Part 3
Kizuna flew silently toward the caravan, landing atop the wagon with an almost imperceptible grace. Thanks to her tiny size, no one had noticed her... yet.
"Abandon all hope, ye who dare enter the Great Forest of Mythara, Kizu!" she declared in a theatrical pose, arms stretched out dramatically.
The bandits looked up, bewildered by the sudden interruption.
"Where's that voice coming from?" one asked, frowning and scanning the area.
"Boss, I think it's... something tiny, up on the wagon," another said, pointing clumsily.
Kizuna, ignoring their confusion completely, continued her performance.
"I, Celestia, shall punish all who disturb the balance of the forest, Kizu!" she proclaimed, striking another heroic pose as she beat her tiny wings with flair.
"Kizu? Celestia? Is it... some annoying fairy?" the leader muttered, clearly irritated. "Ignore her. She's probably just trying to mess with us."
Kizuna puffed out her cheeks, clearly offended, but kept her composure.
"Now you shall receive divine punishment for your wicked deeds, Kizu!" she said, pointing to the sky as if some heavenly power were about to descend.
"Holy Punishment!" she added solemnly, closing her eyes like she was channeling something immense.
The five bandits stared, incredulous—their faces blank with disbelief at the absurd spectacle before them.
"Boss… wanna catch her? Fairies sell well in Tempestira," one of them suggested, grinning maliciously.
"She's just a loudmouth, but yeah, go for it," the leader replied with a shrug.
Kizuna raised a hand to stop them.
"Hold it, Kizu! One more step and you'll feel the wrath of the heavens! This is your last chance to release the captives and retreat!" she said in what she tried to make a commanding tone, pointing her tiny finger at them.
One of the bandits pulled out a blade and let out a mocking laugh.
"And what are you gonna do? Throw sparkles at us?" he sneered, stepping toward her.
Kizuna sighed and closed her eyes with almost solemn resignation.
"Don't say I didn't warn you, Kizu..." she murmured.
"Blinding Bullet!"
Haruto's voice rang out from the distance.
Before the bandits could register what was happening, a blinding flash erupted across the area. The white light overwhelmed their senses, leaving them and the slave master completely disoriented and blind.
"What the hell's going on?! I can't see anything!" one of the bandits screamed, flailing his dagger in the air as if trying to fight off an invisible enemy.
Floating with a satisfied smile, Kizuna crossed her arms and watched the chaos unfold.
"That's what you get for underestimating a powerful fairy like me, Kizu," she said, clearly savoring the moment.
Just then, Haruto arrived on the scene, walking calmly toward the bandits.
His katana was still sheathed, yet with each step, cherry blossom petals seemed to trail behind him—like the forest itself was escorting him into battle.
One by one, Haruto struck the bandits and finally the slave master at precise pressure points, each movement calculated and flawless.
"Musashi Mode... Attack Technique: Bloom!" he announced with authority.
At that moment, sakura blossoms bloomed from the exact spots where Haruto had landed his hits.
With one final movement, the bandits collapsed, one after another, knocked out cold—showered in a storm of petals.
Without missing a beat, Kizuna zipped over to the slave master and snatched the keys from his belt. With a bit of effort, she unlocked the cages, freeing the silver-furred demi-human wolves trapped in the wagon.
One of them—a young male with sleek silver-gray fur—stepped forward. His eyes, though weary, shone with gratitude.
"We are grateful to you and your fairy companion," he said, giving a slight bow. "My name is Alex."
Haruto raised a hand, brushing the thanks aside.
"There's no need to thank me. It's simply the right thing to do," Haruto replied, his tone calm but firm. "But this isn't over yet. They're just unconscious. Help me tie them up before they escape."
Haruto raised his hand toward the shackles on Alex's wrists and muttered:
"Dispel!"
In that moment, the metal restraints cracked and fell to the ground with a soft clink.
Alex stared at his freed wrists in disbelief, then looked up at Haruto.
"The Sakura Liberator… is real," he whispered, as if speaking of a legend.
Haruto glanced at him with a mix of confusion and curiosity while he continued unlocking the rest of the silver wolves.
"Sakura Liberator?" he murmured under his breath, frowning as he tried to make sense of what Alex had just said.
"What's that supposed to mean…?"
As the forest breeze scattered the fallen petals, Haruto couldn't shake the feeling that Alex's words carried more weight than they appeared to.
Even so, he had a clear goal for now: to make sure those slavers never harmed anyone again.
