Clash

Fire blazed through the green grass.

A corpse lay deep within the inferno—burned to a crisp.

The 26th Chief of Tresia, Dawn, was dead.

The fire spread rapidly, consuming the trees around it. A forest fire had erupted—one that could not be easily extinguished.

Reality, who had vanished from the scene, now appeared in a seemingly random part of the forest.

She stretched her limbs for a few seconds, just enough time for a certain presence to reach her.

The wind blew stronger. The bushes around her rustled violently—and then, a figure leapt out and landed firmly.

Sunflower.

She held a dagger in each hand, her expression serious and cold.

“What are you doing?” she asked, voice sharp.

Reality kept her usual smirk.

“I’m here for you. Since you're the type who fights head-on and doesn't strike from the shadows, I’ll give you the respect you deserve.” She drew a wand made of wood, a gem embedded in its center.

“I’ll tell you everything, truthfully. Then you can decide what to do.” Reality took a breath, knowing her next words might trigger a deadly charge.

“Dawn, the Chief of Tresia... has fallen.”

Sunflower's expression didn’t change. She had heard these words before—tricks used by enemies to shake her resolve. But doubt still crept in. She reached into one of her many pockets, keeping a wary eye on Reality.

She pulled out a “Glowern”—a small device that reacted to a drop of blood. If the person tied to that blood had died, it would glow red.

Sunflower had several.

One for Dawn.

One each for Arnold, Julie, and Andy.

And two for her parents.

She selected Dawn’s.

To her shock, it glowed bright red.

Her hand trembled. The Glowern slipped from her grasp and clattered to the ground.

Grief surged within her. Dawn—her teacher, her leader, her role model. Her father figure.

Tears welled up, but her sorrow quickly twisted into rage.

Reality, seeing the shift in emotion, spoke again.

“Dawn, the Chief of Tresia, has fallen…” She tilted her head, her smirk deepening. “By me.”

The words echoed.

Sunflower didn’t hesitate. She dashed forward, fast as lightning.

As she neared, Reality raised her wand.

Sunflower’s dagger slammed into an invisible barrier—an unseen wall of magic.

Their speed was blistering. The clash of intent and energy reverberated through the air.

One woman, with eyes cold as steel.

The other, smiling with boundless malice