The military airships began pulling away from the battlefield.
One after another—
their massive engines roared as they gained altitude, increasing the distance between themselves and the ruins below.
Inside the command deck, the officers watched the battle unfolding in the distance.
One of them glanced toward the observation screen.
"...Who is that elf?"
Another officer barely looked away from the battlefield.
"Does it matter?"
He pointed toward the figures clashing in the distance.
"Two humanoid spirits have just been summoned."
He paused.
"And not just any spirits."
His expression tightened.
"Those are Great Spirits."
"I've only heard stories about them, but there's no mistaking their appearance."
He stared at the battlefield.
"Whatever happens next, we can't remain this close."
Another officer nodded.
"Agreed."
"If those two spirits are going all out..."
"...the shockwaves alone could damage the ships."
The captain stared through the observation array.
"Keep the fleet at a safe distance."
"Continue monitoring the battlefield."
"If the situation changes, report immediately."
"Yes, Captain!"
The airships continued retreating.
---
Below—
Aldric hovered above the ruined battlefield.
The black cat remained perched calmly on his shoulder.
Aldric's eyes were fixed on the battle unfolding below.
*...So they're really going to fight.*
His gaze shifted toward Draven.
*That brat...*
He remembered what had happened inside the ruins.
That single movement.
The overwhelming pressure that had descended upon him.
The way his entire body had been driven into the ground without him even having the chance to resist.
Aldric's jaw tightened.
*That bastard restrained me with a single move.*
His fingers curled into fists.
*And I couldn't even fight back.*
The memory continued to irritate him.
Aldric clicked his tongue.
"...Damn it."
He stared at Draven.
*Whether that's the brat...*
*...or whatever the hell is controlling his body...*
*I want to see what he's actually capable of.*
His eyes narrowed.
*Being pinned down like that still pisses me off.*
The black cat glanced at him.
Aldric noticed.
"...Don't look at me like that."
The cat simply stared.
Aldric sighed.
"...Whatever."
His attention returned to the battlefield.
---
**VMMMMMMMM—!**
The air around Lunaria violently shifted.
Dozens of arrows formed behind him, each one constructed entirely from compressed wind.
Every arrow carried an immense amount of mana.
Lunaria drew his bow.
His golden eyes locked onto Draven.
"Let's begin."
His fingers released.
**SHRAAAAAK!**
The arrows shot forward.
They tore through the air at incredible speed.
Draven didn't move.
He simply raised one finger.
The blood constructs surrounding him immediately reacted.
**SHHK!**
They shot forward.
Crimson weapons collided with the incoming arrows.
**BOOM!**
**BOOM!**
**BAAANG!**
Wind exploded across the battlefield.
Several arrows were destroyed upon impact.
But the blood constructs continued forward.
They tore through the remaining projectiles.
Lunaria's expression remained calm.
His bow suddenly changed.
The wooden frame twisted.
The weapon shortened.
A handle formed within his grip.
Then—
**VMMMM—!**
A blade of condensed mana extended from it.
Lightning immediately wrapped around the blade.
Lunaria swung.
**SHRAAAK!**
The incoming blood construct was sliced apart.
Another came from the side.
He turned.
**SHHK!**
It was cut in half.
Another descended from above.
Lunaria raised his sword.
**CLANG!**
The blade shattered the construct.
The remaining blood weapons dissolved into crimson mist.
Draven watched silently.
Then—
a faint smile appeared.
"...Not bad."
Lunaria pointed the mana blade toward him.
"I'm just getting started."
**KRAAAK!**
Lightning suddenly exploded around Lunaria.
The sky darkened.
Several enormous spears of lightning formed above him.
Draven looked upward.
"Interesting."
Lunaria lowered his arm.
"Fall."
**BOOOOOOM!**
The lightning spears descended.
One after another—
they tore through the sky.
**KRAK! KRAK! KRAK!**
Their speed was incredible.
But—
Draven simply took one step forward.
His body faded.
The lightning spears struck the ground.
**BOOOOOOOOOOM!**
The battlefield erupted.
Dust and shattered stone were thrown into the air.
Lunaria's eyes widened slightly.
"...Behind me."
He turned.
Too late.
Draven appeared directly in front of him.
A fist was already moving toward his face.
**BOOOOM!**
Lunaria was blasted backward.
His body shot toward the ground.
A burst of wind immediately erupted beneath him.
**WHOOOOSH!**
He stopped himself just before impact.
His feet dragged across the ground.
But Draven was already there.
His fist struck again.
Lunaria raised his sword.
**BAAANG!**
The impact shook the battlefield.
Lunaria's arm twisted violently.
**CRACK!**
His expression changed.
His arm had broken.
