In The Old Castle....
BANG!
A bullet tears into Knox's back, and he immediately collapses. Clara catches Knox's body. Despite the shock, her trained instincts take over, and she immediately chants the protective incantation.
Clara: (Intense, focused)
"Voco Murum, Frange Ictus! Aegis Vento Sempiterne!"
(I summon the Wall, break the strike! Eternal Shield of the Wind!)
A faint, clear blue energy instantly emanates from her palms, rapidly enveloping both of them in a spherical shield. Another bullet strikes the shield, resulting only in a heavy, muffled thud.
Alaric sweeps his Vision across the entire castle, but his senses meet an inexplicable void. He sees nothing. 'I cannot sense his existence at all... He must be a high-level Trigger who transcends conventional sensing,' he murmurs internally.
Even as he considers this, a cold, fleeting existence—a glitch in the surrounding energy, a momentary ripple—flashes across his mind.
BANG!
Alaric perceives the incoming bullet along with the gunshot. He instinctively twists and executes a survival movement. The projectile grazes his chest, a scorching touch that narrowly misses a lethal blow.
Clara gently lays Knox down and begins applying Sealing Magic to the wound. She presses her palm firmly against his back.
Clara: (Whispering, focused, emitting heat)
"Sanguis Sta, Caro Cogo, Vulnus Tace. Nexum aeternum!"
(Blood, cease; Flesh, contract; Wound, silent. Eternal Binding!)
The bleeding stops instantly, and the injury turns into a sealed black spot, stabilizing Knox's condition.
Just then, a small tremor begins to shake the ground. The entire Sunken City shows clear signs of imminent collapse.
Alaric rushes to Clara's side. "Madam Clara... we must leave quickly. I will carry Knox."
Knox grits his teeth against the pain and pushes his Silver Dagger, the mythical weapon, toward Alaric.
Knox: (Voice trembling, urgent) "Young man, Alaric... take this weapon..."
Alaric accepts the dagger. The moment his fingers wrap around the hilt, he feels a painless electrical surge pushing against him. The dagger feels heavy, almost as if it is actively rejecting his life force. Alaric ignores the sensation and grips it tightly.
Immediately, the enemy's existence—sharp and cold—flares in his mind. Alaric instantly spins, aiming the dagger at the invisible threat.
BANG!
Another bullet hurtles directly at Alaric. He raises the dagger to parry, but the weight causes him to be slightly slow. The blade only manages to clip the bullet, slightly deflecting its trajectory. The projectile grazes past his temple, leaving a searing sensation.
Alaric knows they will all perish if this continues. The enemy's presence is nearly impossible to sense. He focuses all his five senses on the assassin, but to no avail.
Then, he feels it: not a flash of light, not a sound of movement, but a massive, oppressive Intention right beside him—the cold weight of death itself.
Alaric's eyes widen in horror. The assassin is not far away. He is within arm's reach.
Wielding the Silver Dagger, he swiftly turns, but the movement is a fraction of a second too late. A dark metallic glint emerges from the darkness, and a shadowy, sharp dagger aims for his abdomen.
In that moment of critical failure...
Alaric's body moves without his conscious will. A raw, blood-red, jagged Forsaken Tentacle shoots out from his coccyx at high velocity. It bypasses the blade entirely and strikes the assassin's torso directly.
The impact throws the figure violently backward. Only as he is sent flying does his body shimmer back into visibility. The figure is approximately 182cm tall and dressed in black combat attire.
Alaric's breathing is ragged, but he immediately summons a second tentacle from his lower back, this time with full conscious control. He coats both tentacles in his signature ability: Phantom's Shadow. It is only now that he realizes the Original Dragon's Blood Capsule is gone from his grasp.
The enemy touches the spot on his chest where the tentacle struck, then laughs loudly, a cruel, villainous sound.
Assassin: (Stops laughing, curious) "Hah... Hah... You're an Adaptor... Interesting..."
He holds up the stolen Capsule. "If it weren't for this little thing, I would continue fighting you... What a pity." With that, the enemy's body vanishes into the darkness once more.
Alaric attempts to sense the assassin's presence again, but the void returns. He feels a dull ache in his abdomen.
He looks down and sees a trickle of blood. The assassin's dagger scraped him, but only superficially. It is not life-threatening. Alaric presses his hand to the slight wound.
The tremor intensifies, more violently than before. The foundations of the old castle creak, and large chunks of stone begin to fall from the ceiling.
