Note: I will accept all criticism and protests from you. It's not a problem as I consider it a lesson for myself ๐. Then each chapter has 2000 words, 3000 words, or even 6000 words, so chapter updates will take longer and be less frequent compared to typical fanfiction novels.
***
The sun began sinking behind the city's buildings, leaving an orange glow that tinted the sky.
In a simple hotel room, Shou sat lost in thought at the edge of the bed.
His clenched fist crushed the bottle in his hand, while his reddened eyes stared blankly at his reflection in the mirror.
'What have I done?'
Only now did regret pierce his chest like a blade.
Not once had he imagined he would lose control and lash out at Mayuri with such harsh words.
"Whore..." he whispered, repeating the last word he'd hurled at the girl.
From any angle, it was clear he'd just wounded Mayuri, a girl whose innocence needed no questioning.
Shou had braced himself for a slap, or at least an angry shout in return, but what he'd received was only a calm gaze that had struck far deeper than anything else could have.
With a trembling voice, he asked his System, "System... do you think I was wrong?"
[๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ด. ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ฑ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ฒ. ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ผ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐. ๐ฆ๐๐ถ๐น๐น... ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐บ ๐บ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐'๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ]
Shou looked at the mirror once more.
His reflection, full of anger and frustration, made him want to smash it to pieces.
He held himself back, taking a deep breath.
"System... do you think I should dissolve this contract?"
[๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐๐น๐ฒ๐๐. ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐, ๐ง๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ]
"Then what should I do?"
Despair was clear in his voice.
Mayuri had insisted on not leaving this city, while Shou lacked the strength to protect her from the dangerous people obsessed with the girl's power.
Face them directly? Impossible. He was far too weak. Instant death was the only outcome waiting for him.
But what troubled his mind most was the bitter realization that Mayuri already had someone she loved...
[๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต]
"Are you blind?!" Shou snapped. "I've already tried persuading her over and over, but she keeps refusing!"
He clamped his mouth shut, realizing once again his emotions had exploded.
Though Mayuri might not have cared much about his harshness, the guilt still gnawed at his heart.
[๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐ผ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ. ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐]
"If only it were as easy as you say..."
Shou let out a heavy sigh. It seemed his relationship with Mayuri was already broken, impossible to mend.
Unconsciously, the image of Mayuri crossed his mind again, her figure glowing like an angel, her smile so gentle and full of warmth. A sight so beautiful and captivating it was hard to forget.
But that smile hadn't been for him...
His chest tightened. His breathing turned ragged.
Why... had he never once received that smile?
[๐ฆ๐ผ, ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ, ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ'๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ต?]
Shou fell silent. His paling face was answer enough.
[...๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐บ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐. ๐ช๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐น๐ถ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐? ๐ฃ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ, ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐'๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐น๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป]
"Do iโ"
"Hey, kid. We meet again."
A familiar voice cut off his words. Shou turned and saw a middle-aged man standing in the doorway with a friendly smile.
"Ah, sir..."
"Yeah, it's meโwait a minute! What's with you looking like a mummy wrapped in bandages?! Are you practicing for Halloween?" The man stared in astonishment at Shou's condition.
"Err..." Shou scratched his head awkwardly. "This... I got a little hurt in an incident."
"'A little,' you say? Since when does 'a little' wound need this many bandages?! Did you just fight a monster?" the man asked half-jokingly.
Shou stayed silent. How could he possibly explain that he'd just faced a human whose power resembled that of a monster?
"Well, never mind. Kid, you're in some big trouble, aren't you?" the man asked, his sharp gaze assessing him.
"Eh? How did you know, sir?"
The man sighed. "It's obvious from your expression, even with half your face covered in bandages."
Shou fell silent.
"Kid, I don't know what you're dealing with," the man continued, his voice gentler, "but here's my advice... whatever the situation, never give up. Keep moving forward, no matter how heavy the burden."
"Even if my opponent is a Rank SS or SSS Hunter?" Shou asked bitterly.
Cold sweat trickled down the man's temple. "You just mentioned something terrifying, kid."
But he still chuckled. "But if it means that much to you, I think it's worth it. Even if you might die, at least you won't die a coward. Even those strong people might respect your resolve and let you live. So, go for it, kid. Follow your heart."
"I..."
