Beilixiya Cares

In the instant before the Minotaur’s bloodstained, terrifying horns could pierce through Beilixiya, time seemed to stretch.

Survival instinct made her instantly abandon the futile attempt to wrench “Wrath of the Stars” free.

She had absolute trust in the commands of her young master and Tikona.

Without a shred of hesitation, she threw her body backward, her slender waist displaying astonishing flexibility, her entire form becoming almost parallel to the ground!

In the split second she ducked back!

Screech—!

Two blinding flashes of light, like miniature suns exploding, erupted from the outstretched palms of Xia Ya and Tikona, spraying scorching white powder directly into Grolm’s blood-red eyes, which were wide with rage!

“AAGGGHHH—!!!”

A scream more shrill and agonizing than any of its previous roars.

Grolm felt as if molten lava had been poured into its eyes, followed by a boundless, soul-searing pain and complete darkness!

Its massive horns, capable of tearing through tempered iron, whistled through the air with terrifying force.

They grazed the tip of Beilixiya’s nose and the ends of her hair as she leaned back, missing her entirely and crashing heavily into the wooden support pillar behind her.

CRACK!

The thick log pillar splintered on impact, sending woodchips flying!

The Minotaur’s massive body staggered violently from the intense pain and loss of vision.

Its grip on the blade of “Wrath of the Stars” involuntarily loosened.

“Now! The nets!”

He and Tikona didn’t pause for a second.

The moment the flash powder left their hands, they twisted and threw with a synchronicity that seemed born of a thousand rehearsals!

Two tough, specially made capture nets whistled through the air like giant spiderwebs, descending from the left and right onto the briefly disoriented Grolm, who was reeling from pain and blindness!

Thwump! Thwump!

The nets accurately enveloped the Minotaur’s massive frame, the tough ropes instantly tightening!

Grolm instinctively thrashed wildly.

Its terrifying strength made the ropes creak sickeningly.

Its huge body swayed and crashed into the wooden wall beside it, shaking the entire shed.

The net’s cords dug deep into its coarse fur and skin, but for the moment, it couldn’t break free!

“Beilixiya!”

No other words were needed!

In that precious instant when Grolm was ensnared by the nets, its movements hindered and its strength dispersed!

Beilixiya, having just regained her footing, exploded with astonishing speed once more.

She didn’t even bother to retrieve “Wrath of the Stars,” still embedded in the Minotaur’s arm.

In a flash, she circled behind the blindly and wildly flailing Grolm!

Her target—its thick, undefended neck!

“Hah—!”

A short, powerful cry!

Beilixiya’s right fist, covered in fine, silver-grey dragon scales, was clenched tight.

No weapon, only the purest, most concentrated draconic power (stats)!

Her fist descended like a falling star, striking Grolm Broken-Horn’s vulnerable spine, right where the neck met the skull, with vicious, unerring accuracy!

CRACK!!!

A bone-chilling, utterly crisp sound of fracturing bone echoed.

Grolm Broken-Horn’s mountain-like body stiffened abruptly!

Its deafening roar ceased mid-bellow.

Its bloodshot eyes (though already blind) instantly lost all light, leaving only a dead, empty void!

Its struggles froze in an instant.

Its massive body, as if all its bones had been removed, pitched forward and crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The terrifying horns that had once shattered countless shield walls rested limply on the ground.

The brand of shame on its right horn was particularly glaring in the dust.

The shed fell into a dead silence.

Only Beilixiya’s slightly ragged breathing and the sound of slowly settling dust remained.

Xia Ya and Tikona were still in their net-throwing stances, their eyes fixed on the fallen behemoth.

Only after confirming that the Minotaur had completely lost all signs of life did Xia Ya let out a long sigh of relief.

The tension in his nerves suddenly eased, and only then did he realize his back was drenched in a cold sweat.

He hurried to Beilixiya’s side, looking her up and down with concern.

“Are you okay? That was too close!”

