[When you arrive at the battlefield, you find that the war had already begun half a day before your arrival. This makes you feel a great urgency, and you rush to join the front lines without waiting for any military orders.]
[You hastily put on the black smoke-resistant armor, later learning it's called the "Demon Mist" from uncle mlynar. It was designed to protect against that black smoke, but it can't block it completely. If you stay inside the mist for too long, your lifespan and body will steadily weaken. Your grandfather told you that enveloping your body with the aura of House Nearl would lessen the effects of the Demon Mist. That's why you constantly keep your body surrounded by your aura.]
[At the front lines, you witness a grand army locked in fierce battle. One side consists of knights and soldiers clad heavily in Demon Mist-resistant armor, while the other side is made up of fully armed Ursus soldiers wearing full military gear, charging fearlessly into the mist.]
[Because of Ursus's overwhelming firepower, the outnumbered Casimirian knights and soldiers are rapidly falling in droves. If this continues, their front line will collapse in less than an hour.]
[Realizing this, you leap into the battle, swinging your aura-infused sword and slaying the Ursus forces with each blow. Waves of golden energy sweep through the area, cutting down hundreds of Ursus soldiers one after another.]
[You hear screams of fear and despair from the Ursus troops facing you. You hear the cheers of the surrounding knights and soldiers—but you ignore it all, pressing forward with your blade, all while searching for your uncle, who should also be somewhere on this battlefield.]
[You know your uncle well. Even though he always complains that he lacks the qualities of a knight like your grandfather and father, he's always the first to defend the honor of your family. That's why you believe he must be fighting on the front line to protect these troops.]
[Before long, you see it—a winged centaur clad in holy armor appearing in the center of the battlefield, surrounded by Ursus soldiers. At the same time, he is locked in fierce combat with a white griffin of equal size.]
[You immediately recognize the winged centaur—it is the aura, the guardian spirit, of mlynar.]
[The Guardian Spirit Aura represents the life force within each person, manifesting as a divine beast spirit inherited through their bloodline.]
[The Nearl family descends from a noble bloodline whose aura takes the form of the divine beast Pegasus, the highest tier of guardian spirits in Casimir. But nowadays, only a rare few can summon their guardian aura. Besides your grandfather, mlynar, and your adoptive father Chanins, you've never seen anyone else successfully summon theirs.]
[Even you—still can't summon your own guardian aura.]
Wang Fei, trying to break through the encirclement to the center of the battlefield, finally sees Mlynarwounded body clashing swords with a tall and imposing Ursus soldier.
"Uncle Mlynar!!" Wang Fei unleashes his full power without hesitation, sending out a crescent-shaped wave of golden energy that cleaves through the ranks of Ursus soldiers ahead.
"!!!" The Ursus soldier dueling with Mlynar senses the incoming energy and quickly pushes Mlynar's blade aside, leaping to intercept the wave to protect his comrades.
Clang!
Wang Fei's energy wave is shattered, but the cost is that the Ursus soldier falls to one knee from the injury. Without delay, Wang Fei charges in for the kill—but before he can strike, a mysterious attack interrupts, forcing him to parry. He's shocked to find that the force is so immense it chips the sword given to him by his adoptive father in a single strike.
"Are you unharmed... Commander Hellagur?"
A cold, deathly voice—like a reaper whispering in one's ear—freezes the entire battlefield in an instant.
Even Wang Fei, who had sparred many times with his grandfather, had never felt such crushing pressure—until he heard that voice.
"Ah... Thank you, comrade Buldrokkas'tee. I assume your task is complete?" the Ursus commander, Hellagur, turns to thank the approaching figure, who walks in with his personal squad—soldiers clad in armor far superior to any regular Ursus troops.
Wang Fei sees the massive figure wielding a shield as large as his own body, glowing red eyes, and a bloodstained glaive. His tattered Ursus armor is topped with a helmet shaped like a deer's head.
"You must be Buldrokkas'tee," Wang Fei says, noticing the fresh blood on the glaive. It's clear this man had just killed someone—and judging by his reputation and power, the victim was likely a high-ranking Casimirian officer.
"You know me, nameless knight?"
"My name is Ray Nearl. My grandfather told me many stories about you." Ray removes his helmet, revealing his blue hair and distinct features. Both Hellagur and Buldrokkas'tee are visibly shocked.
"A... a child? You're just a child?" Hellagur gasps in disbelief. The sword aura he had just felt made him believe he was facing the "Dawn of Casimir" himself—but no, this was merely the grandson of that legendary figure.
"How unexpected... So you are the grandson of that honorable knight," Buldrokkas'tee grips his glaive tightly, sighing with sorrow.
