Chapter 2281 - Horror Game 68

Osvald knew that he had to go all out.

He couldn't afford to hold back anymore. Even after using several key items and nearly exhausting his nodes, he hadn't truly gone all out yet. There were still some things that he could do...

But such things required sacrifices.

They required him... to put his life on the line. And for someone like him, this was asking for a lot.

However, he knew he didn't have the luxury of holding back.

Feeling the Butcher's gaze as it lifted its hand to strike, the hair on Osvald's body stood on end.

Reaching into his pocket, his nodes churned faster and faster. Far faster than anything he was used to.

"⎯⎯!"

Almost immediately, a terrifying pain struck him, so intense it felt like his head was being split apart, like a sledgehammer crashing down against his skull.

Almost instinctively, his left eye twitched.

The Butcher's movements were slow as it raised its hand to strike, yet in Osvald's eyes, they felt incredibly fast.

Crack!

His expression crumbled as he heard faint, yet unmistakable cracking sounds inside his head. His face went white as paper with each crack, each one coming from one of his nodes.

It took everything he had to keep from losing focus as he quietly slipped a pill into his mouth, barely managing to stop the nodes from breaking any further.

'Damn it, for me to be reduced into this state...'

Osvald glared at the Butcher, hatred rising in his mind as the eyes around the room grew larger and more numerous. With each blink of the eyes, a faint wet sound rippled throughout. The air itself turned dense and heavy as they opened wide, their pupils shifting to a deep, blood-red.

Despite this, the Butcher never stopped, its hand rising all the way up as the air felt strangled.

"⎯⎯!"

Osvald's face twisted as his eyes turned bloodshot, and his face started to shake.

Long, drawn-out straining sounds came from within Osvald's skull as he struggled to maintain his expression. But as he looked at the Butcher, he knew his actions were working.

Its movements...

They were lowering down.

"!!"

But that was all there was to it.

Despite putting everything on the line, all he managed to do was slow the Butcher's movements. It was still bringing its knife down, and as Osvald stared at the knife, he knew that the moment the knife fell completely, his head would be severed.

Shit! Shit...!

"Akh⎯Go!"

Osvald glared at the Team Leader, clutching his face as blood leaked from his eyes, the muffled cracking of his nodes continuing without pause. In fact, they seemed to grow even more numerous.

Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack!

It hurt! It hurt so much!

Osvald held his face, struggling to suppress the pain. He wanted to stop everything, to free himself from it, but he knew he didn't have much of a choice as he glared at the Butcher ahead, its hand still coming down.

It was now a little bit further down than halfway.

'Damn it! Damn it!'

Osvald screamed inside his mind, his body popping and squirming as he struggled to keep himself standing.

Without a second thought, Osvald reached into his pocket and retrieved several more pills, popping them into his mouth. Almost immediately, the cracking sounds ceased, and some of his nodes even began to show signs of healing.

The pain also stopped.

Tremendous changes began to take shape in the surroundings, the eyes covering the entire place growing larger and larger, nearly filling the room as they turned an even deeper shade of red.

One... closer to black.

They no longer blinked together. Each one moved at its own rhythm, the wet sounds overlapping, never settling into anything regular, filling the silence between heartbeats with something that felt almost breathing.

The Butcher's hand seemed to have stopped.

For just a moment, everything seemed frozen...

Everything except the Team Leader, who had already begun moving toward the Conductor.

"H-ha... G-go."

Osvald hoarsely muttered while staring at the Team Leader. Osvald's mind was hazy, and every breath felt as though he was breathing fire.

He was barely holding on. Staring at the Butcher ahead, he could feel its power increasing more and more. He could also feel the very space destabilizing further.

Almost...

Osvald's eyes tracked the Team Leader as he approached the Conductor.

He was almost there.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion in that moment. For just a split second, Osvald thought about telling the Team Leader to change his target to the Butcher, but stopped himself when he realized the Butcher was anything but an anomaly. He wouldn't be able to do anything if he got closer, and even if he did, Osvald feared it would only trigger the Conductor to act.

The priority was clear.

Take control of the Conductor.

But strangely...

Looking in the direction of the Conductor and seeing it staring at everything that was happening with amusement, as it was also controlled by the eyes, Osvald felt an ominous feeling.

But what...? What could he possibly be planning?

CRA CRACK!

"Aaaaakh!"

Osvald's thoughts were shattered by a loud crack, his entire face changing as he stumbled back. He didn't even have time to properly register what was happening before a terrifying bloodlust filled the air.

The bloodlust seemed to tear the very air from his lungs, and he barely managed to stay upright as the pain that shot through his head nearly made him collapse on the spot. It was so intense that, for a few seconds, his vision went dark, as if he'd gone blind.

By the time his vision returned, he was horrified to see that the Butcher's hand had moved even further down. His expression twisted as panic set in, and he immediately reached into his pocket, shoving all the remaining pills into his mouth in one desperate motion.

The pills, just like before, brought immediate relief as his nodes stopped cracking and his eyes began to enlarge. Even so, it did nothing to stop the Butcher, which only seemed to grow stronger with each passing second.

'Come on! Come on!'

Osvald shifted his attention to the Team Leader, sweat trickling down the side of his face as he watched him appear not far from the Conductor. Strangely, the Conductor hadn't moved a single inch from where he stood. Even as Osvald lost control of the 'eyes' in that split second where his node cracked.

Instead, the smile on the Conductor's face only seemed to twist further as it looked at the approaching Team Leader.

Everything slowed down further in Osvald's eyes as he stared at the scene.

Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!

The longer he stared at the Conductor and its expression, the more the unease in his chest grew. It swelled to the point where he nearly forgot about the Butcher, even as the blade was almost all the way down.

Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack!

As the cracking inside his mind grew more pronounced, the pills he'd swallowed were no longer as effective as before, despite coming from the Sixth Order shop. Osvald watched as the Team Leader arrived before the Conductor, his figure fading in a flash and appearing right behind the Conductor.

He was incredibly fast. So fast that it even surprised Osvald, who didn't understand how he had done it.

But above all...

He watched as the Team Leader pressed his hand against the Conductor's back, and the Conductor's lips twisted all the way up to its temples as it extended its hand and began playing.

A soft tune drifted in the air.

-x-X-x-

Something changed the moment the tune drifted through the air. The Butcher's movements started to slow down once more.

Violin in hand, the Conductor's tune began to drift through the air.

Almost immediately, Osvald felt a sense of relief in his nodes as he found himself finally able to breathe again. Despite this, he knew that he couldn't relax. Taking several steps back, he maintained his focus as the numerous eyes that surrounded the entire room blinked in unison, a raw and wet sound spreading with each blink.

"Haa... Haa..."

Osvald's breath remained heavy as he stared at the Butcher, who had stopped moving completely. Alongside the Conductor's music and his actions, he could feel the Butcher struggling against something.

Adding to that, there was also a soft giggling sound that echoed through the air.

'It's working. It's working...'

Osvald felt a small rush in his mind as he looked at the Team Leader, whose face had gone completely pale. It was clear that taking control of such an anomaly was straining his nodes, but with both of them combining their efforts, they managed to fully restrain the Butcher and stop it from doing anything further.

Looking at the situation, for just a brief moment, Osvald's eyes flashed with greed as he stared at the Butcher. With it restrained, could they kill it? Could they...?

'No, that's too risky. I just need to wait. The situation is under control. There's no point in taking any more risks.'

Osvald pushed all thoughts aside and focused on the Butcher ahead. Lifting his head slightly, his gaze drifted toward the fine cracks forming in the fabric of space.

'The gate is starting to destabilise. It won't be long until it shatters completely and we'll be free. In fact... the people on the outside should've already felt something. This is good.'

Osvald didn't waste a single second. He reached for his pocket, taking out a communicator and sending a quick message. With the crack in the Gate, he was certain that his message would go through, and sure enough...

Click!

The moment he sent it, the message went through.

His eyes lit up as he shifted his attention back to the Butcher. Now that he had sent the message, he felt a lot more relaxed. The moment the dungeon broke, he was certain...

This Butcher...

He was done for.

***

It was as Osvald predicted.

From the moment cracks had begun to form around the Gate, the entire island of Malia felt it.

Rumble! Rumble!

"What's going on?"

"What is happening? I'm getting a terrifying reading from a distance. What the hell is happening?"

One by one, people began to step out of their rooms. Everyone's attention turned in the same direction as a terrifying power started to rise from there. It was enough to make the hair on their skin crawl.

