The Weakest Healer Became a God

An SS-Rank Threat

Adrian’s face was inches from the Alpha Wolf’s claws when a bolt of lightning suddenly rips through the forest.

BANG!

Lightning strikes the wolf's body and it jerks violently in midair. The fur instantly catches fire and a strong flash blinds Adrian before the body of the beast disintegrates, blood and bits of flesh flying in all directions and splashing into Adrian's clothing and face. Adrian freezes for a moment, arms still raised before him, then slowly lowers them and wipes some of the blood from his cheek.

He looked at Lena, his eyes widening at the electricity still sparking at her fingertips. “Thank you, Lena,” he says excitedly, a smile spreading across his face, even as he is covered in blood. Lena winks at him and Adrian can’t help but smile back.

“Enough,” Darius says, his voice cutting through the moment.

Selene immediately raises both hands, and a faint blue glow gathers around her fingers. She quickly moves them through the air, and the glow spreads outward until a transparent barrier forms around the group. The remaining Alpha Wolves crash against it almost immediately, their claws scraping across the surface as the barrier trembles under their combined attacks. Selene grits her teeth and keeps her hands raised, holding the shield in place while the wolves circle them and search for an opening.

Darius stands in front of the barrier, his sword hanging at his side as he watches the wolves. “Release it.”

Selene's eyes narrow, but she immediately lowers her hands.

The barrier disappears.

At the same moment, blue light begins radiating from Darius's sword and spreading across his body. The air around him seems to tighten as his grip closes around the weapon, and before any of the wolves can react, he lunges forward at a blurry speed.

One strike.

A wolf drops.

Another movement.

Another wolf falls.

Darius does not stop. He weaves his way through the pack, swinging his sword in precise, controlled arcs, the blade flashing blue each time he slices through the air. The other Alpha Wolves don't even have time to reply before his blade is on them. Moments later all of them are still on the ground.

Darius lowers his sword and looks toward the others. “Hurry up. We only have an hour to kill this dungeon boss and return to the academy.”

He points toward Adrian. “You. Gather all the mana crystals from these Alpha Wolves and join us immediately.”

Adrian looks at the bodies scattered across the ground before nodding. “Right.”

The others begin moving forward, leaving Adrian behind. He immediately kneels beside the nearest Alpha Wolf and starts searching for its mana crystal, while the rest of the team continues toward the cave.

Marcus walks beside Darius, glancing over his shoulder at Adrian. After making sure Adrian is far enough behind them, he lowers his voice. “Are you sure he can be trusted to collect those crystals and not hide some from us?”

Darius doesn't even look back. “Don't bother. I already counted all the Alpha Wolves. There were twenty-seven in total, so I'll catch him if he tries to steal from us.”

Marcus gives a small nod, but his expression remains doubtful. Selene, meanwhile, folds her arms and looks toward Adrian with a frown. “I don't know why you allowed him on the team. He's useless.”

Darius finally glances at her, a small smile appearing on his face. “Don't worry. Soon, you'll all understand.”

His eyes shift toward Lena.

She looks into his eyes and a smile begins to form on her lips too.

Meanwhile, Adrian keeps collecting mana crystals. He doesn't hear their conversation, he is concentrating fully on gathering all that Darius asked him to gather. When he's finished, he's right back up on his feet and rushing to the others.

By the time he catches up, the group has already reached the entrance of a large cave.

Selene steps forward and raises one hand. A small glow gathers above her palm before spreading into several bright points of light that float around the group, illuminating the entrance and the rocky path ahead.

“Stay close,” Darius says.

The group enters the cave, with Darius leading the way while Marcus and Selene follow behind. Lena stays near the middle of the group, and Adrian quickly moves up to join them, his eyes scanning the walls and ground as he walks.

The deeper they go, the quieter the cave becomes.

Then Darius suddenly steps forward.

The moment his foot leaves the ground, an arrow shoots from the side.

His eyes widen for only a fraction of a second before his body reacts on instinct. He twists in midair, turning his body just enough for the arrow to pass beside him. It flies past his face and disappears into the darkness behind him.

Darius lands smoothly and immediately looks toward the direction the arrow came from.

“A trap,” Marcus says.

He moves closer to the wall, studying the surrounding rocks. “Watch your steps. This place is filled with them.”

They continue forward, but now every movement is careful.

A thin line stretches across the ground ahead.

Marcus spots it first. “Don't step there.”

He quickly fires an arrow toward the ceiling.

The projectile strikes a hidden mechanism, and several arrows shoot from the walls at once. Darius raises his sword and knocks two of them aside while Selene throws up a small barrier to block the others. The arrows bounce off the shield and fall harmlessly to the ground.

“Keep moving,” Darius says.

They advance again.

This time, a section of the ground suddenly collapses beneath Lena's foot. She jumps backward just in time as the stone gives way, revealing a deep hole underneath.

