Redemption

For the sake of one arm, for a body already marred by Deficiency, he had callously extinguished a young life yet to be born into this world.

Though a thief, Kant had always adhered to his own moral code.
He wasn’t just the Saint of Thieves on the Seraris Continent but also a man raised with proper education on Blue Star.

What makes a human?
The ability to control desires and restrain actions.
True humans know what to do and what not to do.
Failing that, one is no better than a beast.

And now, he had committed such a beastly act.

His body’s warmth seemed to drain away in an instant, his hands cold and sweaty, his breathing labored and rapid, his mind plunged into chaos.

How could he have done this?
What the hell had he done?

His legs weakened, and he slumped against the tree trunk, gasping heavily.

“Filthy thief, feeling guilty?
Regretful?
Afraid?
But what’s the use!”

“You killed my sister.
Today, I’ll make you pay with your blood!”

Cold, emotionless tears slid down the maiden’s cheeks.
Grief, pain, and hatred contorted her stunning face with intense emotion.
As the elf princess’s feelings surged, the forest’s winds, grass, and towering trees grew restless, resonating with her sorrow and rage.

The air’s magical flow turned violently turbulent, the wind slicing like blades against the skin.
Emerald light gathered in Felicia’s hand as she raised her longbow, drawing the string taut, a green magical arrow aimed at Kant’s head.

His mind’s dormant danger alarm finally blared, his temples throbbing, red alerts echoing in his consciousness.
Yet the man who should’ve dodged stood frozen, like a soulless husk.

The truth had sapped his will to fight.
He’d committed the act he most despised, becoming the scum he loathed.

He’d violated the principles and education he’d upheld for years.
His actions were unforgivable even to himself…

The elf princess was right.

A life for a life.

Killing a future elf princess didn’t even begin to balance with his own life.
But what else could he do?

His life was all he had to offer.
Perhaps being a Deficient was a fate he could never escape.
Seeking to restore his arm was a mistake from the start.

The magical gale grazed his cheek, cutting skin, warm blood trickling down.

Kant stood lifelessly at the storm’s epicenter, his fingers trembling uncontrollably.
His body’s survival instincts urged him to flee, but his will had lost all desire to live.

Let it end like this.
Perhaps death was his best outcome.

He only hoped Lidia wouldn’t follow his path.
He was no good mentor, no worthy man…

“Filthy human, take your regrets to hell!”

With a gaze of utter grief and fury, Felicia released the taut bowstring.
The string snapped, unleashing a gust, the emerald arrow roaring like an unstoppable dragon toward Kant’s face.

Barring surprises, Felicia’s full-force strike would reduce Kant, an ordinary human, to ash.
As the wind tousled his hair and he prepared to meet his end in regret, an old man’s voice echoed in his mind.

“Kant, understand this: thief is just a profession.
Our reputation may be poor in others’ mouths, but you must know, no matter how vile they call us, we are still human.
Humans bear the consequences and responsibilities of their actions.
We don’t commit evil just because others label us so.
We must have our own底线…”

“And don’t shirk responsibility, especially when facing seemingly unsolvable mistakes.
Never think death solves problems—it’s the most cowardly, useless escape.
If you believe your sin is grave, first try to atone and compensate.
If, after your utmost effort, you still can’t make amends, then make your choice…”

As the emerald light neared, about to engulf him, Kant’s lifeless black eyes snapped back to life.
In an instant, he activated a secret technique, his dual-wielded daggers slashing upward in a diagonal cross!

[Wind Spirit Moon Shadow: Seven Segments]

[Blade Art: Azure Wolf Howls at the Moon]

The blades sliced through the air with a piercing screech, like a lone wolf howling atop a cliff under a radiant moon.
The oncoming emerald arrow was split and neutralized by the X-shaped blade light.
Seizing the moment, Kant dodged to the side.

Boom!

A heavy, resounding explosion erupted nearby, the ground trembling.
As the dust settled, Felicia, wielding “Poetry of the Flower Language,” fixed her icy gaze on the unscathed man crouching on the ground.

Perhaps due to his restored arm, his blood circulation and physical coordination had vastly improved, boosting his strength to unprecedented heights.
His Wind Spirit Moon Shadow technique had jumped from four segments to seven, unlocking the ninth segment’s death lock.

“Filthy human, as expected, scum like you clings to life.
I won’t let the one who killed my sister live freely!”

Felicia prepared to draw her bow again, but the scales of victory no longer tipped in her favor.
Before her magical arrow could fully form, a sharp, clear chime rang in her ears.

Clang!

It was the sound of clear water flowing over a metal blade.
In an instant, Felicia felt a cold, sharp sensation at her neck.
Her pupils contracted as her elven senses belatedly registered that the man had somehow teleported behind her, his icy dagger pressed against her throat.

How was this possible?
His figure still stood before her…
No!
As the Kant she’d locked onto faded and blurred, Felicia realized she’d targeted not a man, but his afterimage.

An afterimage so fast it fooled even elven senses!

How insanely swift was this man?

“Filthy human, even if you—”

“Shh!”

Kant suddenly covered the elf princess’s mouth with one hand.

“Your Highness, I apologize for stopping you in such an offensive manner, but before you kill me, please hear me out…”

“I don’t deny killing your sister, and I’ll pay the price, but not now.
Killing me won’t bring her back.
Your best choice is to take me to the Elven Empress as quickly as possible.
Your Empress is the strongest among elves, right?
It hasn’t been long since I consumed the sacred fruit.
Since it can birth life, it must contain a soul.
Though I ate the fruit, the soul shouldn’t dissipate so soon.
If anyone can preserve it, it’s your Empress.
With a soul preserved, crafting a new body isn’t impossible for elves, masters of life magic…”

“I know I’ve committed an unforgivable sin, but before resorting to the worst, most useless option—my death—I want to try to make amends.
If there’s a better choice, why choose the worst?”

“If my proposal fails, then do with me as you will…”

His voice, heavy and solemn, carried the weight of his actions’ consequences, yet he’d regained a precious clarity amidst the chaos.