Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 479 Healing Injuries and the Core of the Secret Realm

"Proficiency +2"

“【重潮】lv2（3/100）→【重潮】lv2（5/100）”

"..."

"Proficiency +3"

“【引力掌控】lv1（40/100）→【引力掌控】lv1（43/100）”

"..."

"Proficiency +9"

“【余烬残响】lv1（92/100）→【余烬残响】lv2（1/100）”

"..."

The crimson flames, carrying a strange sense of desolation, gradually died out in the ashes that vanished with the wind, and the molten light also quietly faded away as the sparks in the air ceased to fly.

Gripping tightly the [Emberfall] straight sword, which had regained its night-like black luster, Xia Nan stood in place, gazing at the headless demon's corpse lying on the ground before him, now completely dead.

In the void of vision, there are numerous semi-transparent characters flashing by like a screen full of text from the attribute panel.

Xia Nan was slightly surprised by this, but he wasn't actually overjoyed.

It was expected.

Having been in this world for so long, he has already figured out some fairly clear conclusions about the patterns of acquiring "combat skill proficiency".

Improving combat skills in actual combat is far more efficient than in daily training.

Especially in situations like the one just now, where the enemy was powerful and the danger was extremely high, the high pressure of facing death during battle would very effectively improve one's proficiency in using combat skills.

This is especially true for skills like [Gravity Control] and [Echoes], where mastery is difficult to achieve in daily training.

Often, a flash of inspiration during a battle can yield a level of proficiency equivalent to dozens of days of hard work.

In contrast, combat skills like [Rejuvenation], which can be improved quickly through daily training, seem to show less progress.

But he was already quite satisfied with gaining two points of proficiency at once.

Among the information streams flashing before his eyes, what caught Xia Nan's attention the most was the [Echoes of Echoes], which had gained an astonishing 9 points in one go, instantly raising his level to lv2.

To be honest, I've had this combat skill for a while now, and when I first started, I hadn't even forged [Emberfall] yet.

It has only been upgraded to level 2 now. The speed is definitely much faster than [Gravity Control], but it is much slower than [Fang Hunt] and [Gravity Etching].

As for why...

On the one hand, and most importantly, is its own cooldown period of up to a month.

Since he first learned combat skills, from last year until now, Xia Nan has only used them three times in total.

To improve his proficiency, he could only sit on the hotel bed and meditate like a mage, controlling the circulation of residual fire energy within his body. This was his daily practice method.

While there are indeed gains, the efficiency is very low, and it often requires a lot of valuable training time.

Of course, he also wanted to increase his promotion speed a little, but as the trump card among trump cards, he might need to rely on it to turn the tide of battle at any time. The 30-day cooldown time made Xia Nan dare not waste it on ordinary days, for fear that he would not be able to use it when he needed it urgently. Therefore, he could only let the [Ember Echo], whose cooldown was already over, lie there quietly.

This also means that he has not yet accumulated enough experience in the patterns of mastering this combat skill.

I remember when I first used it, I got 4 proficiency points. I thought that would be the amount each time I used it, but this time I got almost 10 points. I guess I didn't understand it well enough. Maybe the intensity of the battle and the pressure I actually experienced would also affect the proficiency I gained.

On the other hand, the reason why [Echoes of Ember] improves so slowly is also due to the quality level of this combat skill itself.

Xia Nan estimated that it was probably the second best combat skill he currently possessed, after [Gravity Control].

Therefore, it's understandable that it's only faster than the other party in gaining proficiency.

To be honest, the reason I was able to acquire this combat skill was due to my encounter in the Ash Valley Ruins.

Although we are currently in the same secret realm, judging from the style of the scattered dilapidated buildings around us, it is not the same type as Ashenvale from back then, but it must have its own special features.

Thinking of this, Xia Nan couldn't help but turn around, his gaze passing over the wrecked fish-man corpses on the ground, looking at the towering altar built of sea rock and fish bones, and landing on the half of the operating room that was integrated into it.

The small, portable suitcase, suspected to be the core of the secret realm, still lay quietly on the leather sofa used for resting.

"Hmm..."

