Clinic is now open

The forest's dense lining of foliage thinned out as we got closer to civilization.

 Akari and I walked along a worn dirt path, sunlight spilling through the gaps in leaves and space between the tree limbs.

 She walked a step behind me, her eight tails swaying behind herself lazily as she hummed a tune I didn't know. 

The atmosphere might have been peaceful if not for her snapping her head at any small rustling around us. Nothing escaped her notice.

"So," Akari began, breaking the silence. "What's the plan, little human? Are you just going to wander around or do you have something planned?"

I glanced back at her, thinking about the question.. "I was thinking about heading to the nearest town. If this world is anything like the ones I've read about in books, there's bound to be one nearby."

"And what will you do there?" She asked, raising her sweatless brow

."You don't strike me as the martial-art type."

To make sure I understood, she moved her hands into a kung fu stance before chuckling and returning her hands to where they were.

I chuckled, sounding just a bit more bitter than I would have liked. "You're right about that. However I don't plan on causing death. I hope to prevent it" holding up my hand, watching as faint green light flowed across my palm like an electric current.

 the subtle activation of my Flesh Regeneration ability permeating from my hand. 

"If this world is filled with cultivators and warriors, there's bound to be plenty of people getting injured. I could start a clinic, help heal them."

Akari stopped in her tracks, her amethyst eyes squinting as she struggled to see the meaning of my words. "How... noble of you." 

Her tone was flat, but there was a faint edge to it like she was disappointed or worried. 

"I hope you aren't being too optimistic.. You're mine, after all. I won't have you overworking yourself."

I shake my head at her obvious disappointment, trying to find the best words for what I want to say.. 

I turn my head to look in her eyes as we both stop in the middle of the road.

 "Akari, it's not about being noble. It's about survival. I need money in this world, and while I can't fight well, this will help us create something of a foundation, at least.. And besides..." 

a small smile raised on my face. "I don't mind helping people."

Her expression smoothed and looked slightly less tense; regardless, it was something, but there was still a glint of something darker in her eyes

. "Just remember, little Al, you are my priority. Don't expect me to play nice with anyone else."

==================================================================

By the time we reached the town, the sun was beginning to set, casting shadows of the buildings in front of us. The streets bustled with human bodies, cultivators in flowing robes flew above those who were weaker than them. The surrounding air of the markets carried the fragrance of fried food. 

The sun had set but it was like the city had just begun living.

Nerves began to creep in as we stepped through the entrance to the village, unsure of how we'd be received. 

I looked over to Akari as we entered expecting to find the same nerves displayed on her but, she was sweeping over the crowd with an almost predatory confidence.

"Stay close," I murmured, glancing around trying to secretly keep an eye behind us. "We don't know what kind of people live here."

"Trust me," she said, smirking. "If anyone tries anything, they'll regret it."

We didn't attract much attention at first, Thankfully but it seemed like the group of young "masters" we had walked past had a different idea.

One of them, a tall cultivator with a scar running down his cheek and an air of pretentiousness, stepped forward, cutting us off from moving forward..

"Hey beautiful" he spoke sleazily, his lustful eyes fixed on Akari. "A beauty like you shouldn't be strolling around with him."

Akari's smile turned factitious. "Oh? Then I should be with you? Surely you jest?"

I watched as Akari spoke, her tails standing on end as if to warn those around her of what is to come.

" I will ask you once please go away, we don't have time for–"

I tried inserting myself into the conversation but got cut off by the man in front of us.

The man chuckled, clearly taking my words as a challenge. "You should be with someone stronger, then this tra—"

Before he could finish, Akari's hand shot out from behind her back with a single nail extended, punching her nail under his solar plexus.

 "I don't think you understand," she said sweetly, her nails digging through his flesh. 

"I already belong to someone. And he is stronger than you ever can be."

With a slick finesse, she slid her nail out of the cavity that she made, flicking the blood off before retracting her claws.. 

The once menacing cultivator stumbled back falling to the ground grasping at his chest with a look of shock on his face.

"What…. What did you do to me"

 The other cultivators took a step back, clearly rethinking their options.

"I can't feel my qi…"

"Let's go," I said swiftly as we moved through the crowd that had gathered at this confrontation, tugging at her sleeve. She followed me weaving through the ground with a joyous smile on her face.

=================================================================

Over the next few days, I did small jobs for the locals gathering enough coins to buy an abandoned building on the outskirts of town and began setting up my clinic for the people of this town. 

The renovation was hard work, but with Akari's help and persistence, we cleaned the space and gathered basic supplies to begin clinical work.

 I used my Flesh Regeneration skill to test potions and remedies on myself to gather the effects of each of the herbs around us, gradually building a reliable reputation among the locals.

At first, business was struggling, barely getting any customers. A sectless commoner with no cultivation ability?

 How could I possibly heal injuries that even spiritual doctors struggled with? 

I was constantly questioned and ridiculed.

But as word spread of my successes healing and fixing broken bones in minutes and healing severely burnt people within hours—more and more people began to believe and like a wildfire business was at our front door. 

One evening, as I was cleaning up after a long day, Akari appeared at the door, her arms crossed. 

"Hey Akari, I don't know if I ever had thanked you but I really appreciate what you did when we first got here. Who knows what type of trouble I would be in without you."

Smiling sincerely at her I returned to sweeping.

"Al, it is the least I can do for my favorite human"

I glanced up at her, smiling faintly. "I am truly blessed...."

Switching the topic I decided to ask her about the clinic "Have you noticed we have gotten busy as of late?"

Akari's smile slipped slightly as she moved to sit on a crate of supplies left in the interior of the building. 

"There are a lot of flies swarming, you are correct on that Al"

Listening to her I looked around the room noticing a lack of "Flies" she was talking about.

Sliding off the box she decided to speak her mind 

"Is that all this is?" she asked, stepping closer. "truly just a way to survive?"

I thought for a minute, standing the broom against the corner of the wall. "No," I admitted. "If I wanted to purely survive I would have stayed in the forest…"

Pausing for a bit to gather my thoughts "I think I.. like helping people. I have these strange powers and I want to do something with them.. Become someone or something."

Akari studied me looking deeply into my eyes, after a moment of contemplation her expression softened. "You're a strange human," she said quietly. "But I suppose that's why I like you."

I loved hearing those words. The heat of this type of confession ran to my head and I wanted to say the same, "I like y—" but I was too late. In the middle of my reply, a desperate banging sounded at the door.

Walking toward the door I ignored Akari's whispers about "Killing whoever interrupted our moment"

Opening the door swiftly, I was met with a teenage girl around fourteen clutching the top of her arm, blood seeping through her sleeve.

"Please," she said, her voice trembling. "The people said you could help"

I nodded, stepping slightly out of her way allowing for her to walk through the door but the girl tried taking a step and failed falling against my chest.

Supporting her body weight, I picked her up and carried her to the makeshift bed we made for patients.

As I ripped the fabric of the shirt surrounding the wound I could see the large chunk of flesh in her arm was missing. 

I could feel Akari's gaze on me, her expression unpleasant to say the least.

I needed to do something about this bleeding and fast.

I began to channel my Flesh regeneration ability allowing the power to flow through my hands.

I pressed my fingers into the wound and with time the blood clotted and the flesh began to fill the once empty cavern left in her arm.

However I needed to understand how this girl got such a sizable wound on her.