The silence in the cavern was thick, broken only by the ragged breathing of Kenji's teammates. The drone continued its silent whir, capturing every detail of the gory aftermath and Kenji standing, unblemished, amidst the demonic remnants.
[QUEST COMPLETE: SURVIVE DUNGEON GAMMA-7. ALL TEAM MEMBERS PRESENT AT EXTRACTION POINT.]
[REWARD: ADVANCED TEAMWORK SKILL LVL 2. SKILL POINT +5. NEW A-RANK COMBAT SKILL: DIVINE LIGHT ACQUIRED.]
Five skill points! And a new A-rank combat skill, Divine Light. Kenji's mind raced. He had to tend to his team first. He moved to Saki, whose face was pale, his D-rank spiritual shield barely clinging to existence.
[SKILL: SPIRITUAL HEALING LVL 1]
Kenji focused. He allocated three skill points to Spiritual Healing, watching the System upgrade it instantly.
[SKILL: SPIRITUAL HEALING LVL 4. SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED HEALING EFFICIENCY.]
He knelt beside Saki, placing a hand gently on his chest. A soft, warm glow emanated from Kenji's palm, flowing into Saki's body. Saki gasped, his eyes fluttering open as the light washed over him. The deep gashes on his arms began to close, the bruising fading.
Next, he moved to Yuna, then Hiroki, then Goro, applying the same powerful healing. The spiritual wounds, the physical trauma—all began to rapidly mend under Kenji's touch. They watched him, their expressions a mixture of awe and disbelief as their pain receded, replaced by a profound sense of warmth and restoration.
In the observation room, the Headmaster and his staff were in an uproar.
"That level of healing… from a Level 4 Spiritual Healing skill?" one medic exclaimed. "It's beyond anything I've ever witnessed! It's almost instantaneous!"
"His spiritual energy reserves must be absolutely boundless," another analyst murmured, eyes glued to the monitor displaying Kenji's stats. "How much energy does one even need to do what Kenji just did? He sustained that massive burst, obliterated a swarm, then executed a precision kill on a B-rank Alpha, and now he's healing an entire team. It defies all known metrics!"
Bonding in the Abyss
With their injuries rapidly healing, Kenji's team slowly pushed themselves up, looking at him with newfound respect, even reverence.
"I… I can't believe it," Saki whispered, flexing his arm, a fresh scar the only reminder of a deep gash. "You just… healed us. Instantly."
"That burst you unleashed," Hiroki added, his usual bravado momentarily subdued, "it was insane. I thought we were done for."
"We owe you our lives, Kenji," Goro said, his weary eyes holding a deep gratitude. "Thank you. Truly."
"Don't worry about it," Kenji replied, a small, genuine smile touching his lips. He was covered in black demonic blood, yet felt cleaner, more alive than ever before. "We're a team, right? And I made a miscalculation. My bad."
They began the walk towards the Dungeon's exit, a journey that felt far less daunting now. As they moved, Kenji made an effort to talk to them, to learn about them personally, not just as spiritual signatures.
"So, Yuna," Kenji started, "how long have you been doing spiritual archery? Your aim is incredible."
Yuna, still a bit shy, explained how her family had a tradition of bow-making, and she'd adapted it to spiritual combat. Hiroki, once he got over his shock, began to boast about his past brawls and his dream of becoming a frontline A-rank hero. Saki, growing more confident, shared his passion for spiritual plant life and concocting healing elixirs. Goro, sensing Kenji's genuine interest, opened up about his past, his struggles, and his reasons for still fighting despite his rank.
They shared jokes, the tension slowly dissipating, replaced by an easy camaraderie. Kenji even found himself chuckling at Hiroki's exaggerated stories. By the time they reached the shimmering exit portal, a genuine bond had formed between them.
"Seriously," Kenji said, looking at each of them as they stood before the exit. "If you ever need anything, anything at all, just give me a call." He offered them a warm, confident smile. "After all, Team A-5 is the best." He chuckled, a sound full of newfound confidence.
With that, Kenji stepped through the portal.
The World Reacts
He emerged into a blinding flash of lights. The air was thick with the murmur of a massive crowd. Ahead of him, beyond the Academy staff, a throng of people had gathered, held back by security. Reporters jostled for position, their cameras flashing. Microphones were thrust forward.
"He's out! The S-rank is out!" someone screamed.
A stylishly dressed female reporter, her eyes wide with excitement, pushed her way to the front. "Mr. Tanaka! Mr. Kenji Tanaka! Could you please tell us about your experience inside Dungeon Gamma-7? The live feed… it was incredible! You single-handedly neutralized an Alpha-class Hellhound and saved your entire team!"
Kenji, still covered in black demonic blood, blinked into the bright lights. He was suddenly the center of attention.
"They're fine," he said, gesturing back to the portal where his teammates were just beginning to emerge, looking tired but alive. "We worked as a team. Everyone pulled their weight."
"Mr. Tanaka," another reporter pressed, "your power is unprecedented. You've appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Can you tell us about your upbringing? What was your childhood like? Were you always aware of your immense potential?"
The questions hit him like a physical blow. His upbringing? His childhood? The words of his adoptive family, the taunts of his bullies, echoed in his mind. Weak. Powerless. No drive.
He looked at the sea of faces, at the cameras, at the entire world watching. A strange, almost mischievous smirk touched his lips. "My childhood?" Kenji mused aloud, a hint of steel in his voice. "It was… interesting. Let's just say I wasn't always viewed as having 'immense potential.'" He left it at that, a cryptic answer that would fuel endless speculation.
Across the globe, the live feed of Kenji's dungeon dive, his S-rank reveal, and his current appearance, instantly went viral. Social media exploded. Forums buzzed.
"Can you believe that power? He's literally insane!"
"The way he healed his team… he's a god!"
"Did you hear what he said about his childhood? Who would treat someone with that much power poorly? They must be kicking themselves right now!"
"He's so humble, too! And covered in demon blood but still somehow looks… noble?"
And then, the most pervasive gossip of all, particularly among the female population:
"He's strong, he's kind, he's humble, and he's an S-rank! Any woman would be lucky to marry him!"
"Forget the heroes, Kenji Tanaka is husband material! I wish he was mine!"
Kenji, still absorbing the sudden shift in his reality, just stood there, the center of a storm he had unwittingly created. The quiet, bullied teenager was gone. The Reluctant Guardian had arrived.