One Week After Tsubasa's Funeral
The small village inn felt stuffy. Windows shut tight, door locked — an excessive level of caution for a place that was supposed to be safe.
Rina sat on the edge of the bed, swinging her legs with a bored expression. Her gaze kept drifting to the window, clearly wishing she could go outside — but Han stood in front of it, looking out, straight-backed and with no intention of moving even an inch.
"Big Brother..." Rina's voice carried barely-contained frustration. "Why can't I go out today?"
Han didn't turn around, his eyes still fixed on whatever lay beyond the glass, as if waiting for something that could appear at any moment. "It's dangerous out there, Rina."
"But I don't see anything," Rina protested in the long-suffering tone of someone who had heard this too many times. "Big Brother, you're worrying too much. It's been a whole week of this—"
ROAAAAAR!
The roar shook the air — deep, heavy, and terrible — rolling in from the direction of the forest. The vibration made the windowpanes rattle hard.
Then another roar. And another. From different directions.
Rina jolted upright from the bed, her face immediately pale. "B-Big Brother! What was that?!"
Han showed not a trace of surprise — as though he had known this would come. "Monsters."
He turned to look at Rina, his gaze sharp and steady. "Stay here. No matter what happens, don't go outside."
"But, Big Brother—"
"Rina." His voice was firm, leaving no room for debate. "Promise me."
Rina looked at her brother — and something in Han's expression made every protest she'd been about to say dissolve entirely. She lowered her head and whispered,
"I promise."
-
Across the Nation
Chaos erupted simultaneously across the land.
Villages that had been peaceful were overrun from the direction of the forests. Bustling towns filled with screams and roars. Even remote areas rarely touched by outsiders were not spared.
The scale of the attack was roughly comparable — perhaps slightly smaller — to the great calamity of the past. But no less dangerous for it.
Monsters of all kinds poured forth: wolf-like creatures with fur as dark as shadow, giant birds with talons sharp as blades, and feral beasts that moved with an unsettling resemblance to humans.
-
The City Center
Zenya stood in the middle of the plaza, her red coat billowing in a wind that carried the scent of destruction. Behind her, rows of soldiers stood at the ready — trained, disciplined, though a trace of fear they couldn't quite conceal still lurked in their eyes.
"LISTEN UP!" Zenya's voice cut through the panic, resonating with an authority that couldn't be questioned. "Protect every civilian! Move to the outer districts and every corner of the villages!"
She pointed sharply at several groups. "You — east! You — west! Prioritize evacuating children and the elderly!"
Then her gaze swept to the elite unit standing directly before her. "Ten of you, with me! We are the first line of defense!"
"READY!" Their voices rang out as one, and the troops moved with military precision.
Zenya shot forward, her body wreathed in crackling lightning. Her right arm rose — and bolts of electricity surged outward, slamming into a monster that had been charging toward a group of civilians.
BOOM!
The creature was incinerated on the spot, its body crumpling into a smoldering heap of charred flesh.
But the next wave came immediately.
And the next.
Always more.
-
In Front of the Palace
Elina stood with her eyes closed, both hands folded in front of her chest. Her posture appeared calm, yet the aura around her trembled with a power that was almost impossible to contain.
A soft green light began to radiate from her body — faint at first, then growing brighter, like the breath of the earth waking from a long sleep.
Then —
Crack.
The ground before her split open. Not from destruction, but from life.
Thin roots emerged from the fissure, spreading rapidly — threading through soil, walls, and roads, moving at speeds impossible for any ordinary plant.
The townspeople who witnessed it recoiled in shock, some stumbling back in a panic, unable to understand what was happening. But then —
Nearby, someone was attacked. A monster's claws ripped through their skin, blood spilling quickly. They fell, crying out in pain.
But before anyone could reach them, the roots moved — wrapping gently around their body. Green light pulsed from between the coils.
The open wounds slowly closed. The bleeding stopped. Within seconds, the person went still — then slowly sat up, pale-faced, but completely healed.
"...What just happened?"
In another corner of the city, a group of civilians was cornered. No way out — the monsters were already too close.
