The mountain passage had become unnaturally quiet.
Not peaceful.
Quiet.
There was a difference.
The kind of silence that made every faint sound feel louder than it should have been.
The soft flutter of crystalline wings.
The distant drip of water somewhere deeper within the mountain.
The occasional scrape of a boot against stone.
Even their breathing seemed too loud.
Several meters away, the narrow passage opened into a much larger cavern. Two swordsmen stood directly in front of the entrance, deliberately blocking the way. Their posture made their purpose obvious.
They were guards.
And somewhere beyond them was Ramos.
Ryota stood in the shadows with Fayzan and Ayame, watching the situation unfold.
His hand remained around the grip of his sword.
His body was already tense.
They had finally found the people who had taken Ramos, yet the situation was far more complicated than he had hoped.
They didn't know how many enemies were inside the cavern.
They didn't know the layout.
They didn't know whether the kidnappers had prepared another exit.
And most importantly, they didn't know how quickly the guards could call for reinforcements.
A direct attack could turn the entire rescue mission into a disaster.
Ryota's eyes shifted toward Kiraya.
She was standing a short distance ahead of them.
Calm.
Relaxed.
Almost too relaxed for the situation.
Then Kiraya stepped forward.
Ryota's eyes followed her.
She walked toward the corner alone.
Her footsteps echoed softly through the passage as she approached the two guards.
One step.
Then another.
The two swordsmen noticed her almost immediately.
Both turned toward her.
One of them placed a hand on the hilt of his sword.
The other narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Hey."
His voice echoed through the cavern.
"Stop right there."
Kiraya didn't stop.
She continued walking until she was close enough for the two men to see her clearly.
The first swordsman frowned.
"You lost?"
Kiraya smiled politely.
"No."
The second guard stepped forward.
"Then get lost."
Kiraya tilted her head.
"Why?"
The man's expression twisted with irritation.
"Because this area is occupied."
"Turn around and leave."
Kiraya glanced past them.
Her eyes briefly traveled toward the cavern entrance.
Darkness waited beyond it.
She couldn't see what was inside.
That was fine.
She didn't need to.
She already knew what mattered.
Ramos was in there.
Kiraya turned her attention back to the two guards.
A playful smile slowly appeared on her face.
"Or what?"
The guards stared at her.
Kiraya casually placed one hand against her hip.
"What exactly are you two going to do about it?"
The first swordsman's expression darkened.
"You really want to find out?"
Kiraya's smile widened.
"Actually..."
She took another step forward.
"I do."
The second swordsman clenched his teeth.
"You're annoying."
Kiraya nodded thoughtfully.
"Thank you."
The man's eyebrow twitched.
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I'll take it anyway."
The two guards exchanged an irritated glance.
They were already losing their patience.
That was exactly what Kiraya wanted.
She didn't need to defeat them yet.
She needed them angry.
She needed them distracted.
And, most importantly, she needed them to call for help.
The first swordsman finally pulled a communication crystal from his inventory.
He raised it toward his mouth.
"Someone's causing trouble outside."
The message was short.
Simple.
But Kiraya's eyes immediately shifted toward the crystal.
A faint smile appeared on her face.
Perfect.
The guards had taken the bait.
Now the people inside would eventually come out.
And once they did, the entrance would become crowded.
That was exactly what Kiraya needed.
Behind her, Ryota quietly watched.
He understood immediately.
Kiraya wasn't trying to defeat these two.
She was creating a distraction.
His eyes met hers for a brief moment.
Kiraya's hand moved slightly.
A small system window appeared before her.
She quickly typed a private message.
You all sneak in, I'll keep all of them busy.
The notification appeared in front of Ryota.
His eyes widened slightly.
He looked toward Kiraya.
She glanced back at him.
Their eyes met across the passage.
Neither needed to say anything.
Kiraya gave him a single, subtle nod.
Ryota understood.
He turned toward Fayzan and Ayame.
"We move now."
Ayame nodded.
Fayzan tightened his grip around his sword.
