After Shane's silhouette vanished into the treeline with the horse, a heavy, suffocating silence descended upon the group. Fuyu turned his gaze toward Sara, his face a mask of chilling, expressionless stone. It was a look she had seen before—one that signaled a deep, quiet disapproval more terrifying than any shouted reprimand.

Panic surged through Sara's veins, making her heart hammer against her ribs. She hurriedly began to stumble through an explanation, her voice pitching higher as she tried to justify her impulsiveness. "Fuyu, I—I only thought that since he helped us... I wanted to show that we are superior, that we are generous Lords..." she trailed off, her eyes searching his for any flicker of warmth.

Beside her, Katty and Lara didn't help matters. They sensed her vulnerability and pounced, their teasing turning sharper, more relentless. "Oh, look at her, trying to be the benevolent queen," Katty snickered, nudging Lara. "Giving away our transport without a word to the Master. Perhaps she's looking for a new admirer?"

Sara's face flushed a deep crimson, a mix of embarrassment and rising fury. "Shut up! Both of you!" she snapped, but her anger was brittle. When she realized Fuyu wasn't responding to her at all—remaining as cold and distant as a statue—she tried to step closer to him, her hands reaching out in a plea. Fuyu simply leaned in and whispered a few words into the wind, a quiet command that effectively silenced the entire group.

Sara felt the air leave her lungs. She no longer had the guts to meddle or defend herself; the silent treatment was a weight she could barely carry. She threw a hateful glance at Katty and Lara, who simply laughed and dismissed the tension, but Sara's mind became a whirlwind of self-recrimination.

Ugh, what the hell did I do? she thought, her stomach twisting into knots. I shouldn't have said a word without his permission. At home, I can be bold, but in his presence, I must be modest. Damn it! Does he think I'm disloyal? No, he couldn't... it was just a mistake. I gave a horse away without his consent, but he knows I love him most.

The fear of a "loyalty test" loomed in the back of her mind like a dark cloud. She felt like a failure as a wife, especially after everything they had been through. I need to change, she resolved. I shouldn't even speak of other men without his concentration. But the deed is done. He's angry. What did he tell me to do last time? Oh, right... remain modest until nightfall. Apologize in private, cry your heart out like a devotee at his feet, and wait for his forgiveness. Yes, that is the only way.

The Invasion of the Chief's Manor

The group eventually reached the imposing entrance of the village chief's house. The stone walls were high, and the wooden gates were reinforced with iron—a testament to the wealth of Ivis's father. Two bald, brawny guards stood at the entrance, leaning against the pillars as they discussed their next shift. They straightened up immediately as the four strangers approached, their hands dropping to the pommels of their swords.

"Halt!" one of the guards shouted, his voice echoing in the courtyard. "State your business with the Commander. No one enters without authorization."

Katty stepped forward, a playful, arrogant smirk on her lips. "Oh, we're here to see the man in charge. We have a message for him from your Da—" She was about to mockingly call Fuyu their "Daddy," but she never got the chance to finish.

Fuyu's patience had reached its limit. Without a word, he swung his palm through the air in a sharp, horizontal arc. A localized shockwave of spiritual energy erupted from his hand, invisible but devastating. The two bald guards were lifted off their feet as if they were made of straw, hurtling backward through the air until they collided with the stone walls with a sickening thud.

With a casual step forward, Fuyu shattered the heavy wooden gate, the iron hinges snapping like dry twigs under the sheer pressure of his aura. They walked into the courtyard over the splintered remains.

"Ahhhh... stop... you..." one of the guards wheezed, clutching his shattered chest. He tried to rise, fueled by a final ounce of duty, but his lungs collapsed under the strain, and he slumped back into the dirt, unconscious.

The ruckus outside did not go unnoticed. The grand doors of the manor burst open, and a man named Manthan stepped out. He was a mountain of a man, his face scarred and his eyes burning with the arrogance of a conqueror. Behind him, ten heavily built warriors filed out, forming a protective semi-circle. They were armed to the teeth with broadswords, jagged axes, and poisoned daggers.