But the roots spread faster than the eye could follow, forming a barrier between them. In an instant, the tips sharpened and drove into the bodies of the monsters. They fell, dead.
The civilians were saved.
And the same thing happened everywhere — on every road, in every village, in every place still within Elina's reach.
A reach that turned out to be... extraordinary.
Elina remained standing, her concentration unbroken. Sweat tracked down her forehead. Her hands trembled slightly with exhaustion.
The Divine Mark on her forehead appeared and blazed in full — radiating a blinding green light. Her green hair shimmered softly, drifting as though she stood beneath water.
"I won't let anyone be hurt again…"
Her voice wavered, straining under the weight of the power constantly flowing out of her. But even with her eyes closed, her face radiated an absolute resolve — calm, yet utterly unshakeable.
The roots obeyed her will — moving faster, more ferocious when attacking, yet as gentle as a touch when healing.
"You have all suffered enough…"
Elina's voice was almost like a prayer, but behind it lay a power that shook the world.
Another wave of energy surged. More roots broke from the earth, threading through roads, walls, even towers — spreading further, wider, weaving a net of protection across the entire city.
"Now, it is our turn to protect you!"
The light of the Divine Mark on her forehead blazed ever brighter, piercing through the haze of war that obscured the sky.
That light became a light of hope — cutting through the darkness and refusing despair.
-
The Village Outskirts
The situation here was far more dire. Too few soldiers, too many monsters.
Rudes stood among them — with five, maybe six other fighters. Their bodies were covered in wounds, their breathing ragged, yet not a single one was ready to give in.
"WE HOLD THIS LINE!" Rudes shouted, his voice rough and hoarse with exhaustion. "If they break through, the civilians behind us have no chance!"
The soldiers answered with short, fierce battle cries, then surged forward together into the field of blood and dust.
Rudes's sword blazed with energy — each swing cutting through monsters with practiced precision. To his left and right, the soldiers worked in unison — spears driving through wolf-like creatures, arrows exploding on impact.
And more than that, Elina's roots had extended even here, fighting alongside them. Attacking, healing, protecting — creating a seamless coordination between magic and physical combat, as if a single consciousness was guiding it all.
But then —
From behind. A blind spot.
A monster emerged: massive, four-legged, its horns like spears, moving at a speed impossible for something its size.
"Rudes! Behind you!" one of the soldiers screamed, panicked.
Rudes turned — but too late.
SLASH!
The claws caught his shoulder, tearing through it. Blood sprayed.
He went down, the blow sending him tumbling. His sword flew from his grip, ringing sharply as it hit the ground.
The monster didn't stop — it lunged for the killing blow, jaws gaping wide —
CRACK-BOOM!
Lightning struck from the sky, hitting the target dead-on. The explosion of electricity obliterated the monster, its body detonating into charred flesh and shattered bone.
A figure landed between Rudes and what remained of the creature, the force of their aura pressing down on the air around them.
Zenya — crackling with electricity. Her coat was scorched in places, her arms bore fresh wounds, but her bearing was as unshakeable as ever.
"Is your strength failing you, kid?"
Even in a moment like this, a faint smile played at her lips.
Immediately, Elina's roots crept toward Rudes, wrapping him in green light. The wound on his shoulder closed in moments, the pain fading.
Rudes sat up, shooting her a flat look despite everything. "Hah. Who are you calling a kid?"
He rose, reclaiming his sword. Power surged through him, the blade shining brighter than before. His Divine Mark ignited — a golden sigil appearing on the back of his hand, radiating a warm, steady light.
Zenya grinned, raising her own hand. Her Divine Mark activated too — the symbol at her collar blazing brilliant blue. Lightning coiled around her, no longer just crackling but rolling in waves that made the very air vibrate.
"Then prove to me you aren't," she said, her voice full of open challenge.
Rudes met it with a thin smile. "With pleasure."
This time, they faced the monsters together — not as rivals, not as adversaries.
But as partners.
Thunder met steel. Lightning crossed blades. Two fighters moved in perfect sync, fighting for the same purpose.
