The frantic run from the child-like abomination brings Knox, Clara, and Alaric to a wide-open doorway. They spot the chance and slip inside the ancient entrance, seeking immediate refuge.
The door is old and weathered, radiating a forgotten history. Alaric immediately presses his back against the stone, assessing whether the child demon is still following. The air is cold and utterly silent. There are no trailing footsteps, no laughter, and no lingering scent of the monster.
Alaric: (Quietly) "Clear. It isn't following. This place must be outside its jurisdiction."
After confirming they are safe, they prepare to move forward. Clara grips her lantern tightly, pointing the weak light ahead into the darkness.
The trio beholds the Sunken Citya massive ruin of collapsed buildings, now dark and petrified like ancient fossils. Amidst the decay, an extraordinarily huge and imposing ancient citadel stands. Everywhere they look, large quartz crystals glow with a faint, pale blue light. The entire ruined landscape is overgrown with vines and gnarled branches.
Knox pulls out the Artifact Map. He confirms that this is the final fortress on their route. He informs Alaric and Clara that the Artifact must be inside. He points toward the majestic ruin.
Knox: "Clara... Alaric... it's inside that citadel. Let's go."
They step into the ruined city, heading straight toward the fortress. Along the way, they see a few low-level, white spirits, but since these specters pose no threat, Alaric and the others keep their focus fixed on the goal.
They soon reach the gate of the old citadel. They enter through a massive, gaping hole where the door once stood. Inside, giant quartz veins are embedded in the walls.
Even in ruin, the citadel's interior is overwhelmingly magnificent. Standing inside the great hall, the three explorers feel no bigger than ants compared to the colossal scale of the architecture.
The structure's craftsmanship is superior to anything human ingenuity can create. The walls are covered in strange markers inscribed in the ancient Dragon language and faded frescoes. These murals distinctly depict many enormous, scaled Dragons bowing and kneeling before a single goddess.
Clara shines her lantern onto the artwork, preparing to decipher the script. She gently places the lantern on the ground and raises her hands toward the endless darkness of the ceiling.
The air in the great hall tightens and grows frigid. A deep, ancient incantation begins to whisper from Claras lips, her voice full of movement, like flowing water and grinding stone. She spreads her palms and then crosses her hands over her chest, continuing the rhythmic chant.
Clara: (Whispering, rhythmically)
"Lux Oculi Draconis, Anima Verbum Vetus.
Aperio Scriptum, Patefacio Veritatem.
Oracle's Sight, Hear the Stone's Breath."
As the spell ends, a sea-green beam of light bursts from Clara's palms, striking the wall. The Dragon runes are illuminated in a dazzling flash. As the letters glow, Clara feels the shapes of the words and the meaning of the painting flood directly into her mind.
Clara strains with all her might, but the depth and power of the ancient Dragon language is immense, and she cannot translate everything. Sweat beads on her face.
Clara: (Struggling, taking a deep breath before translating)
"Primus Draconis (Original Dragon)... Mistress of the Dragon Kin... The Eternal Huntress... Watcher of the World... The Blood... Resides within the heart of this Temple..."
Clara: (Her voice a mix of excitement and caution) "The Temple of the Eternal Huntress. The Artifact is clearly under the watch of this goddess."
Alaric proceeds forward and discovers a massive, frozen Dragon statue standing prominently in the center of the great hall.
He immediately begins inspecting the statue. In the creatures open maw, he spots a Capsule wrapped in vine-like tendrils, containing a glowing, golden liquid. This is undeniably the Artifact they seek.
Alaric calls out to Clara and Knox with joy.
"I found it! Uncle Knox... Clara!"
Meanwhile, in the old factory warehouse...
Makus and Edgar are fighting the new enemy, Black Cat.
Black Cat wields a whip made of swirling black and white elemental energy, lashing it violently at Makus and Edgar. They desperately try to evade her strikes. Makus uses his forearms and hands, encased in gravelly armor, to block her attacks.
Edgar attempts to use his Scribe words to conjure shimmering, air-distortion shields, controlling them to fend off the blows. But with every passing second, Edgar's scribe word-controlled air shields weaken.
