Zane’s finger flick had ended a life in an instant.
Everyone watching — from bandits to bystanders — stood frozen, stunned beyond words.
The group of twenty-four bandits who had rushed toward him had nearly reached him. Their smirking expressions instantly warped into pure terror. But before they could even think to change direction or flee, Zane was already in motion.
Swift. Precise. rciless.
He moved through the group like a blur, flicking each one with surgical precision. Each flick resulted in the sa grotesque outco — heads bursting apart like fragile lons.
One after another... twenty-four lives ended in less than ten seconds.
Driver Barua stared with eyes wide as saucers.
He whispered to himself in disbelief, "A monster... in human skin."
All his life, he had believed — as did most in the Arthridian world — that humans, especially pure-bloods, were weak and pathetic. Natural prey for the powerful species of this realm.
But today... that belief was shattered.
There stood a pure-blood human who defied every law of this world — not just by surviving, but by dominating.
Only one bandit remained: the leader. He was trembling, sweat pouring down his dirt-sared face as he registered the massacre around him.
I’m not strong enough, his instincts scread.
Without a second thought, he turned and ran, abandoning everything.
Zane’s figure blurred again.
A second later, the bandit’s headless body collapsed, crumpling into the dust like a sack of at.
The area was silent. The once-terrifying bandits were now nothing more than broken corpses scattered across the road.
rchants and travelers who had been victimized monts ago now looked at Zane with wide, fearful eyes. None of them dared speak. Instead, they hurriedly returned to their carriages and galloped away, determined never to cross paths with that human again.
Barua was still shaking. His knuckles clenched around the reins, knotted with tension.
But sothing else dawned on him.
Judging by the way the trio interacted — how Zane walked at the front, how Erlin deferred, and how even the mysterious Shelby listened when Zane spoke — it beca clear: these humans weren’t the princess’s entourage.
No... the princess was following them.
The hierarchy was reversed.
Barua quickly resud the journey. This ti, he drove the carriage with the care of a man ferrying royalty across a minefield. Every bump was avoided. Every corner turned gently. He pushed the Dragonic Horses to a smooth, swift pace — anything to avoid further angering those inside.
Fortunately, the rest of the road was quiet. No more bandits. No more surprises.
As the miles passed, Shelby leaned back, snoring intermittently while dipping a finger into a bucket of bone marrow paste. Zane mirrored him, casually licking the paste from his fingertips.
Eventually, Erlin gave in and joined them. The bone marrow was oddly comforting. Nutritious. Delicious.
No one spoke much.
But despite the silence, they enjoyed the ride — the rhythm of the wheels, the gentle sway of the carriage, the sll of the road as day bled into dusk.
As the sun dipped beyond the horizon, casting long shadows across the earth, the driver’s voice called out from the front.
"Miss, we’ve reached the gates of Galbaza."
The carriage slowed and ca to a stop.
The three passengers stirred, rubbing their eyes and yawning — clearly having dozed off during the journey.
Erlin reached into her storage pouch and pulled out a thick bundle of notes, handing it to Barua.
But the driver raised his hands in refusal. "No, Miss. I... I can’t accept more. You’ve already paid more than enough."
"Just take it," she insisted, pressing the money into his hands. "Consider it your lucky day."
Barua swallowed hard and accepted it with a stiff nod, overwheld by the gesture.
The three stepped down from the carriage and began walking toward the town gates.
Barua stood there for a mont, watching their backs as they disappeared into the gathering shadows. Then, with a crisp salute — twice — he climbed back into his seat, flicked the reins, and turned the carriage around.
The town of Galbaza wasn’t a place for soone like him.
His business here was done.
As the last rays of sunlight vanished and the night wrapped the land in a quiet, watchful tension, Zane, Erlin, and Shelby stood before the towering gate of Galbaza — the most infamous town in the Zarconist Continent.
The gate was manned by grim sentries clad in mismatched armor. Their postures were relaxed, but their eyes missed nothing. Zane casually activated his vision and glanced at their stats — far higher than the bandits they’d encountered earlier. These weren’t low-tier thugs. They were seasoned killers.
One of the guards stepped forward, arms crossed.
"It’s 100 Arthrid per head," he announced without emotion.
Without a word, Erlin pulled out a thick bundle of notes and passed it forward.
"Is this enough for three?" she asked flatly.
The guard blinked at the sum. Before he could speak, his partner elbowed him and jumped in, grinning.
"You’re way too generous. Please, enter, Miss."
Erlin’s tone didn’t change. "Can I bring two companions along?"
"Of course. Please do as you please." The guard practically bowed, eager to curry favor.
With that, the trio passed through the gates and disappeared into the illuminated city beyond.
Once they were out of sight, the first guard turned and scowled at his partner.
"What the hell was that? This is your first day, isn’t it?"
"I just— she looked important."
"This is Galbaza, idiot. Patrons and patronesses like her are a di a dozen. Don’t act like a starstruck rookie." He flipped half the bundle of notes toward his partner. "Take your share. It’s your lucky day."
"What do I do with it?"
"Whatever you want." The older guard smirked. "Tonight, we drink."
Inside the gates, Zane was taken aback. The town was alive in every sense of the word.
Candles flickered in floating lanterns, casting warm hues on cobbled streets. Crimson, indigo, and erald light shimred from windows of all kinds. Voices rang out in dozens of dialects. Strange instrunts played from alleyways. The air slled of spice, smoke, and sweat.
It was chaos, but it was beautiful.
After days of traveling through dense forests and battling corrupted beasts, the vibrant atmosphere of Galbaza was a welco shock. Zane walked wide-eyed through the streets like a kid seeing color for the first ti.
The town, however, wasn’t just festive — it was infamous for a reason.
Brothels with alluring lights offered exotic pleasures. Gambling halls beckoned with promises of fortunes and ruin. Alley vendors sold enchanted weapons and cursed trinkets side by side. Voices whispered nas Zane didn’t recognize — so of them beasts, others gods.
Yet none of these pleasures held their attention. Their goal was information — and one na specifically.
Eventually, they found it.
A small, rundown building nestled between a brothel and a weapons trader. Its walls were stained with age and its rooftop sagged slightly. The sign above the door was written in a strange alien script.
Zane tilted his head. "What does it say?"
Erlin squinted and read aloud, "For a certain price... anyone can find their purpose here."
Shelby chuckled. "Sounds promising."
Without hesitation, the three stepped inside.
The interior was dim. Five walls — yes, five — ford the oddly shaped room. From the ceiling hung hundreds of long, multicolored ribbons swaying gently, as though stirred by an unseen breeze. They muffled sound and obscured the walls, giving the entire place a surreal, dreamlike atmosphere.
From behind a low counter erged a dwarf with a thick braided beard and sharp, knowing eyes. He wore a vest sewn from stitched leather parchnts — each bearing sigils and inked secrets.
"Welco, my honored guests," he said, bowing slightly. "Please, have a seat."
As the three sat down, the dwarf sniffed the air subtly. His eyes widened, then twinkled with mischief.
"Pure-bloods," he murmured. "Not one, but two. What a rare night."
He cleared his throat and offered a courteous smile.
"And Princess Erlin, what a surprise. I wasn’t expecting royalty tonight."
Erlin narrowed her eyes. "You know ?"
The dwarf chuckled. "Knowing things is my job. If I didn’t recognize you, I’d have to hang up my hat and start a bakery."
He waved dismissively. "But enough introductions. I believe you ca here for a reason. Let’s get to business."
Erlin gave a subtle nod to Zane.
He leaned forward and didn’t mince words.
"We’re looking for the hideout of the Celestial Wolf King."
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