The battlefield had already reached its peak before most even realized it had begun.
What was meant to be a silent interception had turned into chaos.
Steel clashed.
Magic roared.
And death moved freely between both.
At the center of the unfolding storm—
Stood the Vice Captain of the Iron Fang Guild.
The Kingdom of Elaris' defense force was divided into seven elite squads, each stronger than the last.
And the Iron Fang Guild—
Was among the most feared.
The Vice Captain himself was a monster on the battlefield.
The assassins had been waiting.
Hidden.
Patient.
Perfectly concealed.
Their presence erased through advanced magic.
Even the kingdom's soldiers couldn't detect them.
Everything was in position.
All that remained—
Was the signal.
But then—
A voice broke the silence.
"So… when exactly were you planning to attack?"
The assassin froze.
His eyes widened.
Because the voice—
Came from directly behind him.
Before he could react—
A fist slammed into his back.
Hard.
Brutal.
Unforgiving.
The force alone shattered his concealment as his body was sent crashing into the ground.
The Vice Captain stood there calmly, flexing his fingers slightly.
"You people talk too much in silence," he said coldly.
That single action—
Changed everything.
The other assassins immediately realized the truth.
He could see them.
Even through concealment.
There was no point hiding anymore.
One after another—
Their forms flickered into visibility.
Weapons drawn.
Magic gathering.
Killing intent exploding into the air.
"Attack!"
And just like that—
The battlefield erupted.
The assassins moved like shadows unleashed, striking with precision and deadly coordination.
But the soldiers of Elaris were no ordinary fighters.
They responded instantly.
Shields raised.
Magic cast.
Formation tightened.
The forest trembled under the pressure of the clash.
Explosions echoed.
Flames tore through the air.
Blades collided in rapid succession.
The Vice Captain moved at the center of it all.
Untouchable.
Dominating.
Each strike he delivered crushed an opponent.
Each movement he made broke formations.
And yet—
The assassins didn't retreat.
Because they weren't here to win.
They were here—
To stall.
High above the battlefield—
Ryan sat quietly on a tree branch.
Watching.
Waiting.
His expression remained calm.
Unbothered.
Almost bored.
"…Too noisy," he muttered.
He had already analyzed everything.
The soldiers.
The assassins.
The terrain.
The timing.
He knew exactly what was happening.
This wasn't a simple attack.
It was a distraction.
And he was the one meant to take advantage of it.
So he waited.
Patiently.
For the perfect moment.
Then—
It arrived.
A powerful presence entered the battlefield.
Heavy.
Dominating.
Dark.
Ryan's eyes shifted slightly.
"…Finally."
From the shadows—
A man stepped forward.
His aura alone was enough to make nearby fighters hesitate.
One of the highest-ranking leaders of the dark organization.
Fourth in Dark organizational hierarchy of power.
Leader of the fourth organization Silent Sky.
He walked straight toward the Vice Captain.
"Move," he said coldly.
The Vice Captain smirked.
"I was hoping for someone worth fighting."
And then—
They clashed.
The impact alone sent shockwaves through the battlefield.
The ground cracked.
Trees shook violently.
Even nearby fighters were forced back.
This—
Was a different level.
Their movements were too fast for most to follow.
Blades collided.
Magic exploded.
Each strike carried enough force to kill instantly.
Neither side gave an inch.
They were perfectly matched.
And that—
Was exactly what Ryan needed.
"…Now."
In one smooth motion—
He moved.
A small device dropped silently into the carriage.
Invisible.
Undetectable.
Sleep gas.
At the same time—
A smoke screen exploded outward.
Thick.
Blinding.
Total confusion.
Soldiers shouted.
Assassins reacted.
The battlefield stalled—
For just a moment.
And in that moment—
Ryan vanished.
When the smoke cleared—
The carriage was gone.
Completely.
The Vice Captain and the dark organization leader both stopped.
Their eyes widened slightly.
"…What?" the Vice Captain muttered.
It had happened too fast.
Too clean.
Even they—
Couldn't react in time.
Silent Sky's leader Mark was shocked
This was6a war that no one neither won
And just like that—
The mission was complete.
Or so it seemed.
Far from the battlefield—
Ryan reappeared.
The carriage landing smoothly in a hidden clearing.
Silence returned.
He stepped forward.
Opened the door.
And froze.
Inside—
Was not what he expected.
The princess lay unconscious, breathing softly.
The gas had worked.
But—
She wasn't alone.
Ryan's eyes narrowed.
Because sitting beside her—
Wide awake—
Was the girl from the park.
"…You."
She stared at him.
Not afraid.
Not panicked.
Ready to attack whoever opens the door
As she sees him she stops
Ryan frowned slightly.
Ryan wasn't shocked to see her awake
"Magic,"
Of course.
The gas wouldn't affect someone actively resisting it with mana.
Ryan stepped forward.
Reaching for the princess.
But then—
The girl moved.
"Wait!"
Her voice stopped him.
"Take me instead."
Ryan paused.
"…What?"
"I'm more useful," she said.
"Stronger."
"More valuable."
Ryan stared at her.
Silent.
"…Why?"
She met his gaze.
"Because she doesn't deserve this."
For a moment—
Neither of them spoke.
Then—
Ryan felt it.
Something changed.
The air shifted.
His instincts—
Screamed.
A presence.
Massive.
Overwhelming.
The girl's expression changed instantly.
Her body froze.
"…Don't move," she whispered.
Ryan slowly turned.
And what he saw—
Made even him pause.
From the forest—
Eyes appeared.
Dozens.
Then hundreds.
Massive forms began to emerge.
Creatures.
Beasts.
Monsters.
Each one radiating power.
And they were all—
Looking at them