Lysa stared into the distance.
Something was wrong.
Far across the battlefield, a glow was forming—unnatural, heavy. Her breath caught as she focused.
The Monk.
He was floating again.
Legs crossed.
Body still.
That meditative stance.
"…Crap," Lysa whispered.
Demonic Meditation.
Panic surged through her chest. Her hands began to shake as she reached for her bow.
No—no—
He's using that technique again…
She grabbed the bow and pulled out the Void Bolt, her fingers trembling as she set it against the string. She raised her aim toward the distant figure.
B–But there's no way… she thought desperately.
A bow can't reach that far…
The Monk's glow intensified, dark energy swelling around him like a second skin.
I—I have to try, Lysa thought.
If I judge it correctly… even once—
Suddenly—
The Void Bolt flickered.
A strange pulse ran through it.
Lysa froze.
"…What is this?" she murmured.
The bolt vibrated softly in her grip, threads of unfamiliar energy dancing across its surface—not Kendra… something colder, deeper.
Her eyes widened.
I can feel it…
It's responding.
The shaking stopped.
Her breathing steadied.
Lysa drew the bow fully, muscles locking into place. Wind brushed past her face as the world narrowed to a single point—
The floating Monk.
"I won't miss," she whispered.
She released.
The Void Bolt screamed through the air, tearing across the distance like a streak of living light—
And struck.
"AAAAAAHHH—!"
The Monk's eyes snapped wide as the energy pierced straight through him, shattering the meditative stance mid-air.
His body slammed into the ground below with a violent crash.
The glow vanished.
Silence followed.
The Monk stood up again.
From the rooftop, Lysa stared in disbelief.
It… it hit him.
Her relief shattered as she focused harder.
"…No," she whispered.
The Void Bolt had pierced his shoulder—not his core.
The Monk slowly turned his head.
His eyes locked onto her.
"Bitch."
Lysa's blood ran cold.
He spotted me.
Fear clenched her chest as the Monk raised his remaining functional hand. The other hung uselessly at his side—completely paralyzed by the Void Bolt.
He formed a hand sign.
"Die."
A Binding Arc Slash erupted from his palm, tearing through the air straight toward her.
Lysa's eyes widened.
She leapt aside—
—but the slash wasn't aimed at her.
It struck the building.
BOOOOM—!
The structure collapsed instantly, stone and debris exploding outward.
"LYSAAAA!" Drexx screamed from below.
From afar, Violet's eyes widened in panic.
Back on the battlefield—
Duke charged.
Rage drowned out the pain as he sprinted straight at the Monk.
The Monk turned, smiling despite fighting with only one hand.
"Your friend will die soon," he said calmly.
"Then it will be your turn."
"BASTARD!" Duke roared.
The Monk raised his hand again.
Mist erupted.
Thick. Suffocating.
The battlefield vanished as the fog swallowed everything.
The Monk disappeared.
I just need to maintain distance, he thought coldly.
Once my hand regenerates… everything returns to control.
Duke skidded to a stop, breathing hard.
"H–hey…!" he shouted into the fog.
"I—I will kill you!"
His fists trembled violently.
"Come out and face me, coward!"
The mist answered with silence.
All of a sudden—
The Monk appeared right in front of Duke.
Too close.
"Ah—!"
CRACK.
A brutal strike slammed straight into Duke's gut. Pain exploded through his body as he dropped to his knees, hands clutching his stomach.
Before Duke could even gasp—
The Monk vanished back into the mist.
His laughter echoed from everywhere.
"Hahahahaha… I have all the time in the world," the Monk taunted.
"You don't. Why would I rush?"
Duke's breathing spiraled out of control.
What do I do…?
I—I'm scared…
His mind went blank.
He collapsed fully to his knees, shaking, hands still pressed
to his gut.
The laughter continued.
Then—
A bright light cut through the mist.
The Monk's laughter stopped.
"Huh…?"
He turned.
Behind him stood Samaira.
She was on her feet—barely.
Kendra energy burned violently around her palms, forming a fireball between her hands.
"…Fire?" the Monk muttered.
For the first time—
His smile vanished.
"Aaaahhh!" Samaira screamed.
Her own hands were burning, skin blistering as she forced the energy to take shape.
Just like Miss Violet's spear—
She mimicked it.
Forged it.
The Monk took a step back.
Samaira hurled the fireball.
The Monk dodged at the last second.
The attack missed him—
—and slammed into a nearby house.
"Ku-kuh…!" the Monk laughed nervously.
"Hah… I was scared for a second."
Duke watched, teeth clenched.
