Beyond the fortress walls of Renshiro's Fortress, deep in the forest, a group of Tenzan Skyhold soldiers waited. They had left the convoy earlier and moved quietly through the wild. Now they stayed low in the dark with no fire to reveal them. Only the sounds of nature and the shape of the warlord's stronghold showed in the night sky.
Smaller groups hid around the edge of the fortress. Each one waited for the signal.
They had one rule. Whoever got seen first would stay and fight while the others complete the rescue.
Inside the fortress, the disguised soldiers stayed alert and ready for the moment the attack would begin.
Not everyone was awake.
In one of the guest rooms, Rage slept against the wall with his arms crossed. He looked calm, as if the mission was not important at all.
Across from him, Seloria sat still with her eyes half open but watching. Miyu, Suzu, and Reina did the same. They stayed quiet with their hands close to their hidden weapons.
They were waiting.
Rage was completely asleep.
Outside the stronghold, the ambush had already started, but not the way they planned.
Eyes have been watching from the dark.
One by one, the Tenzan soldiers fell. Their bodies vanished into the night, their throats were cut before they could make a sound. The fortress already knew they were there.
There was no loud noise of battle. Only quiet, choking sounds came from the men as their blood spread across the ground.
Then, inside the stronghold, the purge began.
The nobles who took part in the plot were executed.
Their bodies lay still in the halls that were meant to be safe.
Their allies were gone.
A few managed to survive. They were hurt and desperate as they reached the room where Rage and his group stayed, which was close to the main gate.
There was a loud hit on the door.
Rage opened his eyes.
The door moved as a soldier stumbled inside. "Rage-sama, our mission is compromised."
Rage sighed. "Someone sold us out."
The soldier's hands shook. "Please, return to Tenzan Skyhold. We beg you." His voice broke. "Our families will never see us again. Please, don't let us die for nothing."
Rage stretched his arms and breathed out. "Yeah, no. We're fighting."
The room went quiet.
The soldier stared, still scared, but his voice grew firm. "But Rage-sama, we are outnumbered. This is their land. They have a full army. We can still cover your escape and fight long enough for you to get away."
Rage stayed calm.
He reached for the curved blade at his waist.
He changed the weapon into a katana using Dead Circuit.
His dagger stayed the same.
Miyu stepped forward and pulled out a long katana in one smooth move.
Suzu lifted her arms. Her heavy gauntlets shined under the light as she took a fighting stance.
Reina smiled a little and tilted her head. Two daggers appeared in her hands as she spun them with ease.
Their weapons seemed to appear from nowhere.
Rage looked at them, then at their small bodies, then back at the weapons.
"...Where the hell were you even hiding those?"
Seloria held her daggers as usual and said nothing.
***
Outside, through Rage's vision, Renshiro's name tag stayed neutral.
But his gestures toward the others told a different story.
For them, their fate was already decided.
Rage was the only exception.
Then he spoke.
"You people don't learn." His voice was steady and sounded disappointed. "We have already conquered Tenzan Skyhold. We are only avoiding more bloodshed, yet here you are."
His eyes moved over the group. Then he pointed at Rage.
"You. The traveler from Abyssal Tides." His tone grew sharp. "Tell your queen not to meddle in our affairs."
He paused. Then he said firmly, "Your life will be spared this evening. Leave now."
A noble beside Rage looked at him with hope. "Please, Rage-sama. You have a chance to walk away."
Rage just smirked.
Renshiro watched him a moment longer. He then let out a breath. "I give you a chance, to escape or die alongside these conspirators."
He did not wait for an answer. He turned and walked away. Then he raised his hand again.
"Kill them all. Except for him, unless he resists."
The soldiers drew their weapons.
"Well. Guess I'm resisting," Rage muttered.
Then the fight began.
***
Suzu, Miyu, and Reina met the enemy head-on. Their weapons shone in the dim light as they cut down the first wave with clean, sharp moves.
