“Vicious Toads spit poisonous acid that paralyzes its victims,” Kenji explained. “But I have the antidote.”

“Where?”

“Listen to me,” Kenji said calmly. “Take my knife and cut the toad’s belly open.”

“What?!”

“I have to eat its stomach.”

“Why?!”

“Do it! We don’t have time.”

“Okay.” Alf grabbed the knife and opened the toad’s stomach, showing a purple fluid. “Now what?”

“Grab the stomach and raise it so that the poison flows out.”

Alf did as he was told.

The poison dripped to the floor.

“Now, cut pieces of stomach out and put them in my mouth.”

Alf did what he was told, and Kenji ate them. “Is it working?”

Kenji sighed as the effect disappeared. “Yeah.”

“Where are my mother and sister?” Alf asked.

“Goblins like to capture humans and cook them,” Kenji explained.

Alf looked like he was going to cry. “Cook?”

“I will save them before that even starts,” Kenji said as he grabbed the pasties from the table.

"What are you doing?" Alf asked as Kenji stuffed his mouth full with pasties.

"My clan and food have a special relationship," Kenji said with his mouth full, not stopping to eat. "We have a second mana core in our stomach."

"What?!"

"Yeah, it's weird," Kenji said as he swallowed and ate the rest of the pasties. "Some foods give us special abilities, like carrots: they let us see in the dark and better, while most foods just heal us and give us mana."

"No," Alf said while shaking his head. "What is a mana core or mana?"

"We don't have time for that." Kenji stood up; flesh slowly grew out of his wounds, and skin replaced the melted part of his arm.

"How are you doing that?" Alf asked in awe.

"I will tell you later. I need you to stay here and hide." Kenji turned around to the goblin, who was still trying to break free from the ice. He grabbed the goblin and looked into his eyes.

"I need you to guide me," Kenji said with a serious look. "Can you do that?"

"No!" the goblin yelled.

Kenji held his kitchen knife to the goblin's throat. "Look, you can either help me, or I'm gonna to cut your head off and eat your brain."

The goblin's eyes widened with fear. "Please don't!"

"Then lead the way, or I will kill you," Kenji said.

Kenji walked out of the inn and saw a horrifying sight. Bodies were strewn around the streets, and blood splattered everywhere.

Alf ran after them. "Wait! I want to come too."

Kenji grabbed the goblin's neck, sat down, and smashed the goblin's face into the ground. "Then we won't go."

Alf cried and threw himself at Kenji. "Don't leave me alone!"

Kenji sighed and stood up again. "Alf, I can't do my job with you there. Please hide here."

Alf grabbed Kenji's pants. "Please save them."

Kenji patted his head. "I will, but you have to be strong, too, and hide here."

Alf nodded. "Okay."

Kenji followed the goblin into the forest. "Where are they?"

"They're in the caves," the goblin said nervously.

"Which caves?"

"The one by the river."

Kenji stopped and looked at the goblin with a cold look. "If you lie to me, I will kill you."

The goblin shook his head. "I swear! They're in the caves."

***

Kenji arrived at the caves with his knife raised high; he looked around the cave entrance, which was covered with bones, skulls, and weapons.

"I assume this is it?" Kenji asked the goblin.

"Yes," the goblin answered. "They're inside."

Kenji looked around once more before he turned his head away from the goblin and his knife swiftly crossed the goblin's head; its head fell to the ground, and blood gushed out of its neck. "Thanks."

Kenji entered the cave, and his eyes glowed a bright orange in the darkness after taking a bite of carrot. He saw a few goblins standing guard and some sleeping around a campfire. He didn't care about the ones sleeping, but he didn't want to alert the ones standing guard, so he hid himself in the shadows and carefully approached them.

Once close enough, he slit their throats before they could make any noise. Then Kenji looked around the cave; he spotted an opening and headed there.

