The sun still hung at its highest point, indifferent to the devastation below.

  Amid the fire, ashes, and rubble, Silent lay fallen. His clothes, torn in several places, exposed his bleeding body. Black blood seeped through the bandages on his face, dripping onto the ground and staining his torn balaclava.

  At the top of the building, despite being struck by Neani’s shockwave, Fiamma stood up without losing a single second. As she gripped her bow, she fired an arrow faster than the eye could follow.

  Though still on the ground, Silent’s body trembled and vanished for a brief instant. He only managed to shift to the side. The arrow grazed his face and exploded.

  Fiamma ground her teeth.

  "He’s still alive after that blow?"

  She fired another arrow, aiming straight for his head.

  On the ground, Silent trembled again, disappearing for an instant before reappearing in the same spot. The new arrow was shattered midair and, even in fragments, it exploded, sending Silent rolling across the ground.

  At the center of the shockwave, where even the earth had been torn apart, Neani tried to advance, but she drove her heavy mace into the ground and fell to her knees. Her legs were riddled with deep puncture wounds, and her entire body trembled after enduring such an intense electrical discharge.

  Her eyes, dyed red by the berserk transformation, locked onto Silent.

  "Grrrr… When… When did that bastard… pierce me?!"

  From afar, hidden among the rubble, the soldiers saw Silent fallen and charged toward him. The surviving arcanists joined as well. The opportunity created by their leaders had to be finished here and now. Even the wounded forced themselves to stand and attack Silent.

  They all advanced together. They were about to finish everything.

  But…

  In an instant, so fast that no one could see it, Silent was standing. The bleeding stopped rapidly.

  The black blood clinging to his body began to move, as if alive, before drying and evaporating completely. His body trembled slightly, as though another force had been activated.

  A terrible fear spread among everyone, a freezing dread impossible to ignore.

  Boris couldn’t take a single step.

  Even Neani trembled in terror.

  At the top of the building, Fiamma collapsed, her knees striking the rooftop as her instincts screamed for her to flee. Her instincts screamed for her to flee as fast as possible. Her hands shook, unable to properly hold the bow.

  Electricity began to envelop Silent’s body with an absurd intensity. The ground started to melt under the extreme heat. Silent was about to unleash his Skill.

  Reiki knelt, holding Morgana in his arms. Removing her mask, he poured a healing potion into her mouth and forced his Healing Art to activate, but her condition was terrible. Not even his Art had any significant effect. Even so, he immediately turned his attention back to Silent.

  Reiki also felt the crushing pressure that Silent was exerting.

  Seeing Neani paralyzed, he tried to run to help her, but was forced to face Silent’s current form once again.

  Reiki’s eyes widened.

  He’s going to wipe everyone out!

  I need… I have to…

  He forced his fear-shaken body to stand. From his spatial ring, he took out several potions and drank multiple flasks at once. The combination overloaded his body, his Source overflowing.

  "Ancient Art, Acceleration!"

  "Ancient Art, Flight!"

  Silent fired a massive electric beam, and the city was swallowed by blinding blue light. Soldiers and arcanists immediately understood what that meant and despair spread among them.

  That attack was inescapable. They could only watch, terrified.

  Reiki immediately placed himself in front of the beam.

  "Ancient Art!!!"

  "Barrier!!!"

  The beam collided with a massive translucent barrier.

  The impact made everything tremble. Cracks opened in the earth, structures were swept away by the generated wind, and the tallest building collapsed like a house of cards.

  Everyone was temporarily blinded. The heat was so intense that it caused severe dehydration among the survivors.

  The dust began to settle, revealing Reiki kneeling on the ground, his body covered in burns and dehydration. He couldn’t even raise his hands.

  He spat blood, certain he could die at any second. Pain wracked his body. Drinking so many potions and violently draining his Source caused internal injuries and severe aftereffects.

  His blurred vision slowly adjusted. When he looked back, he saw soldiers and arcanists fallen. The scene was horrific, everyone was pierced, cut, burned, and dehydrated.

  "Ne…"

  "Neani…"

  "Neani!"

  Is she okay?

  When he looked toward Neani, the bear beastwoman, Reiki began to cry. She lay on the ground, covered in severe perforations and deep gashes. If she wasn’t treated in time, her life would fade away there.

  A foot, completely clad in black, appeared beside Reiki’s hand. Even while crying, he ground his teeth in hatred as he recognized it. Rage swelled in his chest.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Reiki, a great arcanist, was in that miserable state. He raised his face, staring at Silent.

  "You miserable monster from hell!"

  "Why are you…"

  He clenched his fists.

  "Why are you so strong?!"

  Silent simply drove his claws into Reiki’s face. He fell to the ground, unable to rise.

  Seeing that everyone lay on the ground, Silent turned his back and simply walked away.

  As he distanced himself from Reiki, an arrow flew toward him. Upon touching his back, the arrow ricocheted and fell to the ground. The explosion engulfed him, but with a simple sweep of his arm, he dispersed the smoke, emerging unscathed.

  Silent turned his face toward the ruins of the tallest building.

