Raven's POV
Darkness. An endless void where neither time nor sound seemed to exist. I couldn't feel my body. I couldn't feel pain. There was only silence.
"…Raven…"
A faint voice. So distant that I almost mistook it for imagination.
"…Raven…"
Who…Whose voice was that? It sounded familiar. Soft. Gentle. The voice trembled. The darkness rippled. "…Please…please wake up…" It became clearer. Closer. "…don't leave me…"
A painful ache stirred inside my chest. That voice…
"…Please…wake up…"
Princess, It was Princess Lyria.
My consciousness struggled upward as though surfacing from the bottom of a deep ocean.
"…Raven!"
Warmth. Something warm rested against my face. My eyelids felt impossibly heavy. I forced them open. Light flooded my vision. Everything blurred together.
A pale face slowly came into focus. Silver hair. Silver eyes. Filled with tears. She was kneeling in front of me, both hands gently holding my face as though afraid I would disappear if she let go.
Tears slid silently down her cheeks. The moment our eyes met…Relief washed over her expression. A tiny smile trembled across her lips.
"…Thank goodness…"Her voice broke. "…you are alive."
For several seconds…I simply stared at her. My thoughts refused to move.
Why…Why was she here? She wasn't supposed to be here, she was supposed to leave with kara.
Memory returned like lightning. Malvias?. The battle. His transformation.
I pushed myself upright. Pain immediately tore through my body. Every muscle protested. My vision blurred again. Princess Lyria quickly caught my arm and slowly put me down.
"Easy." She gently took my hand. "Can you stand?, We have to get you out of here."
I looked at her in silence. Something felt…Wrong. Then I looked behind her. The battle was still raging.
Kara. Kalina. More than thirty soldiers. All of them surrounded Malvias. They were desperately trying to stop him. Steel clashed against monstrous claws.
One soldier was thrown dozens of meters through the air. Another disappeared beneath a single swing. Kalina barely managed to block an overhead strike. The impact forced both knees into the ground.
Kara's stone walls shattered one after another as though made from glass. No matter how many attacks they launched…Nothing stopped him. He simply kept walking. Toward us.
I lowered my head. My fist slowly tightened.
I am Weak. Again. That word echoed inside my mind. Weak. Just like before. Memories I had buried long ago clawed their way back.
A little girl…blue lips. Lying motionless in my arms . Unable to save the person who mattered most. Unable to stop anything. Unable…To protect.
"No…"
The word escaped my lips before I realized it. I hated this feeling. More than pain. More than fear. More than death.
Not again. Never again.
I slowly reached toward Abyssdrinker The leather wrapping around Abyssdrinker's hilt creaked beneath my grip.
I planted the blade against the ground. Then forced myself upward. My legs trembled violently.
Princess mmediately tried to support me. "Raven… let me help you."
I removed her hand from my arm, This is my battle now; I have to fight alone.
"No."
She looked at me with wide eyes. "You don't have to fight anymore— let's just get you out of here please."
"I said…" I stood on my own. "…no."
I will never run away, Even if every bone in my body broke…Even if I collapsed again, even if death is the end of my path.I refused to rely on anyone to stand.
One slow step. Every movement hurt.
Behind me, princess's voice shook.
"Raven…Please stop. You are severely injured. If you keep going you'll die, please Raven."
I didn't answer or I didn't hear anything but one word inside my head. Weak. You are weak and you will always remain weak.weak. I am weak. I am weak.
Every step became heavier. My breathing grew harsher. Something inside my body still refused to move. My mana…Still wouldn't flow properly. I clenched my teeth. Move you fucking weak body.Move.
Nothing happened, my steps were so slow and heavy. I forced more mana through my body. Pain exploded inside my chest. Still nothing.
"…Move!"
I clenched my teeth and tried harder, pushing Mana towards my body muscles so that even if it were locked, I have to break it . The resistance cracked. I ignored the pain. Ignored the blood running down my side and back. Ignored the trembling in my legs.
Everything I had…I forced it through the shattered pathways inside my body. Then—
BOOOOOOM!!
A violent explosion erupted from within me. A pillar of dark mana burst into the sky. The shockwave flattened the surrounding grass. Trees bent violently. Dust exploded outward in every direction.
Princess gasped behind me. Kara looked over her shoulder. Kalina's eyes widened. Even Malvias stopped moving.
Mana surged through my body once more. Not perfectly. The curse still blocked most of it.
But…One thing had returned. Physical reinforcement. I slowly opened my hand. Strength returned to my muscles. Not all of it. but enough.
Malvias smiled. "So…You can still stand. Wonderful."
