“W-wait, wait! It’s not what you think—!?”

The girl hurriedly called out to the young man.

“Don’t go! You’ve gotta help me!”

The young man was walking alone through the outskirts of the Demon Beast Mountain Range, so he had to be pretty strong.

If he could just keep Little Yellow Teeth occupied for a while, she’d have a chance to take him out.

She didn’t know if the Sword King in the distance would notice, but she had no choice but to risk it.

“Hey, kid. Don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong. Just pretend you didn’t see anything and leave now. Since I’m in a good mood, I’ll let you walk away with your life.”

Little Yellow Teeth, who was on top of the girl, reacted at once and threatened the young man.

“So you two aren’t actually in love and about to have a little tryst out here?”

The young man turned his head, ignored Little Yellow Teeth, and looked at the girl in confusion.

“Of course we aren’t!!!”

At the young man’s question, the girl was so frantic that tears ran down her face.

“You want me to help you?”

the young man asked.

“Yes.”

The girl hurriedly nodded.

“I refuse.”

The young man replied without a moment’s hesitation.

“You...”

The girl was at a loss for words.

“Hahahaha! Kid, you made the right choice. Now get going, or else... Heh heh heh~” Little Yellow Teeth pointed at the young man and continued threatening him.

“Can you just finish what you’re saying for once? What if I don’t leave?” the young man asked curiously.

“You’re not leaving?”

Little Yellow Teeth got to his feet, raised his staff, and pointed it at the young man.

“Advanced Magic: Flame Spear!”

A spell burst forth without warning.

A ten-meter-long spear of flame appeared in midair and shot toward the young man.

“Boom!”

A massive explosion erupted where the young man stood.

“Hahahahahaha... Huh?”

Who told you not to leave? Heh. Serves you right!

But Little Yellow Teeth’s laughter had barely begun when it abruptly cut off.

The black-haired young man walked out completely unharmed, accompanied by a baffling remark.

“Wow, compared to that black dragon’s fire, this isn’t warm at all~”

“N-no... That’s impossible!”

Little Yellow Teeth said in disbelief.

Even his own boss would’ve taken at least a few minor injuries if he’d been hit head-on by one of his Advanced Spells.

“Advanced Magic: Flame Spear!”

Little Yellow Teeth couldn’t believe it. Maybe the spell had missed just now.

So he raised his staff and immediately cast the same spell again.

But then—

“Smack!”

This time, just as the Flame Spear was about to hit the young man...

The young man in the distance simply slapped the spear of fire.

The Flame Spear scattered in midair and vanished without a trace.

“Waaahhh!!! A-a monster!!!”

Terrified by what he saw, Little Yellow Teeth broke down and fainted on the spot.

“What the heck? Is your nerve really that bad...?”

“Hey, are you okay?”

(S-so amazing...)

“Hey...”

(He really is amazing...)

The young man left the unconscious Little Yellow Teeth alone. Seeing the girl staring blankly and mumbling to herself, he waved a hand in front of her face.

“Forget it. I’ve got something important to do.”

When the girl didn’t react or pay him any attention, the young man turned and left.

“Wait! Don’t go that way! It’s dangerous...”

The girl snapped out of it and anxiously called after him.

“Dangerous?”

The young man had already gone some distance. Hearing her call, he turned around and asked:

“Where’s the danger?”

“Y-your strength is incredible, but they... they have someone just as strong as you over there. Be careful.”

The girl knew that the young man before her was powerful.

He could overpower an Advanced Mage, so he was probably a Sword King. As for reaching the Sword Emperor realm, that couldn’t be possible. There was no way someone that young could be a Sword Emperor.

But when she remembered how her uncle had been badly injured in an instant, she couldn’t help warning the young man to be careful.

The young man, however, didn’t look the least bit tense.

“Be careful?”

“They have someone as strong as me? That can’t be...”

The young man clearly didn’t believe her.

“It’s true! He’s incredibly fast. He can be right in front of you in an instant...”

“Wait.”

The young man cut her off.

“When you say ‘in an instant’... you mean this guy, by any chance?”

The young man held out an “object” that had somehow appeared in his hand and showed it to the girl.

The “object” was still writhing, and let out intermittent muffled whimpers.

“That’s...”

The girl looked ahead in confusion.

“W-what?”

Then she finally got a clear look at the “object” in the young man’s hand.

“Ah...”

The girl covered her mouth, her body trembling uncontrollably.

“N-no... This can’t be real...”

Wasn’t that... just now...

—The man who had just defeated her uncle in an instant using nothing but his physical strength.

—The one responsible for everything, whom she’d been too afraid to fight back against with magic.

—The leader of the bandits on the other side.

—A burly man, a Level Six Sword King.