Chapter 1:

Weakest Healer

RE-RUN

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Part 1: The Weakest Healer

The Weakest Healer, Reed

He hated that title everywhere he went, his title always followed him.

Reed’s overall strength is the same as a regular human being. But with the exception of being a bit stronger and his wound healed slightly faster than an average human being. Overall Reed is just a normal human in every other aspect.

He is best known for his recklessness on the battlefield he keeps on getting injured and even nearly died several times, too.

He understood the job that was dangerous, others made fun of him bossing him around with useless stuff, and not to mention his pay was pretty pathetic, as well.

The Organization pays all hunters who dare to enter the abyss very nicely even healers, but knowing the Title of Reed all of his former squad mates leave bad feedback on his overall skills, and thus his pay decreased because of the rumors spread amok the crowds.

The reason why he kept on doing this kind of job is because of his ill mother and sister, some like Reed, in his mid-twenties and lacking any tangible job skills, there was no other way but to remain at his job as a hunter.

That was why, even though he didn’t want to, he simply had to participate in any of the clearings of the abyss supervised by the organization.

._._.

As Reed walked over to the hospital, he hear his phone notification go off. He reached out of his pocket and checked his phone.

“All available hunters within the area, please come to the middle district asap”

“Middle District that’s where I’m at,” he mumbled to himself.

He dredges out a sigh. He put his phone back in his pocket and headed to the hospital with flowers in his hand.

The nurse greeted him.

“I see you're here to visit them.” The nurse replied.

Reed nodded lightly. The nurse gave him the direction to where his mother and sister were in. He headed and enter a small quiet hospital room. Both of them are asleep, he looked at the vase with the flower he previously brought. The flower withers, he replaced the withered flower and replaced the water in the vase, and he placed the vase back where it belongs. He silently gaze down at his mother and his sister, he grabbed both of their hands, and his hands glowed green. The looks in his eyes conveyed a gentle, caring light in his eyes. After that, he stood up and looked at them one more time then left. After he left the room, he was greeted by several men with fancy tuxedos all glaring at him. One of the men pushed Reed onto a wall.

“Don’t forget, our money.”

Reed stared down at the ground and nodded.

“O-Once I get paid, ill give you the money.”

“Good.”

The man smirked and patted the boy’s shoulder.

“Well then, you better get going then…”

“I’ll get going.”

._._.

He soon arrived at the middle district. He can see the hunters who had arrived early sipping on the cups of coffee handed out by the organization's employees, they shared affable greetings with each other.

“Oh, it’s Mister Rone.”

“Mister Rone. Over here. Here”

“ Good morning to the both of you” Mister Rone waved to the both of them.

“Oh? Mister Rashef, what are you doing here? I thought you would retire being a hunter?”

“Well, that…. My daughter is graduating college, I want to give her a celebration she won’t forget.”

“Is that so. Yeah, being a hunter can help you earn big chunks of cash in one go, participating in a clearing is a win-win.”

Mister Rashef burst out in laughter. Mister Rone followed suit with a sheepish chuckle. After they both calm down Mister Rone followed up with a question.

“By the way, why do I feel like that Organization is calling us more frequently? Did the abyss open up more gates or something?”

“I think so, I heard 10 abyss gates opened up the other day in the east district.”

“The situation is the same in the north district.”

Mister Rashef took a glance around as if he was getting nervous.

“Hm? What is it Mister Rashef.” Mister Brecc asked.

“Well, I don’t see any guild here.”

Mister Rone glanced around and Mister Brecc followed suit.

“Your right…”

It wasn’t just them; Others were also glancing around as well.

“If a guild isn’t involved in today’s clearing, that means this abyss is a low-class type.”

“That means….”

“Low profit.”

Mister Rone silently prayed to have at least one guild in this clearing

Mister Rone finished the rest of his coffee while ignoring Mister Rashef's random prayers, before spotting a certain someone his eyes widen, and raise his hands.

“Hey, Mister Reed!! Mister Reed!!

Other Hunters looked in the direction where Mister Rone was waving at a young man, they simply ignored him.

He spotted Mister Rone and gave him smile.

“Good morning, Mister Rone.”

Mister Rone hurried over to Reed.

“Still holding out, I see.”

He ruffles Reed’s hair.

Mister Rashef’s eyes widen and he hurriedly asked Mister Brecc.

“Who is he?”

“Ahh. Right, of course, you wouldn’t know who he is. He’s a healer who started working shortly after you have been placed in the West district, every hunter here knows who he is.”

“Is he strong?”

Brecc acknowledges his presence with a condescending sneer before narrowing his eyes.

“You know what that guy’s title is?”

Rashef was shocked by what he heard.

“He has a title already!?”

“Yeah, he is the weakest healer”

“.…. Wait, weakest? Not like strongest or ultimate strong solider or something?”

