The monsters did not bleed. They did not scream. The spatial slash simply separated their top halves from their bottom halves by pushing the two sections of space apart. The monsters fell to the dirt road in completely detached pieces. Their bodies instantly dissolved into harmless gray ash. The ash blew away in the gentle canyon breeze.
The entire coordinated tactical formation was completely dismantled. It happened in mere seconds. The massive ambush was totally crushed by a single, effortless maneuver.
"Incredible," Sayma whispered politely. She wrote furiously in her notebook. "He bypassed their physical armor entirely. He severed their spatial coordinates. It is a flawless, highly advanced technique. He used almost zero raw mana to accomplish it."
Laxmi punched her open palm. "That is a very cheap trick! He did not even let them get close! Where is the fun in that? I prefer setting things on fire. Fire is much more exciting."
"Fire is messy, Laxmi," Zinia pointed out calmly. "His method leaves no mess. Look at the road. It is completely clean."
Ken sat on his rock. He clapped his hands together slowly. Clap. Clap. Clap.
"Bravo," Ken cheered lazily. He gave a goofy smile. "That was a fantastic magic trick. Do you know how to pull a rabbit out of a hat? I always wanted to see that trick."
Zeus heard the clapping. He turned his head slowly. His cold green eyes locked onto Ken. He saw the untucked shirt. He saw the messy hair. He saw the bag of candy in Ken's hand. Zeus felt a deep sense of pure disgust. He viewed Ken as a pathetic, useless peasant. He did not understand why Iris allowed such a clown to stand in her presence.
Zeus completely ignored Ken’s joke. He did not dignify the slacker with a response. He simply sheathed his silver sword. The blade slid into the scabbard with a sharp, metallic click.
The remaining Ashura monsters hiding on the high cliffs realized the battle was lost. They saw their elite fighters turn to dust in seconds. They lost their courage entirely. They turned around and fled into the rocky mountains. They disappeared from sight.
The immediate threat was permanently eliminated. The canyon road was completely secure.
Princess Hestia walked forward. She stepped carefully to avoid the dirt. She stopped a few feet away from Zeus.
"You always have to show off, do you not?" Princess Hestia complained. Her voice sounded very haughty. "My team was perfectly capable of clearing this road. We did not need your intervention. You just want to steal the credit."
Zeus looked down at his younger sister. His expression was totally flat.
"You are arrogant, Hestia," Zeus stated coldly. "Your defensive formations are adequate. But your offensive speed is lacking. You waste too much time playing with your food. I do not have time for delays. I need to reach the capital."
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Zaima scowled. She stood behind Hestia. She hated the 1st Prince. She wanted to argue, but she knew she could not win a fight against him.
Princess Iris walked toward her brother. She kept her posture perfectly straight. She did not show any intimidation. "We appreciate your assistance, Zeus. The road is clear now. We can all proceed safely."
Zeus turned his cold eyes toward Iris. He did not offer a warm family greeting. He did not smile.
"Do not mistake my actions for assistance, Iris," Zeus warned quietly. His voice carried a strict, commanding tone. "I simply cleared an obstacle from my path. You and your mismatched unit are still my rivals. Stay out of my way during the upcoming trials. I will not show you any mercy in the arena."
"We do not ask for mercy," Naomi spoke up fiercely. She stood right beside Princess Iris. She glared at the 1st Prince. "We are fully prepared to face anyone. Even you."
Zeus looked at Naomi. He scoffed lightly. He turned around and walked toward his own grand, sleek black carriage waiting at the front of the convoy. He did not say another word. He climbed inside. His driver cracked the whip. The black carriage rolled forward down the dirt road. It disappeared around the next bend in the canyon.
The strict, overwhelming mood in the canyon finally faded away. The 13th Unit and the 16th Unit relaxed their shoulders.
"He is very rude," Risa noted softly. The pink-haired healer hugged her teddy bear. "He did not even say goodbye."
"He lacks basic social etiquette," Ira agreed in her robotic voice. "Statistically speaking, arrogant leaders suffer from high rates of interpersonal isolation."
Ken hopped off his rock. He dusted his pants off. He slouched his shoulders and shoved his hands deep into his pockets. He walked over to Naomi.
"Well, that guy definitely needs a nap," Ken announced cheerfully. He popped his last gummy bear into his mouth. "He is way too tense. If he keeps frowning like that, his face is going to get stuck forever."
Naomi laughed a genuine, warm laugh. She playfully pushed Ken's shoulder. "You are totally ridiculous, Ken. But you are right. He takes himself entirely too seriously. Let us get back in the carriage. The road is finally clear."
Elma walked past them to return to the 16th Unit's pristine white carriage. She kept her chin up. She tried to look very proud. She glanced at Ken from the corner of her eye. She noticed his goofy, relaxed smile. A tiny, fond smile touched her own lips before she quickly hid it. She secretly liked his chaotic energy. It was a nice break from the strict rules of her own unit.
The drivers checked the horses. The magical beasts were calmed down. The wheels were inspected. Everything was ready to go.
The elite girls climbed back inside their wooden carriage. Sayma sat down and opened her notebook again. She wanted to review her notes on Zeus's spatial magic. Zinia stretched her legs out. Laxmi chatted excitedly about the fight. Luna immediately laid her head on a soft pillow and fell asleep.
Ken sat in his corner seat. He leaned his head against the wooden wall. He closed his eyes.
"I am officially off duty," Ken mumbled lazily. He let out a long, comfortable sigh. "Please wake me up when we reach a town with a good bakery. I am craving a very large chocolate muffin."
"We will wake you up, slacker," Naomi smiled warmly. She sat across from him. She kept a protective eye on the road outside the window.
The wooden wheels began to turn. The carriage rolled forward over the dirt path. The convoy resumed its journey through the canyon. The violent ambush was completely over. The area was totally secured. The 13th Unit moved forward toward their next destination, entirely unaware of the massive challenges waiting for them just over the horizon.
---
The carriage stopped moving. The wooden wheels scraped against the cracked stone road. Ken Eliot opened his dark eyes. He let out a massive, dramatic yawn. He stretched his arms high above his head. His back popped quietly. His navy blue suit was completely wrinkled. His white shirt hung entirely untucked over his belt.
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