Nathaniel staggered to his feet, sprinting to evade Ruri's relentless attacks, but he knew his body would soon tire and give out.
"Your running only proves you're hiding something," Melon said from his hood.
"What am I supposed to do?" Nathaniel snapped. "Let her hit me?"
Melon suggested a different approach: defeat Ruri to force her to listen. "You're insane if you think I can fight her," Nathaniel retorted. "I don't know how to fight!"
Frustrated by his excuses, Melon reminded him of the immense power she'd given him through Kula's crimson item. "Running is pointless," she said. "You're exhausting yourself. The only thing you haven't tried is fighting to prove yourself."
Nathaniel doubted Melon was listening. He knew he lacked combat skills and was new to his powers, but he also realized running led nowhere. Melon urged him to follow her instructions, promising to guide him in using Kula's power.
Nathaniel hesitated, skeptical of Melon's ability to teach. "You're a soft, round creature with no fighting experience," he said.
"I don't fight because I wasn't created for it," Melon replied, "but I possess vast knowledge of this world. I can turn a cowardly loser like you into a skilled warrior."
"You sound like Koko," Nathaniel grumbled. "Do you all enjoy calling me a loser?"
As they argued, Ruri paused her pursuit. Her spear glowed, transforming into a red cannon with five barrels—its third form. "This doesn't look good," Melon muttered.
The cannon's rear glowed, absorbing ambient energy to form a massive energy ball. "Let's test your speed," Ruri said. "Death Missile!"
Five energy missiles launched, chasing Nathaniel. The missiles' unique trait was their ability to track their target, dodging buildings as if alive. Nathaniel, growing accustomed to his crimson item, maneuvered sharply, his legs pumping furiously.
"Use the absorbed energy to envelop your body," Melon instructed. "It'll ease your movements."
"Easy for you to say," Nathaniel panted.
Melon explained that his energy was an extension of his body, controlled by his mind like a limb. Desperate, Nathaniel focused, sensing the energy within him. As he ran, flames flickered around him, forming a fiery whirlwind that enveloped his body.
The flames boosted his speed, allowing him to outrun the missiles and their explosions. "Fire magic?" Ruri wondered, confused. "How is he casting it without a magic circle?"
The flames around Nathaniel intensified, and he charged toward Ruri like a blazing fireball. Despite seeing him approach, Ruri stood calmly. Her crimson item reverted to a spear, which she thrust into the ground. "Take this!" Nathaniel yelled, swinging a fiery punch at her forehead.
The impact unleashed a wave of flames and wind, scattering debris. Nathaniel froze, stunned by the outcome. His fist remained pressed against Ruri's forehead, yet she stood unscathed, not even a scratch.
"You punched a girl in the head?" Ruri said, her tone sharp. "I'm insulted. Who do you think I am to use such a weak attack?"
She explained that a basic fire technique couldn't breach her Class A defensive barrier. Mocking Nathaniel as reckless for using such a feeble attack, she added, "Do you realize what I can do to you now that you're this close?"
Nathaniel sensed her next move. Before she could pull her spear from the ground, he leaped back. But Ruri was faster, lunging with her spear to strike. Unable to escape, Nathaniel braced himself. "I'm done. I can't dodge this," he whispered, paralyzed by her terrifying presence and fear of death.
"Death Strike!" Ruri shouted.
Her spear pierced Nathaniel's chest, the impact triggering an explosion behind him. "No… impossible," he gasped, staring in disbelief at the spear embedded in him.
"Tch, meddler," Ruri muttered.
Nathaniel's body dissolved into red smoke, vanishing before her. The smoke drifted to a boulder five meters away, where it solidified, revealing Xxv holding Nathaniel. Nathaniel collapsed, gasping, clutching his chest, his face etched with fear.
"I felt it… I felt myself die," he whispered. "The pain of her spear… I couldn't breathe."
"Are you okay?" Xxv asked. "I got here just in time."
Nathaniel thanked Xxv, recalling the power of his crimson item. Ruri, displeased by the interference, confronted Xxv, reminding him it was a grave offense to meddle with a Sandata like her.
