A/n: Sorry guys for those little details back in the previous chapter, is that last night I recently had the best time that the majority of you boys couldn't even touch.

Something more valuable than grass…

Yes, that's right… It's a woman.

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Earlier that day, very early in the morning, Lila and Lali saw something.

It was a fight between a Dragon and a vampire.

The Dragon was a three-horned one, a Dragon Commander. As for the vampire, he was a considerably powerful as a young True Vampire.

Ultimately, the Dragon prevailed, and the vampire fled.

This clash was peculiar for multiple reasons, so Lila and Lali knew they had to report it to their queen.

For one, the Dragons were currently raving their land in the Eastern Continent of the Second Civilization Zone.

As such, they were enemies of the fairies.

However, the reason they didn't come out to assist the vampire was obvious, because vampires weren't too far off from Dragons in the eyes of fairies.

The second, and perhaps the most important thing about the entire conflict, was what the Dragon did after winning the battle.

It entered the mountains through an entrance, and it also proceeded out of it.

And to most of their surprise, he is working alongside with a bunch humans.

They don't know why but it made sense. If it was a feral dragon, they would've eaten the humans but an intelligent ones like the Dragon Lords, while they seen humans as trash and would kill them just to satisfy their boredom, there is a possibility that they would use them for little needs such as using them as fodders.

That seemed like an inconsequential detail, but if one considered the fact that the fairies had been stationed in the Third Civilization Zone for about a week now, waiting for the Magic Artifacts that they were promised, it made a lot of sense.

The two fairy Scouts had finally found the warehouse of the people in the third Civilization zone, the ExRump Corporation.

With the Dragon completely taking over it, and the fairies knowing where the Warehouse was now located, a perfect opportunity had presented itself.

The fairies could take what they wanted… all without paying a dime to the shady barbarians they had to make a deal with.

This, too, was the world's perfect act of justice.

————————————————————————

"These ExRump people stopped contacting us for some time now. I still tried reaching them today, but all to no avail."

For Aurora, she could confidently say that she and her comrades weren't the ones at fault in this transaction.

It was the Third Civilizarion babarians.

"We've honored our part. They're the ones who defaulted…"

As she said this, the two little girls in front of her nodded vehemently.

"As expected of these barbarians."

"So untrustworthy…"

Fairies had a strong distaste towards the affinity of evil. They all despised it greatly.

Anything deemed unclean or unnatural was dubbed as evil, and for the Fairy Culture, most of every other culture or race could be placed under that category.

"My Sister warned me about them, but I thought we could at least obtain a fair bargain if I seduced them with what they fancied most."

Fairies weren't lacking in Resources or Minerals. Their land was rich and full of them.

From Mana Crystals to Adamantite, Orichalcum, and several other immensely valuable resources of the highest quality, far higher than what the lands within the Third Civilization Zone currently possessed.

The problem was that they didn't have any refineries.

Fairies weren't a technological species, so they had no way to properly purify their minerals or turn them into actual weapons or crafted items.

As a result, they had to rely on these barbarians.

'We couldn't try the Dwarves or Giants because they're more difficult to deal with, we even try with the Third Civilization Dwarves but they are way worse than the others in the rest of the world.’

The fairies intended on selling their special resources to here in exchange for Magic Artifacts. Of course, they had to supply them with artifacts first before they got paid.

It would be of inferior quality, but Fairies were desperate at this point.

Anything Grade 5 above was needed.

Thankfully, the ExRump Corporation delivered.

There were at least thousands of consumable Magic Artifacts in stock, according to what they were told, and a couple hundred durable weapons.

'We can finally drive those monsters away from our territory and cut off ties with these barbarians…' Those were Aurora's thoughts when she entered into the agreement.

Unfortunately, those same barbarians failed in keeping their promise.

And now… time was running out.

"We need to return home as soon as possible. Since they've delayed, then we are justified in our actions."

And so, the fairies decided to take matters into their own hands and seek out the Warehouse where the goods were being kept.

In their eyes, the deal was off.

If these barbarians could not even honor an agreement despite having benefits attached to them, then they weren't even capable of being tame animals akin to livestock.

They were nothing but wild beasts.

"The Dragon was a blessing. It took care of them for us, so now all we have to do is take care of the Dragon." Aurora smiled at her sisters.

According to Fairy Culture, they were all brothers and sisters.

Those in higher positions had titles, yes, but in the end… everyone was in one big family.

It was a value that they shared, one that no other race possessed.

"A-about the Dragon… we saw no sign of it all day. Maybe it left already?"

"Yes. Maybe it's not returning."

Aurora furrowed her brows once she heard those words.

The Dragons she knew were very greedy and destructive.

They wouldn't just leave so much treasure behind.

"Well, this Dragon was indeed strange… sparing a vampire like that." She stroked her chin in consideration.

They still had to be careful, all things considered.

'We only brought a dozen of our brethren, so I would like us to be as vigilant as possible.'

It wasn't like a Dragon Commander was too much of an issue for her or anything, but she simply didn't want to take any chances for the sake of her younger ones.

"If we delay, it's possible that these Third Civilization barbarians could bring reinforcements and things could get messy. I suppose it's better to act quickly…" Aurora murmured.

She didn't want to fight the people here, not because she believed them to be of value or anything, but because it would sully her hands.

A wild beast was still a living being.

They couldn't possibly perform perverse acts against nature in such a way.

Fairies were naturally pacifists.

'The only reason we kill the Dragons is because the Oracle proclaimed them a scourge upon the world that should be eliminated.'

They were a threat to nature, and fairies were Nature's servants.

At least, according to them.

"We will act tomorrow. Tell the rest of our sisters to prepare for battle." Aurora finally made her decision.

"Battle? But I thought we concluded that the Dragon wasn't around any longer." Lali asked with innocence.

"Yeah. I thought so too." Lila added.

Both of them had child-like eyes on their faces, causing Aurora to smile and pat their heads.

"In life, sometimes the unexpected happens. We must prepare for such moments."

The two girls beamed at their elder's wisdom and bobbed their heads in pure agreement.

"Amazing!"

"So wise!"

Aurora merely giggled at the innocence of her younger sisters. This was how people were supposed to be.

…Uncorrupted by the evils of this world.

"The Dragon might show up again, the barbarians might come back with reinforcements, or a new threat could arise."

To protect themselves, the fairies had to be prepared.

"For the sake of our family, we must fight.”

————————————————————————

The Next Day…

"The time has come, my dear sisters."

Aurora stood in front of ten fairies, all of whom were on the zenith of what could be considered a hill.

It was a high ground, with a valley stretched bellow that led to the cluster of mountains that was their goal. They had made a cave within this hill as their abode, but now they were out in the open.

The ten fairies that stood in front of Aurora had gowns that were seemingly made from patches of plants and flowers.

Their colorful attires radiated warmth and beauty, and the looks on their faces greatly complemented what they wore.

Each fairy was astoundingly beautiful. Their hair color appeared tropical, and their fair skin oozed magnificence.

Of course, their butterfly-like wings also added to this exotic beauty.

Out of all of them, however, Aurora stood at the very top of elegance.

