Chapter 11: Seventeen Minutes Remain

Knowledge flooded his mind. It wasn’t anything familiar he had known from Earth, like medical knowledge. It was something stranger.

He suddenly understood how Life Mana could be guided through damaged tissue. How it could encourage the body to repair itself without simply forcing flesh together. How the Verdant Weave Skill could connect separated vessels, muscle fibers, and damaged internal structures using Mana as though invisible threads were passing through them.

But unlike the knowledge from his previous world, his body had never actually done any of it before.

Zishan immediately remembered Rift Steps.

’Oh no.’

[The Dumb Host has finally learned caution.]

’I’M TRYING TO SAVE SOMEONE! STOP CELEBRATING!’

Maela grabbed his shoulder. "Zishan, why are you spacing out?"

His attention snapped back to the patient as he shook his head. ’Right. I have to save him in less than 18 minutes!’

"Get me something to open the wound wider, something clean to remove the fragment, and whatever you use here to flush contaminated tissue."

Maela did not question him this time. The wound was so serious that Maela did not even try to give her opinion.

The medical instruments arrived quickly.

He could feel everyone watching him, but he did not let their stares get into him.

’Okay. Past-life knowledge, Appraisal, weird magic healing Skill. Totally normal day!’

[Seventeen minutes remain.]

’I KNOW!’

He used Appraisal again.

The Perfected Glimpse layered information over the wound with ridiculous clarity, showing him damaged tissue, contaminated areas, the position of the fragment, and even where several vessels passed dangerously close to where they needed to work.

Zishan pointed. "There. Don’t cut deeper than that. There’s a vessel underneath."

Maela followed his instruction, opening the damaged tissue carefully until the dark fragment finally became visible.

The other healer inhaled sharply. "It was inside him the entire time..."

"No shit," Zishan muttered.

Maela gave him a look.

"Sorry. Medical professionalism."

Using the forceps, she removed the fragment. The moment it left the wound, the tiny object cracked. Dark violet Mana spilled from it.

Zishan’s eyes widened. "MOVE!"

Maela immediately threw it into an empty metal basin.

The fragment shattered with a sharp snap. Violet light flashed inside the container before fading.

"..."

Nobody spoke for several seconds.

Zishan stared at it.

’That was inside him?!’

[Correct.]

’AND THEY CLOSED THE WOUND WITH THAT STILL INSIDE?!’

[Correct.]

He wanted to scream at someone, but the patient suddenly convulsed again. The monitor crystal beside the cot flickered weakly.

"He’s crashing," Maela said.

Zishan turned back immediately. Removing the cause had not undone the damage already done. The man’s tissue was still dying. His circulation was also unstable.

And Appraisal showed the contamination had already spread beyond the wound.

Zishan lifted his hands as green Mana flowed through his fingers. "Verdant Weave!"

However, after that, nothing happened.

His face fell.

’WHAT?!’

[The Dumb Host possesses understanding. Mana and Physical control remain insufficient.]

’NOT THIS SHIT AGAIN!’

The Perfected Glimpse immediately showed him what he had done wrong.

’Too much Mana. Wrong angle. Poor distribution.’ His thoughts were running faster than he realized.

Then, he tried again.

This time, faint green threads appeared between his fingers. They lasted less than a second before snapping.

Zishan’s face twisted. "OH COME ON!"

Maela stared at his hands. "What Skill is that?"

"I’LL EXPLAIN AFTER HE STOPS DYING!"

He tried a third time.

The threads formed again. One broke, the second followed, then a third. However, there were still others that remained. Zishan guided those toward the damaged tissue while the Perfected Glimpse practically screamed corrections into his mind.

’Less Mana. Slower. Do not force the tissue. Support it. Let the body respond.’

The difference finally clicked.

The green threads sank into the wound. Zishan felt them connect. Although it wasn’t perfect, but it was enough!

The patient’s trembling slowly weakened.

Maela immediately placed both hands over the wound and poured Healing Magic through the area Zishan had stabilized.

For several seconds, nobody moved.

"..."

Then, the patient’s breathing began to even out.

The gray color in his face slowly faded.

Zishan stared at him.

Appraisal updated.

[Condition: Critical → Severe]

[Systemic Contamination: Declining]

[Circulatory Stability: Improving]

[Immediate Mortality Risk: Reduced]

Zishan nearly collapsed from relief. "He’s alive."

Maela looked toward him.

For once, there was no amusement in her expression. There was only surprise. "What exactly are you?"

Zishan remained staring at the patient before slowly raising one shoulder and dismissively said, "Medical support?"

Maela’s stare hardened.

"...Right. Bad time for that joke."

[DING!]

The green panel appeared.

[EMERGENCY QUEST COMPLETE]

[Save the Dying Soldier!]

[True cause successfully identified.]

[Foreign contaminant removed.]

[Patient stabilized.]

[Permanent organ damage prevented.]

[Settlement processing...]

