Hans had a lot on his mind. Logically thinking, it made sense for the Royal Knights to disperse. After all, we are the only force capable of countering the Blood Demons.

But aside from that, he really didn’t want the Royal Knights to break apart. It felt… uncomfortable. As if a disaster was looming if they scattered.

But relying solely on feelings wouldn’t get him anywhere. Hans sighed. He couldn’t just hold out with feelings against logical claims. He needed to find a method…

However, before he could figure out a way, something suddenly barged into Hans’s office. At first, he thought it was a wild animal. But he soon realized it was no beast.

It was Clara and Ruby. They were all decked out in full armor, staring at him, looking quite serious. Was it because of the conversation they had before? Hans quickly opened his mouth.

“What’s happened?”

“It’s about what you mentioned earlier, Commander.”

“Regarding that matter…”

Hans tried to calmly explain that he wanted to disperse the Royal Knights to face the Blood Demons. But they were quicker on the draw. Clara shouted.

“We know! The Commander is worried about us!”

“Um, right?”

“But we want to prove ourselves too! We’re not just kids who need protection anymore!”

“Is that so?”

Was it just him, or did that sound familiar? Hans nodded with a slightly taken-aback expression. If they were going to say that much, he had no choice but to give them a chance. Just then…

“So! Commander! Let’s fight again!!”

“?”

“It’s been two years! Fighting you again!”

“??”

How did that conclusion come about? He pondered for a brief moment, but nothing changed. Normally, he would have been very flustered, but surprisingly, Hans realized he was accepting the fight.

“If you say that much… fine, I will test your skills.”

Hans slowly stood up. Just that alone, Clara and Ruby felt overwhelmed. It felt as if they were facing Commander Yuren, and an angry one at that.

In terms of sheer strength, he was on par with Yuren or perhaps even stronger. Clara and Ruby chose to spar. They wanted to show their improved selves.

And they wanted to get recognized by the Commander. That’s why they chose this. There would be no regrets. A little later, everyone gathered at the training ground prepared in the courtyard.

“Do you need a handicap?”

“No, none needed.”

“You mean you want to clash at full power!”

“….”

No, my plan was to give you a handicap and deliberately lose! Hans screamed internally. No matter how much the Dragon Heart affected him, it didn’t change all his thoughts.

But soon, he changed his mind. With the Dragon Heart, he could at least hold his own. Plus, he had the Time Stop ability. He wouldn’t be overwhelmed that easily.

However, that thought quickly vanished. In an instant, Ruby’s flame hammer was upon him. The scorching heat threatened to burn him, and Hans barely managed to react.

As he dodged Ruby’s hammer to the side, he intended to land a punch on her. That was until Clara’s arrow came dangerously close. Hans had to retreat sharply.

Had he not retreated, his head would have been pierced by that arrow by now. This was no easy fight. But there was a reason for this. At least for them.

“Is it okay to fight with full power like this?”

“Who’s worrying about whom?”

“Well, that’s true.”

Clara suddenly snapped back to her senses with Ruby’s remark. It was because of how Yuren used to treat them. Despite fighting at full strength, she’d take them apart without a care.

Not to mention, Hans was stronger than Yuren. So how could he show any mercy? Generally speaking, that made sense. In a way, it was Hans’s karma. Since he set the scene that way.

Thanks to that, Hans was now frantically dodging. He never expected they’d come at him with full power from the start. Plus, they normally fought like this. Their combos were impressively seamless.

“I can’t tell if they’re friends or foes.”

“Do I have to be friends with this little brat? I’d rather pass!”

“That’s what I should be saying! Damn it, Kanfa!”

Despite the bickering, the combo attacks came at Hans in an instant. They first attacked with arrows to restrict his movement, and then Ruby tried to finish it off with the opening.

They had indeed grown stronger. What could be the reason? Continuous training with Yuren? Or perhaps the experiences they accumulated over time? There were many reasons. But the biggest reason was their yearning.

They had already experienced annihilation in the past. Had they succumbed there, they would be like any defeated soldiers lingering around. But they chose not to succumb to defeat and move forward.

Their painful experiences became fertilizer for their progress. They wanted to ensure they wouldn’t lose anything precious again. So they aimed to become stronger, and they did.

“I think there’s a huge difference in yearning.”

“That’s true, can’t argue with that.”

Bayard nodded at Helia’s remark. Acting like puppets and moving forward with yearning were two different realms. Especially since they were aware of their positions.

Back then, Ruby and Clara were at a very ambiguous position. Excluding the very young Helia, they couldn’t even dream of matching Bayard, Yuren, or Cluna.

But through continuous effort, they eventually became strong. They acquired a power that even Yuren or Cluna couldn’t ignore. And they were now demonstrating that power without reservation.

“Ah! Shit! Save me!”

Thanks to that, Hans, who was facing them, was feeling like he was in real danger. He screamed internally as he dodged the attacks. The combos were perfectly executed, leaving no openings.

The only reason Hans could hold out until now was due to his enhanced physical abilities from the Dragon Heart and his accumulated experiences. Hans clicked his tongue and tried to back off. But just then…

Ruby reached out and grabbed Hans’s wrist. Taking that opportunity, Clara quickly closed the distance. Hans reacted just in time. However, he couldn’t react to the arrow coming from behind.

“What…?!”

Adjusting the speed of the arrow. More precisely, she shot it at a longer distance to slow down its arrival time. A technique that only those who reached the level of a divine archer could use.

In other words, Hans was now facing attacks from not two but three opponents. This was an ambush that even Yuren would have a hard time escaping from. But Hans was no ordinary opponent.

Hans flicked his index and middle fingers. The strange action created a ripple that drained all colors from the scene. In that black-and-white landscape, only Hans could still move.

He escaped from the encirclement and headed behind them. Then he resumed time. From Ruby and Clara’s perspective, Han just vanished before their eyes.

“What?!”

“When did that happen?!”

“That was an impressive combo. Had it been anyone else, I would have been caught.”

Behind them, Hans praised their teamwork with pure admiration. Indeed, if it hadn’t been for Hans, they would have been in real trouble with that combo.

Eventually, Hans couldn’t deny it. After all that effort, refusing to acknowledge it would only create great dissatisfaction. And whether or not that was the case, he originally intended to grant them permission.

It was just that they jumped straight into a duel without even listening to him. But this unexpected joy left Hans wondering whether he should be happy or sad.

…Anxiety lingered, but it couldn’t be helped. He had to trust them.

Hopefully, they would all do well.

*

The once numerous Blood Demons had significantly dwindled. Because their life force was used to create monsters and demons. At first, it was still manageable. They could somehow replenish their numbers.

But now the situation had changed. Continuing to drag this out without nutrients was like wilting away and disappearing. Just waiting around wouldn’t change a thing.

Thus, the demons chose to eliminate the most threatening presence. Initially, it was the Dragon Lord. No matter how impressive Hans was, he couldn’t compare to the Dragon Lord.

However, the plan was soon revised due to reports from the demons who had nearly captured the Dragon Lord. Of course, in terms of overall threat, the Dragon Lord was still above him.

But at least in a head-on confrontation, he was a greater threat than the Dragon Lord. This was the evaluation of the surviving Blood Demons after clashing with Hans. Thus, the target shifted from the Dragon Lord to Hans.

The split-up Blood Demons were just a ruse.

The moment the Royal Knights tore apart to capture the Blood Demons,

Other Blood Demons started buying time.

Using their highest available forces to strike Commander Hans.

That was the demons’ plan.