Her greenish blue, coupled with silver hair, flowed with the cool wind while her emerald-like eyes gazed upon her brethren.

Wrapped around her was a cape of leafy green, and her outfit underneath was a mix of blue and white.

The very definition of pristine, according to Elven standards.

"As the plan entails, we will separate ourselves into two major groups."

The ten fairies nodded instantly.

"The first group will consist of those who will explore the Warehouse and search for our artifacts, and the second group will remain at the entrance to secure the building and fight back any adversary that may show up."

So far, everyone understood the plan. However, she was yet to assign roles to the fairies.

That was the goal of this briefing.

"Due to how big the entire structure is, and how many goods we ordered, a bulk of you will be going in. Ten, to be exact." Aurora began.

"You'll be led by Lila and Lali, who are currently on final patrol, and your mission is to scour every nook and cranny of the place to secure our goods."

As for the remaining two, who she would choose from the ten in front of her, they would be with her at the entrance.

"Should a Dragon or some unknown enemy surface, it would be preferable to have an elder stand guard. As a result, I will take that burden upon myself."

The eyes of the fairies glittered as tears fell from them and they looked at Aurora with such gratitude and awe.

It looked like they were children who were gazing upon their hero, or diehard fans who could finally meet their favorite celebrities.

Words like—

"Lady Aurora is so considerate."

"Lady Aurora… you're too kind!"

"I want to be like Lady Aurora when I grow older."

—Echoed within the open area that they occupied.

Despite her strategy being the obvious choice, and not really one of self-sacrifice, all the fairies considered it to be a selfless act of courage.

It was difficult to tell whether they were incredibly virtuous or just plain stupid.

"Let us depart now. We will rendezvous with Lila and Lali once we get to the entrance."

The fairies all responded affirmatively, and so they left their hilltop and moved towards their goal.

———

It didn't take them too long to cover the distance between the hill and the cluster of mountains.

Once they arrived, Lila and Lali were already waiting for them there.

They had slightly troubled expressions on their faces, one which Aurora quickly picked up on and asked what the issue was.

"A small army of them is on its way here."

"We reckon they'll be here before we are done with our mission."

Aurora narrowed her eyes the moment she heard the news.

'So… the ExRump Corporation decided to return with backup.'

It wasn't like she never considered this to be a possibility, but even if it did, Aurora cared little less.

"Lady Aurora, what should we do now?"

As soon as she was asked this question, she snapped out of her thoughts and gave the only reasonable answer she could proffer at this point.

"We continue with the plan. These men were given their chance, but they failed to meet up with their end of the bargain."

As far as the fairies were concerned, the deal was off.

"Understood."

All the fairies bowed their heads before her, and she nodded in response.

"Lali and Lila, you have the greatest sensory abilities of the group, so you will be leading the group inside."

The two fairies nodded eagerly.

"We won't disappoint you, Lady Aurora!"

"You can count on us, Lady Aurora!"

Like little children, excited when they were sent on errands, they displayed pure joy at the responsibility that was thrust on their shoulders.

"Yera and Yare, you will stay by my side as I 'welcome' them."

The two fairies whose names were called forth nodded and moved forward, also affirming their readiness for the role with their words.

With everything set and prepared, there was no need to waste any more time.

"My sisters… let us begin the task."

"YES, LADY AURORA!"

————————————————————————

Meanwhile, the wind parted as an army of three hundred raced towards the Clustered Mountains.

Leading them was a man, as well as two others who stood by his side.

These were the Mercenary Gang, and their leader, Fenrir, was at the forefront of the horde.

Closest to him were his two lieutenants, the surviving members of the Deadly Three.

And then, behind them were the strongest men of the Mercenary Gang.

This was the elite squad. At least, a portion of it.

They couldn't mobilize everyone and everything at once, since this was an emergency. However, Fenrir felt like this many was more than enough.

"That spineless coward, Phobio…" Fenrir grunted under his breath as they all advanced with their mounts.

'In the end, he chose to stay back like an imbecile. I suppose the Dragon really dealt great fear to him.'

Fenrir wasn't afraid, though.

He was excited! If they were to meet the Dragon in their territory, he wanted to fight it.

'I'll show you what happens when you cross the Mercenary Gang!' His thoughts flowed as he grinned like a bloodthirsty animal.

This wasn't merely the thoughts of a conceited man.

After all, Fenrir was one who had slain a Dragon Commander all by himself.

…A true beast in the body of a man.

————————————————————————

Lila and Lali weren't twins, yet they were very similar in many regards.

Other than their confusingly identical names, they had the same height and weight. Their appearances differed due to the respective colors of their hair and eyes, but they had similar sets of abilities.

When it came to tracking, spying, long-range observation, sensory awareness, etc. they were both highly qualified and also evenly matched.

In essence… they had the Ranger Class.

For Young Fairies, they were pretty much geniuses among their peers, which was why Aurora relied on them a lot more than the other Fairies.

However, unlike with other races, that didn't make them feel conceited in any sense.

Their power was for the sake of the community.

They simply had to carry on more responsibility for their brothers and sisters.

As for the less talented fairies, there was no need to feel envious of their sisters.

This was because every fairy was told that had value to the community. The mere fact that they were born as fairies gave them worth.

As such, no matter how incapable a fairy was, there was no need to fear or envy another person.

As such, even with Lali and Lila leading the group through the cavernous path before them, no one felt bitter.

They were all just excited to be of use to Lady Aurora, and by extension, their Fairy Family.

They simply…

"Halt." Lila and Lali said with a hushed tone, at the exact same time.

The group stopped, and the girls at the forefront narrowed their eyes while observing the area around them.

"We're not alone." Lali whispered.

"There are life forms here. A lot of them…" Lila concurred.

It was strange for the Dragon to have spared the life of that single vampire, but what if he spared even more people and allowed them to dwell in the Warehouse?

That made no sense whatsoever.

"Ready your defenses. Rather than falling into their trap by advancing, we'll lure them out."

"Let's find an open space first, though."

They were currently in a passageway, and while it wasn't particularly clustered, the fairies still possessed an advantage fighting in a limited space due to their tiny size.

'This is bad, though. Even with my sensory abilities, I can barely sense their presence.' Lali thought to herself as she looked at Lila.

It seemed the other fairy was also going through the same thing.

'Could it be some kind of cloaking Magic or Skill? Does that mean the Dragon anticipated our action?'

If things ended up taking an awry turn, they still had the flute that they could use to call upon their Lady Aurora, but none of the fairies present desired such an outcome.

They didn't want to burden their Big Sister, especially since she would also be occupied with her own mission.

As a result, they silently prayed to the Goddess of Nature for aid.

'We just have to get to a storage area as soon as possi—'

"GURAOOOAAHHHHH!!!"

A bunch of Monsters consist of a Venomous Land Dragons, Fire Beetles, and Spider Ants suddenly emerged from the layers of darkness, roaring as they approached the fairies with bloodthirsty rage.

Their numbers weren't identifiable in the thick of the moment, but the two Rangers estimated them to be over ten.

Thankfully, since their defenses were active, the rampaging beasts could only claw at a dense layer of protection while a few Venomous Land Dragons spat acid on the barrier, only for to relieve no damage.

