Night had fallen.Xers and Urhuma had escaped into the forest, but after a few minutes, they lost each other.
"S–SENSEI! WHERE ARE YOU?!"
No response came from Urhuma. Then, heavy thudding sounds echoed between the trees. Xers first thought it was Urhuma and ran toward the sound.
"SENSEI, I'M HERE! H–Huh—"
The one he thought was Urhuma… was actually the giant itself. The moment he saw it, he turned around and ran for his life. The giant chased him, tearing trees out of the ground as Xers weaved through them like flowing water.
He turned right—only to realize it was a cliff. Jumping across rocks, he barely managed to keep his balance; one wrong step would've sent him plunging into the depths. Grabbing onto a branch, he climbed up and hid, holding his breath as he waited for the giant to pass.
But the creature found him as if it could sense his exact location.
"W–WHAT?! How did it find me?! That's impossible!"
Panic surged through him as he ran aimlessly, trying to think of a place to hide.
"What can I do, what can I do?! Maybe one of the caves?"
Without hesitation, he sprinted into the first cave he could find—a decision that would prove to be one of his biggest mistakes. The cave was pitch-black. He crawled into one of its four chambers and lay flat on the ground, silent.
"I–I think it's gone…"
But then, heavy footsteps echoed again. The giant was approaching the cave entrance. It pushed its massive horns inside… and suddenly, they began to tremble. Its rage erupted, and it started smashing the cave walls. The whole place began to collapse.
"WHAT THE HELL IS IT DOING?! There's no exit! How am I supposed to get out?!"
Then, a burst of wind rushed from behind—the gust didn't blow the giant away, but it forced it back a few steps. Xers realized immediately.
"Sensei's here!"
Urhuma leaped onto the giant, aiming for its horns, but they wouldn't break. The creature had coated them with some hardened material—proof that it wasn't a mindless beast, but a being with will.
Failing to sever the horn, Urhuma landed, gripping the monster's body to drag it down.
"Xers, get out of here!"
Xers bolted from the cave, grabbed his sword, and slashed at the giant's leg.
"Hah! You think you can kill me? Not a chance!"
The giant kicked him hard, sending him crashing into the ground.
"Don't fight without a plan, Xers! Their weak spot is their horns—cut both off, and you can defeat it!"
Gritting his teeth, Xers stood back up and charged again. This time, he aimed for the horn, but the giant caught his blade midair and flung him aside.
"X–XERS! I'll save you!"
Using a tree to launch himself, Urhuma grabbed Xers and ran.
"Sensei, what do we do?!"
"I'm not sure yet, Xers… We need to get rid of the material on its horns. I think it's using Grey Fire Dust. To melt that, we'll need Healing Water. We can find it in one of the nearby villages, but I can't risk leading the giant there. Can you hold it off for a while?"
"Yes! Leave it to me!"
Urhuma dashed toward the village while Xers led the giant away, running in circles to buy time. He searched for a route with fewer trees—eventually finding one that ended near a cliff. He had to be careful not to fall.
Exhausted, his stamina nearly gone, he turned onto a narrow mountain path. The giant couldn't follow easily but started hurling rocks and trees.
Then an idea hit him."The giant's aura… it's from the shadows. My mask too—it's shadow-forged. Maybe that's how it's tracking me!"
He took off his mask and ran further. Strangely, the giant stopped following him—it had lost his scent.
But they still had to defeat it before it reached the villages. So, Xers made noise intentionally to lure it back, buying Urhuma time.
Moments later, Urhuma returned—holding a glass vial filled with shimmering blue water.
"Xers! I've got it! Come quick!"
"Finally! My stamina's back anyway… Time to draw it in again."
As soon as he put his mask back on, the giant's horns vibrated—it sensed him instantly and charged.
"Sensei! It's right behind me!"
Urhuma harnessed the wind, soaring high. Using Ghost Step, he landed on the giant's head, uncorked the vial, and poured the Healing Water over both horns. The Grey Fire melted away in seconds.
The creature screamed in pain, shaking violently.
"Yes! Now's my chance!"
Urhuma raised his sword—but the giant thrashed its head, slamming him into the trees.
"SENSEI!!"
Xers froze. Urhuma's body hit the trunk hard—too hard. No sound followed. Xers rushed over and tried to lift him, but his arm was crushed beneath the tree.
The giant began charging again.
Xers gritted his teeth, drew his sword, and attacked recklessly.
He struck at its leg—missed. Tried again—missed. The giant stomped down, but Xers dodged and countered. Then, without thinking, he blinked forward using Ghost Step and unleashed his technique.
"Now! GQ #41!!!"
A massive wound tore open across the giant's abdomen—but to his horror, it began healing.
"What the hell?! It's regenerating?!"
Desperate, he lunged for the horns again—but the giant swatted him midair.
"AHHHHHHH!"
Xers hit the ground hard, rolling across the dirt. His body refused to move.
"M–my legs… they're not responding. My arm—aghh—I can't move!"
Just then, the sound of running came from the trees. Xers turned his head—and his eyes widened.
It was Imanga Sabre, flanked by several royal guards, charging straight at the giant.
"Save Urhuma and Xers," Sabre commanded. "I'll deal with the giant."
The guards rushed to help, freeing Urhuma's crushed arm—though it was far too damaged to heal. Xers's vision faded; he passed out.
Sabre stood alone before the creature. For the first time in years, he prepared to use Sakuran Kriega.
He removed his mask—a dark crimson demon mask with two split horns at the tip. The air thickened with pressure the moment he wore it again.
"Years… and I never thought I'd have to use it like this. I could finish this without my ability—but I won't risk more destruction. Let's end this quickly."
He closed his eyes. Silence fell. Placing his forehead against the hilt of his sword, he whispered—
"Unleash… Kriega."
Time itself began to slow.Sabre had bent space-time—halving the vibration speed of every atom around him. The world moved in slow motion, except for him.
He opened his eyes. The giant lumbered forward at a crawl. So did the guards.
In an instant, Sabre vanished from sight—and reappeared behind the creature, both its horns severed.
"Time—resume."
Everything returned to motion. The giant collapsed, the world restored to its normal flow.
"What a pointless mess…" Sabre muttered.
Xers and Urhuma were taken back to the royal hospital. Urhuma's arm was beyond saving—it had to be amputated.
Sabre waited by Xers's bedside.He had urgent news to deliver… and only when Xers awoke, would the next chapter begin.