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At the moment of their clash, Patrick couldn’t believe his eyes. The Wolfbert family excels in enhancing their physical abilities through magic power. Their lightning-infused magic stimulates every nerve in their bodies, unleashing explosive power. Mastery of this ability grants them lightning-fast acceleration and destructive force. However, this was a power not granted to Helga, Patrick’s half-sister.

From a young age, Helga struggled with magic, making it hard to believe she was a child of the Wolfbert family. While Patrick, Kenneth, and Greg had already surpassed her at her age, Helga lagged behind, leading to the assumption that she was simply inferior.

Despite the three brothers giving up on Helga, Gale seemed determined to make her a part of the family. He was particularly harsh on her, subjecting her to rigorous training. But all his efforts were in vain when Helga lost her left eye in a magical accident and subsequently left the Wolfbert family to become a vassal of the Ruelberta family.

Patrick couldn’t understand it, nor did he want to. To him, Helga was a disgrace born of his father’s mistake, and he had no interest in what she did.

However, something was odd. After Helga left, Gale didn’t get angry or disown her. Given his fiery temper, this was unusual. Perhaps he was relieved to see the talentless child disappear.

Talent is like a seed. Those with talent sprout early, as Gale’s three sons did. In this regard, Helga was seedless.

But then, a thunderous crash! A massive figure was slammed into a rock. It was Gale Wolfbert. The strike was so fast that even Patrick’s enhanced vision couldn’t catch it.

Helga’s fists, wreathed in lightning, relentlessly pounded Gale’s body, shattering the rock behind him. Patrick, Kenneth, and Greg were stunned. Gale, the strongest head of the Wolfbert family, was being overwhelmed by Helga, the so-called “half-breed.”

Helga’s control over her magic was precise, and the density of her magic power was overwhelming. Patrick felt a sense of unease. If Helga were to defeat Gale, she could become the head of the family.

“Brother!” Greg’s shout snapped Patrick out of his thoughts. Gale, who had been on the defensive, finally began to counterattack.

Helga had succeeded in pushing Gale back with her first strike. She had no intention of holding back, aiming to defeat him with her relentless assault. Gale, backed against a rock, blocked her punches with his hands.

Helga realized just how strong her father was. The lightning she wielded was three times more powerful than what had burned Rian’s body, yet Gale endured it with his bare hands.

Her hands were torn apart by the lightning, but she couldn’t stop. She wouldn’t give Gale a chance to escape. Then, Gale spoke.

“Honestly, I’m surprised. I never imagined you’d grow strong enough to attack me like this.”

“Oh, really?”

“You’ve finally learned to control your magic. Is it because of that eye?”

“…Father, stop worrying about me. You’re the one being pushed back.”

“Arrogant brat! This won’t be enough to defeat me!”

Gale’s fighting spirit surged, and Helga was slammed headfirst into the sand.

“Ugh!”

The pain was like being hit by a sledgehammer. Helga’s vision swayed as if she had a mild concussion. Fortunately, the ground was sand, not rock. She tried to get up, but Gale’s fist didn’t wait.

Boom!

Gale’s fist struck Helga’s face with a heavy blow. If she hadn’t reinforced her body with magic, her neck might have snapped.

“Get up, Helga.”

“…!”

At that moment, Helga hesitated. It was a phrase she had heard countless times in her childhood.

When she looked up, she saw Gale’s stern face, just like in those days, looking down at her battered body.

“You haven’t changed since then.”

“What…?”

“I admit you’ve pushed me this far. You’ve definitely become stronger than your brothers.”

“Then why…!”

“Look at yourself now. You’re nothing but weakness.”

“…!?”

Helga’s body, covered in blood and sand, was trembling.

What’s wrong? Why am I shaking?

Gale sighed.

“Weak. So weak. It’s like a wolf’s body with a puppy’s heart.”

Only then did Helga realize. She still feared Gale. The memories of her painful past were resurfacing.

“With such a weak heart, did you think you could defeat me? Pathetic.”

“Father…”

“I can hear the Wolfbert blood in you crying out.”

“That… Is the family’s bloodline so important to you?”

“Yes. The Wolfberts must always be in a position of strength. We must never be looked down upon or cower in fear. That is the way. Yet, you remain as weak as ever.”

Gale looked down at Helga with cold eyes. She remembered that gaze. The look of disdain for the weak. Gale, obsessed with strength, despised weakness above all else.

Facing that gaze, Helga slowly spoke.

“Back then… I desperately tried to earn your recognition. To control magic. To become stronger. To be recognized as a member of the Wolfbert family…”

Everything was for Gale. To be recognized as family by him. To be acknowledged as his only daughter. She had tried desperately, but she had become the “half-breed.”

“After losing my eye, I had nothing left… Nothing. No strength, no power, no spirit… Not even a single family member who recognized me!”