Beilixiya shook her head, still panting slightly, her face flushed from the fight.

“I’m fine, Young Master.”

She walked over to Grolm’s corpse and forcefully pulled “Wrath of the Stars” from where it was deeply embedded in the creature’s arm bone.

The dark silver blade was stained with dark red blood, and the azure starlight within seemed to shine a little brighter.

“Wow! Beautiful! That was beautiful, Beilixiya!”

Tikona bounced over excitedly, her golden ponytail swinging, her face filled with undisguised amazement and admiration.

“That punch! My god! How did you do that? The power! The precision! That was incredible!”

She circled around Beilixiya, her gaze burning as she stared at the fist she had just used.

“Hmph, if someone hadn’t stepped on that damn vine, we wouldn’t have had to cut it so close.”

Xia Ya shot a glance at Tikona and took out a small knife, preparing to cut off the Minotaur’s horn as proof of their mission’s completion.

Although their coordination in that split-second had been perfect, the thought of what could have happened was frightening.

“Hey! Little Young Master! What’s that supposed to mean!”

Tikona immediately jumped as if her tail had been stepped on.

“Who knew a godforsaken place like this would have so many vines! Besides, we won in the end, didn’t we? And it was thanks to my flash powder too! Otherwise, Beilixiya would have been in danger!”

“Yes, yes, you’re the greatest.”

Xia Ya couldn’t be bothered to argue with her, focusing on the task at hand.

“Next time, could I trouble you, milady, to watch where you’re going?”

“You!”

Tikona stomped her foot in frustration, pointing at Xia Ya.

“Stingy! Mean! Beilixiya, look at your young master!”

Beilixiya stood to the side, wiping the blood from “Wrath of the Stars” with a cloth.

She listened to their back-and-forth, gunpowder-laced bickering, watching Tikona bare her teeth at her young master in frustration, while her young master, though sharp-tongued, had cooperated with her in that critical moment…

‘The Young Master and Miss Tikona… they seem to get along well?’

The thought entered Beilixiya’s mind without warning, causing her to pause abruptly in her wiping.

A strange, unfamiliar emotion quietly clenched her heart.

It was a mixture of a slight sourness, a hint of unease, and even a little bit of… a sense of loss she was unwilling to admit to herself.

‘The Young Master had just teamed up with Miss Tikona to save her… so why did watching them bicker like this now make her feel a bit… down?’

She looked at her own somewhat bewildered reflection on the blade of her sword.

In her ears were Tikona’s clear, slightly aggrieved complaints and her young master’s retorts, which, though dismissive, didn’t seem truly hostile.

Beilixiya shook her head forcefully, trying to dispel the strange feeling in her heart.

“Beilixiya? What’s wrong?”

Xia Ya had already cleanly severed the massive right horn with its brand of shame.

Seeing Beilixiya in a daze, he asked with concern.

“N-Nothing, Young Master.”

Beilixiya quickly lowered her head and wiped the blade even more vigorously, as if trying to wipe away that strange emotion along with the blood.

“Did you… get everything?”

“Mm, proof of completion secured.”

Xia Ya weighed the heavy horn in his hand.

“Let’s go. We should head back and turn this in before it gets completely dark. I need to have a good long talk with the Guild Master about stuffing a mission completely unsuitable for new adventurers into that box.”

“Yay! Let’s go back!”

Tikona immediately forgot her earlier frustrations and sidled up to Beilixiya again.

“Beilixiya! Don’t forget what you promised! You have to let me get a good look at your ‘Wrath of the Stars’ when we get back! It’s a deal, okay!”

The last rays of the setting sun shone through the broken roof of the shed, stretching the shadows of the three of them long.

Xia Ya walked in front, carrying the Minotaur horn.

Tikona chattered away around Beilixiya, while Beilixiya, hugging her beloved greatsword, silently followed behind Xia Ya.

Deep in her eyes, that small ripple, named “concern,” lingered for a long, long time.