Joshua's calm expression finally cracked.
"…Kill all of them!"
Immediately—
The Ash Rat members charged into the square.
"ATTACK!"
Chaos exploded across Lorum Village once again.
Villagers screamed and rushed for cover.
Gein immediately drew his weapon.
"Protect the civilians!"
The Hiraki soldiers surged forward in formation.
Steel clashed loudly.
Several Ash Rat members were knocked down instantly.
Above the rooftops—
The Bypass Invokers released flaming arrows.
FWOOOSH!
Arrows rained down precisely around the battlefield, forcing Ash Rat members backward.
"LEFT SIDE!"
"PROTECT THE CHILDREN!"
Wolfbeasts joined the fight too, finally moving with confidence again.
The square transformed into complete battle.
Joshua looked around in disbelief.
"…This is impossible."
Saito pointed his sword directly at him.
"…You underestimated us."
Then he rushed forward.
Blue auris exploded around his body as he charged straight toward Joshua.
But before he could reach him—
CLANG!
Karina suddenly stepped in front of Joshua with a sleek metal sword.
Her blade blocked Saito's instantly.
"…You won't touch him."
Saito narrowed his eyes.
Then—
A clawed glove slammed against Karina's blade from the side.
KRRRANG!
Karina slid backward slightly.
Kuro stood between them casually.
"…Uh uh uh."
He pointed one claw toward her.
"…Let the leader fight the leader."
Karina adjusted her glasses calmly.
"…Former ruler Kuro."
Kuro smirked faintly.
"…Secretary girl."
Without looking back—
Saito gave Kuro a small nod.
Kuro waved one hand lazily.
"…Go already."
Saito immediately launched forward again.
Straight toward Joshua.
Several Ash Rat members suddenly broke through the front lines.
"There!"
"Grab the civilians!"
They rushed straight toward Tina and the frightened villagers hiding nearby.
Tina froze.
Several children screamed.
But before the gangsters could reach them—
RUMBLE!
A massive wall of cement erupted from the ground.
The Ash Rat members slammed directly into it.
"What the—?!"
Takashi stood nearby with one hand raised.
"…Not another step."
Then—
John stepped beside him.
Flames ignited around his arm.
"…My turn."
BOOM!
A blazing fire fist exploded forward.
The impact launched several Ash Rat members across the square.
Their bodies crashed through nearby stalls.
Meanwhile—
Fein and Rick moved through the battlefield escorting civilians away.
"Move!"
"This way!"
Rick helped an injured villager while Fein guarded the rear carefully.
"Keep going!"
"Don't stop!"
At the far side of the village—
Gein rode through the battlefield atop a horse.
"Push forward!"
His soldiers followed behind him while clashing against Ash Rat forces.
Steel rang throughout the streets.
At the center of the battlefield—
Kaito moved like a shadow.
SLASH!
One member fell.
SLASH!
Another dropped instantly.
The surrounding Ash Rat members hesitated nervously.
"…Monster…"
"Surround him!"
More members rushed toward Kaito from every direction.
Kaito spun his knife once calmly.
"…Bad idea."
Before they could attack—
Bomb suddenly stepped beside him.
"…Move."
Kaito instantly stepped back.
Bomb slammed his fist against the ground.
"BOOM!"
A circular explosion erupted around them.
The shockwave blasted outward violently.
Ash Rat members screamed as they were launched backward across the square.
Dust and debris filled the battlefield while Kaito stood calmly beside Bomb in the center of the destruction.
CLANG!
Saito's sword collided directly against Joshua's arm as red auris burst violently around him.
The impact cracked the ground beneath their feet.
Joshua glared at him furiously.
"…You destroyed my plan."
Saito pushed forward against him.
"…Oops."
"Sorry."
A grin appeared on his face.
"…My people trust me too much."
Joshua's expression snapped cold instantly.
"…Shut up!"
He suddenly drove a punch forward coated in red auris.
BOOM!
Saito crossed his blade just in time.
The force pushed him backward several steps across the stone road.
Around them—
The battle was already turning.
