The heat inside the collapsing brothel roared louder than the screams. The once-elegant Flower Prison Garden was a furnace now—its perfume-laced curtains devoured by fire, chandeliers crashing, and smoke thick enough to choke.
Dangg!!!
Kyoko blocked the enemy's sword using her heels. She shifted the attack, spun around, and smacked that goddamn head with her woman's weapon. That's why women invented high heels, bitch. For beauty and defense.
Reinhard's eyes darted upward. He pointed. "There! On the second floor—there's a window still intact! If we jump through it, we might—!"
"Jump out?" Kyoko gasped, coughing through smoke, "I don't know you already prepared our double suicide, Reinhard!!"
Reinhard smiled softly, "It's not what you think, Milady... but if that's your wish, I'd gladly face the end with you."
"Hahaha!! This is why I love you so so so much!! Let our bodies be crushed together until we never get separated again!!"
She beamed, stepping toward him, swaying slightly as the floor beneath them groaned. "I'm going to wrap myself around you so tightly, they won't even be able to tell whose limbs belong to who! Won't that be beautiful?"
Reinhard stared at her for a beat too long, the fire reflecting in his stunned eyes. "Milady…"
A flaming beam crashed nearby, embers scattering like fireflies. She didn't even flinch—just kept smiling at him with manic devotion, cheeks flushed from heat and madness.
Reinhard exhaled sharply, swallowing the panic rising in his chest—not from the fire.
"…Let's live, Kyoko," He said at last, voice low, steady, and maybe just a little afraid of her, "I'll get us out. And then… you can cling to me all you want."
Yep, Kyoko is the only one with ho able to make Sword Saint scared for his life.
The group decided to run toward the second floor, where Reinhard pointed. But before they could move, masked intruders poured into the hallway like cockroaches, blocking their path to the second-floor staircase.
"No time for this—!!" Kyoko dashed forward, her hand slicing through the air, "Get out of my way!! I have a man waiting for my body!!"
In one fluid motion, her katana, shimmering with mana, appeared in her grip. She threw it with deadly precision. The blade spun through the air—piercing one intruder's shoulder. Before it even hit the ground, Kyoko summoned it back mid-air, catching it, and slashing the next opponent as she sprinted.
A third tried to block her path.
Too late.
She vanished past him with a sliding spin, the katana cutting the hem of his cloak before slamming its hilt into his gut. He collapsed with a grunt.
"Why you don't kill him?" Toto asked as she was shielded by Ezzo's magic shield from smoke and any attack.
"I don't want to stain my dress with disgusting blood. I need to stay clean so Reinhard can enjoy licking my body!!"
"Do you need to say that loudly?" Reinhard questioning his life.
Like a red-haired storm, he struck the flank—his knee arcing up with brutal grace. The force of his attack lifted one intruder off the floor entirely, smashing them into the hallway wall hard enough to crack the plaster.
"Gah—!" Another reached for Kyoko.
Reinhard's foot hit the side of the man's face. A clean, stunning roundhouse kick—his strength so absolute, the masked man was flung across the hall like a sack of flour.
"So powerful... Lady Reina—No, Lady Kiki call you Reinhard. Does that mean you're..."
Before Ezzo can continue his words, Reinhard already introduced himself with a proud knight tone, "That's right. I'm Reinhard Van Astrea, The Sword Saint of Lugunica."
"And I, his future wife, Kyoko Astrea!!" Kyoko continues their introduction. Happily, she even gave a peace sign and winked at them.
"Milady... Please introduce yourself properly,... I begging you..."
"Why not!? I like your surname! So I take it!"
"EHEM!!" Toto coughs loudly to get this love bird's attention.
"Let's focus on getting out of here."
They reached the second floor—the heat rising, the windows just ahead.
Kyoko slammed the glass with her elbow, shattering it open. The wind rushed in, mixing the heat and ash.
"Ladies first," Kyoko smirked, shoving Reinhard ahead.
"No, wait, you—!"
With a fierce determination, Kyoko launched herself through the window like a shooting star, propelled by adrenaline. Just behind her, Ezzo quickly assisted Toto to escape the chaos of the building.