"Everyone, please head downstairs! Please move downstairs!"

It wasn't until a certain voice boomed across that everyone moved, heading downstairs where several Section Chiefs were waiting, their expressions incredibly solemn as they stared in the direction of the energy.

"Is everyone here?"

Velrik stood before everyone, his tall frame towering over the rest as his usually well-trimmed beard appeared a little unkempt, likely from the suddenness of the situation. He wore an unusually serious expression as his gaze swept the surroundings.

"I'm sorry for calling you all here so suddenly, but I'm sure everyone understands why, right?" His gaze shifted toward the source of the energy before returning to the group. "I've already contacted the BUA, but given the urgency, we've got no choice but to move now. Our main priority is figuring out what's causing the pressure and evacuating the surrounding area while backup arrives. We are strictly not to engage with whatever is happening until we know what's going on."

He said a few more words before dismissing everyone, each member moving toward their respective Section Chief.

'He's not here.'

As Zoey reached the Section Chief and Team Leader Soran, her eyes scanned the surroundings for Seth, but he was nowhere in sight.

'Where did he go?'

Eventually, her attention fell on her sister Catherine. She stood attentively before the Section Chief and the Team Leader. And as if feeling her gaze, Catherine slowly turned her head to meet her eyes and smiled softly.

"What's wrong, Zoey?"

"...I'm just wondering where Seth is. Have you seen him?"

"Seth...?"

Catherine's expression changed subtly. It wasn't obvious, and the change occurred for just a split second, but it was enough for Zoey to notice as her brow raised.

'I'm not imagining things, right? But why is it that every time Seth's name gets mentioned, her face...'

A thought surfaced in Zoey's mind as her expression shifted subtly. However, looking at her sister, she quickly shook her head.

No, I'm overthinking.

"I'm not sure, to be honest. I haven't seen him either."

"So he's gone."

Zoey's lips pressed together. This was a bit suspicious. How had he suddenly disappeared, and then a situation like this occurred? Was it a coincidence? Zoey wasn't too sure, but she kept the thought at the back of her mind as the Section Chief also seemed to have noticed Seth's disappearance.

"Where is Seth? Did something happen? Is he still in his room? Can someone check for me?"

"There's no need for that."

Surprisingly, it was the Team Leader who spoke up.

She retrieved her phone and showed it to the Section Chief.

"He sent me a message earlier. Apparently, he went out with a member of the Cloud Reverence Guild and a Team Leader. From what I've gathered, they were investigating a certain lead, and..." The Team Leader paused, shifting her attention toward the source of the energy before looking back at the Section Chief. "I believe this might be related to what they found."

"Agh."

The Section Chief ruffled his hair, his gaze fixed on Soran's phone as he muttered, "I should've expected this... of course it's related to him. That guy... he's just as talented at stirring shit as he is at cleaning it up."

What does that even mean?

Zoey wondered as the Section Chief cursed a few more times.

But eventually, he nodded and turned toward the group, beckoning them to follow.

"Let's go. If the situation is truly related to Seth, then we have to hurry before things get worse."

He moved at once, the others falling in close behind, boots striking the pavement in hurried rhythm. The same was true for the other teams as they poured into the streets, cutting through the night under the flickering lamplight.

The air grew heavier the closer they got, that invisible pressure pressing against their skin and minds. They didn't have to walk far before they found themselves standing before a large building that loomed ahead, its dark silhouette pulsing faintly with that unsettling energy.

Coming to a complete stop, Velrik's expression remained tense as he stared at the building. The same was true for the other Section Chiefs, each eyeing the structure with deep apprehension. Now that they stood this close, they could feel just how terrifying the energy within was.

A suffocating pressure that seemed to seep into their very bones.

"...This is pushing rank."

Someone muttered, their voice hoarse, retrieving a small flashlight and pointing it at the building.

"Approaching rank, it's⎯"

Their voices cut off halfway, along with every other sound, as the faces of everyone present shifted in an instant, the moment the light fell on the building. Fine, distorted cracks began to spread across its surface, twisting it unnaturally as if something beneath was pressing outward.

A faint, almost inaudible creaking followed, the air growing heavier with each passing second as the fractures deepened.

Staring at the distant building, Velrik reached for his phone and brought it to his ear.

"Bring out more people. This situation... It's worse than I expected."

-x-X-x-

Cra Crack⎯

The cracks on the surface of the building spread with each passing second, growing more numerous as the energy pouring out of it pushed outward. As it emerged, everyone standing nearby felt a rising sense of dread, their breathing becoming shallower and more strained.

"Everyone move back!"

Velrik's voice bellowed out, snapping several from their daze as many rushed away from the building's perimeter.

"Set up an encirclement around the building and evacuate anyone nearby! Make sure there's no one left here! I've already called for backup. This area is starting to destabilize."

Velrik's orders were calm and precise as he organized everyone around, though a note of apprehension crept into his voice as he spoke. He wasn't the only one. The other Section Chiefs had begun issuing orders of their own while also communicating with the main Guilds. With everyone looking in the direction of the building, they could all feel it.

The terrifying pressure coming out of the building.

"Quick! Quick! Quick! This is a state of emergency!"

News of the situation had likely already reached the media and the higher-ups of the BUA. By now, the entire island would probably be evacuated, but as the Section Chief of the Severed Stars Guild looked around, his expression couldn't help but grow grimmer.

"...I don't think there we'll have enough time to evacuate everyone."

Looking at the cracks spreading across the building's surface, he knew that as things stood, there'd be no way to evacuate everyone before it all exploded.

"It looks like a Gate."

Hearing the familiar voice, the Section Chief turned to see Soran staring at the building with languid eyes, pointing at the cracks that spread around the building.

"Take a closer look."

The Section Chief followed where she pointed. His eyes narrowed the moment he looked at the building.

"The cracks aren't forming directly in the building. If you take a closer look, you can see that the tracks are coining from a different subspace. Look, its almost as if a mirror has broken. Look at how that section is misaligned. There's no doubt about it. There's a Gate inside of the building, and whatever is inside of the Gate is about to break it apart."

The Section Chief noticed the peculiarities of the situation quickly. The moment the Team Leader pointed them out, he saw them too and immediately understood what was happening, his expression turning even more serious.

"If that's the case, then things are even more dangerous than I expected." He turned to look in Velrik's direction. Velrik seemed to be watching the cracks as well, and like him, he understood exactly what was happening as he relayed everything over the phone while barking out orders.

As he did, the Velrik felt the Section Chief's gaze as he turned to face him.

Nothing needed to be said between the two. The Section Chief nodded and turned to look at Soran.

"Let's set up a perimeter around the building. Our goal is to make sure the explosion from the Gate doesn't reach the citizens. They're our priority. We'll also make sure whatever's inside doesn't get out while we wait for reinforcements."

"Understood."

Soran shared the same view. She turned away from the building and began relaying orders to the other members. Similar scenes unfolded across the area as everyone moved away from the building, forming a tight perimeter around it and placing several items on the ground.

Thump!

Zoey, along with several others from the Guild, tossed similar items to the ground. They looked rather peculiar, their metallic sheen catching the light as they planted themselves into the soil. Their caps, resembling mushrooms, began to 'thump' as they burrowed into the ground.

Thump! Thump!

Each 'thump' began to echo with the others coming from every direction, growing faster and faster. Looking around, Zoey saw that every group had surrounded the entire building, their machines thumping loudly through the area.

As the thumpers moved, a small barrier began to form around the building. Zoey watched it take shape, her expression remaining grim.

Thumpers were standard equipment used by Guilds and the BUA to secure an area. They utilized fragments obtained from the Gates as a power source and were capable of creating extremely durable shields that could withstand high-density energy.

But as she looked at the energy building up in the building ahead, Zoey felt her stomach churn.

That...

Her gaze lingered over the numerous cracks forming across its surface, the number increasing by the second.

Thump! Thump!

Hearing the soft, yet muffled thumps from the thumpers, Zoey swallowed nervously.

Could they really hold it back?

Could the thumpers really hold back whatever was inside the Gate?

"Get out!"

"Get the hell out of here!"

A voice cut through her thoughts, and Zoey turned her head, her gaze shifting toward the numerous people who had suddenly appeared around them.

Her brows furrowed tightly.

"Hey, tell them to get away from here! It's dangerous."

Zoey commanded, her eyes sweeping the surroundings. As she spoke, several people stepped out to talk to them and move them away. However, it didn't seem like they wanted to listen, remaining where they were and watching with clear restlessness.

