A factor difference of a thousand… that showed the overwhelming power gap between Xavier and the two young heroes.
Dom gritted his teeth, fists tightening as he stared at Xavier. The sheer, intense aura radiating from him numbed Dom's already weakened body.
Can we really beat this guy? He thought, glancing at Dae, who wore the same tense expression, hands trembling slightly over the hilts of his swords.
The thought of giving up crossed Dom's mind, but it vanished the moment he saw Xavier's cocky smirk.
No. Even if it kills me… He thought, glancing at the wolves already fighting Xavier's knights.
I'll protect them.
But as the knights clashed with the wolves, it quickly occurred to him that someone was missing.
In that moment, Dae's eyes widened as a large shadow suddenly appeared behind Xavier. With her powers now fully recovered from the suppressor cuffs and her slightly healed injuries, Lucy, in her primal form, bared her teeth against this new threat.
She swung her razor-sharp claw at Xavier's head.
Xavier smirked and suddenly vanished, leaving her claw harmlessly slicing through empty air… and reappearing behind her.
Instantly, Lucy howled in pain as a cut appeared at her side, her warm blood quickly coating her silver-colored fur.
"Settle down, girl," Xavier said, flicking the blood off his spear. "The humans are talking."
Lucy collapsed immediately, reverting quickly to her human form.
The moment her body hit the ground, a loud sonic boom erupted as Xavier blocked a punch with his spear, the resulting shockwave sending everything within several feet flying.
Xavier grinned, holding his spear against a furious Dom's fist. "Oh? Were you holding back before?" He asked, as Dom glared daggers at him.
Meanwhile, Dae had already moved Lucy to a safe distance and tied his shirt around her wounded side. She groaned in agony as he tightened the band.
"Stay here and keep pressing against it." He said.
Despite her intense pain and growing weakness, she nodded.
Dae picked up his swords again and sprinted toward Dom, clashing intensely with Xavier.
Dom's body was begging him to stop, to give up before he took more damage.
But he ignored his instincts as he chased Xavier with deadly determination in his blue eyes. Don't hold back. The ground crumbled beneath his steps, veins bulging as his fists tightened. He's a bad guy. Let go.
As simple as that chant seemed, it triggered a noticeable dark change in Dom's aura. Even Xavier shivered slightly at the stone-cold blue glow in Dom's eyes as he threw another punch—using a level of strength he had never unleashed on a human before.
The wave of mana surge created another shockwave which radiated outward like ripples in water, knocking away wolves and knights fighting at a considerable distance. The trees on the clearing's outer edge trembled.
The ground beneath them gave way, forming a crater as sharp winds kicked up debris and dust in every direction.
They both quickly backed away from each other.
"Whoa," Xavier chuckled, genuinely surprised as he stared at his spear, which hummed and vibrated from the clash.
Xavier vanished, nearly avoiding a snake-shaped lightning bolt striking down where he had been standing. His spear vibrated violently from the impact… before disappearing to evade the attack.
Some distance away, Dae clicked his tongue, then twisted to block Xavier's spear from the side. They briefly stared each other down, weapons grinding, before launching themselves at blinding speed.
The air was filled with the sound of clashing metal. Sparks of electricity and fire flew in all directions as their blades met. While Dae visibly struggled, evident by his furrowed brows, Xavier mocked him with a smirk.
"Too slow!" Xavier shouted, swinging wide and throwing Dae off balance as his katanas were repelled upward.
Xavier crouched and wound his spear back for another strike, when Dom grabbed the spear from behind. This temporarily halted Xavier just long enough for Dae to recover and swing his katanas at Xavier's front.
But Xavier's strength overpowered Dom, pulling him with the spear and throwing him into the attacking Dae.
The collision sent both of them flying across the field, but they quickly recovered several feet away.
"Damn," Dom grumbled, wiping sweat from his forehead while Dae assumed another stance.
"Hmm. You guys are getting serious," Xavier said, rapidly spinning his spear in mesmerizing movements before suddenly stopping in a low stance, spear hanging behind him.
Dae surged forward first, but Xavier easily deflected his attack before evading Dom's sudden kick.
Dom grunted as he followed up with more quick punches, but Xavier evaded each one before kicking him away.
Dae reappeared with rapid sword swings, but Xavier instantly countered each strike.
"My turn," Xavier mumbled, a serious gaze replacing his earlier smirk as he knocked Dae back again and jumped back.
Mid-air, Xavier thrust his spear forward and retracted it instantly, the movement whistling like a high-speed engine.
