Vria (raising his weapon): "Try me."
Suddenly, a massive explosion rocked the prison from outside. Mira had created a diversion by inciting a riot outside the fortress to prevent any backup from reaching the prison.
Ghaland: "What the fuck is happning outside?"
Vria: "Wait, why is there an explosion? I knew I said to cause a riot but what did she do?"
Ghaland: "Is this you're doing?"
Vria: "Yes. I am.'
[Darian Fortress – Prison Yard]
The open field was quiet except for the heavy breathing of Ghaland. His lip was split, and his cheek already swollen. Moments ago, a military officer trained in Muay Thai had landed three clean punches on him before the guards pulled back.
But Ghaland still stood, fists shaking, pride keeping him upright.
Vria strolled forward slowly, hands in his pockets. His eyes studied Ghaland with calm amusement.
"You look rough. Guess your jaw isn't as strong as your mouth."
Ghaland snarled, chains flashing out of his palms with a metallic hum. "Shut it. You think a few punches mean anything to me?"
Vria tilted his head, smirking. "You sound tired already. Wanna sit down before we start?"
Red crept up Ghaland's face. He hated being mocked. Without thinking, he snapped his wrists forward, and the chains launched at full speed.
The first chain whipped across the ground, tearing up stone, but Vria was already gone—sidestepping easily. The second came from above, but he ducked before it even dropped.
Ghaland's eyes widened. He sped up his strikes, mixing the angles, tightening the curves. Vria kept dodging, always just out of reach.
"Impossible..." Ghaland growled. His shoulders burned, his breath uneven. "No one reacts that fast. Not after those combos."
Vria's smirk widened. "You finally noticed? You're slower than I thought."
Ghaland stopped, glaring. Then it clicked in his head. "...You're seeing it. You're seeing what I'm gonna do."
Vria laughed lightly. "Oh, I'm surprised you realized that quickly. I guess you have a brain afterall."
The taunt hit harder than Dansleif's enormous fists. Ghaland clenched his teeth, anger boiling over. "Fine! You want everything? Then take this!"
With a roar, two more chains burst out from his back. The strain showed immediately—his knees bent, sweat dripping from his forehead. Still, he swung all four chains in a storm of glowing steel.
Vria's eye twitched. He saw six seconds ahead.
And he saw himself getting hit.
His footwork left him stuck, no escape in time. One chain slammed into his right shoulder with a brutal crack. His body staggered sideways, arm going limp. Pain burned through him. His shoulder was broken.
Ghaland laughed despite coughing blood. "Got you! Four chains—even if you see it, your body is not fast enough to dodge!"
Ghaland performed another barricade of attacks, but this time, Vria was dodging the attack.
But Vria stood back up, steady even with one useless arm. His gaze sharpened. "You took me by surprise!"
Ghaland: "Huh! That's what happens when you underestimate me!"
Vria: ""You took me by surprise that your chains are actually slower. I guess when you split them up, the power increases, but the speed decreases?"
Ghaland threw his chains at Vria.
He stepped forward. Each chain came slower, each strike easier to read. Vria slipped past them, closing the gap.
Ghaland's grin wavered. His swings grew desperate. His patterns obvious.
Vria smiled, blood running down his arm. "You're finished, Ghaland."
Ghaland: "What? How could you possibly win with your injury? Even if you can see my attacks, it's not enough to get near me. It's only a matter of time before you run out of stamina!"
In the vision ahead, six seconds later—Mira appeared.
Vria: "But not by me."
Mira sneaked up behind Ghaland and Ghaland looked behind, Mira used the heel of her solid sandal to heavily slap Ghaland. The sound was final. Ghaland dropped to the ground, chains vanishing into nothing.
Vria exhaled and sat down on the dirt, shoulder hanging limp. "I didn't think he'd last this long. He was already bleeding before we even started..."
Jeonne and Nico ventured deeper into the underground tunnel, guided by the guard. As they walked, they witnessed dreadful things—illegal drugs, blood on the ground, and prisoners they didn't know but were severely wounded.
Jeonne asked, "Are we there yet?"
Guard: "Almost. There was another path that led to Kana immediately, but my orders were to keep you safe, so I took the safer route."
Jeonne: "Hey, Nico!"
Nico: "What?"
Jeonne: "How does your power work? I mean, do they stay under your control until the end?"
Nico: "Yes, unless I end it myself, or I give a specific order."