The painful groans of his teammates, heard from beside him, brought Xia Nan back to reality.

Knowing that this was not the time to think about these things, he sheathed his straight sword and hurried toward his seriously injured teammates.

……

The mutated shark that launched a surprise attack on the group from the pool was undoubtedly stronger than they could normally handle.

Even though Xia Nan finally managed to kill the severely injured and mutilated enemy with his "second phase" trump card, the Blade of Vengeance team was almost wiped out.

The injuries sustained by the barbarian Arken and the spotted cat Sasha need no further mention; both were so severe that they couldn't even get up for a short period of time.

Lorraine collided violently with Xia Nan, who was being struck head-on by the shark beast, in mid-air, sustaining vital injuries.

Perhaps his injuries were slightly less severe than the previous two, so he didn't lose consciousness and faint on the spot. He was even able to get up and fight back with his own tenacious will, but he was already exhausted.

In addition, the special combat technique she used at the end, which compressed the high-temperature field to the surface of her body, greatly depleted her physical strength and had very strong side effects.

Seeing the shark beast's head chopped off by Xia Nan, Xia Nan's last breath went out, and he collapsed to the ground, unable to even move a finger.

Although Hein did not come into close contact with the shark beast, she was hit head-on by the water jet spewed from its mouth in Albatross form. As a ranged spellcaster in the team, her already fragile body was injured, and she fell from the sky flapping her wings. When she transformed back into human form, she had broken her leg.

Alton, the halfling, was in slightly better condition. Xia Nan had just seen him being knocked away by the aftershocks of the shark beast's attack, landing far away in the ruins of the alien building nearby, suffering only minor injuries.

Of the players currently on the field, the one with the most serious injuries is actually Ryan, who arrived at the last minute to provide reinforcements.

This usually somewhat dull and pragmatic human warrior, upon arriving at the scene and seeing his teammates, with whom he had spent every day, in such a desperate situation, almost desperately tried his best to create a glimmer of hope for them.

Unfortunately, its level 3 professional strength was indeed limited. Xia Nan and Luo Lin, who were knocked away, were then hit directly in the chest by the Shark Beast's punch.

Even with his iron-inlaid wooden shield providing some protection, the immense force from the demon's body instantly twisted his left arm holding the shield, breaking countless ribs. He was now lying far away on the ground, breathing weakly.

The only saving grace was that none of the six people, plus Renn who came later, suffered any real casualties. Even with severe injuries, they all survived.

It was worth it for Xia Nan to manipulate gravity and distract the shark beast during the battle.

It's strange, really. Although I prefer a lone wolf fighting style, I never hold back when working with a team, and I'm willing to make reasonable sacrifices and concessions for my teammates as long as it doesn't seriously endanger my own life.

Among adventurers in this world, he could even be considered a very good teammate.

But many of the adventurers he had worked with in the past... didn't seem to have a very pleasant ending.

Xia Nan didn't think it was his problem, and the current situation of the Oath of Vengeance team proved it.

Thoughts raced through my mind, but my feet never stopped moving.

Almost immediately after confirming that the shark beast was dead, Xia Nan rushed to the spot where the most seriously injured Renn was lying.

They were all teammates who fought side by side and went through life and death together.

While the members of the Blade of Vengeance team acknowledged Xia Nan, Xia Nan himself also regarded his teammates as trustworthy individuals.

There's no need to worry too much right now.

With a stretch of his hands, a vibrant green orb brimming with life force condensed in his palms.

— "Secondary Healing" is a healing spell that comes with [Tears of Spring Breath] and can be used three times a day.

Although it is only a first-level spell, its healing effect is limited and does not have the powerful effect of "Spring Pulse Cleansing".

However, the latter can only be used by the wearer for their own purposes, while the former can be used by others.

"Om..."

Xia Nan lightly brushed his palm across the wounded area of ​​Renn. With a buzzing sound of energy turbulence, the cuts on the skin that were bleeding rapidly healed, and Renn's increasingly weak breathing became strong again.

Even though the broken bones showed no signs of healing, they were at least kept alive.

Seeing that Raine's aura had stabilized, Xia Nan then dispelled the emerald light in his hand.

