With Gary taking on the unknown threat, Lovel had her team stand back and waited for a chance to retrieve Hames. She was worried that the amazons that the green-haired man had been keeping occupied would attack her, but they didn’t join the fray. Instead, they watched as Gary charged at Ryner, who was quietly sitting, and smashed him back down in the ground with a punch. Then, mounting him, he unleashed a series of blows, punching him repeatedly like a machine gun.

“NOT SO TOUGH NOW, ARE YOU?!!” [Gary]

He shouted mockingly with a fierce grin on his face as he pummeled the puny man. Ryner said nothing under the rain of deadly attacks that could pulverize steel. Instead, his hands moved to Gary’s waist and grabbed onto his sides. Once he felt contact, he squeezed as hard as he could, digging into his flesh before ripping off a bloody chunk.

“ARGH!” [Gary]

Then, as the green-haired man stopped attacking from the pain, Ryner raised his upper body like a spring and slammed his palms into his chest, pushing him away. Gary rolled five meters on the ground before getting on one knee and put his hand on one of his bleeding sides. When he raised his head, Ryner’s sweeping kick rammed into his face and sent him flying dozens of meters.

“Urgh, that bast-!” [Gary]

After Gary stopped bouncing like a ball and managed to stand up, his black-haired enemy was right in front of him, waiting.

“Did you kill my dog?” [Ryner]

He asked in a cold, chilling voice, his eyes emotionless and his entire being oozing bloodlust.

“N-no…” [Gary]

Gary answered reflexively and took a step back. His spine went cold from being stared at like so and fear settled in his heart. But, when he realized it, he got mad. He clenched his trembling fist and gritted his teeth. He didn’t want to admit that he was afraid.

“… But… HERE’S WHAT I THINK OF YOUR DOG!!!” [Gary]

So, he lashed out with all his might. He took one step forward and his right punch shot out at his foe’s face. In response, Ryner slid his left foot backward and slammed his rotating left palm into the green-haired man’s approaching fist. As their hands collided, resulting in a shockwave, the bones in Gary’s arm broke.

“G-GYAH!” [Gary]

He held his arm in pain, leaving him open for a kick to his left shin, forcing him down on his left knee. When he looked up, Ryner’s punch smashed into the right side of his head and slammed him into the ground. The impact made a crater and sent dirt flying upward like smoke.

“Then who did?” [Ryner]

Ryner asked as he mercilessly stomped on a disoriented Gary’s chest.

“Who?” [Ryner]

As he raised his foot, this time aiming to crush the ribcage, a sudden and swift strike hit him from behind, accompanied by a gale. The surprise attack left a small, shallow cut on the side of his neck and knocked him away from his opponent. Moreover, pale blue sparks jumped off from his wound. Although it amounted to a scratch, it would have cleaved through steel, much less decapitate a person.

Furthermore, that wasn’t the end. Another rapid assault came from Ryner’s blind spot, too fast for the naked eye to see. Two flashes of silvery light swung at his neck for a second time. However, Ryner moved even faster, becoming a blur. He disappeared from his spot and reappeared in a gust of wind right next to his original position, facing his back.

“ACK!” [Peter]

With his right arm stretched out in front of him, he caught Peter, who was forced to come to an abrupt stop, by his face.

“Did you do it?” [Ryner]

Ryner asked the orange-haired man as he held him slightly above the ground and gradually increased his grip.

“Did you kill my dog?” [Ryner]

“AAARGH!” [Peter]

The dual wielding swordsman had his eyes covered, so he couldn’t see what was going on. But, he could feel his head slowly getting crushed.

“AHG! LET, ME, GO!! ARGH! AGGHHH!!!” [Peter]

Flailing his legs, he struggled and frantically swung his swords at the black-haired man, but barely felt any response. He went for the torso, the head and also stabbed his magic sword in his stomach to electrocute him. Moreover, he tried to sever the hand that was holding him up, but only managed to slash through the skin.

“(What the hell!? He’s so goddamn tough! Even Gary’s easier to slash! Just how damn powerful is his body strengthening spell?!)” [Peter]

None of his attacks were working. Ryner simply ignored the blades that cut his clothes and left superficial lacerations, and quickly turned around while pushing Peter forward.