Just as hesitation began to take hold, a gentle voice echoed in his mind:
"๐๐ฆ ๐ค๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ๐ง๐ถ๐ญ..."
Shou's eyes went wide instantly.
"Hey, kid. Are you okay?" the man asked worriedly, seeing Shou suddenly freeze.
Shou took a deep breath, his gaze turning resolute. "I'm fine, and... thank you so much, sir. I know what I need to do now."
The man blinked before laughing heartily. "Hahaha! That's the spirit! Glad I could help!"
Shou smiled, his expression now filled with burning determination.
'I was wrong this whole time. The reason Mayuri refused wasn't because she wanted to stay in this dangerous city. It was because... I was the one trying to take away her freedom.'
He remembered the System's explanation that Takamiya Mayuri was a girl who loved freedom and peace.
When Shou had suggested fleeing together, it was the same as stripping Mayuri of her freedom, forcing her to live constantly in flight and fear.
'I need to apologize right now!'
Shou rose, preparing to head straight back to where Mayuri was. But at that momentโ
๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐!!!
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!!"
The man screamed in terror as a shockwave slammed into the building around them.
In the distance, a golden flame explosion shot high into the clear morning sky, creating a devastating tremor that rippled across the entire city!
Shou's face went pale. The direction of that explosion... was exactly where Mayuri was!
[๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด! ๐ช๐๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ก๐! ๐ง๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ง๐๐๐! ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ง ๐๐ฆ ๐ฅ๐๐ค๐จ๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ง๐ฅ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐!]
"DAMN IT!"
"Hey, kid! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!"
"SORRY, SIR! I HAVE SOMETHING EXTREMELY URGENT! YOU SHOULD LEAVE THIS PLACE RIGHT AWAY!"
"WAIโ"
Too late. Shou had already shot off at full speed toward the center of the explosion, leaving the man staring after him in shock.
***
"Oh?"
Vian raised an eyebrow, surprised as his golden-flame-wrapped fist was caught by Mayuri's bare hand, wrapped in a veil of ice mist.
His interest in the girl before him grew stronger. He hadn't expected this girl to have control over the ice element.
Then... Vian's eyes widened slightly witnessing the transformation happening to Mayuri.
Her school uniform began glowing with a pure, blinding golden light.
A pair of small wing-shaped ornaments appeared in her hair, followed by a pair of real angel wings unfurling majestically from her back.
An elegant black gown with an open cut replaced her uniform. Thigh-high black gloves completed her appearance, with golden bracelets encircling both wrists.
Golden boots wrapped elegantly around her feet. The pearl earrings in her ears transformed into shimmering, multicolored gems.
Her usually calm aura now radiated extraordinary majesty and holiness.
"You..." Vian's eyes narrowed with curiosity, "are from the Angel race?"
His assumption made sense. Mayuri's current appearance perfectly reflected the characteristics of the Angel race.
And more importantly, her aura was far purer than before.
Mayuri didn't answer. Instead... she flapped her wings, preparing to fly!
"Don't even think about fleeing," Vian hissed, his awareness fully returning.
With swift movement, he chased after Mayuri as she shot into the sky.
Vian circled the girl nimbly, then without hesitation, rained down a storm of golden flame upon her!
๐ฝ๐๐๐! ๐ฝ๐๐๐! ๐ฝ๐๐๐! ๐ฝ๐๐๐! ๐ฝ๐๐๐! ๐ฝ๐๐๐!
But Mayuri remained unharmed.
With admirable grace, she dodged every attack while controlling the wind around her to dampen the explosive effects.
Vian's expression grew colder. He gathered a far greater amount of his golden flame, forming a giant fireball 200 meters in diameter.
"Die."
๐๐๐๐!
Like a supersonic missile, the fireball hurtled toward Mayuri!
Realizing dodging wasn't an option, Mayuri raised her right hand, her expression remaining calm.
"<<๐๐๐๐ค๐ข๐๐ฅ>>"
๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐...!!
A tremendous explosion tore through the sky, creating a shockwave that scattered the clouds and shattered the windows of buildings below!
Amid the billowing smoke, Mayuri's wings still flapped gracefully. Her expression barely changed untilโ
๐๐๐๐๐!
"...Hm?!"
Chains suddenly appeared out of nowhere, encircling her from every direction and blocking her escape route.
"This..."
