Lusian did not wait for an order, nor did he utter a single word. Zarhama's unrestrained mana seemed to respond to his intent, making the air around his hands tremble as he took his first step forward.
"Isabella, cut in from the left. Dayana, cover the high flank," Lusian ordered, his cold voice shattering the thick silence of the plain.
The group's response was immediate, polished by years of shared battles. Elizabeth drew her greatsword with a metallic crack that echoed among the twisted trees, advancing like a wall of steel between the girl and her pursuers. Emily began channeling the distorted energy in the surroundings, stabilizing it between her fingers with a blue spark, while Kara, her tails bristling and her eyes blazing with animal fury, launched herself forward at full speed, keeping close to the ground.
The Leontaris in the center, a beast crowned with a gray mane braided with bones, let out a roar that made the red grass tremble. It raised a massive claw to crush the girl, who had collapsed to her knees, exhausted, but the blow never landed. Elizabeth's greatsword intercepted the strike with enough force to send a shockwave through the dust.
"Pick on someone your own size," the warrior growled, knocking the claw aside with a sharp movement.
Beside her, Adela immediately positioned herself to cover Lusian's back, protecting his concentration. An arrow coated in pure mana shot through the air from the rock where Dayana held her position, striking the second feline in the shoulder with deadly precision and bringing its advance to an abrupt halt.
Kara emerged from the dust like a blur of claws and shadows, taking down the third Leontaris before it could react. The creatures, who only moments ago had been enjoying an easy hunt, instantly realized that they were no longer the predators.
Lusian advanced through the confusion, his gaze fixed on the pack leader. Zarhama was brutal and savage, but they had not crossed the portal to become victims of that continent.
Here, they were the hunters.
Kara drew her sword.
"I'm going to kill them."
Emily raised her staff, mana beginning to glow at its tip.
"Let's help the girl first."
But Lusian was already walking steadily toward the creatures.
The young woman, cornered against the reddish ground, saw him approaching and opened her eyes wide, overwhelmed by panic.
"Go away!" she screamed, her voice breaking. "They'll kill you!"
Lusian did not slow his pace.
The Leontaris noticed his presence and interrupted their hunt. One of them let out a guttural laugh that echoed across the plain.
"Another human."
The leader stepped forward and sniffed the air. Its mocking expression changed slightly, becoming tense.
"Wait," it murmured.
The other two fell silent, confused.
"What is it?"
The leader did not take its eyes off Lusian, examining him carefully for several long seconds.
"That human…"
Lusian stopped only a few meters from the three beasts, watching them with complete indifference.
"Leave her."
The felines looked at one another before bursting into laughter again.
"Is he giving us orders?"
"Maybe he doesn't know where he is."
The leader stepped forward, revealing a row of fangs as sharp as daggers.
"In Zarhama, the weak do not give orders."
Lusian let out a faint sigh.
"I don't feel like arguing."
In the blink of an eye, Dainslein materialized in his hand.
There was no time for the Leontaris to react, nor even to exchange a single warning glance. All they saw was a slash through the air—a black flash, swift and silent.
The leader froze.
Seconds later, it fell to its knees on the grass. A thin line of blood crossed its chest before its massive body collapsed lifelessly.
Its companions leapt backward, eyes wide with shock. They looked back and forth between Lusian and their leader's corpse, unable to comprehend what the hell had just happened.
Lusian calmly shook the blade with a short, dry motion, cleaning the blood from it before looking at them again.
"The other two can leave."
The Leontaris did not hesitate. They backed away step by step, baring their teeth on instinct, but trembling from head to toe. One of them cast a final glance at the girl, then fixed its gaze on Lusian before turning around and fleeing at full speed. The other immediately followed, both disappearing into the twisted vegetation.
Elizabeth slowly sheathed her sword, releasing a heavy breath.
"That was fast."
"I didn't want to waste time," Lusian replied without the slightest change in expression.
Emily hurried toward the girl and gently knelt beside her.
"Easy. It's over now."
But the young woman was not looking at the women or at Emily's outstretched hand. Her gaze remained fixed on Lusian. She did not look relieved or reassured. She looked infinitely more terrified than she had when the beasts were chasing her.
Lusian examined her coldly.
"Can you walk?"
The girl took several seconds to process his words, swallowing before giving an awkward nod.
"Yes."
"Then walk."
The young woman struggled to her feet and obeyed, keeping a cautious distance from him.
Lusian turned his gaze toward the golden, scarred horizon. This was Zarhama. A wild and untamed continent.
No kingdoms.
No churches.
No heroes sent to hunt him down.
At least, that was what he hoped.
"Let's go," he said.
The group began moving forward.
Behind them, the Leontaris's corpse lay abandoned among the red grass.
No one in the group paid much attention to it.
To them, it had been just another enemy.
To Zarhama, however, that death had just sent a message.
A foreign predator had entered its territory.
And they still had no idea what kind of creature had just arrived.
The evening wind carried the stench of blood across the reddish steppe. Hundreds of meters away, hidden behind thick stalks and twisted roots, several silhouettes froze as they detected the scent. The mana in the air, once dense and rhythmic, began to stir in irregular pulses, carrying the disturbance along the ground toward the distant cracks in the mountain ranges.
Nyra walked a few steps behind Lusian, struggling to keep up with the group's rapid pace despite her injuries. Whenever the wind blew toward them, she glanced over her shoulder, as if expecting the earth itself to split open and swallow them whole.
"The scent of blood in this continent attracts things far worse than Leontaris," Nyra murmured, her voice trembling as she clutched her injured arm. "If their pack senses the death of an alpha… it will send the entire hunting pack."
Elizabeth cast a sideways glance toward the horizon, tightening her grip on Thunder's reins.
"Let them come. Lusian's sword hasn't had its fill yet."
"It's not just about strength," the girl replied, shaking her head. "Zarhama has no kings because no one has ever managed to impose their will over the entire continent. Here, the strongest rules… until someone stronger appears."
Lusian did not slow his pace. His gaze remained fixed on the hills rising in the distance, where magical energy shimmered in intense shades of violet and gold. He could feel that wild mana reacting to his own presence.
And somehow, he knew it was only the beginning.