Such restlessness grew to the point where it started to become difficult for them to work as the crowd grew bigger, and so did their voices.

"What are you doing?"

"Get out of here! We don't want you here!"

"Get out!"

Even as the recruits tried to explain the situation to them, saying things like, 'We've detected a dangerous energy coming from within. Please stay away. It's dangerous!'

However, all words went to deaf ears. Instead, the citizen's cries grew even louder.

"We don't need you here! You've already fucked us up!"

"We don't trust you! Get out! Get out!"

The cries and shouts grew so loud that it started to become harder for the groups to work properly.

'Just what the hell is going on?'

Zoey's gaze shifted between the thumpers and the citizens. As she watched, the thumping grew faster and louder.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

But so did the citizen's cries.

"Get out of here!"

"You've already fucked us over once! We're not letting you fuck us over again!"

"My house is here! Are you going to take that away from me again? Are you going to thrown me out in the streets again!? Even after I just barely managed to pick myself back up after what you've done!?"

Their cries grew frantic, and the citizens no longer stood still. All of a sudden, they all started to move towards the thumpers.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!"

Zoey moved forward, trying to stop the citizens. Her node churned, but the moment she acted, she could only stop herself. There were certain rules in place that prevented her from directly using her powers against the citizens.

Zoey looked at Soran, who had appeared beside her. She was watching the scene with little expression, and as if sensing Zoey's gaze, Soran raised a brow.

"Hm? Why are you not doing anything?"

"That's... because I'm not allowed based on the l⎯"

"Please."

Soran scoffed.

"You're allowed to use your powers if what they're doing interferes with our work. See? Look." Soran pointed toward the other groups as they began using their own nodes to push the citizens back. Seeing them in action, Zoey dropped her hesitation and prepared to move.

But right as she took a step forward⎯

It happened.

Cra CRACK!

A loud crack echoed.

One loud enough to be felt throughout the entire island as all noise ceased.

And slowly, all heads turned in the direction of the building as the cracks surrounding it enlarged rapidly. So fast that it was hard to follow with the naked eye as Zoey's expression changed drastically.

"Watch ou⎯!"

BOOOOM!

An explosion took place.

-x-X-x-

It all happened extremely quickly. The moment the cracks expanded rapidly, everyone understood what was happening as a barrier had already formed around the building. What followed was an intense wave of pressure as the cracks expanded further and further.

Until⎯

BOOOOM!

A deafening blast tore through the air as the space around the building shattered into countless fragments, slamming outward into the barrier and making it tremble violently.

"Watch out!"

"Run! Move back!"

The Guild members rushed back, ushering civilians with them as they watched in horror. Though the barrier contained much of the blast, a powerful force still surged from within, driving everyone farther away.

"Move! Move! Move!"

Zoey shoved people aside, sweat running down her face, her heart pounding as she glanced back at the building. The Section Chief's words echoed in her mind as she fixed her gaze on the barrier again.

What about...

"It's not over. Evacuate everyone."

A cool voice whispered into her head, making her pause as she turned her head to see the Team Leader moving next to her, as she too looked back towards the barrier as well. Her brows furrowed as she looked at it.

Rattle! Rattle!

"As things stand, it won't be able to last very long. We need to evacuate before coming back here. I feel the presence of something terrifying inside."

Her expression turned incredibly grim as she looked away.

Zoey's lips parted, but she soon closed them and nodded.

"I understand."

Without wasting another second, she rushed toward the citizens with the others and helped push them back. Despite the obvious danger, some still resisted and forced their way forward.

"We will no longer buy your bullshit! This is something that you all planned! I know it is!"

"Don't touch me! Don't touch me!"

"Wait! Stay back!"

Zoey and the others had a headache trying to push these people away, but in the end, they were just regular people, and with a bit of force, they managed to evacuate everyone without any issues.

"Make sure that they stay as far away as possible from this area!"

Barking a few orders, Zoey turned back to face the building. But just as she did, her expression shifted, her eyes drifting toward the barrier surrounding it.

Oh, no...

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

Staring at the thumpers pounding so fast she could barely keep up, Zoey watched as the barrier trembled violently, the intense energy within beginning to crack its surface. Standing right next to the barrier were the numerous Section Chiefs as they delegated orders back and forth.

Zoey was just about to move when a hand pressed against her shoulder, stopping her.

"Huh? What⎯"

"Don't take another step forward."

The Team Leader's soft voice whispered into her ear as she stared at the distant barrier.

"...There's nothing we can do right now. The barrier is about to crack, and the energy inside will burst outward. That isn't what worries me, however." The Team Leader's voice dropped as her eyes narrowed. "I'm more concerned about what's hiding within the—"

BOOOOM!

Soran never managed to finish her words, as in that instant a massive crack spread across the barrier and everything gave way at once. Zoey barely had time to react before the explosion surged toward her, and if not for Soran suddenly throwing something in front of them, she would've likely been caught in it as she stumbled back.

But that wasn't all.

"Huek! Hu... ek! Heuk!"

Clutching her throat, Zoey suddenly found herself struggling to breathe. It was as if she'd been plunged into the deepest part of the ocean, with no air left to draw. No, it felt even more suffocating than that.

Both hands at her throat, Zoey felt her world spin as a sharp ringing filled her ears. Lifting her head, she could still make out the Team Leader standing before her, but even she seemed to be struggling, her face noticeably pale.

"T-t..." Zoey tried to speak. She tried to say something, but the moment she tried, her words appeared to stop at once.

Especially when she heard it.

Step!

The sound of a single step.

One that seemed to resound throughout the entire area as all noise seemed to cease at once.

As the dust blanketing the area began to settle, Zoey's gaze drifted into the distance, where a pair of blood-red eyes emerged. The instant she saw them, it felt as if her chest were being crushed, the little air left in her lungs vanishing all at once.

Dread.

Dread, unlike anything she had ever felt before, filled her vision as, with the settling dust, a pair of ears emerged, followed by an elongated nose and a fluttering apron stained in what could only be described as blood.

Drip! Drip! Drip!

A rhythmic, steady dripping echoed through the surroundings as dark red liquid ran along the blade of a small knife. As its figure came into view beneath the settling dust, Zoey's face shifted at once as she recognized it, her eyes widening.

That's...!

"VILE... 2023."

Soran's voice whispered across the surroundings.

"...The Butcher."

As her words trailed off, Zoey's attention shifted elsewhere. To a figure in the distance. She stared at the creature, her eyes wide, her body trembling.

'Catherine...'

Zoey understood her sister's reaction all too well. How could she not? This wasn't the first time her sister had encountered such a creature. And... she knew far too well about how terrifying it was.

'But how...? Why? Why is it here...?'

Zoey turned her attention back to the creature as the bloodlust hanging in the air only intensified, making it even harder to breathe than before. She could hardly keep herself standing as each breath appeared to be heavier than the last.

Despite this, she still kept herself upright.

She had no choice... Or so she thought. Until a certain voice whispered close to her.

"I... need you to evacuate. This isn't something that you can handle."

"?!"

Zoey's attention shifted to the Team Leader. She wanted to speak, but the moment her lips parted, another step echoed out, and the entire area seemed to shift as the tension in the air tightened even further.

To the point where Zoey found herself stepping back involuntarily.

"See?"

Without even looking, the Team Leader seemed to have already noticed her as Zoey hurriedly shook her head, trying to explain herself. But it was too late.

"Leave. Quickly."

Pushing Zoey back, the Team Leader surged forward with incredible speed, pulling out several items. At the same time, the Butcher moved, its bloodlust spiking as it raised its hand and slashed downward.

"Watch out!"

It was but a mere slash...

Just one single slash. That was all Zoey saw.

And yet⎯

That was all she needed to see.

For a moment after it struck, silence swept the area as Zoey stood frozen, trembling. Her head slowly turned to the massive gash carved into the earth, along with the blood that had spilled across the surroundings.

"A-ah."

Zoey covered her lips, a heavy dread settling over her as she looked back at the two blood-red eyes at the source of it all.

'This is bad. This is... really bad.'

-x-X-x-

It was as if time had stopped completely. Staring at the red slowly pooling beneath her foot and the massive gash beside her, Zoey found herself barely reacting as a pair of blood-red eyes swept over the surroundings.

A constant ringing echoed in her mind as voices whispered in the background. They were everywhere, many shouting as they seemed to say something, but Zoey couldn't pay attention to them as she continued to stare at the creature standing opposite her.

