Chapter 238: Ignoring Heroes Path.
The streets of Elaris City were bustling with merchants, travelers, and citizens returning home after the day’s work.
Despite the city’s liveliness, the evening air felt tense to Kael.
His leg throbbed with pain from the deep gash inflicted during the fight with Dakin.
The blood seeped through his pants, and each step sent a sharp reminder of his injury.
"Hey boy! Pay your coins!" a guard shouted as Kael and Selena hurried past the city terminal.
His armored boots clanged against the stone tiles as he waved them down, pointing a heavy halberd toward them.
Selena’s hands trembled slightly as she fumbled in her pouch. She pulled out a shiny gold coin and thrust it toward the guard.
"Here! Take it!" she shouted.
The guard grunted, snatched the coin, and gave them a suspicious glance.
"Next time, pay on time, kids. Don’t try to skip."
Kael didn’t reply. He was already gripping Selena’s hand and pulling her along.
The terminal faded behind them as they rushed toward the outer streets of Elaris City, weaving between carts and street performers.
"Let’s go to the medical shop!" Selena said with a voice of urgency and worry.
Kael shook his head sharply. "No... no. Only heroes go there."
Selena frowned. "What are you talking about? You’re hurt! You’re bleeding like crazy from your thigh!" Her voice grew anxious, her grip on his arm tightening.
Kael gritted his teeth, forcing a faint smile despite the pain. "I said, no. Heroes only go to medical shops. I can handle this."
Selena’s eyes flashed with frustration. "You think I’m going to let you just collapse in the middle of the city? Look at you!" She took a deep breath.
"At least let’s go somewhere quiet—away from the main streets."
Kael relented slightly, nodding.
He led her through a narrow alleyway toward a less populated corner of the city.
The sounds of merchants and chatter faded behind them, replaced by the echoing clatter of their own steps.
The dim glow from hanging lanterns illuminated the alley, revealing the splintered stone tiles and patches of moss along the walls.
Kael stopped suddenly.
He swore under his breath, clutching his thigh. The pain surged sharply, and he bent forward.
"AHHHHH...!" he shouted, gritting his teeth.
Selena’s eyes widened. "Kael! Are you going to be okay?"
Kael, with a grimace of determination, reached into his thigh.
With a swift motion, he pulled out the long, jagged stick that had pierced his thigh during the fight.
Blood poured from the wound in thick streams, staining his pants and the stone beneath him.
He shook his head, forcing himself to breathe evenly.
Then he tied the wounds quickly.
"Hand over those cores, Selena. Now." Kael said despite the pain.
Selena fumbled with the satchel she had been holding. "Here... here you go!" She handed him the demon cores, one by one with her fingers brushing against the pulsing, eerie orbs.
Kael caught each core carefully, placing them into a small leather pouch at his side.
The cores glimmered faintly in the dim light.
Their energy pulsed, responding to his presence.
Selena watched him with wide eyes, curiosity overriding her fear. "What do you do with these cores anyway?" she asked.
Kael looked at her. "I use them to forge." His fingers brushed over the leather pouch, as if feeling the cores’ energy.
"Weapons, tools... things that can fight back."
Selena’s eyes sparkled. "Then... you can also forge my staff!" she said quickly, the excitement in her voice almost bubbling over.
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Your staff? Are you a magic user?"
Selena shook her head, her face turning red. "No... not exactly. But I do practice magic. I also have a staff, and I’ve been experimenting with it."
Kael’s lips curled into a faint smirk. "Idiot... those cores only belong to villains and mobs." His voice carried a warning, almost teasing but sharp.
Selena blinked, confusion written across her face. "Huh? W-What? How... how can only villains use them?"
Kael’s eyes glinted. "These demon cores contain the concentrated essence of defeated demons. Using them without understanding their origin... is dangerous. You can’t just channel them like ordinary magic. Only those with the knowledge and strength to control them should attempt forging with them."
Selena’s lips parted in shock. "So... if I tried... I could... get hurt? Or worse... turn into a villain?"
Kael shook his head firmly. "Exactly. That’s why I don’t let anyone touch them without supervision.".
Selena bit her lip, looking down at the satchel. "I... I didn’t know... I thought they were just like magical ores or something."
Kael crouched slightly, gesturing toward her staff.
"Listen. You want to practice magic, yes? Good. But start with your own. Demon cores aren’t toys. They’re weapons and traps."
"How rude of you"
"No.. I am saying for good things"
Selena nodded, swallowing hard. "Okay... I understand."
Kael stood up, his hand brushing over the demon cores pouch.
He winced slightly as the blood from his thigh dripped down, but he ignored it, focusing on the important lesson.
"Good. Now, we need to find a safe place to patch this wound. Not a hero’s clinic."
Selena looked around nervously. "Where then?"
Kael scanned the alleyways, finally spotting an abandoned corner shop, partially hidden by a collapsed wall and faded signs.
"There. That little corner shop. Should be quiet enough. We can handle the wound there."
They moved carefully, Kael supporting most of his weight on a nearby wall as he limped.
The streets of Elaris City were noisy, but they quickly slipped into the shadows, avoiding notice.
Selena looked at him. "Kael... you’ve been fighting demons... bleeding... and yet you still move. How are you so strong?"
Kael’s expression didn’t change much. "It’s not about strength alone. It’s about knowing when to fight."
"And i am not strong"
Selena swallowed hard. "I... I could never fight like you..."
Kael shook his head sharply. "Don’t say that. You have your own path, your own strength, knowledge, strategy—they’re just as important as my sword. Without someone like you, I’d be dead long before reaching this city."
Selena blushed. "I... I didn’t know... thank you, Kael."
Kael smirked faintly, despite the blood trickling down his leg.
"Don’t thank me yet."
He reached the corner shop and gently pushed the door open.
Dust and faint sunlight from broken windows highlighted the empty room, but it was perfect for what they needed.
He gestured to Selena. "I am going to stitch this wound myself."
Selena hesitated, then obeyed. "Okay..." she whispered. Her hands shook slightly as she placed the satchel with the cores next to her, keeping them close but out of harm’s way.
Kael knelt and began tending to his leg, carefully cleaning the wound with a cloth he pulled from his bag.
The blood soaked through, but he ignored it, focusing on the meticulous task of removing debris and preventing further damage.
Selena watched silently. "I... I can’t believe you can endure this much pain... and still think about fighting demons."
Kael didn’t answer immediately. His focus was entirely on the wound.
(Pain... is temporary. Weakness... is fatal) Kael thought.