SSS-Class Archfiend

The little girl was so thin from malnutrition that she trembled as she lifted the iron sword.

She wasn't even Transcendent.

Rein finally saw the girl clearly: her face was dirty, but she had a pair of clear, large eyes. Looking at her tearful yet expectant smile, he felt a pang of sadness for some reason.

Your daughter brought you money to gamble, so you should at least give her a friendly welcome, right?

To everyone's surprise, her gambling-addicted father showed no sign of amiability, coldly saying, "Alright, leave the money here, get out. Don't stay here!"

Judging from her disgusted look, it was as if she was afraid her bad luck would cause her to lose money.

Throughout the entire ordeal, he only had eyes for the money pouch and never glanced at the sword.

"."

When the little girl saw that Guy didn't take the iron sword, the expectation in her eyes instantly turned into disappointment. The last glimmer of light in her eyes immediately dimmed, leaving her looking empty, lifeless, and like a walking corpse.

After handing over the money pouch, the little girl seemed relieved, as if she had accomplished some important task.

Then she silently turned around and staggered toward the stairs leading to the gambling den.

She didn't say a word from beginning to end.

Rein frowned slightly, muttering to himself, "What a strange father and daughter. Could it be because of that 'Curse Tribe' bloodline?"

He guessed something, but in any case, this gambling father seemed like a bastard!

Guy picked up the money bag, turned around, and went to the gambling table.

With a loud crash, he slammed his money bag onto the table, yelling that he was about to continue gambling. "Hey, Captain Jim, this is the money I owe you. I'll give you fifty gold coins first, and I'll give you the rest after I play a few rounds and win it all back."

They started using the old phrase "gambler" right off the bat.

"Call"

As the little girl finally stepped onto the stairs, a collective sigh of relief could be heard from inside the house.

The dealers started shouting again, "Come on, place your bets!"

Just as the atmosphere in the gambling den was about to become lively again, suddenly there was a "clinking" sound, like a watermelon rolling down the iron stairs.

The eerie sound instantly silenced the entire casino.

As the audience turned to look at the award-winning actor, they saw that the barefoot little girl who had walked up the steps had fainted and fallen, and then fell all the way down again.

She must have bumped her head somewhere, because a pool of bright red blood flowed from the back of her head.

Upon seeing the blood, the hundreds, if not thousands, of gamblers in the room showed expressions of terror and retreated hastily. In an instant, a large "isolation zone" was revealed where the little girl lay nearby.

No one dared to help her up, and no one dared to offer any medical assistance.

The gambling den manager was extremely regretful. He had warned them long ago not to let this Plague God into the gambling den, but no one dared to stop him.

Now look what's happened! If someone dies here, this tavern will definitely have to close down!

With a long face, he said, "Hey Guy, your losses today are on me! You can't let her collapse here, get her out of here right now, or the boss will kill me!"

Guy looked at the little girl lying in a pool of blood. The fervor for gambling on his face finally faded. He frowned slightly and sighed, "Sigh."

He didn't expect anyone to help him, and he stood up shakily. Then, seeing how much blood the little girl was bleeding, he asked again, looking towards the large gambling hall, "Can anyone sell me a healing potion?"

Silence.

No one responded; this potion, which was almost a staple in the hands of every hunter, was something no one was willing to offer.

Guy's expression remained unchanged, showing no disappointment, only a numb indifference born of habit.

As long as Nareta is around, no one dares to sell her food, provide shelter, medical care, clothing, or anything else.

At this stop, Rein finally noticed his legs, which were as thin as bamboo poles, and narrowed his eyes slightly. "It really is poisoning! Mandarin Flesh Paralysis Toxin!"

Old Guy has been poisoned for quite some time now. Although he can still stand up with difficulty, walking is quite challenging. It's likely that before long, he'll be confined to his bed, waiting to die.

The half-dead old man walked over shakily, trying to help his daughter who lay in a pool of blood.