Several Rank S Hunters had surrounded her.
Confusion showed on their faces, clearly they couldn't see Mayuri's figure the way Vian could, but...
"They truly can't see you," Vian said calmly, "but that doesn't mean they'll doubt my word. After all, there's a Ghost race that can't be seen with the naked eye."
"...Didn't you say earlier..."
"That I'd handle you alone? Of course that was a lie to throw you off. Don't think I'm dishonorable. All's fair in battle."
"...I don't hold that against you. I understand," Mayuri answered without emotion.
Vian frowned. "You..." He was about to say something, but quickly shook his head.
"Forget it. Do you think you can continue this fight with wounds like that?" His eyes were fixed on Mayuri's badly burned right hand.
Though she'd managed to block Vian's attack, Mayuri hadn't fully escaped the damage.
After all, a Rank SS Hunter's attack wasn't something to be taken lightly.
Mayuri fell silent for a moment before speaking in a gentle voice.
"<<๐๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฅ...>>"
A beautiful melody flowed, spreading in every direction.
The Rank S Hunters who heard it were instantly enchanted, losing consciousness for a moment.
"You have a disgusting ability," Vian frowned in disgust.
He hadn't expected this seemingly saintly, angel-like girl to actually possess the ability to control minds and brainwash others.
Vian's expression hardened, but then he was surprised to see the burns on Mayuri's hand slowly healing.
Along with it, the Hunters affected by Gabriel's sound regained consciousness.
"Sorry, I can't fully control my power..."
Vian fell silent, growing even more puzzled by the girl's behavior.
This girl... was truly unusual.
Her expression remained calm even faced with open hostility.
"Prince Vian, we're detecting fluctuations of movement from that invisible black sphere."
Vian's expression changed. "Proceed as planned."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The chains binding Mayuri suddenly blazed with bright light.
Without warning, circles of [mana] appeared, encircling Mayuri from every direction, giving her no opening to fight back.
Those circles then radiated a blinding light...
***
๐๐ช๐ฌ...
Mayuri's feet landed gracefully, creating a small ripple as they touched the water.
She opened her eyes slowly, startled to find herself in a completely different place.
"This... the sea?"
Indeed.
She was no longer in the city near Life Forest.
Instead, she now stood at a harbor, surrounded by moored ships.
"Exactly right," Vian's voice sounded from behind her.
"To avoid the wrath of Life Forest's inhabitants over the city's destruction, it's better we fight at sea. The damage will be more contained. And of course, the main reason is so that winged black sphere of yours can't interfere."
"But in that case... the effectiveness of your fire will decrease," Mayuri said.
"You underestimate me."
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐!
Golden flame enveloped Vian's entire body.
But instead of dimming from the water's presence, the flame only grew fiercer and denser.
"Don't compare my fire to ordinary fire," Vian smiled coldly. "My fire has a special property, the more substance that tries to extinguish it, the stronger its flame becomes."
He stepped forward, each step evaporating the seawater beneath his feet.
"In this situation, you only have two choices... first, die burning without resistance. Second, fight back and make my fire even stronger, before still ultimately dying burning."
A dense aura of death radiated from Vian's body as his golden flame blazed higher, reflecting a golden light across the dark surface of the sea.
Mayuri simply stood calmly, her white, shimmering wings contrasting against the darkness of the night.
"Of course, to prevent your escape, I've already asked the other Rank S Hunters to stand guard." Vian smiled coldly.
Through her sensitive senses, Mayuri could feel five Rank S Hunter presences surrounding her from various positions.
Their auras were like threatening bright stars in the darkness.
And at the harbor, six sorcerer-type Rank S Hunters had already prepared themselves in a perfect defensive formation.
The conclusion was simple and terrifying, she was completely surrounded with no escape route.
But the winged girl's face remained calm as a lake's surface at dawn.
There wasn't a single frown on her forehead, not a single tremble at the corner of her mouth, as if the danger threatening her life were nothing more than a gentle breeze.
"Get ready."
Vian felt a strange unease seeing the girl's expression remain unchanged. Because his instincts as a Hunter whispered that disaster would follow if this girl were left alive.
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐...!!
An explosion of heat radiated from Vian's body, creating giant waves that roared in every direction, powerful enough to birth a tsunami capable of swallowing coastal cities.
