The Scalpel of Recovery
Operation. Though I draw satisfaction from the fear of intelligent beings, pull revolvers or bird eggs from my chest, and occasionally melt like ice cream, my profession is, without a doubt, that of a "doctor." "Strictly speaking, a plague doctor, but still." The prefix is merely a concept the Goddess slapped together after seeing my crow-headed mask, so it isn't particularly important. In fantasy games, doctors classically heal patients using mystical powers like holy energy, magic, or sorcery. Shouting spells like "Heal!" or "Resurrection!" would be the cherry on top. Whether our fantasy Goddess recognized this or not, she granted the Plague Doctor class not skills like [Surgery Master] or [Herb Dominator], but the excellent healing magic [Recovery]—the kind that would make even a passing dog beastman exclaim, "Wow, a healer!"
Ah, how gracious. I can't even begin to describe how thrilled I was when I skimmed the patch notes and realized I could use magic. However, our Goddess must have been suffering from a mental and physical debuff due to endless overtime and deadline-driven time attacks. My epic-tier healing magic had a tiny problem.
"[Magic] Magic requires a long and tedious incantation, but it can accomplish things beyond imagination!"
"[Recovery] Restores the touched target."
⟨ Incantation ⟩
"『Sanguinem Umbrae Vitae Restituo Animarum Mortis Gratia Et Tenebrae Dolor Sustine Sacramantum Finis Aeterna Riparo Arcanaum Blood Exorcio Darkumbra Sanitas Restituo.』"
That "tiny problem" was this: "What the hell does this even say?" First, the translation was left in the original language. "No way I'm memorizing this." Second, the incantation was absurdly long. Was this some kind of grand magic? Why so complicated? The description just says "restore," so it should be a simple spell that returns wounds or injuries to their original state. Weren't those common in fantasy worlds?
"Crow. What exactly are you trying to do by gathering everyone here nyang?"
"...."
While staring at the magic incantation longer than Sion's tail, with the patch notes floating beside me, I heard her dissatisfied voice. Blood trickled from both her ears and one nostril. I don't know why she asks questions when she can't even hear the answers.
"...."
"...."
"...."
"...."
The other humans didn't say much, probably because they feared me as the demon of thermal explosives. But as time passed, I noticed a faint suspicion growing alongside their fear. I needed to show them something quickly. A demon's lifeblood is trust. If I finished treating these patients flawlessly, they might spread word of my greatness to other adventurers. Then I'd become the emperor healer of the dungeon city overnight. Love calls would pour in from countless patients. I could earn a fortune with each cast of my healing incantation (extremely long). Dungeon exploration in the morning, Plague Doctor clinic in the afternoon. Ah, I could already smell the dallants seeping through my filter. Of course, I'd have to check how much mana each cast consumed.
Tap.
Burning with happy delusions, I took a step toward the suspicious patients who were trembling—perhaps from the explosion's shock.
"““...!””"
The patients flinched as the crow head drew closer, staring at me with eyes full of fear and doubt. I stood solemnly like a surgeon with raised hands to maintain sterility and spoke calmly.
"Then, from now on—"
'I will begin treatment.'
"Huh?"
"...!"
"Treatment?"
"What?"
"Why is everyone acting like that nyang? Augh! It's so frustrating not being able to hear anything nyang!"
With that declaration, amid the patients' anxious murmurs, I glanced at the patch notes and slowly opened my mouth. I was firmly resolved not to mispronounce a single syllable.
While Raven glared at the patch notes in the Goddess's stead, the fugitives gathered in one place under Yuri's guidance were first shocked to learn he was the infamous mad demon, then horrified to hear he was the one who had devastated the surroundings.
'So that's the crazy demon who vomited corpses from the Dungeon Road....'
'He looks terrifying, just like the rumors.'
'...And the one who contracted with such an irregular being is that kid?'
'Then how vast must the mana of this contractor be...?'
In the process, the person who unintentionally drew attention was the androgynous beauty with an unidentified black bird perched on their head. The contractor, Yuri. The fugitives couldn't even imagine what extraordinary talent he or she possessed to be chosen by such a powerful demon.
'Is this their lowest point?'
'That person will definitely become someone great in the future! I need to get on their good side somehow.......'
They were simply filled with thoughts of building connections before this person became widely known. Meanwhile, Yuri—who had somehow been mistaken for a demon contractor of immense talent—was busy picking up fallen maseok fragments with bandaged hands, rummaging through the grotesque's corpse alongside Kkachi.
"Kkyu kkyu!"
"Oh, Sir Kkachi found quite a large piece?"
"Kkyu!"
Maseok fetched the highest price when unbroken, but broken fragments could still be sold. Having been scammed by the self-proclaimed slum manager and left with less than 300 dallants, Yuri was in a situation where every single coin mattered. That was why even these tiny fragments were precious to them.
Then.
『Sanguinem. Umbrae. Vitae. Restituo.......』
Raven's now-familiar voice rang out.
"Hmm?"
But it felt different from usual. More serious, perhaps?
'I absolutely cannot make a mistake...!'
In truth, it was serious. A single mispronunciation or bitten tongue could ruin the image he had built. Of course, there was no image to ruin in the first place.