Simultaneously, Dae grunted from a sharp pain in his gut, dropping to a knee and staring at the small bleeding hole in his vest.
"A bullet?" Dae whispered.
"Air bullets," Xavier said, spinning his spear with a spiraling gust of dust accompanying it, his red mana clearly manipulating the flow. He smirked at Dae. "Or did you forget that I'm a wind mage?"
Dae gritted his teeth, pressing against the wound while Xavier chuckled. "I don't need magic to beat you, boys…" He casually strolled to the side, keeping his eyes on Dom, already preparing to charge him from the sidelines. "…but since you're both being serious, I thought it'd be insulting if I didn't step up a bit."
With a sudden grunt, Xavier swung his spear forward, creating an arc of wind that Dae instinctively dodged.
The invisible attack sliced through a tree, cutting it clean in half.
Xavier then turned, narrowly avoiding Dom's punch. Laughing, he swung the blunt end of his spear into Dom's chin, disorienting him before moving back, spinning his spear rapidly.
"Whirlwind," Xavier whispered, swinging the spear upward. His red aura caused the air around Dom to spiral violently, flinging him helplessly into the air several feet.
Xavier laughed at Dom's struggle while instinctively blocking Dae's sword swing.
Dae assaulted Xavier with rapid slashes, but Xavier effortlessly blocked each one.
"Come on. I've barely broken a sweat," Xavier chuckled.
Dae gritted his teeth, stepping back before surging forward, swords crossed over each other. In a split second, he swung, creating an X-shaped electrical slash that ripped through the air and ground… but Xavier was already behind him.
Xavier thrust his spear at Dae's back… just as Dae vanished with a loud thunderclap.
Xavier's eyes widened as he sensed Dae behind him with swords inches from his back… but he jumped, leaving the attack to hit nothing.
Dae clicked his tongue while Xavier hovered above, temporarily suspended by a whirlwind around his lower body.
"So that's your top speed, huh? You almost got me," Xavier said as he slowly descended. "But you're still slower."
Upon landing, he drew his spear back, while Dae raised his katanas to counter.
"Air bullet," Xavier muttered, flicking his arm forward.
The invisible projectile required Dae to rely solely on the spear's position, timing from the previous hit, and instinct. He swung his sword to deflect it, producing a loud, high-pitched ping.
Xavier's eyes widened, an amused grin spreading. "You really are that old man's blood. He was the only one who stopped my bullets."
Dae sighed calmly, adjusting his stance to block the next attack--when a loud crash erupted nearby.
He turned to find Dom groaning, pulling himself out of a small crater. In that split second, another bullet flew, narrowly deflected.
"You should focus on your enemy, newbie!" Xavier shouted, firing multiple air bullets, while Dae rapidly deflected them.
But Xavier's attack speed increased, and a few bullets began to slip through, some nearly grazing Dae.
Once a bullet cut deeply through his right cheek, Dae vanished with another thunderclap, reappearing beside Xavier, who narrowly avoided a sword swing and elbowed Dae's ribs.
Dae grunted, giving Xavier space to swing his spear and knock both swords from Dae's hands. Dae stumbled backward, frustrated, as his blades spiraled above him.
Xavier fired two more bullets—one hit Dae's shoulder, the other his lap.
Dae dropped to his knees, clutching his bleeding shoulder.
"One down…" Xavier said, satisfied, before spotting Dom sprinting toward him.
Xavier surged toward Dom, the movement creating a gust that swept Dae aside.
Dom stopped abruptly, digging his foot into the ground and kicking dirt upward.
A single sweep of Xavier's weapon sent a gust of wind tearing in front of him, clearing the dust—just as Dom shot through the thinning haze, seizing Xavier by the shoulders.
"Nice trick," Xavier chuckled, drawing his spear back--when Dom rammed his forehead into Xavier's, the thundering collision echoing like boulders smashing.
Despite initiating the attack, Dom staggered, vision blurry. Hard… He thought, skull ringing with pain.
Xavier leaned back, laughing. "Shit. I actually felt that one." He grabbed Dom's shirt. "My turn." He rammed his forehead into Dom again.
Dom groaned, staggering backward, eyes wide as the world spun.
Xavier chuckled, hopping back, watching Dom stumble to his knees while shaking his head to recover.
"Alright. Let's finish this," Xavier said, taking a familiar stance, spear drawn.
Mostly recovered, Dom raised his arms, eyes narrowed. "Bullets don't work on me." He said.
Xavier smirked and fired anyway.
Dom's eyes widened as sharp pain radiated from his shoulder. He clenched his teeth as he gripped his new, bleeding wound.
