Chapter 43 — Crimson Eyes
The estate had long gone silent.
Outside, the evening sky darkened slowly beneath drifting smoke and broken clouds. The distant remains of the battlefield still burned somewhere far beyond the ruined streets, faint orange light flickering against shattered buildings.
Inside one of the estate rooms, tension hung heavily in the air.
Hoshina sat tied tightly against a couch near the center of the room, his wrists restrained behind him while his exhausted body leaned back against the cushions. His breathing was rough, uneven. Bruises covered parts of his face, and dried blood stained the side of his shirt.
But despite his condition—
his glare remained sharp.
Kaito stood directly in front of him.
One hand rested in his pocket.
The other remained placed firmly on Hoshina's shoulder.
A faint violet distortion pulsed around his fingers.
Hoshina immediately felt it.
His Core Aura weakened further.
"…Tch."
His expression twisted slightly.
Kaito's second ability wasn't destructive.
It was worse.
Debuff.
An ability capable of suppressing an opponent's Core output itself.
Normally, Hoshina would still have enough strength to resist it.
But after everything that had happened—
after Tokita's attacks…
after Ragnar's defeat…
his Core was already unstable.
Kaito's suppression completely crushed whatever remained.
Even trying to summon a drop of water now felt impossible.
"You done glaring at me?" Kaito asked coldly.
Hoshina clicked his tongue and looked away.
"When is Ragnar and that Red haired brat coming back?"
Natsuki, sitting nearby, immediately frowned.
"Shut the hell up," he snapped. "You're not the one asking questions here."
Electric sparks crackled violently across his fingertips.
He stepped forward.
"Tell us about the "ORGANIZATION" you work for."
Hoshina stayed silent.
Natsuki's eyes narrowed.
"I said talk."
Still nothing.
Then Hoshina slowly lifted his head and looked directly at him.
"…F*ck off."
The room instantly became colder.
Natsuki moved before anyone could react.
BAM.
His fist slammed directly into Hoshina's face, snapping his head sideways.
The couch shook violently.
Natsuki grabbed Hoshina's collar immediately afterward and yanked him forward aggressively.
"You better start answering us RIGHT NOW!"
Electricity sparked wildly around his arm.
"You think we're playing around with you?!"
Hoshina slowly turned back toward him.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
Then—
he smiled.
A small, mocking smile.
"Funny hearing that from someone I could've killed earlier."
Natsuki's expression darkened instantly.
"What did you say?"
"I said," Hoshina muttered calmly, "if your friend hadn't interfered back then… you'd already be dead."
CRACKLE.
Lightning exploded harder around Natsuki's arm.
The pressure inside the room spiked.
Even the lights flickered slightly.
"Maybe you need a reality check."
He raised his hand slightly—
ready to electrocute him.
But before the lightning could touch Hoshina—
"Stop."
Aoi's voice cut through the room sharply.
Natsuki paused.
Aoi stood near the wall with her arms crossed, staring directly at him.
"If Ragnar wakes up and realizes we tortured his partner before getting answers, things get worse for us."
Natsuki clenched his jaw.
"…Tch."
The electricity slowly faded.
After a long moment, he released Hoshina's collar and stepped away.
"Lucky bastard."
Hoshina leaned back against the couch again, breathing heavily, though his eyes never left Natsuki.
Kaito and Nezuko exchanged brief glances from across the room.
The atmosphere remained tense.
Then—
the door suddenly opened.
Everyone turned.
Tokita stepped inside.
And Ragnar was hanging unconscious over his shoulder.
The room froze instantly.
Tokita walked forward calmly before lowering Ragnar carefully onto the long couch nearby.
The moment Hoshina saw him—
his eyes widened.
"Raigan!"
For the first time since they captured him—
panic appeared on his face.
Ragnar's body looked terrible.
Blood stained parts of his clothing.
Burn marks covered sections of his arms.
His breathing was unstable.
Even unconscious, faint tremors occasionally ran through his body from internal damage.
Hoshina struggled violently against his restraints.
"Raigan! Hey! Answer me!"
Ragnar only groaned weakly in pain.
Hoshina immediately turned toward the others furiously.
