Huff. Huff.

Fiona clenched her blade with both hands, staring at the moth-like beast before her with a resolute gaze.

Countless flickers of light traced through the air around it, threads weaving in constant motion. Though small in size, it carried the presence of an apex predator guarding its domain.

Fiona bore multiple deep gashes across her body, blood seeping from them heavily enough to pool beneath her feet.

She felt exhausted; however, the light in her eyes hadn’t dimmed the slightest.

’I can’t fail him.’

The young lord had entrusted the protection of the village to her. After everything he had done for her, there was no way she could fail him.

Regardless, the beast’s threads had shut down every attempt she made to get close.

Even with Slip Step, she had nearly been severed in half multiple times.

She had been trained in footwork and technique, drilled into her from a young age. In every battle, you evade, you parry, and you retaliate. That was the foundation of combat.

However, Fiona couldn’t help but recall something Zephyrion had told her.

’Control...’

Control wasn’t only about swinging the sword precisely. It was about shaping the situation to produce the outcome you wanted, no matter the circumstances.

She had been trying to evade every single thread. Maybe that had been her mistake.

’It’s worth a try.’

Fiona exhaled slowly, metal aura churning around her.

"Slip step." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

She shot forward.

Threads sliced toward her from multiple angles. But Fiona flowed like liquid metal, weaving through them.

The closer she got, the faster they came, and the harder they became to avoid. She slipped through them and reached the beast, but before she could strike, another thread appeared before her, inches away from cutting her in two.

Normally, this would have been Fiona’s cue to retreat.

However, she gritted her teeth. Metal condensed around her arm as she swept it toward the thread. The thread sliced through the metal instantly, carving through her flesh and reaching the bone.

"Hrk!"

But Fiona pushed through the pain and forced her arm aside. Blood splattered through the air, spraying onto the beast and blinding it for a moment.

SCREECH!

The beast let out a piercing scream, its threads flaring wildly around it. The threads tore through Fiona’s body, but she didn’t hesitate.

She pressed forward without pause and drove her blade straight ahead.

It pierced through the beast’s open mouth and burst out from the back.

As the beast went limp and collapsed lifelessly, Fiona slumped to the floor.

Her breaths came ragged, overwhelming pain crashing over her senses. But there was a faint smile on her face.

She had won.

...

"They’re all dead!"

The village head clenched his fists as the last of the beasts fell.

"Woo!"

"We actually won!"

Many of the warriors were pale from exhaustion, but they still cheered at the top of their lungs.

The village head exchanged relieved glances with the other elders before nodding to himself.

’It’s thanks to him.’

That young Calderalth warrior. He had been the one to warn them about the attack and set this plan into motion.

The village head, in all his life, had never encountered such a terrifying youth. First the beast horde, then Guren, and now this.

It had only been days since he arrived, yet it felt as though he held this place in the palm of his hands.

’What an insane child.’

"Wow... this is a surprise."

The village head froze at the cold voice. His head snapped toward the edge of the forest, where a slender man stepped slowly into the clearing.

The moment he felt the dangerous aura seeping from him, the village head tensed instantly.

"Who are you!?"

The village head raised his blade. The other elders and warriors followed suit, weapons drawn as they stared at the man warily.

"I mean, I expected some resistance, but not... this. You really wiped them out..."

Dune didn’t seem to hear the question, his gaze lingering on the dead beasts, a faint flicker of surprise passing through his eyes.

"I asked you a question!"

"Hm?"

Dune blinked, finally turning his attention to the village head.

The village head felt a suffocating pressure settle over him, but he clenched his fist and held his ground.

"You’re that warden from the Iron Heresy, aren’t you? The one behind all of this!"

Dune’s eyes narrowed to slits. A dangerous aura slipped from him.

"You... how did you know that?"

"He told us everything about you! You’ve been running your filthy experiments in our forest!"

"...Guren?"

The village head clenched his fists, a dull ache settling in his chest, but he shook his head.

"No. The warrior from Calderalth," he said. "But it’s over now. We’ve crushed your plan, and you’re going to answer for it! Tome construct!"

Even as the humanoid metal construct took shape before the village head and the other warriors raised their weapons, staring at him with killing intent, Dune didn’t seem to register any of them.

’So it was him...’

The purple eyed boy he’d seen earlier... he had been the reason all of this was happening.

The very thought sent a chill through Dune’s chest.

They had not only known about the attack, but also their affiliation and the fact that he was a warden. The sheer level of insight required...

Dune’s gaze narrowed.

No matter how much he had searched, he hadn’t been able to find the warrior.

If he had known about the Iron Heresy and that a warden would strike tonight, then he must know the purpose of a warden. He must know that he was guarding a scientist!

’Then...!’

Dune’s eyes widened. If he wasn’t here, did that mean...

’Victor!’

Dune was about to turn when a shout cut through the air.

"Attack!"

The Tome construct surged toward him. The other warriors unleashed their attacks as well, and metal rained down on him from all sides.

Tch.

Dune clicked his tongue, his eyes sharpening.

"Metal Aura."

A smooth, formless layer condensed around his body as a blade formed in his arm.

A streak of light flashed through the night.

Faint lines traced across the construct and every incoming attack. They flared briefly, then vanished into nothing.

"W-what...?"

The village head, along with every elder, trembled.

A cold light flickered through Dune’s gaze as he looked at them.

"I don’t have time for this—I’ll end it."

"Yo—"

The village head’s eyes widened as Dune appeared before him in a flash.

As his blade drove toward him, a broadsword flashed between them, meeting the strike in a burst of sparks.

"Hrk—!"

Kaiden gritted his bloodied teeth, straining to hold back the force, but it overwhelmed him, hurling him away and sending him crashing across the ground.

"Pulse break!"

Fiona flashed behind Dune, her blade driving toward his back with blinding speed.

Dune frowned. He blurred to the side, slipping past the thrust. His leg lashed out, slamming into the side of Fiona’s torso. She spat a mouthful of blood as she was sent flying.

"Tch."

Dune blurred again, evading a sudden thrust from the village head. He swept his legs out, knocking him off his feet in one motion.

"Argh!"

The village head hit the ground heavily. Dune stood over him, his gaze cold.

"It’s over."

His blade fell.

Suddenly, a rod flashed between them, unfurling into a dense dome. The blade struck the dome harmlessly, unable to leave even a mark.

In the next moment, an intense bloodlust flooded the entire space.

Dune’s gaze widened. He instantly snapped toward the edge of the forest.

There, a boy with a glowing purple gaze and a steady, unhurried gait stepped calmly into the clearing.