The punch was so devastating that Alice was sent flying the instant it connected.
She had never sensed anyone approaching from behind. Not even for a second had she imagined that something like this could happen to her.
Her body skidded violently across the ground before finally coming to a halt. Her eyes widened with fury as a trickle of blood escaped from the corner of her mouth. She wiped it away with the back of her hand and slowly turned toward the one who had struck her.
"How dare you..." the woman said coldly. "You actually dared to lay a hand on my future daughter-in-law?"
Shin and Kim's faces instantly brightened.
"Miss Lawine!"
Alice's pupils shrank in shock.
Standing before her was none other than Lawine.
She had never expected Lawine to appear here. For a brief moment, disbelief flashed across her face before it was consumed by pure hatred. She glared at Lawine as though she wanted to tear her apart with her own hands.
Touching the bruised side of her face, Alice slowly rose to her feet.
Lawine stepped protectively in front of Shin and Kim, clenched her fist, and glared at Alice with blazing anger.
"If you insist on acting like this..."
"...I'll smash that pretty face of yours beyond recognition."
Alice spat the blood from her mouth before wiping the remaining stain away.
Kim, however, was staring at Lawine with visible confusion.
"Miss Lawine..." she asked between breaths. "How did you get out without breaking the lock?"
Shin nodded repeatedly.
She had been wondering the exact same thing.
Lawine simply smiled.
"It was simple."
"There was a window."
"..."
"..."
The two girls blinked at her blankly.
"A... window?" Shin repeated, completely confused.
Lawine scratched her cheek with an awkward smile.
"After you locked me inside, I kept wondering why Kondo had insisted on it. Then I started hearing sounds outside... like people fighting."
"I tried opening the door, but it wouldn't budge."
"So I looked around and noticed the window."
"I looked outside, saw Ishita fighting someone, climbed out through it... and came straight here."
Silence.
Kim and Shin simply stared at her.
After everything they had gone through to lock her safely inside...
...there had been a window the whole time.
Lawine laughed cheerfully.
"See? I made it just in time."
"Who knows what would've happened to you two if I hadn't?"
Kondo stared at Lawine in complete disbelief.
"Mom..."
He had never imagined things would turn out like this.
Not far away, Yirina curled her lips into a faint smirk.
"So..."
"...the prey has finally shown herself."
Kondo's eyes remained fixed on his mother.
That single moment of distraction was all Yirina needed.
Without hesitation, she drove a brutal kick straight into his stomach.
"Tch... Looks like you never learn from your mistakes."
She chuckled.
Kondo was launched backward once again, crashing beneath the staircase into the wall supporting the ceiling. Dust exploded into the air as cracks spread across the stone.
Groaning, he pushed himself up—
—but suddenly froze.
Something felt...
...wrong.
It was as though something was staring directly at him.
Not just watching...
But glaring at him with overwhelming hunger.
An indescribable chill crawled across his body.
Slowly...
He raised his head.
His eyes widened in horror.
Clinging upside down to the ceiling directly above him...
...was a grotesque creature.
Its enormous childlike face twisted unnaturally as thick strands of saliva dripped from its mouth.
Its eyes...
...were completely black.
Below its swollen white torso extended six arms and four spider-like legs, allowing it to cling effortlessly to the ceiling as it stared directly at Kondo.
For a moment...
Kondo couldn't even comprehend what he was looking at.
What...
...was that thing?
The creature never blinked.
Its pitch-black eyes remained locked onto him, almost as if it had been watching him long before Kondo had noticed its presence.
Like a predator...
...waiting patiently for the perfect moment to devour its prey.
Kondo stood completely motionless.
It was the first time in his life he had ever witnessed something so horrifying.
Seeing Kondo frozen in place, Yirina approached him.
She raised her sword, ready to finish him off—
—but before striking, she followed his line of sight.
She looked toward the creature as well.
Yet...
Her expression barely changed.
To her, it wasn't anything unusual.
Without a word, she lowered her sword.
