Across the battlefield, chaos reigned.
The mana-restraining cannons fired one volley after another, brilliant blue beams crashing relentlessly against Lumeris' enormous barrier.
BOOOOM!
The magical shield rippled violently.
Inside the defensive formation, Emma and dozens of royal mages stood with sweat pouring down their faces.
"Stabilize the western sector!"
"Increase mana output!"
"Don't let it collapse!"
Every impact drained more of their strength.
They all understood the consequences.
If the barrier fell...
The cannons would rain destruction directly onto the army behind it.
---
On the front lines, Lumeris and Aegis soldiers were steadily being forced backward.
Not because they lacked courage.
Not because they lacked skill.
Simply because the enemy had too many soldiers.
King Cedric fought near the center of the formation, his sword cutting through another Norvoss soldier.
"Hold the line!"
His royal guards formed a tight defensive ring around him while combat mages intercepted incoming arrows and spells.
Step by step...
Meter by meter...
Their forces were being pushed back.
Then—
THWIP.
A Norvoss officer suddenly collapsed.
A perfectly round hole pierced straight through his helmet.
Another soldier fell moments later.
Then another.
No arrows.
No visible spell.
Just sudden death.
The Norvoss soldiers instinctively ducked.
"...The Phantom."
Whispers spread through their ranks.
Nobody knew where he was.
Nobody could see him.
But everyone knew exactly who was responsible.
Every few moments...
Another soldier dropped.
---
Far behind the battlefield...
Near the tent where Mia continued her Growth Phase...
Leo's expression suddenly changed.
"...What?"
His eyes widened.
Figures were emerging from the treeline.
Not one.
Not two.
An entire strike force.
Leading them was General Aerys.
His newly enchanted armor gleamed beneath the morning sun.
At his side marched three elite warriors.
One carried a massive battle axe.
Another rested a hand on the hilt of a longsword.
A third moved beside a combat mages, her staff already glowing with mana.
Behind them followed a squad of carefully selected soldiers.
The guards stationed around Mia's tent reacted instantly.
"Enemy!"
"Protect Lady Dark Flame!"
Steel rang from its sheath as swords were drawn.
Shields locked together.
The defenders charged without hesitation.
Aerys calmly reached behind his back.
His fingers closed around the handle of his heavy war mace.
He pulled it free with practiced ease.
The iron head struck the ground with a heavy THUD.
Beside him, the axe wielder rolled his shoulders before gripping his weapon with both hands.
The swordsman slowly drew his blade, the polished steel catching the morning light.
The combat mage raised her staff.
Mana gathered at their tips.
For a brief moment...
Both sides stared at one another.
No words.
No negotiations.
Only silence before the storm.
Then Aerys raised his mace.
"Advance."
The clash was brutally one-sided.
A Lumeris soldier charged Aerys with a battle cry, his sword aimed for the general's chest.
Aerys didn't even dodge.
His war mace swung in a wide arc.
CRACK!!
The iron head slammed into the soldier's breastplate, launching him several meters through the air before he crashed into the dirt without moving.
Another defender lunged from the left.
Aerys met him with his shield instead.
BANG!
The shield crashed into the man's body, sending him sprawling across the ground.
Beside the general, his elite squad advanced like a single machine.
The axe wielder split apart anyone foolish enough to stand in his path.
The swordsman moved with precise, economical strikes, each swing dropping another defender.
Behind them, the combat mage
unleashed spells that forced the remaining guards to scatter.
A cavalryman galloped straight toward Aerys.
"For Lumeris!"
The horse reared as the rider lowered his spear.
Aerys didn't move aside.
Instead—
He drove his armored shoulder forward.
BOOM!
The impact slammed into the horse's chest.
Horse and rider tumbled together, rolling violently across the ground.
Another soldier rushed in with an axe.
Aerys caught him by the throat before the weapon could fall.
The soldier clawed desperately at the general's gauntlet.
Then, with trembling hands, he reached over his shoulder.
A concealed crossbow.
Click.
He fired point-blank.
CLANG!
The bolt struck Aerys' helmet.
It bounced off harmlessly.
The general didn't even flinch.
"...Nice try."
He slammed his forehead into the soldier's face.
CRACK!
The man was thrown backward, collapsing in a heap.
Another guard charged.
Aerys met him with a single armored punch.
The soldier was hurled off his feet.
A second later, another defender tried to rush the opening—
Only for one of Aerys' elite warriors to intercept him.
The battle axe rose.
It fell.
The path to the tent was rapidly clearing.
---
Leo stood frozen.
His hands trembled.
Around him...
Bodies lay scattered across the ground.
Some were already still.
Others writhed in agony, desperately trying to crawl away.
The smell of blood filled the air.
His breathing became uneven.
"..."
Aerys continued walking.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Straight toward Mia's tent.
Leo looked back.
Inside...
The black dragon remained asleep, surrounded by the slowly rotating purple magic circle of her Growth Phase.
She had no idea what was happening outside.
No idea that death was approaching.
Leo's fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword.
His legs felt weak.
His heart pounded so hard it hurt.
But...