Inside, he saw Alia tied to a rock, but no sight of her mother. Kenji approached Alia carefully, so that she wouldn't scream, and untied her.

"Alia, wake up!" Kenji whispered loudly.

She didn't respond.

"Alia, wake up!" he repeated.

She slowly opened her eyes, looking dazed and confused. "Huh? What happened?"

"Goblins captured you," Kenji answered. "I'm here to rescue you."

"Thank you," she whispered. "Where's my mother?"

"I don't know," Kenji admitted. "But we have to get out of here."

"Wait!" Alia protested. "I want to save her."

"I will save her," Kenji promised. "But I need you to be safe."

Alia nodded hesitantly.

Kenji led her to the exit of the cave but stopped when he heard voices coming from further down the cave.

"What happened here?" one voice asked.

"I don't know," another voice responded. "We found many dead goblins here."

Kenji pulled Alia behind him, and she let out a quiet gasp.

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"You run to your inn. Your brother is alone and scared," he said. "He needs you, and I will save your mother."

Alia looked at him with concern. "Are you sure?"

"I am," Kenji nodded. "Don't worry about me."

Alia nodded before turning around and running away; she looked back once and then disappeared into the forest.

Kenji took a deep breath and entered the cave again. He tiptoed through the tunnel until he reached a large chamber filled with goblins and vicious toads. In the middle of the room was a gigantic vicious toad; its head touched the cave's roof, and its skin was covered in scars. It looked like an old vicious toad.

The cave was dark and damp, with a stale odor that lingered in the air. The walls were covered in moss and lichen, and the ground was littered with bones and rotting piles of trash.

"We've been attacked!" one goblin shouted. "We have to kill the intruder!"

"Monster hunter, we should—" another goblin was interrupted by a knife flying right through his skull.

Kenji drew his second knife and ran toward the vicious toad, slashing and stabbing any goblins that came close. He dodged to the side as a vicious toad spit acid at him.

The old toad turned around, looking at Kenji with its huge, yellow eyes.

Kenji swallowed nervously. A mutant isn't good news.

Kenji threw both his knives at the old toad; they hit its right eye, causing it to screech in pain. It jumped at him, but Kenji dodged to the side, rolling away.

He turned to the remaining goblins and spit acid at them; the goblins screamed in agony as their skin melted off their bones.

Kenji jumped onto the old toad's head and stabbed its other eye. The toad tried to shake him off, but he held on tight.

His knife came down and up again and again until the frog jumped onto the roof. Kenji was stuck for a second, groaning, before he fell to the floor.

The toad roared with rage as it spit acid and slapped its tongue against everything. Luckily, it didn't hit Kenji, and he got up quickly, running to his knives.

Kenji looked back, seeing the old toad jump at him, and he dodged to the side, but not fast enough; his left arm was hit and melted off his shoulder. Kenji screamed in pain as he fell to the floor.

The old toad landed on the ground next to him; its tongue wrapped around Kenji's waist.

Kenji grabbed his kitchen knife and cut the tongue open, causing blood to gush out. The toad screamed in pain, and Kenji indulged his knife with fire before throwing it at the toad; when it landed, an explosion erupted.

The toad's head was blown apart, and it fell to the floor.

Kenji stared at the dead toad for a few moments before quickly grabbing some of the toad stomach he saved from before and eating it. It wasn't enough for his arms; he grabbed his knife, heated the blade, and pressed it against the wound.

Kenji's eyes rolled up as the blade burned the flesh and bones. The smell of burnt meat filled the room.

Kenji's eyes rolled up into his head, and his body fell limp to the floor. The smell of burnt flesh and meat filled the room, and his blood pooled around him.

***

"Kenji! Kenji! Kenji!" Alf jumped onto Kenji, who groaned in pain.

Kenji's eyes slowly opened, and he saw Alf and Alia standing above him.

"You're okay!" Alf exclaimed.

Kenji smiled weakly. "Yeah," he said. "I'm fine."