He swung one enormous claw. Kalina and Kara crossed their swords together. The impact echoed across the battlefield. Their knees instantly buckled. The ground beneath them shattered.
Both women struggled desperately just to keep his claw from crushing them. Their arms shook violently. Blood dripped from Kalina's mouth. Kara's breathing had become ragged. They couldn't hold much longer.
I disappeared. The earth exploded beneath my feet. Before anyone realized I had moved…I was already there. My sword remained sheathed.
I clenched my right fist. Every ounce of restored strength gathered into a single strike. Malvias noticed me too late. I drove my fist directly towards his stomach.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The sound alone shook the forest. Kalina and Kara, who were standing near Malvias, were thrown by the force of the wave a great distance backward.
Malvias gigantic body left the ground.He was sent flying. tore through dozens of trees like a living cannonball. Before he could hit the ground—I was already above him. I twisted in midair. Then drove my heel downward with everything I had.
The kick landed squarely against his chest. Another deafening explosion erupted. His body changed direction instantly. This time he shot across the valley below. The earth split open where he crashed.
Without slowing down…I pursued him. Away from everyone who no longer belonged anywhere near this battle.
This is my battle now; I must defeat him even if I lose all my abilities. I must become stronger, I must become stronger, stronger. stronger so that I can defeat her.
The forest disappeared behind us. The terrain became rougher. Rockier. Steeper. We reached the edge of a massive cliff overlooking the endless wilderness below.
Malvias slowly climbed out of the crater I had driven him into. He wiped the blood from the corner of his monstrous mouth. Then smiled. " I'm surprised you can move again."
I tightened my grip around Abyssdrinker. The wind howled between the cliffs. Our eyes met. This time…No one will interfere in our fight this time; it will be a fight to the death.
The sun was sinking beyond the horizon. Its crimson light spilled across the endless forest below, painting the trees in blood-red shadows. The wind howled over the cliff where we stood.
Malvias slowly rolled his shoulders, his monstrous body still releasing waves of black mana that distorted the air around him. His eyes narrowed.
"But …How?" His deep voice echoed across the cliff. "Your mana is sealed, I can see that clearly." He tilted his head. "I know that dagger. It cuts the flow of mana completely."
He smiled, though there was uncertainty behind it now. "So tell me…How are you using mana again?"
I didn't answer.
I simply couldn't hear him. Everything around me had faded into silence. Only one voice remained.
"You're weak. Just like before. Too weak to protect her or anyone. You weak. Weak. Weak…."
My grip around Abyssdrinker tightened until the leather wrapping groaned. The voice continued. Relentless.
"You failed once."
"You'll fail again."
"Everyone you protect dies."
I lowered my head. "…No." The word escaped in a whisper. "I…" My breathing grew heavier. "I hav….I have to…become stronger, stronger."
The wind carried the words away. "I have to become stronger."
Malvias frowned and said, "What did you say? I didn't hear you very well. Hey, I'm talking to you! Are you ignoring me again?"
I whispered again and again. "I have to become stronger."
I slowly drew Abyssdrinker. The dark blade reflected the dying sunlight. Without another word—I vanished. The cliff exploded beneath my feet.
My sword descended toward Malvias' neck. His instincts reacted instantly. He leaned backward. The blade missed his throat by less than an inch.
He countered immediately. His massive claw tore toward my ribs. I twisted backward with a short hop. The claws passed through empty air. Before my feet had fully touched the ground—I launched forward again.
I ignored the pain that stiffened my muscles due to the forced mana flow, despite the limitations that restricted my abilities and mana flow.
My sword thrust toward his chest. This time…He caught the blade with one hand. Steel scraped against monstrous flesh. The impact forced him backward several meters. His feet carved deep trenches through solid stone.
But he didn't fall. I planted my foot. Raised the sword once more.
"I have…" My voice trembled from the pain. "…to become stronger."
I charged again. His claws. My sword. Collided. The explosion shook the entire cliff.
BOOOOOM!!
The surrounding trees bent violently. Dust erupted into the sky. He swung downward. I blocked. Both my arms instantly went numb. The force nearly dropped me to one knee.
He followed with another strike. Then another. Then another. His attacks came like a storm. Relentless.
Each impact heavier than the last. Each collision pushed me farther back. Stone shattered beneath every step.
I could barely breathe. Yet…Something felt strange. Every time I reinforced my body…More mana answered. "…?"
A warm sensation spread through my chest. Not my chest. Deeper. The place where my mana had always gathered. Something…Had changed.
Another clash.
BOOM!!
I slid backward. But this time…Not as far. Malvias noticed. His grin faded.
