Drip.
Drip…
The sound of blood dripping echoed through the space.
Both Sandra and Dora appeared before him, their faces twisted in horror as they rushed forward.
But then… they stopped.
Their eyes darted to the source, expecting a fatal wound, but it was just a small cut on his chest.
The real problem was his wrist—half-severed, hanging unnaturally in the air, blood steadily oozing down.
Dora and Sandra exchanged glances before turning their worried eyes to Aether. But instead of screaming in pain, as anyone would in this situation, he simply wore a puzzled expression. After a brief pause, he let out a sigh and spoke,
“You could have told me before, right?”
Dora pressed her fingers against her forehead, feeling a mixture of guilt and frustration.
Of course, she could have warned him.
She should have.
But everything had happened so fast that even she was caught off guard.
The way things had unfolded was beyond her expectations, and in the chaos, she had completely forgotten.
Mary suddenly appeared behind them, her expression filled with curiosity rather than concern. She tilted her head slightly before speaking.
“Oh? Shit… That wound should hurt like hell, but you’re just standing there? Are you seriously fine?”
Aether clenched his jaw, suppressing the pain as best he could. Only he knew how much he was holding back.
His body had already endured countless cuts, bruises, and wounds… He was no stranger to suffering.
Everyone’s attention shifted when Master landed gracefully on the ground, his movements effortlessly smooth, as if untouched by the chaos around him. He held that golden, dull sword in his hand.
“It’s his Origin Weapon,” Dora explained, her voice tense. “Even though it appears blunt, the moment it touches you, it cuts straight through like nothing. No matter what you do, you can’t block it. It passes through everything effortlessly. And what’s worse… no kind of potion can heal its wounds.”
She showed her abdomen, showing them the previous injury she had sustained. The outer layer of skin had barely managed to close, but the deeper wound still burned with a relentless sting.
Her expression darkened as she continued,
“Only high-ranking members of the Temple can heal wounds inflicted by this weapon. No one else can.”
Aether’s grip tightened around his half-severed wrist as he processed her words. His eyebrows furrowed in disbelief before he let out a scoff.
“Then it’s fucking impossible to avoid that weapon?” His voice carried a mix of frustration and bitter amusement.
Dora gave a half-smile, though there was no humour in it. “Well, technically, if you manage to parry it, you might have a chance. But knowing him, he won’t let that happen.” She shrugged, exhaling sharply in annoyance.
Aether sighed, shifting his gaze to Sandra, who was staring at him with deep concern. He could see the worry written all over her face.
‘So this is what it means to bear the burden… ah,’ Aether thought. If he had the Weapons, he could have healed himself instantly. But that was no longer an option.
‘Well, I made my choice to share the burden… so be it,’ he resigned himself to the reality of the situation, exhaling slowly.
“You see… I didn’t trust him.”
Master’s voice suddenly cut through the tension. He examined his own wounds with an irritated expression as if trying to assess their depth, before straightening his posture. His lips curled in disdain as he continued.
“The moment he failed his mission, I knew he was worthless.”
The group tensed, their eyes flickering with unease as Master turned his attention to the red cage at the side.
Inside, a tiny hooded figure remained trapped, its body barely visible through the eerie crimson glow. Master raised his hand and snapped his fingers. In an instant, the hooded figure vanished from the cage and appeared before him, standing motionless.
Mary arched an eyebrow.
“The only reason I gave him a chance was because I thought he had some potential,” Master mused, his tone dripping with disappointment. “And yet, he failed. Again. Sigh… how utterly pathetic.”
He turned his gaze toward Dora, his lips curling into a smirk.
“You think your Academy is safe?”
Dora’s eyes narrowed.
Master’s grin widened, his voice carrying a sickening amusement as he spoke.
“Initiate… Ph—”
“M-Master!”
A weak, desperate voice suddenly echoed through the air, cutting him off.
Master’s expression darkened as he turned toward the unexpected interruption. His eyes locked onto the source—a barely alive Jack, his body covered in black liquid and blood, buried beneath debris and struggling to move.
Somehow, he had managed to claw his way back after falling into the cracks.
“Oh? You’re still alive… ah,” Master murmured, his lips twitching in amusement. He raised a hand and waved it casually.
In response, Jack’s body lifted off the ground, suspended in midair as a white light engulfed him. Within seconds, his wounds vanished, and his body was restored to perfect condition.
Jack blinked, his breath catching as he processed what had just happened. He flexed his fingers, feeling the renewed strength surging through him before a grin spread across his face.
“Now that’s more like it…” He smirked, the feeling of rejuvenation washing over him. But as his gaze swept across the scene, his expression shifted when he spotted Aether standing there. His smirk widened.
“Well, well… look what we have he—”
Before he could finish, Master raised his hand, silencing him with a mere gesture. His eyes gleamed with something unreadable as he spoke once more.
“I never had faith in Alaric. That’s why I prepared a backup plan. And now… it’s time.”
His voice held a chilling finality as he turned toward the tiny hooded figure. Without hesitation, the tiny figure took a slate and tapped on it. A mechanical sound clicked in response, followed by a chilling announcement,
“Initiated… Releasing all the gates.”
Master chuckled darkly, his expression twisted with delight.
“Before, your empire still had a few sane people left. But now… there will be nothing but monsters~”
Dora and Aether’s eyes widened in shock!
Meanwhile, back at the academy…
Just as everyone sighed in relief, their bodies relaxing after the exhausting ordeal, they prepared to return to their usual routine when a sudden, unexpected sound made them freeze in place.
