As they finally reached their dorm, Takahishi slid the door open and dragged Crinix inside, his face etched with concern. He gently laid Crinix on his bed, trying not to jar his injured body. Crinix growled in pain, his eyes screwing shut as he tried to catch his breath.
Takahishi quickly removed Crinix's jacket, revealing a mess of bruises and cuts underneath. He winced in sympathy, his hands moving quickly to grab a small piece of cloth and a bucket of water. He gently rubbed Crinix's bloody face with the wet cloth, trying to clean away the dirt and grime.
As he worked, Takahishi's eyes locked onto Crinix's face, his expression soft with worry. "Hey Crinix, were you scared to die?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Crinix's eyes flickered open, a small smile playing on his lips. "At first, I was," he admitted, his voice weak but steady. "But everyone dies when their time comes."
Takahishi's face fell, his eyes clouding with fear. "But still, Crinix, this place is dangerous for us. We can't survive in a place like this. That Niski guy was stronger than you. If Niski could beat you easily, how are we even going to survive the Hunter survival test?"
Crinix's expression turned serious, his eyes narrowing as he pushed himself up from the bed. Takahishi's eyes widened in alarm as Crinix swayed, his face pale with pain.
"What are you suggesting, Takahishi?" Crinix asked, his voice firm despite his obvious weakness.
Takahishi's eyes darted to the side, his voice barely above a whisper. "Um, you know... we could try to get away from this place."
Crinix's face darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. "Are you out of your mind, Takahishi? Don't you remember that we made a promise to Shina and Shinro? If we leave this place, they will die."
Takahishi's face fell, his eyes dropping to the floor in shame. "I know... but I'm scared to die, Crinix," he admitted, his voice cracking with emotion.
Crinix's expression softened, his eyes filling with compassion. "Takahishi, I'll protect you. But for now, let's get strong together, so we both survive this. We have to get stronger if we want to survive."
Takahishi's face lifted, his eyes locking onto Crinix's. A small spark of hope flickered to life within him, and he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, "Are you really going to protect me, Crinix?"
Crinix's face broke into a cheerful smile, his eyes shining with determination. "Yes, I will, Takahishi. We're both going to survive this. We both have to get strong."
Takahishi's face slowly lifted, a small smile playing on his lips. He felt a weight lift off his shoulders, and for the first time in hours, he felt a glimmer of hope.
Just then, the door slid open, and Shina rushed into the room, her face pale with worry.
She rushed to Crinix's side. "I heard what happened, so I came as fast as I could. Are you guys okay?" she asked, her blue eyes staring at Crinix with concern.
Crinix forced a smile onto his face, trying to hide the pain that was still throbbing through his body. "I'm fine," he said, his voice a little too cheerful.
Shina's eyes narrowed, her gaze searching Crinix's face. "Crinix, are you wounded?" she asked, her voice soft with concern.
Crinix's expression remained neutral, his eyes avoiding Shina's. "I'm fine, Shina. Just a few bruises," he said, his voice casual.
Shina's eyes lingered on Crinix's face, her gaze skeptical. She knew that Crinix was hiding something, that he was in more pain than he was letting on. She took a step closer to him, her hand reaching out to touch his arm.
"Crinix, I can see that you're hurt. Let me help you," she said, her voice gentle.
Crinix's eyes flashed with warning, his arm jerking away from Shina's touch. "I said I'm fine, Shina. Don't worry about it," he growled, his voice low and rough.
Shina's face lit up with relief, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink. "That's great, I was worried," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Takahishi, who had been watching the exchange with interest, suddenly piped up. "Hey, Shina, I also got hurt too," he said, his voice a little too loud.
Shina turned around, her eyes wide with surprise. "Oh, sorry Takahishi, I forgot about you," she said, her voice filled with apology.
Crinix's eyes narrowed, his gaze flicking to Takahishi. He was grateful for the distraction, as it took the attention away from his own injuries.
Takahishi'seyes turned back to Shina his expression serious. "Hey, Shina , do you know that Niski guy?" he asked, her brow furrowed with concern.
"Oh, yeah, I know him," she said , her eyes widened, her face pale. "I've known him since childhood," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Niski Narukami, from the Narukami clan, also known as the lightning wielders. They're the second most powerful clan in the Shadow Realm, gifted with the unique ability to control lightning."
Takahishi's eyes went wide, his face pale with shock. "Oh, so that's why he was able to create a bolt of lightning with his hand. That Niski guy is dangerous," he exclaimed.
Shina's face softened, her eyes filled with a gentle light. "Niski, he's actually a good person," she said, her voice filled with conviction.
Takahishi's face twisted in disgust. "Huh, a good person? My butt! That guy almost killed Crinix," he snapped, his voice filled with anger.
Crinix's eyes flicked to Shina, his gaze softening. He could see the concern etched on her face, and he knew that she was genuinely worried about him. But he refused to show her his wounds, to let her see the pain that he was hiding.
"Hey, Shina, don't worry about it. I'm fine," Crinix said, his voice a little too cheerful.
Shina's eyes narrowed, her gaze searching Crinix's face. She knew that he was hiding something, that he was in more pain than he was letting on. But she didn't push the issue, instead, she nodded, her face softening.
"Okay, Crinix. But if you need anything, you have to promise me that you'll tell me," she said, her voice filled with concern.
Crinix nodded, his eyes locking onto Shina's. He knew that he could trust her, that she would be there for him no matter what. And with that knowledge, he felt a sense of peace wash over him, a sense of security that he hadn't felt in a long time.