As the big explosion happened, dust and smoke filled the air around Kiopa.
Marco's team immediately moved forward through the broken wall, stepping into the opening with weapons ready. Every movement was sharp, controlled, trained for war.
But then
They all stopped.
A small dog was standing in their path.
It looked at them quietly.
No barking. No fear. Just staring.
For a moment, the chaos behind them felt far away.
One of the fighters tightened his grip on his weapon.
"Is this… a trap?"
No one answered immediately.
The dog didn't move. It just kept watching them, as if it was waiting for something.
Marco slowly raised his hand, signaling silence.
The team stayed frozen.
Even the sound of battle from behind felt distant in that moment.
The dog took one slow step forward.
Then stopped again.
Its eyes shifted slightly, looking past them toward the broken path deeper inside Kiopa.
As if it already knew where they were going.
Marco narrowed his eyes.
"Stay alert."
Suddenly, an arrow hit the dog.
The dog collapsed instantly.
It had been a distraction.
Before anyone could react, movement burst from the side routes of the broken wall. Soldiers emerged quickly from hidden positions inside Kiopa.
Marco's team tightened formation instantly, but it was already too late to fully react.
From the prison route, more soldiers appeared, dragging a spy they had captured.
She was in their control.
A blade was held at her throat.
They were about to split throat of the spy when a signal came from Marco's team.
Erish's group reacted immediately. Arrows were released in a controlled wave, striking key targets and breaking the formation holding her.
The pressure around the spy loosened. She fell safely to the ground and quickly moved away from danger.
Erish's team continued their advance, holding their positions and pushing forward with coordination.
For a brief moment, the situation seemed under control.
But then Marco noticed something change behind them.
The ground movement shifted. More presence arrived from the rear side of the battlefield.
He turned slightly.
A large group was approaching from behind.
Marco's expression changed as he realized the situation.
"Behind us."
They were about to harm the spy when a signal came from Marco's team.
Erish's group reacted immediately. Arrows were released in a controlled wave, striking key targets and breaking the formation holding her.
The pressure around the spy loosened. She fell safely to the ground and quickly moved away from danger.
Erish's team continued their advance, holding their positions and pushing forward with coordination.
For a brief moment, the situation seemed under control.
But then Marco noticed something change behind them.
The ground movement shifted. More presence arrived from the rear side of the battlefield.
He turned slightly.
A large group was approaching from behind.
Marco's expression changed as he realized the situation.
"Behind us."
As other noticed that the fight started there
Hairo's focus stayed on the movement around him, but his thoughts drifted for a brief moment.
While defending himself, his mind kept returning to his father.
The sword he carried was not his own.
It was his father's.
The weight of it felt different in his hands, heavier than steel, heavier than memory.
For a moment, his grip tightened not from fear, but from emotion he could not fully name.
Then he refocused, keeping himself steady as the situation around him continued.
Hairo stood still for a moment, as if the world around him had faded away.
The noise, the movement, everything became distant.
And then he remembered.
A smaller version of himself stood in an open field, the wind moving through tall grass.
His father was there.
Not a king. Not a warrior in armor.
Just a man.
Standing with a simple sword in his hand.
"You don't fight to become strong," his father said calmly.
Hairo watched closely, holding a wooden practice blade much too big for his small hands.
"You fight so you don't lose yourself."
Hairo didn't understand those words back then.
His father stepped closer and gently adjusted his grip.
"Your strength will always come from what you protect, not what you destroy."
A soft smile appeared on his face.
"Remember that. Even when I'm not around."
Hairo blinked.
The wind shifted.
When he opened his eyes again, the field was gone.
The sound of battle returned.
But the words stayed.
A bandit moved quickly and stepped in front of Hairo, shielding him from the incoming pressure.
"Focus! Fight!" he shouted.
Hairo blinked, pulled back from his thoughts, and looked around him again.
The battlefield came rushing back into his mind.
He tightened his grip on the sword his father had once used.
His breathing steadied.
He nodded slightly, more to himself than anyone else.
"I'm here," he said quietly.
Then he stepped forward again, rejoining the fight with renewed focus.
After Cartal's team gave signal to Marco's team
Cartal's team moved forward steadily through the forest, staying low and alert.
The prison guards had now fully turned their attention toward them.
From the direction of the gates, arrows began to cut through the air, forcing the team to react immediately.
Cartal raised his hand, signaling everyone to take cover.
The soldiers quickly spread out and moved behind the thick trees, using the forest as protection.
Wood and leaves absorbed the movement around them as they stayed hidden, avoiding the open line of sight.
