"Hey, Ar... is that Saturn?" asked Dina, her gaze fixed on the giant man standing a few meters away from them.
"Maybe," Arya replied casually. "Gamma only said he was a muscle-brain, but didn’t mention his features."
"Look at his body... two meters? Or two and a half?"
"Two point three meters," Arya replied quickly without taking his eyes off.
The man was indeed eye-catching. Muscular, towering, short brown hair, with an arrogant aura radiating from every movement.
Saturn turned around with a deep voice. "Are you talking about me?"
"It's nothing, sir," Arya answered with a small nod.
"Then, shall we begin?"
"Go ahead." Arya pulled a pistol from under his coat. He glanced at Dina. "Step back. Like you said... let me handle this."
Dina nodded. "Good luck."
"Just you alone?" Saturn laughed harshly. "You underestimate me?"
"Sorry, I never underestimate my opponent," Arya replied calmly. "But I think... I’m enough."
"You insolent brat!"
With an angry roar, Saturn charged forward. His body was large, but his movements were fast. Yet Arya easily stepped aside, dodging without activating any magic.
"Whoa, too slow, sir!" he mocked lightly.
Saturn grunted, then charged again.
(He’s repeating the same move? Is he really that dumb?) Arya thought.
Once again, he dodged easily. Then, quickly aimed his pistol.
"Bang!"
The bullet shot out, but merely bounced off Saturn's hardened skin.
"Useless, kid!" Saturn mocked, laughing confidently.
(He’s confident in his body, huh?) Arya grimaced. "In that case... try this. Ice Shot! Fire Shot!"
Both his pistols lit up, each firing five cold and hot magic bullets. Saturn was pushed back, but the effect still wasn’t significant enough.
"You brat!" Saturn growled. "Earth Golem!"
The ground beneath them shook and formed a large figure made of earth.
Arya smiled. "Now this is interesting. Swap!"
His body moved rapidly in various directions. "Ice Shot! Fire Shot!"
Within seconds, the golem crumbled to dust.
"What?!" Saturn was shocked. "You... destroyed my golem?"
"I’ve fought creatures scarier than your earth golem."
Saturn roared, activating multiple spells at once. "Earth Golem! Earth Golem! Earth Golem! Earth Golem! Earth Golem! Sand Storm! Sand Suction! Earth Lancer!"
The ground turned into a sandstorm, sucking everything to the center before hurling solid earth spears toward Arya.
"Swap! Swap! Blazing Bullet! Frostbite Bullet!"
The powerful magic bullets destroyed everything, piercing through Saturn’s defenses and body.
"Aargh! What is this?! Why is my body getting hurt?!"
"Muscle-brains like you never realize their own weaknesses," Arya said. "Like ants that can bite an elephant to death."
"How dare you!" Saturn slammed the ground. "Tectonic Rage!"
A violent tremor spread like an earthquake.
"Woah! Why is there an earthquake?! Swap! Swap!"
"Terra Burst!"
A burst of earth exploded upward, targeting Arya’s position.
"Hoo... so he can use tactics too," Arya muttered.
"Boulder Storm! Earth Fist!"
Arya dodged, then jumped high. "Swap! Blazing Bullet! Frostbite Bullet!"
The combo attack hit Saturn from above, burning and freezing him simultaneously.
Saturn screamed, but didn’t give up.
"Earth Meteor!"
A massive chunk of earth appeared in the sky.
"What is that?! It's huge!" Arya jumped, "Swap!" He drew his katana. "Strength! Fire Slash!"
The flaming slash of his sword split the meteor in the air, then dashed again toward Saturn. "Fire Slash!"
Saturn’s body was split, yet he still stood.
"Why is he this strong?! Damn it!" Saturn growled.
"Still alive?" Arya frowned. (This guy is really persistent...)
"Earth Meteor! Earth Meteor! Earth Meteor!" Saturn screamed. "I WON’T LET YOU HARM MY KING!"
Three earth meteors appeared at once.
"Ar!" Dina shouted in panic. "Destroy them again! They could fall on us!"
"Damn it...! Fire Slash! Fire Slash! Fire Slash!"
