I Became the Only Healer in the Academy - Chapter 21.2
Seonghyun stood there, unmoving, and the man looked at him as if he had somehow expected such an event.
“…Hmm, probably just a bit of convenience.”
The man licked his lips and pulled a dagger from his cloak.
“You have healing abilities, right? Quite famous, I hear.”
“Is that one of the reasons you’re going to kill me?”
“Kill? Who, you? No, no, don’t worry too much. You won’t die.”
The man’s gaze seemed to claim Seonghyun as his own.
“Really? Then what will happen to me?”
“Curious? How about experiencing it yourself? If you follow my orders quietly, you won’t feel any pain at all. Oh, but I also heard you are accustomed to pain, or do you enjoy it?”
Seonghyun glared at the man with his forehead creasing.
The man seemed to enjoy such expressions even more, displaying a satisfied smile.
“Enough small talk.”
The man erased his smile and pointed the dagger at Seonghyun.
Perhaps announcing a quick resolution.
Just like how he had swiftly appeared after dealing with Inhwan, the man vanished in an instant.
The man’s ability was stealth.
It was a useful skill even when facing monsters, but it shone brightest when hunting humans.
‘He truly knows nothing.’
Maintaining his stealth, the man moved towards Seonghyun’s back.
Seonghyun still stood there, feeling sick by what was happening.
“Just stay unconscious for a moment.”
The man spoke as he attempted to strike the back of Seonghyun’s neck with the hilt of his dagger.
He couldn’t kill someone with healing abilities, but if he could bring him to his organization and make him use those abilities, they could significantly expand their influence.
With that power, he could solidify his own position as well.
As he fantasized about this brighter future, a wave of pain suddenly crashed over him, shattering those dreams.
“Cough, cough…!“
Clutching his chest in agony, the man collapsed to the ground, utterly bewildered.
“W-What the hell…!”
His hands trembled uncontrollably.
If he knew the cause, he could have taken some action, sought a solution, but the pain surged without any clear reason, driving him to the brink of madness.
“Who ordered you to do this?”
“W-What is this…?”
The man paid no attention to Seonghyun’s question.
Just as Seonghyun asked, the excruciating pain vanished like a ghost.
“Y-You bastard…!”
The man attempted to wield his dagger.
The unknown pain was just a momentary setback, and now there was nothing hindering him from dealing with the healer right in front of him.
“Kraaah!”
But as he attempted to swing the blade again, the ghostly pain returned, flooding over him.
Overwhelmed by a more intense pain than before, the man dropped the dagger he had been holding and sank to the ground, breaking out in a cold sweat.
“Who hired you? Tell me.”
Once again, Seonghyun’s inquiry coincided with the pain that felt as if his body would be torn apart disappearing.
As if someone was manipulating a supernatural phenomenon, the man felt a creeping sense of fear towards an unknown presence.
“W-What the hell is…”
“Did you think there would only be two of us roaming around?”
“W-What are you talking about?”
Only now did the man look around again.
Yet, as expected, there was no one else present.
Only a whimpering monster with froth at its mouth was visible nearby.
“Do you think someone is protecting me… or not?”
“T-That…”
The man finally grasped the situation.
He expected that there was an immensely skilled individual, undetectable by his own abilities, guarding the area.
“Keugh…!”
“Let me ask you again, who hired you.”
“Thought you’d answer…”
Before the man could finish his response, the pain surged again.
“Kraaack! Okay, okay! I’ll talk! I’ll talk!”
Unable to endure the excruciating pain, the man finally opened his mouth.
“H-Heo Taehyun.”
“Heo…Taehyun?”
Seonghyun momentarily recalled the name Heo Taehyun.
‘If it’s Heo Taehyun… isn’t he the one who hangs around with Koo Sang-yeon?’
It seemed that all of this was orchestrated due to him being assigned as the acting representative.
In situations where he couldn’t be the representative himself, someone else would be designated to take his place.
“Was I the target?”
“Yeah.”
“But why Kang Inhwan…?”
“He was a nuisance. He told us to handle this on my end. Like I mentioned before, I didn’t kill him… just put him to sleep.”
Having now uncovered everything he needed to know, Seonghyun tightened his grip on the sword he held lightly.
The man, witnessing this, was momentarily taken aback.
“Now that everything is settled.”
Seonghyun finished speaking and swung the sword.
With a squelching sound, the sensation of the sword piercing through the skin was conveyed through his hand. Following that, crimson blood began to gush out from between the torn skin.
Seonghyun reached his hand through the torn skin of the monster.
Then, retrieving the crystalline monster essence and placing it in his pocket, he looked at the man and spoke.
“Now is our business finished?”
“Ah, y-yes, that’s right.”
The man staggered to his feet, stumbling backward before disappearing in the direction of the gate.
Seonghyun approached Inhwan, who was still unconscious. He examined his body, but fortunately, there seemed to be no visible injuries.
“It doesn’t look like he needs any healing, but we’ll have to wait a bit.”
Seonghyun took the opportunity to wash away the scent of blood and took a seat beside Inhwan.
Fortunately, Inhwan regained consciousness not long after.
“Ugh… what happened?”
“You were attacked by a monster.”
Seonghyun had no intention of revealing the truth. Inhwan was not part of the man’s mission, and Seonghyun saw no need for him to know about the incident.
“…Huh? Attacked by a monster? Ha…”
Inhwan rubbed his forehead in frustration, realizing his own carelessness.
“It was an ambush from behind; there wasn’t much we could do.”
“Yeah? But why are you unharmed?”
“Fortunately, some passing hunters came to our rescue.”
“Phew… that’s a relief.”
“Let’s call it a day for today. It’s for the best.”
“Yeah. Thanks for your hard work.”
Inhwan and Seonghyun left without lingering, leaving the man behind. An eye for an eye.
