"Oops. Sorry. It was just the heads."
The girl casually tossed the two severed heads of Azca's comrades. They rolled across the rough concrete floor, leaving dark streaks of blood behind, before coming to a stop—faces twisted in pain and despair.
Carina leapt down and approached Azca, who stood frozen in silence. She walked gracefully, her white Asterian royal cloak strikingly vivid against the night.
"I was hoping to have a little fun tonight," she said lightly. "But it seems your leader only sent amateurs. Isn't that an insult?"
"…"
"That's why I want something to entertain me."
Azca, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.
"Entertain you?" Her voice was flat. "So killing my comrades… that's entertainment to you?"
"No. More precisely… I want to see you entertain me. You understand what I mean, don't you?" Carina let out a taunting sigh. "'Mycomrades are dead! I'll avenge them!' Something like that."
"…If that's what you're expecting, sorry. I can't grant your wish." Azca's voice remained calm—too calm—but anger coiled beneath it.
"Eeh? Why not? Doesn't this make you furious?"
Carina stepped on one of the severed heads, trying to provoke her. Azca only stared coldly.
"That would just get you killed."
"…?!"
Carina suddenly heard a sound beneath her foot—a faint, monotonous beep… beep… coming from inside the head.
And then—
—'Boom!'
The head exploded, blasting Carina several meters back. Though she avoided the worst of it, shock flickered across her face.
"Genesta…?" she murmured.
Azca launched forward in a blur, striking repeatedly with her dagger. Carina was forced on the defensive.
"She's fast!" Carina thought.
Azca found an opening and kicked toward Carina's face. Carina crossed her arms to block, skidding backward from the impact.
The smile vanished from Carina's lips. The disdain in her eyes shifted into caution.
"I didn't expect a Genesta as strong as you. Your friend earlier was a Destruction-type, wasn't he?"
"We planned to bring down the Tower with his ability," Azca replied evenly.
Carina exhaled softly. "Sending you on a mission like this… how reckless. But I'm still impressed. You're tougher than the others."
"Maybe tough enough to beat you."
"For such a small girl, you've got a sharp tongue. Ah, that's right—you probably don't know who I am."
She straightened, placing her right hand over her chest and bowing slightly.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am the guardian of Princess Avra from Asteria Kingdom—a Core-2nd user—Carina Von Elderfield."
Azca's gaze sharpened. The AI drone on her shoulder trembled.
"C-C-Carina?!"
"What is it, Percy?" Azca asked.
"I know her! She's extremely dangerous! Run! You'll die!"
"And you think I can escape now?"
"Ah—well—"
"Enough talking. Switch to combat mode."
"R-Right!"
Carina tilted her head. "What an unusual AI. By the way, I'd like to make you an offer."
"What?"
"You're a Genesta similar to me. And your Strength stat is impressive. I'm interested. Would you like to become my subordinate?"
"That's why I hate people like you," Azca replied coldly. "All you care about is power and authority—to trample the weak."
"But you're not weak."
"And I'm nothing like you."
Carina narrowed her eyes.
"When the heart is consumed by power, people lose their humanity. That's what defines you—the upper class. Do you even know what it's like to be powerless? To live at the mercy of an uncertain fate? You'll never understand until God judges you. I'm tired of waiting for that judgment."
Azca drew her second dagger.
"So I'll bring it to you myself!"
Carina listened in silence, then smiled faintly. "A touching speech. But—" she drew her blade, "can you defeat us? Be realistic. Right now, you're the only one left—"
"—And it's my turn to take your head," Azca cut in.
Carina's expression hardened.
"Very well. I'll indulge you. You're a Genesta capable of matching my speed… but this time, I won't hold back."
Silence fell.
Their long hair and cloaks danced in the night wind, as if cheering them on.
They watched each other closely—waiting for the slightest opening.
The wind died completely.
Then—
'Woosh!'
They vanished simultaneously, colliding in a violent clash.
'Craaank!'
Azca matched Carina's speed—but her eyes widened when her dagger, meant to parry, was sliced clean in two.
"What? It's coated in energy core!" Azca gasped.
"Did you know?" Carina said calmly. "An Ultimate Core is extraordinary. It grants power to its wielder—and can cut through anything. Even energy-core weapons."
She attacked again. Azca blocked—only for her blade to split once more.
"Like your dagger," Carina finished.
Azca retreated.
"Azca! This is bad! You can't beat that weapon!" Percy shouted.
"Then I'll just avoid it!"
"It's not that simple! That's Core-2nd: Canopus Star—a thin energy blade capable of slicing anything. It massively boosts her acceleration."
"I kept up earlier."
"You're still nowhere near enough! She hasn't even used its full power!"
Azca fell silent, staring at Carina's sword.
"Percy. I have a plan."
"Eh?"
She transmitted data directly into Percy's archive. The drone vibrated sharply.
"Don't tell me you're—?!"
"Yes. I want to try."
Carina dragged her blade across the ground, carving a deep line.
"Finished planning?"
"Ya. Sorry to keep you waiting."
Azca drew a slimmer dagger—lighter, built for speed.
They charged again.