It just stood there.

Frozen.

And yet, its presence seemed to fill the entire area, and Zoey found herself struggling to take a single breath.

Something about its presence appeared to strip the air out of the surroundings, with its presence only growing stronger with each passing second.

'It's growing. It's... still growing.'

Zoey took a step back, her chest tightening as her mind scrambled to think of a way out of the current situation. She wasn't alone. The Section Chiefs and every high-ranking member within the area was also sharing similar thoughts as Zoey.

And yet⎯

"This is like... the one in Malovia."

One of the Section Chiefs murmured while staring at the Butcher.

"We're dealing with a high-class anomaly. One that might just surpass the one in Malovia."

"No."

It was the Section Chief of the Severed Stars Guild who shut that idea down. As his gaze lingered on the distant Butcher, he drew in a cold breath while massaging beneath his eyes.

"While it's certainly a high-class anomaly, it's not quite at the same level as the one in Malovia. I know because I was there. But..." The Section Chief's words trailed off as he continued to stare at the Butcher, who had now stopped moving entirely, seemingly scanning the surroundings for something.

Taking another deep breath, he continued, "Its strength seems to be increasing for some reason. If we delay any longer, there's a chance it could reach that same level, or even surpass it."

The Section Chief's words cast a heavy tension over the surroundings as all of the Section Chiefs looked at one another. The tension lingering in the air only seemed to tighten as all attention fell on the Butcher, and it was at that moment that it finally began to move again.

Just like before, it raised its hand in the air as the knife glinted in the air.

"Careful! I need several of you to hold the front while the others dash to the sides and attack from behind. Especially those of the [Sentinel] Decree!"

Velrik's voice rang across the area the moment the Butcher began to move, and in that exact instant, several figures vanished from their positions. Though they had only clashed with the Butcher once, they all seemed to have noticed the same thing.

"Its attack pattern is rather simple! It's impossible to avoid its attack, but in the time when it attacks, we can exploit its relatively slow movements to reach its back and attack it!"

This was exactly what they did.

Just as the Butcher's knife began to cleave downward, several figures appeared directly behind it. They were the Section Chiefs from several high-ranking Guilds, striking at the Butcher's exposed back.

Their movements and actions were swift.

The moment they acted, they gave the Butcher no time to react, immediately attacking its exposed back with everything they had. Some channeled their nodes, while others unleashed abilities through them.

They had hoped this would be enough to stop the Butcher's attack, but...

"⎯⎯!"

"What!?"

Even as they stabbed and struck at the Butcher's exposed back, it did not stop moving. Blood spurted from its body as several attacks pierced straight through it, emerging from the other side. Some even targeted its head, but despite the blood pouring out, the Butcher's movements never faltered.

It continued to slash downward.

Velrik's pupils constricted rapidly as he shouted.

"Watch out!"

But it was a little too late.

By the time his words rang out, the Butcher's hand was already cleaving downward, and those attacking it stopped at once.

"....."

"....."

"....."

For just a moment, the world seemed to come to a complete still.

Not a single sound reverberated across the surroundings.

Until...

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Several bodies collapsed to the ground, blood pooling in all directions as the Butcher remained standing where it was. Its blood-red eyes darkened to an even deeper shade, almost resembling black, while Velrik and the remaining Section Chiefs stood in shock, their eyes fixed on the fallen figures.

"A-ah."

Some covered their lips, unable to process the situation.

Especially Velrik, who stared at the items that he had tossed in front of him, preparing to deal with the brunt of the Butcher's attack.

And yet⎯

'It slashed in our direction, and yet it killed those behind it. Does that mean its attack is unrelated to the direction it points?'

Velrik's eyes trembled, his expression twisting as he struggled to come to terms with what he had just witnessed. But with the strong scent of iron lingering in the air, he knew he had no choice but to accept what had happened, his lips quivering.

Only to fall still as the Butcher raised its hand once more.

"Shit! Be careful! It's going to attack again! Don't attack it! Delay it! Delay it...! Reinforcements will come soon!"

RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!

His words were cut short as the surroundings began to quake, the power radiating from the Butcher intensifying until the Section Chiefs and recruits alike found themselves unable to breathe, staring at the creature in the center with clear looks of horror.

"The island..."

Someone mumbled, their feet trembling.

"It's shaking."

"Shit!"

Velrik cursed, realizing the situation was even more dire than he had initially anticipated. Although many of the Section Chiefs present were exceptionally capable and strong, there were still countless recruits and civilians standing behind them.

They couldn't move as they wished because of it. The moment they did, it would also be the moment those people died.

But at the same time, if they didn't move, they'd all die!

RUMBLE! RUMBLE!

As the surroundings shook once more, a gentle sigh echoed through the air.

It was a sigh filled with resignation as a figure stepped forward. The moment Zoey caught sight of her, her expression changed, but she didn't even have time to say anything before Soran stepped forward and appeared before the Section Chief, his usually languid eyes now carrying a rare trace of seriousness.

"You..."

"We'll all die at this rate. And... I think I'm healed enough to do something. Maybe it won't be so bad."

Soran answered, rubbing the back of her head as she tilted her head to stare at the Butcher, whose hand had already begun to move downward.

RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!

Everything shook once more, and several people lost their footing as they struggled to keep themselves upright. Despite this, Soran remained standing where she was, tapping the side of her head.

She didn't say anything else and instead just looked at the Section Chief.

He stared back at her, his lips parting as he tried to say something, but whatever words were about to leave his mouth remained stuck in his throat.

For her to choose to move now, of all times...

He clenched his teeth and closed his mouth, his own way of tacitly approving her next actions, as Soran smirked.

After that, she turned to face the Butcher as the nodes in her mind, which had remained dormant for a very long time, began to move once more.

In that instant, the Butcher's movements stopped at once.

No, it wasn't just the Butcher.

It was the entire island.

-x-X-x-

'You can't fail. The moment you fail, everything will crumble at once. For the first step, we'll have you integrate with the Ranking system. Given your talent, it shouldn't be hard for you to make it to the very top.'

There existed a system within the world.

One that dictated one's value based on the Ranking that they received.

However, the Ranking System was far from an accurate measure. In reality, it only took into account individuals who were still considered recruits. The moment someone became a Section Chief or a Guild Master, they automatically left the Rankings.

In that regard, while the Rankers were considered to be the strongest, there existed individuals stronger than them. Only that they were a lot more restricted in their actions.

It was a restriction that the BUA had created, known as Article 57.

The truth behind such Article?

Only those in such positions knew.

Article 57 also restricted Guild Masters and Section Chiefs from acting beyond a certain scope. Soran had always been curious about that restriction, but she assumed she would eventually learn the reason once she reached their rank.

Well, at least that was what she thought before.

'...Disappointing.'

Even now, Soran could still remember the Guild Master's cold words as the first cracks appeared in her node. She had barely had time to make a name for herself before the cracks began to spread, and the Guild Master stopped paying attention to her.

It was laughable.

Looking back, all of this had happened because of the pressure that came with the Guild Master's expectations. She wasn't even sure why she had pushed herself so hard. The more the Guild Master gave her, the more she felt compelled to push herself further.

It was such a vicious cycle of expectations that led her to where she was now.

Perhaps...

She would still be able to enjoy life without the constant pain in her mind.

The constant checkups with doctors would never have been necessary, and most importantly, she would still be able to act instead of watching others fall before her while she could do nothing but watch.

'Well, it's food for thought.'

Soran took a single step forward, her nodes churning inside her mind as everything around her seemed frozen. Even the Butcher.

Or at least, that was how it seemed at first.

Staring at the Butcher, Soran could tell that it was still moving. The knife was still cleaving downward.

Her lips curled at the sight.

"I know I'm rusty, but damn... I'm really dealing with something like this the moment I use my nodes again. This is one tough bastard."

Soran reached toward her nodes, wiping her finger beneath her nose as her eyes lingered on the red staining her finger. It was hardly an unexpected sight.

In fact, it was better than she expected.

Step. Step—

Soran didn't rush as she finally arrived before the Butcher. Standing before the thing, she raised her head and narrowed her eyes as she stared at it. Despite the frozen time, it seemed to be staring back at her.

The knife also moved faster.

Soran's brow raised, feeling something wet trickle down both her ears and eyes.

She could hear several cracking sounds coming from deep within her mind.

"Well, it really seems like I am rusty~"

Soran glanced at the people near her. In particular, the Section Chief and the other Chiefs from the other Guilds.

