The soldiers of the Old Doal Army, who had escaped from the Indra, drifted down by parachute—only to be seized one after another by the Nakatam soldiers.
The forest shook with cries of confusion and furious shouts.
Rose and the others rushed toward the site where the Indra had crashed.
As they pressed deeper into the burning, smoke-filled woods, parachutes descended from the sky.
Bathed in moonlight were Lamia, Nova, Rabesta, and Darmaine.
"What the hell!? What are you doing here!?" Rose shouted in astonishment.
"Lamia! Thank goodness you're safe!"
Moene dashed to Lamia and hugged her tightly. Relief lit Lamia's face with a gentle smile.
"What happened?" Jessica demanded, fixing her sharp eyes on Nova and Rabesta.
"We don't know why it went down. But Endi… he might've been taken by Azbal."
Nova's words froze everyone's expression.
The air grew unbearably heavy.
"I'm sorry, everyone… for acting on my own."
Lamia whispered, guilt in her tone. But Rose cut her off with a sharp gesture.
"Talk later! Show us where Endi was taken!"
Nova and Rabesta nodded, then broke into a run, leading them deeper into the forest.
Rose, Jessica, and Moene followed close behind.
Darmaine was left standing alone, dumbfounded.
"I'll check the crash site," Esta said softly, and walked off toward the wreckage of the Indra.
His small back radiated the intimidating presence of an executioner delivering judgment in hell.
Meanwhile, in the depths of the forest, Endi faced Azbal.
But Endi couldn't even approach him.
Branches lashed from every direction, snapping like snakes baring fangs, driving him back.
Endi gasped for breath, yet slipped through the barrage with astonishing agility—
as if the wind itself were guarding him.
"Keheheh… The gap between us is like heaven and earth. And you'd risk it all just to protect one girl?" Azbal's cold laughter resounded.
"It's not reckless. I'll beat you—and end this war!"
Endi's voice brimmed with unwavering resolve.
"Brave words. But you'll only die in vain."
"You don't know that. Even if the odds are only one percent—if there's a chance to win, it's worth fighting for."
Endi's proud smile made Azbal's brow crease.
A wicked aura gushed from him; the forest trembled, trees twisting ominously.
Suddenly, three thin trunks shot from behind and coiled around Endi like serpents, squeezing until he could scarcely breathe.
"Answer before you die. Where's the blond brat?"
"Cain? I don't know—and even if I did, I wouldn't tell you!"
Azbal's eyes glinted cruelly.
"Heh… So that smug little blond's name is Cain. That's all I needed. You're useless now—die here."
Countless branches sharpened into spears, surging toward Endi like magnets drawn to metal.
Death loomed close. Endi felt it.
He was seething with frustration.
Anger at his own weakness burned hotter than fear.
He had grown attached to life.
He wanted to live—to fight for his friends, for the memories he had yet to reclaim.
He had so much left undone.
"I won't die… not here, not now!"
At that instant, a gale exploded from his body—sharp, beautiful, like a soul's song.
The wind's blades shredded the branches binding him, tore the oncoming spears to splinters.
A Kamaitachi—razor wind.
It was unleashed unconsciously.
The gale slashed toward Azbal. He raised a monstrous wooden shield, like the very gates of hell—
but it split apart in an instant, carving bloody gashes across his body.
Not fatal, but enough to shake him.
"You… you're a mutant…?" Azbal snarled, bleeding.
Even Endi himself didn't understand what had just happened.
Azbal, bloodied yet grinning, rasped,
"Heh… thought you were just a brat. What's your name?"
"Endi."
"Endi, huh… I'll remember it."
At that moment, the air shifted.
Moschino appeared like a leaf dancing on the wind.
"Endi~! I knew you weren't ordinary, but a mutant? And wind, no less!"
His childish smile gleamed.
"You… you're Marshal Moschino." Azbal eyed him warily.
"That's right! Nice to meet you, Azbal-san!"
"Marshal Moschino!? Why are you here?" Endi blurted.
"I felt something fun happening, so I came! And wow, did I get a show!"
Azbal barked out a laugh.
"Heheheh… Lucky me. One of the Marshals, delivered right here to be killed!"
As he howled, the forest writhed.
An army of trees surged like a tidal wave.
Despair closed in. Endi's face blanched.
But Moschino didn't flinch.
Then—silence.
The air froze. Breath turned white.
The charging trees crystallized into ice sculptures in an instant.
The entire forest shimmered like a frozen kingdom.
Even Azbal was caged in ice, unable to move.
Endi was speechless.
It was beautiful, solemn, terrifyingly divine.
"Wha… Marshal Moschino, you're a mutant too!?"
"Of course! And Endi—you'd better learn to control your power, just like me!"
Moschino beamed like a child playing in the snow.
But behind that smile, madness flickered.