Goro Sumada looked bad. No, to be entirely honest, he looked terrible.
The once vibrant and powerful supreme warmaster had been reduced to a mere shadow of himself.
His right arm was crushed to the shoulder bone by something akin to a meat grinder. The remaining part seemed to have been worn down by coarse abrasive.
On his left arm, the palm was almost entirely intact, except for the severed little finger.
The right leg was completely unharmed, but the left was missing a foot.
If any of his acquaintances were to see Goro now, they wouldn't recognize him, as most of his facial skin had been irreparably destroyed. However, this didn't greatly disturb Stas. After all, regrowing skin wasn't too difficult for those skilled in the art of healing.
Yes, the result would be far from perfect, but it would eliminate the threat to his life.
The real issue was that the body of the Sumada clan head had also suffered immensely.
He bore so many varied wounds, injuries to both skin and internal organs, that Stas couldn't even begin to guess how Goro had received each one.
For instance, it seemed as though he'd been stabbed with something sharp, then the same place was subjected to a water technique and, finally, beaten thoroughly against the ground.
However, it was clear that facing defeat, Otomoto Mizuno had decided to use some kind of forbidden water-based technique to take his enemy with him to the afterlife.
And one could understand why, as if Goro survived, the Mizuno clan, without their head, would be in deep trouble. Hence, the head of the water clan had activated a truly epic technique at the cost of his life.
Stas promised himself to kill supreme warmasters from as far a distance as possible.
Yet Goro Sumada had managed to outdo his rival even in death, managing to survive.
'However, Otomoto still achieved his goal,' Stas thought grimly. His green-glowing fingers gently hovered over the mangled piece of flesh, barely touching it. Mystical energy dutifully relayed the extent of the internal and external injuries to Ordyntsev's consciousness.
The surrounding warmasters didn't interfere, watching the Serpent's actions closely.
And as the list of wounds grew, Stas's mood darkened further.
Yet until a certain point, the earthling still harbored some hope.
And here it's worth pausing to learn more about the technique or, one might even call it, a new art that was at the heart of his plans for achieving immortality.
As a doctor, Stas knew well the limitations of regeneration. In summary, every organism has a limit to how many times cells can reproduce new cells, replacing their aged companions.
And as this limit becomes closer, each subsequent generation will carry more and more errors, preventing the cells from functioning properly.
When the burden of errors surpasses a certain threshold, the organism can no longer function and "shuts down."
That's why Stas almost immediately discarded the primitive path of regeneration using the Healing Hand, as it would only shorten his own life.
In the end, having closed off one path for himself, Stas, full of determination and focus, moved in the direction his medical intuition beckoned him most strongly.
Natural energy.
It was capable of reprogramming cells entirely, recreating them from scratch. This power added new properties as if they were trifles.
The ease with which nature toyed with even the most complex organisms was astounding.
And as if that wasn't enough, it held countless forms and knowledge that could be used for other purposes.
Stas wasn't lying when he told Takehiro Satoshi that natural energy was the will of the world. And logically, one would assume that the world knows quite a bit about all who have the audacity to live within it.
Including humans.
So Ordyntsev used natural energy to set a new goal for it – to mutate the body so that it would revert to its past state. For example, to how it was twenty years ago.
Yet, for some reason, at the end of his experiments, the natural energy repeatedly spiraled out of control.
Nonetheless, healing someone with this technique was far easier and safer than restoring youth.
Assessing Goro's condition, Stas could already say that, generally, he could heal the clan head. Furthermore, with prolonged treatment, there was even the possibility of regrowing the lost hand and foot.
But there was one problem that negated all these plans.
Back during his conversation with Kensei, Stas had learned that Goro's prana channels were nearly destroyed. What made this situation particularly dreadful was that local healers had no idea how to treat or restore them.
Moreover, Stas didn't know how to do it either.
At the beginning of his journey, Ordyntsev realized that prana channels were not just whitish veins spread throughout the bodies of everyone in this world. In fact, most of the prana was located outside the physical body of the bearer. In reality, the white tissues were merely a reflection of energetic processes.
Even if Stas perfectly reconstructed the torn and destroyed channels in reality, over time, they would begin to decay and fall apart again, as there would no longer be any energetic activity behind them.
In summary, even if Goro Sumada were to be healed, he would cease to be a warmaster.
He would be even worse off than some peasants because, theoretically, after decades of training, they could reach half the strength of an ordinary warmaster. Goro wouldn't be capable of even that.
