Chapter 12 The Hunt Part 5

No. He would not let Clau lose his hand. He wouldn't let his brother live a life of greater suffering. He wouldn't let this world destroy the only person he had left.

The world he dreamed of for Clau was a peaceful world, a just world, a world without discrimination.

Not a world that would take away his happiness.

His eyes burned with burning rage as he stared at the monster that had made his brother this way. His breath was ragged, his chest heaving with rage.

The Alpha Necrohound stood there, untouched by time. The leg Ar had cut off had grown back as if it had never been injured. The Death Essence had made the monster immortal, allowing it to return from death no matter how much Ar cut or injured the monster.

But even though the monster could come back to life many times, Clau's life could not be repeated.

His hands trembled as he tightened his grip on the sword. The golden light that had shone before now seemed to falter, as if it sensed his hesitation. Ar's body itself began to lose strength, becoming the only support for Clau, who almost collapsed.

He couldn't leave his sister in this state. But at the same time, the monster would not stop until they were both dead.

There was no way out.

Death awaited them at the end of this road.

Ar stared at Clau, seeing her eyes still full of hope even though her body was about to collapse. To see the little girl still trying to smile, even though her future was being ripped away before her eyes.

If this was the end...

If there really was no way out...

Then Ar would make sure that Clau would not have to see it.

His red eyes glowed sharply. With the last of his strength, he raised his sword once more. If the monster wanted to take everything from him, then he would make sure that the monster would not be able to escape so easily.

This time, the attack of the Necrohound Alpha would truly end everything.

Ar could feel it, the certainty of death hovering between them, growing closer, more and more inevitable. They were just poor, ordinary Ethel children, two little kids who dreamed of changing this broken world. But in the end, that dream would never come true.

In the midst of this certainty, beautiful memories flooded his mind, as if they were the last flame before the fire of his life was completely extinguished.

The district of Floressia. Its kind and friendly people. The laughter of the orphanage children who always welcomed him and Clau home. Mother's soft voice soothing them when the night felt so long and cold.

Everything felt so close... so real... and yet so far away.

And then, as he looked forward again, the monster was already in front of him.

Sharp claws lunged at him, the Necrohound Alpha's fangs wide open, dripping thick, rancid saliva. Its foul breath swept across his face, a breath that brought death.

Death was right before his eyes.

But at that moment, everything stopped.

The air went still, as if the world held its breath. The once powerful gusts of wind seemed to freeze. The fog of darkness that had enveloped the place was still. And most strikingly, the Necrohound Alpha itself stopped in midair, its claws and fangs frozen, suspended in an unfinished motion.

[Time Stasis]

Ar held his breath. He recognized this essence.

The power that could freeze space and time within a certain range. A technique from Essential Time, something he had seen before.

A young Kaelith had used this ability to hunt Tainted Beasts. But he did not expect that the same young Kaelith was now standing before him, using the power of time to save him.

Slowly, Ar raised his head.

In front of him stood a young man with a straight back, wearing a fine suit so luxurious that it seemed foreign in the midst of the thick fog. With a single finger pointing forward, he had stopped time.

And when the young man turned around, Ar could see him clearly.

A handsome face, with brown eyes that radiated calm. But it was not only his appearance that stunned Ar, but also his aura.

The essence emanating from the young man's body felt... soothing. A warmth that was in contrast to the anger that was still boiling inside Ar.

"Are you two okay?"

The young man's voice sounded calm, without the slightest hint of arrogance or mockery.

Ar still had trouble finding his own voice. But as he looked at Clau, his little sister still weak in his arms, he realized that this was not the time to be silent.

The young man nodded slightly, as if he understood the situation. "We should get out of here. This monster won't be stopped easily."

He glanced at the Necrohound Alpha, still trapped in time stasis, before looking back at Ar.

"Besides," he continued, "I've already contacted reinforcements. So you can rest assured."

Rest assured?

Ar bit his lip.

How could he calm down? How could he feel safe after seeing what had happened to Clau? After knowing that the monster could have killed them if this young man hadn't come?

But behind all his doubts, Ar knew one thing.

This young man had saved them.

And for now... he had to believe it.

Without many questions or words, Ar took the young man's outstretched hand.

And suddenly the world around him changed.

He was sure that a moment ago he had been trapped in a thick fog of darkness, but in the blink of an eye he was now standing in a forest area where the fog was beginning to thin.

Teleportation.

Ar realized this when he saw several different scenes in the span of a second.

Lush foliage, rocky paths, then tall, towering trees. Finally, they stopped in a small field, surrounded by trees that were far apart from each other, allowing the sunlight to freely penetrate the ground.

In the middle of the field stood three large dark tents. But Ar's attention immediately returned to Clau.

His little sister moaned weakly in his arms. His breathing was labored, cold sweat ran down his temples, and the color of the skin around his poisoned wound was getting worse. Ar tightened his embrace, refusing to let go or even look away for a second.

"Hang in there, Clau."

"Is she your sister?"

The young Kaelith's voice brought him back to reality.

Ar turned his head to find the young man staring at him with a look in his eyes he could barely read. Instead of answering, he only nodded briefly. He had no intention of talking anymore, especially not to a Kaelith.

But what made him even more uncomfortable was the expression on the young man's face.

Instead of being offended or showing signs of annoyance at Ar's cold attitude, the young man smiled slightly.

A smile that made Ar want to avoid him even more.

Didn't he understand, didn't this young man understand that Ethel and Kaelith should not mix? Or was he just subtly trying to put him down?

"Simon, tighten the guard," the young man ordered, his voice calm but firm. "I need to treat this girl."

A tall man in a black robe and glasses nodded immediately. "Yes, Young Master Alex."

Ar could only watch the man named Simon as he began to give instructions to several Channelers guarding the area. But what caught his attention more was how the young Kaelith then stepped deeper into the tent area and gestured for Ar to follow him.

Reluctantly, Ar followed his footsteps into one of the large tents.

As soon as he entered, he immediately felt how luxurious this place was.

Inside, there were neatly arranged tables and couches, food storage cabinets, and even a heater that drove away the cold air.

Ar clenched his jaw.

Of course.

The Kaeliths brought their luxury with them wherever they went.

They didn't even bother to hide how much higher their status was compared to the trash Ethel.