He struggled to pull the little girl's arm up from the floor, trying to roll her over and carry her on his back, but his atrophied muscles couldn't support such a strenuous movement. He'd only managed to lift half of her body when the father and daughter both crashed to the floor with a thud, looking utterly disheveled.

The little girl's head slammed against the floor again, splattering blood everywhere. The surrounding gamblers all backed away, no one daring to step forward to help.

Guy got up, panting heavily, and gritted his teeth, wanting to try again.

Everyone watched indifferently, and no one dared to step forward to help.

It was as if the father and daughter were pantomime actors performing a tragedy on stage.

I fell once, and then again.

Seeing this from a distance, Rein pursed his lips and didn't watch any further.

After a soft sigh.

He calmly addressed the gamblers blocking his way, saying, "Please make way, I am a doctor."

"Don't."

The redhead named Dasha was about to stop something, but Rein ignored her tugs and walked out.

A look of shock and disbelief crossed her face. She thought to herself with regret: Oh, I forgot that this guy doesn't know that "Ghost Girl"!

Under the stunned gaze of hundreds of people, Rein walked over.

The system did not send any notifications until they reached the father and daughter.

If it were a negative status like a plague curse, the system would provide a notification, but it doesn't now.

The "malicious and unlucky" buff in her bloodline didn't seem to have been triggered by her.

Rein felt that this should be the case.

He didn't consider himself a particularly good person, but he wasn't a bad person either.

Before his journey of trials, the Great Shaman Mafat had told him, "Follow your heart, that is your path to Transcendent." The will is the unshakable essence of one's heart.

Rein felt that as a doctor, this was what he should do.

Moreover, he was also very interested in the "Curse Tribe".

Suddenly, a person stepped out from the crowd to help, shocking everyone in the gambling den.

"Where did this clueless doctor come from, meddling in that Ghost Girl's affairs?"

"Hehe. Just wait and see, he'll definitely regret meddling in other people's business soon enough."

"He's bleeding so much and still dares to come close? This guy's dead meat."

"."

Bystanders pointed and whispered, some expressing regret, others being sarcastic and cynical.

Guy was clearly shocked as well. He looked at Rein and said, "Doctor, if you want to help, just give me a healing potion."

Rein shook his head. "Healing potions won't solve her problem. I'm a doctor, let me take a look."

Even knowing that the little girl's blood wouldn't harm him, he still felt he could help her to the end. The little girl's health was very poor; it definitely couldn't be cured by just one dose of medicine.

As he spoke, ignoring the stares of others, he took out a pair of surgical gloves, put them on, and began to examine the little girl's injuries.

There was a minor head injury from a bump, but the injury wasn't serious. The fainting was likely caused by long-term malnutrition, infection from the festering wounds, and probably some blood loss.

After a quick examination, Rein said, "She'll need some simple surgery to recover; otherwise, even if she survives today, she won't live much longer."

Guy looked at Rein closely, then asked in surprise, "You... you're willing to save her? You don't know Nareta?"

"Nareta? That's a nice name."

Rein responded casually, then added, "I've heard about her. But I'm a doctor, and I'm doing what I'm supposed to do."

Hearing this, Guy found it even more unbelievable. He looked at Rein more closely, a strange look flashing across his face, but he didn't insist any further. "Thank you. Kind doctor."

At this moment, the manager of the gambling den breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that someone was helping him.

He handed a money pouch to Rein from a distance, saying, "Respected doctor, the treatment fee is on the tavern's side, but could you please take her away?"

Rein glanced at the money pouch and took it expressionlessly.

Then he simply wrapped the girl's head wound with gauze, cleaned the blood on the ground, and without caring about her dirty clothes, he carried her up the iron stairs.

Then, I heard a series of heavy sighs coming from behind me.

Finally, the Plague God is gone.

Where do you live?

"At the foot of the city wall in the western district."

"."

