Aria's eyes couldn't stop trembling as blood welled at the corner of her mother's lips. Despite the pain eating away at her, her mother offered a tender smile. With a delicate gesture, she placed her hand on her daughter's face and wiped away the tears running down her beautiful cheeks.
Vengus slowly withdrew his sword, and her body then collapsed into Aria's arms as her mother began to bleed out inexorably. Aria's eyes, filled with helplessness, watched this tragic scene unfold before her. It was at that precise moment that Aria sank into an abyss of despair, realizing bitterly just how powerless she felt in the face of what was happening.
"Mom, Mom, hold on!" she cried, eyes brimming.
Aria began to let out piercing screams of pain as her white clothes and hands were stained with her mother's blood. She couldn't believe it—she didn't want to believe it but seeing her mother covered in blood forced her back into this tragic reality.
"Ahhh! Ahhh! Help me! Please, someone!"
A voice rang out then, sending a chill through her as she looked up to see Vengus:
"No one will come to help you. No one will save you. No one will save your mother just as no one could save your pathetic village. Now you're going to watch your mother bleed out, watch life slowly leave her, while you can do nothing," Vengus declared sadistically.
Aria's body began to shake, her eyes flickering under the crushing weight of the emotions overwhelming her.
"You feel it, don't you? That fear, that terror growing inside you seeping into every part of your being. I've seen it countless times, in every village pillaged and massacred that helplessness, that despair in all those eyes asking why."
A wide grin split his face, a diabolical expression at the heart of a palace now consumed by flames. He savored every moment of this morbid tableau, taking perverse pleasure in watching the girl hold her mother at death's door.
"What did we do to deserve this? Don't we have the right to live why?" Aria cried through her tears.
She had finally broken; the situation had become far too unbearable psychologically. All her inner demons and fears resurfaced, overwhelming her completely.
Vengus looked at her with amusement before answering in a way that froze her in place:
"You have the right to live but only to be our playthings, to be persecuted and used as we please. Do you deserve it? Probably not, but toys don't get a say. You are our slaves. Why? Because you are different and simply weak because you lost, and losers have never had a voice. You will be persecuted, killed, raped until the very end of each of your wretched lives, for such is the world governed by the great goddess Hamnesia, who condemned you from birth.
You are destined to suffer persecution. No matter how many of you we kill, rape, or torture, you are nothing; your lives are worth nothing. Those are the rules and the hierarchy she established. We are superior in every way, and therefore you are forever condemned to be our slaves."
Driven by a sickly glint of desire and cruelty, he lifted his sword in a perverse quest for satisfaction and entertainment. The elongated blade pierced Aria's flesh, finding its mark in her right shoulder. The pain sharp and searing spread instantly through her entire being, tearing screams of agony from her throat. This was far more than a simple act of violence; it embodied the perversion of Vengus's mind and the horror of the moment.
"See? I can do whatever I want with you."
He thrust into her right shoulder again, and a shrill cry of pain burst from Aria's lips. Sadistic and relentless, Vengus took wicked pleasure in twisting his flaming sword inside the gaping wound. Torn between agony and terror, Aria screamed as the pain became unbearable, the fire devouring her flesh and gnawing at her skin. It was a moment of brutal cruelty, where reality blurred with horror and Aria's suffering became Vengus's macabre plaything. Each second stretched into an eternity of torment; each rotation of the flaming blade sent unbearable waves of pain through her already shattered mind. The fire eating her skin left an indelible mark and a nauseating stench.
"Please… stop…" Elie whispered faintly.
She was at death's door, but all that mattered to her was her daughter; Aria's screams of pain sent chills through her and made her heart clench with unbearable sorrow.
"Don't talk save your strength, Mom!" Aria pleaded, momentarily forgetting her own pain.
"Stop? Certainly not! I wonder whether you'll scream the way your husband did or louder still if I kill your daughter before your eyes."
"No, please!" Elie breathed, a shudder of horror running through her.
"You belong to me your life and even your death," he smiled, with a demonic laugh.
In a final act of merciless cruelty, he brought his sword down on Aria, the deadly blade aiming unerringly for her heart. The metallic hiss of steel cutting the air rang like a sinister knell, heralding what seemed the inevitable end of her life. Vengus's gaze, gleeful and unyielding, appeared devoid of the slightest trace of humanity. Aria, already wracked with unbearable pain and unable to move, could only watch death approach with resignation.
"Nooo!" Elie cried desperately.
The sword pierced Aria beneath her mother's helpless gaze a scene no mother should ever witness. Yet the blade had once again passed through Aria's shoulder. Vengus's brow furrowed he had truly aimed for her heart. He understood at once what had happened when a chill ran up his spine.
Eyes of a dark, radiant red were staring at him now as if they were drawing out his very soul.
