"Don't think too much about it," Alfie said with a reassuring smile. "Master has plenty of money. If I wanted another sword, I could've bought one. Once we reach town, I'll ask her to buy us two sword sheaths. That shouldn't cost nearly as much as replacing an entire set of swords."
Rebekah lowered her gaze to the silver sword in her hands. A grateful smile slowly spread across her face.
"Thanks for the sword, Alfie. I really appreciate it."
"You don't have to thank me, Rebekah. That's what friends do."
His smile widened, and the two continued walking behind Lucy.
---
Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Scale...
Town of Unbalance.
The battle between Bash and Daimo continued to ravage the forest.
Trees lay scattered across the ground, their trunks split apart by the force of their clashes. Dust and debris filled the air as their Renshical weapons collided again and again, each impact echoing through the woods.
Hidden behind a fallen tree, Marcel crouched beside Jackson, watching the two fighters exchange blows.
"Jack... Hey, Jack. We need to get out of here," Marcel whispered urgently. "Use whatever you've got left, and let's move. Your papa is getting farther away by the second. If we stay here much longer, we'll lose our chance to catch up with him."
"I know, Marcel."
Jackson kept his eyes on the battlefield.
"But this feels like a gamble, and I'm hoping it'll pay off."
He clenched his fists, his expression growing thoughtful.
"What I've got up my sleeve isn't exactly reliable. I need someone more experienced to make it work, and I don't want to ruin our chances by making a mistake."
He leaned forward, keeping his attention fixed on Bash and Daimo.
"Let's stay quiet and hope the old man wins."
Marcel stared at him as though he had completely lost his mind.
"Seriously? Just look around us. The entire forest is falling apart. How much more damage do you think this place can take?"
"Yeah, but look closely. Neither of them has gained a clear advantage yet," Jackson replied. "They're both watching each other's movements, waiting for an opening. The moment one of them makes a mistake, the entire fight could change."
"Whatever you say, man. I just hope this gamble works in our favour."
WHOOSH!
CRACK!
"WATCH OUT!"
Marcel suddenly sprang out from behind the fallen tree. A massive tree trunk was hurtling straight toward them, and he reacted without hesitation, throwing a powerful punch at it.
BOOM!
The impact shattered the trunk into several pieces. Splinters scattered in every direction as Marcel landed heavily on the ground, sliding backwards before managing to regain his balance.
Jackson turned, his eyes widening at the sight of the broken pieces scattered around him.
"Damn! Thanks, Marcel. I got too caught up watching the fight."
He pushed himself to his feet and glanced in the direction the trunk had come from.
"I forgot the fight was coming our way, too."
"Yeah, well, try remembering that before one of us gets crushed," Marcel snapped.
He ducked as another branch came crashing down nearby.
---
Back on the battlefield...
Bash and Daimo clashed once more.
Daimo swung his wind-coated sword toward Bash's shoulder, but Bash twisted his body and caught the attack with his blue Renshical blade. Their weapons collided, sending sparks flying between them.
Bash forced Daimo's sword aside and immediately aimed a counterattack at his exposed flank.
Daimo reacted quickly, stepping back and releasing a powerful burst of wind. The force pushed Bash away, stopping his advance.
Both men retreated several steps, their breathing growing heavier.
Daimo's expression darkened.
"I think it's time to put an end to this endless battle."
He extended his left hand. Wind gathered around his palm, gradually taking the shape of another sword.
Bash glanced at the newly formed weapon and smirked.
"Oh? So you're finally getting serious. Guess it's my turn, too."
Daimo narrowed his reddish eyes.
"You can still get serious? I thought you were already giving it everything you've got."
He raised both swords, holding one in each hand.
"Maybe I underestimated you. Come on, then. Show me what you've got."
Bash's smile gradually faded as he studied Daimo's expression.
"Those eyes of yours are filled with anger. You're fighting like someone who has nothing left to lose. But tell me, Daimo, what exactly are you fighting for?"
Daimo's face twisted with irritation.
"Don't get cocky, you loser. You might have been stronger than me back then, but things have changed."
He spread his arms. The wind around him began to swirl violently, growing stronger with every passing second.
"My lady has blessed me with the power to conquer this kingdom. There's no way you can defeat me now."
Bash tightened his grip on his sword.
"Your lady? What the hell has she done to you?"
Daimo laughed. The cold, unsettling sound carried through the ruined forest.
"You still don't understand, do you? I can't be killed anymore."
He pressed one hand against his chest.