"<<๐๐๐ฉ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ>>" Mayuri whispered calmly.
With a graceful motion, she raised her hand, and instantly a push of blue-white wind spread like invisible wings, taming the ocean's fury in an instant.
๐๐๐๐!
Without warning, a burst of golden flame forming a ferocious tornado shot from Vian's hand, spinning at terrifying speed, targeting Mayuri's figure still floating calmly!
๐ฝ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐๐๐...!!
In an instant, a devastating explosion swept the area, turning the seawater into hissing steam.
The heat generated was so extreme it altered the composition of the air around them!
A golden flash streaked into the sky, Mayuri tried to fly away.
But suddenly, like a bird caught in an invisible net, her movement stopped abruptly in midair!
For the first time, the calm expression on her face turned to shock. Her white wings flapped uselessly; she couldn't move!
Vian had accounted for every possibility. The Rank S Hunters under his command had already set up anti-gravity barrier magic, an invisible net preventing anyone from flying without the territory ruler's permission.
Only Vian and the other Rank S Hunters had the authority to hover in the air.
Like a puppet with its strings cut, Mayuri plummeted freely toward the roaring sea.
Beneath the ocean's surface, Vian was already waiting, his fist wrapped in shimmering golden flame.
"Be destroyed this time," he whispered with an executioner's calm.
The golden flame exploded ferociously, transforming into a giant Eastern dragon roaring through the air.
Its blazing eyes found its target, and with wild motion, it shot toward Mayuri.
The aura from that attack alone was enough to make the seawater continuously evaporate, the air and space around it distorting like a cracked mirror.
Mayuri suddenly struggled to breathe; her soft lips turned dry and cracked.
๐ฝ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐๐๐....!!!
A devastating explosion resembling a nuclear bomb spread in every direction, turning the middle of the sea into an empty crater.
Thick white smoke enveloped the area, obscuring vision even for Rank B Hunters with sharp eyesight.
The parted seawater formed a giant liquid wall before crashing back down like rain, filling the emptiness that had been created.
Vian's figure and several other Rank S Hunters floated in the air, protected by a magic dome formed by the sorcerers. They weren't scratched at all.
But what they witnessed next made their eyes widen in disbelief.
"Hey, you can't be serious..." one of the Rank S Hunters muttered, his voice choked with shock.
Amid the chaos, Mayuri still stood, gravely wounded but not fallen.
Fresh blood flowed from her trembling right hand, her white robe now torn and stained red in several places, but that wasn't what stunned them.
Behind the angel girl, several ships still stood intact, protected by layers of ice and swirling wind forming a protective dome. Not a single passenger aboard the ships was hurt.
"B-beautiful big sister over there..." a small voice called out.
Several crew members slowly climbed down, walking across the frozen ice, approaching Mayuri's figure now kneeling, breathing raggedly.
Her long blond hair, loose and free, was tousled by the cold sea wind.
"Don't... come near me," she whispered gently, her voice like the chime of a harp caressing their ears.
"B-big sister, you're hurt..." A little girl stepped forward, her eyes welling with tears seeing the condition of their savior angel.
Her small hand reached out, wanting to touch the white wing whose feathers were now falling one by one.
The ship's captain, who was also the little girl's father, quickly pulled his daughter back.
Cold sweat trickled down his temple as an intensely intimidating aura descended from the sky.
Vian and the other Rank S Hunters landed gracefully before Mayuri.
The prince walked slowly, his imperial robe billowing dramatically in the wind, casting an intimidating shadow.
He approached Mayuri, who still maintained her calm expression even as her right hand wouldn't stop trembling.
With an almost gentle motion, Vian lifted the girl's chin, forcing her shimmering pink eyes to meet his gaze.
"I must admit... you keep surprising me," he said, a faint trace of admiration in his voice. "But tell me... why didn't you fight back?"
The question hung in the air.
Since the battle began, Mayuri had only defended, not once launching a counterattack.
Every movement of hers was defensive, as if she refused to hurt anyone.
Vian knew full well this girl was extremely powerful, owner of a terrifying winged black sphere and master of several elements at once.
If Mayuri had truly fought him seriously, their battle might have lasted seven days and seven nights, turning the entire ocean into vapor.
"Because there's no point fighting you..." Mayuri answered, her voice calm yet sounding exhausted.
