“Good news I’ve gone over the records and I can match the damage done. Bad news, it won't be easy. I'll have to use something strong and that means this won't be cheap.” With an apologetic shrug he went on. “Guild rules, if I use my abilities over a certain strength I have got to charge more.”

Jin walks back to Lisette and Jaeger as he speaks.

“How much are we talking about?”

“4000 gold.”

Jaeger looks to Lisette, who was supposed to be helping him get healed. She meets his eyes and gives a small frown.

“That is about the going rate for a resurrection. Like a divine resurrection amount of money.”

“Yes, which is essentially what he needs. Not just because this item curse requires him to be mortally wounded, but because of the kind of damage his weapons do. What I am about to say is not meant to brag or boast, but as a simple fact. I am your best, if not only, chance to survive being fatally wounded by your weapons.”

This catches Jaeger's attention.

“Oh. Why is that?”

“Because of the nature of the damage. Your guns seem to release a ball of pure lead, the beam also seemed to carry some of its properties.”

“That makes sense, that's what they did in my world. They shot specialized lead balls, but they changed them when they got here. All my lead shot was removed, among other things.”

Jin raised an eyebrow at that, before laughing.

“Ah, my friend, I have no doubt. I've heard that the system occasionally changes things for Outworlders, usually to your advantage, but it also removes things it deems forbidden. In this case, it was your lead. This is because lead is essentially anti-magic.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad. Kinda evens the battlefield, if you ask me.”

“You're not wrong, but you also have to consider that magic runs through the whole world, so too much lead can damage the world. That's why naturally occurring lead deposits are so small, barely big enough to make a dagger. Not that anyone would waste it that way. Your old gun was essentially shooting world-killing gold, but rarer and more expensive.”

It sounded like Jaeger's old lead shot was somehow more dangerous here. It also sounded like his new gun was doing some kind of irreparable damage, which was good to know, but brought to mind a terrifying thought.

“So my guns deal damage that magic can’t heal? Do I need to worry about accidentally killing the world?”

“A glancing wound can be healed, but fatal wounds, unlikely. Unless you’re me. As for damaging the world, do not fret the system modified your weapon so it won’t hurt the world.”

Jaeger was relieved, but frustrated that Jin was dragging out the conversation.

“Get to the point.”

Jin smiled again before raising his hands as a blue aura ran over them.

“I do not use magic. I come from a specialized order and have been trained to use a rare form of energy called chakra to heal. My healing is unaffected by anti-magic properties such as those exhibited by lead.”

Lisette nodded.

“He's a former student of the Order of Medical Ninja. They're a neutral organization of healers, some of the best in the world. For an expelled student, Jin is pretty good.”

Jin’s smile turned sour.

“Just pretty good? You will surely kill me with a thousand cuts today, Lisette.”

Lisette rolled her eyes.

“Of course, you're only pretty good, you were expelled.”

Jin sighed and lost his smile.

“Yes, yes, I was.” He claps his hands, which have lost their blue glow. “But that was over a matter of attitude, not over my ability to heal. I was considered a prodigy when it came to healing.”

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“He’s also quite humble.”

Jaeger watched their banter, picking up subtle hints of something. Jin hadn't seemed so sad when reminded of his expulsion, Jaeger could have sworn he seemed relieved. Noticing that reaction, he said.

“I see why you're my only hope. Not that you had to sell yourself, Lisette trusts you and right now I'm looking for trustworthiness. So when can we do this? Do you have any idea how long this will take?”

“We can do it now if you'd like. I've maintained my chakra levels so I'm ready. Time wise, if you tell me how you plan to injure yourself, I can shorten my reaction time and from there it is about your body's affinity to receive healing.” Jin closed his eyes in thought for a few seconds, before speaking. “Based on past experience, I imagine it will take an hour, if your body has what I call an average affinity for healing; the better it is, the faster.”

Jaeger takes a deep breath.

“Then let’s do it.”

----------------------------------------

Weaponry added to Armory of the Armiger

“…ger! …eger! Jaeger!”

“Lisette you don’t … to yell … him. I told you he’s simply …eping off the damag… healing. My medical ninjutsu doesn’t normally drain the body but he was fatally injured.” Jin said before a barely audible murmur passed his lips. “Twice in a row, though, I thought he'd take it one at a time. He's incredibly lucky that I was quick to react.”

