Damned Healer-Chapter 519: Changed Completely

Darian nodded at Camille, who ordered the executors to stop the execution. Mallory stared upward with glassy, trembling eyes, like she'd just seen the light at the end of the tunnel. But she couldn't speak or even move a single muscle.

Darian had already heard a bit about Vanh. Over the last ten years, he'd stopped trying to stand out, and very few people had any contact with him. Which was very different from before, when he was basically a king without a crown in the Solar Federation Empire and made everything revolve around him.

When Darian came back to Earth, he learned that Vanh had been gone for a few days. Nobody knew if he was on a mission or… inside that training universe. Darian didn't have time to think much about it, but now, standing in front of him, was a surprising reality.

Vanh was definitely inside that universe when Darian caused that disturbance in time. He got stuck there, spending a thousand years trying to survive. But when everything normalized, he and all the other survivors returned home immediately; that's why Darian hadn't seen those people.

According to Howlyn's information, the Risen had intensified their attacks on the Celestia Academy galaxy, taking advantage of the fact that stronger people couldn't reach them to help. Half of the Spiritual Guardians died... but surprisingly, they still managed to protect the galaxy. She said some heroes rose from the middle of the chaos, leading the others in the defensive battles.

After a thousand years, those who survived did so because they reached the nine rings, going to that Array where they could evolve.

"Fuck you and the Wube family!" Lucy's harsh, hate-filled voice echoed.

Vanh first looked at his mother, completely frozen, feeling a sharp pain in his chest. Then he focused on Lucy and gave a small smile.

It wasn't mockery, but genuine understanding. That surprised her; he didn't look like a complete idiot anymore. Was he really Vanh?

"I'm not gonna be a hypocrite here. I know very well what my mother and my family did..." Vanh spoke in a calm voice, resonating through the entire arena. But his expression held a bit of pain.

After a sigh, Vanh focused on Darian, "Lord Darian, I deeply thank you for your help before. Those words you told me at the Young Sage Tournament made me reflect deeply on myself. I changed the entire focus of my life, finding my own purpose."

Darian narrowed his eyes. His mind went back ten years. Vanh had participated in that tournament, but he didn't remember Darian because of a block in his memories. In that match, Darian had said many things, and even answered an extra question asked by Vanh.

"I didn't do anything to help you, I just repeated things I'd heard somewhere else, and I think I understood them. If it was useful to you, it was because of your own merits and understanding."

Darian replied lightly, but internally, he was pretty surprised. Who would've thought that tournament would have such an impact? Cyaos had told him something similar, saying that his life direction changed because of that speech. And now… even Vanh seemed to have been heavily influenced.

"Words have as much power as fists when the one listening is ready to hear them. Thanks to your help, I understood my situation and my future. So, I did everything to stop my mother and my family from doing things for me ever again. I know, I was greatly benefited by the blood of innocents. But the past can't be changed. My focus became becoming the best leader of the family I could be, and I intend to fix all their rot when I take over, paying that debt to the world."

Vanh's words sounded soft as he looked at the skies thoughtfully. But his fluctuations were those of a man who chose to dedicate his life to a greater purpose.

"That's why..." Vanh turned and locked his eyes directly on Darian. "I ask you, don't stop me from taking my mother. I just came back to Earth after managing to transcend mortality. Now, I'll officially take the position of family leader, and I'll be able to stop her from causing any harm to you or anyone else. I swear I'll keep her in line."

Darian let out a long breath. He saw through Vanh's karma and fluctuations, and he knew the man had really changed completely. He still had black karma, but it came from his indirect participation in the family's acts, which had benefited him in the past. Vanh wasn't guilty of being spoiled or of what his parents had done afterwards. His only sin was accepting it — but now he had turned to the right path.

Still, Darian's voice echoed back without emotion.

"That will be impossible."

Vanh narrowed his eyes. Darian continued slowly, without any fear or hesitation:

"You must've seen the images. She didn't just torture and kill my father, she also caused all the suffering of my mother, forcing her to run alone; which ended up causing her death. Not to mention everything she's done in other places. As long as she's alive, there will always be a chance of her causing even more pain to others, and even harming my family. And you can't guarantee she'll never try anything. With her dead… the karma she created will bury her at the bottom of the abyss for many lifetimes, with no chance of retaliation. That will be the best punishment for everything she did."