It was easy to understand that a supreme warmaster probably wouldn't want such a life.
Worse, he would be of no use to the Sumada clan itself, as he would be a living embodiment of failure and the mortality of even their best.
Needless to say, crippled warmasters didn't tend to live long. No, they weren't killed, and they even received a pension, which was quite unusual for this world.
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But the universal contempt, pity, and disregard forced these unfortunate souls to end themselves.
And here began the absolute abyss, unsettling even to Ordintsev himself.
Politically, it would be better for everyone if Goro simply died quietly. A living clan head was of no use to anyone, neither to Jishin nor to Stas.
Because if Ordyntsev healed him, there was a great chance that Goro would not change his plans and would hand over power to his eldest son.
And then, Jishin and everyone who followed him would have serious problems.
This meant that Stas had come here in vain.
Yet as much as Ordyntsev wanted to turn around, throw up his hands in despair, and leave, the earthling remembered well who he owed his life to.
It was Goro Sumada who, years ago, had not allowed the elders to finish off the clanless upstart and even appointed his brother Jun as a teacher. That is, one of the strongest supreme warmasters of Sumada.
It was thanks to him that Stas had risen so high in such a short time. And no matter what Goro's motives were, the result was what mattered.
Stas was alive, and now it was up to him whether Goro would live.
A choice had to be made. Political necessity or repaying an old debt.
And Stas made his decision.
Ordyntsev slowly stepped back from the half-dead body of the clan head and turned to Hideo, who was looking at him with hope.
"It's gone too far. I can't help him," Stas's tone was drier than the sands of the hottest desert.
The old man staggered as if struck. Kizashi, concerned, helped him to stand.
"So there's no hope," Hideo whispered desolately, looking at Goro with pain. "We're just delaying the inevitable."
The healers standing around, listening to the conversation, lowered their heads, afraid to look at each other. They all understood what those words meant.
Yet no one dared to say it. Who would dare to kill their own clan head?
"Please forgive me," Stas bowed politely. "But I must leave you. I have several important matters to attend to."
"Yes, of course..."
Ordyntsev turned and left the hall. He did not look back.
*****
"Shiro-kun? I'm surprised to see you here again," Io put away the scroll he had been reading. "Considering how much you have to do, I see no point in you wasting such precious time with me."
"I have a question for you, Io-sama," Stas sat down in his usual spot, looking seriously at the head of the Shadow Stone. "A very important question."
"Hmm, alright, ask away, but remember our previous agreement," Io nodded, carrying the scroll to a special shelf with many compartments nearby.
Stas closed his eyes for a second to focus. The upcoming conversation promised to be difficult.
"Io-sama, what would you say if I claimed I could save the clan head's life?"
Io's hand froze, failing to place the scroll on the shelf. The head of the shadows seemed to have turned to stone until, after a few seconds, he looked at Stas with icy composure.
"Shiro-kun, I hope you realize who and what you're saying? Given our earlier conversation, I can only take your words as mockery. You understand that, right?"
"It's not that simple, Io-sama," Stas sighed heavily. "As I said, assuming I can save your brother's life, it doesn't mean I can save him as a warmaster. What's left of his prana channels will only be enough to maintain his life as an ordinary person. No more. He'll never be able to become a warmaster again."
"So that's how it is," Io murmured, staring into the void before falling silent for a long time.
Stas didn't rush to resume the conversation, well aware that it would be Io who would have to break the silence first.
A simple manipulation, but Ordyntsev was forced to play so harshly, for he didn't have many choices. Right now, he was doing what he himself detested.
"Alright, this is indeed important," the corner of Io's mouth twitched with a wry smile. "But you didn't come here just to tell me this news, did you? If you could and WANTED to heal my brother, we wouldn't be sitting here now. So, what do you want?"
"Io-sama, I must say that I find it very unpleasant to tell you what follows. By the Kami, I would gladly do without this..."
"Stop, Shiro-kun," Io interrupted Stas's justifications. "In this life, there's no 'wanted or didn't want.' There's only 'did or didn't.' So don't make me lose faith in you, just speak up."
"Io-sama," Stas grimaced. "You yourself understand that if I heal Goro-sama, it will create a lot of problems. The situation is unstable as it is, but at least there are two clear candidates. If a crippled but living clan head appears, all plans and calculations can be thrown away."
The head of the Shadow Stone showed no sign that these words interested him, but he continued to listen attentively.
