[A Few Monts Ago – In the southern Part of the Forest]
Booms of elental power echoed across the burning woods.
A lone figure stood bloodied in front of an earthen do, his body soaked in sweat and bruises, wounds torn open across his sides. Despite it all, Carter Brown stood firm.
Void energy swirled around his form in chaotic pulses. He gritted his teeth, dragging in heavy breaths.
"Stay... back..." he muttered.
Around him, a dozen Expert-ranked soldiers launched continuous barrages of fla, wind, ice, and earth.
And leading them was Daniel, the lightning-wielding maniac.
"Move aside, hunter," Daniel smirked, his spear crackling with deadly arcs.
But Carter didn’t move. He raised his hand again, forming a warped black circle in the air—a void shield. Another blast of lightning struck it, exploding on contact, yet Carter endured.
Even as he coughed blood.
Even as his knees shook.
He endured.
Because behind that do were innocent people—mothers, fathers, children, students—who had nowhere else to run.
’If I fall, they all die... I can’t... I won’t...!’
Carter’s body flickered, and in the next mont, he was above two enemy soldiers.
Two clean slashes—two heads fell.
He dropped back to the ground, summoning another black blade from thin air, spinning to deflect an incoming fire spear.
He struck again.
Another soldier fell.
Even Daniel, a Master (Peak)-rank himself, flinched as a void spike pierced his shoulder.
"Tch... persistent bastard," Daniel clicked his tongue. "Fine. Plan B."
He turned to his soldiers.
"Ignore him. Focus all attacks on the do. Make him split his attention."
Carter’s eyes widened.
"No—!"
He lunged forward, forming a shield—
Too late.
Multiple attacks struck the do in rapid succession—flas, water spears, wind blades.
Cracks ford.
"No!" Carter scread again, redirecting his shield.
The enemies took the opening.
All of them descended on him at once.
One slamd a boulder into his side. Another shot him with an arrow of cursed fire.
A third blasted him with ice—freezing his arm. Then Daniel himself appeared behind him and slamd a lightning-charged kick into Carter’s back.
Carter crashed into the ground—void energy dispersing like mist.
The do shattered.
A horrific silence followed.
And then—
Screams.
From inside the fallen do, civilians gasped and cried as they saw their protector fall.
A young girl clutched her mother’s dress.
A man dragged his injured wife back.
A boy no older than ten stared at Carter’s body, trembling.
"M-Monsters..." soone whispered.
The soldiers laughed, eyes gleaming with bloodlust.
"Looks like the show starts now!" one grinned, raising his blade.
A man tried to shield his family—only to be impaled.
A teenage student picked up a fallen sword—his body was burned to ash in a second.
Carter, eyes barely open, watched in horror.
"N-No... please... stop..." he croaked.
He slamd his fists weakly into the dirt.
And when another innocent fell—
He scread.
"NO! LEAVE THEM ALONE! YOU MONSTERS!!"
Daniel walked toward him, laughing.
"Innocent?" he said, lifting Carter by the hair. "You’re cute. Really. Thinking anyone here cares about innocence."
THWACK!
A fist slamd into Carter’s face.
Then a kick to his ribs.
Then a punch to his chest.
The Expert-ranked soldiers joined in—stomping, punching, laughing.
Carter coughed blood, every rib screaming in agony.
Daniel stepped forward, eyes glowing with madness.
"Now watch, you failure of a savior," he said coldly. "For all the trouble you’ve caused—I’ll kill each one of them."
He ford a massive lightning spear—twice the size of a man—and pointed it toward the civilians who huddled together, crying.
"And then... I’ll show those girls that ran away what happens when they resist. Right in front of your eyes. By defiling them."
He kicked Carter’s face again.
The hunter collapsed, barely breathing.
Daniel aid his spear, gathering massive amounts of energy.
"Now... DIE!"
Carter shut his eyes.
’I can’t watch... please... don’t let it end like this...’
SHHHHHRIPPPP!
Suddenly, black tendrils burst from the shadow of the trees.
One after another.
They slithered and wrapped themselves around every single enemy—including Daniel.
"What the—?!" soone scread.
Then—
SCHLKT—
Dozens.
Hundreds.
The forest echoed with inhuman wails.
Carter opened his eyes—only to see the soldiers who had mocked him now withering in place.
Their skin lted, their veins turned black, their eyes exploded.
Within seconds—skeletons.
Cracked, twisted bones clattered to the earth like discarded puppets.
Only Daniel remained—his body half-drained, his eyes wide in horror.
"N-No... what is this?!"
The tendrils wrapped tighter.
"AAAGHHHHH—!"
His voice cracked.
His flesh lted like candle wax, and he began to shrivel.
The civilians stared in pure fear, unsure whether this new entity was a savior—or a new kind of monster.
Carter, still on his knees, stared in awe.
’What... the hell is this...?’
But then—
Tendrils wrapped around him too.
"Wait—what?! No—!"
Carter struggled, but his wounds had left him powerless.
The black tendrils slithered and yanked both him and Daniel into the sky, launching them high above the forest canopy.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!!"
---
[Present]
CRASH!!
Two bodies slamd into the ground like teors.
Right on top of Jas.
"AHHH—DAMN IT!" one groaned.
"My ribs... freakin’ maniac..." the other wheezed.
One of them—Carter—groaned and opened his swollen eyes.
He blinked.
Blurred vision cleared.
And then—
He saw him.
A silver-haired youth stood in front of him, radiating aura he hadn’t seen anywhere else until now.
Beautiful. Untouchable. Divine.
Carter’s breath caught.
’Did... did I die...? Is this... heaven?’
He stared harder.
"This must be an angel... co to take for the good deeds I did before dying..."
He smiled dreamily.
Then tried to sit up.
"Ah—GAH!" Pain shot through every inch of his body. "AHHH!"
Alex tilted his head.
’System... are you telling this clown actually helped us?’
A voice echoed in his head.
[ Yes, Host. This clown defended your friends with everything he had while they were trapped. He is also a famous hunter from the number one guild of the Empire. The one with the spear is the enemy. ]
Alex humd.
He walked forward.
Jas groaned under the pile.
Alex didn’t hesitate—he kicked Daniel’s face so hard his nose flattened.
THWACK!
"Shut up, insect."
Then his eyes turned to Carter.
"So... you’re the one who helped us, huh?"
Carter blinked up at him, dazed.
His instincts scread at him.
’This kid... he’s not normal.’
Carter’s eyes flicked to the side—he saw Sephira, skinless and broken. Then Jas, barely alive. Then Daniel, unconscious with a crushed face.
All done... by this one boy.
Carter swallowed.
’What the hell is he...?’
He stared.
’Sothing worse.’
’Or better.’
’Or divine.’
---
A/N:
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