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“I said to run away.”

“On our own?”

Audrey shouted back, incredulous.

“You want us to leave you behind?”

“No, how could you…!”

Diem, Lise, and Grio hesitated.

Even so, leaving their client behind to escape was a heavy burden. Failing the mission was one thing, but returning without the client would surely ruin their reputation. Their trustworthiness would be shattered.

Audrey took a deep breath, showing patience, and quickly spoke.

“It’s okay. You don’t need to worry. I can get out of here as long as you’re not with me.”

Though it was regrettable, she could use the golem as bait and return to the magic tower.

Audrey had no doubt she could escape from Bloodclaw.

She rummaged through her belongings and pulled out a token.

“I’ll see you at the Green Tower.”

Ian, unsure what to do with it, accepted the token in a daze, staring down at it in his palm.

The sound of shuffling feet made him turn around to see the mercenaries retreating.

He couldn’t blame them. They weren’t on a noble mission, nor did they harbor a grudge against the monsters.

Staying here would only lead to certain death. So, it was a wise decision.

“…”

But Ian had no intention of retreating.

He turned to look at Bloodclaw. The creature’s former might was nowhere to be found; it seemed weaker, just as its pitiful appearance suggested.

His fear wasn’t as strong as he had expected. Perhaps it was due to the golden insignia given to him by the hero, or maybe it was because he possessed a spiritual essence.

‘Just once…’

Was it worth a try? A surge of confidence began to swell within him.

He wasn’t planning to leave Audrey behind. Hadn’t he resolved to save her?

“…”

She probably wanted him to leave because she had some kind of confidence, but remembering her death before his regression, it was clear that any attempt would end in failure.

“Sir, let’s go!” Grio urged from the side. But Ian didn’t retreat; he stepped forward instead.

“No, I’m not going. I’m staying here.”

He tucked the token Audrey had given him into his pocket and pulled a medicinal pill from a small bag at his waist.

Audrey turned to him with an incredulous expression.

“Do you not understand the situation?”

Ian chuckled softly and replied.

“I do. That’s why I’m doing this. If we run away now, we might survive, but you’ll die. I can say that for certain. I don’t know what you’re saving, but it’s likely to fail. Didn’t you say you like tragic tales? You could have been the protagonist of one.”

“…What do you mean?”

Audrey looked bewildered. Fortunately, they still had time for such a conversation.

“But I don’t like that kind of story. I don’t want anyone to die. I’m tired of shedding tears over memories of people. I want to continue my life with joy, not sorrow. I will seize victory. I won’t let go of what I hold in my hands. I will create a happy ending, just like the heroes in fairy tales who lived happily ever after.”

With that, Ian unwrapped the pill with one hand and placed it in his mouth.

The taste was terrible. It wasn’t good for the body either. But with a body at only Level 4, there was no choice but to consume it to fight against the monsters.

After chewing once and swallowing, Ian continued speaking.

“So, right here.”

He met Bloodclaw’s gaze and lifted his drooping sword.

“I’m going to hunt it.”

Flames erupted vigorously along the blade.

The fiery power contained within the flames would not only melt his shivering body but also dispel the thick darkness that hung in the air like fog.

As his fighting spirit surged, Audrey hesitated and asked, “Do we really have to fight?”

“Should we just leave it and run away?”

“That might not be a bad idea.”

“That’s a naive thought. Do you really think a starving creature would willingly give up its prey right in front of it? Even if we let it go, it would return as an insurmountable foe later.”

In the past, he wouldn’t have risked his life for such a low-chance fight. He would have acted in a way that slightly favored his survival.

But it seemed that traveling with the hero had changed his values. If he could take it down now, he would.

[Krraa.]

At that moment, Bloodclaw moved. It managed to pull the sword lodged in its chest and grasped it tightly. Just as expected.

Soon, a purple aura flickered along the blade, and Bloodclaw swung the sword.

Crash!

With a bizarre echo, the fierce blade scraped across the ground, aimed directly at Audrey.

“Damn it!”

Grio, who had been torn between fleeing or holding his ground, cursed and moved in front of Audrey, raising his shield.

Clang!

The purple blade struck against the shield, now glowing a bluish hue.

“Ugh!”

Grio groaned as he barely managed to block it, but his expression was grim.

Though it was only one strike, he felt the gap in strength with the opponent. And in that brief moment of distraction, Bloodclaw lunged forward, closing the distance in an instant.

Grio, startled by the sudden appearance of Bloodclaw, swung his shield.

Ian flinched at the sight.

“!”

It was a foolish decision. They barely had enough time to defend, and now he was attacking!

As if expecting this, Bloodclaw easily jumped over the shield and swung the sword, severing Grio’s left arm.

Slice!

“Ahhh!”

A short scream erupted as Bloodclaw landed and attempted to slice through Grio’s legs next.

Rather than killing him instantly, it aimed to elicit screams and despair.

Knowing the creature’s cruel nature, Ian recognized its intent.

He rushed forward, extending his sword.

Clang!

The blade was deflected before it could reach Grio’s leg.

Seeing his attack thwarted, Bloodclaw wore a displeased expression but stepped back, as if satisfied for now.

