The heavy silence in the dim council room weighed like a chain. The man in the black robe leaned back on the old chair, his voice calm but grave.
"And I'm certain they will attack by tomorrow," he said, folding his arms. "Sometimes they strike four days after their previous raid… sometimes sooner. I cannot say if you are here at the right time, or if fate is playing a cruel trick."
Miyamoto's eyes narrowed, the faint glow of his Renshi simmering in them. He leaned forward slightly.
"Hmmm, I see. Tell me then, Mister Leader… at what scale do these darkside spirits usually attack?"
"They come with force," the man replied without hesitation. "Four or five Alpha Darkside Spirits. The highest I've seen was six… the lowest, four. Always within that range."
Miyamoto's jaw tightened. "Such a powerful formation… And how exactly did you discover that these Alphas were being controlled? Surely they are not acting in unison without guidance."
The leader paused—five seconds of complete silence, his lips pressing into a thin line. Then, slowly, he answered.
"It is obvious, Mister. Six Alpha Darkside Spirits would never work together on their own. Something greater commands them… Special Darkside Spirits. And the worst part?" He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a grim whisper. "They don't devour humans where they find them. They drag them back to their nest and feast at leisure. My people… have suffered so many casualties. If you can help us, in any way at all, please—help."
Amanda slammed her fist against the table, her voice sharp.
"Of course we will! Just tell us where the boss is and we'll slay them for you—"
"Shut up, Amanda." Miyamoto's voice cracked like a whip, cutting her words short. His eyes didn't leave the so-called leader. "I don't mean to probe too deeply… but your answers raise more questions. How did your 'reporter' uncover such exact numbers? The Alphas, the Special darkside spirits… Did you truly investigate their base?" His gaze sharpened. "And where exactly is that base located?"
The leader exhaled slowly, as if weary. "I know little myself, Mister. I admire your caution, but… you are dealing with monsters not to be underestimated. We sent our most powerful Shinras to investigate. They hid their Renshi, cloaked themselves, lived in the forest for days. Four of them—those were the only men I trusted enough. You can ask them yourselves." He pointed casually toward four silent figures seated nearby.
"There's no need." Miyamoto's tone was flat. "They'll come with us. They'll lead the way to the nest."
The room grew still. No one moved.
Then, the leader's expression shifted. He spoke slowly, his tone almost mocking.
"Tell me, Mister… how many Shinras have you heard of that accepted this mission… and never returned?"
Miyamoto's brows furrowed. "Forty-five at least… No—fifty-six, after the last group of eleven."
The leader smirked darkly. "You miscalculated. Fifty-nine."
BOOOOM!
The round table exploded from below, splinters and stone flying. An Alpha Darkside Spirit erupted from the floor, its massive body splitting the chamber. Its arms were grotesque, blades of bone fused into its flesh, and its long tail whipped with a metallic screech.
Miyamoto's instincts fired—he instantly activated Switch Mode, vanishing in a streak of Renshi light. In the blink of an eye, Lucy and Amanda were whisked to the far corner of the room, shielded behind him.
The ground smoked. Dust filled the air. Yet the leader and the four men didn't flinch—they sat comfortably, unfazed, as if the monster were nothing more than a pet.
The Alpha darkside spirit bent low before the leader, bowing like a servant.
"You should have waited for the signal," the leader said, his lips curling into a sinister smile. "These ones… are stronger than the others."
Miyamoto's hand brushed his sword hilt, his voice sharp as a blade.
"So that's it. I knew it. A disguise that sloppy won't fool a man of my level."
Lucy's voice cracked in fear, her eyes locked on the beast.
"Master… what is that thing? Its arms… swords—its tail—so long—"
The Alpha turned its blood-red gaze toward her, and Lucy screamed. "S-Scary!!"
"Shut up, Lu!" Amanda snapped. "Stop acting like a child. Haven't you realized? These men—no, these things—they are the Darkside Spirits. They post the missions, lure Shinras here, then devour them! They've run out of prey in this land… so now they've turned this kingdom into a hunting ground." Her eyes flared with anger as she glanced at Miyamoto. "While Master asked his questions, I was watching their answers. He already caught them in their lies. The second question gave them away."
Miyamoto gave a rare, approving smirk. "Well said, Amanda. You've grown sharper."
The leader's smile widened into a grin full of malice. He rose slowly from his chair.
"That's enough talk. So… who's dying first?"
His transformation was instant—his long white hair shriveled and turned black, his face contorting as his eyes glowed blood-red. His robe shredded into a dark crimson armor, scales spreading across his skin like molten metal solidifying.
Miyamoto's gaze hardened.
"So… that's your true form. Alaska, the Darkside Demon."
The four seated "Shinras" rose in unison. Their appearances twisted, their black hair whipping like flames, their eyes burning with dark fire. The ground cracked beneath their feet as they released their aura. Two clasped hands with the other two, merging their forms—black energy surged, shattering walls, blowing apart the roof as the entire castle trembled under their Renshi storm.
"Special Darkside Spirits," Miyamoto muttered. His hand tightened on his blade.
The castle groaned, walls collapsing as the merged darkside spirits roared.
Miyamoto's voice was calm, deadly sharp.
"Lucy. Amanda. Hold on."
In the next instant, Switch Mode engulfed them all in streaks of light. The three vanished just as the castle exploded into ruins behind them.