Even after my fight ended, the battle was not over.
Across the battlefield, the bandit leader was still fighting.
Several arrows were lodged in his body, yet he continued battling the knights as if the wounds meant nothing.
I slowly mounted Rusty and gathered my weapons.
Then I rode toward Ron.
He was still mounted, though injured. Compared to me, his wounds were minor.
"Ron!" I called.
He reacted instantly, drawing his sword and turning toward me.
I quickly raised my hands.
After recognizing my face, he lowered the weapon.
"What's happening?" I asked. "Why is he still fighting? Why can't we use magic?"
Ron shook his head.
"You didn't see it earlier. Maria tried attacking him with magic. It didn't work."
"Why?"
"He's using a mana distribution item," Ron explained. "Within a certain range, it disrupts or blocks incoming mana attacks. And he seems to have an earth attribute. His defense is incredibly strong, but his attacks are just as dangerous."
I looked back at the battlefield.
Niles and Saul were raining arrows toward the bandit leader.
But he either blocked them or dodged them while continuing to fight.
I thought for a moment.
Then I looked at Ron.
"Do you trust me?" I asked.
Ron frowned. "What are you planning?"
"I'm about to do something either very stupid… or very dangerous."
Ron stared at me.
"Go behind him," I continued. "Be ready. And tell the others to distract him."
"What's your plan?" Ron demanded.
But I shook my head.
"You'll see."
Before leaving, I stopped.
"If I die here…" I said quietly.
Ron immediately tried to interrupt.
But I raised my hand.
"If I die here, go to outside of Luxina. In the blacksmith district there's a blacksmith named Duracal. Tell him I fought bravely. Tell him I died as bravely as I could."
Ron looked at me silently.
Then I turned away.
I rode back to where my previous fight had taken place and picked up the shield the fallen rider had been using.
Holding it tightly, I whispered a quiet apology to Rusty.
"I'm sorry," I murmured.
"Just one last time today… trust me."
Then I released miasma throughout my entire body.
Even the shield began absorbing a little of it.
Rusty sensed the change immediately and became restless beneath me.
At the same time, Ron began issuing orders.
"Niles! Saul! Increase the arrows!"
"Everyone who can still stand—distract him!"
The mercenaries moved.
The bandit leader swung his massive halberd in wide arcs.
Anyone who got too close was thrown off their mounts or forced back.
Arrows struck him occasionally.
But they barely slowed him down.
Then Rusty surged forward.
Faster than before.
My vision narrowed.
All I could see was him—the bandit leader.
Everything else faded away.
The chaos of battle blurred around me.
As we approached, I suddenly pulled Rusty to a stop.
The sudden halt threw my body forward.
At the same moment, I jumped.
Shield raised in front of me.
For a brief second, I disappeared from the bandit leader's sight behind the fighting bodies.
Then I dropped from above.
He saw me at the last moment.
But his halberd was already swinging toward another opponent.
He couldn't stop the motion.
My shield slammed into him.
The shield shattered from the impact.
Both of us crashed to the ground.
I rolled up immediately and rushed toward him.
But he recovered just as fast.
He stood, raising his halberd again, preparing to cut my head off.
Even through the madness clouding my mind, I could feel the killing intent behind the strike.
As he swung—
I used Death Stare.
He didn't freeze.
But his movement hesitated for a split second.
That was enough.
I closed the distance.
Using Siena's surprise strike technique, I drove my fist into his ribs.
He coughed violently.
Then I slammed my knee into his stomach.
He staggered backward.
But he still tried to swing his halberd again.
Before the strike could land—
Ron arrived.
His blade flashed.
The bandit leader's head fell from his shoulders.
The battle was over.
My body finally gave out.
I collapsed face-first into the dirt.
My breathing slowed.
I stopped drawing miasma and switched back to dark aura.
The exhaustion hit me all at once.
In the distance, I heard Ron shouting.
"Don't sleep!"
But my eyelids were already closing.
I tried to keep them open.
I really did.
But it was impossible.
Slowly…
I closed my eyes.
And finally rested.