Veyron smiled, his eyes still closed, a placid yet unnerving expression stretching across his face. The kind of smile that felt rehearsed, empty of warmth.
Kibo's hand lingered on the doorknob, his knuckles pale from the grip. Every muscle in his body was tense, but he forced his voice into something calm, steady.
"Veyron?... How may I be of assistance?"
Slowly, Veyron's eyelids lifted. The blood-red gleam in his eyes struck like a blade in the dark — hypnotic, jarring, unnatural. "Thank you," he murmured, his voice smooth as silk. "I am looking for an elf girl. Her parents are very…worried about her."
An elf girl? Kibo's chest tightened.
"Who does the insect think you are? Brat, be careful of his movements." Ignis's voice sliced through Kibo's mind, sharp and urgent.
Kibo swallowed, his face betraying nothing. "Sorry, but I haven't seen any elf girl," he said, every word smooth, measured, practiced.
"Oh, is that so?" Veyron's smile widened, but it did not reach his eyes. They narrowed, glinting with suspicion, calculating. He tilted his head slightly, as if trying to peer past Kibo into the cottage. "Do you live alone?"
Kibo shifted, his body moving just enough to block the doorway. "No, I don't. My grandfather and I stay here."
The silence that followed was broken by a sudden, searing agony. A white-hot pain exploded in Kibo's stomach. His breath caught in his throat as his eyes snapped downward…a dagger was buried deep in his flesh. Veyron's hand gripped the hilt, steady and unyielding.
"Brat, how could you not see that?!" Ignis roared inside his mind, his fury boiling.
Veyron's smile deepened, his voice chillingly soft. "Sorry… but your grandfather is going to mourn you." He pressed harder, driving the blade in deeper.
Kibo's body jolted from the pain, the world blurring at the edges. Heat and fire tore through his nerves, but through the haze, his fist shot forward. He smashed it into Veyron's face.
The impact cracked like thunder. Veyron staggered back, his grip torn from the dagger's hilt as he was thrown off the balcony, crashing hard onto the ground below. For the first time, his smile was gone, replaced by a fleeting flash of shock.
Kibo's teeth clenched as he wrapped fingers around the dagger's handle. With a sharp pull, he ripped it free. The wound sealed instantly, flesh knitting back together, leaving only the memory of the pain. He flung the dagger aside, its blade clattering against the wood.
Veyron, regaining his stance below, stared at the boy with a flicker of disbelief. His crimson eyes widened ever so slightly. "I swore I thought that could kill him… This boy is not an average person."
"Who are you, boy?" Veyron asked, his voice quieter now, tinged with genuine curiosity.
"And why would I tell you that?" Kibo shot back, his voice laced with defiance. His breathing was steady again, his expression unyielding. "For someone who just tried to kill me."
For the first time, Veyron let out a light, almost sheepish laugh. "Oh, my bad. I have this habit."
Brat, any move he makes…
"I already know," Kibo muttered under his breath, silencing Ignis's lecture before it began. His gaze never left Veyron. The man was still prattling about his so-called habit of stabbing liars, but Kibo refused to be drawn into his game.
"I don't care about your habits," Kibo said coldly. "My advice? Leave. My grandfather doesn't like unwanted visitors."
Veyron's chuckle faded, his tone shifting in an instant — his words dropping like blades of ice. "Sorry, sorry… but you see…" His eyes sharpened, the red glow burning like embers in the night. "I would like for the elf girl in your possession to gently come out. And I promise you this…" His smile returned, thin and merciless. "I won't kill you."
Kibo's mind raced, thoughts flashing instantly to Syl and Lily. He needed them to escape, no matter what happened here.
Veyron's form blurred — vanishing like a shadow torn from the air. His speed was inhuman, a streak of motion that left only a flicker of mirage behind. In the next heartbeat, he was inches from Kibo's face.
The fist struck like a hammer. Kibo's body was hurled backward, crashing through the door. Splinters and shards of wood burst into the air. He twisted mid-fall, forcing his feet beneath him, and slid across the floor until he stopped before the room where Lily, Syl, and the elf girl were waiting.
