Author: Dear readers, I wasn't able to publish any chapter last week due to a health issue. I also couldn't finish this chapter in one go, so I had to split it into two parts. I hope you'll understand, and thank you so much for your patience and support!
The old man's wounds healed.
"I can only do this much for him," said the blood beast to Kael.
"There are a few more still alive. Please heal them too," Kael requested.
"You greedy brat…" the blood beast growled.
"You push me too far, brat. No one else could bear this much of me…" the beast growled, voice heavy with something Kael couldn't quite understand.
Kael ignored it, focusing only on the wounded. He didn't know why the beast's power responded so strongly to him,but he would use it to save who he could.
Kael used the blood beast's power to heal them one by one. After saving the old man, he managed to heal four more people. Unfortunately, by the time Kael and Yui reached the village, fifteen others were already dead.
The village had once been a middle-progressed place with a mix of wooden and stone houses. Now, the front row of homes lay in ruins, the ground was soaked with blood, and the great wooden gate stood broken in half.
"Thank you…" whispered the fourth man Kael had just healed.
"Hmm, you're welcome. But can anybody tell me what exactly happened here?" Kael asked, his voice firm.
"It was them…" the first man said, trembling.
"I… it was horrible. It's the first time such a large group of soul eaters has attacked this village since it was founded," the second man said, his voice trembling with fear.
That man was Yui's uncle, Fenric.
"Uncle… where's my family, and the others?" Yui asked, still in deep shock.
"Yui, your mother and the others are safe, but…" Fenric hesitated, his face heavy with grief. After a long pause, he continued, "Some villagers were taken by the soul eaters. And… your father is among them."
Yui froze. Silent tears slid down her cheeks, her heart breaking at the words.
Kael placed a hand on her shoulder, trying his best to comfort her.
"Yui, stay strong. Nothing will happen to your father—I promise I'll save him," Kael said, trying to comfort her.
Yui looked at him through her tears, but her gaze held trust.
"No… you kids should stay here. We will go and save him. We cannot leave our men there," Fenric said firmly.
"It's true I'm just a child," Kael replied, his voice unwavering, "but I'm the only one who can help them."
The old man, who had been listening quietly, turned his weary eyes toward Kael. "What is your name, boy?"
"My name… my name is Kael Aran."
"Aran…" the old man repeated, calm but visibly shaken. After a pause, he said, "Fenric. Let him go alone. No one else should interfere in this matter."
Fenric clenched his fists, torn, but he could not defy the old man's words. "At least rest for some time before leaving," he said heavily.
"Alright," Kael replied with a nod.
They walked with Fenric toward the far end of the village, where the surviving villagers were hiding.
The moment Yui spotted her mother, she broke into a run. Her mother rushed forward as well, and they collapsed into each other's arms. Yui sobbed against her shoulder while her mother held her tight, forcing herself to stay strong as she comforted her daughter.
Kael stepped closer to them. "Don't worry," he said firmly. "I'll save them all."
A frightened child, clutching his hands, looked at Kael and shouted through tears, "Lies! Lies! Lies! You're lying! You can't save my father. You're just a child. Even the adults couldn't defeat them—so how can you do anything?"
"Lior, don't talk to him like that," Yui snapped, her voice sharp despite her tears. "You don't know his strength… he has a surname too."
The crowd fell silent.
The only thought running through every villager's mind was: Why is someone with a surname here, in the Lower Soul Society?
Author's Note: They think Kael is dead, but we know he's alive. Can't wait to see their reaction when the truth finally comes out.