A powerful strike from Black Cat shatters Edgar's air defense, and the impact sends him violently flying backward.
Makus: (Shouting in deep concern) "Edgarrr..."
Black Cat whips her elemental lash toward Makus, her face set in a satisfied smirk.
"Focus here."
Makus is briefly distracted, but he quickly regains control, intercepting her whip with objects shaped like tree branches and trunks. They continue their intense clash.
Black Cat taunts Makus as she attacks.
"How long do you think you can keep dodging my strikes?"
Makus ignores her, fully concentrating on the fight, desperately trying to evade her blows. But one strike gets through, slamming directly into Makuss abdomen. He instantly coughs up blood.
Black Cat smiles in triumph.
"Got you, little rat."
In another part of the warehouse...
Mad Dog and Viper are locked in a rapid, fierce fight, utilizing their full abilities. Viper uses his Acid Corrosion fists, which emit a sickly green vapor, while Mad Dog counter-attacks with his fists charged with a mixed black and blue Energy aura. Mad Dog is slowly gaining the upper hand, easily immune to Viper's corrosive attacks.
Viper realizes he is losing, and his focus wavers. His next punch falters. Mad Dog instantly spots the opening and prepares to strike the vulnerable spot.
At that moment, Tyson Grimshaw dashes in with immense speed, intercepts Mad Dog's punch with his binding Siphon Links, and then counters with a sweeping kick to Mad Dogs abdomen.
The force of Tysons kick sends Mad Dog hurtling backward, slamming into a distant wall.
Tyson speaks to Mad Dog. "Sorry, Mad Dog. Viper is now part of our crew. I can't let you have your fun."
Mad Dog, furious, struggles to his feet from the wreckage. He curses Tyson and Viper while his body begins to transform into his Hybrid Variant Form: Werewolf.
"You goddamn sons of bitches... Come on... I'll tear the hide off both of you!"
Mad Dogs skin toughens, patches of werewolf fur sprout from his body, and thick, black claws elongate from his fingers and toes. His ears become wolfish, and his face warps into a savage blend of human and wolf.
Meanwhile, back in the fight between Makus and Black Cat...
Edgar, having recovered from being thrown against the wall, gets up and rushes back into the fray.
He sees Makus coughing blood from the whip strike.
Edgar (Worry spreading across his face):"Makus..."
The body of Makus, which Black Cat just struck, dissolves into a shower of pebbles and shatters.
Black Cats expression changes, and she scoffs with contempt.
"Tsk... Substitute ability."
Makus reappears behind her, using stone pieces as a makeshift shield, charging forward with immense Vitality.
She immediately notices his momentum and leaps rapidly onto a steel girder above. Makus halts his charge and looks up at her. Black Cat throws several palm-sized liquid clusters at him. Makus instantly sharpens his stone shield into sharp, pointed shards and hurls them at the liquid masses.
Black Cat's liquid clusters hit the rock shards, immediately destabilizing and exploding in a series of small blasts. The concussive force throws Makus backward. Edgar, arriving at the scene, immediately catches Makus, bracing him with his back and shoulder.
Black Cat slowly steps out from the smoke and approaches Makus and Edgar.
Makus and Edgar prepare to attack her simultaneously.
Black Cat looks at them with disdainful eyes and activates her Night Vision ability: Black and Navy particles flowing into her eyes. She generates two elemental whips from her palms and charges toward them, slashing the twin whips fiercely.
Makus, noticing her activated Night Vision from a distance, yells a sudden warning to Edgar.
Makus: "Edgar! Don't look at her eyes!"
Makus fights on the defensive, continuously using stone to surround his body, careful to avoid looking directly into Black Cat's eyes.
(Black Cat possesses the Trigger-4, The Night Stalker Trigger. Its essential ability, Night Vision, does not just allow her to see in the dark; any opponent with a Trigger rank equal to or lower than hers who meets her gaze will have their senses_ sight, hearing, etc. _ stolen. This is why looking directly into her eyes is deadly.)
Edgar takes a position further away, attempting to charge a Rune of Stasis. However, Black Cat's speed is too overwhelming for him to lock onto her target. Soon, a shard of shadow separates from her main shadow and darts toward Edgar.
