The Strongest Spellblade

“Have you procured the necessary supplies, Healer Melon?” my mother asked the middle-aged man who was completely bald. His head glinted in the light of the courtyard he was standing in with a lot of crates. His head looked like a shiny egg.

“I have, Supreme Warlady. But you expect me to be using my skills constantly?” he asked.

“Yes. The training will be relentless. I need to see to some final preparations. Son, you get into your armor. We will depart into the dungeon this afternoon,” my mother declared. I barely started to nod and give an affirmative, before she turned away and left. My armor was still the same damaged piece of armor I had when I first went into the dungeon. It had been repaired and cleaned up, but it was still heavily worn down.

“So, you are the healer she recruited? Justin Burnstock,” I asked and greeted the Healer.

“Yes, Healer Melon of the Five Star Institute of Healing. I have read up on your medical history. May I have permission to inspect your health?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said. If my mother left me with him, then she trusted the man. He placed his hand on my head.

“Health Analyze. Well you are in excellent condition, even a bit too good some might say. As for your soul, I am no expert like Healer Castelle, so please don’t damage it.”

“What are you good at?” I asked.

“Support for stamina and healing points. I have a bit of wild streak. So, when your mother offered power leveling in exchange for 10 years of service, I took the offer,” he said.

“If I may ask, how much did she power level you?”

“From level 20 to level 60 in just three months. Now I am trying to have all my skills catch up with my level. That will take a long time. I know it won’t be easy work, but she promised me I would be safe. And I am not about to doubt the Supreme Warlady at her word,” the Healer explained.

“How much would something like that normally cost?” I asked.

“Lots of platinum. Unless you are a noble, it is hard to afford power leveling past level 40. Since you need at least a legend to help you. And the results can vary, depending on the amount of risk. I come from a more humble background so I leapt at the opportunity. Not that good at fighting unfortunately, so level 60 is probably as far as I will ever go,” he explained.

“What kind of supplies have you been stocking up on?” I asked.

“Potions. Lots and lots of potions. Also, other medical equipment. Going to have to run a lot of Alchemical toxicity screenings as well,” he replied.

“What, really?” I asked.

“Hmm, yes. Your mother wants to ensure you get the best care and has consulted me quite a bit on anything medical related. Potions are a concern with your past levels of Alchemical toxicity,” he explained. His shiny head was distracting me. “Ah, yes, I am bald.”

“Can’t it be healed?” I asked. Baldness wasn’t that common.

“A condition from stress. Standard healing uses the soul as a blueprint to fix the physical body. That is why treatment early on is needed, but treating long term issues or issues people were born with are much trickier. It is easier to attach a limb that has been cut off seconds ago, than to fix a small scar from a month ago. My baldness, well it occurred over a long period of time, and I wasn’t about to waste my Mana healing myself when I could learn more by helping others. Plus, it makes me unique, you won’t forget me now,” he said. I definitely wouldn’t.

“Any low tier skills to learn healing?” I asked.

“Mana Sense is a good starting point. I know I am here to ensure you don’t die while getting resistances. Your mother believes that is something important to work on,” he said.

“That is going to be hard?” I asked.

“Very. I doubt we will make much progress, just getting resistant skills is incredibly difficult. Also don’t count on them. They can be overwhelmed and the more powerful monsters have crazier esoteric attacks,” Healer Melon said.

“I have heard the warnings. I am surprised my mother wants me to work on such a defensive skill selection,” I replied.

“It will help your survivability a lot. Even a couple levels in a Resistance Skill can make a big difference,” he said.

“I do have Healing Resistance, you know, right?” I asked.

“I have seen that in your medical record. It is concerning, but I am skilled enough to work around such an issue. Also healing can be used for very deadly attacks. Since the body and soul don’t resist such skills normally, they tend to bypass most defenses,” he explained.

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“How would you heal someone to hurt them?” I asked confused.

“Cancerous growths. By focusing too much healing magic in a specific area, the body can create a tumor, which can kill a target. It isn’t quick or simple, but it is one way that Healers such as myself can fight in the dungeon while improving our skills,” he explained.

“Then there are undead type monsters like skeletons, which are highly vulnerable to such magic, instantly killing them, at least on the upper layers of the dungeon.”

“Well, my life will be in your hands, Healer Melon,” I said with a head bow.

“Ah, no need to worry, too much. Your mother will be there as well carefully supervising things,” he said. That was what concerned me. I now knew her well enough, that she wouldn’t step in, unless I was literally about to die. Otherwise, she would let me fight and struggle on my own.

“So did you grow up around here?” I asked, since there was nothing else to do until my mother returned, I decided to get to know the man I would be spending a lot of time with.

