Skorr POV:

I tapped my knee lightly while I waited. It was always in moments like this that you really understood just how long one minute, let alone five, was.

I shifted my gaze to Kate, who kept walking back and forth, mumbling to herself. She had been a Vice in District 2’s Organization for years, but she never adjusted to life here.

You would think that the change in leadership and the new Organization would make her life easier, but somehow it was the opposite. She panicked over doing the most menial tasks that it gave me countless headaches. I wasn’t here to babysit her, so I left that job to my nephew.

“Kate, I told you this before: you can stay behind if you don’t want to go.”

She physically jumped back at the sound of my voice as I let out a frustrated sigh. How on earth a nervous wreck lasted so long in the Organization was beyond me.

“L-Leader... Actually... I thought about it... But it really is... my duty... Right...”

“Then sit down and be quiet. I need to feel the tension in the air—it’s proof that the fight ahead will meet my expectations.”

“O-okay...”

She reluctantly sat down on the grassy area and twiddled away with her thumbs. Her mouth kept on moving as my finger tapped my knee faster and faster.

“Nephew!”

He appeared by my side instantly and bowed his head.

“Calm Kate down.”

His eyebrows twitched, and I knew he was sighing inwardly. He dipped his head again before sitting down beside Kate. Her incessant mumbling came to an end as a faint shade of red spread across the bridge of her nose.

I rolled my eyes at the scene and turned my attention back to the war at hand. If everything was going according to plan, we should have the advantage at every location. However, there were always variables that couldn’t be accounted for.

My main concern was the Royal Guards. It wouldn’t be a surprise for some of them to be in other areas than their own.

‘Hmm...’

Restructuring District 4, rebuilding District 3 and creating an Organization branch in District 2: the kid had achieved a lot. Unfortunately, those accomplishments were the reason the risk was so great. Lose here, and everything would be taken away. Win, and he would gain complete control over the South.

“H-Henry... 4 minutes and 20 seconds... have passed.”

Kate was unable to look my nephew in the eyes while he stroked her back. Despite his initial reluctance, he cared for her thoroughly, never once complaining to me about the situation. Kate continued moving her lips inaudibly as her cheeks went an even darker shade of red. When it came to numbers, Kate was unmatched. In any case, it was time. I got to my feet, and everyone followed suit.

“No words need to be said. Have fun, watch each other’s back and don’t you dare lose!”

“Yes, Leader!!!”

The corners of my mouth rose as my long jacket fluttered in the morning breeze. We bolted down the street while Kate gave us an update every 20 seconds.

“5 minutes.”

I grinned as we broke through the boundary right on time. We dashed across the rooftops when a large shadow was cast over us.

‘!’

“What the...”

“Are you seeing this...?”

“A... D-Dragon?!!”

I narrowed my eyes, unable to recognize who this Ki belonged to. That wasn’t a dragon; it was an eastern dragon. More importantly, that level of detail and refinement was easily on par with a Grade 1 Elementee.

‘...Did the Ruler contract some Elementalists from Inner Astril?’

Dozens of thoughts ran through my mind as I studied the situation carefully. Elementalists were independent contractors, so they weren’t tied to the state. They didn't need to give reports about their actions and whereabouts.

The problem was that nearly all Elementalists were loyal to their country, since cultivating one to a high level took a lot of resources. Based on that alone, it was unlikely to be related to Inner Astril.

‘But then who could it be?’

There was no one in the South who was even close to the level we were currently witnessing. Although its power was only around that of a Grade 6 or 5 Elementee, it was clear that their Ki Stage was the reason for that limit. In other words, their level of talent far exceeded that of District 4’s Leader.

“Should I go?”

I glanced at my nephew. His eyes sparkled as he gazed at the stunning creation in the sky, and I couldn’t help but smile.

‘He’s just like you, Sis...’

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His mother had reached the level of an Elementalist using different methods. However, instead of being praised for her monumental achievement, she was ridiculed and actively persecuted.

“Let’s stick to the plan. Everybody head to their assigned locations.”

“Yes, Leader!!”

I gazed at the eastern dragon swimming down towards the earth in the distance. If they were an enemy, Brunaulf would handle it.

I looked on ahead, past the Pit, the Range, the Organization and even the Royal Guards. I needed to see it with my own eyes: the final showdown that would decide who would stand on top.

***

Miles POV:

“Heartpiercer: Hopeful Desire.”

Four hearts lifted off her tattoo and floated around her. They spun quickly as Lucy's bloodied body healed at a rapid pace. Her broken bones realigned themselves, and her vaporized flesh was replaced with skin smoother than before the attack.

‘...Really?’

I watched Lucy stretch her back, cracking her knuckles while her soft lips curved upwards. Her clothes were ripped further, exposing more of her body, but that was the least of my interests right now.

“...Love Armour increases my defence by threefold, yet you still almost killed me~”

Her face flushed deeply while she ran her wet tongue over her lips. It was a slight exaggeration. Not only was I holding back, but I knew that she wouldn’t die from something like that.

“Ah... I hate to break it to you, but we aren’t going through this whole battle process again. I’m ending this now.”

“Even our thoughts are the same. I'll be taking your heart now, Miles~”

She giggled cutely as her Ki flared. I splayed my hands, sending spears of water hurtling towards her. She laughed crazily, weaving through them with her fingers taking on the shape of her own spear.

“Jungle Beasts.”

