The northern district trembled as Rudra and the Forest Giant Leader clashed, trying to end the fight.
Every impact sent a tremor crawling through the broken street, shaking loose rubble from ruined balconies and shattered windows.
BOOOOM!
Rudra skidded back a few meters, boots carving trenches through molten stone. The giant's massive club slammed down, pulverizing a bus-sized chunk of roadway where he had been standing moments prior.
"Still swinging like robot are you…" Rudra muttered, voice flat, bored.
The Forest Giant Leader—towering forty-five meters tall, green mana pulsing like a heartbeat—let out a guttural roar. Its injuries from earlier had partially regenerated; the massive hole through its shoulder was now sealed with hardened muscle fueled by dense mana. It gripped its stone club tighter, green aura swirling around its limbs.
Rudra rolled his neck, stretching lazily as crimson fire danced around him.
"No skill or technique. Just brute strength. Even the little pressure it had on me has disappeared completely."
He raised a hand, letting his crimson aura flare.
"Most importantly, your agility's trash."
The giant lunged—fast, but not fast enough.
Rudra's stance shifted. A burst of fire detonated beneath his soles, launching him upward like a rocket. He zig-zagged up the giant's torso in a blur, fire aura bursting from his feet every time he kicked off a surface.
SHOOOM!SHOOOM!SHOOOM!
Each blast left a burning crater in the giant's skin.
The Forest Giant Leader roared, swiping clumsily—but his movements were simply too slow. Rudra ran along the giant's forearm, climbed its shoulder, then leapt high above its neck.
His aura condensed at once.
Red light twisted, tightened, sharpened—forming five glowing spear-tipped claws at the ends of his fingers.
Rudra inhaled.
A dragon's echo rumbled in his chest.
"Crimson Dragon Claw."
He descended in a flash of molten red.
SHRRRRKK—!
With a single sweeping carve, the giant's head separated cleanly from its neck. It hit the ground like a collapsing building, sending dust and debris rolling across the battlefield in a thick wave.
The massive body staggered, green aura sputtering—and then toppled.
THOOOOOM.
Silence followed.
Only Rudra's crimson aura flickered in the smoke.
He exhaled, bored. "This trash kept me busy for a while. Hardly a thrilling fight, but its regeneration made it a decent humanoid punching bag."
The Battlefield Settles
Mages across the rooftops fired final volleys at the lingering beasts. Fire spears, wind cutters, light arrows—everything they had left.
"Fire Lance!"
"Wind Cutter!"
"kill them all! Don't let a single one slip past!"
Under Lara's sharp commands, the last remaining monsters were cornered and executed. WGDA units and guild teams swept through the district, cleaning up stragglers in alleys and collapsed structures.
Minutes later, the battlefield quieted into the uneasy calm of post-combat silence.
Rudra was brushing dust off his gauntlets when footsteps approached him.
Not hurried.
Not timid.
Measured, confident, competitive.
Lara stepped forward—robes scorched, eyes glowing with restrained heat.
"You finished their leader quite fast," she said, voice cool.
Rudra shrugged. "It wasn't that strong."
"You call that 'not strong'?" Her brow twitched. "Its aura output was almost at the peak of Tier-6."
"Still slow," he replied simply.
Lara's lips thinned into something between annoyance and reluctant respect.
They stood facing each other—two prodigies raised in the same land, compared by others far too often.
Not enemies. Not rivals driven by hate.
But two meteors on the same sky path, aware of each other's light.
Lara crossed her arms. "More importantly… how the hell did monsters break through the Gate without a single signal from the guards? A breach this size doesn't happen quietly."
Rudra looked at her.
Then looked away.
"Ask the guards."
"I would," she snapped softly, "if any were conscious. The commanding officer's 5th-stage and he still didn't activate the emergency beacon. Everyone of them were found dead."
Rudra didn't respond. His expression was too relaxed—almost dismissive.
She scowled. "At least pretend to be interested. You were right here fighting—"
"It's a mage problem," he cut in. "And you're a mage. You figure it out."
Lara stared at him.
"…You're impossible."
He shrugged again, hands in pockets. "That's why you're annoyed."
A small puff of laughter escaped her—half frustration, half amusement.
But the moment hung strangely.
Uneasy.
