Chapter 90

"A monster, huh? That's a bit harsh,"

Gakane grumbled lightly, maneuvering his shadow clone. The clone, carrying the lightweight Gakane with Jimmy in his arms, hurtled fearlessly toward the open window.

"Ah!"

Jimmy screamed at the sensation of freefall, but instead of the expected thud of impact, there was nothing. The shadow clone had landed as softly as a whisper, gently setting them down.

"Gakane! Next time, give me a heads up before you pull a stunt like that!" Jimmy protested.

"Sorry. I forgot in the rush."

Gakane had learned, through hellish training with Yuder, that his shadow clone could absorb the shock from falls, making it a far safer way to descend from high places than physically scaling down walls.

"Let's go."

They took off running, breathlessly racing towards the hill behind the castle. Though it was large and thick with underbrush, the column of fire in the distance made it easy to navigate.

When they arrived at the source of the fire, Gakane and Jimmy were greeted by a tense standoff between two groups.

On one side stood a ragtag group of wounded individuals in tattered clothing. On the other side, well-armored guards, led by a young nobleman, stood armed and ready for battle.

As soon as the two groups noticed Gakane and Jimmy's arrival, the tension broke. The first to greet them was a burly man from the injured group.

"You're Jimmy, right? Of course! And you must be Gakane!"

"D-Devran? What happened to your face?!"

Jimmy exclaimed, horrified by Devran's swollen and wounded face, unrecognizable due to the numerous wounds. Despite the injuries, Devran only grinned broadly.

"A small price to pay for surviving! I'm fine. In fact, I feel great! Hahaha."

"Devran! Where have you been all this time? And who are these people with you?" Gakane demanded.

Devran gestured towards the guards, whose weapons were still aimed at his group.

"That wretched noble tried to frame and sell me out. These people next to me are Awakeners he captured for the same reason. And these—" he pointed at the two standing beside him, "—are my family."

"Family?"

Sure enough, the resemblance was undeniable. One man looked older, while the woman supported him, both bearing similar features to Devran. It was easy to guess from their faces alone that the three were family.

'So the family Devran was accused of killing was alive all along. Then that means…'

Gakane's gaze shifted towards Zakail, who stood behind the guards, his face twisted with fury. Zakail's face twisted with fury then he shouted, his voice laced with venom.

"Do you believe that? It's all lies!"

"But Lord Zakail…"

The guards, still holding their weapons toward Devran, his family, and the other escaped Awakeners, wavered, their faces painted with uncertainty and despair.

Even though they had ostracized the Awakeners, these guards had lived alongside them as neighbors in their small village for years. Contrary to Zakail's accusations, they recognized the people in front of them as the real Devran and his family.

"If Devran didn't kill his family, then maybe he didn't start the fire either. Since he's returned, we should at least hear him out...."

One of the guards murmured, his spear still raised but wavering. His words seemed reasonable to most, but not to Zakail. Enraged, Zakail unsheathed his sword and pressed it against the guard's throat.

"Sympathizing with a murderer? You're no different from a criminal!" Zakail shouted furiously.

"N-no, that's not what I meant!" The guard stammered, turning pale and lowering his head.

"I have nothing to say to the bastard who killed my father and sister! Arrest those scoundrels now!"

"Y-yes, my lord..." the guards stammered, but none of them moved. Fear rooted them in place as they watched Devran and the Awakeners, who stood their ground with their powers on display. The tension between both groups escalated, neither side willing to make the first move.

Gakane, assessing the situation, stepped forward decisively.

"Devran. Need a hand?"

Gakane's voice was soft, but it cut through the thick silence, drawing everyone's attention.

"It seems like neither side really wants a fight. The real problem here is that young lordling, right?"

Devran, confused but intrigued, nodded. "That's true, but what are you planning to do?"

"Just this."

"What are those guys talking about…! Ack!"

Zakail, who had been glaring at Gakane and Devran's exchange, suddenly let out a scream. A shadow clone of Gakane had quietly crept up behind him, and now it rose up, grabbing Zakail by the collar and hoisting him into the air.

"Ugh! What is this thing?! Let me go! Let me go right now!"

