"Hahaha! Yes! This is perfect! Die! Die for me——!"

  Volk’s state grew increasingly manic. His eyes were almost entirely consumed by bloodthirsty desire, and his spear blurred with every swing. Unrelenting waves of flames surged forth like a flood bursting through a dam.

  Across from him, even as the flames scorched her body repeatedly, Miko’s movements didn’t slow in the slightest—if anything, they grew faster. Bit by bit, she closed the distance between herself and Volk......

  Finally——

  Clang!

  In one fleeting moment, Miko’s last remaining short blade was sent flying.

  An exaggerated, triumphant grin spread across Volk’s face.

  "Hahaha, I win——"

  But in the next instant, something unexpected happened.

  Even without any weapons left, Miko’s eyes remained unwaveringly firm.

  Boom——!!!

  The momentary opening caused by Volk’s overconfidence was seized by Miko.

  She slammed her foot into the ground with all her strength, leveraging that split-second opportunity to dash forward at a speed that made the air crackle. She drove her knee hard into Volk’s face.

  His grinning face contorted instantly, and his body was sent flying uncontrollably through the air.

  Thud——!!!

  "Huff——! Huff——!"

  After landing the strike, Miko stumbled and nearly collapsed. She gasped for breath, struggling to stay on her feet.

  As for Volk, he tumbled a great distance across the ground before finally coming to a halt.

  "......"

  The stands fell into a brief, stunned silence.

  "Yeah——!!!"

  Then, a thunderous roar of cheers erupted.

  "Incredible!""Fight on!""Take him down!""......"

  The audience’s shouts jolted Miko’s consciousness, and she immediately moved to retrieve her weapon.

  But——

  "......You really have some nerve......"

  Volk, who’d been lying on the ground, began to stir.

  "You bastard......"

  He propped himself up with his spear, his distorted face dominated by a pair of scarlet eyes blazing with unbridled rage.

  "I’m going to kill you——!!!"

  Boom——!

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  In the next moment, the enraged Volk unleashed flames far more intense than before.

  Miko saw nothing but scarlet light as the inferno engulfed her.

  "Ugh!"

  Her body was sent flying backward.

  "Cough...... spit......"

  When she hit the ground, she coughed up a mouthful of blood, and the glow of her non-attribute status magic dimmed significantly.

  Boom!

  Before she could react, Volk’s follow-up attack struck.

  Boom!

  She was sent flying again.

  Boom!

  A third time.

  Boom!

  A fourth......

  Volk’s flames raged uncontrollably, relentlessly pursuing Miko.

  "......"

  The stands fell deathly silent once more.

  "Hey, isn’t this going too far......""Yeah...... hasn’t she already lost......""Stop! Quit fighting!""She can’t even fight back anymore!""Where’s the referee! Referee! Do something!"

  Protests echoed across the stands.

  Ding——!

  The referee urgently rang the bell to end the match.

  "Cease hostilities immediately!"

  As soon as the bell rang, the referee rushed onto the arena to intervene.

  "Huh——?!"

  Volk, his eyes still blood-red, glared fiercely at the referee.

  But the referee refused to back down, issuing a cold warning instead:

  "I’m warning you once. Continuing to attack a defenseless opponent is a violation! One more infraction, and you’ll be disqualified from the tournament on the spot!"

  The referee’s words slowly brought Volk back to his senses.

  "......Tch! She’s lucky!"

  "......"

  The referee said nothing more. He shot Volk a silent glance, then turned to Miko.

  "Medics! What are you waiting for—hurry up!"

  Within moments, several medics rushed onto the field, lifted Miko onto a stretcher, and two clerics followed closely behind, continuously casting healing magic.

  Under the gaze of the entire arena, Miko was carried off the field.

  ......

  Inside the White Cat Clan’s VIP box,

  the atmosphere was oppressively heavy.

  Bars stared silently at the arena, his eyes cold as ice.

  Hulim was equally expressionless—or rather, her face was even more impassive than usual.

  Not a sound echoed in the spacious room.

  Only the young Mirei, his gaze fixed on Miko as she was carried away, wore a look of pure concern.

  "Sister......"

  Meanwhile, in another VIP box, the mood was similarly tense.

  "......That idiot! Does he even realize what he’s done!?"

  Bang!

  Abak, his face ashen with rage, slammed his fist hard on the table.

  "That’s Bars’ only daughter! That bastard——!!!"

  "......"

  The subordinate standing behind him wisely chose to keep a low profile, saying nothing and even holding his breath as much as possible.

  "Now that it’s done......"

  After venting his fury, Abak began to formulate a plan. What was done was done—regret was useless. He could already predict that the Black Wolf Clan would soon face Bars’ unrestrained retaliation.

  While the Black Wolf Clan had ambitions of surpassing the White Cat Clan and seizing their position, that didn’t mean the White Cat Clan was weaker. If anything, a clan that had held a High Seat for so many years could never be weak!

  Bars’ wrath would be more than they could bear.

  "......The only way out is to take the White Cat Clan down from their High Seat once and for all!"

  A ferocious glint appeared in the Black Wolf Beastman’s eyes.

  Only by plunging the White Cat Clan into the crisis of losing their High Seat would they have no time to seek revenge against him.

  "You!"

  "......"

  "I’m talking to you! Didn’t you hear me?"

  "Uh, yes, my lord! What are your orders?"

  The subordinate, who’d almost blended into the background, was forced to make himself visible again.

  "What are you doing, making me call you twice? Do you even want this job anymore!? If not, get out!"

  If only I could get out......

  "Earlier, there were people who wanted to 'cooperate' with us on something, weren’t there? Go find them. Tell them I’ll agree—but only on one condition!"

  "......"

  You just told me to get out......

  "Are you even listening to me!?"

  "Yes, my lord! Please continue—I’m listening intently."

  "......Hmph!"

  "Tell them my condition is......"

  Abak carefully outlined his terms to the subordinate.

  "Did you remember everything?"

  "Yes, my lord! I have it all memorized!"

  "Then go! Now!"

  "Yes...... I’ll leave at once."

  The subordinate hurried out of the room.

  "Hmph!"

  After the subordinate left, Abak let out a cold snort.

  "I hope you’re as capable as you claim......"

  ......

  That night.

  At the White Cat Clan’s mansion.

  "Miko, how are you feeling?"

  "I’m fine, really. You don’t have to worry so much......"

  Miko lay in bed, with Hulim, Bars, and Mirei standing beside her.

  Thanks to the emergency treatment provided by the arena’s medics, her injuries had mostly healed. All she needed was two days of rest to make a full recovery.

  Looking at the three people in front of her,

  Miko lowered her head in dejection.

  "I’m sorry...... I lost......"