“Actually yes. Monolith used to be my old stomping grounds, believe it or not. I did quite well in my Preparatory School, and got a scholarship to attend the Five Star Institute of Healing.”

“Preparatory School, what is that?” I asked. Healer Melon gave me a look and then smiled.

“You probably have had a specialized Tutor, Damian, I believe his name was?” he asked me and I nodded at this. “Most people send their kids to a Preparatory School if they can afford it. One teacher, and around 10 to 20 students. You can have multiple classes for each year. Normally they last 6 years from age 6 to age 12,” he explained.

“Starting before the status is available?” I asked with a bit of surprise.

“Your tutors taught you beforehand. It allows students to get a large boost in levels when it unlocks at the age of 8. Also, with large groups it is easier to see who progresses better or worse in the same setting. A teaching methodology pioneered by the College of Advancement,” he explained.

“And you beat out everyone else?” I asked.

“In my year. It wasn’t easy, but I worked long nights and a family member was able to power level me up to level 20 early on. That gave me enough of advantage to get into the Five Star Institute of Healing with a scholarship. Unfortunately, there I was only mediocre at best. Which meant I had to be more aggressive with healing contracts I accepted,” he explained.

“Healing contracts?” I asked. I was learning quite a bit. Healer Castelle never talked about any of this.

“Well, it is too much to expect everyone to go to the Five Star Institute of Healing. Only the most serious cases tend to go there directly. But Healers need work. The top students get assigned a city and work out of the Adventurer’s Guild. The Five Star Institute of Healing has a deal with them. We can set up shop at their guild, and they only recommend our healing services. Stops the competition. But there are a lot more Healers than there are positions. Not much attrition in the job. So, there are contracts, teams or Tutors hire Healers like myself. Well, I took contracts that went into the depths, the highest paying but the riskiest,” he explained.

“Why a contract? Can’t you just go down with a team?” I asked.

“Healers normally don’t fight, that is why a contract is needed as to how loot is distributed and other situations. Helps prevents misunderstandings. If a team comes back without their Healer, they are blacklisted and have to pay a huge fine.”

“And people want Healers?” I asked.

“There is a shortage of Healers willing to go into the dungeon. Another reason why the Adventurer’s Guild manages things, so contracts don’t become out of balance. But I can handle myself to a certain extent down in the dungeon,” he explained.

“And you made enough money and increased your skills?” I asked.

“I also went bald from the stress. But yes, I increased my skills enough that I was able to return to the Five Star Institute of Healing as an assistant lecturer about dungeon delving. A shame that healing rarely gives experience unless used in combat. When your mother showed up offering power leveling up to level 60 in return for 10 years of service, I immediately grabbed onto the opportunity,” he explained.

“You couldn’t pay for power leveling with the money you had?” I asked.

“I have been saving up, but Healing is not a cheap profession. Mana potions are the most common expense. Since people never ask for healing for minor injuries, due to healing points. It is only the big injuries. Like a limb loss. And you can’t slow heal an injury like that, otherwise you risk permanency,” he explained.

Healing was a lot more complicated than I had initially thought. “But wouldn’t your customers have to pay for Mana potions?” I asked.

“If they can afford it, yes. But the people in the most desperate need of emergency healing tend to be the poorest.” That didn’t answer my question, but it also did. It meant he healed people without expecting anything in return, or he didn’t crush them financially.

“If you have a stable position in a big city you can make decent money. Adventuring gives more levels, but the costs are much harder to manage. Adventuring is a risky profession and losing a limb or even a finger can mean the end of a career.”

“Well, my mother picked you. So, take comfort in knowing you meet whatever expectations she has,” I replied.

“It is an honor of a lifetime to serve the Supreme Warlady,” he replied earnestly. “With the additional free stat points I got from my levels, I will be able to do so much more. My Mana is a lot higher now and things come much easier. A shame that power leveling beyond level 60 is very difficult. To become a legendary healer is near impossible,” he said with a sigh.

“Can’t you learn combat skills?” I asked.

“Yes. A Battle Healer is what the profession is called. They do quite well, but they are ultimately a different profession than a full Healer. They focus more on quick basic skills, while I have a much greater depth and breadth in terms of abilities. Keeping stamina up during a fight can make a huge difference, especially when the monster groups get a lot larger on the 6th layer,” he explained.

“They do?” I asked. Another thing I had missed in my studies. Probably something passed on by word of mouth or experience.

“Hmm, yes. Every 5 layers tends to add a small twist. On the 11th layer there are mixed group of monsters that start appearing. On the 16th layer there are more varied tactics and even the occasional healing or support monster,” he explained.

“Good, you two have gotten acquainted,” my mother said as she returned. She began putting all the crates of supplies into her spatial storage.