Everyone immediately turned.

Several meters away—

Cerys stood quietly atop a broken stone.

Her black maid outfit moved lightly from the wind while her silver hair reflected faintly beneath the moonlight. Her expression remained calm as always, yet for some reason—

The moment she appeared—

The atmosphere became even heavier.

Even Maxwell’s master inside his dantian suddenly fell silent briefly.

Then—

Dangerous.

The old man’s voice sounded extremely serious now.

That woman...

Do not underestimate her.

Maxwell’s eyes narrowed harder.

Meanwhile the Border Town guard knights immediately straightened their posture.

"Maid Cy!"

Even Borzoi visibly relaxed slightly after seeing her appear.

Though he still remained kneeling from exhaustion.

Cerys slowly glanced around the destroyed battlefield.

Her eyes calmly swept past the craters.

The blood.

The collapsed earth.

Then finally—

Toward Maxwell.

"You woke young master."

Her tone remained calm.

But somehow—

That sounded more threatening than shouting.

Maxwell frowned.

"Young master?"

Cerys ignored the question completely.

Instead, she looked toward Borzoi.

"You lost."

Borzoi lowered his head slightly.

"...Yeah."

Cerys looked disappointed briefly.

"You caused unnecessary trouble."

Borzoi laughed weakly again despite coughing blood afterward.

"He started it."

Maxwell’s expression darkened immediately.

"I had reasons."

Cerys finally looked at him properly now.

Those calm silver eyes landed directly on Maxwell.

Then—

Without warning—

Maxwell felt chills crawl down his spine.

Not fear exactly.

But pressure.

An extremely dangerous pressure hidden beneath calmness.

Cerys tilted her head slightly.

"And?"

Maxwell stared back coldly.

"You people know something."

Silence followed briefly.

The wind passed quietly across the ruined battlefield.

Then Cerys answered simply.

"Maybe."

That answer immediately made Maxwell’s dragon aura flare again.

The Holy Knights became nervous instantly.

Frazanna quickly stepped forward.

"Wait!"

She looked between the two anxiously.

"Can we stop escalating things first?"

Cerys glanced toward her briefly.

Then back toward Maxwell.

"You attacked one of young master’s subordinates."

Her voice remained polite.

"But because young master wishes to rest peacefully..."

She slowly pointed toward the black dagger near Maxwell’s feet.

"...I will allow you to leave."

The moment she said that—

Maxwell’s instincts exploded again.

Because despite her calm tone—

He understood clearly.

That was not a negotiation.

It was mercy.

And somehow—

That irritated him even more.

Golden mana surged violently around his body again.

"You think I’m scared?"

Boom!!!

The ground beneath his feet cracked apart instantly.

Yet—

Cerys merely stared at him quietly.

No anger.

No killing intent.

No arrogance.

Just calmness.

Which somehow felt even more unsettling.

Then she spoke again.

"If you continue."

Her silver eyes remained fixed on Maxwell.

"You will disturb young master again."

A strange silence followed afterward.

Even Borzoi stopped talking.

The Holy Knights exchanged uneasy glances.

Because for some reason—

Everyone suddenly felt that this maid genuinely considered waking her master a far more serious matter than the entire battle itself.

Maxwell’s eyes remained fixed on Cerys.

The dragon aura around his body continued surging violently while golden mana spread endlessly across the battlefield like raging flames. The scales covering his body glimmered beneath the moonlight, making him look less and less human the longer he stood there.

Yet despite all that pressure—

Cerys remained calm.

Completely calm.

As though none of it mattered to her at all.

Maxwell slowly stepped forward.

The ruined ground cracked beneath his feet instantly.

"I’m not leaving."

Frazanna’s expression immediately changed.

"Maxwell!"

The Holy Knights behind her also became alarmed.

"Sir Maxwell, stop!"

"This is enough already!"

But Maxwell ignored everyone completely.

His eyes stayed locked onto Cerys.

"You people are hiding something."

Golden light erupted harder from his body.

"And I’m not walking away until I get answers."

Borzoi immediately frowned despite his injuries.

"Heh..."

Blood dripped from his mouth again.

"You really don’t know when to stop."

Maxwell ignored him too.

Meanwhile Cerys quietly stared at him for several seconds.

Then—

She sighed softly.

A very small sigh.

But somehow—

The moment she did—

The surrounding people immediately felt colder.

Not physically.

Instinctively.

Like animals sensing danger nearby.

Cerys slowly lowered her gaze briefly.

"You are noisy."

Her voice remained calm.

