Ethan had suffered from a terrifying disease since birth.
Congenital Insensitivity to Pain (CIP), a hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy (HSAN). Globally, it's estimated that fewer than forty individuals suffer from this rare disorder. Due to a breakdown in pain signal transmission, patients completely lose their ability to perceive pain.
And pain… is humanity's most critical warning system.
It's fear of pain that teaches us to avoid harm, alerts us to damage within the body, and helps us evade danger in time.
That's the double-layered protection of pain.
Any organism with a complex regulatory system is unlikely to self-destruct with a condition like CIP. Most patients inflict severe injuries on themselves in early childhood and rarely survive into adulthood.
Ethan let out a bitter laugh. I'm not like Fujino Asagami… I was born this way.
In Kara no Kyōkai, she lost the ability to feel pain after her senses were sealed off. She couldn't even realize when her appendix was bursting.
That anime was Ethan's gateway into otakudom, the first time he ever deeply empathized with a fictional character.
Later, when he discovered Redo of Healer, he found himself envious of its twisted protagonist, envying his ability to experience the pain of others, no matter how grotesque the method.
And then… the miracle happened.
"Recent studies indicate that the disease results from ectodermal underdevelopment during embryogenesis, with five known types. In Type II patients, mutations are commonly found in the FAM134B gene on chromosome 5..."
Before Heaven Canceller even finished, Ethan had already absorbed all that knowledge directly from his brain.
The mutated FAM134B gene failed to express properly, causing dorsal root ganglia neurons to die, effectively blocking pain perception.
So… Heaven Canceller actually had a treatment plan in mind.
"Based on your condition, I suspect you're a Type II patient. But we'll need gene testing to confirm. Even if we repair the chromosomes using genetic engineering, the degenerated neurons can't be regenerated. We might consider cloning the neurons and performing a cell-level transplant…"
"Thank you for your concern, Sensei. But I've already let go of any hope for a cure," Ethan smiled softly. "The cost and risk are a bit high for me."
This illness felt more like a curse cast at birth.
Every day in this body was a silent brush with death. Just like the name he carried, slowly fading away.
He never knew which would come first, tomorrow, or an accident. That was why he cherished life. Even at his edgiest, he never once considered self-harm.
Ethan still had no idea how he'd transmigrated. Maybe he'd died watching anime and collapsed onto his keyboard.
He'd once wanted to become a doctor, to cure himself with his own hands. Yet here, in this world, what he'd chased for years was now within reach, and somehow, in that moment, he felt peace.
It didn't matter anymore.
Now, he had heal. The moment something went wrong with his body, he could restore himself, dodging death entirely. His insensitivity to pain, ironically, made him immune to heal's side effects. If he were cured… it might actually backfire.
Perhaps it was divine mercy.
"Humanity still doesn't fully understand this disease," Heaven Canceller said with regret. "But there's always hope. You understand, don't you? If you can't feel pain, even a nick during surgery might go unnoticed…"
A slip of the scalpel could become a serious infection.
"That's why I treasure this power," Ethan said, looking at his own hands.
Even heal couldn't fix genetic-level defects. It could only restore something to a previous state. It wasn't like he could turn back into a fertilized egg and reboot his entire life.
"As long as you've come to terms with it," Heaven Canceller said kindly.
Seeing Ethan remain so optimistic set the old man's heart at ease. That was why, ever since this intern joined him, he'd felt compelled to keep Ethan close, drawn by his potential.
"Alright, shift's over. Let's go get dinner."
"Yes, see you later, Sensei."
As the frog-faced doctor turned to leave, Ethan adjusted his glasses and whispered in his heart:
Forgive me, Sensei. But for my survival,
The knowledge of the God of Medicine… is now mine.
What intrigued him even more were the secrets hidden in the man's memories.
Decades ago, he had once rescued Aleister Crowley in a remote English village, back when the sorcerer was being hunted by Puritan mages. He built a life-support system for him, introduced him to Japan, a spiritual haven, and helped establish what would become Academy City.
Heaven Canceller could even remotely shut down Aleister's life-support machine.
The only regret?
He didn't understand magic. And so far, Heal hadn't touched upon the magical system of this world.
Ethan knew all too well: he wasn't one of Index's three main characters. If he thought he could waltz up to the final boss with a few secrets in hand, he'd be shredded by a silver-haired nun or a being called "Aiwass" in the next breath.
This intel was best kept as a hidden ace.
If Aleister found out Ethan had peeked into Heaven Canceller's mind, he'd be as good as dead.
So far, the only part of heal exposed under the AIM dispersion field was its ability-copying effect. Thanks to mental out, his ability to read memories had a convenient cover story.
High risk, high reward.
And a transmigrator's ambitions went far beyond passing some exam.
He had crossed the line between life and death.
The sum of all modern and futuristic medical knowledge, that's what Heaven Canceller represented.
And now, he stood at the pinnacle of humanity's healing arts.
When the seal on mind hound lifted, all the skills and memories he had harvested through healing came flooding back, doctors, warriors, civilians, and elites across every profession.
The world called it "talent."
But Ethan Cole? He had become a "genius" who retained everything for a full month.
He needed to put that time to good use.