The few Tenzan Skyhold soldiers who were left fought beside them. Their blades were steady, but they were losing against the endless line of enemies.
Behind them, the nobles stayed back. Their hands shook, and their eyes moved between the fighting and the bodies on the ground.
At the back, Rage and Seloria stood still, watching.
For now, it was not their fight.
But the battle was turning against them.
The battle descended into a storm of blocks and parries, filled with near misses and constant motion as each side fought to outlast the other. And the weight of numbers was winning.
The Tenzan soldiers fell one by one, bodies hitting the dirt as the enemy pressed forward. Suzu, Miyu, and Reina were still standing, but they were slowing, their once-fluid strikes turned into desperate defenses.
They started to fall back.
Rage knew that if it continued like this, they would not last long.
He gave a small nod to Seloria.
She understood without a word.
She moved.
One moment she was beside him. The next, she was everywhere.
She kicked off the ground, her body moved fast through the chaos. Her feet touched the walls as she used them to move past spears and blades. She slipped through the fight like a shadow.
The enemy barely noticed her. There was only a faint sound as she passed by, too quick to follow. Then came the sharp feeling of being cut.
Heads fell to the ground.
Blood spread across the floor.
It was now Seloria against the enemy army.
And she was winning.
Even with so many enemies around her, only a few could try to attack. None could hit her. Their numbers did not matter.
Seloria moved through them with smooth and deadly strikes. Every step and swing hit its mark.
Then it happened.
Her hood fell back.
Bunny ears.
The enemy froze. They knew the way beastmen fought, fast and sharp and without mercy. Even then, they stood their ground.
They had the numbers.
Seloria had the bloodshed.
At the back, the last Tenzan soldiers did not stop to watch. They stayed in place while the tired and wounded three were pulled to safety.
[SYSTEM] Hirotaka Lv.36
[SYSTEM] class : Tradesman
[SYSTEM] loyalty : 45%
Rage fixed his eyes on Hirotaka, staring at him intently. "Can these three be trusted to protect the Empress?"
Hirotaka was breathing hard but nodded. "They swore to die for her. That has never changed."
Rage's eyes stayed firm. "Then swear to me, not a word of this leaves your mouth."
Hirotaka hesitated for a moment. "Y-Yes, Rage-sama. I swear."
Rage's stare sharpened. "Swear with your life."
Hirotaka swallowed. "Yes, Rage-sama."
First, Reina.
Rage knelt beside her, assessing her condition. Her ornate fabrics were a damn nightmare, with too many layers that made it impossible to reach her back properly.
His fingers paused mid-air, contemplating.
"Screw it."
He tore the fabric covering her chest, the buttons gave way easily, then pressed his hand directly against her bare skin.
Reina was too weak to resist. She flinched but made no move to push him away and simply let it happen.
Rage scanned her code.
No signs of foreign control. Only unwavering loyalty to the Empress.
That'll do.
He began rewriting her stats. Strength, Agility, Vitality, Intelligence, Dexterity, each raised to its maximum.
Then he activated Eclipse Requiem. The changes were secured.
As expected, it did nothing to heal her exhaustion, and she still needed rest.
Without a word, Rage moved on.
Suzu.
Then Miyu.
As soon as he was done, a notification appeared on his interface.
[SYSTEM] Corruption Level : 35%
[SYSTEM] Processing Evolution : Null Veil
[SYSTEM] Evolution Complete
[SYSTEM] New Ability : Digital Renegade
[SYSTEM] New Effect : Short-range instant-transmission.
[SYSTEM] Upgraded Effects : Attack Speed and Avoidance improved.
Rage muttered under his breath, "So... a blink skill."
He stared at the floating text, analyzing it carefully. Previously, the ability relied on sheer speed, allowing rapid movement while still constrained by physics. Now it would let him move even faster and ignore those constraints entirely.
But the downside was clear, his attacks would lose power if he tried to use momentum to strike enemies.
