—That’s it! I won again! — Cosmo exclaimed, holding a red handkerchief with a victorious smile.

  —Ahh... I lost! — Wally responded, throwing his hands up in frustration.

  The two were sitting close together, engaged in a friendly, albeit one-sided, game.

  —You're really terrible at this game, Wally! One more time! — Cosmo teased, laughing.

  Wally sighed, shaking his head before grabbing another handkerchief.

  —Okay... this time, I'll win! — he said with determination, carefully folding the red handkerchief.

  —...

  Not far away, Angel was lying near the window, relaxing. The soft moonlight illuminated his calm face. Cosmo, always observant, noticed his presence and waved in his direction.

  —Hey, Angel, don’t you want to play with us?

  While Cosmo called out to Angel, Wally took advantage of the distraction to try and hit him with the handkerchief. However, Cosmo dodged easily and, with a quick movement, retaliated, striking Wally on the shoulder.

  Angel glanced at them briefly, crossing his arms with a disinterested expression before turning his attention back to the moon.

  —Shouldn't you be worried about the rookies on their mission? — he replied, dry and direct.

  Cosmo shrugged, still smiling, while holding onto Wally, who was trying to recover from yet another defeat.

  —They'll be fine! Mei and Emily are taking care of them! — he said with contagious enthusiasm. — So, come play with us!

  —No, thanks. I'm not interested.

  Angel stood up and walked toward the hallway, heading to his room.

  —Hmpf, he’s so boring. — Cosmo muttered, watching Angel walk away.

  —You should pay attention to your opponent! — Wally shouted, taking the chance to launch another attack.

  Cosmo, as agile as ever, dodged again and hit him with the handkerchief before he could react.

  —I won again!

  The night continued peacefully. The trees swayed gently under the serene breeze, while the wind blew calmly through the area, bringing an atmosphere of peace to that moment of relaxation and companionship.

  Village of Cilvett

  The group stood face to face with Sfritz, who had now assumed his inverted form. A distorted smile was spread across his face as he stared at the young warriors. Erick, Louis, Rose, and Lilithy trembled, unable to withstand the oppressive pressure they were feeling for the first time in their lives. Mei and Emily positioned themselves, ready for battle.

  —Erick... — Emily whispered, looking at him. —You need to find the missing women.

  Mei and I will hold him off here.

  Erick swallowed hard, nodding with difficulty as sweat dripped down his face.

  —Y-yeah...

  —But what about you two...? — Rose asked, her voice trembling.

  —Don’t worry. We’re strong! — Emily reassured them with a confident smile.

  Mei simply nodded in silent agreement.

  With no other choice, the group retreated, leaving Mei and Emily to face Sfritz alone.

  —Hahaha! Do you really think you can defeat me? Two such beautiful little girls? — Sfritz taunted, but his hand began to tremble involuntarily, a warning of danger.

  —"What’s happening...? What is this strange feeling?!" — he thought, staring at them.

  Before he could reflect further, he dashed forward like a blur, appearing behind Emily and impaling her with his sword. Emily was caught off guard and collapsed to the ground, motionless. Sfritz withdrew his blade and lunged at Mei, attacking with a fierce flurry of strikes.

  —Die! — he roared, intensifying each blow.

  Mei dodged every attack with superhuman agility and precision. In a swift motion, she grabbed Sfritz’s sword and snapped it in half.

  —H-how?! — he exclaimed, in disbelief.

  —You talk too much.

  Mei delivered a powerful punch to Sfritz’s face, sending him flying violently through several nearby houses. When the dust settled, he lay on the ground, struggling to get up.

  —I-impossible! What kind of magic is this?! — he shouted.

  —It’s not magic. — Mei replied, walking calmly toward him.

  —It’s true! — Emily said, suddenly appearing beside Sfritz, casually sitting. — Mei doesn’t use magic!

  Sfritz's eyes widened, stepping back upon seeing her.

  —How are you here?! I killed you!!

  Suddenly, blood spikes erupted from the ground, piercing Sfritz and immobilizing him in place.

  —W-what?!

  —Blood Magic: Thorn Prison — Emily recited, her voice cold and determined. — Blood Spear.

  A colossal spear made of blood emerged from the ground, piercing Sfritz and launching him into the air. Before he could react, Mei appeared above him and delivered a devastating kick, sending him crashing back down violently.

