Kondo stood alone in the middle of the battlefield,staring at ground thinking.
He had wanted to change the future, yet fate had brought him back to the very place he had tried to escape. Standing before him were three demons... and Alice.
Seeing the fear on Kondo's face, Yirina smirked.
"Hey, kid. Hand your mother over peacefully. Otherwise... we have plenty of other ways to make you talk."
Kondo silently turned his gaze toward her.
Alice glanced at Yirina before pointing her sword toward the room above.
"Lawine is up there."
A smile spread across Yirina's face as a simple sword materialized in her hand. She looked toward Yeld and Yonk.
The two immediately understood her signal.
In the next instant, they vanished.
Kondo watched them disappear, instantly realizing where they were headed. His eyes shot upward.
The moment his attention shifted away, Yirina seized the opportunity.
She vanished from her spot and appeared right in front of him, her sword already inches away from his throat.
But before the blade could touch his skin—
Kondo sensed the attack.
His body disappeared like a blur.
A heartbeat later, he reappeared behind her.
Thank goodness my reflexes kicked in... I sensed her attack just in time. Otherwise, that sword would've cut my throat clean off.
A look of genuine surprise crossed Yirina's face.
She hadn't expected the boy to dodge her strike so effortlessly.
Turning toward him, she wore an excited smirk.
"Now this... is starting to get interesting."
At the same time, Yonk and Yeld appeared on the upper floor.
King Veld and King Rose immediately shifted their attention toward them.
The two demons stood before the magically sealed door, carefully observing it while everyone else watched in silence.
"Hmm..." Yeld muttered while examining the barrier.
"The key to this room has to be somewhere nearby."
Yonk's gaze shifted toward Kim.
"I think... we just found it."
Without hesitation, King Rose stepped in front of Kim, shielding her.
Yonk slowly walked forward.
"I honestly didn't think you'd still be standing, Rose."
King Rose clenched his teeth as he drew his sword.
"I'm not as weak as you think. Your attack may have taken nearly seventy percent of my strength... but I still have plenty left."
Meanwhile, Yeld turned toward King Veld.
With surprising respect, he bowed his head slightly.
"King Veld... we didn't come here to harm you. We're only here to complete our mission. Once that's done, we'll leave. So please... don't interfere."
King Veld smiled calmly.
"A demon invades my kingdom, causes chaos, and expects me to simply stand aside?"
He turned toward Yen.
Without another word, Yen drew his sword and stepped forward.
"It seems His Majesty isn't in the mood to forgive you today, my friend."
Back below...
Kondo never took his eyes off Yirina.
A brilliant white sword materialized in his hand.
Its blade was pure white, while the guard resembled a swastika-shaped cross.
Yirina stared at it before bursting into laughter.
"What kind of sword is that?"
She grinned mockingly.
"Did you make it out of children's toys?"
Behind Kondo...
Alice quietly saw her chance.
She vanished in a flash and swung her sword straight toward his head.
Without even looking back—
Kondo calmly raised his sword behind him.
Clang!
The two blades collided.
Alice's eyes widened.
She knew his attention had been completely focused on Yirina...
Yet he had blocked her attack without even turning around.
Kondo finally allowed himself a small smile.
Looks like... all that training wasn't for nothing after all.
Without saying a word, he forced Alice backward with a powerful shove before charging straight at Yirina.
She immediately raised her sword to block.
Clang!
The impact made her feet slide backward several steps.
Realization flashed across her face.
I've been underestimating him.
A grin slowly spread across her lips.
Increasing her own strength, she pushed Kondo back.
Steel clashed against steel.
Their swords collided again...
...and again...
Neither of them had any intention of retreating.
From a distance, Alice silently watched their duel.
I'm not getting between those two.
It had become obvious.
Yirina wasn't fighting Kondo like he was a child anymore...
She was fighting him like an equal.
Alice glanced upward, where Yeld and Yonk had appeared.
King Rose was desperately holding Yonk back with his sword, but Yonk dodged every strike with almost insulting ease, as though he were merely toying with a child. Instead of drawing his own weapon, he casually parried King Rose's attacks with his bare hand.
With a slight flick of his wrist, a razor-sharp blade of wind shot forward.
