"I'll handle this quickly. The area within the wall is safe, so all you need to do is watch, Commander,"
"Are you sure you can manage alone? From what I can see, there are at least ten of them." Kishiar glanced at the enemies with mild interest, showing no signs of tension.
"No problem."
His casual tone, as if discussing something as simple as basic arithmetic, momentarily disrupted the enemies' murderous intent.
"Are you unable to grasp the situation? If you're choosing death...!" one of the masked figures snarled.
'Does he sound like someone ready to die?' Yuder shook his head at the masked figure, sighing at the thought of wasting energy on opponents who couldn't even gauge his abilities properly.
"It's you who fail to understand the situation. You know the Red Stone is here, but you seem unaware of its nature—how it explodes the moment it comes into contact with an Awakener's body or abilities. One wrong move, and it could be fatal."
"What did you say?"
Of course, Yuder had no intention of wasting the Red Stone's limited power that way. But the enemies didn't know that. If they believed his words, it would make them hesitate. In battles between Awakeners, even a moment of uncertainty could be deadly.
"If you think we'll back down because of that..."
"Would you like me to prove it?" Yuder's voice was cool as he raised his flame-encircled sword. "All we need is a defensive wall."
As the flames danced along his sword, the sight made tension ripple through the enemies faces.
They didn't know the full extent of his abilities, but anyone who could casually wield and snatch a sword, create a water barrier, and manipulate flames was no ordinary opponent. It was the power of a legendary mage.
"...What should we do?"
"Even so, we can't back down. It's a bluff," the leader declared loudly enough for the others to hear. "No one knows we're here. He's just buying time. You'd better discard any hope that someone will come to help. If you want to lessen your suffering..."
Yuder clicked his tongue. "Goodness, even when I explain kindly, you talk too much."
Before the leader could finish, Yuder swung his sword slightly upward. Instantly, the flames exploded into a massive pillar of fire, shooting up through the ceiling and illuminating the night sky. The force of it was unmistakable, powerful enough for anyone nearby to sense that something unusual was happening and rush over.
Boom!
"Now everyone knows you're here," Yuder said with a chuckle as he gazed at the fire's remnants falling from the sky through the shattered window.
"…"
The enemies stared, dumbfounded.
"And what was it you said?" Yuder's eyes glinted coldly. "'If you want to lessen your suffering?'"
Through the gaps in their masks, Yuder could see their eyes trembling in fear.
"I suggest you start hoping your suffering will lessen," Yuder remarked coldly.
"Damn it. Everyone, attack at once!" the leader shouted.
As the enemies charged, Yuder swung his outstretched arm with precision.
'If you wanted to overpower us, you should have attacked the moment you broke in,' he thought, observing their reckless approach.
The enemies hesitated, knowing they couldn't fully utilize their abilities without knowing the exact location of the Red Stone. Yuder, however, had no such limitations.
Even a mere graze from his flame-engulfed sword was enough to send them screaming and collapsing. A normal sword might have left only shallow wounds, but with the fire seeping into the cuts, the result was far more devastating.
The flames spread rapidly through each victim's body, consuming them from the inside.
'Fortunately, they're all physical enhancement types,' Yuder mused. He was more experienced than anyone in dealing with battles between Awakeners. Those who enhanced their bodies were powerful in close combat, but their defense was fragile in certain areas.
No matter how tough their skin appeared, it wasn't invincible. Most struggled to enhance vulnerable spots like the inside of their mouths or their eyes in time.
Yuder dodged a punch from an opponent with stone-like skin, effortlessly jabbing his sword into the man's eye before pulling it out.
"Argh!"
Another enemy attacked with nails elongated like blades. Yuder conjured a brief ice wall to block the strike, then used the moment of hesitation to slash at the attacker's side. Flames ignited instantly, filling the air with the smell of burning flesh.
Someone hurled a spell at him, but Yuder redirected the metal projectile to the ground, sending a few others flying back toward their casters.
"Aaaargh!"
Within minutes, more than ten enemies lay scattered across the floor, scorched and writhing in agony, their lives hanging by a thread.
"The wall can be dismissed now. It's over," Yuder stated, wiping the flames from his blade.
"Very well," Kishiar responded calmly.