  Sfritz, panting, struggled to stay on his feet, his eyes filled with irritation as he glared at the two.

  —"Ghh... This can't be... Who are these women?!" — he thought, stunned.

  The shadows around Sfritz began to intensify, covering his body and healing his wounds. His expression, once filled with arrogance, turned dark and serious.

  —Tch... I won’t underestimate you anymore... — he muttered, summoning a new sword wrapped in black and purple shadows.

  Meanwhile, Erick, Louis, Rose, and Lilithy were walking through Cilvett, searching for clues about the missing women. Erick trudged forward with difficulty, still feeling the weight of exhaustion on his body.

  —Erick-kun... are you okay? — Lilithy asked, evident concern in her voice.

  —Yeah... I just overdid it using my magic...

  Erick stumbled, nearly falling, but was quickly caught by Louis.

  — Thank you, Louis… — he said, trying to regain his balance as the group continued their search.

  As they walked, Rose frowned, catching a familiar scent in the air.

  — Blood…? — she murmured, her eyes widening as she quickened her pace, following the trail of the metallic odor.

  The group followed her in silence, stopping in front of a small, worn-down house.

  — Is this the place…? — Erick asked hesitantly.

  — Yes… — Rose confirmed, her voice tense.

  Erick grasped the rusty doorknob and slowly pushed the door open, the sharp, scraping sound echoing in the silence. The interior was dark and eerily quiet, with shackles hanging from the walls and bloodstains scattered everywhere.

  Lilithy, frightened, clung to Rose, squeezing her eyes shut.

  — What happened here…? — Erick asked, cautiously stepping inside, his footsteps echoing in the empty space.

  Suddenly, a faint voice broke the silence:

  "Help… me…"

  Erick froze, his eyes widening as he turned to the others.

  — Nii, did you hear that? — Louis asked, his voice trembling.

  "Help… me…"

  — I heard it too! — Rose exclaimed, her face reflecting a mix of fear and determination as she stared into the depths of the dark house.

  Erick knelt down, placing his hand on the floor. A faint breeze rose through the cracks.

  — There's something beneath us… — he said, furrowing his brow.

  Rose didn't hesitate. With her sharp claws, she tore up the wooden planks fixed to the floor, revealing a hidden underground passage.

  — Whoa, Rose! That was amazing! — Erick exclaimed, impressed.

  Rose crossed her arms, giving him a disdainful look before rolling her eyes.

  — Hmpf!

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  — Er… — Erick sighed.

  The group cautiously descended through the opening, plunging into a dark and oppressive atmosphere. The underground corridor was narrow, lit only by the faint light seeping through cracks in the ceiling.

  After moving forward, they reached a massive door wrapped in rusty chains.

  — …Creepy… — Rose murmured, her voice lower than usual as she swallowed hard.

  Erick hesitated but stepped forward, his hand trembling slightly as he grasped the doorknob.

  — Be careful… — Lilithy warned, still clinging to Rose’s arm, her wide eyes filled with tension.

  Erick took a deep breath, gathering his courage, and slowly turned the knob. The door creaked open, revealing a scene that made their blood run cold.

  The inside was horrifying—several girls were chained to the walls, their bodies marked with bruises and cuts. Some had fainted or lay collapsed on the floor, blood pooling around them.

  The sight was grotesque, leaving the group in absolute silence, their breaths heavy and their eyes wide with horror.

  "Help… me…"

  A weak voice echoed through the room. One of the chained girls was still conscious but visibly weak, her shackled hands bleeding from deep cuts.

  Erick rushed forward, ignoring the tightness in his chest, and carefully freed her from the shackles.

  — What… what did Mr. Sfritz do to you?! — he asked, his voice trembling with indignation.

  At the mention of Sfritz’s name, the girl broke into uncontrollable sobs, her body shaking. Before Erick could say anything else, she threw herself into his arms, clinging to him tightly before passing out.

  A heavy silence filled the room. Erick remained kneeling for a moment, his expression hardening as he held the unconscious girl.

  — Let’s free the others… — he said, his voice low but filled with determination.

  — Erick-kun…? — Lilithy called hesitantly, her eyes widening as she noticed the seriousness on Erick’s face.

