After watching Dante’s figure vanish into the depths of the forest, Yulia began setting up defensive barriers around us.

The intricate, beautiful sigils glowed brilliantly as she chanted complex incantations with effortless grace. Marn, Kes, Lem, and I stared, utterly dumbfounded.

“Incredible,” we murmured in unison once she finished.

“My thanks,” Yulia curtsied elegantly, skirts rustling. “But Alice, who conjures flames in this forest? *She’s* far more impressive.”

*Gods, this golden-haired, blue-eyed noble mage is amazing. This fantasy world is amazing.* I couldn’t resist rushing forward to hug the adorable creature.

“Snuggle me.”

“Snuggle me? Alice really is clingy,” Yulia chuckled, gently ruffling my hair.

*Being a kid is the best.* At first, I’d hated this body. But now that Yulia had grown so attached to me, I could shamelessly soak up her hugs whenever I wanted. Pure bliss.

So Yulia and I lingered in comfortable closeness, waiting for Dante’s return.

Then—rustling. Three massive Corpse Eaters, unlike any we’d seen, charged from the trees.

“Damn it! Three big ones!”

“Aren’t these things scared of fire?”

“Don’t worry. My barriers are still active.”

“Just in case—Lem, grab the weapons!”

The three unnatural ghouls closed in, clearly targeting us. The lead beast, its black horn gleaming, shattered Yulia’s first barrier like glass and roared—a battle cry.

“Three of them… this is tricky,” Kes muttered, suddenly serious.

“Alice, protect Yulia!” Marn barked before charging with the others to intercept.

The hunters fell into their usual precise formation, stalling the ghouls’ advance while waiting for an opening. Then—the impossible happened. The two hornless red ghouls unleashed torrents of searing flame.

Corpse Eaters were meant to *fear* fire. They shouldn’t even *produce* it. Yet here they were, spewing fire like dragons.

Lem’s group reeled, caught off guard. The black-horned ghoul seized the chaos, bursting through their lines. It shattered every remaining barrier and lunged straight for Yulia and me, its roar shaking the earth.

“Shit!” Marn yelled, pivoting to defend us—but a fourth ghoul dropped from the trees. The most dangerous kind: a Tearmarked Ghoul.

Smaller than the others but terrifyingly agile, it had hidden its presence until the perfect moment. It pounced from above, claws aimed at Marn’s skull.

Marn barely deflected the strike with his spear. This ghoul radiated chilling bloodlust. It pressed its advantage, forcing the disoriented hunter back.

Meanwhile, the black-horned ghoul, freed by the Tearmarked’s ambush, charged Yulia. Its massive horn aimed straight at her chest.

Yulia froze, paralyzed by terror. No matter how I screamed her name, she didn’t move. The black horn hurtled toward her heart.

I threw myself in front of her.

The horn pierced my small body. Blood bloomed like dark flowers, staining Yulia’s pristine dress.

The color drained from my face. Crimson tear-like markings surfaced on my skin. The ghoul’s strike had triggered my Rampage Ghostification.

I slashed its fist clean off, then grabbed Yulia and leapt back.

Finally snapping out of her daze, Yulia stared at my transformed face, eyes wide and shining.

“Scared of me?” I rasped.

“No,” she breathed. “You look… so cool.” She nuzzled my cheek before I could react.

“Not now! We’re busy!”

I yanked the pale bone blade from my spine—a weapon forged from horn and bone, durable enough to withstand my ghoul strength.

“Yulia, help too.”

She summoned a snow-white Unicorn foal and activated every Magic Tool on her person. Glowing runes lifted her gently into the air like dandelion seeds on the breeze.

“You’re reliable. Go reinforce Marn’s group—they’re struggling.”

“Right away!” She soared toward the battle.

The black ghoul lunged for her, but I intercepted it, my bone blade clashing against its horn. I swung hard—*clang!*—but the horn held. Dodging its wild swipe, I drove my blade deep into its shoulder. Then I let go, leaping high above it.