“GYAH!” [Gary]

Gary, who was trying to attack from behind, was bashed in the face with the back of his comrade’s skull. As he was knocked down, Ryner quickly spun in place like a top, jumped and threw Peter vertically upward.

“AAAAHHHHHH!!!” [Peter]

With the screaming swordsman becoming a speck in the sky and disappearing from view, Ryner moved to take on the fist fighter who hastily got up. Gritting his teeth as sweat covered his dirty face, Gary punched using his uninjured left arm. However, it was easily dodged, grabbed and his left leg was kicked from under him, forcing him down on one knee.

“Aghh! FU-!” [Gary]

He was then hit squarely in the face so hard that his upper body bent backward and he was only held in place by his foe who firmly gripped onto his left forearm. The next second, Ryner tightly grabbed onto his right shoulder using his left hand and reeled his right fist back.

“Who killed my dog?” [Ryner]

He asked and struck right away without waiting for an answer.

“Who killed my dog? Who killed my dog?” [Ryner]

His punch rapidly hit Gary’s face while he repeated his question monotonously. His arm was moving like a jackhammer, appearing blurry, and his attacks rained down on his poor enemy like bullets from a minigun. Every impact created a shockwave and rung out powerfully. The forehead, the eyes, the nose, the mouth, the cheeks. Nowhere was spared.

“Who killed my dog? Who killed my dog? Who killed my dog?” [Ryner]

Gary tried to somehow defend himself as he struggled to move his arms. However, they fell powerlessly before they could even touch Ryner. The man who was proud of his forged body was losing strength. He had forced himself to glare at his opponent at the start of the onslaught. But, gradually, his eyes reflected pain, then panic, then fear.

The explosive impacts uncharacteristic of a human body were soon replaced by squelching sounds as blood and meat flew. Gary had fallen on both knees and was bent slightly backward as Ryner stood over him, holding him up by the shoulder as he hammered his face with his fist.

“Who killed my dog? Who killed my dog? Who killed my dog? Who killed my dog?” [Ryner]

He didn’t let up at all and repeatedly asked the question only for the sake of asking. He wasn’t going to let him talk or live. Gary understood that and, thinking back on the fight, realized that it was never actually a fight. Because the man before him was taking his time to beat him to death.

“(Stop…)” [Gary]

He feebly thought as his vision was turning dark red and he was unable to keep his body strengthening spell going. Even as despair gripped his heart, he couldn’t accept the truth.

“(Stop… I’m… The… Strongest…)” [Gary]

He recalled how he had survived since his childhood as an orphan by relying on his strength, beating down anyone who opposed him with his fists.

“(…I’m… Not… Weak…)” [Gary]

But, it didn’t matter. It was his turn to be crushed by someone stronger.

“WHOAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!” [Peter]

Suddenly, Peter’s scream could be heard from the sky, approaching closer, which was then followed by his crash. Ryner stopped his attacks and looked to his right. A cloud of dust was raised from the impact of the swordsman’s conspicuous return.

“Gaah! Damnit, *cough* my legs!” [Peter]

Raising his upper body while lying prone, Peter quickly looked at his surroundings. Through the lingering dust, he saw and recognized the silhouettes of two men. One was Ryner and the other was Gary, who was kneeling and leaning backward. Realizing that he was losing badly, Peter, half-panicking, called out to him loudly.

“GARY!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! PUT THOSE DUMB MUSCLES OF YOURS TO USE AND GET-!!!” [Peter]

However, his voice stopped short in his throat once most of the dust was blown away and his view cleared up. The big, large man with bulging muscles who always laughed confidently while grappling and killing his foes using his bare hands was barely conscious. In fact, besides the wheezing sounds and the slightly moving chest, it was hard to tell if he was alive. As if his skin had been peeled off, his entire face was deep red and covered in blood.