Cartal kept watching the pattern carefully, guiding his team from cover to cover, making sure no one stayed exposed for too long.
Despite the pressure, they continued advancing step by step through the forest, staying alive and moving closer under controlled coordination.
Erish's team stayed positioned on the cliff, overlooking the battlefield from above.
They didn't enter the prison.
From that height, they had a clear view of everything below.
Their role was support.
Arrows were released with precision, each one timed carefully to create openings and reduce pressure on the teams below.
They didn't waste movement.
Every shot had purpose.
Below, Erish and Alice moved forward, separate from the cliff position.
They stayed focused on their objective, searching through paths and structures, trying to locate Anziym and Jake.
"Stay close," Erish said quietly, his eyes scanning ahead.
Alice nodded, her attention sharp.
Above them, arrows continued to fall at the right moments, covering their movement without exposing the position on the cliff.
It gave them just enough space to keep going.
"Anziym… Jake…" Alice whispered again, not stopping.
Erish slowed slightly, observing the deeper paths ahead.
"They'll be further inside," he said.
Alice didn't argue.
Together, they moved forward, while above them, the silent support from the cliff never stopped.
Alice slowed for a moment, her eyes scanning ahead.
"We don't even know what Anziym looks like…"
Erish continued her sentence without stopping.
"But we know what Commander Jake looks like."
Alice looked at him.
Erish's gaze stayed forward, focused.
"We find him first."
A brief pause, then he added,
"Anziym will be in the prison… or near the commander."
Alice nodded slightly.
"Then we follow Jake."
Without another word, they adjusted their direction and moved forward with a clearer target in mind.
After some time, they spotted him.
Alice focused her gaze.
"There…"
On the wall facing Cartal's team, a man stood giving orders, his presence clear even from a distance. The guards around him moved exactly as he directed.
Erish watched carefully.
"That's him."
Alice narrowed her eyes.
"Commander Jake."
They didn't move closer.
They stayed where they were, hidden, observing from a distance.
From above, arrows continued to fly from their side, supporting the fight below while keeping pressure on the guards near Jake.
Erish kept his eyes locked on him.
"We don't rush this," he said quietly.
Alice nodded.
Erish kept his eyes on Jake, making sure he didn't lose sight of him even for a moment.
Alice stayed beside him, focused on the same point.
"We can't leave this position," she said quietly.
Erish nodded.
"Then we send someone."
He signaled to one of the bandits nearby.
The man moved quickly toward them, staying low.
"What is it?" he asked.
Erish pointed toward the wall.
"Commander Jake is there. He's controlling everything from that side."
Alice added, " Cartal needs to know his exact position."
The bandit understood immediately.
Erish looked at him firmly.
"Go to Cartal's team. Tell him where Jake is."
The man gave a short nod.
Without wasting a second, he turned and moved away, slipping back through the paths, heading toward Cartal's side with the message.
Erish kept his eyes on Jake, making sure he didn't lose sight of him even for a moment.
Alice stayed beside him, focused on the same point.
"We can't leave this position," she said quietly.
Erish nodded.
"Then we send someone."
He signaled to one of the bandits nearby.
The man moved quickly toward them, staying low.
"What is it?" he asked.
Erish pointed toward the wall.
"Commander Jake is there. He's controlling everything from that side."
Alice added, " Cartal needs to know his exact position."
The bandit understood immediately.
Erish looked at him firmly.
"Go to Cartal's team. Tell him where Jake is."
The man gave a short nod.
Without wasting a second, he turned and moved away, slipping back through the paths, heading toward Cartal's side with the message.
Marco's team held their ground and pushed through the attack from behind.
They stayed together, moved as one, and slowly turned the situation in their favor.
In the end, they won.
The path behind them was clear again.
But the cost was there.
Nineteen of their soldiers didn't stand up with the others.
No one spoke about it.
No one needed to.
The silence said enough.
Marco looked back for a brief moment, then forward again.
The mission wasn't over.
Marco's team began moving inside, advancing carefully now that the pressure from behind was gone.
The support from the cliff stopped.
No more arrows.
Only distant sounds remained.
Some shouts.
Then quiet again.
The sudden absence of support felt strange, like something had shifted.
Above, at the cliff, a figure appeared.
Uri: "Anziym had reached there."
He stood at the edge, looking down at everything below.
His presence was calm.
Watching.
Understanding.
And the moment he arrived, the battlefield felt different.
Uri and Rensu exchanged a brief look.
"The cliff," Uri said.
