Smith Jova…
Lucy frowned slightly. She had definitely heard that name before—but where?
It didn't matter right now.
Her eyes swept the area again. Empty.
The kids aren't here…
"What happened to the children?" Lucy asked coldly.
"Rude little girl," Smith replied lazily. "Aren't you supposed to show a little more respect?"
Lucy didn't respond.
"But I'll let it slide," Smith continued. "A buddy of mine kinda took them away. And by the way—aren't you a child too?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Lucy's energy surged.
Violently.
Purple light burst from her body, distorting the air around her.
"Are you working with the people inside the lab?" she demanded.
Smith's lips curved into a grin.
"And if I say I am," he said calmly, "what are you going to do?"
A small sphere of purple energy shot toward him instantly.
Smith twisted his body just enough for it to graze past him, the blast tearing through the air where he had been standing.
"Wow," he said, impressed. "That was amazing, kid."
Lucy didn't stop.
Multiple energy balls followed, streaking toward him one after another. They exploded on impact, filling the area with dust and shockwaves.
"You're pretty fast," Lucy said. "You actually dodged that."
"Nah," Smith replied—now suddenly standing right beside her. "It was just pretty slow."
Lucy's eyes widened.
This guy… He's fast.
She clenched her teeth.
I won't hit him unless I get serious.
Her energy surged again.
"Oh? You're doing the same thing?" Smith said casually—then paused. "No… something's different."
Lucy focused.
Gather. Shape. Add more power. Add spin.
The energy ball began rotating rapidly, stretching forward into a drill-like form.
Smith's eyes lit up. "That's even more impressive than before—but are you sure it'll—"
The blast was already in front of his face.
Smith snapped his head aside just in time.
"Woah," he said, genuinely amazed. "You figured out how to increase speed that fast?"
Before he could finish, Lucy had already formed multiple massive spear-shaped blasts.
"What the hell is this?" Smith muttered.
By adding power, shaping it, and spinning it, Lucy thought, I can increase both range and speed.
She fired.
Smith leapt backward just as the first spear tore past him.
"That's fast," he admitted.
Another spear came from above. He dodged sideways—only for a third to follow midair.
This kid…
Lucy followed his movements closely, stepping through the smoke as explosions rang out.
"You really won't go down, will you?" she said.
The dust cleared.
Smith stood there calmly.
Three white energy swords floated around him.
Lucy froze.
"You actually made me use my technique," Smith said. "That's pretty good. But now that it's out—your chances just dropped."
I remember now, Lucy thought.
Smith Jova… he's the one who trains the main character of the novel.
Her eyes narrowed.
The main story hasn't started yet. He looks younger than he should.
So they came to rescue the kids… not work with the lab.
Which means… he's just fighting me for fun.
Lucy exhaled slowly.
Fine. I'll play along.
Winning won't be easy. Maybe not even possible.
So let me test my limits.
She formed five spear-shaped energy blasts.
Purple Lance.
She fired.
Smith's swords moved instantly, intercepting the first lance. Another came from the side—he destroyed it, but one sword shattered in the process.
If all three swords combine, they can block one lance, Lucy analyzed. One sword against one lance cancels out.
So I need multiple directions.
Five at once is my limit.
All five lances surged toward him from different angles.
Smith laughed. "That's a nice tactic. You're really forcing me to get serious."
A new sword formed instantly—then two more.
Five white swords intercepted five purple lances perfectly.
They repeated the exchange again.
And again.
Lucy's breathing grew heavier.
This is going nowhere. I'll run out of energy first.
Her eyes sharpened.
Then I end it once.
What if I compress all five lances into one… compress it further… and add spin?
She poured everything into a single energy sphere.
It was dense. Oppressive.
It feels like a black hole…
Smith frowned.
She's going all in. I can intercept it—
Then he noticed the space around it twisting. Parts of it darkened.
That's… different.
It's fine, Lucy thought. He'll survive. He's a main character anyway.
She launched it.
Smith fired all five swords.
They bent.
Then vanished—sucked into the sphere.
"What—?!" both of them reacted at the same time.
I need to detonate it now, Lucy realized.
The sphere exploded just as Smith attempted to dodge.
A massive energy expansion swallowed the area.
Then—
It compressed into a single point.
And disappeared.
Leaving behind a giant crater. Everything the blast touched was erased.
Lucy stared.
That was stronger than I thought… He should be okay…
Silence.
Then—
Smith emerged from the forest beyond the blast range.
"What the hell," he muttered. "I barely dodged that by forcing a sword into the ground and blasting myself away."
He looked at Lucy with genuine disbelief.
"This little girl is a monster."
He gathered energy in his hand. "I still have some left—"
Lucy raised her own energy.
He still wants to fight?
"Enough."
A voice cut through the air.
Lucy froze.
I can't move.
A middle-aged man stepped forward—half his hair white, half black. Beside him walked a young man about Smith's age.
Who are they…?
"You guys finally showed up," Smith said.
"Well yeah," the younger man replied. "You're making a mess."
"That's enough, Daniel. You too, Smith," the older man said firmly.
Daniel…? Then who is he…?
"Don't worry, miss," the man said gently. "I'll release you."
The pressure vanished.
Lucy staggered slightly.
"I can move…"
"Your friends are safe," he continued. "We found them outside the lab and moved them somewhere secure."
Lucy relaxed—then noticed the blood dripping from her nose.
"…I should control my energy better."
"Yes," the man nodded. "You should."
Lucy looked up. "Who are you?"
"I am Ivan Swollen," he said. "Commander of the Southern Riftguard."