The night was calm—too calm. Kiwi lay in bed, still flustered from earlier events, but something nagged at him. A whisper, faint yet persistent, echoed in his mind. “Awaken… You are being watched.”

Unable to ignore it, he slipped out of bed and stepped onto the palace balcony. The moon cast a silver glow over the grand city, but something felt… wrong. A chill ran down his spine.

Then, without warning—a blade streaked through the air.

Kiwi barely managed to react, stumbling back as a dark figure lunged at him. His instincts kicked in, raising a feeble barrier, but the assailant’s attack shattered through. Pain flared in his side. He had been struck.

Gritting his teeth, Kiwi forced himself to move. He countered with a burst of wind magic, pushing the attacker back, but the figure recovered swiftly, dashing at him with inhuman speed. Kiwi summoned flames in his palm and hurled them, yet the intruder evaded with ease, their movements eerily precise.

The masked warrior lashed out again. Kiwi barely dodged, feeling the cold edge of the dagger graze his skin. He retaliated with a pulse of raw mana, forcing his opponent to retreat momentarily. His breathing was ragged, his vision swimming from the wound. He was losing.

Just as the assassin closed in for the finishing blow—a streak of violet light flashed between them.

Nocthyss had arrived.

Her golden eyes burned with fury as she moved in a blur, effortlessly severing the blade of the intruder’s dagger with a single swipe of her claws. The severed metal clattered to the ground, and for the first time, the masked warrior hesitated.

Nocthyss struck without mercy, her speed and strength overwhelming. The air trembled under the force of her magic. The intruder, despite their skill, was utterly outmatched. Nocthyss’s power dominated them.

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Realizing defeat, the masked warrior whispered, “You are not the only one chosen.” Then, with a final burst of dark energy, they disappeared into the night.

Kiwi collapsed to his knees. His body burned. The poison spread fast, sapping his strength. Lyria rushed to his side, panic in her emerald eyes.

“Stay with me, Kiwi!” she pleaded, her hands glowing with healing magic. But the poison resisted, forcing her to concentrate harder, sweat forming on her brow.

Nocthyss stood guard, eyes scanning the darkness. “Tch. Coward.” Then she turned, kneeling beside Kiwi, her tone softer. “Hold on. You’re not dying on us.”

The palace doors burst open. Guards rushed in, followed by the king, his expression unreadable.

“What… just happened?” His voice was calm but carried a dangerous edge.

Kiwi barely heard him—his consciousness flickered. The night was far from over.

Hours passed. The warmth of Lyria’s healing magic never ceased, yet the poison fought back stubbornly. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead as she gritted her teeth in frustration.

“He’s stabilizing… but it’s taking longer than expected,” she muttered, her voice strained. Nocthyss sat nearby, arms crossed, her sharp gaze locked on Kiwi as if willing him to wake up.

Finally, Kiwi’s eyelids fluttered. A low groan escaped his lips as he stirred, his vision hazy but slowly clearing. His body felt sluggish, the remnants of the poison still lingering.

Lyria let out a breath of relief, smiling despite her exhaustion. “You’re awake…”

Kiwi blinked up at them, his voice hoarse. “That… was unpleasant.” He tried to sit up, only for a sharp pain to shoot through him, forcing him back down.

“Idiot,” Nocthyss huffed, flicking his forehead lightly. “Rest. You nearly got yourself killed.”

Kiwi exhaled a weak chuckle. “Well… I’m still here, aren’t I?”

Lyria’s expression turned serious. “You shouldn’t have fought alone. You’re not invincible, Kiwi.”

His smirk faded slightly as he gazed at them. “I know… but I had to try.”

Before either could say more, his strength gave out, and his consciousness slipped away again.

Lyria and Nocthyss exchanged a glance, unspoken determination in their eyes. Without a word, they both remained by his side, refusing to leave him alone.

The night was far from over, and danger still lurked in the shadows.