The man standing before Rein was one I knew all too well.
Arion—one of the Rank Sword Saints.
The strongest character in Chronicles of Savior.
His body was massive, almost gorilla-like, muscles packed beneath gray armor carved with the emblem of a wolf. A thick ginger-red beard framed his sharp jaw, his hair cut cleanly at the sides. His red eyes burned with a pressure so intense that, in the game, demons would flee the moment they met his gaze.
And now, he stood here—sword locked against Rein's.
Sparks exploded with every clash. Rein's boots dug into the corpse-littered ground as he struggled to hold his stance, sweat streaming down his face. His breathing was ragged, his muscles screaming.
Arion, on the other hand, didn't even break a sweat.
He stared at Rein coldly, as if dissecting him—measuring his worth.
"I'm helping her! I'm not your enemy!" Rein shouted, voice strained as he pushed back against Arion's overwhelming strength.
Then—
"Arion, stop!"
A trembling voice cut through the battlefield.
"He saved me from the monsters!"
Silence fell.
Both swords halted mid-strike.
The forest, once filled with the stench of blood and the groans of dying monsters, went eerily still. Arion's blade hovered just inches from Rein's neck.
Slowly, Arion turned his gaze toward the princess.
The Princess stood behind Rein, shaking, her bandaged right hand clenched tightly against her chest.
Arion's eyes narrowed. Then, his gaze shifted—to Rein's armor.
"…Ashborn," he muttered. "So you are one of their knights."
Rein gasped for air, nodding stiffly. "Y-yes! Rein of House Ashborn!"
I had been watching from the forest's edge the entire time.
The grass rustled behind me—footsteps.
The thirty knights of Ashborn emerged cautiously, weapons drawn.
"That mana…"
"Incredible…"
"That's the strongest knight of Angunth…"
Their murmurs spread like wildfire.
I didn't move.
I knew Arion's personality better than anyone here.
This isn't a misunderstanding anymore, I thought grimly. This is a trial.
A terrifying pressure erupted from Arion's body—pure blue mana flaring like flame. Even the knights of Angunth on the walls stiffened, their expressions tense.
Arion's gaze flicked briefly toward the forest.
It wasn't curious.
It was a warning.
"Do not interfere," he said calmly, yet his voice crushed the air itself.
"Any knight who steps forward will be cut down."
The Ashborn knights bristled instantly.
Veins bulged. Teeth clenched. Several took an unconscious step forward, fury burning in their eyes.
"Lord Marquis—"
"We can't just watch!"
"He'll die at this rate!"
I raised my hand.
The knights froze.
"…Stand down," I said quietly.
They turned to me in disbelief.
"This is a Sword Saint," I continued, forcing steadiness into my voice. "If we move, we will only provoke a massacre."
My gaze hardened.
"All we can do now… is pray for Rein."
Reluctantly, painfully, the knights obeyed.
Inside my chest, something whispered.
Kill him.
The thought surfaced without hesitation.
Let Arion finish him.
If Rein dies here, nothing will obstruct my path.
I lowered my hand slowly, my expression calm.
My plans will move forward far more smoothly.
Arion raised his sword.
"Prepare yourself."
Rein's eyes widened. "Wait—! The Princess is still here!"
The Princess stepped forward, panicked. "Arion! Stop this! This is dangerous!"
Arion didn't listen.
I clenched my fists.
Non-Saint stance…
He's holding back.
Rein took position in front of the Princess, sword raised defensively.
"Princess, stay behind me!"
Arion's voice echoed like judgment itself.
"Unbound Exile Strike—Fourth Form."
The world vanished in blue.
Smoke exploded outward, the ground cracking beneath the force. Even from where I stood, the shockwave made my skin prickle.
When the smoke cleared—
A massive lion-shaped barrier stood firm before the Princess.
"Lion Heart Skill: Aegis Sanctuary!"
Rein knelt, gasping, barely holding himself upright.
"Haa… haa… satisfied!?"
Arion smiled faintly.
"You pass," he said. "But such protection alone cannot save her."
With a snap of his fingers, the lion barrier shattered.
And then—
A wolf-shaped shield appeared around the Princess.
It had already been there.
Arion's gaze sharpened.
"You are not enemies. Not even the thirty behind you."
My blood ran cold.
"…Except one."
The air twisted.
Behind the Princess, something moved.
Too late, we realized—there hadn't been three figures there.
There had been four.
A demon with black wings and twisted horns stood frozen mid-motion—then split cleanly in half.
The corpse disintegrated into ash.
"That imposter was already dead," Arion said calmly.
Rein's eyes trembled.
"Ralie…"
One of our knights.
The Ashborn knights lowered their heads in silence.
Even Rein couldn't speak.
Arion sheathed his sword.
"Come forward, Marquis von Ashborn," he said without turning.
"You and your knights may enter the field."
I stepped out from the forest.
As I walked past the fallen monsters and scorched earth, a strange thought crept into my mind.
If this were the past… I would've been the one crushed by this scene.
And yet—
Kill Rein, a voice whispered inside me.
Let him die. Your path will be smoother.
I stopped.
My chest tightened.
…Have I adapted?
Have I become the villain I once feared?
The gates of Angunth opened with a groan.
Arion supported the Princess as she limped forward, still crying softly. Rein followed silently, his shoulders heavy with loss.
I walked behind them.
Watching.
Planning.
And wondering when exactly I had crossed the line.