Thump!

A figure collapsed on top of the barrier.

One of the Zodiacs, Medart de Thebes.

Despite his old age, he was still as vigorous as in his prime, but…

Age was definitely taking its toll on his body.

“Phew, that stubborn old man.”

Cohen, the Shepherd of Manggot, caught his ragged breath.

Unlike the situation at other barriers, Cohen had charged in with his troops from the very beginning. He judged that the initial attack from a completely different direction than the monsters outside would inflict the greatest damage.

And that judgment had worked so far.

“Wielding a warhammer like chopsticks at such an old age.”

Cohen lightly brushed off the saw-like blades in both hands. Each time, the blood accumulated on the blades scattered.

His body wasn’t in good shape either. His left shoulder had taken a direct hit and collapsed, and his entire body was covered in bruises. He tried not to show it, but his body was slowly trembling.

However, it was he who had emerged victorious. Cohen wasn’t one to enjoy battles, but he honestly admired Medart’s fierce momentum.

After aging as much as Medart, could he still display such prowess? Cohen couldn’t answer that, and that silence gave birth to caution.

“But…”

Cohen looked to his left.

“What the hell are you?”

“…….”

Sybil stood there, drenched in cold sweat, gripping her rapier. She had been by Medart’s side, assisting him. The fact that Cohen had struggled so much in his fight with Medart was definitely due to Sybil’s contribution.

However, the most peculiar thing was…

“Why are you completely fine without a single scratch?”

Cohen looked at Sybil with a gaze that was more unpleasant than wary.

It wasn’t that Cohen had neglected Sybil. In fact, he had initially decided to eliminate her first. Medart alone was tough enough, and having a girl interfering was simply unbearable.

But in the end, Sybil was still standing, and it was the Zodiac, Medart, who had fallen first.

“Your skills don’t seem that great, but you somehow manage to evade every time I think I’ve got you for sure.”

“…….”

Sybil didn’t answer, simply staring at Cohen.

Cohen’s eyes narrowed.

“Those Constel bastards are all an eyesore.”

Cohen had previously monitored Constel students under Belphegor’s orders. To investigate students who could pose a threat to Manggot, excluding those Hagley and Belphegor already knew about.

The most noticeable name on that list was Sybil.

But it wasn’t because Sybil was strong.

“I heard you were also one of Constel’s shining talents or whatever.”

Cohen tilted his head.

“Whether during the investigation or now, I just don’t see it.”

Cohen glanced at Sybil’s weapon.

It was the first time he had seen someone bring a rapier to the battlefield. Moreover, using aura for a slashing-based style rather than thrusting. It was unique, but whether it was effective… well.

“Hmm, I don’t know, I don’t know. How can someone so weak be so famous? Is it because of that face? Or maybe, if that talent was real…”

A smirk spread across Cohen’s lips.

“Wouldn’t the nickname ‘Human Sloth’ have suited you better? Sybil Forte.”

“……!”

Sybil’s eyes widened at that.

In an instant, Cohen’s twin swords came slashing at her from both sides. Cohen wasn’t provoking Sybil out of arrogance. He had just been talking to create an opening.

Shhh!

Sybil swiftly leaned back, avoiding the sword strikes coming from both sides. Following that, a blade came slashing down from above.

Sybil’s rapier deflected it, and amidst the loud metallic clang, she slid back, extending her left foot.

*Clang!*

The rapier aimed for Cohen’s ankle, but he blocked it lightly and extended his leg. His kick was threatening even without a weapon.

Clang!

Sybil extended her free hand, blocking the kick and launching herself into the air. Cohen’s strength sent her flying.

Cohen’s twin swords swung again, aiming for her, but Sybil parried them all with her rapier as she fell, landing gracefully.

‘It’s like fighting a white cloth.’

Cohen’s brow furrowed.

Whether he slashed, stabbed, or kicked, the white cloth just fluttered in response. Just as a clumsy sword couldn’t cut through cloth, Cohen’s swords failed to inflict any substantial damage.

“Sigh. There’s a way for times like this too.”

Cohen muttered and then…

Dash!

He suddenly charged towards Sybil.

“Huh!”

Sybil extended her rapier to stop Cohen, but…

Crack!

Cohen blocked the rapier with his forearm and continued his charge.

‘?!’

A long line of blood appeared on his arm, but Cohen pushed even deeper. He had judged Sybil’s attacks as non-threatening and boldly taken this approach.

Swish! Kaboom!

Having secured the perfect distance, Cohen slashed his twin swords down from above.

Sybil’s thin rapier blocked the swords.

“Ugh, ugh…!”

“Hahaha! If you dodge so much, I’ll just tear you apart!”

Cohen forced a power struggle. Sybil’s hands trembled as she struggled to hold back the descending blades.

“Hey, this isn’t a battlefield for a brat like you. You should have run away long before you got here!”

Screech!

Their swords screeched against each other, and Sybil’s posture gradually lowered as she struggled to hold on.

“...Run away.”

And finally, her lips, which had been silent for so long, opened.

‘That was the right thing to do.’

Sybil had been repeating that word endlessly in her head.

Run away.

With her good luck, she could have safely escaped the battlefield and somehow survived.

Even if Manggot burned the Empire, she would somehow, in some way she didn’t know herself, survive well.

‘That was the right thing to do, but why…’

Sybil was a villain.

At the time of humanity’s greatest crisis, she would betray everyone’s expectations and run away, or deceive the Empire and secure her own safety, disappearing without a trace.

Due to Sybil’s sudden disappearance, the Empire would have to make huge sacrifices to fill the void, and that would shed more blood than some clumsy murderer killing one or two people.

A villain who didn’t even know she was becoming a villain, so beautiful and shameless on her own, the epitome of selfishness.

‘That was the right thing to do, but…’

Sybil was a villain.

A villain who received the love of fate.

A villain who would survive alone, even if it meant killing someone around her to do so.

“...I understand now.”

Sybil’s eyes sank deep.

Cohen felt a chill at her intensity.

Sybil’s aura hadn’t become stronger, nor had her power intensified, but…

Cohen felt that he had to eliminate Sybil right now, at this very moment.

‘Now!’

One of Cohen’s twin swords broke away from the power struggle and attacked Sybil from the right.

With only a single rapier, Sybil had no means to defend against that attack.

“If I don’t want someone to die in my place…”

I just need to be at the forefront more than anyone else.

Clang!

“!?”

Cohen, about to cut Sybil, was startled and jumped back.

...The sword he had been using in the power struggle with Sybil had broken. There had been no sign of it whatsoever.

Cohen looked at the cross-section of the broken sword.

After confirming it, his eyes widened as if he had seen something unbelievable, and he looked back at Sybil.

‘...This girl, she’s dangerous.’

Cohen shouted.

“6th Unit! Assemble before me immediately!”

Without giving the Manggot troops a chance to question, Cohen continued.

“We’re killing Sybil Forte here! She’s the greatest threat to Manggot!”