Walking through the cave was Metsuri, carrying Albion in her arms.
Her pace was steady yet slow. Almost comfortable, as if the battle that had just taken place belonged to another world entirely.
In her embrace, Albion sat quietly, still holding his half-finished bottle of milk.
'I guess he enjoyed his meal,' Metsuri thought, her expression unchanged—calm and stoic.
She recalled how, even during the fight, he had simply continued drinking without care.
That was when it clicked.
'Right… he's probably been in that lab his entire life. He's never even had milk before.'
She stopped walking. Her gaze lowered to him.
"…Hey, Albion." She gently pointed at the bottle in his hands. "Do you know what that is? It's called milk."
"Mmmhmm…!" Albion nodded softly.
Metsuri gave a small nod in return, then paused to herself thinking.
"…Do you understand what I did back there?" she asked, her voice quieter now.
She was referring to the fight.
"Mm… eeh…?" Albion tilted his head.
He gave her no answer, only confusion.
"I killed that beast because I needed to survive," Metsuri said. Her grip on him remained steady as she spoke.
"Nothing more. Nothing complicated. And I feel no guilt for it."
She paused slightly, thinking of her next words.
"The worth… the value of another life… means nothing to me." Her eyes stayed forward
Cold and unmoving.
"If you're weak, you become a tool for someone stronger. That's what I learned."
Silence lingered between them.
Her voice grew quieter now.
"If you're weak, you can't change anything. That is the law every living thing follows… whether they accept it or not."
With that, she resumed walking. She didn't know if Albion understood her words.
But she knew one thing for certain.
He wasn't normal.
A human is born without understanding.
They cannot walk. They cannot speak. Their consciousness has not yet formed into thought—only sensation and instinct.
And yet, they cry. They breathe. They react.
The world is not understood by them. It is only experienced in fragments
Cold air against skin, pressure, sound, hunger.
Even the cutting of the umbilical cord is not recognized as pain or loss. It is simply an event, and the body responds.
There is no meaning assigned to it. At least….Not yet.
As time passes, the body grows. Their size increases. Their Strength follows. And with repetition, patterns begin to form inside the mind.
Hunger becomes recognizable, thirst becomes familiar, discomfort gains definition. Eventually, even control over bodily functions is learned, piece by piece.
What is called a "human being" is not something present at birth.
It is something constructed.
Through accumulation of experience.
Albion was different.
Unlike a normal child, he had never experienced the small, defining moments that shape a person.
He had never tripped and felt the sting of the ground.
He had never tasted something sweet and learned the meaning of pleasure on his tongue.
These were not memories he forgot. They were things he had never known at all.
So when the Vulcan held him earlier, he did not cry.
Not because he was brave… But because fear was not yet something he understood.
And yet, he had still clung tightly to his bottle of milk.
Because that taste… that sensation…
was new.
His first real experience of something beyond survival.
In other words, Albion Ebonveil, at this point in his life, had only just begun to form his sense of self.
Even now, his fuchsia-colored eyes, soft red-pink like fading embers, remained fixed on Metsuri's cold, black gaze.
And he continued to look quietly, as they left the cave together.
Arriving outside the cave, Metsuri came to a slow stop and scanned her surroundings.
"…I need to get to Darry so I'll have a place to stay," she said aloud, more to herself than anyone else.
But her expression remained unchanged. The real problem wasn't where she was going.
It was how she would get there.
"I could use floating magic to cover the distance…" she muttered, eyes narrowing slightly as she calculated the cost.
But she quickly dismissed the idea.
After betraying her allies and abandoning her mission, conserving magic power was no longer optional—it was survival strategy.
"…No. I need to conserve energy." Her gaze shifted downward. "That means I need to prepare properly."
She stepped forward and gently placed Albion onto the ground.
"…Mrr…?" Albion tilted his head up at her, eyes wide with quiet curiosity.
He didn't resist, but simply watched.
Metsuri stood directly in front of him.
