"Wind Blade!"
River thrust his staff forward.
A sharp blade of compressed wind shot across the battlefield, slamming into the Skin Eater's side.
"Where did you go?!" Friedrich shouted, still locked in combat as he slashed at the creature's legs.
"I was ambushed by one of the masked men," River replied quickly.
He didn't hesitate.
"But Celestia saved me."
Buer snickered from within the Bible.
"I'll be adding that lie to your sin counter, brat."
River ignored him.
His eyes sharpened as he took in the battlefield.
Everyone was scattered.
Uncoordinated.
Losing ground.
"…Listen up!" River shouted.
"I'm taking command!"
His voice cut through the chaos.
"Celestia—distract it! You're fast enough to avoid its attacks!"
Celestia grinned.
"Got it!"
"Friedrich—freeze its movement! Lock it down with your ice!"
Friedrich nodded immediately.
"Understood!"
"Azura—you're on defense! Block any major attacks!"
Azura steadied herself.
"Yes!"
"I'll prioritize healing you!"
River continued without pause.
"Hana—!"
He glanced toward her.
"Aim for its eyes! Destroy its vision!"
"…River…" Hana muttered softly, already drawing her bow.
Her brown hair flowed behind her as her sharp yellow eyes tracked the monster's movements.
Her arrows flew.
Each one infused with life magic, sprouting vines and twisting plants as they struck.
"And Alexander—"
River smirked slightly.
"I'm trusting you with the heavy damage."
He pointed his staff forward.
"Show me what you've got, you arrogant bastard."
Alexander clicked his tongue.
"I hate taking orders from a brat like you…"
Lightning crackled violently along his blade.
"But that's a solid plan."
"Buer," River muttered.
"Help me cast Thought Acceleration."
"Oh? Getting serious now?" Buer chuckled.
Mana surged.
River raised his staff.
"Thought Acceleration!"
A pulse of magic spread outward—
Enhancing both Celestia and Alexander.
To them—
The world slowed.
Celestia moved first.
Her body blurred as she split into multiple clones, darting around the Skin Eater from every angle.
Her blades struck rapidly—
Dozens of shallow cuts.
Never lingering.
Never stopping.
Whenever webs shot toward her—
Flames erupted from her swords, burning them away instantly.
She danced across the battlefield—
Keeping the monster's attention locked on her.
And the plan—
Began to take shape.
Friedrich drove his blade into the ground.
"Freeze."
A surge of cold spread outward.
From beneath the Skin Eater, ice bloomed—
Elegant, yet deadly.
Roses of ice wrapped tightly around its legs, binding it in place.
The monster shrieked.
Its body twisted violently as it lashed out—
A poisoned claw shooting toward Friedrich.
"Watch out!" River shouted—
But Azura was already moving.
She stepped in front of him.
"Water Barrier!"
A swirling shield of water formed just in time.
The claw struck.
The barrier rippled violently—
But held.
River's eyes lit up.
"Perfect."
He smiled.
"Your water element is diluting the poison. It's weakening its attacks."
Azura gritted her teeth, holding firm.
"I won't let it through!"
From the side—
Hana released another arrow.
Thwip.
The shot was precise.
It pierced directly into the monster's eye.
Vines exploded outward from the impact—
Digging deeper.
Wrapping.
Spreading—
From one socket to the other.
The Skin Eater let out a distorted scream.
It thrashed wildly.
Blind.
Completely blind.
"Alexander," River called out.
"Wait for my signal."
"Yeah, yeah," Alexander muttered, gripping his blade.
River steadied himself.
"I think I can handle this one without your help, you damned devil," he smirked slightly.
Buer chuckled.
"Oh? I'll be watching."
River raised his staff.
"Sound of Discourse."
A sharp, piercing wave erupted outward—
Wrapping around the Skin Eater from all sides.
The already blinded monster staggered.
Its senses overloaded.
It swung wildly—
Missing everything.
River's lips curled into a grin.
"You're up, lion cub."
Alexander scoffed.
"I'm the Roaring Lion Knight."
Lightning exploded along his blade.
"Don't you forget it!"
He leapt into the air.
Energy condensed.
The sound of thunder roared—
As he brought his sword crashing down.
BOOM.
Lightning engulfed the Skin Eater.
Its body convulsed as the attack tore through it.
A horrific scream echoed across the square.
Smoke rose from its charred flesh.
River exhaled, steadying himself.
"…A few more like that—"
He smiled.
"—and it's going down."
"Tsk… tsk…"
A quiet voice echoed from above.
"That brat has grown into something quite promising."
Pharos stood atop a nearby rooftop, watching the battle unfold with a relaxed smile.
"I'm sure his mother would be proud."
