Yuki stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. "Eran, will you tell me how you're healing so fast? I'm from the Vermilion Clan too — I know our bodies can recover quickly, especially internal wounds. But your hand… it regenerated instantly after being severed. That's not normal, even for us."
Eran glared at her. "Whatever you're implying, keep it to yourself. I'm leaving."
"How rude," Yuki muttered, crossing her arms.
Haruki stepped between them. "You're not going anywhere, Eran. You're still not fully healed."
Eran brushed past him, voice sharp. "I'm not asking. I'm telling."
Before he could take another step, Haruki grabbed his arm, his grip firm. "You may look like a kid, but if you want to act grown-up, then you better be ready for what comes with it."
Eran's eyes flared with anger. "Do whatever you want. You're all the same to me. I'll kill every one of you."
"You're still just a kid," Haruki said calmly, his tone tinged with concern. "That much anger doesn't suit you. And more than that… it's dangerous — for all of us."
Eran's eyes burned with fury. "I don't care. Let go of my hand, or I'll kill both of you."
Haruki glanced at Yuki. She gave him a subtle signal with her eyes — a silent plea to step back. But instead, Haruki tightened his grip and said, "Fine. If you want to leave, kill me first. Only then will I let you go."
With a violent jerk, Eran tore his hand free and stormed toward the door. In a blur, Haruki moved in front of him and delivered a swift kick to Eran's stomach. The impact sent him crashing to the ground, blood dripping from his mouth.
Lying on the floor, Eran looked up, eyes glowing red. "If you want to kill me… do it."
Outside, Yuki sat quietly beneath a tree, watching with a distant expression. I was just as stubborn once, she thought. How do you explain anything to someone like that?
Without a word, she tossed a sword toward Eran. It landed beside him with a sharp thud.
"Get up, boy," she called out. "Fight him."
Haruki blinked. "Sweetheart, what are you doing?"
Yuki smirked. "I haven't seen you fight in a while. Might as well entertain me."
Eran didn't wait. He snatched the sword and charged at Haruki. The first slash missed — Haruki barely dodged in time.
"Oh great," Haruki muttered. "Now I'm really in trouble."
Eran kept swinging, wild and relentless — but Haruki moved like a shadow. Not a single blow landed.
Suddenly, Haruki's fist slammed into Eran's stomach with brutal force. In an instant, razor-sharp paper blades erupted from his knuckles, slicing through Eran's midsection. Blood splattered across the ground as Eran collapsed, unconscious and drenched in crimson.
Yuki rushed over, eyes wide with horror. "What are you doing? Who hurts a child like that?!"
Haruki's expression was unreadable. "There has to be something about him… something special. The way he survived back there — the way I found him — he shouldn't be alive. And yet, here he is."
As they watched, Eran's wounds began to close, muscles stitching back together at an unnatural pace.
Yuki stared in disbelief. "This… this isn't the healing of a demon. Demons bleed black."
Haruki nodded slowly. "Exactly. He's not a demon. But whatever he is… we'll find out when he wakes up."
Haruki glanced at Yuki and said firmly, "Just don't tell the kid about the enmity between our clans. We don't know him well enough yet."
Yuki nodded slightly. "Sorry."
Haruki softened his voice. "Forget it for now. Just take him to his room and make sure he doesn't run off again. I'll head into the forest to get some food."
Without another word, Yuki gently lifted Eran in her arms. His body was still covered in wounds, and though unconscious, his face looked calm — like someone lost in deep sleep after days of pain.
Evening fell.
When Haruki returned, he went straight to Eran's room. The boy was no longer unconscious — just sleeping soundly, like a child who had finally found peace. A little line of drool trickled from his mouth.
Haruki chuckled under his breath.
"Yeah... he's definitely a human child."
Haruki walked over to Yuki and said, "Looks like we'll have to settle for fish tonight."
Yuki sat nearby, her expression tense. She was deep in thought. "Our land was always safe from demons... how did something this big happen here?"
Haruki sat down beside her with a sigh. "The "kshtra (this is name of organisation who protecting the land from demons)" leader died last month. No one stepped up to take his place. The demons saw the perfect opportunity... and attacked."
Yuki frowned. "But why didn't you become leader when they came asking you to be the leader?"
Haruki's eyes narrowed. "You know how they cast us out of from our own land — all of them.We are hiding in the forest of our own country. Now they're gone. Even the Kshetra Organisation they were so proud of... it's finished."
Yuki looked at him quietly. "And you really don't feel bad about it?"
Haruki turned his gaze away. "Forget it. Just cook the fish. Eran will probably wake up soon."