After being granted an audience with the City Lord, Yoshi, Lyra, Joseph, and their comrades discussed their arrival. The City Lord and his council members expressed deep gratitude for their timely aid. They began narrating the events that had unfolded over the past several months, believing that with the Fujimori Wisteria Forest Kingdom's help, they could finally neutralize the threat plaguing their city.

The City Lord, recognizing Yoshi as the son of King Yusuke and Queen Naomi—the future king of the Fujimori Wisteria Forest Kingdom—was especially honored by his presence. He marveled that the prince himself, along with the renowned Royal Witch Lyra, had set foot in his city. He had expected only warriors to be sent, not the royalty themselves. His respect and admiration were evident as he welcomed them warmly.

As the discussion continued, the City Lord and council detailed the crisis that had taken hold of Hakodate City. They explained that the city had been under siege by a series of relentless monster attacks. The real threat, however, lay in the "Monster Boss," a powerful and high-ranking entity with a formidable aura level. This creature had been orchestrating the chaos, using its power to open portals and summon terrifying monsters at will to do its bidding.

The City Lord also revealed the location of the Monster Boss—a dungeon deep within the swamps, filled with monsters and supernaturals loyal to their leader. The council members expressed their frustration, noting that all attempts to breach the dungeon's defenses had failed, with the city's hunters unable to make any headway. The fortress seemed impenetrable, fortified beyond their capabilities.

Before the meeting concluded, one of the council members voiced a suspicion: there could be a traitor within their ranks, someone leaking information to the enemy, making the attacks inevitable and allowing the monsters to anticipate their movements. Yoshi nodded, taking this into careful consideration.

With the meeting over, Yoshi gathered his comrades, along with Chiyori and his team, to devise a battle plan. As they strategized, Joseph stepped forward, volunteering to investigate the Monster Boss's lair. Despite Yoshi's concern—knowing that Joseph lacked any supernatural abilities—Joseph reassured him with a confident smile.

"I'm capable, Yoshi," Joseph insisted. "You'd be surprised what I can do. I may not have powers, but I’ve got plenty of tricks up my sleeve."

Yoshi hesitated for a moment but finally relented, trusting in Joseph's resolve. "Alright," Yoshi agreed. "But be careful. Once you get what you need, meet us back at the rendezvous point."

Joseph nodded confidently. "We’ll make it back in one piece," he said, as he set off with a group of Hakodate hunters to scout the enemy's fortress.

With a plan in place, Yoshi, Lyra, and the others prepared for the looming battle, knowing that the fate of the city—and possibly much more—depended on their success.

The group arrived at a secluded vantage point where they could observe their enemies undetected. From there, they had a clear view of the monster fortress, its entrance heavily guarded by numerous creatures patrolling the perimeter. Himari Ishibashi, the leader of the group and a seasoned huntress, informed her comrades that this was the best location to spy on the fortress without being seen.

Joseph, after assessing the situation, suggested they perform a sneak attack or at least create a diversion to avert the monsters' attention. However, Himari quickly dismissed the idea, explaining that such tactics were futile against the monsters guarding the fortress. Their heightened senses and sheer numbers made any direct approach dangerous and likely to fail.

Undeterred, Joseph proposed a bold plan: he would act as a distraction, allowing the group to infiltrate the dungeon while the monsters focused on him. His suggestion shocked Himari, who immediately regarded it as a suicidal move.

"That’s crazy!" Himari exclaimed, her tone laced with concern. "You’ll be walking right into a death trap. There’s no way you’ll survive."

While the others mulled over the idea, Hirotsugu Kiyoshiro, a knight hunter and member of the group, spoke up in support of Joseph's plan. "Actually, Himari, Joseph might be our best chance," Hirotsugu began, his voice calm but calculating. "He has no aura level for the monsters or supernaturals to detect. Unlike us, he can move without drawing their attention."

Himari considered this, her initial skepticism giving way to contemplation. "You have a point, Hirotsugu," she admitted. "Now that I think about it, I couldn’t sense any aura from Joseph. He’s not a warrior, and yet here he is, willing to risk everything to help us."

She turned to Joseph, her gaze softening. "You're one of the bravest people I've ever met," she said sincerely. "But this is still an incredibly risky move. If something happens to you, I don’t want to be the one to break the news to Prince Yoshi."

Joseph smiled, reassuring her with calm confidence. "I’ll be fine," he said, his voice steady. "I’ll give you the signal when it’s time to move. Just trust me."

Reluctantly, Himari handed him a sword, its blade shimmering faintly in the low light. "Take this, just in case," she said. "If you get caught, at least you’ll have something to defend yourself with."

Joseph accepted the sword with a nod, understanding the gravity of what lay ahead. As he turned to leave, Hirotsugu Kiyoshiro’s lips curled into a subtle, sinister smirk, his eyes gleaming with hidden malice. He watched Joseph walk away, knowing his dark plan was beginning to unfold.

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Unknown to the rest, Hirotsugu had ulterior motives. Joseph, walking into danger, was now an unwitting pawn in a much larger scheme.

Joseph's plan worked perfectly, as the creatures took the bait and chased after him, leaving the dungeon vulnerable. With his signal given, the group ventured into the dungeon. Halfway in, Himari paused, her heart heavy as she glanced back at the sight of Joseph being pursued by the monsters. Worry gnawed at her, but Hirotsugu swiftly brought her back to focus, urging her to press forward. Just as they moved deeper, a monstrous figure descended from above, its impact shaking the ground and sending Himari stumbling back.

The creature roared with fury, immediately engaging Himari in a brutal battle. It was a fierce and relentless opponent, but just as Himari began to struggle, Hirotsugu appeared behind the monster and delivered a killing blow, saving her life. He helped her to her feet, and together they hurried to rejoin the others deeper within the dungeon.