Yuder passed the smoldering bodies without a second glance, moving toward the shattered window. In the distance, he could see the flicker of torches carried by those rushing toward the mansion.
"Fortunately, no one has escaped," he muttered to himself, relieved that he had resolved the situation quickly. He couldn't allow any information about the Red Stone to leak out.
Once satisfied with the security outside, Yuder approached the pillar where the Red Stone was held. He retrieved the box containing it and handed it to Kishiar.
Kishiar accepted it with a measured nod. 'Now then... shall we unmask the mastermind behind this?' he thought, eyes scanning the room.
The enemy's intrusion had been unexpected, but it was clear they had prepared meticulously for the operation. However, they had severely underestimated Kishiar.
They clearly had no idea of the true extent of his power.
Had they been waiting for such a moment in the past? Perhaps. If so, it explained why they had dared to challenge him, not knowing he could wield the divine sword.
Yuder glanced at the faces of the remaining attackers. Of the thirteen, eight were dead, and five were barely clinging to life.
"Your Grace!"
"Commander!"
The shouts of General Gino and the Cavalry members echoed through the hall as the door shattered, revealing them rushing in just as Yuder finished extinguishing the flames on the living and gathering them in one spot.
"Your Grace, it's Gino. Are you all right?" General Gino's voice rang with concern as he entered the room.
"There was an intrusion, but it was quickly suppressed. I'm fine, so be at ease," Kishiar replied calmly, his tone completely unhurried.
At his words, General Gino seemed to relax somewhat, though his focus remained sharp. "Due to the box, I cannot reach you. I will send someone."
Moments later, several Cavalry members hurried down the corridor and into the reception room. Their faces, still showing traces of sleep, quickly shifted from urgency to horror as they took in the scene of bodies strewn across the floor.
"My goodness. What in the world..."
"Don't come any closer, Kanna," Yuder warned sharply. Though the bodies were no longer a threat, caution was still necessary. Kanna, who wasn't trained for combat, obediently stepped back.
Kishiar, as if waiting for the right moment, finally spoke. "These five are still alive. I plan to interrogate them immediately. This room is too chaotic. Let's move them to the next one."
"The next room...?" Gakane swallowed nervously before nodding in agreement.
"Understood. But who exactly sent these people?"
"We'll find that out soon enough," Yuder answered, his calm voice thickening the tension in the air.
Kishiar chuckled softly, though there was nothing warm in the sound. "Yes, we'll find out now."
At Kishiar's order, Gakane's shadow clone stepped forward, scooping up the five surviving enemies with ease. The clone, moving with silent precision, carried all of them into the adjoining room and unceremoniously dropped them onto the floor.
"Kanna, Gakane, stand guard outside the door. Don't let anyone in. Move the dead ones outside. The rest of you, come in."
"Yes, sir."
Without hesitation, the Cavalry members executed Kishiar's orders. Yuder made sure the door was securely closed behind the Eldore siblings and Kishiar, sealing them inside with the prisoners.
"Now then," Kishiar murmured, stepping closer to the groaning men. His relaxed demeanor had vanished, replaced by a cold, piercing gaze. His crimson eyes burned into the faces of the captured enemies.
"Who sent you? Speak," he commanded.
"…"
Silence filled the room. The prisoners, though clearly alive, refused to respond. Kishiar's eyes narrowed as he turned to the Eldore siblings, who stepped forward eagerly.
"So, we just need to make them talk, right?"
"Leave it to us,"
The Eldore siblings were known less for mobility and more for their extraordinary physical enhancement abilities. Though many could strengthen their bodies, the Eldore siblings' transformation was on a whole other level.
With innocent smiles still plastered on their faces, their slender arms and legs began to swell, the sound of muscle and bone stretching reverberating throughout the room. Their clothes tore apart as their bodies expanded with alarming speed.
The captured enemies, who had been silent just moments ago, began to tremble, their resolve visibly cracking.
In mere seconds, where two unassuming figures had stood, now loomed two massive beings, their bodies grotesquely muscular yet incongruously paired with their still-childlike faces.
'Remarkable, every time I see it,' Yuder thought, marveling at the disturbing sight.
The Eldore siblings' power was as visually terrifying as it was effective. Their transformation often made even the most hardened enemies lose their will to fight, as though they were staring down giants. The fear in the eyes of the captured enemies showed that these ones were no different.