The young woman stood alone in front of the giant, her stance unwavering.
"Lady Dawn, please let us help!"
One of her servants called out, bowing deeply in a desperate plea. They wore the crest of the Montello family proudly on their attire.
The village guards were already dead, and the townspeople had evacuated before Dawn had arrived to intercept the monstrous threat. Now, it was only her and her loyal guards standing against the creature.
"Lady Dawn, this isn't our fight! Please, retreat!"
Sid, one of the guards, added. His blonde hair and forgettable features made him blend into the background.
"No need. I will handle it myself."
Dawn responded, her voice firm and laced with authority.
Her tone left no room for argument. Still, her guards hesitated, their loyalty battling against their fear of losing their lives or worse, angering the patriarch if they left her behind.
Dawn's gaze grew steely.
"Do not worry. I don't want unnecessary distractions or casualties. Besides, it's time I tested my strength before enrolling in the academy."
Her guards fell silent, caught between duty and dread. If the patriarch found out they had abandoned his daughter to face such a monster alone, their heads would be the least of their worries.
With a sharp, fierce look, Dawn sent them retreating. But little did she know, her guards would jump in the moment she was in danger.
Ran stood at a distance, watching the scene unfold. He could feel the overwhelming bloodlust stirring within him, but he struggled to keep it in check. His crimson eyes tracked Dawn's movements, a strange curiosity brewing inside him.
Dawn unsheathed her sword, its blade glowing with a faint blue aura. In a flash, she leapt into the air, cutting through the chaos. The giant, still busy wreaking havoc on the village, felt her presence just in time. It turned to face her, swinging a massive fist in her direction.
She dodged mid-air with her graceful movements, and pierced the giant's hand with her blade.
"UUUOOOHHHH!!!"
The monster howled in agony, but Dawn didn't let up. She slid her sword along its hand, creating a deep gash, before dashing toward its neck. With precision, she struck cutting a quarter of its neck clean off but she was unable to sever it entirely.
"Tch! Its skin is too tough."
She muttered, barely dodging the giant's retaliatory swing. Blood poured from the creature's neck, but it wasn't enough to bring it down.
Determined, Dawn took her stance for another assault. She charged, gathering all her power into a single dash, but the giant, sensing her approach, stomped the ground with a force that shattered the earth beneath him.
A stone barrier erupted from the ground, catching her off guard. She couldn't stop in time.
THUD!!!
She collided with the wall with a sickening thud, the force of the impact rattling her body. The giant capitalized on her vulnerability, launching her through a cluster of buildings.
BOOM!!
"Lady Dawn!"
Her guards cried out in unison, rushing forward, their fear evident in their eyes.
But Dawn while bloodied and bruised, remained standing. She shot a fierce glare at her guards, her eyes seething with authority.
"I told you to stay hidden."
The guards froze, but knowing she was alive, they retreated to a safe distance, watching anxiously. They hated the thought of her fighting on behalf of another estate, but there was little they could do to stop her.
"She's as kind-hearted as ever."
One of the guards muttered under his breath, a faint blush creeping across his face despite the chaos.
Despite the pain and exhaustion, Dawn stood ready for another attack. The giant, still furious, charged at her. Her expression was one of absolute resolve, her eyes narrowing as she prepared herself for the perfect moment to strike.
The giant swung its enormous fists, but Dawn's speed was unmatched. She dashed forward, vanishing from its line of sight. In the blink of an eye, she reappeared beneath it, thrusting her sword deep into its belly.
"CRYAHHHHHH!!!"
The monster let out a guttural roar, its pain transforming into pure rage. The wound healed almost instantly, and its eyes glowed red with a violent bloodlust.
"This is bad..."
Dawn muttered under her breath.
The beast let out a noxious green smoke from its body, thickening the air around it. Dawn held her breath just in time, but her servants and guards were caught off-guard. She turned quickly as panic rose in her chest when she saw that all her servants were unconscious.
Her frustration grew.
'I must hurry.'
She turned back to the giant, focusing her energy.
"I should take my gamble."
Dawn unleashed her ultimate technique, a powerful charge that sent her speeding toward the monster. She collided with it in a massive shockwave that obliterated the surrounding area, dust and debris flying everywhere.
"Shit!"
But when the dust cleared, the giant was still standing, seemingly unharmed. Its tough skin had absorbed the full force of her strike without a single crack.
The monster, now enraged beyond reason, grabbed Dawn by the waist. Her body went limp in its grip, and she knew she was in serious trouble.
She cursed under her breath, preparing for the inevitable.
She closed her eyes, waiting for the crushing impact that would come next. But it never came.
Instead, the beast screamed in pain.
Dawn looked up, her heart pounding in surprise. The giant's hand had been impaled by a sword. She looked past the beast and saw the figure who had saved her.
Someone her age, with messy black hair and blood-red eyes, dressed in a black robe. His expression was unsettling as a creepy smile twisted on his face.
She could have mistaken him for a villain, but he had just saved her life.
"Umm... Thank you-"
She began, but the young man interrupted her with a calm, indifferent tone.
"Now is not the time."
Before she could respond, he leapt into the air, his sword flashing with deadly precision as he sliced off the giant's entire hand. The beast howled in agony as blood sprayed everywhere.
"HAAAAAAAAA!!!"
The force of the monster's howl was so powerful that it sent both Dawn and her unexpected ally tumbling back. The shockwave left them staggering, but the giant was now vulnerable.
"I'll fight beside you."
Dawn said wearing a serious expression.
Ran, glanced at her with nonchalant expression.
"Do as you wish. Just don't die on me."