Thin smoke still drifted from the scorched, rocky ground.
The remains of giant trees lay scattered, flattened by overwhelming waves of energy.
Rare stood calmly in the middle of the destruction.
He looked neat and composed, letting the massive sword Excalibur remain planted in the ground beside him.
He tilted his head slightly, gazing at the evening sky that had begun to glow golden.
"Hah… Arrow, I kind of miss those two…" Rare said softly, his gentle tone completely at odds with the devastation around him.
Arrow, who was sitting on a fallen tree trunk while wiping his bow, glanced over.
The agile young man smiled faintly. "Wanna go to them? Sure, but it'll take a while to get there."
Rare smiled sweetly and closed his eyes for a moment. "I don't think we need to, Arrow."
"Huh? Why?"
"Because the ground is already shaking," Rare replied with his usual innocent smile, his hand slowly gripping Excalibur's handle. "Two noisy monsters are running toward us."
Right on cue
BOOM! BOOM!
The sound of explosions echoed in the distance.
Two silhouettes shot forward at high speed, tearing through the towering trees.
Tora leaped high, hovering for a split second before crashing down, creating a three-meter-wide crater. Dust burst into the air.
Beside him, Scyte landed without a sound, like a shadow slipping out of space itself.
"HEY! You two the ones who turned this forest into a bald wasteland?!" Tora shouted, his voice booming across the area.
The dust slowly settled.
Arrow jumped down from the fallen tree, grinning brightly. "Tora! Scyte! You guys actually came all the way here!"
But Tora and Scyte's eyes were fixed on the tall figure standing calmly behind Arrow.
Tora lowered his axe, his jaw slightly open beneath the blindfold. "Wait… hold on… that's seriously the crybaby Rare?! You're 190 cm now?!"
Scyte burst into laughter, pointing at Rare. "Bwahahaha! Rare! What the hell did you eat in this forest?! You used to be just up to my shoulder! Now you're even taller than Tora!"
"Tch. It's just 9 cm, relax. I'm still way bigger," Tora replied casually.
"Just admit it already, Tora. Damn, that giant sword actually fits him perfectly now!"
Rare smiled gently.
He pulled Excalibur from the ground with a light motion, then bowed slightly. "It's been a while, Tora… Scyte. You both look very healthy… and muscular."
"Tch. That weird politeness of yours hasn't changed at all," Tora clicked his tongue, though the grin on his face was impossible to hide.
He stepped forwacu then suddenly threw a punch straight at Rare's face.
A greeting punch that could destroy almost anything.
BAM!
Rare was blasted backward, crashing through the giant trees behind him...
But as the dust began to clear, his left hand had already stopped Tora's massive fist.
There was no shockwave. No recoil.
He hadn't even changed his stance.
Rare held back Tora's raw strength effortlessly, still wearing that gentle smile.
From the distance, Rare called out, "That was a very strong punch, Tora. Thank you."
Tora pulled his hand back, smiling in satisfaction. "Heh. Not bad, rare."
Arrow walked over, slinging an arm over Scyte's shoulder while chuckling. "So, what brings you guys all the way here? Usually when you show up, it means work."
Scyte spun his scythe once. His playful expression faded slightly into something more serious. "Sharp instinct, archer. The boss finally came out of his 'long sleep' in the lab. And he told us to gather."
At the mention of No Name, the relaxed reunion atmosphere instantly shifted.
The air around them grew heavier.
Rare planted his sword into the ground again. His smile didn't fade, but his eyes sharpened.
Arrow adjusted his grip on his bow.
"If the boss is out…" Tora muttered, resting his axe on his shoulder. "Then our peaceful days are over."
He smirked.
"Let's go. The Four Pawns have work to do."
And so, the four monsters who had reached the peak of their physical strength and technique walked side by side.
Leaving behind the ruined forest, as they returned to their King of Darkness.