Yet this time—

There was slight irritation within it.

Maxwell’s dragon aura surged again.

"You think I care?"

Boom!!!

The ground beneath him exploded apart once more.

The pressure from his transformed body spread outward violently, forcing nearby Holy Knights and guards to retreat several steps instinctively.

Then—

Maxwell moved.

Fast.

He lunged directly toward Cerys with monstrous speed, his clawed hand tearing through the air while golden mana erupted wildly around him.

The surrounding people widened their eyes instantly.

Too fast.

Yet—

Cerys did not move.

At least—

Not visibly.

Thud.

Something flashed briefly through the air.

Then another.

Then another.

Tiny black streaks.

Almost invisible.

Maxwell’s instincts exploded.

He twisted immediately.

Too late.

Tak!

Tak!

Tak!

Three black daggers pierced directly into his shoulder, side, and thigh instantly.

Maxwell’s body froze.

Not because of pain.

Because of shock.

His dragon scales—

Had not stopped them.

The daggers pierced through completely.

Golden blood mixed with red splattered onto the ground.

Maxwell staggered backward instantly.

"What?!"

His eyes widened.

Even his master inside the dantian sounded shocked.

Impossible.

Those scales should withstand most physical attacks already!

Meanwhile the surrounding Holy Knights looked horrified.

Because they had barely even seen Cerys move.

One moment she stood there calmly.

The next—

Daggers were already buried inside Maxwell’s body.

Borzoi burst out laughing weakly despite coughing blood afterward.

"Hah...!"

"Told you..."

Blood dripped from his chin.

"...this continent is insane..."

Maxwell immediately ripped one dagger from his shoulder violently.

Blood sprayed outward.

His golden eyes locked onto the black blade in disbelief.

No special aura.

No strange mana.

Nothing.

Just a dagger.

Yet it pierced his transformed dragon body like ordinary flesh.

Meanwhile Cerys calmly lowered her hand.

Several more daggers had already appeared between her fingers silently.

"I warned you."

Her silver eyes remained emotionless.

Maxwell’s expression darkened heavily.

Then rage exploded within him again.

Boom!!!

Golden mana erupted wildly outward.

The dragon shadow above the battlefield roared furiously alongside him while scales spread further across his body.

"You—!"

Maxwell charged again.

This time even faster than before.

The earth shattered beneath every step.

His clawed hand reached toward Cerys violently—

Then—

Tak!

Another dagger flashed.

Maxwell twisted desperately.

The blade still sliced directly across his cheek.

Blood splattered instantly.

His eyes widened again.

Too fast.

He barely saw the attack.

No—

He did not see it at all.

Another dagger came immediately afterward.

Tak!

It pierced through his forearm.

Then another.

Tak!

Directly into his shoulder.

Maxwell roared furiously and swung wildly toward her—

But Cerys calmly stepped aside.

Her movements looked effortless.

Natural.

Like she already knew where every attack would land before it even happened.

Maxwell attacked again repeatedly.

Claws.

Punches.

Kicks.

Golden explosions erupted nonstop across the battlefield.

Yet—

He could not touch her.

Not even once.

Meanwhile the daggers continued landing.

Tak!

Tak!

Tak!

Each blade pierced directly through his dragon scales with terrifying accuracy.

Shoulder.

Leg.

Arm.

Side.

Every strike targeted precise locations.

Blood now dripped continuously from Maxwell’s body.

And the worst part—

The wounds burned.

Not ordinary pain.

Something colder.

Sharper.

As though the daggers themselves carried killing intent within them.

Inside Maxwell’s mind, his master sounded increasingly alarmed.

Retreat.

Immediately.

That woman is dangerous.

Maxwell gritted his teeth furiously.

"How?!"

His roar echoed across the battlefield.

"How are your daggers piercing my scales?!"

Cerys calmly flicked another dagger lightly between her fingers.

Then answered simply.

"Because they can."

Tak!

Another blade shot forward instantly.

Maxwell barely tilted his head aside in time.

The dagger still cut deeply across his neck.

Blood sprayed again.

Maxwell stumbled backward heavily this time.

His breathing had become rougher now.

More unstable.

Meanwhile Cerys slowly walked forward.

Not hurried.

Not aggressive.

Just walking calmly.

Yet somehow—

That felt even more terrifying.

The surrounding people remained completely silent now.

Even the Holy Knights no longer dared interrupt.

Because it had become obvious.

Maxwell—

Who nearly killed Borzoi earlier—

Was now being completely overwhelmed by the maid.