Crack…
A faint, sharp cracking noise echoed through the children’s facility.
One of the children turned toward the corner of the room, and there it was—a small snow globe lying among the toys, now riddled with fine, delicate fractures.
Crack… Crack… Crack…
The tiny cracks spread rapidly, crawling like an intricate web across the fragile glass.
Then, without any further warning—
BUFFFFFFF!!
The snow globe exploded into a million pieces. A blinding burst of light and an intense rush of air followed, throwing the small shards across the room.
SSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
Meanwhile, outside the academy…
“Let’s go inside, guys…” Aria muttered, her voice carrying a hint of exhaustion as she took the first step forward. The long journey back had left them drained, and all she wanted now was to return and get some rest.
Liora and the others followed closely behind, their expressions reflecting the same tiredness. The academy was just within reach, standing tall before them like a safe haven after the long struggle.
However, just as they approached,
A sudden shift in the air sent an inexplicable wave of energy rushing toward them.
Before any of them could react, a violent, invisible force erupted from within the academy, slamming into them like an unrelenting storm.
“Ugh—!”
The shockwave was too powerful. Their bodies were lifted off the ground, flung backward as though they were weightless.
THUD!
Dust and debris clouded their vision, making it hard to see what had just occurred. But when they finally managed to look up—
The academy was gone.
The once grand and magnificent structure had completely crumbled.
Nothing remained of it.
In its place stood a massive, rectangular-shaped building, its dark exterior exuding an unsettling presence.
Aqualina’s breath hitched in her throat. Her eyes widened in sheer horror as recognition struck her like a bolt of lightning.
“T-This…” Her voice came out weak, barely a whisper.
But before she could finish her sentence—
Crcckk!
A sharp, eerie creak echoed through the air, like door opening or something.
Then, it happened again.
Crcckk!
Crcckk!
Crcckk!
Crcckk!
The sound repeated over and over, multiplying, growing louder and more unnerving by the second.
And then…
A monstrous figure emerged from the building.
A grotesque, nightmarish creature, its form eerily resembling that of a spider yet disturbingly human, crawled forward with unsettling fluidity. Its elongated limbs twitched as it moved, its sharp claws scraping against the ground. Its body was adorned with glistening rainbow-coloured crystal.
Kenley’s lips curled into a wicked, twisted smile as her eyes gleamed with dark amusement,
“GRRRRRKKKKKKKKKK!!!”
…
…
Back at Master’s location…
“You know…” Master’s voice carried a dark amusement, his expression exuding pure wickedness as he gazed at his adversaries with a look of superiority.
His lips curled into a cruel grin, his eyes glinting with the pleasure of watching them squirm.
“When my long, carefully constructed plans failed before… I will admit, I was furious. I berated myself over and over for not having a backup plan. Perhaps I was too confident, too sure of my own success, and that arrogance led to my temporary setback.” He chuckled, his laughter dripping with malice, “But this time… I made sure that wouldn’t happen again. This time, I covered every possibility. No one is leaving here alive without my explicit permission.”
His words sent a wave of fury through Dora’s entire being. Her fists clenched tightly, and her body trembled with rage. Without another thought, she launched herself at him.
“ARRRRHH!”
With a furious battle cry, she vanished from her spot, reappearing right in front of him in an instant. All of her strength, all of her anger, was poured into one devastating punch aimed straight at his face. The sheer force of her strike sent violent shockwaves rippling through the air, causing the very atmosphere to distort.
BOOOOMMMM!
The impact should have shattered him into pieces or at least… It should have sent him flying.
But it didn’t.
Master stood completely still, unaffected. His expression didn’t change as he casually caught Dora’s fist in his palm, his grip tightening around it effortlessly. The sheer power behind her attack sent deep cracks spreading across the ground, the pressure distorting the air around them.
Yet, he remained untouched.
His grin widened as his fingers squeezed her hand slightly.
“Whatever you gave me…” His voice dropped to a low, mocking tone. “It’s certainly making me stronger, darling. You really shouldn’t have done that.”
A cruel glint flickered in his eyes as he twisted her wrist slightly, forcing her to grit her teeth against the pain.
“Tell me… what exactly did you give me?” His voice was teasing, yet the underlying threat was unmistakable.
Before he could press her further—
Mary and Sandra appeared, flanking him on either side. Their weapons were drawn, their movements swift and precise, aiming to strike him down before he could react.
Master, however, only grinned wider.
BANG!
BANG!
Two gunshots rang out in rapid succession.
Mary and Sandra gasped as bullets tore through their shoulders. The force sent them staggering backwards, their attacks failing before they could even reach him. A tiny, hooded figure darted between them, its movements impossibly fast, almost too quick to follow.
Thud!
In an instant, the figure lashed out, delivering a brutal kick to Mary’s side before vanishing.
Thud!
It reappeared behind Sandra, striking her down with the same merciless precision.
Aether tensed, his instincts kicking in as he prepared to move—
But—
“Nope!~”
A familiar, playful voice rang out.
Jack grinned as he aimed his gun straight at Aether, his finger tightening around the trigger.
BANG!
BANG!
Aether barely managed to dodge, twisting his body at the last second. Jack, however, didn’t let up. He continued firing relentlessly, each shot perfectly calculated to trap Aether in an endless dance of avoidance.
Aether clicked his tongue in annoyance.
‘Tsk, that bastard… I didn’t expect him to have yet another plan up his sleeve.’
Despite the chaos, a small smirk tugged at his lips as he swiftly sidestepped another bullet, his mind already calculating his next move.