* * *

Feeling drawn to Kukuf’s quiet figure, Chaeyi moved closer and gently spoke up.

“Kukuf. What are you doing out here?”

“…Ah, young Chaeyi.”

Kukuf looked up from his thoughts, his expression relaxing as he turned to Chaeyi. Thanks to Chaeyi’s interruption, some of the shadows on Kukuf’s face seemed to have lightened.

“I was just looking at the World Tree’s roots. Wondering what the future holds… It makes me anxious.”

“We’re here with you.”

“Yes, but as strong as you are, the elves are no easy match. What’s more, the elves can be ruthless. If there’s a fight, there’s bound to be injuries… perhaps even casualties.”

“…….”

“That’s what worries me.”

Chaeyi offered a quiet smile, sharing Kukuf’s concern, especially when he thought of Leonard, who would be on the front lines.

Unlike Enoch and Chaeyi, who would be in the rear, and Lawrence, who was in a support role, Leonard faced real danger.

Chaeyi didn’t fully understand Leonard’s capabilities yet, making him worry even more.

“It would be ideal if we could avoid conflict and resolve things peacefully.”

“Hoh-hoh, wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

Kukuf chuckled at Chaeyi’s earnestness, seemingly finding the idea unrealistic. But Chae…

‘Is there truly no other way to communicate with the elves except to fight and conquer?’

Even if peace seemed unlikely, Chaeyi believed they should try every possible option before giving up.

“Thank you for listening to my rambling, young one. You must be tired from the journey, so go and rest. Tonight, I think we can sleep safely…”

Just as Kukuf was about to get up, an unexpected event struck.

Bong! Bong! Bong! Bong!

A loud bell resonated throughout the village.

As Chaeyi and Kukuf looked up in surprise, they heard the voice of a dwarf on guard in the watchtower.

“Elves! We’re under attack!”

The elves who had disappeared for days had now reappeared, tonight of all nights.

“They came… tonight?”

Kukuf murmured in disbelief, caught off guard.

As the alarm echoed, Delion and the four dominant Alphas rushed out, and the knights resting outside quickly readied for battle.

Chae, now standing, looked at a figure that appeared in the moonlight.

This androgynous figure wore the hideous mask of a beast over their face, crowned with a wreath of leaves, and their long golden hair glimmered under the moonlight.

‘So, that’s an elf….’

Though the mask obscured the elf’s face, they exuded a restrained, almost regal elegance.

“They’re here….”

“Hide, hide!”

The adult dwarves ushered the young ones inside.

Only one elf stood before them, so the knights quickly surrounded the figure in a defensive formation.

Delion, assessing the situation outside, narrowed his eyes as he muttered.

“Could they really have come alone?”

Even for the war-hardened elves, facing four dominant Alphas alone would be tough.

Something felt off to him.

The elf, ignoring the encircling knights, strode closer with a graceful step and addressed them in a common language they all understood.

“I’ve heard that reinforcements were summoned. So, it seems you still intend to stand on this sacred land?”

The words caused Chaeyi and the others to flinch.

Chaeyi was just as startled—the elves already knew of their plans.

That meant the elves’ timing tonight wasn’t coincidental; they’d been watching and waiting.

‘They must have planned this, hoping to catch us weary from travel.’

Perhaps the elves had taken a break from their own weariness, waiting until reinforcements were here but still tired.

But then… why come alone? It only made sense if…

‘They’re hiding, waiting in ambush.’

The lone elf must be trying to draw their attention, keeping them confused and distracted.

This reasoning seemed sound, and indeed, that seemed most likely.

‘The question is… where are they hiding?’

Chaeyi narrowed his eyes, scanning the surroundings.

No suspicious presence could be detected.

Either the elves were skilled at masking their presence, or his guess was wrong, as not even the alert dominant Alphas sensed anything.

Just then, the masked elf’s words broke through Chaeyi’s thoughts.

“We have shown mercy until now, but if you won’t leave, we have no other choice.”

The elf’s monotonous voice was chilling, if only for a moment.

Suddenly, the elf drew the sword at their waist, its blade gleaming under the moonlight as it traced a line through the air and pointed downward.

“There’s nothing left but to kill you all.”

In an instant, murderous intent surged from every direction.

The elves had surrounded the village entirely.

“Ahhh!”

“Help!”

Without time to react or defend, weapons fell upon them from all sides.

In the elves’ coordinated assault, several dwarves and knights were already injured, some severely.

Clang!

In the blink of an eye, weapons clashed, bodies collided, and blood spattered as chaos erupted.

Amidst the screams, the elves—each wearing the grotesque masks of beasts—appeared monstrous.

Forced to defend themselves, Chaeyi and his companions had to be careful, while the elves fought ruthlessly, without restraint.

Chae, too, found himself unable to avoid their vicious assault.

“Ugh…!”

“Young Chae!”

Chaeyi pushed Kukuf out of harm’s way, taking a grazing cut on his arm from a blade in the process.

Crimson blood began soaking his white clothes, causing Kukuf to pale, but fortunately, it wasn’t a deep wound.

The real problem was that Chaeyi’s stance was now compromised… and directly in front of him stood the elf, weapon drawn.

“Chaeyi!”

Leonard dashed toward Chaeyi, though his response was slightly delayed by the elf’s lightning-quick assault.

But Chaeyi knew that even a split-second hesitation could mean his death; the elf’s blade would pierce his heart before he had time to dodge.

With his stance broken and so little distance between them, he had no way to completely avoid the blade.

His only choice was to let it strike him somewhere less vital.

Just as he shielded Kukuf and faced the elf head-on, it happened.

In the blink of an eye.

The elf, blade raised, suddenly looked at Chaeyi and hesitated, clearly startled.

Although the pause lasted less than a second, Chaeyi, on high alert, sensed something meaningful in that brief hesitation.

‘What’s this…?’

But before he could dwell on it, Leonard’s sword intervened.

“Guh!”

Leonard pulled Chaeyi into his arms, shielding him, and the elf, having hesitated for that split second, staggered back, wounded.

Chaeyi let out a sigh of relief as he turned to Leonard.

“Leo, thank y—”

But as he looked at Leonard’s face, an unexpected chill ran down his spine.

Leonard was furious, his expression seething, his eyes filled with a deadly intent that he directed at the elves.

The killing intent was so potent that it made him seem almost out of control.

Suddenly, Chaeyi felt the strong presence of Leonard’s pheromones, a thick, heavy aura settling over the ground before spreading outward, like a tidal wave.

There was so much of it that it blanketed the entire area.

“……!”

The elves began to falter, some dropping to their knees, others struggling to move, as though compelled by an unseen force.

Chaeyi instantly realized what was happening: the elves’ strange behavior was all due to Leonard’s power.

It was the unique ability of Leonard’s regular pheromones—normally only able to compel creatures of lower standing, but his exceptional strength meant even high-ranking non-humans like elves could be affected.

Leonard’s pheromones filled the air with such an overwhelming force that the weight was almost suffocating.

Thankfully, he had maintained control enough to limit the intensity; otherwise, friend and foe alike would have collapsed on the spot.

Chaeyi was only minimally affected since Leonard had kept the concentration around him low, sparing him from the worst of it.

“Die.”

Leonard uttered the single, chilling word.

The silent elves raised their swords one by one.

A few resisted, but most took their own lives on the spot.

–Slice.

Masked heads tumbled to the ground, lifeless.

* * *