These are all words he once said to Raven when his self-esteem was at rock bottom.

It was unintentional and he was pushed to open the gate, so he felt sick in his stomach, wondering why he was acting like a criminal.

He is a child who has been watched over from the moment he was born. The guardian spirit, who was extremely biased towards Raven, put in a lot of effort to lift up the child who was mistreating himself. The current statement was also one of the words that came out during that process.

Raven's shaking eyes were colored with green light. The guardian spirit who had passed his sight to him gently lifted the corner of his mouth and smiled.

"[And asking for my help is not shameless; it means listening to my wishes. I put your well-being above all else. Abuse is not okay, but it's better than standing in a dangerous situation without calling.]"

"...."

"[Then go back. I will be protecting this guy.]"

You're going to close the gate, right?

He can't close the gate, and he has the burden of a child, so this might be for the best.

Tuk. The hand that lightly touches his back is truly gentle. Raven looked at him blankly for a moment.

...The voice of Death rang clearly in my head.

"Honestly, aren't you curious? Even though you have been together for such a long time, why hasn't the Guardian Spirit told you even a single name?"

"I'm sure you've wondered at least once why he's taking such care of you, what his identity is, and what his purpose is."

...He knows. Why is he so kind to him?

Not only the words but also the voice exudes extreme warmth and blind affection, but for some reason, he feels scared again.

Damn Death. Don't talk nonsense.

'...Of course, no matter how much I think about it, I'm not worth that much.'

As he pinchs the part that he had been ignoring, pretending not to notice, it couldn't help but come to mind. I quietly clenched my fist. 

"[...Baby?]" 

"No, it's nothing."

...When Death made a bet to find out the guardian spirit's name, the guardian spirit became angry.

Was that anger at the behavior that was trying to get him to find out who I was, or was it anger at the behavior that was messing with him?

'...Let's stop thinking.' 

Currently, only the monsters that are pouring out have been sorted out to some extent, and the gate has not been closed yet.

The longer it is left open, the more likely it is that another gate will open somewhere on the ground. It's never too late to dig into questions later.

The thoughts that were about to become deep and heavy stopped there. Raven quickly cleared his expression and opened his mouth with a playful expression, just like she always did.

"More than that, don't just protect Didi—"

"[?]"

Raven disappeared somewhere.

Not long after, he reappeared and what he held in his hand was none other than Dan. A playful voice fell on Dan's head as he blinked blankly, unable to understand what was going on.

"Please protect them as well. You can handle two without eyes, right?"

'What is this....'

Dan, who belatedly realized the situation, frowned.

Just as a violent protest was about to break out, a cold voice froze the air.

"[...Is this a guy named Dan?]"

"Uh."

"[Why bother... No, no, if you want.]"

...He thinks words and actions are different...

It may seem like it's being put on as affection, but he can feel the discomfort suppressed in the voice, which seems to be suppressed as if he doesn't want to.

Raven scratched his head awkwardly. He can't say Dan was the cause of his injuries, so he understand he doesn't like it, but the way he lent his eyes to him and then turned his head exactly where Dan was was a bit creepy.

He looked at his tight mouth and added quietly.

"You can't kill him."

"[There's no way I could kill someone I'm supposed to protect.]"

"You can't hurt anyone."

"[That's obvious.]"

Since I received a confirmation, there is definitely no need to worry.

'But why am I anxious...?'

However, Raven couldn't leave the gate like that, so after hesitating for a while, Raven reluctantly turned around and headed towards the gate.

He continues to walk naturally as if he has never been injured. The calm but confident voice penetrated everyone's ears clearly, as if telling the truth as it is.

"I'll finish it quickly and come back."

──It was right after Raven entered the gate that the Guardian Spirit's blade was aimed at Dan's neck.

*****

The guardian spirit does not like Dan.

If it were simply that Raven got hurt while trying to save him, or that Dan had hurt Raven's precious body with his fingernails while trying to stop him from killing his sister, he would have only been upset on the inside and not shown it on the outside. Anyway, that's the path his child chose on his own, and it's not Dan's fault.

