Kurumi stood in the very center of the battlefield.

  Gang members and cultists were tearing each other apart. Screams, the clash of metal, and the heavy rain pounding against the ground drowned out everything else. Tora spun in place, catching four men at once with his spiked knuckles; by the time his turn ended, their heads had been severed from their bodies.

  Chuya ducked, narrowly avoiding the attack in front of him, and drove his knife straight into the man’s head with a single motion.

  Taka, with his blond hair and foolish appearance, looked clumsy as ever. Just as he was about to take a punch, his foot slipped on the wet ground. The man’s punch swung through empty air. Taka didn’t miss the chance—he kicked the man hard in the leg, knocked him to the ground, and climbed on top of him, raining down punches.

  Rex kept fighting despite his injuries. His breathing was uneven, his body trembling, yet he refused to retreat. He was pushing himself beyond his limits.

  Sae, meanwhile, was cutting down gang members one by one, forcing his way toward Karhan.

  As he watched Sae, Karhan called five gang members over to him. There was a disturbing calm on his face.

  “Our god will be taking action,” he said. “Move further to the outside. No one leaves this place. If anyone escapes… I’ll tear you apart.”

  The five gang members could only nod in response to the terrifying threat.

  “Understood,” they said, and withdrew from the battlefield.

  At that moment, Sae ripped the head off the man in front of him and hurled it toward Karhan.

  “Come here, freak.”

  Karhan only grinned. He was clearly enjoying himself.

  “You never let me have any fun, Sae-chan.”

  Kurumi was shocked by how happy Karhan looked. They were clearly winning, yet there wasn’t the slightest trace of concern on his face.

  Kurumi looked around, searching for Amy. She was scared. She didn’t want Amy to get hurt.

  In truth, she didn’t want anyone to die.

  Not Sae…

  Not Rex…

  Not Hu…

  She wanted to protect everyone, but she had no power. There was nothing she could do.

  As these thoughts gnawed at her mind, the battle continued.

  Chuya knocked down two men at once.

  Taro leapt into the air and kicked—two more men fell.

  Then Shinya’s voice rang out.

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  “RYAAAA!”

  Rya flinched. Shinya was walking straight toward him, ignoring everyone else. He took down two men who stood in his way with a single strike each.

  Rya glared at him in fury as Shinya took a deep breath.

  “Rya, why did you involve the Dravok gangs?” he asked. “Why are you trying to kill Master Rex? This decision was made by the cult.”

  Rya clenched his teeth.

  “Shut up. I didn’t accept it.”

  Shinya stopped in front of him. His eyes were steady, but he didn’t attack. He threw his knife to the ground.

  “There’s no turning back now. This matter is closed.”

  “It’s not over for me!” Rya shouted. “Is this how worthless we are to you? Are only the weak the ones who have to be punished? Don’t make me laugh! I have no other choice!”

  He couldn’t hold back anymore. He started punching Shinya, his anger spilling out with every blow.

  “Zar was my brother! He was the most important person in my life! If you’re casting him out of the cult, then it’s only natural for me to become your enemy! Fight back! Aren’t you stronger than me?!”

  Blood flowed from Shinya’s nose, but he didn’t retaliate. He only grabbed Rya by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes under the pouring rain.

  “Rya… do you think we’re happy?” he said quietly. “Do you think Master Rex is happy? Sae? This decision was made to protect you. One small incident would have shattered the trust, and someone within the cult would have killed you.”

  He paused.

  “I don’t mind if you hit me. But I don’t want to fight you. I don’t want to fight people like me—Ayannon. I don’t want to raise my blade against my friends. Just like Kurumi said… we shouldn’t kill our own kind. That’s our line. We must not become like the Dravok.”

  Rya was stunned.

  “Where did you hear all this?”

  Shinya smiled, remembering Sae in the cemetery, standing under the rain.

  “Maybe she was right,” Sae had said. “Some boundaries shouldn’t be crossed… like killing those of your own kind.”

  As Shinya recalled that moment, he noticed Rya struggling to hold back his tears.

  Meanwhile, Kurumi continued walking through the battlefield.

  A magical explosion sent her flying. She hit the ground hard. She tried to push herself up with her arms—but didn’t want to. In the puddle beneath her, she saw her own reflection. A deep hatred welled up inside her.

  “What am I doing?” she whispered. “Why did I join this… to live peacefully with Amy? Or to find a place I could call family?”

  At that moment, she locked eyes with Katori. Seeing the tears in his eyes, his words echoed in her mind:

  Please… protect my father.

  Why had Katori trusted someone as weak as her, when someone as strong as Sae was right there?

  As these thoughts swirled in her head, a strange yellow light flashed—and vanished. It felt as if only Kurumi had seen it. Everyone else kept fighting as if nothing had happened.

  She briefly met Sae’s gaze, but someone stepped in front of her, breaking the moment.

  Searching for the source of the light, Kurumi found Rex lying on the ground.

  He was coughing up blood. His head and chest were covered in it.

  “Master Rex… Master Rex…” she said, trembling as she shook him. “Say something… are you even breathing…?”

  Kurumi’s cries reached Sae’s ears as he fought Karhan.

  “What happened, Kurumi?!”

  “Master Rex… he’s dying!”

  Sae cut down everyone in his path, but Karhan grabbed him and threw him aside.

  “Aren’t you having fun, Sae?” Karhan laughed wildly.

  In that instant, Sae hurled his dagger toward Kurumi.

  “Kurumi! Master Rex is in your care! Take him to the healing house!”

  Kurumi froze. Sae had thrown her his only weapon. He had entrusted Rex’s life to her.

  Just as she was about to collapse, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

  Hu.

  “Snap out of it,” he said. “There’s no time to lose. The healing house is at the end of the path. We’ll make it.”

  Kurumi stood up, crying. She hoisted Rex onto her back while Hu grabbed his legs.

  They began to move under the rain.

  Kurumi bore most of Rex’s weight.

  But she didn’t stop.

  No matter what… she would save Rex.