Then, slowly, she brought her hands together in a precise, prayer-like formation before her chest.
Her fingers aligned perfectly, in a balanced, symmetrical way.
Magic gathered between her palms, not erratic, as if it had found a shape it was meant to obey.
"Six edges, six truths—align and stand eternal. Form the frame that none may fracture."
Her voice was calm, and steady.
A faint glow began to bloom between her hands.
Slowly, it began to spread outward.
Soft, drifting shapes began to form around her—ethereal white butterflies made of pure light.
They were not alive. weightless, silent, and luminous, drifting through the air like falling starlight.
This was her magical aura.
"Bind the space between… unbroken, unmoving."
She continued the incantation.
While magic could be released through raw intent alone in its most primitive form, structured spells required a defined activation method to stabilize and shape the energy.
These methods acted as a framework that gave Mahō direction, structure, and consistency.
but the most common forms are hand Signs and Somatic Control.
Many spells require the user to perform specific hand signs, motions, or full-body stances to initiate casting.
These physical patterns act as a catalyst, guiding Mahō through predetermined pathways within the body before release
"Hexagon Barrier."
The moment the final words left her mouth, a transparent hexagonal barrier erupted into existence around Albion.
Six perfect sides formed a seamless geometric shell, locking into place with precise alignment.
Faint lines of light traced each edge, reinforcing the structure as it stabilized.
Certain spells require spoken activation in the form of incantations.
These chants consist of structured phrases or verses that must be recited correctly to stabilize the spell's full output
"That should keep you safe," Metsuri said, exhaling lightly as the butterflies of light faded around her.
"I don't need you wandering off whenever I turn my back."
She turned slightly and suddenly stopped in front of Albion.
Something was there.
Before her stood a bipedal, octopus-shaped magical beast, towering at 3 meters tall. It did not slither or float like an ocean creature should.
It stood.
Its body was a fusion of humanoid structure and deep-sea aberration.
Dull gray and dark blue coated its form like layers of cold sediment, as if it had been dragged up from the deepest part of the ocean, somewhere light had never reached.
Its lower body was heavily muscular, shaped with unnatural balance.
Two powerful legs ended in wide, grounded feet, firmly planted against the cave floor as if it had always belonged on land.
Its torso was compact and dense, built not for drifting currents, but for impact.
From its upper body extended two thick, elongated arms—humanoid in placement, yet far too heavy, far too strong for natural proportion.
They hung with a controlled weight, like weapons waiting for permission to move.
Where a human head should have been, its form twisted into something in-between.
A distorted fusion of skull and cephalopod structure.
Subtle tentacle-like appendages curled from the sides of its face, twitching faintly, as if tasting the air itself.
Metsuri let out a quiet sigh. "…And who exactly are you?"
"Blrrrghhh… glorp… glorp…"
The magical beast let out a strange, wet series of sounds.
Metsuri didn't look surprised. Without even sparing it another glance, she turned and picked Albion up.
'This one's probably not as intelligent as the Vulcan.'
Balancing Albion—still encased within the hexagonal barrier—against her foot, she kicked upward.
Albion shot into the air.
Then, he stopped.
Suspended several meters above the ground, floating effortlessly. This was of course due to her floating magic.
Metsuri slowly turned back toward the creature.
'Even so, my number one priority right now is keeping Albion safe. If he gets killed, my plans will go up in smoke.'
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
'If possible, I'll avoid a fight.'
Despite everything, Metsuri didn't enjoy killing. She didn't hate it either, but she wasn't someone who sought it out for pleasure.
At least… that's what she believes.
"Hey. You." she called out calmly. Her eyes met the creature's. "Do you understand me?"
"If you do, then listen carefully." She raised her hand and pointed upward. "My priority is protecting the one above us."
The beast followed her gesture.
Its gaze lifted… landing on the floating infant, quietly staring toward the sky within his barrier.
It looked back down.
Metsuri continued. "The only reason I fought that Vulcan earlier… was because it took him hostage."
