Maxwell’s fist stopped just inches away from Borzoi’s face.

The violent pressure behind the attack still exploded outward, causing the already destroyed ground beneath Borzoi to crack apart even further.

Dust rose everywhere.

The golden dragon aura surrounding Maxwell continued raging wildly while his glowing eyes slowly turned toward the direction of the voice that interrupted him.

"Don’t!"

It was Frazanna.

She stood several meters away now together with the Holy Knights and the Border Town guard knights who had rushed toward the battlefield after hearing the nonstop explosions earlier.

Even they looked horrified after seeing the current state of the area.

The battlefield no longer looked human.

Massive craters covered the land everywhere.

Burning trees filled the surroundings.

The earth itself looked crushed repeatedly by overwhelming force.

And at the center of all that destruction—

Were Maxwell and Borzoi.

One standing like a furious dragon.

The other kneeling while barely holding himself together.

Frazanna’s face looked pale from shock.

Not because Borzoi was injured.

But because Maxwell himself no longer looked normal.

Golden scales covered most of his body now.

His eyes resembled those of a beast.

Even the dragon-shaped shadow behind him still lingered overhead faintly.

"Maxwell!"

Her voice carried obvious panic now.

"Stop this!"

The Holy Knights behind her immediately moved forward as well, though they clearly looked nervous approaching the battlefield now.

One of them swallowed hard before speaking carefully.

"Sir Maxwell... enough."

Another Holy Knight quickly added.

"He’s already defeated."

"Yes!"

Another one immediately followed.

"There’s no need to continue any further!"

Even the Border Town guard knights looked uneasy now.

Especially after seeing Borzoi nearly beaten to death.

Though they were originally wary of him because of his origins, Borzoi had still helped them defend the town repeatedly these past few days.

They had seen him fight countless beasts personally.

Seen him risk his life repeatedly protecting the walls.

So seeing him like this now—

Naturally made them anxious.

One of the older guard knights slowly stepped forward.

"Please stop this battle."

His voice sounded respectful but tense.

"If this continues..."

He glanced around at the destroyed battlefield.

"...the entire area might collapse."

Maxwell stared at them silently.

His chest continued rising heavily while dragon mana leaked nonstop from his body.

Meanwhile Borzoi remained kneeling nearby, breathing heavily while blood continued dripping onto the ruined ground beneath him.

His body looked terrible now.

Bruises.

Broken bones.

Deep claw wounds.

Even his red Berserk skin had started fading slightly from exhaustion.

Yet despite that—

He still laughed weakly.

"Heh..."

Blood dripped from his mouth.

"So many people suddenly showing up..."

Maxwell ignored him.

His golden eyes remained fixed toward Frazanna and the others.

The dragon scales across his body still pulsed faintly while the beast-like aura around him refused to settle completely.

Inside his mind—

His master sounded extremely worried.

Calm down.

Your transformation is still unstable.

If you keep pushing further, your consciousness might completely collapse into the dragon veins.

Maxwell clenched his fists tightly.

His breathing remained rough.

He looked back at Borzoi again.

Then toward the others.

Frazanna slowly approached another step.

"Maxwell..."

Her voice softened slightly now.

"Please stop."

Maxwell finally spoke.

"You don’t understand."

His voice sounded lower now.

Rougher.

Almost like something else mixed within it.

The Holy Knights exchanged uneasy glances.

Frazanna frowned slightly.

"What do you mean?"

Maxwell remained silent briefly.

Inside his mind, memories surfaced again.

The raging beasts.

Destroyed villages.

Dead civilians.

The endless chaos spreading across the continent.

And then—

Borzoi.

This tribe.

These strange warriors.

The connection was too obvious.

Too suspicious.

His master had already confirmed it earlier.

This tribe was involved somehow.

Maxwell was sure of it.

Yet—

He could not say it openly.

Not yet.

Because he still lacked certainty.

And because—

Something about this entire situation felt wrong.

Especially after hearing Borzoi repeatedly mention someone called Young Warchief.

Just remembering that title made Maxwell’s instincts tighten strangely.

As though another monster existed somewhere nearby.

Watching.

Waiting.

Frazanna slowly continued speaking.

"Maxwell... whatever happened..."

She glanced at Borzoi briefly.

"...you already won."

The Border Town guard knights nodded repeatedly.

"Yes."

"You proved your strength already."

"There’s no need to kill him."

Even some Holy Knights began trying to calm him down further.

"Sir Maxwell..."

"Please think carefully."

"If you kill him now, this situation may become worse."

One of the older Holy Knights narrowed his eyes seriously.

"We still don’t fully understand what’s happening in this continent."

Maxwell’s expression tightened slightly.

Exactly.

That was the problem.

Nobody understood.

Nobody saw the danger properly.

His fists slowly clenched tighter.

"You all don’t understand."

The dragon aura around him flared again briefly.

The surrounding people instinctively stepped backward slightly.

Maxwell lowered his head for a moment.

Then looked at Borzoi again coldly.

"For him..."

His voice grew quieter now.

More dangerous.

"...this isn’t just some random fight."

Borzoi spat blood onto the ground before laughing weakly again.

"Heh..."

"So dramatic."

Maxwell ignored the taunt completely.

Inside his mind, the images returned again.

The beasts.

The deaths.

The destruction.

The strange powder.

The uncontrollable evolution of monsters.

This tribe knew something.

They had to.

Yet Maxwell stopped himself from speaking further.

Because even now—

He still lacked proof.

And deep inside—

Another feeling lingered.

Unease.

Because if Borzoi alone was already this terrifying...

Then what exactly—

Was that Young Warchief monster he kept talking about?

Maxwell’s fists slowly tightened once more.

Golden mana still leaked endlessly from his body while the dragon shadow above the battlefield continued glaring down like an ancient predator watching everyone beneath it.

The atmosphere remained tense.

No one dared move carelessly anymore.

Not the Holy Knights.

Not the Border Town guards.

Not even Frazanna.

Because everyone could feel it clearly.

Maxwell was barely holding himself back.

Meanwhile Borzoi remained kneeling nearby, breathing heavily while blood dripped continuously from his wounds. His remaining arm trembled slightly from exhaustion, yet despite looking terrible, his eyes still carried that same savage stubbornness.

"Heh..."

He spat another mouthful of blood.

"You done glaring yet?"

Maxwell ignored him completely.

Inside his mind, his master continued warning him nonstop.

Do not lose control now.

Your body is unstable.

If the dragon veins completely awaken, you may not return to normal.

But Maxwell barely listened anymore.

His eyes remained fixed on Borzoi.

Then suddenly—

Thud.

Something landed beside his feet.

Everyone froze.

Maxwell’s eyes immediately moved downward.

A knife.

No—

A black dagger.

Its blade had buried itself halfway into the ruined ground beside him silently.

It was like intimidation.

But there had been no warning.

No sound.

No magic.

No mana.

No visible movement beforehand.

It had simply appeared there.

But it was strong.

Enough to penetrate the ground and enough to not make him sense it.

The surrounding Holy Knights immediately became alert.

The Border Town guards also grabbed their weapons instinctively.

Even Borzoi slowly raised his head.

Maxwell’s eyes narrowed.

The dagger looked simple at first glance.

Black handle.

Dark blade.

No decorations.

Yet the moment he looked at it closely—

His instincts screamed.

Danger.

Not from the dagger itself.

From the person who threw it.

Then— 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

A calm female voice echoed nearby.

"You are making too much noise."