Facing Gagaran's blatantly provocative posture, Lock slowly raised his head and met her gaze directly.
"You're not actually planning to hit me, are you?"
"Hah!" Gagaran sneered, rolling her shoulders.
"Seeing that pretty-boy face of yours just makes my fists itch. And you happened to be sneaking around our virgin. If you don't have the strength to back it up, then you deserve a beating!"
She cracked her knuckles loudly right in front of Lock.
To the surrounding Adventurers, it was obvious—
A noble like him should already be begging.
"Heh," Lock chuckled softly.
"Believe me. If you do that… you'll regret it."
"Hoh~?"
Gagaran clearly didn't buy it.
She reached out with her large hand, aiming straight for Lock's collar.
With that thin frame, lifting him should've been effortless.
That was what everyone thought.
—but in the next instant—
A dagger appeared across Gagaran's wrist.
Cold. Sharp. Deadly.
It was close enough that even the slightest movement would sever her tendons.
Gagaran froze, instinct screaming.
She turned sharply—
—and saw Clementine, standing beside Lock, dagger raised.
Her face, however, was twisted, clearly annoyed—
as if this action hadn't been entirely her own decision.
"Oi," Gagaran pulled her hand back and frowned.
"What's with that look? You hesitating?"
Lock smiled faintly.
"Since you like fighting so much… Clementine, give her a spar."
"…Tch."
Clementine clicked her tongue violently.
"Next time, do it yourself, you bastard! What do you take big sister for—your pet gladiator?"
She shot Lock a murderous glare, then turned toward Gagaran.
Another dagger slid into her hand.
"Well then, big girl. Looks like you picked the wrong guy to provoke."
Her red eyes gleamed.
"Come on. Use everything you've got and entertain big sister. Otherwise…"
Her lips curled.
"You'll die."
Gagaran's brows lifted.
She tightened her grip on the massive warhammer, veins bulging.
"Hah! Big words for a knife-wielding freak. Let's see you try!"
"Hmph!"
Clementine kicked the wooden table straight toward Gagaran.
In close combat, obstacles were meaningless—
Better to erase them.
Gagaran swung without hesitation.
The warhammer smashed into the table with a deafening bang, splintering it into fragments that exploded outward.
Lock and Vier retreated a half-step with ease.
On the other side, Ibirui grabbed Climb by the collar and leapt back instantly, clearing the battlefield.
The moment the debris scattered—
Clementine was already there.
Too fast.
She had slipped through the gaps between the flying fragments, red light faintly coating her body.
Gagaran's pupils shrank.
She ignored the shrapnel!?
No—
not ignored.
A defensive layer.
But there was no time to think.
Clementine was already within thirty centimeters.
Close enough that Gagaran could see the feral gleam in her crimson eyes.
The dagger thrusts forward.
Gagaran reacted by pure instinct—She twisted her body and swept the hammer's shaft across Clementine's wrist.
The blade still bit in.
Blood sprayed.
A deep gash opened along Gagaran's arm, but not fatal.
"You're damn good!" Gagaran barked, retreating a step.
Clementine turned, raised the bloodied dagger to her lips—
—and licked it slowly.
Like a beast tasting prey.
Gagaran snorted.
"What kind of perverted monster are you?"
"Oh my," Clementine giggled.
"Aren't you backing off already?"
She tilted her head.
"Guess big sister has to do the work herself."
She lowered her stance.
Then—
She vanished.
Gagaran's focus sharpened to its limit.
Fast… but I can read it.
She swung her hammer in a wide arc, covering Clementine's approach path entirely.
A perfect counter.
Dodge and lose momentum—or trade blows and lose the exchange.
Gagaran grinned internally.
Choose.
Clementine's lips curved.
She didn't dodge.
Immovable Fortress.
The hammer struck her body—
—and felt like smashing into solid iron.
The recoil forced Gagaran's arms wide.
Her center opened.
"Oh no—!"
Swift Wind Break!
Clementine's dagger pierced straight through the enchanted armor, tearing into Gagaran's waist as if it were paper.
"Guh—!"
Before Gagaran could recover—
Clementine slipped beneath her arm, the second dagger carving another brutal wound across her ribs.
"Gagaran!!"
"Lady Gagaran!"
Ibirui and Climb cried out simultaneously.
They moved—
—and were stopped.
Vier stood before them, calm, smiling.
"It would be best," she said gently,
"If you didn't interfere."
"Humanoid Charm!"
Ibirui cast instantly.
The spell struck Vier—
—and shattered.
"What!?"
Vier smiled wider.
"How rude. Casting magic without permission."
She raised her hand.
"Maximized Magic · High-Tier Paralysis."
The spell detonated.
Ibirui's body seized, nerves screaming.
She barely remained standing through sheer vampiric resilience.
Climb collapsed instantly, hitting the floor with a dull thud.
"W–who… are you…?" Ibirui gasped, staring at Vier in disbelief.
A maid.
Using this level of magic?
On the other side—
Gagaran was finished.
Blood soaked her armor.
Her hammer struck the ground as she knelt, breathing ragged.
"Hah… hah…"
She looked up at Clementine and laughed weakly.
"You… monster… how did you… get this strong…"
"Hehe," Clementine smiled brightly.
"Big sister paid a very high price for this body, you know?"
Her dagger rose.
A hand landed on her shoulder.
"Don't phrase it like that," Lock said calmly.
"It sounds like I did something indecent."
Clementine clicked her tongue.
"Tch."
Lock's eyes shifted toward the frozen onlookers.
"That's enough," he said lightly.
"The game ends here."
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A/N: Advance Chapter Has Been Uploaded. Please Check It Out. It will really help me out and will keep me motivated to continue.
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