When facing a monster capable of holding back even a Sovereign, the situation was not to be taken lightly. Such a creature, with just a fraction of its immense and overwhelming power, could annihilate everyone in its path without much effort or resistance.
That’s the level of danger everyone instinctively knew to avoid at any cost.
A creature like this wasn’t just a threat—it was a Dangerous Monster!
And yet—
BOOM!
Isadora was toying with that monstrous entity as if it were a mere nuisance, a trivial obstacle unworthy of her full attention. The fearsome beast, capable of devastating entire armies and nations, couldn’t even put up a fight against her. It was struggling pathetically, unable to land even a single bite or meaningful blow.
“Grrrrrlllll!!”
The Mechanical Fox Monster let out a guttural growl, its rage evident, as it slowly pulled itself upright. But before it could react or counterattack, Isadora appeared right in front of it. Her sleek heels lightly tapped its metallic nose as she leaned in close, her piercing gaze locking onto the monster’s glowing, almost menacing mechanical eyes.
“You’re not strong…” she remarked with icy confidence, her voice dripping with disdain and arrogance.
THUD!
Then, in one fluid and graceful motion, she executed a flawless somersault, her legs twisting midair like a dancer in perfect form. Her heel connected with the monster’s chin in a devastatingly powerful kick. The sheer impact sent the colossal creature hurtling through the sky like a ragdoll tossed by an invisible hand.
Sssssshhhh!!
Watching from a distance, Jack and the Master both gulped audibly, their unease palpable. Jack’s voice trembled as he hesitantly asked, “M-Master… are you absolutely sure that thing can hold her down? Because, honestly, I don’t see her getting scared at all. If anything, she looks like she’s enjoying this… and that fox? It’s the one that looks terrified!”
The Master’s expression darkened as he observed the scene with growing irritation and disbelief, “She doesn’t seem surprised in the slightest…. That servant clearly knew about the Guardian Monster beforehand. It means they’ve encountered it already… probably fought it before. Tsk!– what a blunder on my part!”
“Should we retreat?” Jack asked… well, it wasn’t really Jack speaking—it was his puppet. The real Jack, meanwhile, was—
“Fuck you bitch!!”
Bang!!
Sssshhhhh!!
The real Jack fired his gun, the bullet piercing through a violent red tornado swirling with razor-sharp crimson blades that danced in the air like death itself.
His body was riddled with numerous cuts, blood seeping from every open wound. Barely managing to stay upright, he roared, “Come and fight, coward!” Spitting blood from his cracked lips, his voice was hoarse, laced with fury and frustration. Lia had him cornered, completely outmatched and outclassed, ‘Her bloodline power… it’s grown far beyond what I imagined,’ he admitted to himself bitterly, his mind racing for a way out.
The Master remained silent, his sharp eyes scanning the battlefield for an opportunity. Everything had been meticulously planned, with nearly 80% of his strategy unfolding exactly as he had anticipated—except for one glaring miscalculation: Isadora was utterly dominating the monster in a way he hadn’t foreseen.
It wasn’t that Isadora could outright kill the creature.
Its body was far too sturdy, crafted from materials tougher and more resilient than anything even a Sovereign could destroy…. Just like before.
But Isadora was systematically dismantling it, her attacks carefully calculated and deliberate. She fought with precision, conserving her strength and unleashing just enough power at the right moments. It was as if she knew the monster’s weaknesses better than anyone.
Adding insult to injury, she had started flinging chunks of raw metal at the beast, each projectile causing ripples of destruction that rattled its massive frame.
“Come on, puppy~,” Isadora teased, her voice playful yet taunting, filled with a confidence that only she could exude. She casually juggled a few raw Arcanium metal balls in her hand, her expression unbothered, as though the monster was beneath her notice.
As the monster lunged toward her with a deafening roar, Isadora smirked, her amusement evident, and hurled one of the metal balls straight at it.
BOOM!!
The resulting explosion wasn’t enough to level mountains, but it was certainly sufficient to send the creature reeling backwards… With each successive blast, small dents began to appear on its once-impenetrable body, cracks forming where none should have been possible.
She had these ever since Aether used 100s of Arcanium mountains to detroy the single monster.
All Isadora had to do was buy time—hold the monster at bay until Aether managed to free Aqualina and Celestia from the mysterious and enigmatic cube.
