As the villagers arrived at Rakshar village, they stood in stunned silence, gazing out at the desolate landscape before them. The battle was over, but the aftermath was a grim reminder of the destruction that had been wrought. The ground was flat and shattered, the earth scorched and blackened from the intense fighting. The air reeked of smoke and sweat, the stench of death hanging heavy over the ruins.
Piet, the village head, stepped forward, his weathered face etched with worry and concern. His eyes, red-rimmed from fatigue, scanned the devastation before him. "Kai... Shinji..." he called out, his voice barely above a whisper. "Is... is everyone okay?"
Kai emerged from the crowd, Lila's limp form cradled in his arms. Shinji stood behind him, his eyes fixed on Lila's pale face, his brow furrowed with concern. The silence was oppressive, punctuated only by the distant call of a bird and the soft rustling of the wind through the ruins.
"We've completed the quest, village head," Kai said, his voice low and solemn, his eyes clouding over with worry. "But... Lila's been injured." He glanced down at Lila's still form, his face twisting in a mixture of concern and guilt.
Piet's face contorted in a mixture of grief and worry. "Is she... is she going to be okay?" he asked, his voice trembling, his eyes welling up with tears.
Kai's face twisted into a reassuring smile, but his eyes betrayed his concern. "Don't worry, village head. We're taking her to the guild to get healed. She'll be fine," he said, trying to sound convincing.
Piet looked stunned, his eyes wide with worry. He seemed to be searching for words, but they caught in his throat. He nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving Lila's face.
Kai turned to Shinji, his eyes locking onto his friend's. "Shinji, I'll be running ahead with Lila. You'll find me at the guild," he said, his voice low and urgent.
Shinji nodded, his eyes never leaving Kai's face. "Be careful, Kai," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kai nodded, his face set in determination. With a swift motion, he turned and sprinted away, his super speed carrying him away from the village in an instant. The wind rushed past, whipping Shinji's hair into a frenzy as he watched Kai disappear into the distance.
Some time later, the warm glow of the setting sun spilled through the guild's windows.The guild master burst out of his office, his face etched with worry. But the adventurers in the guild were too engrossed in their conversation to notice him.
"Tomorrow's match is going to be epic!" one of the adventurers exclaimed. "Team Nobles vs Team Kieran! I've got my money on Kieran, though."
"Yeah, Kieran's team is unbeatable," another adventurer chimed in. "But I've heard Nobles has been training hard. It's going to be a close match."
Just then, Kieran walked into the guild, followed by his partner, Shake. Shake was a tall, muscular man with vibrant red hair that was styled in a short, messy fashion. He had a strong jawline and piercing blue eyes that seemed to bore into those he looked at. He wore a black leather jacket and carried himself with an air of quiet confidence.
A few adventurers nodded in greeting as Kieran and Shake made their way through the guild. The conversation about the upcoming match continued, with some adventurers debating the strengths and weaknesses of each team.
A few adventurers nodded in agreement, but one of them spoke up, "You guys are forgetting something. Kai is an SSS rank adventurer. He's on a whole different level."
Another adventurer snorted, "Kai might be a SSS rank adventurer, but Kieran's team has an A rank, an S rank, and someone who's stronger than Kieran himself! I honestly don't think the Nobles will win this one."
The guild master, who had been trying to get Kieran's attention, finally managed to interrupt the conversation. "Kieran, we have another problem."
Kieran raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "Why don't you go and tell that to your SSS rank adventurer?"
The guild master hesitated before speaking. "The problem is that Team Nobles has gone missing. They were on an A+ rank mission, and we haven't heard from them since yesterday."
The guild fell silent, the only sound the quiet murmur of concerned voices. The adventurers exchanged worried glances, their faces etched with concern.
Just then, the guild door burst open, and Kai strode in, his eyes blazing with intensity. Lila was cradled in his arms, her body limp and bleeding profusely. Kai's clothes were covered in her blood, and his face was smeared with dirt and sweat. He kicked the door shut behind him, the sound echoing through the guild like a thunderclap.
The guild fell silent once more, all eyes fixed on Kai and Lila. The adventurers' faces were etched with shock and concern, and even Kieran's expression was serious.
Kai shouted, "Guild Master, I need your help!." The Guild Master, looking worried, quickly rushed to the healing room. "Kai, follow me!" he exclaimed.
Kai followed the Guild Master, his long strides eating up the distance. Lila's limp form was still cradled in his arms, her pale face a stark contrast to the bright red of her blood-soaked clothes. Kai's eyes were fixed on her face, his expression a mask of concern.
As they rushed through the guild, the adventurers parted to let them through, their faces etched with worry and curiosity. "What's going on?" someone whispered, but the Guild Master just shook his head and kept moving.
They finally reached the healing room, and the Guild Master pushed open the door. "In here, Kai," he said, stepping aside.
Kai entered the room, his eyes scanning the space until he spotted the bed. He gently laid Lila down on the soft mattress, her head sinking into the pillow. He straightened up, his eyes never leaving her face.
The healers, alerted by the commotion, rushed into the room. "Please, Kai, you need to leave," one of them said, gently guiding him towards the door.
Kai slowly backed away, his eyes never leaving Lila's face. As he stepped out of the healing room, the door shut behind him, and he was left alone in the corridor.
He leaned against the wall, his mind racing. "I've been searching for my revenge for so long," he thought to himself. "Akira, Sakura, and Kaito... they're the ones who destroyed my life, who took everything from me. I've dedicated myself to finding them, to making them pay."
But as he thought about Lila, about the way she smiled, the way she laughed... his thoughts faltered. "Why do I care about her?" he wondered. "She's just a stranger, a girl I met by chance. But... but there's something about her."
Kai's eyes narrowed, his brow furrowed in confusion. He couldn't understand why he felt this way. Lila was just a blip on his radar, a minor distraction from his true goal. But somehow, she had managed to get under his skin, to make him feel things he thought he was no longer capable of feeling.
"I need to focus," he told himself. "I need to keep my eyes on the prize. Revenge... that's all that matters." But as he pushed away from the wall, he couldn't shake the feeling that Lila had changed something inside him, that she had awakened a part of him that he thought was long dead.