The battlefield was quiet—but it wasn't the peaceful kind of silence.
It was the heavy, suffocating quiet that followed after something truly horrifying had ended.
The scent of blood, burned flesh, and shattered mana residue lingered in the air, mixing with the faint traces of Belle's draconic energy.
Many knights and adventurers remained standing, but not because they were unharmed. Their bodies were too numb to collapse. Some clutched their wounds in shock, while others simply stared at the remains of the Mana-Titan, as if their minds couldn't accept the reality in front of them.
Gale couldn't allow them to stay like this.
"The battle's over, but we're not done yet!" His commanding voice cut through the haze, sharp and clear. "Knights, form squads and begin recovery operations! Secure the wounded. Immediate treatment comes first!"
The dazed knights blinked before their instincts as soldiers snapped back into place.
"Yes, sir!"
Those who could still move quickly fanned out, gathering the wounded and dragging them to the makeshift medical area. Healers rushed in, pouring every ounce of their remaining mana into stabilizing the injured.
Gale didn't stop.
"Healers, do not waste energy reviving the dead! Prioritize stopping the bleeding—we save who we can!"
Some flinched at his words, but he knew he had to be ruthless. The dead were gone. The living still needed them.
"Scouts!" he barked. "Report the final casualty count immediately."
His orders kept them moving.
Even the adventurers—who usually operated outside knightly discipline—fell in line, helping drag the wounded toward healers or salvaging what supplies remained from the fallen.
Despite the action, the horror of the battlefield was unavoidable.
The once-open plains were a graveyard.
Bodies of fallen knights and adventurers lay scattered amidst the remnants of shattered monsters. The metallic stench of blood soaked into the dirt. Some knights knelt beside fallen comrades, their hands trembling as they closed the lifeless eyes of their friends.
A younger knight fell to his knees, staring blankly at the body of his squad leader.
His lips parted, as if to say something—but no words came.
Another adventurer, an older man, sat on the ground clutching a broken sword, his hands covered in someone else's blood.
Some knights wept silently. Others clenched their jaws, forcing themselves to move—because if they stopped now, the grief would swallow them whole.
Gale saw it all.
And though he felt the same weight pressing on his chest, he couldn't afford to stop either.
A squad of knights approached the remains of the artifact—or rather, what was left of it.
What had once been a pulsating core of ominous energy was now reduced to shattered fragments.
One knight hesitantly crouched, picking up a small shard between his fingertips.
The moment he applied the slightest pressure—it crumbled into dust.
"Vice-Captain Gale!" The knight called out. "The artifact is completely inert! Whatever power it held… it's gone."
Gale's sharp gaze flickered toward the remains.
Gone?
His instincts told him there was more to this. Artifacts of this level didn't just stop working—especially not ones that could spawn a Mana-Titan.
But the battlefield took priority. He would investigate later.
"Understood," he said simply. "There's no reason to waste further resources on it."
Gale turned his attention to the true anomaly of the battle.
Belle.
Even now, as the last embers of her aura faded, she stood firm amidst the chaos.
Unlike the others, she wasn't gasping for air or struggling to stay on her feet. She was bruised, her body clearly aching from overexertion, but her stance remained strong—unshaken.
And the way everyone looked at her…
It was different.
Fear. Awe. Disbelief.
Some knights hesitated to approach. Others stole glances in silent wariness.
They had all seen it.
How she moved at speeds beyond human comprehension.
How she had fought that Titan alone while they could barely hold the line.
How she had unleashed a power none of them understood—and turned the tide of battle.
For many of them, it was the first time witnessing something beyond human strength.
And they didn't know how to process it.
Gale's gaze sharpened.
This girl… What is she?
Her movements, her awareness—the raw, overwhelming presence she exuded at the end.
It wasn't normal.
It wasn't magic.
It was something far older, far more primal.
But now wasn't the time for questions.
His priority was getting everyone back to Dawnstead.
Belle's mystery… could wait.
Belle stood amidst the ruins, breathing heavily, her fists clenched at her sides. The remnants of her draconic aura flickered faintly before vanishing, leaving only a deep exhaustion in its place. She had pushed beyond her limits, yet even now, she could still feel that raw power coursing through her veins—unstable, unfamiliar.
She barely noticed as Kai limped toward her, his usual smirk laced with exhaustion.
"Remind me never to get on your bad side."
Belle finally looked at him, her silver eyes still faintly glowing.
"…You already knew that."
Kai let out a tired chuckle, but there was a knowing look in his eyes. He could tell—she wasn't just exhausted. She was lost in thought. Something had changed in her, and he had a feeling she wasn't sure what to make of it yet.
The journey back to Dawnstead was long and arduous.
The sun had dipped below the horizon by the time the battered subjugation force reached the town gates. The first scouts had run ahead, spreading word of their return, and by the time they arrived, the streets were lined with anxious onlookers.
Gasps and murmurs filled the air as the people took in the sight of the returning warriors—armor dented, weapons broken, bodies bruised and bloody.
Then, a single voice called out.
"They're back!"
The tension broke.
A wave of cheers erupted through the town. Families rushed forward, searching for loved ones among the returning force. Some found them—collapsing into tearful embraces. Others searched in vain, their expressions crumbling as realization set in.
The air was thick with relief and grief in equal measure.
