Arrows flew from all directions, but Lady Izi stood unmoving, making no effort to dodge or defend herself. Each arrow that struck her bounced off as if hitting solid stone.

  "If you won't come to me, then I will come to you."

  Fully exposed, Lady Izi began chanting, just as Atari once had. Her voice, resonating from deep within, made Isrin and Sibonen hold their breath in awe.

  One of the bck-cd enemies wielding a spear charged at her from the side.

  "Witness the power even the ancient emperors feared. Exsurge, Sanguis Vetus. (Rise, Ancient Blood.)"

  With Lady Izi's words, the dried blood on her torn dress surged outward, tching onto the charging man.

  "Agh... help me—"

  Before he could finish, his body burst apart with a sickening pop. Silence fell over the battlefield.

  Now they understood why the enemy called her a demon. Her power was nothing like the brutal strength Jensen and Baku had shown—this was something monstrous.

  Another wave of arrows came, but again, they bounced harmlessly off Lady Izi. This time, she raised her hand and pointed toward the source of the attack.

  "I will kill you all and cim your blood. Ascende ad thronum mortis. Sitio cruorem tuum, donec nox omnes absorbeat. (Ascend to the throne of death. I thirst for your blood until the night swallows all.)"

  As she spoke, several enemies were yanked violently toward her, shredded midair before even reaching her.

  ---

  Jensen watched, shuddering, as Lady Izi sughtered three more soldiers with ease.

  *Charging that monster is pure suicide.*

  He gritted his teeth.

  *She must still be injured. Otherwise, we'd all be dead by now.*

  "Baku, we have to hold her off before the others arrive," Jensen said.

  Baku nodded grimly. Jensen opened a pouch at his waist, popped a pill into his mouth, and Baku followed suit.

  Instantly, a surge of power coursed through their bodies—enough, perhaps, to bind Lady Izi temporarily.

  "Baku, just a little longer! Reinforcements are almost here!"

  With that, Jensen charged forward at full speed.

  ---

  Lady Izi had piled the corpses of her enemies into a gruesome throne. She rose when she saw Baku and Jensen approaching from opposite sides.

  Baku swung a massive axe at her, but Lady Izi swatted it aside with her bare palm.

  *Cng!*

  The impact sent Baku flying backward. Jensen lunged with his sword, but Lady Izi caught it effortlessly with her bare hand.

  "Die, monster!"

  Jensen raised the sword, slicing through her hand. Shockingly, her hand was severed.

  But Lady Izi showed no pain. Instead, her severed hand reattached itself seamlessly as she lifted it.

  "Traitors. You must have prepared something."

  Baku rushed in again, but Lady Izi struck him in the chest, knocking him sprawling.

  Jensen thrust his sword once more, but she sidestepped and kicked him violently, sending him tumbling away.

  Both should have been fatally wounded—yet they rose again.

  "Just a little more, Baku!"

  Jensen shouted, charging once again. Baku followed, drawing a dagger from his belt.

  Lady Izi moved slowly, almost zily, yet neither of their attacks could touch her. Then, she caught Baku by the head.

  ---

  "Gahhhh!"

  Baku screamed, trying to ssh her hand with his dagger, but then he met her icy gaze.

  *Ah... this is the end.*

  Lady Izi's fingers pierced into Baku's skull. He went limp instantly.

  Jensen, seeing Baku die so brutally, gritted his teeth. Even with the magical drugs coursing through his system, he felt himself reaching his limit.

  *I can't die here.*

  Then—a horn sounded from the distance.

  *They're here.*

  ---

  Lady Izi hurled Baku's corpse aside and scanned her surroundings. Reinforcements had arrived—many of them.

  *They aren't ordinary soldiers. They must have been trained specifically to capture me.*

  Though she could not see them clearly, she could feel it: the overwhelming presence of the Greater Ascendant Counterforce.

  *This isn't just a raid. This is a full-scale military operation, with resources only a nation could muster.*

  Lady Izi knew she could escape if she abandoned the others. But she remembered Riche's words—the Field Department must protect its own.

  She clenched her fists. There would be no retreat. Only survival.

  Jensen fled into the darkness, but Lady Izi let him go. She had bigger threats to face.

  *My body isn't fully healed, but I'll endure. I must.*

  Her only hope now was to hold out until Code B arrived.

  ---

  Sibonen cautiously approached Baku's body, dragging it behind cover.

  "Sibonen, what are you doing?" Isrin whispered urgently.

  "We might find something useful," Sibonen replied. "Anything that can help Lady Izi."

  Together, they searched Baku's belongings. Most of it was useless, but they found a signal fre tucked into his pocket.

  "We can't do much to help," Sibonen said, "but if we use this fre, Code B might find us faster."

  Isrin nodded. Though Sibonen must have been terrified, he remained astonishingly calm.

  *He's incredible,* Isrin thought. *Sibonen will surely rise to great heights within the Guild.*

  For now, they waited in silence, ready to act when the moment came.

  ---

  Before Lady Izi stood an army cd in ash-gray armor—at least twenty elite soldiers, with dozens more bck-cd figures lurking behind them.

  Four enemies in the front lines lowered their staffs and began chanting spells, preparing to unleash whatever deadly magic they had in store.