~Hayden's POV~
Losing a significant amount of mana can indeed be fatal, potentially causing severe damage to internal organs. In extreme cases, overuse of mana may even result in death. However, we're talking about the third leg of the Headhunters here.
"Instructor Pou?" Aubrey worried, her voice trembling as she watched him motionless on the ground. She was jarringly worried that I could hear the subtle hint in her words that she's about to bawl in tears when she added, "Help him, Hayden! We need to bring him to Grace, she can aid him."
This is the second time I'd seen her getting emotional after the Umbrella Gate incident, and having to behold her in this state was rather amusing since she's always putting up a tough front. While she's in a panic mode, I was the opposite, only glancing at Pou with an untroubled expression.
First and foremost, I couldn't care less if Pou were to die. We've been together in countless missions, but my attachment to him never grew—same goes with Franklin, and everyone in the Headhunter. Second, Pou won't die. While Cat might have the cognition of a newborn child, his strength is undeniable, and the idea of Cat losing his breath from mana diminishment is simply pathetic.
While Pou deemed himself dead, Aubrey's legs were still paralyzed and she's unable to walk by herself. So without a rush, I grabbed her wrist and pulled her upright, rolling her arms over my shoulder to give her an anchor of balance. Her legs are indeed weakened by the poison, but that doesn't entirely mean it's not functional. With Aubrey clinging onto my arms, we went towards Pou who was sprawled on the dirt.
She was trudging at first as she struggled to adjust with her current condition, but after a couple steps, we now stood before Pou.
Willingly, Aubrey unwrapped her arms on my shoulder, and grabbed onto a nearby tree to steady herself without my assistance, enabling me to check on Pou's condition properly. What I meant by 'properly' is by nudging the back of his head with the tip of my footwear, muttering, "Get up. This is otherworldly lame, you know." I continued kicking his skull perpetually, the sound reverberating louder as he stubbornly refused to budge.
"Stop that!" Aubrey yelled at me. "Can't you see that he's borderline dead?"
Knowing better, I ignored her and kept on trying to wake Pou up with my feet.
"Bear ain't around, so there's no point playing dead," I said.
Aubrey's brows perked up, confused about what I just said regarding 'Playing dead'. Before she could ask for confirmation, she ascertained that Pou was actually playing dead as he replied to my call.
"I'm dead tired, Hayden," Pou moaned to me, curling up his knees over to his chest and binding his arms over his shins.
That sudden response caused me to pause with my foot assault, but then he added something. "Let me be on my final resting place, okay." His tone sounded lousy, like someone groggily asking for five more minutes of sleep after being jolted awake by an alarm clock at 6am.
Does this guy want me to carry him back where he could get treatment? My one arm is already occupied with Aubrey, who's paralyzed. Adding Pou on my other arm would be arduous and pointless, because unlike Aubrey, Pou can walk. I'm not sure what hit his head, but it's obvious that he is acting like a baby for the sole purpose of getting a lift. Pou turns out this way on rare occasions, but out of all time, why now when I already have to carry Aubrey?
I nudged him again, trying to boot his childish behavior away, but it was a little too late; he's already snoring with saliva dripping sideways on his cheek as leftover blood stained his lips as if he messed up his lipstick.
"I won't carry you, so get your ass up."
Receiving no response, which I expected from this guy, I had no other option but to catch his slack. Reluctantly, I went along with his antics. Grumbling under my breath, I decided to indulge his indolence just this once. After all, it's not like I could just leave him in this wild forest. I wanted to wrap things up quickly so I could get home early, and even if Aubrey and I made it to the landing area without Pou, the departure would be delayed since we couldn't just dump him in this remote place.
Swallowing my complaints, I carried both of them back. Aubrey was on my right arm, like a drunk dude who's unable to walk straight. On my left arm hung another drunk dude. His case was way worse, as he wasn't just drunk—he was completely wasted. My left arm was wrapped around Pou's waist, his dead weight hanging over my forearm as his limbs fell lifelessly towards the pull of gravity.
Aubrey suggested heading over to the Gate first, expecting to find the others there. I had only found Aubrey and was completely unaware of the location of the Gate. However, Aubrey knew the way, so she guided me as she trudged next to me. Come to think of it, she and I were nanometer close right now, walking side by side, and I was catching onto a soft sensation. Yes, it was pressing against my side like a cushion. But before any weird stimulation escalated, we made it at the said location.
"I think they had left," Aubrey murmured, roaming her eyes in the abandoned area. "The Gate had closed too. They must've gone back to the cabin."