The whole arena fell silent for a few seconds, and everyone focused on that golden figure in the sky.

Vanh sighed deeply. "I understand... I can't deny your reasoning. If I were in your place, I'd never forgive her either. But... I can't deny that my mother loves me and did everything she could for me. I couldn't live normally knowing I didn't fight for her life."

The atmosphere began to grow heavy, as if a storm of catastrophic proportions was forming in front of them.

"Camille, this is a matter between me and my younger brother and sister." Darian spoke lightly, turning to her, "Don't interfere."

Lucius and Lucy snorted, ready for a fight; they didn't care if they died. They would kill that woman and avenge their father and mother, no matter the consequences.

Camille, on the other hand, stared at Darian in shock. The level of that enemy was potentially higher than the two corrupted Primordial Beasts he had fought before. But this time, he wouldn't have his advantage against corruption — and worse… it was three of them at once.

Darian turned toward Vanh in the sky. "I don't want to involve these people or cause unnecessary destruction on this continent. You have three, and we have three here. We'll settle this among ourselves."

Vanh fell silent, thinking, without answering. But beside him, a large, strong man burst into loud laughter.

"Haha... just you guys? Eight, seven, and six rings. I know you're a missionary, and we can't judge you only by that, but don't you think you're underestimating us a bit too much?"

On the other side was another male figure, skinny and very tall. He also had a faint, mocking smile on his face.

"It really is ridiculous. We lived a thousand years in hell, but managed to get out alive with our own hands... now we have to listen to this? Pretty annoying."

Lucy and Lucius stared at those two seriously. Indeed, they had a sharp aura, like someone with terrifying skill. Even if they were at the same power level, it would hardly be a simple or quick fight.

"Enough," Vanh cut in quickly, before they said something that would anger the three even more. He focused on Darian and continued:

"Just like I have to fight for my mother's life, it's fair for you to want to fight for your own justice. But I don't want to harm you for no reason. So, how about a timed match?"

Darian stared back at him with no expression. Everyone in the arena could tell that Vanh had great respect for Darian and wanted to resolve this in the best way possible.

Vanh continued: "Fifteen minutes. If by the end of that time my side can't completely defeat you, then you win and we'll leave."

Darian felt the honesty in Vanh's words. But...

The two immortals beside him, even in silence, without expression or obvious fluctuations... just from their gaze, Lucy, Darian, and Lucius knew exactly what their intentions were.

This was something different, something they could read from people's karma. When someone thought about doing something bad and truly had the potential to do it, their black karma would subtly vibrate in anticipation, like a wicked, demonic entity savoring it.

They didn't need to think hard to understand. They clearly disagreed with all this. Vanh wasn't the family leader yet, so those two still had enough autonomy to disobey his orders.

'Bro, even if we accept and manage to win using everything, those two bastards won't go along with it and will save Mallory by force. After that, even if Vanh becomes the family leader, since his mother would've been saved by them, he wouldn't punish them that seriously.' Lucy's voice sounded full of rage in Darian's mind.

Darian nodded dryly. 'That's great. That way, we can act without remorse.'

Hearing that answer, Lucy turned to Darian, staring at him in shock. If he said that, she didn't need to doubt anything. She clenched her fists and felt her blood boiling. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Darian looked up at Vanh in the sky and answered calmly: "Alright, we'll postpone her execution for 15 minutes. It'll be a match just between us, and the rules—you said them yourself in front of everyone here."

Vanh nodded. As for the two beside him...

...they started laughing loudly, as if they'd heard something extremely ridiculous.

To them... and even to everyone in the arena, this match was something Vanh had chosen to do only so he wouldn't hurt Darian's feelings.

Those three, with eight, seven, and six rings, would survive for fifteen minutes against three immortals? Even two minutes would already be impossible. Darian was a terrifying monster, but that would never happen.

Still... everyone who had ever fought beside Darian stared at him in the center of the arena. His expression was absolutely calm. Everyone swallowed hard in unison. They were sure they were about to see a good show.