Ryo stood face-to-face with the last two remaining Ravens.
The air was thick with tension. The scent of charred stone from the last explosion still lingered. Sweat dripped down his forehead, and his heart pounded like war drums in his chest.
As he steadied his breath, a bitter thought surfaced.
"Man... I'm actually starting to miss fighting normal criminals... even though they still manage to knock me out. These Raven bastards? Yeah, they're on an entirely different level."
The fire-wielder stepped forward, raising a burning sphere in his palm. The fire swirled like a wild creature, illuminating his twisted grin.
Ryo's eyes narrowed. "So, it was you, huh?" He clenched his fists. "You sure served up one hell of an explosive dessert back at the restaurant."
He drew his gun from beneath his trench coat, aiming it at the two Raven members as his finger tightened on the trigger, while a tonfa shot out from his left sleeve in case of close combat—but before he could react further…
BZZT!
A blur of motion flashed past his peripheral vision.
Lightning-fast footsteps.
Ryo twisted his body just in time to counter with his tonfa—but he wasn't fast enough.
A solid kick to his gut sent him soaring backward. "ARGH!" he grunted.
Five meters.
That was the distance he flew before his back slammed onto the stone ground.
Pain shot through his stomach and spine like needles. He gasped, chest heaving, trying to force his aching muscles to respond.
No time to breathe.
The fire-wielder had already grown the fireball in his palm—doubling, then tripling its size—before launching it towards Ryo, where it hovered ominously, crackling with death, leaving him barely a second to react.
With a desperate roll to the side, he barely avoided it.
BOOM!
The impact sent a shockwave tearing through the plaza.
Ryo coughed, his ears ringing as dust and rubble rained down around him. He turned to look—his stomach twisting at the sight.
A gaping crater now sat where he had been lying just seconds ago. "That could've been me…"
His fingers curled into the stone beneath him.
"This isn't working," he thought.
He had already figured out that normal combat wasn't enough—they were too fast, too strong, too coordinated, and above all, they used magic, while Ryo was just a normal human being.
And now—
The electricity wielder pulled out a blade—no ordinary blade, but a sword enveloped in high-voltage electricity.
Ryo stared at the electric blade, thinking. "Are you freaking kidding me? Wasn't the bow and arrow enough?!"
The currents snapped and crackled, illuminating the assassin's sharp eyes—filled with nothing but cold, lethal intent—as one slash, or even a graze, would mean instant death.
The fire-wielder grinned, raising his hand.
More fireballs materialized—dozens—swirling above his palm.
Ryo muttered. "Arrogant bastard… He really thinks this is checkmate."
He exhaled slowly, his mind racing for a strategy. Then—he slid his gun back into his trench coat and let his right hand drift to his pocket, gripping something hidden inside, though he didn't draw it yet.
Then—the electricity user charged at him again.
Ryo tried to counter, but the assassin was too fast—a blur of motion flashed behind him, and as he twisted his body, it was already too late.
SLASH!
The blade sliced from his right side—aiming straight for Ryo's neck.
A simultaneous attack.
The fire-wielder sent twelve fireballs hurtling toward him—from the front.
The electricity user swung its sword—from behind.
A perfect trap.
No escape.
For a split second—time slowed.
Then—
CLICK.
Something was un-pinned.
Ryo suddenly threw a small object over his shoulder, aiming straight for the electricity wielder's face, and just before impact, he gritted his teeth and shut his eyes.
And before the assassin could react—
BANG!
A blinding flash of light erupted mid-swing.
The blade stopped inches from Ryo's neck—missing him by the width of a hair.
It was a flashbang.
The electricity wielder cried out, gripping its blinded eyes.
"Urgh, that was way too loud!" Ryo winced, having no time to cover his ears.
Ryo moved—through the deafening ring in his ears, he grabbed the electrical assassin by the collar, twisted with all his strength, and hurled the enemy straight into the roaring fireballs, like a sacrifice to the chaos.