Rensu nodded.
They changed direction, moving toward it without hesitation.
As they passed the area from earlier, Rensu slowed slightly.
"The dog…"
Uri looked down.
The body was gone.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then the realization settled in.
"That wasn't just a distraction," Uri said quietly.
Rensu's expression hardened.
"Anziym."
It made sense now. The timing. The movement. The way everything had shifted.
"He used it to slip through," Uri added. "To reach the cliff."
Rensu let out a slow breath.
"He wanted to see where the real threat was."
Above them, the cliff stood silent now. No arrows. No movement visible from below.
Meanwhile, Hairo suddenly stopped.
Something felt wrong.
A sharp, quiet unease settled in his chest.
He couldn't explain it.
But he felt it.
His thoughts shifted instantly.
The cliff.
His mother was there.
His grip tightened.
Without a word, his focus broke from everything else.
Something was about to happen.
Uri and Rensu exchanged a brief look.
"The cliff," Uri said.
Rensu nodded.
They changed direction, moving toward it without hesitation.
As they passed the area from earlier, Rensu slowed slightly.
"The dog…"
Uri looked down.
The body was gone.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then the realization settled in.
"That wasn't just a distraction," Uri said quietly.
Rensu's expression hardened.
"Anziym."
It made sense now. The timing. The movement. The way everything had shifted.
"He used it to slip through," Uri added. "To reach the cliff."
Rensu let out a slow breath.
"He wanted to see where the real threat was."
Above them, the cliff stood silent now. No arrows. No movement visible from below.
Meanwhile, Hairo suddenly stopped.
Something felt wrong.
A sharp, quiet unease settled in his chest.
He couldn't explain it.
But he felt it.
His thoughts shifted instantly.
The cliff.
His mother was there.
His grip tightened.
Without a word, his focus broke from everything else.
Something was about to happen.
Hairo stepped forward quickly.
"Wait."
Uri and Rensu stopped.
Hairo looked at them, his voice steady but urgent.
"Take me with you."
Rensu didn't even pause.
"No."
Hairo's jaw tightened slightly.
"I need to go."
Rensu's gaze stayed firm.
"You'll stay with your unit."
For a moment, it seemed final.
Then Uri spoke.
"He comes with me."
Rensu turned toward him.
Uri didn't change his expression.
"I'll take responsibility."
A brief silence passed between them.
Then Rensu looked away.
"Do what you want."
Uri nodded once.
"Stay close," he told Hairo.
Hairo didn't hesitate.
"I will."
Without wasting time, the two of them moved toward the cliff route.
Behind them, Marco's team pushed forward and entered deeper into the prison, continuing their mission from the inside.
When Hairo, Uri, and Rensu reached the top of the cliff, everything was still.
No movement.
No sound.
Only bodies scattered across the ground.
The air felt heavy.
Hairo slowed down.
His eyes moved quickly, searching.
Then they stopped.
His expression changed.
Alice…
She was there.
In Anziym's hands.
Still.
Too still.
For a moment, Hairo didn't move.
Didn't breathe.
Didn't think.
They were late.
His steps stopped without him realizing it.
For a second, his eyes didn't understand what they were seeing. They stayed fixed, wide, unblinking, as if refusing to accept the image in front of him.
Then it hit.
His pupils trembled. His breath caught halfway in his chest and wouldn't come out.
His lips parted slightly, but no sound followed.
The world around him went distant blurred, quiet like everything had been pushed far away, leaving only that one moment in front of him.
His face didn't twist or cry immediately.
It froze.
Shock held it still.
Only his eyes moved shaking, searching her face again and again, as if looking long enough could change what he was seeing.
His hands lowered slowly to his sides, fingers curling without strength.
A hollow feeling spread through him, deep and sudden, like something inside had just been torn away.
Then his expression cracked.
Not loudly.
Not all at once.
Just a small break his eyebrows tightening, his jaw trembling slightly, his breath finally escaping in a weak, uneven way.
It wasn't just sadness.
It was disbelief.
Loss.
And the quiet realization that nothing would be the same again.
Anziym stood tall at the edge, his figure steady against the wind.
His build was lean, but not weak there was a quiet strength in the way he held himself, like he didn't need to prove it.
His hair moved slightly with the air, dark and uneven, falling just enough to shadow parts of his face.
His eyes were the most unsettling.
Calm.
Too calm.
They didn't carry anger or urgency only a deep, cold stillness, as if he was watching everything from far above it.
His face showed almost no emotion. No strain, no tension. Just a blank, controlled expression that made it hard to read what he was thinking.
