Then followed sorrow.

"Kai, why didn't you tell us?"

Juro was sitting on a chair with both his hands clasped together in front of him.

Right now, Kai was on his bed with his shirt off exposing the tumor while sweating.

"You acted strange ever since that night but to think you were actually hiding this..."

Juro was shaking his leg and wasn't calm at all. He and Akemi knew of this disease.

"Is it bad?"

Akane had a worried face as she asked Akemi who had tears on the corners of her eyes. Akemi crouched down to Akane's height and held the sides of her face with both hands.

"He'll be alright, it isn't bad at all but it would do some side-effects."

Even Akane could tell that was a lie but she kept silent. Kai was definitely in intense pain while clutching his chest. The tumor had melted into his skin and now looked like a burnt scar but veins were still spreading from it and it visibly enlarged from before.

Now, from the left shoulder to his stomach had been covered in the tumor. If Kai wasn't wriggling in pain, it would look like a really well-done tattoo and would make good intimidation if this was the modern age.

But none of them would think like that. Right now in front of their eyes, Kai was dying. Yoko and Akane's tears were flowing as they continuously wiped it off. Juro was panicked and Erina was gritting her teeth. Akemi's tears were flowing while she covered her face from nosebridge to her mouth, her eyes could be seen.

"S...orry... gahh..."

Juro stood up and stood next to Kai.

"Stop talking and save your strength, Kai!"

Kai's face twisted in pain and Akane pulled on Akemi's clothes.

"Can't you heal him...?"

She pleaded Akemi with tears overflowing.

"It's... above the realm of my healing magic. Even the original user of this technique won't be able to heal him..."

After Akemi said that, more tears started flowing. The futility of everything just made her feel worse.

"D...on't worry... I have a plan to solve this... But I need everyone to leave the room after... a few hours..."

Kai was breathing heavily while saying this.

"Really?! Kai, you'd better get yourself cured soon!"

Akane instantly grasped onto the lie that everyone else saw through. She had been with Kai the longest among the three girls and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was an irreplaceable part of her life.

Yoko and Erina are only Kai's friends. They've met each other years in the past but the time they've spent with each other is few. A sudden separation between the three of them would just make them sad at most.

Erina looked at the tumor closely.

This is the worst case I've ever heard of. Normally, it stays in the same spot that's infected but to think that it actually spread to half of his body.

"Reo."

Erina spoke in a whisper but Reo heard it loud and clear and appeared.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom, Kai stay strong."

Kai saw Reo appear and floated next to Erina. He said nothing as it was obvious about what she was going to ask.

Erina went out to Kai's backyard.

"Reo, tell it to me straight. How long is he going to last?"

Reo kept silent.

"Reo!"

"...a few more hours. Until tomorrow morning at most."

Erina clenched her fist.

"...How did this happen?"

Erina looked at Reo.

"He forcefully tried to unlock a seal he told me to place on him to prevent trouble. If he had just waited half an hour, the seal would be undone but that idiot decided to expend all of his mana and even use one of his trump cards that even his body at full power can barely handle. I could've lended him my power after that half an hour and that would've been enough and there would be no backlash as long as he didn't overuse it but..."

Reo looked away.

"Once he dies, I'll be sent to the spirit realm. I've been judged innocent for this case but going back like this... I really don't want to. Our connection is already getting weaker by the second, I assume that in an hour or two, I won't be able to appear without his consent and an hour after that, I probably can't be summoned anymore. And even now, I can't hear anything when I'm inside the spirit realm. I used to be able to hear it as long as Kai talked but now, I only hear as much as a normal human."

"Can't you do something with your status in the Seven Deadly Sins of the spirit realm?"

Reo shook his head.

"Normally, yes. I would contact the Spirit King and he would contact a God who's proficient in healing but... the only Goddess who could heal him has perished three hundred years ago."

Erina furrowed her brows.

"Three hundred years ago was..."

"That's right, it's the great war. Commonly known among the humans as The Black Death. For the Gods and spirits this was called the Dark Times. Many Gods, Goddesses, and spirits fell. Not only the mortal realm, our realm was also caught up in a war. Our realms were the reason that the human war started in the first place."

"Then... he has no chance of survival?"

Reo stayed silent for a minute before finally talking once more.

"...He has a small chance of survival."

Erina suddenly opened her eyes and walked towards Reo quickly.

"Then why aren't you using that small chance to save him?!"

"...He has to sell his soul to a demon. And that would only prolong his life, it wouldn't be a permanent cure. But selling your soul to a demon is as good as being dead, and when you die you won't even be allowed to reincarnate or pass on. You'd continue life being part of that demon's stomach. Now it's your turn to answer my question."