Xxv apologized, explaining he was following Yuki's orders to protect Nathaniel if his life was in danger. "I don't understand why you're trying to kill a human like him, Lady Ruri," he said.
"That human is a servant of a Grand Chaos," Ruri replied. "I'm certain he's a spy sent to monitor the Eskapa."
Nathaniel stood, denying the accusation. "I'm not a spy! I have no ill intentions toward the Eskapa!"
"Don't lie," Ruri snapped. "I've fought long enough to recognize a Prime Demon Beast's scent."
"You're mistaken," Nathaniel pleaded. "I may have encountered a demon beast, but she's not evil like you think."
"So you admit you're connected to a Grand Chaos?" Ruri asked, her tone icy.
"No—well, yes, but not how you think!" Nathaniel stammered, panicking.
Ruri's anger grew, sensing he was hiding something and making excuses. "You've got some nerve trying to deceive me," she said, slamming her spear into the ground, unleashing a powerful aura that swept the area.
Nathaniel hid behind Xxv, pleading with Ruri to calm down. He insisted Ataparag was different, never harming innocents. "Ataparag? That's her name?" Ruri asked.
Melon leaped onto Nathaniel's head, scolding him. "Stop mentioning Ataparag to her. If she's important to you, keep her out of this."
"What do you mean?" Nathaniel asked.
Melon explained she'd seen Ataparag's memories, revealing a secret pact with Sei. Sei closely guarded Ataparag's past as a Grand Chaos, a malevolent being who'd slaughtered countless lives. Her crimes were unforgivable, and pleading wouldn't change the Eskapa's view. If Ataparag's true identity were exposed, she'd face capture and execution, jeopardangering Sei's position as a Sandata.
"What? They don't know about Ataparag's past?" Nathaniel said. "Why would Sei do that? And this wasn't in my story!"
Melon reminded him that, despite creating this world's fate, his knowledge was limited. His story centered on Xxv and Zhui, leaving many events—past and future—beyond his awareness, unfolding naturally to maintain the world's balance.
"But if I can't mention Ataparag, they'll think I'm a Grand Chaos spy," Nathaniel thought, desperate.
Meanwhile, the Sandata watching their conversation were stunned. "So, this human is a Grand Chaos spy?" Rei said.
Pyun slammed her fist, glaring at Aoi. "What does this mean? Sei's interested in this human. If he's a spy, does she know?"
Aoi and Agane remained silent, aware of the consequences if Sei's connection to Ataparag was exposed. They hadn't expected Ruri to detect Ataparag's presence on Nathaniel. Their faces betrayed worry; if Nathaniel revealed more, their secrets would unravel, leading to dire consequences.
"As we've said, this human is under our surveillance," Aoi said. "We're monitoring his actions because he's special, but we don't know his true origins or nature."
Pyun rejected their explanation, calling it irresponsible for a Sandata to be deceived and allow a potential spy into the Eskapa. "We can't be complacent. You know what a Grand Chaos can do," she said. "Ruri, finish him!"
Through Xxv's earpiece, Nathaniel heard Pyun's order to Ruri, prompting him to intervene. "Wait, that's not right! The Eskapa's laws forbid harming innocents. Until you prove I'm a spy, you're supposed to protect me, right?"
"Silence, heretic!" Pyun shouted. "You protect a soul eater and wield strange abilities despite being an ordinary human. That's enough to mark you as suspicious."
Nathaniel refused to accept her reasoning, arguing that labeling him evil for his unique powers was unfair. "If having special abilities makes me suspicious," he said, "how is a black magic user like you, a daugther of warlord halloween, fueled by negative energy, considered a divine servant and symbol of peace?"
"What did you say?" Pyun roared. "You dare mention my father, the Warlord Halloween? How does a human know such secrets?"
The room fell silent, shocked that Nathaniel knew Pyun's buried past. Her escape from Halloween and his disownment was a secret she'd left behind. Enraged, Pyun unleashed a massive surge of energy, vowing to kill Nathaniel herself.