The three meteors shattered. Arya raised his pistol.
"Blazing Bullet! Frostbite Bullet!"
The two bullets pierced Saturn’s body. Part of him burned, part froze... yet still, he stood.
Blood dripped from Saturn’s lips. "Damn it..." Tears fell from his eyes. "Forgive me... my King... I... failed..."
He fell. Silent.
Arya stared at the giant body, silent. (Why was he that persistent? What does loyalty to such a rotten king mean?)
Elsewhere, in the palace...
Sekius, the King, arranged chess pieces before him. "So, Saturn has fallen this time."
Noctis stood silently behind him.
Dina approached Arya. "Hey, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. But... I can’t stop thinking about something."
"What is it?"
"Saturn... He fought with incredible persistence. Even with his body split, burned, and frozen, he still didn’t back down. Even his last words... were full of regret toward his king."
Dina nodded slowly. "Yeah, I felt strange too. But... why are you thinking that far?"
"Of course I think about it. What’s so special about that king? For him, this wasn’t just an order. It felt like... a game."
"A game?"
"He said, 'forgive me, my king'. That means he was on a mission. And he was confident he could kill us. Even at the brink of death, he only regretted failing, not dying."
"That’s true..." Dina muttered. (I really don’t understand how your mind works.)
"I regret underestimating him," Arya said quietly.
"Forget it, don’t dwell on it. Where are we going now?"
"I want to do something first."
"What?"
"I want to bury him. Properly."
Dina looked at him in surprise. "Why?"
"As fellow men with determination... we must respect each other."
Arya gathered Saturn’s remains and buried them quietly.
It may not have been much, but it was a form of respect for a determined enemy.
"Alright, let’s go now. Come on, Dina."
"Y–yeah... (I really don’t get it.)"
Arya stared into the distance. "After we kill the ruler of Zerio City, we’ll head to the capital... Only four members of Seven Eclipse left."
"Where will we fight them?"
"If possible, in a forest. That would be ideal. But if they show up in the city, we’ll need to find a way."
"In the city, I can’t fight freely... too many people."
"Me too," said Arya. "Hey, Dina. Stand over there. Around ten meters from here."
"Why?"
"I want to test teleportation. Whether I can move someone else within a ten-meter range."
"To... move the enemy?"
"Exactly. If we meet in the city, I hope to teleport them into the forest."
"It’s ten meters now."
"Alright. Teleportation!"
Light enveloped Dina.
"Woah! Where is this?!"
"In the Azura Forest," Arya replied with a smile. "So it worked, huh?"
"Hm?" A deep voice was heard.
A dragon emerged from the bushes. "Why have you returned?"
"Lord Noctarion!" Arya and Dina said in unison.
"Oh, it’s you two."
"I was testing teleportation, Lord. Whether I could move another person within a ten-meter radius."
"Teleportation? Isn’t the radius fifty meters?" Noctarion asked in surprise.
"Fifty?!"
"Isn’t that too wide?" muttered Dina.
"It is. But there’s a risk."
"Risk?"
"If the living being moved can’t use magic, their body will be destroyed."
"What?!" Dina was shocked. "Hey Ar! You almost killed me!"
"Relax! You’re a magic user. Only normal beings die."
"What about Gamma?" asked Dina. "He can only channel magic into his threads."
Noctarion nodded. "Still considered a magic user. As long as he can channel energy, he’s safe."
"Thank you, Lord Noctarion," said Arya.
"Yes, thank you very much," added Dina.
"How is the forest?" Arya asked.
"Very comfortable. The temperature is just right, and nothing attacks me."
"Hahaha, that’s a relief. Then we’ll take our leave, Lord."
"Yes, see you."
"Teleportation!"
The light vanished.
Noctarion sighed softly. "Time to sleep again..."
In the Seven Eclipse room...
Noctis stood watching the chessboard.
"Saturn is dead. So... who will go next?"
Venus smiled coldly. "That muscle-brain died too, huh. How unfortunate."
Jupiter stood. "I will face him."
Mercury remained silent. And far in the corner of the room, Gamma clenched his fists silently.
(I knew it... Big Brother really is incredible.)