Karry and Arnold ran through the trembling corridors as soldiers closed in from every direction.
"What should we do?" Karry shouted, his breath ragged.
"First, we save Sasha," Arnold said firmly.
"Then we escape."
The ground shook beneath their feet. Outside, distant explosions echoed, and cracks spread across the walls like spiderwebs.
"They've surrounded the entire area," Karry said, panic rising.
Then he saw her.
"There—Sasha!"
Arnold followed his gaze. "Move. Now."
Sasha stood in the center of the main hall, locked in combat with Harry.
Their swords clashed again and again, each strike sending shockwaves through the structure. Pillars cracked. Chunks of stone fell from the ceiling. Dust filled the air as the building groaned under the pressure.
Harry laughed.
"Don't fight so hard," he sneered.
"Give up. You can't win."
Sasha's eyes were cold and steady.
"Don't be stupid," she replied.
"You think you're winning?"
She shifted her stance.
"I think I am."
With a sudden surge of power, Sasha struck. The impact split the floor beneath them and forced Harry back. A nearby wall collapsed, opening the hall to the night sky beyond.
Henry staggered—then smiled.
"So strong," he muttered.
"That just makes breaking you more satisfying."
He raised his arm.
"Soldiers. Capture her."
They rushed in from all sides.
Sasha fought fiercely, her blade flashing as debris rained down. But the numbers were too great. The hall shook violently as another explosion rocked the building. Her movements slowed. Finally, she fell to one knee—then collapsed to the ground.
Harry stepped forward through the dust.
"At last," he said quietly.
"You're mine."
He reached out—
In the next fraction of a second, everything ended.
A katana flashed.
Harry's sword slipped from his hand.
His body fell still.
Silence crashed over the hall.
A figure stood above the fallen body, a katana held loosely at his side. His presence alone crushed the air. Crimson eyes glowed faintly beneath the shadows.
Then the destruction spread.
A terrifying force rippled outward. The remaining walls shattered as if cut apart. Towers split down the middle. Entire sections of the mansion collapsed, sinking into clouds of dust.
Outside, nearby buildings were torn apart, rooftops caving in as the shockwave swept through the area. Streets cracked. Structures crumbled.
All around, soldiers fell where they stood—defeated before they could even understand what had happened.
Karry stopped moving.
He couldn't breathe.
He hadn't seen the strike.
Only the aftermath.
The figure slowly turned his head.
For a brief moment—just a single moment—his gaze met Karry's.
Then the pressure vanished.
Through the ruins, smoke, and falling debris, the path to escape lay open.
[End of Chapter 7]