The fire-wielder's grin vanished. "Oh sh—"
BOOOOM!
The explosion tore through the air, a massive pillar of flames erupting and sending shockwaves across the plaza, as the electricity wielder's body hit the ground—smoking, charred, bleeding, and barely breathing.
Ryo exhaled sharply, his hand gripping his stomach where the pain still throbbed, his heart hammering in his chest. "Sheesh... that was too close," he muttered, his voice shaky with discomfort.
But it wasn't over.
Through the smoke, the electricity wielder was still moving—shaking, its burnt, broken body barely functioning. Yet, slowly, the assassin stood, its trembling fingers gripping the blade, its legs struggling to keep it upright, and despite everything, it should be dead... but it wasn't.
It didn't care about dying. Despite the pain raging through its body, it kept its focus on Ryo, because this wasn't just an assassination—it was an obsession.
Then—
Something caught Ryo's eye.
As the assassin's hood burned away, its face was finally revealed.
Ryo's breath caught in his throat. "No... it can't be."
His eyes widened in disbelief. He knew her—he had seen her before, back at the palace, doing her cleaning duties in the hallways when he first arrived. She was one of the palace maids.
The realization hit him like a gunshot.
His voice came out in a whisper—almost unbelieving. "Are you serious…?"
Now that Ryo knew one of the palace maids was a Raven, hesitation gripped him. His mind raced—if he killed her now, what would Shahira think? What would her family say? This was someone who had served in the palace, someone they had trusted.
But then, the explosion flashed in his mind—the wreckage, the screams, the ruined marketplace. Lives lost, families torn apart. This wasn't about one person. It was about stopping them before more innocent people died.
He made up his mind. Then, without hesitation, he drew his gun once more and raised it—aiming squarely at both enemies.
"Alright, listen up, Shocky and Flamo," Ryo said, giving them an exaggeratedly cringey nickname. "You either drop your weapons and your silly magic tricks, turn yourselves in, and maybe—just maybe—you'll live to see another day… or, I put a bullet straight into your damn souls."
Flamo, the fire-wielder, let out a slow, menacing chuckle. His dagger shimmered, then ignited in roaring flames. With a swift motion, he plunged it into the ground. Fire exploded outward, forming a towering ring of flames around them, trapping Ryo inside. The heat was suffocating, the air thick with smoke.
Ryo clicked his tongue. "Yeah... figured as much." He rolled his shoulders, his stance shifting, prepared for whatever comes next. "Guess we're doing this the hard way."
He tightened his grip on his gun in one hand and his tonfa in the other. The heat was suffocating, sweat dripping down his forehead, but he held his stance firm. Across from him, Flamo lifted his dagger, flames swirling as he charged up another fireball.
At the same time, Shocky's fragile body crackled with electricity, her movements a blur as she powered up for a final, lightning-fast strike—her blade aimed straight at Ryo's neck.
All three were at their limit, ready to go all out.
But then—
A sharp, commanding voice cut through the chaos. "ENOUGH!!!"
The voice's sheer force sent a ripple through the air. For a brief moment, everything froze—even the fire seemed to waver.
Then, from the sky, rain began to fall—transparent yet glowing with a brilliant light blue hue.
Ryo, Shocky, and Flamo instinctively looked up, momentarily caught off guard. The heavy rain poured down, glowing as it hit the burning embers.
And just like that, the flames began to die. The roaring inferno that had threatened to consume everything—the fire circle, the burning remains of the marketplace—all of it was extinguished as if the heavens themselves had willed it.
The air cooled instantly, the suffocating heat replaced by an eerie stillness. The rain wasn't ordinary. It carried power.
Then, from the entrance of the plaza, slow, deliberate footsteps echoed against the damp ground.
A lone figure emerged.
She walked with controlled fury, her glowing blue eyes mirroring the storm. A radiant blue aura pulsed around her, crackling with raw energy. She gripped her shimmering dagger tightly.
It was Shahira.