Alaric wastes no time. Ignoring the pain, he slings Knox over his shoulder. "Madam Clara... quickly!"
Alaric and Clara, with Knox over his shoulder, bolt from the collapsing ruins. The earthquake grows stronger and stronger.
In the derelict factory warehouse...
Edgar faces the devastating threat of Black Cat's Grip of Mortality. Ordinarily, Edgar writes Scribe Words in a fixed location before he can control and use their power. But facing an opponent as vastly superior as Black Cat, he pushes himself to the limit.
Edgar yells a Scribe Word from his tongue at maximum volume.
"DISPERSE!"
BOOM!
The power of the Word violently throws Black Cat away from Edgar. She flies past a concrete pillar and crashes hard onto the ground.
As soon as he uses the power, Edgar collapses, utterly exhausted. His energy reserves are completely depleted. He cannot initiate another attack.
Makus rushes to stand in front of the fallen Edgar, preparing to shield him, but Makus too is heavily drained. He gathers every ounce of strength to brace for Black Cat's counterattack.
Black Cat: (Immediately scrambles up from the ground, grinding her teeth in fury) "You low-level scum! How dare you!"
Her murderous intent surges, but suddenly, an unknown entity's Telepathy pierces his mind.
'Dog & Cat... mission complete. Retreat.'
The moment they hear the order, the Dog & Cat duo instantly reply in their mind.
Dog & Cat: 'Understood, Vice-Captain.'
Mad Dog, still in his furious Hybrid Werewolf Form, glances at Black Cat. Black Cat nods back. She melts into the shadows and retreats first. Mad Dog gives Viper and Tyson a contemptuous look before turning and fleeing the area at high speed on all fours.
Viper and Tyson understand the situation. The Stranger organization has secured the Artifact. However, Tyson signals Viper with a glance to eliminate Makus and Edgar. Tyson, a cold-blooded and cunning member of the Night Hunter, always seeks to eliminate any threat to their organization whenever he has the chance.
Understanding the signal, Viper strides towards Makus and Edgar, who are barely breathing from the intense fight. Makus senses Viper's intent and prepares to resist with all his might. Viper rushes forward, his acid corrosion hand aimed at Makus.
Just then, Anya arrives at the warehouse entrance and instantly grabs Viper's corrupted hand. Viper looks slightly startled. Makus sees Anya and feels a surge of relief. He pulls the fallen Edgar up.
Anya ignites the flames on Viper's hand. Viper screams in pain. "Ahhh... It's hot!"
She releases his hand. Furious, Viper holds his burning hand and prepares to retaliate against Anya.
Tyson speaks up. "We should retreat now... Viper."
Tyson's command forces the enraged Viper to calm down and prepare to withdraw. Anya is reluctant to let them go, but she holds her position, given the dire situation.
After the two Night Hunters retreat, Anya informs Makus that the Stranger organization knew their plan. She then rushes toward Alaric's location. Makus, understanding the urgency, helps Edgar retreat toward Knox's safe house.
.....
Alaric and Clara, who managed to escape the Sunken City, rush toward Knox's secret safe house to treat his wound in time.
Anya, soaring through the air as a streak of red and gold, spots Alaric's group. She immediately lands.
Anya: (Alarmed) "What happened to Grandpa Knox! And you too, Alaric..."
Clara: (Explaining quickly) "Mr. Knox was shot. I applied Sealing Magic, but the effect will wear off soon. We need to get him to the secret basement and remove the bullet as soon as possible!"
Anya's expression hardens.
She instantly transforms into her True Variant Form: a colossal, magnificent Phoenix.
The Phoenix's form is physically imposing, but its beauty is paramount, revealed beneath the concealment of fierce flames. Its head and neck are consumed by intense golden-red fire, and its eyes glow like crimson embers.
The huge wings of the firebird are covered in plumes that appear like gemstones, a vibrant blend of red, orange, and gold. With every beat of its wings, they leave not just simple fire, but fragments of energy that shimmer into specks of light in the air.
Most distinctively, its tail—long and curving—features feathers that shift colors from soft pink to fiery gold, like a river of fire dancing across the sky. The luminous stars of the night, the cool beauty of the moon, and the majestic Aurora Borealis enhance the splendor of her firebird form.
This presence emits a sacred aura, a convergence of the flame of destiny and eternal survival, compelling any observer to silently bow down.