No one was harmed in any way.

"So they blend in with darkness…" Lali whispered.

"In that case… let's remove their advantage." Lila muttered.

Fairies naturally had powerful vision. Whether it was day or night, they could see quite vividly.

However, this vision of theirs had a downside which the fairies were now noticing.

'Our sight automatically banishes darkness by ignoring it and ensuring we see light…'

'By blending in with darkness, they were also able to bypass our superior vision until it was nearly too late.'

Lali and Lila wondered if they would have taken any damage if they hadn't erected barriers prior, but there was no way to honestly determine that.

Realizing this, the two ignored their initial line of thought and focused simply on eradicating the prowling creatures.

"[Flare]."

The two of them stretched their hands forward and released a blast of pure light.

Instantly, a bright flare clouded the room, revealing just how many Monsters there were around them.

That was when the fairies opened their eyes in shock.

"W-what is this…?!"

"There are hundreds of them!"

"What in the world?!"

"What should we do now?!"

Monsters of varying kinds and shapes and sizes were occupying the hallway, all of them with starving eyes and salivating mouths.

"We're at a disadvantage here!"

"We need to hurry. Quicken up the pace as we look for an open area!"

Lali and Lila instantly took initiative and commanded their eight sisters.

The girls nodded, ready to follow the instructions they had been given.

"The Monsters are stunned thanks to [Flare], so we just have to continuously use it while we navigate our way past them."

"They've crossed the area, but with our barrier, we can push them aside and advance!"

Fairies had special eyes than an average elf, so unless the [Flare] in question was especially powerful, they weren't going to suffer any adverse effects from it.

As such, using this strategy was the best course of action.

"Let's go!"

The group hurried past the Monsters, carrying out their plans with the utmost kind of precision.

Every fairy assisted in utilizing [Flare], or some other variant in the form of Spells rather than a Skill.

Thankfully, their barriers held up as they kept up this long process.

Until finally… they arrived at a clearing.

————————————————————————

"GURRRUUUUUU…"

"URERUUUUGGHHH…"

"KRUKUUU…"

A swarm of Spider Ants, Fire Beetles, and Venomous Land Dragons swarmed around the fairies, approaching from various pathways that led to the same clearing.

The fairies appeared undeterred, forming a small circle within the clearing as they cautiously watched the creatures approach.

"This is strange. I see different kinds of Monsters…"

"Indeed. They should be attacking each other, but they're working together…"

The fairies found it absurd, especially since they had observed nature for so long and already knew how it operated.

Monsters of differing Races never worked together.

Unless…

"Perhaps it's due to the Dragon's influence."

"It must be controlling them somehow."

They never expected to see Monsters, talkless of a variety of them working together in such huge numbers.

However, this was yet another example of the wise words that Lady Aurora had bestowed upon them.

Lali and Lila looked at each other and nodded warily.

They could see it with their own eyes.

'In life the unexpected happens… and preparations must be made for such moments.'

And now that the moment had come, there was only one thing they could do.

… FIGHT!

But the biggest problem for the Fairies, is that they were pacifists.

No matter what happened, they were averse to violence.

And even in the case of necessary violence, they never crossed a line.

…The line of death.

"We need to disable them somehow!"

"Yeah! Let's utilize the Skills at our disposal. For those who know Spells on restraints, you should utilize them now!"

"If you have the [Sleep] Skill, use that too. A stronger Skill is also preferable!"

"Hurry!"

The Monsters were already closing in on the fairies, so the ladies began to raise their voices a lot more.

This was so their instructions wouldn't be drowned by the countless grunts of the approaching Monsters, and also because they were slightly anxious.

Sure, they had a wider room to operate on, but if they dawdled for too long, the Monsters would fill up the space.

That would be bad for everyone.

Thankfully, the combined barrier that they had was around Level 10, and none of the Monsters could penetrate it.

At least, not yet.

"On my mark, everyone!" Lila yelled, not willing to wait and find out if their barrier was more durable than the countless attacks they received from the surrounding beasts.

"Prepare to release your Spells and Skills at once!"

As Lali's voice echoed out, determined expressions formed on the faces of the young fairies.

Even though the hundreds of Monsters, most likely Level 3 and some Level 4, surrounded them, they were certain that their combined mental attacks would be enough to knock them out for good.

That way, they could freely explore the Warehouse without any further interference.

The Monsters got closer, the brimming lights from the eyes and hands of the fairies grew brighter.

And after a second of silence, with everyone holding their breaths…

"Now!"

…The attack erupted.

VWUUUUUUUSSSSSHHHHH!!!

A wave of powerful Mana swept through the room, releasing a strong mental wave of Skills such as [Sleep], [Enchant], and [Charm], as well as Spells of the same caliber.

The goal was to simply render the Monsters invalid or incapable of action for a long period of time.

Afterwards, they could take their time restraining them with Magic, or sealing off the room so they would be trapped in it.

Once that was done, they would be free from all interference.

The only problem was…

"E-eh…?"

"W-what is this…?"

"W-why…?"

"WHY ISN'T IT WORKING?!"

Their eyes slowly began to widen as they noticed that the Monsters weren't stopping.

"B-but they're only Level 2 to 4…"

The combined might of their abilities was easily Level 10.

So why weren't the Monsters falling down?

"They're getting closer!"

Anxiety began to rise, and some other emotion that the Elves hadn't really felt since the mission began started to creep in.

It

Was

FEAR!

"Eeeek!"

"It's not working! Why isn't it working!"

"Let's try again! AGAIN!"

The Elves did the exact same thing one more time, expecting something different to happen.

…They were disappointed.

The only difference between the current moment and the moment before was that the fairies now had less Mana to work with.

None of their mental abilities were working on the Monsters.

Panic spread among the ten, and the eight weaker fairies began to look up to the two talented ones.

They were the ones who had the most responsibility, so it was only natural for this to happen.

Lila and Lali had to be held accountable.

"C-could it be… an effect of the Dragon?"

"Maybe Mind Control! It's Mind Control that allows them to work together!"

That was the only answer that Lila and Lali could conjure up.

There was no other explanation.

"For it to resist our Level 10 combined mental effects, it means the Dragon's Mind Control Skill must be higher."

No one was surprised to hear that.

Dragons were especially powerful, so one having a Transcendent level Skill wasn't particularly uncommon.

In fact, it was a prerequisite for a Three-Horn to have a Transcendent Level Skill.

'This is bad…' Lali thought to herself as she watched the Monsters approach.

'None of us have Trascendent level Skills. Only Lady Aurora does.'

The most they had were Level 10 Skills.

'Lali and I are not experts in Mental Skills and Magic, so we can't utilize much in that regard. This is really bad…' A bead of sweat fell from Lila's forehead.

The only option now was to use Binding Magic to somehow render them immobile, but even that option was a bit iffy.

'They're too many of them to capture.' Lali thought to herself.

'And even if we did capture all of them, they could escape from our binds given enough time.' Lila was also thinking along the same lines as her sister.

Ultimately, they were in a difficult situation.

The fairies had to make a choice eventually.

