Inside the luxurious car, an atmosphere thick with unspoken tension settled over the group like an invisible fog.

Al and the others had just finished listening to Sebastian's thorough breakdown of all the information gathered by Kian's and Bata's teams.

A compilation of intel so convoluted and unexpected that even seasoned operatives would have needed a moment to breathe.

A faint, almost imperceptible smirk of displeasure tugged at the corner of Al's lips, and with a narrowed, cynical gaze, he merely muttered under his breath,

"Ohoo… this is going to turn into an interesting battle," whispered Al.

The tension instantly tightened like a wire throughout the car.

Every pair of eyes subtly shifted toward him, waiting—watching—anticipating.

But it didn't last long.

In a moment as natural as a heartbeat, Al's expression slipped back into its usual relaxed indifference.

The kind worn by someone who had spent too many years analyzing the improbable and dissecting impossibly tangled threads of reality.

His posture, once rigid with micro-annoyance, softened into the demeanor of a strategist quietly juggling countless theories, probabilities, and battlefield contingencies inside his mind.

That simple shift—just his calm returning—was enough to ease the suffocating atmosphere, even if silence lingered a little longer, clinging to them like a ritual pause before a king delivered his decree.

"Hm… Daraka, the Thalamiria Sacrament, and now the Ordo Ferox?" murmured Al quietly, his fingers tapping the armrest in a rhythmic pattern matching his thought process.

"This will be troublesome—but if they truly join forces, it will shorten the amount of time I need to eradicate them all at once."

"You are correct, Master," Ai replied, tilting her head slightly toward him, her expression serious yet elegantly composed as always.

Sebastian adjusted his posture, settling into a more leisurely but alert position. His eyes calm but carrying that piercing sharpness that made lesser men wither.

"Do you believe they've truly formed a coalition? Daraka and the Ordo Ferox?" he asked.

Al gave a subtle shake of his head.

"I'm not certain. But judging from their reports, it seems highly likely," he answered casually, reaching forward to pick up a few pieces of fruit before eating them in an unhurried manner.

Ai pressed her lips together thoughtfully before speaking again. "The Ordo Ferox working with a shaman? Hm… what could possibly be their goal?"

"That's difficult to determine, especially when Kian and the others failed to obtain more detailed intel. So far, I don't feel they share any grand overarching objective,"

Al remarked, his gaze fixed on the fruit in front of him.

"But if I had to guess, I'd say that shaman possesses something Axis wants."

Reina, who had been silent until now, let out a small scoff before commenting.

"A shaman named Daraka catching the interest of someone like Axis… I honestly didn't know there was a shaman around here who was impressive enough for that," Reina said, unable to hide her astonishment.

"Same here," Sebastian added flatly. "At first I thought he was just some petty 'black-magic' shaman."

"But after witnessing how Master confronted him… capturing and dealing with him is far more troublesome than catching a fly."

Al raised a brow and nodded.

"Sebastian's right. When it comes to handling him… none of you have dealt with him directly, so you don't know just how tricky that shaman is."

"But I doubt that's the reason Axis wants him," he added, stretching his shoulders lightly.

Ai shifted closer, her voice soft yet filled with pressure. "Then what do you think the reason is?" she asked.

Al rotated his wrist, as though organizing countless fragments of thought in his mind.

"Hmm… now that I think about it, there are three things that make him valuable—even to me."

"Even to you? What are they, Master?" Ai instinctively leaned much closer, practically pushing Al toward the window.

Al exhaled and gently patted Ai's head to ease her enthusiasm, adjusting his posture before replying.

Ai blinked, realizing her eagerness, and let out a small, embarrassed laugh.

Al then explained,

"First, he has access to a mountain of teleportation stones… and dimensional stones," he said softly yet clearly.

The weight of that statement was so heavy that Reina and Hans instinctively looked at each other in shock.

"And second," Al continued,

"he's found a way to implant pure Helos into human bodies without any side effects. Even though, at this stage, the results are still unstable."

Reina covered her mouth. "That's… insane," she whispered.

"And third," Al added, lowering his voice as though revealing a truth that shouldn't be spoken to ordinary humans,

"if Shae's report is accurate, then Daraka possesses a method to freely enter and exit the third dimension."

The entire cabin froze.

Even though the car continued to glide smoothly across the road, for a moment it felt as if the world slowed to a halt.

