“Finally decided to come join us?” Ismelda asked as Camilla crashed into the battlefield—literally crashed, because as Camilla tried to crash the back of the stone knight line, she lost her balance and fell.

Luckily, Camilla recovered quickly and hid her fall behind an impromptu roll that would’ve hurt for a regular creature of living flesh and blood. Her face red, Camilla sliced at the stone knight in front of her. Although her sword wasn’t sharp enough to cut through a golem as if it wasn’t there, like Ismelda could do, her strength and reinforcements made easy work of the golem’s armor. A scar in the stone appeared on the golem’s back where Camilla slashed it.

Realizing that there was a threat behind it, the golem turned to face her. However, that meant it turned its back on an enemy, and it immediately received a heavy blow to its back, knocking it down.

Still embarrassed from her fall, Camilla didn’t hurry to reply to Ismelda. She just nodded in response and instead focused on washing away her shame by dispatching the stone knight on the ground in front of her. With one slash, she split open the golem from head to groin, leaving behind traces of blood mana. Given what was about to follow, Camilla decided to get away from the golem.

However, the other hunters only saw vulnerable prey and surged forward to take advantage of the opening.

Camilla stopped herself from detonating the blood mana just in time. “Wait, get back!”

“It’s not dead yet!”

“I know that, but it’ll be fine. It’s dangerous to be so close! I have my ways!” she said. “I’m not done!”

But no matter what she said, the hunters would not listen and she was forced to watch as the golem slowly pushed the blood mana she left within its wound out, dispersing it harmlessly into the air. The gash on its back healed, undoing all her work. Meanwhile, the hunters hacked and bashed at its legs, preventing the golem from standing up again.

But so what if the golem could not stand? It had fallen and could not fight, but at the same time the other stone knights on either side of it stood guard, not allowing any hunters to get close to the collapsed golem. None of the hunters could deal a finishing blow. That particular part of the battle was at an impasse, and the only way to kill the collapsed golem was to destroy the golems around it—not a quick task by any means.

Camilla glared at the hunters, but if anyone noticed, they did not care. She was neither their superior nor their friend, so why worry about someone completely irrelevant in the middle of a battle? Her grip on her sword tightened in annoyance.

“Fine,” she muttered under her breath, “I’ll help with the others. So much for ending the battle quickly.”

Instead of being able to finish a stone knight in one hit by blowing them up core and all with chaos mana, she was forced to help the other hunters slowly kill them one by one. The way the hunters stubbornly refused to listen to her was mind boggling and it was driving her insane.

Of all the people present on the frontlines, only Ismelda didn’t make her angry, but that was only because Ismelda was quick and efficient in her own right.

Ismelda’s swordplay was unmatched among those present, and when combined with her mana control and strength, she easily dismembered a stone knight and reduced it into tiny pieces. Then, when one of the pieces attempted to regenerate, she picked it out and extracted the core before sealing it with her mana to sell to Cadaelia later.

While it wasn’t the fastest method, it was still way faster than what the other hunters were doing.

Camilla rolled her eyes as she broke the leg of another golem from behind and caused it to lose its balance and fall, and the hunters it was faced fell upon it like a group of hounds. However, the durability of the stone golem and the general lack of coordination between the hunters led to the golem remaining active for way longer than Camilla considered acceptable, and she sighed and shook her head again.

With her help, it didn’t take long for all of the seven golems to be defeated, and like before, the groups were rotated out. Those that needed rest retreated to the back while those that needed to prepare for the next battle made their preparations. Camilla needed to do neither, so she sat down where she was, using what used to be the head of a golem as a makeshift stool.

As she closed her eyes, trying to calm down and forget about the irritating events from earlier, a shadow fell over her. Her eyes opened to find a hunter standing over her, blocking the light. Camilla felt what seemed like a question of concern from Kagriss over her bond, checking up on her, but she quickly sent back reassurances.

Right after, she hesitated. When could something so specific get over their bond? However, she didn’t dwell on the matter for too long, since there was someone standing in front of her. Camilla looked up. Whatever this hunter wanted, she could handle it herself—no need to trouble Kagriss for something so minor.

Camilla recognized the hunter. He was one of those stubborn people that refused to move away from the stone knight that she had been about to detonate. Her impression of him plummeted and her voice grew colder than usual. “Yes?”

The hunter frowned at her tone but didn’t say anything about that. “I haven’t seen you around. Where have you been?”

