The villagers crowded around as the hunting party walked back into Kalith, exhausted but triumphant.
Eyes widened as they noticed the dried blood on their clothes, and whispers began to spread like wildfire.
"Did they really kill it?"
"Haran must've done it. He's the only one tough enough."
Kailash, barely standing at this point, was doing his best to stay upright, his hand pressed against the wound on his chest.
He wasn't feeling as tough as he had when they'd first set out, but seeing the looks of awe and respect from the villagers made it a little easier to hold his head high.
Maasa was the first to speak up, stepping forward from the crowd, her hands on her hips. "Well, look who survived!" She eyed Kailash with a mixture of surprise and amusement.
"Didn't think you'd make it out, kid. What happened? You distracted it while the real fighters took it down?"
Kailash opened his mouth to respond, but Ajit jumped in, grinning like a madman. "You should've seen him! He practically danced around that thing, waving his sword like he was born to do it!"
He gave Kailash a playful punch on the arm thankfully, not the injured one. "It was like one of those ridiculous stories you read from God knows where about Cultivators you're always obsessed with."
Kailash winced from the punch and gave Ajit a tired but amused look. "Pretty sure I almost died," he muttered. "And also, stop reminding me of those. I was stupid to believe in them anyways, they will get me killed one day."
"You're still here, aren't you?" Ajit said with a shrug. "Not dead. Just...you know... injured."
Maasa raised an eyebrow and nodded toward Kailash's chest. "You're bleeding all over the place, boy. Shouldn't you be more concerned about that instead of bantering with your idiot friend?"
Before Kailash could respond, Old Man Haran stepped forward, his face still grim from the battle. "The boy did good. Damn good." His voice was rough, but there was a note of respect in it that hadn't been there before.
"He kept that beast distracted long enough for us to get the kill. Without him, it could've torn through the whole group."
That got the villagers' attention. Whispers started as the people began to glance at Kailash with newfound interest.
"Kailash?" someone said, disbelief in their voice. "The same boy who was always lost in his books?"
"Looks like he's more than just a bookworm now," Maasa said, clearly impressed. "Maybe all that swinging at invisible enemies wasn't for nothing after all."
Kailash felt his cheeks heat up under the attention, but he quickly waved a hand, trying to deflect the praise. "It wasn't just me. Haran and Ravi did most of the heavy lifting. I was just... lucky."
"Luck had nothing to do with it, boy," Ravi grunted, crossing his arms. "You held your ground when most would've run. That takes guts, and not many around here have that."
That seemed to settle the matter.
The crowd slowly began to disperse, though not without sending Kailash more curious glances and murmurs of approval.
For the first time in his life, he felt like people saw him for something more than just a dreamer.
Ajit leaned in, his voice low and teasing. "Well, Mr. Hero, looks like you've got a bit of a reputation now. What's next? Are you going to save the entire village single-handedly from a dragon or something?"
Kailash rolled his eyes, wincing slightly as the pain in his chest flared again. "Let's just focus on not dying from this first, alright?"
"Fair point," Ajit said, grinning. "Though if you do survive, maybe you'll get a cool nickname out of this. How about Kailash the Beast Slayer?"
Kailash snorted, shaking his head. "I'll stick to just 'Kailash,' thanks."
As the crowd soon disappeared, Elder Raghav, the oldest man in the village, shuffled up to them.
He eyed Kailash's wound, then sighed. "We need to get that looked at before it gets worse."
Kailash nodded, feeling the exhaustion now that the adrenaline had worn off. "Yeah, probably a good idea."
"Follow me," Raghav said, gesturing toward the healer's hut. "We'll get you patched up."
Ajit gave him a mock salute. "You'll be fine, Beast Slayer. Just remember to act tough."
Kailash groaned but followed Raghav, the pain in his chest intensifying with each step.
The village healer, an older woman named Nalia, greeted them at the hut with a look that said she had seen this kind of injury too many times before.
"Sit down, boy," she said, already gathering herbs and bandages. "Let me take a look at that."
Kailash sat down on the rough wooden stool, feeling the exhaustion settle deeper into his bones.
Nalia pulled his shirt aside, revealing the claw marks running across his chest.
She clucked her tongue.
"You're lucky," she muttered as she cleaned the wound. "Could've been a lot worse. You'll heal, but it'll hurt like hell for a while."
"Great," Kailash said through gritted teeth. "I love pain."
Nalia smirked slightly as she worked. "You must, to go after a beast like that. Or you're just young and stupid."
Kailash chuckled, though it came out more like a wince. "Maybe both."
As Nalia continued to work on his wound, Kailash's thoughts of the fight in the forest.
He had been terrified, there was no denying that.
But he had faced the beast head-on, and even though he hadn't been the one to kill it, he had played a part in its defeat.
For the first time in his life, he had felt truly useful.
"You did something brave today," Raghav said quietly, watching Nalia work. "Not many would've had the courage to do what you did."
Kailash looked up at the elder, surprised by the compliment. "I just... I couldn't let it hurt anyone else."
Raghav nodded slowly. "That's how it starts. You protect what you can, and soon enough, you realize you're protecting more than just your village. That's the path you're on, boy. It's not an easy one."
Kailash swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the elder's words. "I know. But I won't stop."
Raghav smiled faintly, a rare expression on his usually stern face. "Good. We need people like you."
After Nalia finished bandaging his chest, Kailash stood slowly, his muscles stiff but his spirit lighter.
The villagers' respect, Haran's approval, and now even Raghav's words it was more than he had expected when he first joined the hunting party.
It was a start.
"Don't push yourself too hard," Nalia warned as he headed toward the door. "You need to rest. Let your body heal."
"I will," Kailash promised, though he wasn't entirely sure he meant it.
As he stepped outside, the late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the village.
He could see villagers going about their business, but they gave him nods of acknowledgment as he passed by.
It felt strange, being noticed like this.
But it felt good too.
Ajit appeared at his side, looking as smug as ever. "So, what now, Beast Slayer?" he asked, nudging Kailash playfully. "Going to rest on your laurels or keep training for the next big monster?"
Kailash smirked. "You know me. Always training."
Ajit chuckled. "Figures. Well, just make sure to get some sleep first. You look like you could collapse any minute."
Kailash sighed, glancing toward the small hut that was his home. "Yeah... I think sleep sounds pretty good right now."
"Good. Because next time, I'm not carrying you back to the village."
Kailash laughed, though it was more out of relief than humor.