Chapter 332 - Pledge

Mercury walked up to Terak's active mana armor and put a hand on it before he used a skill

"[Essence assimilation]"

The armor quickly rusted away revealing Terak inside, his right arm, his stomach, and his left thigh had all been pierced with metal spikes fired from the model Hound's, Mercury kneeled down next to him and did a quick inspection before he spoke

"Okay… Looks like you're safe to move"

Mercury then picked up Terak before he walked back to where Naila's active mana armor had been defeated along with Julia, then he used [Essence assimilation] on Naila's armor and revealed her inside, she was missing her right arm from the elbow down and some small pieces of shrapnel had pierced her side, Mercury looked her over before he concluded that she was safe to move before he nodded to Marie that picked her up, then they moved quickly down to the docks where they quickly found a healer, that quickly looked the two of members of the Wasim clan over and spoke

"I can save the woman… But he's a bigger problem… Frankly, his chances are slim"

Mercury shook his head and spoke

"I don't need you to treat them, I need you to sterilize the area around them, I'll be treating them"

The healer looked at Mercury for a bit before he eventually nodded before he used a skill

"[Sanctuary]"

A soft white light spread out and covered the two patients, then Mercury sighed and muttered

"I really don't like doing this… But oh well… Immortal, Immortal, Immortal, Immortal---"

As Mercury began chanting his hands moved quickly, using [Essence refining] he made a couple of scalps, a bundle of thin metal wire, and needles as well as a couple of tweezers, then he raised his hands in front of his face and stabilized his breathing before he began operating…

Only half an hour later Mercury sat down on the floor and crossed his legs before he spoke

"Watch over them, they should be fine now, or at least as long as they don't move around too violently"

While Mercury began meditating Marie and Julia exchanged looks, then after Julia waved a hand in front of Mercury's face she sighed and spoke

"He sure is something, this man of ours"

Marie nodded

"Yeah…"

Needless to say, the two operations went well and the two patients were now out of danger, though they would need a couple of months to heal completely and Terak would not be able to eat solid food for a while, as for Naila's missing arm, Mercury had left it as is, even though he could use a chunk of living metal to heal it he held off as the two of them technically still were enemies, Marie muttered

"He said he was a 'surgeon' in his past life…"

Julia nodded and commented

"It must be some sort of amazing healer, he didn't use any healing skills or any kind of magic at all…"

Marie agreed with a nod

Terak woke with a set as pain shot through his body

"Pain… So I am still alive…"

He tried to set himself upon the bed, but a strong pain from his stomach paralyzed him, he turned his head and saw his sister Naila on a bed beside his and showed a smile before he muttered

"To possess the power to not only beat the two of us but also keep us alive… I am suddenly losing my self-esteem as a man… Would you not agree, Mercury?"

"Well I am a special case, don't beat yourself up about it… I've stitched all your puncture wounds so no worries there, although I wish I could say the same about the wound on your stomach, I am afraid you won't be eating solids for about 3 months"

Terak sighed before he turners serious and asked

"What about sister Naila?"

Mercury spoke in a flat tone

"Well, she's missing her right lower arm as her most serious injury… As for the rest, it's just some small cuts and bruises, But why don't you ask her yourself, she's been awake for longer than you have"

As soon as Mercury finished speaking Naila that were pretending to be knocked out spang up from the bed and instead of bolting for the door she jumped at Mercury with her left hand clenched into a fist which she sent straight at Mercury's face as she yelled

"Die!"

Mercury calmly caught her hand before he hit her in the stomach with an open hand knocking the air out of her lungs as he spoke

"Patients should rest until they are healed"

Then he swept her off her feet before he walked over and laid her down on the bed again

"You… Bastard…"

"Sister Naila"

"Brother Terak..?"

"Mercury beat us, that is the truth"

Naila gritted her teeth before she shouted

"He used borrowed strength, if not for those golems we could have---"

"Sister Naila!"

"---What!? You know I speak the truth!"

Terak sighed before he spoke

"Sister Naila… The maker of those golems are undoubtedly Mercury himself"

Naila widened her eyes slightly before she quickly set herself up on the bed and looked at her brother that still was lying down before she asked

"...Are you sure, brother Terak?"

Terak nodded and looked over at his sister before he spoke

"Yes my eyes don't lie, he's clearly the maker of those golems… So did he beat us with borrowed strength?"

"...No, I am sorry Mercury, you have beat us with your own power"

Mercury nodded then after a bit he spoke

"The two of you better behave, you are only alive because Marie is soft-hearted"

Terak and Naila exchanged looks before they both nodded, then Naila got up from her bed again and walked over and helped Terak up from his bed, Mercury was curious at what they were doing so he didn't stop them, then the two kneeled down on one knee and spoke

""You have beaten us, Mercury, we recognize your power and pledge ourselves to you""

"...You do what?"

Terak showed a wry smile as he looked up and spoke

"To not only beat a warrior from the Wasim clan but have them treated afterward is the highest form of respect in our clan, a respect we are duty-bound to repay with our lives, the lives you spared"

Mercury looked at the two of them and saw the sincerity in their eyes, then after a few seconds he sighed and spoke

"Fine, do as you please… Naila, was it?"

"Yes, Mercury?"

"Help your brother up on the bed again, then let's take a walk"

"Yes Mercury!"

Naila quickly helped Terak up on the bed again, then after stroking his head a few times with her remaining left hand she spoke

"Get some rest brother Terak"

Terak nodded and closed his eyes, then Naila followed after Mercury that walked out of the room, they were currently staying in the lord manor, at the moment the city of Ode was under the complete control of Juliantia, along with the surrounding towns. Mercury walked out of the manor with Naila following a few steps behind him, they walked wordlessly through the streets until they arrived at a workshop where Marie was hard at work, Mercury called out to her

"Marie"

Marie stopped her work and looked back where she saw Mercury and Naila, Naila lowered her gaze when Marie looked over, however, she was soon surprised when Marie walked over and held her remaining left hand in hers and spoke

"Thank the 33 that you are awake… Do you resent me?"

Naila looked up and gazed into Marie's eyes, then she looked down at her missing arm and sighed

"It was due to my own weakness that I lost, the only one I resent is myself…"

"Don't do that!"

"Eh..?"

'"Don't resent yourself… Please…"

Naila saw the sincerity in Marie's eyes and sighed before she spoke

"You truly are kind… We haven't been formally introduced, my name is Naila, I have pledged myself to Mercury along with my brother Terak, It's an honor to meet you, Marie"

Marie showed a smile before she spoke

"I had heard rumors about the Wasim clan, but I guess it's true that you pledge yourselves to people that beat you in combat and then have you treated afterward"

Mercury paused before he asked Marie

"Wait, you knew this was going to happen Marie?"

Marie nodded

"Yeah, I knew"

Mercury was about to say something but then he just let out a long sigh before he decided to change the topic and looked over at Naila as he asked Marie

"So… Marie, are you up for the challenge?"

Marie looked over at Naila and after a bit, she nodded as she spoke

"It's not going to be easy… Do you have a blueprint?"

Mercury nodded before he pulled a blueprint out of his back pocket and showed it to Marie, Marie looked it over and nodded, then she looked over at Naila and waved her over with a smile on her face, Naila walked over and looked at the blueprint for a bit before she looked shocked and muttered

"An arm?"

Mercury nodded

"Yes, your new arm, do you have anything you want to add to the design?"

Naila shook her head slightly, then Mercury showed a smile

"Then let's get started!"