Hah!!!

Banner slapped his chest. “Just a minor scratch!”

Amelia turned to Bai Xuan, her voice becoming cheerful. “Big brother, can you help him with that? It’s the perfect chance for us to see your healing magic in action.”

Bai Xuan froze for a moment; what he expected had finally come.

To his surprise, Anna didn’t speak up to stop it this time.

The composed head maid simply stood there, her hands folded in front of her, watching him. There was no opposition in her calm gaze.

Clearly, she also wanted to see for herself how he performed during an actual treatment.

Bai Xuan took a breath, his voice sounding steady and professional. “Master Banner, before I begin the treatment, I need to explain something. My healing method is... somewhat unique.”

“The healing process is accompanied by intense pain. Of course,” his gaze swept over the other man's heavy armor and his powerful physique, “with your constitution and willpower, this bit of discomfort should be negligible.”

Upon hearing this, Banner immediately puffed his chest out even further, his face written with a look that said, “Is that all?”

“Pain? That’s nothing! I have more scars from training than you’ve ever seen! Go ahead and heal me, don't hold back!”

Then he changed his tone, stealing a glance toward Anna out of the corner of his eye.

He leaned closer to Bai Xuan and lowered his voice. “Besides, if you don't use your healing and make it work, Aunt Anna will never hear the end of it!”

Anna’s folded fingers twitched slightly, and her calm gaze fell on Banner’s face.

Banner’s tall frame shrunk back a bit, but his lips remained stubbornly pursed.

Bai Xuan took it all in. It seemed this young master, who appeared to fear nothing in heaven or earth, held a complex mix of reverence and rebellion toward the head maid.

Delaying no further, Bai Xuan signaled for Banner to sit down where he was.

He extended his palm toward a deep scratch on Banner’s body, where red and swollen flesh was visible beneath the armor.

“In that case, please bear with it. Pain is normal.”

He gave the warning, then slowly controlled the flow of mana to activate 【Holy Light Catalyst】.

A soft and bright golden light flowed from Bai Xuan’s palm like a living current of warmth, seeping into Banner’s wound.

Banner’s mountain-like frame suddenly tensed, and his shoulders, covered in metal plates, visibly hitched upward.

Immediately after, his entire torso began to tremble slightly.

He lowered his head, the line of his jaw tight as stone, and his hands on his knees clenched into fists as if he were enduring something with all his might.

Bai Xuan was secretly surprised.

He had expected Banner to be able to endure it, but he hadn't expected his current state. It didn't quite look like he was in pain.

However, the true astonishment belonged to Anna, who was focused on sensing the magic nearby.

When that unique golden light lit up again, her perception spread out like a fine net.

She clearly captured the purity contained within that light.

But what shook her spirit even more was the indescribable additional quality deep within the light.

It wasn't just repairing damaged flesh and blood; on a subtle and deep level, it was gently smoothing over the minute rough edges on the surface of the soul.

An effect involving the soul level usually required complex rituals, high magical costs, or specific sacred artifacts to achieve.

Yet here it was, quietly appearing as a byproduct of a basic healing spell cast by an Awakened Rank caster.

In Anna’s eyes, which were always calm, ripples finally appeared.

When she looked at Bai Xuan again, her gaze was different. Where exactly did this young man come from?

The few seconds felt somewhat long.

The healing light finally faded slowly, and all the injuries on Banner’s body were mostly recovered.

His broad shoulders stopped trembling, and he just sat there quietly, not moving for a moment.

Amelia blinked, looking at her silent brother and then at Bai Xuan as he withdrew his hand, a hint of uncertainty appearing in her amethyst eyes.

The healing process couldn't have been so painful that it broke Banner, could it?

Anna also temporarily suppressed the shock in her heart and refocused her attention on Banner.

After that brief silence—

“Hah—!!!”

Banner suddenly raised his head, the veins on his neck bulging slightly as a hearty, rough roar erupted from deep within his chest.

“What a kick—!!!”

The sudden explosion of his voice startled everyone around him.

Banner’s face didn't show a trace of pain or anger; instead, it was flushed bright red. His eyes burned with a light of extreme excitement.

He sprang to his feet, stepping in front of Bai Xuan before the latter could fully recover from the roar.