Her expression was unreadable, but her clenched jaw and burning eyes spoke volumes—she wasn't just angry, she was enraged, and she was looking straight at the two Raven members with nothing but contempt.
Ryo blinked, looking at the shimmering blade in Shahira's grip, then at the rain that had just extinguished the flames.
"Sha... is this your doing?" he asked, still trying to process everything.
Shahira didn't answer. Her breathing was slow, controlled—but the wrath burning within her was anything but.
Then, she turned her gaze toward Shocky, her glowing blue eyes locking onto the assassin's face. Despite the rain washing away the soot and grime, Shahira recognized her instantly.
She didn't flinch. She wasn't surprised.
She only said three words, her voice low, sharp, and filled with venom.
"Lina… You… Traitor..."
Lina—the assassin who had nearly killed Ryo, the one wielding electricity, the one who had worked in the palace—stood firm. She didn't react, didn't waver. Her eyes were hollow, empty, devoid of emotion. But she raised her sword and pointed it straight at Shahira—the very princess she had once sworn to serve.
Shahira barely acknowledged it. Her gaze then shifted to Ryo, scanning his body. His wounds. His exhaustion. Her expression darkened, her lips tightening into a thin line. Then, without looking at him, she spoke in a low, commanding tone.
"Ryo… step aside. Go rest. You've been through enough today. I'll deal with these two."
Ryo clenched his fists. "But Sha, it's too dangerous to do this alo—"
"I SAID REST!!!" Shahira shouted with authority.
The sheer force of her voice sent a chill down his spine. Ryo straightened up like a soldier, instinctively saluting.
"YES MA'AM!" he blurted out.
And with that, he immediately turned and speed-walked toward a nearby building.
He glanced back, still worried. "Could she really take them both on alone?"
But before he could think further—
A fireball came hurtling toward him from behind.
Ryo noticed it too late. His instincts kicked in, but there was no time to dodge. His arms shot up, bracing for impact—
SPLOOSH!
A whip of water lashed through the air, slicing through the fireball before it could reach him. The flames dissipated instantly, steam hissing in the aftermath.
Ryo blinked. "That was a close one!"
At the source of the attack stood Shahira, her dagger still raised, a long whip of water extending from its blade like a living serpent. She barely moved her lips.
Her voice low and chilling. "Oh no, you don't!"
Then, with a simple wave of her hand, the rain stopped, and the glow in the waters dimmed.
Silence.
But the air grew heavier, thick with tension.
Shahira's aura, once a gentle blue, flared violently, illuminating the entire plaza. The ground beneath her trembled as if the very kingdom itself could feel her anger.
She stepped forward, slow and deliberate. Each step carried the weight of royalty, the weight of justice. But beneath that regal presence was something far more terrifying—overwhelming rage.
"You have hurt my people," she said, her voice carrying the power of a ruler addressing her subjects.
"You have wounded the one who has sworn to protect Al-Munira."
She took another step, her glowing presence intensifying.
"And worst of all… You have dared to destroy parts of my kingdom!"
The entire plaza seemed to pulse with energy. The water surrounding her trembled, resonating with her wrath.
"How… UNFORGIVABLE!"
The two Raven members instinctively braced themselves.
Ryo, now standing safely in the background, gulped as he watched Shahira's overwhelming presence bear down on her enemies.
"Uh… are they gonna be okay after pissing her off that much?" he muttered to himself.
Something told him the answer was definitely no.
Ryo stared at Shahira, his mind struggling to reconcile what he was seeing.
"Not long ago, she was happily teasing the hell outta me. But now…"
Shahira continued her slow, menacing approach toward the two Raven members.
Desperate to regain control, Flamo summoned a massive fireball, its flames crackling wildly in his hand. Meanwhile, despite her injuries, Lina pressed her hand to the wet ground, sending a surge of electricity through the water—aimed straight at Shahira.
Both attacks were launched simultaneously.
But Shahira didn't flinch.
