Chapter 521 Reminder Of A Painful Past

Chapter 521 Reminder Of A Painful Past

Silence fell over the scene, the finality of the confrontation settling like dust. Arthur stood firm, his staff still humming with residual energy while the people who were watching this from afar still had their jaws slack just like Borin's.

But this tenuous silence shattered explosively, "Kill all humans and leave!" one of the orcs barked, drawing the attention of his fellow terrified orcs who witnessed their lord getting annihilated in just a single move. T/his chapter is updated by nov(ê(l)biin.co/m

"No!" The word burst from Arthur as more than a denial—a clarion call of defiance and worry for the hostages inside. With a swift raise of his staff, a powerful white beam of frostfire erupted from its tip, striking the first orc that lunged toward the bank's entrance. The beam then split sideways, a radiant spiderweb of icy flames that enveloped the other orcs in a gruesome spectacle. They exploded instantaneously, frozen shards of flesh scattering like gory confetti in the violent aftermath.

"Kid, don't worry about me and save the hostages!" Borin's gruff voice cut through the turmoil, his focus determined even though his arm wasn't fully healed.

Fuelled by urgency, Arthur darted into the bank, his heart pounding yet his mind focused on saving the hostages.

But the interior scene gripped him with a chilling realization, making him freeze his movement immediately and let his feet settle on the floor.

Dozens of hostages, each with glowing blue rings clamped around their necks, were looking at him with looks of despair, hope, and fear.

"You Hunter come forward, and humans all die," a lone orc threatened, his menacing face twisted in a grimace as he held a trigger button tightly with a trembling hand.

The pressure of his finger against the button was palpable, each millisecond a stretch of unbearable tension, "I take me finger off this button, boom!" he growled.

The hostages flinched, their faces etched with fear as the orc mimicked the sound of an explosion, the potential reality of it a looming nightmare over their heads.

Arthur, his initial shock morphing into a steely resolve, scanned the grim setup. When had these brutish creatures become so cunning, so deadly in their tactics? He hadn't expected such a sophisticated threat from the orcs.

Usually, they would scatter once their leader died.

"Don't worry, everyone. Nothing bad is going to happen to you guys," Arthur reassured the hostages with a soft smile, his voice soothing the nerves of the terrified hostages.

They didn't know who this young Hunter was, but his words, his demeanor, and the powerful yet pure aura he was emanating gave them hope.

Yet, Arthur's sharp eyes remained locked on the orc with the trigger, calculating, weighing every possible move. His mind raced—how could he neutralize this new threat without jeopardizing the lives of the innocent?

Arthur then attempted to negotiate with the growling orc, whose hand clutched the deadly trigger, "Calm down. I will let you leave back to your world as long as you let these people go," Arthur offered, his voice steady but his heart pounding with the uncertainty of the orc's response.

Just then, a portal swirled into existence a few feet away, a gateway to hell, offering the orc a chance at escape. Arthur's heart sank, "No!" he cried out, desperation seeping into his tone as he watched the orc bolt toward the swirling vortex, the lives of the hostages hanging precariously in the balance.

As the orc sprinted, the reality of the situation crystallized for Arthur—he could neither kill the orc nor let him escape with the trigger, as either action could spell disaster for the hostages.

"I want to believe that too..." Amelia said, her lips pressing together in a thin line, her eyes distant.

"You almost let the hostages die, Arthur Evangelion."

Startled, Arthur turned to find a tall, muscular man striding toward him, his presence imposing.

The man's tucked half-sleeve white shirt and black pants contrasted sharply with the attire of a tall woman who accompanied him, dressed in a black blazer and white low neck shirt, her attire rounded off with a short black pencil skirt. Both wore rectangular spectacles, their expressions severe and cold.

Arthur's attention, however, was momentarily caught by the man's striking golden eyes, a detail that triggered a fleeting memory of another face,

"Your impulsive decision could have jeopardized everything. You should have gone for the hostages first," Asher continued, his tone brimming with disapproval as he casually slipped his hands into his pockets while standing before Arthur.

But as his eyes locked with Arthur's, he was surprised to see his hazel eyes which was a mirror picture of that woman's eyes and even his appearance resembled hers, making Asher unconsciously clench his fists.

He had already heard from Rachel that Aira had a little brother who was surprisingly hidden from the world. He couldn't believe it since he had known the Evangelion Family for so long, especially Aira's father.

But now the man standing before him made him realize maybe he didn't know them as well as he thought. How the hell did he not know Aira had a little brother all this time? Or did she purposefully hide it from him? That wouldn't be surprising since this guy was being groomed to take his place.

Still, how could somebody who was no older than 25 reach the peak of S Rank without anybody knowing? Just his frostfire ability would allow people to easily recognize which family he belonged to even if he masked his identity unless his father and Derek desperately went around cleaning up after him to keep him hidden until it was time. That does make sense if they didn't want anybody to specifically target Arthur while he was growing up.

Yet Arthur's eyes seemed so gentle and pure that Asher's anger brimming within him faltered for a brief moment. What was this strange feeling? Asher couldn't believe that the woman still had this sort of influence on him even without being here.

Amelia, standing to the side, watched the interaction with a sense of trepidation. She felt worried, knowing Asher might get upset to see someone who reminded him of Aira.

Arthur reeled in his thoughts upon seeing this tall, intimidating person admonishing him, recognizing him as the new Combat Advisor, Ash.

Gathering his courage and recognizing the gravity of the situation, Arthur cleared his throat, "I-I am sorry, sir. I... I saw Hatchet Hero in trouble, and he was about to get killed by that Orc Lord. So I had to intervene, even though I was planning on saving the hostages first," he explained, his voice conveying the urgency of his decision at the moment.

Asher's expression remained stern, his brows knitting together in frustration, "That's not an excuse. Hatchet Hero knew what he was signing up for when he accepted the quest. Every Hunter knows they might not come back after accepting a quest. But the ones who stay true to their duty know that their priority is, and always should be, the safety of the people they vowed to protect. So, you ask yourself...Is it your duty to save the hostages or Hatchet Hero?" he challenged, pressing Arthur.

Arthur looked down momentarily, absorbing the weight of Ash's words, before raising his eyes again, his resolve strengthening, "I wanted to save them all, sir, just like what we did now," he responded, his voice a mix of determination yet acknowledgment of the lesson being imparted.

"That was only possible because of Amelia. If not, this day would have been a disaster. As a Hunter, you have to be prepared to make the hard decisions in the nick of a second," Asher continued, his tone stern as ever.

Feeling the sting of the critique but accepting its truth, Arthur bowed his head and mumbled apologetically, "I am sorry. I will do better."

Amelia, sensing Arthur's distress and recalling her own challenges as a young Hunter, intervened with a supportive, albeit awkward, smile, "Ash, please go easy on him. It's his first day on the job," she urged, her voice soft, aiming to make sure Asher doesn't unconsciously reveal his own feelings.

Asher let out a sigh, his stance softening as he nodded in reluctant agreement, "Fine. But next time, you work with the team instead of going off on your own. Only then can you save them all as you want."