His clothing was simple but dark, flowing slightly with the wind, giving him a presence that felt quiet but heavy at the same time.
Nothing about him looked rushed or affected by what had happened.
He stood there like someone who had already decided the outcome long before anyone else arrived.
Hairo moved forward in an instant.
Fast.
"I will kill you!!!" Loud and clear Driven by anger, not thought.
His eyes were locked ahead, his entire body pushing forward without hesitation.
Before he could reach any further
Something stopped him.
A force pulled him back, holding him in place.
Uri.
Hairo struggled against it, trying to break free.
"Let me go!"
But the force didn't loosen.
Uri's control stayed firm, steady, unshaken.
Ahead, Anziym remained still, watching.
Then he spoke, his voice calm, almost distant.
"My sister… had this kind of power."
His eyes shifted slightly toward Uri.
There was no surprise in them.
Only recognition.
Uri's grip didn't loosen.
Hairo was still held back, his anger burning, his body refusing to stay still.
Then Uri spoke, his voice low but firm.
"Don't call her your sister."
Anziym's gaze shifted toward him.
Silence followed for a brief moment.
Uri's expression hardened.
"You lost that right."
A step forward.
Not aggressive.
Certain.
"You died for them the day you left."
The wind moved between them, but neither of them broke eye contact.
Uri's voice didn't rise.
It didn't need to.
"When you chose Creyog… you chose your side."
Anziym's gaze rested on Uri for a moment longer.
Then he spoke.
"You are Uri… right?"
A slight pause.
"You're from one of the families I created."
His eyes shifted briefly toward Hairo.
"I know him too."
Another pause.
"He's from one of my families as well."
The air felt heavier with every word.
Anziym looked back at Uri.
"Rugger…"
He continued, as if recalling something distant.
"And Uri Tuffin"
Anziym's gaze shifted past Uri.
It landed on Rensu.
A brief pause.
"And that old monk…"
His eyes narrowed slightly, studying his face.
"Who is he?"
Silence.
Something about Rensu felt familiar.
"I've seen that face before…"
Another pause.
Then
"Are you Memarom?"
The name hung in the air.
But before anyone could react, Anziym spoke again, almost correcting himself.
"No…"
His voice stayed calm.
"Memarom was killed."
A slight tilt of his head.
"I made sure of that."
Now his eyes fixed completely on Rensu.
"Then who are you?"
Rensu froze, shock turning into anger as his eyes tightened,
"Memarom was my father," he said,
stepping forward and locking his gaze on Anziym,
who looked at him calmly and said,
"Rensu, pathetic creature."
Anziym let out a low laugh, "Ho… ho… this is getting interesting," he said,
his voice calm yet carrying a strange weight that made the air feel heavier,
then he moved, raising his hand slowly as it began to grow, stretching unnaturally, expanding far beyond human limits,
the shape twisting as if it didn't follow any natural form, reaching toward them with overwhelming force,
the ground beneath shifted slightly from the pressure of it,
but Rensu and Uri didn't panic,
Eram's strength flowed through them, steady and controlled,
and the goddess's power within them responded instantly, sharpening their movements and awareness,
they stepped aside at the exact moment, their timing precise, their bodies moving with unnatural coordination,
the attack passed them, missing by only a fraction,
but they were already repositioning, already ready for what would come next.