His tall figure instantly enveloped Bai Xuan in his shadow.

“Your healing magic!”

Banner’s voice became even louder due to his excitement, making everyone’s eardrums itch. “It’s got so much kick!”

“I say, stop following my sister. How about you become my exclusive healer? From now on, whenever I go out to fight, you’ll be in the back healing me! I definitely won't treat you poorly!”

He spoke urgently, his eyes full of anticipation.

Bai Xuan was completely stunned. He looked up at the excited, enlarged face in front of him, completely unsure of how to respond for a moment.

This development was different from any outcome he had anticipated.

Amelia was also dazed for a second before she raised a hand to press against her temple. “Idiot Banner! Control yourself! Look at how you’ve scared him!”

Only then did Banner realize his actions were too abrupt, and he quickly took a few steps back.

He raised a hand to scratch his hair, a strange expression on his face that mixed apology with his still-lingering excitement. “Ah, sorry, sorry! I was just too happy!”

“But... really, your healing is different from everyone else’s!”

Bai Xuan asked with deep confusion, “Master Banner, do you... not find that pain unbearable?”

He had been prepared to apologize for the intense pain his healing method might cause.

“It hurts! Of course it hurts!” Banner nodded vigorously, then added as if to emphasize, “It’s like a red-hot knife covered in salt scraping through your flesh! It’s more intense than getting hit!”

The light in his eyes grew even brighter. “But once the pain stops, my body and mind feel incredibly clear!”

“It feels... it feels like all the dregs left after a battle were scraped away in one go! Yes, that’s exactly it!”

His explanation was crude, but to the others listening—especially combined with that roar of enjoyment just now...

Amelia rolled her eyes elegantly and muttered, “He’s hopeless. This idiot is completely hopeless. He’s actually addicted to the pain.”

Anna remained silent, but her gaze moved between Bai Xuan and Banner. She hadn't expected this result.

Bai Xuan looked at Banner’s enthusiastic face, pondering the logic in his words.

So...

He really did gain some kind of... pleasure from the intense pain of this healing?

He even viewed it as a kind of purification ritual after battle.

But... in his previous world, people usually called this kind of person... uh...

But I don't want to be the corresponding 'S,' especially to a giant like this.

He looked at Banner again, a hint of wariness involuntarily mixing into his gaze.

Seeing the expressions on everyone’s faces that more or less said, “There really is something wrong with you,” Banner opened his mouth as if to defend himself.

But he realized the more he described it, the deeper the misunderstanding seemed to go.

In the end, he waved his hand in frustration and gave up. “Fine, fine! Think whatever you want!”

This was the first time Bai Xuan’s healing had caused a client to show such high enthusiasm.

“Master Banner.”

Frank spoke, turning his gaze toward the nearby Banner. “While you were active here, did you notice anything unusual? Aside from that amalgam you killed yourself.”

Banner’s large hand scratched the back of his head. “Unusual? Oh! There was!”

He pointed toward the collapsed sinkhole. “Down there! I felt something was off while I was fighting earlier. There seemed to be an entrance beneath the pit wall.”

“Did the undead amalgam you fought come out from that entrance?” Frank pressed.

Banner’s face showed a confused expression, his eyebrows knitting together. “I don't know. I just saw that big guy wandering around here, and my hands were itching for a fight, so I went at it.”

“As for where it came from, I didn't really notice.”

Anna let out a soft sigh.

Frank’s face remained expressionless, but he shifted his gaze back to Bai Xuan.

“Young man,” Frank’s voice remained steady. “You escaped from that space. According to you, the undead inside were very strong.”

“In that case, did you ever encounter... a monster like the one just now, forcibly cobbled together from many skeletons and spirits?”

Meeting Frank’s gaze, Bai Xuan shook his head and answered, “No. The undead inside were mainly bone monsters and rotting zombies.”

“They were very strong, more than we could handle, but I never encountered anything fused together like that.”

“Is that so?” Frank’s withered fingers folded in front of him. “As far as I know, the doors to such ancient, long-sealed spaces do not open and close at will.”

“Usually, they require a corresponding key, or the core maintaining their sealed state must be removed before they reveal themselves.”