"No hotels will provide us with accommodation, so..."

"Knew."

The three of them left the gambling den and the tavern.

Rein covered the little girl on his back with a cloak, fearing it would cause trouble.

Guy was also afraid of being recognized, so he followed from a great distance.

They left the Mechanical City and walked to the shantytown on the ground, then found the shanty that the father and daughter had built themselves by following a corner of the wall.

Aside from being quiet, it was utterly worthless, as filthy as a doghouse. This filthy dwelling reminded one of the guy's extravagant spending at the gambling table, making one even more suspicious.

Rein laid a dry mat on the ground and then put the little girl down.

He began tending to his wounds, not turning around, and said calmly, "I will save her, but I think you need to give me some explanation."

Guy looked at Rein with a complicated expression.

He knew what the other person wanted him to explain.

After a moment's hesitation, he said directly, "Nareta's bloodline is problematic. She possesses an uncontrollable 'curse power.' The better she is treated, the stronger that curse power becomes, bringing misfortune to those around her. Only through hardship and pain will she become more resilient. Even if you don't save her, she won't die, but... she will suffer greatly."

His words conveyed a sense of helplessness, as if he was unwilling but had no choice but to do so.

Rein frowned as she listened. No wonder this man treated her this way; so that's why.

The bloodline abilities of the "Curse Tribe" are strange; the better they live, the stronger their curse abilities become. It's quite eerie.

Seeing the strange look on Rein's face, Guy said again, "However, Doctor, you don't need to worry. You have righteous energy, so the power of that curse has no effect on you."

Hearing this, Rein was slightly surprised. "Oh? You can see 'righteous energy'? What is that?"

He knew, of course, that the curse had no effect on him, but he was also curious how this guy could tell.

This Guy actually knows how to "observe qi"?

Guy explained, "I found her in a pile of bones two years ago. After a long period of observation, I found that people with 'evil intentions' would run into trouble if they got close to her. Especially if they came into close contact with her blood, the more vicious and wicked they were, the more misfortune would befall them."

This guy's description is very accurate, exactly the same as the description in the goblin alchemy book.

Rein's expression remained unchanged upon hearing this, and he simply said, "In my eyes, you don't seem to be a person of 'righteousness'."

To his surprise, Guy, upon hearing these clearly sarcastic remarks, showed no embarrassment whatsoever, and simply remained silent.

A moment later, he added with a self-deprecating laugh, "Yes, I really am a heinous person."

After these words were spoken, neither of them said anything.

The little girl was not Transcendent; these injuries from being infected and transformed into a dragon would probably have killed an ordinary person.

But she is alive and well (her appearance is not good, but her vitality is very strong).

Rein became increasingly curious about the origin of this "Curse Tribe" bloodline.

Clearly, there must be a story behind this father and daughter.

The surgery wasn't too complicated, and Rein was now quite adept at handling it. He casually asked, "Are you poisoned?"

Guy replied casually, "I know."

Without turning around, Rein removed some necrotic tissue from the little girl's body and began suturing. He then casually asked, "How did she get poisoned?"

Guy: "You want to hear it?"

Since he had nothing better to do, Rein said, "Tell me about it."

Putting everything else aside, this guy's storytelling skills were on par with those of a wandering bard, and he kept listeners very interested.

"Fine."

Guy a bitter smile, then adopted a solemn expression. "My name is Guy Verlias, and I come from the Ajax Province in Sid."

The chances of having the same name are high in the world, but when you add a place name, the probability drops significantly.

Rein hearing this, the "Mind Core" automatically compared and searched for several people with this name that were recorded in various documents.

Then, he casually read out the first one, "[Sword of Justice] Guy Verlias?"

Guy calmly, "You know me?"

Is that really true?

Rein's eyelid twitched. Could he still pretend not to know him now?

He said calmly, "Sid SSS-level wanted criminal, a serial killer with a bounty of two billion. Your bounty states that fifteen years ago, you massacred a city and killed tens of thousands of civilians."

