Chapter 23 Battlefield Part 4 A Helping Palm

It was a few hours later when the situation became viable to make moves. Some griped the traitors should all be killed or forced to charge forward into the enemy.

The few enemy soldiers captured were well behaved for now. Which caused William to wonder if anyone was coming to save them or if they were marked like the armor and gear he had before.

It would be a simple logical decision to have someone tucked away with a tracker by the higher-ups.

"It is up to us what we do Coordinator Bailey." William leaned against the support in the tent looking like a wreck. "The mine entrance has collapsed and the ones there are hopefully burnt up."

"We should meet up with another group to increase mission success. Our injured are to many in number." Her second advised quickly. "With a part of the mine sealed, the enemy can not raid it as easy. Once we group up with another squad we can make sure."

Health Coordinator Bailey looked amongst those she had and regretted the loss of life of the actual loyalist members. But not much she could have done considering the number of draftees available that were competent.

"We will move on to carry out the assignment." Coordinator Bailey said gravely. She looked over to her second giving another order. "Take the remainder of the squad and push back to group up. I and draftee William will check the mine and the surrounding area."

"But!" The Second didn't like this at all. As well as the other Health Coordinators that survived. 'What is she thinking with this!?'

"This is an order!" Coordinator Bailey's stern gaze locked on him hard. "If everything is falling apart, at least you all can make it out! We can slow them down at least for you! Now go!"

The squad shot off as ordered. The draftees were grateful they would not die just yet. Moving with the speed of the desperate and more energized than what they showed before.

It was not lost on the military group mixed in that they saved some energy. Maybe all the traitors hadn't been killed.

"Well... why me?" William looked at her like she was nuts. He wondered if it was because the Glyphs in the armor and swords were destroyed or because she suspected he was going to leave somehow. "Couldn't we have just gone to?"

"To many variables, I don't want to talk about it right now." Coordinator Bailey looked at the bodies all over and the weapons on the ground still left. A few good pieces were mixed in the lot. The ones not taken by the officials anyway. "Best to fix your armor up and drink this."

The armor belonged to a student of the Akademy. One from the Military Department that fought his hardest to hold the line during the ambush.

The young man had promising potential and even Coordinator Bailey wanted to help future development for him. The armor looked a little odd, however.

"May it serve you better than the last wearer."

Knowledge System: Magic Poisoning detected.

"Why are you giving me tainted resources?" William had a sword in hand that he just picked after holding the armor. His eyes trained on the bottle she was drinking as well to use the Scanner. Seeing her spit it out he was suprised just a little. 'Could be a trick.'

"I received this from Military Coordinator Justin earlier!" The look of fury was real in her eyes. The level of her Mana vastly outnumbered those they fought against before still. "That bitch born bastard tried to kill me to!"

Poltical intrgue or personal matters? William couldn't tell just yet. As for the three that watched from a distance, they decided to hold off on confronting William. Coordinator Bailey could do serious harm to them.

Would not be worth it just in case some other stragglers came around.

"Alright settle down before it is to late." William advised. "As a Health Coordinator, you should be able to neutralize it right?"

"Not in that field of Health." Coordinator Bailey shook in subdued rage still. "I do Internal Mental Issues and Bone problems. But I can make a small... antidote. Just will lower resources further."

"No need, I have something better but it is all up to what you are comfortable with?" The weight of the choice he needed to make was short. 'I have grown in strength and have some stuff to use. Not to mention the bodies here for use would be wasted if I didn't. But... I will not survive this with out her.'

"What about us!?" A few of the tied up soldiers were thinking the worse if Coordinator Bailey was this powerful and didn't act yet. "Are you capable of taking care of prisoners and yourselves at the same time!?"

*Schlick!* William cut the man's throat on the spot. His own Blood Mana wrapped around to help guide the splurts into a bowl. The others tied up were taken back at how easy it was done.

"Dead weight is a bad idea." William continued ignoring the pleas of all the men he cut up. Even moving to the Traitors and doing the same. "Betray once, you will betray again. It is that simple."

"Why only the men?" Coordinator Bailey moved to a female that looked quite powerful and couldn't imagine William spared them for something so simple as personal usage. "Lower numbers now, but still.."

"You cut and bleed them out of course. Stopp the blood from shooting out with your own Mana." William said over his shoulder as he worked. Hands removed the garments of clothing from the men while a few Mental Swords hacked away at body parts. "What I am making should work better if my particular Blood Mana does not seep into theirs."

He still needed to try further methods with the application of Mana Sources from different people. This was a good chance considering how powerful Coordinator Bailey's Mana felt.

Grinding the bones of the enemy and traitors then stirring the flesh as well, Bailey was two-part disgusted and one part intrigued about the results it would give. Considering the time they had, she passed over two high-level elixirs at the Reformation Realm that would put them in tip-top shape before moving out.

"Try these mushrooms and leaves. The leaves can help with antitoxins and the mushrooms are great for seasoning to keep the tastebuds from detonating with the mix of the Fire Rock.

"Thanks." The elixirs definitely helped close the gap in quantity for the process. 'This should help with recovery overall. Defintely her private stash by the looks of it.' The decorative bottles didn't look familiar at all though.