As soon as they dodged, they released Hairo and moved forward together, attacking Anziym without hesitation as their steps aligned and their focus locked completely on him,
"It's not fair… one against three," Anziym said with a low laugh, his voice calm and unchanged even as they closed in on him,
Rensu stepped in first with a controlled forward motion, his strike aimed directly while Uri followed from the side, adjusting his angle to remove any space Anziym could use,
Anziym raised his hand slightly and stopped both of them without shifting his position, the force around him pushing outward as if the air itself resisted their movement,
Rensu held his ground against that pressure, forcing his step forward while Uri shifted his footing and redirected his approach, trying to slip past the edge of that resistance,
Anziym tilted his head slightly and moved just enough to keep both in front of him, his movements minimal but precise,
Rensu changed his rhythm suddenly, stepping in faster than before, forcing Anziym to react instead of simply standing still, while Uri matched that timing and closed the gap from another direction,
Anziym moved back a fraction, barely noticeable, but enough to shift the flow of the fight,
Rensu didn't let that moment pass and pushed forward immediately, increasing pressure with each step while Uri tightened the space around him, not allowing any escape,
Anziym raised his arm again and the pressure increased, pushing against them, but this time Rensu forced through it while Uri slipped along its edge,
they attacked again together, their coordination sharper now, each movement supporting the other without words,
Anziym adjusted again, turning slightly and redirecting both of them at once, maintaining control with minimal effort,
Rensu stepped back once to reset his stance, then moved forward again instantly, while Uri circled just enough to change the angle and force Anziym to track both of them,
their attacks came again, stronger, faster, and more precise, and Anziym blocked again, but his stance shifted slightly this time,
Rensu saw that change and pressed forward harder, pushing into that small weakness while Uri followed through, cutting off the side completely,
Anziym stepped back again, a single clear movement this time, and the ground beneath them reacted slightly to the shift in force,
Rensu advanced again without hesitation, his movements now carrying more weight as he drew deeper into his power, while Uri increased his speed, closing every gap the moment it appeared,
Anziym raised his arm once more and pushed back, but this time both Rensu and Uri held their positions longer before adjusting, forcing the exchange to last,
they attacked again and again, each time pushing further, each time forcing Anziym to respond instead of remain still,
Rensu shifted his stance and stepped in with a direct line, while Uri matched from the side, their timing almost exact,
Anziym blocked again, but his movement was slightly delayed, just enough for Rensu to notice and push harder into the next motion,
Uri followed immediately, not allowing that delay to recover, and their combined pressure forced Anziym to step back once more,
the rhythm of the fight changed as Rensu increased intensity and Uri matched it perfectly, their coordination now at its peak,
Anziym adjusted again, but now his movements were more frequent, reacting instead of simply controlling,
Rensu stepped forward again, forcing another exchange, while Uri closed the side instantly, maintaining pressure without pause,
they attacked again, stronger and faster, their movements now flowing together continuously, not breaking even for a second,
Anziym blocked again, but the force around him shifted unevenly for a moment,
Rensu stepped into that moment immediately, pushing forward with everything he had, while Uri matched him without hesitation,
Anziym moved again, trying to reset the balance, but they didn't allow it, continuing the pressure step by step,
Rensu's breathing grew heavier but his movements didn't slow, while Uri stayed controlled, maintaining precision even as the pace increased,
Anziym raised his arm again, but this time both of them broke through part of that resistance, forcing the exchange closer, tighter, more intense,
Rensu stepped in fully now, closing the distance completely, while Uri moved alongside him, covering every possible opening,
they attacked again together, pushing Anziym further than before, forcing another step back,
the ground shifted slightly again under the pressure of their movements, and the air around them felt sharper, tighter,
Anziym adjusted again, but now each movement required more response than before,
Rensu didn't stop, continuing forward again, while Uri matched every step, every movement, every shift,
they attacked again, and again, and again, not allowing even a moment for balance to return,
Anziym blocked again, but slower now, just enough for the difference to be felt,
Rensu saw it clearly and pushed harder, while Uri increased speed again, closing every gap instantly,
Anziym stepped back again, but this time it was forced, not chosen,
Rensu advanced immediately, while Uri cut off the side completely, leaving no space at all,
they attacked again together, forcing the opening wider than before,
Anziym paused for a fraction of a second, just enough for the balance to break,
and in that exact moment, Hairo moved forward at full speed, stepping through the space they created, his sword sharper than before with steam rising from it as power flowed through the blade, and without hesitation he struck directly through the opening and reached Anziym.
His head fell from the cliff, and Hairo stood there with the blade in his hand, a dark stain running along its edge,
for a single moment everything felt still,
then suddenly, from the same body, a new head formed again, rising as if nothing had happened,
Anziym looked at them calmly and said, "That attack was good… but I'm a devil, don't forget."
Cartal stayed behind the trees with his team, still in position as they avoided the incoming arrows, but now there were none,
the silence felt wrong,
he noticed it immediately,
"Why did the arrows stop…" someone whispered,
before anyone could answer, a messenger reached him, slightly out of breath,
"Commander Jake is near the main gate, right in front of us," he said quickly,
then added, "And… can I know why the arrows stopped shooting?"
Cartal didn't answer immediately, his eyes still scanning ahead,
"We don't know," he said, his voice low,
then his gaze shifted upward,
toward the cliff,
he saw a figure standing there,
not alone,
with three others,
his expression changed,
the messenger stepped back slightly, "I must return to my position "
"Stop," Cartal said instantly,
the urgency in his voice freezing him in place,
Cartal's eyes stayed fixed on the cliff,
"Anziym is there," he said,
a brief pause, then more firmly,
"Everyone up there… is dead,"
the messenger's expression dropped,
Cartal looked at him directly,
"You go to Marco's team,"
his voice steady but urgent,
"They must not know yet,"
"Go."
