Versatile: Alternate World

I left the game after I leveled up Lucia to level 30. Contrary to her levels, she has indeed a destructive power capable of being called a mini-boss even on her current level. When she managed to obtain her second skill which is [Swirling Flame], a skill only magician players who undergo the job class upgrade Scarlet Mage can acquire, she became more progressive and was now capable of dishing out AOE attacks in which she no longer needs to get my help just to fight level 50 enemies.

Although she was reluctant about stopping, she didn't stop me and was happy that she already got one of the skills she previously used. Her potential is much bigger and if she grows much stronger, she might be able to go head to head with Queen Tanya in full power.

After leaving the game, I started to train my mana once more. I am trying to rapidly develop my abilities one by one since I am planning to learn the healing magic that would help my mother get rid of what she was suffering right now. Healing magic is different compared to other magic that can be learned in the real world.

In the past timeline, most people who have Healing Magic are those who played as a Cleric, Holy Knight, and Paladins as they are capable of using magic in the game, those magic skills are the first to master. As for the other classes, they can still learn it but it is a much slower process compared to players who started out as a cleric.

As for me, it is a bit slow but I am on the verge of learning it. I wonder why it is so hard to learn healing magic compared to combat magic skills. Maybe due to how its effects can change many things if mastered?

My abilities are getting stronger day by day though far from my usual self in the past timeline, it is still strong enough that I can be even called a superhuman among humans now. Too bad I still can't do some healing and everything would be really good.

I took a deep breath before I opened my palm and a cold wave of air blows from my palm. It looks like I managed to develop the Ice element ability alongside the electricity. I wanted to get the fire element but it seems I still can't just take the shortcut and has to properly train it.

"This is good for cooling hot coffee in the morning."

...

The day goes on as usual. I visited Mother and ask the nurses about the situation. Thankfully, she is fine and I can relax about it. They still have not seen Father either so getting clues from them would be a waste of time.

There are two places I needed to go to right now and the current points of interest for me which are Loashark's place where they conduct their business and the currently closed business of my parents. I know that they might not lead to any helpful clues but since this trip is for the purpose of helping my parents get out of the predicament, I have to do it.

The very first step would be the closed business of my father. I know this would yield little to no result but I needed to at least investigate. With Father always making me keep in the dark, I have to do all of the work alone. Relying on the detective alone will also not help much and I can't just wait on the sidelines and watch my parents die in the process.

It took me a while to reach the place where the business was built. As expected of it, the business is closed and the shutter has a poster with a "FOR LEASE" sign. The business is already out and no longer operating. Father said the business is fine but seeing the state of the place, it is apparent that the business was closed for quite a while already. There is no way the business is functioning like usual.

"Oh? Are you planning to look for the owner of this place?"

An old lady's voice suddenly started speaking behind me. It seems she noticed me staring at the "FOR LEASE" sign so she think I was going to do some business. I turned around and saw an old lady with her cane in her hands and is currently smiling. She doesn't look like someone who would suddenly lash out so I didn't mind her talking to me. She might be even the owner of this place.

"Uh, sorry, I am not here to do that. I am just going to ask if you know the previous one who leased this place before?"

"Hmm? You mean the guy who runs a small restaurant that is dedicated to serving fresh fish to sell and has so many debts from the loan sharks and has been pestered by them every single day?" the old lady scratches her chin.

My eyebrows frowned. "Pardon? Debts from the loan sharks?"

"Yeah, that guy's food was really good to eat and I even enjoyed a serving from him but these loan sharks are the ones causing many people to lose the appetite to eat there. They keep pestering him to pay which causes them to chase away the current customers and also the potential customers. Such a shame really."

"Do you recognize some of the loan sharks here that have visited this place before?"

"I am not too keen on faces of them but I remember one of them. It's just in the neighborhood. It's the local loan shark business and is pretty much the place some people run into so that they can borrow money. If you are looking for them, you can go to their business site. If I remember correctly, they are open right now."

"Thank you for the information."

"I can tell that you are related to the man who was harassed by the loan sharks. You resembled him a lot if only a younger one. Whatever is going on, take care of him alright? He is getting thinner and thinner and I am kinda worried about him."

I nodded in response. Although I didn't confirm what she said to me was true, she has genuinely feel worried about my father's situation. I bid farewell to her and left to go to the loan sharks. I hated loan sharks for these reasons alone. If the customer who borrowed the money fail to pay even for a single day, they would quickly start acting like they needed to harass the person so much just to pay. They are too much of a scammy business and they are troublesome.

With the directions, the old lady gave to me on where the loan sharks she saw before were, I arrived at the location of the business. As expected, there are lots of thugs in the area. It's not actually deserted but the place is full of thugs from wherever you look. It was like they are currently hanging out in here.

If it was me before, I wouldn't hesitate to turn back and leave the area before the thugs can even notice my presence. But that is not something I would do right now. If possible, I wanted to avoid a fight. I don't want to risk killing others right now. It would be great if they can at least hear me out and at least contribute a bit to find where my Father was.

As soon as I step out of the car and started approaching the building where the operation of the business was, the eyes of all the thugs in the vicinity started to focus on me. Like they scrutinize your entire being, printing your whole body to their minds and ready to pounce like an animal ready to deal with something very nasty. Typical thugs.

Entering the building, the people inside were some people who look like they are in a professional business but with some sort of thug air in them.

"A new customer, welcome, welcome. How may I help you, dear sir?" a bespectacled man responded to me as I approach the table.

"I am not here to borrow money. I need information about my Father."

"Your Father? Oh...I see. So you are his son. Wonderful, that saves me the time looking for you since your father seems to have gone to hiding. Boys, get him."

The thugs who were all lazing about in the office stood up and started to do their move. It seems these bastards seem to have no time to listen to my story. I didn't even mention my Father's name and it seems he already figured out whose child I was.

"I know that you are innocent on this but business is a business kid. If you want to last long in this business, then you have to do whatever it takes to finish what you just started."

The thugs started to encircle me, carrying their weapons. They don't have bloodlust on them but they are willing to do some work. However, it is unfortunate.

"In business, you should know who you should face with. Who knows, maybe they are the ones who will cause your downfall," I said before assuming a combat stance. Bring it on you bastards, let's see how the Ice deals things to people like you guys.