Many Ash Rat members were lying unconscious throughout the square.
Others were slowly getting overwhelmed by combined village forces.
At the mansion rooftop—
Kuro and Karina continued clashing at high speed.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Karina's metal sword moved sharply toward Kuro's neck.
"You shouldn't have interfered with Ash Rat."
Kuro lazily dodged sideways.
"…You people are weaker than I expected."
Karina narrowed her eyes and lunged again.
Kuro suddenly disappeared from sight.
Karina's eyes widened slightly.
"…What—"
A silver trail flashed behind her.
"X Slash."
SLASH!
Two claw strikes crossed instantly across Karina's body.
Blood sprayed lightly into the air.
Karina gasped.
Her sword slipped from her hand.
Then she collapsed onto the rooftop floor.
Kuro flicked blood from his claws casually.
"…Too slow."
Joshua's expression shifted for the first time.
Not anger.
Not confidence.
Something closer to hesitation.
"…Wait."
Saito stood firm in front of him, sword still glowing faintly with blue auris.
Joshua looked around the battlefield.
His Ash Rat members were falling.
Karina was down.
The formation was breaking.
He clicked his tongue.
"…Hah…"
Then forced a calm expression.
"…How about this…"
He raised one hand slowly.
"…We make a deal."
Saito narrowed his eyes.
Joshua continued quickly.
"…You let me go."
"And I will never touch your territory again."
He forced a smile.
"…Please."
Silence fell for a brief moment.
Saito turned his head slightly.
Kaito stood nearby, covered in dust.
Bomb crossed his arms.
Takeru, injured but still conscious, watched quietly.
The mayors stood behind them.
Finally—
Saito looked toward Fein.
Fein met his gaze and gave a small, firm nod.
Saito turned back.
A faint smile appeared.
"…Okay."
Joshua's eyes widened slightly.
"…So you let me go?"
Saito lifted his sword slightly.
"…No."
Joshua's expression changed instantly.
"…What?"
Saito stepped forward once.
"…I said no."
Joshua's eyes widened in shock.
"…You—"
But before he could finish—
A flash of blue auris cut through the air in a single instant.
SLASH!
The strike happened so fast it barely registered.
Joshua froze.
His expression went blank.
Then—
His body slowly collapsed forward.
THUD.
Silence spread across the entire battlefield.
Ash Rat members stopped moving.
"…L-Leader…"
"…No way…"
"…Run!"
Panic erupted instantly.
The remaining Ash Rat forces turned and fled in every direction, abandoning the battlefield as their leader's body fell motionless to the ground.
Saito stared at Joshua's severed head for a moment, expression unreadable.
Then he exhaled softly.
"…Tch."
Without another word, he turned away and walked back toward the center of the battlefield.
The square was still.
Smoke drifted through broken buildings.
Soldiers, villagers, Wolfbeasts, mayors—everyone who was still standing slowly turned their attention toward him.
Saito stopped in the middle of the ruined square.
Then—
He slowly knelt down.
A collective gasp spread through the crowd.
"…Sir Saito?"
Saito lowered his head fully.
"…I'm sorry."
His voice was quiet, but it carried across the silence.
"…For my mistakes."
"I shouldn't have left you all alone."
A pause.
"…I was stupid."
"I followed my feelings without thinking of the consequences."
"I'm sorry."
Silence.
Then—
One by one, people began to move.
A villager stepped forward first.
Then another.
Then a Wolfbeast.
And slowly—
They all knelt.
Heads bowed toward him instead.
"…No…"
"…Sir Saito…"
"…We're the ones who should apologize."
Saito's eyes widened slightly.
More voices joined.
"We doubted you."
"We lost faith in you."
"After everything you've done for us…"
"…we were wrong."
The entire square—what remained of both villagers and warriors—bowed deeply toward him.
Saito looked up slowly, stunned, taking in the sight of everyone kneeling before him.
Fein stood nearby, watching quietly.
A small, relieved smile formed on his face as he looked at Saito.
The battlefield that had just been chaos moments ago had turned into something else entirely—
not victory…
but understanding.