"Their lives belong only to them. Yours, however… I will take it!" declared Logan, having just deflected Vengus's blade at the last second.
Logan's eyes suddenly flared with light a mysterious, powerful glow emanating from deep within. As the tension in the air reached its breaking point, a sharp spike of earth shot up from the ground with incredible speed, aiming to impale Vengus. But with reflexes worthy of a seasoned warrior, he managed to parry it at the very last instant. The force of the impact, however, blasted him several meters backward.
"Logan! My mother save her, please!" Aria cried immediately.
He looked down at Elie, lying limp in her daughter's arms, her breathing faint and her complexion pale. But above all, the massive pool of blood beneath them told him everything. With a pained look and a quiet voice, he said:
"She's going to die."
"What?" Aria froze, her mind struggling to process his words.
"She's lost too much blood. The healing potions we have can't mend fatal wounds. At best, she has five minutes left… maybe less. Say your goodbyes before it's too late."
Logan's words pierced through her like a hundred knives, as she desperately tried to deny reality.
"We can reach Marie we can still..."
"Aria, it's too late," her mother interrupted softly, caressing her face.
She knew it better than anyone she could feel it. Death was already knocking, and no one could stop it. Her heart, pierced through, was slowing down with each fading beat.
"I want you to listen to me carefully. I am so deeply proud of the person you've become. To see you one last time, when I thought I'd never see you again not even in my wildest dreams. To touch once more that face I used to caress when you were little... Even if our reunion was short, you must now focus on the future."
"The… future?"
"Aria, our tribe depends on you now as its new leader. It's your responsibility from here on."
"I'm not ready," she sobbed.
"Maybe not… but you're not alone anymore. Your father and I will watch over you from above. I love you, Aria," she said softly, her voice trembling, her eyes filled with genuine pride.
"I love you too, Mom…" Aria whispered through her tears.
Then Elie's gaze shifted toward Logan, who stood watching silently his eyes strong, yet shadowed by sorrow.
"You'll protect them, won't you?"
"I'll fight for every single one of them!" Logan answered firmly.
Elie looked at him, and in his red eyes she saw no trace of falsehood only an unshakable determination.
"I see… With you, they're in good hands."
The hand that had been gently caressing Aria's face suddenly fell limp a sign that Elie had breathed her last. Yet, on her face remained a faint, peaceful smile, as if she had finally found rest. At least now, she was far from the cruelty of this world.
Aria, overwhelmed by grief and sorrow, let out a scream of anguish her cries tearing through the air as the flames devoured everything around them. Her wails mingled with the roaring fire, forming a haunting symphony of pain and destruction.
Logan's heart tightened painfully at the sound of Aria's cries helpless before the tragedy unfolding. The loss of Elie and Aria's unbearable pain carved a deep wound of sadness and despair within him.
Then, as debris shifted aside, Vengus emerged his face twisted in fury. Yet for an instant, that fury faltered as he saw Elie's lifeless body and Aria weeping beside her. But his gaze quickly hardened again as it locked onto his new opponent. Looking around, he spotted his fallen comrades their bodies scattered lifelessly across the ground.
He assessed the situation coldly. He had spent a significant amount of mana and taken heavy blows during the earlier battle. The man standing before him had single-handedly defeated all his comrades most of whom were level 80 to 90 fighters.
Even so, with his own level of 130, Vengus was convinced he could still win. After all, the man before him had to be exhausted, no matter how powerful he was, after such a battle. Parts of Logan's clothes were torn, revealing bruised skin and bleeding wounds — clear signs of the fierce struggle he had endured. Vengus hoped to use that to his advantage. Tightening his grip on his blades, he prepared for another round, determination burning in his eyes.
"I've learned a few new tricks from your men. Let me show you!"
In an instant, several spheres of water materialized in the air, forming at an astonishing speed. They shot toward Vengus with incredible precision, bombarding him from all directions. Reacting with remarkable agility, Vengus swung his flaming daggers, cutting through the incoming attacks.
The water spheres burst apart, scattering droplets and clouds of steam. Vengus switched to defense, parrying the relentless barrage. Logan, meanwhile, was showing how much he had grown mastering water with greater precision than before. It wasn't a massive leap, but it was significant: he could now sustain about ten water spheres at once.
It's worth noting that water is one of the hardest elements to control. Unlike earth which retains its shape once molded water is fluid, ever-shifting, requiring constant adjustment. Maintaining its form demands far more focus and computational power, as one must continuously regulate pressure and flow to keep it stable.
Vengus, unwilling to stay on the defensive, conjured his own fireballs. The blazing orbs collided with Logan's spheres, creating bursts of steam with each clash of opposing elements. The battlefield grew increasingly chaotic flashes of light, roiling mist, and deafening impacts filled the air. Fire and water clashed in a fierce duel, every projectile carrying lethal potential.
