"By harnessing my Unique Skill—Seismic Howl—I will shatter the very ground beneath us, fracturing the earth and splitting it open like the jaws of some monstrous beast. Your precious village will tremble as the ground quakes, buildings crumble into ruin, and chaos consumes everything. But that's just the beginning."

  His voice darkened, growing more sinister as he raised his arms to the sky. "And with my Ultimate Skill—Crimson Maelstrom—I will summon a vortex of unrelenting winds, sharp as blades, tearing through what's left of your pathetic village. The fires it ignites will consume everything. The earth will be scorched and left barren. There will be nothing left but ashes and ruin."

  He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in before a maniacal laugh escaped his lips. "But this," he said, his voice dripping with malice, "this is where the true horror begins."

  His fingers crackled with dark energy as he raised both hands. "When I combine the two—Seismic Howl to break the earth wide open, followed by Crimson Maelstrom to lay waste to everything that stands—I will create an Ultimate Unique Skill known as Cataclysmic Tempest. The ground will crumble beneath the weight of the storm, the village will be torn apart by violent winds, and fires will rage until nothing remains but a lifeless crater where your homes once stood."

  His laughter grew louder, more unhinged. "You and this village are done for. You think you can stop me? Ha! Try."

  Before he could say more, I cut him off, my voice steady and unflinching.

  "Noboru Nari," I said calmly.

  He froze, visibly shaken. His eyes widened as I continued, listing off details that sent visible shivers down his spine.

  His sneer faltered the moment my words sliced through the air, cutting off his manic tirade. The confidence he'd desperately clung to drained from his face, replaced by a mask of disbelief and growing terror.

  "Noboru Nari," I repeated, my voice steady, carrying the weight of absolute certainty. I stepped closer, my gaze never wavering from his. "Status: an Armiger. Rank: Tier 12, a mere Novice Knight Initiate. Age: sixty-nine, still foolish enough to believe age grants wisdom. Aura level—barely spans a mountain."

  The color drained from his face, his bravado collapsing faster than the very foundations he’d threatened to destroy, buckling under the weight of my words. His eyes widened in terror, flickering desperately as if searching for an escape that wasn’t there. The villagers, watching from a safe distance, held their breath, feeling the palpable shift in power.

  The fear in his gaze said it all—he was beginning to grasp the magnitude of his mistake.

  Noboru Nari, at 69 years old, stands as an unusual figure in the ranks of the Armigers—a novice knight tasked with protecting the treacherous mountain ranges and untamed wilderness of the Katsuragi, also known as the Victory Empire. Despite his age, Noboru is in the early stages of his knightly journey, diligently learning the fundamentals of combat, survival, and leadership. His human background places him among the least experienced knights, yet his unwavering commitment to safeguarding these remote regions speaks volumes about his resilience and determination.

  Navigating both the harsh terrain and the rigorous demands of his training, Noboru’s perseverance sets him apart. While others may view his late start as a disadvantage, his maturity and life experience provide a unique perspective, balancing youthful vigor with seasoned wisdom. Each assignment and challenge he faces in the rugged wilderness sharpens his skills, hinting at a promising future within the Empire's knightly ranks. Noboru Nari's story is one of late-blooming potential, proving that dedication knows no age, and the path to knighthood is open to those bold enough to pursue it.

  “How…?” he stammered, his voice a mere whisper now, trembling as it echoed in the silence. “How do you know that?”

  I didn’t answer immediately. I wanted him to sit with that fear, to let it fester and gnaw at whatever scraps of courage he had left. The silence between us grew heavier, more suffocating, until finally, I spoke again, my tone dripping with calm authority.

  “You think your Seismic Howl will shake the earth beneath my feet? That your Crimson Maelstrom will reduce this village to ash?” I took another step forward, watching him recoil, his earlier threats now nothing more than hollow words. “You call that devastation? You don’t even understand the meaning of the word.”

  Noboru’s hands, still crackling with dark energy moments before, now trembled. His aura flickered, unstable, as fear seeped into his very core. He had no idea who he was dealing with. But he was starting to realize.

