Rick slowly opened his eyes.
His whole body hurt.
The impact from the tackle had knocked the breath out of him.
A few meters away, the metal user was already standing again.
Like nothing had happened.
Rick pushed himself up.
"...Damn."
The man glanced at him.
Then casually kicked him.
BAM!
Rick was sent rolling across the road.
He hit the ground hard.
"Cough!"
The man looked down at him.
"Pathetic."
Then he turned away and continued walking toward the convoy.
At Lorum Gate—
half of the convoy had already entered the village.
Wolfbeasts and Lorum guards were fighting the remaining attackers outside.
"Protect the villagers!"
"Hold the line!"
The gate area was filled with shouting and chaos.
Saito stood near the entrance.
"Hurry!"
"Get inside!"
"Keep moving!"
Villagers rushed past him.
Children cried.
Soldiers pushed carts through the gate.
Then Fiona arrived on horseback.
Her face was pale.
"Saito!"
Saito turned.
"What happened?"
"My father!"
Saito froze.
"Rick?"
Fiona pointed down the road.
"He's still behind!"
Saito's eyes widened.
For a moment he looked toward the gate.
Then toward the road.
Without hesitation—
he ran.
"Saito!" Takashi shouted.
But Saito was already moving.
He pushed through the crowd.
Even stumbling into panicked villagers.
"Sorry!"
"Move!"
"Coming through!"
Fiona quickly followed behind him.
Meanwhile, far down the road—
Rick struggled to stand while the metal user continued advancing toward the convoy.
On the battlefield—
Gein walked toward Selena.
The tiger woman was still trying to get back to her feet after being thrown into the tree.
Gein kept his sword ready.
"I advise you to stand down."
Selena wiped blood from the corner of her mouth and clutched her jaw.
"Heh..."
"You hit harder than you look."
Before either could move—
BANG!
Another gunshot echoed from the forest.
Everyone turned toward the sound.
A few moments later—
Morgan emerged from the trees.
Blood dripped from several cuts across his body.
His breathing was heavy.
Gein immediately rushed over.
"Morgan!"
Morgan smirked weakly.
"One down."
Gein looked past him.
Deep in the forest—
Fern was leaning against a tree.
A bullet hole sat in the middle of his forehead.
The string user wasn't moving.
Gein exhaled.
"Good work."
Morgan shrugged.
"Hurts like hell."
Then Gein looked toward the road.
The convoy was already close to Lorum.
The battle had served its purpose.
"We need to head into the village."
He raised his sword.
"Soldiers!"
"Retreat!"
The Hiraki troops immediately obeyed.
Half the soldiers fell back.
The other half stayed behind to hold the enemy.
Once the first group gained distance—
they switched.
The rear guard retreated while fresh soldiers covered them.
Step by step.
Formation after formation.
The disciplined retreat slowly pulled Gein's forces toward Lorum Village while keeping the enemy from breaking through.
The metal man watched the convoy ahead.
The gates of Lorum were getting closer.
More and more villagers were disappearing inside.
He clicked his tongue.
"...Annoying."
Several Wolfbeast soldiers noticed him immediately.
"There!"
"Stop him!"
The Wolfbeasts rushed forward without hesitation.
The metal man didn't even slow down.
One lunged at him.
BAM!
He casually kicked the soldier aside.
Another attacked from the left.
The metal man swung his metal arm.
The Wolfbeast was thrown into the dirt.
The remaining guards tried to surround him.
But he simply walked through them.
Step by step.
Toward the convoy.
Toward the civilians.
The Wolfbeasts struggled to stop him.
The gap between him and the villagers kept shrinking.
Closer.
Closer.
Then—
Rick appeared from the side.
"Get away from them!"
He threw a punch with everything he had.
THUD!
His fist connected with the metal man's face.
But—
the man didn't move.
Not even an inch.
Silence.
Rick's eyes widened.
The metal man slowly turned his head and looked at him.
A cold glare.
Then—
BAM!
A kick slammed into Rick's stomach.
"Cough!"
Rick was launched across the road and crashed into the dirt again.
The metal man looked down at him.
"You should have stayed down."
Then he continued walking toward the convoy.
The metal man took another step toward the convoy.
Then suddenly—
his foot stopped.
He looked down.
