Rin's eyes locked onto the creature.
"…Look."
A brief pause.
"We split."
Raeno frowned.
"…What?"
Rin didn't look away.
"In all directions."
His voice hardened.
"It's our only chance."
A short silence—
Then—
"…A one-on-one fight is impossible now."
"…Fine. You're right."
Yuro moved.
He dashed straight at the creature—
But didn't attack.
At the last second—
He shifted.
Circling around it—
Forcing its attention.
Then slipped behind it.
---
Raeno moved to the right—
Taking position near the corner.
The creature looked in every direction—
Then—
Its tail stabbed into the ground.
---
A second later—
The earth exploded.
Poison burst out from beneath.
---
Rin was hit.
Yuro and Raeno dodged.
---
"…Don't worry."
Rin steadied himself.
"It won't kill me now."
A brief breath.
"…Just a matter of time."
---
He looked at them.
"…Listen."
"I used flame earlier… normally."
A short pause.
"…Looks like we can switch elements mid-fight."
His eyes sharpened.
"…Try it."
"It'll give us a better chance."
"…No time."
Yuro dashed forward.
"Raeno—cut the tails!"
---
He struck—
The creature blocked—
But its wings were weaker now.
Burned. Damaged.
---
Then—
A flash.
The stinger pierced Yuro's shoulder.
---
"…Tch."
He stepped back—
Looking at the wound.
"…Not now."
---
Raeno moved.
He focused—
Remembering Rin's words.
---
Flame formed in his hand—
An arrow.
He didn't fire.
He held it—
Then formed more.
Six arrows.
Three ice.
Three flame.
Then—
A blade formed in his other hand.
He dashed toward the creature.
---
Raeno dashed in—
Striking from behind.
But—
The twin tails lashed out—
Blocking his path.
---
Then—
A flash of ice.
Rin's beam shot forward—
Freezing the creature for a split second.
Raeno took it.
He swung—
His blade struck one of the tails.
It cut—
But not completely.
The creature reacted—
Flames burst along the tail.
Raeno was forced back.
---
He fired an arrow—
Ice—
But—
It ignited mid-air.
Turning into flame.
"…What?"
The arrow still hit.
The creature flinched.
Raeno's eyes widened.
"…It worked?"
"…But it's using fire…"
---
On the other side—
Yuro focused.
Rin's words echoed.
He tried—
Shifting his fist—
Into claws.
Nothing.
"…Damn—"
A sudden strike—
A blade shot toward him.
Yuro dropped low—
Avoiding it by inches.
"…A sword?"
He looked up—
Frozen for a moment.
The creature's arms—
Had turned into blades.
It didn't stop.
It struck—
Hard.
Yuro was thrown back—
Crashing to the ground.
---
The creature turned.
Its gaze shifted to Rin.
Rin stood still—
Focused.
A massive sphere formed in front of him—
This time—
Burning.
Flames condensed tightly.
In his other hand—
He added something—
Unstable. Crackling.
Like…
An explosive.
---
The creature dashed toward Rin—
Aimed to destroy the sphere.
Rin didn't move.
Then—
The ground exploded.
Ice erupted from beneath—
Freezing the creature mid-charge.
Raeno's eyes widened.
"…He set that up beforehand…"
No hesitation.
Raeno moved.
He fired five arrows—
Straight at the creature.
He held back two.
One ice. One flame.
He grabbed them both—
Trying to merge them.
Nothing.
"…Tch."
He threw them aside—
Gripped his sword—
And dashed in.
---
This time—
He struck clean.
One wing—
Severed.
The creature let out a sharp screech.
Raeno smirked slightly.
From behind—
Rin's voice came sharp.
"Raeno—move!"
Raeno didn't question it.
He jumped back instantly.
Rin threw the sphere.
The flaming mass shot forward—
Toward the creature.
---
The explosion hit.
Rin thought it was over.
But—
The creature stepped out.
Burned. Damaged.
But alive.
Rin's breath slowed.
His body felt heavy.
"…No…"
The poison.
"…It's starting…"
---
Raeno moved.
He charged his blade—
And dashed in.
He aimed for the second wing—
But—
CLANG!
The creature blocked—
Its arm turned blade—
Knocking Raeno's sword away—
And slamming him to the ground.
It turned—
Toward Rin.
