The last wolf fell.
Its body collapsed into the damp forest floor, darkened veins fading slowly as the corrupted energy dispersed into the air like smoke.
Silence followed.
But not relief.
Not even breathing space.
Because it was still there.
Veyrith stepped forward.
No rush.
No tension.
Just… inevitable.
"…You did well."
The words carried no praise.
Only observation.
Then—
It changed.
The air—
Collapsed.
Not physically—
But felt.
A pressure descended from above.
From everywhere.
Takemi's knees bent slightly.
Not by choice.
Rauk's breath hitched.
"…What… the hell… is this…?"
Lira tried to speak—
But her voice wouldn't come out.
And Elira—
She dropped to her knees.
"…Hk—!"
Her stomach twisted violently.
And then—
She vomited.
Not from exhaustion.
From fear.
The aura wasn't just power.
It was intent.
Killing intent.
Dense.
Focused.
As if something far beyond human understanding had decided—
You should not exist.
Elira's hands trembled uncontrollably.
"…I… can't… breathe…"
Her vision blurred.
Her body refused to respond.
Veyrith moved.
No sound.
No wind.
Just—
Gone.
Then—
Tap.
Rauk's eyes widened.
Veyrith stood behind him.
One hand lightly resting on his shoulder.
"…Too slow."
BOOM.
Rauk's body vanished from sight.
Not pushed—
Launched.
He tore through the air, crashing into a tree—
Then another—
Then another—
Each impact cracking wood, sending splinters flying.
Until finally—
He stopped.
Buried in broken trunks.
Unmoving.
"…Rauk…?"
Lira's voice trembled.
Takemi didn't respond.
He couldn't.
Because his mind—
Couldn't process what just happened.
Veyrith turned.
Slowly.
Its gaze locked onto—
Elira.
She saw it.
The mask.
The cracks.
The glow.
Coming closer.
Her body refused to move.
"…No…"
"…ELIRA!"
He ran.
Pushing everything—
Every muscle—
Every ounce of strength—
But—
Too late.
Veyrith appeared in front of her.
One hand raised.
Then—
Placed gently against her forehead.
"…Ah—"
At first—
Nothing.
Then—
Elira screamed.
Not a normal scream.
Not fear.
Pain.
Raw.
Her body arched backward—
Fingers clawing at the air—
"…AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH—!!!"
Her voice tore through the forest.
It echoed.
Cracked.
Broke.
As if her mind itself was being torn apart.
Darkness flooded her vision.
Voices.
Memories.
Everything she had buried—
Dragged to the surface.
Forced open.
Her breathing shattered.
Her heartbeat spiked.
She couldn't think.
Couldn't feel anything—
Except pain.
Then—
Suddenly—
It stopped.
Her body went limp.
Veyrith tilted its head slightly.
"…Sleep tight."
And released her.
She collapsed.
Unconscious.
"…ELIRA—!"
Magic surged wildly.
"BIND—!"
Chains shot forward—
Wrapped around Veyrith—
For a moment—
Hope.
Veyrith lifted its arm slightly.
The chains shattered.
Not broken.
Erased.
"…You rely too much on control."
A faint chant slipped through the air.
Ancient.
Heavy.
Lira froze.
Her eyes widened.
"…No… not this…"
The forest disappeared.
Replaced.
Cold rooms.
Harsh voices.
Isolation.
Every moment she failed.
Every moment she doubted.
Every moment she was alone.
"…Stop…"
Her knees buckled.
"…Please…"
"…ENOUGH!"
The bow formed.
Unstable.
Violent.
He pulled the string—
This time—
Everything.
Every ounce of mana.
Every bit of strength.
The arrow formed—
Larger.
Denser.
The air around it distorted.
"…JUST—DIE!"
THWIP.
The arrow shot forward—
Fast.
Precise.
Everything he had.
Veyrith didn't move.
It raised one hand—
And caught it.
Effortlessly.
The arrow cracked—
Then exploded into fragments of light.
Gone.
Takemi's legs gave out.
He dropped to one knee.
Breathing broken.
"…Damn it…"
Veyrith appeared in front of him.
Close.
Too close.
"…You are not ready."
Takemi glared up.
"…Shut… up…"
"…You cannot face what is coming."
A pause.
"…Not like this."
"…This team…"
A slight tilt of the head.
"…is insufficient."
A pulse.
Then—
Weight.
Crushing.
Takemi slammed into the ground.
BOOM.
The earth cracked beneath him.
He couldn't move.
Couldn't breathe properly.
"…Next time we meet…"
Veyrith stepped forward.
"…I will not observe."
A pause.
"…I will kill."
"…Each one of them."
Then—
He stepped down.
On Takemi's back.
With force.
Combined with gravity—
CRACK.
Takemi's vision exploded into white.
His body gave out.
As darkness took him—
A voice.
Not Veyrith.
Faint.
Distant.
"…Be stronger."
The forest returned to stillness.
As if nothing happened.
Light.
Soft.
Warm.
The scent of medicine.
Clean cloth.
Takemi's eyes opened slowly.
Ceiling.
White.
"…Where…"
His body felt heavy.
But not broken.
He turned his head slightly.
Beds.
Four of them.
Occupied.
Rauk—bandaged heavily.
Still breathing.
Lira—unmoving, but stable.
Elira—pale, but alive.
All of them—
Sleeping.
The room was refined.
Polished wood.
Clean linen.
Subtle carvings along the walls.
This wasn't the academy.
This was—
The royal infirmary.
Reserved for nobles.
Or those deemed important enough.
The door opened quietly.
A nurse stepped out quickly.
Urgent.
"…Inform His Majesty."
"…He's awake."
Takemi stared at the ceiling.
His hand tightened slowly.
"…Not ready…"
The words echoed.
And for the first time—
He didn't argue.