Inside the Adventurer's Guild, the atmosphere was tense but controlled. Guildmaster Garrick Voss sat across from Gale Valtor in his private office, his usual easy-going demeanor replaced with a deep frown.
"The subjugation was a success, but the situation was more severe than anticipated," Gale reported. "The source of the disturbance was an artifact that caused an extreme concentration of mana, resulting in the unnatural monster surge."
Garrick leaned forward, his brow furrowing. "An artifact, huh? Any idea who placed it?"
Gale shook his head. "None. But its effects were artificial. Someone engineered this mana overload."
Garrick let out a heavy sigh, rubbing his temples. During the battle, he had remained at the rear, overseeing the knight spellcasters maintaining the mana barrier. Though he had heard the explosion, he hadn't seen what happened deep in the battlefield.
"This isn't good," he muttered. "We don't need another problem cropping up in our territory."
Gale agreed. But he didn't mention Belle. Not yet.
Not until he understood exactly what she had become.
Despite the looming questions, the town held a victory feast that night.
The guild's main hall overflowed with food, drink, and loud, boisterous voices. Adventurers clinked their tankards together, retelling exaggerated versions of their exploits. Even the knights, usually more reserved, joined in the revelry, though some simply sat in silence, processing the battle's horrors.
Kai leaned back in his chair, stretching with a satisfied sigh. "Man, this is what I live for. Victory, good food, and free drinks."
Across from him, Belle ate quietly, still lost in thought.
She wasn't one for celebrations, but she didn't mind the noise. It was… grounding. A reminder that, despite everything, they had survived.
At the far end of the room, Gale watched the festivities in silence, his mind turning over everything he had seen that day. His gaze flickered back to Belle.
She was strong. Stronger than anything he had ever witnessed firsthand. But strength like that didn't come without a price.
And he had a feeling… that price was only just beginning to reveal itself.
After the feast, Kai slipped away from the rowdy celebrations, weaving through the guild hall's corridors before stepping outside. He wasn't surprised to find Belle there, leaning against the stone railing, bathed in the glow of the moonlight.
She stood motionless, her silver hair swaying gently with the night breeze, her gaze locked onto the endless expanse of stars above.
Kai let out a small sigh.
"Figures I'd find you out here."
Belle didn't turn to look at him. "Needed some air."
He smirked. "Not a fan of noisy celebrations?"
She shook her head. "It's not that." Her voice was quiet, distant. "I just… don't feel like celebrating."
Kai leaned beside her, resting his arms on the railing. He could tell. Something was bothering her.
They stood in silence for a moment, the sounds of laughter and clinking mugs fading into the background.
Then, Kai finally spoke.
"Back there… in that fight." His voice was quieter now. "You were different."
Belle's grip on the railing tightened slightly.
"…Was I?"
Kai let out a dry chuckle. "Yeah. You were." He turned his head to look at her, searching her face for any kind of reaction.
She didn't deny it.
Because she had felt it, too.
Back on the battlefield, when she unleashed that terrifying strength—when she crushed the Mana-Titan's core with a single, decisive blow—it wasn't just raw power.
It was something deeper. Something primal.
Something that set her apart from everyone else.
She didn't know what it meant yet.
But the way the knights and adventurers had looked at her afterward… the way their awe had teetered on the edge of fear… it unsettled her.
Kai must've sensed it, too.
"You don't have to explain anything," he said, his tone softer than usual. "I don't care what you are, or what kind of power you have."
Belle finally turned to look at him. His expression was serious, but his crimson eyes held none of the hesitation or uncertainty she had seen in the others.
"You're still you," Kai said, tapping his fist lightly against her shoulder. "That's all that matters."
Belle's chest tightened slightly.
After everything that had happened, after everything she had shown—he still saw her the same way.
Not as a monster.
Not as a force to be feared.
Just as herself.
She exhaled slowly. "…Thanks."
Kai grinned. "Hey, someone's gotta keep you in check. Can't have you showing off and making the rest of us look bad."
Belle rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of a smile there.
Then, his expression shifted.
"…But be honest with me," Kai said, his voice growing serious again. "You feel it, don't you?"
Belle hesitated.
"The next threat. The next battle. Something bigger is coming."
This time, she didn't look away.
Because he was right.
Ever since she had arrived in this world, there was a nagging feeling deep inside her—something stirring, something waiting.
And today, after fighting the Mana-Titan, after unlocking something deeper within herself…
That feeling had only grown stronger.
"…Yeah," she admitted softly. "I do."
Kai smirked, but there was a sharp determination in his eyes.
"Then we'd better be ready."
Belle met his gaze.
She had no idea what was coming next.
But one thing was certain—neither of them would face it alone.
Belle exhaled, the weight on her chest easing just slightly.
Kai, always reckless, always loud, had a way of making things simple.
No matter what happened… he wasn't going to treat her any differently.
She turned back toward the guild hall, the distant hum of celebration still in the air.
"…Let's get stronger," she said, almost to herself.
Kai grinned, cracking his knuckles. "That's the plan."
Together, they stepped back into the light—toward the next challenge waiting for them.
Meanwhile…
Far beyond Dawnstead's gates, three figures rode swiftly beneath the moonlight, their armor dusted with the wear of countless battles.
They had spent months away, facing dangers that few could comprehend.
And now—they were finally returning home.
Dawnstead's strongest adventuring party…
The Trinity Blades.
Their return would change everything.
End of Chapter 25