The man with the claymore staggered back, muttering, "We knew he was strong… but this much?"
Nectar gritted his teeth, frustration flashing in his narrowed eyes. "Tch. This guy's really starting to piss me off. Should we retreat?"
The claymore-wielder's grip tightened, fingers trembling against the hilt. "No… we finish what we start. Even if it costs one of us."
Nectar's lips twisted into a grin laced with madness. "Alright then. I'll keep him busy. You finish off the brat—no hesitation."
Across the clearing, Ito's voice cut in.
"Captain Zeth, are you okay?!"
Zeth raised his hand without turning back. "Don't worry about me. Stay focused, Ito. Stay alive."
Nectar stepped forward, his feet crunching over broken earth. "Looks like we underestimated you," he muttered, voice growing darker. "But let's see how long you last inside my world—Zone: Art Creation!"
A deafening shockwave burst from him, erupting skyward. The clouds twisted violently—red, then blue, then violet—until a dome of shimmering power engulfed the entire area.
Ito's breath hitched. "This layer in the sky… just like Captain Zeth's Zone."
The air rippled. Zeth tilted his head, eyes cold. "What now? Going to paint me a masterpiece, small fry?"
Nectar sneered. "You're inside my Zone now. Let's see how long that smug smile lasts."
From the air around him, monstrous dragons formed—ten in all—black as ash and wreathed in fire. Their glowing eyes locked onto Zeth as they roared and charged, earth trembling beneath their advance.
Zeth didn't flinch.
But then—steel flashed.
The claymore-wielder vanished from his position. In the next instant, he was behind Ito, blade aimed for a killing strike.
"Ito—!" Zeth launched.
With a sonic crack, he blurred across the field. Dragons froze mid-flight, unable to keep up. Zeth reappeared in front of Ito, intercepting the attack.
"You really thought that cheap trick would work?" His voice was ice.
The assassin smirked, blood leaking from his lips. "Cheap or not… it worked."
Above them, the dragons opened their mouths.
Then—devastation.
A storm of radiant blasts rained down like meteorites. Smoke. Heat. Light. The world vanished in destruction.
Silence.
When the dust settled… Ito was gone. The assassin was half-buried, groaning. Nectar scanned the wreckage, breathing heavily.
No sign of Zeth.
Then—A voice.
Cold. Calm.
"You really are having fun."
Nectar froze. A chill crept down his spine. Slowly, he turned—
Zeth stood behind him, untouched. Eyes piercing.
"Wha—"
Zeth moved.
He grabbed Nectar by the face, silencing his scream, then hurled him skyward with monstrous force. The wind screamed.
But Zeth was faster.
Above Nectar now—he raised a hand, then slammed him back down.
Boom!
The ground cratered, the impact sending shockwaves through the battlefield. Nectar's limp body collapsed, his Zone evaporating into ash. The summoned dragons dissolved into smoke.
Silence.
Only one enemy remained.
The claymore-wielder, his body broken—sword snapped, leg twisted—still stood.
Zeth approached.
The man glared back, bloodied yet unbowed.
Zeth raised one finger.
Boom.
A single, clean blast burst from it—straight through the man's skull. His head exploded in crimson mist. The body trembled, then collapsed.
Zeth exhaled.
"…Should've let him say his last words."
Behind him, Ito stood frozen.
"…Captain Zeth."
Zeth turned. "Oh. Sorry for tossing you like that earlier. You okay?"
Ito looked away, fists clenched. "How were you so calm… when you killed him?"
Zeth's gaze didn't waver. "When you choose to kill, you must also accept the consequences. Don't let your kindness become a weakness. Understand?"
"…Yes, Captain."
Ito's voice trembled. "I know they attacked first, but… why do I feel sorry for them? Is this… sympathy?"
He stood straighter. "But I won't run from it. I'll keep moving forward."
Before Zeth could speak, heavy footsteps echoed through the woods.
The First Squad arrived—Vice-Captain and soldiers armed and tense.
"Captain, we heard explosions. Captain Naeris said—"
Zeth shrugged. "You're late. It's done."
He pointed at the bodies. "One dead. The other—take him."
The vice-captain nodded, then looked at Ito. "Still breathing, kid?"
Ito blinked. "Huh? Oh… yeah. Thanks to Captain."
The man chuckled, patting his back. "Let's get you out of here before Zeth starts using you as a warm-up."
A few hours later…
The heavy doors of the Executive Hall opened with a hiss.
Zeth stepped into the grand office of Chief Velthorn Blake.
Cold. Silent. The only light came from a massive holographic map flickering in midair—rivers of glowing data drifting across its surface.
Velthorn didn't look up. "I assume it's handled?"
Zeth nodded. "They're dead. But… they weren't after me."
His voice hardened. "They were targeting Ito."
Velthorn tapped a finger on his desk. "Troubling. Bounty hunters of that level don't act alone. Which means someone directed them."
Zeth's eyes narrowed. "What are you implying?"
Velthorn turned to the map, zooming in. Three names hovered above a ruined sector.
"Only three people knew of Ito's execution: You. Me. And the higher-ups."
Realization sank into Zeth's gut like lead. "…You're saying someone from the inside wants him dead."
Velthorn didn't deny it. "I'm saying this isn't over."
He stepped forward, lowering his voice.
"The boy is alive. And now… they know."
His fingers tapped the center of the map—Flauta Kingdom, now ruins, pulsing weakly on screen.
"Assassins. Rogue knights. Forgotten clans. They'll all come crawling out of the shadows. This world hunts what it cannot control."
Zeth was silent.
Velthorn turned to face him fully.
"You must protect him, Zeth. At all costs. Because Ito…"
His eyes locked with Zeth's.
"…He's the last hope to reclaim a kingdom the world wants to erase."