Makus notices the shadow fragment and shouts a warning.
"Edgar! Under you!"
Hearing Makus's shout, Edgar immediately jumps, narrowly avoiding the shadow fragment, which morphs into a Shade Trap.
Black Cat then sinks entirely into her own shadow while fighting Makus. She bursts from the Shade Trap near Edgar, coated in black & white energy, launching a brutal strike toward Edgars heart with her most savage ability: Grip of Mortality.
At the old Citadel...
Alaric is happily reaching for the Capsule from the dragon statue's mouth. Knox and Clara rush to join him.
Clara stares at the object Alaric is reaching for.
Clara (Her eyes widening, screaming in horror): "Alaric! Don't touch that!"
But her scream is too late. Alaric already grasps the Capsule in his palm, pulling it free.
The moment his fingers close around the vine-wrapped Capsule containing the golden liquid, a painless electric current surges through his entire body.
CRACK!
As soon as Alaric grabs the Capsule, he is instantly pulled away to another space.
He realizes he is standing right at the center of a massive Vortex. His surroundings are filled with floating, ruined architecture and gray clouds, all swirling as if caught in a temporal loop.
Above him, an immense force controls the entire vortex. He sees the goddess herself: The Eternal Huntress.
Alaric looks up.
The goddess, larger than the buildings, holds the great vortex Alaric stands in with a giant, demonic-looking palm underneath. Her face wears a terrible smile, and her eyes are pure Demon Eyes_ blazing, mixed flames of scarlet and black. They stare directly at Alaric.
Alaric locks eyes with the terrifying deity.
His body begins to feel a cold, consuming burn. The skin on his fingers, forearms, and face starts to turn to ash, flaking away in the wind. There is no fire, but the heat of a soul's ignition permeates his skin and bones. His spirit has trespassed into a forbidden divine domain.
Alaric: (Screaming in his mind) "Agh... The pain!"
Then, a massive, powerful Crimson Eye violently bursts open in Alaric's mental space. The eye, representing a formidable counter-force, repels the Eternal Huntress's intense scrutiny.
The backlash immediately drags Alaric's spirit back to his original body with overwhelming force.
He reappears in the Citadel, his heart pounding and his breathing shallow and rapid. His entire body feels intensely sore and drained.
Alaric touches himself, checking for injury. He finds his body completely unscathed. He looks at the Capsule in his hand.
Knox and Clara rush toward him, asking in worried voices.
Knox: "Young boy... are you okay?"
Clara: "I'm sorry, Alaric... I couldn't warn you in time. Did you look directly at the goddess?"
Knox and Clara's voices sound muffled. Alaric momentarily flashes back to his ordeal, the image of the Crimson Eye speeding through his mind three times. His thoughts begin to scatter.
Clara grips his shoulder and calls his name louder, bringing him back to awareness.
"Alaric... Alaric... Alaric!"
Alaric apologizes to his comrades.
"I apologize... Mr. Knox... and Clara. I lost consciousness for a moment."
Clara immediately responds to his apology.
"Just call me Clara. We are comrades."
She continues.
"Your spirit definitely trespassed into the goddess's domain. It is incredible that you are fine."
Knox stares intently at the object in Alaric's hand.
"Young boy... that object in your hand..."
Knox continues.
"The golden liquid in that Capsule must be a fragment of a god's memory. But the containment object itself is a high-quality Artifact."
Knox immediately understands, then laughs heartily.
"Ha! Ha! So that's why these organizations are chasing this so frantically... An Artifact and a God's Memory fragment!"
Clara walks over to the wall she translated earlier. She reconsiders the words "Primus Draconis"... "The Blood." She realizes the truth instantly.
Clara: "The liquid in the Capsule is the Primordial Dragon's Blood."
At that moment...
BANG!
A bullet explodes from the distant darkness, heading straight for Clara. Alaric notices the attack immediately and executes a rapid Dash toward her. But he is still too far away. He won't make it in time. Just as the bullet is about to strike Clara, Knox instantly throws himself in front of her. The bullet pierces Knox's back.