The monster slashed at Lily with its claw. Lily retreated like lightning, then twisted her body in midair and brought her foot down with full force—straight onto the monster's skull. The monster staggered.
Then— again.
And then— again.
The exchange continued without pause.
Claw.
Miss.
Kick.
Impact.
From afar, lying on the ground and struggling to rise, Snehwal watched it all—and a memory flashed through his mind. Their first meeting.
That flying monstrous bird— The one Lily had killed with a single strike of her foot.
The same move. The same merciless precision. Lily did not stop.
She kept striking the monster's head again and again. Each kick was more brutal than the last. Within moments, its skull was completely red—soaked in blood. This was not just a fight. This was rage. And beneath that rage—
her attachment to Snehwal.
Seeing Snehwal injured had awakened something feral within Lily.
Nearby, Liora supported Snehwal, helping him steady himself. Her eyes remained fixed on the monster as she spoke in a low, tense voice— "This monster… it looks like a pet."
"Like someone has been raising it."
Those words struck Snehwal like lightning. His mind seemed to snap open.
His vision sharpened— And locked directly onto the monster's forehead.
There—
A seal!!!
Faint, but clearly recognizable. In that instant, Snehwal understood. This monster was not acting on instinct alone. It had an owner.
And that truth— Was far more terrifying than the monster itself.
Lily delivered the final strike. Her sword flashed— And with a sharp, merciless arc, it split the monster's skull open.
Crack—!!!
The horrifying sound of bone breaking echoed. Blood and thick fluid spread across the ground. From within the shattered skull, a white spiritual stone rolled out— pure, radiant, and powerful. The aura emanating from it made one thing unmistakably clear— Fifth Level.
Lily picked up the stone. Her fingers were still trembling slightly— not from the exhaustion of battle, But from the fear she had felt just moments ago.
She walked straight over to Snehwal. She placed the stone on her palm— And without saying a word, pressed his hand around it.
"Take it," she said in a serious voice.
"This can help you reach the Fifth Stage."
But she didn't stop there.
Suddenly— Lily pulled Snehwal toward herself.
Very close. So close that their breaths collided.
Her eyes swept over his face—
his forehead, eyes, neck, shoulders—
as if she were inspecting every inch of him.
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
There was no command in her voice—
only concern. Deep, Genuine.
Snehwal was just about to say something—
but before he could— Lily leaned in, and placed a light, yet unmistakable kiss on his forehead.
For a single moment— The entire battlefield seemed to freeze. Snehwal's eyes widened. His mind went blank.
And a short distance away, Liora— upon seeing this scene, quietly lowered her gaze.
There was no anger on her face.
No words. Only a calm acceptance.
The monster was dead. But in that moment—
something else had been born.
Something sharper than swords, and far more dangerous than war itself.
North — Inside Shon Yakshini's Palace
A sudden, violent jolt struck the mind of a guard dressed in green. It felt as if someone had torn into his consciousness from within. His eyes widened.
"Who did this—!!!"
His scream echoed throughout the entire palace. The glass panels trembled violently, cracks racing through the walls. The cold air surged in an instant, turning ferocious.
At that very moment— An image surfaced inside his mind.
A woman's face. Cold eyes. Merciless calm.
Lily.
His lips twisted. His voice filled with poison.
"I will… turn that woman into my concubine,"
"and compensate for my pet."
There was lust in his words— And the stench of revenge as well.
His voice had not yet faded when— Four more guards appeared like shadows.
All of them knelt at once.
"What happened?"
"Why such rage?"
The green-clad guard clenched his teeth.
"Our pet monster…"
"has been killed in the west."
The moment they heard this— The color drained from all four faces. For a few moments, a deathly silence filled the palace.
Then one guard spoke in a low voice—
"This is not the work of an ordinary person."
"It seems like the interference of someone very powerful."
"We should wait for the Queen."
Another guard laughed—
a dry, bitter laugh.
"Wait?"
"It's been more than a year since the Queen left."
"Who knows… whose company she's keeping to amuse herself right now."
"Silence—!!!" The third guard snapped immediately. Fear was clearly visible in his eyes. But the fourth— who had remained silent until now— slowly stepped forward.
"Brother… he's not wrong."
"If the Queen is absent— we will have to make the decision ourselves."
A cold light flashed in the green-clad guard's eyes. For a brief moment— A smile appeared on his lips.
"Then it's decided," he said.
"The one who took our pet—"
"that very woman, we will bring her into our grasp."
Outside the palace, the air grew even colder.
And far away, unknowingly— The foundation of yet another war was laid.