It was just before noon on a sunny day.
The stage for the decisive battle was the ruins of an arena on the outskirts of the slums.
It is said that in the past, entertainment was held here where the poor were publicly killed.
As the neighboring Malawar Empire grew in power, and demi-human men were sent to guard the border, the custom fell into disuse, and now the coliseum, covered in moss and vines, quietly conveyed the history of a bygone era.
Such an arena was, on this day, showing a bustle that surpassed even its former enthusiasm.
Positioned on three sides were the three major demi-human forces that controlled the slums.
Lizardmen, their sturdy scales glittering in the sunlight.
Werewolves, bristling their fur and growling ferociously.
Orcs, their strong bodies flexing.
They glared at each other, exchanging fierce killing intent.
“You’ve come all this way just to be killed. Today, I’ll make it clear who’s on top.”
At the head of the Lizardmen, Zofia the Swift, her black hair flowing in the wind, raised her voice.
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’ll see just how lenient I’ve been with you all this time.”
At the forefront of the Werewolves, Ringa the Tyrant, let out a howling roar.
“Do you think you can defeat the Orcs when we are serious? Today is your death day.”
Reve the Strong Arm, leading many Orcs, folded his arms and declared loudly.
The atmosphere vibrated and carried the imminent possibility of conflict.
Then, the bell announcing noon rang out.
Instantly, the three forces rushed forward simultaneously—
“Wait a minute!”
Just before the leading groups collided, a man’s voice split the air.
In the viewing seats of the arena, standing in the backlight, was a black-haired man in a black cloak.
Beside him was a small Elven girl.
“…Sensei.”
“Lord Zenos!”
“Zenos, huh?”
The three female leaders looked up and spoke.
However, they did not completely stop their advance.
“Did you come to stop the fight? I respect you, Sensei, but I can’t stop now.”
“That’s right. I adore Lord Zenos, but this is impossible.”
“Yes. I intend to listen to everything you say, but please forgive me for this one thing.”
“Zenos, what should we do? They won’t stop even if you tell them to,” Lily said worried.
Looking at the flustered and anxious Lily, Zenos firmly told the three:
“Yeah, I know. I didn’t come here to stop the fight.”
“Eh?”
“I didn’t grow up in the slums for nothing. I know you guys can’t back down easily.”
From the beginning, the Lizardmen, Werewolves, and Orcs had been competing for supremacy in the slums for a long time.
It was a history of incessant conflict, a memory of accumulated resentment.
That one punched. That one kicked. That one shot. That one killed.
Between the three races, there were complex and intertwined feelings that could not be expressed in words.
The women’s conflict over Zenos was only a superficial trigger, and beneath it lay a history of accumulated racial resentment. There was always a tense atmosphere between the three that could explode at any moment.
“There’s no way I, as an outsider, have the right to interfere in such a situation. I’m just a mere dark healer.”
“Zenos, but…”
Lily was bewildered, but Zenos pressed on.
“So, go all out. Until you’re satisfied. That’s what I came to say.”
“Ehh…”
Contrary to the speechless Lily, the three female leaders exchanged glances filled with killing intent.
“We have Sensei’s blessing. Let’s do this thoroughly. How about the last one standing gets Sensei?”
“I’m in. It’s as good as Ringa having already won.”
“I will be the one to receive Zenos’s chastity.”
“Zenos, is that true…?”
“No, of course, I didn’t make any such promise, okay?”
The moment Zenos desperately explained to Lily—
Uoooooooh!
The three forces collided in the center of the arena.
The raw sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed, and a giant body was sent flying. Screams. Growls. Death throes intermingled, and blood splattered. Years of resentment towards each other swirled into a massive surge of energy that raged through the coliseum.
It doesn’t stop.
They couldn’t stop it.
Lily involuntarily covered her eyes at the swirling remorse and the utterly gruesome sight.
But—
But, however—
It doesn’t end.
The battle doesn’t end.
Even after several hours had passed, there was no sign of the battle ending.
The situation remained a stalemate between the three, with neither winners nor losers determined, and only time passed.
The sun, which had been high in the sky, was now leaning westward, and the sky was tinged with a burning red.
