The iron bars opened with an ear-splitting screech. Pushed forward as if being expelled, Leon Crawford stepped onto the dirt of the arena. Beside him, Tina stood with her white beast ears perked straight up, staring ahead. —Heat. Four hundred spectators surrounding the circular arena buzzed under the flickering light of the bonfires. The air, thick with the smell of dirt, sweat, and a faint trace of blood, filled his lungs. *Grrrrrrr.* "[cold]...What's that noise this time?" Leon clutched his stomach. "[embarrassed]Well, I *am* starving. That part's true." Tina let out a small sigh. But in her amber eyes, he thought he caught just the faintest hint of a smile. —At that moment. *BOOM! BOOM!* From beyond the iron bars opposite them, footsteps that shook the very ground echoed. The cage opened, and a massive form emerged. A juvenile Ground Bear. Even so, its height approached three meters. Muscles rippled beneath its black fur, and its small eyes locked onto Leon and Tina. "[angry]*Grrrrrrrr...*" Leon pressed the Black Apocalypse against his chest. "[serious]Lilia, please. Answer me." Silence. The contract mark remained cold. Ever since the battle at the abandoned church, Lilia had not shown herself once. His magical power was empty, and the spirit was in a deep slumber—that was the only presence he could feel. "[serious]...Guess I've got no choice but to do this." He thrust his right hand forward. Desperately, he gathered the unstable dark magic. A black haze flickered at his fingertips. "[excited]With this—!" He released it. *Puff.* The mass of darkness dispersed into mist before it could even reach the Ground Bear. Only the cloud of dust it kicked up drifted uselessly through the arena. Laughter erupted from the spectator seats. "What the hell was that?!" "He's way too weak!" The bear moved. Its front paw swung in a horizontal sweep. Leon instinctively shoved Tina away. —An instant later. "*Gahah...!*" A violent pain shot through his left flank. He was sent flying three meters, slamming back-first into the earthen wall. The taste of blood spread through his mouth. His ribs creaked and groaned. "[scared]Leon!" Tina's voice sounded distant. (*Dammit... Lilia, you still haven't...?*) Even so, he stood up. On trembling legs, he planted himself in front of Tina. "[serious]Tina... I'll protect you." It wasn't anyone's order. For the first time, his legs moved by his own will. Silently, Tina looked up at his back. —At that moment. A stir arose in the upper rows of the spectator seats. A single woman, having thrown back her hood, stood up. Long, blazing red hair. Sharp, amber eyes. "[cold]Out of my way." It was Elena Valenshtein. In her hands, a thick bundle of documents. Ever since the day after the guild expulsion notice was issued, she had been independently tracking Zack's activities. She had uncovered the connection between the smuggling routes in the river port district and the ledgers of the underground arena's operator, Hugen Mark, securing as evidence the forged original documents for the abandoned church request and the transaction record showing thirty silver coins moved as operational compensation. Elena moved to step into the passageway. —But. "[serious]We'll have to ask you to leave." Under Hugen's orders, three burly guards blocked her path. Elena's amber eyes narrowed coldly. "[cold]All three of you, come at me at once. It's a waste of time." The guards lunged at her simultaneously. In an instant. *Thwack! Crack! Crunch!* Three seconds later, all three of them were sprawled across the passageway. The spectator seats fell utterly silent. Still clutching the documents, Elena looked through the iron bars at Leon's bloodied back. (*Why... does it ache in my chest to see him hurt?*) She told herself it was a sense of professional duty. But she didn't notice that the hand gripping the evidence documents was trembling ever so slightly. —Right after that. "[excited]A special entertainment!" Hugen's voice boomed over the microphone. Tina alone was dragged away by a separate chain, led before a large cage further back—an execution cage where an adult Ground Bear was confined. The spectators roared with bloodthirsty cheers. "[scared]...!" Leon bit his lip. Blood seeped out. For just a second, he glanced down at the Black Apocalypse on his chest. "[whispers]Lilia, you don't have to give me an order." He broke into a run. It wasn't an order. Nor was it the compulsion of the contract mark. His legs moved entirely by his own will. "[angry]Shut up! I'm going to protect Tina!!" The instant his shout echoed off the stone walls of the arena— The contract mark on the back of his hand blazed with incandescent brilliance. Scorching heat. The cover of the Black Apocalypse opened on its own. The sealed jet-black pages were released one after another, and a vortex of darkness enveloped Leon's entire body. A triumphant laugh descended from nowhere. "[laughing]Well said, my worthless trash! Excellent!" Her silver hair swaying, Lilia descended once more from within the vortex of darkness. Her crimson eyes gleamed with delight. A jet-black aura surged through Leon's entire body. A strange sensation, a mix of searing heat and pleasure. Power overflowed from the depths of his being, and controlled dark magic converged into his right arm. (*So this is... Lilia's power.*) The moment the adult Ground Bear burst through its cage— Leon thrust his right arm forward. "[angry]It's overrrr!!" *BOOOOOOM!!!* A single streak of black light pierced through the arena. The massive body collapsed with a thunderous roar, a cloud of dust billowing up. The arena was enveloped in complete silence. Leon stood before the bear and burned through Tina's chains with dark magic. "[gentle]Are you okay?" "[surprised]...You." Tina's amber eyes widened. —At that moment. "[crying]Leon!!" From the arena entrance, her flaxen bob swaying, Misha came rushing in. Behind her were Branch Chief Baltos and two guards. She had discovered the note Elena had left behind at the guild, and for three days straight since the day of his expulsion, she had been running around gathering witnesses. Elena handed the complete set of evidence documents to Baltos. "[serious]Zack Heidenheim. You are under arrest on suspicion of forging request documents and violating the Adventurer Liability Act." The moment Zack tried to flee from the spectator seats— "Whoa!" He collided head-on with panicking spectators, tumbling head over heels down the stairs. He was promptly pinned down by the guards. "[crying]Leon, your face! You're covered in blood!" Misha ran up to Leon, cupping his cheeks in both hands. Tears welled up in her large green eyes. "[embarrassed]Hey, that hurts—" "[crying]Thank goodness, thank goodness..." Misha bit her lip, repeating just those words. Leon found himself unable to say anything. At a distance, Elena crossed her arms and averted her gaze. "[whispers]Seems it was worth being late." Lilia cast an appraising glance at Elena's profile. "[sarcastic]Oh my, there was another one?" A chillingly amused voice. Elena noticed Lilia's presence for the first time, her eyes widening slightly. Baltos spoke gravely. "[serious]Leon Crawford. The guild expulsion is hereby revoked. However—" He paused. "[serious]The outstanding debt of eight gold coins remains. That does not change." At that moment, one of the guards interrogating Hugen muttered quietly. "[serious]...The initial tip instructing Zack to frame Leon came from an individual who appeared to be a member of Hexenzirkel." Lilia's crimson eyes narrowed sharply. Leon wiped the corner of his mouth, where the taste of blood still lingered. Eight gold coins in reparations. And—the possibility that a dark organization was aware of his awakening. The two anxieties quietly sank deep into his heart. But, for now. "[gentle]...First, let's get some food." Tina looked exasperated, but even so, she let out a small laugh. Wiping her tears, Misha clung tightly to Leon's arm. Elena kept her back turned, but her feet did not leave. Floating in the air, Lilia made a haughty declaration. "[cold]Now then, we're going home, worthless trash. The hellish training continues tomorrow, after all." Leon smiled wryly and nodded. The light of the bonfires flickered quietly. The heat of the arena had not yet cooled.