"Wait, calm down!" Nathaniel pleaded. "I'm not judging your loyalty to the Eskapa. My point is you can't judge me just because you don't know me or decide I should die without evidence."
He reminded them that, as divine servants, they should judge fairly. "Endoryo is ruled by cruel, merciless beings. If you condemn someone like me to death without proof, you're acting on your own desires. How is that different from the warlords' tyranny?"
Pyun, furious, silenced him, calling his words blasphemy against the Sandata. As the situation escalated, Xxv grabbed Nathaniel, pinning him to the ground. "Stop talking," Xxv urged. "You're not helping yourself or calming the Sandata."
Nathaniel couldn't stay silent, mentioning Suwi. "It's not that simple, Xxv. The Sandata are supposed to bring hope and justice to Endoryo, but were they fair to your wife, Suwi? They know why soul eaters consume souls but do nothing to solve it. They choose to exterminate them instead."
"Stop it," Xxv warned, "or I'll have to silence you by force."
"What if I told you Magdalena knows how to save Suwi and end her hunger for human spirits?" Nathaniel continued, revealing the Sandata knew the truth but remained silent, fearing the Genion's superior power, choosing extermination over solutions.
Pyun, enraged, ordered Ruri to open a portal so she could kill Nathaniel herself. "You know nothing! The Genion destroyed Endoryo's peace!"
"You're wrong," Nathaniel countered. "I know everything. This is the result of endless hatred and vengeance. You fear what you don't understand, like soul eaters. Instead of helping them, you want them gone. Suwi hasn't consumed a soul in fifty years, and you know it. Did you ever give her a chance? She wants a peaceful life with her husband, but none of you listened."
Xxv grabbed Nathaniel's arm, tripping him to the ground to stop him. "I told you to shut up!"
"This is for Suwi!" Nathaniel shouted, furious that Xxv seemed indifferent.
Xxv knelt, pleading. "Please, do me this favor. Stop speaking against the Sandata. It's not helping you or Suwi. I'm begging you—stop."
Nathaniel heard the sorrow in Xxv's voice, realizing Xxv understood but was powerless. As an Eskapa soldier, Xxv had joined to protect Suwi, knowing he couldn't face the world alone. Frustrated, Nathaniel slammed the ground, accusing Xxv of thinking his actions helped Suwi. "In the three years since you left her, nothing's changed. She's still a fugitive warrior, hunted, suffering growing anger and sorrow daily."
"Do you think I'm doing this for myself?" Nathaniel yelled. "I don't want to be caught in this mess or be your enemy. But I can't stay silent knowing the future. If this war of races, fueled by hatred, isn't stopped, everyone will die—Sandata, billions of beings, everything you've worked for. The tenth warlord will rise, claiming justice for Endoryo's wrongs."
"What nonsense is this?" Pyun scoffed.
"When they find the Aegis of Immortality," Nathaniel said, "no one—not you, not the nine warlords—can stop their divine power."
The Sandata gasped, recognizing the Aegis as a divine item granting true immortality and godlike strength. "I don't expect you to believe me," Nathaniel pleaded, "but stop this hatred against other races, especially soul eaters like Suwi."
A massive presence suddenly enveloped the floor, then the entire tower. "What kind of aura is this?" Applicants collapsed under its weight, some losing consciousness. Nathaniel stood unaffected, confused by the chaos.
Melon leaped onto his head, warning that the aura could kill weaker beings like him. A colossal magic circle appeared on the ground, summoning a towering tombstone-like structure shrouded in black aura. Zombie-like creatures emerged from its base.
"What is that?" Nathaniel gasped.
Atop the structure sat a woman with short green hair and green skin, holding a fishing rod. Dressed in a gown with a tiara, she radiated dark energy. "Finally, a reason to have fun," she said. "I thought today would be wasted waiting."
The Sandata and others were stunned. "Impossible! Why is she here? The warlord Serenity?"
Serenity, the fourth warlord, ruled over thirty nations. A necromancer known as the Undying Princess, she grinned. "Time to play with the Eskapa's pups."
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