"Agh, this is so damn annoying."

I'm a scout. A scout's job is to scout. Everyone knows that.

But being assigned to scout out some backwater village in a wasteland like this? That's a decision from high command I can't wrap my head around. Me—someone who's fought in every notable clash between Etrea and the Hive—sent to scout?

What's there even to scout in this weird little dump?

Still, protocol is protocol. First step: survey the terrain.

Hmm. Nothing much here. It's not barren, but it's far from fertile. If the Hive wanted to claim this place, we'd need major terraforming—enough to weave nature-attuned magic without the land resisting us.

Second step: observe the locals. But since that's a boring task, I'm not doing it. It's not like anyone will know I skipped it.

Final step—and the most important one—is checking bounty boards. These are usually posted at the village entrance or inside inns. Since I came in from the back, the fastest route is to walk into a tavern.

"Welcome, miss! Would you like something to drink?"

The receptionist greets me with a graceful bow. She's pretty, I'll give her that. Not as pretty as me, of course.

"Not right now, thanks."

No sooner had I answered than a group of guys from the corner whistled at me—clearly aimed my way.

"Hey hey, pretty lady with the red hair! How about a drink with us?"

Ugh. Disgraceful. These clowns are supposed to be Pathfinders? The ones entrusted with expanding and exploring the world?

"What, too young to hear us or just ignoring?"

Callow was starting to growl. Verdant began to spark. I gently tapped both the greatsword on my back and the dagger at my hip, calming them down.

"It's fine. Don't bother."

As for the loudmouths, I couldn't be bothered. A quick chant, and I tossed three fire-forged daggers in their direction.

"Whoa—fire? And it's Azure Flame?!"

I walked over to the bounty board, ignoring them as they scrambled to put out the fire and bolted from the tavern. My task was to check the board—but not every poster. Just need to see if anyone on it had crossed the Hive before.

The bounty system in this world is incredibly complex. Even I don't fully get how it works. Similar to Zi'eer using his throne to amplify the Song and track every Etrean citizen, other powers have their own tricks.

Each poster is linked to a specific energy branch. When a target moves, any nearby board will automatically display their bounty. That's the theory, at least—that's what I was told.

"...Huh?"

Just like now... that name showing up—it was familiar. Not a friend, but an enemy. And not just mine—an enemy of all factions.

"Marcellus... Ratra?"

Should I report this directly? The guy who killed the Second and Third Greatlord is here. Or... should I try to take him down myself and finish what no one else could?

"Ysley... what would you do?"

"Ohhh. Izutsumi Ysselden. Eight-star bounty. Posted by Etrea."

Something stopped me from turning around. A thread? A sharp blade? Or was it the shadow slowly creeping over me?

"Tell me—what are you doing here?"

I think I knew who it was. That fast? Was this a trap?

"Marcellus Ratra. Heard the name. Didn't expect to meet you in person."

"Enough talk."

I could feel two fingers press against the back of my neck. One well-placed Shadow Gun—and I'm dead. My life, hanging by a thread.

"...Scouting."

"Izutsumi Ysselden? Heir to Ysley's Pyre Keeper—Callow and Verdant? A scout?"

See? I am famous. I swear, those idiots in command... If I could, I'd drag this guy all the way to Hive HQ and ask them face-to-face if someone like me deserves scout duty.

"That's right. And I think you know one more thing."

I snapped my fingers, activating a hidden signal. A burst of Flame Blind lit up the entire inn, forcing Marcellus to shield his eyes.

"A scout... never works alone."

A crack of a whip echoed. A flaming whip lashed in from outside, wrapping around Marcellus and yanking him through the tavern wall.

"Big sis! I got him!"

"Don't let your guard down."

Kiyoko. A mischievous kid, chosen by the Hero's Blade—attuned to both Flame and Shadow. She's a prime candidate for one of the five Council Seats under the Sixth Greatlord. Too bad the Hive isn't a family business. Even with the same bloodline, I still get stuck doing field work.