"A shame... that such a bright star must fall from the sky..."
But before Buldrokkas'tee finishes, Mlynar suddenly appears in front of Wang Fei.
"Ray! Why are you here?!" Mlynar is furious but tightens his grip on his sword as he sees the man known as the "Emperor's Spear" standing before him.
"Of course I came to help you, Uncle." Wang Fei smiles, standing at his uncle's side.
Mlynar immediately retorts, "I don't need your help! There's still time—let me hold them off. You must return home and protect the honor of House—"
"House Nearl never leaves anyone behind! That is the code of knighthood we believe in!!"
Wang Fei's shout makes Mlynar pause and glance at him.
"That's why I'll help you win this war—and prove to Casimir that the honor of knighthood still lives on!"
"Even if I have to break my promise to Grandfather and Sophia by not dragging you back, I know how stubborn you are. You wouldn't return unless this war ends—and now I see our chance." Wang Fei looks at Buldrokkas'tee—a living legend like his grandfather. If he can defeat him, this battle could shift completely.
"So when this war ends, Uncle, you must help me explain everything to everyone. Consider it payment for today!"
"..." Mlynar looks at the smiling young man he raised. His sword still trembles in his hand, but Wang Fei's eyes are unwavering—filled with determination and spirit.
Seeing those eyes, shared by both his nephew and only disciple, Mlynar's expression finally begins to soften.
"You crazy kid... Then win this battle—and don't forget to bring souvenirs home for everyone."
"Haha! We're at war, not on vacation, Uncle!" Wang Fei laughs, raising his sword in sync with Mlynar, who now smiles beside him.
"...Such a beautiful bond," Buldrokkas'tee murmurs. He, too, has a wife and son waiting for him, and he understands the weight of love and duty that these two bear.
His massive body steps forward. He turns to the kneeling Hellagur.
"Leave these two to me, Commander."
He, Buldrokkas'tee, should be the one to bear the hatred of this war—that is his belief.
"...Be careful, my friend," Hellagur replies. Though touched by the two's bond and reluctant to battle a child, he knows as Ursus commander that these two are a dangerous threat. Eliminating them could save countless lives on their side.
"Prepare yourself, Buldrokkas'tee!! x2" Mlynar and Wang Fei shout in unison.
The two surge forward like golden streaks of light. Buldrokkas'tee blocks Mlynar's blade with his glaive and defends against Wang Fei's strike with his shield.
"Impressive strength... but still far beneath me!"
Clang!
With one swing of his glaive, Buldrokkas'tee sends Mlynar flying back several steps. Then he thrusts the weapon toward the boy he deems most dangerous.
But suddenly, the shield blocking Wang Fei's sword is knocked back with immense force. Buldrokkas'tee's swing loses much of its momentum, giving Wang Fei the opening to dodge and slash at his chest.
With Wang Fei's fully powered sword aura, Buldrokkas'tee can't evade in time. He slams the ground to try and drag the boy down with him—but the flying debris is instantly sliced apart by a wave of Mlynar's distant sword.
At last, Wang Fei's blade reaches Buldrokkas'tee.
Slash!!
"My comrade!!" Commander Hellagur shouts as his friend is struck by that devastating sword aura.
"Ah..."
Buldrokkas'tee took several steps back, his trembling eyes fixed on the black blood dripping onto the ground. The sharp blade had split his chest armor in two, revealing numerous originium ores embedded in his body and deep wounds. Yet they healed rapidly in no time, thanks to the regenerative power of Originium and his Wendigo lineage.
"A regenerating Infected, huh..." Wang Fei sighed and stepped back. After releasing several waves of sword aura, his body was now significantly exhausted. He finally understood why his grandfather couldn't defeat the Wendigo before him—because of his inhuman regenerative abilities.
"You don't seem surprised to learn that I'm Infected..." Buldrokkas'tee, wounded for the first time in ten years, spoke with a calmer tone than usual.
"There's no reason to be surprised. To me, whether someone is Infected or an ordinary person, we're all fellow human beings," Wang Fei replied as he flicked the blood off his sword and readied his stance to fight again. He gave a signal to Amunna, who immediately nodded in understanding.
"Is that so... what a shame."
Buldrokkas'tee felt a tinge of sorrow at having to kill someone who didn't see the Infected as monsters or trash. Even more so since the young man before him had such a bright future. It was truly a pity that they had to meet on the battlefield.
But that sentiment didn't make Buldrokkas'tee any less vigilant. On the contrary, he lowered his shield and tightened his grip on his glaive.
"In honor of you both... I, Buldrokkas'tee, shall take your lives with my own hands."
"Come then... descendants of the dawn!!"