Jeonne: "You've really mastered your power."
Nico: "Speaking of power, what's yours?"
Jeonne: "I still don't fully understand it, but basically I gain super strength. I can't control it at will."
Nico: "Hmm."
A few steps later, they arrived.
Guard: "Here we are."
They peeked inside through a small space in the door. Kana was being brutally tortured by a man demanding information about the Black Orb.
Jeonne couldn't believe what he was seeing, but he wanted to save her.
Nico: "What should we do?"
Jeonne: "I have a plan..."
The guard entered the room and said, "Sir, you've been called to the Front Office by Sir Furke."
Man: "Why?"
Guard: "I don't know. He said it's important—you should come right away."
Man: "Hmm. Fine. Watch this place while I'm gone."
As the man left, Jeonne and Nico hid in the shadows. When he passed by, they slipped inside.
Jeonne rushed to Kana, but she was barely conscious and unable to speak. Her skin was bruised, and her face deformed from wounds.
Kana (weakly): "Jeonne...?"
Jeonne: "We're going to get you out of here."
Jeonne to Nico: "Help me find a key."
Nico: "Where are the keys?"
Guard: "Only Thamiel carries the keys in this place."
Nico: "What is this place anyway?"
Guard: "A secret interrogation room. Only a few members of the Darian Fortress know it exists."
Jeonne and Nico searched desperately, but found nothing. Finally, Jeonne turned to the guard and ordered him to shoot the chains.
The gunshot echoed low, breaking the restraints.
But Thamiel, hearing it from meters away, grew suspicious and returned.
Jeonne carried Kana, Nico guarded their rear, and the guard led them toward another escape route. They reached a small chamber where the guard tried to call an elevator to the surface. While waiting, Nico heard a whisper in his ear—a sinister breeze that made him flinch.
Jeonne, confused, asked, "Are you okay?"
Nico: "Yeah... I'm fine."
The elevator arrived, but just as they thought they were safe, Jeonne was struck in the back by a flaming projectile. The impact hurled him and Kana across the floor.
Thamiel entered with five henchmen. "You little brats! You think you could escape unnoticed?"
While Jeonne struggled to recover, Nico ordered the guard to shoot. The guard fired, but Thamiel raised his sigil, conjuring pink flames that deflected the bullet.
Thamiel: "What's wrong with you? Are you under some spell?"
When the guard didn't answer, Thamiel waved his hand, and a fiery palm slapped the guard aside.
Thamiel's thugs seized Jeonne and Nico, beating them ruthlessly.
Thamiel sneered: "What were you thinking? Who sent you? Don't tell me the Black Orb uses kids to rescue allies. Pathetic."
Jeonne shouted: "What do you want? Aren't you supposed to be the police? What you're doing is illegal!"
The henchmen laughed mockingly.
Then, a voice came from the shadows: "Well, I found out."
Dansleif emerged from the darkness and punched Thamiel, knocking him back.
Thamiel snarled, "You piece of trash! Kill him!"
The thugs charged Dansleif.
The first swung a crowbar at his head. Dansleif pivoted to the side, letting the metal miss by inches, then drove a brutal uppercut into the thug's chin, snapping his head back.
The second rushed in with a knife, stabbing forward. The blade pierced through Dansleif's chest—but passed straight through, as if his body was a shadow. The thug's eyes widened before Dansleif's boot hammered into his stomach, launching him across the room.
The third raised an axe with both hands and roared, bringing it down. Before the blow reached its peak, Dansleif lunged in, driving his knee into the thug's face with a sickening crack. The axe slipped from his grip as he collapsed.
The fourth ran up from behind and kicked Dansleif hard in the back. He staggered slightly but didn't fall. The thug smirked, thinking he had done damage—only for Dansleif to turn his head slowly and grin. With a single heavy backhand, he sent the brute spinning to the floor, unconscious.
Thamiel recovered, fury in his eyes. He lashed out, flames erupting from his sigil and striking Dansleif's back. The fire burned deep, forcing a grunt of pain from him. Thamiel rushed in, fists blazing, and hammered Dansleif with relentless blows.
Nico tried to break through, but two thugs grabbed him, slamming fists and crowbars into his body until he fell. Jeonne set Kana down gently and rushed forward, but another thug tackled him to the ground, pinning him.
The henchman sneered: "Stay down and watch. Nobody lives after seeing what happens here."
Jeonne: "No! Stop! You'll kill them!"