"E-everyone! Let us proceed to bind them!" Lila and Lali shouted at the same time.

They had come up with the most effective strategy for the current moment.

"We'll restrain them and seal off this room. It's going to take a lot of Mana and concentration, but you all have your emergency Potion supply, so we'll use that once we're done!"

There was no guarantee that they wouldn't encounter even more Monsters the deeper they went, but this was the best they could think of for now.

"Once they're sealed here, we'll have limited time to search for the goods and secure them for ourselves."

Spatial Rings were among the Magic Artifacts they paid for, so the Fairies were simply going to use the Rings to collect all the artifacts and then leave the entire Warehouse.

There were certain Magic Artifacts that Spatial Rings could not be used on, so they could always come back for those with Lady Aurora.

With that as their current game plan, the fairies all nodded in agreement and ignored their fears.

"Get ready!" Lali and Lila yelled out, prepared for their next counterattack.

They couldn't help but think of their Big Sis and wonder how she was handling the disgusting and conniving humans.

They already knew she would succeed, just as always.

That meant they couldn't fail either.

'We will do our best here, Lady Aurora! None of us shall fail you!’

————————————————————————

The air grew increasingly tense as the army of men began to fall within sight.

Aurora stood still, her stoic demeanor unchanging for even the slightest second, as she watched the silhouettes of the barbarians draw closer.

They were on their raptor-like Land Dragons, all of whom were magically enhanced to move faster than normal while experiencing as little fatigue as possible.

The man at the forefront, while initially nothing but a blur, soon became a clear image for Aurora.

'He must be their leader…' She thought to herself.

He had a fur coat on, resembling the hide of a white wolf, and he had nothing else on for a shirt, so his entire chest was exposed for all to see.

His baggy trousers firmly stayed at both sides of the mount he wielded, and his long, unruly hair made him look more animalistic than man.

Actually, he is an animal with wolf-like ears and tail.

He had glowing golden eyes that belonged to a predator, and his determined gaze had no hint of fear.

There was no doubt in Aurora's mind.

'He's the leader. Those two who are close to him must be his captains.'

One of the men, or rather, a woman, was dressed like a Mage, with a purple witch hat on top of her head. She had jewels decorating her hands and neck, which were clearly Magic Artifacts.

And the most interesting part of her was the multiple black feathers on her face including a snake-like eye, indicating that she is an avion siren.

The woman was most likely a user of Magic spells, according to Aurora's analysis.

As for the second one was man, and he had heavy black armor on, from head to toe.

His face wasn't even exposed thanks to the helmet he wore. He only had his visor, meant for seeing, and punctures close to his ears and nose so he could breathe and listen.

The heavy armor he had on was obsidian black, though it had silver designs all around.

Aurora could see no blade with the man, but she knew he had to use some kind of weapon.

'Does he have an ability to conjure weapons? Or maybe he's storing them somewhere. Perhaps a Spatial Ring or something of the sort…'

Aurora knew that most races were very innovative with technology, something that fairies had no experience in.

She didn't think it made their people any better than hers, though, considering what they had to do to arrive at such a precipice.

They literally upturned the way of Nature in their selfish bid to grow stronger.

The fur coat that Fenrir wore, for example.

It had to belong to some kind of powerful Monster. By killing the Monster, he had grown stronger.

However, growing stronger also meant they had deprived nature of one of her agents.

The Magic Artifacts that they all boasted of was only possible due the sacrifice of countless lives.

It was disgusting.

'But it seems even we have transgressed…'

By requesting for Magic Artifacts, they were essentially endorsing their wicked acts. The only way Aurora could justify what was going on was by giving the excuse.

"They would have done it anyway, even if we didn't desire Magic Artifacts."

It was thanks to this mental gymnastics that she could at least remain somewhat noble in her pursuits.

'In any case, the fight draws near. I have already strengthened my resolve to do what needs to be done… for the sake of my people.'

Fairies weren't fighters. They had very little to no experience when it came to true combat.

That was yet another thing the other race had over them, though it wasn't a compliment to say that man was more violent than the fairies.

It was for this very reason that Aurora had been hesitant to fight them. Their prowess and endless wickedness could prove to be their greatest strengths when facing her people.

But… the option of peace had long since died.

There could only be war.

'I may have to use sheer violence, and I'm prepared for that. As long as I do not kill them, then my ethics are preserved.'

No matter how vile they were, they weren't deserving of death.

Not by her hands anyway.

Aurora looked ahead once more and noticed the obvious changes.

The silhouettes were no longer distant, but were now concrete men who were not too far away from Aurora and her sisters.

'About three hundred men. They don't appear particularly threatening, but I can not dismiss their number.'

Aurora closed her eyes and gave a deep sigh.

She opened it slowly and summoned a staff out of nowhere.

It was an ashen staff, almost white, and she tightly gripped it while placing its sole on the ground.

This was a staff only elders could wield, as it came from the Elder Tree of their Fairy Community.

The mere fact that Aurora summoned it meant that she had no intention of holding back.

Even the fairies behind her looked shocked at her decision. However, they could not question it.

Lady Aurora's actions were for the benefit of the Fairy Family.

'Come, vile scums.' Her thoughts echoed as her bluish-green eyes glowed. 'None of you will get past me!'

————————————————————————

Fenrir and his army slowed down as they neared the entrance of the ExRump Western Warehouse.

They had expected to be greeted by the Dragon, but so far there was no enemy in sight.

Until now…

'Who are these chicks? I noticed them from afar off…'

The first thing he noticed was their pointed butterfly-like wings, so he quickly realized they were fairies.

Their beauty was enthralling, and despite their fierce expressions, they looked very delicate.

The woman at the forefront was the most beautiful of the three, no, that didn't do her justice.

'Holy shit, even though I had my two male vampire sluts on my private island, but hot damn she's the prettiest lady I have ever seen.'

Fenrir and his men stopped about a hundred meters from them, and he dismounted from his reptilian beast almost as soon as they halted.

He took a few steps forward, his eyes lit with desire.

"You three… I like you." He pointed at the three fairies, his teeth now being completely displayed alongside his brazenness.

He could see the frowns on their faces, but that only made him more excited.

He could even feel a slight bulge in his crotch.

He took a few more steps forward and placed a hand on his hairy, muscular chest.

With a loud voice and an excited tone, Fenrir made his declaration.

"Be my brides, and I shall forgive your defiance!”

"..........What?!"

Fenrir heard the enraged sound of the two fairy ladies who stood behind their apparent leader.

They had deeper frowns on their faces, though that didn't take away from their beauty in any way. The two angry women looked even more attractive the more annoyed they were at him.

As for the fairy at the center, she didn't express any such thing as anger.

Instead, she gave Fenrir a condescending look.

"I would have to refuse. On behalf of myself, and my sisters." She responded calmly.

Her soft voice made the bulge in his crotch slightly twitch, and he found himself growing increasingly excited.

There was nothing that turned Fenrir on more than an interesting hunt.

"What can I do, then? I really want you three, you know? Especially you." He pointed at the most mature fairy of the bunch.

Her brows furrowed a little in disapproval, and the two fairies behind her began to yell with anger.

