Dust swirled through the forest as arrows and projectiles flew in every direction. The clash of blades and the sound of strained breathing echoed through the trees—the battle had just begun, but it already felt unbearably heavy.
Peter and Lucas, though they lacked any supernatural powers, showed impressive skill on the battlefield. Peter, dual-wielding daggers, moved with sharp agility, striking and dodging like a shadow. Lucas, wielding a broad sword, blocked and parried with precision, reading his enemies' moves before they even struck.
Fighting at their side were Marcus and Nereus. Marcus, with his crimson hair and fierce glare, was locked in a brutal clash of fists with none other than Darius Kain himself. Their physical blows sent tremors through the ground—two titans in human form.
Then, amidst the chaos… a sharp whistle cut through the air—subtle, almost unnoticeable, but deadly.
In the blink of an eye, a devastating blow struck Nereus from above.
A high-ranking knight, cloaked in black armor and wielding massive black wings, had descended upon them. He wasn't walking—he was flying.
And Nereus… couldn't sense him.
Because Nereus was blind.
He had always relied on the natural rhythms of the earth, the vibrations of footsteps, the rustling of trees. As long as his enemies were connected to the ground, he could feel them coming. But this strike had come from the skies—silent, swift, and invisible to his senses.
Nereus collapsed, unconscious, without even seeing his attacker.
Everyone froze.
The winged knight hovered above the ground, holding Nereus' limp body by the collar like a discarded puppet. His voice, calm and cold, rang through the battlefield:
"Surrender… or say goodbye to your friend."
Marcus, caught mid-strike against Darius, immediately halted. His clenched fists loosened, rage and helplessness flashing in his eyes.
Peter and Lucas exchanged glances. There was no time to think. No way out.
Peter dropped his daggers with trembling hands. His voice cracked.
"Stop… We surrender."
Only the wind answered them.
And so… the battle ended before it had truly begun.
——————-
That look…
He stood before her, arms crossed, his chest tilted ever so slightly forward. His red eyes glowed like embers in the dim lamp light. His smile was calm—eerily calm—but it carried an unspoken threat, as if nothing in the world could possibly trouble him… not even the girl who had once drugged his guards and stolen from his palace.
Sera's face was grim, her eyes burning with anger… but deep inside, she was afraid. Terrified.
She was ready to run—she had to—but something in her told her: This man… is not someone I can just escape from.
And suddenly—
ZMM!
Several knives shot from their place, slicing the air as if the very wind had exploded!
They darted straight toward his chest.
But just before reaching him…
They turned to ash.
Sera's eyes widened in shock.
"What… is this?!"
Her heart froze.
She hadn't used her powers this time. The knives had already been stuck in the wooden table… yet they disintegrated as if they'd hit a barrier beyond her understanding.
"You're… not human, are you?" she whispered—though she already knew the answer.
She lifted her hands.
And without a word—everything shattered.
The walls, the ceiling, the shelves—torn apart by her mind.
A storm of herbs, toxins, powders, and medicines burst forward toward Ilarious.
In a flash, she vanished—darting through the destruction with fluid agility. She landed outside, breathing heavily, eyes fixed on the broken remains of the shop, the air thick with poisonous fumes.
"Is… is it over? Did he… die?"
Suddenly—
A voice, right behind her ear:
"Looking for something?"
She gasped!
Whirling around—he was there.
Standing so close, so casual…
Unharmed.
Not a scratch. Not even a hair out of place.
"No way…" she whispered in disbelief.
Her terrified gaze met his unreadable one, and she leapt back, readying for battle.
And so it began.
She hurled everything she had—mental blasts, illusions, perceptual twists—but he didn't even flinch.
He dodged slowly, deliberately, as though he knew her every move before she made it.
"Hmm…"
"You're the thief who shook the kingdom~?"
He said it with amusement, as if speaking to a child throwing stones at a lion.
Sera was breaking.
Every time she used her power, the headache worsened. Her eyes watered, her breath shortened.
"My body… can't handle this much strain…"
In a last desperate effort, she tried to ignite a pile of dried herbs behind him—
But her legs gave out.
She collapsed to her knees, sweat clinging to her skin, vision blurring.
And then—
Soft footsteps approached.
His face came into view, close—too close. The shadow of his feathered fan hid half of it…
But that smile was still there.
That unforgettable, terrifying smile.