Liselotte led them to a quiet meeting chamber where they revealed everything: the corrupted spirit energy, the nobles who had secretly been experimenting on captured spirit beasts, and the unnatural tremors Jon had felt coming from the underground prison vaults. Liselotte's face remained composed, but her hands trembled.
Liselotte (quietly):
"I've suspected as much… but couldn't gather proof. You've brought it to me. Thank you."
That night, Liselotte agreed to secretly escort them to a forbidden warehouse in the noble district, where they could investigate further.
But they were ambushed.
As they approached the warehouse, a squad of corrupted guards—their eyes glazed in violet, spirit energy leaking from their bodies—attacked them. Jon fought with blinding speed, but one of the guards summoned a shadow serpent, striking Liselotte from behind.
Jon leapt between them, pushing her out of the way—and the serpent's fang plunged into his right eye.
Sam (shouting):
"JON!"
The pain was searing. Jon howled, collapsing with blood streaming down his face. But even as he fell, his hand ignited with Gyūki's remnant chakra, obliterating the spirit creature in a single devastating pulse.
Liselotte dropped to her knees beside him, her soft hands glowing with healing magic, tears streaming from her eyes.
Liselotte (pleading):
"You fool! Why… why would you do that for me!?"
Jon (breathing heavily):
"Because… you were worth protecting."
They managed to escape with Sam's quick thinking and the use of the Return Sigil, teleporting all three of them to a hidden safehouse Liselotte had prepared in case of betrayal.
Jon lay on the bed, barely conscious, half his face wrapped in blood-soaked bandages. His right eye—gone.
Liselotte:
"I won't let your sacrifice be in vain. I swear it."
Sam stood guard at the window, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade. His face was grim.
Sam:
"They're going to pay for this."
But deep inside, Jon whispered to himself through the haze of pain.
Jon (thoughts):
"Whatever this darkness is… it's far worse than we imagined."