At this moment, the smiling faces of the children playing around her flashed through Subaru's mind. Her fists clenched involuntarily, her knuckles turning white from the force.
Unlike Subaru's reaction, Ram and Rem exchanged a look and analyzed the situation calmly.
"Roswaal-sama is away, so we should prioritize the safety of the mansion and Emilia-sama. Therefore..."
Subaru interrupted them decisively, her knuckles cracking as she clenched her fists, "I'm going to the village. If you won't go, I will. I absolutely cannot leave those children to die."
Tsukasa, floating nearby, nodded silently.
The maids' judgment was rational—this was likely a diversion, and the life of a Royal Selection Candidate was indeed more important than the villagers.
But Subaru's choice was equally worthy of respect, as every life is just as precious.
A flicker of hesitation appeared on Rem's face, and her fingertips unconsciously gripped the hem of her skirt.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Ram made a swift decision, "Let Rem accompany you. Beatrice-sama and Puck-sama are guarding the mansion, so it should be safe for a short while. Go quickly, Ram will stay here to provide support."
Hearing this, Subaru and Rem exchanged a glance. Without further hesitation, they turned and dashed down the mountain.
Emilia watched their departing figures, her eyes filled with worry—she wanted to go too, but now...
Ram reminded her softly, "Emilia-sama, please return to the mansion to take cover for now."
In the night, two figures were sprinting toward the village, which was engulfed in soaring flames.
—
At this moment, the village had been reduced to a living hell.
Flames danced among the broken walls and ruins, casting the hideous silhouettes of mabeasts over the scattered mess.
The terrified cries of the villagers and the roars of the beasts intertwined into a symphony of despair.
Despite the guards' desperate resistance, the defensive line was retreating step by step.
"Haven't they returned yet?! Quick! We need reinforcements in the east!"
The Guard Captain, who had once learned calisthenics with Subaru, shouted at the top of his lungs, his uniform soaked with sweat and blood. Beside him, young men held crude weapons, fighting to the death against the surging Wolgarms.
A young guard's chest was torn open by a Wolgarm's claws, and he collapsed with a scream.
In the moment the captain was distracted, an exceptionally sturdy Wolgarm broke through the line and lunged at him with its bloody maw wide open.
Swoosh!
Bam!
A white light sliced through the night sky, accompanied by the piercing sound of whistling wind.
Under the captain's stunned gaze, the Wolgarm was hit as if by a giant hammer, exploding into a cloud of blood in mid-air. Splattered blood and bone fragments fell like rain, staining his cheeks red.
"This... This is..."
A blue-haired girl dressed in a maid outfit suddenly appeared at the front of the defensive line, and along with the blue-haired girl, there was—
Bam!
Another Wolgarm about to break through the defense had its head smashed to pieces.
At this moment, a black-haired girl descended, her JK uniform fluttering fiercely in the gale. Her fists, covered in deep blue mana, shone brilliantly in the night.
Her eyes swept over the entire village, her voice carrying anger. "Sorry I'm late."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Subaru moved. Her figure turned into a bolt of blue lightning among the mabeast pack.
With a simple straight punch, the chest of the foremost Wolgarm instantly collapsed, the sound of shattering bones clearly audible.
Following up with a hook, another Wolgarm's head burst like a ripe watermelon, brain matter and blood splashing onto the ruins.
"You lot, why did you destroy this beautiful place!"
Divergent Fist!
With her low shout, a Wolgarm attempting a sneak attack was struck by what seemed like a feather-light punch.
Just as the beast thought it had escaped unscathed, a second wave of mana erupted violently. Its internal organs sprayed from its mouth, and its body twisted into a bizarre shape.
Meanwhile, Rem moved through the battlefield like an elegant reaper. The Morning Star in her hand turned into a lethal silver light, each swing bringing a rain of blood.
The spiked head crushed the beasts' skulls, and the chain coiled like a venomous snake, grinding the prey that attempted to flee into mincemeat.
"Twenty-one."
Rem counted expressionlessly, swinging Morning Star again to smash three charging Wolgarms in half at the waist. Intestines and organs scattered across the ground, the thick scent of blood becoming almost suffocating.
The guards and villagers watched this one-sided slaughter in a daze. The pack of mabeasts that had driven them to the brink of despair were like lambs to the slaughter before these two girls.
When the last Wolgarm was turned into mincemeat under Subaru's fist, the battlefield suddenly fell into an eerie silence. Only the crackling of the fire and the heavy breathing of the survivors echoed in the night sky.
Subaru was breathing heavily, sweat sliding down her cheeks, her JK uniform already soaked in blood.
Rem was in slightly better condition, but fine beads of sweat also formed on her forehead, and her hand holding the Morning Star trembled slightly.
"Not bad."
Tsukasa's lazy voice rang out in Subaru's mind. He didn't think Subaru would be unable to handle this uninteresting battle.
"You've learned to use the Divergent Fist, and you maintained Mana Coverage for a long time. Though your movements are still a bit stiff, you're finally starting to look the part."
Subaru wiped the blood and dirt from her face, looked at the messy battlefield, and took a deep breath.
"It's not over yet, the children are still waiting for us."
Tsukasa floated in mid-air. His gaze from beneath the black blindfold swept over the heavily panting Subaru, then glanced at Rem, who was leaning on her knees, drenched in sweat.
He lazily propped up his chin, his voice carrying a hint of concern. "While I'd love to see how far you can push yourself, little girl..."
He deliberately drew out his words, his fingertip pointing toward Rem. "But this blue-haired little lady beside you isn't as durable as you are."
Subaru looked in the direction of his gaze, her heart tightening.
Rem's originally tidy maid uniform was now disheveled, her bangs stuck to her cheeks with sweat, and her hands holding Morning Star were trembling slightly. Even her back, which she always kept ramrod straight, now showed signs of fatigue.
They had just sprinted all the way here and then endured a fierce battle.
Subaru herself could feel the mana restless within her body, and her limbs felt as heavy as lead.
If they encountered another pack of mabeasts now...
However, when she looked deep into the village at the houses still burning and heard the faint cries of people searching for children in the distance, her gaze became firm again.
She wiped the blood from the corner of her lips, her voice raspy but unquestionable. "I will absolutely not leave those children behind."
Tsukasa looked at her stubborn appearance and gave a light "tsk." He flipped his body in the air, the hem of his black uniform fluttering in the night wind.
"Fine, fine."
He waved his hand. "Leave the rest to me. If I really relied on you two, by the time we found anyone, I'm afraid even the daylilies would be cold."
(End of Chapter)
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