The chamber fell into silence.
Five masked elders stood around the ancient formation.
Behind them—
the remaining cultists watched without speaking.
Draven slowly stepped forward.
His footsteps echoed softly across the ancient stone.
He stopped only a short distance from the formation.
His crimson eyes swept across the five elders.
"...Now."
His voice was calm.
"...Everything required to open the Breach..."
"...is present."
A brief pause.
"...So proceed."
He took another step.
"...Or..."
His gaze settled upon the masked elder.
"...Is there something else..."
"...you've planned?"
Silence.
No one answered.
Behind Draven—
Aldric smiled.
"...The brat can be pretty annoying sometimes."
He rolled one shoulder.
"...But..."
A savage grin spread across his face.
"...I like that attitude."
He stepped forward.
**Crack.**
His knuckles cracked loudly.
Dark crimson mana slowly seeped from his body.
The pressure inside the chamber immediately grew heavier.
Kaelira's eyes lit up.
"...Alright."
A broad grin spread across her face.
"...I've been wanting to fight ever since we got here."
Mana surged around her.
Her wolf ears stood straight.
Her tail swayed excitedly behind her.
Near the back—
Ryke watched the three of them with a complicated expression.
*...Damn it.*
*Does everything have to end in a fight with these people...?*
His gaze slowly shifted toward Pythia.
*...I thought...*
*She was the reasonable one.*
*The calm one.*
He silently shook his head.
*...But after coming here...*
*That impression completely disappeared.*
He remembered her threatening to wipe out the entire cult.
Ordering her own teacher.
Speaking of annihilation as though discussing the weather.
*...She's calm...*
*But she's just as dangerous as the rest of them.*
*Maybe even worse.*
*At least the others look violent.*
*She smiles while saying it.*
A chill ran down his spine.
*...These people...*
*Every single one of them...*
*...is insane.*
Silence reclaimed the chamber.
Every gaze settled upon the five elders.
Waiting.
Then—
one of the masked figures stepped away from the others.
He walked toward Draven at an unhurried pace.
Unlike the other elders—
his movements were strangely relaxed.
Almost playful.
He stopped only a few steps away.
Tilting his head.
"...So..."
"...This is the Demon King's son..."
His gaze slowly wandered over Draven.
"...You look rather different..."
"...from the way everyone describes you."
Another step.
"...Are they really sure..."
"...you're a boy?"
He leaned forward slightly.
"...With that face..."
"...it's honestly hard to believe."
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
"...Instead of the Vampire Prince..."
"...I think 'Vampire Princess' suits you better."
Several cultists visibly stiffened.
Not one of them laughed.
The masked figure continued as though nothing had happened.
"...And to think..."
"...you're still standing."
"...Much less walking..."
His gaze drifted toward Draven's chest.
"...With that thing inside you."
"...Your insides must be complete chaos after absorbing that Core."
He gave another amused chuckle.
"...Interesting."
"...Very interesting."
Then—
his attention shifted upward.
Toward the little black cat sitting comfortably atop Draven's head.
"...Though..."
"...the one I'm truly interested in..."
"...is you."
His voice became softer.
"...I still can't understand how you consumed those fragments."
"...I'd really like to know."
As he spoke—
his bandaged arm slowly reached toward the cat.
The little black cat merely stared back.
"...Meow."
**BOOM!!**
The chamber exploded.
The bandaged figure was launched backward like a cannonball.
Yet—
before his body struck the floor—
he twisted effortlessly.
Landing lightly on both feet.
His robes fluttered behind him.
He looked back at Draven.
"...Attacking so suddenly?"
He tilted his head.
"...Did I press some sort of switch?"
Draven slowly lowered his raised leg.
Thin strands of dark mana drifted from his body.
His crimson eyes were ice cold.
The bandaged man smiled beneath his mask.
"...Don't tell me..."
"...you're upset."
Draven vanished.
The distance between them disappeared instantly.
His fist shot toward the bandaged man's face.
The man narrowly slipped aside.
But—
**RIP!**
His cloak tore apart.
Draven's hand had caught it.
With a single motion—
the robe was ripped completely away.
Revealing the figure beneath.
A young-looking man.
His entire body was wrapped in aged, weathered bandages.
Only a portion of his face remained exposed.
He glanced down.
"...Hmm."
"...My cloak."
Without hesitation—
he flicked the torn garment toward Draven.
The shredded cloak spun through the air like a blade.
The bandaged man moved at the same instant.
Sharp bone-like claws erupted from his fingers.
He slashed.
The cloak exploded into ribbons.
Nothing.
His pupils contracted.
*...An afterimage.*
He spun instantly.
A blade of bone burst from his leg.
He swept it through the empty air behind him.
Nothing.
*...Above—*
Draven was already there.
His leg descended.
**BOOM!!**
The kick crashed into the side of the bandaged man's head.
A sickening crack echoed throughout the chamber.
His neck twisted at an impossible angle.
His body shot across the room.
**BOOM!!**
He slammed into the stone wall.
The entire chamber shook.
Rock splintered.
Fragments rained onto the floor.
Draven landed lightly.
He looked toward the figure embedded in the wall.
His expression never changed.
"...Don't get so close..."
A brief pause.
"...You smell like shit."
Silence.
"...Do it again..."
"...and I'll kill you."
For a moment—
nothing happened.
Then—
the bandaged man pushed himself free.
Chunks of shattered stone crashed around him.
His neck hung at a grotesque angle.
Then—
**Crack...**
**Crack...**
**Crack...**
Bone slowly shifted.
His head rotated back into place.
He rolled his shoulders once.
"...Is that so?"
He took a single step forward.
A cold voice echoed through the chamber.
"...Go on."
"...Take another step."
The bandaged man stopped.
He slowly turned his head.
Standing only a short distance away—
Aldric smiled.
Dark crimson mana drifted around him like blood-red mist.
His glowing crimson eyes held no trace of amusement.
"...I'll gladly kill you."