She's powerful. But cruel in a childish way. Fighting's a game to her. Killing's how you win.

"Huh... wha—?"

Before her eyes, Marcellus dissolved into shadow, slipping back several paces. The Crypt Blade had already left its sheath. The pressure... was suffocating. It felt like every soul he'd ever slain was staring into ours.

But Callow wouldn't lose. It hissed, its blue flames roaring to life.

"Two on one, huh..."

Marcellus spoke. He didn't look the least bit cautious. If anything, it felt like we were the prey. One wrong step, and we'd die.

"I don't want to kill you."

That startled me. Not something you'd expect from the man who killed two consecutive Hive leaders.

"I don't want to kill anyone."

"Ugh. Does he always talk this much?"

Kiyoko cut him off, clearly bad at reading tension. Surprisingly, Marcellus didn't get mad. If anything, he just looked... tired?

But Kiyoko struck first. Both of us used fire, but where mine was Azure Flame—refined through spiritual evolution—hers was Wraith Flame. Twisted. Fueled by the souls of those she had slain, blended with her own shadow and fire to create frenzied flame puppets that lunged without thought. It's her path. Her Wraith Path—Twisted Puppets.

Not pure Flame, not pure Shadow. A ruthless fusion.

Marcellus saw it. Before she could strike, he fired something from his hand—a thread? Was that the Contractor's thread...?

"Wait—"

I tried to stop her, but it was too late. She had already charged in.

The moment her blade connected—it sliced through nothing. An illusion. And then, in a flash, Marcellus yanked the thread. Another thread shot out from nowhere, wrapped around her leg, and strung her upside-down.

"Wah!"

Before she could recover, Marcellus channeled Shadow into his heel—and drove it down hard.

"...Eclipse Kick?!"

A move only high-ranking Ministry enforcers ever learned. It could grind a normal person into paste. Marcellus's eyes were dead. Cold. Full of killing intent.

"This is such a pain."

Before I knew it, Verdant had shielded her. The kick was absorbed—but the toll on Verdant was immense. Not broken, but drained. I wouldn't be able to use it again anytime soon.

"Big sis..."

Fall back, Kiyoko. You can't win this.

You're too young. Too reckless.

You're...

"...getting in my way."

"!?"

I raised Callow high. Its flames seared the air, lunging straight at Marcellus. But again, he turned into shadow. So frustrating. Are all Shadowcasters like this?

There had to be a gap. No one's perfect. Not the First Prophet, not the Greatlords, not even the Drowned God Yun'shul. So Marcellus was no different.

"All in, Verdant."

I dashed forward, dagger held low—aiming for his throat.

But not to kill. I knew he'd block it. That's when I'd make my move.

The moment Verdant clashed with the Crypt Blade, a surge of suffocating shadow burst forth. It dulled my senses, like falling into a bottomless pit. I forced Callow upward and landed a hit.

My flame wasn't ordinary. It could burn like regular fire—but it went deeper. It burned the very soul. And judging by Marcellus's retreat, it worked.

I pressed forward. Fist clenched, I charged all my strength into one final blow.

"Ash Slam!!"

I channeled Flamecharm into my palm and slammed it down—so hard the ground beneath us turned to ash.

Marcellus flew back, landing several meters away. Slowly, he got back up.

That's when I felt it.

The air shifted. Like I had opened a door. A door that kept a monster locked away in sin.

From his hands and shoulders, threads fired off—but their ends vanished into nothing. As if he were turning himself into a puppet.

"Contractors... are those who signed pacts with Zi'eer, the Fourth Prophet of the Ministry. They gave up their bodies in exchange for a piece of that power."

Marcellus gathered energy in his fingertips and began forming hand signs.

"Since I killed Zi'eer... I've had no wish to use this power. Power earned through surrender. Power that leads you by the nose. But now... I guess I'll lose a little humanity."

The seals flashed, fast as lightning. From his hand, a small spirit emerged—round like a spinning top, its pointed tip dripping with shadow.

"I'm not going to kill you."

He looked at us.

"But... try not to die."