And just as they landed—
BOOM!!
The entire of the brothel exploded in a torrent of fire and ash. The Flower Prison Garden collapsed in on itself with a deafening roar.
Toto, still coughing, stared back, "My business…"
Kyoko, covered in soot but still breathing, wiped ash off her cheek and looked at Reinhard. The Sword Saint brushed away the dust from his dress.
"…That's one way to leave a date, huh?"
Reinhard groaned, "Your definition of romance terrifies me."
Ash and smoke billowed behind them as the ruins of the Flower Prison Garden vanished into the inferno.
But peace didn't last.
A sharp whistle sliced through the air. Then the thunder of hoofbeats. No... not hoofbeats.
Thud… thud… thud… thud!
From the alleys and broken rooftops emerged a new threat. Dozens of Balance members were hooded, masked, and wild-eyed—mounted on massive, scaly earth dragons, their footsteps shaking the cobblestone road. The creatures roared as their riders pulled out glowing weapons and elemental spears.
"We're being followed!!" Ezzo snapped, sweat trailing down his temple "They won't let us go easily!"
Kyoko spun around, eyes wide, "Freakin' lizard cavalry?! Seriously!?"
She gritted her teeth, and in a burst of violet mana, she spread her fingers wide—and summoned it.
VROOOOOOOM!!!
A deep, guttural roar, unlike anything in this world, echoed down the alley.
Reinhard blinked as something massive and metal appeared beside them. It had wheels, windows, glowing lights—and anger. Pure, humming, magical anger.
"What is that?" Reinhard asked, genuinely stunned.
Kyoko grinned, her hair windswept, "My backup plan. In case my phone business flops, I start the world's first Magical Vehicle Revolution."
Toto gave her a look, "You made a… carriage without horses? How?"
"Magic, I guess? I know, I know, I'm a genius! Praise as much as you want, but now? Get in already before we getting kill!!"
"I don't know your magic could do this? Since when did you create this carriage?" Reinhard asking.
"It's a car, Reinhard. C-A-R. It means 'Catch-Any-Rat.' Now get in!"
Without waiting, Kyoko jumped into the driver's seat, slammed the door, and the vehicle jolted with another aggressive.
"Wait, what's—K-KYOKO!!!"
Too late.
Toto and Ezzo barely got in before Kyoko hit the accelerator. The car screeched down the alley, flames trailing behind as if the devil himself rode shotgun. While Toto and Ezzo are on behind, The Sword Saint takes the front seat beside the driver, and he doesn't even close his door!!
Reinhard clung to the seat, wide-eyed. "YOU'RE GOING TOO FAST—!!"
"I HAVEN'T EVEN HIT MAX SPEED!" Kyoko shouted, laughing like a madwoman.
Luckily, it's the middle of the night. The neighborhoods probably hear loud mechanism sounds, but hey, at least the road is clean.
Toto clung to the door, her fan gone and hair wild, "Oh for love of Volcanica!! ARE YOU TRY TO KILL US OR WHAT!!?"
Behind them, the Balance members gave chase—some of them riding Earth Dragons, others leaping between rooftops.
"Left!! They're cutting us off!!" Ezzo warned.
"I see them!" Kyoko yanked the steering wheel, drifting the car dangerously through a corner.
CRACK!
A sudden shot rang out. Kyoko's side mirror shattered.
"WHAT THE HELL?!"
She checked the rearview mirror, and her stomach dropped.
One of the Balance members clad in dark armor stood atop an Earth Dragon, holding a long, metallic weapon. It was sleek. It had a barrel. And when it gleamed in the moonlight—
"IS THAT A FUCKING GUN!?"
She shifted the car direction to the other side with one hand, her other hand summoning an ice sword as she lent the sword to Reinhard.
"What is a gun?" The Sword Saint casually asked as he took the sword and kicked the door so hard that it was destroyed.
There it goes.
The door was over, and the Sword Saint sent a powerful wind slash toward the enemies. The slash landing on the ground creates a huge mist to cover their escape.
