"No! No… this is not right…"
"This spear… it feels so familiar, like four hundred years ago… it shouldn't be here… it must not… it must not be this way!!"
The Exalt of the Stars clutched his head in confusion, a mind pieced together now shattering like blocked fragments of time.
The light that should have shone brightly faltered, plunged into crisis beneath distorted memories that dragged his spirit along with his purpose.
There was no way to fulfill his intent when all possibility had vanished. Everything crumbled, beyond resistance.
Countless memories consumed his thoughts.
Life was meaningless when it no longer sought understanding. Arms and legs tore at themselves, trying to resist the erasure of self.
Time eternal had forged reality.
History written by the hand of its orchestrators: abandoning life, self, faith, freedom—and condemned to die in delusion.
"Please… let it end! I can't endure anymore… I cannot return to that tree… I cannot rise above the light, nor can I descend into the endless dark."
"I can no longer bear the weight of the world."
Above the trembling air, his long cloak whipped with the force of flames, above the roar of fire devouring millions of lives.
Rainfall of arrows and countless cannon blasts battered the radiant body. The sky dimmed in intervals, as if all creation would collapse. Every ray of light ended, every sound ceased to be.
All manner of supernatural attacks surged skyward. Glaciers formed into towering ridges, while flames from the ruins blazed high enough to pierce the threefold heavens, pillars of fire propping up the world, devouring the light into an inferno.
The earth shook, raising ridges in the land. A green radiance swept over the ground, melting the icy ridges, scattering air, consuming the atmosphere.
Ocean currents rose into tsunamis that scraped the sky, taking the form of colossal demons none could stop. Pink mist enveloped the war fleet, turning impossibilities into miracles.
Every unstoppable strike reduced the Exalt of the Stars into a flickering point of light, reflected in sorrowful eyes.
"I… am… dying…"
A voice within thought pierced the darkness like a frequency beyond dimension and time. It carried vast information across the world.
It birthed the great phenomenon of a falling violet sky, radiant in brilliance. The heavens vomited forth everything from the seas—treasures from across the earth, vessels of priceless intent, creatures unknown to ancient record.
A convergence of lights from three directions met above this place.
…
Dust clouds thickened into a shroud of haze.
Gunfire ceased as soldiers scanned the surroundings. Nothing stirred. No outside attack followed.
When the area was confirmed clear, their gaze returned to the walls riddled with bullet holes, collapsing after being rammed by timber beams.
From the ruin emerged a figure in the dark. Dozens of honey-yellow lanterns shone, banishing the night as a signal was calmly set in motion.
A commanding officer raised his hand, pointing forward—a strict order for caution against looming danger. He stepped closer to the figure waiting in the shadows, lantern raised alongside his firearm.
A young woman stood in a graceful dress, waiting calmly to be arrested.
Straight black hair hid her tear-streaked face. Sobs trembled from her lips, her frail form shivering. The pitiful sight made the officer lower his gun slightly.
"Pitiful indeed. Had you not sided with them, this would never have happened…"
But he swiftly lifted the barrel again, aiming to shoot.
"You think us fools?" A deep, cold voice rang out—and gunfire thundered once more.
The woman's form slipped through every bullet, sinking into the floor, leaving only empty garments behind.
Dread swept the soldiers. Moments later, a naked body surged upward from the ground, piercing through one man, unleashing a gruesome attack.
Twisted organs writhed unnaturally. A pinpoint shadow within intestines morphed into a fully formed human, bursting the soldier apart—leaving only her, standing free.
The stench of blood choked the air.
In the next breath, she vanished, reappearing among them. Within seconds, dozens of soldiers collapsed in horrific condition.
Severed lower bodies lay strewn about—the price of blind obedience.
She stepped forth from the building, naked, her beautiful body smeared in human entrails.
Closing her eyes, she drew a deep breath, burying her disgust. She waited only for the Dungeon Organization agents to reveal themselves.
But the unexpected began. Soldiers raised metallic cubes, glowing crimson.
They spawned armored warriors of blood, who charged Selith with heavy momentum.
Her fist tore through them, yet the blood-forms still struck, harmless as raindrops on skin.