Did he not see me and Kagriss appear out of nowhere? Camilla ignored his question. “What do you want?”

“I’m just here to let you know that you’re fighting these golems wrong. They’re not like us and they won’t fall with even a good hit when you don’t strike the right spot.”

“... Okay?” Camilla rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation. “I know this.”

“So why did you stop attacking? Do you know the correct way to defeat these things? You have to crush it into little bits until you find its core, or everything you do to it will heal over without a trace.”

And who was the one that interrupted me before I could do precisely that? She stood up, almost managing to face the hunter eye to eye; however, she lacked the height to match the hunter. She made up for it with her air of superiority. “I see you don’t know who I am,” she said, turning up her chin.

“Oh, I know exactly who you are. Just because you’re on friendly terms with Lady Ismelda doesn’t mean that you can do whatever you want when you’re making trouble for everyone else,” the hunter said. Here was no hesitation in his voice. He was completely convinced that he was right. “I’ll admit that you have power, but you lack practice if your balance is that bad.”

Originally, Camilla had been idly thinking about what she’d find if she opened up this brainless hunter’s skull, but the corner of her left eye twitched when she heard the hunter’s last sentence. “Excuse me? What did you say about my balance?” she asked. She lowered her chin and stared up at him, a cold smile rising to her face.

For the first time, the hunter’s instincts worked and he leaned back. However, he replied anyway. “I said, you lack practice. Your balance is bad.”

Camilla’s eyes twitched again and her smile widened. “You saw, didn’t you? You saw me fall.”

“Yeah. Everyone saw it.”

“I see, I see.” She took a deep breath to calm herself down. Her efforts had been for nothing.  Everyone saw her mess up her landing and fall, and this whole time she had no idea that she had been exposed! “You’d better keep your mouth shut about what you saw, good sir, or I can’t guarantee your safety.”

The hunter’s eyes widened as if he couldn’t believe that he was just threatened. A series of emotions flitted across his face and Camilla caught each one. Surprise. Then anger and indignation. Then fear—probably when he remembered that Camilla was on good terms with Ismelda. And finally, calm as he realized that it would ultimately be just a threat, since they’d be parting after all this. His courage bolstered by the belief that he’d be safe, the hunter just laughed. “What do you mean ‘guarantee my safety?’ I’m a member of a B-rank party and I’m one of the elites. I’m not a nobody.”

Camilla had no idea who he was, so that last part was a lie. But lie or not, Camilla has had enough of him. This person was clearly someone who specializes in physical power and melee combat, and on top of that, his mana sense was lacking, or he’d have been able to detect all the subtle hints that Camilla had been throwing at him regarding her hidden strength.

Now, she obviously couldn’t kill him, but there were other things she could do, like scare him about.

Judging by the amount of time that had passed since the previous wave arrived, the next one should be on its way. It was just in time for Camilla to take advantage of it.

Shoving a hardened ball of blood mana into his mouth before the hunter could even react, Camilla smiled. “Another sound, or any funny movements that I don’t like, and I’ll make sure you don’t see the light of day again. Are you really willing to trade your life for me?”

As the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth, the hunter finally realized that he messed up. His first instinct was to wave for help, but Camilla’s threat froze him solid, not only from fear but also from shock. He could not understand how this newbie hunter who, although a prodigy, still tripped over her own feet could surprise him with an attack.

Whatever the method she used, the blood mana in his mouth really did exist, and he did not want to take any chances. He nodded slowly.

“Good boy.” Camilla pulled him over to Ismelda, who was talking with Cadaelia about something.

When Ismelda saw her, her eyes lit up. “Oh, Camilla, I just remembered that I have something to tell you—”

Camilla cut her off with a wave. “Later. I’m going to go scout the tunnel and see when the next wave is coming. Just letting you know that I’m taking this one with me.” She pointed at the silent hunter next to him, who quickly nodded with a pale face.

“Oh, uh… okay. Good luck?” Ismelda looked disappointed and Camilla apologized to her in silence. Ismelda was probably worrying about the feather stone. However, that will have to wait for a more private time. Besides, Camilla wanted to avenge herself first.

Compared to Ismelda, Cadaelia looked suspicious, and a little worried, her gaze sweeping from Camilla to the hunter, back to Camilla, and then to the hunter again. However, in the end, she nodded. “Good luck and be careful…”

“Don’t worry, I will.” I’ll be careful to not let him die.