“That’s the title of the Tier SS Hunter Liam. And that kid is the weakest ‘healer’. I’m pretty sure he’s the weakest hunter I heard.

“R-Really…”

Rone began frowning deeply.

“How did he become so close to Mister Rashef.”

“Hm? Well-”

As soon as he started answering Mister Rone’s question he was interrupted by Mister Rashef.

“Hahaha. Is that so.. Hm? What are you guys talking about.”

“Ah.. nothing really.”

“Reed is here, I don’t have to worry about dangerous things.”

“Huh.. what do you mean?”

Rashef couldn’t really understand the reaction of Mister Rone towards Reed. When Rashef's head’s tilted this way and that, Brecc chuckles and poked the side of his elbow.

“Whenever, Reed enters a Clearing that means this abyss gate is in a low difficulty because he is so weak. The Organization wouldn't even dare to entrust him with some god-threat abyss because they don’t want to see him get killed.”

“R-Right, but you were down when you heard that there were no guilds participating in it.”

“It’s true that I was down. But money isn’t worth it, besides I have my wife and daughter waiting for me.

Only then did Mister Rashef and Mister Brecc's expressions brighten up.

“Y-yeah..”

Mister Rashef's wife and daughter were deeply worried about him since this would be his first raid in quite a while. Honestly, even he was worried, too. However, now that he listened to Rone’s words, he felt a big relief.

Rashef Continued on.

“There was a rumor not too long ago that said, Reed, got injured participating in a clearing of a Tier F abyss and spent a month in the hospital.”

“Tier F!? he got injured in the lowest tier abyss!?”

“Yeah, That’s right, no one expected to see a hunter getting injured in a Tier F abyss, he was their healer too.”

“H-he spent a month in a hospital because of that?! Pu-hahaha!”

Rashef and Becc both cackle. Rone hurriedly hushed both of them.

“Both of you quiet!?”

Rone cautiously checked Reed’s reaction as he continued giggling.

Thankfully, he was far away from registering his name onto the clipboard. He didn’t seem to have heard them.

They both let out an audible breath of relief.

They were wrong.

He clenched both of his fists ignoring their comments. They didn’t know that Reed possesses a heightened sense of hearing which allows him to detect anything from even the faintest of sounds. His ears are a curse to him.

It seemed that he arrived early and the clearing was yet to commence. He checked his phone to know the time.

“D-did I arrive that early.”

Reed looked around while away from the waiting time, he spotted the Organization employee handing out a warm coffee.

“A coffee would be nice,” he whispered to himself.

He walked closer.

“Uhm.. can I get-”

After he said that the last cup of coffee was handed out to a newcomer hunter.

“Ah… never mind.”

He rubbed both of his hands together. Maybe he’ll buy himself a coffee, no all of his money will be mainly focused on their recovery so he’ll just endure that cold atmosphere. He lowered his head down and closed his eyes.

“Good morning, why the grumpy face, Reed”

He slowly opened his eyes and saw a young, beautiful girl handing him a cup of coffee smiling at him.

“A-Ah t-thank you, Rei”

He politely takes the cup of coffee and drinks it. At last, he felt warmth.

Rei looks at Reed.

“Is that a new injury?” Rei points to the bandage on his left cheek.

“A-ah I tripped.”

He was lying the main reason why he had a bandage on his left cheek is that he was mugged yesterday.

She showed pouts and used healing magic in front of him.

“A-ah, I’m sorry!”

He lowered his head and apologized.

“Hey! Stay still.”

“A-ah sorry..”

He stayed still.

“I’m not trying to get you to apologize, I’m only worried about you, you know that?”

Reed blushed as Rei said that. He looks at Rei, who appears to have a faint blush on her face. He tried his best not to smile but failed. Rei who appears to finish her healing looks at him.

“What are you smiling at?”

“N-Nothing.”

She gasps.

“Is there something on my face?”

“W-what n-no…”

“Then, what?”

“N-nothing really.”

She closed the gap between them. Her face and his face are a few feet apart.

“What is it!?”

She raised her eyebrow.

Reed slowly backed away and raised both of his arms.

“Nothing.”

Rei realized what she was doing and quickly backed off.

“U-uhm s-sorry.”

“Hey, Reed do you mind if I ask you a question?”

“Hm? Y-yes sure..”

“Okay…”

Rei bit her lips.

“Why did you become a hunter, Reed.”

Reed resolutely shook his head. He didn’t want to reveal anything personal to other people.

“Well.. you know how it is, I get bored….this is- a … hobby, yes! A hobby!”

He lets out a hallowed laugh.

Rei pouted even more.

“Well, If you continue on with this hobby, soon the abyss will clear your life, you know!?”

Reed was taken aback by her remark and ended up chuckling.

Thanks to that, Rei’s nagging intensified

“Ah, ah!! don’t laugh your wounds are about to open again.”

