— Hey, girl! You alright over there? — shouted a voice in the distance.
Kevin stood up, confused, and turned around. Running toward him was a woman with a firm, commanding presence, though her arms were marked with several visible wounds.
— Y-Yeah, I'm fine — Kevin replied, trying to hide his embarrassment.
— You sure? — she asked, kneeling beside him. Her hands gently touched his wounds. — These injuries run deep… some are internal. It's a miracle you're even standing. How old are you?
— Seventeen. But don't worry, my wounds heal on their own. — Kevin answered, forcing a confident smile.
The woman raised an eyebrow, intrigued. — Healing on its own? Is that because of your technique? — she asked, studying Kevin closely. — And look at you… your clothes are shredded.
She pulled out a small leather pouch from her pocket. Opening it, she sprinkled a shimmering purple dust over Kevin. Within seconds, his clothes began stitching themselves back together, magically restoring to how they were before.
— Thanks… uh… what's your name again? — Kevin asked, awkwardly.
— Kyra. I'm the First Sentinel of this kingdom. — she replied with a warm smile. — And you?
— My name is Ke... — Kevin froze for a moment, a strange discomfort crossing his face. — Ke… Ketlyn. Yeah. Ketlyn. — he finished quickly.
Kyra smiled. — Nice to meet you, Ketlyn. Now get up — we need to move.
The two began walking toward the massive crater left behind by the previous battle — the same one Ruby had vanished through. As they approached, Kevin spotted two familiar figures watching from above. His eyes widened.
— Luis! Julian! — he shouted, sprinting toward them in excitement.
Luis turned, surprised. — Good evening, young lady. Do we know each other? — he asked, puzzled.
— It's me, cousin! — Kevin insisted, out of breath. — Julian, you remember me, right?
Julian averted his gaze, a bit uneasy. — Sorry, I think you've got the wrong guy…
— Look closely at my clothes, Luis! Doesn't it remind you of something? — Kevin pressed.
Luis frowned, thinking. Before he could reply, Kevin spoke again:
— It's so good to see you again! — he said, trying to sound calm.
Luis chuckled awkwardly. — Likewise…
But before they could say more, a violent explosion shook the ground. A blinding flash lit up the area as a wave of debris burst from the crater. Thomas was flung out, rolling across the ground in pain. From the smoke emerged Ruby and Maria — both furious.
Ruby's scythe dripped blood, while Maria's right arm was torn and bleeding. Thomas lay screaming, missing one of his arms.
— Looks like everyone's here… but where's Kevin? — murmured Luis, scanning the battlefield.
— Closer than you think — Kevin muttered, disappointed, eyes dull.
Luis tried to lighten the mood. — Ah! I remember now! We met at the marketplace, right? Your name was… Ke... Ke…
— Ketlyn! — Kevin jumped in quickly, clinging to his cousin's arm.
Luis finally understood and smiled softly, running his hand through "Ketlyn's" hair.
Julian, watching the fight, asked: — Master, should we stop those two before they kill that fat guy?
— If he dies, we lose a valuable source of information. — Kyra replied, focused.
When they turned back toward Luis and Kevin, both froze: Kevin was hanging onto Luis's back, nuzzling into his neck like a needy cat.
Instead of reacting, Luis just laughed, gently patting the "girl's" head.
Kyra sighed and rolled her eyes. — Let's end this fight already.
— Agreed — said Julian, visibly uncomfortable. They walked away.
— What's wrong with you, man? Did someone curse you? — Luis asked, frowning.
Kevin slid off his back and sat beside him, clearly distressed.
— Help me… I don't want to stay like this forever. I don't even know how to turn back — he said, desperate.
— To help you, I need to understand what happened. — Luis replied, eyes still fixed on the fight ahead. — What exactly did you do?
— I just used the power of the entity inside me during the battle… — Kevin began.
Luis interrupted him sharply:
— You mean that burned corpse back there?
— Of course! Thanks to Melissa — the angel inside me — I managed to cast my first enchantment! — Kevin said with a proud smile.
— Hm… then this must be a side effect. — Luis mused. — Don't worry about it for now. Though I'll admit — I'm jealous. I didn't know you could maintain the Hagan form for so long.
— What? You can't? — Kevin asked, surprised.
— Nope. — Luis replied with a smirk. — But that doesn't matter right now. How about a quick spar?
Kevin grinned. — You don't even have to ask!
Before they could start, Kyra approached.
— Everyone, the situation's handled. — she said firmly. — Thomas is unconscious, missing an arm, and chained up. Ruby and Maria have calmed down… just staring at the wreckage.
Julian walked silently, eyes downcast. As the group gathered, Kevin and Luis stood.
— You can all head back to the kingdom. — Luis said. — Kyra, go with them if you'd like. My little friend here — he glanced at Kevin with a teasing grin — and I still have unfinished business.
— On foot? That's gonna be a long trip… — Julian muttered.
Maria, however, looked around nervously, searching for someone. Ruby noticed.
— You looking for someone?
— My friend… Kevin. He should've been here. — Maria said, worried.
— Relax. Knowing him, he's already found a way out. — Ruby replied, trying to comfort her. Maria lowered her head, disappointed.