"How dare… a man…!"

"Don't look at our Lady with your filthy eyes!"

Their reactions made Fenrir chuckle in delight. Fairies were rare to find, but finding ones this amusing was impossible.

He knew he had to have them at all costs.

But first…

"We have come here to recover our goods which lay beyond that entrance. I don't suppose you'd let us freely pass."

As he said this with a smirk, his two lieutenants moved closer to him, and his three hundred men began to reach for their weapons.

…They had to take care of business.

"We have taken full custody of the goods within. Per the arrangement made with your ExRump Corporation, those items artifacts belong to us." The prettiest fairy spoke sternly, gently hitting her staff on the ground.

While also the jiggling effect had kicked in.

The moment she uttered those words, Fenrir's eyes widened in shock.

'Those Rump bastards… so they were dealing with the fairies?!'

A wide smile formed on his face as he appreciated the intel.

The men and women behind him also looked at one another in both surprise and amusement.

Once again, they were assured of the quality of the artifacts they would soon be getting.

'Based on her response, she seems to think we're the ExRump Corporation. I could just play along, but there's no merit in that.' He smiled, both internally and externally as he stepped forward and flexed his muscles.

"My name is Fenrir, leader of the Mercenary Gang. We are not affiliated with the ExRump Corporation. Instead, we have thoroughly crushed them."

The two fairies behind their leader reacted with genuine shock and expressed nothing short of disgust towards Fenrir and his approaching men.

"As a result of our victory, we deem it our right to claim the spoils of war… don't you agree?" He raised his hand, as if requesting for something. "So step aside and hand over the Warehouse… before things get messy."

His bloodthirsty smile and wide grin made it clear that he was willing to be a ferocious beast if they refused his gentle offer.

Fenrir didn't care much for long talks and negotiations.

If something was his, he would want to have it no matter what, no sharing or haggling involved.

He was strong, therefore he didn't have to learn diplomacy or grovel at the feet of anyone.

Fenrir was simply following the unfair law of the world.

"I believe I already made my position clear." The leader fairy said calmly.

"This place is now under the custody of the fairies led by me, Aurora El Slaviarai."

Fenrir could feel some kind of pressure circle around Aurora as she spoke, like strong winds that only seemed to be growing into a tempest.

"If you know what is good for you and your subordinates, then you should retreat. Now."

Fenrir could detect confidence in the words of the fairy. This wasn't merely defiance… It was a challenge.

Aurora, as she called herself, was strong.

"Hehehe… so that's how it is!" Fenrir grinned widely, cracking his neck as he slowly winded his muscles.

"That's such a shame. I truly didn't want to fight you."

Although he usually had a disgust towards women, he wasn't particularly averse to hitting them, but he didn't want to damage the faces of the pretty fairies that he would soon make his.

'Well, I can always have them healed, so there's no need to think that way.'

Besides, if he made sure to pummel them well, they would know better than to defy him next time.

The sooner he taught them obedience… the better.

"Why don't we handle this like mature adults? Me versus you."

Fenrir was, of course, referring to Aurora.

Frankly, he wanted to rest out her strength and see how strong she was.

He already knew fairies were very poor at combat, but this particular one seemed fairly confident in her power.

'It would be nice to see her despair once she falls under my superior strength.'

"Fine. Though I do not mind taking you all on right now." Aurora took a step forward.

Her statement amused Fenrir. He couldn't tell if she was speaking this way due to self-assurance or pure stupidity.

"You two, remain here and guard the entrance." She told her two subordinates, who nodded at her every word.

Once she was done, Aurora took a few more steps forward, until she was a considerable distance from her sisters and much closer to Fenrir.

The latter was also moving closer to her.

"You do know that there are multiple entrances, right? My men could always take a different route." Fenrir chuckled in a mocking tone.

"It matters not. I will not allow any of you to step inside."

Aurora's response was curt and straightforward. It was clear that she didn't desire to converse with the wolf demihuman in front of her.

Fenrir only took this as even more motivation to have her as his bitch.

"By the way, I heard a Dragon attacked this place. I don't see any traces of one, so… was it you who got rid of it?"

Fenrir narrowed his eyes as he asked the question.

'If she is the one, then I should assume she's a lot stronger than my Deadly Three. I'll probably need to go all-out from the start.'

However, her response to the question was a shrug.

"The Dragon left already, so we took it as our chance to obtain our goods."

Fenrir was chuckling long before realizing it. Based on her statement, he could decipher two things.

'First is the confirmation that they're the true buyers of those Magic Artifacts. Secondly… they're not as strong as the Dragon.'

If they were, the fairies wouldn't have waited for it to leave before attacking.

Thus, Fenrir reached his conclusion.

'In essence… I'm definitely stronger!'

He stepped forward with his muscles bulging with every step he took.

'There's no need to go all-out for now, but there's also no need to hold back too much either.' With this line of thought, he activated three out of his five Skills.

'[Fiery Power]. [Pure Boost]. [Iron Fortress].'

WHUUUUUSSSHHHHH!!!

A swirling force instantly rushed around him as both his offensive and defensive abilities rose to the max.

Burning aura enveloped his body like flames, and he grew to be at least one feet taller than usual, with his muscles looking a lot bigger as well.

Every aspect of Fenrir had bulked up, and as he stood right in front of the fairy he desired, he licked his lips with utmost delight.

"You're mine!”

Right now, Fenrir, Chief of the Mercenary Gang, and the infamous Apex Predator, had 6 Skills at his disposal.

[Greater Fiery Power]. [Greater Pure Boost]. [Greater Iron Fortress]. [War Cry]. [Beast Mode]. [Monarch Form].

Three of these Skills were honed to the pinnacle of Level 10, while the other three had ascended to the rare and awe-inspiring Transcendent tier.

Though Fenrir’s amount of Skills was modest compared to his subordinates, his sheer dominance earned him the title of the strongest man in the Third Civilization Zone.

Alongside his experience in combat and the multiple Skills at his disposal, he had one more thing that made him known to be invincible.

He carried the bloodline of the Alpha GodBeast, an ancient deity of immeasurable power that once ruled over all beasts. That divine ancestry coursing through his veins made him an unstoppable force. To Fenrir, even mighty Commander Dragons were little more than playful pups.

And all these elements, the ancient bloodline, unmatched strength, and unrelenting ferocity, culminated in the merciless terror known as the Apex Predator.

An unstoppable force of VIOLENCE.

WHOOSH!

In a harsh breath of wind, Fenrir made his first move by rushing towards the still fairy with a powerful fist directed at her face.

It wouldn’t kill her, Fenrir was certain of that, but he expected it to leave her disfigured.

BOOOOOOMMMM!

The earth shattered under the impact, an explosion of raw power radiating outward as the ground cracked and crumbled in tens of meters of radius, sending debris flying in all directions as thick smoke billowed from the site of the attack.

Fenrir stood in the middle of the chaos, heaving his chest and waited to hear the telltale cries of pain or even a groan. Yet there was nothing but silence.

Something was wrong.

"Huh?" Fenrir squinted into the swirling dust, half-expecting his eyes to betray him. But as the smoke cleared, a silhouette emerged within the smoke.

