Chapter 40: Burning Rage.

So-ah desperately dodged every slash from Griffon’s sword.

Blue flames wrapped around Griffon’s blade, burning intensely with every swing.

So-ah was clearly struggling—Griffon kept pressing forward without giving her even a second of distance to breathe.

Her footsteps staggered.

He’s not letting me create space…

So-ah clenched her teeth and began gathering all of her blue flame energy into her hands.

The heat intensified, distorting the air around her.

Then—

She slammed her fist into the ground.

BOOOOM!

A massive explosion erupted, sending a shockwave across the battlefield. Griffon was blasted backward, crashing into the asphalt.

“Agh!!”

He groaned as he slid across the ground.

“Tch… Even though we both use blue flames, you’re way more annoying than I expected…”

Griffon spoke with clear irritation.

Behind his glasses, his eyes sharpened.

A powerful blue aura began leaking from his body.

So-ah stared at him cautiously, breathing heavily.

Suddenly—

Griffon disappeared.

“What—!?”

In the next instant, he reappeared right in front of her, swinging his sword down.

So-ah barely managed to dodge, the blade grazing past her shoulder.

She immediately crouched low, channeling blue flames into her arm, then counterattacked—driving her fist straight into Griffon’s chest.

But—

CLANG!

Griffon blocked it with his sword.

“Huh!?”

So-ah’s eyes widened.

His reaction speed increased…!

Griffon didn’t give her time to think.

He launched another relentless assault.

So-ah raised a defensive wall of blue flames, blocking the slashes one after another.

Each strike drained more of her energy.

Her breathing grew heavier.

Every time she tried to counterattack, Griffon intercepted her blow immediately, never letting her land a clean hit.

She was being completely suppressed.

“Tch…”

Suddenly—

A shout echoed across the battlefield.

“Red Girl! Behind you!!”

It was Indigo.

So-ah’s eyes widened in shock.

She tried to move—

But she was too late.

A devastating attack came from behind.

BOOOOM!!

Edgar slammed his fist into the ground, releasing a massive shockwave.

So-ah was sent flying.

“Ugh—!!”

Her body rolled violently across the ground before finally stopping.

“What the hell are you doing, muscle-brain!?” Griffon shouted.

“Hah!? I was helping you, idiot!” Edgar snapped back.

“Helping!? I had her under control! Don’t interfere!”

The two started arguing again.

Indigo, meanwhile, was locking blades with Lightnova.

His dark-blue energy clashed violently against her sword of light.

“Ugh… Miss Lightnova, would you mind not blocking my way?” Indigo said coldly.

Lightnova stared at him with icy eyes.

“Indigo… there’s something I need to ask you.”

She pushed her sword harder against his.

“A-and what exactly do you want to ask…?”

“You—”

Before she could finish—

BOOOOM!!

A massive explosion erupted behind them.

Both Indigo and Lightnova froze.

They turned toward the smoke-filled battlefield.

Indigo’s heart began pounding violently.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Without hesitation—

He teleported.

The smoke swallowed his figure.

He walked forward slowly.

“…Red Girl?”

Step.

Step.

Then—

He stopped.

Behind his black mask, Indigo’s eyes widened in pure shock.

Behind his black mask, Indigo’s eyes widened in pure shock.

Rage.

Guilt.

Regret.

Hatred.

They all crashed into his mind at once.

So-ah stood in front of him, blood pouring from a deep slash across her abdomen.

Her trembling hands tried to stop the bleeding.

Her breathing was shallow and rushed.

She looked up at him.

“O-Oppa… I’m sorry… I… I failed… It hurts…”

She forced a weak smile.

Inside Indigo’s mind—

This is my fault.

I brought you here.

I let this happen.

Indigo immediately caught her as her knees buckled, lifting her into his arms.

“O-Oppa… it hurts…”

“So-ah… hold on… just a little longer… I’ll take you to someone who can help…”

The smoke began to clear.

Griffon and Edgar stared in disbelief.

Griffon’s eyes widened as he saw Indigo carrying Red Girl in a princess carry.

Lightnova approached them slowly.

She stared at Indigo holding the wounded girl.

Her chest felt tight.

She turned sharply toward Griffon.

“What did you do!? Didn’t the director forbid killing!?”

“I—I didn’t mean to—”

“I will make you pay.”

Indigo’s voice echoed across the battlefield.

It wasn’t human.

It was deep, distorted, filled with absolute darkness.

Even monsters would tremble hearing it.

“I will make you pay.”

Griffon, Edgar, and Lightnova stared at Indigo.

Behind his mask—

Indigo’s eyes glowed crimson red, shining like lasers.

Lightnova’s blood ran cold.

Those eyes… that’s not the Indigo I know…

Fear crept into her heart.

“America, huh… Your branch is in New York.”

Indigo slowly stood up, still holding So-ah as blood continued to drip down.

“After your deaths… I will make you regret ever being born.”

And then—

He vanished.

Griffon and Edgar stood frozen.

“Death? He’s bluffing…” Edgar muttered nervously.

Lightnova didn’t respond.

She was shaking.

Because she knew.

She had faced that version of Indigo before.

And she had nearly died.

*In Park Hyun-Woo’s House*

Park Hyun-Woo froze as Indigo suddenly appeared inside his house.

A moment later—

“She’ll survive. I can heal her.”

“I need your help. Please take care of her… I have unfinished business.”

Park Hyun-Woo nodded immediately.

Indigo vanished again.

“…That man… he feels different from the one who saved my sister…”

Park Hyun-Woo looked down at So-ah, still bleeding heavily.

“Please endure it… I’ll heal you.”

Green light flowed from his hands, slowly closing the deep wound.

*Yoo Jinhoo’s House*

Lee Donghyun, Lee Mira, Min-seo, and Kim Gae-in watched everything through hacked CCTV footage.

“I’m sure Hyung took her to Park Hyun-Woo,” Lee Donghyun said.

“Will unnie So-ah be okay…?” Lee Mira asked anxiously.

“She will,” Min-seo replied calmly.

“But something worries me…” Kim Gae-in said.

“Oppa’s voice earlier… that wasn’t normal.”

Everyone fell silent.

“That was probably a CCTV audio glitch,” Lee Donghyun said confidently.

Maybe.

Or maybe not.

*Back at the Battlefield*

I returned.

Edgar and Griffon stood before me.

They were the ones who did this to So-ah.

Edgar smirked arrogantly.

I wanted to rip his mouth apart.

Lightnova suddenly rushed toward me.

I caught her blade with my bare left hand.

“What!?” she gasped.

“Miss Lightnova. Do not interfere.”

With my right hand, dark-blue light erupted.

Chains formed.

She vanished—teleported straight to the Hero Association building.

“Don’t get cocky!!” Edgar roared.

He charged.

So did Griffon.

I raised both hands.

BOOOOM!!

I caught Edgar’s punch.

I stopped Griffon’s blue-flame sword.

They stared at me in horror.

“Now…”

I whispered calmly.

“You won’t be able to run anymore.”

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