"Isn't there a point, though? You'll die if you don't fight us," Vian tilted his head. "Isn't death something every being fears greatly?"
"That's not wrong but..." Mayuri stared straight into Vian's eyes, "death means nothing to me because I've already been through something far more terrifying than that."
"Oho?" Vian raised an eyebrow, interest gleaming in his eyes. "Something more terrifying than death? I'm very curious about that..."
He waited for an answer, but only received silence.
Mayuri's expression remained unreadable, as if some dark secret lay hidden deep behind her beautiful eyes.
Vian frowned, slightly offended by the girl's reluctance, but instead of pressing, he took a different approach.
"You know, I have an offer for you," he extended his hand with an elegant gesture. "I won't kill you, but in exchange... become my personal servant."
"Why?" Mayuri asked directly, without fear or offense at an offer some might consider demeaning.
"The answer is simple," Vian admitted with a faint smile.
"After watching you fight, you've managed to spark my interest. And that... has made me personally drawn to you."
Mayuri fell silent as if weighing the offer.
But before she could answer, a thunderous voice shattered the tension.
"FUCK! GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF HER!!"
๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐๐๐....!!!
Golden lightning struck with tremendous force, splitting both sky and sea at once, targeting Vian and the group of Rank S Hunters.
They reacted quickly, easily deflecting the sudden attack, too easily.
Meanwhile, Mayuri once again thought nothing of herself.
With the last of her strength, she formed a shield to protect the ship's crew.
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐!!!
The crew members cowered in fear.
The eight-year-old girl unconsciously hugged Mayuri's waist from behind, her small body trembling violently.
"You'll be okay..." Mayuri whispered with a mother's tenderness, her bloodied hand stroking the little girl's head.
"U-um..." The little girl nodded, her cheeks flushing slightly.
The fragrant scent, like lilies, wafting from Mayuri's body made her feel safe and comforted.
With a gentle smile, Mayuri turned her attention toward the source of the attack.
There stood a young man, his breath ragged, flashes of lightning still dancing around his body.
"A-are you okay?" the young man asked, his eyes widening at Mayuri's condition.
"Y-you're hurt! THOSE BASTARDS!"
Fury instantly blazed in the eyes of the young man named Shou. His fists clenched tight until his knuckles turned white.
Shou cursed himself for arriving late.
Though he'd used the full speed of Kerubiel's lightning element, the distance he'd had to cover was too great to arrive in time.
"Damn it, I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU!" Shou screamed, his eyes flashing dangerously.
A killing aura radiated from his body, in stark contrast to his gloomy appearance.
"Don't do that..." Mayuri whispered weakly, her voice nearly swallowed by the roaring wind.
Shou froze hearing those words.
"B-butโ" he tried to argue, but Mayuri's expression stopped him.
"There's no point in bloodshed here," Mayuri shook her head gently. "You'll be hunted by the imperial family if you fight them..."
Hearing the concern in Mayuri's voice, worried for his safety, Shou fell silent, feeling helpless.
He hated his own weakness, hated the fact that he couldn't protect Mayuri.
Even his ability to stand before this girl right now was thanks to the girl's own power...
"Prince Vian, are you alright?" one of the Rank S Hunters asked with concern.
"Do you think an attack that weak could threaten me?" Vian replied coldly, his eyes never once leaving Mayuri's figure.
"N-no..." The Rank S Hunter backed away, intimidated by the prince's cold gaze.
Vian turned to look at Shou with a contemptuous gaze.
"Now I understand what Frost Assassin meant," he said slowly.
"That power of yours... truly is nothing but borrowed power."
Those words struck Shou like a dagger of ice. His expression darkened, his face flushing red with anger and shame.
"SHUT UP!" he snapped, his voice cracking with emotion.
"What? Are you angry?" Vian smiled thinly, his tone clearly mocking.
Shou nearly lashed out again, a suicidal move that would surely have led to his death, when a gentle yet firm voice stopped him.
"Stop mocking someone who's formed a contract with me," Mayuri said, her eyes now fixed on Vian.
"He might be weak right now, but that will change in the future..."
Vian frowned, somehow displeased with Mayuri's defense of Shou.
Meanwhile, Shou was shocked yet overjoyed beyond words.
Unconsciously, he shot a triumphant look at Vian, as if saying: 'So I'm weak, so what? I have a girl who cares about me, while you don't.'
