The night wind blew, piercing the skin. Arya's group halted in the courtyard of the LATREL city ruler's mansion. Blocking their path was a fully armed unit from the Kingdom of KIREZO. Both sides stared in silence, tension building before the battle began.
Arya gave a thin smile, his eyes cold yet sharp. "So you finally showed up. I suspected from the beginning it would be you they'd send."
He stepped slightly forward. "Judging by how well you hid your tracks, I assume you're from the elite division. KIREZO isn't the kind of kingdom to send their best troops… unless they're panicking."
The man across from him smirked mockingly.
"You noticed?"
Arya glanced briefly back at the EXONE symbol stuck to the wall. "We left that mark not as a threat… but as an invitation. And you arrived right on time. The reason I hurried to execute LATREL's ruler was so we could fight immediately," he said calmly.
"What's your name, sir?" Asked Arya in a flat tone.
The man raised an eyebrow, half impressed. "Interesting. Who are you really?"
Arya looked him straight in the eye. "The one you're looking for. But not someone you can capture." Arya narrowed his eyes. "You haven't answered my question, sir. What's your name? I don't want a worthy opponent to die without knowing it."
The man pointed his spear at Arya. "You're pretty calm for someone surrounded."
Arya smiled. "Surrounded?" He looked calmly left and right. "It's actually the opposite. I'm not the type to be easily surrounded. And the only one who ever managed to fool me… King Sekius. The only king I acknowledge."
Laughter came from one of the soldiers in front. His voice was deep and mocking. "King Sekius? That fool of a king? The one who sacrificed his life for cheap peace?"
Venus narrowed her eyes sharply. "What did you say?!"
Arya slowly raised a hand. "Calm down, Venus."
Footsteps echoed forward. A tall man in elite uniform stopped a few meters from Arya. He grinned, then planted his spear into the ground. "My name is Solvier. Known as the number one spear expert in the Kingdom of Kirezo."
Arya looked at the spear with disinterest. "Spear expert? You mean… that broomstick?" he said flatly.
Solvier's face instantly tensed.
"Nice to meet you. My name's Arya," he continued calmly. He turned to the back. "Gamma, protect Yui and Raius. They'll be targeted for sure."
"Okay, big bro." Gamma quickly moved back and stood in front of Yui and Raius.
Arya stepped one pace forward. "Venus, take the right. Dina, left. I'll handle him alone."
Venus and Dina exchanged glances for a moment, then nodded. "Got it."
Solvier laughed. "Alone? Are you underestimating me?!"
Arya drew his katana. "The katana is the best match against a spear." A thin smile. "Swap."
His body vanished. In an instant, he was standing right in front of Solvier.
Solvier's eyes widened. "What?!"
"One hit." A horizontal slash came flying.
Solvier raised his spear to block. "Hooh?" He grinned. "Interesting ability."
He took half a step back, inhaling. "Spear Thrust!" His spear lunged forward, fast and sharp.
Arya shifted his body slightly, dodging. "Fire Slash!" His katana ignited in flames, slashing sideways.
Solvier jumped back. "Still not enough!"
He slammed his spear into the ground. "Smashing Spear!" Arya jumped to the side, dodging the powerful impact that shattered part of the mansion courtyard's floor.
Dust rose. But Arya's smile remained.
The smoke and dust hadn't fully cleared when the sound of fast steps echoed from within the haze.
"I'm here," Arya said calmly.
Solvier turned, but it was too late.
"Shadow Slash." A horizontal slash came from the right, almost silent.
Clang!
Solvier managed to raise his spear. But the pressure from the slash pushed his body back, digging his feet deeper into the ground.
"You're fast…" he muttered.
Arya gave no pause. "Swap." He vanished and reappeared behind Solvier. "Fire Cross."
Two fiery slashes formed a burning X in the air.
Solvier turned quickly and leaped sideways, but his left arm was burned and injured.
"Tch." He grinned. "You're not as bad as I thought."
Arya remained calm. "And you're slower than I expected."
Solvier stomped his foot. "Don't get cocky!!" He slammed his spear into the ground. "Spear Barrage!"
Five rapid thrusts flew toward Arya.
Arya read each attack's direction with precision. He ducked, spun, and parried one with the side of his katana.
But just as he was about to strike back, Solvier swung his spear downward.
"Gravity Drag!" Arya was halted in place. A sudden magical weight pressed down on him.