Lena exhales sharply. “That was close.”

Marcus crouches beside the opening and looks inside. “Someone really doesn't want visitors.”

Selene glances around the cave. “Then we should move faster.”

Darius nods and leads them around the collapsed section. They advance through the cave, dodging hidden mechanisms, setting off traps from afar when needed, and using their powers to shield themselves whenever something is set off. Marcus shoots his arrows to set off traps before anyone can get caught in them, Selene casts magic to protect the group from projectiles, Lena's lightning fries any exposed mechanisms, and Darius clears the way whenever something gets in their way.

Adrian stays close behind them, watching everything.

Something isn't right.

He looks at the traps scattered throughout the cave, his brows slowly drawing together.

Why are there traps here?

This is supposed to be only an A-Rank dungeon.

The monsters here shouldn't be capable of setting traps like these.

Adrian's gaze moves across the walls.

Only S-Rank monsters are intelligent enough to do this.

They go further into the cave, his mind still troubled.

The narrow passage soon opens out into a large chamber.

Everyone slows down.

The cave is huge, far larger than Adrian expected. Blue crystals cover the walls, the ceiling, and parts of the ground, their soft radiance filling the entire chamber with an eerie blue light.

But Adrian barely notices the beauty of the crystals.

Something is wrong.

This is a goblin cave.

Yet there are no living goblins.

Instead, their bodies are scattered across the ground.

Adrian's stomach twists.

The goblins have been slaughtered.

Some lie against the walls with their hands missing, while others have their heads torn apart. Several bodies are twisted in unnatural positions, and pieces of them are scattered across the stone floor. Blood stains the ground beneath them, and the remains of the creatures make it obvious that whatever killed them did not simply defeat them.

It devoured them.

Selene's face tightens as she takes a step back. “What happened here?”

Marcus slowly lowers his bow, his eyes moving across the chamber. “Something killed them.”

“Something strong enough to do this,” Lena adds quietly.

Darius doesn't answer.

His eyes remain fixed on the bodies.

Then something moves.

A blur suddenly tears across the chamber.

Everyone turns.

Nothing.

Adrian's eyes widen as he looks around, but there is nothing there.

“What was that?” Lena asks.

Darius tightens his grip on his sword. “Stay alert.”

Another blur flashes past them.

This time, it moves so quickly that even Darius's eyes fail to follow it.

Adrian turns toward the movement, but once again, there is nothing.

The creature disappears before anyone can react.

Then it comes again.

Another blur.

Then another.

It moves around them repeatedly, never staying in one place long enough to be seen. The sound of its footsteps is almost impossible to follow, and every time Adrian turns toward it, he catches nothing but empty space.

“It’s playing with us,” Marcus says, his bow already drawn.

Darius's eyes narrow as he slowly turns, trying to locate the creature. “Don't let your guard down.”

A blur suddenly flashes toward Lena.

“Lena!”

She barely has time to turn before something strikes her.

Claws tear through her hands.

"Ah!

Lena staggers backward, her hands aching, blood pouring from between her fingers.

“Hold on!

Adrian rushed to her at once and dropped to his knees. He places his hands over her wounds, and a soft glow spreads from his palms. The torn flesh begins closing beneath his hands.

Lena grits her teeth as she watches the wounds disappear.

“Set up the barrier!” Darius shouts.

Selene immediately raises both hands.

Blue light gathers around the group before expanding into a large shield. The transparent barrier forms at the same time the creature attacks again.

BANG!

Something slams into the barrier.

The entire shield shakes.

Selene's arms tremble, but she holds it.

Another strike follows.

BOOM!

The barrier curves inward and back to its original form.

It’s attacking again!” Marcus yelled.

“Keep it up!” Darius orders.

The creature strikes once more, but this time the barrier holds.

The blur finally stops.

For the first time, they can see it.

A massive figure stands outside the barrier.

Adrian's eyes slowly widen.

The creature is a goblin.

But it is nothing like the goblins they have seen before.

It towers above them, nearly seven feet tall and heavily muscled with thick arms, broad shoulders, and a body filled with scars from countless battles, but instead of attacking at random, its eyes move from one person to the next, studying them.

Then its lips curl into a mischievous grin.

It slowly walks around the barrier.

Its eyes remain fixed on them as it circles, almost as if it is enjoying their fear.

When it reaches Darius, it stops.

The goblin raises one finger and places it against its own neck.

Then it slowly drags the finger across its throat.

A clear warning.

It is going to kill them all.

Nobody speaks.

Adrian stares at the creature, his breathing becoming heavier as the pieces begin to connect in his mind.

The traps.

The dead goblins.

The intelligence.

The speed.

The way it has been watching them instead of simply attacking.

His eyes remain fixed on the massive creature.

“That's an SS-Rank Goblin,” Adrian mutters.

Everyone turns toward him.

Marcus's eyebrows rise. “How do you know?”