"You need me? Why? I'm not special..." said Leon as he wiped his teary eyes and clenched his fists. His eyes were getting heavy as he continued to lose blood.
The lady didn't speak for a moment. Then, narrowing her eyes, she said,
"I know. You aren't special. I can sense your body, you don't possess mana. You're even below an average human. Even a poor peasant has at least a little mana."
Leon looked down.
I know... I don't have mana, and I'm not even physically strong. If I were, then Mom would still be alive.
He gritted his teeth.
"But," the lady continued, her hand resting on her saber, "you have extreme physical potential. Your body is built in a way that gives you strength far beyond any citizen I've met in my life."
"You're going to die from blood loss anyway, so let me give you two choices."
Leon looked up at her, struggling to stay conscious.
"What choices?"
She raised her left hand and held up two fingers. "You have two choices. First, stay here and die in regret." She lowered one finger. "Second... join us and stay alive." Then, she lowered the other.
"Join... you? Who are you? How can I trust you? What do you..." He coughed up blood, eyes growing heavier as he struggled to breathe. "...mean by 'us'?"
She realized something and said, "My bad, I forgot to introduce myself." Placing a hand on her chest, she gave a slight bow. "I am Alexia Midgard, Captain of Division A, East Regiment, of the Entity Hunters Organization."
She extended a hand to him. "So, will you join us... or die?"
I was about to die a moment ago... but she saved me. Entity Hunters Organization? What's that? I've lived nineteen years in this world, and I don't know anything about it. What exactly did she mean by 'entities'? Demons? Monsters?
Leon was lost in thought. I was about to die... and leave my sister alone in this cruel world. I can't die. I promised her I'd give her the life she wants.
He slowly lifted his hand. Alexia was still watching him with her cold eyes. His eye twitched as a sharp pain shot through his body. His mind went blank, and he fainted.
But—
His hand was already on hers.
"You're about to experience something you could never imagine," she said.
From the doorway, a man wearing the same outfit as Alexia came running in. He was a fine-looking man in his early twenties with fair skin, blonde hair, and sharp golden eyes.
"Captain, we've taken all the protestors into custody. But they had already killed many innocent citizens. The punishment I suggest is the death penalty."
He stepped further inside and saw Leon, unconscious, covered in blood, his hand resting on Alexia's.
"Who is this guy, Captain?"
She looked at him and replied in her nonchalant tone, "Pick this guy up. He's going to join the Entity Hunters Organization. But first, we need to give him serious treatment."
He observed Leon closely.
He doesn't possess any mana... how's that possible? Is he even human? But... he has potential. If he has no mana, then what kind of potential is this? Strength alone might help against cursed entities, but it won't be enough against brained entities.
"Captain, there's no point in bringing him into the organization," the man said. "His potential is useless against brained entities. If you're only taking him to fight cursed ones, the organization already has plenty of people for that."
Alexia, who was already walking out of the shop, replied without turning back,
"Arthur Gravestone, since when did you start doubting your captain? Lift him up and get him treated at the Entity Hunters' private hospital."
Arthur said nothing more and quietly lifted Leon, carrying him toward the Entity Hunters' private hospital.