The ghoul howled, my blade still embedded in its flesh. I landed on its back, slammed its head into the dirt, and gouged out both its eyes.

It thrashed blindly. I blocked its frantic horn-stabs, ripped my blade free, and plunged it straight into its heart.

Yulia had already erected new barriers. Riding her Unicorn, she danced midair, taunting the flightless red ghouls while the hunters closed in. Marn, meanwhile, was locked in a brutal stalemate with the Tearmarked Ghoul.

*Damn, Marn’s strong.*

Suddenly, the two red ghouls synced their attacks—a dual fire blast aimed skyward.

I dove, snatching Yulia from the air and landing beside Lem’s group. They flinched back, eyes wide with horror at my ghoul form.

*Of course.* Their fearful stares stung. But no time for that—the red ghouls were melting Yulia’s hastily woven barrier.

“Stay here.” I set Yulia down and charged back.

“You wanna play with fire?” I snarled, pulling a grizzly bear’s firestone from my pocket. I couldn’t risk breaking Lem’s precious fire crystal ring—the magic circuits were too delicate for Rampage Ghostification’s raw power. This crude stone would do.

“Open your eyes wide and *watch*,” I growled at the hunters, pouring mana into the stone.

Crimson flames erupted around the ghouls, swallowing them whole. I fed the fire relentlessly, wanting to reduce them to ash—to punish them for forcing me to show *this* face to Lem and the others.

“Hold your fire!” Dante’s voice cut through the roar. He sprinted toward us, panting. I ignored the ill-timed idiot—I wasn’t done yet.

“Little Alice, so naughty. I thought you were the reliable one, unlike Yulia.” He dashed straight into the black-red flames. “Leave this one to me!” He touched the blaze—and the fire vanished like smoke.

“And that black one? Alice-chan, you left it half-dead. Tsk.”

Dante flicked a small dagger. It struck the black ghoul—*thunk!*—a sound far heavier than its size. The beast collapsed instantly. The other red ghoul was already ash.

“Now, you two,” Dante scooped me up as I struggled, “leave the dirty work to adults.” He carried me to Yulia.

*Damn it.* Even in ghoul form, I was still just a powerless child in his arms. *How strong is he?* He set me down beside Yulia. Lem’s group scrambled away, trembling. Only Yulia clung to me, her warmth unchanged.

“Don’t be sad,” she whispered, stroking my hair as I slumped. “We’ll explain everything to the hunters later.”

The black ghoul stirred—but Dante was already there. With casual flair, he plunged his dagger into its chest, extracting a second heart like a street performer.

Marn still grappled with the Tearmarked Ghoul, spear flashing in a deadly dance.

“Need help?” Dante called, grinning. “Or does the ‘Ghoul Slayer’—praised by Von Officer himself—still cling to his mercenary pride?”

Marn parried a vicious claw strike. “Hell yes, help! Sword Demon Dante!”

Dante appeared beside me, plucking five hornrabbit-dagger from my belt. He ruffled my hair. “Borrowing these. I’ll return them.”

In one fluid motion, he hurled three daggers at the battling pair. Marn twisted aside just in time. The Tearmarked Ghoul dodged—but *thud-thud-thud!*—the daggers buried themselves deep into three ancient tree trunks, shaking the forest.

Dante had already vanished from my side. The moment he threw the daggers, he crouched low, melting into the shadows like a ghost. Silent. Deadly.

As the trees shuddered from the impacts, he materialized behind the Tearmarked Ghoul. The remaining two daggers slipped between its ribs—straight into its twin hearts. The motion was as natural as breathing.

“Hmph. Two hearts, just as I thought.”

Dante yanked his blades free, the ghoul crumbling. He stretched lazily. “Well! All threats neutralized.”

The last, most dangerous ghoul fell effortlessly. Now, the only monster left… was me.

Dante and the hunters closed in, surrounding us.