Unfortunately for Logan, Vengus's greater experience gave him the upper hand. He could summon about fifteen more fireballs than Logan could water spheres.
"Trapped by your own element," Vengus laughed, amused.
The fireballs struck Logan directly spaced apart, one after another but Vengus's smile faded when he saw Logan emerge from the smoke completely unharmed.
"What!?"
Logan stood calm and composed, his eyes glowing softly. In truth, his mind was working furiously calculating, analyzing, balancing offense and defense with incredible precision. His thoughts raced, his focus absolute. He couldn't deny that Vengus's subordinates had pushed him to his limits earlier.
That overwhelming fight had drained nearly all his mana, surrounding him from every angle but he had seen it as a chance to grow. True growth only comes when you're cornered, when you have no choice but to push beyond your limits.
With no way out, he had forced himself to evolve to achieve what he hadn't been able to in the monster-filled forest before. He had learned to stabilize his water, using it both offensively and defensively. That was how he and the others had survived… though not in time to save Aria's mother.
Now, once again, he faced someone faster and stronger. Yet the Vector Control that surrounded him diverted Vengus's attacks with ease. Still, Logan knew his opponent was no less formidable each strike came close to shattering his guard, testing his endurance and focus to the edge.
The tension peaked. Every movement mattered. One mistake could mean death. Logan had to draw upon every last ounce of strength and concentration to hold his ground and look for a chance to strike back.
The duel between these elemental masters reached an intensity rarely seen.
As Vengus closed in, unleashing a storm of blades and fire, Logan pushed his concentration even further, diving deep into his reserves. His mind was burning, his reflexes stretched to their limit. He was surrounded by a storm of fire and steam defending, countering, adapting in real time.
[Computational Capacity Exceeded! Warning: Mana Reserves Depleted from Previous Battle!]
Even when one of Vengus's blades slashed his shoulder burning through skin and flesh Logan didn't flinch. His resolve remained unshaken. He observed every motion, anticipating every strike with surgical precision. The pain was there, sharp and deep, but he buried it beneath his focus.
[Computational Capacity Exceeded!]
The warning repeated again and again, as new wounds continued to open across his body.
"So, what happened to taking my life?" Vengus mocked, sensing his advantage.
But what he failed to notice was that among Logan's spheres, one more had appeared.
"Give up! It's over for you!" Vengus shouted triumphantly.
[Computational Capacity Exceeded!]
This time, Vengus's blade slashed into Logan's abdomen blood spilling from the wound, the flesh beneath seared by fire. And yet, two more spheres of water appeared behind him as Vengus's mana dwindled.
Despite his accumulating wounds, Logan's number of water spheres continued to grow slowly, steadily. The battle raged on, each exchange fiercer than the last.
And as their numbers multiplied, fewer and fewer of Vengus's attacks managed to hit. Logan's defense had become nearly impenetrable, his movements sharper and more precise.
"What's happening?" Vengus muttered.
At first, he hadn't noticed but now he could see it clearly.
"The number of spheres… it's increasing! And his dodges are getting sharper!"
A chill ran down Vengus's spine. Despite the countless wounds and relentless blows, Logan hadn't made a single sound of pain. His guard never faltered. His red eyes, calm and cold, stared back at him with divine composure like a being standing above the battlefield itself.
Cold sweat began to trickle down Vengus's face as his attacks found their mark less and less.
"Impossible… he's devouring me!" Vengus gasped in disbelief.
But it was already too late. The tide of battle had shifted completely. A sphere of water struck Vengus head-on, sending him staggering back. Logan's number of summoned water spheres had now surpassed Vengus's flames and worse, those spheres were beginning to take the form of water lances.
Signs of weakness were spreading across Vengus's movements, openings that Logan exploited mercilessly. Not only had Vengus burned through most of his mana, but his opponent seemed to be growing stronger with every passing second as if he drew power from an endless source.
The tremors in Vengus's body betrayed his frustration and despair as the situation slipped completely from his control. The battle had taken a turn he could no longer grasp. Before him stood an opponent both resilient and relentless one who simply refused to fall.
"How how are you doing this?! You should be out of mana! It's impossible!" he shouted in panic.
"Exclusive Skill," Logan replied coldly. "I don't need mana to create attacks."
The realization hit Vengus like a bolt of lightning. His opponent hadn't just grown stronger during their fight he had been draining Vengus's energy, all while using none of his own.
The shock of that truth marked the end. Vengus finally understood: he had been outplayed from the start. He had underestimated his enemy, and now he was trapped in a game he could no longer win. Frustration and dread clawed at him as he recognized the scale of his impending defeat.
The battle had reached its climax and victory was now forever out of Vengus's reach. Before him, stone daggers joined the water lances in midair, hovering ominously before launching.
Vengus could only think one thing: What a ridiculous power…
"I told you I'd take your life," Logan said coldly.