She sighed at the sight of them. Especially considering that they were all trying to protect the people behind them.

"...Dear me. In the end, I'm the only one that can truly act."

Soran's left eye twitched.

The pain she was experiencing would normally have caused someone to pass out on the spot, but Soran had grown used to pain. She was almost indifferent to it as she continued to stare at the Butcher.

She knew she didn't have much time left, and after thinking for a moment, she retrieved several items from her purse and attached them to the Butcher.

"Honestly, I need permission in order to use these since they can cause a lot of damage, but I'm sure they'll let it pass this once."

She placed the items around the Butcher's body. They were brick-shaped, and the moment she pressed them against its flesh, they adhered to it.

The Butcher's movements became even faster. At the same time, Soran felt all of her nodes churn at once as a constant cracking sound reverberated through her mind.

She paid no mind to it as she continued attaching the items around the Butcher. But the more she placed, the harder it became to keep herself moving. Blood continued to spill in all directions as her vision began to blur.

This didn't really help considering that she was already losing her sight.

"Oh dear~"

Soran scratched the back of her head while looking down at the pool of blood that had formed beneath her feet. In that moment, she knew that she couldn't go on any further as she took several steps back.

As she did, the Butcher's movements were now almost at the same speed as before.

"What a tough bastard."

Looking at the situation, Soran understood that she had no time to waste. She flicked her finger, and the items attached to the Butcher detonated at once.

There were no fanciful fireworks or anything of the sort. The moment Soran flicked her finger, the bricks exploded at once, and a terrifying burst of energy erupted outward, reaching Soran in less than a fraction of a second.

Just as the heat was about to reach her, Soran's nodes churned even faster than before. They spun so violently that the pool of blood beneath her feet grew even larger, and her vision went completely dark.

"He... He."

Despite this, Soran laughed as she pressed her hands together.

Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack!

The constant yet deafening sound of her nodes cracking resounded through her mind as the edge of the explosion stopped right before her.

Then—

As if time had begun to reverse, the explosion started to retract, drawing back toward the point from which it had come. At the same time, time outside the explosion began to return to normal, and Soran started to hear voices in the background.

Still...

She wasn't done.

Keeping her hands together, Soran's nodes continued to crack as the explosion shrank further and further, condensing around the spot where the Butcher had been standing as the terrifying energy churned within the "time bubble" she had created.

The more she condensed the bubble, the denser the energy within it became, subjecting the Butcher to the full force of that terrifying power all at once.

Cra Crack! Cra Crack!

Soran's nodes cracked under the heavy pressure, the pain enough to make anyone scream. And yet...

All Soran did was smile while staring in the direction of where the Butcher was.

She couldn't see, but she still smiled.

And soon—

The bubble condensed further, taking on the outline of the Butcher as Soran finally lowered her hands, remaining upright even as blood continued to pour from every orifice.

A tense silence followed her actions, not a single sound echoing through the surroundings. There was no grand explosion or anything of the sort.

Just silence.

No one said a single word.

But that silence didn't last long.

Step—

The sound of a single footstep shattered the silence, causing Soran to blink rapidly. Then, as she realized where it had come from, she suddenly burst out laughing, turning her head and pointing in the direction of the step.

"...hey, hey, hey~"

Her eyes blinked rapidly.

"I know that I'm rusty, but am I seriously this rusty? There's no way it's still standing after that. The hell is this thing made out of?"

Soran's words lingered in the air for a few seconds before the sound of another step shattered the silence. The soft echo cut through the stillness, drawing every eye toward the source as a figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

All breaths held at the sight, its burned apron fluttering in the air as a heavy bloodlust filled the surroundings.

It was a sight that made one's blood churn

"T-that's..."

"Wait, look!"

Someone suddenly pointed out.

Upon closer inspection, many noticed something different about the Butcher. Much of its clothing was torn, exposing flesh covered in burn marks. Embers still clung to its body, the scorched skin continuing to smolder as it took another step forward.

Step!

The echo of the step seemed to linger in the air longer than it should have, the sound spreading in all directions. Accompanying it was the soft flutter of the tattered robe, the Butcher moving forward as if nothing had happened.

Step! Step...!

No one moved.

No one dared to breathe.

The pair of blood-red eyes slowly swept across the surroundings, each passing glance tightening the invisible pressure hanging over the area, before eventually coming to a stop in Soran's direction.

In the direction... of the woman who had rendered it in this state.

"Ha."

Despite being unable to see, she could feel its gaze fixed on her.

Her cracked lips split further, and she let out a hoarse laugh.

"This is pretty bad, isn't it?"

Its gaze alone was enough to leave her out of breath. It was as if the very air had been stripped from her surroundings, making it impossible to breathe as her legs began to wobble. Despite this, she remained standing where she was.

She did not fall.

Instead, she raised both hands as blood continued to leak from her face.

"I've tried... my best. I really have got nothing left in the tank. Rusty and all..."

Even in such a situation, she found a way to make light of the situation as she cracked a joke. Her body was in tatters, and her nodes were still cracking. It'd be a miracle if she could still continue working after this. No, the fact that she was still standing was a miracle.

And yet, despite knowing all of this, Soran found the entire situation funny.

There really wasn't much else that she really cared about anyway.

And⎯

"I think I bought just enough time for them to arrive."

Sure enough, not even a second after her words fell, a figure appeared right behind the Butcher. He appeared so fast that nobody even had the time to react. No, it wasn't even that.

He seemed to have teleported?

The Butcher reacted almost instantly.

With a twist of its body, it slashed in the direction where the newcomer had appeared, the terrifying bloodlust spreading in the air rapidly as a deafening explosion reverberated shortly after.

BOOOM!

The surroundings shook, dust and debris spreading in every direction as the remaining people sprang into action, dashing toward the Butcher, who did not waste a single second before slashing in their direction.

"Watch out!"

Everyone saw the attack, but there wasn't much that they could do.

The moment the Butcher slashed, there was nothing that could stop it.

That single strike shattered whatever protection some of the Section Chiefs had available, threatening to cleave their bodies in half as their pupils rapidly shrank. Just before things could reach that point, something formed behind them and clung to their bodies, pulling them back before the attack could reach them.

"⎯⎯!"

It all happened so fast that, even when things settled, many still could not grasp what had happened as the figures in question reappeared farther away.

"You're here."

Velrik was the first to speak as a figure appeared before him in the form of a handsome man in his thirties, with a bright smile and dark hair that fluttered silently in the air. He wore a dark suit that perfectly suited his appearance, and despite the Butcher's attention falling in his direction, he paid the Butcher no mind as he looked at Velrik.

"It's not quite easy for me to travel such a far distance on such short notice. It's been quite a long time since I've done something like this. Cut me some slack."

His words were leisurely despite the situation, and as Zoey caught sight of him, her expression shifted slightly.

"Enforcer Brandt."

The words slipped out before she realized it. She wasn't the only one who recognized him; several others reacted much the same way as their expressions shifted. But how could they not?

Enforcers were almost like legends to many of them. They were the most elite unit working for the BUA, and they were individuals who sat outside of the Ranking System. Nobody truly knew how strong they were, but every Enforcer was incredibly powerful.

In particular, Enforcer Brandt, known for his unique [Transporter Decree].

"Haha, it looks like I'm not quite unknown. Good, this makes things⎯"

The Enforcer did not even get to finish his words before the Butcher struck again, its knife cutting downward. This time, its movements were even faster than before, and a loud, resonant cry rang out from the blade, reaching the man in an instant.

Despite this, the Enforcer retained his smile as he pressed his hand over Velrik's body, and the two disappeared at once.

BOOOOOOOOOM!

A terrifying explosion followed a moment later, and a long, deep line appeared in the cement where the two had been standing. The Butcher then turned its head toward a certain direction, its blood-red eyes glowing even brighter than before.

"This is more troublesome than I thought," The Enforcer muttered after reappearing, his expression still at ease as he looked at the Butcher and then at his surroundings. Afterward, he took out a small device resembling a pocket watch and looked at it. After giving it a quick scan, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"I'm getting a pretty high reading from this thing. It is not quite as strong as the one from Malovia, but it's still rather dangerous, and the reading appears to be increasing. It's best to evacuate everyone."

He made up his mind rather quickly.

He did not even consult Velrik, the one in charge of the operation, before clapping his hands twice as several of his nodes churned at once. Immediately, they targeted every single person in the vicinity.

