Meanwhile, in the forest near the southern highway of the Imperial Capital—
In the dead of night, when the woods should have been silent, shouts and the clash of weapons suddenly echoed through the trees.
"Class 1 Danger Beast—Earth Dragon!"
"Form into squads! Spread out and keep distance!"
"Squad Two, deploy nets!"
"Squad One, aim for the eyes—fire!"
Strangely, these fighters were not wearing Imperial uniforms. Their clothing was varied, yet their coordination and discipline were unmistakable. They weren't hunters or bandits—they moved with the precision and awareness of trained soldiers. Even under sudden attack, they maintained formation and tempo as they lured the creature into an ambush.
Their opponent was a massive, full-grown Class A Earth Dragon. The creature was over ten meters long and nearly six meters tall, its body covered in hardened yellow-brown scales, its head monstrous and terrifying, lined with jagged spines.
Yet the most unusual thing was the Earth Dragon's behavior—it wasn't merely defending itself. It was attacking recklessly, desperately, as if driven by madness. Its roars were laced with anguish rather than bloodlust.
The soldiers fought back fiercely, crossbows firing in unison. But despite their tight coordination, several of them were torn apart in seconds when the Earth Dragon lunged forward with unnatural speed, biting through men like paper. Blood splattered the forest floor.
After pulling back, the air filled with the sound of bowstrings and bolts. The soldiers' volley poured down upon the beast in waves, a deadly rain of steel. The squad leader frowned as he observed the fight. Something about this dragon was off. It had attacked them on sight—relentlessly, almost suicidally. Did they kill its offspring or something?
He shook his head. "No matter. It'll retreat soon enough after this barrage."
But it didn't.
The rain of arrows pelted its hide mercilessly, most striking its exposed head. Though wounded, the dragon didn't retreat. Instead, it grew even more frenzied, its pain feeding its rage. The hatred in its crimson eyes burned so intensely that even the soldiers could feel it radiating toward them.
ROAR!
It charged straight into the storm of arrows, its massive jaws snapping, its roar deafening. In one swing of its head, it ripped through several soldiers—young men, their bodies flung apart in a mist of blood.
"Retreat! Fall back! Now!" The commanding officer finally realized their mistake. This beast wasn't behaving like any normal creature.
Every living being fears pain—backs down when wounded—but this one? It was deranged.
"Tch. Useless," a crisp, bell-like female voice suddenly rang out. "You call yourselves soldiers of the Revolutionary Army? You still have a lot to learn."
A glint of silver split the night.
A giant sword flashed, leaving a trail of sparks in its wake. A slender figure with shoulder-length pale-golden hair leapt into the air, descending like a war goddess from the heavens.
The massive greatsword, weighing hundreds of kilograms, seemed light as a feather in her hands. As it cut through the air, friction ignited sparks along its edge.
In that instant, the world itself seemed to split before her. To the eyes of the Revolutionary Army soldiers, the golden silhouette sliced reality in two.
The Earth Dragon froze mid-roar, its crimson eyes widening in shock and terror.
"Grr... grrhh—" Before it could make another sound, its head dropped to the ground like a falling boulder, a fountain of blood gushing skyward.
A fully-grown female Class A Danger Beast had fallen—felled effortlessly by a girl no older than seventeen or eighteen.
The Revolutionary Army soldiers around her simply collapsed in exhaustion, relief washing over them. They had seen this before.
The girl wiped her hands, planting her massive sword upright beside the corpse. She gazed at the fallen dragon, her expression briefly thoughtful.
"Commander Celica!" A tall, broad-shouldered officer hurried up to her. "What should we do with the carcass?"
Celica—her golden hair shimmering faintly in the moonlight—turned to face him. Her skin was fair as snow, her sharp brows and calm eyes radiating quiet authority. Her graceful figure exuded both strength and beauty, her long legs accentuating her commanding presence.
"A mature Class 1 Earth Dragon, huh? Its meat's quite good. Would be a waste to leave it here." She smiled faintly. "We're almost at our destination anyway. Let the men have a feast—they've earned it."
"Understood. We'll also post extra sentries."
"Good. I don't want any more surprises tonight."
"Yes, ma'am."
...
Before long, the Revolutionary Army soldiers had set up an outdoor feast around the massive carcass of the Earth Dragon. The food was simple, the seasonings scarce, and there wasn't a drop of alcohol to go around—but even so, laughter and cheer filled the camp. The men ate heartily, their spirits high despite the hardships of their lives.
Sitting on a smooth rock by a small stream, Celica watched her comrades eating and smiling. A faint warmth spread across her face. This... this is why I joined the Revolutionary Army, she thought. To create a world where my family, my friends—where everyone—can live freely, without the Empire's cruelty or oppression.
Though the Revolutionary Army suffered under relentless Imperial suppression, Celica believed firmly: Someday, we'll bring the Empire to its knees.
Suddenly—
A rustling sound broke through the calm night, coming from the northern treeline.
"Who's there?!"
Celica sprang to her feet, grabbing her greatsword and staring toward the woods.
Her instincts screamed danger. Why didn't the sentries signal an alarm?
As a seasoned warrior, her senses were razor-sharp. Within a fifty-meter radius, even the faintest movement of grass or shift in the wind couldn't escape her awareness.
At her sharp command, the soldiers who had been laughing moments earlier immediately stood up, weapons drawn, all facing the same direction.
Then, from the shadows, a low, hoarse male voice spoke:
"Mountain Hawk."
"Razor!" Celica's eyes widened in recognition. Only one man knew her codename—and she knew that voice anywhere. It was Shu Youriang, her comrade from Revolutionary Army headquarters.
But when he stepped out from the trees... Celica's expression changed instantly.
"You—what happened to you?!" she gasped.
He was covered in blood, missing an arm, his body mutilated almost beyond recognition.
"Run...! I've been compromised!" Shu Youriang's voice cracked with pain and terror. "Run! She's coming! That monster... she's coming... RUN!!"
But it was already too late.
...
At the same time, in the ruined bandit fortress.
"Are the other two hideouts secured yet?" Selene asked calmly.
"All cleared, ma'am. Two hundred and six confirmed kills, several prisoners—"
"Good." Selene smiled faintly. "To think a simple bandit sweep could uncover Revolutionary Army activity—and there's still a big fish left, codename 'Razor.' Heh... how convenient. The merit practically delivers itself." She reclined lazily in a folding chair, sipping her tea as soldiers scoured the battlefield around her.
Across from her, the towering, broad-shouldered Kinshasa frowned thoughtfully. "Based on my years in the City Guard... the more masculine the codename, the more likely the owner's a woman."
"Oh? You have experience in that too?" Selene chuckled. "We'll see soon enough." Standing gracefully, she turned her gaze toward the distant forest. "The fish has taken the bait. Time to reel it in."
Her scarlet eyes glowed faintly as she raised her teacup toward the horizon where Celica's camp lay hidden. "First field test of strong-force Honkai manipulation... I expect it to perform beautifully."
...
"Shu Youriang... what happened to you? Where's your Shingu?!" Celica's voice trembled as she stepped closer, horrified by his mangled body.
"Run... RUN!!" he screamed, veins bulging as his remaining arm convulsed. "I—I can't... control it! She's releasing me! The monster—she's—"
Before he could finish, Selene released the restraints on the Honkai particles within his body.
The energy inside him erupted violently.
The air crackled. The ground trembled.
A deafening roar filled the forest as Shu Youriang's body ignited from within, his scream echoing through the night.
"RUN!!!" he howled one last time.
Then came the flash—
A burst of light so blinding it seemed to freeze time itself.