Her tone didn't change. It was flat and honest.
She raised both hands slightly in a gesture of surrender. "So if you'd just let me pass… I'd appreciate it."
A faint, forced smile touched her lips.
The creature tilted its head. "tkk… tkk… wrrrl?"
An awkward heavy silence lingered. For it made no movement.
Then, all of the sudden, its legs bent.
The ground beneath it cracked.
"GGRRRAAAALLLP!!!"
It exploded forward, going into a full, aggressive charge.
"...Yeah," Metsuri sighed. "I figured."
Her posture lowered. "I'll just have to show you the difference between us."
Before long, the beast closed the distance.
Its massive fists came down, one after another.
Each strike slammed into the earth with crushing force, shattering the ground and sending debris outward.
The barrage didn't stop, but it intensified.
A relentless storm of blows carved a widening crater beneath it.
By sheer physical strength alone, this creature far surpassed the Vulcan.
After a while, the assault finally ceased. Dust swallowed the battlefield.
The beast stood there, staring into the haze… waiting. It was expecting its prey to be done for…
"Sesshoku-zan."
SKLCH!
In a single instant, a thin, precise slash marks carved across its arms and hands.
The beast recoiled. Blood spilled freely, splattering against the broken ground.
It froze in a state of confusion.
It hadn't seen anything at all..
Did that mean Metsuri was just that fast?
"Do you see now?" Her voice came from within the dust.
The creature's head snapped toward it.
Metsuri stepped forward, emerging from the haze, completely unharmed.
"It doesn't matter if you can hit harder than me." Her eyes locked onto it dull and cold,."You still can't beat me."
She brushed dust off her shoulder, clicking her tongue in annoyance.
"…Tch. I just got these clothes."
"Gluuuurrrk… tch… tch… tch…" The beast clicked its tongue-like sound in irritation.
Slowly, it turned away from Metsuri and began walking toward a distant tree. Its bleeding hands wrapped around the trunk.
With a guttural groan, it yanked. The earth cracked as the tree ripped free from the ground.
It held the massive trunk in both arms like a crude weapon.
Then, slowly, it turned back around.
Metsuri rolled her eyes. "…You just don't learn."
A tired sigh slipped from her lips.
….She complains a lot.
The beast tightened its grip. "KRRAAAL-CHKKK!!"
With a violent roar, it charged at her.
The tree swung in a wide arc, cutting through the air like a club. It aimed directly for Metsuri.
It was meant to be a clean hit. A crushing blow meant to send her flying.
But, the impact shattered the tree instead.
The section that struck Metsuri exploded into splinters, breaking apart on contact as if it had slammed into something far harder than flesh.
"KKRRK!? …GLORRRGH—!"
The beast froze mid-motion, stunned.
Then it jumped back instinctively.
While still in the air, it adjusted its grip on the remaining trunk fragment and hurled it forward.
The broken mass spun through the air like a projectile.
"This is such a pain…" Metsuri lowered her stance slightly. "When are you going to realize you can't beat me… and just give up?"
"Suntetsu." Her Ninjatō flashed.
SKRRRSH!!
A compressed, crescent shaped blade of white energy erupted forward, slicing through the incoming tree with surgical precision.
The wood split instantly. Not into halves, but into dozens of sharp, fragmented splinters.
A storm of wooden shards scattered mid-air.
In the same motion, Metsuri moved, going into a dash.
Her body blurred forward.
She appeared directly in front of the collapsing fragments, stepping through the gap like she knew where every piece would fall.
Her foot snapped upward.
One of the splinters was kicked cleanly forward while she twisted her body, avoiding the others as they stabbed into the ground around her.
The single launched fragment shot forward like a bullet.
It struck the beast just as it landed.
"GRRRAAAH—!!" The wooden shard pierced its abdomen.
Blood spilled out as the impact forced a roar of pain from its throat.
The beast staggered, dropping to one knee. A pool of blood splashed beneath it, seeping into the cracked earth.
