Bob was out of breath.
He collapsed to his knees, staring at his best friend lying motionless on the ground, no breath, no movement.
The only one who was always there for him.
The one who always asked, "Have you eaten?"
The one who'd say, "Need anything while I'm out?"
The quiet presence that made everything feel a little less heavy.
Gone...just like that.
Evelyn looked at Alan, clenching her eyes shut, trying to hold back the tears, though they had already begun to fall.
William crouched on the floor, staring blankly at the ground. His expression was empty, his eyes wide.
Someone had died under his leadership.
The last thing he ever wanted.
Maya lay on the ground, blood in her mouth, her teeth clenched as she looked at the man who had nothing... yet tried to protect her, and died.
She regretted every harsh word she'd said to him.
She wished, desperately, that she could turn back time.
And treat him better.
"Oii oii, Quail. Didn't I say not to harm those two?" Phoenix said, still munching on food like she was watching a movie.
A wide grin stretched across her face.
"Hahaha… sorry, Big Sis."
Quail scratched the back of his head like he'd just swatted a fly.
"Guess I got a little too angry back there."
He took a glance at Alan's motionless body. Satisfied.
"Yaaawwwn..." Phoenix let out a long yawn.
"Whatever. I'm bored already. I wanna go back."
She stood up, stretching lazily, then grabbed her curved dagger.
"Crow! Take that fatty guy with us. The rest of you, finish off the other three."
Without a second glance, she turned her back and walked into the depths of the forest.
"Tch... you're lucky for now. But in 30 minutes, you'll die anyway. Kikiki..."
Crow laughed darkly.
"Better tell us where the treasure is before you kick the bucket."
He and two other bandits slowly approached Bob.
Bob was still kneeling, face blank, the red sword gripped tightly in his hand.
William began to rise, planting his feet firmly. He readied himself to activate whatever remained of his defensive skills.
Evelyn gritted her teeth as she tried to stand. Her hip still aching from the arrow lodged in it. With a sharp breath, she yanked it out, blood spurting from the wound. Without hesitation, she nocked the same arrow into her bow, her eyes burning with resolve.
Maya pushed herself up slowly, pain screaming through every inch of her body. She grabbed her arcane staff, then sat in a folded-leg position, trying to harness what little energy she could gather.
All the bandits began closing in on their targets. Everyone was preparing to fight for their lives. They knew they might die, but they chose to die standing.
Time felt like it slowed.
Deep breaths.
Grinning faces.
Tension thick in the air.
Bob, however, remained on his knees, motionless.
His heart was empty.
Hopeless.
A journey without Alan... was no journey at all.
Then
Out of nowhere...
[Ding!]
[Dual Abilities have evolved into: Limitless Bond!]
...
[New Host Registered: Alan]
...
[Link to Limitless Bond — Successfully Established!]
Bob's eyes widened.
Evolved into... Limitless Bond?
New host... Alan?
A sudden rush surged through his chest.
His wide eyes trembled.
And then he saw it.
Everyone in the forest stopped.
Even the bandits halted mid-step, sensing something was off.
Phoenix, just a few feet from vanishing into the dense forest, froze.
A chill crept down her spine.
"What... is this feeling?" she muttered, her hand instinctively gripping her curved dagger.
For the first time in a long while, she didn't grin.
She frowned.
This feeling...
It was faint, but unmistakable.
The feeling she hadn't sensed in a long time.
The feeling of being hunted.
Phoenix's eyes narrowed, her instincts on full alert.
In the middle of the chaos, a body that should have been still... moved.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
The figure trembled, limbs twitching as if remembering how to function.
Then, crack.
A sickening sound of bones snapping back into place.
Crack. Crack. Snap.
Each movement echoed like dry twigs breaking in the windless forest.
After several tense seconds, the figure finally stood upright.
Its arms hung loosely at each side, palms facing downward in a prone position.
Its head tilted back, gaze fixed skyward.
A long, deep breath escaped its lips,
releasing a swirling vapor, like mist escaping from a frozen cavern.
Cold. Dense. Unnatural.
And in that moment, there was no doubt.
That 'it'… was Alan.
Bob's eyes widened so much it looked like they might pop out of their sockets. His jaw hung open in disbelief.
In truth, every single person in the forest stood frozen, stunned beyond words.
Phoenix, who had already turned her back, froze mid-step. Her eyes widened, a bead of sweat tracing down her cheek. The pressure she felt was suffocating and dangerous.
Without a second thought, she screamed at the top of her lungs,
"KILL HIM!!"
All the bandits snapped out of their shock and began charging toward Alan like wild animals.
Bob's eyes widened. Without hesitation, he activated Dash Slash, his body blurring as he rushed forward. In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of Alan, placing himself between the enemy and his best friend.
Bob raised his red sword, planting his feet firmly on the ground.
This time… he would be the shield.
This time… he would protect Alan.
At that moment, a hand gently rested on Bob's right shoulder.
Startled, Bob turned...and froze.
It was Alan.
His eyes… they were different. Sharper. Focused. The pupils glowed with a brilliant bluish hue that made Bob instinctively take a step back, stunned by the presence before him.
Alan moved forward calmly and said, "Let me handle it this time."
Bob could only watch as Alan raised his right hand, palm open as if waiting for something.
Suddenly, the red sword in Bob's hand began to glow. Then, without warning, it dissolved into shimmering particles...floating upward, dancing like embers in the wind.
The particles swirled and shifted color, transforming from red to a serene, radiant blue, like the color of a clear sky, before flowing into Alan's waiting hand.
Alan closed his eyes.
Everyone, Maya, William, Evelyn, watched in silence, unable to look away. Something about the air had shifted. The forest itself seemed to hold its breath.