Swooosh! Swooosh!

The space behind them cracked, and they were all pulled back at once. They didn't even get a chance to realize what had happened before they were gone.

At the exact instant he acted, the Butcher moved as well, slashing in his direction once again.

This time, the Butcher's movements were even faster than before. They were so fast that Velrik struggled to see them.

But just before the attack could reach him, his vision turned black and he disappeared completely from view.

"Well, that's done."

The Enforcer clapped his hands while appearing elsewhere.

He continued to look around before settling his gaze over to Zoey, who was starting at him with a blank expression. His eyes moved from her, to the others that still lingered, and he just waved at them.

"Don't worry too much. I'll take care of it from here. I might not be able to def⎯Oop." Disappearing, he reappeared next to Zoey, startling her as he looked in Soran's direction. Seeing her state, he whistled slightly. "Seems like her condition isn't good. I'll take care of her myself. For now, it's time for you all to go back."

He pushed Zoey back, her body disappearing alongside several others.

Silence swept the surroundings as all the people surrounding the area disappeared at once, leaving only the Enforcer, alongside the Butcher and Soran.

A subtle silence followed after that before the Enforcer smiled while looking at Soran.

"Well, there's just you left."

He appeared next to her, with the Butcher not moving a single inch, its blood-red eyes focused in his direction. Almost as if studying him.

The Enforcer paid it no mind as he pressed his hand against Soran's shoulder.

His face softened at the sight of her.

"So⎯"

"Yeah, yeah."

She dismissively waved her hand.

"I can't see, but I haven't turned stupid. You're not going to bring me back, are you?"

The atmosphere froze over for a split second as the Enforcer continued to stare in Soran's direction. Eventually, he chuckled before shaking his head.

"Hm? What could you possibly mean by that? Why would I not bring you back?"

"Ha."

Soran snorted and turned toward the Butcher. Despite not seeing, she could still tell where it was. Its presence was that overwhelming, and unlike before, it stood still, doing nothing but stare at them.

The pressure alone caused distortions in the air, growing stronger by the second. Her lips parted as she looked at it.

"Because you give me the ick. It's been like that for a while now. What kind of organization have you gotten involved with?"

"....."

The tension that lingered in the atmosphere only heightened as the Enforcer's eyes narrowed while staring in Soran's direction. Eventually, however, his features turned soft again.

"There's nothing that is happening. I haven't gotten involved with anything that is particularly bad. You can say that I'm just deeply involved in the politics of the bureau."

"...Ah, I see."

Soran laughed while blood continued to leak from her face, the scent spreading through her nostrils.

"Now I'm practically certain that I'm right."

The smile on Brandt's face changed, his eyes flickering as he maintained his gaze over Soran's features. He scanned them from top to bottom, and despite his expression, she remained relaxed. In a way, it almost seemed as though she was resigned to the entire situation.

She didn't seem to care about what happened to her, and that was exactly the truth.

She really didn't care.

'Well, I've done my job so there's that.'

"Oh, but..."

Soran pointed in a certain direction.

"It doesn't seem like you've evacuated everyone. Are you sure you're alright with keeping them?"

The Enforcer's direction turned in the direction she pointed. Towards a couple of figures lying on the cold floor, their status unknown. His gaze lingered in their direction for a brief moment before he stared back at Soran.

"For someone who can't see, you sure can see a lot."

"I've got a good memory."

Soran cracked a smile. But just as her lips parted again, something changed. The very air seemed to shake. All of a sudden, Brandt's face underwent a change as he pressed his hand against her shoulder, and the two faded from the spot.

BOOOM!

A terrifying explosion ensued, the pavement where the two had been standing splitting with a long and deep line.

They both re-appeared a few meters away, but right as they did, Brandt's face underwent another change as a pair of blood-red eyes locked in his direction. He didn't waste a single second, his nodes churning even faster as he faded from the spot again.

BOOOOOOM!

The space quivered once more, a deeper line forming in the area where the two had been standing as the Enforcer appeared quite a distance away from where he had been standing a moment prior.

Dust and debris lingered in the air, masking the Butcher's figure as the Enforcer's eyes narrowed while scanning the surroundings.

A quiet tension lingered in the air, his breath held as he scanned the air.

And just as his shoulders relaxed...

SWOOOSH!

A pair of blood-red eyes locked onto him once more.

His reacted instantly, his nodes churning as he pressed his hand against Soran's shoulder.

But despite reacting fast, he wasn't as fast as the Butcher.

SPURT!

"⎯⎯!"

A terrifying pain engulfed his mind as his left arm was severed from his body. It all happened so fast that he didn't even have the time to properly register the situation. But even then, he let out no sound as his eyes lingered in the Butcher's direction and his body faded, reappearing before one of the two bodies that Soran had pointed at.

Without saying anything, he raised his foot and stomped down.

BANG!

Red exploded in all directions as he stomped directly on the head before turning his direction towards the other body, which still seemed to be breathing. The skin at the back of the Enforcer's scalp tingled as his body faded once more, and the area cleaved in half.

Reappearing in front of the other body, the Enforcer looked down with cold eyes.

"...You're in a terrible state, Osvald. Then again, I expected nothing else from you. But what a mess."

He shook his head while pressing his foot over Osvald's body. However, unlike what he did to the Team Leader, he just pressed his foot against his back, and right as he felt the Butcher attack once more, their bodies began to fade.

BANG!

A terrifying explosion ensued, the rising dust covering the surrounding area. It took a while for the dust to clear, however, unlike before, the Enforcer didn't appear again.

He simply left.

Silence settled over the surroundings as a pair of blood red eyes swept over the surroundings, scanning every nook and cranny of the broken area. However, despite how hard it looked, there was nothing in sight.

Not a single soul.

Just before leaving, the Enforcer had made sure to evacuate everyone.

From the very start, its job had never been to defeat the Butcher. Its abilities weren't catered for that. His goal was to evacuate everyone and buy time for the main reinforcements to arrive, which he managed to accomplish flawlessly.

While he didn't evacuate everyone on the island, he didn't need to.

It didn't take long for the reinforcements to arrive.

The sound came first, the rhythmic *thump-thump-thump* of helicopter blades cutting through the sky, growing louder, closer.

"Quick! Quick! Quick!"

Vehicles screeched to a halt, doors slamming open as operatives poured out in organized formation rather than a chaotic rush. Squad leaders barked coordinates into earpieces; analysts huddled around tablets streaming live drone feeds.

"Hmm, this is not good."

"...Is it just me, or are things becoming messier and messier? First that thing in Malovia, and now this? When are we going to catch a break?"

"I don't know, but let's focus on the task at hand. This one is a tough one."

A woman with silver-streaked hair stepped forward, tapping her earpiece as her eyes flicked across three holographic displays hovering before her.

"Command, this is Tactical Lead. Establishing a perimeter at six hundred meters. I want barrier specialists on the outer ring, evacuation corridors at the northeast and southwest. Combat units stage at four hundred. Nobody engages until I give the signal."

"Copy."

Having dealt with the incident in Malovia, the Guilds and the BUA were a lot more prepared in dealing with high-ranked anomalies. The moment they arrived, everyone already had recordings and ideas of the Butcher's abilities.

Drones had been circling the perimeter for the last several minutes, capturing every twitch, every slash, every micro-expression on that horrible pig-faced creature. The analysts were already cross-referencing the footage against the anomaly database, looking for behavioral parallels.

It was strong.

There was no denying this.

What made it even creepier was the fact that it was still growing. It had yet to reach its limit.

The oppressive weight of its aura only intensified, filling the space like water slowly rising, drowning the world in its sinister bloodlust.

"Ah, we don't have much time. The more we drag this, the less likely we'll be able to deal with it."

The analysts noted it with grim faces, the power readings from their instruments climbing in slow, steady increments. Every minute they delayed, the harder this fight would become.

"Stall pattern Delta," the Tactical Lead ordered, voice clipped. "We're not winning a war of attrition. We have to strike fast. However, it seems like it is not very smart. Rotate teams every ninety seconds; nobody should engage for more than that."

The fight against the Butcher was a tough one.

BANG!

The Butcher was a representation of overwhelming power. Each movement sent tremors through the ground, displaying just how powerful it was.

But this time, the response was different. Where the first responders had scattered before its rage, the Guilds moved like a single organism. They approached, struck, retreated, androtate.

No one stood still.

No one stood alone.

"Team One, harass left flank. Do NOT commit! Three-second engagement window!"