Animarum. Mortis. Gratia.
His low, ominous voice filled the space, enunciating each syllable slowly and precisely, as if savoring the meaning of every word.
Et. Tenebrae. Dolor. Sustine.
Along with the string of incomprehensible words, an overwhelming amount of mana erupted from Raven, pressing down on their skin.
"My god...."
Yuri couldn't hide their shock.
'He was hiding this much mana all this time?'
Yuri knew he was a great demon who maintained his body with his own mana without a contractor's help. But until he wiped out the grotesques in a single strike, they hadn't realized just how extraordinary he was. He always concealed his mana.
Croma Ira, another demon like Raven, had said it was an unknown authority derived from fear. If so, this abnormal concentration of mana was surely a sign that something immense—beyond even a great demon's authority—had been unleashed.
'Just how powerful a healing spell is he trying to use...?'
Yuri's eyes sparkled as they quietly watched their demon. At that moment, Lena—the only one among the fugitives with deep magical knowledge—moved beyond shock into reverence.
"This is... what in the world...?"
Magic was fundamentally an act of "petitioning" the world. One drew their wishes, requests, and ideals onto the canvas of reality. But this terrifying and noble demon was different.
Sacramantum. Finis. Aeterna. Riparo. Arcanaum.
Though the meaning of his words was unknown, they didn't sound like requests or wishes. They felt more like commands—firm and decisive.
He wasn't asking the world. He was demanding. Ordering it to obey.
'...Is this what they call inherent magic?'
The pinnacle of mages, known as living calamities. The ultimate magic usable only by Archmages. The lingering traces of miracles forcibly etched into the world by the will of transcendents who had become phenomena beyond life itself.
"Incredible...."
Tears of emotion welled in the eyes of Lena, the country girl who had come to the dungeon city dreaming of becoming a great mage. Her ideal stood right before her.
Regardless, Raven was simply shuddering at the Goddess's malice.
'Augh, this is way too long!'
And the pronunciation was garbage. Healing at the snap of a finger? Two snaps and his tongue would cramp. But as always, he overcame the hardship and maintained his RP.
Restituo.......』
The long, lengthy incantation he had recited while glaring at the patch notes until his eyes turned bloodshot finally ended.
【“Recovery.”】
Uuuuung....
Along with the activation word, the intangible mana that had been pressing down on the surroundings coalesced into a single point.
'Huh?'
Instinctively clenching his hand at the foreign sensation in his palm, Raven watched as—
Chiiiiiing....
With a sharp sound like a laser cutting something, a dark-red blade began to grow from his hand.
"Is that inherent magic?"
"Ooooh...."
"I don't know what it is, but it's amazing."
"I don't know what it is, but it's enormous?"
"What the hell is he doing now nyang?"
The aspiring mage and the self-taught magic student's eyes lit up, while curiosity filled the gazes of the magic-illiterate adventurers.
'What is this?'
Raven had cast a healing spell, yet he couldn't understand why a lightsaber was sprouting from his hand. But when the dark-red blade fully formed, he finally realized.
'...Don't tell me...'
A blade that didn't harm life, but saved it.
'A scalpel...?'
Chiiik... chijijijik....
Staring at the dark-red scalpel that emitted a sound far too menacing for something meant to save lives, Raven was momentarily speechless.
"He's going to treat people with that?"
"...."
The longer Raven remained silent, the more the patients' curiosity twisted into anxiety.
"Hmm...."
Savoring their fear, Raven reread the patch notes to see if he'd missed anything.
[Recovery] Restores the touched target.
'The touched target, huh.'
"I see. So that's how it works."
A second realization dawned on Raven. He understood how to use the magic.
Chiiik. chijijijik....
The scalpel woven from mana reflected in Raven's black lenses. Yes. This magic required physical contact with the target to heal them!
Raven tore his eyes from the mana-forged scalpel and slowly shifted his gaze toward the patients.
Flinch!
The adventurers felt chills at the sight of Raven silently staring at them. The unidentified blade in his hand doubled their terror.
"C-Crow? Why are you suddenly acting like that nyang!"
"Um... hey, Mr. Demon of Terror? You said you'd treat us... right?"
"Hey, demon. Let's talk after you put that knife down first."
"What's wrong with you all?"
Tap.
For some reason, Raven took another step toward the adventurers who were squirming to get away. Then, to reassure the terrified group, he opened his mouth while thinking of kind, trustworthy real-world doctors.
"Everyone, don't be afraid."
It'll only sting a little.
"““...!””"
The words meant to calm them only made things worse. The fugitives recalled healers who stuffed opium into patients' mouths and poured healing potions on wounds, and they panicked.
"Hiiik! No! No!"
"How the hell is that 'just a little sting'!?"
"Damn it, I knew I shouldn't have trusted a demon!"
"If you want to live, run!"
"What nyang! Why is everyone running nyang!!!"
The fugitives began limping away, clutching their broken ribs. Desperate to survive the mad demon.
"Tsk. How troublesome."
Clicking his tongue at the fugitives crawling away at a snail's pace, Raven kicked off the ground. Soon, screams of terror echoed through the White Zone.