Rin froze.
"…Everything I learned…"
"…long-range attacks…"
"…won't work now…"
"…What do I do…?"
---
"…Did you really think…"
A voice.
"…you defeated me that easily?"
Yuro.
He stood.
Bloodied.
But smiling.
He slammed his fists together.
This time—
They changed.
Claws.
Sharp. Deadly.
"…Finally."
He dashed forward.
Mid-run—
He looked at Rin—
Then at his hand—
Then at the creature's tails.
Rin understood.
Yuro struck.
Claws met blades.
Fast. Relentless.
Yuro twisted his arms—
Locking the creature's sword movements.
At the same time—
Rin acted.
Ice shot forward—
Freezing the creature's tails.
Then—
Lightning.
A direct strike to its head.
The creature froze—
Just for a second.
That was enough.
Yuro attacked—
Again. Again. Again.
Claws tore into its chest—
Over and over—
Until flesh appeared beneath.
Raeno stood—
Grabbed his sword—
And rushed in.
He stabbed—
Once. Twice. Again.
The creature had no opening.
---
Then—
Silence.
A shift.
"…!"
Too late.
The creature exploded.
A massive blast consumed everything.
Light. Heat.
Nothing remained.
Ash.
Silence.
---
Then—
Yuro opened his eyes.
They stood—
Outside the arena.
Unharmed.
As if nothing had happened.
Yuro exhaled slowly.
"…So that's why…"
He looked ahead.
"…Shiron said he didn't care if we died."
A brief pause.
"…We just come back."
Yuro spoke first.
"Honestly… that was a great fight."
A small smirk appeared on his face.
"We lost… but in a way, we won."
He held out his hand.
"Good job."
They slammed their fists together.
A silent pact.
Then—
They walked out.
---
Outside the arena, the air felt different.
Yuro stretched his arms, looking around.
"So… where's the house? I need to sleep."
Silence.
Rin and Raeno stopped.
They turned to look at him.
"…What?"
"Don't tell me you don't remember the way."
Yuro blinked.
"…Huh?"
Raeno's voice rose slightly.
"We only followed you because we thought YOU knew where it was!"
Yuro laughed.
"Relax, you two."
He leaned against a nearby pillar.
"We have two options."
"Option one: We go looking for the house. Maybe we find it, maybe we don't. If we're lucky, we'll stumble upon it before sunrise."
He paused, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Option two: We sleep right here in the arena. It's warm, anyway."
Rin and Raeno stared at him.
Yuro's smile widened.
"But... Shiron will find out."
"And if he does, I suspect he'll roast us even harder than that explosion did."
Rin spoke up.
"It's better to sleep in the arena."
"Searching for the house now is pointless. Besides… Shiron doesn't have the right to dictate every second of our lives. We decide what we do."
They headed back inside.
The warmth of the arena was enough. They slept until 6:00 AM.
---
At dawn, they moved.
Creeping out of the arena, trying to be as silent as shadows.
The plan was simple: slip away before Shiron noticed they had spent the night there.
But as they reached the exit—
They froze.
Shiron was standing right there, leaning against the doorframe.
He didn't say a word.
He just looked at them.
Shiron looked at them, his gaze cold and unreadable.
He didn't utter a single word.
Instead, he slowly turned his back to them and gave a slight gesture with his hand.
A silent command: *Follow me.*
As they walked out, Lauren was already there, waiting by his side.
A playful, yet sharp smirk crossed her face as she looked at their tired expressions.
"Did you really think you were being clever?" she asked, her voice echoing in the morning silence.
"Even if you had woken up hours before he arrived, it wouldn't have mattered."
She leaned closer, her eyes glittering.
"He knew you were here before you even closed your eyes to sleep."
A brief pause as the weight of her words sank in.
"He can see everything that happens inside that arena."
"Every move... every breath... and every failed attempt to hide."
While they were walking, Shiron suddenly came to a halt.
He turned his head slightly, his voice cold as ice.
"Today, we head to the Green Land."
He scanned their worn-out clothes with a look of pure disdain.
"But before that… those rags you're wearing won't last a second in a real fight."
A brief silence.
"They hinder your movement. They are useless."
He gestured toward the horizon where the town center lay.
"We are going to the Market. You will get proper combat and training gear."
"Gear that won't get you killed before the first strike."