"Team Two, mender screen at the rear, I want healing chains active!"

"Team Three, you're spotters. Call its slashes before they land!"

"Its attacks are getting faster! Be careful!"

"...Careful!"

Wherever the Butcher slashed, it would only leave carnage and destruction behind. Several buildings shattered under its attacks, leaving many injured in the process.

The sound of collapsing structures was deafening. From the shriek of tearing metal, the thunderous crunch of falling concrete, and the sharp crack of snapping support beams.

All of it was heard.

But the barrier specialists were already moving, raising layered shields that didn't try to stop the slashes outright, but instead redirected the force upward, into the open sky, away from where the groups were.

BANG!

When a barrier shattered, another rose to replace it.

Three more behind that.

The specialists worked in shifts, conserving their reserves, refusing to burn out in a single exchange.

Thankfully, there were several menders located in the area, helping many of the people who showed up, their healing magic flowing in steady currents through the wounded. The smell of blood and disturbed earth hung heavy, mingling with the sulfur-like smell that lingered in the air.

Helicopters and news reporters arrived not long after, capturing the entire scene.

Camera flashes created a strobe effect against the roiling dust clouds. The distant murmur of the news crew's and commentary was barely audible beneath the chaos.

The entire world caught sight of the Butcher's overwhelming strength as several powerful individuals were dispatched, all trying their best to take care of the situation.

Their clashing auras created visible distortions in the air.

Analysts in the rear shouted updates into the comms.

"It favors right-handed slashes. Seventy-two percent of attacks angle from the upper-right!"

The more the fight progressed, the more data they accumulated.

"Wind-up time is point-three seconds! Tells: shoulder rotation, head tilt!"

"It's not tracking aerial targets as well. Repeat, blind spot is overhead-elevated angles!"

"Power signature drops by twelve percent immediately after each slash. That's the window!"

The fight lasted several hours.

Exhaustion crept into everyone present as the scent of blood that lingered across the surroundings grew even denser.

Many had fallen, but the Guilds didn't break.

They cycled.

Fresh teams rotated in as exhausted ones rotated out for healing and rest, the operation running with the cold efficiency of a machine designed for one purpose.

It was under the Guild's and BUA's relentless assault and observations that they were finally able to figure out the main flaws of the Butcher and take advantage of it.

Eventually, the Tactical Lead pulled up a behavioral model on her display. It was a probability map of the Butcher's next ten likely actions, refined over the course of the past hours as the Butcher's strength increased.

"Confidence threshold reached," she murmured. "Move to phase two."

She raised her head and looked around.

"The moment it slashes, its body is exposed! Make sure to attack then!"

Her hand slammed against the table as she pressed her finger against the comms.

"It's not very smart! ... Its attack patterns are very simple! Don't be scared! Just attack at the right time, and we should be able to contain it!"

"The knife...! Take its knife. I can tell that it's the main source of everything!"

The final command crackled across every comm in the operation.

"All teams, converge on signal. Bait protocol initiated."

The plan started with a single decoy. A high-speed member of the [Sentinel Decree] with reinforced barriers layered over her body, darted into the Butcher's range, deliberately drawing its attention.

The Butcher's shoulder rotated. Its head tilted.

Swoooosh!

The slash came as predicted, the decoy vanishing a fraction of a second before the blade reached her.

No...

She disappeared before the Butcher could even attack. From the start, they had already memorized its pattern.

That was also the moment the window opened.

With its flaws identified, the Guilds coordinated with one another to eventually take down the Butcher as they all attacked right after it attacked, several arriving right before it could do anything, and unleashing several attacks at once.

From above came the aerial strikers, exploiting the overhead blind spot.

From the flanks, the melee specialists struck at the exposed torso. From the rear, the long-range artillery converged on the knife arm, or to be precise, the wrist holding the blade, the anatomical chokepoint everything depended on.

The Butcher tried to react, but it was too late as all attacks landed at once and cracks formed across its pig-like face.

BANG!

The impact reverberated through it, a faint shattering sound spreading outward from the epicenter.

All froze in that moment, all eyes locked onto the butcher.

And eventually⎯

Clank! Clank!

Its wrist buckled under the focused assault. The blade falling from its grasp as the bloodlust leaking out of its body faltered.

And soon⎯

Cra CRACK!

Cracks formed across its face, spreading rapidly before the mask shattered completely, exposing what lay beneath as its true face appeared before the entire world.

The world held its breath.

-x-X-x-

Despite the BUA and the Guilds trying to keep the incidents under wraps, the media and reporters still managed to catch a glimpse of what had happened, with several recordings of the incident making their way throughout the entire internet.

News articles began to appear throughout.

Breaking ⎯ [New High-Class Anomaly Emerges in Malia: VILE-2013, "The Butcher"]

Breaking ⎯ [Casualty Numbers Unknown as BUA Maintains Strict Secrecy]

Breaking ⎯ [BUA Declares National Emergency Following Malia Incident]

Breaking ⎯ [Malia Placed Under Total Communications Blackout]

Breaking ⎯ [Satellite Images Reveal Widespread Destruction in Malia. What exactly is happening? From Malovia to Malia. Why has there been a rise in such high-class anomalies? Is the world in crisis?]

The internet was on fire.

⎯What the hell is this? Another one?

⎯Another one? Wtf... Are you kidding me? Did something happen? Why is there another one?

⎯Fuck, should I consider moving from where I am? I have been feeling rather restless as of late. Maybe...

The appearance of another High-Class Anomaly left the public increasingly restless. In response, protests began to erupt in cities around the world, condemning the BUA's current methods of operation and its continued lack of transparency.

The five great Guilds, alongside all the top Guilds, received backlash.

They, too, came under heavy criticism, especially after the world learned of the situation in Malia. Due to their influence, the Guilds had managed to keep the incident relatively quiet. However, the recent events caused news of what they had done on the island and the chaos they had inflicted upon its people to finally spread, resulting in widespread backlash.

But the extent of the criticism didn't end there.

It even went as far as reaching specific individuals, with one particular one standing out.

Breaking ⎯ [The Legend Falters: The Mad Crown Suffers His First Failure.]

Breaking ⎯ [The Mad Crown Vanishes Mid-Operation: Was "The Butcher" Too Much for Him?]

Breaking ⎯ [The Rising Comet Begins to Lose Momentum.]

Breaking ⎯ [Were the Lights Too Bright for the Rising Comet?]

The media relentlessly pursued Seth, desperate to uncover what had happened to him in Malia. From what was publicly known, he had vanished in the middle of the operation and was never seen again. Some reports claimed he was responsible for the entire disaster and had died in the process, while others went even further...

Alleging that he was the Butcher himself.

*

BUA Headquarters.

Inside a vast, dimly lit chamber, an oppressive silence settled over a certain room. Several figures sat motionless around a massive obsidian table, their faces hidden beneath shadows and flickering holographic light.

No one spoke.

No one moved.

Their attention remained fixed on the projection suspended above the table, displaying every event that had unfolded in Malia in painstaking detail.

From the first spark of conflict to the final devastating moments with the Butcher.

The footage replayed several times, each viewing forcing the silent observers to scrutinize every frame in complete silence, broken only by the low hum of the projector and the faint crackle of shifting images.

The lingering scent of stale coffee, untouched for hours, mingled with the faint metallic tang of the room's recycled air. Someone shifted in their seat. The leather creaked. The sound echoed across the chamber far louder than it should have, and yet no one turned to look.

At last, the recording came to an abrupt stop.

The final image lingered in the air for a moment before coming to a stop, leaving the room in a silence even heavier than before.

All eyes fell on what remained of the Butcher.

Or to be more precise...

Towards the figure that lay behind the cracked mask.

A suffocating silence took over after that.

It pressed in every direction, growing heavier with each passing second, until a certain voice echoed.

"To think that we weren't dealing with an anomaly."

His words quietly spread throughout the room as all eyes remained fixed on the figure that lay behind the broken mask. There was no inflection in the voice. No anger, no surprise. Just a calm indifference.

"...Not quite."

A voice interrupted as the hologram shifted to display a certain knife.

"From the analysis, we were no doubt dealing with an anomalous entity. In this case, the anomalous entity was in the form of a knife."

All eyes fell upon the knife displayed on the hologram, its dull blade marred by several cracks and streaked with dried blood. Though it was only an image, everyone present could still feel the lingering bloodlust emanating from the unremarkable weapon.