"Hm?"
He attacked again. His claw descended toward my shoulder. I caught it. My arms still shook. But…Less than before. He frowned.
"…what."
I pushed. His claw actually moved. Only a few centimeters. I slipped beneath his arm. My sword cut across his ribs. The wound was shallow. But it drew blood.
His first blood since the transformation. He immediately retaliated. A kick slammed into my side. and I think I heard the sound of my ribs breaking.
I flew backward. Rolled across broken stone. Stopped near the cliff's edge. Blood filled my mouth. I spat it onto the ground.
The warm sensation inside me grew stronger. It was overflowing. It was leaking. Pouring through every muscle. Every nerve.
The restraints placed upon my mana hadn't disappeared.No…I tried to use mana forcefully, which caused the container holding the mana to break and flow into my body. Wild. Unstable.
Constantly strengthening me. It wasn't efficient. It wasn't safe. But…It was working.
I slowly stood. The pain remained. Every wound still bled. Yet my body felt…Lighter. Faster. Stronger.
Malvias charged. His speed still exceeded mine. Barely. Our weapons collided again.
BOOOOOOM!!
The cliff trembled. Birds burst from the distant forest. He punched. I blocked. This time…I wasn't thrown away. Only forced back one step.
His eyes widened.
"…What?"
I answered by attacking. Three strikes. Five. Ten. Each faster than the last. He blocked all of them. Barely. Steel sparks illuminated the darkening sky.
The ground beneath us continued breaking apart. Every collision sent shockwaves rolling through the forest below. Trees snapped. Loose stones tumbled from the cliffs. The entire mountain seemed to tremble beneath our battle.
He roared. Black mana erupted around him. His claw came down like a falling mountain. I raised Abyssdrinker. The impact cracked the cliff beneath us.
For one second…We remained locked together. His monstrous strength pressed downward. My muscles screamed. The leaking mana surged harder. Every heartbeat made me stronger. Little by little. Second by second.
Then—His expression changed. "…No." I pushed upward. His claw rose. His eyes widened. "…Impossible!"
I twisted my body. His balance shifted. I drove my shoulder into his chest. He stumbled. I didn't let him recover. His guard barely held. He disappeared into the shadows. Reappeared behind me. His claws reached for my neck. I turned faster than even he expected.
Our weapons collided again. This time…He was the one forced backward. His feet dug trenches across the cliff.
"…How…" He stared at me. "…You're getting stronger faster."
I said nothing. The mana continued pouring Every passing moment made my movements lighter. through me. Cleaner. Sharper.
I attacked again. Our exchange became impossible to follow. The cliff echoed endlessly.
BOOM!
CLANG!
BOOM!
CRAAASH!!
Stone exploded around us. Trees collapsed from the shockwaves alone. The air itself seemed to crack beneath the violence of each collision.
He swung wildly. I slipped beneath. Cut across his arm. He punched. I caught his wrist. Twisted and Kicked his knee.
He staggered. He roared. His black mana erupted violently. My dark aura answered instinctively. The two forces collided. The sky above the forest darkened.
Lightning flashed across distant clouds. Neither of us noticed. We were already moving again.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Minutes passed. Each one widened the gap. His attacks slowed. Mine accelerated. His breathing became heavier. Mine steadier. He blocked another slash. His arms shook.
"…No…"
Another strike. He barely stopped it. Another. His knees bent. Another. His feet slid backward. His eyes no longer held confidence. Only disbelief.
"…How are you becoming stronger?!"
I didn't answer. Because I didn't know myself. I only knew one thing. I refused…To be weak again. I will never be weak. I took one final step. Our eyes met. Everything became still.
Then—I disappeared. For a single instant…Even Malvias lost sight of me. His instincts barely reacted. He raised both claws into a desperate cross-shaped guard.
Too late. Abyssdrinker descended with all the strength that had accumulated within me.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The impact split the cliff. A deafening shockwave tore across the valley. Malvias' crossed arms held for only a heartbeat. Then—
CRACK.
His defense shattered. The blade smashed through his guard. The force hurled his enormous body backward. He crashed across the broken cliff, tearing through stone and ancient trees before finally skidding to a halt dozens of meters away.
For several long seconds…Nothing moved. Only dust drifted through the crimson light of sunset.
Then…From within the cloud of shattered rock…A massive silhouette slowly stirred. Malvias was still alive.
Malvias lay on his back at the center of the ruined battlefield. The crater beneath him was wide enough to swallow a house.
Blood seeped from countless wounds across his monstrous body. His breathing was ragged. His left arm hung uselessly. Deep cuts crossed his chest and abdomen.
