Chapter 25 – Recovering After a Bloodbath

“Is everyone alive?” Maximus asked, ignoring the notifications for now as Sprout rushed over, jumping into his lap. “Hey, friend… My apologies for worrying you,” Maximus whispered.

“Still kickin’, aye… But a bit battered,” Oscar groaned, lying next to him, while Felix remained quiet.

Silex wobbled over to Felix, bit into his boot, and dragged him across the ground before dropping him next to Maximus.

“Thank you,” Maximus said with a smile, starting to realize that the crocodile was far smarter than he had given him credit for.

He tossed another Cinder Seed into his mouth; the previous one had been fully burned through faster than expected due to the overflow of spirit within him. While his spirit regenerated quickly thanks to his gear and boons, Maximus poured a potion into Felix’s mouth and massaged his throat to help him swallow.

As the potion took effect, Felix opened his eyes groggily and winced. “So, we won, huh?” he asked as he tried to sit up through the pain, his eyes growing teary as he fell back to the ground. “Good plan that was,” he added.

“For this, you have my apologies. I hadn’t taken into consideration that there could exist a troll capable of healing even its heart being pierced. It’s ridiculous,” Maximus muttered apologetically.

“I’m telling you, it’s one thing after another. This world is in total shambles. You can’t turn a corner without some tosser trying to take your head off,” Oscar spat.

“You are correct, my friend. The things happening here are beyond my understanding,” Maximus sighed, feeling a rare sense of defeat.

“Only means you’ve got more to learn, right?” Felix said with a faint smile, trying to encourage him.

“You are correct. Life is all about learning, and we have so much left to understand,” Maximus nodded, though his heart still beat heavily.

“Oscar, I’ll heal Felix first. Wait a few minutes for another charge,” Maximus added as he cast Rejuvenation on Felix, who was in the worst state of them all.

“Fair enough. Poor old me, always at the back of the queue,” Oscar moaned, pretending to be offended, while Silex wandered over to the troll’s corpse and took another bite from its torn leg where the ice had melted, beginning to absorb the troll’s vitality as his own wounds visibly healed.

Maximus stared at Silex in amazement. He can absorb the troll’s vitality to heal himself! This is unheard of! Wait… That means I could use its blood for my elixirs? That heart-healing vitality could help me create something never seen before, Maximus thought, a mad laugh escaping his lips.

“Bloody hell, I nearly browned my trousers there! What’s so funny, eh? You gone mental or what?” Oscar cursed.

“Leave him be, he’s found something, haven’t you?” Felix asked.

“Indeed. I could use the troll’s blood to make a potion. Is it all right if I take the body and you two take the core?” Maximus asked suddenly.

“Sure, as we already agreed. We can’t store the corpses anyway,” Felix replied.

“Fair enough. Just don’t expect me to drink any of it. That’s absolutely vile, I’m telling you,” Oscar said, nearly gagging.

“Haha, don’t worry,” Maximus chuckled.

***

Once Maximus recovered enough of his spirit, he cast Rejuvenation: Focused Treatment on Oscar’s arm, and then again later on Felix’s mangled leg.

The two drank more than enough potions and were barely able to properly stand again.

Thanks to Maximus’s treatment and the overuse of healing potions, their smaller wounds had fully healed, while their broken limbs, ribs, and Felix’s chest were mended but still in poor condition.

On the other hand, thanks to his Healing Flow skill, Maximus had mostly recovered from his own wounds. He had also noticed his body growing sturdier from the constant cycle of breaking and repairing. He could now sense spirit energy slowly sinking deeper into the areas he had healed through repeated use of the skill.

Even his status had changed from Weak Human Vessel to Naturally Strengthened Human Vessel, and it was even classified as a simple Body Trait.

—-

Body Traits:

Naturally Strengthened Human Vessel (F) – Strengthened through reforging the body with spirit energy. Increases stamina by 10% and overall physical strength by 11%.

—-

Now, if I were, as Felix would say, mental, I’d go and break my body over and over again until it was fully reinforced through natural energy… But I’m not that “mental.” The elixir should be enough once I get all the ingredients. He chuckled inwardly at his expanding vocabulary and his growing madness. I’m adapting better than expected to all of this, he noted as he stood up.

“Boys, I’ll help you inside. It will take me at least two days to fully treat your more serious wounds. And I shouldn’t overuse healing magic on you; mine works a bit differently than a proper healer’s. Also, stop with the potions for now. It’s not water, you know,” he warned as he helped them move into the cavern to lie low in case a goblin or another human found them.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Though Maximus had concluded that goblins weren’t reckless enough to enter a troll’s territory… Unless something far worse had happened.

***

He didn’t go too deep into the cave and instead settled them closer to the entrance. “I’ll go store the troll’s body before Silex eats all of it. You wait for me here,” Maximus said.

“Sure, Max. We can run anywhere we like,” Felix cracked a faint smile.

“He’s winding us up on purpose, he is,” Oscar chuckled. “Max, my friend, you might actually learn to talk like a normal human after this little jaunt, eh?” he added with a wink.

“You as well?” Maximus went pale.

“Aye, mate. Don’t go thinking I’m thick just ’cause I like to keep things relaxed. But don’t fret, whoever you are, we’re mates now, aren’t we?” Oscar grinned.

“The fool is right, Max. You are our friend, no matter what,” Felix said calmly.

“Hey, I’ll show you, fool! Come here, you, you ice cube,” Oscar shot back, trying to kick him with his battered leg, making Maximus laugh out loud.

“Boys… Thank you. One day I’ll tell you everything,” Maximus said, bowing gratefully before exiting the cave, leaving Sprout behind to keep them company.

***

Outside the cavern, Silex had finished the entire leg of the troll, bone and all, and was now resting beside the corpse, guarding what remained of his meal.

“Hey, Silex, buddy. Have you recovered? Are you still hurt anywhere? Let me see.” Maximus crouched beside him, placing a hand on the massive crocodile’s body and carefully inspecting for wounds.

Silex groaned and slammed his tail twice into the dirt, telling him to stop.

“You are a sturdy child, my boy. I ask for your forgiveness for dragging you from your lands only for you to get hurt,” Maximus said, his voice low and filled with regret.