Chapter 59
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: S-Rank Gate (6)
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Instead, Na Seo-ha, who was standing beside her, spoke up in disbelief.
"What? Hold on. What kind of condition is that? Does Kang Ju-young make your blood boil with lust or something?"
"Something like that."
The healer nodded without denying it.
Na Seo-ha couldn't hide her astonishment at the healer's frank response.
"Hey, Kang Ju-young. You're really okay with this after hearing that? Do you even know what that guy might do to you?"
"It doesn't matter. If I can repay the favor this way, that's enough for me."
Kang Ju-young had lost everything at the tender age of eleven.
When the gates first appeared and monsters swarmed in, she lost her parents and her home—her entire world.
Fortunately, someone had saved her back then: none other than Joo Tae-ho.
"Favor my ass. Joo Tae-ho won't cough up blood as long as you're around."
Na Seo-ha knew about the bond between Joo Tae-ho and Kang Ju-young, so she shot back like that.
After being rescued by Joo Tae-ho, Kang Ju-young had followed him everywhere, learning various combat techniques and clearing countless gates and monsters alongside him.
'If I had to describe their relationship, it's like father and daughter.'
In fact, the age gap between them was similar to that.
So if word got out about this, Joo Tae-ho wouldn't just sit idly by.
"It's a life I already died once. Being revived like this and getting a chance to repay the favor—it's a one-in-a-million stroke of luck."
"Sure, coming back to life is lucky in itself, like you said."
Na Seo-ha felt immense gratitude toward the healer for bringing her back.
She was even willing to share her secret techniques if he asked, but his demand to become his woman had greatly diluted that gratitude.
'Doesn't he even look at faces?'
Even so, the healer's face was quite intimidating.
Most women he passed on a dark street at night would probably scream.
'Of course, his abilities make up for it.'
On the flip side, his skills were on par with the world's top healer.
At least, Na Seo-ha had never heard of anyone who could resurrect the dead.
"Are you done discussing?"
At that moment, the healer spoke up and conjured a sheet of paper out of thin air.
"If you've made your decision, sign here. Then I'll treat Joo Tae-ho right away."
"Paper?"
"It's a kind of contract."
It was the exact same contract that everyone else in the warehouse had signed.
Kang Ju-young and Na Seo-ha marveled at the paper materializing from nowhere as they read its contents.
1. Obey my words without question.
2. Never betray me or those around me.
3. Carry out assigned tasks with utmost sincerity.
"This is insane. It's a slave contract!"
Kang Ju-young looked at the healer, thinking this was going too far.
The healer paid no mind to their stares and stated it as if it were the most natural thing.
"If they just verbally agree and then ignore it later, what can I, as a healer, do? This is a perfectly reasonable precaution."
"Even so, this is ridiculous. Who would accept this?"
"You're free to refuse."
Na Seo-ha didn't like the healer's attitude one bit.
Moreover, seeing him produce the contract from thin air hinted at some special ability.
"Where's the pen?"
In the meantime, after much agonizing, Kang Ju-young decided to accept.
Na Seo-ha stared at her like she was crazy as she searched for the pen.
"Are you out of your mind? Did the destroyer smash your head and scramble your brains?"
Ignoring Na Seo-ha's pleas to think it over, Kang Ju-young signed the contract with the pen the healer tossed her and made one request.
"In exchange for signing this, I'd appreciate it if you respected me."
"What kind of respect are you looking for?"
"I'm currently an instructor at the Hero Officer Academy. Guarantee my personal time to continue my duties there, and don't make me do anything illegal."
The healer nodded as if to say that was fine.
"Sure."
"Can you promise that?"
"No problem."
Jeon Il-seop, who had been nearby, had grasped the entire situation.
"……."
But he said nothing because he thought the current outcome was beneficial.
If Joo Tae-ho regained his prime strength through Kang Ju-young alone, it might even be good for the country.
Plus, with a connection to Kang Ju-young, he could potentially reach out to her later.
'Not sure what'll happen to Kang Ju-young, though…….'
Recalling that the man was a healer, he could roughly guess why he wanted her.
Unlike him, Na Seo-ha, who hadn't caught on at all, stared at the healer and asked bluntly.
"So, why do you want Kang Ju-young? Is it really just lust?"
Na Seo-ha asked this because of Kang Ju-young's age.
It had been 27 years since the towers and gates appeared. Kang Ju-young had been attacked by monsters a year later.