Carina swung. Azca dodged and countered. Blocked. Countered again. Each time her daggers were cut apart, she drew another and continued attacking.
Steel fragments rained like shards of silver.
Carina frowned. "She's forcing me to stay on defense while exhausting her own weapons… bold."
She swept at Azca's legs, unbalancing her, then kicked her exposed abdomen—
—but light flared.
"Energy Shield?" Carina muttered.
"Percy! Now!"
The drone flashed from behind Carina, blinding her. Azca lunged.
As Carina's vision cleared, she saw something in Azca's hand.
"Flash grenade—?!" Carina shocked.
Too late.
Light swallowed her again.
"Now, Azca!" Percy cried.
Azca thrust for her heart—
"[Core-Up: Activated]"
A holographic interface flickered before Carina's eyes.
Her body turned semi-transparent.
Azca's blade passed through empty air.
"What—?!"
Carina countered instantly, slashing Azca and sending her flying into a wall.
Carina solidified again—blood trickling from a cut on her shoulder.
"I didn't expect someone to force me to activate Core-Up after so long," she said quietly. "You almost killed me."
Azca struggled to breathe.
"Clever. The weapon-draining assault was a feint."
"No matter how fast you are… you still can't outrun light," Azca panted.
"That's why you used the flash grenades."
"Anyone struggles when suddenly blinded."
"True. But you'll need a new plan. You have one dagger and one grenade left."
Azca stiffened.
"Percy. Switch to Plan B."
"Plan B? Are you sure?"
"No."
"Then why—?!"
"At least I can save the others before she reaches them."
"…?"
"Go! I'll stall her!"
Percy hesitated—then flew off.
Carina watched silently.
"Let me ask you something," she said. "You're from the southern territory, aren't you? Why target only our leader?"
"We're rebels."
"No. I mean you personally."
Azca frowned.
"If you oppose both kingdoms, why not attack Wolvord too? Why only Asteria?"
"Because your leader possesses an Ultimate Core. Once we obtain it, we'll build a new territory to protect our homeland."
"The former southern kingdom… correct?"
"…Ya."
"Then why not negotiate with Princess Avra? She's trying to liberate that region from Wolvord."
"And let you monopolize it again?"
Carina's gaze softened.
"You're wrong," she said quietly. "The Princess intends to free it—for you."
Azca stared.
"She fights her father's authority alone. Recklessly, perhaps… but she's kind."
"…Are you serious?"
"I've known them both since childhood."
Silence lingered.
Azca swallowed. "Why didn't you kill me earlier?"
"I planned to capture and interrogate you. But you know nothing. You're being used."
"After killing my friends?"
"They were sent to die. Including you."
Azca's blood ran cold.
Carina revealed a small red-glowing chip.
"It was embedded near your hearts. If Core-Up hadn't activated… you would've exploded."
"…So from the start, we never had a choice?"
Betrayal cut deeper than any blade.
Then—
"[Aah. You've revealed it, Miss Carina.]"
Another voice echoed through the air—metallic, yet deeper than Percy's.
Azca knew Percy had already left to search for clues. So it couldn't be him.
He scanned the surroundings once more, and that was when he noticed it—the red light on the chip in Carina's hand blinking steadily.
Carina lifted it, holding the chip close to her beautiful lips.
"I don't want to kill another pawn you're playing with… Leader of the Black Robes. Or should I say… Joseph the Black Dagger?"
"[Hmm. So you know who I am as well.]"
"Could you stop deceiving children who don't know any better? And show yourself. Or are you even truly a 'man'?"
"[As always, your words cut deep. Besides, they're quite exceptional—and easy to exploit. That way, I don't have to dirty my own hands.]"
"Oh? Then what's your plan now? Your mission to attack the Princess failed miserably. Your subordinates have all been taken down."
"[Don't be foolish. My plan is proceeding perfectly.]"
"…?"
"[Look around you.]"
Carina's eyes swept across the area. One by one, the rooftops of the surrounding buildings came into view—now filled with thousands of black-robed figures, armed with energy core cannons.
She glanced upward. Hundreds of drones hovered above them.
She was completely surrounded. Not a single opening remained.
Carina realized that while they had been fighting, the enemy had been quietly preparing the encirclement.
"[We were certain you'd take the bait we truly laid out. Unfortunately, you noticed the chip from the start. So I moved on to the next phase.]"
Carina's gaze sharpened. "Don't tell me…?"
"[That's right. Our real target is… the wielder of Core-2nd. You.]"
The moment he declared it, Carina flung the chip away. It detonated instantly.
In the same breath, she dashed toward Azca and drove a powerful kick into him.
"Guargh!"
Azca groaned as his body was launched backward, hurtling off the building. Yet in that violent motion, he was freed from their encirclement.
Carina knew that if she fled together with Azca, they would pursue them relentlessly. Worse, it would endanger the civilians below. So she chose to stay behind—to draw them away from him.
"Go to Velnord, in the northern region!"
Those were Carina's final words to him before she was bombarded by millions of energy bullets from every direction.
Azca's body… was swallowed by the darkness at the base of the building.
※ ※ ※ (CHAPTER—01B) ※ ※ ※