Neither of us moved. The forest had fallen silent. Only the wind remained. Then…He laughed. A low chuckle.
"…Heh…"
Slowly…He pushed himself upright. His movements were sluggish, yet there wasn't a trace of panic in his eyes. Instead…He was smiling. A wide…Almost delighted smile.
I frowned. Why is he smiling?
He wiped blood from his lips before looking directly at me. "I underestimated you." His voice was hoarse. "You are far stronger than I imagined."
He looked down at the wounds covering his body. Then…He began laughing again. Suddenly—A brilliant azure light enveloped his body.
My eyes narrowed. The glow intensified. His flesh began moving. The deep wounds closed before my eyes. Broken muscles knitted together. Bones shifted back into place.
Even the arm I had severed regenerated as if time itself had reversed. Within ten seconds…Not a single wound remained. The blood disappeared. His breathing steadied. His posture straightened. He looked…Completely unharmed.
He spread both arms with a grin. "Did you truly think…that you had won?" His laughter echoed through the valley. "Did you really believe a battle of endurance favored you?"
He struck his own chest proudly. "This body possesses regeneration."
"No matter how many times you cut me…"
"No matter how many bones you break…"
"No matter how close I come to death…I recover." He smiled wider. "In seconds."
His gaze slowly traveled over my body. Blood dripped from my fingertips. My breathing was uneven. My clothes had become little more than torn rags soaked crimson.
"You…" He chuckled. "…on the other hand…You look ready to collapse."
Before I could answer—He vanished. The air exploded. Instinct screamed. I crossed both forearms in front of my face. His fist crashed into my guard.
BOOOOOOM!!
The impact stole the air from my lungs. Pain shot through both arms. I was launched backward like an arrow. Several trees shattered behind me before one enormous trunk finally stopped my flight.
The collision echoed through the forest. I couldn't breathe. My vision blurred. Every rib felt broken. I coughed violently. Blood splashed onto the ground.
"…Damn…"
I forced myself upright. My legs shook. Across the clearing…Malvias simply smiled. "Do you really think I'd lose to an insect like you?. You're just lucky to be alive in front of me until now, but not anymore."
He raised one hand. Five enormous spheres of crimson fire appeared behind him. Each one larger than a carriage. Each radiating terrifying heat. With a flick of his fingers—They shot toward me. Too fast.
Too close. There wasn't enough time to evade. I raised Abyssdrinker.
"…Absorb."
The blade pulsed. The runes engraved across its surface ignited. The first fireball struck. Instead of exploding…The flames twisted violently toward the sword. The blade devoured all of them. Every flame disappeared into the black steel.
Yet…The force behind them continued pushing me backward. My boots carved long trenches across the earth. The flames and Smoke surrounded me. When it cleared I was still standing…Barely.
Malvias laughed.
"So… What do you think about a third round?"
He never finished the sentence. Because I was already moving. The leaking mana within my body exploded through every muscle. The world blurred. I appeared behind him. His instincts reacted too slowly. Abyssdrinker swept downward. A deep slash opened across his back. Blood erupted.
Before he could even turn—I vanished again. This time…I appeared directly in front of him. My blade aimed for his neck. He barely managed to lean backward. The sword missed his throat…
But sliced cleanly through one of his massive horns. The severed horn spun through the air before crashing into the ground. His smile disappeared.
He threw a punch. I stepped inside his reach. Too close for the strike to gain power. My sword flashed once. His left arm separated from his shoulder. A fountain of blood burst into the air.
Malvias roared. The sound shook the forest. He leaped backward instinctively. I refused to let him breathe. one step I was already beside him.
A horizontal slash tore through his waist. The wound was so deep that blood sprayed across the broken earth. He swung wildly with his remaining arm. I ducked beneath it. His claws sliced only empty air.
There's the opening. Without hesitation…I drove Abyssdrinker through his thigh. The blade carved almost completely through the leg. His knee buckled instantly.
The gigantic body crashed onto one knee. My heartbeat slowed.
This… Was the moment. I appeared directly before him. Both hands tightened around Abyssdrinker's hilt. The blade rose high above my head. One strike. That was all I needed.
Then—Malvias screamed. A deafening roar erupted from his throat. Black mana exploded outward. Not as a wave—As countless blades. Thousands.
Razor-thin edges made entirely from compressed mana burst from his body in every direction. There was no room to block. No room to survive inside that storm.
I abandoned the attack. Jumped backward. Again and again. Each leap barely escaped the expanding field.
The forest vanished beneath the assault. Trees were shredded into splinters. Massive boulders became dust. The ground itself fractured beneath the relentless barrage. The cliff trembled violently.
