"Sir Zuckerman! Are you alright?"

The Cavalry members behind Nathan Zuckerman, intending to assist him, cried out in surprise.

The stealth Awakener, realizing she was visible to others, was just as shocked.

Suddenly, the power that had cloaked her vanished. Her attempts to become invisible again were futile, as she couldn't muster her strength properly.

The stealth Awakener, now exposed for all to see, looked much as Nathan Zuckerman had anticipated. She was short and slender, with long hair tied up. Clutching her injured arm, she bit her lip hard.

Amid the tense and bewildered situation, a voice of salvation reached the Cavalry members.

"It seems we've arrived just in time."

"Commander!"

The members shouted in unison, like children reunited with long-lost parents.

Shortly after, many figures emerged from the dark passage. Initially, everyone assumed they were Nukijo's men, as sensed by Sunz's vision ability. But they were wrong.

Kishiar, leading the group, revealed his true face, smiling at his comrades. His striking beauty shone even in the darkness, or perhaps it was the solemn and serious Awakener behind him. Their arrival felt like a scene from a mythological painting.

As the escaping VIPs and Nukijo's underlings momentarily lost touch with reality, the Cavalry members joyously called out to another figure.

"Yuder!"

Only then did people notice the man in a long cloak with black hair standing beside Kishiar. His pale, blood-smeared appearance was eerily ghostlike.

Those familiar with Yuder knew better than to mistake his appearance for serious injury.

"How many did he fight to be so bloodied? A hundred?"

"I bet he beat one by himself to death."

"This isn't the time for such talk."

Hearing his comrades' whispers, Yuder spoke quietly, his gaze as sharp as ever. The members quickly offered awkward smiles and apologies.

"Oh, sorry, Baron. It's not that we didn't want to handle the situation, it's just..."

"But no one's seriously hurt... probably... not yet...?"

Their faces, now relaxed and joking in the presence of trusted allies, were bright and cheerful. Yuder eventually softened his piercing gaze, sighed quietly, and looked away. It was a signal of his tacit forgiveness.

Kishiar, where Yuder's gaze rested, took over the conversation.

"It's fortunate that no one's gravely injured, but we must act swiftly as there are still wounded. To begin with..."

His red eyes slowly scanned the Nukijo gang, the exposed stealth Awakener, and the combatants from the arena.

"Dealing with these individuals is our first priority."

One of Nukijo's men, his voice trembling, cried out.

"What in the world happened? Only our people should have access to this passage... Are... are all those below dead?"

"The master of this place sought only to save himself and met his demise. Not all others are dead, but they will face their retribution."

"It can't be..."

Kishiar's succinct explanation left Nukijo's underlings shouting in disbelief, the VIPs equally shocked.

"Nukijo is dead?"

Despite their desire to flee, with the Cavalry surrounding them both front and back, there was nowhere to go. They desperately claimed their innocence, causing an uproar.

"I don't even know who this Nukijo or whatever is! These people here, they kidnapped me!"

"Yes, I was only threatened. I don't know anything about this place. Truly!"

"Damn it. Regina! What are you doing? Use your power to break us out!"

One of them shouted at the dazed stealth Awakener, Regina, who had been motionless since hearing of Nukijo's self-destruction, perhaps even before that. She simply stared blankly into the distance.

"Regina!"

"Urging that Awakener will gain us nothing. This place is under a power-suppressing influence, disabling any Awakener from using their powers," Kishiar explained with a smile, reminding everyone of the voice they had heard earlier, commanding them to stop.

It was after that voice that the stealth Awakener, previously perfectly hidden, was suddenly revealed.

The power-suppressing Awakener, Reneve, appeared among them, following Kishiar's gesture. She was dressed in flamboyantly mismatched clothes, with disheveled hair and a gaunt, skeletal figure, wearing clunky, oversized boots. Her gaze had been fixed on one spot even before she stepped forward.

Reneve was looking at Regina.

And Regina, bleeding from her limbs, was looking back at Reneve.

Without a word, they just stared at each other, until Kishiar spoke.

"Reneve. And Cyregina. Fortunate that we could reunite those who were held here for so long, trying to save each other. Without my assistant, the whole truth would have remained hidden."

The other Cavalry members and bystanders looked curious at his words, but Kishiar offered no further explanation, instead calmly ordering the binding of Nukijo's other subordinates and the VIPs.

Even without their powers, the task was well within the capabilities of the Cavalry members present. Yuder, amidst the chaotic scene, watched the two women staring blankly at each other, recalling the events just before his arrival here.

"Aaaah!"

"Boss!"

Right before Elpkins was about to pass through the hole, Yuder had successfully diverted an arrow aimed at him, embedding it into Nukijo's shoulder instead. As Nukijo crumbled with a scream, his men were struck with terror.

"A monster..."

The thought that further attack was futile dominated their minds. Yuder, facing those dropping their weapons and looking at him in fear, spoke expressionlessly.

"Drop your weapons and kneel. If you surrender willingly, I won't attack further."

Silence.

"I am with the Cavalry. Reinforcements will soon arrive from outside. The VIPs you helped escape won't get a chance to return home. Surrender while I'm asking nicely."

Could it be true? Someone, upon making eye contact with Yuder, involuntarily dropped their weapon and then abruptly kneeled, hunching over. It was the one closest to Yuder. He glanced at them briefly before moving on. Realizing he wouldn't attack, others nearby also began to drop their weapons one by one.

Of course, there were those who did not surrender, but Yuder dealt with them without a word of excuse, striking them down and sending them flying. Nothing could block his path.

Nukijo, realizing the monsters footsteps were approaching him, clutched his arrow-pierced shoulder and muttered to himself.

"The Cavalry...? That man?"

He had thought him a mere fool, but he was mistaken. That man had infiltrated this place from the beginning to bring it down.

When exactly had the Cavalry, thought to be busy recruiting new members, set their sights on this place? And why had he only realized it now? Why had no one hinted at it?

Regret filled him for not keeping his secret weapon close, instead of sending it away for the VIPs. But it was too late for such thoughts.

A person cornered often feels as if all their misfortunes were part of a deliberate plan against them. Nukijo felt the same. Overwhelmed with a sense of injustice, he speculated that perhaps someone among his enemies had secretly passed information about this place to the Cavalry.

'Then...!'

"I'll give you money...!" he offered desperately.