Cartal's eyes stayed fixed ahead for a moment, then he turned back to his team,
"We move," he said, his voice firm,
"We can't stay here now,"
a brief pause, his grip tightening slightly,
"Erish's team is dead."
They moved ahead without hesitation, keeping low and fast,
suddenly the enemy noticed them, but not in time to understand their movement,
the reaction came late, confused, unprepared,
for a brief moment panic spread among them,
those two minutes were enough,
Cartal's team didn't slow down,
they pushed straight forward,
and within that time every one of them reached the gate, breaking through and entering the prison.
When they entered, Marco's team had already reached inside as well,
the messenger, who was midway, saw them break in and stopped, then turned back without delivering the message,
inside, the fight had already begun, intense and chaotic,
movement everywhere, no clear lines,
but at the center Jake stood,
the bandits tried to hold him, surround him, but they couldn't keep him contained,
his presence alone was enough to break their formation again and again,
then Cartal stepped forward, cutting through the movement, his eyes locked on him,
"Jake… this is the last time we meet," he said,
Jake looked at him, calm, almost unchanged,
"Last time, you said the same thing,"
those words hit deeper than the moment itself,
and for a brief second
Cartal remembered.
"But this time is last." he said calmly,
Jake smiled softly, "Let's do it then,"
Anziym: "There is only one way to kill me, didn't your goddess tell you,"
Uri: "It's good that you respected her,"
Uri moved first, using his power to throw Anziym high into the air, creating an opening,
energy gathered in his hand, compressing into a dense force as he launched upward, closing the distance instantly,
before Anziym could stabilize, Uri struck, one hit to the chest forcing him higher, then another, then another, each impact faster than the last as the air cracked with pressure,
Anziym's body was driven upward, losing balance in the force of continuous strikes,
Uri appeared above him in a flash and brought him down, the impact splitting the ground and sending debris outward,
without stopping, Uri moved through the rising dust, continuing his attacks with sharp, controlled hits, each movement precise, each strike aimed to finish it,
the ground beneath them fractured further, forming a deep crater as the force of the exchange increased,
Anziym hit the surface again, but didn't remain there,
a surge of dark energy pushed outward, forcing space itself to react,
Uri was pushed back, sliding across broken ground before stabilizing himself again,
the air grew heavy, pressure building around Anziym as the space distorted, bending slightly as if something inside was forcing its way outward,
Uri rushed in again, faster, more direct,
the moment he entered that space, resistance slowed him, pulling against his movement from all directions,
still, he pushed through and struck,
the hit landed but the effect changed, the energy bending, twisting, and fading into the distortion instead of breaking through,
the ground cracked deeper under them, spreading outward,
Anziym moved slightly, just enough,
Uri's next strike missed by a fraction,
and in that moment, the balance shifted,
the pressure spiked suddenly,
Uri was thrown back, cutting through dust and debris before regaining control as he landed,
in between the battle, Hairo stood watching, his eyes fixed, thinking, waiting for the exact moment to attack,
while Rensu closed his eyes, standing still in the middle of chaos, trying to connect with Eram.
When Anziyme threw Uri back Hairo saw that his guard was down he took opportunity and pushed sword though his stomach
Anziym felt a strong pain, the same pain he had felt long ago when he fought one of the fathers, Mayur, back in the year 1384,
before he could think anything, the sword pierced through him, sliding upward and cutting him in half,
Hairo thought he would finally avenge his mother, but he forgot they were fighting a devil,
Anziym joined his body back together, "You bandits will never understand how to fight, fight together and you will win for sure, but you can't now, it's too late," he said while recovering,
while Rensu connected to Eram,
"You are in between a mission, why did you connect with me now?" Eram asked,
Rensu said, "It's very early, but we met Anziym, he killed the whole cliff team, Erish is also dead, and Hairo's mother Alice is also dead,"
"Didn't you see how he went there? How could you let him go toward the support like that?" Eram asked,
"He took the form of a dog, feigning death by an arrow while his soldiers distracted us, our spy was held by a soldier so we didn't see the dog escape, by the time we realized the dog was gone it was too late, the support had stopped and we arrived to find them all dead," Rensu told Eram,
Eram said, "Then listen, you are already fighting him, did Uri tell you how to kill him?"
Rensu said, "No, he didn't, does he know?"
