Noir's sacrifice

Gary had done well in overcoming an opponent far stronger than him. Now, it was Ray's turn to do the same.

The man Ray was facing wasn't as skilled with the sword as Gary's opponent had been. However, his equipment was on an entirely different level. His gear was incredibly high quality, reinforced to withstand devastating blows. Every time Ray managed to land a punch, it didn't seem to affect the man at all. It was as if he were striking an iron wall. If he couldn't harm his opponent, there was no way to defeat him.

The man swung his sword at Ray with great force. He knocked it away with his gauntlet and struck forward, aiming for the man's chest again. He hoped that a second blow in the same area might make a difference, but the man didn't even flinch. Instead, he responded with an overhead swing. Ray crossed his arms to block the attack, the blade clashing against his gauntlets with a loud, metallic ring. The impact sent vibrations up Ray's arms, and he stumbled back slightly, glancing down at his gauntlets. There were now several noticeable dents. Sooner or later, they would break. He couldn't afford to drag this fight out much longer.

With the chain-wielding man's weapon now shattered, he let the broken chains fall to the ground and pulled out a sickle from his belt.

"You're just an intermediate beast. I've killed hundreds of your kind," the man said coldly.

Noir cautiously circled him, keeping a close watch on his movements. Her biggest advantage in this fight was her speed, something she planned to use to its full extent. She suddenly pounced, her sharp horn aimed straight at the man's torso. The man reacted swiftly, blocking the attack with his weapon before swinging back at her. Noir leaped backward, avoiding the slash with ease.

She repeated the attack several times, lunging forward before retreating in quick succession. However, the man blocked each time. He wasn't fast, but his reactions were sharp. He was reading her movements. She needed a new strategy. Determined, Noir began circling around him at full speed, hoping to confuse him. If she moved fast enough, she might find an opening before he could predict her next attack.

The man suddenly reached down, grabbing part of the broken chain still lying on the ground. With a sudden throw, he sent the chain flying toward Noir. It wrapped around her hind leg just as she tried to leap, sending her tumbling to the ground. A sharp yelp escaped her as she struggled to get back up. Blood trickled from her wounded leg, staining the dirt beneath her.

"Crap, I need to do something," Gary thought, his heart pounding in his chest. He had been watching the entire exchange while lying face-first on the ground, meditating. He was trying to use his Ki, hoping to speed up his recovery. He had seen Slyvia do it once, and though he barely understood how, he grasped the concept enough to attempt it.

Gary's wounds had healed just enough for him to move again. The man stepped toward Noir, lifting his sickle into the air, ready to strike down at her. Gary, fueled by sheer will, pushed himself forward and launched his sword. The blade struck the sickle, knocking it out of the man's hand just in time. But the effort was too much—his wounds reopened, and he collapsed once more.

"You idiot… it's just a beast. Why would you risk your life for it?" the man spat, irritation clear in his voice.

As the man bent down to retrieve his sickle, Gary, gritting his teeth, threw his sword toward Noir.

"Fight like your master," he thought.

Noir, catching the movement, leaped into the air, grabbing the sword's hilt between her teeth. In a flash, she dashed forward. The man barely had time to react. Before he could fully stand, his head was already rolling to the ground. Noir had sliced through him in one swift, clean motion.

None of Ray's attacks were working, but he still had one last thing he wanted to try. He had no idea if it would work, but at this point, he had no other choice.

As the flaming swordsman saw another one of his men fall, he quickly shot out a blast of fire toward Ray's head and chest. The flames roared toward him, but instead of dodging, Ray seized the opportunity. If there was one weak point, it had to be the mask. Unlike the rest of the man's armor, it didn't seem like it was made of beast gear.

Ray lunged forward, reaching out just as the flames neared him. His fingers wrapped around the mask, gripping it tightly. The fire scorched his skin, but he ignored the pain. The masked man recoiled, trying to move away, but Ray clenched his fist and crushed the mask in his grasp.

The man was uninjured, but now, his face was fully exposed.

"No way!" Gary gasped, his voice filled with disbelief.

Even Ray was shocked. He never expected to see this person's face under the mask. It was someone who had repeatedly warned him about the dangers of the forest. Someone he had trusted. It was none other than Squire Master Lancy.

"It doesn't matter that you've seen my face," Lancy said, his voice cold and unbothered. "Because all of you will die here today."

Lancy was supposed to be one of the knights responsible for helping students if something went wrong. The others outside were likely searching for him, completely unaware that he was the one behind all this. If they left to seek help, they would have to return to the city. By then, it would be far too late.

"You're a knight! How could you?!" Gary's voice trembled with fury, his face red with anger. But he was too injured to do anything.

"Shut up!" Lancy snapped before shooting another wave of fire toward Gary.

Gary barely had the strength to move. He closed his eyes as the flames rushed toward him.

A sudden cry rang out.

Noir had leaped in front of Gary, shielding him with her body. The fire consumed her fur, flames rapidly spreading over her. A painful howl echoed through the battlefield.

"No!" Gary cried. "You bastard!"

Ray acted quickly, summoning Noir back into the system. He wasn't sure if it would work, but he hoped it would extinguish the flames and give her a chance to heal.

He stood still, his hands clenched into fists. Humans truly were trash. Whether Lancy had been targeting him or Gary, it didn't matter. What was the point of dragging others into this? Why cause so much unnecessary pain and suffering? Neither he nor Gary had done anything to deserve this.

Lancy began charging toward Ray, his sword now completely engulfed in flames.

"This is the end for you, Ray Talen! Once I'm done with you, I'll kill all your friends as well!"

The flames from the burning trees swirled around him, gathering toward his weapon. The fire that once consumed the forest had now completely coated his sword, increasing its intensity tenfold.

Lancy lunged forward, bringing his flaming blade down in a devastating arc. The heat was unbearable—it burned the very air around them. But just before the blade struck, Ray's hands shot up, grabbing the sword between his palms. The moment his skin made contact with the weapon, the flames surged around him, searing his flesh.

<Skill, Mana Eater, would you like to activate?>

"Activate!" Ray commanded without hesitation.