As the debris stretched in every direction, LOUVNA lay on the ground, her eyes locked onto THE DEMON MONKEY advancing toward her.
MONA tried to aim her weapon at him, but he hurled her toward SOLIMON, who was rushing forward as well.
The demon monkey slowly raised his sword, preparing the killing blow.
"Nooooo!" SOLIMON screamed, terror flooding his eyes.
LOUVNA closed her eyes, awaiting her fate.
But suddenly—
a dark black flash poured down from the sky, crashing like a barrier between her and the demon monkey.
The impact forced the demon monkey to leap back in irritation.
As everyone held their breath, a shadow stepped forward with calm, confident strides through the dreadful silence.
"So… you decided to come," the demon monkey said mockingly.
MOHITO did not reply. He merely turned his single red eye toward him—cold as ice.
SOLIMON stepped forward, carrying the injured MONA, hesitation filling his eyes.
"MOHITO…"
Then he added, "We're surrounded."
MOHITO kept his focus on the demon monkey, as if reading his next move.
Suddenly—
He vanished!
Everyone caught a glimpse of him standing in front of THE BLACK TIGER, who recoiled in terror, before MOHITO returned to his original position, carrying the wounded MESNAS with inhuman speed.
The demon monkey observed in silence, his eyes glowing with interest.
He had noticed the change—MOHITO's power and speed had evolved.
"SOLIMON, there's a vehicle at the end of the slope. Take everyone and leave now," MOHITO said without turning.
"But—" SOLIMON hesitated.
"No time for discussion," MOHITO cut him off, his voice calm yet firm.
"MESNAS needs immediate medical attention, MONA is injured…"
Then he glanced at LOUVNA, who was struggling to keep her balance.
"And you need to get the princess out of here."
LOUVNA's eyes widened.
She felt it—something had changed in MOHITO's tone… especially since he hadn't called her by name as he always did.
"Sniper, kill them!" THE BLACK TIGER shouted as he pressed his communicator.
A bloodstained radio device fell to the ground at MOHITO's feet.
"Impossible… how did he reach it so fast?" THE BLACK TIGER whispered, trembling.
"LOUVNA, we have to leave—now!" SOLIMON said with a determined look.
"But…" LOUVNA stared at MOHITO's back, standing like a statue.
"MOHITO…"
She tried to step forward and grab his hand, but SOLIMON didn't wait.
He pulled her forcefully and ran toward the slope, while LOUVNA kept turning back, as if bidding MOHITO a final farewell.
"You won't escape that easily!" THE WILD DOG snarled, trying to block SOLIMON.
But—
a black flash, and the sound of wind roaring like a hurricane!
In the blink of an eye, THE WILD DOG's head hit the ground, while MOHITO stood calmly beside the corpse.
"Your voice is really annoying," he whispered coldly.
Then turned his gaze toward SOLIMON and LOUVNA, who had disappeared beyond the slope,
before fixing his glowing eyes on THE black TIGER and THE DEMON MONKEY.
"Who's next?"
*******************************
At the bottom of the slope, SOLIMON spotted the vehicle.
As he approached, the front door suddenly opened, and ODEL rushed out to help.
"Hurry! Get in!" ODEL shouted nervously as he helped lift the wounded.
"We need to move MESNAS immediately… the wound is deep, and the bleeding won't stop!"
SOLIMON's voice was hoarse as he replied, his eyes filled with undeniable worry.
He took a sharp breath, then added while glancing back toward the slope:
"And ZARIOUH… I need to find him, too."
But when he looked at LOUVNA, he froze.
She stood near the vehicle, tears streaming down her cheeks, terror filling her fragile gaze.
"I can't leave her without protection…" SOLIMON murmured almost inaudibly.
ODEL broke the silence as he rushed closer.
"Relax… ZARIOUH is in the car. MOHITO brought him… but he's unconscious."
Before SOLIMON could process the words, a distorted sound crackled from the radio:
"H–h… c-can… you hear…?"
SOLIMON grabbed the device instantly.
"This is SOLIMON! Respond—do you hear me?"
SHOUTNA's voice came through, steady as ever despite the noise:
"We hear you clearly. What's your situation?"
SOLIMON swallowed hard, struggling to steady his shaking voice.
"It's a disaster. We were ambushed… we need immediate backup. MOHITO is fighting alone!"
Silence followed for a second—
Then SHOUTNA's calm voice returned, almost infuriatingly composed:
"You must retreat immediately. MOHITO will handle the rest."
SOLIMON's eyes widened in furious shock.
"What?! You want us to leave him?!"
LOUVNA stepped forward, her broken voice revealing all her buried fear:
"Please… we have to help him! I don't care what happens to me—don't leave him alone!"
SOLIMON lifted his head, his gaze meeting hers.
She was pleading—begging him.
And for the first time, he saw a fracture in her eyes, unlike anything he had seen in any princess.
SHOUTNA's voice returned:
"SOLIMON… you know what must be done."
SOLIMON lowered his gaze, biting his lip so hard that blood spilled.
Then he spoke softly—but decisively:
"Everyone… into the vehicle. Now."
"No! Please—don't do this!!" LOUVNA screamed, gripping his arm with all her strength.
SOLIMON turned slowly, pain etched deeper on his face than fear itself.
"I'm sorry…"
He gently removed her hand and pulled her into the vehicle against her will.
ODEL paused for a moment, staring toward the top of the slope where MOHITO had vanished, then shook his head in sorrow and climbed inside.
As for SOLIMON, he cast one final look toward the battlefield and whispered:
"Don't die…"
The vehicle drove away from the battlefield as the mountains trembled with the sounds of combat.
Behind the window, LOUVNA sobbed, her trembling hand pounding the glass as if trying to return, while the scene faded farther and farther away.
******************
At the top of the cliff…
THE BLACK TIGER circled MOHITO at blinding speed, forming a vortex of sand and dust.
But MOHITO—
stood at the center of the storm, unmoving as stone.
His eyes never once followed THE BLACK TIGER.
His gaze was fully fixed on THE DEMON MONKEY—
cold, heavy.
THE DEMON MONKEY smiled slowly.
In the next instant—
THE BLACK TIGER attacked.
"DIEEEEEE!" he screamed, descending from above with a lethal vertical strike capable of shattering rock.
But the moment the sword reached its target—
It struck nothing.
MOHITO had vanished.
He appeared behind THE BLACK TIGER in a fraction of a second… silently.
THE BLACK TIGER turned his head in shock:
"Wha—"
Before he could finish, MORASAMI sliced through the air in a single motion—clean… cold…
so fast that he didn't feel it at first.
MOHITO stood with his back to him, calmly sheathing MORASAMI.
In a whisper, he said:
"You're… too slow for me to see."
THE BLACK TIGER froze, eyes widening—
Then a deep gash bloomed across his chest like a flower of blood.
His torn clothes collapsed, followed by his sword hitting the ground first.
He dropped to his knees, gasping, his hands trembling uncontrollably.
"Th–this… is… impossible…"
MOHITO didn't turn.
He didn't move a single step.
THE DEMON MONKEY watched.
A small, cold smile formed on his lips.
He whispered in a low voice—one MOHITO heard despite the distance:
"So this is it… this is the wolf I know."
MOHITO showed no reaction.
He merely lifted his head slightly, his eyes glowing with a faint red shimmer.
"Your turn…"
The wind howled, scattering dust around them,
and the entire mountain seemed to hold its breath—
awaiting the next confrontation.