Thamiel: "That's the point!"
Jeonne roared and pushed against the brute holding him. The man drove a knife into Jeonne's hand, making him scream. Blood poured, but Jeonne's fury only grew.
The thug stabbed again and again, cursing. "Why won't you stay down?!"
Jeonne's body trembled, veins bulging, his rage boiling over. His skin began to harden, cracking into a dark, demonic layer. The thug froze in shock.
Jeonne's eyes glowed red as he stood up, ignoring the blade sticking out of his hand. "Are you serious...?" the thug whispered.
With one savage backhand, Jeonne crushed the man's skull, sending his body crashing into the wall.
The others turned toward him, horrified.
Thamiel barked: "What the hell is that?! Kill him!"
The first thug swung his crowbar. Jeonne ducked, slashing across his stomach with razor-sharp claws. The man dropped instantly, blood spraying.
[Achievement Unlocked - First person killed..... Leveled Up +5]
The second lunged with a knife, but Jeonne ripped out his throat before he could strike.
[ Leveled Up +2]
The last thug dropped his weapon and backed away, trembling.
"Useless coward!" Thamiel roared. "I'll kill you myself!"
Flames erupted from his body, his aura burning hot enough to scorch the walls. "I can't unleash this often—it overloads me. But for prey like you... it's worth the risk."
Thamiel raised his hands, fire swirling around him. Jeonne snarled and charged with his claws.
"Phoenix Legacy: Hell Exposure!"
A blazing explosion erupted point-blank, the impact shaking the entire Darian Fortress to its foundation.
Outside the Darian Fortress, the riot shook as the ground trembled violently. Some police froze, confused about the sudden quake.
A police officer shouted, "We need more men down here!"
Back inside, smoke filled the interrogation room. The walls cracked from the blast, debris scattered across the floor.
Through the haze, Thamiel stood grinning, flames still flickering around his body. "Ha! That was stronger than I expected... I really shouldn't use that underground."
But then, the smoke shifted. A dark silhouette emerged.
A burned, clawed hand shot forward, wrapping around Thamiel's throat.
Thamiel's smile vanished as Jeonne stepped out of the smoke—his body scarred, half of his face melted away, yet his glowing red eyes burned with fury.
Thamiel's voice cracked in disbelief: "What the fuck?! That's impossible! That heat was enough to melt metal! How are you still alive?!"
Jeonne said nothing. His grip tightened, lifting Thamiel off the ground with a single arm.
Thamiel thrashed, flames bursting from his body, but Jeonne didn't flinch. His monstrous strength held him like a ragdoll.
Snarling, Thamiel raised his free arm, fire surging into his palm. "Fine! If I can't burn you—then I'll burn your friend!" He aimed at Nico, who was struggling to stand.
But before he could release the attack, Jeonne's other hand shot out, seizing his arm.
With a sickening crack, Jeonne pulled—ripping Thamiel's arm from its socket. Blood and fire burst across the floor.
Thamiel screamed in agony, his body writhing in shock.
Jeonne's burning eyes stared coldly as he tightened his grip on Thamiel's neck. Without hesitation, he twisted sharply—snap!
Thamiel's body went limp, his head hanging unnaturally as Jeonne let him drop to the ground like discarded trash.
[3 people killed: +8500 exp. +11 Levels]
[Congratulations! You have unlocked a skill, Divine Sense Lv. 1]
After Jeonne killed Thamiel, he staggered over to check on Nico.
Nico was covered in bruises, his arm bent awkwardly—broken.
Then, suddenly, a weak voice called out. "...Jeonne."
It was Kana.
Her words cut through Jeonne's rage, and slowly, his body shifted back to human form. The demon hide faded away, leaving only a scar across his left forehead. His wounds had closed as if they were never there.
But then Jeonne saw it—a jagged piece of metal scrap pierced through Kana's abdomen, buried deep from the explosion. Blood pooled beneath her.
Jeonne dropped to his knees beside her. "K-Kana! Don't worry, I'll get you out of here—we're all leaving together!"
He tried to lift her, but her trembling hand pressed weakly against his chest, stopping him.
Kana: "No... wait. I have something to tell you."
Jeonne shook his head desperately. "No, no. Save it. You'll tell us when we get out. The enforcers will surround this place any moment."
Kana coughed, blood trailing from her lips. "Please... I don't think I have that time. Tell them... I'm sorry. I already knew this day would come. But it was meaningful... every moment I spent with all of you."
