After the hunters nearly split apart because of Ethan’s curse...

Jackson Heart arrived carrying the solution to their crisis.

He descended from the sky as though appearing from nowhere.

His presence was overwhelming. The ground beneath him cracked apart the instant his feet touched it. His towering frame, monstrous muscles, and height that nearly reached two and a half meters—

All of it only amplified the terror he inspired.

And the image of him hurling those gigantic boulders through the battlefield still lingered vividly in the minds of the hunters, especially Gustav.

Everyone stepped back cautiously upon Jackson’s arrival except for those who had come with him.

Even Gustav was no exception.

Because he understood very clearly that the man standing before him could crush his skull effortlessly if he wished.

"Who are you?"

Gustav asked warily.

Jackson merely smiled at him.

"Just an old ghost that refuses to die."

He appeared completely relaxed, to the point where he did not seem to take Gustav or the other hunters preparing for battle seriously at all.

"Tell your people to stop directing killing intent toward me."

"You already saw what I’m capable of. If I truly wanted you dead, you’d already be buried beneath the ground."

Despite speaking with a broad smile, his words carried unmistakable menace.

And that only deepened the hunters’ caution and unease.

Jackson sighed lightly after seeing their reactions.

Then he ignored all of them entirely and walked toward Moon and the Third Squad gathered around her and Ethan.

"Phoenix girl, leave him to me. I’ll protect him until the young mage recovers."

His tone toward Moon was far gentler than the one he had used with Gustav.

It was obvious that Jackson held a favorable impression of the Third Squad—

Especially Luna, after witnessing the astonishing talent she displayed during the previous battle.

Moon hesitated at first and clearly had no intention of allowing him near Ethan.

But Ethan himself intervened, whispering weakly:

"Do... what he says..."

"He’s an ally."

Ethan spoke with difficulty before closing his eyes once more, trying desperately to ease the torment inside his mind.

Most of his wounds were already healing thanks to the flask and his superior demonic body.

But the exhaustion and pain remained unbearable.

Moving was impossible for him in his current state.

"His curse is constantly attracting monsters toward this location. We don’t have time to waste."

Jackson spoke while crouching beside Ethan after Moon finally allowed him closer.

"Young mage, you said you need one hour, correct?"

he asked.

Luna nodded silently, exhaustion written all over her face. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"What exactly are you planning to do?"

Moon asked, wanting to know how Jackson intended to help.

The giant answered while lifting Ethan onto his back.

"It’s simple."

"I’ll take him and move separately from all of you. That way, the monsters will follow me instead, and the rest of you will remain safe."

"Then, once the mage recovers, I’ll find you again and bring him back so she can suppress his curse."

Jackson turned toward Gustav afterward.

"If we do it this way, the lives of the hunters won’t be endangered."

"I assume you have no objections, leader of the new hunters."

Gustav remained silent for several seconds before replying.

The solution Jackson proposed was logical.

In fact, it was likely the best possible option.

A solution that maximized their chances of survival.

But Gustav still did not trust Jackson.

Especially after witnessing the absurd level of power he possessed.

"I have no objections."

"Do as you see fit."

Gustav finally agreed.

But in doing so, he shifted the responsibility of dealing with Jackson entirely onto Moon and the Third Squad—

Meaning that whatever the giant might do later would become their problem, not his.

Jackson secured Ethan onto his back using a long strip of cloth wrapped tightly around both of them to ensure he would not fall.

Once he finished, he turned toward the members of the Third Squad and found them still visibly hesitant.

The giant burst into laughter after seeing how worried they were for Ethan.

"There’s no need to worry, Phoenix girl."

"There isn’t a single monster in this district capable of defeating me."

"Your friend is safe with me."

Jackson truly meant it.

He only intended to roam around the outskirts of the city.

As long as he avoided the dark cathedral at the city’s core, there was nothing he feared.

Seeing just how confident Jackson was, Luna finally intervened, warning him that things would not be as simple as he imagined.

"Be careful."

"His Blood Eclipse Curse still hasn’t fully activated yet."

Her words immediately drew everyone’s attention.

Then Luna began explaining the truth they did not know.

"His curse only fully activates at night."

"But this city exists in a place where there is neither day nor night... a city detached from reality itself, almost like a giant spell."

"That’s why the curse remains partially active at all times."

Luna hesitated briefly before continuing.

What she was about to say was merely speculation on her part—

But she voiced it anyway.

"If my theory is correct... then night still hasn’t fallen in the outside world yet."

"And despite that, the Blood Eclipse was already powerful enough to draw all those monsters toward him."