Only after retreating dozens of meters did I finally escape its reach. The storm ended. Silence returned. Malvias slowly rose. Every wound…Already gone. His missing arm…Fully restored. His severed horn…Growing back before my eyes.
He glared at me with murderous hatred. "You insignificant insect…" His voice trembled with rage. "How dare you. How dare you wound me. How dare you make me kneel. I'll make you regret every second you have lived."
I remained silent.
My breathing had become noticeably heavier. I placed my hand on my broken ribs, trying to ease the pain, but to no avail.
The leaking mana still strengthened me. But my body…Had reached its limit. Blood dripped steadily from the wounds in my side and back. The cursed dagger's injury refused to heal.
Every heartbeat made me dizzier. If this continued…I would bleed to death long before I defeated him. I closed my eyes for a brief second.
Kara,kalina and….princess. I could feel them approaching. They were getting closer. If they entered this battlefield now…They would die. Damn it, I told them to go away and not to come near us. If something happens to them, that's not my problem. I warned them, but they didn't listen.
I lowered my gaze toward Abyssdrinker. "…You've absorbed enough of his mana." The sword pulsed softly. "I need your help to end this fight." Its pulse weakened. Almost uncertain.
"I know. This will hurt. But after this, if we win and we will definitely win, you can devour every last drop of his mana."
The blade vibrated excitedly. A deep, delighted pulse echoed through my hands. Black mana surged from Abyssdrinker. Instead of surrounding the blade…It wrapped around both of my forearms. Layer upon layer. Until it formed dark armor protecting my arms from the force that was about to be unleashed.
Across the battlefield…Malvias slowly raised his claws toward the sky. A small sphere appeared between his hands.Dark mana gathered above his palm. Larger. Denser. Heavier.
Second after second…The sphere expanded. Red flames spiraled around it. Inside those flames, razor-sharp blades of wind rotated violently. Blue lightning flashed through the sphere, each bolt exploding against the ground beneath it. The red flames formed rings around the enormous sphere.
Its pressure crushed the surrounding earth. The air distorted. The trees bent away from it. The night itself seemed to darken around that single point.
I tightened my grip.
"…Let's finish this."
At the exact same moment—We moved. The ground exploded beneath both of us. Our speeds became invisible. The distance vanished instantly. His colossal sphere of compressed mana descended. Abyssdrinker rose.
Then—We collided. The world disappeared. A blinding explosion erupted. Night became brighter than day. The heavens themselves seemed to split apart.
Every tree within hundreds of meters was ripped from its roots. The forest flattened beneath the shockwave. The earth shook so violently that entire sections of the cliff collapsed into the valley below.
The pressure drove my legs deep into solid stone. Every muscle screamed. Every bone cracked. My arms felt as though they would explode.
Little by little…The sword was being forced back. Closer. Toward my own body. I gritted my teeth so hard I tasted blood. No. Not here. Not like this. There is still too much left unfinished.
With a roar that tore from the depths of my lungs…I gathered every remaining fragment of mana inside me. Every drop. Every heartbeat. Every ounce of strength. I forced it all into my arms. The black armor around them cracked under the strain.
"Move!." I screamed. With everything I had left—I pushed. The sword surged forward. The sphere split. A single crack appeared through its center. Then—The entire mass was cleaved in two.
Abyssdrinker continued forward without stopping. I felt the blade…Cut through flesh. Through bone.
Then—The divided mana sphere detonated. A second explosion, even greater than the first, swallowed everything. The blast hurled me violently into the sky. The world vanished beneath an endless white light. Instinct forced my eyes shut.
For a long moment, I couldn't open my eyes. The explosion had left my entire body numb, as though someone had poured molten iron into every bone. Even breathing hurt.
I slowly raised my hand toward my face. My fingers brushed against something warm. Blood?.
A long cut stretched from the middle of my eyebrow down beneath my left eye. It stung fiercely, but when I blinked several times, my vision remained clear.
…Good. At least I hadn't lost an eye. I forced my eyelids open. Everything around me was gray. Dust. Smoke. Broken trees. Shattered stone. The entire forest had become a wasteland.
I found myself lying inside an enormous crater carved into the earth Cracks spread across the ground like a giant spider web.
Silence.
Every movement sent pain through my ribs. Blood dripped steadily. I could bear the pain, but with every breath I felt like my ribs were piercing my lungs and it was difficult to breathe. I felt like I was slowly suffocating.
"…Malvias?, where is he?."
I pushed Abyssdrinker into the ground and used it to pull myself onto my feet. I looked around carefully. but I found nothing.
