Part 1
"Solar Explosion!"
Mermur's main gate exploded into thousands of pieces, consumed by a massive ball of fire.
"We're under attack!" a young soldier shouted from the watchtower, ringing the emergency bell with all his strength.
"Archers, to your positions!"
There, in the middle of the destroyed entrance, stood a figure many recognized instantly.
Kazuki Hayama.
The Paladin Hero.
"People of Arkenfel! I have come to free you from the Duchess's oppression!"
No one answered.
"Archers, fire!" a guard ordered.
A rain of arrows descended from the walls.
"Fools… that witch has washed your brains," Kazuki muttered while raising his silver shield.
"Deflect Arrow."
The incoming arrows were instantly deflected, breaking apart or changing direction before they could even touch him.
The archers began to panic as they realized their attacks were useless.
"Sir… are you sure about this?" one soldier asked nervously.
"Why are you doubting now? Our duty is to protect the citizens of Mermur."
"He's a hero… and we're just ordinary soldiers…"
Kazuki remained there, unmoving, his shining armor reflecting the light. A confident smile appeared on his face.
After all… it was an impregnable fortress.
"Hey, you… soldiers," he said while pointing his sword at them.
"Lower your weapons now and I'll spare your lives."
"I came for Selka… the duchess of these lands."
Silence fell across the wall.
The soldiers tightened their grip on their weapons.
"Oh… you're flattering me. But you're not my type of man."
A voice descended from above.
Standing atop the wall, Selka watched the scene, drawn in by the chaos. Her black dress waved softly, as if death itself had taken form.
"There you are… damn witch. I thought you'd run away."
Selka placed a hand over her mouth, pretending to be surprised.
"Oh my… how scary. I'm terrified," she replied in a mocking tone. "Did you come to play hero?"
"Tch… disgusting woman."
"Release these people from your mind control."
"Solar Explosion!"
The sphere of fire emerged from his sword and launched directly toward her.
Selka descended with an elegant movement, leaving the wall in one fluid jump, effortlessly dodging the attack.
The explosion struck behind her, shaking the structure.
"Stop breaking my walls, you little shit."
The moment she landed in front of him, she took one step forward… and shoved him with overwhelming force.
Kazuki was sent flying several meters backward, crashing through the destroyed entrance before slamming against a tree outside the city.
He immediately got back up… and charged at her once more.
"Increase Speed! Fortification! Sacred Blade! Great Defense! Focus! Might! Increase Critical Damage! Holy Weapon!"
As he ran, he activated every enhancement spell he had available.
"Aaaaaah!"
He made a huge leap and tried to split Selka in half with his sword.
She simply stopped it between two fingers.
"Boring…" she muttered with a yawn.
Kazuki's face stiffened. Frustration began to show in his expression.
"This can't be happening… I'm level 70! I'm a hero!"
He charged again, but Selka dodged every attack with insulting elegance.
"Solar Slash!"
A wave of flaming slashes shot toward her.
Selka materialized her staff and effortlessly deflected every single one.
"Stop screwing with me, damn witch."
"I see you really think this is some fairy tale… where heroes always win and ride off into the sunset," she commented in a sarcastic tone.
In an instant, she disappeared.
And reappeared right in front of him.
"That's not how the real world works."
Her fist moved slowly.
Kazuki reacted on instinct, raising his shield.
The impact shook his entire body.
The shield cracked… and his arm went numb.
"Well… I'm not really used to using my fists," she added while looking at her hand with disinterest.
Kazuki lowered his gaze.
His holy weapon… was damaged.
Fear tried to creep in.
But his sense of duty —and his pride— kept him blind.
"I don't know what kind of cheap trick you're using…" he spat while dematerializing his shield.
"But I was blessed by Yoru. I am justice."
He placed both hands on the hilt of his sword.
His body began absorbing the sun's energy, surrounding itself in a blazing aura.
"And justice always wins!"
"Justice Ray!"
The sword released all the accumulated energy in a single attack.
For the first time, Selka seemed surprised. Her eyes widened slightly.
The impact swallowed her in a blinding explosion.
"Die, you damn demon witch!" Kazuki shouted euphorically, fully convinced of his victory.
At that exact moment…
A hand gently caressed his face from behind.
"My, darling… kids these days really do have wild imaginations…"
Kazuki's world froze.
He turned sharply to attack.
With a slight movement of her staff, Selka struck his hand.
Crack.
The bone gave out.
The sword fell to the ground.
"Aaaagh!"
"You damn daugh—"
She grabbed his face tightly before he could finish.
"Shut up. Your idealistic speech is boring me."
Her eyes looked at him without the slightest trace of emotion.
"You're just a filthy pawn of a mediocre kingdom."
She released him and slammed him violently against the ground.
"Without real power… you're nothing."
"A nobody."
Selka looked down at him from above.
"Just looking at you disgusts me."
Kazuki smiled.
From inside his clothes, he pulled out a small tube filled with red liquid.
"Do you really think drinking a simple healing potion will change the outcome?"
He brought the vial to his mouth, pulled out the cork with his teeth… and spat it to the side without taking his eyes off Selka.
"Justice prevails… at any cost."
He drank the entire contents in one gulp.
The effect was immediate.
Selka felt it.
Kazuki's power began to grow abnormally, overflowing far beyond what it should have.
That's not a healing potion…
She jumped backward, creating distance for the first time.
Kazuki slowly stood up, as if testing his own body.
His hand… completely restored.
His aura was now stronger. Denser. More unstable.
"Ready for round two?"
Selka didn't know exactly what he had drunk.
But she understood one thing.
This… was no longer a game.