A faint crimson lightning danced across its blade before erupting into a brilliant scarlet slash wrapped in dark crimson electricity.
The attack tore straight through the creature.
An ear-piercing scream echoed throughout the battlefield.
The monster was split cleanly into two.
Its body crashed onto the floor...
...only to dissolve into countless dark particles before vanishing into thin air.
Kondo silently watched the entire thing happen.
His gaze never left where the creature had disappeared.
Yirina frowned.
"What exactly are you staring at?"
Her question finally snapped Kondo back to reality.
He turned toward her and pointed his sword directly at her.
"What do you mean?"
"There's a gigantic unknown monster right in front of me. Of course I'd be looking at it."
His grip tightened around the sword.
For the first time since the battle began...
...the uneasiness on Yirina's face became obvious.
"You..."
"...can actually see it?"
Kondo frowned, clearly irritated by the question.
"What kind of question is that?"
"That monster was standing right in front of me. Where else would I be looking?"
Without another word, Kondo rushed forward and swung his sword.
Yirina blocked the strike instinctively.
"He really saw a Dark World Creature...?"
"Humans... and even ordinary monsters can't see them..."
"Then... how is this boy able to?"
Her thoughts raced as she defended herself.
But Kondo showed no intention of giving her time to think.
His sword came at her again...
...and again...
...and again.
The relentless barrage gradually began disrupting her concentration.
"Tch..."
Growing irritated by his continuous attacks, Yirina abruptly shifted her stance.
She swung her sword horizontally with overwhelming force.
A massive crimson slash wrapped in strands of black lightning erupted from her blade, tearing through the air toward Kondo.
Everything happened too fast.
Before he could even react—
The attack struck him head-on.
BOOM!!
The slash blasted Kondo straight through the wall, sending chunks of stone flying as he disappeared outside the mansion.
Lawine instantly sensed the powerful attack.
Her head snapped toward the direction where Kondo had been.
Shin's face turned pale.
"D-Don't tell me..."
"Did that attack hit Kondo?"
Lawine's eyes widened.
"Kondo?!"
"Where is he?"
Shin silently pointed toward the shattered wall.
Lawine followed her finger.
There...
Yirina stood calmly with her sword resting on her shoulder, a satisfied smile spreading across her face.
Noticing Lawine's gaze, Yirina returned it with a faint smirk before casually walking toward the direction Kondo had been sent flying.
Lawine's heart sank.
She immediately tried to run after them—
But Alice stepped directly into her path.
Her eyes burned with fury.
She wanted nothing more than to reach Kondo.
Yet Alice had no intention of letting her pass.
"You aren't going anywhere."
Without hesitation, Alice charged forward and slashed at Lawine.
Lawine extended her hand.
A large sword instantly materialized in her grasp.
Its crossguard bore the elegant design of a crimson rose.
CLANG!!
Their blades collided.
Shin and Kim quickly retreated several steps to avoid getting caught in the battle.
Alice's anger had already reached its limit.
That single punch had humiliated her...
And nothing mattered more to Alice than her own beautiful face.
Their swords clashed repeatedly.
Neither woman gave even a single step.
Again...
Again...
Again...
The sound of steel echoed endlessly through the battlefield as their blades collided with such overwhelming force that it felt as though even the wind itself was crashing against the wind.
Meanwhile...
On the staircase, King Veld looked toward the collapsed ceiling where Yen had taken Yeld to continue their battle.
His expression grew increasingly impatient.
"How much longer until the Emperor Force arrives?"
Kiora immediately stepped forward, trying to reassure him.
"Please remain calm, Your Majesty."
"They're already on their way."
Outside the mansion...
Yonk had successfully drawn King Rose away from the others.
The sounds of Ishita and Yina's fierce battle echoed throughout the area.
A faint smile appeared on Yonk's face.
Without warning, he kicked off the ground.
With a casual wave of his foot, dozens of razor-sharp wind blades shot toward King Rose.
The slashes tore through the air at incredible speed.
Watching them approach...
King Rose tightened his grip around his sword.