Haru stood there for a moment, still stunned by Serena's swift and brutal display. The image of Sir Marcus flying through the air replayed in his mind over and over again, his body moving faster than Haru's eyes could track. He absentmindedly rubbed the small cut on his cheek, a minor scrape left behind by the sheer force of the wind from her kick alone. It stung slightly, a quiet reminder of just how dangerous she truly was. Around him, however, the crowd seemed completely unfazed. In fact, their cheering only grew louder, as if what had just happened was nothing more than entertainment.
Sylvie shook her head, arms crossed as she let out a small sigh. "She's as foul-mouthed and violent as ever," she muttered. "I really don't know why these guys keep doing this when the outcome is always the same. But…" she paused briefly, glancing in the direction where Sir Marcus had been launched, "considering it was him, I'm not surprised."
Haru turned toward her, curiosity flickering across his face. He had learned quickly that whenever Sylvie spoke like that, there was usually more to the story. Noticing his expression, she sighed again, already knowing he was going to ask.
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you," she said, rolling her eyes slightly. "So, Sir Marcus is part of the Gromwell family. They're not exactly high-ranking in terms of noble prestige, but that's not where their real strength comes from."
Haru raised a brow. "Then where does it come from?"
Sylvie leaned in slightly, lowering her voice just enough to sound conspiratorial. "Numbers. The Gromwells are known for recruiting. Anyone who passes the Warlord Initiation and doesn't already belong to a strong family or guild? There's a good chance they'll try to bring them in. Over time, they've built one of the largest networks of Warlords tied to a single family."
Haru's expression shifted. "So… they make up for a lack of status with sheer manpower."
"Exactly," Sylvie nodded. "And recently, they've been getting bolder. There are rumors. Nothing confirmed, that they've been dealing with… less reputable groups. Shady alliances, underground trades, that sort of thing."
Haru's eyes narrowed slightly. "And that's why he thought he could approach Serena like that?"
"Probably," Sylvie replied. "If your family has enough backing, people start thinking they can get away with anything. Still, even then…" she shook her head. "That was just stupid."
Haru let out a quiet breath, his mind already working through the implications. The more he learned, the clearer it became. This kingdom wasn't just about strength. Power came in many forms: influence, alliances, reputation. And navigating all of that would be just as dangerous as any battle.
His thoughts were interrupted when Serena glanced back at him one last time. Her gaze lingered for only a second, dismissive and unimpressed, before she scoffed softly and turned away, disappearing into the shifting crowd as if the chaos she caused meant nothing.
Haru watched her go before turning back to Sylvie. "Hey… that number on her outfit," he said. "She's ranked fourth, right?"
"Yep," Sylvie answered immediately. "That's Serena, the Goddess of War. She's a master of weapons and hand-to-hand combat. But what really makes her terrifying is her foresight ability. Her reflexes are so advanced that she can practically predict movements before they happen, like she's seeing a few minutes into the future."
Haru blinked. "…You're telling me she can see the future?"
"Not exactly," Sylvie corrected. "More like she reads intent and movement at a level no one else can. But the result's basically the same."
Haru stared in disbelief. "And she's only ranked fourth?!"
The thought alone was overwhelming. If someone like her wasn't even in the top three, then what kind of monsters held those positions?
Before Sylvie could respond, the next wave of Vanguard members began entering through the gates, and the crowd erupted once again.
"Look! It's Number 7: Gor! His explosions are insane!"
"Yeah, but the Twins could take him! Once they fuse, they're unstoppable!"
"Man, Kima and Twitch are the coolest!"
Haru's attention snapped toward the speakers. "Fusion?" he repeated, intrigued. "They can combine?"
Sylvie nodded casually. "Yep. Their abilities synchronize and they supposedly had the same stone. It's not something most people can do, but those two are special."
Haru frowned slightly, his mind racing. "They must have some ridiculous Awakening Stones, then."
"Oh, absolutely," Sylvie replied. "Every Vanguard member has at least an Epic or Unique-grade stone. That's the minimum. As for the top four…" she shrugged. "No one really knows. Only the King has access to that information."
She continued, her tone growing more serious. "But remember this. What makes them
dangerous isn't just their stones. Every single one of them has undergone a second awakening. They've refined their abilities, reshaped their magic, and pushed themselves far beyond what normal users can achieve."
Haru's thoughts spiraled. A second awakening… He had always assumed the stone was the limit—that once it was absorbed, that was it. But if what Sylvie was saying was true…
Then I'm nowhere near my ceiling.
Before he could dwell on it further, Sylvie suddenly grabbed his arm, practically vibrating with excitement. "Ahhh! Big sis!" she shouted, waving both arms. "You look so good!!!"
Haru followed her gaze.
Another woman had entered.
She looked remarkably similar to Sylvie, same dark hair, same features, but there was a maturity to her presence, a refined confidence that set her apart. This had to be Danity.
Danity acknowledged the crowd with a calm wave before her eyes landed on Sylvie. She approached briefly, leaning in to whisper something into her ear. Sylvie's expression immediately shifted to confusion.
"…Wait, what do you mea.."
She didn't get to finish.
A massive shadow descended from above.
The ground trembled as something landed directly in front of Haru, kicking up dust and debris. His instincts kicked in immediately, his body tensed, flames flickering to life at his fingertips.
Sylvie's voice cut through the moment. "NO!"
Haru barely heard her. His focus was locked on the creature before him.
A griffin.
The same one.
Its massive wings folded slowly at its sides as it let out a low rumble. Haru's heart pounded as heat gathered in his palms, ready to strike.
Then..
A gentle tug.
He froze.
Looking down, he saw two small girls standing in front of him, each holding one of his hands. They looked up at him with bright, innocent smiles, completely unfazed by the situation.
"…What?" Haru muttered, completely thrown off.
Before he could react further, a woman appeared beside them, quickly scooping the girls into her arms. "Oh my, I'm so sorry!" she said with a soft laugh. "These two can be a bit… adventurous. This is Yu, and this is Mi."
The girls giggled, clearly amused by everything.
Haru blinked, his flames flickering uncertainly before fading out.
Behind him, Sylvie looked like she had just seen a ghost. She slowly backed away, her voice barely above a whisper. "Haru… that's not just any beast."
Haru turned slightly.
"That's Momo," she continued, her expression tense. "And he belongs to Motar… the number three Vanguard."
Haru froze completely.
The weight of the situation crashed down on him all at once.
Not only had he nearly attacked a creature belonging to one of the strongest individuals in the entire kingdom…
But he had just placed himself directly in their line of sight.