"Forensics has yet to provide a complete analysis of the blade's abilities due to the extent of the damage it sustained. From what has been gathered, the damage was not caused by the battle itself, but by an apparent overload of its abilities. We now need to determine what caused it to overload."

"What about the one responsible for this?"

"That's the issue."

The voice quietly whispered across the room.

"The one behind the mask has been declared brain-dead. It appears that the knife had taken over their mind completely."

The words hung there.

"There is no bringing him back. Even if we attempt something, we will not be able to learn anything from him. I would like to believe this incident was caused by the anomalous item that was discovered, which appears to have corrupted his mind, but that is only a preliminary observation. We'll only come to the truth later."

"So you're saying that there's no chance that we are able to extract any information?"

"No."

The room fell silent once more, all eyes fixed on the knife as the tension in the air grew tighter. Somewhere, deep in the building, a ventilation system cycled on. The faint vibration crept through the obsidian table, just enough to feel against the fingertips of those who rested their hands on its surface.

One of the figures slowly leaned back.

Another exhaled, the breath disappearing into the chamber without a sound to follow.

The silence merely lasted a few moments before someone else spoke.

"Regarding the ones that are missing?"

The question carried a different weight than the others. It felt more authoritative.

"Someone is looking into that."

"For now, all attention is being focused on the knife. We believe that to be the key to uncovering the truth behind the situation. More will be shared as more is found. That will be all for now. Does anyone have any questions?"

The room remained silent.

That seemed to mark the end of the session. After which, the figures began to disappear one after another, the soft hum of the hologram echoing in the background, as eventually there was only one person left.

They did not rise.

They did not speak.

For a long moment, they simply remained seated, their figure swallowed by the shadows that draped the chamber, their face still hidden, their hands resting flat against the cold obsidian surface.

Until⎯

Tap! Tap!

Their finger tapped against the table.

Just before leaving, they shifted their attention away from the knife and towards a different image. Towards the face that lay behind the mask known as the Butcher.

Their gaze lingered.

It lingered for a long, long time.

Right beneath was a single name and title.

[Eugene Kinmen ⎯ Cloud Reverence Guild Team Leader]

The figure stared at the name in silence. The hologram flickered once. Twice. And in the dim, broken light of the chamber, something almost imperceptible passed across the shadow that masked their face.

Then they, too, were gone.

The chamber sat empty.

Only the projection remained, casting its pale light across the obsidian table, the name of a dead Team Leader floating quietly above it.

-x-X-x-

"You will... thank me for this. I'm doing this for your own good."

A voice whispered in the back of Soran's mind, her thoughts muffled.

Soran's vision was completely gone.

All she saw was darkness. Not even a hint of light.

Her mind felt numb, sharp pangs of pain piercing through her skull with each passing second as faint cracking sounds accompanied them. She could hardly make sense of what was happening, but if there was one thing she knew, it was that she was being escorted somewhere.

'Ah, I'm screwed...'

She didn't know where she was being escorted, but it certainly wasn't the medical center.

'...I'm probably going to get brainwashed or some shit.'

Honestly, even if Soran had the energy to resist, she probably wouldn't have been able to do much in the first place. There had been a time when she had been stronger than him, but with her being out of commission for so long, there was simply no way for her to fight back.

"I heard all about your situation. If you follow me, I'll help you get back to your past glory. There's no need to be afraid."

Bullshit.

Soran's lips didn't move.

Even if they could, she probably would've kept them shut. There really wasn't much that she wanted to talk about.

In fact, she would much rather he stop talking.

Silence.

Yes, she wanted to be in silence.

But even though that was what she wanted, he wasn't kind enough to give it to her.

"I've talked with them. They are all aware of your talents. If you can use your talents for the right causes, then I'm sure they will help you heal from your current situation. You'll no longer have to suffer. Just think about it."

He kept rambling on and on.

Honestly, if Soran had the energy, she would've told him to shut up. Unfortunately, she didn't even have enough left in her to muster that much.

He kept rambling on about healing her and whatnot. Soran didn't believe in that nonsense. Her nodes were far too damaged for any treatment, and even if some miraculous cure did exist, it certainly wouldn't come free.

'There also seems to be someone else he's carrying.'

It was too bad that Soran couldn't see who.

In the end, these were her last thoughts before her mind completely blanked, and she faded into nothingness.

*

'Her situation is a lot more troublesome than I expected. Most of her nodes are damaged, and it'll take quite a large investment to bring her back. I'm not sure I can carry on with the procedure. You'll need to see whether the higher-ups think that investing in her is worth it or not.'

'Don't worry about them. I'm sure they will agree.'

'It doesn't really matter. For now, she needs some time to recover. We can proceed with the operation once she's more fit. She's not in the right state to proceed. Thankfully, Osvald seems to be doing fine. He doesn't need a check-up. But what about you? Your arm...'

'...That's none of your concern, doctor.'

The darkness persisted even after she regained her consciousness.

In the darkness, she heard voices. They talked about some weird procedure...?

'Ah, right. I'm going to get brainwashed soon...'

Soran felt her body get carried away into a strange place. A bed? Well, whatever it was, it was quite hard.

Uncomfortable too.

'Don't worry. You'll recover soon enough. By then, you'll thank me.'

The familiar voice reached her ears once more.

Hearing the voice, Soran didn't feel much. It was true that she was a sort of man-killer... yes, that's what they called the opposite of ladykillers, right? Well, whatever it was, she was a man-killer.

A proper bona fide man-killer.

Brandt... Brandt... The name did ring a bell. Probably back in the academy? Well, to be honest, she didn't remember all that well. She certainly did remember him, but also didn't.

It was a bit troublesome.

It was good that she couldn't speak.

'No, but this is truly a very troublesome situation.'

Soran tried to feel her nodes, but the moment she did, she was unsurprised to realize that the connection linking her to them was gone.

Ah.

'So the situation has gotten this bad, huh?'

Soran wanted to laugh, but found herself unable to. Her entire body was paralyzed from top to bottom. Not only could she not move or see, but she had also lost connection with her nodes. In other words, she was completely useless.

A vegetable.

'...Do I have no option but to get brainwashed? Or are they going to turn me into a cyborg?'

All sorts of thoughts swam inside Soran's mind. She wasn't particularly scared. To be honest, there wasn't much that could scare her anyway. This was probably the reason why she didn't feel much despite the helpless situation.

In a way, this was good.

At least, she didn't have to worry about mentally breaking down in a situation like this one.

But she did feel that it was a bit of a pity.

There were still a few things that she wanted to do.

'Ah, if only I had still been in my prime. Maybe...'

Soran's thoughts came to an abrupt stop. She couldn't quite see, but that didn't mean she couldn't hear. Though faint, she caught the sound of the door opening as a figure entered a moment later.

Step. Step!

His steps were soft, not as heavy as Bradnt's.

Someone else?

Soran strained her ears as the figure drew closer and closer to her before finally coming to a stop. Silence filled the room shortly after, the space occupied by nothing but the soft hum around her.

So...?

The silence stretched for what felt like hours, the figure standing still while doing absolutely nothing. In a way, Soran started to grow nervous.

Don't tell me...

Sure enough, something reached down and pressed against her lips. Soran's entire mind blanked as she felt her lips get pried open. She wasn't even able to resist before she felt something get shoved down her throat.

"⎯⎯!"

Soran's eyes widened in an instant.

Although she couldn't see, she could still perform the action as a powerful throb invaded her mind. The pain nearly sent her passing out once more, but the moment she was about to, something forced her out of it as her vision started to flash.

Her lips parted as she tried to scream, but nothing came out of her mouth as the pain invaded every inch of her mind.

'W-what's happening!?'

Soran's vision continued to flicker as the pain continued to invade the deepest parts of her mind.

She didn't understand what was happening, but she didn't have time to process it, as the pain was strong enough to make her feel something. It was agonizing, as though someone had split her skull open and started hammering at her brain nonstop.

She wanted to make it stop, but it only grew worse with each passing second.

The worst part was that she couldn't move at all. The only thing she could do was suffer in silence as the pain grew more and more ferocious.

Such pain persisted for what felt like forever as Soran agonized inside her mind over and over, and it was only when the pain subsided a little bit that she realized something.

H-huh...?

Just right before her, she managed to catch sight of what seemed to be an outline.

One that grew clearer and clearer by the second as her vision returned.

And soon⎯

A figure appeared before her, his finger pressed against his lips in a 'shh' motion as he smiled at her.

"Been a while, Team Leader."