WHOOSH—!!
Lilya's body shot forward.
[Quick Step]
Her steps were no longer as light as before.
Still fast.
Still far beyond ordinary human capability.
But now—
every step felt heavy.
As if invisible chains were wrapped around both her legs.
Before her—
the three Hell Wolves moved simultaneously.
"AUUUURRHHH—!!"
No pause.
No signal.
They ran like three black shadows sweeping across the ground, their long claws tearing through dry grass, leaving dark scars on the earth they passed.
WHOOSH—!!
The first Hell Wolf leaped.
Its mouth gaped wide.
Black fangs aimed straight for Lilya's neck.
[Battle Instinct]
The world slowed again.
Angle of attack.
Direction of the leap.
Landing point.
Lilya twisted her body.
WHOOSH—!!
The bite only met empty air.
But the second Hell Wolf was already coming from the right.
CRAAKK—!!
Its long claws swept toward Lilya's waist.
Lilya tilted her body.
Most of the attack was evaded.
But—
SHRK—!!
The tip of the claw still grazed her left side.
Her clothes tore.
Her skin opened.
Fresh red blood flowed slowly.
Lilya gritted her teeth.
Before she could strike back—
the third Hell Wolf had already pounced from behind.
[Quick Step]
WHOOSH—!!
She forced her body to move.
Too late.
SHRAAKK—!!
Four red lines appeared on her right shoulder.
Her body was pushed several steps forward.
"...gh..."
She nearly lost her balance.
But the blue light sword in her hand kept moving.
[Sword Slash]
SHHHKK—!!
The first Hell Wolf was split in two before it could even land.
Its body tumbled across the ground.
It did not rise again.
Two remained.
The other two Hell Wolves did not stop.
They circled Lilya again.
Fast.
Silent.
Waiting for an opening.
Lilya took a long breath.
The wound on her waist was still bleeding.
The wound on her shoulder burned.
Normally—
wounds like this would have started to close.
But now—
they did not.
She glanced briefly at the wound on her arm.
Blood was still dripping.
The torn skin showed no sign of regeneration.
The healing effect of [Veil Resonance] was almost gone.
The golden aura enveloping her body was still there.
But only as thin as mist.
No longer able to repair her body as quickly as before.
"AUUUURRHHH—!!"
The two Hell Wolves attacked together.
One from the left.
One from the right.
[Battle Instinct]
Lilya spun her body.
Her sword moved.
[Precision Cut]
SHHK—!!
The neck of the Hell Wolf on the left was severed.
The monster's body collapsed immediately.
But—
the last Hell Wolf managed to close in.
CRAAKK—!!
Its black claws swept across her arm again.
Skin tore.
Blood sprayed.
The wound was much deeper.
Lilya struck back almost simultaneously.
[Chain Strike]
SHHK—
SHHK—!!
Two slashes.
The last Hell Wolf's body was split into two pieces.
Thud.
Silence.
All three Hell Wolves were dead.
But Lilya had no time to feel relief.
"...hhh..."
Her breath grew shorter.
"...hhh..."
Her vision grew harder to focus.
The world before her swayed again.
The trees seemed to spin.
The shadows of the fallen monsters seemed to still be standing.
"...still... not yet..."
She tried to take one step.
Her body wobbled instead.
"...this is bad..."
Her hand trembled more violently.
"...my eyes..."
Her eyelids blinked several times.
"...are getting..."
The entire world blurred into fog.
"...more blurry..."
"Hhh..."
Suddenly—
her chest felt as if it was being crushed from within.
Not heat.
But cold.
Cold that pierced, creeping from the wound on her waist, seeping into her exhausted muscles, making them feel heavier, more numb.
Poison.
The poison that had been suppressed by [Veil Resonance]—now stirred again.
More viciously.
Because the fresh wound from the Hell Wolf's claws carried new poison that immediately merged with the old poison still lingering in her body.
Lilya's body began to feel as if filled with molten lead—cold, heavy, and increasingly difficult to move.
Her heart pounded wildly, not from heat, but from her body fighting against the weight that kept piling up.
The blood vessels in her left arm began to darken—not a sign of burning, but a sign that her blood flow was slowing, obstructed by the spreading poison.
The cold crept to her shoulder.
Down to her chest.
Up to her neck.
Her heart pounded wildly again.
THUMP!!
THUMP!!
THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP!!
Her vision darkened further.
Her legs gave way.
Her body nearly collapsed.
THUD—
Her right knee nearly touched the ground.
But before she could completely fall—
Lilya stopped herself.
Her hand drove the tip of her light sword into the ground.
CRAAAK—
The sword became her support.
She gritted her teeth so hard that a grinding sound echoed.
"...not yet..."
Her breath came in gasps.
"...not yet..."
Tears mixed with sweat dripped from her chin.
"...I..."
Her hand trembled.
Her entire body seemed to refuse to stand.
But she forced it.
The golden aura that was almost extinguished flickered again.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
slowly burned brighter.
Unstable.