He tilted his head slightly.
"…Shame."
"It's going a bit too smoothly."
A grin spread across his face.
"Let's spice things up."
He reached into his coat and pulled out a small vial.
A black potion.
Its contents shifted unnaturally—
As if something inside it was alive.
Pharos raised it slightly.
"Let madness take hold…"
His voice dropped into something almost reverent.
"Degenerate and suffer…"
"Be devoured by all that corrupts this cruel, unfair world."
With a flick of his wrist—
He threw it.
The vial shattered against the Skin Eater.
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then—
The monster screamed.
A piercing, inhuman shriek tore through the battlefield.
Its body began to convulse violently.
"What the hell…?" River muttered.
His eyes widened.
"Oh my," Buer laughed.
"That shouldn't be possible."
His tone was amused.
"Trust me."
"I would know."
"I made that thing."
The Skin Eater's form began to collapse inward—
Bones cracking.
Flesh twisting.
A violent surge of mana exploded outward.
BOOM.
A shockwave blasted across the square—
Sending everyone flying backward.
River slammed into the ground, barely managing to keep hold of his staff.
"…What is happening…?"
The monster's body continued to change.
Shrink.
Condense.
Its massive spider form collapsed—
The legs retracting, disappearing entirely.
In their place—
Human legs formed.
Its torso reshaped.
Still grotesque.
Still split between masculine and feminine halves—
But now disturbingly human.
From its back—
Sharp, jagged appendages burst forth.
Like warped spider legs—
But smaller.
Deadlier.
Its hands and feet transformed—
Into black, razor-sharp claws.
Fine, hair-like filaments covered them.
Twitching.
Sensing.
Horns erupted from its destroyed eye sockets—
Curling outward.
And then—
Threads began to wrap around its body.
Silk.
White.
They wove themselves into clothing.
Forming elegant pants—
And a flowing robe.
The screaming stopped.
Silence fell.
Where the monstrous guardian once stood—
Now stood something else entirely.
Something worse.
Something… refined.
River slowly pushed himself up.
His grip tightened on the Onyx January.
The monster's body stilled.
Then—
It spoke.
"D… d… dark…"
Its voice was broken.
Distorted.
"…m… magic…"
River's heart dropped.
"…Long… Longinus…"
Before anyone could react—
BOOM.
The ground erupted.
Dozens of black spears burst upward from beneath the battlefield.
"Move!" River shouted—
Too late.
Azura raised her shield.
"Water Barrier—!"
The first few spears were deflected—
But the impact sent her flying.
She crashed through the wall of a nearby building—
And went still.
"Azura!"
Friedrich tried to move—
SHK.
Two spears pierced straight through his legs.
He collapsed instantly.
"Ghk—!"
Alexander turned—
But another spear drove into his abdomen.
He staggered back, coughing blood.
"Tch…!"
Hana leapt away, narrowly avoiding the attack.
Celestia and River both dodged in opposite directions—
Barely escaping the onslaught.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Tense.
River's breathing grew sharp.
"…Celestia."
His voice was steady—
But strained.
"Can you use your clones to get the injured out of here?"
Celestia nodded immediately.
"Yes."
She looked at him.
"Do you want me to save all of them… River?"
River hesitated.
His fist clenched tightly.
Then—
He exhaled.
"…Yeah."
His voice softened slightly.
"Save everyone."
A small pause.
"…Even Alexander."
Celestia smiled faintly.
"Understood."
In an instant—
She split into multiple clones, each one darting across the battlefield.
They moved quickly—
Grabbing Friedrich.
Lifting Azura from the rubble.
Pulling Alexander away despite his protests.
Within moments—
The injured were gone.
The battlefield fell quiet again.
River stood alone with Hana.
He bit down on his fingernail, trying to steady himself.
His eyes locked onto the monster.
It had no eyes.
No pupils.
Nothing that should allow it to see—
And yet—
It was staring directly at him.
"…River?"
The creature pointed.
Its voice was clearer now.
More stable.
River's breath caught.
"…It's learning," he whispered.
The monster tilted its head slightly.
"Learning…"
A pause.
"…save… the injured?"
Its voice echoed strangely—
As if mimicking him.
As if understanding.
"Hana—get out of here!"
River's voice cut sharply through the battlefield.
"At least until the others are healed by a proper cleric!"
Hana froze.
"River…"
Her voice trembled.
"I can't leave you. You're going to die."
River clenched his teeth.
Then—
He forced himself to harden.
"Why not?"
His tone turned cold.
"You didn't have a problem leaving me last time."
Hana's eyes widened.
"…!"
"So go."
River didn't look at her.
"Leave me here."
"…and let me die."