A second later, and the winds carried away all that obstructed his sight so he could see the being who stood upright before him.

It was none other than Aurora.

She maintained her position, and the calm expression on her face had not been altered in the slightest.

While everything around her had suffered from the effects of Fenrir's punch, the platform she stood on was absolutely fine.

And it was all thanks to the near-white translucent barrier that formed a sort of semi-sphere around her like a protective cocoon.

Fenrir’s lips curled into a grin, though his brow furrowed ever so slightly. "Hoh? Nice defense," he remarked, breaking his usual rule of silence during combat.

The fact that the fairy kept staring at him with such defiant eyes unnerved him a little.

What was previously amusing for him slowly started to get annoying.

Fenrir wasn't satisfied any longer.

VWOOOSH!

Another powerful blow was sent towards Aurora, this time with bursting flames coating Fenrir's entire fist.

BOOOOOOM!

The massive explosion rocked the battlefield, sending waves of blistering heat rippling outward. Winds howled through the area, forcing the Mercenary Gang to brace themselves. Behind Aurora, the fairies did the same as they shield their faces from the scorching blast.

But when the smoke cleared…

"Stop. It’s useless."

Aurora stood untouched along with her barrier, gleaming as if mocking Fenrir’s efforts.

'H-huh...? What’s going on?!'

Two of his most devastating attacks had been shrugged off as though they were nothing. He couldn’t recall anyone with such ease in fending off his strikes, not even the late Elf Queen of High Tarxa, who would have needed intricate spells to achieve the same. 'Hold on! This is a fairy from the Second Civilization Zone! I can't hold her to the same standards as the others!'

Fenrir shook off the anxiety that was slowly building up within him.

He didn't want to entertain the possibility of losing just yet.

Not when he hadn't fully revealed all the cards on his shoulders.

'What about [War Cry]?'

"URAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Fenrir activated his debuff Skill, ensuring his roar filled the entire space where everyone occupied.

[War Cry] had two primary functions.

One was to boost the strength of his allies, and the other was to reduce the power of his enemy.

He could only choose one of the functions, and the cooldown rate was quite long, which was why it remained a Level 10 Skill despite its incredible use.

Once he was done activating the Skill, he sent one more fiery strike towards his adversary, this time putting every ounce of strength he could muster.

BOOOOOOMM!

The earth shook, threatening to cave in completely, as the barrier soaked in the impact of his strike.

Fenrir felt as though he broke through the barrier and shattered the woman's jaw, but that could have as well been his imagination.

Still, by utilizing [War Cry], he was assured that Aurora's abilities would have drastically reduced.

It wouldn't be long until—

"Why don’t you just stop already?" Aurora's disconcerted tone shattered the reality that Fenrir was living in. "I already told you its no use."

Winds scattered the dust and smoke that danced around her, revealing how her barrier was still standing.

"What?!" Fenrir found himself in confusion at this point.

'What level is that Barrier? 1st Tier Transcendent? Was that perhaps why I couldn't make a dent in it?’

It had to be. But even a barrier at that level shouldn’t have withstood his attacks for this long. He calculated again as his current abilities, the synergy of his Skills, and the added boost from his Bloodline Privileges.

One of those privileges alone elevated his power by 50% when facing opponents of a higher tier. Combined with his arsenal of enchanted Magic Artifacts, Fenrir had become a walking engine of destruction. Against any 1st Tier Transcendent, victory should have been assured.

So why wasn’t he winning?!

“Tch!" Fenrir clicked his tongue in frustration.

He had to admit that Aurora was far stronger than he expected and he still didn't know the depths of her strength.

'If it’s come to this… I’ll go all out.'

That meant activating his final Skill… [Beast Mode].

VWUUUUMMM!!

A dense, misty energy swirled around him as his body underwent a rapid transformation.

His black hair bleached white nearly instantly, furand his body began to grow more fur at an unbelievable rate.

Within moments, Fenrir had shed his human-like appearance entirely, taking on the form of something else.



Standing at least eight feet tall, his huge body was beyond threatening.

It was primal.

At this point, his power had long transcended what it used to be.

95,000

.

.

.

190,000

Now, he has reached the level of 2nd Tier Transcendent.

This was [Beast Mode], the pinnacle of his abilities, a transformation that elevated his strength far beyond mortal limits.

For the first time, Fenrir embraced his true form, an incarnation of fury and destruction that few could withstand.

This time, he wouldn’t hold back.

"ROAAAAARRRHHHHH!!!"

Fenrir let out a roar, allowing shockwaves to ripple through the air and crash upon everyone who was within the vicinity.

The sheer powerful pressure was sent down like a crushing weight on all who bore witness, all thanks to Fenrir's transformation.

Despite it being a 1st Tier Transcendent Skill, [Beast Mode] gave Fenrir the ability of a predator, one whose bloodlust was insatiable, and his desires endless.

It boosted his Combat Ability and presence to a magnificent degree of 100%, hence making him a walking Calamity.

His additional Magic Artifacts also had their effects improved thanks to his [Equip Limit] increasing.

His current strength had more to do with compatibility rather than sheer power, but it was effective regardless.

At this moment, he wasn’t merely a demihuman, he was truly a beast unleashed.

'Now then…' He growled as he glared down on the fairy who had no choice but to look up to him.

'…Time for round two!'

Moving faster than anyone's eyes could possibly perceive, Fenrir rushed towards his target like a wild beast and sent both hands rushing toward her for a claw attack.

His body was still burning red power thanks to his [Greater Fiery Power] Skill, so adding the intensity of such a flaming aura to claws that distorted the air itself.

The result had to be catastrophic!

FWIIIIISH!

Twin flaming arcs carved through the space between them as they land upon Aurora’s barrier. The sheer impact alone sent Fenrir skidding backward through the air, but he simply recoiled in the air and recovered with ease, landing a few meters away only to charge again.

WHOOOSH!

Once again, he did the same, slashing and hacking the barrier with unbelievable speed, so fast that even the sharpest eyes of the remaining members of the Deadly Three struggled to follow his movements.

Each swipe of his claws sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield, and the ground splintered in a hundred-meter radius. Even his men, hardened warriors all, slightly push them back under the force of the attacks.

Again…

SWISH!

And again…

VWUUSH!

…Yet again!

Over and over, he attacked like he had infinite stamina until his strikes became blurry into a whirlwind of fiery destruction. The air roared with the sound of his claws ripping through it, and the battlefield shook beneath his wrath.

But no matter how many strikes he made, or how fast he tore through the air to reach his target, or how badly the area around him was devastated…

…The barrier remained intact.

"Haaa… haaaa…"

After about five minutes of endless assault, the beast finally slowed down.

He exhaled heavily, standing about ten meters from his target while huffing and puffing.

'Why is the barrier not going down? I've tried practically everything…'

Fenrir already knew the answer, but he had been subconsciously ignoring it all this time. But, with his options all but consummated, he had no other choice but to admit the truth.

'She's stronger than I am. And it's not even close!'

It felt like a strike to his ego, especially since he desired her as a submissive bride.

Now that he knew who was superior, Fenrir felt beyond annoyed.