Alia sighed in relief. "But your arm," she said. "How are we going to save mother now?"

Kenji's gaze shifted to the armless stump, and he sighed. "It just need food to grow it back."

Alf's face lit up with excitement. "We made you this!" he said as he held up a plate of food. The chicken on the plate looked like a beautiful piece of art, with its golden-brown skin and crispiness that looked almost too perfect to eat. The sight of it made Kenji's mouth water, and he knew he would enjoy every bite.

"Thanks, buddy," Kenji smiled and started eating.

"I can't believe you did this," Alia said in astonishment.

"I told you I would," Kenji replied. "Just leave this stuff to me."

"But you lost your arm!" Alf yelled.

Kenji shrugged. "I got food for it, so no problem," he explained. "It will grow back in a few seconds or minutes."

His hand grabbed a handful of the chicken and shoved it in his mouth. It wasn't as great as their mother's food, but it definitely wasn't bad.

Alia and Alf looked with disgust while Kenji took a mouthful after another. "This is good. Thanks, guys."

"You're welcome," Alf replied happily.

Kenji finished the soup and sat up, stretching his body; flesh slowly growing out of his arm stump.

"We searched everywhere, but we couldn't find our mother!" Alf said sadly.

Kenji looked at the mutated vicious toad and back at the kids. "Wait for me at the cave entrance."

"But—"

"Please!"

Alf and Alia nodded before running to the entrance. Kenji stood up and approached the old toad's corpse; he examined it carefully before stabbing his knife into the chest and cutting open a hole down to its feet.

After opening the hole, he stabbed the toad's stomach, letting the acid flow out of the body. When the acid had completely emptied, he removed the knife and placed his hand inside. He found what he was looking for; bones of humans.

Kenji let himself fall on his back and looked at the ceiling of the cave. "I'm sorry, Mirielle."

After a few minutes, he began cutting and collecting the toads' guts. Anything to push back the guilt, the talk he was about to have.

When he walked through the caves, he heard cries. He sneaked through the caves and found a room with a baby in the middle of it; a cloth covered it and when Kenji approached it; he saw it was a goblin baby.

Kenji stared at it for a while, and it stared back. He sighed.

His face filled with terror at the thoughts of what he had to do. His fingers wrapped around the knife's hilt tightly, and he drew it. He stared at the knife, which landed beside the baby.

Kenji fell to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably. He cried and cried until his throat was sore and his eyes were dry. He looked at the ceiling of the cave, staring at nothing, and the image of his mentor appeared before him.

"You failed," he said.

Kenji nodded weakly.

"You're a monster hunter, and you have to kill that thing!" his mentor said.

Kenji shook his head, grabbed the baby and the knife, and stood up. "Fuck you guys."

He walked through the caves, carrying the crying baby, and exited the cave.

Alf and Alia saw him and ran up to him.

"What is that?" Alia asked.

"It's a goblin baby," Kenji explained.

"What's his name?" Alf asked.

Kenji thought for a few seconds before answering, "Bob."

"Forget about that monster!" Alia yelled. "Where's our mother?"

Kenji looked away from Alia. "I'm sorry."

"What?" she asked.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "I couldn't save her."

Alia's eyes widened with shock. "You—"

Alf started crying, and Alia looked at the baby in Kenji's arms. Her whole body began shaking, and she rubbed her tears away for what seemed like an eternity.

"Why does that monster get to live?" she asked quietly. "My mother died because of it."

"Alia, I'm sorry," Kenji said softly. "I tried my best."

"Your best wasn't enough!" Alia screamed. "It was only enough to save a monster!"

She grabbed Kenji's knife, raised it above her head, and before slashing the baby's throat, Kenji grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

Alia looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"Let go of me," she whispered.

"Alia, please," Kenji begged.

Alia struggled to free herself from his grip, but it was useless. Alf was lying on the floor, crying, and Alia broke down and started crying again.

