As he read, a faint crease formed between his brows.

There was no difference.

Their anatomy mirrored that of Velmora's people, and even Earth's humans. Organs were in the same places. Circulatory systems followed the same logic. Nerves, muscles, skeletal structure… all fundamentally identical.

More importantly, he learned that the people of this world could regenerate quickly.

Minor injuries healed within hours. Deeper wounds took days. Severe trauma, at worst, required a week.

But the premise was the same as any human.

As long as the brain functioned and the heart continued to pump blood, the body would attempt to heal itself.

Bruce exhaled slowly.

That meant his earlier intervention had been sound.

He remained immersed in his reading, absorbing regeneration rates, cellular recovery explanations, and case examples, when suddenly, something shifted.

A familiar sensation rippled through his consciousness.

A notification.

From the Akashic Codex.

Bruce's eyes lifted from the page at once.

[You have gained 5 points from healing Rose Redwood.]

He exhaled slowly, the corners of his mouth tugging down into a faint frown.

"Only five points," he muttered to himself. "This is going to take a while…"

With that, he returned to the stack of books in front of him, flipping pages, scanning diagrams, and committing every scrap of knowledge to memory. Healing points were one thing, but time was precious, and every second spent learning could be multiplied if used wisely.

It was impossible to say how much time passed. Hours? Perhaps longer. The light in the library shifted imperceptibly, shadows creeping across the floor as Bruce remained engrossed in his studies.

Then, suddenly, the quiet was broken. The heavy wooden door at the entrance swung open.

Bruce's head lifted automatically.

The woman, Rose Redwood's mother, stepped into the library. Behind her, a group of guards fell into a disciplined line, and a man with a fat belly, whose bearing radiated authority, followed closely. His eyes swept the room with a measured, assessing gaze.

The woman hesitated for a moment, turning to the man. "I… I don't know if he'll still be here," she said softly. "It's been so long… but he said he'd wait in the library."

Bruce remained calm, still seated at his corner table. He didn't move a muscle, his posture relaxed, yet his senses were fully alert.

It didn't take long. The woman's eyes scanned the library, stopping abruptly as they landed on him. Recognition sparked instantly. A smile broke across her face. She raised her hand in a small wave.

"Thanks for helping cure my daughter," she said, her voice warm, tinged with relief. "She… she healed faster than normal, thanks to whatever strange technique you used on her."

She paused, then took a small step forward, determination creeping into her expression. "I'm here to reward you for your help."

Bruce's eyes met hers, calm and neutral, but a flicker of calculation lingered behind them. He inclined his head slightly, waiting for her to continue.

"What help do you need?" she asked softly. "As long as it's within my reach, I'll help you to the best of my abilities."

Bruce considered for a moment before replying, his voice quiet but firm. "I need a place to stay. I need access to any weak mutant beasts you can spare, and leaves of all the herbs and plants you can gather. And… I need your help telling the villagers something."

He leaned in slightly, emphasizing the last part. "Tell them I can accelerate regeneration, without using healing. Pure technique. Herbs alone. Nothing magical."

The mother's eyes widened for a moment, then a smile broke across her face. "You're in luck," she said. "With my words and the village chief here to back you, every injured villager will patronize you. I'll personally assure them that your technique works."

Bruce gave a small nod, satisfied.

The woman finished, stepping aside slightly, and the man with the pot belly, the village chief, moved forward. He extended a hand toward Bruce. Bruce accepted, and the two shook firmly.

The chief laughed heartily. "Thanks to you, I have no reason to keep Lilian and Rose hidden any longer. I can officially take Lilian as my concubine…"

The lady standing nearby blushed faintly, her hands twisting at her side. Bruce, however, only raised an eyebrow, not fully understanding the chief's remark. He guessed, though, that his healing of Rose had somehow earned the chief's trust, or favor.

Without missing a beat, the village chief gave orders to several of his guards. "Go fetch what he asked for. And personally, I will take you to a house for your stay."

Bruce nodded, his expression unchanged. "I'll only be staying in the village for seven days."

The chief's eyes flicked to him, measuring, then he nodded in acknowledgment. "Seven days. That will be enough. We will accommodate you accordingly."

The house the village chief brought him to was modest, but sturdy, wooden beams darkened with age, simple furniture arranged with practicality rather than ornamentation. The air smelled faintly of herbs and smoke, a reminder that the villagers relied heavily on natural remedies.

Bruce set his things down quietly, scanning the small room with sharp, deliberate eyes. Shelves, tables, even the corner by the window would all serve a purpose. He already knew he didn't have time to waste. Every second spent idling was a second lost toward reaching his goal.

Almost immediately, the guards returned, carrying baskets of herbs, bundles of leaves, and even a few caged creatures, small, weak mutant beasts that looked harmless, but alive and twitching.

Bruce examined each item with meticulous care. The herbs were diverse, some familiar, some alien in appearance, pale green, almost silver leaves, thick roots twisted like gnarled fingers. The mutant beasts were feeble, their regenerative capacity limited, ideal subjects for testing his techniques.

"Leave them here," he said curtly. "I'll need the cages open, the herbs sorted, and water for the animals. Everything else, you may go."

The guards glanced at each other, then obeyed. Bruce wasted no time.

He arranged the herbs by type and properties, cross-referencing what he had already memorized from the books. Leaves known to accelerate cellular repair went together. Roots that could stabilize bleeding were placed nearby. He even separated some with known toxin-absorbing qualities, just in case.

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