Eram said, "The way to win against Anziym is to combine two god powers, you have mine and Uri has the goddess's power, so you both must mix your powers and fight to the end, if it touches him he will be so injured that he won't even be able to stand, but if it doesn't work, you must run or find Mayur."
"But what if Uri dies?" Rensu asked, his voice tightening as he watched the battle,
Hairo was thrown back, his body hitting the ground hard, struggling to rise again,
Anziym moved without hesitation, forcing Uri down and over the edge, leaving no space, no second chance,
for a moment, everything inside Rensu went still,
Uri wasn't just a fighter,
he was their weapon,
the most important one,
the key to ending a devil,
and now that key was gone.
In the blink of an eye, Uri was gone,
Eram's voice came instantly, shaken for the first time,
"What do you mean… no way, you're joking,"
a brief pause, then sharper,
"He was the only one who could fight him,"
Eram's tone hardened,
"Did Anziym fight him… or control him?"
Rensu said, "He fought him," his voice low, almost breaking as his eyes stayed fixed ahead, unfocused like he was still seeing it happen,
his expression slowly changed, shock settling in first, then something heavier as his breath became uneven for a moment before he forced it steady,
Eram replied, "No… that's bad… I must talk to Mayur," his voice losing its calm,
"Uri is dead… he didn't control him… that means he didn't even use his powers yet,"
Rensu didn't reply, his eyes widening slightly as the meaning hit him, his grip tightening, his body going still, not from control but from the weight of it,
fear was there, clear in his face, but it didn't break him, it hardened him.
but a sudden pressure of power was felt by both of them, the sand around them started rising and circling, forming a small hurricane around them,
they were inside the sand moving around them,
Hairo was standing still, looking down,
suddenly the sword in his hand started glowing, the light growing stronger,
in the next moment everything became still,
then suddenly there was nothing left,
only Anziym's blood remained there,
there was not even his body,
the movement of the sword was so fast it could not be seen,
its motion was like a peacock spreading and closing in a single flow.
Hairo's tone changed, calm and steady now,
"Let's go down, we must return the sword to its owner."
while the fight was going on up on the cliff, down in the prison Cartal faced Jake, stepping forward again even after being pushed back, his breath heavier but his grip tighter,
"Don't step in," Cartal said as soldiers tried to come closer, his voice sharp,
they hesitated,
"I said go back… this is mine," he said again, not taking his eyes off Jake,
Jake moved, calm as ever, stopping his attack,
Cartal stepped forward again immediately, forcing another clash,
"I won't lose this time," Cartal said under his breath, almost to himself,
he attacked again, faster, harder,
"I'm not walking away again,"
Jake blocked, unchanged,
Cartal didn't stop, stepping in again,
"Not this time… not again,"
his voice low but filled with pressure,
he pushed forward once more, refusing to fall back.
Cartal faced Jake, his movements slowing for a fraction as something old pulled at his mind,
years ago, when Mirel left him with the bandits of Bugo, he had nothing, no direction, no strength,
so he trained,
for four years he stayed on the hills of Bugo, pushing his body again and again, learning to fight, to survive, to become someone who could stand on his own,
when his training was complete, he returned,
he went back to Mirel's home,
the place that once felt like the only safe place he knew,
when he arrived, he saw a small child, barely two years old, sitting on the ground, playing with toys made of sand,
the child didn't look at him, just kept playing with toys made from baked clay with small hands,
Mirel noticed Cartal and smiled, welcoming him inside like nothing had changed,
Cartal looked at the child and asked,
"Mirel… who is that?"
she replied calmly,
"His name is Thy… he is my child,"
Cartal stood still for a moment,
then she added,
"I have a husband… he is a bandit. When you were with me, I couldn't tell you,"
Cartal remembered then, a man walking beside her the day she left,
he asked,
"The man who was with you… was he your husband?"
she nodded,
"Yes… but he is gone now,"
there was a brief silence, but she didn't let it grow heavy,
"There is no time to grieve… I know he died with honor,"
she said it with a quiet strength, not breaking, not falling,
Mirel cared for Cartal like her own son,
she welcomed him, fed him, spoke to him the same way she always had,
for the first time in years, he felt that same warmth again,
2 months passed,
then his first mission came,
a man arrived at Mirel's home, calling for him,
"Let's go," he said, "it's your first mission,"
Cartal stepped outside, listening,
"We're attacking a Nisag squad moving toward Bugo. They are carrying weapons to hide so they can fight Creyog from here,"
the man continued,
"They are halfway in Nisag. We move there and strike before they reach,"
Cartal listened without hesitation,
"Tonight, before midnight, we gather at the border,"
the man pointed ahead,
"Straight ahead from the cliff,"
Cartal didn't ask anything more,
he simply said,
"Yes."
