Ambush
“……!!”
Shock flashed across the three girls’ faces. Yet even caught off guard by the unexpected turn, they didn’t simply stand there and watch the man approach. With a metallic ring, Julia drew her sword and stepped forward. It was an instinctive decision—she had to stop him herself. But the clash she expected never came.
Before she could reach him, flames erupted from Alice’s outstretched hand and surged toward the man. It was a spell Alice had cast.
“Oho. Not bad for your age.”
Even as the fire hurtled toward him, the man remained composed, as though the flames posed no threat at all. He merely raised his sword with a calm expression. A moment later, however, his face hardened.
A sudden gale whipped through the passage, fanning the flames into a roaring inferno. It was no ordinary wind—strong enough to knock an ordinary person off balance. Individually, neither the fire nor the wind would have been much of a threat to him, but together they were a different story. Especially in such a narrow, straight corridor.
“……!!”
Without magic of his own, the swordsman had no way to fully block the wall of flame that filled the passage. The fire roared onward and swallowed him whole.
“We did it…!” Lana’s face lit up.
“…No. That won’t be enough.” Alice shook her head, her expression certain. She knew the man wouldn’t die from that alone. So she struck again, hurling another blast of fire before slamming the door shut.
The heavy door sealed the underground passage from the cavern. It was a magically warded door that would only open for those already registered. It wouldn’t hold their enemies forever, but it would buy them time.
“Run!” Alice shouted, already sprinting deeper into the cave without a backward glance. Lana and Julia followed close behind.
They had landed a solid hit, but Alice refused to relax. She knew neither the flames nor the door would slow the man for long. Given the difference in their speeds, they had no time to waste.
Fortunately, the cave wasn’t a straight tunnel. It was a maze of branching paths. While the twisting corridors could easily trap the unwary, the girls had already memorized the layout. They raced onward, guided by memory, and soon neared their destination.
Then—
“Stop right there.”
A chilling voice echoed behind them. Glancing back, they saw the same man sprinting after them. Just as Alice had feared, he was still alive. His clothes were scorched, patches of his hair burned away, and burns marked parts of his body, yet he moved freely. The only real change was his expression.
Gone was the easygoing smile. In its place burned raw fury. He had never imagined he would be wounded by mere children, and the shift in his demeanor was stark.
“Lend me your strength!” Lana cried, thrusting out her hand. Blades of wind sliced toward the man. Alice followed with another burst of flame. Fire and wind merged once more into a raging torrent—only to be scattered by a single swing of the man’s sword.
The result was nothing like before. Alice and Lana’s eyes widened in shock as the man used the opening to leap forward.
This ends now.
The corners of his mouth curled upward. The brats had been more troublesome than expected, but that was over. They’ll pay for wasting my time.
He had no intention of killing them. The cult had ordered these valuable test subjects captured alive. Still, a little pain—without permanent damage—would be acceptable. As he reached out, something caught his eye.
One of the three—the silver-haired girl with the sword—stepped forward.
…Not bad.
In that instant, he assessed her skill. Her stance was flawless, and the fact that she could perceive and react at such speed was remarkable for her age. Most striking of all were her eyes. At a moment when fear or tension would have been natural, her gaze remained calm and steady, as though she possessed no emotions at all despite the mortal danger.
Two years ago, she hadn’t learned a thing…
Which meant she had reached this level in just two years.
A genius.
Her talent was undeniable. Even so, she wasn’t yet a threat to him. A casual swing of his sword would be enough to subdue her. Can’t kill her, though… Better to knock her blade aside and restrain her.
With that thought, he swung his sword to meet hers. He imagined her weapon flying from her grasp—only for a blue light to coalesce along Julia’s blade at the final moment.
“……!!”
The man’s eyes flew wide. The glowing sword slashed through the air. No metallic ring echoed through the cave. Instead, the man had already retreated, his face rigid. A thin cut now marred the front of his clothes.
He understood. If he hadn’t pulled back, he might have survived—but he would have suffered a grave wound. It had been that close.
A chill ran down his spine. It wasn’t just the brush with death. It was the girl. For a split second, he had seen it clearly on her blade.
Aura.
Manifesting mana into a physical form wasn’t easy. Certainly not something a twelve-year-old who had only been training for two years should be capable of. Yet she had done it. More than that—she had hidden it, waiting for the perfect moment when he was off guard and holding back, then unleashed it in the single instant he couldn’t raise his own aura in time.
Such timing, such instinct, such talent—none of it could exist without being honed to the extreme. Goosebumps prickled along his arms as he lowered his sword.
“…Fine. I admit it. I was careless.”
He had underestimated them because they were children, and that mistake had nearly cost him his life. Accepting it without excuse, he steadied his breathing. He would not be careless again.
Julia’s face darkened slightly, as though she knew she had missed her chance. Alice and Lana wore the same expression. The man began advancing toward them, his face heavy with suppressed rage.
Carelessness had been his fault. But that didn’t mean he could forgive it. The fury soon found its target.
“I was planning to take you back quietly… but I’ve changed my mind.”
He had intended to bring them in without harm, as ordered. Now that was no longer an option.
“I’ll be cutting off an arm and a leg each.”
The cult could heal severed limbs. So there would be no problem. He even had justification—the girls’ abilities had exceeded expectations, and he’d had no choice but to disable them. The higher-ups wouldn’t argue. He would take his time, savoring every moment.
Just as he raised his sword with that vicious intent, a voice spoke from directly behind him.
“Who gave you permission?”
Someone had approached within arm’s reach without him noticing. A chill ran down his spine even as he spun and swung his blade on reflex. It was a solid response—yet it achieved nothing.
Thud—!
“Guh…!”
A sword pierced straight through his chest, exactly where his heart lay. Struggling, the man turned his head to see the blade’s owner.
It was him. The man who had blocked his spear and stood in his way.
“Y-you bastard…!!”
The man’s face twisted in rage as he shouted. How had he caught up so quickly? How had he hidden his presence so completely? He tried to voice his fury, but—
“Get lost.”
Shlick!
Gunter yanked the sword free without a shred of interest in listening. The blade tore through the man’s body as it withdrew. That was the end.
Thud—
The man collapsed face-first, his expression twisted with resentment. He didn’t move again.
“Mister…!!”
“Gunter…!”
The girls, recognizing him, brightened and started toward him—only to freeze. Horror had replaced their relief. Gunter’s condition was horrific. His body was covered in wounds, and worst of all, his left arm was gone.
“M-Mister…!! Your arm—why…?!” Lana’s voice trembled like never before, disbelief plain in every word. Alice and Julia looked just as shaken.
“It’s fine. It’s nothing.”
Yet Gunter himself remained calm, offering them a gentle smile as though it truly were nothing.
“That can’t be true…!!” Alice cried, her voice shaking.
“It really is. More importantly, we need to move. Now.”
“We have to treat you—!”
“No. There’s no time.”
Gunter shook his head firmly. Faced with that unwavering resolve, the girls had no choice but to follow.
Together, they pressed deeper into the cave. The girls kept glancing at Gunter’s injuries, but he showed no sign of pain. After some time, they finally reached their destination.
At the end of the maze lay a vast cavern. Relief finally settled on Gunter’s face as he took in the sight.
Then—
“So you finally caught up.”
A flat voice echoed from behind. Gunter’s expression hardened once more. He let out a quiet sigh and turned around.
Standing there was a man clad in black armor.