He rubbed the back of his neck, already thinking about how he would test it. The potential was there but so was the risk.
Seloria was still fighting, but her movements had slowed. Even with bodies piling in her wake, the enemy soldiers pressed forward, fearless.
Rage followed her path of destruction, stepping over corpses.
Then, he tested his new ability.
Sliding his dagger into the sheath at his back, he locked onto a target ahead.
He pushed forward.
He reappeared instantly.
A quick, brutal strike. Katana hilt to the stomach.
The soldier convulsed.
Rage reached for his face. Code injected into him.
Then he activated Eclipse Convergence.
The soldier's body slumped as if his bones had melted.
Effective.
Rage already knew what to do.
He blinked forward, still adjusting to the movement.
One enemy fell.
Then another.
By the time he reached Seloria, the battle had moved several blocks ahead, far from where it had begun. A trail of bodies lay behind her. Some were disemboweled. Others were dismembered. Their limbs were twisted in wrong angles. Heads were cut off. Torsos were split open. Blood collected between the cracks of the stone. The air was thick with the smell of iron and death.
Her movements were still deadly. They were now being blocked and dodged more often. The enemy had started to adapt.
Rage's?
Different story.
The moment they expected his attack, he was already gone.
Then he was behind them.
Katana went through their skull.
The battle continued. Bodies kept piling up. It looked like they had killed half of the fortress army.
Seloria's movements slowed. Her stamina was gone even with her stats.
Then Rage felt a presence.
He turned.
The trio stood. Their wounds were bandaged. Their postures were steady. They were ready to fight again.
They were not alone. Hirotaka stood with them.
But something was wrong.
Suzu's disgusted gaze was on him. Miyu and Reina were not much different.
Hirotaka beside them said, "Our women can only be touched by men they choose."
Rage wiped blood off his katana. He was not bothered.
"Had to be done," he said with a smirk.
They did not argue. The tension stayed.
Rage turned to Seloria.
"Rest."
For once, she did not resist. Hirotaka stepped forward and offered water.
With Seloria down, the trio took their place at his side.
Then the battle continued.
The difference was clear.
At first, their bodies seemed to be adjusting to their new strength. With each enemy they cut down, their movements grew sharper, faster, and more precise with every strike.
Their combined force pushed through the remaining defenders. They carved their way toward the stronghold's main building.
At the base of the stairs, something changed.
The remaining enemy soldiers hesitated.
Then they began to retreat.
Either the drugs were wearing off or fear was finally settling in.
And then
Four figures stepped forward.
They were different. Towering and inhuman.
Broad and muscular. Their skin was bluish-dark. Horns curled from their heads.
Ogres.
[SYSTEM] Gor'Zhul Lv.90
[SYSTEM] class : Armsman
[SYSTEM] hostile
[SYSTEM] Tenzal Lv.88
[SYSTEM] class : Armsman
[SYSTEM] hostile
[SYSTEM] Ba'Rokh Lv.86
[SYSTEM] class : Armsman
[SYSTEM] hostile
[SYSTEM] Murog Lv.85
[SYSTEM] class : Armsman
[SYSTEM] hostile
They stood in the path, blocking the way forward.
Not retreating.
Not afraid.
And judging by their grins full of jagged teeth, they were here for the real fight.
Before Rage could move, a presence appeared behind him.
Seloria was fully recovered.
Then the battle erupted.
Gor'Zhul towered over Miyu, his spiked mace was resting on his shoulder as if it weighed nothing. He sneered. "You should've stayed down, girl."
Miyu said nothing. She raised her katana, stance low, eyes locked onto his every movement. Then he moved. Faster than his size should have allowed, Gor'Zhul swung his massive weapon. The wind pressure alone ripped through the air, scattering dust and loose debris across the courtyard. Miyu barely dodged. The shockwave blasted through the ground, kicking up a storm of dust and shattered stone as debris rained around her. She lunged, katana flashing.