What had begun as a battle of dominance was turning into something else entirely, a reminder of his own limitations.

Fenrir wasn’t just annoyed anymore. He was enraged.

'Dammit! I do have that one final card, but I can't use it. Not here… and certainly not on her!'

That left him with only one option.

“Prepare to attack, everyone!” Fenrir yelled out.

Instantly, the entirety of the Mercenary Gang unsheathed their enchanted and magical weapons, and the two members of the Deadly Three instantly appeared next to their leader.

Fenrir was still in his Beast Mode, but he knew it would only last for another few minutes. He had to end this within that time frame.

“You don’t look too surprised,” Fenrir scoffed, eyeing the fairy within her barrier. “Still keeping that calm façade…”

“The people of the Third Civilization Zone are untrustworthy scum, who don’t honor their word,” Aurora said coldly. “I never had any expectations from you to begin with, so your actions don't surprise me.”

Fenrir frowned a little as soon as he heard Aurora's monotonous response.

“Are you saying you think you can take us all on at once?” Fenrir’s voice dripped with challenge. “You’re that confident, huh?”

“I believe I've already told you that I never had any issue with those odds from the start.”

Fenrir felt a rising heat in his chest as he heard her replies.

He initially felt turned on by her words, but now he only felt an overwhelming desire to pummel her without any mercy.

He truly wanted her dead.

"We'll see about that." He growled, raising his hand while preparing his men to attack.

"There's nothing to see."

The woman raised her staff from the ground and pointed it directly at Fenrir and his advancing force.

"ATTACK!"

The moment Fenrir's roar echoed in the air, the Mercenary Gang elites marched forward with their weapons drawn and their Skills being activated.

In their horde, they advanced with threatening power and chants of violence.

Enhanced by magic, they all run at inhuman speed, faster as wolves ready to pound and devour their prey.

The very earth trembled, and the air around vibrated with the intensity of their bloodlust.

Led by Fenrir and his two lieutenants, the army neared Aurora, with bloodlust so palpable one could nearly taste it,

But then…

"[Nature Magic: Sleepy Garden]."

…They were all stopped by a single Spell from Aurora.

In an instant, a massive Willow Tree appeared behind the fairy, and flowers erupted from the ground to form a garden.

Pretty colored flowers of various colors filled the area with sheer beauty. It surrounded Aurora, and it soon covered the grounds that the army trampled upon.

The moment the Mercenary Gang took a step forward, something changed. Their eyes glazed white, and their faces lost all traces of aggression and violence it once had as the violent fire within them was snuffed out in an instant.

One by one, they became drowsy and collapsed on the ground, completely lost consciousness.

The first to fall were the three hundred men of the horde as their bodies dropped like sacks of grain. Fenrir’s two lieutenants didn’t last very long either as their resistance quickly faded.

In mere seconds, the entire army was down for the count and scattered across the battlefield.

Except for one.

"Y-you…"

Fenrir was kneeling on the cold ground, his body trembling as he fought to resist the drowsiness that was creeping inside his massive body. Every breath felt heavier, every heartbeat a struggle against the oppressive force sapping his strength.

"J-just what kind of…?"

Fenrir's vision was already getting blurry as the edges of the world were melting into a haze, but he knew he couldn't afford to give in and fall unconscious. He couldn't leave himself at the mercy of his adversary.

'Damnit! Damn it all!' If it wasn't for his current state of power, he might have fallen so easily as the rest of his subordinates.

Never before had he experienced such humiliation.

'At least, I could always sense the difference in power between me and whoever was stronger.' He thought back to his battle against a Dragon Commander, where his instincts had guided him to victory, and the confrontation with Scyllary’s bodyguard, where one glance had been enough to gauge his limits.

He could always tell.

But this… this fairy was something else entirely.

She appeared so delicate, her every movement soft, her demeanor almost playful, even as she tried to appear firm. He’d been confident, arrogant even, that he could overpower her.

‘I was wrong. She’s definitely top-tier. Maybe even… 2nd Tier Transcendence?’

As Fenrir mulled over this issue, he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. His heart raced, but it wasn’t the thrill of battle that quickened his pulse. It was something far less familiar. Something closer to fear.

Finally, the footsteps stopped, as the one who approached him now stood right before his kneeling self.

It is a figure far smaller than his imposing form but radiating an authority that made his muscles tighten in submission.

“I told you it was pointless,” she said, ringing with quiet disdain in her voice. “All brute strength, and no aptitude for magic. How typical.”

Her words hit him harder than any spell or blade, sinking into the deepest cracks of his pride.

“Your people’s arrogance truly knows no bounds.”

Fenrir’s teeth clenched, his wounded pride roaring for vengeance. He couldn’t let her insult go unanswered. Not like this.

‘My trump card… She won’t escape this time. No one does.’ His mind raced to his final weapon, the one ability no enemy had survived before. It was ancient, a Privilege passed down through his bloodline.

'Get ready, bitch! It's time for payba—!'

Before he could conclude his thoughts, his distorted senses noticed rising mana levels coming from the entrance of the Warehouse.

He froze.

‘Reinforcements…?’

The mana was unmistakable, a dozen auras burning brighter by the second. They were all fairies.

His stomach twisted.

‘Damn it… she’s not alone.’

————————————————————————

‘As expected… they're unimpressive.'

As Aurora stood over the people she so easily subdued, she heaved a quiet sigh. She was grateful that they didn't give her any issues whatsoever in the battle. The skirmish had been almost too easy.

At least there had been no surprises.

'The Ashen Staff's barrier was able to deflect all his attacks. His strength wasn’t worth worrying about after all.'

Her 2nd Tier Transcendent Nature Magic was also pretty useful in subduing all of them without any need for excessive violence.

Her 2nd Tier Transcendent Nature Magic was also pretty useful as it had made quick work of the others, subduing all of them without any need for excessive violence. She had prepared for a far greater challenge, yet caution seemed unnecessary in hindsight.

'I must have overestimated them in a bid for caution.' Aurora nearly smiled to herself.

The only one who was still awake despite her Spell was Fenrir, but he was barely even conscious. His labored breaths and trembling form told her he was no threat.

'Even if he chooses to counterattack, he'll barely be able to do anything.'

Just as she began to relax, ten fairies appeared at the warehouse entrance. Relief washed over her as familiar faces entered the space.

'They're back! Finally!' Aurora smiled, glad to finally be done with dealing with these people.

Her relieved expression soon took a dip, however, once she looked in their direction and saw the kind of face they made.

"H-huh…?"

The fairies had sad and weary looks practically embedded on their faces.

Not even a single one had a twinkle of joy in their eyes.

At first, Aurora feared they had suffered casualties, but a quick glance confirmed they were all accounted for. It puzzled her.

“You’re back early,” she said cautiously. “How was it?” she asked, looking at Lila and Lali, who seemed the most drained.

Lali spoke first with frustration in her voice. “We encountered a horde of monsters, most likely a trap left by the Dragon.”

Lila nodded and stepped forward. “We managed to bind the first batch and seal off the room they occupied, but we had to hurry. They could break free at any moment.”

Aurora frowned. “Why didn’t you just put them to sleep?”

