Regrets (2)

The silence between Akira and Jin Ael stretched on, heavy with unspoken pain. Akira's cold expression softened slightly, though his mind raced."Why did I even ask him that?"

The question lingered in his thoughts like a whisper, unanswered.It was instinct—a need to understand the broken man before him.

Jin Ael, still leaning against the rough cave wall, opened his bloodshot eyes wide at Akira's question. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. For a moment, his battered body seemed to suppress the storm of emotions raging within him.

Akira, interpreting the silence as an answer, let out a soft sigh. Slowly, he turned away from the dying man, his face emotionless.

"I will bury your teammates," Akira said quietly, his voice steady but carrying an unspoken weight."Before they become food for the monsters here."

"And… I'm sorry for not being capable of helping you." He began to walk away, his footsteps making soft splashes on the blood-soaked ground.

Then, like a dam breaking, Jin Ael's voice shattered the silence.

"YES, I DO!"

The force of his shout echoed through the cave, stopping Akira in his tracks.

"I HAVE REGRETS—A LOT OF THEM, DAMN IT!"

Akira's eyes widened as he turned his head, taking in Jin Ael's anguished face.The broken man, who moments ago seemed ready to give up on life, now trembled with raw emotion.

"Why?" Jin Ael yelled, his voice cracking. "Why did I try to act like some noble hero in a stupid movie?!"

Akira turned fully now, his cold composure faltering. Jin Ael's bloodshot eyes met his, wild and furious.

"Why did I think about my friend's safety before my family—before my daughter?! Why, damn it?!" Jin Ael's voice broke, and tears mixed with the blood streaking down his face.

"I had everything I needed! I had saved enough money to live well, to take care of them. This… this was supposed to be my last raid!"

His remaining trembling hand clenched into a fist as his voice rose again, filled with bitter fury."But no! My friend needed help. My idiot of a friend, who couldn't let his pride go. And me? This stupid body of mine—this damn heart of mine—moved on its own to save him!"

He coughed violently, blood spilling from his lips, but he didn't stop. His voice grew hoarse, yet his pain only sharpened.

"And that fucker, the Demonic Human—why did he have to show up here?! Of all the dungeons in this cursed world, why this one? Why us?!"

"DAMN YOU, FATE!"

His scream pierced through the oppressive silence of the dungeon, reverberating off the cold, stone walls. Akira, still watching him, felt his chest tighten.For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Akira didn't know what to say.

Jin Ael took a deep breath, feeling his anger and pain ebb away as quickly as it had surged. He leaned back against the wall, shaking.

"Haa…" Jin Ael said quietly, almost whispering. "I… I feel much better now."

He gave a weak, bitter laugh and looked up at Akira, his face streaked with blood.

"Thank you… for asking me that," Jin Ael said, his voice weak but sincere.

Akira stood there, silent and unmoving, the ball of white mana in his hand glowing softly. He didn't respond, but for a moment, his cold eyes flickered with understanding.

Akira's distant gaze softened, revealing something new—something sorrowful—as he looked at Jin Ael.For the first time in a long time, he felt a connection, a shared grief between two wounded men.

Akira stepped closer, his voice calm and steady. "Can I ask for your name?"

Jin Ael's tired eyes widened slightly before he answered, his voice rough.

"It's… Jin Ael."

"Jin Ael," Akira repeated quietly, committing the name to memory. "I'm Akira Shoto."

Jin Ael gave a weak nod.

For a moment, Akira hesitated, his hand tightening and relaxing as he wrestled with the emotions swirling within him. Finally, he spoke, choosing his words carefully.

"Hah… You know something funny?" Akira began.

"What?" Jin Ael rasped.

"I promised myself I wouldn't trust anyone again. I promised I would walk my path alone. But…" He paused, his voice growing quieter. "If I had someone like you with me, to be honest... I wouldn't mind it at all."

Jin Ael's weary eyes flickered with something—perhaps gratitude or pride.

"You said your name was Jin Ael," Akira continued, his voice steady. "I can't change the choices you've made or the paths you've taken to reach this point. But Jin Ael…"

Akira's eyes began to glow, the white light of his power intensifying as sparks of lightning crackled around him, casting an eerie glow across the cave.

"I promise you this... if it will ease your soul, even just a little… the Demonic Human who did this to you—and all of their kind—will be turned to ashes by my hand. Even if I die in the process, I'll make sure they're erased from this world."

Jin Ael gasped, his fading eyes widening with surprise and respect.

"Hahh it's funny really , I couldn't… imagine a better person to be here in my final moments… other than my family," he said softly. "You're too young… too young for that burden. Take care on your journey, Akira Shoto. And thank you… for showing up. Thank you for not letting me die alone."

Akira trembled at his words, his system interface flickering before him.

As the light in Jin Ael's eyes began to fade, Akira stepped closer, kneeling by his side.

"Is there anything else?" he asked, his voice quieter now, almost gentle.

Jin Ael's lips twitched in the faintest semblance of a smile.

"Find… Imzar," he rasped. "Give him a beating for me. And tell him… not to be too hard on himself."

Akira felt a tightness in his chest as Jin Ael took his final breath. The light that had once burned brightly in his eyes faded, leaving his face peaceful yet sorrowful.

"Yes," Akira whispered, his voice trembling slightly. "I'll do that."

He remained there for a moment, gazing at Jin Ael's lifeless body. Emotions swirled within him—anger, grief, and a faint, painful calm.

Akira didn't know what he felt at that moment. His mind was a storm of conflicting thoughts.

"What a character he is… he made my heart and mind feel calm, even in the midst of pain," Akira thought.He looked at Jin Ael's still face, his jaw tightening.

"This world… it's too unfair. Too damn unfair. There are so many people like him who deserved to live, not die like this…"

Reaching out with a trembling hand, Akira gently closed Jin Ael's eyes. Then he stood, taking a deep breath as he surveyed the lifeless bodies scattered across the dungeon.

Without hesitation, he dropped to his knees and began digging into the hard, bloodied ground with his bare hands. Each shovelful of dirt felt like penance.

One by one, he buried every person who had fallen in the dungeon, his heart growing heavier with each grave. When he was done, he stood before the final mound of earth—the one marking Jin Ael's resting place.

"Rest well," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. The words felt inadequate, but they were all he had.

He began to cover Jin Ael's body with dirt, his movements slower now, more deliberate. Each handful of soil felt like a piece of his own soul being buried alongside the man who had, in his final moments, reminded Akira of what it meant to feel. The dirt fell with a soft, final thud, and when the grave was filled, Akira sat back on his heels..

The cave was silent once more, the weight of the moment pressing down on him like a physical force. His hands, caked in dirt and blood, rested on his knees, shaking slightly. He stared at the mound of earth before him, his chest tight, his breath uneven. The silence was deafening, broken only by the faint crackle of his mana, the sparks of white lightning flickering weakly around him.

The dirt under his nails, the ache in his limbs, the cold, heavy silence—it all felt like a punishment, a reminder of the world's cruelty.His glowing eyes turned cold once more, but beneath that icy exterior burned a fire brighter than ever.

Gazing into the dark depths of the dungeon, he whispered, his voice sharp and filled with unwavering resolve:

"Just wait, you bastard. I'm coming for you. I'll destroy you and everything you stand for."

The crackle of white lightning intensified around him, illuminating his grim expression as he turned and walked away, leaving the graves—and the weight of the silence—behind.