The skies had darkened by the time the trio reached the battleground. Thunder rumbled softly as the towering mutant beast let out a roar that shook the earth. With two curled horns, jagged tusks, and crimson veins pulsing across its body, the creature was a nightmare made flesh.
Kazuki and Garron exchanged glances. No words were needed.
They both charged, weapons drawn, energy flaring.
“RAAAAH!”
Garron’s blade swung down with raw strength, Kazuki slashed in a blur from the side.
But just before their strikes connected—
BOOOOM!
A shockwave rippled as the beast let out a terrifying roar, sending both of them flying. Kazuki skidded across the ground, coughing blood. Garron crashed into a boulder, groaning.
Before anyone could recover, the beast turned to Elara.
Frozen. Terrified.
She barely raised her hands when the beast swung its massive claw toward her.
“ELARA!”
A black blur darted in front of her.
Kazuki.
He took the full force of the blow. His coat tore, blood splattered—and the beast’s claw stabbed through his side. The world slowed. Elara screamed.
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Kazuki collapsed, unmoving.
---
Garron’s heart snapped. A fire surged in his veins.
“KAZUKIIII!!”
With a primal roar of his own, he charged—not thinking, only feeling. He met the beast head-on. His blade cut clean through one of its arms, spraying thick black blood.
But the beast retaliated.
Fists. Claws. Roars.
Garron swung, ducked, kicked, screamed. The two fought like monsters, exchanging heavy blows. Blood gushed. His strength began to falter.
---
Elara watched, trembling. She couldn’t move.
Her vision blurred. Everything was chaos.
“Why can’t I move…? Why am I so useless…?”
---
Meanwhile, in Kazuki’s subconscious…
Darkness surrounded him. He stood alone.
“Is this… it?”
No.
“No…”
He clenched his fists.
His magic flared inside him. He focused it—all of it—on the torn flesh in his side.
> Ding!
[Casting Minor Heal…]
[Conditions Met: Evolved to Healing]
[Skill Upgrade: Minor Heal → Healing]
A golden light enveloped his body. The wound closed. The pain vanished. His body surged with renewed strength.
His eyes snapped open. They glowed faintly.
---
Back on the battlefield—
Garron was on his knees. The beast towered over him, raising its remaining arm to finish him.
But it stopped.
Its arm—sliced clean off.
Kazuki stood behind it. His daggers gleamed. His aura—a raging storm of shadows and light—surged.
He had used Swift Swing. None saw him move.
The beast roared, backing away, but Kazuki's eyes locked onto it—expressionless, glowing, terrifying.
He vanished again.
A moment later, one limb fell off. Then another. And another.
With one final slash, Kazuki cleaved its head clean off.
The beast’s body collapsed.
Kazuki stood atop it, silent, bathed in blood and light.
---
> Ding!
[Quest Completed: Mutant Beast Eliminated]
[Rewards: +4 Stat Points | +300 EXP | Gold: 400]
[Level Up: Lv. 12 → Lv. 14]
[Stats Updated]
Kazuki’s aura slowly receded.
He stepped down, knelt by Garron, and healed him. Then he moved from knight to knight, healing those who still breathed. Some opened their eyes. Others… remained still.
The battlefield was quiet.
Then he heard soft sobs.
A butler, dressed in noble uniform, was holding a young girl in a beautiful dress. In her arms lay a boy, no older than ten—his eyes closed, skin pale.
“Please… please get up…”
Kazuki approached.
The girl looked up, eyes red. “Can you… please…?”
Kazuki nodded. He knelt and placed his hand on the boy’s chest.
> Ding!
[Casting Healing…]
[Conditions Met: Evolved to High Heal]
[Skill Upgrade: Healing → High Heal]
A golden burst of light enveloped the boy’s body.
His fingers twitched. His eyes fluttered open.
“...Sis…?”
The girl gasped, tears falling freely as she hugged him tight.
Kazuki stood up, sheathing his daggers. His expression hadn’t changed, but his presence was overwhelming.
The heroes had won—but the story was just beginning.
