Chapter 28: DEAL!

The lone camp stood at the base of a steep hill, hidden away from prying eyes by a dense canopy of trees. A small fire crackled in the center of the clearing, casting flickering shadows on the tattered tents that surrounded it. The air was thick with the scent of woodsmoke and damp earth, and the only sounds were the rustling of leaves and the occasional snap of a twig.

Despite the solitude, the camp was not without life. A group of travelers had made this place their temporary home, seeking refuge from the dangers that lurked beyond the safety of the hills. In the verdant expanse of the wilderness, a group of adventurers had set up camp. Peach, the leader of the group, was perched atop a sturdy branch of a nearby tree. From his vantage point, he scrutinized the surroundings, vigilant for any potential threats that might endanger the safety of the camp.

One of Peach's companions, Julie, was crouched beside a blue, slimy cocoon. Her hands emitted a soothing green radiance, which hovered over the cocoon's surface. She peered intently at the pitiful figure trapped inside the cocoon, and whispered, "If i use my power, this situation would be over in no time."

Rueen, another member of the group, overheard Julie's comment. Despite being a few meters away, he responded curtly, "Peach has forbidden it." He then resumed his duties, tending to the fire and preparing food for the group. And also.. He's wearing a new set of suits. And his shoe that have been stained with the muds and dirt was now newly polished once again.

As Peach noticed the moon reaching its peak in the sky, he let out a tired yawn and reminded the group to take a break and rest. "Hey guys!" he called out from his post, "The moon is at its highest point now and I think it's a good time for me to switch and get some rest. But before I go, I wanted to remind you all to take a break too, so you won't risk falling asleep during your night watch." The group, grateful for the reminder, quickly took heed of Peach's advice and hurried their jobs.

Julie had been focused on casting a minor healing spell for quite some time before finally stopping. The body lying before her had already undergone some improvement, with its limbs now back to their normal shape. However, some deep wounds still remained apparent, and the life support cocoon was doing its best to heal them. Despite this, Julie and those around her knew that the body was far from fully healed on the inside. The life support had simply put it back together enough so that it could be transferred to better medical facilities and equipment for further treatment.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Julie and Rueen took Peach's reminder to heart and quickly ate, making sure to leave some food for Peach. After finishing their meal, Rueen volunteered to take over the night watch while Julie retreated to the tent to get some sleep.

Peach, meanwhile, finished his meal and proceeded to perform a series of fluid, graceful moves in the open space around them. His movements were simultaneously strong and masculine, yet also feminine and sexual. Rueen who have already switched up with Peach couldn't help but watch. And after completing his dance, Peach raised his arm in the air and remained still for a few moments before eventually heading back to the same tent Julie went into. And after that nothing much happened and the night continue on quietly.

As the first light of dawn illuminated the room, the three of them stood frozen in shock. Peach held a cup of coffee that had gone cold, his eyes fixed on Lukeas with a mixture of surprise and confusion. Rueen, who had rushed out in a hurry, was still holding his suit, his face a mask of bewilderment. Julie, meanwhile, remained wrapped in blankets, her expression one of sleepy disbelief.

Lukeas, however, seemed unperturbed by their reactions. With a wide smile on his lips, he looked at them one by one before speaking.

"So...like I was saying," he began, "I was wondering if you could stay here. I need to continue my training, and since you're already here, maybe you could guard my body? Of course, I'll pay you with points—I have a lot of them, actually. So what do you say?"

Peach glanced at Rueen and Julie, who both seemed as taken aback as she was. After a moment of hesitation, she spoke up.

"I don't know, Lukeas," she said. "It's not that I don't want to help you, but we're not exactly trained bodyguards, you know?.. And besides... How can you even move exactly?? Did you seriously recovered after a single day?.."

"well that weird slime thing was pretty much a miracle work.. And you even healed me so thanks!" Lukeas replied and thanked Julie. But the three of them was even more confused.

"But the life support only supports your body enough to keep you alive! There has been no records of anyone recovering instantly in that!" Julie replied.

"... Uhmm...then i have no idea.." Lukeas lied and pretended to have no idea, but in reality, he had already come up with a plan. He had also made a shocking discovery that his body had drastically changed overnight. Whenever he healed, the healed part became much better, stronger, and more resistant to the kind of damages that injured it, almost like a workout on steroids.

With this newfound ability, he could accelerate his training, but he needed the cocoon. However, he realized that the use of life support had a cost, as his points had decreased by 500 due to the use of it after checking the tattoo on his wrist.

Despite his busy mind, the surroundings were painfully awkward and quiet, prompting Peach to ask, "So... who are you anyway?" .

"... Oh! Right!.. I'm Lukeas.. Nice to meet you!" Lukeas replied and offered his hand for a handshake..

And surprisingly Peach took it and shook his hand with his.

"Well.. I'm Peach.. We can negotiate the prices... I'll agree on your deal" he smiled but the other two looked at him with surprise and annoyance. As they didn't agree to it.