"Brother, are we... going to die here this time?"
"Save your strength. We need to think of a way to break through!"
The blonde-haired girl hid behind the scar-faced man, her hands unconsciously tightening around the short sword she held.
Their current situation was dire. They were completely surrounded by dozens of Lunabbits.
The wristbands they wore — devices crucial for survival in the Wilderness Battlefield — had already been thoroughly destroyed.
They had originally entered the Wilderness Battlefield for practical training, their real goal being to hunt some moonfolk and sell their corpses for money afterward.
When they first encountered the Lunabbits, they had been thrilled. After all, Lunabbit fur was known for its exceptional warmth and incredible softness — it could fetch a handsome price on the market.
But their momentary greed had blinded them, and they had walked straight into the Lunabbits' trap.
The instant they realized the danger, they tried to activate their wristbands to call for help.
Yet just as they did, a sharp, piercing sound exploded inside their minds.
When they regained their senses, the wristbands had already been mysteriously destroyed.
Facing the dense cluster of Lunabbits, the scar-faced man's expression was one of utter despair.
Though he was a Tier 2 Esper — powerful enough to easily handle a few Lunabbits — they now faced dozens of them!
And worse still, the girl behind him had yet to even fully awaken as a Level 1 Esper.
That meant he had to protect not only himself but also his younger sister.
"Is this really how I'm going to die?"
A look of anguish crossed the scar-faced man's face. But then he gritted his teeth, hatred flashing in his eyes.
"Avril," he said grimly, "I'm going to create an opening. When I do, you must find a chance to escape."
"I don't want to run away alone!" Avril's voice quivered with tears.
But the scar-faced man gave her no choice.
He shoved her away roughly and said in an urgent voice,
"Run! Then find help! Report this to the training camp immediately!"
"If nobody stops them, the Lunabbits will slaughter even more people!"
"Just now, their leader must have awakened a mental-type talent — that's how it destroyed our wristbands."
"Remember this information. It's critical for everyone out here."
Wiping her tears away, Avril finally understood how serious the situation was.
This wasn't just about her survival anymore — it concerned every human life on the Wilderness Battlefield.
"I understand, brother," she choked out, her voice trembling with determination.
She bit her lip, preparing to turn and flee.
But just then—
A Shadow Arrow streaked through the air, instantly piercing several Lunabbits!
The next moment, a figure charged forward like a hungry wolf unleashed upon its prey.
"Brother... what's happening over there?!" Avril cried out.
The scar-faced man, who had just been preparing himself for death, now stared wide-eyed, his face lighting up with a glimmer of hope.
"It's a powerhouse! We're saved!"
As they spoke, the figure closed the distance.
More and more Lunabbits fell lifelessly wherever he passed, his momentum unstoppable.
Only then did Avril and her brother finally catch a clear glimpse of their savior.
He wore simple warrior armor, held a longsword in one hand, while in the other hand, countless Shadow Arrows materialized and rained death upon the Lunabbits.
"It's him?!" Avril gasped, her eyes filled with disbelief.
The scar-faced man was just as shocked.
"Young man, we meet again!" he called out.
Link nodded slightly in acknowledgment, then asked,
"Are you hurt?"
The two looked at each other and shook their heads in unison.
Though they bore some minor injuries, none were serious.
"We're fine. Thank you so much for helping us!"
Link nodded again.
Since they were relatively safe, he turned his gaze forward once more.
His true target wasn't them — it was the mutated Lunabbit lurking farther ahead.
"Finally found you."
Link let out a cold snort, his eyes flashing with killing intent.
At the same time, he sheathed his longsword and summoned a massive Rocksolid Greatbow using his spiritual powers.
Then, he fitted a Shadow Arrow as the bowstring hummed with force.
This was a fusion skill, one originally designed by Lib but left without detailed instruction.
Through countless failures, relentless practice, and surviving near-death experiences, Link had gradually mastered it himself.
Fusion skills were notoriously difficult to wield — they not only required compatibility between the skills but also demanded an extraordinary level of spiritual control.
Only because of Link's harsh experiences in life-and-death battles had he been able to barely grasp it.
The mutated Lunabbit seemed to sense that Link was vastly different from the others.
A flicker of panic flashed across its eyes, and it let out a sharp, eerie screech!
But Link stood unmoved, a faintly amused glint in his gaze.
Ever since he began training his mind power, he had built a considerable resistance to mental attacks.
If it had been the old him, perhaps he would have been affected.
But now, thanks to his strengthened mind power, he was nearly immune to the Lunabbit's talent.
The mutated creature's mental shriek might as well have been a light breeze to him.
"If that's all you've got," Link said coldly, "then you're really disappointing."
With that, he released his fingers.
Three Shadow Arrows fired simultaneously, empowered by the Rocksolid Greatbow.
Their speed and spiritual force were overwhelming, their aura tearing through the battlefield like a storm.
The mutated Lunabbit's massive body trembled under the immense pressure.
It tried to dodge — but compared to the Shadow Arrows' devastating speed, it looked clumsy, as if it had turned into a sluggish pig rather than a nimble beast.
With a shrill "whoosh," the first Shadow Arrow struck the Lunabbit squarely in the forehead!
A heart-wrenching scream burst from its mouth.
But it didn't last long.
Moments later, the mountain-like beast crashed heavily to the ground.
Its once formidable vitality was now completely snuffed out.
At the same time, the surrounding Lunabbits shrieked in terror and scattered in all directions.
Link's strength was something far beyond their comprehension.
Survival instinct overwhelmed whatever courage they might have had — they fled without looking back.
The crisis was over.
Link lowered his Greatbow and turned toward the siblings.
"Alright," he said calmly. "The threat's been eliminated. But judging from your current condition, it's probably best if you don't stay in the Wilderness Battlefield any longer."
"Let me escort you out."