Despite its ragged appearance, its movements were agile.

But then Audrey seemed to intervene, and the sealing magic filling the building emitted a bright light, causing Bloodclaw’s movements to slow slightly.

Ian didn’t miss the opportunity and charged forward, swinging his sword.

Clang, clang, clang!

The sharp blade relentlessly pressured Bloodclaw, and the flames lingered in the air, disorienting it.

However, Bloodclaw was blocking the attacks with an impressive swordsmanship that made it hard to believe it was a werewolf.

Though the flames singed its fur, leaving it charred in spots, the blade never made contact with its body.

It was fierce. To anyone watching, it would look as powerful as a waterfall. But if this state continued, it would be evident that Ian would tire quickly.

He knew that, but he didn’t stop attacking.

Instead, he closed the distance further and kept his arms moving. Occasionally, he used his feet as well.

Clang!

The series of strikes forced Bloodclaw to retreat repeatedly.

[Crack?]

The creature’s expression twisted, clearly annoyed by the fact.

If it were to surrender its neck so easily, that would be ideal, but naturally, it counterattacked.

Bloodclaw’s sword lunged at Ian along the path of his blade. He could predict where it was aiming.

With a slight twist of its arm, it could have easily dodged, but it didn’t.

It was a narrow escape.

As if intentionally allowing the attack, Bloodclaw took advantage of the moment. The expensive leather armor he had purchased for a high price was utterly useless, splitting apart and exposing flesh beneath.

Before the blood could spurt out, the violet aura from the blade seeped through the wound.

Thanks to the potion’s effects, he felt no pain, but the strange, unpleasant sensation was undeniable.

‘It’s fine.’

He could endure this much.

Even if he took a step back, he would charge forward again. The persistence seemed to catch Bloodclaw off guard.

Amidst the fierce confrontation, Ian felt a grin forming on his face as the wounds accumulated slowly.

While the side effects of the potion played a role, the pride of standing toe-to-toe with the notorious Bloodclaw was significant.

“Ugh!”

However, the repeated attacks strained his arms; his muscles screamed, and his joints creaked. He was out of breath.

But he couldn’t stop. He had to keep going. He needed to use the right technique at the right moment to finish it off.

Bloodclaw was likely reaching its limit as well.

The sealing magic Audrey maintained was continuously draining its mana, and the flames emanating from Ian were surely sapping Bloodclaw’s stamina quickly.

For a brief moment, Bloodclaw’s legs trembled slightly.

Sensing the moment was ripe, Ian feigned a mistake, deliberately showing a gap.

‘Will you let this opportunity slip by?’

It was unlikely. It must seem like the perfect chance.

As expected, Bloodclaw’s eyes gleamed with a different intensity, and it swung its sword with a renewed vigor.

Ian didn’t evade; he took the blow.

Clang!

Metal clashed violently. It felt heavy. He could have had his skull split open.

Could he withstand it? The gaze from Bloodclaw suggested it was questioning that, but it was too early to feel relieved.

The blade, imbued with violet energy, began to draw a circle, pushing Ian’s sword outward from the inside.

If he hadn’t been prepared, he would have lost his grip on the sword.

At this moment, it was crucial not to allow the flow to break so the next sequence could follow seamlessly.

‘I’ll return it to you.’

Ian replicated Bloodclaw’s technique.

‘Return of Heaven.’

The blade, which had been thrust inward, now turned outward.

Clang!

[-?!]

With a clear ringing sound, Bloodclaw’s sword flew from its grasp.

The creature’s eyes widened in shock, its expression turning to one of disbelief. It seemed to be questioning how Ian could use this technique.

No, it was likely just that. He struggled to suppress a laugh.

Because he was a genius.

Overflowing with talent.

It wasn’t just that he copied what he saw once.

Having suffered greatly from this technique, he understood its usefulness. After surviving, he dedicated time and effort to mastering it.

And seeing it work now made all the hardships worthwhile.

But it was too early to be satisfied. He drew more mana, using the technique in rapid succession.

[Destruction of Evil, 5th Form]

Quietly repeating the incantation in his mind, the flames that had been swirling around his body surged into the blade in his hand.

In an instant, the flames vanished from the surroundings, and darkness closed in. But within that darkness, Ian’s eyes shone sharper than anything.

‘Punishment, Decapitation.’

The blade, pointing upward, fell like a guillotine.

Bloodclaw recoiled in horror, but before it could escape, the blade mercilessly sliced through its body.

The silver fur, a symbol of its pure bloodline, burned black, and its tough hide split open and stuck together.

‘Got it!’

No matter how regenerative it was, this was bound to be fatal.

Yet, had he underestimated Bloodclaw too much? Suddenly, a fur-covered hand shot out and grabbed his neck.

“!”

A chill shot through him. If his neck snapped, there would be no escape. But thankfully, that didn’t happen.

Instead, Bloodclaw hurled Ian towards a nearby pillar.

Boom!

In the blink of an eye, he was flung away from Bloodclaw, slamming into the pillar with a tremendous impact.

It felt as if all his bones were crushed. No, they must have actually broken.

Ian, having crashed into the pillar, fell to the ground like a rag doll.

———