"Raven!" A familiar voice echoed through the smoke. "Raven! Where are you?!" Another voice followed immediately. "Answer us!"
I exhaled quietly. They ignored my order…Using my sword as support, I walked toward their voices. The thick smoke slowly parted. Finally, I saw them.
Cara. Kalina. Princess Lyria. Along with several exhausted soldiers. All of them searching frantically. Cara was the first to notice me.
"…Raven!" She rushed forward. The others immediately followed. I stopped them with a single cold sentence.
"What are you doing here?" My voice was cold. "I told you to stay away."
Kalina frowned immediately. "What are we doing here?" She pointed at me. "You fought a battle that had nothing to do with you!." Her voice trembled with anger. "And we were supposed to stand there and watch while you risked your life?!"
I looked at her for a second before answering.
"…Yes."
Silence.
Princess Lyria stepped forward instead. Her silver eyes were red from crying. "It was my fault…" Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I insisted on coming. So… please don't be angry with them."
She slowly raised her hand. Her fingers reached toward the wound beneath my eye. Almost touching it. Before she could…I turned my head away.
Her hand froze in midair. A painful silence settled between us. Without looking at her, I spoke. "You all need to leave. This place isn't safe."
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw princess lower her hand. Her expression fell. She looked as though she wanted to say something…But no words came.
Cara stepped closer. "Where's Malvias? And… what in the heavens name was that explosion?" She looked directly into my eyes.
"Raven…Why don't you sit down for a bit and rest?…Just look at yourself. You're barely standing. How can you keep standing in this condition.?"
I tightened my grip on Abyssdrinker. "I'm fine."The lie left my mouth effortlessly. "You need to leave. The fight isn't over yet."
Just then I heard something.
Crunch.
A faint sound echoed through the ruined forest. Everyone immediately looked toward it. Kalina instinctively drew her sword.
"…Did you hear that?, Is that him?"
I didn't answer. Instead…I began walking toward the sound. "Stay here. And don't follow me."
Each step felt heavier than the last. I don't know what kept me standing until now; with every breath I took, I felt dizzy and as if I was about to to lose consciousness.
The smoke slowly drifted apart. Until…I finally saw him. Malvias. He was kneeling. Both arms hung lifelessly at his sides. A massive wound split his body diagonally—from his shoulder all the way to his abdomen.
It looked as though one more inch would have cut him clean in half. Blood soaked the ground beneath him. His breathing was shallow.
I tightened my grip around my sword. The moment he tried anything…I'd finish it. He slowly lifted his head. Our eyes met. A defeated smile appeared on his blood-covered face.
"…At first…" His voice was weak. "…I was a respectable man. I followed the law. I believed in justice. I helped people whenever I could."
He laughed bitterly.
"But…There are people who believe money… and noble blood…are the only things that matter. They look at honest people like garbage. Simply because they weren't born with a title."
His breathing became rough.
"So…I decided. If I wanted them to stop looking down on me…I'd become one of them." His smile twisted. "I built my own name. I climbed. I killed and crushed anyone who stood in my way. I erased everyone who mocked me."
"Until…" He laughed quietly. "I became exactly the kind of people…I hated. but I didn't stopped. I wanted more.and more. No matter how much I gained…It was never enough."
His trembling legs finally obeyed him. Slowly…He stood. "I believed…no one would ever stop me." He looked directly at me. "Then…you appeared." Blood continued dripping from the wound beneath my eye.
I simply watched him. Without interrupting.
He smiled. "My spies told me there was a young guardian who never left the princess. I laughed When I saw you at the banquet…I felt nothing. No pressure. No fear. No overwhelming mana. So I thought …if you ever became a problem…I'd simply kill you."
He lowered his head. "…I was wrong. You appeared from nowhere…And destroyed plans I spent years building."
My grip around Abyssdrinker tightened. He wasn't talking because he had accepted defeat. He was buying time. Preparing something. I could feel it.
He looked back up. A tired…Almost peaceful…Smile crossed his face. "I lost…to a little girl." Then…His smile widened. "But…If this is truly my end…I'm not dying alone."
My pupils shrank. Shadow Step. He vanished. Instantly. I twisted around—Behind me. In front of me. Nothing. Where—My heart skipped. I shouted.
"Princess!!"
He wasn't after me. He had appeared behind the princess. Before anyone could react—His bloodied hand seized her arm. Princess Lyria gasped.
"Let go!" She struggled violently. Kicking. Pulling. Trying to break free. But despite his condition…His grip remained like iron. He dragged her backward. Straight toward the cliff.
"Malvias!"
