Healing System

Celeste didn't look convinced.

"You're literally steaming," she said flatly, eyeing the smoke rising from his hands.

Michael tilted his head. Oh yeah... Strange.

"Okay, so maybe a little burnt," he admitted. "Nothing a good night's sleep can't fix. Of course, you can stay over again if you want."

"Michael," she said seriously, ignoring his comment and stepping forward, "You could've died."

"I didn't, though," he grinned. "That's the important part."

She opened her mouth like she wanted to argue—but closed it with a sigh instead.

"Next time, just… call me or something," she muttered, her fingers brushing over his arm like she was checking for more injuries.

A faint smile appeared on his face. "You don't need to be so concerned about me. I had it all under control."

"Did you?" Lila's voice rang out as she finally landed down beside him, her hands stained with black blood.

"You're back. I take it the fight went well?" Michael asked, and Lila nodded.

"It was as easy as always. However, I'm a bit more interested in you," Lila said, narrowing her eyes and making him flinch.

"I already have too many women lusting after me, so I'll have to politely decline," Michael said, shaking his head.

However, Lila merely scoffed. "That's not it, genius. I just wanted to ask where you learned mana control like that. I know for a fact Heaven Academy doesn't teach that. Of course, that's the case unless someone makes it into battle and learns it themselves."

A smile tugged on her lips. "However, I checked your records beforehand and realized this was the first ever you had been assigned. Even all documents regarding your birth have been pretty straightforward. A person who's been alive for a week. I don't buy it."

"Neither does anyone else, but you don't hear me trying to convince them," Michael said with a shrug. "In all honesty, I don't care much about whether or not you investigate me. However, don't expect to get anything from me in return."

"Why not? You could join me here and learn much more than you could back in the Heaven Academy," Lila asked, puzzled. "I know that since I was given a similar choice as you back then. I stayed, and regretted it for the rest of my life. My friend who accepted the deal is now a Tier 15 angel. She's likely going to become an archangel candidate in a couple more years."

"That's sweet and all, but no, I will have to decline," Michael replied with a smile.

If he were to stay on this massive, cramped world, then he wouldn't get shit done.

The best outcome was staying at the academy and going around different worlds—helping, building a reputation—and then, when push comes to shove, cash in that reputation.

So far, Verdusk had a vague idea of his existence, and for the time being, everyone remembered him.

Therefore, he had to make himself known, so even after so many people lost their memories of him, the sheer trace of history he left would not be forgotten.

That was the least he could do, and it would set him at a much higher starting point than last time.

And of course, this time, he wasn't planning on dying to some imp.

"Lila, thank you for helping me out there, but I'm afraid I'll have to take my leave. There's stuff I need to attend to, and as it stands, I have to take a massive shit too."

Noticing his crude remark, Lila let out a chuckle. "There's a bathroom nearby—just make sure to not clog the toilet. It would go out of my pocket to fix."

"Will do," Michael nodded and turned to Celeste. "How are the others doing?"

"Hm... Celina is still dealing with her battalion, as she decided to train them. Rose was finished a while ago but is just now lazing around and ordering the soldiers... As for Maya? I think she's asleep," Celeste replied, scratching her head.

"Seriously... Why are they all so irresponsible?" Michael grumbled. "Let's go visit Maya first—it would probably be easier to convince her to come with us than the two commanding idiots."

"Sure," Celeste replied, as she grabbed his hand, and they began walking.

Along the way, he was met with a few people who he had saved, and they had nothing but thanks to say to him.

If anything, he was expecting a bit of compensation—as unreasonable as that was.

Nonetheless, he would likely be called up soon and get some sort of reward—or that was at least what the people had mentioned.

In reality, he didn't exactly want anything to do with the reward ceremony—he just wanted an excuse to not be bored.

Soon, he appeared at Maya's post, and just as Celeste had mentioned, she was asleep.

However, her sleeping posture was a bit odd, as she was hunched over in a chair, sleeping awfully erotically.

The soldiers likely switched to other stations after seeing Maya's incompetence—therefore, she was the only one left.

