew Mitra from his waist.
Mitra seemed a bit tense as well.
"Good to see you again, Mitra."
[It's good to see you too, God of Healing.]
Mitra's voice reached the God of Healing as well. The God of Healing gently caressed the Mitra that Cheon-ho held out to her, then lightly kissed the golden gem.
Just like with Lucille, a red aura enveloped Mitra's entire body. And that light soon turned golden.
Status windows appeared again.
At the word "growth," Cheon-ho thought of Mitra's mental world. He wondered what form she had taken.
"Now it's your turn."
The God of Healing said as she returned Mitra.
Cheon-ho carefully sheathed Mitra, and Mitra spoke just as carefully.
[Don't get too excited. I recommend using Sage Time.]
Cheon-ho nodded slightly and approached the God of Healing. Instead of sitting the bulkier Cheon-ho on her lap, she stood from her seat. She was quite tall, but Cheon-ho was so much taller that she still had to look up at him.
"Hmm."
The God of Healing looked up at Cheon-ho with a mischievous grin, like a child about to devour something delicious, even licking her lips slightly.
It couldn't be helped.
Cheon-ho did his best to maintain a poker face, but the God of Healing saw right through it and smiled seductively. She grabbed his arm, pulled his upper body down, and lightly pressed her lips to his.
A red light flared.
Mitra let out a tiny groan, and Lucille blinked.
And the God of Healing's eyes widened.
What she felt the moment their lips touched.
Something reacting to her own divine power.
The red light didn't envelop Cheon-ho's body. It was sucked in, absorbed into his entire form.
Mitra sensed the anomaly too. Lucille's eyes widened.
Hero's Blood.
And added to that, his mother's blood.
A golden flash exploded, filling the tent.
* * *
[Lewd Lv6's experience has increased.]
[Lewd Lv6's experience has increased.]
[Your angel's rank has risen.]
[Your angel has become the apostle of the God of Healing.]
[The God of Healing favors your angel.]
[Your holy sword has grown.]
[Holy Sword skill has been unlocked.]
[Lewd Lv6's experience has increased.]
[Lewd Lv6's experience has increased.]
[Lewd Lv6's experience has increased.]
[Torment Force Lv4's experience has increased.]
It was a story from his childhood.
Back when he didn't yet know his father was the Hero. But when he vaguely sensed he was no ordinary man.
Young Cheon-ho asked his father,
"Between you and Mom, who's stronger?"
The reason for the question was simple. Boys, whether young, grown, or old, are obsessed with VS matchups.
When seeing a lion and a tiger, they naturally wonder who would win if they fought.
Which is stronger, sword or spear?
It was just curiosity. Moreover, young Cheon-ho was a child. Children are bursting with curiosity and ask whatever comes to mind first—usually to Mom or Dad.
So Cheon-ho asked without a second thought, and his father pondered the question with utmost seriousness.
And after some time passed.
Just as young Cheon-ho grew tired of waiting and thought it was a pointless question, his father finally reached a conclusion. He glanced at his mother, who was reading a book in the corner of the training grounds, then leaned close to young Cheon-ho.
And whispered,
"During the day, Dad loses to your mom, but at night, he wins......"
"What nonsense are you telling the kid!"
"Ow!"
His father went down from a smack to the back of his head.
Watching his father crumple, young Cheon-ho looked to the sky and nodded.
"Mom really is stronger during the day."
As young Cheon-ho thought like a child, his mother, barely regaining her composure, spoke.
"Cheon-ho."
"Yes, Mom."
"Your dad is an idiot, a fool—honestly, pitiful just looking at him normally—but he's truly strong. He gets serious when it counts."
"Yeah."
Young Cheon-ho glanced at his father groaning under his mother's weight on his butt and reluctantly nodded.
His mother continued.
"But Cheon-ho, you'll be even stronger than your dad."
"Really? Stronger than Dad?"
"Yes, because you're our child."
Strong conviction.
And that conviction had clear grounds.
* * *
The golden light filling the tent faded.
Mitra panted for breath, and Lucille swallowed hard. The God of Healing stared at Cheon-ho with wide eyes.
There was no major outward change like with Lucille.
He looked no different from before receiving the God of Healing's kiss.
But that was only appearance. No—the God of Healing could vaguely see it. When the golden flash erupted, hiding Cheon-ho from everyone's view.
Cheon-ho's appearance had changed. If only for a brief moment, he had taken a different form from now.
The God of Healing steadied her breathing. She took in Cheon-ho's entire body once more with her eyes. At that moment, Lucille cried out.
"Hero! Your eyes!"
Why hadn't she noticed right away?
The God of Healing looked at Cheon-ho's eyes. Mitra did too.
The color of Cheon-ho's irises had changed. From ordinary brown to vivid gold.
[My child......]
Mitra's voice held a hint of bewilderment.
And amid all this chaos, Cheon-ho felt an inexplicable surge of elation.
Why?
Was it because he had grown stronger from the God of Healing's kiss? Was that why he felt this chest-thumping fullness?
It was different from when he absorbed demonic energy from the essences of the Plague God's apostles.
The stimulation was far stronger, and the satisfaction even greater.
The God of Healing intuited it.
'He devoured it.'
The divine power she had passed through the kiss.
It wasn't mere absorption. It was predation.
Cheon-ho had seized and devoured her divine power.
It was divine power she had intended to give him in the first place, but still, the situation was entirely different.
Accepting infused divine power versus devouring it directly.
The results were similar, but the process was not.
'How.'
She had seen many heroes summoned to the Labyrinth World.
None were like Cheon-ho.
One who preys on divine power.
It wasn't some technique. She had felt it the moment their lips met.
It was innate. A power Cheon-ho had possessed since birth.
'Demon?'
The first possibility that came to mind, but she immediately shook her head. Cheon-ho's body and soul were far too pure and clear for that. His actions so far showed a righteous character.
'Transcendent Being.'
Those born already crossing the line, true transcendents from birth.
The God of Healing herself was a Transcendent Being. Cheon-ho clearly was too—or at least bore the blood of one.
[My child, are you alright? Does anything hurt?]
Mitra asked in a voice on the verge of tears. She had been truly worried.
Cheon-ho caressed the golden gem and said,
"I'm fine. In fact... I feel power overflowing."
Power overflowed through his entire body. Opening his status window, he saw additional bonuses on nearly all his stats.
Roughly a 1.2 times increase.
The numerical amplification was that much, but factoring in synergy effects, it wasn't an exaggeration to say he was over 1.5 times stronger.
'Mother.'
The God of Healing was flustered. Unlike with Lucille or Mitra.
And the cause was singular, as always.
The blood of his mother flowing in his own body.
"My child, be honest. Your father was the Hero, yes? Was he human?"
The God of Healing asked Cheon-ho with utmost seriousness. Not a trace of her playful mischief remained.
A威壓 befitting one responsible for countless lives in the Labyrinth World emanated from her.
"Yes, probably."
"Probably?"
"Well, Father said he was human."
"Then your mother?"
"That's......"
"That's?"
"Well......"
"Well?"
"I don't really kn......"
"What? You don't know? Why?"
"She never told me......"
It was a pathetic answer, but it was the truth.
The God of Healing stared at Cheon-ho blankly, then blinked. A hollow laugh escaped her, mixed with countless emotions.