"Now you die!" Solvier's spear lunged, enhanced with slicing wind magic.
Arya smiled. "Reverse Time."
In an instant, Arya's position rewound several seconds back, returning to the point before Gravity Drag hit. Solvier slashed only empty air.
"What?!" the shocked expression.
Arya was already behind him. "One true slash."
A vertical slash sliced through the air, cutting through Solvier's armor and sending him crashing to the ground.
A loud thud echoed.
Solvier lay there, blood streaming from his chest. He tried to rise, but his body refused.
"Speed… and time magic…" he muttered. "You're a monster…"
Arya looked down at him coldly, pointing his katana at his neck. "Goodbye, broomstick expert."
"W-what?!" Solvier face reddened, but he couldn't move.
"Sword Blazing." A burning slash incinerated Solvier mercilessly, until his body turned to ash.
The remaining elite Kirezo soldiers were frozen. One of them trembled. "T-that was Lord Solvier… he was the strongest among us…"
Arya turned toward them, giving a thin smile with empty eyes. "I'll let one of you escape." His voice was cold, then turned into a short, terrifying laugh.
He grinned widely. "TO GIVE A FORMAL DECLARATION TO THAT DAMN KINGDOM OF KIREZO!" he shouted.
"THAT WE, EXONE, CHALLENGE THE ENTIRE KINGDOM OF KIREZO!"
Arya's voice echoed, shaking the courtyard still full of smoke and pools of blood.
A soldier dropped his weapon and ran in panic.
The soldier next to him fell to his knees, body trembling. "N-no… please… me too…"
Arya lowered his head slightly and gave a cruel smile. "Your apology isn't on the list," he said calmly.
The katana swung fast. The neck was severed. Blood flowed to the ground.
Venus, who had just appeared on the right side, commented softly. "You're becoming terrifying, Arya."
Arya didn't respond. He just stared at the blood on the tip of his katana, then slowly sheathed it.
To the side of Dina and Venus-
Dina leaped back, her two daggers already engulfed in fire and wind. Venus stood beside her, holding her fan with one hand.
Three elite Kirezo members were now on the move. One headed for Dina, one for Venus, and one directly toward Gamma, Yui, and Raius.
Dina took a breath. "Venus, quick. They won't give us time."
Venus lifted her chin. "You take the one on the left. I'll take the one on the right. The one heading for Reisa-chan she can handle that herself."
Dina nodded. "Ready."
The three enemies charged at once 2 with a magical dagger, the other with a long sword.
Venus swung her fan. "Wind Piercer!"
A sharp swirling wind pierced one enemy's defense.
Dina jumped high. "Double Slash!"
A double dagger slash flew from the air, slicing through the enemy's body.
Meanwhile, the last enemy almost reached Gamma-
"Thread Guillotine!"
An invisible horizontal thread sliced the soldier's head clean off.
"Don't underestimate me!" Gamma snapped.
Arya turned around. "It's over?" he asked, concerned.
Gamma approached. "It's done, bro."
Arya patted Gamma's head. "Thank you, Gamma." A sincere smile.
Dina slowly walked over. "Hey Ar, you just let that one guy escape?" she asked curiously.
Arya turned. "Oh, that's for the declaration to the Kingdom of KIREZO." He put his hand on his chin. "Hmm, maybe the declaration will reach them in about two weeks."
Venus smirked. "But you looked terrifying just now, kid!"
Arya turned. "Hahaha! Don't praise me like that!" he laughed loudly.
In Venus's heart: "Praise…?"
Yui and Raius approached. "Sorry, bro, we were useless," Raius said quietly, lowering his head.
"Yeah, sorry, bro." Yui's face was sad.
Arya came closer and patted their heads. "You were useful. After all, the prisoners are safe." He smiled.
Gamma, Yui, and Raius smiled.
Meanwhile, the hostages just stared in shock at the brutal battle.
And elsewhere…
"Ha… Ha… Haaa… He's a monster… Lord Solvier, who had above-average abilities and was even called a spear expert, couldn't even trouble that monster…"
Panting breaths.
"I… I have to tell the kingdom how insane that monster is…" The soldier ran, gasping, even wetting himself.
On blood- and urine-soaked ground, the soldier's footprints led into darkness.
But who knows
Will he deliver the message...or will only his body reach Kirezo's gate…?