When Zaek opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the wooden grain of the ceiling. The second thing he noticed was the throbbing ache in his lower spine.

  ?“Ugh… my back,” he groaned, pushing himself up. Every joint popped in protest. “I’m getting too old for this.”

  ?“Good morning, you old dog!”

  ?Vahram was already seated at a table, grinning wide enough to split his face. He held a massive shank of meat in one hand and a tankard in the other.

  ?“Was it necessary,” Bodr grumbled from behind the bar, looking like a man who had lost the will to live, “to turn my tavern into a pigsty?”

  ?“Details, details! Look on the bright side, Bodr. You’re hosting two living legends!” Vahram struck a dramatic pose, gazing at the ceiling as if an invisible crowd were cheering.

  ?Bodr surveyed the overturned chairs and spilled ale. “I think I’m going to cry.”

  ?“You look like you slept well,” Zaek noted dryly, shuffling toward the table.

  ?“Like a baby.” Vahram downed his ale in one impressive gulp. “You?”

  ?“Like an old man. Same for me, Bodr.”

  ?“It’s coming,” the innkeeper sighed, slamming a plate of eggs and bread in front of Zaek.

  ?“Yesterday…” Vahram squinted, chewing thoughtfully. “What were we even talking about before we passed out?”

  ?“I already forgot. All I know is that my back hates you.”

  ?“Same here.” Vahram stretched, his massive arms nearly hitting the ceiling. “But hey, the food makes up for it. Bodr knows his stuff.”

  ?“Better than your cooking, at least,” Zaek muttered, tearing into the bread.

  ?“Still on about that? It was one time!”

  ?“One time? That stew still haunts my nightmares.”

  ?They both chuckled—easy, familiar laughter between old comrades.

  ?Then, simultaneously, they froze. The laughter died in their throats.

  ?“?” Bodr looked between them, confused by the sudden drop in temperature. “What is it?”

  ?“You hear that?” Vahram asked, his voice dropping to a low rumble.

  ?“I’m not deaf. Not yet.” Zaek’s eyes narrowed.

  ?A scream pierced the morning air. High, terrified, and abruptly cut off.

  ?“Well,” Zaek sighed, standing up. “So much for a lucky break.”

  ?“…Let’s go.”

  ?“Right behind you.”

  ?There was no buildup. One second they were seated; the next, the tavern door was swinging on its hinges, the air cracking in the vacuum of their departure.

  ?They tore through the snowy streets, boots kicking up slush. The village was waking up to a nightmare.

  ?At the end of the lane, turning the corner, they found it.

  ?It was a monstrosity.

  ?A towering figure—easily six meters tall—lumbered between the thatched roofs. Its limbs were unnaturally long and lanky, skin gray and taut over jutting bones. Its matted beard was crusted with dried mud, refuse, and… were those bones? A crude skirt of rags barely covered its bloated, distended stomach.

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  ?It reached out with a massive hand, chasing a stumbling couple who were screaming for their lives.

  ?“So, here he is.” Zaek skid to a halt, assessing the creature instantly. “They look bigger than I remember.”

  ?“Doesn’t matter how big it is.” Vahram stepped forward, drawing the massive greatsword from his back with a metallic shing.

  ?“HEY! UGLY!” Vahram roared. “Don’t you dare eat people while I’m around!”

  ?The giant turned, confused.

  ?Vahram didn’t wait. His red and black blade erupted with mana.

  ?| Rising Blaze |

  ?He swung upward. A scorching wave of fire tore through the snow, evaporating the slush instantly. The flames surged like a wall, separating the giant from the couple.

  ?“Nice one,” Zaek’s voice came from the air.

  ?He was already moving.

  ?| Naim Style: Flowing Wind |

  ?Zaek was a blur. He moved not like a man, but like a current of air. He dashed past the giant’s flank, his blade flashing in a seamless arc.

  ?Slash.

  ?A long gash opened on the giant’s spine. Black blood sprayed.

  ?But the creature didn’t fall. It didn’t even stumble.

  ?CRASH!

  ?Zaek’s instincts screamed. He flipped forward mid-air, barely avoiding a backhand swing that would have pulverized a boulder. The giant’s fist slammed into the cobblestones where Zaek had just been, sending debris and snow flying like shrapnel.

