The carriage wheels came to an abrupt halt.
I turned my gaze toward the glass window of the compartment.
We were deep within a dense forest.
Tall trees pressed in from every side, thick undergrowth hemming the narrow path as though it sought to swallow the road whole.
A faint tremor ran through my elder sister's body.
A natural response upon realizing that the carriage had stopped without warning.
Carl, the coachman, had no instruction to draw the reins unless it was time to rest or some urgent matter required it.
We had only just paused earlier to take our midday meal and recover our strength before continuing.
This stop was not of his choosing.
Something had forced it.
A group of grown men.
I had sensed their presence even before they stepped forward to block the road.
The malice they exuded was crude, almost offensive in its intensity.
Far too easy to detect.
Amateurs.
They were no experts.
This situation was far simpler than I had anticipated.
Charlotte adjusted her posture, then slid open the front window partition that connected directly to Carl's position outside.
"What is the matter, Carl? Why have we stopped?"
"Young Lady, a group of men are blocking the road ahead."
"Remain where you are. There is no need for you to step down."
"Understood, Young Lady."
My elder sister turned to me, her expression laced with clear irritation—her rest had been disturbed.
"Teach them a lesson, Ian. They have truly ruined this afternoon."
"You have no wish to join me?"
"They are nothing more than weaklings. Their killing intent is crude and obvious. I will not waste my strength on such amateur bandits."
"I see."
Her judgment was sound.
They posed no real threat.
We had both been raised under the same father.
Our reasoning and powers of observation were not so different.
Though she tended to be more emotional in certain matters, her awareness of her surroundings remained sharp.
The killing intent outside was impossible to ignore.
Charlotte then cast a remark that bordered on mockery.
"What is it? Do not tell me you lack the ability to deal with them."
"That is not the case."
"Then what? Do you find it troublesome to handle them alone?"
I remained silent.
"If you require assistance, say the word. Though it will not come without a price."
"Even in such a moment, you find time for jest."
"I speak in earnest. Go, and give them a lesson they shall never forget."
"Shall it be physical... or of the mind?"
"Do you ask because you truly do not know, or are you attempting to provoke me, Ian?"
"I ask because it is your request. I merely wish to ensure the outcome aligns with your desire, Elder Sister."
Charlotte's brow furrowed.
My answer did not please her.
Her mood darkened further, and it was entirely the fault of those men outside.
As always, she would vent her irritation upon me as a means to settle her emotions.
Before she could speak again, I offered the most sincere smile I could muster.
Charlotte let out a quiet huff before delivering her final command.
"Both. Make them suffer in body... and break them in mind."
"I understand."
"Return if you find yourself struggling."
"You underestimate me?"
"It is nothing more than a concerned elder sister speaking to her younger brother."
A soft laugh escaped me at that explanation.
"The deception within your words nearly convinced me."
"Look at you. You truly do not understand sincerity. You are not the Ian I once knew."
"And what manner of Ian did you know?"
She rested her cheek against her pale hand, appearing to consider for a moment.
"The Ian I knew was a younger brother who obeyed me without question."
"Nothing has changed. I remain the same."
"Clearly, you do not."
I drew in a slow breath, releasing it just as carefully.
My elder sister did so enjoy toying with words.
It reminded me of Ryan.
"Very well. Remain here. I shall resolve this according to your wishes. A lesson they shall never forget."
Charlotte smiled in satisfaction.
"You should have acted at once, rather than circling endlessly with meaningless words."
"You were the one who began, and now you place the blame upon me."
"Hehe. Go now, before they lose patience and seize Carl."
Just as I rose from my seat, a heavy voice, thick with arrogance, thundered from outside, echoing into the compartment.
"Hey, coachman! Deliver a message to your master inside."
"If you wish to pass through this road, you will pay a toll."
"Refuse... and do not expect to leave alive, let alone continue your journey."
The words rang with crude arrogance.
Charlotte heard every syllable.
To become a hero had always been one of her aspirations.
Yet rather than restraint, such threats only stirred her sense of justice.
A path of justice that was anything but conventional.
Far removed from the ideals of heroes of old.
Charlotte's expression changed at once.
Dark.
Unpleasant to behold.
In that moment, she bore a striking resemblance to our youngest sister.
There were times when Karina's face would turn cold and arrogant, as though all others were nothing more than trivial nuisances. Though that expression never lingered long, I had always managed to catch it in passing.
Now, Charlotte carried that same aura.
Once she reached this state, there was no need for me to handle everything alone.
My assumption proved correct.
"Come. We shall descend and deal with them together."
"As you wish."
Was there any need to offer prayers for the wretches ahead?
I thought not.
The blood that flowed within us carried a natural inclination to look down upon others.
Rose had often mocked me for that.
Among us siblings, it was as though an unseen boundary had been drawn between her and the rest of us.
A line that marked us as those who viewed the world through the lens of true nobility.
And yet, my curiosity toward Rose had only grown.
She knew far more of the world beyond than I did.
As though those beautiful eyes of hers had already witnessed everything.
It had been years since I last heard any word of her.
Where she was now, or whether she remained well, I did not know.
