As Usato entered the village, he felt a surge of nervousness internally, but he carefully maintained a calm exterior to avoid arousing the villagers' suspicion.
Thorne, the elderly village head, led him to the center of the village, where the injured hunters lay on pallets. Usato's eyes scanned the scene, taking in the villagers' worried faces.
But as he began to speak with Thorne, Usato realized with a start that he could understand the villager's language perfectly. He was taken aback, his mind racing with questions.
"Wait a minute, SKY," Usato whispered internally, "why can I understand these people? What's going on?"
SKY's response was speculative, "It's possible that something within you changed before you transmigrated to this world. Perhaps your brain's language processing centers were altered, allowing you to comprehend languages you wouldn't normally understand."
Usato's mind reeled as he tried to process SKY's words. He didn't have enough information to understand what was happening, but he couldn't deny the reality of the situation.
Just as Usato was about to approach the injured villagers, a young man stepped forward, blocking his path. The young man's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he asked, "Who are you, and what makes you think you can heal our people?"
Usato estimated the young man to be around his age, with a strong jawline and piercing blue eyes. He seemed to be one of the village's hunters, given his rugged attire and confident demeanor.
Usato smiled calmly, trying to diffuse the situation. "I am Usato, a humble servant of the natural world. I possess certain... abilities that allow me to heal injuries and ailments."
The young man raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. "What kind of abilities? We've never seen you around here before. How do we know you're not just some charlatan trying to take advantage of us?"
Just as it seemed like the situation was about to escalate, a young woman with long, curly brown hair and piercing green eyes stepped forward. She stood tall, her eyes flashing with a sharp intellect.
"Kael, stand down," she said, her voice firm but measured. "We can't afford to turn away potential help, no matter how suspicious it may seem."
Kael's eyes lingered on the woman's face, and Usato sensed a deep admiration and respect between them. The woman's gaze, however, was fixed intently on Usato, as if she could see right through his facade.
"I am Syka," she said, her eyes narrowing. "And I will be watching you closely, stranger. If you are indeed a healer, then we could use your skills. But if you are trying to deceive us, then you will regret ever setting foot in our village."
Usato smiled, impressed by Syka's valiant and prudent demeanor. "I assure you, Syka, I mean no harm. I will do everything in my power to help your people."
With Syka's permission, Usato reached out and placed his hands on the first villager's wound. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.
"SKY, initiate healing protocol," Usato whispered internally.
SKY responded, releasing the nanobots into the villager's wound. However, Usato's nervousness caused him to misjudge the amount of herbal essence needed, and the nanobots released a slightly excessive amount.
The villager's wound began to glow with a soft, blue light, but it also started to emit a faint, pungent smell. The villagers' eyes widened in surprise, and Kael took a step forward, his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Syka, however, raised a hand, forestalling Kael's intervention. "Wait," she said, her eyes fixed intently on Usato. "Let us see how this plays out."
Usato's heart sank, thinking he had made a grave mistake. But to his surprise, the villager's wound began to heal at an incredible rate, the excessive herbal essence actually accelerating the healing process.
The villagers gasped in amazement, unsure what to make of this miraculous healing. Usato continued to treat the wounded villagers, each one responding miraculously to the nanobots' treatment.
As the last villager was healed, the villagers erupted into cheers, thanking Usato for his miraculous intervention. Syka approached Usato, her eyes shining with gratitude.
As Syka thanked Usato, Kael's expression darkened, his eyes narrowing into a scowl. He looked away, his jaw clenched in frustration.
Syka, oblivious to Kael's sudden change in mood, continued to smile at Usato. "We would be honored if you would stay with us for a while, Usato. Our village could use a skilled healer like yourself."
Usato smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Syka. "Thank you, Syka. I would be happy to stay and help your village."
Just then, Kael stormed off, muttering under his breath. Syka's eyes flicked towards Kael, a hint of concern in her expression.
"Sorry about that," she said, turning back to Usato. "Kael can be a bit... intense sometimes."
Usato chuckled. "I think I can handle it," he said, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
Syka smiled, seeming to relax in Usato's presence. "I'm glad to hear that," she said. "Well, let's get you settled in. We can discuss the details of your stay later."
As Syka led Usato away, Kael's voice echoed through the village, his words carrying a hint of childish petulance. "I don't need some stranger coming in here and stealing the spotlight! I'm the strongest hunter in this village, and don't you forget it!"
Usato's eyes met Syka's, and they exchanged a knowing glance. It seemed that Kael was going to be a bit of a challenge.