"Rayelle, are you alright?"

At the familiar voice, Rayelle noticed Aerin standing nearby, her hand tracing something in midair.

Golden light coiled around Aerin’s fingers, weaving an intricate sigil as she moved.

Rayelle caught a glimpse of the words *Expel* within its glow.

From the magic and structure, she guessed it was an Expulsion Decree—a subconscious command to drive away non-Extraordinary Beings, ordinary people.

After all, Rayelle knew Aerin’s combat style relied heavily on indiscriminate AoE attacks.

Letting civilians die in droves during the fight would be messy.

Besides, that armored man could devour others to heal and grow stronger. Clearing the area would cut off his food supply.

"I’m fine."

Rayelle flexed her small hand, then turned to Chriss, who sat trembling on the ground, wide-eyed and shaken.

Noticing Rayelle’s gaze, Chriss blinked weakly, head bowed, lost in thought.

Thinking she was scared, Rayelle crouched down and patted her head.

"Don’t worry. Aerin and I will protect you."

"Mm… thank you…" Chriss’s voice caught slightly as she murmured.

Once Chriss calmed down, Rayelle stood and faced the armored man pulling himself from the rubble nearby.

Though her last punch had shattered his armor and scattered his flesh, his broken body had already regenerated—flawless, as if untouched.

"What a pain." Rayelle sighed.

Extraordinarily contaminated beings were always troublesome: insane minds, grotesque flesh, and terrifying regeneration.

For Rayelle, the simplest solution was Dragon Breath—reducing him to ashes with searing heat.

Fast regeneration?

*One-shot him before he even tries.*

But in Bonn City? Impossible.

The collateral damage would be catastrophic. Even if she could one-shot him, Aerin would never forgive her.

She’d probably turn Rayelle into something unspeakable.

"Hey! Where’d my feast run off to?!"

The armored man grinned wildly, four chain-like arms raised, radiating chilling bloodlust.

He sensed Aerin was only Second Rank, Rayelle barely First Rank—while he stood at late Third Rank.

*The advantage is mine!*

"No matter. I’ll start with you two—"

Before he finished, a white blur slammed into his face.

**BOOM!**

Rayelle’s fist cratered the ground beneath him. Earth cracked like shattered glass.

His head burst like a smashed melon, unrecognizable.

But he wasn’t human anymore.

A headless body meant nothing.

Before Rayelle could pull back, crimson tentacles erupted from the pit, lashing toward her.

*!?*

Her heart lurched—he’d recovered instantly and counterattacked.

Midair, she couldn’t dodge. The tentacles closed in, threatening an R-rated defeat scene—

—but golden light descended silently.

*Swoosh—Slash!*

Sword shadows materialized around Rayelle, swirling into a golden storm that severed every tendril.

Rayelle exhaled, relieved.

*Aerin’s a solid teammate.*

Yet the holy blades’ aura made her muscles tense instinctively. Even without hostility, that primordial fear lingered in her bones.

Thankfully, their edges pointed at the armored man.

"Ghk—! How rude! Let a guy finish his lines!"

The man’s furious shout echoed as his body melted into fleshy blobs, oozing from the crater.

He reformed yards away, chains whipping toward Rayelle.

**CRASH!**

She leapt aside. The spot where she’d stood exploded into debris.

"Chatty villains die first, didn’t you know?" Rayelle flipped onto his chain, yanking him off-balance.

Aerin charged in, Holy Sword raised.

*Swoosh—*

Golden light erupted from the blade, splitting into lethal sword beams that tore toward the man.

Simultaneously, golden sigils flared behind him, manifesting phantom swords aimed at his back.

"Gah!"

Sensing the danger, he severed his own arm to escape Rayelle’s grip, chains propelling him sideways.

*Those phantoms feel stronger than before!*

A direct hit might cripple him.

Rayelle noticed Aerin’s power swelling with every second.

Her Extraordinary Power—Sequence 5, *Sun*—grew stronger as noon approached.

And noon was near.

"What the hell?!"

He twisted desperately, but the phantom swords clung to his shadow.

*Thud!*

They pierced his torso. Black blood sprayed as his eyes bulged.

No time to pull them out—the real sword beams were closing in!

*Those hurt way more!*

He’d tasted them firsthand.

The man’s body snapped into chains, lashing toward a nearby building to swing clear.

His gaze locked onto fleeing civilians.

*Just reach them… devour them… heal and grow stronger!*

But his escape froze mid-motion.

The sword beams he’d dodged had curved 180 degrees—now screaming back at him.

*Huh?!*

His mind blanked.

*Since when do sword beams… turn corners?!*

All his shock condensed into two words:

"Holy crap, cheats!"