Disappointed.
Then—
He noticed something.
The fireball hadn't exploded.
It was still there.
Inside the house.
Duke slowly stood.
Green Kendra began to swirl around his fist.
Samaira collapsed to her knees, blood spilling from her mouth. Her hands were charred, trembling.
"…The rest… is on you, Duke," she whispered.
The Monk scoffed.
"What are you even trying to achieve, brat?"
Samaira lifted her head weakly.
"…Explode."
The Monk's eyes widened.
"What—?"
BOOOOOOM—!
The house detonated.
A violent shockwave tore through the street, flames and debris erupting outward.
The blast launched the Monk forward—
Straight toward Duke.
His back was completely burned, flesh smoking.
"AAAAAAH—!"
Duke screamed—not in fear, but rage.
Green wind howled.
Kendra surged.
He stepped forward—
And drove his fist straight into the Monk's chest.
CRUNCH.
Ribs shattered.
The Monk was sent flying back into the burning remains of the house.
"Aah—ahhhh!" he screamed, flames crawling up his body.
"I—I can't walk! Help me!"
The fire roared.
His screams echoed across the village.
Duke stood before the burning house, chest rising and falling.
He looked at the Monk.
Cold.
Empty.
"Stop crying like a bitch in front of kids
The Monk sobbed, voice breaking.
"B–Brat… please… help me…!"
He screamed louder.
Louder.
So loud the entire village could hear.
Duke stood still, staring at the Monk burning in the fire.
"Ahh… ahhh… aaahhh—!"
The screams echoed, but Duke didn't move.
He just kept looking.
Then his eyes shifted.
Samaira.
She was on her knees.
Her hands—burnt, blistered, shaking.
Duke snapped out of it and ran to her.
"Samaira—!" he shouted, dropping beside her. "Hold on."
She winced in pain, her breath uneven.
"Captain… Lucus?" Samaira whispered weakly.
Duke froze.
Slowly, he looked down.
"…He's gone," Duke said quietly.
Samaira's eyes filled with tears.
"What… what will we say to Lysa…?" she asked, her voice
breaking.
Duke didn't answer.
He lifted Samaira carefully into his arms.
As he turned, his eyes passed over Lucus's body—
split in two, unmoving.
He clenched his jaw and looked away.
"Don't think about that now," Duke said softly.
"Let's focus on your hands."
He walked forward, carrying her
leaving the battlefield, the fire, and the fallen behind.
The cart rattled violently as it descended the mountain path, wheels shrieking against frozen stone.
"We're almost down the mountain," the cart driver shouted.
"Then keep it fast," Dango snapped.
Khor sat beside him, massive body unmoving, eyes dull with boredom.
Dango laughed.
"Let's do whatever we want, heheh. We have the money now."
He leaned forward, grinning.
"Our next target is Velmoraa."
"Hahahaha—! That bastard Keal," Dango sneered.
"Using his own country's money… I'll plan his death anniversary myself."
"Killing a king might be differ—" Khor began.
SLASH.
The cart screeched to a dead stop.
Dango was thrown forward. "H-Huh?!"
Khor's eyes snapped wide.
Silence.
Then they saw it.
The cart driver was still sitting upright.
An axe was embedded straight down into his skull, the handle standing vertically, trembling slightly.
Blood ran down his face, dripping onto the reins and freezing in the snow.
The body didn't fall.
It stayed there.
Frozen.
The mountain wind howled.
Dango's breath hitched.
"…W-What the hell?"
Cold air rushed past them as Dango slowly lifted his gaze.
Someone stood ahead on the path.
Snow fell gently around him, settling over dark, drying blood.
Vairan.
Standing perfectly still.
Watching them.
"Hey there," Vairan said cheerfully, smiling.
"I'm in a hurry."
Khor's eyes widened.
"H–How is he still alive?!" Dango shouted, scrambling back in panic.
Khor stepped out of the cart, massive boots sinking into the snow.
"It doesn't matter," Khor said calmly.
"His entire body is already broken."
"Yes—yes! Kill him again!" Dango yelled desperately.
Khor moved forward, cracking his neck.
"Tck… what a monster," he muttered.
"Why are you still alive? You should be dead."
Vairan slowly lifted his head.
"…Why am I alive?" he repeated softly.
Then his voice broke.
"WHY AM I ALIVE?!" Vairan screamed, throwing his head back toward the sky.
Snow fell onto his blood-soaked face as he laughed.
"I don't even know myself!"
"But isn't it fun?" he said, eyes shining.
"I'm alive. And we get to fight again."
