The Vixen's Gambit: Tonight We Hunt

A green-haired boy named Kosma stood atop a skyscraper, waiting for the eye of the storm.

This terrifying hurricane had ripped through the entire city. The only good news was that everyone had evacuated before the disaster struck.

But for Kosma, that wasn't enough. The disaster had to be stopped. If he didn't destroy the source of the storm, other places might suffer the same fate.

He dreamed of being a hero. He was determined to destroy the hurricane's core, even if it cost him his life. He would take this disaster down with him.

So he waited. The moment the eye of the storm neared the skyscraper, he jumped. Even as the fierce winds tore at his body, he gritted his teeth and hurled the explosives in his hands towards the center of the eye.

Destroying the core would make everything worthwhile. That was Kosma's belief. But when he finally saw what was inside the eye of the storm, despair washed over him.

Nothing.

There was no enemy, no core. The center of the storm was empty. Everything he'd done was pointless.

It was too late. The violent winds shredded his skin, threatening to grind his bones to dust. He couldn't fight back. He could only wait for death.

How ridiculous. As his life ticked away, Kosma regretted his choice.

He wasn't afraid of dying. The moment he decided to attack the storm, he'd accepted he might be torn to shreds, vanishing without a trace. But he couldn't accept dying like a joke, meaninglessly.

In the end, he couldn't even die a hero…

Accepting his failure, Kosma closed his eyes.

But the next moment, his body, at the mercy of the wind, was caught. He was lifted into the air, away from the storm's grasp.

"Brave kid," a cheerful voice said beside him.

Kosma opened his eyes in surprise. He was being held, bridal style, by someone who was effortlessly soaring through the air. They landed smoothly on top of another skyscraper.

She was a woman, not much older than him, her long white hair tousled by the wind, but no less beautiful. Her sky-blue eyes, sparkling with amusement, held a calming power.

"Next time, look after yourself first, okay?"

She's beautiful, and she saved me…

Kosma stared at her, then mumbled, "…Could you put me down, please?" Despite the complicated emotions swirling inside him, being held like this was embarrassing, even if she was clearly stronger than him.

"Oh, sorry~" She laughed and set him down, glancing at the name tag on his shirt. "Kosma, right? I admire your courage, but this is about to become a battlefield. You should leave."

"There's a shelter 30 kilometers east of the city. Head there as fast as you can."

She pointed him in the right direction and handed him a pistol from her belt. But Kosma didn't move. He had too many questions.

"Who are you? And what's a Herrscher?"

"Seriously, you're asking this now? Kids have so much energy~" The white-haired woman chuckled. "Fine, I'll find a basement for you to hide in. It's too dangerous for a kid to walk 30 kilometers in this… The Herrscher is the one who made that tornado you tried to attack. That was just a casual flick of her wrist, by the way. She can make hurricanes ten times worse than that."

"?!"

Kosma was stunned. The hurricane that nearly killed him was just a casual attack?!

He shivered. It wasn't intentional, but the thought of facing such a being filled him with dread.

A Herrscher? Humanity couldn't possibly win against something like that…

"Don't be scared, Kosma."

Just as his limbs began to tremble uncontrollably, a soft hand rested on his head, gently comforting him.

"I'll protect you."

"… "

What's she saying? Even if she's stronger than me, against something like that—

Kosma looked up to say something, but the words died in his throat when he met her gaze.

Her eyes were gentle yet firm. Standing in the raging wind, her slender frame seemed as unyielding as a flagpole, declaring the inevitable arrival of victory.

"My name is Lee. Like 'the break of dawn.' And I promise you, I'll defeat her here. No one here will get hurt."

Her voice was soft, but her confidence was absolute. And her words, like magic, calmed his fear.

"I'll take you somewhere safe outside the city—"

"Please, let me stay!"

He didn't know where the courage came from, but he shouted with all his might. He had a feeling he had to do this. If he didn't follow her now, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

"I can be your assistant!"

Lee's eyes widened slightly, as if surprised, but then she chuckled. "Such reckless courage… You remind me of someone I know~"

"Huh?"

Kosma was confused, then yelped as Lee flicked his forehead.

"Courage is important, Kosma, but it's not your turn yet." She smiled. "At least, as long as I'm here, I won't let a kid like you face this kind of danger."

"If you really want to help, there is something only you can do. Live, Kosma. Brave kids like you will become humanity's strength one day."

"After all, after the dawn, we need the rising sun to truly banish the darkness, right?"