"No, Nooo!" Vengus screamed.
The water lances and stone blades rained down mercilessly. His desperate attempts to defend himself were futile. His mana reserves were empty, his body failing. One after another, the attacks pierced through him, tearing into flesh and armor alike.
He collapsed to his knees broken, powerless in what had once been his stronghold. Flames devoured the ruins around him, the air thick with smoke and ash. His defeat was absolute.
Then he heard footsteps. Slow. Steady. Approaching.
He lifted his head weakly and saw those dreadful crimson eyes staring down at him.
"Who… who are you?" he rasped, blood dripping from his lips.
"I am the Avenger," Logan declared and with a single swift motion, tore off his head.
Vengus's head flew through the air, landing among the smoldering debris, while his body crumpled in a pool of blood. The storm was over. The silence that followed was broken only by the crackling of the fire and Aria's heart-wrenching sobs.
Logan slowly approached her, the weight of grief and guilt heavy on his shoulders. He knelt beside her and gently took Elie's body into his arms.
"Aria… we're leaving."
Just then, Marie arrived only to freeze at the sight before her. Logan stood amid the burning ruins, cradling the lifeless body of a white-furred woman in his arms. The contrast was devastating: her immaculate fur and pale features glowing faintly against the raging inferno around them.
The scene, at first glance, could have been almost beautiful flames dancing like an abstract painting behind them yet that fleeting beauty was drowned by the crushing sorrow that washed over Marie as realization struck. The woman in Logan's arms was Aria's mother. The grief and loss etched into Logan's eyes spoke louder than words as the world around them burned.
"It's over," Logan said quietly as he reached her.
"I see," Marie whispered.
Heart heavy, she opened a shimmering portal. Without a word, she stepped through it. Aria followed close behind her face pale, her eyes lifeless and drowned in sorrow.
Logan was about to enter as well when a commanding voice rang out behind him, freezing the moment in time.
"Stop! In the name of the Church of the Blue Moon!"
Before turning, Logan reached into his dimensional bag and pulled out a mask, slipping it on. Then, slowly, he turned to face the newcomers two men, leading an imposing contingent of soldiers.
One wore an ornate blue-and-white robe, the unmistakable garb of a high priest.
The other bore gleaming golden armor adorned with streaks of blue and black the insignia of the Kingdom of Sigma engraved across his chest. It was Zem.
POV: Zem
I finally arrived at the site a building swallowed by fire. Inside, I saw a man about to step into a portal. When he turned after being called out, I froze. In his arms was the lifeless body of a woman, her fur white as snow both of them bloodied and battered.
But what caught my attention wasn't the blood. It was him.
An aura, dark and mesmerizing, emanated from the man behind the mask. Through the narrow slits, I could see eyes glowing with a cold, radiant red eyes that seemed to pierce reality itself. That aura wrapped the whole room in an otherworldly stillness, both terrifying and magnetic.
"In the name of what?" the masked man asked.
"In the name of the Church of the Blue Moon!" the priest shouted.
"Hm… ahahaha!"
The man laughed not with madness, but mockery. His laughter echoed through the burning hall like a deliberate insult. The priest's face twisted in fury, veins bulging with rage.
"How dare you mock the Church!" he screamed, unleashing a blade of wind toward the man.
A chill shot through me. Instinct took over I drew my sword and leapt forward, placing myself between them. My blade intercepted the attack just in time. Had I been a second slower, the priest would've been decapitated on the spot.
At that very instant, the flames consuming the building vanished. Snuffed out in an instant as if reality itself had obeyed the man's will. A deep silence followed, illuminated only by the crimson glow of the red moon now hanging above.
The red light bathed the ruins in a haunting beauty and in it, the masked man looked even more inhuman. His crimson eyes blazed with a brilliance that defied comprehension like the reflection of some divine power.
Then the ground began to tremble violently. The walls cracked, the air grew heavy as though the earth itself roared in fury. The man spoke, his voice calm yet carrying an unfathomable weight.
"Church of the Blue Moon… you are the cause of so much suffering. Slavery. Torture. Discrimination. Genocide. All of it because of you, and your pathetic, miserable goddess. You have no idea how much pain you've inflicted upon the other races how many lives you've destroyed. But I swear to you now… I will bring you a war like none you've ever seen. The screams you'll hear won't be of the oppressed anymore they'll be your own. The roars of their rage will echo through every corner of this world. And I will break you all one by one if you stand in my way. Church or Kingdom, it doesn't matter. Today is only the beginning!"
And with that, the man vanished swallowed by his portal, which sealed shut behind him in an instant.
The priest screamed in impotent rage, his voice drowned by the silence that followed.
As for me… I couldn't help but smile.
"So, there are still men capable of fighting for their convictions. I look forward to the day we meet again."