  The group worked silently, freeing the other victims. Each unlocked shackle revealed more wounds, more signs of suffering. The atmosphere felt suffocating.

  After some time, they managed to get all the girls out of the underground passage. Outside, the moonlight illuminated the group's tired but relieved faces.

  — How are they? — Erick asked, looking at Lilithy, who was examining the girls.

  — …Very bad… — Lilithy answered, her expression worried. — They’ll need a lot of rest and care to recover…

  Erick nodded, his fists clenched at his sides.

  — Nii…

  — …He’s going to pay for what he did. — he murmured, his voice carrying barely contained rage as he looked at the horizon.

  Sfritz was panting, his body trembling as he struggled to stay on his feet. His ruined arm hung uselessly at his side, and his face was covered in blood, but the hatred and frustration in his eyes burned intensely.

  — "How is this possible…? I can't lose to them!" — he thought, trying to resist the crushing exhaustion.

  — You're more resilient than I expected. — Mei said, walking toward him calmly, her eyes locked on him. — Just give up already.

  Sfritz raised his hand, trying to gather his last remaining strength to attack, but before he could react, a spear of thorns emerged from the ground, pinning his arm.

  — Not while I'm here. — Emily said with a confident smile as another spear appeared beside her.

  Sfritz found himself cornered, with no escape. The sound of footsteps echoed through the area, and he realized that Erick and the others were approaching. Erick was surprised to see Sfritz’s condition. He couldn’t believe that Emily and Mei had reduced such a powerful man to this state.

  — Oh, Erick-chan! Did you guys find the girls? — Emily asked in a playful tone.

  Erick nodded, but his expression carried sadness.

  Suddenly, a disturbing laugh broke the silence.

  — Hahaha…

  Everyone turned to Sfritz, who was laughing uncontrollably, his face twisted in a crazed expression. The shadows around him began to stir, growing darker. A sinister and oppressive aura emanated from him.

  — I sacrifice…

  The shadows completely engulfed Sfritz, transforming him into a horrendous creature, with dark and lilac tentacles that moved as if they had a life of their own. The pressure he exuded was overwhelming, paralyzing Erick, Louis, Lilith, and Rose in place. Their bodies trembled, and Erick's breathing quickened.

  — "I-I can't move..." — Erick thought, terror dominating his mind.

  — Erick-chan! — Emily's voice echoed in his head, bringing him back to reality.

  Before he could react, Sfritz was already before him, the tentacles mere inches from piercing his eyes. Mei, however, arrived just in time, blocking the attack and pulling Erick back.

  — Pay more attention! You could have died. — Mei said in a serious tone.

  — S-sorry...

  Emily and the others quickly reached Erick and Mei. Sfritz continued advancing slowly, his tentacles dragging across the ground, becoming even more threatening.

  — Erick, take the others to a safe place, now. — Mei ordered, keeping her eyes locked on the enemy.

  — But... we want to help! — Louis responded, his voice trembling.

  Emily smiled softly, placing her hand on the boy's head to calm him.

  — Don't worry. We've faced worse things. He won't be a problem. — she said with a reassuring smile.

  Reluctantly, Erick and the others began to retreat. Erick, however, couldn't take his eyes off Emily and Mei, as a memory echoed in his mind: "If only I were a little stronger..."

  Mei and Emily now stood face to face with Sfritz, whose grotesque form seemed like a reflection of his complete corruption.

  — Looks like he lost what little humanity he had left. Are you scared? — Emily asked, teasing with a smile.

  — Not at all. — Mei replied with her calm and neutral tone.

  Sfritz lunged in a frantic motion, his massive tentacles emerging from the ground, striking toward them. Mei leaped skillfully, dodging the attacks and slicing the tentacles at high speed.

  Emily, however, was struck by several of them, and her blood stained the air.

  — Blood Magic: Thorned Spears!

  The blood Emily had lost transformed into multiple sharp spears that shot toward Sfritz, piercing his grotesque body.

  Erick and the others watched the fight from afar, their eyes wide with shock and admiration for the two warriors' strength.

  — "Incredible..." — Erick thought, his eyes shining with awe.

  Sfritz kept attacking wildly, his strikes growing increasingly ferocious. Emily took the hits directly, but her wounds regenerated instantly—her recovery was so absurd that it seemed impossible to wound her for long.