The Amethyst Raven quietly lifted itself from Ayame's arm.
Its crystalline wings spread without making more than a faint whisper of sound.
The raven flew upward, disappearing into the violet darkness above them.
The three began moving.
Slowly.
Quietly.
Carefully.
They stayed close to the wall, using the shadows and uneven terrain to conceal themselves.
The guards were completely focused on Kiraya.
They didn't notice.
Kiraya had already captured their attention.
The first swordsman drew his blade.
"You're not going anywhere."
Kiraya smiled.
"That's exactly what I was hoping you'd say."
The second swordsman drew his own weapon.
"Get her!"
Both men rushed forward.
Kiraya's smile didn't disappear.
Instead, she opened her inventory.
A familiar weapon materialized in her right hand.
A weapon that looked unlike any ordinary sword.
The long blade was integrated with the body of a firearm, combining the destructive power of a gun with the close-combat capabilities of a sword.
Her custom gunsword.
Lionheart.
At the same time, a large shield appeared in her left hand.
Its surface was decorated with the emblem of a roaring lion.
The moment both pieces of equipment appeared, the atmosphere around Kiraya seemed to change.
The two swordsmen slowed for the briefest instant.
One of them recognized the equipment.
His eyes widened.
"The Lionheart Knight..."
Kiraya smiled.
"That's what they call me."
The swordsman tightened his grip.
"You..."
Kiraya planted her foot firmly against the stone floor.
Mana surged through her body.
The lion emblem on her shield began glowing.
A deep golden light spread across the shield's surface.
Then flames erupted from Lionheart.
The weapon's barrel burned with intense heat.
A system notification appeared before Kiraya.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
[Crusader Skill: Lionheart Strike]
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Kiraya pulled the trigger.
The roar of the gunsword shattered the silence.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
A massive blast of fire erupted from Lionheart.
The two swordsmen barely had time to react.
The fireball struck them head-on.
An explosion swallowed the passage.
Flames raced across the stone walls.
Heat blasted through the corridor.
One swordsman was thrown backward and slammed violently against the wall.
The other was launched across the ground, his body rolling several times before crashing against the entrance.
Yet Kiraya remained exactly where she had been standing.
A brilliant golden barrier had expanded from her shield.
The explosion struck the barrier and spread around it like a wave crashing against an immovable wall.
Kiraya stood calmly inside.
Not a single flame touched her.
The two swordsmen stared at her in disbelief.
Kiraya lowered Lionheart slightly.
Then she smiled.
"Now..."
Her eyes shifted toward the cavern.
"Let's see how many of you are hiding inside."
She didn't have to wait long.
Footsteps thundered from the darkness.
Several voices shouted from within.
"What happened?!"
"Someone attacked the guards!"
"Get outside!"
"Don't let them escape!"
Kiraya's smile widened.
Exactly as planned.
The entrance suddenly became chaotic.
Players began pouring from the cavern.
One.
Two.
Three.
Then four.
Four players emerged almost simultaneously.
They were so focused on Kiraya that they didn't notice three figures slipping past the side of the entrance.
Ryota moved first.
Fayzan followed immediately behind him.
Ayame stayed close between them.
The Amethyst Raven flew overhead, silently scouting the path ahead.
Within seconds, the three disappeared into the darkness of the cavern.
Kiraya caught the movement from the corner of her eye.
Safe.
Good.
Now all she had to do was keep everyone else busy.
The first player charged.
His sword came down toward her head.
Kiraya raised her shield.
CLANG!
The impact rang through the passage.
Kiraya barely moved.
Another player attacked from the side.
She rotated her shield and caught the second strike.
CLANG!
Sparks scattered across the stone floor.
A third player extended his hand.
A translucent system effect appeared around his fingers.
Mana gathered.
A long crimson spear materialized in his hands.
The fourth player drew two short blades.
Kiraya took a step backward.
She didn't panic.
Instead, she studied them.
Four opponents.
Four different weapons.
Different attack patterns.
Different strengths.
But there was one thing they all had in common.
Every single one of them was focused on her.