Jaeger lay on the ground, his head on something soft and his body aching. He felt like he'd run a full marathon, in plate armor, with a hangover.

“Water.”

As the words left his mouth, a gasp was heard and Jin rushed over, a flask of water in his hands. Jaeger took it from him and drank it in a few gulps, yet an almost unquenchable thirst ran through him.

“Need more.”

Jin's eyes flashed blue for a moment, as did his hands. After a second of watching Jaeger, he muttered something low in an indecipherable language and moved away, presumably to get more water.

As Jin walked away, something was placed in his mouth. The bounty hunter eagerly sucked down the contents, expecting water, but was surprised to taste black powder, and then a rush pulsed through his body. He rose with a roar, shooting to his feet like an explosion. Tingling, burning and energy raced through his body.

“What was that Lisette?”

Jin practically screamed as he sprinted back and the exhausted body of Jaeger shot to his feet.

Jaeger turned, his body still twitching with barely suppressed energy, and looked at her. She rose from the floor, her feet under her knees. Had she been cradling my head? Jaeger thought.

Lisette rose to her feet, dusting off her legs as she did so.

“That was just some of Jaeger's emergency rejuvenation concoction.”

“Why did you give it to him? His body can't take any more healing, it's exhausted. Any more healing and his body will consume itself, damn it, you know the dangers of over-healing Lisette.”

Jin had now moved to stand in front of Lisette and seemed quite angry about her actions.

“Calm down Jin, I know what I'm doing. Jaeger here has used this thing before and it doesn't work the same as healing. It is a recovery boost, it boosts his energy and energy recovery.”

Jaeger felt it was time to interrupt, Lisette had done a good job of explaining what his powder horn did without saying too much. He decided to introduce some new information to better hide what it did.

“Jin, I'm fine. Lisette is right, my horn has a potion from my old world. The system said that because my body is different from the human body in this world, the potion would strengthen my body. It doesn’t exactly heal me, it just boosts my body, I can’t explain it well.”

He decided to lie. He got the idea after learning that there were a variety of different races, all called orcs. If an orc could be the same but completely different, why not humans?

“Hmm. I have heard of some Outworlders who were different kinds of races than we already know.” He said before muttering to himself. “Like the snow elves. Is this why I’m here?”

“So were good then?”

“Hmm? Oh yeah. If you don't mind, I'd like to check you over just to be sure. But if that potion wasn’t a healing potion, you’d be showing signs of healing strain by now if it were, you should be fine.”

Jaeger saw no reason not to, so he waved Jin over and let the man run his tests. He looked up at the sky as Jin ran glowing hands over his body.

“How long was I out?”

“Not sure, but it is almost dinner time so almost half the day. Why?”

Jin replied distractedly as he scanned Jaeger’s body for damage.

“No reason, I just wanted to get an idea of how long this process might take.”

“This time took so long because you decided to take two fatal wounds at once.”

Jaeger shrugged at that.

Jin stood back.

“You’re in fine shape. Not to brag but I do quite a good job.”

Lisette clapped slowly, earning a glare from the man.

“Well, now that that's done, let's get something to eat. I'm starving.”

Lisette said and motioned the others to the door. Jaeger was hungry, but he also had messages from the Armory to check. His stomach rumbled loudly. Jin laughed and patted him on the shoulder.

“Come, we’ll eat and you can tell us about your notifications. It’ll go better over a meal.”

Jaeger thought for a moment before answering. “I can’t argue with that.”

As the trio approach the exit and unlock it, they are almost knocked over as it bursts open. Entering is Lorcan, holding a wrapped object in his hands.

“Jaeger, one of the guild receptionists told me you were here. I finished your axe; I know you were in a hurry to get it, so I came to deliver it in person.”

He looked at the group: Jaeger and Jin looked exhausted and Lisette groaned into her hands.

“Is this a bad time?”

Jaeger laughed.

“No, you're just in time. Come in and close the door.” Jaeger turned and removed his jacket and top layer of clothing, revealing his scarred torso. “Once we’ve finished here you should join us for dinner.”

Lorcan pauses for a moment, then slowly shrugs and closes the door behind him.

{End of Book 1 – Welcome to a New World.}