Under the veil of night, a horned owl streaked through the sky, landing on the windowsill of a second-floor bedroom in the Sword Sheath Inn. Dense mist surged past the curtains, then coalesced into the form of a young man.

  Shinya rushed to the girl’s bedside, his voice laced with urgency as he called her name.

  “Nicole… Nicole!”

  No matter how desperately he called, she remained unresponsive, her eyes tightly shut.

  Shinya had no choice but to abandon his attempt to wake her. Gently, he lifted the thin blanket, checking her condition. Only after confirming that her injuries hadn’t worsened did he let out a quiet sigh of relief.

  Carefully, he tucked the blanket back around her. Taking her frail hand into his, he pressed her cool hand against his cheek.

  “Only you…” He lowered his head, his voice barely a whisper, “…must never… leave me again…”

  The raucous noise from the inn’s first-floor hall drowned out his hoarse and weary voice, making the figure hunched over the bedside seem all the more solitary.

  Just then, the sound of wings flapping came from the window.

  Shinya instinctively turned, shielding the sleeping Nicole behind him.

  A large, jet-black bird stood on the windowsill. It was bigger than a fully grown raven, yet it lacked the mottled plumage of a black eagle. It was something in between—yet neither.

  Its violet eyes gleamed with an eerie coldness as it fixed its gaze on Shinya. Then, it gave a slight shake, ruffling its thick, black feathers.

  Suddenly, the shadow beneath its feet began to melt.

  The shadows oozed like stagnant blood from an open wound, tearing through the bird’s body with a nightmarish screech. They surged forward, swallowing the entire window before solidifying into a pitch-black door.

  Beyond the door, clawed hands—greedy, rotten, and cruel—ripped through the darkness, forcing their way into the realm of the living, hungering to continue their endless plundering and slaughter.

  Witnessing this, Shinya felt his anger flare once more. He did not fear battling ghouls, but he couldn’t protect Nicole and fight them at the same time.

  His panther form was built for swift ambushes, not for holding off multiple enemies head-on. His bear form, suited for breaking through enemies in direct combat, was useless in the cramped confines of a bedroom.

  After a brief moment of deliberation, he had no choice—escape was the only option.

  Without hesitation, he gathered Nicole in his arms and slammed open the door leading into the hallway.

  Just as he was about to shout a warning about the approaching ghouls, six radiant beams of light shot up from the ground outside the inn, converging in the sky above to form a complex magical array. The golden glow illuminated the entire night, as if daylight had returned.

  A piercing alarm shattered the silence, cutting off Shinya’s words and drawing everyone’s attention.

  In the dining hall, panicked guests abandoned their utensils; a waiter carrying a tray of food was so startled that he lost his grip, sending dishes crashing to the floor with a loud clatter; someone else, caught off guard, lost their balance and tumbled from their chair.

  In an instant, chaos engulfed the Sword Sheath Inn.

  "An alarm?!"

  "What’s happening?!"

  "That’s the 'Dawn Prayers' warning signal!!"

  On the second floor, Shinya sprinted down the corridor with Nicole in his arms, racing toward the far end.

  "Run!! Everyone, get out of here!!"

  What should he do?

  The demon’s target was him. The ghouls were drawn here because of him. If anyone died because of this, it would all be his fault.

  Frustration and regret tore at him.

  Why was he so powerless against these creatures of darkness? Was tonight going to be a repeat of the tragedy in Acorn Town?

  The downpour from fifteen years ago seemed to drench him once more, drowning his mind in panic.

  Clutching Nicole tightly, he vaulted over the second-floor railing, descending toward the main hall below.

  In the split second he turned his head, he saw nearly a dozen ghouls in pursuit—yet not a single one strayed to attack the other guests.

  At that moment, an inexplicable sense of relief rose from deep within him.

  Above the inn, the magical array erupted in a dazzling burst of light before splitting into six radiant barriers, forming a protective shield around the entire building.

  Meanwhile, on the first floor, the innkeeper, Molly, coordinated the evacuation alongside her staff.

  Some guests fled in a panic, while others bravely drew their weapons—though, among those who did, quite a few immediately abandoned the idea of fighting the moment they realized the enemies were ghouls, swiftly joining the ranks of those escaping.

  At the far end of the hall, however, one table remained completely undisturbed.

  Among them, a female archer with braided hair casually stuffed a drumstick into her mouth. Beside her, a blue-robed mage calmly lifted his wine glass, taking a slow sip. And next to the mage, a nimble swordsman, upon spotting the ghouls chasing Shinya into the hall, actually grinned in excitement.

  Molly directed the crowd, her voice firm and unwavering. "Everyone, head outside! As long as you make it past the light barrier, you’ll be safe! The ghouls can’t break through the shield!"

  One by one, guests fled toward the exit, but Molly, along with three of her staff, rushed toward the staircase leading to the second floor. She feared that there might still be stranded guests upstairs.

  The sudden attack hadn’t thrown her into panic. As one of the inn’s proprietors, she bore the responsibility of ensuring her guests’ safety. There was no time to hesitate, no time to wonder whether the short sword in her hand could fend off the ghouls.