If heal had the flaw of passive memory loss, what if he copied a memory-enhancement ability next? After all, Index's heroine was famous for her Perfect Memory, Index Librorum Prohibitorum.
Ethan took off his glasses.
They were just for show. He wasn't nearsighted, he wore them to look more mature and gain patient trust.
"Yomikawa-sensei, Tetsuyuki-sensei, sorry to keep you waiting. Let's go."
After work, Ethan and the two beautiful Anti-Skill officers exited the hospital… and spotted a pink-haired little girl chatting politely nearby.
Komoe Tsukuyomi, currently Ethan's legal guardian.
Standing at just 135 cm, with a sweet loli face that made her look barely twelve, though she was, in fact, a full-fledged adult.
She was the inspiration for one of Academy City's seven urban legends:
"The imaginary number district has already perfected immortality, and the test subject is a high school teacher who looks like she's twelve."
The quintessential legal loli of anime, acquired!
"So Komoe's a high school teacher, huh? No wonder Ethan turned out so brilliant," said the hospital director with a smile.
Heaven Canceller had refused all administrative positions. Aleister built the hospital for him, out of gratitude for saving his life.
"Oh no, I'm sure my little boy's caused all kinds of trouble for your staff."
The flat-chested teacher beamed like a sunflower, her voice syrupy sweet.
Her sugar level rivaled even Shokuhou's. Like a prepubescent girl, her voice hadn't even reached the second stage of development.
Who would've guessed this pint-sized fluffball was besties with busty bombshells like Yomikawa and Tetsuyuki?
"Director," Ethan greeted politely. "Komoe."
"It's 'Komoe-sensei' to you!"
The pink-haired lady huffed, jumping to bop him on the head, but couldn't even reach his knees.
She hated being called "small." Easy read.
"Got it, Komoe-sensei."
"Hmph~"
Komoe covered her cheeks, momentarily swept away by bliss. Being called cute overrode the sting of being called little.
"I heard what you did, Ethan-kun, real hero stuff. Even your director won't stop praising you."
Even after they'd bid farewell and got into the car, Komoe was still glowing with pride, doling out condescending praise like a grandma.
"She's just excited she managed to fix a bad kid," Yomikawa joked. "You some kind of super high-school hot-blooded teacher now?"
"You're just jealous," Komoe shot back playfully.
"My class is full of honor students, thank you very much. And we're off the clock, drop the school talk already."
Ethan, having already read their memories, knew the truth, Yomikawa was no less hot-blooded than Komoe. All three of them were faculty at the same school, Some High School.
He mused silently: If this hospital is marked "Classified" on maps to protect Heaven Canceller… then what, or who, is the school hiding?
Komoe's ride was a specially modified microcar, based on designs for people with disabilities. Every day after work, she drove to pick up Ethan.
Currently: legally cohabitating with a loli.
"Since everyone's here, let's all go out to dinner!" Komoe chirped. "Although… my little car might be a tight fit."
She liked calling her students "-chan," in that overly affectionate way.
"Yep. A little tight," Tetsuyuki smiled awkwardly as she and Yomikawa were squeezed into the back seat. With how cramped the interior was, the real problem was their breasts.
"Guess I'll take over."
Ethan lifted Komoe from the driver's seat and sat down himself. It felt like trying to cram into a kid's booster seat. He had to hunch to avoid hitting the roof.
"This how you treat the guardian who took you in?" Komoe pouted. "Wait, you don't even have a license!"
"Probably passed it back in country. I'm eighteen, it's fine."
Academy City allowed some students to drive at younger ages, but usually only college students or teachers. The roads stayed relatively safe.
"This is illegal! And we're overloaded!"
"As a member of Anti-Skill, I have the authority to impound this vehicle!" Tetsuyuki flailed.
Instant on-site arrest.
"Less talking, more seatbelts."
Ethan fiddled with the dashboard. Luckily, the car had hand-controlled pedals, so Komoe never had to worry about her legs reaching.
Vroom!
As the engine roared, Ethan gently placed Komoe on his lap like a child. Better than sitting on hers.
"I'm still a girl, you know! You can't just drive while hugging your teacher!"
For the record, no one knew her true age. All they knew was… she was older than Yomikawa.
"It's crowded in here. What, you want to sit on Yomikawa or Tetsuyuki's lap instead?"
Komoe immediately imagined being smothered between their "airbags" and shook her head like a bobblehead.
Absolutely not.
Among the patients he'd healed was Academy City's best street racer. Even if it wasn't the same model, his muscle memory would guide him just fine.
Ethan's gaze sharpened, Emerald Eye briefly flickering, revealing the life skills he'd copied.
Guardian-class Hacker.
Peak-tier Surgeon.
Elite Driver.
Time for Fast & Furious
VROOOOOM!
As the sun dipped low, a dainty, "disabled" mini car ripped through city traffic like a silver bullet. The massive engines behind them could only eat dust, left dumbfounded by the disappearing taillights.
"Wait, that microcar just drifted?!"
"Is that guy a Level 5: 'God of Akina Hill'?!!"
He may lack pain… but his sense of touch was still razor sharp.
And Komoe-sensei?
Was really, really soft.
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