"So, this is a seven star."
The words landed softly, but the battlefield reacted like they'd been struck.
A violent gust exploded outward. Dust, smoke, and debris were torn from the ground, ripped away.
Kayon stood at the center of it.
Still.
The massive blade never reached him.
His right hand held it mid-swing.
The Forlorn pulled, its monstrous frame tightening, power surging through its arms.
Nothing.
The blade didn't move.
"Disappointing." Kayon looked at the Forlorn.
Behind it, the summoner staggered back, his voice cracking.
"No… that's not possible how did you stop that with your bare hand?!"
Kayon didn't look at him.
"Simple."
His fingers tightened.
The blade shattered.
Fragments burst outward, scattering like broken glass across the battlefield.
"It was weak."
Before the last piece hit the ground, Kayon lifted his hand.
A beam of deep crimson light tore from his palm, it pierced through the Forlorn's chest and split the sky beyond it,
For a moment,
The battlefield stopped breathing.
The Forlorn stood frozen, its massive body trembling. Then slowly, almost gently, its arms fell to its sides.
A perfect hole burned through its chest.
Then it collapsed.
The impact shattered the silence it had left behind.
Kayon lowered his hand.
"Aww… it died already?" Kayon sighed, turned his gaze to the man, calm. "I barely even used any mana."
The man's body hit the ground hard.
His teeth ground together, a broken sound tearing from his throat as his hands clawed at his face, at his head,
"This, this can't be happening" His voice cracked, raw with disbelief. "I'm being humiliated like this?"
He forced himself up, shaking, eyes wide and bloodshot. Then, without hesitation, he bit down on the tip of his finger.
Blood welled.
"I'll show you…" His voice dropped, trembling with fury. "The power of Amon… first child of the Cohen household."
Mana surged.
Pale yellow orbs flickered into existence across the battlefield,
The men froze.
The pale yellow orbs pulsed and split open.
From each one, something crawled out.
Then dozens.
A horde of Forlorn flooded the battlefield, their forms twisting into existence as if reality itself was being forced to give birth.
The air turned heavy. Suffocating.
Kayon's gaze swept across the field… then settled back on the man.
"Well," he muttered, brushing his chin, almost thoughtful, "judging by that name you're a noble."
His eyes flicked to the spreading horde.
"And this magic"
A slow smile formed.
"now you have my attention."
He stepped forward.
"I want it."
'Master, there are numerous Forlorn in the area.'
"I know."
No hesitation.
"I can handle them."
Kayon walked forward, calm, slowly he approached them.
"Well" he took a deep breath. "How is this?" Amon muttered, his voice trembling with excitement as saliva slipped from the corner of his mouth. "Three hundred three-stars and five hundred more beneath them."
He dragged a hand across his lips, eyes wild.
"Even you… will struggle with this."
"I see."
Kayon didn't look at the horde.
His gaze shifted past it resting briefly on Dravena and the surviving men.
He smiled.
The ground trembled.
Stones began to rise into the sky.
They ignited as they reached the sky.
A deep, violent red glow spread across their surfaces, the air around them warping with heat.
"Alright" Kayon's voice was low, almost absent minded.
"Let's show you a little power."
'Main, target all Forlorn.'
'Targeting.
complete, Master waiting confirmation.'
Kayon's lips barely moved.
"Fire."
The sky rained.
Stones crashed down in a storm of red light, crushing the Forlorn beneath them. One after another, the creatures were obliterated without resistance,
In seconds,
Silence.
Dravena stared then laughed, low and sharp. Her gaze snapped to Randall.
"You're next, you bastard."
Randall turned to run.
He didn't get a step.
His body jerked violently as his feet left the ground, dragged backward.
He hit the ground at Kayon's feet.
Slowly he looked up.
And met Kayon's gaze.
Cold. Unmoving.
"Don't even think about leaving."
The pressure came instantly.
Invisible. Crushing.
Randall's body slammed into the ground, the force driving the air from his lungs as the earth cracked beneath him.
Then
stillness.
He lay there, broken… unconscious.
Kayon turned toward Amon.
"Now… show me more."
He stepped forward.
Amon's gaze flickered to the the battlefield, now empty of his Forlorn.
'This can't be happening…
What is this monster…?'
His breath hitched.
'I need to get away'
Kayon was already in front of him.
"You weren't planning on running… were you?"
Amon staggered back, eyes snapping wide.
When did he
Kayon's fist drove into his stomach.
The world bent.
Amon's body shot backward but Kayon was already there.
He caught him mid-flight.
And slammed him into the ground.
The earth cracked on impact, His body bounced once… then fell still.
"Get up."
Amon didn't move.
Kayon clicked his tongue and clapped his hands, turning away.
"Guess that's it"
"Where do you think you're going…?"
Amon's voice dragged across the ground.
Kayon paused.
Amon's body trembled as he forced himself up, blood dripping from his lips, his breathing uneven.
"I'm… not done yet…"
He raised his hand.
Nothing.