Knowledge System: 57% Purity of Ashbone Elixer Realization Rank V. Safe for consumption in current condition. 73% Abundant Flesh Elixer Realization Rank VII. Possible blockage in Blood due to the material used. Advise Body Cleanse immediately after use.

Sharing the results with Bailey he was happy she nodded that was more than ok.

"Bottoms up then." William tossed both Elixers inside downing them in one go. With the mushroom and explosive rock added like before they were even worse than last time. Bailey did not have that issue at all. "Painful!"

*Tshhh!* Like air hisisng from a tire, William's pores were forced open in searing pain. The flesh burned but regrew seconds later. Small bone fragments pushed out and cacked over the healed skin. With a cough, a mass of black bile shot out.

"Huuk!" Williams felt the need to dry heave but held it in. "Ugghh!" A wave of pain traveled along his back and skull. 'That felt like a force spinal adjustment!' If not for the wave of energy erupting from within, he would check on it.

Breaking into the Pillar Realm Rank X in the body was the most he could hope for and then some. Doing so for his Mind further was a bit of a problem. Mind Pillar Realm Rank XII should have been a good thing.

The Mind Pillars were cracked as well as the Body Blood ones. Bulging and breaking apart, the harmonizing was odd but felt comforting while they rotated. Much larger then the general pillar a cultivator would make usually, William's power and quantity were more available for use.

"I want to hit you." Coordinator Bailey said out of the blue. She opened eyes looking him over in a new light. "This will mess up your progress by skipping levels up so quickly. Especially with these resources used. You need better stuff to help stabilize while progressing. How do your Mana Pillars look?"

"They are cracked." William saw no need to hide it from her.

"It is expensive to buy the medicine to fix that if you wait to long." Coordinator Bailey circled around the spot he broke through at. A hand ran over the black blob shot out as she destroyed it on the spot. 'The mass that was inside... it can not be what I thought it was. Surely the Akademy is not teaching that Manual anymore.'

Coordinator Bailey had some assumptions to look into after returning back. The woman had know doubt in her mind that she wouldn't. Especially with a few emergence Glyphs on her body now in use.

"There will always be a way with some work. I have some ideas." William said not really paying attention to the warning. 'Not like I can't try something myself with the help of my Computer.' A look to the treeline, gave an odd feeling. "Sniff, sniff, we should finish up soon. How did everything go for you?"

The scent that hit his nose was an odd sensation and would take a little more time to get use to. Not like he was some type of dog that could smell all sorts of things.

"Good stuff." Coordinator Bailey said. "Disgusting... but good stuff." She took out a pill and popped it in her mouth after making a decision about something internally. Breaking it apart while cycling her mana faster than any odor could leak out. "In two minutes my impurities will be gone. Do you have a method to cleanse your body fast enough?"

"Nope, just a technique I picked up from the Library to partially help. One that I am still trying to understand." In actuality he understood it but something about it seemed wrong. 'Using it will cause me to lose some levels.

"That will take to long. Sit in front of me." The words came out like an order which irked William just a little. Especially seeing her pat the area in front of him. "I will help you cleanse your body faster."

Knowledge System: External device detected. Would you like to connect?

Waiting for a few seconds, William was able to determine Coordinators Bailey's 3 Mana signatures as it moved through him. Only at the surface level and by the moving behind him she was having trouble.

'Let's see what happens.' William relaxed and click yes to allow the External Hardrive to connect. The surge of Coordinator Bailey's mana through his body was rampant but pleasant. Like an internal massage with just enough force at the spots with extra kinks. "Take it easy there!"

Coordinator Bailey was taken back as the change happened so effortlessly. She did not think in any way that William's defense was that strong and put it as a side effect of what happened to him previously.

'If he has such strong defenses, it is time I look at him more closely. Not to mention the destruction of the tracking Glyphs on him before.' Taking a small breath, her eyes caught movement in the woods. 'Foolish.'

*Woosh!* A palm made of Mental energy shot into the woods at fast pace. William thought they were about to be attacked but nothing happened a few minutes later and Coordinator Bailey didn't move from the spot.

'This woman is strong as hell!' The thought came from the attack she just did as well as the fact she prevented him from getting up without any effort. While still treating him internally. "Should we go and confirm the kill?"

"No." Her voice was stern while she only put more effort in checking William over. Seeing that his Body only showed the signs of intense Blood and Mana Beast traits, it was fine there. His Mind was was tough, she could barely graze the surface. 'If I push harder he will defintely know I am checking him over further than needed.'

The Firewall from the computer didn't trigger because of her gentle approach.

'His Soul.. however.. is so damaged...' Coordinator Bailey didn't have to try much for this part. AS William was still a student of the Academy and therefore subjected to Kingdom Inspections. But the regular student body didn't know this was something that could be done. Even the Noble Family members barely knew. 'If this is treated... will he regain his strength as a Seatholder I wonder?'

William just circled the 36 Strikes since he couldn't move and since his notifications brought up nothing as well, he couldn't miss the chance to grow higher quicker.