8. Killing is not easy.

Days passed, and Captain Reivain was given a simple order—send the party of heroes on a small incursion.

"Kill goblins?" Takemi muttered, swinging his greatsword. He was shirtless, his skin glistening with sweat under the scorching summer sun as he trained in the yard.

"There have been multiple attacks on our merchants traveling to the neighboring city," Reivain explained, arms crossed. "The culprits? A growing goblin horde. There's a settlement right outside our gates."

"And you want us to take care of it," Takemi said, resting his blade on his shoulder as he met Reivain's gaze.

Reivain nodded.

"Isn't there a Guild for this kind of thing?" Masa asked, pushing up her glasses. She had been listening in and couldn't help but chime in.

Reivain let out a hearty laugh. "Sharp as always. But this isn't just about clearing goblins. It's about training. You all may be called heroes, but you're still just kids. Killing might not come easy to you."

Masa frowned, but she couldn't argue. He had a point.

Takemi smirked. "Not everyone has the guts to kill."

Images flashed through his mind—Seiito hesitating in battle, Chiharu trembling at the sight of blood. And Saka...especially her.

His gaze shifted to Masa.

Her too...

Reivain's voice turned serious. "If you hesitate in a moment of life and death, you die."

A tense silence followed. Everyone knew what he meant.

Takemi exhaled deeply. "I agree with Reivain-san. We have to learn how to kill…or else."

Masa's eyes widened slightly. Around them, several other students looked uneasy.

Not far away, Seiito jogged around the training grounds, panting as he slowed his pace. He caught sight of the group's expressions and walked over.

"What's going on?"

Chiharu turned to him, looking troubled. "We're going on a mission…to kill goblins."

Seiito blinked. "Kill goblins? That's why you all look so serious?"

Chiharu grimaced at his nonchalant tone. "Why are you so calm? Is it because you know you won't have to fight?"

"What? No, that's not—"

"You don't get it, do you?" Chiharu clenched her fists. "We have to kill. How are we supposed to end a life?!"

Seiito fell silent.

Asking high school students to kill… how are kids supposed to do something like that?

"Buahahaha! Kill goblins? Hell yeah! Sounds exciting!"

A loud, eager voice rang out—Kōji, grinning from ear to ear.

Chiharu scowled. "Of course there's someone who doesn't care about life…"

"That's right, boss! I'll back you up with buffs!" Ryūju laughed, rocking a grin.

"I'll make sure no goblins sneak up on you," Yukiya added, casually drawing his bowstring.

Seiito remained quiet, feeling an unease settle in his chest. Chiharu was right. As a healer, he wouldn't be on the front lines. He'd be in the back, watching, healing—keeping his friends alive.

But it still annoyed him.

He didn't want to just sit behind everyone, casting healing spells. He wanted to fight alongside Takemi and Saka. But his role…

No. It wasn't about using his friends as shields.

It was about protecting them when they were hurt.

Seiito sighed, casting a small healing spell on himself to ease his fatigue. His magic was still weak, barely restoring any stamina.

Then, he glanced at Saka.

She stood frozen, gripping the hilt of her sword tightly.

She couldn't kill. She just couldn't.

Seiito understood her hesitation. In a way, he was glad he didn't have to kill either. He could protect lives instead… that was the righteous path, wasn't it?

Reivain gathered the group, his voice calm yet commanding. "Form squads. The strongest will fight alone. The rest will support each other."

Takemi, Saka, and Kitani—their aces—were to fight solo.

Seiito's stomach twisted in unease. Saka…alone?

"Reivain-san," he spoke up hesitantly. "I don't think Saka should fight by herself."

Reivain's sharp eyes met his. "Why not? She's a Battle Maiden. She could wipe out a whole platoon on her own. Mere goblins are nothing for her."

"That's not it… she's…" Seiito struggled to find the words.

"Stop worrying." Reivain cut him off. "I trust her, just as I trust you, Seiito."

Seiito's eyes widened.

It had been so long since anyone had said that to him.

He forced a small smile. "Yeah… okay."

But the worry gnawed at him.

He needed to be close to Saka's group. He had to make sure she'd be okay.

Later that day.

"Seiito, heal me!!"

Seiito rushed to Kōji's side and cast a healing spell on his arm. The magic barely closed the wound—like applying a bandage to a deep cut.

"Tch…you useless idiot," Kōji spat.

"Stop rushing in, Kōji. Have you never played a fantasy game? Goblins are tenacious."

"Shut up, fatso. I don't need a lecture from you."

He shoved Seiito aside and cleaved a goblin in two with a single strike.

"Nice one, Kōji!"

"Damn, so cool!"

Seiito lowered his gaze and continued healing.

A few meters away—

"Raaah!!"

With a single swing, multiple goblins were bisected.

Takemi scoffed. "Too easy."

Suddenly, his instincts flared. He dodged to the side just in time—an almost-dead goblin had fired a blow dart at him before collapsing.

Takemi's eyes darkened. "Persistent little…"

He continued his slaughter, cutting through goblins as if they were nothing.

Further down from Takemi...

BOOM!