She spoke seriously, trying to make everyone understand the situation properly.

And they did.

"In other words..."

Jackson frowned slightly.

"The curse will become even stronger once night falls."

He had not expected that.

If the Blood Eclipse Curse could attract hundreds of monsters without being fully active...

Then what kind of catastrophe would occur once nighttime arrived?

The mere thought worsened the situation dramatically.

In the worst-case scenario—

Monsters from the cathedral itself might emerge and begin hunting them.

"In that case, I’ll head toward the outskirts and stay as far away as possible."

Jackson declared his intention to proceed cautiously.

But Luna shook her head.

"That won’t be enough."

She sighed deeply before finally making up her mind.

"I’m coming with you."

Her sudden decision shocked everyone present.

Moon was the first to oppose it immediately.

But Luna insisted.

"My presence is necessary to suppress the curse."

"I can conceal their existence and restore the barrier instead of risking drawing the monsters back toward all of you when they attempt to return."

"Me going with them will increase their chances of survival."

The young mage stubbornly held her ground.

Even though she was utterly exhausted and barely capable of casting any spells at the moment, her mana had already begun regenerating thanks to her blessing.

And that alone made her invaluable.

In the end, Moon reluctantly agreed to let her go.

"Looks like I’ll have to carry both of you, then."

And with that, an utterly bizarre sight revealed itself—

A giant over two meters tall carrying a blood-soaked young man on his back while holding an exhausted young mage in one arm.

His arm alone was nearly the same size as Luna herself, making carrying her effortless for him.

The image was absurd enough to seem almost comical.

Under normal circumstances, everyone present would have laughed at the sight.

But no one did.

Their expressions remained stiff and heavy because of the situation they were trapped in.

"Then let’s move."

Gathering strength into his legs, Jackson shattered the ground beneath his feet and launched himself into the sky, leaving behind a violent gust of wind and clouds of dust.

He landed atop one of the nearby buildings before immediately breaking into a sprint, leaping from rooftop to rooftop like a human tank charging through the city.

His speed never decreased despite carrying two people.

Not even slightly.

And that alone revealed just how monstrous his physical strength and endurance truly were.

Within mere seconds, the three of them disappeared into the distant horizon—

Leaving the remaining hunters behind.

"We should move too. Staying here is dangerous."

Moon led her squad away from the area together with Gustav and the surviving hunters.

The leader of the Third Squad clearly wanted to follow after them herself.

Raiden could see it plainly.

She hid the urge well, understanding that going after them would only become a burden instead.

So she focused on protecting the comrades who remained by her side.

But Raiden and the others had known her for years.

They understood what she truly wanted without her saying a single word.

"They’ll be fine. They’re strong."

Raiden reassured her softly—

Especially with Jackson accompanying them.

At this point, all they could do was wait for their safe return.

Meanwhile—

The giant man continued sprinting at full speed through the city, vaulting between buildings with terrifying momentum.

And after only a few minutes...

They had already reached the opposite side of Ashvarn.

"That’s enough! We’re far enough already!!"

Luna shouted beside Jackson’s ear.

She had tried stopping him several times already, but her voice never reached him until she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Jackson immediately halted after hearing her.

The instant that overwhelming body of his finally stopped moving, Luna dropped to the ground on her knees, gasping desperately for air.

Her small hands clutched the earth beneath her as though it were priceless treasure.

"Ah... I forgot that mages have trouble keeping up with speeds like this."

"My apologies, young mage."

Jackson apologized with a smile.

After finally catching her breath, Luna replied:

"My name is Luna... call me that instead of ’young mage.’"

"For some reason, hearing you say it gives me chills."

Luna stood up with difficulty, still dizzy from the motion.

Jackson merely nodded.

"As you wish, Luna."

He glanced around cautiously while Ethan remained unconscious on his back.

"I don’t sense any nearby monsters."

"We should be safe resting here for a while."

Those words delighted Luna so much that she collapsed back onto the ground again, her legs no longer capable of supporting her.

"I honestly hope they never come."

"I have no desire to repeat what just happened."

Being carried by Jackson had felt like riding an impossibly fast roller coaster.

Something completely alien to her after spending her entire life casting magic from afar without moving her body much.

"You’ll have to get used to it quickly."

"We may need to run again at any moment."

Luna let out a quiet sigh after hearing that.

Then she decided to use the opportunity to gather as much mana as possible.

Closing her eyes, a beautiful pure blue light slowly began shining from her body—

Causing Jackson to stare at her in genuine astonishment.

Because he had just discovered a mage unlike any he had ever seen before.