Helga staggered to her feet. The cold sea breeze brushed against her left eye. It was Tristan who had filled the emptiness in her heart.

“Found someone to rely on, huh? That’s weakness.”

“Yes! I’m weak. I was born weak.”

“Pathetic… Is that your excuse now?”

Helga touched her left eye, which held a part of him. It was like her second heart now.

With this, she feared nothing.

“Just wait. My weakness will defeat you… No, it will defeat you.”

“Fine. Then bring it on.”

Helga took a deep breath.

Focus.

Pour out all the remaining magic.

No… Pour it all out.

Everything she had.

Crackle!

Sparks flew from her body as magic began to flow.

Her body was hot. It felt like she had swallowed lightning.

The dense magic pouring out of her began to affect not just her body but the surroundings.

Rumble…

Suddenly, dark clouds gathered in the sky. Waves began to swell under the thunderstorm clouds.

“…!”

Feeling the ominous energy, Gale’s eyes widened in disbelief for the first time. The magic flashing in her left eye surged like a massive storm.

“State your affiliation.”

Helga asked Gale in a tone different from before. He answered seriously.

“…Gale Wolfbert. Imperial Navy. Rank: Captain.”

“Helga Wolfbert, Deputy Commander of the Steel Lion Brigade, Aslan, under the direct command of the Ruelberta family.”

Seeing Helga’s extraordinary magic, Gale accepted it. This was no longer a fight between father and daughter but between warriors.

“I’ll crush you.”

“Crush me then.”

Their battle resumed.

Blinding flashes of light rained down on the beach.

Helga struck first again, but this time Gale didn’t stay still.

Boom!!!

A dull sound echoed as their fists collided with each other’s faces.

But they didn’t stop. They simply threw their other fists at each other, as if by some unspoken agreement, ignoring defense entirely. It was a brutal exchange.

A flurry of punches.

The sound of air tearing as lightning struck relentlessly.

In terms of physique, Gale was overwhelmingly larger, but Helga didn’t back down. She endured Gale’s massive punches, stubbornly holding her ground. She refused to give even an inch to Gale.

Bam!

“With that weakness! You can’t defeat me!”

Gale’s fist landed squarely on Helga’s jaw.

“Come at me with the intent to kill. Otherwise, you’ll die! Helga Wolfbert!”

“Shut up!”

Their fight was as fierce as the battles of heroes recorded in the empire’s history.

Helga felt it. With each punch, her bones were breaking. The sensation of her bones shattering was horrifying, but she had no time to dwell on it. She just kept driving her fists into Gale’s face.

Physically, Helga was no match for Gale. It was a fight between a giant and a human. Gale’s superior physical abilities gave him an overwhelming advantage in defense. But…

Helga, enduring Gale’s punches, struck his temple with her elbow. The giant Gale staggered. Helga’s attack power surpassed Gale’s.

Knowing this, Helga didn’t miss the opportunity and drove her fist into Gale’s abdomen with all her might.

Boom!!!

[Thunder God Fist]

With the sound of the sky tearing apart, lightning exploded from his stomach. The shockwave pushed away the surrounding sand.

“…Ugh!”

Dark red blood poured from Gale’s mouth. His internal organs had suffered severe damage. No matter how strong his body was, internal damage was fatal.

“It seems… I’ve won.”

“Don’t talk weakly.”

Gale endured the excruciating pain of his ruptured organs. Despite his battered state, he stood on his own two feet. He was holding on by sheer willpower.

“Fighting any further would be your limit…”

“You’re… the same.”

As Gale said, Helga’s body was already in tatters from the fierce exchange. Blood oozed from her torn skin. Her fists were so mangled they could hardly be called fists. Her legs felt like they were on the verge of giving out from enduring Gale’s onslaught.

The only thing intact was her left eye. She, too, could hardly continue the fight. So now… it was time to finish it.

Helga staggered forward.

Bam!

Gale’s fist struck Helga’s face.

But she didn’t fall. She simply wiped the blood from her lips and said.

“It doesn’t hurt at all.”

“What?”

Bam!!!

Gale’s fist flew again.

This time, Helga still didn’t fall.

“Your punches… They don’t hurt anymore.”

“All bark and no bite…!”

Enraged, Gale swung his fist relentlessly. The fierce attacks felt like being beaten with an iron rod. It wasn’t that it didn’t hurt. Gale’s punches were still threatening.

But there was another reason Helga felt no pain.

“Your magic… It’s depleted, isn’t it?”

Gale’s massive frame had shrunk. He was still a giant, but he was clutching his injured abdomen. Now, he was at eye level with Helga.

Gale, in front of her, shouted irritably.

“Magic… I don’t need it to fight!”

“Stop bluffing…”

“Shut up! Weakness… is a sin!”

“Enough… Let’s end this.”

“What…?”

Crack!!!

Helga headbutted Gale directly in the face.

 

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