King Rose raised his sword and barely managed to block it, but the slash was far too powerful. The force pushed his blade aside before slicing through the stone railing of the staircase, reducing it to rubble.
Seeing this, Shin quickly lifted Kim into her arms.
She knew that if they stayed any longer, they would only become a burden to King Rose. With no escape route behind them, she made up her mind.
"What are you doing?" Kim asked in confusion.
Shin looked at her with frightened eyes.
"If we stay here any longer... we'll only get in your father's way."
"W-What are you saying...?"
"We have to leave."
Kim looked around anxiously.
"But... there's nowhere to go."
Before Kim could finish, Shin glanced back one last time at King Rose, who was struggling against Yonk, then jumped off the upper floor.
"Kyaaah!!"
King Rose's eyes widened.
"Kim!!"
He instinctively tried to rush after them, but Yonk gave him no opening. Countless slashes from Yonk's fingertips rained down relentlessly, forcing King Rose to remain where he was.
Shin landed on both feet.
The impact sent a sharp pain through her legs.
"...I think my legs are going to break..."
"Are you okay?" Kim asked worriedly.
Shin forced a smile.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
Without wasting another second, she looked toward the rear exit and started running, carrying Kim in her arms.
Just as they were about to leave, Shin noticed a massive hole in one of the walls.
"Looks like we can escape through there."
She hurried toward it, but the moment she looked outside, her footsteps came to an abrupt halt.
Outside, Ishita and Yirina were still locked in battle.
Each collision between them shook the ground, leaving enormous craters wherever they exchanged blows.
Shin immediately turned toward the back door instead.
"We'll use that exit."
Kim nodded.
Before running, Shin looked back one last time at Kondo, who was still locked in a fierce sword fight against Yirina.
Taking a deep breath, she sprinted toward the back door.
They were only one step away from escaping—
"...And where exactly do you think you're going, kids?"
Alice suddenly appeared in front of them.
Shin froze.
Of all the times...
She slowly stepped backward.
Alice smiled mockingly.
"It's pointless. Those tiny little legs of yours won't get you very far."
Shin gently put Kim down.
"What are you doing?" Kim asked.
Shin stepped in front of her, shielding her body.
"I'll hold her off for as long as I can."
"You run."
Kim's eyes widened.
"No! I'm not leaving you behind!"
"If we're leaving... then we're leaving together!"
Alice watched them with an amused smirk as she slowly walked toward them.
Both girls immediately fell silent.
Shin quickly raised a magical barrier between them.
Alice laughed.
"You honestly think... something this weak can stop me?"
She thrust her sword forward.
The blade pierced straight through the barrier.
CRACK.
The entire barrier shattered into countless glowing fragments.
Kim and Shin instinctively stepped backward.
At that moment...
They both realized there was no escape left.
Kondo sensed their presence.
His head snapped toward them.
His eyes widened in horror.
"No...!"
Yirina noticed his attention wandering and grinned.
"Looks like your mind is somewhere else."
Kondo looked back at her—
But it was already too late.
Yirina drove her foot straight into his stomach.
The impact launched Kondo across the hall.
He crashed into the wall beneath the staircase, directly below where Yeld and Yonk were fighting.
The wall cracked from the collision.
Groaning, Kondo forced himself back to his feet with the help of his sword.
His eyes immediately searched for Shin and Kim.
Damn it...
I won't make it to them in time...
He tried to rush forward—
But Yirina instantly appeared in front of him.
She brought her sword crashing down.
CLANG!
Kondo barely blocked it.
Yirina refused to let him pass.
A mocking smile spread across her face.
"What's wrong?"
"Save yourself first."
"Those girls are about to die because you're too weak."
She laughed.
Kondo struggled beneath the weight of her blade.
Every attack she unleashed left him with no opening to escape.
His thoughts were focused entirely on Shin and Kim...
But Yirina had already realized that.
She deliberately kept pressing him harder and harder, preventing him from taking even a single step toward them.
Alice slowly raised her sword above Shin.
Kondo desperately tried to break free...
But Yirina wouldn't let him move.
Just as Alice was about to bring her blade down—
A furious voice echoed behind her.
"How dare you..."
"...How dare you even think of laying a finger on those girls?"
Alice instinctively turned around—
But before she could even see who it was—
BOOM!!
A powerful punch slammed directly into her face, sending her flying across the hall.