Hiding inside the inn room, Rin grew restless, anxious about what was unfolding in Aldor.
Earlier, an explosion had thundered across the sky, startling her so badly she nearly jumped out of her skin. The blast shook the entire room, making the furniture and cups tremble violently.
Soon after, an announcement spread that the cultists had seized control of the city, heightening the tension and fear.
Unsure what to do, Rin recalled her Master's recent instructions: stay hidden inside the room. Thus, she decided to remain there, quietly observing the outside world through the window, its view nearly concealed by drawn curtains.
For a while, everything seemed calm, with nothing else happening. But then, the situation deteriorated at an alarming pace.
The streets suddenly filled with people fleeing in panic. Some carried nothing, while others dragged along bundles of belongings.
Terrified shouts and cries echoed everywhere, mingled with the frightened sobs of children.
Peeking from behind the curtain, Rin overheard frantic whispers about fires, about people being beheaded, and about terrifying Magical Beasts rampaging through Aldor's streets.
The more she heard, the more uneasy she became. Yet, trusting her Master's words, she stayed hidden, waiting in silence.
Gradually, the street outside her window grew quieter, with fewer passersby. It seemed most had already fled elsewhere. Sitting alone in the empty room, Rin suddenly felt a strange loneliness, a faint sorrow creeping in.
Then, a terrified cry rang out, shattering her thoughts. The sound snapped her back to focus, and she quickly turned her gaze to the window.
What she saw outside was horrifying.
A frail little boy in tattered clothes sat collapsed on the ground, his whole body trembling violently. He looked slightly older than Rin and Tris, perhaps around eleven or twelve.
Not far from him perched a fearsome Magical Beast. It resembled a massive black bat, its maw bristling with jagged, razor‑sharp fangs. Spreading its wings wide, it fixed its gaze on the child and began to advance.
From its movements, it was clear the beast had already marked him as prey, an easy meal to be devoured in a single bite.
Witnessing this, Rin hesitated, uncertain of what to do.
Then, just as the Magical Beast lunged, a small hammer suddenly flew through the air and struck its head.
Though momentarily dazed, the creature quickly regained its senses and turned toward the direction the hammer had come from.
There, behind the window of a nearby building, stood another child. From her stance, it was obvious she had thrown the weapon.
In truth, the hammer was part of the small toolkit Tris had once given Rin. She had pulled it from her spatial ring and hurled it with all her strength.
Even though the throw had landed perfectly, it only managed to stun the beast briefly. That alone revealed to Rin just how resilient its body was, and made her realize she stood no chance in a straightforward fight.
Enraged by the attack, the Magical Beast let out a vicious screech and launched itself straight toward the window where Rin stood.
Seeing it rush at her, Rin gripped her warpick tightly. Instead of fleeing, she chose to stand her ground and wait.
The moment the Magical Beast struck, it collided with an unnaturally solid wall and window frame. In that instant, a sudden and immense counterforce erupted, driving it backward and hurling it away. Repelled by a force greater than its own charge, the Magical Beast staggered as it was flung back, left dazed and reeling.
At the same time, the Magical Beast saw the child leap out from behind the window frame, both hands raised high as she brought down a metal rod onto its head.
A heavy thud echoed as the creature's massive body crashed against the ground below.
Using the momentum of its fall, Rin rolled herself to a nearby spot.
Clutching the warpick in her hands, she rose unsteadily, trembling and gasping for breath. A surge of joy welled up within her, and she silently offered thanks to her Master.
Rin had chosen not to evade earlier, trusting in the protective magic Tris had prepared for the room. The outcome was exactly as she had anticipated: the Magical Beast not only failed to break through the wall and storm inside, but even ended up injuring itself.
Seizing the opportunity, Rin charged forward and struck its head with her warpick, pouring into the blow everything she had been taught, desperate to finish it.
Suddenly, in the corner of her eye, she saw the boy from before scramble to his feet and dash away with all his strength. His expression was still filled with terror, as though he had witnessed something dreadful.
Alarmed, Rin quickly turned her gaze back to the beast. Despite being battered by the protective magic and struck hard on the head, it refused to die, dragging itself upright once more.
Its face looked even more terrifying, blood streaming across its features. Looking closer, Rin noticed part of its head had hardened, turning to stone, sealing the wound and stopping the blood. It seemed to be a defensive ability it had used to protect itself.
As the beast fixed its gaze on her, Rin could feel its fury and killing intent radiating clearly. Knowing the situation had turned dire, she tried to retreat, running back toward the inn.
But the Magical Beast would not simply watch her flee. The moment Rin moved, it opened its maw full of fangs and lunged forward. Despite its injuries, its speed now surpassed even before, a clear sign of its determination to kill her.
Realizing she could not outrun it at her current pace, Rin was seized by fear, certain her body was about to be torn apart by those razor‑sharp jaws.
Yet, at the very instant the beast lunged to bite, Rin managed to shift herself to a nearby spot. Its savage strike snapped shut on empty air, its fangs clashing in the void.
In that moment, as the beast closed in, Rin's instincts, honed through relentless training, took over. Unconsciously, she used 'Flash Steps' for the first time.