Silence.
Hana's lips parted—
She wanted to argue.
To scream.
But in the end—
She turned.
And leapt away.
Not to run—
But to fight.
To cut down the monsters flooding the town.
To protect the civilians.
River stood still.
Watching her go.
"…Good," he muttered under his breath.
Inside the Bible, Buer laughed.
"That was beautifully cruel."
His voice was filled with delight.
"I didn't think you had it in you."
River exhaled slowly.
"I just didn't want her to get hurt."
A small pause.
"…And that should count for something, right?"
A faint smile formed.
"That little performance… should earn me some of your power."
"Oh, absolutely," Buer said eagerly.
"For a display like that with how cruelly you crushed her feelings?"
"I'll even throw in a bonus."
River's smile sharpened.
"How generous."
He tightened his grip on the Onyx January.
"Then I'll make sure to use every last drop."
He closed his eyes briefly.
"…If you can hear me."
His voice softened.
"Selene."
"Please…"
"I need your help."
The weapon trembled in his hands.
"Awaken the dormant water within me."
"Let me use your power."
"Just this once."
His breathing grew heavier.
"Devour my will."
"Feed on it."
"So I can kill this thing."
"So no one else has to suffer."
Mana surged violently around him.
"Nobody else, except me."
The Onyx January reacted.
Its form shifted—
Twisting.
Reshaping.
Until—
A bow rested in his hands.
Elegant.
Deadly.
River drew the string back slowly.
An arrow formed—
Made entirely of flowing water magic.
Across from him—
The Skin Eater tilted its head.
Curious.
Then—
It raised its hand.
Darkness gathered.
A bow formed in its grip.
An arrow of dark magic took shape.
Mirroring him.
River's hands trembled.
Blood began to stream from his eyes.
"Both of you…"
His voice strained.
"Buer."
"Selene."
"Give me everything you've got."
The air trembled.
His body creaked under the pressure.
But he didn't stop.
"I'm ending this—"
He pulled the string tighter.
"…right here."
"Unique Spell of the Witch of the South—Leviathan!"
River's voice tore through the battlefield.
The cloak around his shoulders began to glow—
Deep blue light surged through it, amplifying his magic.
The arrow released.
For a brief moment—
Silence.
Then—
The sky split.
A roaring torrent of water erupted forward, twisting and spiraling into form.
A colossal sea dragon emerged—
Its body vast.
Its presence overwhelming.
It let out a deafening roar as it surged toward the Skin Eater.
Across from him—
The monster released its own arrow.
A bolt of dark magic.
But in comparison—
It was insignificant.
The Leviathan swallowed it whole.
And kept going.
"Ghh—!"
River collapsed to one knee.
Blood poured from his mouth—
From his eyes—
His body trembling under the strain.
"I… did it…"
The sea dragon crashed into the monster.
No resistance.
No struggle.
The Skin Eater's body was torn apart instantly—
Erased by the overwhelming force.
Water consumed everything.
Then—
Silence.
The Leviathan faded.
The battlefield stilled.
Where the monster once stood—
There was nothing left.
Only—
A single large magic crystal.
River's vision blurred.
The world spun.
He didn't even see the result.
Didn't see the victory.
His body finally gave out.
He collapsed forward—
Coughing blood—
As darkness overtook him—
River fell.
Not into silence.
But into a dream.
He stood in a quiet room.
Warm.
Soft light filled the space.
In front of him—
A woman sat on a bed.
She had long black hair.
Gentle blue eyes.
In her arms—
A newborn child.
Small.
Fragile.
With crimson eyes and blonde hair.
"…River," she said softly, smiling.
"How about we name him River?"
Her voice was filled with warmth.
"My precious son…"
She held the baby closer.
"He'll be as calm as a gentle wave."
Her smile deepened.
"But when push comes to shove…"
Her eyes shone with quiet pride.
"I know he'll become a mighty storm."
"One that nobody can stop."
She looked up.
Toward someone standing beside the bed.
"What do you think?"
River followed her gaze.
A man stood there.
Tall.
Silent.
His face—
Blurred.
Unrecognizable.
He didn't answer.
Not a word.
Instead—
He stepped forward.
Gently.
He picked up the baby.
For a moment—
It looked almost peaceful.
Then—
He placed the child beside the woman.
His hands moved.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
They wrapped around her neck.
The woman's eyes widened.
"…?"
No scream.
No struggle.
Only confusion—
Then fear.
Then—
Nothing.
The life faded from her eyes.
Her body went still.
River's breath hitched.
"Stop—!"
But no sound came out.
The scene didn't change.
It only burned itself deeper into his mind.
Then—
He woke up.
Gasping.
"Mom?"