CHAPTER 27: [BATTLE’S OVER]

Eli let out a shaky, ecstatic breath as the boss ogre’s massive, broken body finally crumbled. Its weight slammed into the ground like a building collapsing, sending shockwaves through the ruined street.

"YES!" Eli yelled, voice hoarse with adrenaline. His fist clenched reflexively around Kairo’s shoulder, still trembling from the rush. "Fuck, yes!"

Even Mel let out a sharp whistle from behind, wiping sweat off his brow as the last of his summoned vines slithered back into the cracked pavement. "Holy hell. That was easier than I expected. Good job, Captain Bloodbath!"

’It’s so different when there’s more of them...’

Eli’s heart thundered in his chest, but his body didn’t feel like it was about to collapse anymore. There was a steadying weight now—safety that came with being surrounded by monsters who fought on his side.

Between Kairo, Mel, Mio, and Zaira—this wasn’t a battle anymore.

This was a massacre.

The air itself seemed to bend around them, like the battlefield had no choice but to obey their gravity.

But Kairo didn’t cheer.

He didn’t even smile.

Without a word, he stepped forward, boots crunching over rubble and blood-soaked stone. His crimson aura flared again—controlled, calculated—as he lifted a hand.

The blood he’d siphoned from the battlefield responded instantly.

With one slow breath, he summoned them.

Dozens of jagged, blood-forged blades bloomed in the air around him—hovering in a perfect circle like a bouquet made for war. Long, curved, each one shaped for lethal penetration.

And then—

He sent them down.

SHK—SHK—SHKK—

Each blade found its mark with brutal accuracy. One pierced the beast’s chest. Another its ribs. Three tore through its torso. Two more into its thighs. A final one into its neck.

Though lifeless, the boss ogre convulsed with every strike, as if its shattered body refused to die quietly. Blood erupted in sick spurts. Froth spilled from its maw.

Kairo didn’t stop.

He lifted his hand again.

The blades rose once more.

And again.

And again.

’Damn.’

Eli’s breath hitched in his throat as he watched the repeated impalements, the methodical rhythm of Kairo’s strikes—clean, cold, relentless.

There was no wildness to it. No fury. No cathartic rage.

Only intent.

Purpose.

Like he was scrubbing the battlefield clean of something that didn’t belong.

’He’s still going... It’s already dead, but he’s not stopping...’

His hand clenched around Kairo’s shoulder tighter, only realizing how hard when his knuckles ached. He didn’t even notice Mel stepping beside him, arms folded, eyes unreadable as he watched the carnage unfold.

Mel didn’t say anything.

No one did.

Because this... was normal.

At least, for them.

’He does this during raids too... but to see it up close—’ It was a bit horrifying.

Still, despite everything—Eli couldn’t bring himself to fear him.

’No... not him. He only does this to monsters.’

Which was, more or less, ethical.

Kairo raised his hand one final time.

The last blade hovered above the ogre’s skull—and with a flick of his wrist, it slammed down, cleaving clean through the cranium with a wet, splitting CRUNCH.

Silence followed.

A pause.

Then—

A sound cut through the stillness.

Low. Haunting.

A cry.

But not a battle cry.

A wail.

All heads turned at once.

Across the torn battlefield, the mutated ogre stood again.

Its grotesque form was unraveling—extra limbs crumbling away, bones snapping as it shrank back into something smaller. Less horrifying.

No longer mutated.

No longer glowing.

Just... an ogre.

Much to Eli’s relief.

Its chest heaved with ragged breaths. Its eyes, wide and unblinking, weren’t filled with rage anymore. Zaira’s illusions had faded. Her aura was gone.

The creature took one trembling step forward.

Then another.

Toward the corpse of the boss ogre.

And then—it dropped to its knees.

Eli blinked.

Confused. Disoriented.

The ogre leaned forward, claws dragging through the rubble, reaching with shaky fingers.

Trying to touch the unmoving body of the boss.

And then...

A choked sound escaped its throat.

Like a child trying to sob through lungs too big and a throat not made for grief.

’Wait.’

Eli leaned forward, eyes narrowing.

’Is it... is it crying?’

The ogre curled around the fallen boss’s corpse, claws digging into the dirt as if it were trying to hold it. To wake it. To protect it. A pool of blood formed around its knees.

Eli’s throat tightened.