But Dan is hostile to Raven.

"[Do not move unnecessarily.]"

So the guardian spirit also clearly revealed his hostility towards him.

A voice as cold as ashes fell.

"[Otherwise, I may not be able to protect you.]"

Is it because how he feels that it sounds like a declaration that he will not keep it, rather than that I cannot keep it?

Dan, who had been following Raven without realizing it, stopped and looked at him. Eyes filled with confusion and doubt rather than fear looked vaguely at the guardian spirit.

'...Your guardian just entered the gate alone.'

Why isn't he even agitated? Of course, shouldn't we also follow the 'Guardian Spirit'?

He knows Raven is stronger than him. Because he once subdued him as easily as if he were a child.

But that doesn't mean he can close the gate on your own. In the first place, isn't it absurd that an adult who is used to traveling would lose to someone who is no different from an ordinary country teenager except that he is dealing with a Honju? In a way, his own defeat was natural.

People trying to close the gate don't team up to enter for no reason.

'If he was skilled enough to close the gate on his own, he would have become famous long ago...'

Considering that he had never heard the name 'Raven' before, the chances of him coming back alive after entering alone without a guardian spirit were close to zero.

Nevertheless, the subject headed to the gate alone, leaving behind the guardian spirit that was clearly the main force.

[He'll finish it quickly.]

...What does he mean by discussing time instead of survival? A look of despair appeared on Dan's face.

A look of mixed distrust and anxiety passes between the gate and the guardian spirit. He said he lent his eyes to him, and as he wondered how he felt when he looked at him, he immediately lowered his voice.

"[I am a guardian spirit. Regardless of my personal feelings, I will definitely protect the child as long as he does not do anything unnecessary, so I hope you don't worry and wait patiently.]"

"...─."

It's not that kind of distrust. Dan shook his head.

Unlike this Guardian Spirit, whose skills are comparable to those of the Awakened, the skills of the man named Raven have not been clearly proven.

He said he cut the roof of the monster's mouth, but he almost died in the end, and I saw him holding a child named Didi next to him and moving to avoid the monster, but perhaps for safety reasons, he did more evasion than attacking, and he even vomited blood last time. Still. I clearly remember the sight of him bleeding as if he was going to die.

I know that the so-called 'Guardian Spirit' is not here for nothing, but he cannot just sit back and wait, thinking only of the positive side.

- Mr. Raven... is he an awakened person?

As someone who had to hope that he would not die until he died by his hand, he asked him through the pouring hostility, hoping that he had other abilities.

The Guardian Spirit, who was silent for a moment at the touch of his palm, shook his head.

"[No. 'Awakened' are not the only humans who can close the gate.]"

Of course, in the early days when the gate was opened, there were a limited number of people who could deal with the monsters.

Was it all about the 'awakened' who gained talent through pure luck and the 'fragmentary soul' who was born with it?

However, as a species that continues to evolve and develop, 'shamans' later researched and found a way to deal with monsters, and after a little more time and much effort, 'an area where ordinary humans would die, even if they tried hard, would only be able to reach the tip of their toes'. The 'fighter' who has reached the 'tips' of the awakened person has also learned how to deal with monsters efficiently.

And Raven has a track record of teaching all kinds of people. How could such a person's skills be so insignificant? The guardian spirit let out a dry voice, thinking of 'Raven', who could be said to be the product of effort and struggle.

"[Raven is a shaman and a fighter.]"

"...!"

"[And I wish you would stop talking.]"

Not only is he unwilling, but just coming out like this and talking to a living child will put a burden on that child.

'... He probably didn't need to warn me.'

The guardian spirit turned his head. Dan, who was surprised to learn that he was a greater person than he thought, quickly looked at the direction his head was headed and couldn't believe his eyes.

It had been a while since he entered, and he saw Raven coming out of the gate and landing lightly, and the gate closing behind him.

