Chapter 169: Not a Demon

The flames had completely consumed Raiden right side, the same side that had been holding the shield. They had even burned part of his face and were still crawling across his body, trying to devour whatever remained.

Raiden had already lost consciousness from the pain and exhaustion.

He had become completely defenseless against the flames.

Fortunately, Ethan and Luna arrived in time and immediately extinguished them.

"He’s in bad shape... He’s seriously injured."

Examining his companion, Ethan confirmed that Raiden was still alive.

But his wounds continued to threaten his life.

Luna immediately began chanting, casting the strongest healing spell she knew.

A brilliant green light enveloped Raiden’s body and gradually began healing his wounds.

Ethan, meanwhile, hurried back to Chai for one of the flasks.

The young Hunter was visibly shocked when he saw the state Raiden was in.

Supporting Raiden’s back against his knee, Ethan slowly poured the contents of the flask into his companion’s mouth, taking his time to make sure he swallowed every last drop.

Behind them...

Alicia broke down crying once she finally regained her composure.

"Again..."

"Because of me... again..."

Covering her mouth with both hands, Alicia sobbed as guilt consumed her.

Ethan understood what she was feeling.

She was probably remembering their battle against the Ember Hunter, when Ethan had taken a strike from the Executioner’s Sword in her place.

The sight of Ethan’s abdomen being pierced through, with the blade emerging from his back, must have left a deep scar on her.

And now she had experienced something similar all over again.

Only this time...

Raiden had taken the black flames in her place.

"This isn’t your fault, Alicia."

"He protected you because that’s his role. He’s the toughest one among us."

Even while trying to comfort her, Ethan remained realistic.

Watching Luna’s healing magic and the flask take effect inside Raiden’s body, Ethan realized the burns would leave their mark even if he survived.

Permanent scars.

Burns that would disfigure his body.

Pulling his eyes away from his companion, half of whose body had been burned, Ethan searched for the others.

But he found nothing.

Nothing except charred remains scattered across the ruined battlefield, barely visible even through Wise Raven Insight.

"The other two Hunters died instantly in the explosion..."

"Because they refused to retreat."

"Roderick and Eilon."

Luna interrupted him.

Ethan turned toward her.

"What?"

"Their names... were Roderick and Eilon."

"Ah... right."

Ethan looked away after realizing he hadn’t even bothered to remember their names. They had meant nothing to him, and he felt nothing at all about their deaths.

Roderick and Eilon had died instantly after ignoring his order to retreat. The moment they refused, they had thrown away any chance of survival.

Aura Armor alone could never withstand an explosion like that from such close range.

Raiden and Alicia, on the other hand, had been given a chance because they reacted immediately.

They had managed to put enough distance between themselves and Aldebaran to lessen the force of the explosion.

Turning his attention back to Raiden in his arms, Ethan found himself staring at the final outcome of their battle.

’Two dead, one critically injured... and five of us in varying conditions. Some can still fight, while others are completely drained.’

It was still far too early to allow himself to relax.

The battle wasn’t over, and Aldebaran had only been the first boss. Another monster at the King Rank still awaited them, with the Golden Dawn Knight waiting at the very end.

The other teams had been assigned to deal with them.

But any additional help could prove decisive, and Ethan understood that better than anyone.

He tried to occupy his mind by planning what came next.

Yet every time he looked at Raiden, then at Alicia and Chai shedding tears for him, and even Luna with sorrow written across her face...

Ethan felt something bitter stir inside his chest.

Placing a hand over it, he felt his heartbeat beneath his palm while his eyes remained fixed on Raiden.

’What exactly is wrong with me?’

He wondered.

"Big Brother..."

Chai’s voice caught him off guard at that moment, coming between broken sobs.

The fourteen-year-old boy was crying bitterly as he stared at Ethan with trembling eyes.

"How... how can you stay so calm when Raiden could die at any moment?"

"Huh?"

Ethan was caught off guard by the question.

And only then did he realize...

He really was calm.

Far too calm.

His expression was steady ... His features were cold.

He showed no grief ...No panic.

Even his initial shock upon seeing Raiden’s burned body had come from the perspective of a Hunter trying to complete his mission and preserve as many of his weapons as possible until the end.

Not from the concern a friend should have felt for another friend.

"You’re the closest person to him! You two were always together! So how can you..."

"That’s enough, Chai."

Luna interrupted the boy before he could continue.

"Ethan is going through the same thing the rest of us are, just in his own way. Not everyone is capable of showing their emotions."

Ethan was grateful for her intervention.

But he quickly realized...

What she said wasn’t true.

’Two of my companions just died.’

’And I felt nothing.’

Then what about Raiden?

He had always been kind to Ethan.

He had risked his life for him more than once.

And the way Raiden looked at him...

No one had ever looked at Ethan that way before.

He had treated him like a brother.

A real brother.

’If Raiden dies... will I really stay this calm?’

’Will I really feel nothing?’

Ethan’s hand tightened against his chest as those thoughts crossed his mind.

’No...’

’I’m not a demon.’

Even if he possessed the body of one...

Ethan refused to become a demon.

’If my friend gets hurt, I’ll be sad.’

’If my brother suffers, I’ll suffer with him.’

’And if my closest companion dies... I’ll shed tears for him.’

’Raiden deserves at least that much.’

Fortunately, Ethan never had to cry for his friend.

Raiden’s condition gradually stabilized, and he soon passed the critical stage, finally allowing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.

"He has a strong, well-trained body."

"He won’t die that easily."

Luna smiled widely after finishing her healing spells.