As the battle raged on, there were those who dared to watch.
From the sidelines stood Ashley, Miss Cambrian, and General Verdict—who held his daughter in his arms in a desperate princess carry.
None of them spoke.
They couldn't.
What unfolded before them was beyond anything they had ever witnessed.
Kai—barely Level 6—was clashing against a monster far beyond reason.
The sheer gap in power should have made the outcome obvious.
And yet—
Kai was keeping up.
No.
More than that—
He was pushing the Vampire Baron.
It was awe-inspiring.
Terrifying.
Unbelievable.
But—
They had underestimated one thing.
The true gap between levels.
Kai moved.
His fist surged forward at terrifying speed.
Mach 2.
The air split around his arm as he aimed straight for the Baron's head.
Then—
Everything changed.
In a single instant—
The scene shattered.
A blood spear formed.
Not above.
Not from the side.
But—
Point-blank.
THUD.
It pierced straight through Kai's chest.
Silence.
For a moment, no one breathed.
The spear pinned him in place, the shaft protruding from both his chest and his back.
Kai coughed.
Golden.
Crimson.
Silver-streaked blood spilled from his lips.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
He looked down.
At the spear.
How…?
How did this happen?
The Vampire Baron laughed.
A cold, cruel sound.
"You may be stronger than others at your level…"
"But there is still a clear difference between levels."
His smile was merciless.
Ashley's voice broke the silence.
"KAI!!"
Her scream trembled with fear and desperation.
Her body shook violently.
She couldn't accept what she was seeing.
Not him.
Not like this.
Then—
Something moved.
The Ice Empress.
Weak.
Barely conscious.
Yet her hand slowly lifted.
No one noticed—
Except her father.
Her finger pointed at the Vampire Baron.
Her lips moved silently.
A spell activated.
Sealing Ice.
In an instant—
The Baron froze.
His body locked in place, encased in solid ice.
A perfect frozen statue.
The spell wouldn't last forever.
At most—
24 hours.
But it was enough.
For now.
She turned.
Moved.
Each step slow.
Heavy.
Painful.
Yet she reached Kai.
He was still struggling, trying to pull the blood spear from his chest.
It wouldn't budge.
Her hand touched it.
The blood construct reacted—
Then froze.
The spear turned to ice.
Cracked.
Shattered into particles.
Gone.
The moment it vanished—
Kai's wound began to heal.
Instantly.
But something else happened.
His blindfold had fallen.
His eyes were revealed.
Draconic.
Galactic.
Endless.
A cold, raging inferno burned within them.
Kai clenched his fists.
Anger surged through him.
Not at the Baron—
At himself.
I got cocky.
He had forgotten something important.
His strength—
Was nothing compared to that creature.
This was no ordinary enemy.
This was something closer to a god.
And Kai?
He hadn't even crossed the threshold yet.
When all core stats—Strength, Vitality, Dexterity, Agility, Intelligence—reached a certain point…
Something changed.
One transcended mortality.
Became something beyond human.
Something capable of wielding god-like power.
Kai wasn't there yet.
Not even close.
Even if he used all his status points—
He still wouldn't reach that level.
Retreat…
Was the logical choice.
But still—
He wanted to leave a mark.
A scar.
Something.
Before he left—
A cold hand grabbed his arm.
"Don't be impulsive."
Her voice was weak.
Yet firm.
"Come with me. We need time alone."
Kai blinked.
Confused.
In the chaos of battle—
He had completely forgotten about the quest.
She pulled him closer.
"Fly us out of here. Now."
Kai hesitated for only a moment—
Then nodded.
He lifted her gently into his arms.
Her body was cold.
Fragile.
"Somewhere hidden," she whispered.
"A cave… where no one can see."
"…Huh?"
Kai didn't question it further.
With a powerful beat of his wings—
He took off.
Lightning crackled faintly around him as he disappeared into the sky.
Leaving behind—
Ashley.
Miss Cambrian.
General Verdict.
And the frozen statue of the Vampire Baron.
Silent.
Waiting.