"Is that all you've got?! Come on!" Kitani's voice thundered across the battlefield, his grin wide and wild. He hurled another massive boulder, sending a pack of goblins scattering — some crushed beneath the weight, others scrambling in terror.

"Geez, shut up already!" Masa snapped, scowling as she unleashed a barrage of [Mana Bullets], each shot finding its mark and cutting down goblins like weeds. "You're way too loud for this early in the morning!"

"Let me back you up, Masa-chan!" Chiharu called out from behind. Her voice was calm but firm as she fired off a volley of [Stone Bullets], striking down the goblins creeping toward Masa's blind spot.

"Nice timing!" Masa muttered, giving Chiharu a grateful nod before turning back to the fray.

On the other side of the forest...

A goblin eyed Saka up and down, its gaze lingering on her with a sickening hunger. It licked its lips, grinning like a monster that had already claimed its prey. The malicious thoughts swirling in its twisted mind were obvious, and Saka knew exactly what it was thinking.

She trembled in fear but forced herself to raise her sword, pointing it shakily at the goblin.

With a sudden burst of speed, the goblin rushed at her, slashing with its jagged dagger. Saka squeezed her eyes shut in terror, but by some miracle, her instincts kicked in. She parried the dagger with a loud clang.

"Eep!" She yelped, as she hastily raised her sword again, deflecting another strike.

The goblin paused, momentarily confused by her unexpected defense. But it wasn't done yet. With a wicked grin, it pulled a blow dart from its pouch and fired it at her.

"!?" Saka felt a sharp pain in her arm as the dart struck. She cried out, dropping to the ground and pulling the dart out with trembling hands.

The goblin cackled, convinced that victory was now within its grasp. But Saka's fear-stricken eyes locked onto the goblin, her mind racing with dread. Was the dart laced with something?

'Status Effect Nullified.'

A voice echoed in her head, and her eyes widened in shock. The dart should have paralyzed her completely…God knows what would've happened if she couldn't move.

She shuddered at the thought, knowing all too well the horrors she narrowly avoided.

She swiftly got back up.

The goblin's grin twisted into a snarl when it realized she was still standing. It roared in frustration and charged at her again, dagger raised to strike.

With every ounce of courage she could muster, Saka raised her sword one last time and thrust it forward with all her might.

Her blade met its mark, ending with a wet, sickening splash and a wail that echoed through the air, only to be silenced moments later.

Her hands trembled uncontrollably, anxiety coursing through her veins. Her eyes shimmered with fear, and her heart clenched with an overwhelming dread. The blood staining the ground, the deafening silence that enveloped her—each of these elements conspired to pull her under a tide of emotions so powerful that she felt herself losing grip on who she was.

Her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the grass, her knees sinking into the cold earth. She raised her hands to her face, staring at them as they trembled. The crimson stain defiled her skin, tainting her very soul. She had ended a life—something she had always held sacred.

A scream tore through the forest, so raw and piercing that it seemed to shatter the heavens. The sound sent a shiver down the spine of everyone within earshot.

"Was that... Saka-chan?" Kōji turned toward the source, his eyes narrowing as he quickly dispatched the goblin in front of him. Without a second thought, he rushed toward the sound.

But a horde of goblins stopped him in his tracks.

"Saka-san!" Seiito's voice echoed in desperation as he sprinted in the same direction.

After what felt like an eternity, he arrived at the scene.

There, kneeling next to the lifeless body of a goblin, was Saka. Her shoulders shook as she wept, her tears falling onto the blood-soaked ground.

"Saka-san…" Seiito's voice was soft, understanding. He knew what had happened—he knew the weight of what she had just done.

The others arrived moments later, their gasps and murmurs filling the air with a thick tension. Yet, no one dared to approach the weeping angel.

"Tch…" Seiito moved closer, gently wrapping his arms around her. He held her tightly, offering what little comfort he could.

"It's okay…You're going to be fine, Saka-san. What you did was for a better future…because the world needs you. It needs a strong leader, someone who understands the value of life, someone who can save countless lives, filled with grace and kindness," Seiito paused, casting [Heal] as he continued. "—someone who loves life more than herself and has the power to protect the world." He placed his hand gently on her head, letting the healing magic flow through her.

"Remember this…okay? Taking a life is not a sin if it's done to protect others."

The others stood in stunned silence, watching as Seiito, the fat and often overlooked member of their group, comforted Saka. No one had the courage to step forward—except for him.

Takemi arrived shortly after, taking in the scene with a straight face.

"What happened?" he asked, his tone neutral.

"I-it seems that…it took a toll on Saka, having to kill the goblin," someone replied quietly.

"Ahh…I figured as much," Takemi said with a knowing nod. He watched Seiito comforting her and allowed a small smile to form on his lips. "I guess you knew too."

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed behind them, and Kōji appeared, panting heavily from the long run and having to dispatch a horde by himself.

"What happened, guys—what—" His words caught in his throat as he took in the sight before him: Seiito holding Saka close, her head resting on his shoulder, tears still streaming down her face, but her sobs had quieted.

Kōji's face darkened as he watched the scene unfold, his emotions a turbulent storm beneath the surface.