  “I’m not here to stop you,” I said, my voice low but clear, slicing through his fear like a blade. “I’m here to end you.”

  For a moment, he just stood there, paralyzed, the weight of inevitability pressing down on him like a mountain. Then, with a strangled scream, he made one last desperate attempt to summon his power, his aura flaring violently as he prepared to unleash his so-called Cataclysmic Tempest.

  But I didn’t flinch.

  "Who the hell do you think you are to question my authority?" Noboru bellowed, his voice echoing through the shattered remnants of the village. Without hesitation, he unleashed the full force of his Ultimate Unique Skill—Cataclysmic Tempest. The energy erupted from him like a nuclear blast, expanding outward in a massive, circular wave of destruction.

  The ground trembled as the blast surged forward, ripping through what was left of the village. Luckily, the villagers had already been evacuated beyond the blast radius, but the destruction was catastrophic. As the roaring tempest barreled toward me, I didn’t flinch. Instead, I smirked, stretching out my hand, tapping into the power of my XPT without even needing to transform.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  With an invisible force, I halted the advance of the cataclysmic energy mid-air. The villagers, watching from a safe distance, gasped in disbelief. Their awe grew as I absorbed not only the blast but Noboru's entire aura level, draining him of every ounce of his strength.

  Noboru collapsed to his knees, his face twisted in shock and horror. He couldn’t comprehend how I had effortlessly dismantled everything he had. The weight of his defeat hung heavy in the air, as behind me, the villagers murmured in amazement, even though half their village lay in ruins.

  But Noboru wasn’t done yet. Staggering to his feet like a drunkard, he opened his mouth to speak.

  Big mistake.

  Before a single word escaped his lips, I moved—faster than his eyes could track. One moment he was struggling for breath, the next, my fist crashed into his chest. A shockwave rippled through his body, and the sound of cracking ribs echoed in the silence that followed. He gasped, the air fleeing his lungs as he crumpled to the ground, coughing violently, blood trickling from his mouth.

  His terrified eyes locked onto mine. All his power, all his threats—they meant nothing. The realization was carved across his battered face. He tried to rise, but his strength failed him. On his knees, hopeless and broken, he was a shadow of the man who had boasted moments ago.

  I leaned in close, my voice a low, dangerous whisper—the last words he would ever hear.

  “You picked the wrong village. You picked the wrong enemy.”

  I raised my fist, ready to deliver the final blow and end him for good. But before I could strike, a voice cut through the tension—a calm, steady voice that froze me in place.

  It was Grandma Haruko.

  Even amidst the carnage, her compassionate nature prevailed. She stepped forward, her eyes filled with a serene wisdom that I couldn’t ignore. She offered Noboru a choice—a second chance at redemption.

  I didn’t expect anything less from her, but it still baffled me. After everything he had done, why spare him? When I questioned her, she simply said, “Everyone deserves a second chance, no matter what they’ve done.”

  Reluctantly, I stepped back and faced Noboru. “You live because the good people of Kokoro Village allow it. You don’t deserve it. But your life is now in your hands.”

  Noboru, still on his knees, gritted his teeth in defiance, but he was powerless. The villagers gathered around, relief and excitement washing over their faces. Victory was ours—or so we thought.

  Just as the tension eased, Noboru made his move. In the blink of an eye, he pulled a hidden dagger from his sleeve and hurled it with lethal precision.

  It struck Grandma Haruko square in the chest.

  Time seemed to slow as Kokoro and the villagers gasped in horror. Grandma Haruko’s body swayed, her eyes wide in shock, before she began to collapse. I moved faster than thought, catching her just before she hit the ground. My eyes darted to the dagger embedded in her chest.

  It felt… familiar.

  Kokoro and I desperately tried to heal her. The villagers and every healer in the area rushed to help, but no matter what we did, her condition worsened with every attempt. Panic set in. This wasn’t just any wound.