  ?Zaek landed lightly, sliding backward. “Tough skin. Didn’t even flinch.”

  ?The giant turned slowly, its mouth splitting into a twisted, rotting grin. With a guttural roar that shook the windows, it lunged at Zaek.

  ?“Oi! I’m too old for cardio!” Zaek shouted, dodging another earth-shattering smash.

  ?But before the giant could follow up—

  ?| Rising Phoenix |

  ?A massive bird of prey, shaped entirely from roaring flames, crashed into the giant’s back. The heat was intense enough to singe eyebrows from twenty meters away.

  ?The impact finally staggered the beast, forcing it to one knee with a howl of pain.

  ?“Run! Now!” Vahram shouted at the couple frozen in fear.

  ?They didn’t need telling twice. They scrambled away, slipping on the ice in their haste.

  ?“That thing’s sturdy,” Vahram grunted, resting his glowing sword on his shoulder. “Took both our hits and it’s still standing.”

  ?“Yeah, but it’s slow and stupid,” Zaek replied, dusting snow off his coat. “Let’s finish this.”

  ?The two veterans split, dashing in opposite directions. The giant growled, head whipping back and forth, before locking its hate-filled eyes on Zaek.

  ?“Aww, you like me more?” Zaek smirked, hovering just out of reach.

  ?The giant roared and smashed the ground, but Zaek danced around the impact zones like a leaf in the wind. “Sorry, big guy. With that speed, you couldn’t hit me in a hundred years.”

  ?| Kaelgrin Style: Howling Fire |

  ?Vahram didn't stay idle. He unleashed a horizontal spiral of flame that struck the giant’s chest dead-on. The creature screamed as its skin charred, but the damage was superficial.

  ?“Stop toasting him and cut him already!” Zaek barked.

  ?“Sorry! I just wanted to try that one out!” Vahram laughed, raising a hand apologetically.

  ?Enraged, the giant abandoned Zaek and charged Vahram, thundering across the square like a runaway carriage.

  ?“Oh, you want me now?” Vahram cracked his neck, planting his feet. “Bad choice.”

  ?He didn't move to dodge. He just grinned.

  ?“I’m not the only one who can cut you down.”

  ?“?!”

  ?The giant froze mid-charge. A sudden, overwhelming pressure clamped down on its neck. It wasn't magic. It was pure killing intent.

  ?It turned around.

  ?Zaek was already there. In the air. His sword raised, gleaming with cold, silent mana.

  ?| Naim Style: Silent Verdict |

  ?One strike.

  ?No wasted movement. No flashy explosions. Just a single, vertical line drawn through the world.

  ?The blade cleaved through the giant’s thick neck and spine as if it were cutting through water.

  ?Thud.

  ?The massive body collapsed face-first into the snow. Silence returned to the street.

  ?Vahram whistled low. “Nice one, Zaek. Guess you haven’t gone rusty after all.”

  ?“Tch. I lost this one too.”

  ?Zaek sighed, holding up the hilt. The blade had snapped cleanly in half, unable to withstand the sheer force of his technique.

  ?“Hehehe… hehehe…”

  ?They both spun around.

  ?The giant, impossibly, was still twitching. Black blood pooled around its severed head, but its mouth was moving.

  ?“Humans… Don’t think… so highly of yourselves…”

  ?Zaek’s grip tightened on the broken hilt. He stepped closer.

  ?“We… we will rise again. Soon… you will remember your place.”

  ?Vahram raised an eyebrow, disgust written on his face. “It can talk? I didn’t know they could do that.”

  ?“What is it?” Zaek asked, his voice devoid of warmth. “What is this ‘rightful place’ you are talking about?”

  ?The giant’s eyes rolled frantically, gleaming with a madness that defied death. “You are nothing but cattle… Food… It is in our stomachs where you belong. One day, you will all be—”

  ?Squelch.

  ?Zaek drove the jagged remains of his blade straight through the giant’s skull, pinning it to the frozen earth.

  ?The laughter stopped instantly.

  ?“Oi!” Vahram protested, lowering his sword. “I was listening to that! It was getting to the good part.”

  ?“He didn’t deserve a slow death,” Zaek replied calmly, yanking the broken metal free and flicking the blood off. “Besides, he talked too much.”

  ?“Let’s go. Our job here is finished.”