Kazuki’s breath steadied, but something inside him still felt… off. His body, though healed, carried a strange sensation—an unfamiliar surge of power, like embers smoldering beneath his skin. His fingers twitched as the lingering energy from his near-death experience coursed through his veins, leaving behind an eerie warmth.
The battlefield, once a raging storm of light and destruction, had fallen into an unnatural silence. The scent of scorched earth lingered in the air. Selena remained kneeling beside him, her grip on his hand firm, her body trembling slightly. Even now, even after he had come back from the brink of death, she refused to let go.
“…I’m fine now,” Kazuki muttered, his voice low but steady.
Selena let out a shaky breath and nodded, though she didn’t loosen her grip. It was as if releasing him meant he’d vanish again. He couldn’t blame her. The weight of what had just happened still clung to them like a heavy fog.
Her gaze shifted across the battlefield, and her eyes landed on the charred remains of the mammoth. Its massive form was unrecognizable—its once-intimidating stature reduced to nothing but blackened husks of burnt flesh. The ground where it had stood was scorched beyond repair, cracks spiderwebbing out from where Selena’s outburst of power had incinerated it.
Kazuki’s gaze snapped up, his instincts flaring.
The Arcane Knights stood a few meters away, their expressions unreadable—yet their guilt was palpable. The weight of their betrayal, their hesitation, their abandonment—it all reflected in their eyes. Ryohie stood at the front, his usually confident posture slightly stiff. Even he wasn’t sure what to say.
Behind him, Jiro had his arms crossed, his jaw clenched, but his usual arrogance was nowhere to be found. Aiko was awake but still visibly shaken, and Yuki knelt beside the unconscious bodies of Taro and Sako, gently nudging them in an attempt to rouse them.
Taro stirred first, groaning as he sat up. His eyes darted around, taking in the destruction, the expressions of his comrades, and finally—Kazuki. His brows furrowed.
“What the hell happened?!” he demanded, his voice sharp with confusion. His gaze then fell on Kazuki and Selena. “And who the hell are these guys?!”
Nobody responded. The silence stretched too long, too heavy.
Taro’s frustration deepened. “And what’s with you guys?! You look like you just saw something terrifying as hell!” His gaze flickered across their faces before landing on the scorched battlefield. “…And where’s the mammoth?! Did you guys defeat it?!”
Kazuki didn’t bother answering. He didn’t care.
He turned his back to them, his voice cold and detached. “Let’s go.”
Selena hesitated for a moment before nodding and following him without a word. She didn’t look back either.
That was when Aiko finally spoke.
“…Kazuki,” her voice was quiet, almost hesitant. “Can we borrow some of your time?”
Kazuki stopped. He didn’t turn around, but he could feel their stares boring into his back.
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For a moment, the only sound was the wind whispering through the broken battlefield.
Kazuki’s steps were firm, his body still recovering from battle, yet the weight of his presence was undeniable. The Arcane Knights stood behind him, hesitation thick in the air. The battlefield, once a storm of divine light and destruction, had now fallen into an eerie silence. Selena walked beside him, her twin swords still humming faintly with the remnants of her power.
Neither of them looked back.
Not at the charred remains of the mammoth.
Not at the people who had once stood against them.
Not at the ones who had left Kazuki to die.
There was nothing more to be said.
But then—
Aiko’s voice was quiet, uncertain. But it was enough to make him stop.
Kazuki exhaled sharply, his head tilting slightly as if considering. A long silence stretched between them, the only sound being the faint rustling of the wind through the charred battlefield.
Behind Aiko, Taro stirred, his confusion evident as he looked around. His groggy mind tried to piece together what had happened, but when his eyes finally landed on Kazuki, his expression twisted in disbelief.
Kazuki turned.
His , once filled with life and determination, now held only a chilling . His eyes scanned the Arcane Knights, noting every tense posture, every unspoken regret. Ryohie stood firm, but Kazuki could see it—the guilt weighing on him like an iron chain. Jiro averted his eyes, crossing his arms. Yuki bit her lip. Even Taro, still confused, could feel the shift in the air.
Selena narrowed her eyes.
Ryohie took a deep breath, stepping forward.
He hesitated. Words failed him. The weight of their sins pressed down on him like a mountain.
Kazuki said nothing.
He only stared.
Jiro scoffed, arms still crossed.
The words didn’t come from Ryohie this time.
It was Aiko.
Her usual warmth was gone. Instead, her voice carried something raw.
Kazuki raised a hand. His fingers trembled slightly, but his voice was steady.
His words cut through the air like a blade.
Silence.
Ryohie clenched his fists.
Jiro snapped.
His voice grew sharper, venomous.
Jiro’s voice cracked.
Selena’s eyes widened in shock.
Kazuki’s jaw tightened.
Ryohie flinched.
Jiro gritted his teeth.
Selena stood frozen.
Yuki lowered her head.
Aiko took a shaky breath.
Her voice wavered.
Kazuki’s burned with something unreadable. Anger? Disappointment? Or something else entirely?
He turned his back to them.
His voice was like ice.
Without another word, he walked away.
Selena followed, but not before casting one last glance at the Arcane Knights. Their faces were a mixture of regret, frustration, and silent suffering.
They the weight of their sins would never leave them.
And Kazuki?
He would be the same.
TBC…