Before the halflings could react, Gorak’s team charged forward in a blur of motion. The sounds of screams, cries, and desperate pleas for mercy filled the forest, followed by the sickening thud of blades meeting flesh.

Gorak stood among the carnage, his bow still smoking, a cold, satisfied smile on his face.

"Ooohh~ I feel refreshed now~"

"Same here. Finally able to release some stress." Valcrea smirked, wiping the blood from her blade with a satisfied sigh.

Zume licked the blood off her battle scythe, her eyes gleaming with dark pleasure. "Ah~ I love the screams. I really wish I could hear that armor guy scream. It must be beautiful to hear his voice crack as he begs for mercy."

Noji kicked one of the bodies, rolling it over with her foot before pressing her boot onto the fallen halfling’s head.

"But this is boring. They’re too weak! I was hoping they’d at least raise their weapons and try to fight back. I wanted to see their desperate faces as they tried to block our attacks, that look of fear mixed with the faint hope that they might survive. But no... they just fell like flies."

"True~ I wish I could hear them cry for longer. But it’s disappointing how quickly the screams go silent after just a short cry."

Falce remained silent, her eyes fixed on the ground.

Noji glanced at her. "You don’t look too excited, hmm?"

Falce shook her head and exhaled. "I’m not like you all, and you know that."

"Huh?" Valcrea rested her weapon on her shoulder, giving Falce a cold, challenging look. "What do you mean, ’not like us’? You want to die here, Falce?"

Falce let out a long, weary exhale. "Unlike you all, I don’t have a weapon to fight, and you know that, bitch. You all have weapons that can kill, while I can only cast buffs and support spells. I’m not built for slaughter like you. So don’t expect me to enjoy this the same way you do."

"What did you just call me?"

Falce crossed her arms and glanced at Valcrea, Noji, and Zuma, who had already readied their weapons, their auras flaring with murderous intent.

"What? I called you a bitch. So?"

"I’m going to kill you right here, right now!" Valcrea’s aura flared violently, and Zume and Noji shifted into offensive stances, ready to charge at Falce.

"Sure. Go ahead and kill me now. I’m sure you all could explain to our Supreme Goddess why her most talented healer and buffer died during an information-gathering mission?" Falce gave them a cold, mocking smile before channeling her strongest barrier skill, a shimmering dome of light enveloping her body. "Go ahead. What are you waiting for?"

All of them gritted their teeth, their weapons trembling with rage, but before they could move, Gorak stepped between them.

"Enough!" Gorak’s voice was sharp, his expression stern. "Falce is right. Killing her would be a waste of our resources and would only anger the Supreme Goddess. We need her skills for the mission ahead. Fighting among ourselves is pointless."

Falce glanced at Gorak, her voice calm but sharp. "No, Leader. I don’t mind. Just let them kill me. Then we’ll see if their power remains when the Supreme Goddess learns they killed her most valuable support." She paused, her voice dropping to a chilling whisper. "That includes you, Leader~"

Gorak fell silent, unable to form any words. He could only clench his fists and grit his teeth, his jaw tight with frustration.

Falce raised one of her palms upward, her eyes glowing with a radiant light.

"I’m not playing around here, bitches. Come at me. All of you. And you will find out why the Supreme Goddess values me above all of you."

The ground trembled, and all of them suddenly felt their legs weaken, their strength sapped by Falce’s powerful debuff skill.

Falce glanced at them, a cold, mocking smile on her face. "Oh? Didn’t you say you were going to kill me?" She pointed at her own chest, her voice dripping with challenge. "Come on. Stand up, raise your weapon, and kill me. Stab here, slash here, do whatever you want." She gave them a smug, challenging smirk. "Oh? Can’t move?"

Gorak slowly stepped forward, his voice low and soft. "Falce..."

"What do you want, Group Leader? Hmm? Backing them up now? Or are you going to try to silence me too?" She tilted her head, her smirk sharp and challenging. "Go ahead. Take their side. I dare you."

Seeing Gorak unable to say anything, Falce glanced at the girls before turning her sharp glare toward Gorak.

"I don’t know why I was assigned to your group when my talents are more suited to assist the real Supreme Leader, Sir Julius. But because I was assigned by our Supreme Goddess, I had no choice but to agree."

She lowered her palm, and the radiant light faded, her debuff skill dissipating. The others slowly regained their strength, their legs no longer trembling.

"Once the other team arrives, I will return to the Supreme Goddess and ask for reassignment."

She moved toward her horse, mounted it, and glanced down at them, her expression cold and unyielding. "I never said anything about what you do, never questioned your methods, never interfered with your plans. But just because I was silent doesn’t mean you can mock me or threaten me like that."

Falce started moving her horse forward, her voice sharp and final. "I wish you all luck. Clean up this mess yourselves. I’m going ahead."

She paused the horse and glanced over her shoulder, her voice dripping with contempt. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"You’re a weak leader, Gorak. You can’t even control your own team, let yourself be humiliated by a simple wanderer, and now you’re letting your subordinates threaten your most valuable asset. If Julius were here, he’d have already dealt with this. But you? You’re just a puppet pretending to be a hero."

Meanwhile.

Armand Estate.

Inside Garius’s Private Room.

The large holographic screen displayed the brutal scene of Gorak and his team slaughtering the halfling refugees, their laughter and cruel words echoing through the room. The images of the helpless halflings being cut down played in vivid detail.

Javier slammed his fist onto the table, the strongest mithril surface bending and cracking under the force of his strike.

"I’m going to kill them all!"

Garius leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms with his usual stern and serious expression.

"Javier."

Javier fell silent, his chest heaving with barely controlled rage as he watched the enemy he had been tracking on the holographic screen continue their slaughter.

"I’m... sorry, Esteemed Father."

Garius watched his son, seeing the fury burning in his eyes, but also the restraint he was trying to maintain. He spoke calmly, his voice carrying the weight of experience.

"Anger is a fire that can either forge steel or burn everything around you. Right now, you are letting it consume you. I understand your rage. I feel it too. But if you let it control your actions now, you will make mistakes that cannot be undone. Focus on the mission you have laid out. These scum will be dealt with, but on our terms, not theirs."

"Yes, Esteemed Father." Javier nodded, his gaze dropping to the floor, his knuckles white as he clenched his fists.

( End Of Chapter )