The morning following breakfast, the three Sky Squad members prepared to take their leave of Advisor Alex, planning to return to headquarters and resume their official duties. They gathered in the main reception hall before heading toward the front gate.

Advisor Alex escorted them toward the exit. Pausing near the courtyard perimeter, they exchanged a final round of pleasantries.

"Thank you for your generous hospitality, Lord Advisor. The Sky Squad and I will always remember it," Nora offered, bowing respectfully with his hands folded together.

"It was an honor to host the Sky Squad," Advisor Alex replied, returning the formal bow toward Nora, Barsha, and Aji. "Whenever your duties bring you back this way, our doors remain open to you."

Before the Sky Squad could depart, two figures emerged from the main residence, walking toward the group. Nurma—Alex's daughter—approached carrying her young daughter in her arms.

Accompanied by her mother, Morina, Nurma stepped forward to bid the young warriors farewell. In her arms, the little girl was crying softly, perhaps exhausted or fussy from missing her nap.

Advisor Alex reached out, offering to hold his granddaughter, but Nurma gently pulled back, insisting she could calm the child herself. A subtle flicker of disappointment crossed Alex's face—a brief reaction that didn't go unnoticed.

As the toddler's crying grew louder, Barsha stepped forward, reaching out her hands with a warm, gentle smile. Nurma hesitated briefly, but Barsha moved closer with genuine warmth in her eyes. Sensing her calm presence, the little girl reached her small arms toward Barsha, wanting to be held.

"Come here, little one. Let your auntie hold you," Barsha coaxed softly, her eyes twinkling with affection.

"Go on, Nurma. Let her play with her auntie for a moment," Morina chimed in, granting permission. She assumed the young woman simply wanted to hold the child briefly before returning to the Sky Squad headquarters.

Nurma handed her crying daughter over to Barsha. The moment Barsha cradled the child against her chest, the little girl's crying ceased entirely. Feeling an immediate bond, Barsha carried the toddler a short distance away, pointing out the shade trees and birds flying overhead to keep her entertained.

Within moments, the two were laughing softly together, the child completely appeased.

Just as Barsha stepped away with the little girl, Aji moved without warning. Igniting his internal energy, he transformed into a streak of light, charging forward with explosive force. A dense aura enveloped his frame, radiating a sharp, aggressive pressure.

Nora stood frozen in sheer disbelief as Aji burst past him in a sudden, violent assault. He had no idea what had gotten into his comrade. Caught off guard, Advisor Alex instinctively dropped into a high guard, bracing himself to intercept Aji's strike.

Yet, as Aji closed the distance, he bypassed Alex entirely—redirecting his strike directly toward the two women standing behind him: Alex's wife and daughter.

Nora's mind reeled. Has Aji completely lost his mind?!

Aji drove a heavy, energy-infused fist straight toward Morina. Morina thrust both palms forward to block the blow, but the kinetic weight behind Aji's strike proved overwhelming. Despite deploying a dense defensive barrier, Morina was blasted back several meters across the courtyard.

Using the recoil of his initial strike, Aji pivoted mid-air, sweeping his left arm to launch himself directly toward Nurma. Moving with blinding speed, Aji drew his right fist back, driving a concentrated pulse of internal force straight at Alex's daughter.

WOOOOSSSHHH! THUD!

Nurma crossed her forearms in a tight guard to block the incoming strike. Aji's fist collided with her arms, and without missing a beat, he detonated a secondary burst of kinetic energy through his knuckles, overpowering her defense.

BLAAARRR!

The resulting blast sent Nurma skidding backward, tumbling hard onto the dirt.

"What are you doing, Aji?!" Nora bellowed, his voice laced with shock and rage. "You're attacking defenseless women—the family of a continental advisor! Explain yourself!"

Morina stabilized her internal energy, rising slowly to her feet. Turning toward her husband, her voice turned sharp and demanding. "What are you waiting for, Advisor Alex?! If you stand by and do nothing while they cut us down, your life..."

Her words sounded less like a plea and more like a stern reprimand. Gritting his teeth, Advisor Alex unsheathed his sword, pointing the steel directly at Aji and Nora. Nora stood thoroughly bewildered as the situation escalated out of control. To Nora, Aji's reckless attack on two women had provoked Alex's fury, ruining everything.

"Forgive me, warriors of the Sky Squad," Alex declared, his blade igniting with a sharp, radiant light. "I must stop you here!"

Aji drew his custom wooden staff from his back, matching Alex's stance. Staff and sword hovered inches apart, ready to clash.

"Unleash your full power, Advisor Alex," Aji said, his voice cold and devoid of emotion. "Let us see who falls today."

The atmosphere heavy with aura, Aji lunged forward as Alex charged to intercept him. Their weapons collided in a deafening clash as radiant steel met dense wood, trading blows across the courtyard in a rapid exchange of absolute force.

Aji whirled his staff in intricate arcs, while Alex parried every strike aimed at his vital points with practiced precision.

CLANG!CLINK!CLANG!

Nora watched the duel unfold in stunned silence, his mind struggling to process the madness. Though the violent shockwaves from their clashing weapons rattled his frame, he remained paralyzed, unsure of how to intervene.

Glancing toward the edge of the courtyard, Nora spotted Barsha still holding the young girl securely in her arms. Yet, rather than seeking cover, Barsha reached to her waist with her free hand, drawing a sharp assassin's dagger. What is Barsha doing drawing her weapon?! Nora wondered frantically.

Opposite her, Morina and Nurma drew twin shortswords concealed beneath their robes, their expressions darkening as they charged straight at Barsha. Nora gasped. Why would Barsha take the child away from her mother and grandmother? Now they're attacking her to reclaim the girl!

Damn it all!

Nora was completely lost. Before he could make sense of the chaos, Morina and Nurma closed in on Barsha, executing synchronized slashes from both sides with their shortswords.

Despite holding the child in one arm, Barsha moved with astounding agility. Her movements only slightly restricted, she dodged their murderous swings with effortless grace. Spotting a house guard approaching the commotion, Barsha leaped into the air, landing softly beside the confused sentry.

She immediately placed the little girl into the guard's arms. "Protect her! It isn't safe here!"

The guard reacted on pure instinct, cradling his master's granddaughter close to his chest. Recognizing the danger, he backed away to secure the child.

With the toddler safe, Barsha turned back toward Morina and Nurma, diving headlong into their incoming assault.

SYUUUUUUNG! BLAST!

Fierce duels erupted on two fronts across the compound. As clashing weapons echoed through the morning air, Nora stood frozen in the center of the courtyard, unable to fathom how a simple farewell had spiraled into an all-out war.