Except for a small wound on the tip of the finger from which blood occasionally drips, it looks clean and looks no different from when it came in.

As soon as their eyes met, he waved his hand.

"Hi Dan, hi Didi. Do you remember who I am?"

"...."

There was no way he could forget the other person in that short period of time, but Dan didn't feel offended by comments that seemed to regard people as fools.

He, who was standing dumbly in an unbelievable situation, noticed Raven's gaze waiting for an answer and nodded slowly. Diddy, who had her eyes wide open, belatedly nodded her head in the affirmative, and only then did Raven's expression become relaxed.

"I said I'd come quickly, right?"

...He knows. He came out really quickly.

Did it take 10 minutes? He doesn't think it lasted even 5 minutes, let alone 10 minutes.

'What does this person really do?'

Even people who enter as a team often fail to close the gate.

...Is it a dream?

Facing Raven's relaxed face in front of him, Dan finally began to doubt reality.

It's hard to believe that the name of the person who could close the gate so quickly in the first place is not known. Isn't this a level of skill that cannot be hidden even if one tries to hide it?

'A fighter...?'

Based on an unbelievable situation, questions and suspicions sprout again. Dan rolled his eyes.

Usually, one can reach the level of 'fighter' only when one is in their 30s or 40s. Since it is for ordinary people to reach the feet of the awakened, it is natural that they need to train for a long time.

It would be surprising to hear that someone in their 30s can quickly become a fighter, but someone who looks like he is only in his early or mid 20s is a fighter. By now, all countries were in a state of excitement and trying hard to attract them.

Still, it's so quiet...

'I don't think he is really human.'

No, when the guardian spirit was talking about him a little while ago, he said that awakened people are not the only 'humans' who can close the gate, so is he really a human...?

Either way, the suspiciousness has gone too far, and it seems like something was wrongly connected.

Of course, he has no intention of giving up.

Anyway, Raven, who seemed to not feel the gaze following him foolishly, calmly looked away and pursed his lips as if she wanted to say something to the guardian spirit, then glanced in this direction and waved his hand.

"Let's talk again later, bro. Thank you for your help."

"[...okay.]"

The guardian spirit quickly disappeared as he silently nodded, and Raven calmly covered his mouth and took a step away from his children. Next, a bloody cough erupted.

"Ugh...! Cough."

...Seeing this, he seems weak again. Dan's expression became complicated when he saw the blood soaking the floor.

'It wasn't an epidemic... A strong man retired due to a chronic illness, something like that?'

Aside from the blood, he looks too fine to say that. Besides, he's extremely young.

'...Well, it's not like a chronic disease comes from age.'

In any case, since he has seen a glimpse of his skills, it's not like he hasn't gained anything at all.

The gate was closed and the monster clearance was probably over. Dan, who had been watching, sneaked behind him and increased the distance between him and Raven again.

*****

Fortunately, Dan and Didi did not forget 'Raven'.

Well, it was only natural that he got out as quickly as possible and left a guardian spirit, a part of him, with them just in case.

The guardian spirit returned, and Raven, who was spitting out blood that flowed back while enduring the pain that came with the settlement, laughed at the sight of Dan slowly moving away.

It was kind of him to wait quietly until now. I thought he was going to jump right away.

'It wouldn't have mattered if he had escaped without any trouble, but it would have been bothersome if he had drawn the attention of the monster that escaped.'

Rather than him, the guardian spirit.

He had no idea that the guardian spirit had thrust a sword to Dan's neck and tied his feet to prevent trouble, so he covered his mouth, turned his head, and concentrated on spitting out blood.

He covered the messed up lower body, but he could not help the blood that spilled on the floor, so the surprised child's gaze clearly caught his eye.

He took a moment to check his facial expression to see if he was shocked as he was a young child.

'...I've done enough to be considerate, so whatever.'

Rather... it's strange.

Raven lowered his tired eyes.

"Cough, cough..."

Why... why does it hurt?