His expression broke.
"What…? Why"
He staggered, clutching his chest.
"Damn it, I used all the summons"
Kayon glanced back, a faint smirk forming.
"Still alive, huh."
Amon's eyes sharpened, something desperate igniting behind them.
"You haven't seen anything yet!"
The ground ruptured.
A massive wave of water surged forward, crashing into Kayon and swallowing him.
The impact thundered across the field.
Then,
Silence.
The water settled.
Kayon was on one knee.
He exhaled softly… then rose.
"…huh."
Amon's face twisted, panic creeping in.
"How… how are you still...?!"
He thrust both hands forward.
Wave after wave crashed down, relentless, flooding the battlefield
He stopped panting.
Then he compressed a dense sphere formed between his palms, spinning violently.
With a shout, he unleashed it
A concentrated torrent tore forward.
Kayon moved.
A slight step. A shift.
The attack missed him completely.
Amon grins,
'he missed why is he, shit.'
The attack aimed towards Dravena, Kayon jumps in between the the attack, it cuts his skin and blood drips out,
"Nice," Kayon glanced at the blood running down his arm. almost amused
"So this is your origin magic… water." He lowers his hand.
"so it can hurt me."
The wound sealed,
He walked smiling towards Amon.
"Water… and you use fire," Amon panted, forcing a grin. "You're out of luck."
"How so?" Kayon asked, almost curious.
"If I take you out before the lightning user shows up" Amon steadied himself, slipping into stance. "I can still walk away from this."
Kayon tilted his head slightly.
"Ah, I see."
A faint chuckle left him.
"Water beats fire and lightning beats water."
Amon's grin widened, desperate but certain.
"Exactly."
Kayon smiled.
"Then you're the one out of luck."
Amon's expression faltered.
"…what?"
A faint crackle filled the air.
Lightning sparked to life in Kayon's hand, sharp and violent, illuminating his calm expression.
"Because I'm the lightning user."
It struck.
A blinding bolt tore down from above, swallowing Amon in an instant.
The ground split.
When the light faded Amon was on his knees.
Burnt. Smoking. Barely holding together.
"...ghk" His body trembled, unable to stand.
'Master.'
'I know.'
Kayon stepped forward, gaze steady.
'We need his head… to acquire the concept of his magic.'
He closed the distance.
A cracked voice broke through the silence.
"Please… listen"
Amon collapsed forward, his body trembling as he clutched at Kayon's feet.
"I can be useful to you," he rasped, pride completely gone. "I'm a noble of the Western Empire my magic, my knowledge I can serve you"
His grip tightened, desperate.
"Just don't kill me"
Kayon looked down at him.
Unmoved.
He paused for a moment.
"Your magic is more useful to me."
His hand shot forward, gripping Amon's head.
Amon's eyes widened
One clean motion.
The body dropped.
From Kayon's right hand, a black mass seeped out, thick and alive. It wrapped around the severed head, swallowing it whole before retreating back into his palm.
Beginning scan.
Kayon exhaled softly.
"Right"
He turned, already done with it.
"As Mian handles that, I should take Dravena back."
He walked over and lifted her carefully.
"You can't walk, can you?"
She shook her head and clung tightly to his neck.
Kayon adjusted his hold, then glanced back at the remaining figure on the field.
"What about him?"
He looked at her.
"What should we do?"
Dravena followed his gaze and lowered her eyes.
Randall flinched, trembling as he rose, every step unsteady.
"Hey… Dravena, I didn't mean what I said… please… just spare me," he pleaded, voice cracking, eyes wide with fear.
Dravena's gaze didn't waver. Her voice was ice.
"Kill them all."
Kayon didn't move.
"Even the ones throwing down their weapons?" he asked.
A cold silence stretched over the battlefield.
"Yes" she whispered.
Then Kayon moved.
"As you wish."
A pillar of fire erupted from his hands, engulfing Randall instantly. His scream was swallowed by the roar of flames. In seconds, there was nothing left just smoke curling into the air.
Kayon rose effortlessly, cutting through the chaos. Dark clouds thickened, rolling and churning as lightning slithered across their surfaces.
The battlefield froze. Dravena's men halted mid-step. The enemy staggered, uncertainty flashing across their faces. Then, seeing him soar above, Dravena's men dropped to their knees no hesitation, bowing to the figure who ruled the sky.
Lightning struck, leaping from the clouds with surgical precision. Enemy soldiers fell in bursts of smoke and fire, their screams swallowed by the storm. Not a single ally was touched.
The field was silent, save for the crackle of electricity and the wind whipping across scorched earth.
Kayon glanced down, the chaos stretching far beneath him, Dravena fell unconscious but clung tightly to him, As he cut a path toward the cave,
At the cave, he lowered her gently to a guard.
"She's just unconscious. Take her to her place to rest," he instructed.
"Yes, sir," the man replied, bowing slightly.
"And tighten security. Everything reports directly to me," Kayon added.
"Yes, sir." They saluted.