"Haha! It seems these villagers still have some guts to resist, eh?" Manthan boomed, his voice a deep, grating rumble. "I warned the entire Ivis tribe that this land belongs to the Demon Lord Manu now. But no, you still want to play hero? Fine. Since you've dared to come directly to your death, don't bother begging for mercy. Only your corpses will leave this courtyard."

Manthan stepped through his men, his eyes scanning the intruders. He paused, his eyebrows rising in confusion. These weren't the ragged, starving peasants he had been bullying. These four were dressed in expensive, high-quality fibers that shimmered even in the twilight. They looked like nobles from a distant kingdom.

Who are they? Manthan wondered, his gaze lingering on Lara's ample chest rather than Fuyu's face. He dismissed the young man almost instantly, seeing only a slender noble who likely hid behind his women. He might be a lord in some fancy castle, but here, he's just fresh meat.

"So," Fuyu said, his tone terrifyingly calm. "Who exactly are you?"

"Huh? You come into my home and don't even know who I am?" Manthan erupted in a boisterous, mocking laugh. His men joined in, their bellies shaking with derision. "It's pathetic! You'll die without even knowing the name of the man who ended you!"

"I'm surprised they haven't heard the announcements," one of the men laughed. "Guess they aren't from around here."

Kevin, Manthan's closest advisor and a man with a sharper wit than the rest, leaned in and whispered, "Boss, look at their clothes. They aren't locals. They might be from a powerful kingdom. If we kill them and start a war we can't win, Lord Manu will have our heads. We should be careful."

Manthan considered this for a fraction of a second before his ego took over. They possessed otherworldly powers; what could a few nobles do against them?

Fuyu waited patiently for their internal squabbling to end, but before he could speak, Lara's voice rang out from behind him. "Hubby."

"Hmm?" Fuyu turned slightly.

"Let us handle this," Lara said, her eyes burning with a sudden, fierce light. "You've already had your fun with the others. Let us test our own progress. What do you think, sisters?"

Katty stepped up beside her, pulling a medium-sized dagger from her belt. "I know I'm powerful, but a real test is always better than practice," she said, her voice dripping with arrogance. "Let us handle these bloated bastards. What about you, big sister? Want to let out some of that frustration?"

Sara didn't speak. She simply stepped forward, her hands clenching into tight fists. Suddenly, a roar of orange flame erupted around her knuckles—real, searing fire that licked the air and sent a wave of heat through the courtyard.

"Wow, big sister is really angry," Katty giggled, though she began to coat her own dagger in a shimmering layer of spiritual energy, making the blade hum with a deadly, azure light. "So, husband baby... don't you dare stop us now."

Fuyu looked at the three of them, his expression unreadable. "If you've decided, then so be it. But listen to me—this isn't a spar. This is a fight to the death. Use your weapons. Don't go in bare-handed just to prove a point."

"Yeah, yeah, we know! Don't lecture us," Lara laughed, though her eyes lacked their usual warmth. "We know the healing medicine was stolen by that brat. If we get hurt, we'll be groaning in the dirt until we recover. It makes it more exciting, doesn't it?"

"Exactly," Sara added, her voice cold as she stared at Manthan. "If a limb gets cut off, it stays off. It's more fun when the stakes are high."

Fuyu and Katty exchanged a glance. "No need to act tough just to look cool," Katty said with brutal honesty. "Just so you know, Fuyu isn't going to love an old, scarred woman with missing limbs. And frankly, neither will I. If you get yourselves disfigured because you were too arrogant to use a blade, don't expect any sympathy from us. Use your tools and stay safe, or forget about being loved."

The weight of her words hit Lara and Sara like a physical blow. They looked at each other, the reality of the situation finally settling in.

"Haha... I guess you're right," Lara muttered, her bravado wavering. "Actually, I realized my dagger was in the bag that Ivis stole. That yellow-haired brat took my defense."

Sara looked at her younger sister and sighed, reaching into her own belt and pulling out a secondary blade. "Here. Take mine. I'll be fine with my hands; the fire will be enough for me."

Lara took the dagger, her grip firming as she turned back to the ten men who were now looking at them with a mix of lust and growing apprehension.

"Alright," Fuyu said, stepping back to give them space. "Show me what you've learned."

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