"Having a mountain of dimensional stones alone is already terrifying," Hans muttered, his breath catching.

"Exactly. And being able to let humans use Helos without side effects? Plus the third dimension? Woah?!" Reina added, eyes widening.

Ai exhaled softly, her voice low yet elegant.

"Hmph… no wonder he was always difficult to confront and capture," she said, gripping Al's arm more tightly.

"Being able to shift anywhere, to any dimension, whenever he pleases… that's truly troublesome."

"That's right," Al replied, a faint smile forming at the corner of his lips.

"But it's not a major concern—because sooner or later… they will fall."

Sebastian nodded once. "No matter how agile a squirrel leaps, it will eventually fall."

The others nodded as well, agreeing with the proverb.

Ai then straightened her posture slightly, though her hand remained firmly wrapped around Al's arm.

"In that case, Master, the three of us will also prepare. It's rather convenient that we're here at this exact moment," she said, joined by Hans and Reina who nodded dutifully after her words.

Even though both Hans and Reina carried faint internal complaints—hoping they could have a little rest after their exhausting work in Indorosia—

they were loyal enough that they would always be ready whenever it involved serving their Master.

Al turned to them and tapped Ai's head lightly.

"There's no need to trouble yourself. And give Hans and Reina some time off," he said.

"Indorosia isn't part of your patrol area. I'm already satisfied that you've stayed here this long."

"But Master…" Ai protested softly.

Al shook his head gently.

"It's better if you use your free time here as a vacation—before you return to patrol duty in Ameria in the near future," Al said, calming her tone.

"I already have Sebastian, Michaelis, and the others assigned here. That's more than enough."

Sebastian nodded in agreement.

Hans and Reina felt a complicated mix of emotions—grateful that Al was giving them a break, but uneasy about taking time off when such a large-scale threat was looming.

After all, even though they had come purely for business in Indorosia, they had still made time every night to accompany patrol teams, acting more like observers but still staying active.

And Ai, of course, was the least willing of them all.

She didn't respond verbally, but her expression tightened slightly—her eyes clearly showing she intended to be involved no matter what.

Al looked toward her, fully understanding her unrest.

Ai… a girl who always asked for my opinion and permission for everything. Al thought to himself.

But whenever the matter was something she deemed serious, she never liked being left out.

His gaze softened, a warm glimmer appearing, and a bright yet lazy smile spread across his lips.

You've always been like that… always believe in me.

Flashback.

A faint flashback stirred—soft at first, like a ripple across still water—before expanding into a vivid tableau of darkness and danger.

A suffocating landscape unfolded: a sinister valley thick with colossal trees whose branches twisted like claws, while grotesque, indescribable flora swayed with a life of their own.

Screeches, roars, and guttural whispers echoed from every direction—above the canopy, across the bog-like ground, and even from deep beneath the soil.

Shadows slithered. Figures darted. Predators prowled with unrestrained hunger.

Anyone entering that place needed vigilance pushed to its absolute limit.

Slash! Slash!

The sharp sound of a blade ripping through living vines rang out—vegetation that didn't merely grow, but moved, swaying as if ready to lunge at intruders.

"It's so dark here… I can barely see anything," said the voice of a young boy.

"You're right, Master," replied a young girl's voice gently.

"Ahem… I'm afraid I'm burdening you two," came the trembling tone of an elderly man.

"Just leave me. Focus on saving yourselves. This place is too dangerous. I'm old… dying here is fine."

Three silhouettes moved through that nightmarish terrain:

A small boy and a small girl—no older than nine or ten—leading a frail old man whose hunched posture betrayed his age and weariness.

Their faces were barely visible under the oppressive darkness, but their clothes—torn, ragged, and dirty—spoke of long days without shelter or proper care.

The boy was Al in his childhood—his expression faintly visible, lazily composed yet eerily calm, with dim scarlet eyes that glowed like a predator's gaze among shadows.

He turned toward the old man.

"Old man… I already told you. Stop complaining. We will get out of here. You'll survive, and you will keep surviving," he said, voice firm despite his small frame.

The young girl—Ai in her childhood form—looked disheveled, her face smudged with dirt, her body thin from hardship. Yet her eyes shimmered with unwavering spirit.

She nodded vigorously.

"Master is right. Please believe in him, Grandpa," she said, confidence radiating through her frail voice.