"Something that I shouldn't create, but I created it because I was bored. Basically!! That motherfucker must already get accessed on my phone!! I store my gun blueprints inside it!!"
"WHY YOU DO THAT!!?" Toto screaming.
"BECAUSE I'M SO SO SO STUPID, IDIOT!!!"
Dorr!!
A shot hit the back of a car. Ezzo saw another wave of the Balance's group, "They're coming again!!"
Reinhard slashed again, and the wave of energy cut clean through a pursuing Earth Dragon and its rider, sending both into a lamppost. The shockwave exploded into ice shards on impact, freezing the street behind them.
"I don't know. You could create an ice sword that can explode."
Kyoko opened the drawer. A black glass was taken off, and she was wearing it as she grinned, "Hehehe, my new creation. I need some bomb to paint this world for chaos."
Ezzo was laughing now, NOW THIS… THIS IS ENTERTAINMENT!! EAT THIS, DUST!!"
He hurled spells left and right—fireballs, wind lances, even a summoned lightning whip that lashed through the air and knocked three pursuers into a collapsing alley wall.
That small dwarf is actually useful despite his height isn't matching his skills. He keeps summoning a shield to protect the car from bullets.
Toto clung to the back of the seat, tears in her eyes, "I NEVER AGREED TO DIE IN A METAL BOX!!!"
"DON'T WORRY!!!" Kyoko screamed, eyes wild, hands gripping the wheel with white-knuckled fervor, "IF YOU'RE SCARED TO GO TO HELL ALONE—WE'RE GOING TOGETHER!!"
She slammed her foot on the pedal.
The engine roared in protest as the car surged forward like a beast unleashed, tires screeching against the pavement. Flames and smoke curled in the distance behind them, but Kyoko didn't flinch. Her hair whipped around her face as the wind howled through the cracked windows.
"Kyoko—!" Reinhard braced himself against the dashboard, his usual calm splintering as the world blurred past them, "This road ends in—"
"I KNOW!!" She sang, her voice too cheerful for someone barreling toward the huge buildings, "But if we're dying, I want the sky to be the last thing we see together! Isn't that romantic, Reinhard?!"
"BITCH!! DON'T DRAG US INTO YOUR DOUBLE SUICIDE PLAN!!!!" Toto hugged the front seat where Kyoko sat like her lifeline clinging on there.
Along with Ezzo who screaming too, the whole inside car become chaotic just like the driver is, "WAIT, WAIT, WAIT!! I NEVER SIGN FOR THIS!!!"
She yanked the wheel HARD.
Her eyes meet the enemies who run towards them with a gun.
The car screeched in defiance, spinning into a violent U-turn, kicking up a hurricane of dust and magic sparks. Her heels press the pedal, drawing a small magic circle to keep it pressing.
"EVERYONE OUT!!" She screamed.
"WH—WHAT!?"
Only Toto who is oblivious here.
While the others?
Without hesitation, Kyoko the first one who jump, following by Reinhard. She and Reinhard could landing safely without any injuries due their strengths. But for Toto? She need Ezzo's assistance.
And lastly, Ezzo who pulling Toto out from the car. He's using wind magic to making them both floating as Toto hug his small body tightly like scared cat.
"NO BRAKES, BABY!! SEE YOU IN HELL!!" Kyoko yelled, cupping her hands around her mouth like a cheerleader from hell.
The Balance members didn't expect the goddamn metal beast to come roaring back at them. Their dragons reared in panic. The gun-wielder screamed—
And then it hit.
BOOM—!!!!
The car slammed into the front riders like a vengeful comet, bursting into a flaming, magical explosion that swallowed the entire alley in fire, ice, and screaming steel.
The shockwave howled, tossing dragons and men aside like paper dolls. One of them was sent flying over a rooftop with an undignified screech.
Silence fell.
Kyoko howled with laughter, "Now THAT'S what I call a test drive!!"
Reinhard sighed, letting the ice blade melt in his hand as the wind brushed his scarlet hair. "…Just promise me we're not doing this again."
"Naaah, I will take Subaru in the next trip."
*
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