My Elemental Ki took on the detailed form of various animals: gorillas, elephants, tigers, leopards, snakes and many more. They flooded the area, rampaging towards Lucy as her eyes widened in disbelief. She was overwhelmed by their sheer numbers, unable to escape from the brutal blows she was receiving from every angle.

A gorilla seized an opening, sinking its fist into her stomach and knocking away her red snapback. It launched her high into the sky as she struggled to get her bearings.

An elephant wrapped its trunk around my abdomen and threw me after her while a leopard ran along its back with a snake on its head. It bent its legs and shot into the sky, following close behind me.

The snake compressed itself like a spring, shooting forward and coiling itself around my arm just as I reached the pinnacle of my ascent. I peered down at Lucy while a lion descended from the sky above, piercing its teeth into her abdomen.

“Guh...!”

Blood trickled through her gritted teeth, but the pure love in her eyes never left me. The lion's teeth cracked through her Ki Armour, restricting her movement.

My eyes flashed, and my water-empowered fist immediately connected with her cheek, causing a shockwave to ripple out around us. The impact shot Lucy into the shattered ground like a bullet as a loud boom shook the entire area.

I dropped to the ground seconds after her while all the animals stood behind me. The snake that coiled around my arm rubbed its cheek against mine before fading away with the rest.

‘It's over.’

The dust clouds finally cleared, and Lucy's body laid motionless in the epicenter of a massive crater. I gazed at her face in silence.

“Keuk!!”

A black blade pierced through my abdomen as I observed Lucy's fingers twitch. My eyes swivelled to the side, revealing Esmeralda’s ombre hair that entered my peripheral vision.

‘How...? I didn’t sense her?’

I coughed up blood as tears streamed down her face. I recalled everything that had happened in the battle. I knew Lucy's ability was related to the heart, so it was possible that she had a technique that could manipulate someone. That was why I purposefully drew her far away to an evacuated area. So, how on earth did she somehow use Esmeralda?

‘!!’

I suddenly remembered her lips moving when I used Torrential Fall. She hadn't just used Love Armour, but another technique too? Assuming Love Armour increased the rate the hearts filled based on the damage she received, it still didn’t seem likely that was enough to jump from 3 to 6 hearts.

Hadn’t she used a similar technique, Love's Wrath, that also stacked in the same way? As long as the rates were similar, she had to have used something else.

I gazed at Esmeralda again. This time turning my head almost 90 degrees to get a clear view of her. Her eyes were pitch black, and she appeared to be under some sort of... Illusion that also sealed her presence.

‘No way...’

I coughed up blood while my gaze shifted back to Lucy. The corners of my lips rose as all the puzzle pieces fell into place. She had used my own attack as a smokescreen to plan a few steps ahead. This kind of strategy, flexibility, skill and creativity wasn’t on the level of a double-digit Guard.

“You liar... You weren’t formely rank 14, you were rank 4...”

Lucy giggled cutely at my assertion, and the blade in my stomach vanished as she fell unconscious. I stumbled forward, placing my hand against the open wound.

“N-no... I-I... T-this... I'm s-sorry... I didn’t mean to do... This! I-It was a devil... It whispered into my ear... And then everything went black...”

“...It's not your fault. You need to leave now. Head to District 2.”

I heard Esmeralda step forward while I saw a trembling hand reach for my arm.

“I-I... Can’t leave yo—”

“Esmeralda, if the other Watchers and Vices see you with me like this, I can’t guarantee your survival. So go. Don’t feel bad, this is my role here.”

Her hand hesitated before disappearing. I didn’t turn around because I didn’t want her to see just how bad my condition was. It didn't help that Lucy's last attack had sealed my healing ability—drastically reducing its effect.

“...Thank you, Miles.”

She whispered softly, and then her presence vanished into the distance.

“Damn it...”

I flopped to the side, my back crashing into a pile of debris. Sweat rolled down my forehead. I wanted to close my eyes for a while when I saw a hazy figure standing on top of the rubble.

‘Ahh man... What horrible timing...’

I smiled wryly as her face contorted in horror. I watched her eyes quake. Her eyebrows curved inwards, and tears pooled at the side of her eyes, but what hurt me the most was the sheer amount of pain in her scream.

“MILES!!”

Jess dashed forward, quickly reaching my side. Her hands trembled as they hovered over the gushing wound.

“N-no... No... Miles... I need... Wait... Help... I... Ugh...”

Tears streamed down her face while she panicked. Her breathing became erratic, and her pupils dilated.

“...Relax, Jess... Like you always say, we have a duty, right? You have a mission to do, so get going...”

She placed her trembling hand against my cheek. Jess buried my head into her chest, refusing to let go.

“...You’re more important to me than any mission.”

My eyes widened as I used what little strength I had to rub my nose slightly.

“I’m sorry for everything. I'm sorry for brushing you off. I'm sorry for being so bad at expressing myself...”

She sobbed uncontrollably while I smiled. I was glad that Jess wasn’t alone. That day I first saw her, she was by herself. Hardly anyone interacted with her, and she always had a somewhat cold expression on her face.

I remember thinking to myself: I want to make her smile at least once, so I approached her. Surprisingly, we got along well, and soon we were assigned as partners. Both watching over the same area of District 4.

We spent more and more time together, and I loved every moment. It was fun... It was really fun.

“...I've said it once... And I’ll say it again... To me... You’ve always been the best...”

I narrowed my eyes as my hand flopped to the ground. My body became cold while I struggled to stay awake.

“M-Miles...? Miles! MILES!!”