Both Dawn and Ran dashed toward the giant, preparing to intercept it together. The creature unleashed its signature thick green fog.
Both of them held their breath and continued to rush forward, pushing through the suffocating mist.
The haze blurred their vision, but it was something both of them could endure. Dawn knew that she couldn't penetrate the monster's thick, tough skin, so she decided to play the role of bait.
With swift precision, she plunged her sword into the giant's hand. However, it barely scratched the surface.
As the monster readied to retaliate, Ran intervened. He lunged forward and thrust his crimson blade deep into its hand.
"GAAHHHH!"
The beast let out a deafening cry of pain. Seizing the opportunity, Ran grabbed Dawn and lifted her into his arms, retreating quickly. Though Dawn was taken by surprise and a bit flustered, she didn't protest.
They retreated back, away from the toxic fog, to take a moment to catch their breath.
"You're crazy."
Ran's crimson eyes locked onto hers, his voice tinged with both irritation and a strange admiration.
"That was all I could think of."
She replied, turning her face away, a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks.
"Also… um, can you put me down?"
Ran nodded quietly, setting her down gently.
Inside, Ran's mind was consumed by one thing, the desire to kill the monster. His heart beat wildly in his chest, and his dark blood surged with an insatiable hunger.
"Stay here."
He commanded, his tone cold and decisive.
"What? But I can-"
"From what I just saw, I conclude that you're weak. So stay here."
His words struck her like a slap. Dawn clenched her fists, the sting of being dismissed burning deep inside her. She felt weak, vulnerable, and she hated it. She bit her lip but didn't argue.
Ran didn't care for her feelings at that moment. He knew that keeping her in the fight could put her in even more danger. His bloodlust was something he couldn't control, and he feared that in the heat of battle, he might hurt her unintentionally.
He regretted the harshness of his words, but the risk was too great.
Leaping into the air, he gripped his sword tightly. With a single, swift motion, he severed the giant's remaining hand.
The creature howled in pain, thrashing around wildly. In retaliation, it spit out a stream of venom toward Ran, but he dodged it mid-air with inhuman agility.
But the beast wasn't done. It charged at him, its massive head ramming into his chest with a sickening force.
The impact sent him flying, crashing through the air, before landing a good thirty meters away from the point of impact.
Dawn, who had been watching anxiously from a distance, rushed toward him.
He was battered, his body was torn from the force of the blow, and dark blood poured from his mouth.
'What the hell?'
Though she was tempted to ask about the dark blood, the questions that burned in her mind would have to wait.
She pulled out a healing potion, but before she could tend to him, Ran pushed himself off the ground.
"Hey, you're hurt."
He didn't answer. His gaze was fixed firmly on the giant. The bloodlust rolling off of him was so intense that it sent a chill down Dawn's spine. It was unlike anything she had ever felt.
'He is smiling? What's so funny?'
Ran took a battle stance, preparing for his next move. The giant, though disarmed, was still an immense threat. It charged at him in a fury, its roar deafening as it closed the distance.
Dawn's breath caught in her throat. The speed and precision of Ran's movements were so insane that they left her stunned. He vanished in the blink of an eye, disappearing from his original position and appearing behind the giant's neck before it could react.
'Bloodrune Sword Technique, First Form: Crescent Slash.'
With a single clean cut, Ran severed the giant's head from its body. The impact was so immense that it destroyed whole section of the area solely from the shockwave.
THUD!!
The decapitated body of the beast crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
Dawn stood frozen, astonished by the sheer power Ran had just displayed. He was too good. She had never seen anyone fight like that.
Before she could say anything, Ran glared at her. His intense gaze sent a shiver down her spine, and her mouth went dry. She instinctively stepped back, alarmed.
Ran closed his eyes and turned to walk away, heading in the opposite direction.
'What just happened?'
Dawn thought, still trying to process everything that had occurred. Her thoughts were a whirlwind as she stared after him, confused and unsettled.
The fight was over. The distant sounds of battle ceased, and the villagers cautiously began to emerge from their hiding places.
"Lady Dawn did it. She saved the village!"
"Right, she's amazing."
Even the unconscious servants began to wake up. The fog's range had been limited, and they had only inhaled a small amount of the toxic fumes, allowing their bodies to heal naturally.
"Lady Dawn, you're truly kindhearted."
One of the servants said, clapping his hands. The others joined in, applauding her courage.
Dawn, still dazed, stood before the decapitated monster, unsure how to process the situation. The praise felt hollow. She wasn't the one who had killed the giant.
'No… I wasn't the one who did it…'
She turned her gaze to where Ran had stood, only to see him slipping away into the distance, his face was unreadable. The thought lingered in her mind:
'Why was he smiling? What was the deal with that strange dark blood?'
Her mind buzzed with questions as the crowd continued to cheer her.
"It will make a good scoop for tomorrow. I can't wait to write it."
One of the reporters muttered, snapping her out of her thoughts. Dawn blinked, finally realizing what was going on.
"Oh, it wasn't me… um… I don't know that person, but it was him who killed it."
The way she pointed had nothing but thin air.
The crowd fell silent. They stared at her in confusion, not buying her words. To them, what they saw was enough.
"Lady Dawn is kindhearted as ever."
Sid said, wiping away a tear. His words were echoed by others, all agreeing in unison. But Dawn didn't feel like she deserved the praise. She didn't feel like she had earned it.
"No.. I-I mean…"
She stammered, overwhelmed by the crowd's attention. They swarmed her, celebrating her victory, but all she could think about was the mysterious young man who had saved her and this village.
In the end, the only thing she could conclude was that Ran didn't want any glory. He had acted without seeking recognition.
As the crowd continued to cheer her name, Dawn silently hoped to meet him again, to ask him about the things she didn't understand.