Meanwhile, Aether frantically examined the cube’s surface, searching for any clue or mechanism that could release the two trapped inside. His frustration boiled over as he muttered, “Tsk, there’s nothing here… nothing useful at all.”
He glanced over his shoulder, taking stock of the battlefield. Isadora was holding her own effortlessly, and Lia had Jack pinned down, thoroughly torturing him with relentless precision.
Letting out a weary sigh, Aether turned his attention back to the cube. His voice softened as he spoke to the trapped women, “They can’t even hear me… What kind of artifact is this thing?”
But then—
/A-Aeth…/
Aether froze, his eyes widening as a faint voice echoed in his mind,
/Raven?/ Aether’s heart raced, confusion flickering across his face. He was about to respond when—
!~Ding~!
[Mission: Save Raven Noir!]
The sudden notification made Aether’s blood run cold. His eyes darted to the glowing mission display, now blinking urgently and incessantly. Wasting no time, he attempted to connect to Raven, his heart pounding.
/…./
/Raven!!/
/…./
“Fuck!” Aether cursed under his breath, panic gripping his chest.. he couldn’t reach her. Glancing at the battlefield once more, he felt torn, his mind spiraling with indecision. “I need to leave now—”
“Leave? And where exactly do you think you’re going?”
A cold, manly voice stopped him in his tracks. The Master had appeared behind him, his presence oppressive and suffocating.
Aether stiffened and turned slowly, forcing a weak smile to mask his growing unease. “W-Well, I-it’s not brea—”
“Stop acting like a spineless coward, Aether,” the Master interrupted, “I can see the rage in your eyes… it burns too brightly to hide. It’s undeniable… I can see it.”
The Master’s hood concealed most of his face, but as he leaned closer, Aether caught a glimpse of something unnerving: pure white eyes, devoid of pupils, staring back at him with an eerie intensity.
The Master sneered. “That rage… it’s not the kind of emotion a servant should possess, is it?”
Aether was inwardly surprised not because of the Master’s pure white eyes… maybe a little but more importantly, ‘Jack didn’t tell him about me?’ he wondered, inwardly relieved yet puzzled. Gathering his composure, he responded, “Any servant who truly cares for their Master would feel rage when their Master is treated like this!”
The Master blankly stared at Aether, his gaze piercing as if searching for something beneath the surface. He could see it—there was more to Aether than his words suggested. Those eyes… that rage… it was different, almost unnervingly familiar, like an indomitable arrogance waiting to explode.
“You have the same eyes as me…” the Master murmured, his voice laced with curiosity and menace. “Tell me, how did you know about the Guardian? Have you seen it before? Where?” His tone sharpened as he added, “If you tell me everything, I’ll release your Princess.”
Aether stared back at the Master, his expression unreadable. Despite the situation, his mind whirred with questions. ‘Is he even alive?’ he wondered, unable to sense any force emanating from the figure before him. Finally, Aether spoke, “Do you take me for a fool—”
Before he could finish, the Master waved his hand. The cube holding Aqualina and Celestia shrank another inch, the movement ominous and deliberate.
Aether flinched, his fists clenching involuntarily.
“I can kill them too…” the Master said, his voice chilling and dangerous, “Everything here is under my control, Aether.”
Aether gritted his teeth… He knew better than to act impulsively. Any show of power could escalate the situation beyond recovery. The only reason Aqualina and Celestia were still alive was that the Master needed them. But if Aether made a move, who knew what this maniac would do?
This wasn’t cowardice; it was calculated restraint. The other party had the upper hand, and Aether knew that if the Master understood just how much Aqualina and Celestia meant to him, the leverage would only grow…. Aether would become a pawn, powerless to resist.
Now, He was nothing more than Servant who wanted to help his Master… That’s it!
That’s how it should be for the time being!
Aether forced himself to remain composed, maintaining the facade of weakness. Not every situation could be solved with brute force, and this was no mindless monster he was dealing with…. This Master had planned everything meticulously, even pulling the Sovereing into the mess… he knew what he was doing all this time.
Meanwhile, his mission tab blinked violently in his mind, a constant reminder of the stakes.
‘Fuck!’ Aether cursed inwardly, his expression shifting to one of helpless determination as he met the Master’s gaze.
“I like that expression you’re making,” the Master said, his lips curling into a twisted smile. “Now, tell me the truth.”