Without hesitation, it yanked the wooden shard from its abdomen.
It hissed through clenched teeth as it forced its free hand against the wound, pressing inward, trying to keep its internal organs from spilling out.
But even then, it endured.
This was the result of Metsuri's attack.
"You'll die from blood loss at this rate." Metsuri's voice was flat as she straightened her posture.
"Blame your own arrogance and pride."
The beast responded with a low, guttural growl. Then it raised its free hand.
A sphere of pure white light began to form above its palm, bright, unstable, and compressed with dense magic.
Without warning It fired.
A beam of light shot forward in a perfectly straight line, tearing through the air.
Metsuri clicked her tongue softly and stepped aside. The beam struck the ground where she had been moments earlier.
BOOM.
An explosion erupted outward, sending debris and dust into the air.
Metsuri rolled across the ground, sliding into a low crouch..
"…It can use light magic?" Her eyes narrowed slightly. "The same attribute as mine."
"KRAAAL-CHKKK!!" The beast roared again.
Another sphere of light formed, but this time, it fractured mid-cast.
Instead of a single beam, it split into multiple rays of concentrated light, fanning outward like spears.
All of them locked onto Metsuri and fired.
Metsuri exhaled softly. Then tapped her foot once against the ground.
"Glass Barrier."
A transparent, glass-like rectangular wall surged upward from the earth directly in front of her.
The rays of light struck. They collided with the barrier and scattered harmlessly, unable to penetrate its surface.
"Did you think I only knew one barrier spell?" Metsuri didn't even wait for a response.
Her barrier slowly sank back into the ground, dissolving as if it had never existed.
She walked forward. "I should have just killed you from the start." Her voice dropped slightly.
"There's no point trying to reason with a beast."
Her intent was clear now.
This fight was ending. The same way the Vulcan had fallen.
The beast seemed to understand that too, for its body tensed.
Then it inhaled deeply, pulling in air like it was swallowing the entire atmosphere.
"GGRRRAAAALLLP!!!" A scream erupted from its throat. A shockwave exploded outward, shaking the ground.
'…A war cry?' Metsuri observed it coldly while continuing to walk forward.
'It Doesn't matter.'
In the blink of an eye, She vanished from where she stood.
And reappeared directly in front of it Mid-scream.
"I'll use this one." Her eyes sharpened slightly. "since it's a close-range technique. Best used when I need to bypass durability entirely."
"Sesshoku-zan."
With a simple motion. A single swing of her arm.
SKLCH!
Silence.
A second later, The beast's body split.
Not into pieces. But into cubes.
Clean, precise, unnatural cuts divided its flesh into countless fragments, scattering what remained of its form across the ground in a violent collapse.
"This is what happens… when you're weak." Metsuri stared down at the remains.
There was no emotion in her voice.
Then, the fragments ignited.
Flames erupted across the scattered flesh, rapidly consuming what was left until nothing remained but ash and smoke.
"And that's that." She exhaled lightly, tilting her head toward the sky.
"I should probably bring Albion back down."
Quake.
Quake.
Quake.
Slow, heavy footsteps approached. The ground trembled with each impact.
Metsuri's gaze sharpened as she turned slowly.
From the surrounding forest, several massive figures emerged.
Each one stood at least 15 meters tall, humanoid in shape, but far more distorted and imposing than anything she had faced so far.
"…I don't understand." Metsuri's voice lowered. "Where did all these beasts come from?"
Then realization struck.
"…The scream from before." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "…Was that a signal?"
One by one, they advanced, slowly closing in.
Metsuri reached up and pulled her black cloth mantle higher, partially covering her face.
A quiet sigh escaped her. "…Now even the forest itself is a threat." She glanced at the approaching giants.
"What a pain."
The battle between Metsuri and the magic beasts was far from over.
Creator note.
Art of Metsuri in the comments. If you like this weekly chapter, make sure to give me a power stone.
See you next week.