The forest had gone unnaturally silent.
Mist curled slowly between the thick roots of ancient trees, and the air itself seemed to grow heavier with every passing breath.
The hooded figure stood before Lin.
Its presence alone distorted the atmosphere.
Lucifer's eyes burned with anger.
"You dare ignore me…?"
His voice echoed through the trees like thunder.
Flames ignited around his arm.
Not the full infernal blaze he could unleash—but even restrained, the fire carried terrifying heat.
Without another word—
Lucifer moved.
The ground cracked beneath his step as he launched forward with explosive speed.
The flaming blade in his hand tore through the air like a comet.
"DIE!"
The slash came down with enough force to split stone.
But the hooded figure barely turned its head.
A single hand rose.
CLANG.
The impact exploded across the forest.
Shockwaves tore leaves from branches.
Lucifer's eyes widened.
His sword had been stopped.
Not with a weapon.
But with the figure's bare hand.
The flames burned fiercely against the dark aura surrounding the attacker, yet the hooded figure remained completely unmoved.
Then—
It pushed.
Just a slight motion.
BOOM.
Lucifer's body was thrown backward like a broken arrow.
He crashed through a tree trunk before landing hard on the forest floor.
Dust rose into the air.
Lucifer gritted his teeth as he forced himself back up.
"What the hell… is that monster?"
But before he could charge again—
Another shadow crossed the battlefield.
Luna.
Her sword gleamed coldly as she stepped between Lin and the hooded figure.
Her voice was calm.
"You're not touching him."
The hooded figure tilted its head slightly.
"You are injured."
Luna wiped the small trace of blood from the corner of her lips and smiled.
"Still enough."
She raised her sword.
No flames.
No overwhelming power.
Just pure swordsmanship.
The ground beneath her feet shifted slightly as she adjusted her stance.
Lucifer immediately understood.
"She's fighting seriously…"
The hooded figure stepped forward.
And Luna attacked.
Her sword flashed forward in a sharp arc aimed directly for the figure's neck.
The attack was precise.
Perfectly balanced.
But the hooded figure stepped aside.
The blade sliced through empty air.
Luna did not stop.
Her sword turned mid-motion and came down in a vertical strike aimed at the shoulder.
CLANG.
The figure blocked with its forearm.
But Luna's eyes sharpened.
She twisted the blade instantly, sliding it along the arm before redirecting the strike toward the ribs.
CLANG.
Another block.
The figure moved back slightly.
Lucifer watched in shock.
"She's forcing it to retreat…"
Luna continued attacking.
Her sword danced through the air in rapid succession.
Horizontal strike.
Vertical slash.
Reverse thrust.
Each attack came faster than the last.
The forest filled with the ringing sound of steel.
CLANG.
CLANG.
CLANG.
The hooded figure moved with eerie calmness, deflecting each strike with minimal movement.
Yet Luna continued pushing forward relentlessly.
She spun low—
Her blade sweeping toward the figure's legs.
The attacker jumped lightly over the strike.
But Luna had expected that.
Her body rotated mid-motion.
Her sword flashed upward.
A perfect upward slash aimed directly for the throat.
For the first time—
The hooded figure moved seriously.
Its hand shot forward.
CLANG.
The blade stopped inches from its neck.
The figure caught the sword.
Barehanded.
Luna's eyes narrowed.
She twisted the blade violently.
The steel tore against the figure's palm, forcing it to release the weapon.
She jumped backward instantly.
Lucifer rushed forward again.
"Move!"
Flames exploded around him as he charged.
His sword became a blazing arc.
BOOM.
The fire struck the ground where the hooded figure stood.
The explosion shattered rocks and scorched the surrounding trees.
But the figure was already gone.
It appeared behind him.
Lucifer sensed it.
He turned instantly—
But too late.
A single palm strike landed against his chest.
BOOM.
The impact sent him flying again.
Lucifer hit the ground hard, coughing blood.
"What kind of strength is that…?!"
Meanwhile—
Luna attacked again.
Her sword moved like lightning.
She unleashed a rapid sequence of strikes that forced the hooded figure to block repeatedly.
CLANG.
CLANG.
CLANG.
The pressure of her swordplay began pushing the figure backward.
Lucifer wiped blood from his mouth.
"She's actually holding it back…"
But then—
Something changed.
The hooded figure's movements slowed.
It studied Luna carefully.
"You are… impressive."
Luna smirked.
"Flattered."
Then she attacked again.
Her blade cut through the air with a deadly thrust aimed directly at the heart.
The hooded figure stepped aside—
And struck.
A sudden burst of dark energy erupted from its hand.
The attack was instantaneous.
BOOM.
Luna barely managed to block.
Her sword collided with the dark force.
But the impact was monstrous.
The shockwave threw her backward violently.
She skidded across the forest floor.
Blood splattered onto the leaves.
Lucifer's eyes widened.
"Luna!"
She forced herself to stand again.
Her breathing had grown heavier now.
Her arm trembled slightly.
Even at only a fraction of her full power—
Few beings could injure Luna this quickly.
The hooded figure no longer looked interested in fighting her.
Instead—
It turned.
Its gaze fell on Emilie.
Sylvarielle was already carrying the unconscious girl away from the battlefield.
"Stay back!" Sylvarielle shouted.
She raised her sword.
The hooded figure began walking toward them calmly.
Lucifer tried to stand—
But his body refused to move properly.
"Damn it…"
Luna stepped forward again.
But the figure moved first.
Its speed suddenly exploded.
In one instant it crossed the battlefield.
Sylvarielle swung her blade.
CLANG.
The figure blocked effortlessly.
Then struck.
A pulse of dark energy erupted from its hand.
Sylvarielle's eyes widened—
And everything went black.
Her body collapsed instantly.
Emilie slipped from her arms onto the ground.
The hooded figure stepped past her unconscious body.
Lucifer's voice cracked with rage.
"YOU BASTARD!"
But he was too far away.
Luna rushed forward again despite her injuries.
Yet the figure ignored her.
Its focus was now on Emilie.
And Lin.
The hooded figure slowly stepped over the fallen leaves toward them.
The forest had become deathly quiet.
Even the wind had stopped.
Lin remained standing exactly where he had been the entire time.
Calm.
Still.
Unmoving.
The figure approached him.
Closer.
Closer.
Lucifer struggled desperately to stand.
Luna forced herself forward again.
But neither could reach him in time.
The hooded figure raised its arm.
A blade of condensed darkness formed within its hand.
And then—
It struck.
The motion was so fast that even Luna could barely see it.
A flash of black.
A tearing sound.
And then—
Blood splashed across the forest floor.
Scarlet droplets scattered through the mist like falling petals.
Lucifer's eyes widened in horror.
Luna froze and got fainted .
The battlefield went silent.
And in that terrifying moment—
No one yet knew whose blood had just painted the forest red.