"Both of you, leave now!" His roar shook the walls.
Syl did not hesitate. She swept the terrified elf girl into her arms. Lily, clutching little Ben tight against her chest, followed her toward the back door.
The wooden wreckage crunched as Veyron stepped inside, each movement unhurried, deliberate. His hand slid across the hilt of his sword, unsheathing it with a slow, scraping sound that made the air itself tense. His gaze swept across the cottage, a smile curling at his lips.
"Oh, now… don't take the elf away."
Kibo's own lips twisted into a cold grin, though his eyes burned with fury. Mana Surge flared around him, the energy crackling across his body as he drew his katana in a single, sharp motion. Without hesitation, he lunged.
Veyron was faster still. Their blades clashed with a piercing clang that rattled the cottage walls. Sparks burst between them. Veyron's laughter rang out, wild and mocking, but it was cut short when Kibo's free hand, glowing with mana, slammed into his face.
The blow was devastating. Veyron's body flew across the room, smashing through the far wall and tumbling into the yard outside.
Kibo did not wait. He leapt through the shattered remains of the wall, rubble scattering beneath his feet as he gave Veyron no chance to recover.
Behind the cottage, Syl and Lily burst into the yard. The cool air bit at them, their breaths ragged with panic. "Where do we go now?" Lily cried, her voice trembling.
"The Kingdom!" Syl shouted, clutching the elf girl tightly to her chest.
But their path was cut off. Out of the shadows, six robed men materialized, their forms cloaked and oppressive, their presence like a wall of darkness.
Before Syl could even react, the ground trembled. Kibo, carried by the force of his own attack, burst through the cottage's side and slammed bodily into one of the robed men. The impact sent the figure crashing into a tree, bark splintering from the force.
"You really are a tough boy," Veyron's voice came again — now tinged with delight, echoing like a predator savoring the hunt. He strode forward from the rubble with an almost casual grace, laughter spilling from his throat. His crimson eyes fixed on the elf girl trembling in Syl's arms.
"You," he said softly, his tone dripping with possession.
In a blink, Veyron vanished, then reappeared before Syl and Lily. His sword arced upward, raised high, the edge glinting in the pale light — ready to cut them both in half.
But before the strike could fall, the air itself seemed to twist. A suffocating weight pressed down on the yard, unseen yet undeniable. The pressure was crushing, malevolent, as if the world itself had drawn a blade against Veyron alone.
His body stiffened mid-swing, crimson eyes narrowing as he faltered, forced to step back.
Kibo's vision flared — through Mana Track Vision, he saw the deadly arc of Veyron's sword, the line of death meant for Syl and Lily. His instincts roared, and before he had even thought, his body was moving.
In a flash, he was there. Katana drawn, stance firm, shielding the girls from the strike that never landed. "Are you both alright?" he asked, his voice steady, even as his pulse thundered.
Syl clutched the elf girl tighter, her sharp breath betraying her fear. Lily gave a quick nod, though her arms around Ben trembled.
Veyron's smile lingered, though his eyes had hardened with calculation. "What was that?" he muttered, amusement twisting into something sharper. it must have came from that boy…ah…he is really interesting.
"Hey, you boy!" he called suddenly, tone shifting to a mocking sing-song. Kibo's eyes flicked to him, though his focus remained on the unmoving robed figures, their silence more menacing than any weapon.
"I never got your name," Veyron continued, his grin widening.
"I'm not one for sharing my name," Kibo answered, his voice like steel.
"Ah, I understand," Veyron said, his smile curling back into place. His crimson eyes glimmered with curiosity. "But I just have one question… what do you have inside you?"
Kibo's face tightened. "How could he know?" If Veyron had truly discovered it, he would have acted the moment they first saw eachother. "No… he's fishing for answers. He doesn't know….but why ask that question"
Veyron studied his reaction, his smile deepening as if savoring the tension. "By the look on your face, it seems you don't want to say." His tone shifted, casual, dismissive. "Ah, fuck it. Just hand over the elf."
Kibo lowered his voice, turning to Syl and Lily without taking his eyes off Veyron. "I trust you both can handle those people."