Aether took a deep breath, steadying himself. “It happened during our visit to the Pyra Empire. The Princ—”
“Say her name the way you called her before,” the Master interrupted, his voice cutting through Aether’s words. “You seem close. What’s your relationship with her?”
Aether gritted his teeth. “What do you want to know? The truth or our relationship?”
The Master tilted his head, his expression thoughtful. “Well, just the truth will suffice for now.”
Aether exhaled sharply. “Dora fought a monster far larger and stronger than this weak fox,” he said, his tone dripping with disdain.
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“Weak?” the Master muttered, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Interesting words from a weak servant like yourself…” His voice trailed off before he called out, “Victor!”
“Hmm?”
“Did you lie to me?” the Master asked, his tone dangerous.
“What are you talking abou—” Victor began, only to be cut off.
“I thought you said that once I told the truth, you’d release them!” Aether interjected, his voice thick with pure, unrestrained hatred.
“Hmm…” The Master nodded thoughtfully before waving his hand. Suddenly,
“Ouch!” Aether grunted as Aqualina landed abruptly on top of him, the force of her fall catching him off guard… more like he was really taken aback when the Master kept his words.
Aqualina blinked in confusion before her eyes met his. “Aether?”
Aether adjusted his hold on her, steadying her. “Yeah, it’s me.”
“AETHER!! You came to save me!!” Aqualina cried out, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug as tears streamed down her face.
Aether softly patted her back, his voice calm and soothing. “I’ve got you.” He turned his gaze toward the Master, intending to speak, but—
“I never said which Princess,” the Master interrupted, his smirk widening ever so slightly.
Aether’s eyes widened in shock. ‘How does he know?’ His gaze darted toward Celestia, who was still trapped inside the cube. She looked both confused and desperate, pounding futilely on the cube’s walls.
‘Only the Empress and I knew about Celestia…’ Aether’s thoughts raced as he glared at the Master, who had shifted his focus back to Victor.
“Victor, You seem to hide too many things and… the situation is getting out of hand… so,” the Master began, his voice low and dangerous. Without hesitation, he grabbed Victor’s arm and pressed a knife against his throat.
“Stop it! Otherwise, your favorite disciple will be dead!” the Master shouted, his tone icy and commanding.
Isadora flinched at the sight. Slowly, she turned back, her sharp eyes taking in the scene. Her gaze briefly flickered to Aether and Aqualina, then back to the Master. Her voice was calm but cutting as she said, “Hmm… so now you’re going to kill him? Is that your grand plan to escape, or is there something more?”
“Master! What are you doing? Let him go!!” Jack roared furiously from the sidelines, his face contorted with anger and disbelief.
For a fleeting moment, Aether softened toward Jack, his thoughts shifting. ‘Maybe he’s not that ba—’
“ONLY I CAN KILL MY DARLING~!!”
‘…Scratch that.’ Aether’s expression darkened as he turned back to Aqualina. Leaning close, he quietly whispered something into her ear. Her eyes widened slightly before she nodded, understanding his unspoken plan.
Meanwhile, both the Master and Isadora ignored Jack entirely.
“I know how righteous you are,” the Master said, his voice steady, almost conversational. “Even if your disciple turned to evil, you’d still try to bring him back, wouldn’t you? That’s who you are—unwavering, no matter what.”
For the first time, Isadora’s icy demeanor cracked, her eyes softening. “…Just who are you?” she asked, her voice a whisper of disbelief.
The Master’s smirk deepened. “Didn’t I already tell you? I know more than you thi—”
“TSUNAMI!!!!” Lia’s voice rang out.
The Master whirled around, his eyes widening as he took in the sight behind him… A massive flood surged toward them, swallowing everything in its path… just few inchs away from his afce….. But it wasn’t just a simple wave of water—
It was something far deadlier.
Hovering above the battlefield like a radiant sun deity, Aqualina smirked with graceful motions of her hands, “That’s what you get for making my darling worry too much~.”
What loomed before them wasn’t just tens, or hundreds, or even thousands of swords. It was an unending torrent of millions upon millions of blades, each one shining with an unrelenting brilliance as they surged forward with terrifying precision.
Sssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!
Tang! Tang! Tang!
The deafening cacophony of metal meeting earth reverberated through the air as the ground was consumed by a sea of swords, leaving no space untouched.
“Kyaa!!”