Ryu was training new spells and glyphs in the backyard when he suddenly Lina entered and, almost in a panicked voice, said,

"Ryu, hurry go bring Aiena from church!!"

"Just one-second mom, I am about to gain a complete understanding of this glyph" Ryu replied calmly, due to being lost in concentration he failed to notice the panic in Lina's voice.

"Ryu's there isn't a second!! Jue got poison burn, hurry up!!" and as soon as it entered Ryu's ears, he stood up without saying anything even though he seemed as calm as before but he was emitting high pressure and without saying anything Ryu used [Quickening],

As Ryu went toward the church, his mind was troubled.

'That brat!! what was grandpa chief doing?' he thought as he entered the church hurrying towards the healing place where Aiena and the priestess heal people and adventurers in exchange for a donation to the church also Aiena earns some pocket money while it is also a way to practice.

He saw a small group of adventurers standing before Aiena and he shouted from the door,

"Aiena, there is trouble. Jue got a poison burn!"

"What!?" Aiena was shocked and couldn't comprehend what Ryu said as she was focused on healing the adventurers.

"Yes, now hurry up!" Ryu said as he pushed aside the adventurers, and pulled Aiena up.

"Oii kid!? We were waiting for our healing!!" A bulky man said he seemed new in town as Ryu hadn't seen him before,

"Let us have our healing!! We are poisoned too!!" a girl dressed as an assassin irritatingly said,

"Wait….wait… hear" the third timid looking guy was trying to say something to the other two but Ryu wasn't in the mood of wasting time and chanted in a low voice,

"Return heat to world embrace cold bind their feet let there be frost!!" and soon all four adventurers found their feet frost and the third one said in a whining voice,

"That is why I was saying here… that kid is not normal!!" ignoring it, Ryu picked up Aiena in his arms in a hurry and rushed towards home using [Quickening],

'Ryu is really strong!! How did Jue get poisoned?' Aiena thought as she held tightly to Ryu's body as she felt how well-defined Ryu's muscles had become. It had been a long time since she last carried him in her arms,

Although she knew Ryu is too old for carrying in arms anymore, she finds it a bit disappointing, as they rushed toward home Ryu's head was occupied with worry for Jue as he knew most of the poison shouldn't work on Jue as he got a reasonable poison resistance skill,

'You just wait brat!!' Ryu thought as he entered the village chief's house. He saw the Village chief sitting in the living room and he said as soon as he saw Aiena and Ryu,

"He is in his bed, Ryu, you stay here,"

Ryu nodded and put Aiena down who rushed upstairs towards Jue's room, the Village chief said in a clear but low voice,

"Ryu, take a seat. Jue is in no shape to get scolded right now" Ryu nodded and sat down and take a few deep breaths before he asked,

"How did that brat got poisoned!? You were there right Grandpa?" his expression was a mixture of irritation and concern, and the Village chief nodded before he told Ryu what happened.

Ryu was so pissed when he heard that Jue intentionally stopped the village chief from helping him,

'What does he think? Is he a shonen protagonist!?' Ryu wanted to shout, but then he heard about things Jue said on his back,

"I did not fall or got stunned this time, big brother," the Village chief said, mimicking Jue's voice with a little laugh.

"I was just like you I did not back down!!" he said and Ryu felt goosebumps all over his body he knew Jue looked up to him, but he always treated him like the brat he was in the past, Ryu reconsidered the way he treated Jue but the answer that came to Ryu's head was,

'I need to set some things straight for him' he was looking down considering what he should say or not when Village chief bend forward patting his shoulder,

"It is fine Ryu… it wasn't your fault Jue wanted to prove himself also he is rewarded with a great salvaged skill, these are all the parts of growing up and becoming a man… just like a responsible big brother teach him there are times when one should back off,"

Ryu nodded and the Village chief sighed as he thought,

'I can't blame it on Ryu. Jue took the decision, and when they will go on an adventure, they will have many such moments… they should just learn how to overcome and learn from them…. I will kill a toxic croc nest for revenge tonight,' and an evil grin appeared on his face.

When Ryu and the Village chief were talking Aiena was trying her best to heal Jue, she used her best poison curing miracle, and also a healing miracle,

'Please cure Jue,' she thought as she poured her miracle mana into chants. The scar was visibly getting back to normal the skin was reforming even though the poison was detoxifying,

Hina, who was standing beside Jue, had tears in her eyes as she watch Jue's scar healing. Geld didn't say much as he believed what Jue did was the right thing as a man and also was happy with his son's bravery.