— Luis… my kingdom's in ruins. My king… — Kyra began, but Luis interrupted with firm resolve:
— You'll all be welcome in ours. Now go. It's getting dark.
Kevin then raised his hand. From the ground, green light surged upward, forming a spectral horse that pulled a glowing emerald carriage. Ruby silently observed, recognizing the energy — her expression darkened.
Everyone boarded. Thomas, still unconscious and bound, was dragged along. Soon, only Luis, Ruby, and Kevin remained.
The sound of hooves faded into the distance. Ruby stepped up behind Kevin.
— Can I ask you something? — she murmured, teasingly.
Before he could answer, she slid her hands around his waist, brushed his hair aside, and slowly… ran her tongue along his neck.
Kevin froze, blushing furiously. He turned toward Luis with a desperate "help me!" look.
But Luis just laughed and sat under a nearby tree, pretending not to see.
Ruby kept going, licking deeper… until her fangs sank into his skin. She drank gently, savoring it.
Kevin didn't fight back. His body trembled, but… he didn't resist.
— Want to fight, Ruby? — he asked, voice shaky but determined. — This time, for real.
Ruby stepped back slightly, smirking.
— Sure. Me and Luis… against you. — she said playfully.
— Deal. — Kevin replied without hesitation.
But before she moved, Ruby's hands slid up, brushing his chest — making him fluster even more.
Luis, finally standing, approached. Ruby stepped aside with a sly grin.
— The fight's already begun, Kevin. — she teased.
He smiled.
But before anything could happen, Luis spoke:
— Our battle will be another time.
Without warning, he grabbed Ruby and took off into the sky. Kevin followed quickly, startled.
— What's wrong?! — Kevin shouted midair.
— Something's off. — Luis replied, serious. — The others… how far are they?
— Almost at the kingdom. Nothing unusual. — Kevin said, scanning the area with his spiritual sight.
Luis frowned. — I see… — he muttered bitterly.
He suddenly accelerated — winds bent around him, yellow sparks trailing in his wake. Kevin struggled to keep up.
His thoughts echoed:
"It was all part of the plan… From the moment I left the kingdom, the Second Sentinel's attention shifted. Without me there, the attack became easier…"
When he arrived, he saw hell.
A colossal two-headed dragon roared, tearing down towers and walls. Its horns glowed a deep crimson. Beneath one of its heads stood a man cloaked in black.
From above, Luis glared down with burning fury. He descended slowly, setting Ruby gently on the ground.
— Do me a favor, little one. Get everyone out. Gather whoever you can and run.
— But… — Ruby tried to protest.
— No "buts." Do as I say. The rest is mine. — he said, eyes blazing.
With a deafening roar, Luis shot forward straight at the dragon. Ruby whispered softly:
— Alone… again… — then sprinted through the streets, helping the survivors.
Explosions echoed across the kingdom.
Meanwhile, in another region, the Second Sentinel of Hestia — Augusto — faced a massive swarm of monsters. Despite being surrounded, he was unscathed; his white mantle remained spotless.
— These pests just keep spawning from the ground… and there's a barrier trapping me here. — he muttered, analyzing the situation. On the other side of the barrier, civilians watched in fear.
Augusto smirked.
— Trust me. I'll show you what I can do!
He raised his sword and shouted:
— Neo Jutsu: Blizzard Flame!
Circles of fire erupted beneath the monsters. Spikes of ice and flames burst upward, obliterating dozens in an instant.
Only one remained — burned, armless, glowing faintly white. It limped toward the Sentinel.
— So you're the one maintaining the barrier… — Augusto muttered.
He lifted his frozen blade.
— Neo Jutsu: Frostbite Aura!
The sword gleamed with icy blue light. The creature roared and hurled a sphere of solid fire. Augusto cleaved it midair — the impact exploded in flames, but he pushed through the smoke and decapitated the beast in a single strike.
The barrier shattered.
The crowd erupted:
— It's the Second Sentinel of Light!
— He's unstoppable!
— Three hours of battle and not a single scratch!
Augusto simply smiled and took off into the sky. In the crowd below, whispers spread:
— Who is he, really?
— And why does his hood hide half his face?
An old man shouted:
— He's got a brother! Wears the same outfit, but with blue markings. He even came back from the dead — I saw it myself!
People murmured:
— He must be insanely powerful…
— Just like his older brother…
— Maybe he'll become a Sentinel too…
To the south, Luna — the Fifth Sentinel — fought alone. She moved like a cutting wind, decapitating monsters with surgical precision.
— Thank you, Fifth Sentinel of Light! — a boy cried.
— What would we do without you?! — his mother added.
Luna smiled.
— Don't thank me. This is my duty.
But a distant scream shattered the calm. She sprinted toward the sound — and froze.
Before her stood a translucent creature, its crimson fangs dripping as it devoured bodies off the ground.
— Ugh… its mouth's bigger than its face… — Luna muttered in disgust.
A normal monster lunged at the beast — only to be swallowed whole.
Luna gripped her sword, glaring.
She turned to the civilians and shouted:
— Run! I'll hold it off!