Rick was holding his leg.
Both hands locked around it.
Refusing to let go.
The metal man's expression darkened.
"...Persistent."
He tried to pull free.
Rick held on.
The man kicked him in the back.
THUD!
Then again.
THUD!
Rick gritted his teeth.
But he didn't let go.
The metal man clicked his tongue.
"Let go."
Rick shook his head.
"Not happening."
In the distance—
Saito finally arrived.
His eyes widened.
"RICK!"
"Fall back!"
The metal man looked toward Saito.
Then back at Rick.
"...Enough."
His voice became cold.
"I'll kill you instead."
With a violent jerk, he kicked Rick away.
Rick rolled across the ground before forcing himself back to his feet.
Blood dripped from his mouth.
But he still stood between the attacker and the villagers.
"Leave..."
Rick wiped his mouth.
"...my people alone."
For the first time, the metal man looked genuinely annoyed.
His metal arm began to change.
Liquid metal flowed across it.
Stretching.
Sharpening.
Until it became a massive blade.
Several villagers gasped.
Rick's eyes widened.
The metal man lunged.
SLASH!
Rick tried to dodge—
but not fast enough.
The blade tore across his chest.
A deep cut opened through his clothes.
Blood splattered onto the road.
Rick staggered backward.
Then collapsed to one knee.
"Rick!"
Saito's shout echoed across the battlefield.
The sound of marching suddenly echoed from behind.
Gein and the remaining Hiraki soldiers had finally arrived.
They immediately saw the scene.
Rick kneeling on the road.
Blood spreading beneath him.
Saito rushing toward him.
And the metal man standing nearby.
Gein's eyes widened.
"...Rick!"
His expression hardened instantly.
He raised his sword.
"CHARGE!"
The soldiers erupted into motion.
"FORWARD!"
The Hiraki troops, Wolfbeasts, and guards all rushed toward the attacker.
The metal man glanced at them.
Then toward the convoy.
Most of the villagers had already reached Lorum.
A small smile appeared on his face.
"...My job is done here."
Before anyone could reach him—
his body began changing.
His skin turned silver.
Then liquid.
The soldiers slowed in shock.
"What?!"
The metal flowed downward like water.
Into the ground.
And vanished.
Leaving nothing behind.
Gein's sword cut through empty air.
"...Damn it."
Meanwhile—
Saito had already reached Rick.
He dropped to his knees beside him.
"Rick!"
No response.
Rick's eyes were closed.
His breathing was weak.
The deep wound across his chest continued bleeding.
Fiona arrived moments later and froze.
"Dad..."
Her voice shook.
Saito pressed a hand against the wound.
"We need a doctor!"
"Now!"
Several soldiers immediately rushed forward.
A Wolfbeast lifted Rick carefully.
Saito stood beside him.
His fists clenched.
His expression darker than it had been all day.
"Get him to the mansion."
"Move!"
And the group hurried toward Lorum Village while the soldiers secured the road behind them.
After the last villagers entered Lorum Village, the gates remained open just long enough for the remaining soldiers to get through.
"Move!"
"Inside!"
"Hurry!"
Gein's troops rushed through the entrance while Wolfbeasts covered them.
Once everyone was safely inside—
Takashi stepped forward.
He adjusted his glasses and looked at the enemies still charging down the road.
Some of the Red Scythe gangsters were desperate enough to continue their attack.
Others were already beginning to retreat toward the forest.
Takashi sighed.
"...Idiots."
He raised his hand.
A gray glow formed around his fingers.
"Bullet Cement."
Dozens of hardened cement bullets shot forward.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
The projectiles tore through the battlefield.
Several gangsters were hit instantly and thrown to the ground.
Others dove for cover.
The charge immediately broke apart.
"Fall back!"
"Retreat!"
The surviving attackers quickly turned and fled into the woods.
Within moments, the road outside Lorum became quiet again.
Only the sounds of wounded soldiers and exhausted breathing remained.
Takashi lowered his hand.
The village gate slowly began to close.
RUMBLE...
Gein watched the forest carefully.
"They're gone."
Takashi nodded.
"For now."
Behind them, healers were already rushing Rick toward the village clinic while worried villagers gathered around, praying he would survive.
And for the first time since the attack began—
Lorum Village finally had a moment to breath.