“—Fus·Ro—” A voice from an ancient past echoed in the darkness, resonating like a thunderclap through the mountains. The vast, timeworn language transformed into words, then into a roar, as Dorothy shouted toward the beast lunging at her from the shadows. With a deafening crash, the glass windows of the entire manor shattered simultaneously. The force of the language-turned-impact struck the beast—now less than a meter away from Dorothy—at point-blank range. An invisible yet immense shockwave slammed into his body. Combined with the beast’s own forward momentum, the opposing forces crushed his internal organs, shattered his bones, and twisted his entire form under the sheer power of the impact. His fanged mouth gaped wide, his bulging eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. Then, propelled like a baseball struck by a bat, the beast was hurled backward. The shockwave spread outward, flipping over nearby display cases. The beast’s trajectory sent him hurtling toward a tapestry-adorned wall, where a knight in plate armor stood, its spear aimed forward. Now, the knight’s spearhead was perfectly aligned with the beast’s airborne back. The spear’s base was braced against the wall behind it. “AAAAHHHH!!!” The beast howled as he was impaled. The spear pierced straight through his back, its tip bursting from his chest. Yet, the beast’s momentum was still not spent—he continued flying backward, shattering the knight’s armor before slamming into the wall behind. Cracks spread across the surface before the wall finally gave way, blasting open a hole. The beast crashed through, flew across a corridor, smashed through a second wall, and only after colliding with the third wall inside the next room did he finally come to a stop. This was the second stage of Dorothy’s Unrelenting Force shout. The first stage, Fus, meant “force”—a single utterance of it could generate a short-range shockwave to repel foes. The second stage, Ro, meant “balance.” Used after the first stage, it not only increased power but also enhanced precision. The shockwave, which would normally disperse, could now be focused, further amplifying its impact on a single target. Additionally, it allowed Dorothy to control the direction of the force, guiding it exactly where she wanted. Using her staff for divination, Dorothy had pinpointed the direction from which Luer would attack. By consulting her dial, she had determined the precise timing of the attack. With these two pieces of information secured, all she needed to do was find the right spot to lie in wait. Having memorized the exact timing down to the second, and utilizing her ability as a Cognizer, she could count the minutes with uncanny accuracy in her mind. Once she had chosen the location, all that remained was to count down to the moment of attack—and then unleash her shout in the precise direction of her incoming foe. As for the knight in plate armor holding the spear, Dorothy had noticed it the moment she entered the room. That was why she had deliberately used the second stage of the Thu’um, ensuring that Luer would be blasted toward that spot, impaling him upon the spear in a carefully planned maneuver. T/N: The Thu’um, also referred to as Storm Voice or simply the Voice, is a form of magic which utilizes the Dragon Language to form Dragon Shouts of immense power. After the shout, the dark clouds in the sky drifted apart, allowing moonlight to once again spill into the room. The spacious exhibition hall was in ruins, shattered glass covering the floor. Dorothy picked up a gas lamp from a nearby wall, twisted its built-in ignition mechanism, and ignited the flame before turning her gaze toward the gaping hole in the wall. She then took out another Devouring Sigil and pressed it to herself before slowly stepping forward. Walking over broken bricks, she passed through the breached wall and emerged into the corridor outside the exhibit hall. Beyond the second broken wall, darkness loomed. She tossed the gas lamp forward, its protective frame preventing it from breaking, and its flame flickered to illuminate the scene within. In the dimly lit room, beneath the debris of the shattered third wall, a black-furred body lay half-buried in rubble. It was barely breathing, gasping weakly. Its limbs were twisted unnaturally, its ribcage visibly sunken, and a spear protruded from its chest, blood pouring from the wound in steady streams. It was a dying “beast.” At that moment, it feebly lifted its head, its weakened gaze fixed on the small figure standing at the breach. Blood dribbled from its mouth as it spoke in a rasping voice. “Cough… cough… cough… To think… to think it was just a little girl… I never would have imagined… Such immense power… such meticulous planning… cough, cough… Truly… unbelievable…” Using the last vestiges of its strength, Luer spoke weakly. Dorothy, meanwhile, silently reached for the pistol at her waist and aimed it at the immobilized beast. Seeing this, Luer panicked, ignoring his severe injuries as he desperately pleaded. “Cough… cough… Wait… don’t kill me! I can be useful to you! I swear, I can be of great use! I know many secrets… I was just following orders… I—” Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!! Dorothy had no interest in listening to his nonsense. She pulled the trigger, emptying the entire magazine into him. The last traces of life in Luer’s body faded as two final shots to the head ensured his demise. His eyes remained wide open as he slumped to the ground. With his death, Luer’s beastly form dissipated, revealing his human body. To ensure absolute certainty, Dorothy activated her Corpse Marionette Ring, attempting to control Lue’s lifeless body. This time, the control succeeded, and she made his corpse twitch and stir. However, due to the severity of his injuries—his key bones broken—its movements were sluggish and unnatural. As an experiment, Dorothy tried to make him transform back into his beastly form, but there was no reaction. This attempt confirmed something important: at present, her Corpse Marionette Ring could not retain a Beyonder’s abilities after death. The corpse was no different from that of an ordinary human. “Well, there goes the plan of obtaining a beastman marionette.” Dorothy sighed, disappointed, and deactivated the marionette control. She then stepped forward, picked up the gas lamp from the ground, and lit the other lamps in the room. As the flickering light spread, it revealed the surroundings. This was a portrait gallery. The walls were adorned with vivid oil paintings and a few photographic works. The paintings depicted landscapes and people, with a focus on portraits. Many of the portraits were of men and women bearing the surname “Field.” Based on the nameplates, they were members of the Field family, including successive heads of the household. Among them, Dorothy recognized the man she had seen at the charity show—Viscount Field. Thanks to the nameplate below his portrait, she now knew his full name: Gary Field. (T/N: It was Ian Field on chapter 107… Meh, whatever.) But the most striking painting in the room was a large oil painting depicting a knight clad in plate armor, his head bare, holding a spear pointed forward in a battle-ready stance. His posture was identical to that of the armored knight in the weapon exhibition hall. Dorothy glanced at the spear that had impaled Luer—an exact match to the one in the painting. Looking at the inscription below the portrait, she read: “Arlin Field, First Viscount of the Field Family.” “No wonder… That armor was displayed in that pose for a reason…” Gazing at the portrait, Dorothy felt a sense of understanding. She then swept her eyes over the wrecked mansion, before finally glancing at Lue’s lifeless body, still skewered by the spear. With a faint sigh, she murmured. “Well… I suppose this counts as avenging your family’s enemy, doesn’t it?”