WebNovels

Chapter 17 - Uncertainty

Maeyurai could see her face clearly.

Mhiya was the one who shot the arrow and killed Huizen. Taking a closer look, her face showed zero sympathy for his death.

But one thing was certain.

A tear was falling down her cheek, a contrast to what her face displayed.

Shienne didn't know about the current situation behind her back and continued to rush towards the Shrieker.

"MHIYA!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Maeyurai yelled out loud, rage filling his heart.

At the front, Shienne was surprised to hear Maeyurai's loud voice, and even more when it was Mhiya's name called out.

She staggered in surprise and was hit by the Shrieker directly on the head, sending her flying several meters away.

"Krck!" she groaned, losing consciousness instantly when she landed on a tree headfirst.

Maeyurai gasped for air. He only had one minute left before he fainted. He continued staring at Mhiya, who slowly lowered her bow.

Then, Mhiya walked forward with long steps. She approached the dead body of Huizen and took the arrow on his head.

Why...?

Why did you betray us? Why did you kill Huizen?

Traitor... You traitor!

I trusted you, Mhiya!

How could you do this?! Now, we're all going to be killed by the Shrieker!

Maeyurai gritted his teeth, tears seeping through his eyes.

He bawled.

"Aghhhhh!" he cried out, punching the ground, his knuckles breaking apart.

Blood smeared on his fist, yet he continued to punch the ground despite the pain.

The Shrieker was nearing. Soon, it would kill Maeyurai. And when it's done, Shienne would be next.

Mhiya stood over Maeyurai, staring, as if belittling him.

"Poor you," she said. "I feel bad you had to witness this. You should've just gone to sleep when you had the chance."

Her words hit him like a knife to the chest. It was agonizing. The emotional pain was much worse than the fatigue and wounds he has.

"Why did you do it...?" Maeyurai asked, his forehead pressed on the ground.

Mhiya kept quiet. She didn't want to answer.

She tentatively opened her mouth, as if willing to speak out. But she bit her lip, stopping any words that were to come out.

Maeyurai turned his head to look at Mhiya. She was staring at the Shrieker, who was walking slowly in their direction.

"Are you just going to die with me in here?" he asked. "Get murdered by that thing? So that all participants of The Hunt die? No survivors?"

No answer.

Mhiya kept quiet.

The Shrieker sped up, the thud of its footsteps clearly felt from the ground.

Maeyurai didn't want to accept his fate to die.

He wanted to live longer.

He wanted to explore more, to uncover mysteries.

He wanted to study the world, to understand its depth and history.

He wanted to grow stronger to protect those he loved.

He wanted to bring Shikkan to places they'd never dreamed of.

He wanted to meet new people.

But all those desires were fragile—shattered like glass by a single betrayal.

The betrayal of the person whom he deemed one of the closest.

The person who was one of his first-ever friends.

The person that he welcomed in his isolated life, who he trusted.

It was painful.

Like walking a path made of iron needles, each prick leaving a scar deeper than the last.

He sank from the weight of his emotions, the path swallowing him whole; each needle intruded like butter with relentless cruelty.

He had given up all hope. He no longer wishes to live.

His heart desired to die, for the present suffering to end.

Maeyurai was naive; he knew nothing about the world. He knew nothing of betrayal and wasn't aware of the evils that exist, lurking around him.

The Shrieker charged forward, opening its mouth to bite the vulnerable Maeyurai.

Mhiya merely walked away as if nothing happened. Who knows what she had in that mind of hers?

As the Shrieker was about to touch Maeyurai, a swift figure interrupted and stopped it with a single hand.

Looking forward, Maeyurai saw a familiar face.

Akijiro Wency, holding Ugina's bow, had stopped the Shrieker from moving forward with a single hand, displaying his raw power.

"You look under the weather," said Wency. "Want me to help you out?"

Looking at Wency, Maeyurai had mixed feelings.

What is this person doing here?

How is he stopping the Shrieker?

And when Maeyurai opened his mouth to answer, Wency had already taken action.

He merely pressed his palm further into the Shrieker's face, yet the creature's whole body exploded like nothing.

Whap!

And the Shrieker was dead, ceasing to exist. There weren't even any remains that could show it was there in the beginning, only air.

Wency stared at Maeyurai.

He crouched down and said, "How disappointing."

"That person said you were special," he continued. "That your eye was a gift from the past. Yet, I'm so disappointed with the results you've given me."

"As The Volunteer, I can't bring someone weak like you into The Heretics. The other Heretics will only kill you."

"And he doesn't want that," Wency concluded.

The Heretics?

What is this person talking about...?

He mentioned my eye... Is it really any different from the others?

Maeyurai opened his mouth to speak.

But Wency reached his hand out and closed his lips with one gesture.

"Hush."

Maeyurai kept quiet. He knows that disobeying will only lead to something worse.

"Not a word, okay?" Wency said with a wicked smile.

Nodding, Maeyurai kept quiet.

Wency stood up and disappeared from Maeyurai's sight. He moved so extraordinarily fast that his eyes couldn't even see it.

He merely sat there silently. Not a word, not a thought, purely nothing. All those events led to an empty ending—and the death of shared bonds.

The fire infusion in his body had worn out, and he fainted from exhaustion.

The Hunt has ended tragically, leaving only four survivors left.

Out of the hundred participants, only Maeyurai, Shienne, Mhiya, and Wency survived. If you would even consider Wency a participant, that is.

***

Maeyurai woke up in an unfamiliar bed.

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