"Ashina, are you alright?"
The vanguard soldiers pushed aside the rubble as Phield crawled into the building through a hole in the wall. Other soldiers followed close behind, shields raised and swords drawn, all wearing wary expressions.
Phield spotted Rosalia pinned to the wall at a glance, then saw Ashina standing nearby with a faint smile. Only then did the tension finally leave his chest.
"You—go outside and keep watch."
With a wave of Phield's hand, the soldiers acknowledged and withdrew.
"Thanks to you, my lord, I'm fine." No longer carrying the cold, feral aura she had while slaughtering enemies, Ashina had returned to her usual obedient demeanor.
Phield's heart ached at the sight of her condition. Ashina clearly wasn't in good shape—the wolf-soul phantom behind her flickered and twisted, as if it might dissipate at any moment. Disintegrating a divine artifact granted tremendous power, but only temporarily. It was a last-resort measure.
