Strategy Progress +01

"A priest?"

Liyana couldn’t possibly associate the hulking mass of muscle before her with the image of a priest.

"Are you sure you’re a priest and not a monk or a berserker?" Liyana eyed Musen’s bulging muscles and gleaming bald head, unable to hold back her skepticism.

Xia Lun’s clothes looked comically small on Musen, straining against his physique as if they might burst at any moment.

Musen grinned, revealing a row of gleaming white teeth. "Being a priest is my profession. Bodybuilding is just a hobby… Besides, enemies tend to target priests first. But if I look like this, they’ll think twice before messing with me."

Liyana blinked. That actually made sense!

Without hesitation, Musen began gathering the equipment scattered on the ground, each piece coated in some foul, unidentifiable fluid.

The gear had been corroded beyond recognition by the stomach acid of the land dragon, rendering it completely useless.

Then, Musen raised a fist the size of a sandbag and slammed it into the ground, sending debris flying and shaking the earth beneath them.

"Is this guy really a priest?" Moke muttered in disbelief.

Soon, several large pits dotted the ground.

With solemn reverence, Musen whispered the names of his fallen comrades and buried their equipment in the makeshift graves.

A few simple memorial mounds stood in their place.

Musen then knelt, closed his eyes, and recited a eulogy for each departed teammate, a faint white glow enveloping his form.

"Now I’m starting to believe him," Liyana said to Moke.

As Musen finished his rites, Aina approached from a distance.

"Thank you, miss… I assume it was you who slew the land dragon and avenged my comrades." Musen bowed slightly toward Aina.

Aina gave a curt nod, offering no words.

Despite his brutish appearance, Musen was surprisingly meticulous and well-mannered.

Unarmed and technically a "frail" priest, Musen humbly requested to join Xia Lun’s party temporarily, asking for their escort back to the city.

Xia Lun had no reason to refuse.

Musen proved to be quite the conversationalist, easily bonding with Liyana and Moke. When something amused him, he’d let out a booming "Hahaha!"

Aina trailed silently behind Xia Lun, her gaze fixed solely on him.

Xia Lun had grown accustomed to it—Aina seemed to harbor some inexplicable obsession with him.

Curious, Liyana asked, "Musen, how long were you inside that land dragon’s stomach?"

Musen shrugged. "No idea. It was pitch black in there—hard to keep track of time. What’s the date now?"

"May 3rd."

"Damn, I’ve been swallowed for two months!" Musen exclaimed.

Moke chimed in, "That thing really took its time digesting you, huh?"

Musen scratched his head. "Who knows? Maybe the bastard was constipated."

Liyana and Moke burst into laughter.

"By the way, Musen, since you’re a priest, you must know healing magic, right?"

Liyana extended her hand, revealing a few shallow bite marks. "I got bitten earlier. I treated it myself, but it’s still a bit itchy… Mind fixing it for me?"

"Of course, happy to help."

Musen examined the wound, then frowned. "What kind of monster left these marks? I’ve never seen anything like it…"

Moke’s eyebrows twitched.

Liyana chuckled. "Don’t worry about that. Just heal it for me, will you?"

A milky-white glow emanated from Musen’s hand, enveloping Liyana’s wound. The marks vanished without a trace.

"Wow! Now that’s a professional priest!" Liyana marveled at her flawless skin before shoving her hand in Xia Lun’s face. "Xia Lun, look! It’s all better!"

Xia Lun sighed. "Yeah, yeah. What’s your point?"

Liyana leaned in and whispered, "Should we recruit Musen into our party? We don’t have a priest, and he just lost his team…"

Behind them, Aina’s brow furrowed.

Xia Lun grimaced. "Just lost his team"? That was tactless.

"You know how rare priests are. Most parties have to pay a fortune to hire one. Extra security never hurts… Right, Aina?" Liyana turned to the mage.

Aina scoffed. "I don’t get injured."

Liyana blinked, unsure what she’d done to upset the noble mage this time.

"Liyana… Whether Musen joins us isn’t just up to me," Xia Lun said, patting her shoulder. "He just lost his comrades—now’s not the time to ask. If you push him, he might agree out of obligation, but it’ll leave a bad taste."

"Got it, Xia Lun." Liyana sighed. "You always think things through."

"Because Xia Lun is the leader," Aina interjected coldly.

Liyana shot Xia Lun a suspicious look, as if questioning what kind of spell he’d cast to make Aina side with him so fiercely.

Once back in the city, the group dispersed—though Liyana stuck with Xia Lun, and Aina lingered nearby.

Watching Aina’s ghostly presence trailing behind them, Liyana shuddered.

"Xia Lun… Did you do something to her? She’s acting weird," Liyana whispered.

"Really? Seems normal to me."

"Come on! She’s been staring at you nonstop. You seriously haven’t noticed?"

"Fine, I’ll ask her."

Xia Lun wasn’t one for beating around the bush.

He stopped in front of Aina, who stiffened slightly.

"Aina… Do you have a problem with me? Or is there something you want to say?" Xia Lun met her gaze squarely. "If there’s an issue, just tell me. I’ll fix it. I don’t want misunderstandings or grudges to drive you away."

"I… I’m fine. You’re overthinking it," Aina muttered, avoiding his eyes. "I don’t have any issues with you. I’m not leaving the party."

"Good to hear." Xia Lun exhaled in relief, flashing a bright smile.

Aina’s pulse quickened inexplicably.

This was new.

Had he noticed because she’d been staring too much? How embarrassing… Was this shame?

As expected of the Hero—her rival. An impeccable man, capable of stirring even her emotions.

Aina's lips curled into a faint smirk.

As expected, sneaking into his team had been the right decision...

Only someone like him was worth defeating.