Roe moved first.
Mana gathered around his axe as the air around it began to freeze.
River's eyes widened.
He immediately pushed wind magic into his legs and jumped back.
The axe came crashing down.
The moment it struck the ground—
Ice exploded outward.
Frozen flowers bloomed across the street, spreading in jagged patterns as frost rapidly covered the stone.
The ground instantly became slick.
Treacherous.
River struggled to keep his footing.
"Ice magic…" River muttered.
His grip tightened around his staff.
"Without Buer… Perfect Counter isn't an option."
Roe rushed forward again.
River forced wind magic around his feet, stabilizing himself just enough to move across the frozen ground.
He dodged another brutal swing.
The axe slammed into the street, ice erupting outward with every strike.
River's heart pounded.
He's strong.
Far stronger than most adventurers River had seen.
Every attack carried crushing force.
And the freezing mana radiating from Roe's weapon made each strike feel like it could turn River into an ice sculpture.
River raised his staff.
"Sunlight!"
A burst of blinding light erupted from the tip.
The flash struck Roe directly in the eyes.
He flinched.
River didn't waste the moment.
He slid across the ice, using the slick ground to launch himself away at high speed.
He ran.
But only a few seconds later—
A voice spoke.
"Stop."
The word was calm.
Quiet.
Yet the moment River heard it—
His body froze.
An overwhelming pressure filled the air.
River's stomach twisted violently.
It felt like the weight of a boulder had suddenly been placed on his shoulders.
His legs gave out.
He dropped to his knees.
River slowly looked up.
Standing in front of him was a man.
Long white hair flowed over a white cloak decorated with gold accents.
A deep scar ran down the side of his face.
And his crimson eyes watched River calmly.
"Roe," the man said casually.
"I thought this boy was supposed to be the one person we don't kill."
He sighed softly.
"Rabbit will be upset."
Roe instantly stiffened.
"I'm sorry, boss," he said.
His hands trembled slightly.
The white-haired man turned his gaze back to River.
"Did he hurt you, young man?"
River's voice shook.
"W-who… are you people?"
Fear filled his eyes.
This man's presence was terrifying.
It wasn't as overwhelming as Pharos had been earlier.
But the difference was meaningless.
Comparing them was like comparing a boulder to a mountain.
Different in size—
Yet both could crush an ant like River without effort.
"My name is Elric," the man said with a calm smile.
"As you've probably noticed… we're all red-eyes here."
His crimson eyes softened slightly.
"So I'd prefer if we could get along."
River forced himself to breathe steadily.
"You're murderers," he said.
His voice shook, but he kept speaking.
"That man's hands were covered in blood."
He narrowed his eyes.
"And it wasn't monster blood."
River swallowed.
"It smelled too metallic."
Elric sighed faintly.
"Oh… Roe."
He rubbed his forehead.
"What did we talk about?"
His tone remained polite.
"Personal hygiene is important."
He glanced behind him.
"Go back to base and wash that unsightly mess off while I speak with our friend here."
Roe immediately straightened.
"…Yes, boss."
Without another word, he turned and disappeared down the street.
River watched him leave.
Elric clasped his hands behind his back.
"Now then."
He tilted his head slightly.
"My companion was simply finishing a job."
His voice remained calm.
"Someone unpleasant had to die."
He smiled gently.
"So there's really no reason for you to worry."
River clenched his teeth.
He forced his legs to move, trying to stand despite the crushing pressure pressing down on him.
Elric noticed immediately.
"Ah."
He sighed.
"Now there's no need for that."
"Longinus."
A spike of dark magic burst from the ground.
SHK.
It pierced through River's legs.
River collapsed with a cry of pain.
Elric watched calmly.
"Now, now…"
"My companion specifically requested that you live."
He crouched slightly in front of River.
"So I'm simply going to erase these troublesome memories of yours."
He smiled.
"Alright?"
River forced his hand upward.
"Don't you dare… you bastard!"
"Wind Cutter!"
A blade of wind shot toward Elric.
But Elric stepped aside effortlessly.
The attack sliced harmlessly through the empty air.
Elric's expression remained almost sympathetic.
"You're precious to Rabbit."
He said it like a simple fact.
"Her most beloved person."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"So let's pretend you never saw Roe or me today."
Dark magic gathered around his hand.
"Mind Break."
The spell struck.
Black energy seeped into River's skull.
His vision blurred instantly.
His thoughts collapsed into darkness.
River fell unconscious.
Elric stood quietly over him.
"…Heal."
Soft magic flowed into River's legs.
The wounds closed.
Once the injuries were gone, Elric turned and began walking away.
Leaving River alone—
Lying unconscious in the empty street.
Roe returned to the base not long after.
He walked straight to a small wash basin and began scrubbing the blood from his hands.
Cold water ran down his fingers, turning faintly red before disappearing down the drain.
"Hey there."
Roe froze.
A familiar voice spoke behind him.
"How did the mission go?"
Celestia stood in the doorway.
She leaned casually against the wall, her arms folded as if she had been waiting for him.
"—OH."
Roe quickly straightened.
"Hey, Rabbit."
He forced a relaxed smile.
"All good. I killed the city lord, and nothing went wrong."
Celestia's smile didn't change.
"Nothing?"
She slowly stepped closer.
"Are you sure about that?"
Before Roe could react—
Her hand shot forward.
THUD.