when Cartal returned after winning over the Nisag squad, Bugo was already under attack,
smoke rising, people running, chaos everywhere,
Jake was there with his army,
Cartal didn't think, he ran toward Mirel's home,
others tried to stop him but he didn't listen,
when he reached, that part was still untouched,
he told her Bugo was under attack,
she panicked and turned toward Thy,
as she moved to pick him up, an arrow pierced through her,
she dropped, injured,
Jake was there, watching,
around him bandits tried to fight back but they kept falling, none of them could hold him,
Cartal froze for a moment, fear taking over,
then he moved, picked up Thy and ran through the back,
he didn't look back,
present time, Cartal stepped forward toward Jake,
their swords met,
a clean clash,
Cartal attacked again, faster,
Jake blocked, barely moving,
Cartal changed angle, struck from the side,
Jake turned and stopped it,
Cartal stepped in again, forcing another clash,
Jake redirected the force, pushing him back,
Cartal regained balance and attacked again,
their blades collided again and again,
Cartal increased speed, trying to break through,
Jake read every move, stopping each one,
Cartal pushed harder, his attacks becoming stronger,
Jake remained calm, controlling the flow,
Cartal rushed in, trying to overwhelm him,
Jake shifted once and deflected everything,
Cartal changed rhythm, attacking unpredictably,
Jake adapted instantly,
every strike answered,
every move stopped,
Cartal stepped back for a moment, then rushed in again,
their swords clashed repeatedly,
Cartal's breathing grew heavier,
Jake stayed steady,
Cartal forced another close exchange,
Jake countered, pushing him back again,
Cartal stepped forward again, refusing to stop,
their blades met again,
Cartal attacked from below,
Jake blocked and turned it aside,
Cartal followed with another strike,
Jake redirected again,
Cartal's movements became more forceful,
Jake still held the advantage,
Cartal tried to break his control,
he rushed forward again,
their swords locked for a moment,
then Jake moved,
a sharp motion breaking Cartal's balance,
Cartal stepped back, then forward again,
he attacked again and again,
Jake countered every time,
Cartal kept losing ground slowly,
Jake maintained control completely,
Cartal made one more full push,
Jake responded instantly,
the clash ended with a sharp counter,
Cartal staggered,
his stance breaking,
his arm failing to hold properly,
still he stepped forward again,
and again,
each step heavier,
Jake moved again, precise and controlled,
Cartal couldn't fully defend,
his body took the force,
he dropped to one knee,
barely holding himself up,
his vision blurring,
his breath uneven,
Jake stood over him,
the fight reaching its end,
at that moment Hairo and Rensu arrived,
Cartal remained down, barely able to move,
Hairo stepped forward, his presence changed,
the sword in his hand glowing,
he moved forward instantly,
Jake reacted, but the speed was different,
Hairo's movement flowed in one motion,
clean and unstoppable,
the strike passed through,
too fast to follow,
everything went still.
finally, somehow, they had won over the hardest part of the war, Jake and Anziym were dead,
they moved inside the prison,
the doors were broken open one by one,
inside, the bandits of Bugo were barely alive,
bodies weak, faces empty, eyes carrying fear that hadn't left,
they freed them, helping each one out,
then they saw him,
Thy,
he stood there, no emotion on his face,
one hand missing fingers,
one eye gone,
his clothes torn, worn down to nothing,
Hairo moved forward, his voice breaking,
"Father"
Thy's expression changed, not at Hairo, at the sword,
"Put that thing down," he said sharply,
"That is not for a child,"
everyone went silent,
the air grew tense,
Thy held the bars tightly,
when the door opened, he stepped out slowly,
he turned to Cartal,
"Why,"
"why did you let him use that sword,"
"it's a curse,"
"why did you bring him into this,"
"he should have lived a normal life,"
his voice tightened,
"No… not now,"
he took the sword from Hairo,
looked at him again,
"How did you end up in all this,"
Hairo told him everything,
Thy listened, silent,
then his expression hardened,
"No,"
"you will not live a normal life now,"
"Creyog will find you,"
"they will break you,"
"I won't let that happen,"
he looked at him one last time,
"You rest in peace, son. You have used the sword it was a really bad decision Sorry but I have no choice."
He sliced Hairo's head off killing him in instant
"I am sorry son I was not a good father."
THE END OF VOLUME 1