On their way toward the source of the cry for help—
Kairos and Fiona ran through the thickets without exchanging a single word. The air around them was filled with the rustling of leaves, the creaking of branches, and the rhythm of their footsteps… but inside Kairos's mind, a much louder noise was echoing.
(What is she so afraid of...?)
The look on Fiona's face earlier still lingered in his memory. It wasn't just surprise. It was fear—the kind he had never seen from her before.
As he ran in the lead, lost in thought, his eyes caught the sight of Fiona visibly gasping for air. Her pace had clearly begun to slow.
Kairos halted. He immediately realized he had pushed her too far.
(She probably doesn't dare to ask for a break… because she volunteered to come along herself, huh.)
Without waiting for her to speak, Kairos turned back and lowered himself slightly before lifting Fiona into his arms—leaving her stunned.
"H-Hold on tight," he muttered softly before launching forward with a speed that felt almost like flying.
Fiona clung to him tightly, silent for a moment… before whispering as softly as a breath.
"…I must be a burden, aren't I?"
Kairos's stride faltered slightly. Her words pierced through him unexpectedly.
"I was the one who said I wanted to come… and I even snapped at you," Fiona lowered her gaze. "But in the end, I was no help at all. You're the one who had to take care of everything... I'm pathetic. I never should've come. I'm sorry… Kairos."
He didn't reply right away. His heart sank. He never imagined that behind her usually composed face, such thoughts were hiding.
"You're not a burden at all, Fiona," he said slowly. "You're incredible—smart, quick-witted, and you've got a real sense of leadership."
His voice softened as he continued, "When you said you wouldn't let me go alone… I was really happy. It reminded me that I'm not alone anymore."
Fiona fell quiet. Her face, resting against his chest, began to heat up. At the same time, Kairos realized—
(Crap. Did I really just say that? That was way too cheesy.)
(What did he just say while carrying me… and what kind of face did I make just now...?)
Silence returned—but this time, it wasn't awkward. It was the quiet warmth of mutual embarrassment, slowly melting away the tension between them.
Soon, they reached the deeper part of the forest. Kairos sharpened his focus, sensing something unnatural around them.
"How the hell did those bastards even get into this place? The atmosphere's thick enough to make your skin crawl…" he muttered with a scowl.
"This is going to be a headache."
He paused briefly, scanning for magical energy in the area. The target had moved again—two kilometers further in!
"Hold tight," he said again before taking off.
Upon arrival—they were met with chaos: a group of students fleeing in panic from three A-rank monsters—a Basilisk, an Ironhide Boar, and a Crimson Mantis.
"Well, this is a nightmare…" Kairos whispered as he observed the situation.
Fiona immediately understood what needed to be done. She infused her tiny steel spheres with lightning magic to amplify their force.
"Die!"
One of the spheres shot forth with incredible speed, hitting the Ironhide Boar dead-on. The impact was strong enough to bring the beast down quickly.
Kairos turned, impressed by her precision.
But—ferocious roars and violent movements from the other two monsters forced them to prepare for direct combat. The Basilisk locked onto Kairos, while the Crimson Mantis charged at Fiona.
The Basilisk—a serpent over 30 meters long, highly venomous with a crushing bite force and thick, durable scales. It could lunge with terrifying speed.
Kairos sprang into action, spear slashing down with practiced precision.
"Its hide really is thick, just as I thought…"
The Basilisk retaliated with a snap—Kairos narrowly dodged. He knew how dangerously fast it was, especially for something so massive. With its venom and brute strength, facing it head-on wasn't wise. He began backing off to create distance, then launched a spell.
"Fire Arrow!"
A blazing arrow surged forth, bursting into flames on impact.
Then, with his eyes locked on the target, he centered his power, channeling it to the limit.
"Secret Technique of Dragon Slaying—First Form: Crimson Comet!"
He burst forward like a comet, his spear piercing through the Basilisk until the beast disintegrated.
Meanwhile, Fiona was squaring off against the Crimson Mantis—a massive red mantis with razor-sharp scythe-like arms and uncanny intelligence. It recognized the threat of her steel spheres and dodged every one of them.
Its jaws clacked menacingly as its huge front limbs raised high to strike. Fiona dove aside in time, retreating two steps to reassess her timing.
The Crimson Mantis—as tall as a tree, faster and sharper than any known insect. It was powerful, fast, and frighteningly clever.
Fiona narrowed her eyes in frustration. Each time she tried to bait it into a misstep, her enchanted spheres missed. The creature learned too quickly—it easily avoided repeated attacks.
"This won't work. If I keep using the same spheres… it'll learn every pattern," she thought urgently, pressure building in her chest.
Her right hand grasped the last steel sphere—but this time, her icy blue eyes gleamed with resolve.
"Let's see how you like this…"
She began chanting again, infusing the sphere with new magic and issuing a command:
"Die."
"Fire Arrow."
The sphere hovered midair, glowing red-orange—
—and then blasted forward with searing force. As it closed in, Fiona cast one final word:
"Detonate."
A thunderous explosion shook the battlefield. Flames burst outward, shrouding the Mantis's vision. As the embers fell and smoke drifted away, another steel sphere zoomed through the gap—striking true.
The Crimson Mantis collapsed to the ground, unmoving.
Fiona exhaled deeply, sweat dripping down her temple. At last, she had brought it down.
Rustling came from the bushes behind them.
They had emerged—the students who were the cause of all this chaos.
"…So all of this was because of you, wasn't it, Darius?"
Fiona's voice was calm. Steady. But her eyes—her eyes blazed with fury, the kind that scorched everything in its gaze.
The boy she addressed stood with a haughty air, dressed immaculately in his academy uniform. He wore his arrogance like a second skin—Darius Orsen, heir to the noble House of Marquis Orsen.
"So what? I just managed to catch a couple of rare monsters." He shrugged with a smirk. "Why's everyone getting so worked up about it?"
As if the damage around them meant absolutely nothing.
Just then, another voice cut in—low, sharp, and heavy like a blade slamming down.
"You did it just to show off. You wanted to be praised for pulling off a reckless hunt, without caring what consequences others might face because of you."
It was Kairos.
He had just arrived, and already his presence twisted the atmosphere. His tone wasn't loud, but it struck Darius like a slap across the face.
"And what if I did?" Darius snapped back, his words laced with irritation. "You two are the ones forming a team with all the top students—Lady Fiona, and you. Don't act like people aren't suspicious you're just hoarding points for yourselves!"
Fiona took a step forward, lips parting to respond—but Kairos silently raised a hand to stop her.
Then, slowly, he took another step toward Darius. The chill in his eyes was almost unnatural. Calm. Precise. And terrifyingly cold.
"If that's how you see it, then go ahead—keep drowning in your little fantasy."
He stopped just a foot away, his voice still low.
"But next time, don't expect to come out of it in one piece. If you want to show your skills, learn how to assess your own limits first."
There was no anger in his tone. Just something heavier. Colder. Something that pierced deeper than rage ever could.
"And by the way—no one was ever excluded. Fiona approached me first. I chose to work with her because she has drive, skill, and the will to fight on her own. Not because she wanted to leech off someone else like you."
He paused.
The next words were quieter—but they carried the weight of a hundred truths.
"There are plenty of others. Students who aren't in elite groups. They train in silence. They improve themselves. They never whine. They never blame others. And they sure as hell don't drag everyone else down like you do."
"You're just a coward—chasing after points you didn't even earn."
There was no comeback.
Not a single word from Darius.
Only silence.
Then, the crunch of dry leaves echoed under Kairos's boots as he turned away—his cold words still hanging in the air like frost that refused to melt.