Inside, they uncovered the horrifying truth: the monsters had been organizing for an attack, plotting something far more sinister than they had anticipated. But before they could act on this discovery, their presence was detected. In an instant, they found themselves surrounded by hordes of monsters, their escape seemingly impossible.

The warriors braced themselves for a fight despite the overwhelming odds. Suddenly, a sickening sound of a blade piercing flesh echoed through the group. Shock and confusion swept through them as they realized one of their comrades had been struck down. The culprit revealed himself with chilling calm—it was Hirotsugu.

The group's collective disbelief turned into horror as Hirotsugu Kiyoshiro, the traitor, stood with his bloodied weapon, his betrayal laid bare. He had killed one of their own and offered the rest a grim choice: surrender and join forces with him and the monsters, or meet the same fate. Some, fearful of death, immediately sided with Hirotsugu, while others remained loyal to Himari, refusing to betray their cause.

Himari, shocked and heartbroken, demanded to know why Hirotsugu had betrayed them. His answer was filled with bitterness and resentment. He revealed his long-standing hatred for the Fujimori Wisteria Forest kingdom, resenting how he had been treated as a low-tier armiger knight hunter. His disgust only grew when the royal family of Fujimori chose to make peace with humans rather than dominate them.

"You don’t understand, Himari," Hirotsugu spat, his voice dripping with venom. "This was never about loyalty. It was about power—monsters and supernaturals *should* rule supreme! The mission here was just a diversion. The creatures are already on their way to destroy the city. And that fool Joseph’s plan to distract the sentry monsters? He’s as good as dead now."

Himari’s heart sank as she listened, her eyes welling up with tears. Hirotsugu had once been like family to her, someone she had trusted. "How could you? How could you betray us for this?" she asked, her voice shaking. "We were all in this together."

"Don’t you see?" Hirotsugu continued, his expression softening with twisted hope. "You and I are the same, Himari. Together, we can rule over the kingdom once its cities fall. Join me, and we can shape the future as it should be."

Himari’s tear-streaked face hardened with resolve. "No, Hirotsugu. I’m not like you. I’ll never betray my comrades or my kingdom. I’ll fight for them, even if it means fighting against you."

Realizing she wouldn’t be swayed, Hirotsugu’s face darkened, consumed by hatred. "Then you’ll die a noble death by my hand," he growled, raising his weapon.

Himari tightened her grip on her sword, her heart heavy but determined. "If that’s the way it has to be, then I’ll stop at nothing to save you from yourself, even if it costs me my life," she said, her voice steady as she pointed her blade at him, ready for the inevitable clash.

The clashing of swords echoed through the dungeon as Himari and Hirotsugu dueled with fierce intensity. Hirotsugu had commanded the monsters to stay back, allowing the two to settle their battle alone. Around them, the aftermath of betrayal lay heavy. Himari’s crew had been slaughtered by those who had sided with Hirotsugu. Only she remained, standing against him. As a few of his loyalists approached to finish her off, she fought them back, incapacitating some before Hirotsugu ordered them to retreat. He wanted to end this himself.

Their eyes met, a fierce and bitter gaze, filled with the weight of everything they once meant to each other. Then, without hesitation, they clashed again, swords sparking with every strike. Their battle was brutal, each strike stronger than the last. Though they appeared evenly matched, it became clear that Himari’s skill gave her a slight edge over Hirotsugu, pushing him back more than once. They paused momentarily, breathless from the intensity of their fight.

Hirotsugu, his frustration growing, sneered. "You may be more skilled than I am, Himari, but you’ll soon see the power I’ve gained through loyalty and the strength of our brethren!" His aura flared violently, rising from a F-tier 12 mountain-level aura to a D-tier 10 country-level aura in an instant. His newfound power dwarfed Himari’s, whose aura barely spanned mountain level.

With this sudden boost, Hirotsugu’s speed and strength overwhelmed her. In one swift move, he broke through her defenses, landing multiple cuts across her body. His blade sliced through her aura shield as though it were paper, leaving painful wounds on her waist, arms, and heels. Each strike was more vicious than the last, sending her to the ground, weakened and bleeding.

Hirotsugu stood over her, his sword glowing with the energy of his aura as he pointed it directly at her face. "Please, Himari, don’t make me kill you," he said softly, his voice filled with regret and pity. Memories of their past seemed to flood his mind. "You were the only one who showed me kindness when no one else would. Despite being my superior in command, you never treated me that way. You always told me that monsters and supernaturals stick together. You were a supernatural, and I was a monster. Your words… they meant everything to me."

His voice grew quieter, pleading. "So please, stay down."

But Himari’s eyes were defiant, her spirit unbroken. Her expression spoke volumes, and Hirotsugu could see she wasn’t going to surrender. His face hardened as he raised his sword high, preparing to deliver the final blow.

Before Hirotsugu could strike, a sudden flash of steel stopped his blade mid-air. The sharp ring of metal against metal echoed across the battlefield. His eyes widened in shock as Joseph stood before Himari, sword raised, protecting her. Their weapons were locked in a fierce clash, Joseph’s unwavering stance an impenetrable barrier. No warrior, monster, or supernatural had sensed Joseph's approach. His sudden arrival sent a wave of disbelief through everyone present, leaving them frozen in awe.

"What? How is this possible?" Hirotsugu stammered, his voice laced with disbelief as his eyes locked onto Joseph, still pressing against him with his blade.

Joseph’s lips curled into a confident grin. "Well, that’s the thing," he said, his voice filled with determination. "I’m the impossible."

The intensity in Joseph’s eyes matched Hirotsugu’s, the weight of their clash electrifying the air around them.