Chapter 3: Battle

"Bring her back, we can finally complete the mission." The Electro Mage was obviously the leader of the three-person team.

As soon as she spoke, the vanguard of the team, the Hammer, unhesitatingly walked towards where Garula had collapsed.

The Electrohammer Vanguard extended his sturdy arm, intending to lift Galara up.

"Rustle! Rustle!" Suddenly, the sound of rustling leaves filled the air, and the Electrohammer Vanguard's arm froze in mid-air.

"Who goes there!" The Electrohammer Vanguard swiftly leaped backward, forming a defensive triangle formation back to back with his teammates.

"Oh~ Is it a bit shameless for three warriors to bully a child?" A voice tinged with mockery rang out.

Then, the cautious trio saw a strange figure clad in full armor emerge from the dark forest.

Seeing Ember covered in armor from head to toe, the three of them breathed a sigh of relief.

Because in the presence of elemental powers, such full-body armor like Ember's had long been obsolete. Those who still wore it were usually ordinary people without a Vision.

Although there were strong individuals among ordinary people, the trio obviously hadn't considered this.

"Finish them quickly and leave no traces." With the Electro Mage's command, the other two immediately sprang into action.

The Electrohammer Vanguard took the lead, wielding his massive hammer and charging towards Ember.

"Boom!" The enormous hammer, carrying boundless power, came crashing towards Ember, creating a huge pit in the ground.

"First strike." Ember jumped lightly onto the Hammer's hammer.

The Electrohammer Vanguard looked at Ember standing on his hammer, towering over him by a head, but at this moment, his hammer seemed to be nailed to the ground. No matter how much force he exerted, the hammer remained immovable.

"Bang! Bang!" Seeing Ember and the Electrohammer Vanguard locked in stalemate, the Pyroslinger Bracerin the distance immediately fired two shots at Ember.

"Two bullets, that's the second strike." After dodging the bullets, Ember said so.

However, the Fatui Trio did not stop their attacks because of Ember's strange behavior.

The Electro Mage released a swarm of luminescent bugs from her lantern. Although these insects were small, the electric arcs flashing between them indicated they were not to be trifled with.

"Hiss~" The sound of electricity crackling filled the air, but the anticipated scene of Ember falling did not occur.

Crossing his hands, Ember unleashed a spherical shockwave from his abdomen, annihilating all the luminescent bugs around him.

"Third strike." Ember's voice became grim, no longer as relaxed as before. A sword had appeared in his hand at some point.

An ordinary person, an ordinary sword.

But at this moment, the Fatui Trio seemed to be targeted by some terrifying presence, and beads of sweat formed on their faces beneath their masks.

Every cell in their bodies silently screamed—Run! Don't look!! You'll die!!!

"I greet you with the first strike, I forgive you for your clumsiness with the second strike, and the third strike is your ignorance." With the snapping of twigs, Ember slowly approached the Fatui Trio.

"For the Queen!" Whether it was due to the pressure or their loyalty to the Queen defeating their fear.

The Electrohammer Vanguard roared, and the delusion at his waist continuously converted life force into elemental power, covering his entire body in a surge of lightning.

"Die!" Activating the delusion, the Electrohammer Vanguard, like an enraged bull, swung his hammer towards Ember with tremendous force.

The grass and trees around Ember swayed in the powerful wind generated by the Hammer's swing, not to mention the dense lightning covering the hammer.

"Thud!" A muffled sound rang out, and the Electrohammer Vanguard stared in disbelief as his hammer flew out of his hand, bewildered.

Ember had seen the flaw in the Electrohammer Vanguard's attack the moment it came, and he had countered it with perfect timing.

The amount of force the opponent exerted would be returned to them as recoil.

This was the legendary "Rebound"! Even if you're humanoid, even if you're a god, Ember will show it to you!

"Using unfamiliar powers recklessly will only expose your weaknesses, especially when facing a stronger opponent."

But the Electrohammer Vanguard couldn't hear him, because Ember's sword had already pierced through his chest.

Seeing this scene, the Pyroslinger Bracerin no longer hesitated to sacrifice his own life. His skin visibly shriveled, and correspondingly, the flames on his body grew stronger.

But it was futile in front of Ember.

"So this is the gun Patch mentioned? Quite a formidable weapon. With this, an ordinary person could probably kill a knight." Ember toyed with the firearm in his hand, saying with interest.

"But whether it's an ordinary person or a knight, aiming weapons at a child is an unforgivable crime."

"What do you think, sir?" Ember whispered to the Pyroslinger Bracerin, returning the firearm to him. He said next to his ear.

"Eh... cough..." The Pyroslinger Bracerin looked at the sword that had just pierced through him, saying nothing, and fell straight to the ground.

Blood dripped from the tip of the sword, and Ember turned his head to look at the trembling Electro Mage.

"Die die die!" Under the lantern's light, even more luminescent bugs swarmed towards Ember.

"The power of external objects is always somewhat illusory. Of course, if the lady can do what I do, then I'm just talking nonsense."

Watching the luminescent bugs flying towards him, Ember raised his hand.

The depths hidden within him began to surge, as his master had just allowed them to come out for a breath.

Inky black drops flowed from Ember's hand, devouring all light as if they were fissures in space.

That was the darkest part of human nature, the convergence of human nature inviting the abyss, the distortion of the abyss summoning the depths, and the abyss's deep sea capable of swallowing the initial fire, leaving the world without light.

The drops of ink wriggled, and flies flew out from them, with human faces twisted and frenzied.

They did their utmost to devour the luminescent bugs, their faces revealing the most twisted and darkest expressions of humanity.

Soon, the fireflies were devoured by the flies. Then, they turned their gaze to the Electro Mage sitting on the ground.

"Stop it! Your time to wreak havoc is over!" Ember knew exactly what they intended to do.

The flies stopped, retracting their darkness and distortion, and looked at Ember in puzzlement.

"Master, she should die."

"Master, those with blood on their hands are not worthy of your mercy."

---

Countless voices echoed in Ember's ears simultaneously, drawing out the darkness in his heart.

Ember's heart sank. Indeed, the depths were never easy to deal with.

"Her sins do not warrant such torture." Ember stood his ground, looking at the still indifferent depths. He continued, addressing the Electro Mage.

"My body remains resilient, my soul remains steadfast. The gods can endure your gnawing better than mortals."

Upon hearing Ember's words, the flies, or rather the depths, revealed a terrifying smile.

"So be it. My master."

The flies in the air no longer resisted Ember's command and turned into ink droplets, merging into Ember's body.

The familiar buzzing and gnawing returned to Ember's body, but it merely caused him to flinch before subsiding.

Such pain was normal for him.

Ember looked at the Electro Mage and tossed the sword in his hand.

"You cannot escape death, whether by your own hand or mine."

Trembling, the Electro Mage picked up the sword from the ground. If it weren't for Ember's protection just now, she would have long turned into something inhuman.

Clearly, she also knew that her ability to maintain her humanity was thanks to someone's grace. She choked out, "We... we are just... just... the most... the most vile part of the Fatui Trio."

"My... my sister, like me, she's number 241, she... she hasn't been tainted, please... save her!"

Having said that, she seemed to have exhausted all her courage, and without waiting for Ember's response, she took her own life.

"A dying person's words carry weight." Ember picked up the sword and took the badge from the Electro Mage's waist.

"145," Ember wiped away the dust, revealing the number on the badge.

"I am not an almighty god. Deal with this matter yourself after you have atoned."

In the invisible world, three faint white wisps were absorbed into Ember's body. They were their souls.

If they hadn't been melted down in the furnace, what awaited them would be an innocent new life.

(End of this chapter)