On the morning of the twenty-eighth day—two days before Maria reckoning Duel—
While Ethan was imrsed in his own secret undertaking,
The hunters awoke early as usual, preparing for their daily routines.
The day began at the communal cafeteria shared by all within the Hunter’s Haven.
The place was lively—vastly larger and more vibrant than the small dining areas attached to the residential quarters.
Among the many tables arranged in eight long rows within the hall, the mbers of the Third Squad sat together, eating their breakfast in silence.
All of them were present.
Except Ethan.
They ate quietly, each staring at their own plate.
The silence stretched.
Then Raiden suddenly slamd his fist against the table so hard it nearly cracked.
"Damn it! I can’t take this anymore!"
He barked, drawing the attention of his squadmates and several nearby hunters.
Raiden ignored the stares and continued.
"I went to Ethan’s room this morning—he wasn’t there. That ans he spent the entire night digging outside! There are only two days left before his duel, and he’s still acting like this!!"
His voice carried frustration... and fear.
The sa unease was visible on nearly every face at the table ...
Except Moon’s.
She continued eating calmly before responding in an even tone.
"If what he’s doing bothers you so much, then why did you help him dig instead of stopping him?"
Her words silenced him.
She was right.
Raiden had helped Ethan from the second day onward. He had only stopped yesterday.
Raiden exhaled and ran a hand through his hair.
"I wanted to believe in him. That what he’s doing would lead to sothing in the end. He’s not stupid."
Moon replied without lifting her gaze.
"If you chose to believe in him, then don’t waver now. Believe in him until the end."
She continued eating.
Raiden raised a brow, staring at her for a mont before speaking again.
"And what about you, Moon? Weren’t you the one most convinced that what he’s doing is pointless? Or have you changed your mind?"
She shook her head.
"I still stand by my opinion. He wasted his opportunity to increase his level. He’ll need a miracle to win ."
"Then why tell to believe in him?" Raiden pressed.
"Because there’s nothing we can change now. It depends entirely on him."
Moon maintained her composure as a leader.
Yet more than anyone, she knew how much Ethan had endured.
Every day, he pushed himself to the brink of death against just to relearn swordsmanship.
Her fingers tightened subtly as she recalled the past twenty-eight days.
Ethan had trained with her relentlessly.
Each session left his body torn and battered. If not for Luna coming daily to heal him, he would have died more than once.
"His swordsmanship has undeniably improved. In the last few days, he’s managed to last more than three hours per session."
Her expression hardened slightly.
"But my grandfather’s sword style alone won’t save him. His opponent can use Aura Armor."
No matter how skilled one was with the blade, it ant nothing before overwhelming power.
That was the reality Moon was trying to convey.
Beside her, young Chai looked visibly troubled.
"I don’t want this... I don’t want to see him die in front of ."
Moon turned toward him.
Chai had barely turned fourteen.
Even if he was now a hunter, that did not change the fact that he was still a child compared to the rest of them.
"There’s no need to worry. He won’t die so easily. I’m certain of that," Raiden said with a reassuring smile.
But it did little to lift the young archer’s spirits.
"I lost a family mber once during a hunt. I don’t want that to happen again. I don’t want to lose soone I see as an older brother."
He looked around at them, distressed.
"Isn’t there anything we can do to help him? Anything at all?"
Moon shook her head slowly.
That was the truth.
There was nothing they could do.
At that mont, Alicia—who had remained silent until now—finally spoke.
"That’s why I wanted him to withdraw instead of going through with this suicidal duel."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"I truly envy him for the chance to leave the Hunters... but I don’t want to see him dead. He’s a precious friend... and he’s the one who saved my life."
Alicia’s eyes carried firm resolve as she gathered the courage to say what weighed on her heart.
"Listen to , all of you. You want to help him, don’t you? Then let’s work together and convince him to withdraw!"
The proposal ca out of nowhere, causing all of them to stare at her sharply.
"How the hell am I supposed to do that?" Raiden rejected the idea instantly.
"Even if what he’s doing seems aningless, Ethan pushed himself beyond human limits for an entire month. Asking him to withdraw now would be an insult to him as a hunter."
"It’s still better than dying!" Alicia argued fiercely.
"He promised us he would value his life from now on. He won’t try to throw it away again. And even if he becos miserable after withdrawing... ti heals everything!"
It was one of the rare monts where usually hesitant, timid Alicia forced her voice forward.
Because she truly wanted to save Ethan.
She didn’t want to see him die.
That part of her was undeniably sincere—and they all knew it.
Alicia looked at each of them before pressing further.
"What if he fights... and dies in front of you?"
Her words forced them to imagine it.
The tragic outco.
"different story, isn’t it? Would you really be able to live peacefully knowing you could have saved him?"
"At the very least... I know I wouldn’t. So I’m going to do everything I can to stop him from fighting."
She had made her decision.
And ironically, despite being the most hesitant among them, she was the clearest in her stance this ti.
Her words stirred sothing in them—forced them to think seriously.
Especially young Chai.
"I think... Alicia is right."
His words surprised everyone.
"Chai..." Raiden spoke softly.
Chai didn’t et his gaze.
"Sorry, big brother. One person’s guilt is enough for ."
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