  Taking advantage of this opening, Mei dashed forward with impressive speed, moving like lightning into the heart of the battle. In an instant, her fist collided with Sfritz’s chest with crushing force, sending him violently flying backward. The impact was so brutal that he crashed through several houses in succession, leaving a trail of destruction.

  Silence lingered for a moment.

  Then, among the rubble, Sfritz began to move. Slowly, he rose, and his wounds started regenerating once again.

  — I have to admit, he’s really persistent. — Mei commented, crossing her arms.

  — Then I guess it’s my turn to finish this.

  Emily walked forward calmly, a confident smile on her lips. The ground began to tremble violently, as if warning that something grand was about to happen. Erick and the others clung to the walls to steady themselves, while Mei observed the scene intently.

  Sfritz, ignoring any sign of danger, charged at Emily once more.

  — "Watch closely, boys… this is the level you’ll need to reach."

  She pressed her hand against the ground, and in an instant, the tremor intensified even more. Her gaze turned cold and impassive as she chanted the spell:

  — Blood Magic: Ultimate Blood’s Destruction.

  From where Sfritz stood, a massive beam of blood erupted from the ground, rising like a colossal crimson waterfall. The pressure was absurd, cracking the earth around it as the energy consumed the area. Erick was left speechless, feeling the immense amount of mana Emily was radiating.

  Minutes later, when the dust settled, Sfritz was there… or rather, what remained of him. His body began to disintegrate, dissolving into particles that faded into the sound of the wind.

  Emily sighed, stretching her arms.

  — Phew... It’s been a while since I let loose like that. — She turned to the others with a big smile.

  Erick and the rest remained silent, their expressions reflecting pure astonishment and a slight touch of fear. Mei, on the other hand, sighed and walked over to Emily.

  — Don't you think you got a little too carried away?

  Emily turned, only to notice the extent of the destruction. Besides devastating part of the village, her attack had also wiped out a significant portion of the forest.

  — Whoops...

  — Honestly...

  While the two bickered, Erick simply watched them before letting out a heavy sigh.

  — "The paths are truly terrifying..."

  The next morning, the group gathered at the village entrance.

  — Thank you so much for everything you've done for us. — Krurs said, holding Emily’s hand with gratitude. — What can I do to repay you?

  Emily smiled.

  — Don’t worry, we’re already happy just to help. Right, Mei?

  Mei nodded calmly.

  Erick noticed the girl they had saved approaching. She was still weak, part of her body wrapped in bandages, and her steps were hesitant.

  — Myla... you need to rest. — Krurs insisted, trying to stop his daughter.

  Even so, she kept going, her unsteady steps bringing her closer to Erick. Her body trembled slightly, and she struggled to speak.

  — Th-thank... y-you... so much...

  Small tears streamed down her face.

  Erick nodded, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

  After their farewell, the group left the village and continued their journey back to their headquarters.

  After a long walk, they finally arrived. In the garden, Cosmo was sitting next to Wally, looking relaxed. As soon as he saw them, he broke into a wide grin and waved.

  — Looks like the mission was a success! — He exclaimed excitedly. — So, Erick, did you learn anything from this?

  Erick hesitated before responding, still trying to process everything.

  — Yeah... I think so...

  That’s when Cosmo noticed something strange. Louis seemed... distant.

  — What’s wrong, Louis?

  — N-nothing, I’m just a little tired...

  Later, everyone returned to their tasks. As Erick climbed the stairs, he spotted Rose and decided to call out to her.

  — Hey, Rose!

  She stopped and turned to him, her gaze uninterested.

  — What do you want?

  Erick swallowed hard before answering.

  — W-well... I just wanted to say that you were amazing back there... And also, your skills were incredible...

  Rose’s eyes widened for a brief moment. A faint blush colored her cheeks before she rolled her eyes and responded irritably:

  — Hmpf! Stop complimenting me!

  With that, she turned and quickly went up to her room.

  Erick let out a long sigh.

  — "Why does she hate me so much...?"

  Meanwhile, in the hallway, Louis sat by the window, staring at the garden. His expression was somber, and his eyes reflected deep thoughts.

  — "I couldn’t do anything... As always... I really am useless..."

  He sighed, his expression growing even more dejected.

  In the distance, leaning against the wall, Cosmo watched the scene with his arms crossed and a smile... a rather enigmatic one.