The Elites instinctively stepped back, unease rising like a storm inside them. Raphael's mana filled the air, thick and dark, swirling like a living abyss. The ground under him cracked softly, his steps deliberate, as if the weight of his presence alone could crush the earth. His aura pulsed like a heartbeat, steady, dense, and suffocating.
It wasn't just strength. It was something deeper, something primal. Their instincts screamed at them to run. The Ironfur Bear, once a towering predator, now trembled, its heavy paws sinking into the dirt as it retreated in slow, nervous steps. The once-fearless beast lowered its head slightly, its breathing uneven.
Even Elowen, standing firm beside Subaru and Auren, clenched her fists tightly, her knuckles whitening as the oppressive force pressed on her chest. Her face paled under the invisible weight, but she didn't falter.
Auren stood beside Subaru, watching the scene unfold. His voice came out softly, almost a whisper.
"Granduncle… Raphael's mana is extraordinary… but it feels unnatural."
Subaru's eyes never left Raphael. His voice was calm, carrying a knowing tone.
"Unnatural, you say. That is not entirely wrong. What you see is only a portion of what lies within him."
Auren blinked, his voice laced with disbelief.
"A portion? How much more could there be?"
Subaru studied Raphael's coiling mana, the dark tendrils swirling like serpents around him, their edges faintly distorting the air.
"Hmmm…Raphael is not bound by lack of power. His struggle lies within the overwhelming weight of it. His own strength holds him captive."
Auren's brows furrowed, confusion flickering in his gentle voice.
"How can one be captive to their own power? If it belongs to him, shouldn't he command it as he wishes? Like a sword obeys its master."
Subaru allowed a small smile to rise, but there was gravity in his words.
"That would be true for most. But there are two kinds of strength in this world. One grows within limits. It is dangerous, but it can be tamed, controlled, like fire in a hearth. But then, there is another kind."
The air around Subaru grew heavier as he continued.
"A power that holds no ceiling. No boundary. Limitless power. For those rare few, their power is not something they wield. It is something they survive."
Auren's lips parted, his breath catching slightly.
"Limitless…"
Subaru's gaze remained fixed on Raphael, who stepped closer toward the Ironfur Bear. The ground cracked beneath each deliberate step, his mana tightening, pressing the beast further into submission.
Auren spoke again, hesitant.
"Granduncle… have you seen others like him?"
Subaru's voice remained calm, but deep beneath his words was something ancient.
"I have."
Auren turned his eyes to Subaru, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Other than Raphael… who?"
Subaru slowly pointed to himself, his eyes steady.
"Me."
Auren's eyes widened, his voice trembling slightly.
"You…?"
Subaru's expression darkened faintly, his voice dropping lower, sharp and clear.
"And the Seven Deadly Sins."
Auren stiffened, his breath quickening.
"The Seven Deadly Sins… then they too are shackled by their own strength?"
Subaru nodded.
"That is what makes them dangerous beyond understanding. Not because of what they display, but because of what they conceal. Each one carries power that could end nations if fully unleashed."
Auren lowered his gaze, his thoughts racing.
"If my father heard this… he wouldn't believe it."
Subaru gave a soft chuckle.
"Nor would I expect him to. The Seven never stepped fully into the war with the Demon King."
Auren nodded slowly, his voice faint.
"Only the Demon King and his Dark Knight led their armies. But… Sloth was there, wasn't he?"
Subaru raised an eyebrow slightly.
"And did Sloth join the battle?"
Auren shook his head.
"No, he didn't, from what I heard… Then what about the ones whose power is limitless?"
Subaru's expression shifted, the playful glint in his eyes dimming slightly as seriousness settled over him. His voice lowered, calm but firm.
"Those ones… it's only two that I know of."
Auren's eyes widened, surprise softening his voice.
"Only two? But how? There are others who hold immense power, like the Supreme Witch herself."
Before Auren could say more, Subaru interrupted, his tone sharper.
"Morganya may be powerful, yes, but not in the way we are speaking of. She's devastating, terrifying even, but we are talking about those whose power knows no limit. That is a very different kind of danger."
Auren exhaled softly, trying to grasp the weight of Subaru's words.
"May I ask… who are these two people?"
Subaru's eyes drifted for a moment, as though looking far beyond the battlefield before them.
"You would not know the first," he said quietly.
Auren pressed gently.
"Then what about the second?"
A soft chuckle escaped Subaru, this one carrying a hint of sarcasm.
"Kibo."
Auren's brow furrowed deeply, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"Kibo? You mean… Kibo?"
Subaru's laughter grew, though it was not mocking, rather as if he found Auren's reaction expected.
"Yes. Who were you expecting me to say?"
Auren shook his head slowly, his voice quiet.
"I… I don't know. But I did not expect it would be him. If Kibo truly possesses such power, why not bring him here along with Raphael?"
Subaru's gaze remained locked on Raphael, who stood silently as his mana continued to pulse and coil like a living storm around him. The Ironfur Bear's breathing grew shallower, its body quivering under the invisible weight pressing down on it.
"Bring him along?" Subaru's tone softened, but there was a gravity beneath his words. "And what would that serve? Kibo's strength will not mature in peace. Growth does not happen where there is no struggle."
Auren blinked, processing the words, his voice still low.
"Peaceful? But then… why bring Raphael?"
Subaru's eyes narrowed faintly, his voice carrying a chilling calm.
"To protect this peace."