Like something was wrong.
Rudra felt it.
A twitch under his skin.
His heart which had evolved after consuming the Blood heart of the elder fire dragon, trembled slightly.
Most importantly, the feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.
He didn't show it. But his aura sharpened around him like invisible spikes.
While Lara and Rudra were having their conversation.
High above, clinging to the collapsed shell of a ruined building, a glimmer of darkness stirred.
The Shadow Arachne, who hadn't participated in the previous battles—had been waiting.
Watching.
Calculating.
Its crimson eyes narrowed.
The humans were grouped. Relaxed. Wounded. Tired.
Now.
Darkness rippled.
The Arachne shot downward in total silence, faster than an arrow. Sharp limbs tucked tight around its body like obsidian blades. It moved like a shadow under the darkness of the night.
Its target: Rudra.
It emerged behind him like a nightmare blooming from shadow.
With its concealed killing intent, the Arachne aimed its knife like limbs.
A single, silent strike meant to pierce his spine.
But—
Rudra's eyes widened just slightly, as if exasperated.
"There you are."
He spun.
CRAAAAK!
His aura exploded outward in a fiery burst. Three molten claws erupted from his hands as he swiped thrice, shredding through the air.
The Arachne's eyes widened too late.
Three of its limbs detonated instantly—broken off in sizzling chunks.
SHRRRK-BOOM!
A screech tore from its throat, shrill and panicked.
The Shadow Arachne skidded across the ground, hissing in pain, green liquid splattering from its severed limbs.
It staggered and without other thoughts it fled.
It desperately tired to run towards the opening in the wall.
Toward escape, trying to reach the Gate as fast as possible.
Lara's eyes sharpened. "Not on my watch."
Her staff slammed into the ground.
"Volcanic Barrage!"
FOOM! FOOM! FOOM! FOOM!
Four magma-coated stone spears burst from the cracked earth, streaking after the fleeing spider.
Two struck its back, melting through its exoskeleton with a hiss.
The Arachne screeched again—but kept running, desperate, feral.
Bleeding.
Dying.
Cornered.
And directly in its path—
Was Kael.
Kael had just finished off the last of his opponents when a series of booming impacts erupted behind him. He spun around but it was too late.
The Arachne lunged, fangs bared, five remaining limbs poised like killing spears.
"Oh shi—!"
Kael blocked with both khukuri.
CLANG!CRACK!
The sheer force threw him like a ragdoll.
But—He had angled his blades just enough.
Instead of piercing his heart, the spider's limb stabbed deep into his side, tearing across his ribs and abdomen.
Blood erupted.
Pain exploded.
Kael collapsed to one knee, vision spinning.
"G-gaaah—!"
The Arachne loomed above him, preparing a finishing blow—
Until the ground behind it rumbled.
Heat rose.
Rudra's voice, low and unforgiving:
"Stop right there!"
A spear of condensed crimson aura erupted from his fist.
He pierced straight through the Arachne's back—
—out through its chest.
The tip burned like the fang of a dragon.
The Shadow Arachne froze.
Then collapsed, its heart completely crushed from within, cooked into molten black sludge.
Rudra pulled his arm free, aura fading.
The Shadow Arachne lay motionless, its twisted form finally dead.
Seeing that he was safe, Kael finally allowed himself to relax.
Kael blinked slowly, consciousness slipping. Blood seeped through his fingers, warm and frighteningly fast.
Lara rushed over, dropping to her knees. "Stay awake—stay with me!"
He tried to laugh, but it came out as a weak breath.
"I… blocked it… kinda…"
"Idiot!" she snapped, voice breaking. "You twisted the angle at the last second—otherwise it would've gone through your heart!"
Rudra walked up, expression unreadable.
"…Good instinct."
Kael didn't answer.
His vision dimmed.
Everything softened.
So this is it again… he thought. Dying. Feels almost peaceful.
He let his eyes close.
Darkness folded around him.
Then—
A clear, crystalline chime echoed in his mind.
Ding!
A soft blue light shimmered before his fading consciousness.
[Compatible host found.]
[Initializing synchronization…]
[Binding with host: Kael Ardent]
Kael's eyes widened weakly.
"…What…?"
But before he could grasp what was happening, his consciousness slipped away.