Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey

"Uk!"

In the end, Hanson's dagger was unable to endure, breaking in half. Just when Sia was about to make her final strike, someone stole the sword hanging by a security guard's waist.

Immediately afterwards single streak of light shot through the air and cut in between Hanson and Sia. Adrian had used a security guard's sword to block Sia's Flame Sword.

"Who are you? Back off before I cut you down."

Adrian didn't budge even at Sia's solemn warning.

He wanted to become a Hero to protect people. His firm conviction couldn't be shaken so easily.

"I refuse."

Sia narrowed her eyes at Adrian, surprised by his boldness. She could sense the determination radiating from him, a conviction that matched her own.

"Stand down, this your last warning," Sia commanded, her voice laced with authority.

But Adrian stood his ground, his grip firm on the stolen sword as he faced off against Sia. He may have been a novice in the world of magic, but his resolve to protect others burned brightly within him.

"I can't stand by and watch while someone gets hurt," Adrian replied, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. "I may not be as skilled as you, but I'll do whatever it takes to stop this madness."

"So I won't let you kill him."

"I said move!"

"Uuk!"

The current Sia didn't know mercy. She kicked Adrian's solar plexus without a shred of hesitation, and Adrian knelt on one leg as he staggered from the shock.

"Ah, hey! You stop right there!"

But thanks to Adrian, Hanson managed to find an opening to jump out the window.

"See you later, crazy bitch... Eh?"

However, his attempt to jump out the window stayed an attempt.

From beneath the window, a thick darkness gushed up at Hanson.

The darkness swallowed Hanson, who was about to escape, then spat him back out into the room.

"..."

The darkness dyed the room in black. Sia who was furious, Adrian who was writhing in pain, and Emma who ran away sullenly all held their breath and stared at the darkness.

Then, from the darkness, a figure of a man emerged.

"So this is the item containing ancient wisdom..."

The Fallen human who appeared from the darkness held up a ring. The setting sun gave the ring a faint red glow. It was the ring Hanson had stolen earlier.

"Ah, when did you take... Ak!"

After checking his magic pouch, Hanson muttered despondently. Sia immediately ran up to Hanson, grabbing him by his hair before pointing her sword at the fallen human

"Put that down."

"Haha."

The Fallen human made a magnanimous smile. Sia became nervous. It was obvious at first glance that the Fallen human was completely different from humans.

Reddish black skin and blood-red eyes. A fallen human's appearance strayed further from a human's the more one was engulfed by a demon. From his appearance, Sia could estimate his strength.

"This item isn't something that suits people like you."

Sia's grip tightened on her sword as she glared at the fallen human before her. Despite her unease, she maintained her composure, unwilling to show any signs of weakness in front of such a formidable opponent.

"What do you want with that ring?" Sia demanded, her voice steady despite the tension in the air. "And who are you?"

The fallen human chuckled softly, his blood-red eyes gleaming with amusement as he regarded Sia with a mixture of curiosity and disdain.

"I am Jain, and I seek the power contained within this ring," he replied, his voice smooth and melodious. "As for what I want... let's just say that it aligns with my ambitions."

Sia's instincts screamed at her to be cautious. She had heard tales of fallen humans and their insatiable thirst for power, their willingness to do whatever it took to achieve their goals. She knew that dealing with someone like Jain could be dangerous, but she also understood that she had no choice but to confront him head-on.

"Give me the ring, and I'll spare your life," Sia said, her voice dripping with authority. "You have no business meddling in the affairs of humans."

Jain merely chuckled in response, his smirk widening as he took a step closer to Sia.

"Ah, but you see, I have every right to meddle in the affairs of humans," he said, his tone mocking. "After all, it was humans who banished me from their society, who cast me out as if I were nothing more than a mere nuisance."

Sia's eyes narrowed at Jain's words, a flicker of anger flashing across her features. She knew that dealing with fallen humans was never easy, but she also knew that she couldn't allow Jain to obtain the power contained within the ring.

"Enough talk," Sia said, her voice cold and resolute. "If you won't hand over the ring willingly, then I'll just have to take it by force."

"Let's see if you can take from me," Jain said as he was about to put away the ring...

Which—

A streak of light broke through the window and enveloped the ring. In the blink of an eye, the ring was snatched away, disappearing outside the window.

"W-What!?"

The Fallen human screamed and turned in the direction the ring flew out.

Outside the window, on a faraway hill, he caught sight of someone who was holding onto a wire-like object.

Someone... wearing the mask of a beast.

That someone, Lucas, put on a thin smile.

***

Lucas watched from the distant hill, his heart pounding with adrenaline as he clutched the wire-like object in his hand. He had been monitoring the situation from afar, waiting for the opportune moment to intervene and retrieve the ring.

With a quick flick of his wrist, Lucas retracted the wire, pulling the ring towards him with practiced precision. As it neared, he reached out and caught it deftly in his hand, his fingers closing around the ancient artifact with a sense of triumph.

The fallen human, Jain, let out a furious roar as he realized what had happened, his blood-red eyes narrowing in anger as he turned his gaze towards Lucas.