  Then, Noboru’s maniacal laughter filled the air, chilling us to the bone. Blood trickled from his mouth, but his grin stretched wide.

  “Your efforts are pointless,” he croaked, his voice dripping with malicious glee. “That’s a cursed dagger. There’s nothing you can do.”

  We ignored his words, refusing to believe it. But Grandma Haruko’s life was slipping through my fingers, her breaths growing weaker with every passing second.

  I couldn’t let her die.

  Not now.

  Not like this.

  Not when it’s not yet her time.

  Desperation surged through me as I turned to my XPT for an alternative. The device pulsed faintly against my chest, its energy reserves critically low. It informed me that, even fused with Akakawa’s advanced tech, it was only a fragment of its former power. But that fragment… it might be enough to bring Grandma Haruko back. There was a cost, though—reviving her would completely drain the XPT, forcing it into a prolonged recharging state or perhaps leaving it forever depleted, its presence within me gone for good.

  But I didn’t hesitate.

  I began the process, channeling what little energy the XPT could muster. The villagers watched with bated breath, even Noboru, who lay defeated, his smug grin fading into uncertainty. My hands hovered over Grandma Haruko’s weakening form, the faint glow of the XPT illuminating her pale face, caught between life and death.

  But before I could complete the process…

  She was gone.

  Her life had slipped through my fingers, and a suffocating silence settled over the village. The crushing weight of failure bore down on me, but I refused to give up. I clenched my fists, my jaw tightening as Noboru’s mocking voice cut through the stillness.

  “You failed,” he sneered, his laughter echoing like a death knell. “All that power, and you couldn’t even save her.”

  But before his words could sink deeper, something shifted within me. My XPT pulsed violently, and then—without warning—it took over.

  My body surged with an overwhelming force as the XPT transformed, encasing me in a radiant cosmic armor. The sky above seemed to darken in contrast to the light pouring from me, and the air crackled with cosmic energy. The villagers gasped, shielding their eyes from the blinding brilliance as I knelt beside Grandma Haruko once more.

  With my armored hands placed gently over her chest, I unleashed the full cosmic power of the XPT. A radiant blue energy surged through me, flowing into her lifeless form. The cursed dagger embedded in her chest began to disintegrate, crumbling into nothingness as the dark magic dissolved under the overwhelming force of cosmic light.

  The energy radiating from me enveloped us both, spilling outward in waves that washed over the villagers. They stood frozen, their eyes wide with awe and disbelief. Noboru’s smug laughter had long since died, replaced by stunned silence.

  As life slowly returned to Grandma Haruko, the cosmic armor began to fade, its energy depleted. The radiant light dimmed, revealing my human form once again. I felt the XPT withdraw into itself, retreating into recharge mode, but I didn’t care.

  Because in that moment… she breathed.

  Grandma Haruko gasped for air, her eyes fluttering open as the wound on her chest healed instantly, leaving no scar—no trace of the violence that had nearly claimed her life. The villagers erupted in cheers, tears streaming down their faces. Kokoro rushed forward, wrapping Grandma Haruko in a trembling embrace, sobbing with relief.

  Even Noboru was stunned into silence. His eyes darted between me and Grandma Haruko, disbelief etched across his battered face.

  “H-how…?” he stammered. “How did you…?”

  But I didn’t answer.

  Instead, I reached up, gripping the XPT on my chest. It pulsed weakly in my hand as it transformed into a sleek dagger, its surface gleaming with the last vestiges of cosmic energy. Without hesitation, I turned sharply and hurled it at Noboru.

  The dagger flew with unerring precision, embedding itself deep in his chest.

  He froze, his eyes widening in shock as blood bubbled at his lips. Still on his knees, he crumpled forward, lifeless, before the dagger dislodged itself and returned to me, shifting back into its arc reactor form. I pressed it against my chest, feeling its familiar weight settle once more.

  The village was safe.

  Grandma Haruko stood beside me, alive and well.

  And Noboru Nari?

  Just another forgotten fool who underestimated Joseph Benjamin Carmen—the Unkillable.