Cara screamed. Kalina sprinted forward. Too late. He stood at the edge. Wind howled around him. Blood poured from his body.
Yet he laughed. "If I'm going to die…I'll take your princess with me!"
"No!"
Lyria reached toward us. Toward me. Then—He stepped backward. The two of them disappeared over the edge. I didn't think. I didn't hesitate. I ran. Every muscle in my body screamed. With every movement, my ribs pressed against my lungs, ready to puncture them. My vision blurred.
None of it mattered. I threw myself from the cliff. The wind exploded around me. Below—Malvias still clutched princess's wrist. She struggled desperately.
I accelerated. Closer. Closer. Just a little—Now. I drove Abyssdrinker forward with everything I had left. " Don't let it heal itself; absorb everything, down to the last drop." The blade pierced straight through his chest. Into his heart. His eyes widened.
"No…"
Abyssdrinker pulsed happily. It immediately began devouring every fragment of mana left inside him. His strength vanished instantly. His fingers loosened.
I caughtprincess around the waist. With my foot—I kicked against Malvias' collapsing body. Using him as a foothold. Launching both of us away. The cliff rushed upward. Too fast. No time.
I pulled princess Lyria tightly against my chest. Wrapped both arms around her. Then twisted in midair. Putting my own body beneath hers.
The forest exploded beneath us. Branches snapped. Trees shattered. We crashed through countless limbs before slamming into the ground. The impact knocked every bit of air from my lungs. Then…Darkness.
I don't know how much time passed. Seconds. Minutes. Hours. When consciousness finally returned…Opening my eyes felt impossible. My eyelids weighed as much as stone.
My back burned. My waist felt broken. Every breath stabbed through my chest. Without opening my eyes, I muttered weakly,
"…This so fucking hurts…"
A quiet laugh mixed with a sob answered me. I slowly forced my eyes open. The first thing I saw…Was terrified faces staring down at me.
For a single second…My thoughts scattered. Everything around me blurred into indistinct shapes, and the world refused to stay still.
I blinked slowly.
" Sam…!! " I whispered weakly, barely recognizing my own voice. "Sis… what's happening…? Where am I… ahhh My whole body hurts?"
A distant voice answered. "Raven!" The sound echoed as though it came from underwater. "Raven! Can you hear me?!"
I closed my eyes for only a heartbeat. Then everything returned.…Right. I fell from the cliff. My eyes snapped open. Pain exploded through every bone the moment I tried to sit up. Before I could move farther, a hand pressed firmly against my shoulder.
"Don't." Princess Lyria's voice was unusually firm. "Do not get up. Don't even try to move."
I looked at her. Her silver hair was covered with dust. Her face was stained with dirt. Her silver eyes…They were swollen from crying. Despite all this, she looked like an angel descended from heaven.
"…Are you alright?" I asked quietly.
For a moment she simply stared at me. Then sadness spread across her face. "I'm the one who should be asking that." She lowered her head. "I'm fine. You should worry about yourself."
I ignored the pain and tried to sit up again. "I'm alright…" She immediately placed both hands on my shoulders and pushed me back down. "I told you not to move!" There was anger in her voice. "You're not alright, Raven."
"…But Malvias…"
"He is dead."
Kara answered before princess could. I turned my head. Kara stood nearby, exhausted but unharmed. "He landed not far from here. The fight is over."
For several silent seconds… I simply stared at the sky. It's finally over. A long breath escaped my lips.
"Kara…My sword." She immediately understood. "Could you bring it to me?, But don't touch it directly. Use cloth… a branch… anything."
Her expression became serious. She nodded once. "I know. I'll be careful." Without another word she left.
I turned toward Kalina. "The black book…The one Malvias used. It should still be beside his body. If I recover enough mana…I should be able to reverse the transformation of everyone who became monsters. Could you retrieve it?, And keep it with you until I wake up."
Kalina smiled. "Leave it to me." She turned and disappeared into the forest after Kara.
Only princess and I remained. Silence settled between us. She continued staring at every wound covering my body. Trying to lighten the mood, I gave her a small smile.
"Don't worry. I won't die from scratches like these. They barely hurt."
Her eyebrows twitched. "…Scratches?" She suddenly squeezed myside. Hard.
"Ow..Ow…" Pain shot through my body. " please. Stop. That fucking hurts…"
She glared at me. "Then admit it!, If it hurts, then say it hurts!. Why do you always pretend you're fine?. Why do you always act like you're invincible?. Why can't you just tell the truth?. Why do you insist on doing everything alone? Why won't you let anyone help you?"
I looked away.
"…Because…I don't want to depend on anyone to save me. Even if I'm at my weakest… I would rather fight alone."