With one swift motion, she pointed her dagger at the ground. The water around her rippled outward,forming a perfect circular barrier that cut her off from the surrounding puddles. The electricity had nowhere to go—it faded into nothing.
And then—
Just before the fireball could make impact, a geyser erupted from the soaked earth, rocketing upward and colliding with the flames. The intense blast of steam that followed sent shockwaves through the plaza.
Flamo and Lina stared, stunned by the flawless precision of her counterattack.
But it wasn't over.
The geyser swirled and morphed into a colossal serpent, its liquid form solidifying into the shape of a cobra. The towering water beast loomed over them, its translucent body shimmering under the dim plaza lights. It was enormous—reaching as high as a building, its glowing blue eyes fixed on its prey.
Ryo, standing in the background, rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
"…What fantasy madness am I looking at?!" he shouted, his voice filled with both shock and panic. "Did I pass out already?! Am I dreaming?! Did I hit my head at some point?!"
But it was all too real.
Before the enemies could react, Shahira pointed her blade forward.
The cobra struck.
Flamo barely managed to leap out of the way, tumbling to the ground in a panic. But Lina, weakened and unable to dodge in time, was caught in the beast's watery jaws.
The cobra, with Lina in its mouth, shaking her violently as it slithered through the air like a flying serpent.
Shahira's expression remained cold and unforgiving. With a single downward slash of her dagger, she commanded the snake to strike.
The beast lunged downward, slamming Lina into the earth with a force that shook the entire plaza.
BOOOOOM!
The impact was devastating—sending dust, water, and debris flying in all directions. The crater it left behind was far larger than the one Flamo's fireball had created.
Lina lay motionless, unconscious, or might even have died.
But Shahira wasn't finished.
She turned her gaze to Flamo. The cobra hissed, shifting its attention to its next prey.
Flamo scrambled backward, dodging as the serpent struck at him repeatedly. Each near miss sent gusts of wind cutting through the air.
The water beast loudly hissed, sending a deep vibration into the very atmosphere.
Flamo was running out of options.
Shahira's voice rang out, filled with authority and fury. "YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!"
Ryo flinched, his face twisted in astonishment—and a bit of horror.
He let out a nervous gasp. "G..g..guess she isn't princess for nothing…"
With lightning speed, the cobra lunged again—this time sinking its fangs into Flamo's left leg.
A scream tore through the air as the snake tore his foot clean off.
Flamo collapsed, clutching his severed leg, his agonized wails echoing through the rain-drenched plaza. He tried to crawl away, dragging himself across the wet ground.
But Shahira was already upon him. She roughly stepped on his back, pinning him down, then knocked him out with a punch to the back of his head.
She grabbed him by the head, yanking off his hood.
And then—
She froze.
Her dagger slipped slightly in her grip. Her glowing eyes widened, the light fading in pure disbelief.
"No…" she whispered.
There, beneath the hood, was a familiar face.
A face she knew better than anyone else.
Her breath caught in her throat. Her entire body tensed as reality crashed down on her.
The man beneath the hood—the man she had just maimed—
It was Prince Jamil.
Her big brother.
Shahira stumbled backward and dropped her weapon, her knees giving out as she collapsed to the ground, staring at him in utter shock.
"Big brother… why?" Her voice barely escaped as a whisper.
Ryo, watching from the distance, immediately sensed something was wrong.
He forced himself forward, ignoring the pain screaming through his body. As he ran toward her, Jamil's face came into view, momentarily shocking him.
But before he could reach her—
His vision blurred, and the world tilted around him. His legs gave out, and he collapsed face-first onto the wet ground.
Pain. Exhaustion. Everything finally caught up to him.
"Must… stay… awake…" he muttered, barely managing to lift his head as he fought the overwhelming darkness creeping into his vision.
Shahira turned to Ryo and saw him on the ground.
"Ryo!" Her panicked voice rang in his ears.
He tried to respond.
Tried to move.
But the world around him faded into black.