And for a moment, Michael had dirty thoughts.

But almost like he and Celeste were connected, she suddenly leaned in and leaned Maya back against the seat.

Then, with a massive grin, she twisted Maya's nipples, making her shoot up awake with a red face.

"W-What the hell do you think you're doing!?" She stared at Michael, who, for once, wasn't the culprit.

However, since he wanted to see how this situation would play out, he simply shrugged. "Whoops."

"Don't whoops me! What the hell..." Maya touched her breasts, wiping them slightly.

But her nipples were now fully perked up, almost like she was aroused.

Damn, Celeste really does have the golden hands. She can make both women and men aroused so easily, Michael thought.

"Sorry, Maya, I couldn't help it. You were too vulnerable," Michael continued, as he stretched out his hand. "Would you like to finish what we started?"

"Uh... Y—"

"Stop right there," Celeste cut in, her cheeks slightly flushed. "I was the one who did that, sorry."

"Huh? You were?" Maya said, her expression slowly turning to disgust. "That's a bit creepy..."

"Pfft... Don't look too much into it. She just wanted to prank you. I doubt she did it sexually," Michael said, turning to the flustered Celeste. "Is that right?"

"Of course! I'm not into girls!" Celeste shot back. "Michael is the only one I'm interested in!"

"I know. I think we all know," Maya replied with a nod. "You don't exactly try to hide it."

Maya was blunt as always—but she also seemed to be slightly sensitive to touching.

I wonder if tickling her would make her go crazy? Michael thought, seriously pondering it, before sighing. Nah, no way. We barely even know each other.

"Anyways..." Michael chimed in. "Let's move on to the others if you don't mind. I already dealt with the demon problem."

"You did? That was fast..." Maya exclaimed, slightly surprised. "But weren't there like thousands of demons?"

"Close to hundreds of thousands, but yeah, I dealt with them pretty fast," Michael said smugly.

Finally, Maya stood up with slight admiration, as the three began making their way over to Rose.

The moment they arrived, they were greeted with something... weird.

The guard, instead of fighting, were lying on the ground, picking up flowers, and some were even making food from those flowers.

"Chop chop, my diet is waiting!" Rose yelled from the top of the post.

Seriously... Michael sighed, as he leaped upward and startled Rose.

"What are you doing here!? Don't you see I'm about to eat some delicious alien food?"

"Yep... I can definitely see that," Michael replied, taking a look around.

This entire quarter was supposed to be armed with weapons—but now...?

There were tens of tables, all of which had food scattered among them.

Surprisingly—or rather, not surprisingly—Rose was a vegan.

Basically another person he would convert into a meat-eater later.

"Can I have some?" Michael asked, as he sat down.

However, Rose merely hissed. "No way! Then there won't be anything left for me!"

"I count 70 dishes... You're not eating 70 dishes alone," Michael said, flustered.

"I eat 200 when I'm bored. You will see," Rose stated confidently, and soon, the grass-salad arrived.

Now, with a total of 71 dishes, Rose began digging in, her face full of excitement.

And of course, despite his previous expectations, Rose completely devoured the food—taking around 5 seconds per dish.

"Holy shit... No wonder your tits are huge. All that food must have some sort of rerouting there," Celeste whistled, making Rose flinch and nearly choke on her food.

"What do you think you're talking about in front of a man, huh? Do you want me to be embarrassed?"

"Why not? It's Michael. He's not going to hurt anyone," Celeste said innocently—almost like she forgot what happened between them last night.

But it seemed like they needed a reminder.

"Celeste, you're not going to fool me," Rose said, as her cheeks turned slightly red. "Whose room do you think is next to Michael's? I heard everything!"

Both Michael and Celeste froze upon hearing that.

Haha... Whoops?

"Now let me finish my food in peace and stop talking about my tits!" Rose finished, as she began stuffing her face again, leaving the two stunned—and Maya flustered.

She definitely got the hint for what happened, and since she was previously so embarrassed, it was only natural her face turned red.

Despite that, Michael learned one lesson.

Don't interrupt a woman while she's eating.