He wasn’t sure what he expected from a creature born of a dungeon.

But not this.

Mel’s brow furrowed. Even Mio paused, one arm mid-fling with a half-bound thread still trailing behind him.

The mutated ogre let out a long, guttural moan. Its fingers trembled against the dead flesh of its leader.

And then—

Golden cracks began to spread across its body.

Soft at first. Like warm light bleeding through stone.

Then brighter. Bolder.

The ogre looked up, just once. Its red eyes no longer gleaming with hostility.

Only... sorrow.

Its skin began to flake away—pieces drifting upward like ash caught in the breeze.

"They’re disappearing..." Eli whispered.

He wasn’t just referring to the one still kneeling.

Across the field, the corpses of all the other ogres were glowing now—fractured with that same golden light. They crumbled quietly. No explosion. No final roar.

Just dissolution.

The last ogre—the only one still clinging to the boss’s remains—turned to light next.

Its limbs dissolved into dust.

Its chest cracked and peeled.

And in one last motion, it leaned forward—pressing its forehead to the boss ogre’s.

Then vanished completely.

All that remained—

Was silence.

The blood. The heat. The roar.

Gone.

Just the distant sound of fire crackling from nearby buildings. And the deep, thunderous breathing of exhausted Hunters who had survived it all.

Eli didn’t speak.

Because for the first time since the fight started—his danger sense finally stopped buzzing in the back of his skull.

No more pounding headache. No more nerve-twitching static.

Just... silence.

And God, did

that feel good.

Kairo shifted beside him, and Eli felt himself being moved. Carefully. Gently. Kairo bent down and placed him on the ground.

The moment Eli’s boots touched solid pavement, his knees buckled slightly—legs numb from being carried for so long—but he didn’t fall.

He straightened slowly, steadying himself.

’I can finally walk on my own again.’ Eli thought with a breathless smile, lifting his head to glance at Kairo.

The other man was already looking at him—expression unreadable, but gaze sharp, as if assessing him for injuries. For something.

It looked like Kairo was about to speak—

But before he could, two bodies crashed into him from both sides.

"Another job well done, Kai!" Mio shouted gleefully, laughing as he flung an arm over Kairo’s shoulder. "I can’t wait for the headlines to hit. ’Twilight Guild takes down berserk boss ogre! The best team in the best guild strikes again!’"

"Hell yeah!" Mel whooped, mirroring the gesture on Kairo’s other side. "That’s what I’m talking about!"

Kairo didn’t push them off—but he didn’t exactly look thrilled either.

Zaira joined them moments later, arms crossed tightly over her chest, voice calm but firm. "Assuming we don’t get yanked into back-to-back meetings first. This isn’t just another raid, guys. These ogres were different."

She met Kairo’s eyes directly. "Even you couldn’t kill that boss alone. And you’ve handled worse. The fact that it pushed you that hard? It means something’s changing."

Mel groaned. "Zai. Don’t be such a party-pooper."

"Just being realistic."

"And she’s right," Kairo cut in, voice flat but certain. "Those ogres wore me down more than I expected. And they weren’t alone. The sudden wave of monsters from different tears—simultaneously—it’s not random. This is something to be wary about."

He turned his gaze toward the ruined horizon, jaw tight. "Whatever was left inside that dungeon when it collapsed..."

"...Must’ve been pretty big," Zaira finished grimly.

Eli froze.

The chill crept in fast.

Because what was left behind in that dungeon—was him.

Or rather... his real body.

The remains of Lucien Kim, swallowed by the dungeon’s collapse.

Now, Eli couldn’t help the guilt that curled in his stomach, even if he knew it wasn’t his fault. Not really.

But it still felt like he had something to do with it.

"Ugh, whatever," Mel muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "It’s the Lion’s Fang Guild’s problem. They were dumb enough to hire a third-party cleanup crew instead of finishing the job themselves."

He made a face. "Typical Caelen. All fire and fame and no follow-through."

"Exactly," Mio added, flicking invisible dust off his shoulder. "If anyone should be taking responsibility for this, it’s them. Especially him."

Zaira nodded in agreement, quiet but firm.

Caelen.

’I wonder where he was in the first place...’ Eli thought, brows furrowing. ’The system wanted me to find him during the mess earlier, and I assumed he’d show up eventually, considering the task but—’

DING.

’Huh?’