Then, in a voice soft but firm, Alan muttered something as he slowly opened his eyes.
His glowing blue eyes blazed like stars.
"Hero... Grace."
Instantly, the blue light in his hand surged and took shape, condensing into a sleek sword of radiant blue. Without hesitation, Alan gripped the hilt, his posture shifting into a battle-ready stance.
Then...he vanished.
A streak of brilliant blue light tore across the battlefield as Alan dashed forward with blinding speed. The air hummed in his wake, a flowing trail of energy following his every step.
Alan's first target was Quail, who still stood near Maya, oblivious to the incoming storm.
In a flash, Alan vanished and reappeared behind him.
Before Quail could react, a searing pain shot through his back. He let out a blood-curdling scream before collapsing to the ground, unmoving.
Gasps echoed across the battlefield.
Every bandit froze.
Even P-Cock, who moments ago stood casually with a bored expression, now tensed. Sweat rolled down his forehead as he instinctively shifted into a defensive stance.
"That boy... is bad news," he muttered, swallowing hard.
Alan's eyes locked onto two female bandits who were flanking Evelyn.
Without warning, he dashed forward again.
The two archers screamed, firing arrows and activating every bow skill they had in a panic. But it was useless.
Alan's sword danced, slicing through every incoming projectile like paper. In a blink, he was between them.
Time seemed to freeze.
A blast of force erupted as the two women were flung into the air. Their bodies crashed to the ground seconds later unconscious.
The battlefield fell silent again… but only for a breath.
Because Alan was just getting started.
Alan continued his frenzied assault, tearing through the bandits like a tempest. One by one, they fell, unconscious, wounded, broken. His movements were sharp, fluid, and merciless.
Near William, another bandit tried to strike, only to be cut down moments later.
But then, a larger figure stepped forward, a bandit clad in reinforced armor, wielding a heavy shield. He planted his feet, raising the shield in front of him.
Alan struck.
The impact rang out like a thunderclap, forcing the shield bearer to slide several feet back. His boots dug trenches into the dirt, but he remained standing, gritting his teeth.
Alan's sword dissolved into glowing blue particles, drifting upward.
Raising both hands to chest level, palms open to the sky, Alan stood still, like a conduit for something divine.
Suddenly, four elemental forces spiraled into existence above his head.
A burning flame.
A twisting ring of water.
A levitating stone shard.
A swirling gust of wind.
They circled in unison, forming a glowing halo of power.
The shield man's eyes widened, trembling for a second. But still, he held his ground, sweat streaming down his brow.
"Come on then!!" he roared, slamming his shield into the dirt. "Let's see what you've got, monster!"
Alan thrust both hands forward.
The elemental forces,flame, water, stone, wind, hurtled toward the shielded bandit like divine judgment unleashed.
The man braced, digging in, shield raised.
BOOOOM!!!
A deafening explosion erupted on impact. The ground trembled. Birds screamed from the trees and scattered in a frenzy. A shockwave rippled through the forest like thunder tearing the sky.
The bandit was blasted backward, tumbling through the air for nearly three yards before crashing to the ground.
He didn't move.
His shield lay shattered, scattered in thousands of splintered fragments, smoking and glowing with residual energy. His eyes, now rolled white, stared blankly at the sky.
Crow, the only bandit still standing, was trembling violently.
"Who is this guy...?" he muttered, heart pounding in terror.
He took a step back, snap.
His boot crushed a dry branch beneath him.
The sound echoed louder than thunder in the quiet aftermath.
Alan's head snapped in his direction.
His glowing blue eyes locked onto Crow like a predator spotting prey. The air grew heavy, a crushing, invisible pressure radiated from Alan's gaze alone.
Crow froze mid-step, his body stiffening.
His throat tightened. He couldn't swallow.
His instincts screamed:
Run.
But his legs wouldn't obey.
Alan began walking slowly toward Crow, every step deliberate, his sword started to materialize from particles, humming with the same radiant blue light. Crow stumbled backward, unable to tear his eyes away.
Just as Alan raised his sword to strike...
Whoosh!
A sudden wave of energy surged in from his right.
Alan's instincts flared. Without hesitation, he twisted his body and slashed to the side with a burst of blue light.
Clang!
A sharp metallic sound rang through the forest as Alan's sword intercepted the incoming attack, sending ripples of power through the air.
Standing several meters away was Phoenix. Her curved dagger shimmered with energy, her eyes now cold and focused, no longer playful or mocking.
Her voice was razor-sharp:
"You were supposed to die."
Alan's gaze met hers, unwavering, calm, cold, and resolute.
The blue glow from his sword pulsed softly, echoing the quiet defiance in his eyes.
Phoenix's lips curled into a snarl. Her playful demeanor had vanished, replaced by something darker, pure killing intent.
She twirled her dagger once, its curved edge humming with primal raw energy.
Then...
They dashed.
Steel clashed, sparks flew, and the trees trembled as Alan and Phoenix collided in a flash of blue and yellow light.
As the battle raged on, Bob finally reached Evelyn, who was crouched on the ground, her hand pressing against her injured side. They both turned their eyes toward the chaos unfolding ahead of them.
Alan was a blur of motion, his glowing blue sword clashing against Phoenix's curved dagger, each strike sending shockwaves through the forest air.
Evelyn's voice trembled as she pointed toward the fight.
"That... that's Alan, right, Bob?"
Bob remained silent for a moment, his gaze locked on the figure standing against the enemy like a guardian reborn. Then, he nodded slowly.
"Yeah... it's him."
Bob gave a small smile, bittersweet.
"He came back for us."