He stepped forward.
One step.
Then another.
Until he stood directly between the entrance to the tent...
...and General Aerys.
With shaking hands, he raised his sword.
The blade wavered.
Even so...
He refused to lower it.
Aerys stopped.
The towering general looked at the young boy in silence.
"...Move, kid."
His voice was calm.
Almost gentle.
"You don't want to fight me."
Leo swallowed.
Every instinct screamed at him to run.
Every part of him knew he couldn't win.
But he didn't move.
Instead, he gripped his sword even tighter.
His voice trembled...
"You..."
He took another step forward.
"...will not touch my sister."
Leo grip tightened on his sword handle,
"...RRAAGHHH!"
With a desperate roar, he charged.
He swung with everything he had.
CLANG!
Aerys don't bother dodging, he caught the blade with his armored hand.
The sword stopped dead.
Leo's eyes widened.
"W-What...?"
His arms trembled as he tried to force the blade forward.
It didn't move an inch.
The strength difference was overwhelming.
Aerys looked at the boy without a hint of emotion.
"...Brave."
CRACK!
His gauntlet closed.
The sword shattered into pieces.
Before Leo could react—
SMACK!
Aerys backhanded him across the face.
Leo's body spun through the air before crashing heavily into the ground.
The general didn't even spare him another glance.
He simply continued walking toward the tent.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Then he returned his war mace to his back.
Slowly...
He drew his longsword.
Its polished blade reflected the purple glow surrounding the sleeping dragon.
Inside the tent, Mia remained completely motionless.
Unaware.
Still trapped within her Growth Phase.
Aerys raised his sword.
"This ends here."
Behind him—
Leo forced himself onto one knee.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
"...No..."
His voice barely escaped.
Then he screamed.
"NO!!"
Aerys thrust the sword downward.
At that exact moment—
The black crystal necklace around Mia's neck began to glow.
Tiny black-purple shards burst from its surface.
One.
Then dozens.
Then hundreds.
They spiraled around her sleeping body like a storm.
Aerys' blade struck first.
CLANG!!!
An invisible force exploded outward.
The sword rebounded violently, nearly flying from his grasp.
"...!"
The floating shards accelerated.
They connected one after another.
Within seconds, a dome of black-purple crystalline energy enclosed Mia completely.
The mana pressure erupted.
WHOOOOOM!
The surrounding tent couldn't withstand it.
The canvas ignited instantly.
Wooden supports blackened before collapsing into flames.
The entire structure was consumed within moments.
Heat washed across the battlefield like a furnace.
Even Aerys instinctively raised an arm to shield his face as the violent mana forced him several steps backward.
When the shockwave finally subsided...
The crystalline dome remained untouched.
Not a single crack.
Not a single flaw.
Aerys narrowed his eyes.
"...Interesting."
Without looking away from the barrier, he spoke calmly.
"Signal the mana-restraining cannon crews."
He lowered his sword.
"I want every cannon aimed at this shield."
---
A few meters away...
Leo coughed violently.
His ears rang.
His body screamed in pain.
Even so...
He saw a fallen sword lying beside one of the dead guards.
"..."
His shaking fingers reached for it.
He stood.
Barely.
Then charged once more.
"Stay..."
His voice cracked.
"...away..."
Another step.
"...from my sister!"
He swung with every ounce of strength remaining.
CLANG!
The blade struck Aerys squarely across the back.
Nothing happened.
The enchanted armor didn't even leave a scratch.
Aerys slowly turned around.
For a brief moment...
Neither of them spoke.
Then—
BOOM!
A single armored punch slammed into Leo's chest.
The world disappeared.
He was hurled backward, skidding across the dirt before collapsing onto his back.
His vision blurred.
Everything sounded distant.
Only muffled voices remained.
Aerys looked down at the fallen boy. Then he turn and immediately raised his shield as a barrage of compressed mana rounds hammered against it.
BANG!
A streak of green mana crashed into his shield.
Then another.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The impacts echoed across the camp.
He followed their trajectory.
Standing few meters away...
A lone wolf beastman calmly lowered one revolver.
His long black coat fluttered gently in the wind.
Green eyes met Aerys' without fear.
Tai.
The Phantom.
Smoke drifted lazily from the barrel of his revolver.
He gave a crooked grin.
"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"
Aerys' expression remained unreadable.
"...Phantom."
His grip tightened around his shield.
"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up."
Tai flipped open the cylinder of his revolver with practiced ease.
Fresh mana crystals slid into place.
Click.
He snapped it shut.
"And ruin my reputation?"
A grin spread across his face.
"No thanks."
Behind Aerys, his elite squad immediately stepped forward, weapons raised.
Before they could move—
Aerys lifted a hand.
"Stand down."
The soldiers froze.
His eyes never left Tai.
"This one..."
"...is mine."
Tai rolled one shoulder before raising his revolver once more.
A faint green glow gathered around the weapon.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Oh?"
"I'm flattered."
The battlefield around them faded into the background.
For one brief moment...
Everything else ceased to matter.
The Phantom...
And the Iron General...
Finally stood face to face.