In other words, she was 37 now—not exactly young.
"I need someone to protect my body, too."
"Your body? Oh."
Na Seo-ha nodded as if she finally understood the healer's answer.
If he saved everyone here, rumors were bound to spread somehow.
Once they did, all sorts of scum would come knocking, so he needed Kang Ju-young for protection.
"Now that I think about it, you'll have it rough too. Every lowlife will be after you."
"I can prepare like I am now."
"True. With Kang Ju-young around, she could fend off most riffraff."
Besides, she was no longer hampered by injuries and curses.
She probably had prowess close to her prime, enough to easily handle average threats.
"But doesn't that mean Kang Ju-young has to stick by your side? Are you planning to stay at the Hero Officer Academy too?"
"So many questions."
The healer said nothing more on the matter and proceeded to resurrect the remaining people one by one.
Na Seo-ha watched the dead come back to life several times over, marveling at the sight each time.
"Wow. It's still amazing no matter how many times I see it. At this level, you'd be essential for gate raids, right?"
Serious injuries healed in seconds, and even death could be undone.
If every gate raid had a healer like this, the risks would drop by more than half, no doubt.
"Like I said, I'm going into hiding after today, so don't look for me."
"I'd love to, but…… you never know what the world might throw at you."
His abilities were too extraordinary to ignore.
If anyone here got hurt or died, they'd immediately think of the healer.
"Ugh."
In any case, the healer revived them one by one, eventually bringing back even Seo Do-kyung.
Like the others, Seo Do-kyung came to with a small groan and quickly assessed the situation around him.
"Did you catch the destroyer?"
Seo Do-kyung's first question upon waking was about the destroyer.
But sensing the heavy atmosphere, he soon let out a sigh.
"Wiped out, I see."
"Some escaped, so not a total wipeout."
Na Seo-ha clarified it wasn't total annihilation, but it hardly felt consoling.
Still, seeing an A-Rank hero whose upper body had been blown off—reduced to just the lower half—fully revived, he wore an impressed expression.
"As long as the body remains, revival is possible?"
Na Seo-ha answered instead of the healer.
"Right? It's mind-blowing every time. Anyway, thanks. Your foresight saved my life too."
"Surviving is good, but failing to deal with the destroyer bothers me."
"Is there anyone who could? Anyway, I'm never fighting a destroyer again, so heads up."
Na Seo-ha shuddered at the mere thought of the destroyer and refused any rematch.
"That's not human. If we let time pass like this, the destroyer's influence will reach [World-Class] level."
"So you're saying we should just leave it alone?"
"We have to. You want to fight another destroyer?"
"……."
Seo Do-kyung considered fighting the destroyer again but soon shook his head.
Even at near-peak condition with his skills restored, a single blow from the destroyer had killed him.
"No good. Even if we fought again, nothing would change."
They hadn't even been a match against a destroyer that had taken a special mana bomb hit.
Facing a fully recovered one afterward would probably end even more pathetically.
"If you're dead set on fighting, take that healer along. Might get another chance to live."
By then, having revived everyone, the healer spoke softly.
"All done."
Seo Do-kyung looked around at the words and confirmed that all the dead heroes were alive again.
The heroes looked confused at having died and come back, but it wasn't a major issue.
"Thank you. Thanks to you, we minimized the casualties."
"I just did what was expected for the compensation. Though this time, the losses exceeded what I anticipated."
Just the value of four S-Rank heroes alone would easily surpass 300 billion.
Plus reviving multiple A-Ranks on top—healer even called it a loss for him.
"Association President. Shouldn't we restrain that healer?"
At that point, an A-Rank hero recognized the healer's worth and suggested capturing him by force.
A healer who could treat injuries and resurrect the dead—having him in the Hero Association alone would yield absurd benefits.
"……."
Jeon Il-seop was tempted for a moment but shook his head, realizing it was too late.
"Don't even think about it. He just saved all your lives, after all."
"……Understood, sir."
The A-Rank hero agreed, but reluctance lingered in his eyes.
"I've done my part, so I'll be going."
Having revived everyone, the healer told Seo Do-kyung he was leaving.
The deal was only for post-death revivals, so Seo Do-kyung couldn't hold him back and simply expressed his thanks.
"Got it. Once more, thank you."
"Like I said, I only did what the payment warranted. Just don't call on me again."
With those words, the healer turned to Kang Ju-young.
"Let's go."
Kang Ju-young nodded as if she'd been waiting.