After alerting the necessary people, Camilla sent another signal of reassurance over her bond with Kagriss to tell Kagriss not to worry, but to her surprise, what came back wasn’t just a mix of emotions that she had to decipher. It was a complete idea.

“Good luck, hurry back.”

“…?” What happened to their bond? How come Kagriss could send such complex ideas?

Her confusion reached Kagriss and Kagriss replied with a small laugh in their minds.

Excitement rippled through Camilla as she realized that their bond was no longer something vague. With some effort, she managed to trace the bond and found that it led to the violet core next to her heart.

Kagriss.

“Can you hear me?” she thought to the core, and almost immediately, the core replied with Kagriss’s gentle voice.

“Yes.”

The world swam in front of Camilla’s eyes as the happiness that rushed to her head actually made her a bit dizzy, and as if reading her mind, Kagriss’s laughter came again. It was quickly followed by scolding. “Calm down, now. Don’t you have a hunter to teach a lesson to? Be careful and hurry back.”

“Hehe. I will.”

With high spirits, Camilla was practically skipping as she dragged the pale-faced and shaking hunter into the tunnels, her grip so tight and her strength so powerful that the hunter could do nothing to resist.

Soon, they heard the heavy footsteps of the stone knights charging through the tunnels at the cave. The echoing made it impossible to count how many there were by footsteps alone, but Camilla knew that it would not be more than eight.

Still smiling from being able to talk to Kagriss telepathically, Camilla was even gentle as she recovered the orb of blood mana from the hunter’s mouth, letting it stream out from between his lips instead of just wrenching it out whole to teach him a lesson on underestimating people.

As soon as the ball was gone, the hunter turned and ran, only to be stood when coils of blood wrapped around his feet and dragged him back without mercy.

“No! Stop! Let me go! They’re coming! I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” he cried.

“Oh, hush. You’ll be fine,” Camilla said, almost singing. She refused to have her good mood be broken because of a noisy hunter. He wasn’t worth it. “Just sit tight and watch. It’ll be over in a second.”

“Damn right it will! Die alone if you want to die, but leave me out of it!” the hunter screamed.

“... You’re taking my words the wrong way… Oh, never mind.” Camilla sighed. “Watch closely and see who’s the real inexperienced newbie!”

“I am! I am!”

“SHUT UP!” Camilla snapped, and stuffed the blood mana back into his mouth to keep him quiet. Then she sealed up his lips, leaving only his nose uncovered. “I’m going to need an apology after this.”

The stone knights rounded a corner in the tunnels ahead, suddenly coming into view. Their shields were lowered while they charged, an unstoppable wall of stone. It sounded weird, but it really was apt.

In total, there were eight knights, one more than the previous wave. Their numbers spanned the tunnel from wall to wall twice over.

Behind Camilla, the hunter stopped struggling.

Finally, Camilla thought as she raised her sword. “Now, to test out what I can really do now…”

Evolving not only made her physically stronger, but also improved all aspects of her magic, though not to the same extent as it helped Kagriss. But that improved control was enough, and Camilla couldn’t wait to try it out. If what she was planning succeeded, then no more would she be held back if some suicidal hunter decided to run into the range of her magic.

The stone knights drew closer and Camilla slashed the air, the tip of her sword tracing a red line with blood mana.

Her production of chaos mana always started with blood mana. Blood mana was the basic element that represented possibilities.

With a flick of her sword, the line shot forward—almost like a cut projected using mana—and splashed against the stone knights. Camilla closed her eyes, focusing on the droplets of blood made of her mana, heedless of the knights drawing closer. Her mind was solely on the ruby droplets that each shone in her mindscape.

At first it was hard to control, due to the vast distances, but the stone knights helped by advancing and bringing the blood into her vastly expanded range.

Spread. Change. Destroy…

The blood mana began to spread over each of the knights’ armor and seemed to eat into it. Like a grey leaf being gnawed on by a colony of ants, the holes in their armor grew larger.

Her eyes still closed, Camilla smiled. “It works…Hahaha, it works!”

By the time her eyes opened, there was nothing left of the eight stone knights that had been charging her. Not even dust. Not a single trace was left in the tunnel. Everything had been destroyed.

Satisfied, she turned around with an expectant smile. “So. Who’s the newbie now…?”

The smile froze on her lips. The hunter had already fainted, and had been unconscious for the entirety of her destruction of the stone knights. No wonder he stopped struggling at the start.

Camilla considered staying and going for another round, but she did promise Kagriss that she would hurry back. Unfortunately, it seems the hunter would escape his punishment.