Reed chuckle.

“There, all done.”

An Organization guard shouted.

“Attention all Hunters, prepare for departure.”

Reed’s expression hardened.

“Alright, let’s get going.”

Rei dusted away the dust on her pants.

“Let’s head in shall we..”

Reed nods and heads inside the abyss.

A minor waterfall in grim woodlands marks the entrance to this dungeon. Beyond the waterfall lies a massive, filthy room. It's covered in dead insects, rubble, and ash.

There is broken mining equipment, long lost and devoured by time itself.

“Rahhhh!!!” Brecc erected his axe and swung downwards splitting the monster in two.

“Are you okay, Reed!”

Rei quickly crouched beside Reed healing him.

“Geez, why are you so clumsy.”

“S-sorry.”

Reed glanced past Rei’s shoulders and took a look at other hunters fighting over the abyss. A dozen-plus Hunters were taking care of the monsters in the abyss without breaking a sweat, unfortunately, for Reed, such a feat was beyond impossible.

“I managed to kill one monster today.”

A skeleton, nonetheless. He looked at a crystal ribcage bone on his head. This can sell just for 23 gems, this crystal ribcage is a common type of treasure.

A crystal from a tier C mob can sell over a million.

He sighed, too bad he couldn’t even fight a non-skeleton monster.

Then someone shouted, out of the blue.

“Hey, guys! There are two paths ahead!”

Further ahead are two paths they stand there for a minute thinking about where will go,

“Where do we go now?”

“Let me see..”

Rashef points his fingers picking which route they should take.

“ene mini miny moe”

“Hey, are you serious!?”

Rashef pointed to the left.

“Let’s head that way.”

“You serious!?”

“How about you guys, you guys pick!”

No one dared to answer. Then out of the blue Reed answered.

“L-Let’s head to the right.”

Everyone turns their attention to Reed.

Everyone is a bit skeptical about Reed’s decision.

“Why?”

Becc asked Reed.

“W-well…” He lowered his head.

A brief silence engulfs the surrounding. Then he finally spoke up

“Uhm…. Mister Rashef could you cast a fireball in the left side.”

“Hm? Yeah sure..”

He cast a fireball and threw it on the left side.

The fireball that was cast illuminated the left dark side they look down below and saw a pit, they poke their ears and hear a bunch of sneering creatures from below. They were shocked and looked at Reed.

“How did you know that?”

“I… heard them…”

Rashef cleared his throat.

“Anyway, let’s head to the right.”

Hunters exchanged glances and nodded their heads. They head to the right path.

Its twisted trail leads passed long lost rooms and tombs and soon as they enter a damp area. Several cages hold the skeletal remains of various animals. Next to the cages are odd machines. What happened in this place? They slowly march onwards, deeper into the dungeon's depths. They pass a few more passages, most of which probably lead to other depths of this dungeon. They eventually make it to what is likely the final room. An ominous wooden door blocks their path. Dried blood splatters are all over it, somehow untouched by time and the elements.

“What happened here?” Rashef said.

There are numerous ancient scribbles, it appears that humans bowing to a demonic entity scribble violently is the wall.

“Everyone, gather around. Let’s have a moment to discuss this ancient-looking door.”

Rone called for other Hunters to gather around. Rone spoke up while sweeping his gaze over the gathered hunters.

“As you all know, the abyss will not let us get out here until we defeat the monsters in this abyss right, now that the gate is open we can leave right?.. Since we are here in a low-tier abyss why don’t we rush in and kill the boss beyond that door.”

Rone pointed towards the bloodied door.

Rashef raised his hand.

“I don’t think we should go there yet, Rone… the organization clearly stated that we clear all the monsters in the abyss our job is nearly done, we should go and kill the monsters in the pit, let’s leave the boss to the professionals.”

Everyone looked at Rone.

“Well, think about it, Mister Rashef. If we kill that boss it will raise our income right, Normally, we’re supposed to relay this info back to the organization and wait for their decision first, but….but, if we head out earlier that we might be missing some big cash, resulting today’s clearing paycheck decrease by a lot.”

The expressions of the Hunters bend.

Rashef thinks about it, his face hardened more than anyone else since he needed a lot of cash for his daughter's celebration.

Celebrating an important occasion sure cost more money right?

“That’s why I’d prefer if we took care of the boss before leaving this dungeon…so, have you guys made up your mind.”

The Hunters pondered deeply.

“…..”

The difficulty of this particular abyss is proven to be very low. So the boss would be easy.

“.….”

Rone cleared his throat to catch everyone’s attention.

“How about this, since we are twenty people here, let’s put up a vote, shall we? Once the decision has been made, no one complains. Is that okay?”

Some hunters nodded after hearing Rone’s suggestions.

“I’ll go first, I say we kill the boss.”