The village chief and Ryu were joined by Lina as she entered with some porridge for Jue, she was too sitting and waiting for Aiena to finish healing and refrained from going up as she also wanted to know how it exactly happened and was shocked when the Village chief told him about Jue's fight with White toxic croc,

"How did you hold back? Chief uncle… if it was me, I wouldn't be able to control my flames" Lina asked with a troubled concerned look, and Ryu, who remembered her from the naming ceremony incident, nodded without thinking much,

Before the Village chief could answer, Aiena shouted cheerfully from upstairs,

"Ryu!! Grandpa chief!! Jue is healed and is asking for you,"

Hearing that Ryu, Lina, and the Village chief rushed upstairs as they entered the room, Jue, who was sitting with his back on the bedpost spoke,

"I am fine Grandpa, village chief" Hina was hugging him hard as he was speaking,

Grandpa chief noticed a small mark on his collar bone even with Aiena's healing the poison burn left a scar.

"Jue, this is a mark of bravery but it was a stupid bravery," the Village chief said as he patted his head. Jue asked with a little giggle,

"Hehe… I was cool, right?"

"You scared me Jue" the Village chief replied and Jue apologized in a low voice, Geld left for work once he made sure Jue was okay, and Hina reprimanded Jue when she learned how he refused to ask for grandpa chief's help but was satisfied once she knew it wasn't as serious as it looked at first sight,

After everyone left, only Jue and Ryu were left in the room. Lana was going to come to have a look after her work at the orphanage was finished.

Ryu was sitting on a stool beside Jue's bed and Jue was telling him all about the fight pridefully when he ended Ryu asked,

"You done?" and sighed, and Jue nodded. Ryu stood up and moved his hand towards Jue's shoulder. Jue thought he was going to be praised,

But when Ryu's hand was about to reach Jue's shoulder, he moved his hand towards his head and smacked a punch right on top of his head.

"Ouch!! It hurts, big brother! Why!?" Jue spoke with teary eyes, patting his own head with both of his hands,

"Are you a fool!? You brat!! what would happen if croc went straight for killing" Ryu exclaimed loudly,

"But big brother in front of Naga…" Jue tried speaking but before he could finish Ryu cut in middle,

"What about it? you know my first reflex was to run as soon as saw Naga. If not for you I would've escaped before ever facing, it," Ryu said and Jue nodded as he remembered that Ryu was originally running away,

"But there was grandpa…" Jue again tried speaking but Ryu cut in middle again,

"So what? You know if Grandpa chief was there when I was in front of Naga, I would've let him fight and cheered from the side," Jue was at end of his words he doesn't know what to say in order to convince Ryu of his actions,

"See Jue, there are endless chances to prove oneself if one is alive… so next time if it is possible to avoid a life-threatening fight do that,"

Jue obediently nodded.

'This much is enough I guess,' Ryu thought as he spoke.

"Well, even though your actions were reckless, this proves I cannot leave a brat like you with any other party,"

"Then?" Jue asked with shining eyes in anticipation. The sun outside moved the light coming inside from the window painted everything orange as Ryu spoke, putting his hand in his blue hair in a frowning manner,

"You finished the test, now move your head a bit lower," Ryu said with a straight serious face and Jue complied as he thought,

'Now big brother will praise me!!' but what happened next shattered Jue's expectations, when another punch fell on his head,

"This last one so you remember next time… rest well," Ryu said as he went out of the room, and Jue pouted but he wasn't sad as he knew Ryu was just concerned meanwhile Ryu, who was walking downstairs, thought,

'After all, I couldn't bring myself to praise that brat!!' and remembered the states of Jue he saw,

(Level-15

Blessing- [Blessing of Valore God-B]

Skills- [Silent stepping I], [Inhibition], [Mud Wall], [Ground loosing], [Gravel claw], [Smash IV], [Arm strengthening VII], [Slash], [Gravel shot], [Ground solidification], [Swing boost], [Poison resist II], [Quick Slash]

Salvaged Skill- [Ground bound], [scaly shield])

"He is far from norm too it seems," Ryu sighed,