He pulled a bottle of healing potion from the other person's pouch, a potion that almost every adventurer carries, and helped pour it into Renn's mouth.

Then he got up and rushed to check on the injuries of the others.

……

After the battle, the only two remaining able-bodied individuals on the field were Xia Nan and the halfling Alton.

The two worked together and quickly administered the healing medicine to their injured teammates, then moved them together to make it easier to check their injuries at any time.

Supporting Hein, who had a broken leg, was pale and limped, they brought her to the center of the field and raised their arms to help her sit down, swaying slightly.

Xia Nan looked to her side.

There, Alton was also dragging the barbarian Arken back on a makeshift stretcher he had hastily made from the trees and vines of the nearby canyon.

Although he's a bit short, he's still an adventurer who has achieved a professional level, so his physical abilities are definitely much stronger than those of ordinary people.

He doesn't seem to be struggling much while dragging this burly man who is over two meters tall.

After settling Arken next to Renn, Alton breathed a slight sigh of relief, then looked at Xia Nan and said proactively:

“I’m going back to the dock to get some help. You stay here and keep watch for a while. At least one of us needs to stay here, otherwise… hehe, we might finally manage to take down the shark beast, only to be defeated by a few fishmen who smelled the blood and came looking for us.”

Although halflings may seem a bit unpredictable on a daily basis, they are quite reliable in battle and are a trustworthy and good teammate.

Hearing this, Xia Nan nodded in reply:
"Leave this to me, just be careful on your way."

Without a doubt, being able to activate [Echoes of Ember] means that Xia Nan was also seriously injured in the battle.

However, in the ensuing battle, despite facing a shark beast that was also severely injured and with a broken body, he did not suffer any further obvious injuries. His health, which was almost on the verge of death, was quickly restored thanks to the rapid recovery of his health in the Ember state.

He may not be at his peak right now, but he can still unleash about 70-80% of his combat power, making it easy for him to deal with a few murlocs.

So, as Alton had agreed, he stayed behind to protect the seriously injured men, while Alton went back to inform the crew at the dock.

On the field, Lorraine was still catching her breath.

The side effects of using the high-pressure [Scorching Temperature Domain] left her exposed skin covered in scorch marks, her eyes tightly closed, and her brows furrowed as if she were enduring pain.

In contrast, although Hein, whose lower leg was broken, had a pale face, making her already cold white skin even paler like a corpse, she was very conscious.

Sitting on a soft cushion that Xia Nan had dragged from the ruins while moving several people, a pair of dark brown, crystalline eyes gazed at the black-haired youth in front of him with a complex and subtle look.

Many days ago, she probably never imagined that a stranger adventurer she had only met once through an equipment trade would become the key figure who saved her entire team.

If Xia Nan hadn't been there today, facing that terrifyingly powerful and enormous shark beast, their Blade of Vengeance team would have had no chance of survival, and it would only be a matter of time before their name was removed from the association's roster.

But now, even the most seriously injured Renn is lying calmly with his eyes closed on the open ground six meters away; no one has died.

And that shark beast...

Hein's gaze involuntarily turned to the side, where, just like the decorations on a plate used to show the origin of the ingredients, stood a huge shark head quietly on the ground.

Unconsciously, the image of the molten fire and the mournful crimson flames that I had just glimpsed flashed through my mind, along with the illusory black wolf with its mane crackling with crimson sparks.

Is it really just to attend the "Moonlight Feast" two months later that such a powerful adventurer with a mysterious background comes to Harbor Bay and joins their team?

Hein was unsure, but she didn't dwell on it any further.

If they really wanted to harm them, now would obviously be the most opportune time, yet the other side hasn't made any outrageous moves.

This dark-haired youth has already proven his trustworthiness through his actions during this mission.

Hein quietly removed the word "temporary" from the other person's "temporary member" status in her mind, and truly regarded him as a trustworthy teammate to whom she could completely entrust her back.

Meanwhile, Xia Nan was naturally unaware of what the young druid behind him was thinking.

At this moment, he was thinking about the briefcase on the altar not far ahead, which served as the core of the secret realm, and what might be stored inside.

(End of this chapter)