She slammed him against the wall and grabbed him by the throat.
Roe choked slightly as she lifted him off his feet.
"H-hey—!"
"It was an accident!" Roe panicked.
"Listen, he caught me red-handed!"
"That's your fault for being incompetent," Celestia replied calmly.
Her crimson eyes were cold.
"If the leader hadn't stepped in…"
She drew her sword.
The blade stopped inches from Roe's eye.
"What would have happened? What would you have done?"
Roe's breathing became frantic.
"Listen, listen—no need to do anything drastic!"
He tried to smile.
"We're friends here, right?"
Celestia's grip tightened slightly.
"Twice now," she said softly,
"you've put my beloved in danger."
Her voice lowered.
"I finally have him all to myself."
A faint blush crossed her cheeks.
"He's starting to trust me."
She smiled dreamily.
"He even blushes sometimes."
Then her expression turned deadly serious again.
"I will not let you harm him."
Roe blinked nervously.
"…Don't you have a third party member now?"
Celestia shrugged.
"Azura?"
Her voice softened slightly.
"She's more like a cute daughter."
She tilted her head.
"I'm not worried about her stealing my beloved away."
Roe gulped.
Celestia lowered the sword slightly.
"Now listen carefully."
Her smile returned.
"I'll give you one more chance."
The sword moved closer again.
"But next time…"
Her voice became frighteningly calm.
"I'll castrate you."
"…Okay?"
She released him.
Roe dropped to the floor, gasping for air.
"Y-yes!"
He nodded rapidly.
"Okay! I promise! I won't drag River into danger again!"
Celestia sheathed her sword and turned to leave.
The room fell silent.
Roe sat there for a moment, breathing heavily.
"…Scary," he muttered.
Celestia continued walking down the corridor.
Her footsteps echoed softly through the base.
"Now, now."
A familiar voice spoke ahead of her.
"You shouldn't bully the poor man so much."
Elric approached from the opposite hallway, a faint smile on his face.
Celestia didn't slow down.
"He deserved it," she said flatly.
Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
"I'm still mad about you stabbing him in the leg."
She pulled out both of her swords.
The steel shimmered as they left their sheaths.
Elric tilted his head.
"Care to go a round?"
Celestia smiled.
Without hesitation—
Flames erupted along the edges of her blades.
She lunged forward.
Her swords cut through the air in rapid succession, fiery arcs flashing with every strike.
Elric calmly raised his hand.
"Light Magic — Shield."
A barrier formed in front of him.
CRACK.
It shattered instantly under Celestia's attack.
Another shield formed.
CRACK.
That one broke too.
Elric laughed softly as he stepped backward, creating barrier after barrier to block her relentless assault.
"You're faster than the last time we fought," he said.
Celestia didn't respond.
Instead—
She raised one blade.
"Dark Magic — Heretical Creation."
The shadows around her twisted.
Then—
Multiple copies of Celestia appeared.
Dozens of them.
They surrounded Elric in a perfect circle.
Each clone moved.
Each clone attacked.
And every one of them was real.
Solid.
With weight and presence.
Elric fired a beam of light magic.
One clone was struck and collapsed.
For a moment, it bled like a real body—
Before dissolving into black smoke.
The remaining clones attacked simultaneously.
Elric sighed.
"Dark Magic — Inverse World."
The air around him warped.
Gravity suddenly twisted.
The clones were violently pulled upward—
Slamming into the ceiling.
Then the force reversed.
They crashed back down toward the floor.
Elric raised his hand calmly.
"Longinus."
Black spears erupted from the ground.
They pierced through each clone one by one.
The bodies dissolved into smoke.
All of them—
Except one.
Celestia stood behind him.
Her sword pressed against his neck.
"How did you know which one was the real me?" she asked.
Elric smiled.
"I didn't."
He shrugged casually.
"I guessed."
Celestia blinked.
Then laughed.
"…Psycho."
Celestia exhaled slowly.
The flames along her swords faded as she slid both blades back into their sheaths.
Elric adjusted the sleeve of his coat, looking completely unharmed despite the chaos of the spar.
"Do you feel better now?" he asked casually.
Celestia rolled her shoulders.
"…Yeah. A little."
Elric nodded as if that answered everything.
"In that case," he said calmly, "you should return to your friends."
He began walking past her.
"But be prepared."
His tone sharpened slightly.
"I will need you for our next operation."
Celestia waved a hand dismissively.
"Don't worry."
She smiled faintly.
"I left a clone with Azura."
Her eyes softened for a moment.
"So I could keep an eye on my River during his day off."
Elric stopped walking.
Celestia continued.
"Pharos spoke with him."
Her voice remained calm, but her eyes darkened slightly.
"Most likely about the Onyx January."
She folded her arms.
"…He's much scarier in person."
Her gaze drifted slightly.
"It almost felt like he knew I was watching the entire time."
Elric was silent for a moment.
Then he spoke.
"He didn't come to town because of the Onyx January."
Celestia blinked.
Elric turned his head slightly.
"That man has been in Stonehelm for a while now."
His crimson eyes narrowed.
"And during that time…"
"…he's been watching River."
Celestia's expression finally shifted.
"Why?"
Elric shook his head.
"I don't know yet."
He resumed walking.
"But be ready."
Celestia straightened slightly.
"Yes, sir."
She watched him disappear down the corridor.
Then quietly murmured to herself.
"…My River."