"What the hell are you waiting for?! Heal him already!"
"Yeah, yeah, we know," Natsuki muttered.
Nezuko quickly left the room to get Mira.
A few moments later, she returned alongside the nurse.
Mira approached Ragnar carefully before kneeling beside him.
The moment her eyes scanned his injuries—
her expression changed.
"…This is bad."
Everyone looked at her.
"I can heal his external wounds myself," Mira explained quietly, "but internal damage like this will require much more energy."
She hesitated briefly.
"…I'll need someone's life force."
The room immediately paused.
"Life force?" Kaito repeated cautiously.
Mira raised both hands quickly.
"No, no, no—not lifespan," she explained immediately. "I'm not taking years off anyone's life or anything like that."
She pointed toward their chests.
"I just need Core Aura energy. A portion of it."
Understanding slowly crossed their faces.
"Using someone else's Core as a temporary energy source will increase my healing output significantly."
Tokita raised his hands."I don't mind giving my life force,of course only a little-"
"No." Nezuko cutting him mid sentence."You've done more than enough already, you need rest okay."Nezuko replied calmly to Tokita.
Tokita replied"But im-"
"No but's"Nezuko replied firmly.Natsuki gave Tokita a look and replied."she's right you worked harder than every one here so,you need rest."
Kaito added "Awww, looks like Natsuki's already warming up to Tokita."
"What,No!!"Natsuki said annoyingly.
Aoi cut them off mid sentence"Guys, please focus on the current situation."
Kaito and natsuki responded simultaneously "yeah yeah,we get it."
Tokita just watched them in amusement, Nezuko noticed his expression and smiled then she replies to Tokita"Go take a shower,you definitely deserve it."
Tokita responded"okay."Then he leaves the living room heading towards the shower.
"So,who gonna give their life force?"Mira asked.
Kaito sighed.
"…That sounds exhausting."
"It is."
Kaito, Natsuki, and Nezuko all exchanged looks.
But the problem became obvious quickly.
Their Core reserves were still far too drained from the battle earlier.
Then—
"I'll do it."
Everyone looked toward Aoi.
She stepped forward calmly.
Unlike the others, her Core Aura remained relatively stable. Since she specialized more in support and tactical combat, she hadn't exhausted herself nearly as much during the battle against Ragnar.
Nezuko blinked.
"…Aoi, are you sure?"
Aoi nodded.
"If everyone else has been risking their lives this entire time… then I should help too."
Mira smiled softly.
"…Thank you."
Aoi sat beside her.
Mira gently placed one hand against Aoi's wrist.
Then the other against Ragnar's chest.
At first—
nothing happened.
Then a soft emerald glow spread throughout the room.
Aura.
Pure Core energy flowed slowly from Aoi into Mira.
And from Mira—
into Ragnar.
The healing effect was immediate.
The burns across Ragnar's body slowly began fading.
Cuts started closing.
Damaged flesh repaired itself visibly faster than before.
Sometime had already passed and Tokita had already freshened up,then came back and saw Mira healing Ragna.
Hoshina watched the entire process silently.
But internally—
his thoughts were spiraling.
How…
How could Ragnar end up this injured?
His fists slowly tightened.
Ragnar wasn't weak.
He wasn't someone ordinary people could challenge.
Among the "Organization"—
Ragnar stood as Rank Seven.
A monster feared across entire regions.
Yet now—
he looked broken.
Destroyed.
Hoshina slowly lifted his eyes toward Tokita.
Tokita remained standing quietly near the wall, arms crossed casually, completely silent.
Hoshina stared at him.
Who the hell is this kid…?
His chest tightened slightly.
For the first time—
fear crept into his thoughts.
Not fear for himself.
Fear for Ragnar.
Fear for what Tokita might truly become.
Goddamn it…
If Ragnar actually loses everything because of this…
Then suddenly—
Ragnar's fingers twitched.
Everyone immediately noticed.
The healing aura intensified briefly.
Then—
his eyes slowly opened.
Crimson red.
Sharp slit pupils.
Like a dragon staring awake from within darkness.
And instantly—
the atmosphere inside the room changed.