Only a dull fatigue accumulated in their bodies, and the chaotic battle gradually stagnated.
“Wh-why? I can’t defeat them at all.”
“Damn it, no matter how much I hit them, they keep getting up.”
“I should have knocked down more than thirty, so why?”
“In the first place, why aren’t the enemies decreasing after all this?”
“Or rather—”
“The wounds…have healed, somehow?”
At that moment.
All eyes in the arena turned to the man standing tall in the viewing seats.
“…I told you. I have no intention of stopping the fight. Do as you please. It’s none of my business.”
Zenos, with his arms folded, continued to speak.
“But, you guys are also my patients. So, if you get injured, I’ll heal you whether you want it or not. After all, I’m a dark healer.”
Words disappeared.
Sound disappeared.
The heat disappeared.
The arena was enveloped in a silence as if time had stopped.
“…I see. I’m amazed at my own stupidity for realizing it so late. Sensei was just doing his job all along, wasn’t he?”
Zofia the Swift sat down on the spot and shook her shoulders.
“But I’ve never heard of anyone healing this many people simultaneously for such a long time…”
Ringa the Tyrant muttered in a daze and fell to her knees.
“He said he wouldn’t take sides with any particular faction…but I never imagined he would take sides with everyone. But, at this rate, there is no end.”
Reve the Strong Arm said, breathing heavily.
“That’s right. There’s no end. That one punched. So I’ll take revenge. This one kicked. So I’ll take revenge. There’s no end. Do you still want to continue? If so, I’ll go along with it to the end. Of course, I’ll be sure to collect the treatment fee.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
After a long silence, the three female leaders burst into laughter at the same time.
“Hah…hahaha. You’re right. There’s no end, so what on earth were we doing?”
“…I suddenly feel stupid. Doing this is just tiring.”
“Hahaha. After all this fighting, I somehow feel satisfied.”
They punched with all their might. They were punched with all their might.
They roared from the bottom of their stomachs. They shouted until they were satisfied.
Anger, resentment, and hatred, all the festering heat that had settled deep inside their bodies, had been completely exhausted.
The killing intent that had covered the arena had disappeared cleanly.
The three female leaders let out a shallow sigh and looked up at the sunset sky.
“…It can’t be helped. Sensei said so, so it’s closing time for today.”
“The Werewolves have no objection.”
“Forgiveness is also strength. It’s an old Orc saying.”
The subordinates of each race, who had also given their all, began to praise each other’s efforts. The three women met each other’s eyes and their lips relaxed.
“Now there’s only one reason for us to fight in the future.”
“Ringa has a head start on that.”
“I can’t lose that battle.”
“What are they talking about…?”
“Muu. Zenos, you’re popular after all.”
For some reason, Lily puffed out her cheeks.
“But, Zenos, why did you do this?”
“Ah, a healer I met when I was in the slums said this. A healer is third-rate if they only heal injuries, second-rate if they heal people, and first-rate only when they correct the world.”
“That person is amazing.”
“Well, he was an amazing person. So, I thought I’d try to make the slums a little better, even if I’m only third-rate.”
“Zenos, you’re so cool…!”
“That’s just the official reason.”
“It’s the official reason?”
“After all, they’re good customers of the clinic that doesn’t see the light of day. There’s no way I’d lose them over something so trivial.”
“…Liar.”
Lily said in a small voice.
Because, if the three races became friendly, there would be no more injuries from skirmishes, and their income would decrease.
There’s no way he didn’t know that.
Lily firmly grasped Zenos’s sleeve.
“Hey, Zenos.”
“What?”
“Lily, loves Zenos.”
“Hm? I love Lily too.”
“Muu… Lily’s love isn’t that kind of love.”
“Then what kind of love is it?”
“N-nothing!”
Zenos turned on his heel.
“Well, let’s get the money and go home, Lily.”
“You’re taking the money?”
“Of course. It’s hard work healing this many people. I’ll take what I’m owed.”
“Hehe, I wonder if Camilla will be sad that no one died.”
“Maybe. Serves her right.”
“…But, I think she’ll probably be happy. Ehehe.”
Thus, a mere dark healer put an end to the long-standing conflict in the slums.
And this event would also greatly change the future of Zenos, the exiled healer.