"Master Zakail!" The guards, who had been focused on Devran and the Awakeners, spun around in a panic. Yet none dared approach the flailing Zakail, suspended mid-air in the shadow clone's grip.

Seizing the moment, Jimmy stepped forward. His sword, unsheathed, glowed with an ethereal blue energy, the blade aimed directly at Zakail's face. The sight caused gasps and fearful murmurs from the guards.

"Th-that sword aura! From a kid?!"

"That child… don't tell me he's the Awakener from nearby…?"

Jimmy's calm yet deadly aura amplified the tension in the air. Gakane, standing beside his shadow clone, gave a gentle smile—a smile that looked anything but kind to those watching.

"Now, Young Master Zakail, why don't you tell your guards to stand down? Then we can have a little chat."

Zakail, terrified, thrashed against the shadow's hold. Gakane's smile widened ever so slightly.

"Or... we could see just how skilled Jimmy is with that sword. They say just a graze from that kind of aura can take a limb clean off. Don't you want to find out?"

"Ah, ah…!"

Zakail paled, sweat beading on his brow as he glanced at the shimmering blue sword aimed inches from his face who were just ordinary people who had never even seen a Swordmaster or a knight who could handle aura in their lifetime, were completely shaken. Jimmy's aura was like something out of legend, a power beyond their comprehension.

For the first time, Zakail—who had secretly scoffed at the Cavalry—realized just how outmatched he was.

Staring at the quivering sword energy near his face, Zakail gritted his teeth, forcing his trembling lips to move.

"E-everyone, step back."

"But, Young Master—"

"Step back if I tell you to! Or do you want to die in my place?"

Reluctantly, the guards retreated, their movements slow and uncertain. Only when they had withdrawn far enough that they could barely hear the conversation did Gakane signal Jimmy to lower his sword. Jimmy sheathed it.

At last, Devran extinguished the massive pillar of fire he had conjured. Unlike the blackened village surrounding them, there were no traces left where his fire had been. Gakane noted this with a frown.

"So, the fire in the village wasn't your doing," Gakane said.

"Of course not."

Devran, briskly answering Gakane's question, shot a venomous glare at Zakail as he moved closer.

"What happened, Devran? Escaping here, starting that fire... what was the point?"

"I did what Yuder told me to. He saved all of us. He said to start a fire to signal you and get you out here."

"Yuder?"

Gakane's eyes widened slightly, scanning the faces of those standing behind Devran. But Yuder's familiar face was nowhere to be seen.

"Why isn't Yuder with you?"

"He said he had business to take care of. Let us go ahead while he handles those damned bastards over there." Devran's face darkened with anger and hatred as he spoke.

Gakane was about to ask who these "bastards" were, but decided to wait. He trusted that all would be clear when Yuder returned.

"So, someone stayed behind with Yuder?"

"Yeah, there was one stranger I didn't recognize."

"Got it. Did Yuder give any other instructions?"

"He said to report everything that happened here to the Commander and then return the way we came from Hartan."

"...Escape?"

Gakane pondered the order. When and where was Yuder planning to meet up with them? His concern deepened, but he chose to trust in Yuder's judgment and skills.

With Yuder absent, Gakane had to take responsibility for everyone, including Devran and the Awakeners. There was no time to waste.

"Alright. If the Commander's assistant gave those orders, we follow them. We'll be moving quite a bit. Is everyone here able to travel?"

In response to Gakane's question, the Awakeners all shouted in unison that they were fine. Despite their injuries, their faces were filled with determination. Having been saved by Yuder, their faith in the Cavalry was unshakable.

However, Zakail—still held firmly by Gakane's shadow clone—could not share in their optimism. As he listened to the ongoing conversation, dread settled in. He quickly realized how disastrous the situation had become.

Devran, whom Zakail had tried to have sold off to the Apeto Family, had escaped unharmed. Worse, Yuder, the one who had saved them, was apparently still dealing with the Apeto Family back at the castle.

It sounded unbelievable, but with the prisoners standing alive right before his eyes, there was no denying the truth.

'Damn those Apeto bastards. After all their arrogance, what on earth did they do to fail this badly?'