"My proposal is this," Stas ventured after a brief pause. "I can heal Goro-sama, but in return, you'll make him disappear. Convince everyone that the clan head is dead and his body has been destroyed. Then he'll be alive and won't be a bother to anyone."
"How curious," Io chuckled. "And what made you think I would agree to such a proposal? Making my brother an outcast. Depriving him of his name and clan. Why would you think I'd go for it? Especially considering you haven't stated all the conditions, right?"
"Because you genuinely love your brother," Stas exhaled, causing the mask of the head of the shadows to waver momentarily.
"It's still pointless," Io gritted out, looking at Stas with less favor. The entire conversation was causing the warmaster great emotional pain. "Goro will never agree to live as a cripple."
"That's why I'm working on learning to create or heal prana channels," Stas brought up another hidden argument.
"Ha-ha-ha," Io laughed emotionlessly. "I assume now all pieces are in place?" The head stopped laughing and then looked meaningfully at Ordyntsev. "Just one instance of showing my true emotions for everything to come to this. Isn't life cruel?"
"Io-sama, believe me, I didn't want it to come to this." Stas was ashamed. What he was doing was indeed immoral. And it would have been one thing if his manipulation had been directed at a stranger, but no, his target was someone who trusted him.
"Yet you did," Io shrugged. "That's the game we play. But I still haven't heard your real offer, Shiro-kun. Hurry, as we both know how precious time is right now."
"Io-sama, in exchange for my help, I want you to break your promise to Goro-sama and provide me with the people I need from the Shadow Stone. With their help, I want to guarantee Jishin's victory. If you do as I wish, I will heal your brother and continue my research on restoring prana channels."
Having made his offer, Ordyntsev fell silent, anxiously awaiting what the head of the Shadow Stone would say.
"Well played, Shiro-kun," Io clapped for the somber Ordyntsev. "Since my brother will be alive, and you'll know this secret, you'll have influence over me. And since you'll be working on his full recovery, I won't be able to do anything to you. To take my brother hostage without laying a finger on him. As expected of you, Shiro-kun, supremely talented."
Stas remained silent as he had nothing more to say.
"But aren't you afraid that the Goro you healed will want to take revenge?" Io asked with interest.
"Finding a way to heal will take a long time, and then it will take years to partially restore his former strength."
"How thoughtful," Io clicked his tongue. "And you're so sure that I'll agree to betray the promises to my brother for his own sake? He'll hate me for it. He'll think it would have been better if he had died."
"It all depends on you, Io-sama," Stas nodded. "If you disagree, I'll just leave."
"And my brother will die," Io's eyes narrowed in anger. "And you understand that I won't just let it go?"
"Yes, Io-sama," Stas nodded once again, like a bobblehead. "But I have no choice. Right now, I'm putting everything on the line. Either you love your brother, or you don't."
The interlocutors grimly stared into each other's eyes, trying to spot the slightest weakness to immediately exploit.
"Alright, I agree to your offer, Shiro-san. I'll do what you want. My people will arrive in an hour. They'll be ready to do whatever you tell them. Is that all?"
"Yes," Stas suppressed an unpleasant lump in his throat. He did not miss that Io had switched to a much more formal tone.
Both men understood that this matter didn't end with their agreement. Now, Stas had a significant lever of influence over the head of the Shadow Stone. And the latter would have to heed Shiro's wishes.
Another matter was - was it worth it? Was there another way out, without exploiting Io's weakness and destroying their good relationship?
Unfortunately, Stas saw no other possibility. After examining Goro, he had spent time learning about the situation.
And what he found out, he didn't like.
The forces that were or could be at his disposal were decisively insufficient for a guaranteed victory.
Yes, Jishin had enough fighters, but not those capable of more subtle action.
The younger prince was slowly losing, and tough action was required. But that was exactly what Stas couldn't do, as the situation was already shaky.
That's why he needed Io's people, accustomed to acting from the shadows. And he got them, while also gaining influence over the head of the Shadow Stone.
In addition, he would save Goro Sumada and repay the life debt. The problem with this debt was that Io would never agree to simply remove Goro from the board. He would honor his promise, making it highly likely that Izuna would ascend to the throne.
So, it was necessary not to let Io do so.
It seemed that everyone was coming out ahead. Io would get a living and eventually fully healthy brother, Jishin would get the throne, Stas would complete the task and not risk himself, and the clan would not slide into civil war.
Everything, seemingly, was great.
So why did it feel so rotten inside?