The Last Thunderborn

Usha pulled out a sheet of paper from her storage ring and passed it across the table to Ranav. They were seated on the first floor of Dhanvika, Usha's family business outlet. Compared to the bustling ground floor, where customers came and went in a constant stream, this floor was quiet… reserved for private meetings and transactions.

The open space was sparsely furnished, with a large table at the center and two smaller tables all surrounded by chairs. Along the walls, locked cabinets stood in neat rows. While Ranav couldn't see what was inside, Jessica's mana perception informed him that they contained high-grade herbs, likely valuable and rare ones.

Ranav picked up the paper and scanned its contents. It was a detailed record of the herbs and materials they had gathered from their expedition to the Golden Mountain Range. The final tally showed that they had earned a total of 12,300 gold coins. Usha had divided the earnings into three equal portions… one for herself, one for Rita, and one for Ranav; each amounting to 4,100 gold coins.

Frowning slightly, Ranav looked up at her and asked, "Why did you only divide the earnings among the three of us? Amanda was part of the expedition too."

Usha shook her head with a slight smile. "Amanda wasn't actually part of our team from the beginning. She joined us at the last minute, just like Miss Rawat. They both made it clear that they were coming for experience, not for profit. That's why the earnings are split between just the three of us."

Ranav nodded, understanding the situation. "Alright, that makes sense."

Usha then pulled out a small pouch from her storage ring and placed it in front of him. "Here you go. I've already prepared your share… 4,100 gold coins. You can count them if you'd like."

Ranav took the pouch but immediately realized how inconvenient it would be to carry such a heavy pouch of gold around. The need for a storage ring became glaringly obvious.

He looked up at Usha and asked, "Where can I buy a storage ring? And how much would it cost me?"

Usha chuckled. "Oh! I completely forgot you don't have one yet. You can buy them from the Hunter's Guild or the Mage Association. Anyone can purchase one, but you'll need to register your name and address."

She paused, then reached into her storage ring and pulled out a black ring. "Here. I keep a few spare ones for emergencies. For our business, we sometimes sell a large quantity of herbs at once, and it's easier to store them in rings before handing them over to customers. This is one of the cheapest ones… only 100 gold coins, but it should be more than enough for your needs right now. Once you have time, you can go and choose a more advanced one for yourself."

Ranav took the ring, then immediately reached for his pouch to pay her.

Usha shook her head and pushed his hand away. "No need for that. As I said, we give these to customers when necessary. Consider it a small gift from a friend. You wouldn't refuse a gift from a friend, would you?"

Ranav hesitated for a moment before sighing. "Alright, I'll accept it. But as a friend, I'll give you something in return."

Usha raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What is it?"

"Put your right hand on the table."

Though puzzled by his request, Usha complied, knowing that Ranav rarely spoke without reason.

Ranav gently took her wrist, pressing his index and middle fingers against her pulse. He carefully avoided using his thumb to prevent interference from his own heartbeat. He counted the beats silently, comparing them to the pulse rates he had previously checked for his family members. Since he had already verified that his family's health was in perfect condition, he used their average pulse as a baseline.

After confirming that Usha's pulse was within the normal range, he activated his diagnostic spell, scanning her body for any irregularities. Aside from the usual build-up of impurities, everything appeared to be functioning properly. This was expected… most people had a lot of impurities in their bodies unless they underwent purification treatments from healers.

Ranav let go of her wrist and smiled. "I just performed a diagnostic spell on you. Everything seems normal. Consider it a free check-up from a friend."

Paramita, who had been observing quietly until now, suddenly spoke up. "Wait… you can perform silent casting already? Unbelievable!"

Ranav chuckled. "Not all spells. I still need incantations for most magic, but since Light magic was my first awakened element, I'm a little more advanced in that area. I may not be a full-fledged healer yet, but when it comes to diagnostics, you can consider me one of the best in the kingdom. I've surpassed my master and all the books I've read on the subject."

Paramita rolled her eyes. "Hmph. Boasting again."

Ranav smirked. "Believe it or not, that's up to you. After all, I'm still just a child."

Usha, however, took him seriously. "I believe you, Ranav. If you're really this skilled, could you check on my grandfather? His health has been worsening over the past few months. He feels weak all the time and gets exhausted easily. We've taken him to several healers, but they all say it's due to old age and that there's nothing they can do."

Ranav considered her request and nodded. "Alright, I'll take a look. But I can't promise that I'll be able to cure everything I find. I am not a full-fledged healer yet."

"That's understandable," Usha said. "Even if you can just identify the problem, it might help us find the right treatment."

Ranav gestured toward the stairs. "Then let's bring him up here. The ground floor is too crowded, and there are too many outsiders."

Usha nodded and left to fetch her grandfather. While waiting, Ranav examined the storage ring she had given him. He bit his finger, letting a drop of blood fall onto the ring to bind it to him. Once the bond was established, he slid it onto his middle finger… his ring finger was already occupied by Jessica's ring, and he had no intention of sharing that finger with anything else.

He sent his consciousness into the ring, inspecting its interior. The space was small… only 10 feet by 10 feet, but it was sufficient for now. With a simple thought, he transferred the gold pouch into the storage ring.

Paramita, watching him, commented, "That's a very basic ring. There are much better ones available in different designs and sizes if you want something more advanced."

Ranav shrugged. "This will do for now. I don't need a bigger one yet."

Before long, Usha returned, leading her grandfather up the stairs. Ranav immediately noticed how much effort it took for him to climb… each step seemed to cause him visible discomfort.

After settling into a chair across from Ranav, the old man gave a tired chuckle. "Don't mind my granddaughter. She dotes on me too much. Ever since she lost her parents, I've been her only family, and she refuses to let me go. But I'm old, and my health will decline whether we want it to or not. Young man, I appreciate your kindness."

Ranav shook his head. "Please, don't mention it. I consider Usha a friend, even though she's older than me. Helping her family is the least I can do. Now, could you place your right hand on the table?"

The old man nodded and extended his hand.

Ranav checked his pulse first. Faster than normal.

He immediately cast his diagnostic spell, scanning the elder's body. He noted signs of aging… weakened muscles, deteriorating bones and joints, and some damage to vital organs. But one issue stood out.

"Jessica, can you see that? I think there's something wrong with the old man's kidneys," Ranav asked in his mind.

"I see it," Jessica replied. "But the issue is only in one kidney. The other is just overworked, compensating for the damage. Focus on the left kidney... I believe it's a case of Nephrolithiasis… though I'm not sure what it's called in this world. There are several stones in his kidney."

"Can you fix this?" Ranav asked.

"It's simple. You need to perform Lithotripsy. On Earth, doctors use this procedure to break down kidney stones by sending shockwaves to shatter them into tiny fragments. The body then expels the particles naturally through urine. Instead of shockwaves, you can use dark magic to achieve the same effect," Jessica explained.

"I don't understand," Ranav said. "Why couldn't other healers detect such a simple issue?"

"It's understandable," Jessica replied. "Look at his body… age has taken its toll, and the outer layers of both kidneys are slightly damaged. Without advanced knowledge of the human body, it's difficult to pinpoint the exact problem. Fortunately, your understanding of anatomy and physiology from Earth is far beyond what healers on this planet possess."

He withdrew his hand and looked at Usha's grandfather. "I think I've found the main problem with your body."