Rein said it casually, but he was quite shocked inside.

This is truly a big shot.

Before the emergence of Carlo Gracie, one of the "Ten Great Legends" and the "Frost Moon Sword Master," that guy was already the number one swordsman in Sid.

Formerly an SSS-rank bounty hunter from the Bounty Hunter Guild. Ironically, he's now also an SSS-rank wanted criminal, one of the highest-paid individuals in Sid!

Moreover, this guy has a title that is almost universally known – "The Most Handsome Man in the Number One Under Heaven"!

Thinking of this, Rein looked at the old face that resembled a skull: Ah, that's it?

Guy seemed to guess what Rein was looking at, chuckled dryly, and said, "I told you, he was quite handsome when he was young."

He paused, looked at Rein, and asked calmly, "Are you going to take my head for the bounty? If so, I won't resist. I'd have no regrets even if I died at the hands of a righteous doctor like you."

"Not interested."

Rein responded calmly. A two billion bounty would indeed be very attractive to an ordinary hunter, but for him, a more interesting story was more appealing.

Moreover, whether it was the system's judgment or his intuition telling Rein, this Guy meant him no harm.

Besides, he had been with this little girl for a long time without triggering the "evil intentions" buff, so he obviously shouldn't be a bad person.

So we just kept chatting.

He skipped over that topic and calmly asked, "Would you mind if I took some of Nareta's blood and hair samples for research? Perhaps it could help me find the cause of her bloodline curse."

He was naturally interested in encountering a legendary ancient "Curse Tribe" bloodline and planned to take some samples to his teacher, Ilubeck, for research.

"."

Doing research? That seems to be a field only highly skilled doctors would engage in.

Guy was slightly surprised and nodded.

With permission, Rein took some more blood clots and hair from the test tube and asked, "Do you think you're deliberately trying to lose money?"

Guy asked, slightly surprised, "Oh? What makes you say that?"

Rein continued his surgery without pause, casually remarking, "I played cards with a guy who's really good at it, and he mentioned a few things about gambling. I could tell you're a very skilled gambler; you shouldn't be a bad one."

Guy remained noncommittal, gave a wry smile, and said, "I learned my gambling skills from playing cards with a guy who was very good at it. You may have heard of him; his name is 'Olatu K. Kand'."

"."

Rein's eye twitched when he heard this.

Of course he had heard of it.

One of the previous "Ten Great Legends," Olato K. Kand of the Gambler Sequence, the teacher of the squinty-eyed Metternich!

Holy crap, the circle of top-tier Transcendent is really small.

Rein never expected that he would encounter just anyone who turned out to be a notorious villain with an SSS-level bounty.

This guy revealed his name, either to silence him, or, as he said, he truly desires death.

But things are clearly not as simple as they seem on the surface.

Rein suspected there was more to the bounty than met the eye and asked, "Didn't you kill the people mentioned in the bounty? Or were they not civilians?"

Guy immediately admitted, "No. I killed them. They were civilians too. That's why I said I deserve to die."

Rein listened in silence; the story here seemed to be quite profound.

"Mr. Guy, what are you doing here?"

"Find Carlo Gracie, the Frost Moon Sword Master, and retrieve a sword."

Upon hearing another familiar name, and this time it was an enemy, Rein couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

"Are you very familiar with him?"

"I don't recognize it. But I must get that sword back."

"Is it yours?"

"No. I used that sword. It was that sword that made me lose my mind and caused that massacre."

"A black, hound-tooth greatsword?"

How did you know?

"I've seen him use it."

"He's already started using it?"

"Um."

"This is bad."

"."

Rein suddenly felt that things had taken a little unexpected turn.

This is a belated update from yesterday. Thank you so much to 'leo627' for the 20,000-coin donation, making them the second patron of this book. Two more chapters owed for donations.