We stepped out of the carriage.
My elder sister glanced at Carl, who still trembled where he stood.
"Take shelter within the compartment, Carl."
By age, Carl stood on equal footing with Father.
Yet the weight of his work had aged him beyond his years.
His wrinkled face was now filled with unmistakable fear.
"It is dangerous, Young Lady. Please, return inside."
"And what of you?"
"I..."
Carl fell silent, unable to answer.
Such spontaneous kindness from an elder toward the young often sprang from a blend of panic and misplaced heroism, one that cast aside reason.
He stood alone before a group of armed men.
He should have been thinking of his own escape, not worrying over us.
I spoke, my tone cold.
"Go inside, Carl. Think of your own safety."
"Young Lord..."
"Inside. Remember your family. We are grateful for your concern, but that is enough. Leave the rest to us. Do you understand?"
"I..."
Charlotte pressed further.
"You are stubborn. Go, at once."
"Very well, Young Lady. But please, both of you, take care."
"Naturally. I am not foolish enough to act recklessly."
"Secure the door. You know better than we how to safeguard this carriage."
"I understand, Young Lady."
Carl descended from the driver's seat with unsteady steps.
Panic had taken full hold of him.
We exchanged a brief glance before he hurried into the compartment, locking the door behind him.
My attention shifted.
The horses had grown restless.
The killing intent released by the men ahead had begun to taint the air.
To beasts, such an aura was akin to the presence of a predator.
Their agitation was natural, yet it could not be left unchecked.
I cast a simple Genjutsu, lulling the horses into a calm slumber so they would not bolt.
Only then did I turn my full attention forward.
The group of men stared back at us.
Their eyes gleamed with unrestrained desire, most of all when they looked upon Charlotte.
Base instincts of lowborn men.
Disgusting.
The forest breeze carried their voices clearly to us.
"That girl is beautiful. She is mine."
"I saw her first."
"Silence. I am your leader. After I am finished, the rest of you may have your turn."
"Do not forget your word, Rick."
"Do not worry. Each of you shall have a taste."
Their crude laughter rang out.
"She does not look like a common girl. Are you certain this is wise, Rick?"
"Do not concern yourself. Who would know she was ever here? Unless you are foolish enough to let her slip away."
"You are right, Boss. Fortune smiles upon us today. I wonder how a noblewoman would taste."
"Hahaha! Look at you, Brock. Go and mount your horse instead!"
"To hell with you, John! You're the one who should go mate with your horse!"
Laughter erupted once more.
"And what of the boy?"
"Kill him."
"But Rick, that boy has quite a fair face."
"You fancy men now?"
"That is not what I meant, damn you!"
"Haha! You concern me, Klaus. It seems your tastes run rather... differently."
"Bastard! That is not what you think!"
"Hahaha!"
"Enough! Speak plainly, Klaus."
"Very well, Rick. I know a slave merchant. The boy there fits the kind he seeks, and he would surely fetch a number of gold coins."
"So valuable? Is the boy's kidney forged of gold?"
"Perhaps he is of noble blood. Look closely, his face resembles that girl beside him."
"Oh? Siblings? What a pity he is not a girl as well."
"You could always close your eyes, Garek."
"Do it yourself. I still have my senses intact."
"Enough!"
The tension among those wretches dissolved into vile laughter.
"A true prize indeed. A shame he is not a girl, Boss."
"Forget that. Do you truly believe the boy is worth that much, Klaus?"
"I do. I have seen the slaves my acquaintance keeps. Their worth is measured by appearance."
"I see. Klaus, step forward. Persuade them."
"As you command, Rick."
"Brock and John, be ready to seize the carriage."
"Understood, Boss."
"Rogar, Garek, move with him. Stand two paces behind Klaus."
"Yes, Boss!"
"Krell, Zarek, remain here. Move swiftly if anything unforeseen occurs."
"As you say, Rick."
Meanwhile, the very air around me seemed to still.
My elder sister's expression grew colder still.
The words carried by the wind had fanned the flames within her chest.
What had begun as a mere spark had now become a blazing fire, burning fiercely.
They should have remained silent.
Father once said that words could invite calamity.
He was right.
Those men were now summoning their own ruin.
Their words held no weight for me.
Such dialogue from petty criminals felt painfully cliché.
I had encountered it countless times within the pages of the classical tales I favored—stories of heroes and villains.
Their speech was so alike, it was as though they were characters forced out of fiction and into the world.
Not unpleasant.
Rather… entertaining.
I chose not to move.
To interfere now would only deepen Charlotte's dissatisfaction.
Release it all, Charlotte.
Do not restrain yourself.
Such foul words deserved judgment befitting the depths of hell.
There were eight of them.
Three began to advance.
Their faces were harsh, marked with scattered scars.
The man at the forefront bore dark brown hair.
His voice was coarse as he attempted to coax my elder sister.
"Beautiful girl, is that your younger brother beside you?"
"Surrender. Do not resist."
"Your choice will determine his fate. Your younger brother will not suffer the slightest harm if you obey."
Charlotte paid him no heed.
Our eyes met for but a moment.
Sharingan.
She activated it without hesitation.