That was exactly what she wanted.
Kiraya raised her shield.
"Come on."
Her smile returned.
"Don't tell me that's all you've got."
The spear wielder roared.
"Take her down!"
All four attacked at once.
Kiraya's shield became a blur.
Steel collided with metal repeatedly.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
The impacts traveled through her arm, but she refused to give ground.
The swordsman attempted to strike around her shield.
Kiraya twisted her body, allowing the blade to slide harmlessly across the metal.
The dual-wielder attacked her legs.
She stepped backward.
The spear came straight toward her chest.
Kiraya raised her shield.
BOOM!
The spear struck the center.
The force pushed her backward several steps.
Her boots scraped against the stone.
She finally stopped herself.
The four players immediately pressed forward.
Kiraya looked down at her shield.
Then she looked back at them.
Her expression remained calm.
"Okay."
She smiled.
"You're a little better than the guards."
The players became furious.
"Stop talking!"
One of them charged.
Kiraya waited.
The sword came toward her.
She blocked.
Another strike.
Blocked.
A third.
Blocked.
Then the opening appeared.
Kiraya suddenly thrust Lionheart forward.
BOOM!
The gunsword fired at point-blank range.
The attacker was launched backward.
His body slammed into two of his allies.
All three crashed against the cave wall in a tangled heap.
The remaining player froze.
Kiraya smiled.
"One down."
The player immediately summoned another weapon.
A massive battle axe appeared in his hands.
He roared and charged.
Kiraya raised her shield.
The axe came crashing down.
BOOOOOOM!
The impact shook the passage.
Kiraya's shield absorbed the blow.
Her boots sank slightly against the stone floor.
The player grinned.
"Got you!"
Kiraya looked up at him.
"No."
She pushed.
The axe was suddenly forced away.
The swordsman staggered.
Kiraya stepped forward.
Her shield slammed directly into his chest.
CRASH!
The player stumbled backward.
Before he could recover, Lionheart fired.
BOOM!
The blast sent him rolling across the ground.
Kiraya exhaled softly.
Then she looked toward the cavern entrance.
More footsteps were approaching.
She could hear them.
More voices.
More enemies.
The message had worked.
The cave was continuing to send reinforcements.
Yet instead of feeling nervous, Kiraya felt something strangely familiar.
Excitement.
She had spent so much time fighting through dungeons since joining Crowned Era that chaotic battles like this almost felt nostalgic.
There was something different about this one, though.
She wasn't fighting for Eternity Lions.
She wasn't protecting a guild because it was her responsibility.
She wasn't fighting simply because someone had ordered her to.
She was fighting because one of her new guildmates was in danger.
Because Ramos couldn't respawn.
Because Rio had trusted her.
And because Ryota, Fayzan, and Ayame were relying on her to hold this entrance.
Kiraya's fingers tightened around Lionheart.
Her expression became more determined.
"Alright."
She raised her shield.
Lionheart lowered slightly.
"And now..."
She opened her skill menu.
A newly acquired skill waited inside.
The skill book she had learned only minutes ago.
The mysterious book she had obtained during one of Rio's dungeon raids.
The skill she had kept hidden because she hadn't known when the right opportunity would appear.
Now she knew.
Kiraya looked toward the shadows.
More enemies were coming.
Their footsteps grew louder.
She smiled.
"Let's see what you can really do."
Kiraya activated the skill.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
[Crusader Skill: Lionheart Enhancement]
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
The effect was immediate.
A tremendous burst of mana erupted from Kiraya's body.
The pressure alone caused several nearby players to hesitate.
Flames began spreading across her armor.
They crawled over her shoulders.
Down her arms.
Across her chest plate.
Along her legs.
Then they flowed toward Lionheart.
The gunsword ignited.
But these were no ordinary flames.
They were denser.
Brighter.
Almost golden.
The lion emblem on Kiraya's shield burned with fierce light.
The temperature inside the passage rose dramatically.
Sweat formed along the brows of several players.
One of them unconsciously took a step backward.