Zishan’s exhaustion vanished beneath immediate excitement as he balled his fists and thrust them in the air. ’COME ON! COME ON! MAKE IT PERMANENT! MAKE THESE REWARDS PERMANENT FOR ME, BABY!’

[SETTLEMENT CONFIRMED]

[+15 INT — PERMANENT]

[+10 PER — PERMANENT]

[+10 VIT — PERMANENT]

[Verdant Weave — PERMANENT]

[Life Mana Affinity — PERMANENT]

[Eternal Wellspring Bloodline — PERMANENT]

Another panel appeared.

[Verdant Weave]

[Tier: Form]

[Perfected Glimpse: Removed]

[True Mastery: Beginner]

[Residual Insight: Retained]

Then came another.

[ETERNAL WELLSPRING]

[Classification: Bloodline Fragment]

[Grade: Unreadable]

[Awakened Springs: 1 / 9]

[Current Spring: First Spring — Vital Source]

[Maximum Mana: +30]

[VIT: +10]

[Primary Trait: Enhanced Vital Recovery]

[Secondary Trait: Life Mana Generation]

[Passive Effect: Mana Recovery +25%]

[Second Spring: Sealed]

[Additional Traits: Locked]

Zishan stared.

His mouth slowly opened. ’I HAVE TWO BLOODLINES NOW?! DAMN! TOO OP!’

[Incorrect.]

His excitement stopped.

’What is it again?’

[The Dumb Host possesses one Bloodline and one Bloodline Fragment.]

’THAT STILL COUNTS ENOUGH FOR ME!’

[It does not.]

’JUST LET ME BE HAPPY FOR ONCE!!!’

Maela was still watching him.

Unfortunately, so was everyone else.

Zishan slowly lowered his hands and realized that several healers had stopped what they were doing just to stare at him.

The cavalryman from earlier was watching from another cot. The assistants were staring. Even the healer who had doubted him looked as though she had forgotten how to speak.

Zishan swallowed. "...What?"

Maela looked down at the patient he had just helped save before returning her attention to him. "You told me you had medical training."

"I did tell you that. In fact, you already asked this earlier, if I’m not mistaken," Zishan replied.

"You neglected to mention that you could use Life Mana."

Zishan looked at his hands, then at the fading green threads still disappearing from his fingertips. His eyes then went back to Maela. "...In my defense, I couldn’t do that twenty minutes ago."

"..."

Silence filled the medical station.

Zishan immediately realized that might have been the wrong answer.

’Shit.’

[The Dumb Host has successfully created another problem.]

’You don’t need to spell it out for me!’

✦ ═〔 PRECEDENCE 〕═ ✦

[STATUS] (Updated)

Name: Zishan Walker

Race: Human

Level: 1

Ascent: Unascended

Experience: 0 / 100

<anno data-annotation-id="e4cccd34-7b82-db1b-1967-1fdb9d6d6073" data-title="Mana: 25 / 90">Mana: 25 / 90¹</anno>

[BASIC STATS]

STR: 11

<anno data-annotation-id="dbba0bca-3962-f5a4-bb60-572c953f03d3" data-title="VIT: 41">VIT: 41¹</anno>

AGI: 22

<anno data-annotation-id="6f83aadb-6ec5-285b-9537-c0f0b293529b" data-title="PER: 28">PER: 28¹</anno>

<anno data-annotation-id="12a724dd-1e62-3333-bcba-d1fbbacafaa1" data-title="INT: 27">INT: 27¹</anno>

WIL: 10

[MAGIC]

Mana Affinity(ies): Life

Magic Profession(s): None

[BLOODLINES]

Main Bloodline: Unidentified

Grade: Unreadable

State: Dormant (Partially Active)

Other Bloodline(s):

(1) Ashen Banner Bloodline

Grade: Vestige

State: Active

Status: Permanent

Description: A Bloodline born from the accumulated Mana, will, fear, rage...

(2) Eternal Wellspring Bloodline (Fragment)

Grade: Unreadable

Description: An ancient Bloodline tied to a forgotten source known only as the Eternal Wellspring. Legends claim its First Spring appeared long before Healing Magic was formally understood. Each awakened Spring brings its bearer closer to the original source, though what waits at the Ninth Spring has been lost to history.

Awakened Springs: 1 / 9

Current Spring: First Spring — Vital Source

Maximum Mana: +30

VIT: +10

Primary Trait: Enhanced Vital Recovery

Secondary Trait: Life Affinity

Passive Effect: Mana Recovery +25%

Second Spring: Sealed

Additional Traits: Locked

[PHYSIQUE]

Main Physique: Unknown

Grade: Unreadable

Measurement: Failed

Other Physique(s): None.

[SKILLS]

Trace-Tier Skill(s):

(1) Rift Steps

Mastery: Beginner

Status: Permanent

Form-Tier Skill(s):

(1) Appraisal

Mastery: Beginner

Status: Permanent

(2) Verdant Weave

Mastery: Beginner

Status: Permanent

<annotations style="display: none;">Mana: +30+10 from reward; +10 from bloodline fragment’s boost+10+15</annotations>