Wave after wave of monsters fell before them. Lightning burned, swords cut, roots ensnared and destroyed.
They were not merely fighters — they were an unstoppable pair.
-
The Orphanage
The situation here, as it turned out, remained manageable.
Alice stood at the gate, her hands glowing. A defensive barrier materialized in the air before her, shimmering like a wall of light, holding back monster attacks.
Ensei was on the roof, bow at the ready. Arrow after arrow flew with perfect precision, always finding a vital point — every monster that tried to approach fell without exception.
At the side door, Andre waited with his sword. Any creature that managed to slip through was met with a brutal blast of fire from a single swing.
"This is almost too easy!" Ensei called out as he kept firing. "Seems like only the smaller ones are making it this far!"
"Don't get careless!" Alice called back, eyes still scanning, hands still raised.
Honestly, with three capable fighters and a position slightly removed from the main battle, the orphanage had become nearly impenetrable.
The children inside were safe — fully protected, not even aware of how serious the chaos outside truly was.
-
The Village Inn District
A squad of soldiers hurried in, braced for fierce resistance, ready for a grinding fight.
But when they arrived —
Silence.
Dozens of monsters lay dead across the roads, on rooftops, in narrow alleyways. Every body was destroyed with precision — some split apart, some frozen, some burned — different methods, but all efficient.
Standing in the middle of it all was a single figure.
Han.
His clothes were barely creased. His breathing was calm, no sign of fatigue. His expression was flat, as though nothing particularly remarkable had occurred.
The soldiers stopped. Stared. Their faces filled with stunned disbelief.
"You… you did all of this?" one soldier asked, his voice saturated with incredulity.
Han glanced at them briefly — acknowledging their presence, nothing more — then simply turned and walked back toward the inn at an unhurried pace.
"Wait! Who are you?!" another soldier shouted.
Han didn't respond. His steps didn't even slow. He went inside, closing the door quietly behind him.
The soldiers stood rooted to the spot, confused and vaguely irritated. "Strange man…" one muttered.
They shook it off in the end. "Either way, this area is clear. Let's check on the civilians."
-
Several Hours Later
Gradually, the roaring began to fade. Fewer and fewer monsters appeared. Then… none at all.
The attack stopped. Abruptly. As if someone had flipped a switch and turned off the chaos.
On the battlefield, Zenya lowered her arm, the lightning vanishing. Her breathing was heavy, but her expression was satisfied. The soldiers around her sank to the ground in exhaustion — battered, but alive.
At the palace, Elina finally opened her eyes. The roots slowly receded, merging back into the earth. She swayed, her head spinning from the sheer scale of magic she had expended.
Her attendant Maya caught her immediately. "Miss Elina!"
"I… I'm alright," Elina whispered, her voice barely there. "How are… the people?"
"No casualties!" Maya reported, relief plain in every word. "Thanks to you, everyone survived!"
Elina smiled — exhausted, but genuine. "Thank goodness…"
Then she collapsed — not unconscious, simply completely spent. Maya guided her back inside the palace to rest.
-
After the Attack
The sun began to set, casting amber light across the now quiet battlefield.
The townspeople emerged from their shelters, from behind barricades. They took in the destruction around them — but they also realized one thing:
No bodies. No casualties. There were wounds, certainly. And fear. But everyone was alive.
Cheering began to rise, slowly at first, then swelling. Gratitude poured out for Elina, for Zenya, for the soldiers — for all who had fought.
The new era had proven itself: leadership that truly cared, that truly protected.
Hope.
And yet, in a small inn at the edge of the village, Han didn't celebrate.
He sat on the edge of the bed, helping calm Rina, handing her something to drink. His expression was flat, difficult to read.
"Drink this… settle yourself," he said quietly.
The dream — Rineva's warning — still haunted him:
"Time and fate… you cannot change them."
Today, they had won. But Han knew, deep in his bones —
This was not the end.
This was only the beginning.
And whatever waited ahead…
He would be ready. He had to be ready.
To be continued…