Imperial, Dawn, Ari, and Tracey arrive at Shrink Village, where Dawn's parents welcome them. Dawn's attempt to reveal the village's library leads to tension, as her father warns against outsiders knowing its secrets. Later, the group witnesses the royal army bullying the villagers for "token money," prompting Dawn to confront the captain, which results in a violent escalation.
A Flash of Lightning…
Just as the captain's blade was about to strike Dawn—a crack of lightning flashed between them.
CLANG!
A glowing blade met the captain's sword, halting it mid-swing. Sparks flew.
Imperial stood firm, his arm raised, his sword humming with faint electricity. A faint smile curled on his lips as he locked eyes with the captain.
"Hello, mister captain," he said, his tone calm but sharp. "Long time no see."
They both pushed off and jumped back, swords at the ready.
The captain snarled, recognizing him.
"You again, you little brat… This time, I'll kill you for real!"
Without wasting another word, the two clashed again, their swords colliding in a fury of sparks and ringing metal. The impact sent a shockwave through the area, rattling the stones underfoot.
But Imperial wasn't fighting seriously—not yet. He moved with fluid grace, parrying and deflecting with ease.
Then he called out to Dawn without looking away from the captain.
"Dawn! I don't want to destroy your village. I'll take this outside. Keep everyone safe."
Before she could respond, Imperial vanished in a flicker of lightning—and reappeared behind the captain.
WHAM!
A solid punch struck the captain's gut, launching him through the air. He flew past the village gates, crashing into the dirt outside.
Imperial followed in a flash.
________________________________________
Outside the Village
Villagers gathered nervously at the edge, tension rising like a storm.
Drenor shouted – "This is bad! Dawn—stop him! If this turns into a real battle, we'll all be in danger!"
Ari and Tracey didn't wait.
They helped Dawn recover, then dispatched the remaining soldiers with quick teamwork and precise strikes.
Once the soldiers were unconscious or fleeing, Dawn, Ari, and Tracey ran after Imperial, hearts pounding.
________________________________________
The Duel Begins
The captain stood, wiping blood from his mouth, seething with rage.
"You think you're strong? You're just a reckless child with a glowing sword!"
He slammed his foot down.
"Stone Magic: Stone Blades!"
Dozens of sharp rock blades erupted from the ground, hurling toward Imperial like a deadly wave.
But Imperial didn't flinch.
He raised his sword, lightning crackling around him.
SWISH! SLASH! ZING!
He cut through the blades one after another with lightning speed, each strike clean and effortless.
The last blade shattered against his sword in a burst of sparks.
Dawn arrived just in time to see it. Her eyes widened.
"He's... cutting through stone like it's paper..."
Ari whispered, stunned, "He's not just strong—he's something else…"
The captain, now furious, roared and lunged.
"Stone Gauntlets!" Thick rocky armor formed around his fists as he threw a heavy punch.
Imperial caught the punch with his bare hand. Lightning sparked across his arm.
"Too slow."
He twisted, flipped over the captain's shoulder, and drove a kick into his back, sending him skidding across the dirt.
The captain growled and thrust both arms forward.
"Stone Barrage!"
A hail of boulders flew toward Imperial from all directions.
Imperial calmly lifted his sword.
"Guess I'll end this now."
Lightning surged through his blade, the air vibrating with energy.
"Lightning Magic: Thunder Clap."
Z-Z-Z-ZIP!
A blinding bolt of lightning exploded around him as he vanished—reappearing in front of the captain mid-strike.
SLASH!
The blow was clean, silent. For a second, it looked like nothing happened.
Then—
BOOM!
A delayed shockwave blasted the captain backward, his armor cracking, his blade splitting in two.
He hit the ground hard, unconscious.
________________________________________
Aftermath
Dust settled. The silence was heavy.
Imperial sheathed his blade, breathing evenly, not a scratch on him.
He turned as Dawn, Ari, and Tracey ran up behind him.
Dawn stared at him, stunned.
"You… you beat him like it was nothing…"
Imperial gave a half-smile.
"I held back. If I didn't, this would've been over in seconds."
Imperial approached Dawn, his expression sharp and focused.
"Why was that man demanding money?" he asked.
Dawn sighed, her voice low. "He's been blackmailing our village… He knows about the hidden library. He threatened to report us to the higher-ups if we didn't pay him off. So, every week, we gave him money to keep quiet."
Imperial narrowed his eyes. "If we let him go now, he'll definitely expose the library—and us."
He turned to face Dawn and said coldly, "Given our situation, I think the best option is to kill him, right?"
The air grew heavy. Ari, Dawn, and Tracey stared at him in shock. The way Imperial said it—so calmly, so matter-of-fact—sent chills down their spines.
Dawn hesitated but then nodded slowly. "You're right… As much as I hate to admit it, that's the only option left. If he talks, everything will fall apart."
Without another word, Imperial walked up to the captain, who was still restrained and unaware of the fate awaiting him.
"Mister Captain," Imperial said, his tone sharp with finality, "you picked a fight with the wrong generation."
He placed his hand over the captain's chest—right over his heart. A flash of lightning surged through his palm, and in an instant, the captain's body convulsed and fell limp, lifeless from the sheer voltage.
Ari stepped back, startled. "What do we do with the body?"
Tracey added, "She's right. And don't forget—we have the soldier's body too. When these men don't return to the royal army, won't the council start looking for them? What if they track you down?"
Dawn shook her head. "They won't. Those men weren't real royal soldiers. They were mercenaries, thugs the captain hired for his own schemes. If the royal army knew about this, he would've been exposed and blackmailed long ago."
Imperial nodded. "Exactly. They're not the same soldiers we encountered before. These ones were just pretending."
Just then, the village leader arrived, his eyes taking in the scene. Without needing an explanation, he stepped forward solemnly.
"We'll take care of the bodies," he said. "Don't worry about the graves."
Dawn, Ari, and Tracey exchanged worried glances. How much had he overheard? What would the villagers think?
Sensing their tension, the village leader smiled gently. "You don't have to hide anything. I hated that captain too—but I couldn't bring myself to do what needed to be done. Thank you, all of you, for saving our village. If you hadn't stepped in… who knows what might have happened today."
He paused, then looked directly at Imperial.
"I've also heard that you came to see the library. Since you saved our people—and protected our secret—I'll grant you access. It's the least we can do."