"My bullets move like ordinary bullets…" Xavier said, spear tip swirling with dust. "…but with my magic, they're sharper than anything you've ever seen."
Determination ignited in Dom. He raised his blue aura around his arms, reinforcing his defense. Then I'll just make my body stronger. He thought.
"Seeing as that's your specialty, I'm sure you can do it," Xavier said, smiling sadistically. "But…" His eyes flicked sideways. "…I doubt she can…"
Dom's eyes followed his gaze-- landing on Lucy, weakened as she watched from a distance.
Dom's aura flared in fury as he charged directly at Xavier--then flinched when he realized the spearman had already vanished.
"Got you." The words cut through the air just as Xavier's foot slammed into Dom's back from behind.
Dom's body skipped across the ground like a stone, clothes shredded, before rolling to a stop on one knee. He coughed, wincing from the pain on his side.
"Dom…" A weak voice murmured.
Dom stiffened, realizing he was now in front of the injured beast-lady.
A familiar whistle caused Dom to instinctively guard as another bullet cut his arm, blood spilling onto Lucy's face.
Dom groaned but maintained his gaze on Xavier, who approached with a disgusted sneer.
"That's why I hate heroes. Having to beat villains while protecting the weak," Xavier said, stopping a few feet away. "So stupid."
Dae watched, wrapping his ripped vest around his bleeding leg.
"The same goes for wars." Xavier continued, "To your kingdom, you're the hero, but to the enemy… you're the villain. And one day, that army you defeated will come back for revenge and kill more people. It'll never end."
Xavier rested his spear on his shoulder and sighed.
"And then you realize villains can trap heroes by holding the weak hostage… All you're doing is creating unnecessary work for yourself."
Dom glared, his resolve unwavering.
"The only reason you're alive right now is because I was sent to capture you, not kill you." He added, glancing at Dae listening from afar. "As long as you follow your instructions, you won't have to worry about complications."
Xavier scoffed, watching his men kill the last wolves along with the cubs, further angering Lucy.
"And when you do your job well, they pay you, and you get to do whatever you want." Xavier grinned. " The perfect life for me."
"You're wrong."
Xavier turned as Dom straightened, his eyes narrowed with conviction burning in his gaze. "The Monarchs stopped the war." He said. "Five hundred years of endless fighting, and they ended it. They brought peace."
Xavier's smile turned into a sneer. "Peace… Is that what they told you?" He asked.
Dom frowned, conflicted.
"I was born during the war, kid. It wasn't like the stories you read or heard. I lived it."
Xavier gazed at the stars, expression distant.
"It was… hell. And it didn't end peacefully. It stopped because the other nations were scared shitless of the Monarchs. They gave up because they knew that they couldn't win."
He turned his gaze back to Dom, his red eyes glowing intensely. "They've lived humiliated for years. And you may not feel it, but they're itching for a comeback. The only thing stopping them now is that old man."
Dom lowered his gaze, understanding who Xavier meant.
Xavier chuckled. "They're good at hiding it, but the Royal Family and the Council have been worried sick these past few years. The only thing standing between them and war is a single geezer. I hear they pay him an absurd amount just to keep him from retiring early."
Dom frowned. "But we've been at peace for decades." He said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Why would the other nations want to restart the war?"
Xavier scoffed, irritation flickering across his face. "This is exactly why I said heroes are stupid." He replied as he stepped closer, the spear spinning lazily in his hand.
"All you ever think about is saving what's in front of you. Fixing the current problem… You don't even think about what comes next." His eyes darkened, shadowing his expression. "It's that same logic that caused the Great Fall in the first place."
Dae's eyes narrowed at the name, his body tensing.
"All the Monarchs did was pause it. The moment they're gone, there's nothing left to fear. That's why the Capital put so much effort into the Knight Project."
Dae frowned, his mind catching the implication. "To create the next Monarch," He whispered.
"I'll bet my life," Xavier said with a smirk, "… that the moment good old Dragon taps out, the war will flare up again. And this time, they won't fight each other—at least, not until they've done everything they can to destroy us first."
Dom's frown deepened as his thoughts flicked back to his conversation with Pops—the conflict that had even delayed the peace treaty itself.
"Even though they can't kill any of the men who caused their lands so much death and destruction," Xavier continued, his voice taking on a darker edge.
"... they'll be more than satisfied to destroy the land he came from. The moment the Great General Anthony Justice dies or retires…" His gaze sharpened, the air around him heavy with menace. "…this fake peace will finally end."