At the camp, Seraphina, still injured, rested on the ground. Her gaze was fixed on Rina, who stood silently, eyes locked on the direction Haruto had disappeared in. Her posture and expression resembled that of a puppy anxiously awaiting the return of its best friend.
"It's not like I enjoy getting involved in people's lives, but…" Seraphina muttered, breaking the awkward silence between them.
Rina turned her head, tilting it slightly with curiosity.
"When are you going to tell your friend the truth…?" Seraphina asked, her tone more direct this time.
Rina's eyes widened in surprise. She looked down at herself as though someone had just uncovered a deep secret—even one she didn't know she had.
"Rina doesn't understand… What truth is Rina supposed to tell?" she asked, blinking repeatedly with innocent confusion.
Seraphina let out a slow sigh, her eyes scanning the girl with cautious intent.
"I'm a demi-human—and I know you are too," she said, her voice steady but not accusatory.
"Maybe you're hiding your traits with magic, but I know you're not human."
Rina tilted her head again, visibly puzzled.
"Rina doesn't look human? Rina… doesn't understand," she said, touching her face and arms like she was searching for something out of place.
Seraphina raised an eyebrow, clearly thrown off.
"And more than that…" she went on, crossing her arms. "What kind of demi-human are you? Your presence is… strange. You're not like the others."
Rina placed a hand on her chin, thinking for a moment. Then she responded with utmost seriousness:
"Rina is Rina. This is how Rina always looks. Look at my tail—see?" she said, spinning around and wiggling the back of her body as if she had an invisible tail.
Seraphina blinked, stunned, watching her spin in circles like she was chasing something.
"I don't see any tail…" she muttered to herself, her mind working overtime to process what she was seeing.
"Is it muscle memory? Reflex? Is she doing it unconsciously? I've never seen anyone hide their presence this well… but no doubt about it—she's not human."
"No tail? Where'd it go?" Rina said, genuinely worried, turning this way and that in search of her so-called "tail."
Seraphina put a hand to her face and let out a long sigh.
"Tch… She's definitely an idiot," she muttered under her breath—but deep down, she couldn't help feeling a flicker of sympathy for Rina's genuine confusion.
Suddenly, Rina froze, her posture stiffening. In a flash, she drew what looked like a sharpened bone—a makeshift dagger. Her golden eyes narrowed, reflecting pure instinct.
"Kunkun! Sera, be careful… Something bad is coming," she warned, her voice low but filled with urgency.
Seraphina saw nothing. But in the short time she'd known Rina, she already understood—her senses were sharper than any normal being's.
If Rina said something was near... then it was better to believe her.
"Wh-what's happening? I can't see anything," Seraphina murmured, her heart pounding in her chest.
That was when a man stepped out from the shadows. His immaculate suit and sinister aura clashed starkly with the natural surroundings. He clapped slowly, a look of cold admiration on his face.
"What a magnificent specimen…" he said in a soft yet chilling voice, his eyes locked onto Rina.
"I see now why the king is so interested in you, Rina. I rather like those golden eyes."
A chill ran down Seraphina's spine. Something about this man made her feel like prey caught in a trap.
"Who is that guy…?" she asked, her voice trembling as her hands fumbled for something—anything—to defend herself.
Rina stepped forward, her eyes fixed intently on the stranger.
"Human... you reek of death. I can see you... smell you… even in the dark," she said coldly, her words laced with raw, animal instinct.
Seraphina clenched her fists, the sense of danger intensifying with every breath.
"Something's wrong. Really wrong. Rina, run! Leave me and get out of here… That man isn't normal," she warned, though deep down she knew her words would probably fall on deaf ears.
The man tilted his head slightly, as if amused.
"Ah, how rude of me," he said with theatrical flair, bowing slightly.
"My name is Hans Versalles. Feel free to applaud."
An awkward silence settled between them, broken only by the whispering of leaves stirred by the wind.
"But let me be clear—running won't help. Go ahead, flee if you like..." he added with a twisted smile. "I enjoy playing with my prey."
Rina gripped the makeshift dagger in her hand tightly, her eyes never leaving Hans.
"Rina promise to Haruto… protect Seraphina. No matter what. Rina keep promise," she declared firmly.
Seraphina felt a lump rise in her throat. She knew Rina wouldn't back down—but she couldn't allow her to face this monster alone.
"Run, Rina! There's no point fighting him!" she pleaded, her voice cracking with frustration.
Hans took a step forward, drawing a dagger with graceful, almost performative movements—like an actor about to step into his role.
"Let the show begin…" he said with a cold smile, preparing for a direct confrontation with Rina.