"What the hell..."
Kiraya slowly raised Lionheart.
Her golden flames reflected in her eyes.
"New skill."
Then she pulled the trigger.
BOOOOOOM!
A concentrated blast of fire erupted from Lionheart.
The closest enemy barely had enough time to raise his weapon.
The explosion struck him directly.
His body was thrown backward.
Before he could even recover, Kiraya fired again.
BOOOOOOM!
The second blast struck another player and sent him crashing into the stone wall.
Two enemies remained.
Kiraya advanced.
Her enhanced armor radiated intense heat.
A sword swung toward her.
She raised her shield.
CLANG!
The attack was deflected.
Kiraya immediately countered.
Lionheart flashed forward.
The attacker barely managed to dodge the blade.
Kiraya followed with a shield bash.
CRASH!
The player staggered.
She fired at close range.
BOOM!
He was thrown backward.
The final opponent attacked from behind.
Kiraya turned.
Her shield intercepted the strike.
CLANG!
She pushed the weapon aside and drove Lionheart toward his chest.
The player stumbled.
His health dropped sharply.
Kiraya raised her weapon.
One more strike would finish him.
She pulled the blade back.
Then—
CLANG!
Her attack suddenly stopped.
Kiraya's eyes widened.
Something had intercepted Lionheart.
A hand.
A single armored hand had caught the blade.
Kiraya stared.
A girl stood between her and the final opponent.
She hadn't heard her approach.
She hadn't seen her emerge from the crowd.
One moment, there had been an enemy in front of her.
The next, this girl was standing there.
Long purple hair flowed down her back, tied into twin ponytails that swayed gently with her movements.
Her armor was elegant rather than bulky, covering her body while leaving her movements completely unrestricted.
One of her arms was protected by a reinforced armored glove.
That glove was currently wrapped around Lionheart's blade.
Holding it firmly in place.
The golden flames surrounding the weapon licked against the metal.
Yet the girl didn't flinch.
She didn't even appear uncomfortable.
Instead, she smiled.
It wasn't a nervous smile.
It wasn't an angry one.
It was amused.
Kiraya's eyes narrowed.
The girl slowly tilted her head.
"You were about to hurt my friend."
Her voice was surprisingly calm.
Almost gentle.
Her purple eyes gleamed beneath the dim light of the cavern.
Kiraya remained silent.
The girl tightened her grip around Lionheart.
The flames flickered against her armored glove.
Still, she didn't let go.
Then her smile widened.
"That's not very nice."
Kiraya slowly pulled Lionheart backward.
The girl allowed the blade to slide free.
But she didn't move aside.
The two women stood facing each other.
Kiraya's expression became serious.
For the first time since the battle had begun, she felt something she hadn't expected.
Pressure.
It wasn't because of the number of enemies surrounding her.
It wasn't because of the weapons pointed in her direction.
It wasn't because of the cavern.
It came from this girl.
Someone who had appeared without warning and stopped an enhanced Lionheart strike with one hand.
Kiraya tightened her grip around her weapon.
Who was she?
And what kind of player could casually stop that attack?
Before Kiraya could ask, another sound echoed from deeper within the cavern.
Footsteps.
Not one pair.
Several.
The purple-haired girl glanced briefly toward the darkness behind her.
Then she looked back at Kiraya.
Her smile never disappeared.
"Looks like more people are coming."
Kiraya's eyes narrowed.
Behind the mysterious girl, more shadows began moving through the darkness.
More enemies were arriving.
But somewhere beyond them, hidden deep inside the mountain, Ryota, Fayzan, and Ayame were continuing their search for Ramos.
Kiraya couldn't afford to lose.
She couldn't let these people follow them.
She couldn't let anyone discover that three others had already slipped inside.
She raised her shield.
Golden flames surged around Lionheart once again.
The purple-haired girl smiled.
Kiraya smiled back.
Neither of them moved.
For a brief moment, the entire cavern seemed to hold its breath.
Then Kiraya tightened her grip.
The first clash had ended.
The real battle was about to begin.