Anyone looking at it would think it was a joke.

The guardian didn’t hesitate.

It launched everything.

All at once.

The spears tore through the air, rushing toward Arthur from every angle.

Ryn’s voice cut in sharp. "Brace!"

The team moved on instinct.

They trusted Arthur.

But they weren’t stupid.

The fire looked small but they knew better than underestimating it, as they prepared for the after effect of the clash of skills.

Arthur flicked his fingers and the small flame moved.

Fast... faster than it should.

It met the first spear.

And then... it exploded.

A deep boom ripped through the air.

The first line of spears didn’t just break.

They vanished.

Burned through instantly.

Yet the fire didn’t stop.

It pushed forward.

Like it had been waiting.

The rest of the spears followed into it... and got swallowed.

One after another.

No resistance or slowing.

The fire grew as it moved, feeding off everything it touched.

Wind kept it tight and focused.

Driving it forward.

The guardian’s eyes widened.

"...What.."

Too late.

The fire reached it.

It reacted fast, layering earth over its body again and again, thicker than before, desperate to block it.

The fire hit.

Boom!.

The first layer cracked.

Boom!.

The second shattered.

Boom.

The third.. Gone.

Each impact came faster than the last.

The flames didn’t spread wildly.

They drilled in.

Precise.

Relentless.

Like they knew exactly where to hit.

The guardian screamed.

This time, there was no holding it back.

The tainted mana surged wildly, trying to repair the damage, trying to push the fire out.

But it couldn’t keep up.

Each time it healed..

The fire hit again.

Harder.

Deeper.

"...Stop...! Stop!"

Arthur didn’t move.

He just watched.

His eyes steady.

Cold.

"You had your chance."

Another explosion ripped through the guardian’s chest.

The earth layer shattered completely for a moment, exposing the body beneath.

Burned.

Broken.

The fire surged into that opening.

The scream that followed echoed through the entire field.

Behind him, the team braced themselves harder.

Even knowing it was coming..

It still hit harder than expected.

Torren shook his head slowly. "...That’s insane."

Ryn didn’t disagree.

Her voice came out quieter. "...He refined it again."

The fire kept going.

Layer after layer.

Boom after boom.

The guardian’s body couldn’t hold anymore.

Its mana spiraled out of control, trying to fix everything at once.

But the damage came faster.

Relentless.

Arthur took a step forward.

Finally moving.

The fire still burned ahead of him, tearing through the guardian as it screamed and struggled.

His grip tightened slightly on his dagger.

Wind gathered again.

Fire followed.

This time...

Closer.

Personal.

"...Let’s finish it."

The guardian’s eyes met his.

For the first time..

There was nothing left in them.

No anger. No confidence.

Just fear.

The fight ended quietly from there.

There was no final explosion or any further clash.

Just... silence.

The ritual guardian stood there, barely holding its shape. The thick earth skin that once covered its body had long broken apart. What was left didn’t even look like the same creature anymore.

Burn marks ran deep across its body. Parts of it looked melted, others cracked. The tainted mana that once surged wildly through it was now thin... fading.

Empty.

Arthur stood a few steps away, watching it.

No rush.

No tension.

Just a calm look in his eyes.

"...You’re done."

The guardian didn’t respond.

Couldn’t.

It just stood there, swaying slightly like it might fall at any moment. Its breathing was uneven, rough, like each breath cost it something.

For something that had felt unstoppable just moments ago...

It looked pitiful now.

Behind him, the squad watched in silence.

No one spoke.

They had seen the whole thing.

From the moment Arthur stopped holding back...

To this.

Torren swallowed lightly. "...That’s the same thing that felt so threatening earlier?"

No one answered him.

Because they all knew.

Yes.

And no.

That version of the guardian... and this one in front of them now... felt like two different beings.

Arthur stepped forward.

The guardian’s head shifted slightly, like it noticed him.

There was no hatred left in its eyes.

No fight.

Just... something quiet.

Something tired.

For a second, Arthur paused.

His grip on the dagger tightened a bit, then loosened.

"...Yeah."

With just a small exhale.

He then moved.

A blur.

Clean and sharp as he passed the guardian in one motion.

"..."

For a moment...

Nothing happened.

Then...

A soft sound.

Slush.

Arthur reappeared a few steps behind it, already lowering his dagger.

The squad’s eyes stayed locked on the guardian.

Waiting.

Then...

The head slipped.

Slow at first and then it dropped.

And the blood followed.

It burst out in a heavy spray, staining the ground beneath it.

The body stood for a second longer... then collapsed.

That was it.

The ritual guardian was gone.

No second phase.

No last struggle.

It was the end.

A long breath left the field.

Not from one person.

From all of them.

The pressure that had been pressing down on them the whole time..

Disappeared.

Arthur’s domain was gone.

Torren bent slightly, hands on his knees as he exhaled. "Damn... I didn’t even know I was holding my breath."

Nox laughed weakly, still clutching the cub. "Same..."

Ryn rolled her shoulders, trying to ease the tension. "...It’s over."

But even with the pressure gone..

No one moved toward Arthur immediately.

They just looked at him.

That same person they had been fighting beside.

But also..

Not quite the same.

Arthur turned back to them.

He noticed it right away.

The hesitation.

The distance.

He blinked once.

Then sighed.

"...Oi."

No response.

He scratched the back of his head, a small smile forming.

"What’s with those faces?"

Still nothing.

Arthur frowned slightly. "Don’t tell me you guys are scared now."

Torren let out a short laugh, but it came out awkward. "Can you blame us?"

Arthur shrugged. "Yeah. I can."

That caught them off guard.

He grinned a bit wider now.

"I mean... I just did my job, right?"