"I don't even have a heart of my own."
Bash's eyes widened slightly.
"It's too late!"
Daimo brought his two swords together. The wind surrounding them tightened, twisting around the blades until they merged into a single weapon.
Without the slightest hesitation, he drove it straight into his own chest.
CRACK!
His entire body jerked violently.
Bash instinctively stepped back as Daimo's muscles began to swell. His skin twisted and stretched beneath the force of the transformation.
"What the hell?"
Daimo released a terrible scream. His back arched as the sound of cracking bones filled the forest. His body grew larger, his jaw stretching forward to reveal rows of sharp teeth. A long tail forced its way out from his spine as his legs bent and reshaped into powerful, horse-like limbs capable of supporting his enormous frame.
His appearance had become something monstrous, carrying the same terrifying presence as a Darkside Spirit.
He let out a deafening roar.
BOOOOM!
A violent wave of wind exploded outward from his body.
Trees were torn from the ground, while broken trunks and rocks were hurled through the air. The earth cracked beneath his powerful legs as the surrounding forest was swallowed by the force of the blast.
Bash crossed his arms in front of his face and drove his feet into the ground, desperately trying to hold his position.
Even then, the wind forced him backwards several metres.
His boots carved deep trenches through the dirt before he finally managed to stop.
As the wind gradually settled, Bash lowered his arms.
His gaze remained fixed on the monstrous figure standing before him.
"What the hell has that woman done to you, Daimo...?"
He tightened his grip on his sword before turning toward the boys hiding in the distance.
"YOU TWO! GET OUT OF HERE!"
His voice thundered through the forest.
"THAT THING IS STRONGER THAN ANY ALPHA DARKSIDE SPIRIT I'VE EVER FOUGHT! THE FOREST IS ALREADY DESTROYED, AND THIS GROUND WON'T HOLD UP MUCH LONGER!"
"Oh, thank goodness..."
Marcel scrambled to his feet, visibly relieved.
"Come on, Jackson. Let's get the hell out of here."
He immediately took off toward the town.
Jackson followed for a few steps, but his eyes kept drifting back toward the battlefield.
Something isn't right.
He slowed down, his attention still fixed on the monstrous Daimo.
What's happening outside this kingdom? Who is that woman Daimo keeps talking about? And how did she give him the power to transform into something like that?
His thoughts raced as he considered what he had just witnessed.
If we want to become real Shinras, we need to understand what we're up against. We can't keep relying on what we learn in class.
Jackson suddenly stopped.
Marcel continued running for a few more steps before turning around. His expression changed when he realised Jackson was no longer behind him.
"HEY, JACK! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
Jackson looked back toward the battlefield.
"I think we should stay."
Marcel stared at him in disbelief.
"Are you out of your mind? The old man literally told us to run."
"I heard him."
"THEN WHY ARE YOU STILL STANDING THERE?"
Jackson clenched his fists.
"Because running away won't teach us anything. We need to observe this fight and learn just how powerful our enemies can be."
He glanced toward the monstrous figure standing opposite Bash.
"If the old man starts losing, we might be able to help him. By then, the monster could have already used up a lot of its Renshi fighting him."
Marcel looked toward the battlefield, then back at Jackson.
"Or it could kill him before we even get close."
"I know the risk."
Jackson's expression remained firm.
"This could be our best lesson yet. But we're not going to charge in blindly. We'll stay far enough away to watch the fight. If the old man gets into serious trouble, we'll decide what to do then."
Marcel dragged a hand down his face.
"Ugh. I have absolutely no idea what's going through that head of yours."
He glanced at the monster again and swallowed nervously.
"But fine. I'll follow your lead. Just tell me how we're supposed to watch without getting ourselves killed."
"We move farther back and find a better hiding place. No unnecessary movements, no shouting, and definitely no charging in unless we have a real chance of helping."
Jackson turned and started running toward a safer part of the forest.
"Come on."
Marcel sighed before following him.
The two boys moved farther away from the battlefield, weaving through the trees until they found a more suitable place to hide.
After several seconds, Jackson finally stopped behind a cluster of large rocks.
He bent forward, breathing heavily.
"I think... this distance should be enough."
Marcel dropped down beside him, panting.
"Good. Because if you make me run any farther, I'm leaving you here."
Jackson ignored his complaint and peered through the trees.
Far ahead, Bash stood alone before the monstrous Daimo, his blue sword glowing in the darkness.
"Let's see how the old man handles this," Jackson said.