Aubrey was aware that Victor and the ranger had engaged in a fierce combat, as suggested by the chaotic scene of trees strewn about and splintered branches scattered across the forest floor. Despite the devastating signs, Aubrey was confident that Victor emerged victorious in that battle since Demon Poachers don't have the equipment to force-close the Gate.
"A big fight sure broke out here," I said in a tense manner, attracting Aubrey's eyes.
As her eyes laid on me, she noticed my rather exhausted expression, slightly sweating. She's probably expecting carrying two people was tiring, but that wasn't the case. I'm strong enough to lift ten times of their weights, but not strong enough to endure this temptation stirring my sweat. I do try maintaining a calm and collected composure since that's what I was taught, but I'm not immune to lust.
I might be good at stifling a face devoid of expression, but hiding this unconscious internal response is a different thing. Thankfully, she didn't seem to see through me, only knowing that I needed to take a breather before continuing.
"Damn, am I that heavy. Let's rejuvenate for a bit before going to the cabin."
Her suggestion to rest works best for me, so I instantly dropped Pou out of my arm, his motionless body thudding heavily against the ground.
"Careful! Why do you have to treat Instructor Pou like that in his most vulnerable moment," Aubrey scolded me.
Giving her a cold response, I shrugged before saying, "That serves him right."
"At least, be gentler."
Ignoring her again, I walked her over to a fallen tree, gently assisting her to sit down on the log. I settled next to her, but a meter away, of course—I need to cool this stimulation down before she gets skeptical.
For a while, silence fell upon us. Aubrey was twiddling her thumbs as her head rested on her bent knees. I couldn't help but notice her abruptly sighing heavily from time to time, as if she were having a war with demons in her mind but couldn't seem to get her thoughts straight.
"Say Hayden," Aubrey gulped, building courage to finish her sentence. "As much as my ego refuses to admit this, it's true that I'm just a diamond in the rough."
Maybe it was the way she phrased it, but what she said didn't make sense. Perhaps it was the lack of context that made it hard to see where she was coming from, but I viewed her words as a convoluted puzzle. Was she implying something?
"What are you on about?" I asked.
"Let me rephrase it. Dealing with those puny demons and C-rank poachers built my confidence." Aubrey lowered her mouth below her knees, covering her embarrassed face. "But when those two A-ranks came, that confidence was robbed in a second. I was abducted, and I was helpless." A firm intonation sounded at the mention of 'helpless'. It's difficult to tell whether she's mad or sad because of her ambiguous tone. "I might have the perfect genes, but I'm nothing if I'm unable to maximize my capabilities."
"They say that 'When you know what's the problem, then the problem is half solved.' It's good that you know that you're lacking in something—so you can focus on it now and better yourself."
"Eh? I'm pretty sure that's not how the saying goes."
"The point is still the same."
"Ahahaha. You're my instructor, after all, so I'll take your word for that."
Aubrey laughed gently, signaling that the atmosphere had become more pleasant.
"Since it was your suggestion, what do you think about mentoring me, Instructor?" Aubrey asked, displaying a cheeky smile as he glanced at me.
"I don't think I'll do a good job. Teaching isn't my forte," I turned her down, expecting that she'd offer me something valuable to persuade me.
"You're a good teacher, I can tell."
"How so?"
"Well," Aubrey put her index finger on her lips. "...you tore down the barrier I was locked in. Remember, it was you who handpicked that necklace and also said that 'Only S-rank powers are capable of breaking it' which means you're an S-rank yourself, making you the perfect candidate to be my mentor."
Her eyes fixated on me like a mischievous snake, biting me with that venomous look on her face.
"Besides, the only way I could get the vengeance I wanted is by learning from someone strong like you."
Yes, I remember her mentioning wanting revenge on Wolf for her mother's death. I couldn't even recall what her mother looked like, let alone whether I was the one who ended her life. I've unalived countless people, remembering them was like naming each grain of rice in a sack and reciting all their names.
"So… how about it? Be my mentor!" Aubrey insisted.
Why should I? Accepting her request was practically teaching her how to bury me. I believe I have the right to die for all the sins I've committed and won't atone for. However, until someone is strong enough to pacify me and take my head, I will keep on living.
"You're better off finding a different candidate for that position. I can't help you in this matter," I replied, my voice lacking any emotions.
"What's with the cold shoulder? C'mon, I'll double the salary when you were a bodyguard before… Actually, no… make it quadruple. At this rate, we're more like a family, so I'm open to giving you extra."
I've been keeping my head straight throughout the conversation, avoiding eye contact, but on that instant, I deliberately pulled my head towards her, fixing my eyes full of wrath on her teaseful countenance.
"It's not always about the money."