"Something's definitely following me..."
Julius was deeply confused. Who—or what—could be trailing him in this forest?
It couldn't be the Aunguru men. They weren't brave enough to come after him for revenge. And whatever this was... it was big—really big.
"It's definitely some kind of beast."
He increased his bike's speed, weaving sharply between the trees as he tried to shake off whatever was stalking him.
Eventually, the forest opened into a peculiar grass patch—slightly flat but surrounded on all sides by thick trees. The grass here had a strange orange hue, and the nearby bushes rustled constantly as if something was crawling through them.
Whoever—or whatever—was following Julius had now surrounded him, circling just out of sight behind the bushes and tree trunks.
Julius got off his bike, fully alert and prepared to fight. He completed the chant for Wind Shield and stood ready, waiting to deploy it the moment an attack came.
Suddenly, he felt an intense wave of heat rushing from behind him.
His instincts flared.
He spun around, thrusting his hand backward.
"...Wind Shield!"
"UH!? A flamethrower!?"
Someone—or something—had attacked him with fire, and it wasn't ordinary flames. The attack looked exactly like something from a flamethrower, roaring straight at him.
"Solvarin?"
"Why has it come here to kill me?"
"I didn't even do anything to it..."
Julius stood frozen.
Right in front of him was Solvarin — the very same bird Saya had hunted down for the breakfast.
But this time, it wasn't wounded. It looked enraged.
With a piercing shriek, Solvarin let out a roar:
"KIYAAAHHH!!!"
Its massive wings flared open, and with a violent gust, it launched toward Julius at terrifying speed.
Julius stumbled back in panic.
"D–Da...Le... Wind Blade!"
A sharp gust of magical wind sliced forward — but Solvarin swerved gracefully, dodging it with ease.
Then, without warning, it opened its beak wide and unleashed a torrent of flame — like a living flamethrower.
"Da...Se... Wind Shield!"
A swirling barrier of wind burst forth just in time, blocking the inferno. Julius winced from the heat.
"Maiden Summon: Saya!"
In a flash of light, Saya materialized beside him.
"How may I assist you, Master?"
"Can you take that Solvarin down?"
"Sure, Master."
Without hesitation, Saya drew her black katana. Her eyes locked onto Solvarin.
And then — with the force of a tempest — she charged.
The sky churned with heat a Solvarin soared above — a colossal bird, the size of a helicopter, its feathers a golden-yellow gradient that shimmered like fire-kissed metal. Its deep brown eyes locked onto Saya with a gaze both ancient and furious.
Saya stood poised, black katana in hand, her expression calm and unreadable. Her tight, black kimono clung to her form — torn and frayed at the bottom, fluttering violently in the gusts caused by Solvarin's wings. The ground around her scorched beneath its fire-laced wind.
Then came the cry.
"KIIIIYAAAHHH!"
Solvarin dived like a meteor, talons glowing with ember-hot energy. Saya didn't move until the last second — then vanished in a flash of speed.
CLANG!
She reappeared above the beast, katana clashing against talons with a shockwave that shook nearby stone. The two separated instantly, Saya landing with feline grace as Solvarin flared its wings wide, summoning fire in a sweeping arc.
Flames erupted toward her.
FWOOOSH!
Saya spun, the bottom of her torn kimono trailing smoke as she slid low, evading the firestorm with inches to spare.
Julius watched from the side, near his hover-bike, eyes wide in awe.
"She's… not even using both swords?"
The white katana stayed sheathed on her back. Only the black one danced in her hands — precise, brutal, and impossibly fast.
Solvarin let out another shriek and rained down flaming feathers like molten arrows. One struck the ground near Julius.
BOOM!
The shockwave hurled him off his bike. As he scrambled up—
WHOOOM!
A massive blast hit square on the hover-bike.
KRA-KOOM!
It exploded mid-air, spinning in a fiery spiral before crashing down in smoking debris.
"No! My bike!" Julius shouted, shielding himself from flying shards.
Saya's eyes narrowed.
That was a mistake.
She dashed up a piece of falling debris — using the explosion itself as a platform. Solvarin noticed too late.
"HAAAAH!"
She struck hard — black katana slicing across its wing, golden feathers scattering like embers. Solvarin shrieked, reeling backward, but Saya was already gone again.
SHTING! SLASH!
Two more strikes landed, each faster than the last. She was relentless — a storm in a black kimono, cutting through flame and wind with nothing but will and blade.
Solvarin crashed to the ground, one wing limp, panting hard. Fire flickered weakly around its massive form.
Saya stood over it, breathing heavy, blade at the ready. The hem of her kimono was almost completely burned through, legs marked by smoke and ash. She looked down at the defeated beast.
Then she lowered her sword.
Solvarin blinked — its rage slowly dimming — and let out a low, rumbling sound. Not anger.
Respect.
Julius limped over, staring at the smoking wreck of his bike and the subdued legend before him.
"Saya don't kill it..."
Saya smirked, sheathing her black blade.
"Sure."
"As you command master."