Trembling.
But still alive.
"[Veil Resonance]..."
she whispered.
"...full... activation..."
Every muscle in her body screamed in pain.
Her body felt as if it were being forced to lift a mountain.
But Lilya remained standing.
Because as long as she could still stand—
as long as that sword remained in her hand—
she had not lost yet.
Suddenly, a deafening roar shook the entire forest.
"GROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRR—!!!"
The ground trembled.
Not from footsteps.
But from something much heavier that had just leaped.
Lilya's already blurry eyes caught a massive shadow shooting from afar.
"...!"
Hell Kong.
The giant primate monster bent both knees.
The ground beneath its feet cracked.
BOOM—!!
Its body launched into the air.
Leaping over dozens of meters in a single bound.
The massive shadow blocked out the moonlight.
The air above Lilya's head suddenly felt heavy.
[Battle Instinct]
Danger.
Very high.
Lilya's body moved before her mind could catch up.
Hell Kong raised its right arm high.
Its black muscles bulged.
Dark magic aura gathered along its arm, forming a swirling vortex that pulsed wildly.
[Brutal Punch]
"GRRRAAAAAAAHHHHH—!!!"
The giant fist fell.
Not just a punch.
But like a meteor striking the earth.
[Flow Guard]
A thin golden aura enveloped Lilya's body.
Not to block.
But to redirect the flow of force coming at her.
But—
that alone was not enough.
[Quick Step]
WHOOSH—!!
Lilya's body vanished a split second before Hell Kong's fist struck the ground.
BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM—!!!
The earth exploded outward in all directions.
Rocks the size of human heads flew through the air.
Tree roots were torn from the ground.
The shockwave hit Lilya from the side, throwing her several meters until both her feet scraped across the ground.
"...gh..."
She nearly lost her balance.
Her eyes widened.
If that punch had hit her directly...
with [Veil Resonance] already weakened...
she knew the result.
There would be no second chance.
She would die instantly.
Before she could catch her breath—
[Battle Instinct]
Danger.
Behind.
WHOOSH—!!
A long spear with a black tip shot straight toward her back.
Thick poison dripped from its blade.
Goblin Rider.
"...!"
[Mirror Step]
Illusion.
Her body split into two at the spot where she stood.
One Lilya figure still stood in the original position—impaled by the spear that shot straight through her chest.
The Goblin Rider almost smiled.
But its smile faded.
Because that figure—
vanished.
Ash.
Light.
Gone.
An illusion.
While the real Lilya—
was already beside the Goblin Rider.
Her sword swept low.
SHHK—!!
The front leg of the Goblin Rider's wolf mount was cleanly severed.
"GI—?!"
The wolf lost its balance.
The Goblin Rider's body was thrown forward.
But even before the monster could turn—
Lilya was already right in front of it.
[Sword Slash]
SHHHHK—!!
The Goblin Rider's head flew high into the air.
The headless body hadn't even fallen yet.
[Chain Strike]
Six consecutive slashes.
The wolf mount's body was cut into six small pieces that scattered through the air along with a rain of black blood.
Chunks of flesh fell across the ground.
"..."
But there was no time to savor victory.
"?!!"
Her instincts screamed again.
Hell Kong.
WHOOSH—!!
The monster's left arm was already before her.
Faster.
Heavier.
More lethal.
Its giant muscles bulged again.
Dark magic swirled around its arm.
[Brute Hammer]
The arm struck from above like a giant hammer.
[Quick Step]
WHOOSH—!!
Lilya vanished just before the blow destroyed where she stood.
BOOOOOOMMMMM—!!!
The ground caved in.
Cracks spread for dozens of meters.
Nearby trees shook violently.
Not over yet.
Hell Kong spun its body.
Both fists clenched together.
Dark aura enveloped both fists.
[Crushing Smash]
"GRROOOOOAAARRR—!!"
Both fists struck the ground simultaneously.
DUUUUUUMMMMM—!!!
The shockwave exploded in all directions.
Lilya raised her sword before her body.
[Flow Guard]
Even though she managed to reduce the impact—
her body was still pushed back several meters.
But—
blood.
Not from external wounds.
But from within.
A dry cough shook her chest.
Not an ordinary cough.
A cough born from abdominal muscles too weak to withstand the pressure.
And in one heave—
tight—
dark red blood burst from her mouth.
Not because her organs were burning.
Not because poison was destroying her from within.
But because the muscles in her throat—which should have held—were too paralyzed to do so.
The poison did not kill her with fire.
But slowly—made her body too weak to keep living.
"hhh... hhh..."
Blood still dripped from the corner of her lips.
Her breath choked.
Her vision blurred.
But her hand—
still gripped the sword.
And her eyes—
still stared ahead.
Toward the Hell Kong that began to move again.
Meanwhile, on the narrow path that had opened between the trees that moved on their own—
their footsteps continued to echo among the ancient trunks.
Harlan walked in the center of the formation.
Rhett in front, his sword half-drawn.