The blade met flesh, but it stopped. Gor'Zhul had caught the blade with his bare hand. His jagged grin widened. "Too slow." Then he jerked her forward, knee driving into her stomach. Miyu's breath left her in a choked gasp. Her body lifted off the ground before she was tossed like a ragdoll into a pillar. The impact cracked the wood, splinters flying as she crumpled to the ground.
For a moment she did not move. Then a slow exhale. She pushed herself up, her katana scraping against the ground and leaving a faint trail of sparks as she rose to her feet. Her eyes burned with something different now. No hesitation. No restraint.
Gor'Zhul swung again, his mace was a blur, but Miyu was already gone. She reappeared at his side, too fast for his eyes to follow. A clean slash, a second, a third. Gor'Zhul tried to move, but his arms were gone. A final cut went straight through the neck. His head hit the floor before his body did. Miyu flicked the blood from her blade.
***
Tenzal cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders. "Gauntlets? Really?"
Suzu slammed her fists together, the metal rang like a war drum.
Tenzal smirked and charged. His spiked mace came down like a falling boulder, the impact exploding the stone beneath them and sending shockwaves through the fortress. Suzu caught the strike, but the force drove her knees into the ground, cracking the stone beneath her.
Tenzal sneered. "Too weak."
Suzu gritted her teeth. Then she pushed back. With an explosive burst, she launched herself forward, fist cocked back. Tenzal's eyes widened as her gauntlet-clad knuckles slammed into his ribs. A sickening crack echoed through the hall.
He staggered, but Suzu did not stop. Another punch hit straight to his face, then another. Each hit came faster and heavier until Tenzal was forced into a full retreat. His grin was gone.
Suzu crouched low and launched herself forward, fist rearing back one last time. The punch connected with his jaw, lifting his massive frame off the ground and sending him flying through a stone wall. He did not get back up.
***
Ba'Rokh twirled his spiked mace, the metal whistling through the air. "Your daggers won't save you, little girl."
Reina smirked, twirling her own blades. "We'll see."
The ogre charged, swinging with inhuman speed. His mace crashed through anything in its path, but Reina darted between the strikes, her movements fluid as she weaved through the air like a shadow.
But Ba'Rokh was learning. She dodged left and he adjusted. She flipped back and his weapon followed. Then he caught her. With one hand, he grabbed her by the waist and hurled her across the courtyard. She crashed through a shattered cart, splinters and debris flying on impact.
Reina groaned, coughing as she pushed herself up. Ba'Rokh grinned. "You're fast. But not fast enough."
Reina wiped blood from her lips and adjusted her grip on her daggers. "Alright. My turn." She vanished. Ba'Rokh's grin faded. A sharp gleam of silver. Then a dozen slashes tore through his chest, arms, and legs. He tried to move, but his body failed him.
Reina reappeared behind him, flicking the blood off her daggers. The ogre collapsed forward, unmoving.
***
Murog watched Seloria carefully, his mace was rested on his shoulder, unmoving. Unlike the others, he did not rush in.
Then without warning, he struck. Seloria barely dodged, but the ground beneath her shattered, jagged debris ripping into her leg as she flipped back. Without hesitation, he lunged, his massive frame closed the distance in an instant. A heavy swing aimed at her blind spot.
Seloria twisted, daggers flashing in a counterstrike, but Murog had already predicted it. His massive hand shot out, fingers clamping around her throat. Then with one brutal motion, he slammed her into the ground. Hard. Seloria gasped, struggling against his grip.
Murog grinned. "Fast. But not faster than me."
It was exactly as Seloria planned. A bluff. Intentional, baiting him in for an easier strike.
She tossed her dagger, her foot guiding it toward the ogre's throat. A sharp stab.
Then his body flinched.
Murog's grin wavered. His arms wavered. She wrapped her legs around his neck. Then with one final motion, she snapped his spine.
Murog's lifeless body crumpled, and Seloria rolled off, breathing heavily.
[SYSTEM] Corruption : 35.7%