Chapter 40: It’s absolutely impossible to win!

Next battles: no hardship for Rose Knights. Roaming demons easier than Nightmare types.

After dozen more ordinary kills, Leanna sensed—heart uneasy.

Glanced fortress castle. Perception: colossal gaze awakened.

Next—pupils shrank. Leaned back hard!

Red flash past. Strands severed, drifted.

No lean—neck gone.

“Kekeke—decent dodge. Old knights—head off.”

Shrill voice. Mantis demon from street end. Aura trembled pebbles.

Leanna narrowed eyes. Sword hand sweated.

“Careful—strong.”

“Careful useless—dead today!”

Mantis charged Leanna. Scythes lightning. Leanna top sword—still ragged.

Melin joined—eased.

Clang-clang—

Few blocks—Joyna behind paled, panicked flee.

“Joyna?!”

“We… can’t win!”

Words—gone. Aaliyah, Seli stunned seconds—followed.

Seemed outmatched.

Leanna cursed low. Eye Melin—disengaged.

Escape speed matched Joyna. Turned—vanished.

Mantis: too slow.

“Kekeke—escape? No door!”

Street cross—moments: Mantis ahead.

Scythes spread. Blades gleamed dim illusion. Ate them—stepped closer.

“Run—why stop? Stamina gone?”

Leanna, Melin panicked—then dangerous smirks.

“Run? You run.”

Mantis stilled.

“Meaning?”

“See feet?”

Low—blue array ground. Magic alarmed.

“Trap?!”

Array surged. Sky thunder crashed.

Sizzle—green shell charred black. Cracks, flesh.

Mantis near death.

“Despicable!”

Understood: flee lured here!

No fair fight from start!

“AAAAH—”

Raged. Wounds healed visible. Rose. Blades sharp.

“Think win?!”

“No.”

Leanna shook head. Smile. Mantis panic.

Whistle—

No turn—arrow pierced skull, wall.

BOOM—

Wall hole. Headless stood—wind toppled. Aura dispersed.

“Yay! Bullseye!”

Rooftop: Seli bow, excited. Joyna beside—relieved.

Her flee: ploy.

Dungeon taught: fair fight worst—life-gamble. Always lose chance.

Best: traps, lure.

Zero risk, easy kill.

Mantis: ploy victim.

“Help others. Fortress roused.”

Confirmed death. Leanna sky.

Dragon demon passed.

Scout death—“fortress alive.” Hidden woke.

Stronger than Mantis.

Support now.

To second squad—steps halt. Grim.

Front: white mist.

Heavy steps. Horned, tailed dragonkin emerged.

Presence: fortress dead silent. Leanna: heartbeat, breath only.

Strongest!

Sweat. No move—fear disturb.

Dragonkin: no mercy.

From Mantis corpse. Sniffed. Gold eyes fixed. Flat:

“Your stench… disgusting divine.”