Reo faced Erina once more.

"Are you someone from another world?"

Erina visibly twitched.

"I knew it. Kai hadn't told me but I can tell that he's also from another world. His soul is ridiculously strong compared to normal people and he could see me despite not having even the slightest bit of training in body and magic that would improve his soul. But that's not all, he also has attacks and knowledge beyond my scope. He sometimes creates food that I don't know of in any country, he talks strange languages sometimes, and lastly... his methods are unconventional. A normal person would train their magic slowly, especially a child but Kai trained as if his life depended on it. Sometimes he also mutters about promises in his sleep. And you are better at blending in than he is. The only way I could tell you were someone from another world was because of your knowledge and personality."

Erina looked down.

"Yes, I'm from another world. I was reincarnated along with Kai but at first I wasn't sure he was the one but now I'm certain thanks to your words. Then, do you know his lineage?"

Reo nodded.

"Then I can speak without hiding much. Since his grandmother is the Goddess of Frost, shouldn't she be able to help him?!"

She became agitated.

"How do you...?!"

"She taught me quite a lot of things. I've lost contact with her recently but she would certainly do everything in her power to help Kai!"

"...Unfortunately, I've already tried contacting her through the Spirit King. The Spirit King told me that the Goddess of Frost can't heal him and that all of the Gods and Goddesses can't be contacted due to some urgent business that requires everyone's attention. I'm certain that after I'm recalled back, I'll be given a body to participate in whatever that is as well."

"Then...!"

The two of them continued talking for about half an hour.

"Alright, we better get back to Kai. I'm certain he doesn't..."

Reo stopped.

"Reo?"

"This is bad... it's happening sooner than I expected..."

"Reo!"

Reo's transparent form began blinking in and out of Erina's sight.

"Erina... go to Kai now! You must stop him from going out, it'll only shorten his life! He plans to die somewhere none of you can see so you won't have to see a person die in front of your very eyes!"

Reo understood Kai very well. The moment he was disappearing, he knew that Kai would attempt escaping.

Erina had tears on the corners of her eyes and nodded. She immediately sprinted inside the house and saw everyone in the living room.

"Kai told us to wait outside because he was going to rest and try that method."

Akane stood up when she saw her.

"Damn it!"

Erina cursed out loud and ran towards Kai's room.

"Erina!"

Akane stretched her hand out to Erina's back but failed to catch her.

Erina immediately arrived at Kai's door and opened it as fast as she could.

"Kai!"

What awaited her was an empty room and a letter on the bed.

"Erina, what is it?!"

Akane ran for Erina and saw the room as well.

"Where is he...?!"

Erina was frozen outside the room but shook her head and immediately ran outside. She had no doubts that Kai was faster than her but he was wounded, he couldn't have gotten far.

Akane stepped closer to the bed and took hold of the letter with shaking hands.

'By the time you've all read this... I've probably already left the clan. I kept facing extreme pain with this tumor but now that I think back, I've had a fortunate life... I was given talent and friends that would care for me. Parents that love me wholeheartedly, and a cute little sister who would take care of them. Thank you all for sticking with me for all these years. Thank you, Akane, Yoko, Erina, Mom, Dad, Emi for making my life worth it and please forget about me soon.'

A tear fell on the piece of paper, Akane was crying.

Akemi, Juro, and Yoko went to the room and Akane handed them the paper. Akemi covered her mouth with her hand as tears fell from her eyes. Juro roared and punched the wall with tears. Yoko collapsed on the floor, also in tears.

Sobs could be heard from within the house for a good while.

"Where are you, Kai?!"

Erina went outside of the clan and is sliding using ice. It was much faster than running or walking in her case. Anything in her way was cut apart by her [Ice Blade].

A good hour has passed since Erina had started searching. She had first searched around the clan's perimeter then went for the forest. She searched for any signs of magic being used and found a trail heading for the place they had met before.

Right now, Erina was at the cave that Kai first used as a base.

"Are you here, Kai...?"

Erina moved the stone from the cave and looked inside, nothing. It was empty and doesn't look like it's been used in a long time.

Erina began searching immediately. She couldn't rely on sound because Kai had a way to isolate sound but she could rely on finding traces of magic.

"He's passed by here before..."

BOOOOOOOOM

Erina was shocked by the sudden explosion and her eyes darted over that direction. A huge pillar of dark light was crashing down, Erina could feel the wind pressure from all the way over at her place. The force in the middle must be strong enough to severely injure Erina and kill her if she has no proper defense.

"Kai...!"