  The ghouls chased relentlessly behind Shinya. The one at the forefront was particularly fast—its claws were just about to rake across Shinya’s back when, in the instant Shinya ducked low to evade, an ice arrow shot past above his head, piercing straight into the ghoul’s skull.

  A spreading layer of frost slowed the creature’s movements, drawing the attention of the other ghouls. Without hesitation, they turned and charged toward the source of the attack.

  Shinya glanced toward the far end of the hall, surprised by the group standing there.

  The female archer, still biting into her drumstick, casually drew her bowstring. The blue-robed mage raised his staff, seemingly channeling another spell. And at the front, a swordsman brandished his longsword, sprinting toward Shinya—right behind him, three more warriors, all as well-trained as he was, followed closely in formation.

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  Shinya hadn’t expected that, in the face of such a sudden crisis, there would still be people capable of launching such an organized and coordinated counterattack. These warriors had to be battle-hardened mercenaries from Northsail.

  But… did they truly have the strength to fight against ghouls?

  “Head for the main entrance!” Molly called out, her gaze falling on the unconscious girl in Shinya’s arms as she quickly directed them toward safety.

  Shinya glanced toward the large doors at the far end of the hall. Without hesitation, he handed Nicole over to one of the inn’s staff standing behind Molly.

  "Just focus on getting her out of here. I can’t leave."

  The staff member didn’t question him. Without a word, they took the unconscious Nicole and sprinted toward the exit.

  Molly didn’t quite understand what Shinya meant.

  Shinya cast one last, lingering glance at Nicole as she was carried away, then reluctantly tore his gaze away. “Because these ghouls are after me.”

  He knew that if he fled beyond the barrier, the ghouls might turn their attention to the barrier itself. If the barrier shattered and the ghouls broke free into the outside world, the consequences would be unimaginable.

  That was why he had to hold them off—at least until the priests arrived.

  As the thick mist dissipated, Shinya had already shifted into his bear form, turning back to face the advancing ghouls.

  Molly was startled by the sudden appearance of the massive beast.

  The heavily armored bear barreled through the dining hall with ease, sending tables flying like scraps of paper. Chairs and debris crashed against the walls and ceiling before shattering into splinters. The three chandeliers swayed precariously, and even the magic-powered crystal lamps flickered under the overwhelming force of its presence. The entire inn trembled beneath its earth-shaking roar.

  “This is… a werewolf Shapeshifter.” Molly could hardly believe her eyes.

  But she quickly snapped back to her duty. She gestured for the remaining two staff members to follow her quietly, avoiding the battlefield that the hall had become. Keeping low, they slipped toward the kitchen, intending to take the back stairs up to the second floor to check if any guests still remained.

  The mercenary group hadn’t expected the sudden appearance of the massive bear.

  The female archer, still holding her half-eaten drumstick, gaped in shock—only for gravity to take hold, and the drumstick tumbled from her mouth, landing unceremoniously on the floor.

  "That man just now… he turned into the bear?" The blue-robed mage narrowed his eyes, carefully observing the unexpected force that had just entered the battlefield.

  The massive bear charged into the ranks of the ghouls, scattering their formation. With a powerful leap, he landed at the very front, intercepting their initial attack with a single massive paw, positioning himself as a shield between them and the swordsmen.

  "Don't provoke them! Their target is me! You won’t be able to withstand their venom!"

  The lead swordsman should have been astonished by the sight of a giant beast speaking in human tongue.

  But instead of awe, the first thought that crossed his mind was frustration—his battle had been interrupted, his strength openly questioned. Rather than dwelling on the impossibility of the situation, his priority now was figuring out how to salvage his reputation.

  "Hey, big guy, are you underestimating us?" The swordsman took offense at Shinya’s warning.

  Under his command, his comrades spread out, attempting to encircle the ghouls.

  However, the enemy numbers were overwhelming. Even with Shinya included, the frontline only consisted of five fighters—far too few to effectively contain over a dozen ghouls.

  It wasn’t long before three of them broke through the defense of two swordsmen and lunged toward the blue-robed mage, who was still casting ice arrows from a distance.

  Shinya’s heart sank.

  He was just about to shift into his panther form to intercept them when he realized—

  It was already too late.

  The mage, locked in the middle of his incantation, was unable to dodge—but he showed no sign of panic or hesitation.

  Just as the first ghoul was about to lunge at him, the female archer dashed forward with a quick, fluid step, positioning herself in front of him.

  By the time her feet landed firmly, her bowstring was already drawn to its limit.

  Holding her breath, she focused intently on the charging ghoul and released a shot unlike anything Shinya had ever seen.

  The moment the arrow left the bowstring, its tip twisted into a spiraling shape, as if distorted by an unseen force. It resonated violently with the surrounding air, unleashing such an immense shockwave that Shinya could feel its power even from over ten meters away.

  The leading ghoul had no chance to evade the shot. Its rotting body was pierced through by the sheer force of the impact, leaving a horrifying, spiraling hole in its chest.