Her eyes softened as she looked at him. "Jeonne..."
Jeonne's voice broke. "I'm here. I'm right here."
Kana gave him the faintest smile. "Be happy, Jeonne. You have to save everyone... I know you can. My knight..."
Her eyes closed, her head falling gently to the side.
Jeonne: "No! Don't fall asleep! Stay with me!"
His voice cracked as tears streamed down his face. He cried, clutching her hand tightly.
Jeonne (voiceover): I also had something to tell you... but now I'll never have the time. I never got to say it, Kana. I like you. Ever since you came into my life, I've never felt so alive.
A firm hand tapped his shoulder. It was Dansleif, battered but still standing. "It's okay. We have to move. We can't stay here."
Jeonne wiped his eyes, forcing himself up, carrying both grief and fury in his heart.
Meanwhile, in the corner, the last thug—the one too afraid to fight—saw his chance. He crept toward the door, hoping to slip away unnoticed.
But Dansleif's sharp eyes caught him. In a flash, he grabbed the man by the collar and slammed him against the wall.
Dansleif: "Yo. You didn't think we'd just let you walk away, did you?"
The thug trembled, stammering, "A-ah! N-no, of course not! Why would you let me escape after I tried to kill you? H-hehe... Please, spare me! I was only doing my job!"
Dansleif leaned in close, his voice low and dripping with menace. "Then do your job again. Help us escape. Is there another way out of here?"
The thug's eyes darted nervously, sweat dripping down his forehead.
Police reinforcements arrived, finally suppressing the riot. Among them was a high-ranking officer, Jirou Kuzen. His presence alone brought order to the scene. He gave a firm command to his squad:
Jirou: "Check the underground. Find the source of that explosion."
Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows nearby, Vria,and Mira waited anxiously.
Vria clenched her fists. "Where the hell are they? They shouldn't be taking this long."
Mira hesitated, her voice uneasy. "What if...?"
Vria cut her off. "No. They're with Dansleif."
A few moments earlier, Dansleif and the others emerged from a hidden passage—the rendezvous point of their plan. Dansleif carried the battered Nico over his shoulder, while Jeonne carried Kana's lifeless body in his arms.
The group fell silent.
Vria's eyes scanned their faces, then stopped at Kana. His expression hardened, his grief unspoken, but clear. He understood.
He turned toward the unfamiliar man with them. "Who is he?"
Dansleif answered bluntly, "This man saved us."
The thug let out a shaky sigh of relief, almost smiling—until Dansleif suddenly struck him across the head, knocking him unconscious.
Dansleif: "Let's move."
Vria frowned. "Wait. Aren't we going to capture him? What if he talks about us?"
Dansleif gave her a sharp look. "Trust me. He won't."
Without another word, the four of them vanished into their escape route, carrying both their wounded and their loss....
Jirou Kuzen and the Imperial Police descended into the depths beneath the Darian Fortress, their boots echoing through the dimly lit underground chambers.
The air was thick with the aftermath of the recent battle, and the scent of blood and smoke lingered.
Jirou scanned the area with a hardened expression, his sharp eyes taking in the dread sight.
Some wanted criminals were found hidden in the underground and were caught by the police, and prisoners were taken by them for interrogation.
Then, they reached the room. Bodies lay scattered, equipment torn apart, and walls scarred by the intensity of the fight. The Imperial Police moved efficiently, sweeping the area, checking for survivors, and cataloging the damage.
"Clean it up," Jirou ordered, his voice calm but firm.
The officers went to work, methodically removing debris, securing the site, and handling the collateral damage with precision. Jirou remained still, his gaze lingering on the chaos left behind. He knew this was only the beginning—there were deeper secrets hidden here, and this discovery would spark a chain of events that could not be easily undone.
As the cleanup continued, Jirou silently contemplated what this underground base represented, and what greater forces might be at play...
[Post-Clean Up]
"Thamiel Darren, a notorious sigil user and a high class criminal under the Imperial police watchlist is found dead in a hidden base under the Darian Fortress. This man is involved in drug deals, prostitution, violence, slave trafficking, and murder.
Moreover, we have found some people who went missing, dead, in this underground base."
Jirou Kuzen: "That's all my report, today, sir."
(A man with black uniform that had 4 stars badge in his shoulder)
"Good. Dismiss...."
-EPISODE END-