Kenji let go of Alia and hugged her.

She cried and cried, and Kenji patted her head gently.

"I'm so sorry."

***

Kenji grabbed the last goblin body from the kitchen floor while Alia cleaned the blood and Alf held Bob.

"You can't do this," Alia said, not stopping to clean.

"Do what?" Kenji asked.

"Raise a monster," Alia replied.

"He's not a monster," Kenji said calmly. "Goblins are a gray-line."

"Why?"

"They are humanoids, like us, but they eat humans and monsters. They don't have to eat humans."

Alf was playing with Bob while Alia glared at them.

"So, they're like you?"

"I don't eat humans or humanoids." Kenji carried the goblin body outside, putting it on the pile with the others.

"Kenji," Alia called as she ran behind Kenji. "You can't raise him."

"It's just a baby."

"But it will become a monster!"

"Some humans are monsters, too," Kenji said. "What says that some monsters can't be humans?"

Alia looked away. "My mother..."

"Bob isn't the same," Kenji assured her. "He will grow up as a normal kid, not a monster."

Alia sighed and walked away.

Kenji walked back into the kitchen and saw Alf playing with Bob; Alf was holding a wooden spoon and pretending it was a sword.

"Kenji! Kenji!" Alf called.

Kenji smiled and walked over to Alf. "Yes, buddy?"

"Can you teach me to use a sword?"

"I'm not a teacher," Kenji said while patting his head. "I told you before."

"But you're so cool!"

"Thanks."

"But can I be a monster hunter one day?"

"Don't worry about that. Just be yourself."

"Okay," Alf said with a smile. "I will become a great chef!"

"That's a good choice," Kenji nodded.

"You think?"

"Definitely!"

"Hey, Kenji," Alia said as she walked into the kitchen. "I want you to train me."

"Why?" Kenji asked.

"I want to get rid of all monsters!"

"Let me use your kitchen for a last time and we will talk about it," Kenji said.

"You're leaving?" Alf asked sadly.

Kenji nodded. "Yeah, it's time to go."

"Will you come back?"

"I don't know," Kenji sighed. "Maybe."

Alf threw himself at Kenji and hugged him tightly. "Please come back!"

"I will try, buddy," Kenji said softly.

Alf started crying, and Kenji patted his head gently. "Let's cook a last time together."

"What do you want to make?" Alf asked as he wiped his tears.

Kenji smiled. "Let's make pasties with the mutated toad's stomach."

"Does it taste better?"

"No, it's still disgusting, but mutated monsters give a longer lasting and stronger effect, like my double-headed carrots."

"Okay," Alf smiled. "I want to eat something that makes me strong."

"We will do that," Kenji promised.

Alf grabbed Bob and walked out of the kitchen. Kenji looked at Alia and smiled.

***

"I know it wasn't right," Kenji said while holding Bob and walking through the forest. Bob looked at Kenji, confused, while Kenji continued. "I should have said goodbye, but Alia wouldn't have stopped with becoming a monster hunter. She is already a teenager with a lot of pain. I don't want her to follow a life of killing."

Kenji looked at Bob with a smile. "But I will take care of you and make sure that you grow up as a nice guy. Not a monster, but a nice guy."

Bob looked at Kenji with his yellow eyes, and Kenji continued to walk. "I know it's not your fault," he said to the baby goblin. "We don't choose how we're born."

Kenji looked at Bob again, smiling. "If one of us can break free of their destiny, it's a win for both of us."

Kenji stopped after hours of walking and set camp in a small clearing. He placed Bob on the ground and began unpacking. He placed his sleeping bag on the ground, took out some food, and made a campfire.

Kenji sat down on his sleeping bag and thought about eating something, but he chose to sleep.

He woke up in the middle of the night from Bob's cries. His hands burning with white fire, ready to attack the threat.

Alia and Alf stood next to him.