Auren fell silent, his eyes turning back toward Raphael, who stood as a blackened storm of restrained destruction. The ground at his feet was cracked, the air distorted with every breath of his mana. In his mind, Auren whispered to himself.
Protect this peace… why protect it if Dreadholm is already thriving and growing stronger? Granduncle, you always see what others cannot. It feels like you're waiting for something… or someone.
Subaru, catching Auren's silent glance, suddenly raised his voice, his tone playful but edged with amusement.
"Hey, Raphael! Can you turn it down already? You're making things boring here! Why play with the Ironfur Bear when you can give us a real show?"
Raphael exhaled softly, his blindfolded gaze fixed on the Ironfur Bear. His voice, calm and detached, carried across the silent clearing.
"Give a show… why do I even bother?" he murmured to himself. Then his tone sharpened as he addressed the beast directly. "And as for you, why do you still stay? Does it look like you have a chance to beat me? To kill me? Or to show you aren't a coward… that you're still the predator? Such a foolish mistake."
Without warning, his overwhelming aura vanished, retreating into him like a collapsing storm. The Ironfur Bear shook its head violently, snapping free from the suffocating grip of fear. It growled low, claws digging into the earth, readying itself.
Hidden among the trees, the Elites whispered through their shared link.
"This one… his power is like nothing we've ever encountered."
"He's toying with the beast. If he joins the Order, Dreadholm's enemies will not stand a chance."
The Ironfur Bear roared, shaking the forest. It charged, its iron-like fur shimmering, the ground quaking beneath each massive step. Raphael stood unmoved, his expression unreadable. His hands moved deliberately to his waist, drawing the chain fangs. The twin curved blades gleamed, connected by a long, barbed chain that seemed to hum with life.
The bear lunged. Its claws swept with terrifying force, the air splitting under its strike. Raphael shifted, fluid as water, avoiding the attack by inches. His chain fangs lashed out in a flash, wrapping around the bear's foreleg. The blades bit deep, scraping against the ironfur but finding purchase between joints where even the tough hide thinned.
The bear howled as its leg buckled slightly, but its weight drove it forward, snapping its jaws toward Raphael's chest. He vaulted backwards with precision, landing lightly, his feet barely disturbing the dust.
The beast charged again, faster now, its rage growing. Raphael's chain fangs sliced through the air, wrapping around one of its eyes with incredible speed. With a sharp pull, he wrenched, and the barbs tore through the thick eyelid, blood spraying as the eye burst. The bear let out a deafening roar, stumbling as it pawed at its ruined face.
One Elite whispered through the link.
"He blinded it… he strikes with terrifying precision."
The Ironfur Bear thrashed wildly, but Raphael never hesitated. He ducked low under another swipe, slipping close to its exposed side. The chain fangs danced in his hands, cutting swiftly, targeting the underarm where the fur thinned. Blood gushed, but the bear, driven by fury, slammed its paw into the ground, sending a shockwave that cracked the earth. Raphael was thrown back, rolling across the dirt but regaining his balance effortlessly.
The beast panted heavily, one eye blinded, one leg bleeding, but still it fought. It reared onto its hind legs, towering over him. With a roar, it slammed both paws down like twin hammers.
Raphael's figure blurred. He sidestepped at the last second, the impact cratering the ground where he stood moments ago. Without pause, he spun, the chain fangs slicing across the bear's exposed flank. Flesh tore open, another burst of blood spraying into the air.
"You're persistent," Raphael murmured. His tone held a faint admiration. "Good."
The bear, weakening, tried to lunge one final time, but its balance faltered. Raphael seized the moment. The chain fangs lashed forward again, wrapping tightly around the beast's thick neck like a serpent constricting its prey.
With a sharp jerk, he pulled, forcing the bear's head downward. He surged forward, one blade driving deep into the back of the creature's skull, piercing the soft spot beneath its ironfur. The beast convulsed, its limbs trembling.
The chain tightened once more as Raphael whispered coldly.
"Fall."
With one final heave, he tore the blades free and leapt back. The Ironfur Bear collapsed, crashing heavily to the ground. Blood seeped beneath its body, steam rising from its wounds in the cool air.
Silence settled over the clearing. Only the faint hum of power lingered as Raphael stood still, his chain fangs retracting smoothly to his side, unstained and pristine. His blindfolded face remained calm, as if the battle had merely been practice.
Auren stood still, his eyes fixed on the blood-soaked ground where the Ironfur Bear's lifeless body rested. The massive creature, feared even among the wilds, had been reduced to a fallen beast with terrifying ease. His voice came out softly, almost breathless.
"I… I cannot believe what I've just seen."
He had witnessed countless battles before. Warriors clashing with monsters and enemies alike. But this… the way Raphael moved, how precise and unshaken he remained throughout the fight, was unlike anything he had seen. The ease, the control, the terrifying calm.
Subaru chuckled, his hand landing firmly on Auren's shoulder as he spoke, voice filled with both pride and certainty.
"You see now, Auren? This is why I brought him. Raphael is not simply strong. He is ready. Ready to stand among the Order and protect the peace of Dreadholm."
Auren swallowed, still trying to steady his racing mind. His gaze drifted toward Raphael, who stood quietly near the fallen beast. The faint ripple of his power still hung around him, barely visible, like the lingering mist after a storm. The blindfold remained untouched, his face unreadable beneath it. He did not speak.
Subaru raised his voice, his words sharp and filled with energy.
"You did well, Raphael!"
Raphael gave no reply. He only inclined his head slightly, acknowledging Subaru's words, his expression calm as ever.