Canis unleashed his attack, a devastating body slam with crushing force. Both Vivin and I froze, unable to move.
Just before the attack landed, Alan and Darius dashed in from Canis's flank, intercepting the blow. Alan braced with his spear in a defensive stance, while Darius deftly maneuvered with his dual-blade defense technique.
To our dismay, their attacks had no effect. Canis's body was completely impervious to physical damage. Without missing a beat, the beast redirected its assault toward Alan and Darius.
Alan was struck directly by, the sheer force tearing his left arm from his body. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he collapsed, barely conscious.
"Alan, no!!!" I screamed, my voice cracking with desperation.
"YOU DAMNED WOLF! TAKE THIS!" Darius roared, his voice seething with rage. Blinded by anger, he prepared to unleash his strongest skill.
—a tremendous surge of green aura engulfed Darius's blades, creating a whirlwind of slashes that converged on Canis. The attack hit with full force, tearing into the wolf. Canis let out a pained howl.
Darius laughed triumphantly. "Got you, monster!" But his victory was short-lived. Canis emerged from the swirling aura, its glowing eyes and malicious grin inches from Darius's frozen expression.
The beast's sinister smile widened, exposing its sharp fangs. Darius stood paralyzed in terror, turning his gaze to me. "Forgive me, Master Naoki—"
In a fraction of a second, Canis ripped into him, the sound of tearing flesh piercing the air. Blood splattered everywhere as Darius's body was torn apart, his remains falling lifeless to the ground.
"NOOO!" I screamed, my heart wrenched by the brutal scene. My remaining team members stood frozen, their faces pale and twisted in a mix of horror and grief.
"Master Naoki, Alan is still alive, but he's barely hanging on! I'll cast healing magic!" Rosan shouted, already dragging Alan's limp body from the battlefield.
"Save him, Rosan! I won't let anyone else die!" I yelled as I charged Canis, which was now tossing aside Darius's remains like a toy. "Get your filthy hands off him!"
I attacked with, a flurry of relentless slashes designed to draw Canis's attention away.
Behind me, Rosan activated
"Good work, Rosan! You're the most level-headed one here. Thank you. Now, you, Elan, Vivin, Lyra, and Freya—fall back! I'll deal with this wolf alone!" I barked, my tone leaving no room for argument.
"I refuse!" Rosan shot back, defiance blazing in her eyes. "You can't fight it alone, Master Naoki!"
"She's right, Naoki-sama!" Lyra cried. "We won't abandon you!"
"We're still able to fight Naoki-dono!" Freya added, lifting her enchanted sword.
"I'm staying too, Master Naoki!" Vivin declared firmly, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Elan.
"NO! You can't defeat it. This monster has absolute immunity to both physical and magical attacks!" I explained, evading another of Canis's vicious swipes.
Their expressions darkened as despair began to set in.
"But I can defeat it," I said firmly, letting my resolve bleed into my voice. "I'll use the same technique I used to defeat the demon and Mark. So please… trust me and support me from behind!"
They hesitated but eventually nodded, retreating to a safe distance to give me space.
Even with their buffs and support, my armor—crafted from the strongest materials—began to crack under Canis's relentless strikes. The beast's strength was beyond comprehension.
Suddenly, Lyra drained the last of her MP potion and chanted
Using the buffs, Freya and Elan launched a coordinated assault. Freya activated
The combination was impressive, filling the battlefield with blazing fire and deadly precision. Yet, as I expected, Canis emerged unscathed, its immunity extending even to status effects like poison and burning.
"Naoki! That's your chance! Use your strongest attack now!" Envi shouted urgently, his voice sharp and clear in my mind.
I had finished charging my. My body felt like lead, but I dashed forward with everything I had. Canis reacted quickly, swinging its massive claws toward me.
Suddenly, Vivin appeared at my side, intercepting the blow with her skill
Not wasting the opening, I unleashed my ultimate technique:
A colossal wave of dark energy burst from my blade, slicing into Canis with incredible force. The strike purified the demonic energy within the beast, its form disintegrating before my eyes.
My team erupted in cheers, gathering around each other in relief. But I remained still, a deep unease settling in my chest.
"Why hasn't there been a notification of its defeat?" I muttered, my voice tinged with dread.