Vian caught that look and his jaw tightened.
But as someone destined to stand at the pinnacle of the world, he restrained himself. Responding to Shou would only demean his own status.
"Prince Vian," one of the Rank S Hunters broke the silence, "what should we do now? Should we continue the mission and kill them?"
Coldly, Vian glanced at the Hunter, who immediately shuddered under his gaze.
"No," he said after a moment. "Forget it. After all, this girl is still useful to us."
Without another word, Vian rose into the air, followed by the other Rank S Hunters hurrying after him.
This sight made Shou and the ship's crew let out a sigh of relief.
Especially Shou, who honestly had no plan whatsoever for facing Vian and so many Rank S Hunters at once.
Before truly departing, Vian looked at Mayuri once more, their eyes meeting in a mysterious silence.
"If you agree to my earlier offer," he said, "you can come to the capital."
"KEEP DREAMING, BASTARD!" Shou screamed, fury and killing intent blazing once more in his voice.
The people around them gasped in shock, not expecting anyone to dare openly shout at a prince of the imperial family, an act punishable by death.
But Vian merely smiled faintly, ignoring the shout as if it were nothing more than a stray dog's bark.
"We're heading back," he ordered the Rank S Hunter beside him. "Prepare the teleportation device."
"Understood, Prince Vian." The Rank S Hunter quickly pulled out a palm-sized crystal and began charging it with [mana], but...
"...Huh?" A puzzled frown appeared on his forehead.
"What is it? A problem?"
"That... for some reason there's an issue with the coordinates," the Hunter answered, trying again with more [mana]. "I'll try once more."
But the result remained the same. The crystal pulsed with unstable red light, emitting a strange humming sound like a malfunctioning machine.
Vian began to feel a bad premonition.
At that exact moment, everyone in the area felt a strange tremor, an aura so immense it made their hearts feel as though they'd stopped beating for a moment.
Everyone's expressions changed drastically.
Vian, with his sharp combat instincts, was the first to react.
"TAKE COVER!!" he screamed, his voice thundering.
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐..!!
A terrifying explosion surpassing the power of a nuclear bomb occurred, instantly vaporizing a large portion of the sea!
Ships within the nearest radius vanished into ash instantly, leaving no trace.
A giant tsunami rose, moving toward the nearest harbor at terrifying speed.
The Rank S Hunters assigned to protect the harbor quickly formed a barrier, but even they looked overwhelmed.
Then in the next instant, an expression of horror appeared on every face witnessing the creature's emergence.
A gigantic figure that, even from a distance, appeared to reach a height of one kilometer.
Its skin was blazing red like lava, its belly bulging and rippling like moving mountains.
Most terrifying of all... a pair of giant black horns jutting from its forehead.
The creature opened its eyelids, revealing sockets filled with blazing fire.
Then it roared, a sound that couldn't possibly belong to this world.
"[๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.....!!]"
Its roar was so tremendous it created a shockwave pushing the seawater back, forming a tsunami rising over a hundred meters high!
At the same moment, a scream full of agony echoed from Mayuri's direction.
๐ฝ๐๐๐ค๐ค๐ข!
"๐๐๐๐๐๐...!!"
"Whatโ" Shou turned in shock.
Everyone was startled to see Mayuri suddenly stagger, her face paling, her body shaking violently.
Shou, with the Divine Protection of Life Goddess, felt as though his head had been struck hard as an uncontrollable wave of energy slammed into his body.
An unlimited amount of reiryoku spread wildly, hurling everyone nearby like dry leaves in a storm!
Fortunately, the remnants of Raphael's wind still protecting them reduced the impact.
The ice layer also helped cushion the damage caused by that extraordinary pressure of energy.
Right at that moment...
๐ฝ๐ผ๐...!!
The sound of heavy footsteps shook the entire ocean.
Everyone looked up and terror instantly crawled up their spines.
They froze, their tongues numb, unable to say anything as they stared at the creature towering higher than the tallest mountain.
The demonic figure smiled, a disgusting, bloodthirsty smile revealing rows of teeth as sharp as swords.
Its blazing eyes looked down, as if searching for prey.
Truly the embodiment of all humanity's nightmares...
And thenโ
"MAYURI-!!!"
๐ฝ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐๐๐.....!!!