The old man exhaled shakily, still anxious, but choosing to trust.

He never imagined that instead of guiding these children, he would be the one relying on them—two small bodies standing against a world crafted entirely to kill them.

They pressed onward.

Al led in front, slashing through venomous plants and hostile beasts with the black sword in his hand.

Ai and the old man stayed close behind.

They were tied together by a thick vine rope Al had fashioned to prevent separation in the maze-like terrain.

The old man watched Al handle the threats—silent, quick, efficient—and whispered to Ai with subdued amazement:

"You really trust him, don't you?"

Ai beamed.

"Of course. And I always will."

The old man could only smile faintly before they continued trudging forward.

Soon, a faint glow flickered ahead—an exit from the suffocating valley.

But then—

ROAAAAAR!!

A monstrous beast emerged from the darkness.

A tiger-like creature, but grotesque—scaly hide, six muscular limbs, and four glaring eyes. Its fangs were long, curved, and glimmering with venomous shine.

It lunged.

Al stood calmly, confidence radiating from his tiny figure. The black sword in his hand burst into dark flames.

"Duck," he warned sharply.

Because they couldn't move much due to the vine rope binding them together, he could only focus on making sure Ai and the old man wouldn't get caught in the aftermath of the fight.

Ai reacted instantly, grabbing the old man and pulling him down to the ground.

Only then did Al swing—

CLAAANG!!

His blade clashed with the beast's claws. Sparks flew. The creature recoiled, its scales charred by the black flames—but not enough.

It roared again and charged.

Al clicked his tongue. His mobility was limited by the rope; he couldn't attack the beast's vulnerable underside from where he stood.

He could only strike the parts of the creature that fell within his reach, mainly its front side.

He was having a bit of trouble, because the creature's front was incredibly tough, and from what he could see, he needed to hit its underside instead.

Ai sensed this immediately.

"Master! Grandpa and I are safe here! I can protect him!" she shouted.

Al's eyes flickered.

Here's the expanded, natural, global–webnovel–style English version:

Al looked a little hesitant, but when he saw Ai—who never once doubted him—staring at him with that same unwavering trust, he eventually gave a small nod.

He sliced through the vine-like roots coiled tightly around his body, freeing himself at last, and now it was his turn to move.

He lunged forward—and this time, with his movement no longer restricted, he dashed in freely.

With one swift, precise motion, he slashed across the creature's abdomen, driving his black blade deep and shattering the monster's core from within.

Everything seemed safe now… or perhaps not.

Because from the opposite direction, another beast of the exact same kind burst out of the shadows—its distance from Ai and the old man already far too close.

Its target was unmistakably the two of them.

Al was a bit too far away.

The old man stared at the creature charging toward them, its gnashing fangs growing larger in his vision. He felt death finally arriving in front of him.

Yet a single thought pressed into his mind: if he could at least save Ai—if he could give Al a few more seconds—he should sacrifice himself.

Just as he turned, ready to shield her with his frail body, instead of seeing fear on Ai's face, he saw her smiling.

"Don't worry, Grandpa. I believe in him," she said, calm and confident as always.

And, sure enough—

SWOOSH! SLASH!!

A wild, blazing arc of black fire cut through the darkness—a slash far fiercer than before—arriving at blinding speed.

Al's small figure flew over their heads, slicing through the beast and burning it into nothing before it even hit the ground.

Al landed in front of the two of them, his eyes sweeping the surroundings, making sure no threat remained.

He exhaled, then turned toward Ai and shook his head.

"Huff… don't trust me that much. It makes me nervous and stressed," he grumbled lazily.

The old man let out a relieved breath, the tension draining from his shoulders now that he realized his life had actually been saved.

Meanwhile, Ai simply burst into a bright little laugh, her tiny face lighting up with the widest smile.

No matter how many times Al told her not to trust him so blindly, she would always choose to trust him—and always would.

Al looked at her quietly, and a faint smile tugged at his lips, unable to help himself.

And then—back to the present.

Huff… it really does weigh on me. But as long as you believe in me, I'll make it happen, he murmured with a firm resolve.

Ai lifted her face and gazed into Al's eyes for a brief moment, before burying her face against his shoulder again.

And the car continued down the road, carrying the faint warmth that still lingered between them—despite the looming threat from those who sought to endanger their lives.

---

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