“We tried,” Lila replied as she shook her head. “It didn’t work.”

“Must have been the Dragon's control,” Lali added grimly.

Aurora had a few more questions, but they could all wait. The biggest one on her mind was why they weren't carrying anything with them.

"Where… are the Magic Artifacts?" She asked, her tone taking a bit of an anxious turn.

The whole reason they had gone through all of this trouble was for the grand prize that would assist their people and their land.

Yet why wasn't she seeing anything with them?

"We found nothing. We searched high and low, through every corner of the Warehouse… but in the end…"

"There was nothing. It's empty, at least, for the most part."

Aurora couldn't believe what Lila and Lali told her.

"A-are you sure you weren't in too much of a hurry?" She knew it was insensitive to ask such a question, especially after her sisters had done their very best.

The fairies exchanged glances with darkened expressions.

“We found nothing,” Lila said quietly. “We searched high and low, through every corner of the warehouse. But in the end…”

“There was nothing,” Lali finished. “It’s empty. At least, for the most part.”

Aurora froze as she couldn't believe what Lila and Lali told her.

“A-are you sure? You weren’t just… in too much of a hurry?” The words spilled out before she could stop herself and felt the guilt stabbing at her chest. She knew it was insensitive to ask such a question, especially after her sisters had done their very best

Lila and Lali were especially diligent, and everyone knew that for a fact.

But she couldn’t accept it. She didn’t ‘want’ to accept it.

Their prize, the very thing they had fought and sacrificed for, was gone.

"The Dragon must have taken them all. Could it be Spatial Magic?"

Aurora could feel anger getting mixed with frustration as she gritted her teeth at the news.

"Hehehehe…" A strained chuckle echoed from the man who knelt before her.

He was in a delirious state, barely conscious. Yet, he gave his all to give the last laugh at the fairies.

"Serves you bitches ri—!"

FWIP!

In one swift turn of her staff, Aurora whipped Fenrir, causing him to lose consciousness that very instant.

Afterwards, she took a deep breath and let out a long, exasperated sigh, trying to collect herself.

"Haa… I guess there's no helping it." As Aurora muttered this, she looked at the beastmen beneath her.

There was no need to resort to violence since he would have passed out his own a few seconds later anyway. The reason she went so far was due to her frustration. But her patience had run dry.

The anger bubbling within her was impossible to ignore.

'That cursed Dragon!' Her mine echoed as she clenched her fist.

Everything was ruined now.

'We can't just go home empty-handed, not after all this. And there's no telling how things have escalated over there.'

She bit her lip and did her best to hide her immense vexation, knowing fully well that her impressionable sisters would feel even worse seeing her that way.

The last thing her sisters needed was to see her anger and despair. They were already worn down and she had to remain their pillar.

“Let’s retreat for now,” she said firmly. “It wouldn’t be wise to stay here. The earlier fight might draw unwanted attention.”

This was the middle of nowhere, and while Aurora doubted that the Dragon would return anytime soon, it wasn’t worth the risk. The safe call for the current situation at hand was for a timely retreat.

“What about them?” one of the fairies asked, gesturing toward the unconscious people sprawled on the ground.

Aurora felt the question was unnecessary, and she was about to let her thoughts be known.

'But, considering our major loss, this isn't the time for anything of the sort.'

Aurora fought back a sharp retort. The question felt unnecessary, but she curbed her irritation. They had already suffered enough losses, there was no point in letting her frustrations boil over.

“We’ll leave them here,” she said coldly. “There’s no need to worry about them anymore.”

"Understood, Lady Aurora!"

The fairies were pretty much done with everything related to the Warehouse, and while Aurora felt the temptation to check the warehouse herself to search every corner in case they had missed something, she pushed the thought aside and decided to trust Lila and Lali.

‘I’ll come back later if I have to.’

If the artifacts truly were gone, they would have no choice but to leave within the month.

‘And when that time comes…’

Her stomach churned at the thought, but she refused to dwell on it.

‘I only fear what will happen to us afterwards.’

————————————————————————

[Hours Later]

"Urhh…"

Fenrir woke up in a field of wilting flowers. The air carried a faint, bittersweet scent, and as his senses sharpened, he noticed his comrades beginning to wake as well.

Despite falling unconscious so abruptly, his entire body felt so usually relaxed and amazing.

He felt a slight sting in his head, but other than that, there was no pain. The tension that had gripped his muscles was gone, and his stiff joints moved freely, as if he’d been completely rejuvenated.

Still, despite all of these positives, Fenrir could not ignore what had just happened to him and his subordinates.

"So we lost, huh?"

It was a frustrating thing to admit, but Fenrir couldn't deny the power he had felt.

Fenrir prided himself on facing reality, even when it stung. He could accept being weaker than his opponents, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

‘And to those fairies, no less.’

He rubbed his temples and winced, feeling his mind drifting back to the fight.

‘It seems they don’t have the Magic Artifacts either…’

That revelation left him torn. On one hand, it meant the fairies hadn’t won completely. On the other, the artifacts were now in the Dragon’s possession, a far worse scenario by any measure.

‘The Dragon having all those assets… it’s a nightmare.’

Still, his pride whispered that losing to the fairies made things *personal.*

Now, Fenrir pretty much despised the fairies thanks to the defeat he suffered.

“Haaa…” Fenrir sighed heavily once more and pushed himself to his feet.

The Willow Tree that Aurora had summoned was no longer present, leaving behind only a desolate field of drying flowers.

Fenrir had never seen such Magic before, but he knew it had to be very strong.

‘Strong,’ he thought as he glanced at the wilting flora.

His lips curled into a humorless smirk as he considered the broader implications.

‘These people from the other civilisation zones… they’re far stronger than we’ve given them credit for.’

A low chuckle escaped him as he shrugged off the thought. His pride still burned, but there was a strange sense of relief in knowing the encounter was behind him.

Thankfully, his next steps wouldn’t involve the fairies, or so he hoped.

‘Looks like I’ll have to report this to Scyllary.’

Without their means such as the Magic Artifacts as compensation, Fenrir wondered what she would offer up next.

‘Whatever it is… it had better make me stronger.’

With that thought lingering, he turned his gaze to the horizon, ready to move forward, even if the bitterness of defeat still lingered in his chest.

————————————————————————

A Few Days Later…

Ronald Rumpan sat alone in his office, hearing the steady tick of a clock, the only sound accompanying him. He carefully tore open an envelope and pulled a letter addressed to his house.

It is even marked with the unmistakable seal of the Triumvirate.

His brow furrowed as he began to read.

“No…”

The single word escaped him, barely a whisper, as a cold tremor coursed through his body.

Just when things had only begun to stabilize with the chaos of recent weeks fading into a tenuous calm. And now this, this letter, had to come and disrupt everything.

Once he finished reading the letter, Ronald’s hand trembled as he slapped it down onto his desk and groaned softly, slipping through his clenched teeth, feeling the frustration and unease weighing heavily on his chest.

He buried his face in his hands and exhaled deeply.

Barely above a whisper, words fell from his lips, words meant for no one but himself.

“The Dark Gathering… is at hand.”