Alaric and Clara are stunned, standing rigid as they gaze upon her vast, beautiful, and graceful firebird form. In their minds, her Variant Form is nothing short of divine majesty.
Alaric recalls his youth in the modern world, where he read about the mythical firebird in stories and loved it dearly.
Anya speaks, urging them to climb onto her back.
"Get on."
Hearing Anya's voice, the two of them snap out of their daze, carry Knox, and leap onto Anya's back. Anya then soars into the sky, retreating toward the base.
.....
Meanwhile, The Shroud Pier is densely veiled in fog. It lies hidden between the city's high-rise factories and brick buildings. The scent of steam and coal tar clings heavily to the air.
The Stranger Organization's Vice-Captain stands silently on the wooden planks. His body merges with the surrounding darkness. He intently watches the Original Dragon's Blood Capsule in his palm. The faint marks of a blade wound—received during the skirmish with the Night Hunter—are visible on his attire.
Then, from the dark of the night, King and Queen step onto the pier.
King glances at the Vice-Captain's condition, then looks up at the sky.
King: (A cool, mocking smile) "The luminous moon and the Aurora Borealis tonight are truly majestic and beautiful, wouldn't you say, Vice-Captain?"
The Stranger Vice-Captain says nothing, simply handing the Capsule to King.
Queen: (Noticing the subtle tears in his attire, intrigued) "It seems your journey was not smooth. Who could have inflicted such a wound on someone like you?"
The Vice-Captain completely ignores the question. His eyes are fixed solely on the waiting ship.
Vice-Captain: (Sharp, brief command) "Do not waste time. Take the Artifact and immediately depart for the Novus Aethelos nation. Joker is waiting for you there."
King and Queen exchange meaningful glances. They do not argue, knowing the Stranger Vice-Captain's power.
"Very well."
King grips the Artifact tightly. He and Queen quickly walk to the end of the pier, where the smokestack of a massive Black-Soot powered ship emits heavy plumes of grey smoke, waiting silently. A moment later, the ship quietly pulls away from the dock, heading toward Novus Aethelos.
The ship vanishes into the fog, and soon after...
Two shadows race out from the end of The Shroud Pier: Mad Dog and Black Cat.
Stranger Vice-Captain: (Turns and speaks coldly) "No time. Let's go."
He speaks no more unnecessary words. Their mission is complete. Now, it is time only for them to retreat.
On the other side of the pier, a small passenger ship waits, ready to return to the Nadian Empire. The Stranger Vice-Captain takes Dog & Cat and boards the ship, departing from the foggy Shroud Pier toward the Nadian Empire.
.....
Makus and Anya sit facing each other in the basement lounge. Clara is inside the room treating Knox. Anya, with her arms crossed, talks to Makus while struggling to stay awake.
Alaric watches Clara, then touches his abdomen, realizing the wound is completely healed. Having experienced this before, Alaric is now desperate to understand the reason behind his rapid regeneration.
Anya enters the room. She checks on Knox and Edgar's stable conditions, then walks toward Alaric. She asks about his injury.
Anya: "How is it, Alaric... Your wound is already healed, isn't it?"
Alaric's eyes widen slightly, and he asks Anya, "Yes, it is... but how do you know that?"
Anya smiles faintly and says, "You are an Adaptor, or rather, a Half-Forsaken. That's why you have the Forsaken's Regeneration."
She then stares at Alaric with burning intensity."That's why... you need to be incarcerated in the supernatural prison."
Alaric begins to sweat, regretting his question. Anya then tells them she will be leaving for the Nadian Empire first and bids farewell to Clara and Alaric.
"I'm returning to the Empire first. No matter what, Edgar will need some time to recover, and we need someone to report the situation to headquarters."
Clara immediately responds respectfully.
"Very well, Madam Librarian Elder."
Alaric also responds to Anya's words.
"Y-Yes, Librarian Elder."
Anya looks at Alaric, closes her eyes, and gives him a pure smile.
"Hey, Rookie... be careful. If you lose control, I will be the first one to kill you."
Alaric is terrified by her smile and words. 'Eee... she's truly adorable and terrifying at the same time,' Alaric thinks.
After Anya departs, Makus tells Alaric and Clara that since Knox and Edgar are stable, they should prepare for an immediate return to the Nadian Empire.
"Alaric... Clara... get ready. Once Knox and Edgar stabilize, we head back to the Nadian Empire."
Alaric & Clara: (Simultaneously, with loud voices) "Yes, Leader!"