Even so—
he refused to retreat.
Wind exploded around his body.
He used the force of the blast to push himself backward.
Draven remained suspended in the air.
He looked at Lunaria's broken arm.
Then—
at the sword still held in his other hand.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"...You blocked that?"
Lunaria's breathing became heavier.
His broken arm hung uselessly at his side.
Yet his golden eyes remained sharp.
"I told you..."
"...I'm just getting started."
Draven's smile widened.
"Good."
His blood-red eyes gleamed.
"Then don't disappoint me."
Above them—
Sylph and Raijin simultaneously released their power.
The wind began screaming.
Lightning illuminated the sky.
Aldric stared.
The black cat remained completely still on his shoulder.
And for the first time—
Aldric's expression became serious.
*...This fight is going to get much worse.*
Lunaria remained suspended in the air.
His broken arm hung at his side.
Blood slowly trickled from his fingertips.
Yet his gaze never left Draven.
Then—
Lunaria spoke another name.
"...Undine."
A soft blue glow suddenly appeared beside him.
**SHUUU—**
Water gathered in the air.
It twisted and condensed into the form of a slender spirit.
Her body seemed to be made entirely of flowing water, constantly shifting like a living stream.
Undine immediately moved toward Lunaria.
Streams of water wrapped around his injured arm.
A gentle blue light spread through the wound.
**WHOOSH—**
The broken bones slowly shifted back into place.
The flesh began repairing itself.
Draven stared.
His crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
"...Another one?"
He glanced at the spirit healing Lunaria.
Then at Sylph.
Then at Raijin.
A faint smile appeared.
"If you keep calling them out like that..."
"...you won't last even if it's just a high spirit."
Lunaria didn't answer.
Because—
**BOOOOOOM!**
The battlefield suddenly erupted.
Sylph attacked from one side.
Raijin struck from the other.
A massive blade of wind tore across the ground while lightning crashed down from above.
Draven's body disappeared.
**SHHK!**
The attacks passed through empty air.
Draven reappeared several meters away.
Another attack immediately followed.
He vanished again.
**BOOM!**
The ground where he had been standing exploded.
Raijin narrowed his eyes.
"...He's using shadow magic."
Sylph glanced around.
"He's moving through the shadows."
Raijin nodded.
"That's why we can't predict where he'll appear."
Draven emerged from another patch of darkness.
He glanced toward them.
"...You've figured it out."
A faint smile appeared.
"But knowing how it works..."
"...doesn't mean you can stop it."
Behind Lunaria—
Undine's healing continued.
The water surrounding his arm pulsed with light.
Then—
**SHIMMER.**
The final trace of damage disappeared.
Lunaria slowly moved his arm.
He clenched his fist.
Everything was functioning perfectly.
Undine withdrew.
Her body began dissolving into droplets of water.
Lunaria looked toward Draven.
"...I'm done."
Draven stared at him.
"Are you?"
Lunaria's expression hardened.
"Yes."
He raised his sword.
"I hope you won't regret this..."
"...when I kill you."
**KRAAAAAK!**
Lightning suddenly erupted around his body.
The sky trembled.
Electricity crawled across his armor and sword.
His golden eyes became sharper.
Draven simply stared.
Then—
he laughed.
"Regret?"
His expression became cold.
"Like you can actually do shit to me?"
The mana surrounding Draven suddenly surged.
**WHOOOOOM!**
Crimson energy erupted from his body.
Blood began flowing from his arm.
It spiraled around his forearm.
Then—
**SHRAAAAAK!**
A massive blood weapon emerged.
The blood hardened.
Its shape elongated.
A long, curved blade formed at the end.
A massive scythe materialized in Draven's hand.
Crimson droplets dripped from its edge before evaporating into mist.
Draven slowly rotated the weapon.
His gaze settled on the blade.
"...A scythe?"
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
"So this is his blood weapon."
He looked toward Lunaria.
His smile widened.
"...How fitting."
His fingers tightened around the handle.
"For someone like him."
The pressure surrounding Draven suddenly intensified.
The battlefield trembled beneath him.
Lunaria's eyes narrowed.
Draven raised the scythe.
"Come."
"Show me..."
"...whether those spirits of yours can actually save you."
Lightning exploded around Lunaria.
Wind screamed across the battlefield.
The three Great Spirits gathered their power.
The blood scythe in Draven's hand began humming with condensed mana.
The air itself seemed to grow heavier.
Lunaria lowered his stance.
Draven leaned forward slightly.
For one brief moment—
neither side moved.
Then—
**BOOOOOOM!**
The ground beneath them shattered.
Draven and Lunaria simultaneously disappeared.
The battle—
had truly begun.