---
Mark ran like his life depended on it.
Which, in a way, it did.
Cars blurred past him.
Pedestrians jumped aside as the Sword Saint of humanity sprinted through the streets like a criminal fleeing the scene of a robbery.
Behind him…
Joy walked.
Calmly.
Slowly.
And yet somehow—
The distance between them never grew.
Mark glanced over his shoulder.
"…This is impossible."
He turned another corner.
Ran across an entire block.
Jumped over a bus.
Landed on the other side of the street.
Then looked back again.
Joy was still there.
Walking.
Same pace.
Same expression.
Same belt in her hand.
Mark's soul began to tremble.
"…How."
---
On the rooftop of the guild building, Kai watched through binoculars.
Leon stood beside him.
Darius sipped tea calmly.
Kai slowly lowered the binoculars.
"…This is terrifying."
Leon frowned.
"What happened?"
Kai swallowed.
"…She's walking."
"Yes?"
"…But she's catching up."
Leon adjusted his glasses.
"That defies physics."
Darius set down his tea.
"No."
They looked at him.
"This is called older sister physics."
---
Meanwhile—
Mark stopped running.
His chest wasn't even tired.
But his spirit was.
He turned around slowly.
Joy stopped walking a few meters away.
The street around them had gone strangely quiet.
Pedestrians whispered.
A hunter nearby murmured,
"…Isn't that the Sword Saint?"
Another whispered,
"…Why does he look scared?"
Mark raised both hands.
"Let's talk."
Joy said nothing.
She simply looked at him.
Then at the belt.
Then back at him.
Mark cleared his throat.
"…Technically speaking, I did sign eighty-eight forms."
Joy remained silent.
"…That's progress."
Still silence.
"…I also jumped out of the window."
Joy tilted her head slightly.
"…Which technically saved time."
Joy took one step forward.
Mark stepped back.
"…Now let's not make this violent."
Joy raised the belt.
Mark panicked.
"WAIT."
She paused.
Mark pointed dramatically at the sky.
"I am the strongest swordsman alive!"
Joy blinked.
"…Yes."
"I have defeated monsters that destroy cities!"
"Yes."
"I have protected humanity countless times!"
"Yes."
Mark lowered his voice slightly.
"…So please don't hit me in the middle of the street."
Joy thought about it.
Then nodded.
Mark sighed in relief.
"Thank you."
Then she hit him anyway.
SMACK.
The sound echoed across the street.
Hunters watching nearby froze.
Cars stopped.
One man whispered,
"…Did she just hit the Sword Saint?"
Another whispered,
"…Why didn't he block it?"
Because he could have.
Easily.
Mark could dodge lightning.
Cut bullets.
React faster than sound.
But when Joy swung the belt…
His body simply accepted fate.
He held his head dramatically.
"That hurt!"
Joy crossed her arms.
"Good."
Mark glared.
"You committed violence against a national hero."
"You ran away from paperwork."
"That's not illegal."
Joy pulled another folder from her coat.
Mark stared at it.
"…What is that."
"More forms."
Mark felt his soul leave his body.
"…You brought them with you?"
"Yes."
"Why."
"Because you were obviously going to run."
Mark stared at the sky.
"…Father… take me with you."
Joy pointed the belt at him.
"Back to the office."
Mark looked at the folder.
Looked at the belt.
Looked at the sky again.
Then sighed deeply.
"…Fine."
He turned around.
And started walking back toward the guild building.
Joy followed behind him.
Kai watched the entire scene through binoculars.
He lowered them slowly.
"…He surrendered."
Leon sighed.
"I expected as much."
Darius poured another cup of tea.
"Even the strongest warrior has natural predators."
Kai nodded.
"…Older sisters."
---
Mark stepped back into the office thirty minutes later.
The mountain of paperwork was still there.
Exactly the same.
Waiting.
Patient.
Evil.
He sat down slowly.
Picked up the pen.
Looked at Joy.
"…One day."
Joy raised the belt slightly.
Mark immediately signed the next paper.
Scratch.
And somewhere deep in his mind…
A terrible realization began forming.
This battle…
Might never end.