Ares remained in his boxing stance, his fists raised just below his chin while blood streamed relentlessly from the deep wounds covering his chest, neck, ribs, and shoulders. Every breath sent a stabbing pain through his battered body, yet his eyes never wavered. They remained fixed entirely upon the silver-haired madman standing several meters away. The corridor fell into an uneasy silence, both men studying one another as though the battle had entered an entirely different phase.Then…Ares moved.To Hannah and Donald, the enormous giant should never have been capable of such speed. His towering frame seemed to blur as he exploded forward with astonishing footwork, closing the distance before Marshal could even finish blinking.Thump!His lead foot planted firmly against the steel floor.A sharp jab shot toward Marshal’s face.The Smiling Demon tilted his head just enough for the punch to skim past his cheek before laughing.“Oh?”“I didn’t know you knew how to box.”His golden eyes

Darkness.It stretched endlessly in every direction, swallowing every trace of sound until even the echoes of battle had vanished. The screams, the smell of blood, the metallic taste in his mouth, the pain ripping through his body… all of it slowly drifted away like smoke carried by the wind.Then came warmth.A gentle breeze brushed against his face, carrying with it the scent of grass and wildflowers.“…Where am I?”His eyelids slowly fluttered open.The first thing that greeted him was a brilliant blue sky stretching endlessly overhead. Golden sunlight poured down upon him, so bright that he instinctively raised an arm to shield his eyes. For several long moments, he simply lay there blinking, allowing his vision to adjust to the overwhelming brightness.Then, like a flood bursting through a broken dam, the memories returned.Marshal.The endless battle.The slash that carved through his shoulder.The hand that pierced his stomach.Hannah’s terrified scream.His own body collapsing

Ares remained frozen where he stood.His towering body, capable of standing unmoved before thousands of enemies, trembled uncontrollably as he slowly lowered himself onto one knee before the little girl. His breathing had become uneven, every breath carrying years of grief he had buried deep inside his heart.“…My…”His voice cracked.“…my child?”He cautiously reached out with both trembling hands, gently cupping the little girl’s cheeks as though afraid she might disappear the moment he touched her. Her skin was warm. Real.“My daughter…”Tears welled up in his eyes once more.“I… I have a daughter?”The little girl blinked innocently, tilting her tiny head in confusion before giggling.“Father?”She reached out and poked his nose with one tiny finger.“What’s wrong with you today?”She giggled again.“You keep looking at me like you’ve seen a ghost.”Her innocent laughter pierced straight through Ares’ heart.He stared at her as though trying to memorize every tiny detail.Her brig

Ares smiled peacefully.“That’s right.” A quiet breath escaped his lips as his shoulders finally relaxed. “I’m retired.”The words felt strangely liberating.For years, he had carried the burden of being Oakhaven’s shield. Every sunrise meant another patrol. Every sunset meant another report. Every distant rumor of conflict meant another sleepless night spent preparing for an attack that might never come. He had lived every day with one purpose—to protect everyone else. But now… he wanted none of it anymore.He simply wanted to be a husband.A father.Nothing more.Word of his decision spread throughout Oakhaven faster than wildfire. By noon, nearly everyone in the village had already heard that the legendary Village Protector was finally laying down his hammer after years of standing watch over them.Later that afternoon, Ares made his way toward the largest building in the village—the chief’s residence. Two village guards stood watch outside the entrance, and the moment they spotted

Ares held Elana and Luna tightly against his chest, his enormous body trembling so violently that he could barely breathe. His hands were stained crimson as he desperately tried to stop the blood pouring from their mouths, pressing against the wounds with all the strength he possessed. It was useless. The warm blood simply slipped between his fingers, running down his wrists in thick streams before dripping onto the ground beneath them. It soaked his clothes, pooled around his knees, and carried with it the metallic scent of death that he had spent years trying to forget.“No…” His voice shook uncontrollably as panic consumed him. “No… stay with me. Please… please don’t leave me again.”His desperate eyes darted from Elana to Luna, silently begging one of them to laugh and tell him this was some cruel joke. Instead, Elana slowly lifted a trembling hand and rested it against his cheek. Her touch was as gentle as ever, yet it felt unnaturally cold, as though life had already begun slipp