"NAO! It's not over yet!" Envi's voice rang out in alarm.
A bone-rattling howl shattered the air. My heart sank as I turned to see shadows coalescing, reforming Canis's body in his
This time, its red, demonic eyes had dimmed, indicating the absence of the demon's influence. Yet the bloodlust radiating from Canis had doubled in intensity.
"Nao, I understand now," Envi said grimly. "This is the real Canis, free of demonic control. No wonder even the demons couldn't tame it!"
Canis unleashed
To my surprise, Rosan appeared at my side. She had anticipated the attack and reached me before the others.
"Master Naoki, I will protect you," she said resolutely, her voice unwavering.
And so, Rosan and I stood together in the pitch-black void, facing the unbridled fury of the true Canis.
....
....
Inside the shadowed prison, I couldn't hear a single sound from the outside world. The silence was suffocating, the tension unbearable.
In this void of despair, Rosan raised her trembling hands, her mana almost depleted, but her resolve unshaken.
"
Canis's eyes burned with fury as it began to relentlessly batter the barrier. Blow after blow, the monstrous claws scraped against the shield, but it held firm. Rosan gritted her teeth, her body trembling under the strain.
"Master Naoki," she said, her voice steady despite the immense pressure. "This is my final spell. While this monster is occupied with my barrier, find a way to destroy this space. Once the prison collapses, flee with the others. I will hold it off for as long as I can."
"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?!" I shouted, my voice breaking. "I WON'T LEAVE YOU BEHIND!"
Her gaze softened as she turned toward me. "There is no time, Master Naoki. My barrier will not last forever."
Desperation surged within me as I struggled to find a solution, any solution. Then, without warning, Rosan wrapped her arms around me in a gentle, yet firm embrace.
"You've grown so much, Master Naoki," she said softly, her words tinged with both pride and sorrow. "I've cared for you since the day you were born, even when you were nothing but a mischievous troublemaker in the Blackmore family."
Her words stabbed at my heart, but her smile held only warmth.
"It's been my greatest joy to care for you, even when you drove the household to chaos. And I promised Ayame-sama, your mother, that I would protect you… until my very last breath."
As she spoke, a strange sensation overcame me. My skill,
I saw her as a child, growing up in a harsh orphanage where she was forced to learn magic due to her innate talent. Alongside Elan and other children, she endured grueling training, eventually being sold as a combat slave.
Then came a fateful day when she and Elan crossed paths with Ayame von Blackmore, my mother. Moved by their plight, Ayame purchased their freedom and brought them into the Blackmore household as her personal attendants.
Years passed, and they grew to love Ayame deeply, caring for her with devotion—until the day she gave birth to me. Ayame's health deteriorated rapidly afterward, despite the best efforts of countless physicians. On her deathbed, she entrusted Rosan and Elan with a final task: to raise and protect me until I was ready to lead the Blackmore family.
The vision faded, leaving my heart heavy with the weight of their unyielding love and sacrifice.
Back in the present, Rosan's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Master Naoki… you're like a son to me. You always have been." She smiled through the exhaustion.
Before I could respond, a deafening crack echoed through the barrier as Canis's claws finally broke through. With a final roar, the monstrous wolf lunged at us, its claws aiming straight for Rosan.
"NO!" I screamed as she pushed me away.
The attack pierced through her body, her blood splattering across the barrier's remnants. Her lips trembled as she coughed up blood, her strength rapidly fading.
"Master Naoki… I love you…" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I leave the rest… to you…"
With those final words, Canis retracted its claws, and Rosan collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
A flood of emotions overwhelmed me: despair, rage, helplessness. Rosan, who had been like a mother to me, was gone.
"NOOOOO! ROSAN!!!" I screamed, my voice echoing endlessly in the void.
Something inside me snapped.
---------
[!!! WARNING !!!]
Your latent talent has awakened!
Congratulations, you have unlocked
---------
As the notification flashed before my eyes, I felt Envi's presence take over, his rage as palpable as my own.
"HOW DARE YOU?! HOW DARE YOU KILL ROSAN?!" Envi roared, his voice seething with fury. Naoki's body, now consumed by a swirling aura of dark energy, moved on its own. Tears streamed down his face.
The shadows around Envi grew darker, denser, as my newly awakened
...
...
---Continued to the Next Chapter---