  What shocked Shinya even more was that the arrow didn’t lose momentum after hitting its first target.

  With the same devastating power, it tore through the skull of the second ghoul.

  Then the third.

  The fourth.

  Only after piercing the fifth ghoul did the arrow finally come to a stop.

  In an instant, foul-smelling fluids splattered in all directions, and shattered limbs rained across the battlefield.

  The entire hall fell into a brief silence—until the first outburst broke the stillness.

  “Cecile, you idiot!! Are you kidding me?! Shatterbolt?!”

  The lead swordsman immediately launched into a tirade. “Do you have any idea how much those damn things cost?! We’re not even on a mission, we were just passing through! Unless it’s an important assignment, you’re not supposed to use it! Now that you’ve wasted an expensive Shatterbolt, who the hell is paying for it?!”

  “Shut up,” the female archer, Cecile, clicked her tongue in annoyance. “That’s not my problem.”

  The ghouls had hesitated, momentarily shaken by the devastating attack—but the pause lasted only for a brief instant.

  Having quickly reassessed the level of threat, they changed course.

  One after another, they charged straight toward Cecile.

  Seeing the ghouls charge, Cecile remained unbothered. She casually stepped aside, clearing the path for her teammate—who had just finished chanting his spell.

  A row of ice spikes erupted from the ground, surging forward like an unstoppable tidal wave. The leading ghouls were impaled in an instant, skewered like pieces of meat on a spit.

  How powerful… Elemental magic is incredibly strong. Shinya couldn't help but marvel.

  Though it can’t completely eradicate ghouls the way holy magic can, it’s still effective in controlling them—ensuring zero casualties while keeping them contained.

  The impaled ghouls thrashed violently, their razor-sharp claws slashing wildly at the ice spears piercing their bodies.

  Had the ice spikes impaled a living being or any other creature, they would have perished instantly.

  But ghouls were not among the living. Even severed limbs could wriggle and crawl along the ground, undeterred. No matter how lethal the mercenaries’ attacks appeared, such methods would never truly work against creatures of darkness.

  As expected, the ghouls that had been skewered by Cecile’s Shatterbolt were already rising to their feet.

  Even headless, they continued their assault.

  Death had long been their ally—only the living would forever remain their enemies.

  At last, the ice spikes shattered, and the freed ghouls, now even more enraged, regrouped and charged toward the elemental mage and archer.

  This time, Cecile had no way of using another Shatterbolt-level attack.

  The ghouls were closing in fast, and ordinary arrows were useless against them. A sense of panic began to creep into her mind.

  She could feel her companion behind her beginning another chant—no matter what, she had to protect him until the spell was completed.

  Drawing her longsword, she braced herself for close combat. Even if she couldn’t kill these creatures, severing their claws and legs would at least hinder them, making victory possible.

  Just as she swung her sword to intercept the ghoul’s claws, a pitch-black shadow lunged forward, tackling the charging ghoul to the ground with swift, decisive force.

  The ghoul’s arm was severed instantly, sent flying through the air, while its legs shattered into three pieces below the knee. It shrieked in agony, collapsing to the ground—yet, like a fish flailing on land, it continued to writhe and struggle.

  Cecile didn’t hesitate. With a swift strike, she brought her sword down, shattering its jaw. Now, it had lost even the ability to bite.

  At that moment, a second wave of ice spikes surged forth.

  Unfortunately, the remaining ghouls had learned from the previous attack. The spell no longer had the same devastating effect as before—it merely forced them away from the mage and archer, buying only a moment’s reprieve.

  Seizing the brief pause, Cecile finally caught a clear glimpse of the shadow that had come to her aid.

  It was a panther, pure black from head to tail. Cecile had never seen a beast with such an utterly untainted coat.

  At the same time, she realized—the massive bear from before was nowhere to be seen.

  “What… is going on?”

  A swirl of white mist unfurled before her eyes.

  She watched as the black panther disappeared into the haze, only for the thick fog to rapidly reform—shifting back into the very same bear from before.

  She hadn’t expected that the bear was actually protecting her and the mage.

  The bear muttered, its low voice rumbling like distant thunder as it stared down the ghouls.

  “Chasing me so relentlessly… wanting me dead…You must be the souls of the dead… from fifteen years ago, aren’t you?”

  The ghouls answered Shinya with a chorus of ear-piercing shrieks—whether in affirmation or denial, he could no longer tell.

  It didn’t matter anymore.

  All that mattered was holding the line. Not a single one of them would be allowed to escape.

  “Come then! If this life—one that should have ended fifteen years ago—is yours to take, then take it!!”

  The bear’s furious roar shook the entire inn, rattling the very windows in their frames.

  A nearby chandelier, the closest to him, shattered under the sheer force of his voice. The magic crystal at its core came loose, plummeting to the floor.

  The flickering light reflected in those rage-filled beastly eyes—like the final ember needed to detonate a Magma Burst Bomb.

  “That is—if you truly have the strength to claim it.”