  Among the debris, Fiamma emerged, her body injured and bleeding all over. She had been buried beneath the collapse of the structure. Her legs wavered, but she forced herself to remain standing and to grip her bow.

  The fire had left her eyes, but her brows furrowed in determination.

  "Ancient Art… Perfect Eye."

  Her vision became clear and focused, ready to release the arrow.

  But then she felt Silent’s intent turn completely toward her.

  Her body froze. Her legs could no longer support her. Her hand trembled so violently that she couldn’t hold the bow. She fell to her knees.

  What is this killing intent?

  When she realized it…

  "No!"

  Silent was already standing before her. Fiamma tried to move, to raise her bow, but the pressure he exerted suffocated her.

  She was violently pierced and fell to the ground, completely helpless.

  Seeing that no one else was standing and that the city lay in ruins, Silent turned around and walked out of the city.

  His wounds began to slowly close. His torn clothes stitched themselves back together, gradually returning to their original state.

  Silent was restored, ready to hunt his next victim.

  ***

  From my position, everything happened in an instant.

  The collision between the electricity and the Ancient Art generated a violent wind that hurled me away.

  I was thrown back, crashing among the rubble. For a few seconds, I saw nothing but that light.

  When I managed to move, I forced myself to stand.

  "What was the result?"

  "What happened?"

  "Where is Silent?"

  My vision took time to adjust. I had been temporarily blinded by the electric light, but when I could finally see…

  Every soldier was down. There wasn’t a single person standing besides me.

  My attention turned to the war leaders. All of them were on the ground, unable to rise.

  Then I saw her.

  Fiamma emerged from the wreckage of the tallest building.

  But her wounds were severe. I ran as best I could to help her steady herself.

  I tried to pull a healing potion from my spatial ring, but they were all gone.

  Damn it… the worst possible moment for my potions to run out.

  When I looked back at Fiamma, I saw that she had fired an arrow and was already preparing another.

  Then suddenly, my body went rigid. Fear forced me to my knees. I couldn’t even speak, it was as if I were compelled to bow before an absolute king.

  That killing intent again!

  It can only be…

  I saw Silent appear right before Fiamma.

  Silent!

  That intent was so overwhelming it completely paralyzed me. Even though it wasn’t directed at me, I couldn’t move.

  "Fiamma…"

  That was all I could say. I couldn’t help her.

  I saw Silent or rather, I didn’t see how, but I felt the instant he pierced her, leaving her broken on the ground.

  The pressure he emanated vanished. My body felt relief, but my face hardened with sorrow and rage. I fell to my knees not only from defeat, but from my uselessness in that war.

  "…"

  "What did I do?"

  "What did I contribute?"

  My mind replayed the entire battle fought by us, the leaders. Unlike the others, I had done nothing of value. I had only fallen and been pierced by Silent. Every one of them had managed to injure him in some way.

  In the final moments, after Morgana wounded him, I tried to advance and help, but I was too slow. I couldn’t do anything.

  I let go of my sword.

  I’m worthless and weak. In the end, all I did was tremble in fear.

  I remembered how Reiki managed to protect everyone with his barrier.

  If Reiki hadn’t used his Art… all of us…

  Why did I even come to this war?

  My face twisted in bitterness. I laughed at myself, mockingly.

  "Boris, for your deeds, you have been chosen as commander…"

  "Ah… Ah… Ah…"

  I felt like spitting in the king’s face and in the faces of my superiors. I should have refused that order.

  "If I were a legend like Neani, Morgana, Reiki, or Fiamma… maybe… maybe the war would have taken a different turn… maybe we would have won."

  When I raised my eyes, I saw Silent’s imposing back. There were no wounds left. His clothes were fully restored.

  He walked away as if nothing had happened.

  The longer I watched him, the more rage I felt.

  "Hey!"

  I gripped my sword tightly and stood up.

  "Face me!"

  I charged, rapidly closing the distance between us. Silent noticed me, but remained still, waiting for my attack.

  I struck from the side. His fingers collided with the blade, blocking it effortlessly. Then he punched me in the face. My vision turned white, I almost lost consciousness, but I endured.

  I furrowed my brow, focused my gaze, and attacked again, but he sidestepped.

  Come on, Boris, you have to hurt him… you can’t be the only one who didn’t even manage that!

  Each clash between my sword and his claws produced sparks and metallic screeches. I attacked with greater strength and speed, desperate, ignoring any defense.

  I already know I won’t defeat him… I’m too weak… but at least… at least I must scratch him.

  But Silent trembled and vanished.

  At that instant, I let my sword fall. Tears streamed down my face.

  An excruciating pain seized my body. I collapsed to the ground, feeling myself being viciously pierced.

  I saw Silent in the distance, moving away, about to leave the city without even looking back. I hadn’t been able to scratch him not even once. My vision slowly lost focus, until everything went dark.

  ***

  Near where Fiamma lay fallen, the shadow of a man was cast upon the ground. In his silhouette, a top hat and a cane stood out.

  "Very well, Silent."

  "Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah."

  "You do not disappoint at all."

  "But the Fragment is not yet developed."

  "Will I have to wait longer?"

  "Very well. Time is not something I lack."

  "Teleport!"

  The man vanished, as if he had never been there.