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Sid groaned as another sharp wave of pain lanced through his chest. His breath hitched, thin and ragged, and when he tried to speak, blood spilled past his lips instead. He clutched his ribs, grimacing as the cracked bones pressed against bruised lungs.
If I take one more breath like that, I'm done for…
His vision blurred at the edges. Darkness crept in, threatening to swallow him whole. He felt himself tipping toward unconsciousness—until suddenly, inexplicably, the agony evaporated.
Just like that.
His breathing steadied. The stabbing pain across his chest dissolved as warmth washed over him, gentle but powerful, like sunlight pressed directly against his wounds.
Sid blinked rapidly.
What in the—?
A soft glow shimmered around him, tiny flecks of light swirling like golden dust carried by a breeze. It spread across the entire clearing, bathing the fallen adventurers in a warm radiance. Sid stared in stunned silence as the cuts on his arms sealed themselves shut, bruises faded, and the tension in his muscles melted away.
He glanced around quickly.
The others—still unconscious—were healing as well. The rise and fall of their chests became stable. Their once‑pained expressions softened into peaceful calm.
They were alive.
Whatever spell had been cast, it had rescued all of them from death's door.
And there was only one person present who could have done it.
Light magic…
Sid swallowed. How rare. I've only ever heard of a handful of people who can wield it, and even they weren't this good…
His awe was abruptly interrupted by a voice that echoed directly inside his mind—cold, flat, and unmistakably familiar.
«…Get your party out of here. I'll handle the rest…»
Sid jerked upright in surprise, instinctively scanning the forest for the speaker even though he knew what he had heard didn't come through his ears.
Hearing a voice inside one's head was impossible for most people.
«…Don't just spin around like an idiot. Do as I say. Tsk… troublesome. I should've just left you all to die here.»
Sid stiffened.
Rude.
Unnecessarily rude.
But undeniably powerful.
Telepathy…?
His mind reeled. Telepathy was a high‑tier mental magic—rare, complicated, and nearly impossible to wield without prodigious magical ability. Only a handful of master mages and prodigies could perform it.
And this mysterious woman… could?
Who even IS she? A hidden genius living inside the Empire? Someone who passed through without anyone noticing?
Sid tore his gaze away from his thoughts and looked toward the battlefield.
There she was—standing calmly before the massive, blue‑scaled hybrid creature, her black hooded cloak billowing faintly with the wind. Her face was hidden, but her posture exuded a quiet, immovable confidence.
But something else stole Sid's attention.
The hybrid dragon—the same creature that moments ago had been roaring, charging, and tearing the earth apart—was now frozen in place.
Its wings twitched. Its tail coiled. Its eyes flicked anxiously between Sid's unconscious teammates and the hooded woman.
It was… scared.
Sid stared, astonished.
Earlier, the beast had fought like a force of nature, relentless and unthinking. If not for Toni's shield, they would've been wiped out in seconds. The monster wasn't just powerful—it had been unstoppable.
Yet now…
It stood hesitant, uneasy, almost shrinking back.
Why? What is it seeing? What does it sense from her?
There was no time to dwell on it.
Sid inhaled deeply, steeling himself as he hurried toward his teammates. One by one, he hoisted them over his shoulders or dragged them across the dirt, pulling them as far from the battlefield as he could manage in his weakened state.
Minutes stretched painfully.
His muscles burned. His breath came short and strained.
But eventually—after nearly an hour of dragging bodies—he managed to get all of them safely behind a cluster of thick trees and boulders.
Only when the last body was laid down gently did Sid allow himself a moment to breathe.
He straightened, wiping sweat from his brow, and turned back toward the field.
The mysterious woman still stood between the unconscious group and the massive creature—utterly unfazed.
Sid hurried over, intending to stand by her side.
But the moment he took a single step closer—
«…I told you to stay away. You're useless here…»
Sid stopped mid‑stride, deadpan stare fixed on the hooded figure.
"Why don't you just use your actual voice?" he snapped. "You didn't have trouble speaking earlier."
The woman didn't look at him.
Didn't move.
Didn't even sigh loudly.
Instead, she muttered one single word:
"...Troublesome."
Sid stared.
"…."
Is she serious?!
This woman had just saved his life, healed his entire team, and was now preparing to face a monstrous hybrid beast alone—and yet she still found the situation "troublesome."
Sid had no idea whether to thank her or strangle her.
Before he could decide, the hybrid creature let out a thunderous roar.
ROOOOAAARRR!
Sid jolted. "Right! You're still here, you giant lizard!"
The creature stomped forward, sending tremors through the ground. Its eyes gleamed with primal fury.
But before Sid could react, the mysterious woman blurred into motion.
She dashed forward so fast Sid couldn't even track her steps.
"H‑huh—what the—?!"
Within a heartbeat, she was in front of the monster.
With no weapon.
Without hesitation.
Using nothing but her bare hands.
Bare hands?! Did she lose her mind?!
"H‑hey! Don't be reckless, you madwoman!" Sid shouted, scrambling to grab his bow.
She either didn't hear him or didn't care.
Her fists collided with the hybrid dragon's jaw with a cracking impact that sent shockwaves through the clearing. The creature stumbled, claws tearing deep trenches into the soil.
Sid fired arrow after arrow, aiming for the creature's eyes to blind it or at least disrupt its movements. But the beast seemed to sense the incoming attack—turning its head at the last moment. His arrow missed the mark, slicing past the scaled cheek.
Even so, it couldn't counter the woman's relentless assault.
She moved like a shadow—precise, ruthless, efficient. Every blow she delivered sent the creature reeling backward, its body slamming into the earth hard enough to make the ground tremble.
The air filled with the sound of cracking earth and the heavy thud of scaled flesh hitting the ground.
Sid coughed from the dust kicked up by their clash. "Wh—what strength…?"
He stood frozen, watching helplessly from the sidelines. Every flash of movement was a blur. Every strike from the hooded woman seemed impossibly powerful.
The realization settled like a stone in his stomach.
I can't keep up.
I can't even assist her properly…
Shame washed over Sid.
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