Bram on the right flank, his large axe resting on his shoulder.
Darian on the left, his hand never far from his sword's hilt.
And Kael at the rear—watching the path they had come from, bow still drawn, arrow nocked between his fingers.
They did not speak much.
Everyone was too tired to utter unnecessary words.
And everyone was too alert to ignore a single heartbeat of this silent forest.
"..."
Harlan suddenly raised his head.
His weary eyes widened for a moment.
"...there..."
He stopped.
His steps halted in the middle of the path.
Rhett immediately turned.
"What?"
Harlan frowned. His trembling hand pressed against his left temple, as if trying to hear something from afar—something that ordinary ears could not perceive.
"...there's... in... front..."
His voice was soft, yet clear.
"...enemy..."
Rhett immediately raised his right hand.
A signal to stop.
Bram halted his axe in mid-air.
Darian crouched low, his eyes scanning ahead.
Kael lowered his bow slightly—but did not release the arrow from the string.
"Enemy?" repeated Rhett, his voice low.
Harlan nodded slowly. "That's what she said."
No one asked who "she" was.
Because they all already knew.
That voice—the same one that had opened this path—was now giving another warning through Harlan.
Rhett looked ahead.
The path before them was still dark.
The trees still stood on both sides, silent and still.
But—
his instincts began to stir.
"Keep your distance," Rhett whispered. "Maintain formation."
They continued walking.
This time slower.
More cautiously.
Each step felt heavier than before.
And then—
Kael stopped.
"...hey."
His voice was soft.
But his tone—was different.
Not from exhaustion.
Not from anxiety.
But because he saw something.
"My gut feeling is bad..."
He swallowed.
Everyone stopped immediately.
Their eyes followed Kael's gaze.
Forward.
Toward the dark end of the path.
And there—
in the middle of the thin mist that drifted slowly—
a figure stood.
Tall.
Thin.
Facing away from them.
It did not move.
Did not speak.
Just stood—like a statue that had been there for centuries.
But what made everyone freeze—
was not its posture.
Not its sudden presence.
But what hung at its waist.
Three swords.
Each almost as long as an adult's chest height.
And all three—
were shrouded in a black aura.
Pulsing slowly.
Like an unnatural heartbeat.
"...samurai..." Bram whispered.
His voice was barely audible.
But it was enough to make everyone tense.
In the Kingdom of Kansai, which had fallen several hundred years ago, samurai were an elite warrior caste. They served great clans, loyal unto death, and were renowned for their extraordinary combat abilities—both with the sword and with the elemental magic they commanded.
But that kingdom had long vanished.
No one knew exactly how its destruction came about.
What remained were only ruins of history and old tales passed from mouth to mouth.
And now—
one of them stood before them.
With three swords.
Shrouded in the same black aura as the other monsters they had faced tonight.
"That's not human..." Kael said softly.
His eyes did not blink.
"...it's already dead."
They could all feel it.
From a distance, from the aura enveloping that figure—the smell of unnatural death. Not the smell of rotting flesh, but the smell of something that had long stopped breathing, yet was still forced to move.
The samurai slowly began to move.
Not to attack.
Not to turn around.
But—
its hand moved.
Slowly.
As if drawing something from behind its back.
Rhett immediately shouted.
"Everyone!!"
"On guard!!"
WHOOSH—!!
The three swords at the samurai's back were drawn in one fluid motion.
There was no sound of metal scraping.
Only the hiss of air being split—like three blades of wind flying through space.
"Scatter!!"
Rhett shouted, leaping to the side.
Bram stepped back quickly.
Darian rolled to the left.
Kael ducked and released his arrow in one motion—
SHKK—!!
The arrow shot straight toward the samurai's chest.
But—
the first sword moved.
CLANG—!!
The arrow was split in two in mid-air.
Without the samurai turning around.
Without it actually looking.
Its right hand moved like a shadow, cutting down an arrow that had come from behind with perfect precision.
Kael's eyes widened.
"...what...?"
Before he could react—
the second sword was already moving.
SHHHK—!!
A long-range slash shot toward Rhett.
Rhett raised his sword.
CLAAANG—!!
He blocked it.
But his body was pushed back several steps.
The ground beneath his feet was scraped long.
"...heavy..." he muttered softly, his eyes narrowing.
"That sword is no ordinary sword."
The samurai finally turned around.
Slowly.
As if in no hurry.
And when its face was finally visible—
they all fell silent.
No eyes.
No expression.
Only an old iron mask with a crack on the right cheek—and empty eye sockets, dark and hollow.
But from behind that mask—
a pair of red dots glowed.
The samurai raised all three swords.
One forward.
One to the side.
One upward.
The black aura on all three blades began to pulse faster.
And inside his head—
that voice whispered again.
"...be careful..."
Harlan heard it.
Clearly.
"...he... is... not... ordinary... human..."
"...he... is... a Shura..."
Harlan did not understand that word.
But from its tone—
he knew.
This was no ordinary monster.
And far more dangerous.