The battlefield fell silent.
Exile's eyes widened. His chest burned with rage. The pain of losing Sarper turned into something else… something primal.
"You'll die," Exile growled, stepping forward. "I will break every bone in your body!"
Si grinned. "A beast finally mad, huh?"
Then Exile's body began to change. Slowly, smoothly. His frame shrunk, becoming leaner—but stronger. His skin shimmered with energy, his aura sharper, noble yet deadly. He had become something more than human.
"What… what is this power I'm feeling?" Si said, stepping back. "It's… still weak."
But Si was wrong.
Amal stood over Sarper's body, her hand resting on his chest. Her ash began to change—darker, colder, sharper.Si stood still, impressed yet unfazed.
"Wow… truly, wow," he muttered, watching Exile shift before him.
Exile had transformed.
His new form was noble—a humanoid beast, smaller in size but built with grace and unshakable power. His fur shimmered like golden threads, and his eyes glowed with focused rage.
"Today," Exile said, his voice deep and commanding,
"you will feel true pain."
Si gave a grim smile.
"I already felt it."
Then he dashed.
His blade, still dripping with Sarper's blood, came down like lightning.
CLANG!
Exile blocked it with his clawed arm, the ground beneath him cracking from the force.
From a distance, Amal still knelt beside Sarper's body, eyes locked in sorrow.
Her fingers moved gently.
Ash rose.
It curved through the air like a black serpent and struck Si, wrapping around his throat, lifting him off the ground.
Si choked, struggling to breathe.
"Men! What… what are you doing?! ATTACK!"
The injured 20,000 soldiers, hearing their leader's desperate voice, roared and rushed toward Amal.
But Amal rose slowly, her black ash circling her like a storm.
She raised her left hand—
And all 20,000 soldiers floated into the air.
Their screams echoed.
Then—SNAP—Amal closed her hand.
Every soldier fell, lifeless.
She didn't blink.
Then she turned to Exile, her voice calm but firm.
"Exile," she said,
"You and Si are equal in strength. I will not fight this battle. I will allow you to kill him… and fight it through."
A pause. Her voice softened.
"You were always closest to Master."