"…Idiot." She muttered it so quietly I almost missed it. "And now be quiet and save your strength. We'll talk about this later. Do you understand?."
I looked at her and said in jokingly, as if her words had hurt me, "I am an Idiot."
" yes." She crossed her arms. " you are a very big Idiot."
She's like a little child. A faint laugh escaped me. Immediately, pain stabbed through my ribs.
"Please…" I winced. "Don't make me laugh…It really hurts… I can barely breathe."
Instead of smiling…Her expression only became more worried. I sighed. "I'm really alright. But could you do something for me?"
She nodded instantly. " of course. Anything."
"The dagger…that wounded me."
Her face immediately paled. "You mean the dagger I used to stab you?"
" NO." I looked at her with a small smile. "You didn't stab me. Malvias did. He was controlling you. So don't blame yourself for something you didn't do."
She lowered her head And tears fell from her eyes. I hadn't realized until this moment that she was holding my hand, so I gently squeezed her hand. " please Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault."
I said with smirk. " don't worry, I'm not planning to die yet."
She looked at me and nodded slowly. "What do you need me to do?"
"The dagger.I dropped it somewhere around here after we fell. can you Find it for me. I need to destroy it. As long as it exists…Its curse may continue suppressing my mana. can you help me please."
She swallowed hard before nodding.
"I'll find it." She stood. Before leaving, she pointed a finger directly at me. "Don't move and don't you dare get up or you'll regret it. Do you hear me?"
Despite everything…I smiled. "I wasn't planning to."
She gave me a suspicious look. "You'd better not." she finally walked away.
Silence returned. I lay flat upon the cool earth. The evening sky had turned dark. Every breath hurt. Every heartbeat echoed through broken ribs. Every muscle screamed in protest. I closed my eyes. Just for a moment.
…
Then…I felt it again . That presence. That overwhelming mana. The same ancient pressure I had sensed when I first arrived in this forest. Except…This time…It wasn't far away. It was beside me.
My eyes opened instantly. She was standing there. Watching me silently. A tall figure draped in flowing robes. A translucent veil concealed her entire face. I couldn't tell whether she was woman or man or even Human.
I instinctively tried to rise. My body refused. Something held me down. An invisible force. Even my mouth refused to move. I couldn't speak. Couldn't even blink. She simply looked at me.
Then…She spoke. Her voice was deep. Ancient. It echoed inside my mind more than through the air. "You are still far too weak." A long silence followed. "…Though…You fought well tonight."
My fingers twitched. Still unable to move.
"But that is not enough. You must become far stronger. Far stronger than you are now." Her gaze seemed to pierce through my soul. "Your next battle is already waiting. When you return…"
Another pause. Then…"we are always watching you. Since the beginning. We have seen your past, we are watching your present, and we know your future."
She lowered her head. " But there is one thing we haven't understood. Tell me how you broke the spell on the princess. We looked into your future a lot, but we couldn't find that moment when you broke the spell, as if something was prevent us from looking."
A chill crawled down my spine. Chosen…? What…does she mean?
" We know you well and we know you won't tell us anything, but we'll find out eventually." She turned away and began walking toward the dark forest.
The invisible pressure vanished. Air rushed back into my lungs. My body obeyed me again. Ignoring every scream of pain.
I forced myself onto my feet. Blood immediately soaked through the bandages around my waist. I staggered after her.
"Wait!" My voice echoed weakly. "Who are you?!. What do you mean by all of this?!"
She stopped. But she never turned around. "The time has not yet come for you to know the truth." The wind carried her words through the trees. "Continue walking. Seek true strength. And when time itself reaches its end…We shall meet again."
A breeze swept through the forest. The branches rustled. Her silhouette blurred. Then…She was gone. As though she had never existed.
I stumbled toward where she had vanished. But every step became heavier than the last. Blood continued dripping onto the forest floor. My vision darkened.
"Raven!" Princess's voice. Very close. Very angry. "I told you not to stand!"
I barely heard her. My thoughts remained trapped on the mysterious woman. Who… was she? What did she mean by… chosen one? And…What is waiting for me?
Princess rabbed my arm. "Raven! I saw you talking to someone!. Who was that?"
I slowly turned toward her. Confusion spread across my face. "…Someone?" I asked quietly. "I… don't know what you're talking about."
Her eyes widened.
"…What?"
Before she could say another word…A wave of overwhelming exhaustion struck me. My knees gave way. The world tilted. Darkness swallowed everything once more.
The last thing I felt…Was princess Lyria catching me before I hit the ground. Then…Everything disappeared.