Syl's grip tightened on one of her dual blades. Lily gave a single firm nod, determination flickering in her eyes.
"Hey," Veyron hissed, his smile turning sharp, "comply… or else."
The threat hung in the air like poison, but before another word could be spoken, a feral roar tore through the trees. Every head turned. From the woods, Ben's mother stormed forward, her eyes blazing with protective rage.
Veyron glanced back, his smile stretching wider. "How many of you are still alive?" he asked, laughter bubbling in his throat. He swung his sword to meet her charge, intent on cutting her down.
But before the blade could connect, Kibo's body surged with Mana Surge. He intercepted, katana flashing as he clashed with Veyron mid-swing, sparks bursting into the night.
At that same instant, Lily darted toward one of the robed men, her dagger flashing in her grip, quickly placing Ben on her shoulder and securing him there, while Syl gently set the elf girl down and pivoted, blade drawn, facing the others.
The yard erupted into chaos.
Kibo's foot snapped out, slamming into Veyron's chest with crushing force, driving him back. The Ironfur mother barreled past them, her massive bulk colliding with the robed men like a storm of muscle and claws.
Syl set the elf girl down and immediately engaged another figure, her strikes clean and practiced, while Lily weaved in close against her foe, her dagger darting for weak points. The elf girl, frozen in terror at the center of it all, trembled where she stood.
"Run away!" Kibo roared.
The command broke through her paralysis. She bolted — but as soon as she moved, more robed figures appeared from the woods. One reached out, seizing her wrist and yanking her back.
Kibo caught it in his vision, his body already moving to intercept — but Veyron's hand clamped down on his hair, yanking his head back with cruel strength. A sadistic grin split his face.
"Where do you think you're going?"
The elf girl screamed, her voice cutting through the chaos. Lily's eyes snapped toward her, and something cold and unyielding ignited within. She lunged, her dagger slicing clean through the captor's wrist. Blood sprayed as the robed man howled, clutching the stump where his hand had been.
Syl, locked with another opponent, drove her blade deep into his chest. The moment steel pierced flesh, a wave of nausea and sickness crashed over her, the corrupt energy of his body burning against her spirit. She gritted her teeth and pushed it down. I can't falter. Not now.
The Ironfur mother lashed out at another of the robed men. Her massive clawed paw cleaved through him, tearing his head clean from his shoulders. The spray of blood was followed by her ferocious roar, a sound ancient and primal.
The forest answered.
From the trees, hulking forms emerged — Kraggor, their eyes locked on the intruders. Their growls rolled like thunder through the night.
Veyron's smile twitched, his gaze flickering to the incoming horde. For the first time, a flicker of pure hatred crossed his face. His amusement vanished, replaced by annoyance as sharp as a blade.
Then his focus snapped back to Kibo. His movements sharpened, his strikes carrying true weight now, no longer playful but edged with killing intent. Kibo met him blow for blow, his Mana Track Vision blazing. The glowing lines of Veyron's attacks revealed themselves before they fell, guiding his blade to intercept.
Steel rang against steel. Kibo managed to slip in a few quick strikes, but each one met the same result — Veyron's hardened skin, unmarred, untouched by the edge of his katana.
"You're pathetic, brat! Is this all you can muster? I've seen more damage you can cause!" Ignis's voice tore through Kibo's mind, a cruel, cutting guide that demanded more from him.
Kibo gritted his teeth, a shallow cut on his arm bleeding steadily, though Veyron's earlier graze had already begun to heal. Each movement he made carried lethal precision, and yet his own body remained untouched — until now.
Veyron's eyes flickered, his mind racing behind that placid smile. He had to end this quickly. With sudden force, he grabbed Kibo and dragged him into the chaotic swirl of robed men and beasts. Steel flashed, claws ripped, and blood spilled as Veyron cut through several of the creatures in his path.
But in the chaos, Kibo saw it — an opening, a perfect line. His katana drove forward, plunging deep into Veyron's side.
Hot blood spilled onto the ground…
Veyron didn't even flinch.