Gary’s front teeth were knocked out, his lips were torn, his nose was pulverized, his cheeks collapsed and it was impossible to tell where his eyes were. His face was like an eyeless, mangled skull, covered in bright red flesh. Laborious breathing noise escaped from his broken jaw hanging loose along with spurts of blood. Ryner let go his shoulder, which he had dug into with his fingers, and the disfigured green-haired man limply fell on his back. Peter stared at his ally’s mutilated face in disbelief.

Then, a foot mercilessly came down and crushed Gary’s head like a rotten tomato. When the swordsman looked up, he saw Ryner, both hands covered in blood, staring back at him, with crimson stains on his shirt and face. Peter, comprehending the danger he was in, chose the best course of action he could think of. Forgetting the problems that would appear in the future, he opted to avoid the immediate crisis by bolting.

Turning around and forcing his aching body to get up, he dashed with all his might while holding onto his swords. Unfortunately, Ryner appeared in his path, having moved much faster than he could, and caught him by the face for a second time. Peter couldn’t see anything as his eyes were covered by his enemy’s right hand and his feet no longer touched the ground. Then, intense pressure assaulted his skull, threatening to break it.

“Agh wait wait WAIT!!!” [Peter]

“Did you kill my dog?” [Ryner]

Ryner asked before he grabbed the swordsman’s right upper arm with his left hand.

“No, I didn’t! AHHH!! I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT A DOG! ARGGH I SWEAR!!!” [Peter]

Then, he crushed the armor, flesh and bones, and gradually tore off the limb from the body.

“AH! ARGH! ARRRGGGGGHHHH!!!” [Peter]

Peter’s screams of agony echoed on the battlefield. His fight was brutally coming to an end. Meanwhile, his allies were being cornered.

“FIRE!!” [Lovel]

Lovel shouted and a rain of bullets flew at Itham. She and her forces were trying to kill the High Elder while he was chanting, or at least distract him. But, the amazons got in the way and blocked the bullets with their weapons or bodies. It was the same for any magic spells that they fired at them. Moreover, any shot that managed to bypass them was stopped by the elf’s own magic.

“Lightning’s Might!” [Lovel]

The tanned-skinned woman released a bolt of lightning from her hands. The racing arc of bluish white light crashed into the Matriarch, who took it with her arms crossed in front of her, and grinned.

“(Damn it! The plan has completely derailed! Fighting the Gatekeeper here was expected, but elves?! Amazons?! And a human?!! Why do they have a human among them?!! And someone so powerful at that!)” [Lovel]

Lovel switched to firing her Thunder Screamer at the female warriors who stood their ground like a wall. Protected by them was Itham and behind him was his daughter, Meirith.

“These weapons are useless!” [Invader]

“We need the Fang!” [Invader]

“Isn’t the other team back yet?!” [Invader]

“HOW THE HELL DID GARY DIE?!!” [Invader]

“We need Peter!” [Invader]

“FORGET IT! HE’S AS GOOD AS DEAD!” [Invader]

With each passing second, her forces were becoming more and more distressed, which increased her own anxiety. It wasn’t surprising since Hames was badly injured and still recovering with healing potions. Moreover, though it was from afar, they had certainly witnessed it. Gary had been killed and Peter was done for. The three S ranks on their side, the bulk of their fighting strength, were down.

The only one left was their leader, Gerard, who was battling Rosaminta. The only silver lining was that the Gatekeeper was focusing solely on the fiery giant and did not attack anyone else. Furthermore, the amazons were only defending while sporting huge, ecstatic grins on their faces. However, there was no telling how long they would stay their hand.

“(I’m sorry, Gerard, but I’m calling it. We’re still alive because, for whatever reason, they’re just playing with us. We need to retreat before they decide to wipe us out!)” [Lovel]

Lovel had judged the situation hopeless and her mind’s gears turned from accomplishing the mission to getting out alive. Besides, not all was lost. They could still fulfill their last objective and survive. What was important was that they lived through their ordeal. Having made her choice, the blonde-haired woman searched for the best chance to signal Gerard so that they could all withdraw from Hossylei Nac.

At that moment, turning her head around, Lovel saw Ryner standing next to her. His right hand was dragging along Peter, who had a terrified expression on his face, and only his torso still attached below his neck.

“Did you kill my dog?” [Ryner]