Khor narrowed his eyes.
"I get it now," he muttered.
"He's not ordinary… He must be from a strong bloodline."
Vairan smiled wider.
"You don't know how big of a fan I am," he said sincerely.
He turned his gaze to the moon, pale light reflecting in his eyes.
"Because of you… for the first time in my life, I felt death."
Slowly, he lowered his head.
"So I'll honor you."
Vairan's smile twisted.
"I'll kill you with my own hands."
"Hahahaha… ahahaha!"
"Tck… insane," Khor muttered.
His metal arms began to glow blue as Kendra energy surged violently through them.
The snow around his feet cracked.
The mountain trembled.
Both rushed forward at the same time.
Vairan swung his axe wide with one hand, laughing like a madman.
"Hahahaha—!"
Khor dodged—but not completely.
The blade tore across his stomach.
Blood splashed onto the snow.
Without hesitation, Khor drove his fist forward.
Vairan blocked it with his free hand.
The impact thundered.
Vairan twisted and brought the axe down again—straight for Khor's head.
Khor's eyes widened.
At the last second, he punched Vairan's arm.
CRACK.
The force knocked the axe clean out of Vairan's grip. It spun through the air and vanished into the snow.
Vairan froze—shocked.
The two slammed into each other, palms locking.
Bare hands.
Pure force.
They pushed.
Snow exploded beneath their feet.
Khor gritted his teeth, muscles screaming, blood pouring from his wounds—yet he didn't give ground.
He's keeping up…
Even after all that damage?
Impressive.
Vairan looked at him.
Then smiled.
Khor frowned.
Confused.
Suddenly—
Purple energy flared around Vairan's foot. Dense. Heavy. Wrong.
Before Khor could react—
STOMP.
Vairan crushed Khor's foot into the snow.
"Tck—!"
Khor staggered back instantly, breaking contact.
His breath hitched.
What the hell…?
How is he moving like that?
Khor stared at Vairan, eyes narrowing.
"Let's go for real," Khor said.
His hand flared with blue Kendra energy.
He swung his palm forward—
A violent shockwave erupted, ripping through the air toward Vairan.
Vairan reacted instantly.
He crossed his arms in front of his body, purple energy flooding into his hands.
BOOM—!
The shockwave slammed into him, snow and debris exploding outward—
—but Vairan barely slid back.
Just a few steps.
Khor clicked his tongue.
Without wasting a second, he bent his knees.
"Legendary Jump."
Kendra surged.
He launched himself upward—and slammed down like a
meteor.
CRASH—!!
The ground shattered. The mountain roared. The entire battlefield trembled.
But—
Vairan jumped too.
The impact met resistance.
The earth cracked even deeper as both forces collided.
Vairan landed, breathing heavily.
Blood dripped from his mouth, staining the snow beneath him.
His hand glowed—
Purple.
Dense. Violent.
Wrong.
Khor's eyes narrowed.
What… is that?
Is he using his technique?
Khor clenched his fist.
I'll end this the same way I did earlier.
He inhaled sharply.
Then screamed—
"AAAHHH—!"
Kendra exploded through his body.
He dashed forward, tearing across the ground in a blur.
Vairan's eyes widened.
Too fast—
"It's over," Khor said.
SLASH—!
Blood sprayed into the air.
Khor's chest split open.
A deep, clean slash tore across his torso.
For a second, he didn't understand.
He reached down slowly—
touched his chest—
And pulled his hand back wet with blood.
Red.
Warm.
"…I—" Khor's voice trembled.
"…I lost?"
His legs gave out.
He dropped to one knee, breath ragged.
"But… how?" Khor whispered.
He turned his head.
Vairan was standing behind him.
Holding an axe.
Khor's eyes widened.
"W–When did you get your axe back?" he asked weakly.
Vairan didn't answer.
He stared at his hands.
Purple energy flowed around them—thick, heavy, alive—wrapping around the axe like smoke.
"…This power," Vairan murmured, almost to himself.
"I can feel it."
He smiled.
"H–Hey…" Khor coughed, blood spilling from his mouth.
"T–tell me… how did I lose…?"
Vairan finally looked at him.
Then—
SLASH.
Khor's head separated from his body.
It fell into the snow with a dull thud.
Vairan stood there—
Holding two axes now.
The second one—still stained with frozen blood—had returned to his hand.
The same axe he had thrown into the cart driver's skull.
Both weapons glowed purple.
"This is how," Vairan said calmly.
The wind howled.
Snow fell.
And Khor's body collapsed—
lifeless.