A figure stepped out from among the group of ambushers, his footsteps slow and deliberate.

Over his shoulder, he carried something long and heavy—its surface glinting faintly under the moonlight.

The moment I saw it, my blood ran cold.

'…Why is that here?'

It was massive, almost like a steel bazooka, humming faintly with magic. I knew exactly what it was.

A Mana Disruptor.

A secret weapon the Empire had been developing for years. Anyone struck by its blast would have their internal mana completely scrambled—leaving them unable to control or channel it for a while.

It wasn't just some prototype. It was one of the most dangerous anti-mage weapons ever built.

And the cruel part?

The more powerful your mana, the worse the damage.

Even the Empire's strongest knights avoided using it carelessly.

Which meant whoever these guys were, they weren't amateurs.

Across the street, the lead knight guarding the carriage suddenly tensed. His eyes widened as he recognized the weapon.

"That's—! Everyone, channel your mana to your ears!" he shouted, voice sharp and urgent.

The knights immediately reacted, forming defensive stances, blue mana flaring around them as they tried to shield their cores.

But the man with the Disruptor had already taken aim.

"It's too late," he said coldly. "Fire."

A low hum filled the air, followed by a deep, gut-twisting sound—

KUWOONG!

A surge of distorted energy exploded outward, warping the air itself. The shockwave rippled through the street like a pulse, twisting the flow of mana around everything it touched.

The knights staggered, some collapsing as their enchantments shattered. Swords clattered against the ground. Their protective auras flickered and died.

"ARGHHHH!!"

A chorus of screams tore through the air, sharp and raw.

Following the explosion, an invisible wave surged across the street—like a ripple in reality itself. It struck the Golden Knights first. One by one, they convulsed, their bodies trembling violently as if their very mana had turned against them.

They fell to their knees, clutching their chests, faces contorted in pain. The sound of groaning metal echoed as their armor scraped against the cobblestones.

And me?

I was standing right next to them, right in the middle of that blast zone.

'...I don't feel much of anything.'

It was strange. The moment the invisible force hit, I braced for pain—for something. But all I felt was… a faint tremor. Like a soft vibration brushing past my skin.

Nothing more.

Meanwhile, the knights—men with mana so dense it practically shimmered around them—were collapsing left and right.

I blinked, looking around as the chaos unfolded.

'Did it… just not work on me?'

Curiosity flickered in my chest. I focused for a moment, testing the flow of my mana. It pulsed smoothly through my body, no resistance, no disruption. Everything felt perfectly normal.

That shouldn't have been possible.

According to what I'd heard about this kind of attack, it was supposed to completely distort mana circulation, rendering any mage—or anyone with strong mana—helpless for several minutes.

And yet, here I was.

Perfectly fine.

I exhaled slowly, my gaze falling to one of the knights writhing on the ground. His armor crackled faintly with unstable mana, his face pale from the feedback.

'So it only affects people with high mana capacity…'

I glanced at my own hands. My mana was barely a flicker compared to theirs. Just a thin, quiet current instead of a raging river.

A bitter smile tugged at my lips.

"To think… being a C-grade has its perks."

I let out a quiet laugh under my breath. It sounded absurd, even to me.

Still, I couldn't deny the truth—whatever that invisible force was, it completely ignored me.

Maybe, for once, having weak mana wasn't such a bad thing after all.

'That's lucky, isn't it?'

I thought so at first.

…But deep down, I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that my "luck" might not last much longer.

"Kill them all!!"

"Uwaaaah!!"

"Ugh...! Everyone, pull yourselves together! We must stop them somehow!"

The shouts tore through the night, echoing down the narrow streets.

The attackers—Red Wolves—charged forward like a crimson tide, their weapons glinting under the dim lamplight. The knights surrounding the carriage scrambled to form a defense, but confusion and fear spread fast.

In an instant, the scene descended into chaos.

Something was wrong. The knights' movements—stiff, sluggish. Their mana wasn't responding.

I clenched my teeth. Damn it... they're using anti-magic.

The Red Wolves had planned this well. They'd released a wave of suppression magic before striking, rendering the knights unable to channel even a spark of power. And now, the attackers were raining down spells from afar—flames, wind blades, and shards of compressed energy.

Sparks exploded in every direction. The sound of clashing steel and crackling magic filled the air.

It was pandemonium.

The knights were doing their best to hold the line, but the tide was turning fast. Every time one of them fell, the formation weakened. The Red Wolves advanced with ruthless precision, their crimson insignias gleaming faintly in the chaos.

From my position in the shadows, I could feel the battle shifting.

They're holding on for now… but not for long.

One look was enough—the knights' stamina was fading, their sword swings growing heavier and slower. The anti-magic field was crushing their momentum, and without their mana reinforcement, even their armor felt like a burden.

If this continued, it would only be a matter of minutes before they were overwhelmed.

My eyes flicked toward the carriage.

At this rate… it's dangerous.

The princess was still inside. If they breached the defense line, she'd be the first target.

Should I move her to safety now?

My mind raced through the possibilities. If I revealed myself too early, I risked being recognized—or worse, drawing the attention of whoever was watching from the shadows. The Red Wolves rarely moved without a hidden observer pulling the strings.

But then I saw it—

One of the attackers broke formation and began running straight toward the carriage, a blade of condensed red mana forming in his hand.

The knights tried to intercept him, but they were too slow.

My heartbeat quickened.

No choice.

I shifted my stance, mana pooling in my legs. The world around me dimmed, sound narrowing into a single pulse—the rhythm of the fight.

I could almost feel the killer's intent in the air.

And just as he raised his blade to strike the carriage door—

I moved.

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