“According to the intelligence we received before coming here, there were no known records of a hidden space on this Seventh Level.”

He paused, his calm gaze falling on Bai Xuan’s face, making the latter’s skin feel tight.

“The abnormal movement of the undead now indicates that this entrance has only just appeared. So, how did you get out?”

Here it comes!

Bai Xuan’s face showed no abnormality. Instead, he looked confused, his brow furrowing as if he were lost in memory.

“It was very chaotic then. We were being chased by undead and running everywhere, unable to find an exit. Finally, when I was the only one left, there was a sudden tremor like an earthquake.”

He looked up at Frank, his eyes filled with the look of a survivor. “It was only after that that I found an exit and escaped.”

Frank looked at him without speaking.

The expression in his old eyes was hard to discern, as if he were deep in thought.

The atmosphere became somewhat tense.

“Grandpa Frank~”

Amelia’s cheerful voice broke the silence.

She took a few steps to Bai Xuan’s side, standing between him and Frank’s line of sight, looking up at the old man with her small face.

“Big brother only just managed to escape; he must have been terrified! You shouldn't ask questions so seriously!”

As she spoke, she turned around and blinked her amethyst eyes at Bai Xuan.

Then she puffed out her modest chest, trying her best to look reliable.

“Don't worry! You’re safe now that we’re here!”

Bai Xuan looked at her posturing as if she were mature, paired with her obviously slender, youthful frame.

“Pfft—hahahaha!”

Banner, standing nearby, couldn't hold it in, and his booming laughter erupted.

He pointed at Amelia, incredibly amused. “Sister! You... you’re not even as thick as the armor on my arm! And you’re talking about protecting someone? Hahahaha!”

Amelia’s cheeks instantly puffed out, and sparks of annoyance rose in her amethyst eyes.

Without a word, she jumped up from where she stood and slammed her clenched little fist onto Banner’s forehead.

Banner’s laughter stopped abruptly, and he let out an exaggerated “Ow!” as he clutched his head.

Amelia landed, glaring at him angrily. “Who asked for your opinion! You big idiot!”

Anna raised a hand to press her temple and turned her head away.

On Frank’s face, which was usually as still as a well, the wrinkles seemed to relax slightly.

The surrounding guards kept their eyes forward, standing straight, clearly accustomed to the interactions between the siblings.

After this commotion, the previously stagnant atmosphere indeed loosened quite a bit.

Banner rubbed his head, which didn't actually hurt, and stopped laughing.

He strode over to Bai Xuan, the flush from his laughter still on his face.

He spoke in a warm tone, “That healing of yours is truly amazing! In the future, when I fight...”

“Uh, no, when I’m training, if you could be by my side...”

As he spoke, he naturally reached out a large hand, wanting to pat Bai Xuan’s shoulder to show closeness.

The moment his hand touched Bai Xuan’s shoulder, Banner’s movement suddenly stopped.

The smile on his face quickly vanished, replaced by pure surprise.

He leaned in closer, his eyes widening as he stared at Bai Xuan as if confirming something.

“...Huh?”

Banner made a confused sound. His hand didn't move, remaining firmly on Bai Xuan’s shoulder. “What is that... on you?”

Bai Xuan’s body stiffened, and alarm bells rang in his mind once more.

He maintained his composure, showing a confused expression. “Master Banner?”

Banner didn't answer. He simply gripped Bai Xuan’s shoulder and closed his eyes, appearing to concentrate his senses.

A few seconds later, he opened his eyes, his gaze filled with wonder and certainty.

“This is... the scent of a blessing? Although it’s very faint and about to dissipate... but that’s right, it’s the earth element! The Blessing of the Earth!”

Banner’s voice rose with surprise. “Have you encountered a high-level earth element creature? And you even received its recognition?”

Bai Xuan was truly surprised this time.

He could only see the numerical increase from the Rock Core Guardian’s blessing through his attribute panel; he had never specifically felt it.

This seemingly careless Banner could actually sense it just by contact?

Bai Xuan’s mind raced. Knowing he couldn't deny it, he nodded.

His tone carried a hint of regret. “That’s right. During my previous adventure, I encountered a creature called a Rock Core Guardian.”