My elder sister was truly enraged.
"Proceed, Elder Sister. I shall observe."
A cold smile formed upon her soft lips.
A satisfied nod answered my words.
Charlotte then turned her gaze upon the brown-haired man, her eyes filled with disdain.
"A foul-smelling man such as yourself… dares to demand that I hand over my younger brother?"
"You…!"
Her tongue remained as sharp as ever.
She had not changed since ten years past, when she mocked that wretched hag who stood against her
Charlotte took a single step forward.
Slowly, she began to walk toward him.
"Of all kinds of people, I detest most those who reek."
"You wretched girl! I shall ensure you won't be able to crawl out of bed for a month after we are through with you, and your brother—"
His words were cut short.
Charlotte's figure flickered.
Her mastery of Shunshin had long since reached refinement.
Though still beneath Father's level, she was far beyond what she had once been.
Her movement was swift.
Without the aid of the Sharingan, none would have followed it.
The man's face froze in shock.
Before he could finish his threat, the girl he had belittled stood beside him.
"Filthy wretch, take this!"
"Charlotte's Fist of Justice!"
He had no time to react.
The blow struck his abdomen cleanly.
Thud!
The dull impact shattered the stillness of the forest.
His body was hurled sideways, sent flying across dozens of paces.
The men along his path scattered in panic.
They leapt aside to avoid being struck by their own companion.
At last, his body crashed violently against the ground.
He rolled across the dirt like a wheel that had lost all control.
The man's body finally came to a halt against a towering tree.
A sharp crack followed the impact, echoing through the stillness of the forest.
That sound alone was enough to awaken them to the magnitude of the disaster they had brought upon themselves.
One of their own lay broken, sprawled upon the ground.
Fresh blood seeped from the corner of his lips, staining the grass and dry twigs beneath him.
Panic spread at once.
Their eyes betrayed them—shock, disbelief, and a creeping fear that tightened its grip with every passing breath.
"Impossible! That girl—"
"She is no ordinary girl!"
"Damn it! Rogar! Garek! Do not just stand there, seize her!"
A man with murky brown-green hair barked orders from the rear.
The two men closest to their fallen companion turned, yet the hairs on their necks had already risen.
The power they had just witnessed was not something a common person could possess.
"Boss! That girl is an Auror! We cannot face her!"
Charlotte's laughter rang through the air.
Cold.
Unsettling.
Her figure flickered once more, vanishing from sight.
Thud!
Her knuckles, reinforced with chakra, struck cleanly against a man's jaw.
The crack of bone rang sharply.
The scar upon his brow twisted as agony surged through his nerves.
Fortune spared him from biting off his own tongue as his jaw snapped shut under the force.
The blow sent him soaring, defying gravity itself.
Yet Charlotte was not finished.
His body rose higher, and she was already above him, waiting in the air.
"Tell the King of Hell this… I am a wretched soul unworthy even to stand beside my mother in heaven."
The man gave no reply.
Pain had already stolen his awareness.
His vision blurred as he looked upon the girl suspended above him.
A crushing kick descended upon his chest.
Thud!
"Charlotte Shishi Rendan!"
Magnificent.
That was the only word befitting the sight of my elder sister moving through the air.
Her strike upon his torso released a thunderous impact, sending ripples through the air itself.
His body spun downward like a heavy projectile.
A violent crash followed as his back struck the ground.
The earth fractured at the point of impact, cracks spreading outward.
A cloud of dust rose, concealing him for a brief moment before the forest wind scattered it.
He did not rise again.
Two men had fallen in fewer than twelve breaths.
By now, their courage should have crumbled.
In the tales of old, heroes found strength in the might of their enemies.
For villains, it was the opposite.
They began with arrogance and pride, yet once the pillar of their strength collapsed, that courage vanished, replaced by a gnawing terror.
"Garek! Rise!"
The man nearest the fallen body called out in panic.
Yet another voice answered from an unexpected direction.
"Your companion seems lonely. Would you care to join him?"
The man flinched.
That familiar voice, belonging to the girl who had felled two of his comrades, now whispered at his ear.
"Rogar, behind you!"
A warning cry came from their leader.
Rogar wished to turn, yet fear rooted him in place.
Charlotte calmly placed her palm upon his shoulder.
"Remember this… Charlotte's Heavenly Lightning."
Raiton: Dengeki.
"ARGHHH!"
A piercing scream tore through the forest.
The surge of lightning coursed through his body, an unbearable agony that spread to every limb.
It felt as though thousands of needles pierced his flesh, burning through to the bone.
Had she increased the output even slightly, his heart would have burst under the current.
Yet even this was more than enough.
His nervous system collapsed.
He fell, unconscious in an instant.
Three men lay defeated in fewer than two dozen breaths.
Only five remained.
Terror had taken full hold.
They drew closer together, like livestock sensing the approach of slaughter.
The lust that once burned in their eyes had vanished entirely, extinguished the moment lightning ravaged their companion.
They were not fools.
Their minds raced, piecing together fragments of rumor and truth.
A legend whispered among townsfolk.
Of individuals whose standing rivaled that of nobles.
"Mage…!"