They surrounded her. She dove into shadow, but before she could move—the blood soldiers dissolved into a pool that engulfed her on all sides.
A prison with no escape.
Soldiers watched in awe as the pool compressed into a cube, its center a trembling shadow.
A flock of crows screamed, their cries shattering the night like broken music.
Above, a comet streaked across the violet sky, scattering glittering light as it pierced the atmosphere.
Winds lashed the land, hair whipping wild toward the west.
A soldier lifted the blood cube onto a carriage, sitting across from a powerful noble.
Blond hair, blue eyes, a confident smile beneath a pristine white suit.
The convoy began with the noble's luxurious carriage, guarded by proud knights in white holy armor. A white banner rose in splendor, and the march commenced.
The noble's laughter shattered the soldier's silence.
"Ha! Excellent—one prisoner caught. Excellent! Once we blame this on the Dungeon Organization, soon delightful news will reach them. Then I shall seize this land through the war of blood I will ignite!"
He crossed his legs, laughing in obsession.
"You're too calm, boy! Laugh with me! Can't you see the Revolutionaries falling into weakness, fear creeping into their bones?"
The soldier removed his helmet.
"My apologies. I don't celebrate with the likes of you."
A pistol leveled at the noble's face, too close to dodge.
"What is the meaning of this!!"
"I only hope the Revolutionaries will rejoice. Care to explain what you just said?"
The noble laughed fearlessly, even as the barrel pressed to his skull. Cold tension froze the air, tremors betraying his weakness.
"Before it's your turn, we let survivors escape deliberately, to spread word! What now, eh? Shaking with fear? Think you'll leave here alive after shooting me?!"
"And that white banner—what does it mean?"
Rage flared. The soldier jammed the gun harder against his head.
"Urgh… wait! Calm yourself! I am but an envoy of the Blood Empire, with power enough to co-lead the Venn Republic! Is that sufficient?!"
"So, a Blood Empire noble. That explains your arrogance."
"The Venn leaders are weak! They have industry and advanced firearms, but no miracles of true power. With my alliance with the Blood Empire, I will be victor here!!!"
"Just an envoy, yet flaunting borrowed strength."
His voice was flat, chilling.
He stared at the noble with pity. Then the gun fired—echoing deafeningly, drowning the ears.
The carriage lurched violently, speeding as the soldier fell against the door. The noble shouted, scrambling for escape, but soon collapsed, powerless against shifting gravity.
Crows swarmed the windows, pecking frantically until the carriage was forced to stop.
The door swung open. Dim light spilled inside the silent cabin.
A disorderly soldier stepped in, dragging the noble's wailing body into a nearby alley.
One soldier rose, staring at the bloodstained seat, his hand trembling from injury.
"I'll get you out, Selith."
He seized the blood cube, hurrying into the alley. Moonlight mingled with faint violet glow from the comet, hastening their flight.
The gravest danger was not pursuit by soldiers—but escape from those wielding supernatural power and artifacts.
Yet a twist of fate revealed a way out. Victor watched the soldier before him knock repeatedly on the empty ground.
At last, the earth shifted, revealing a stairwell underground.
The sound of cavalry neared the street, but their clash with some unknown force drowned the noble's screams.
The soldier turned to Victor.
"Quickly, the path is open. This leads to the border's underground sector in District Sixteen—the Rasentiven District."
Victor nodded, and together they descended. Red torchlight lit the long passage, shifting color with each change of route.
"I forgot to introduce myself. I'm a special unit member from Rasentiven. Name's Barrel."
He extended his hand.
"Victor. Pleased to meet you."
Dark eyes met soft green, revealing nothing beyond the name.
The silence broke as torches turned violet, as though the tunnel itself had judged them.
The underground path opened into a vast drainage hall, stone stairs descending into the dark. Something stirred beneath their feet.
Lights from countless structures glowed. A magnificent city lay under the night—alive with bustling people.
At its far wall, a massive breach spilled sparks like a city's hearth.
Victor stepped closer, gripping Barrel's shoulder firmly.
"Thank you for saving us."
Barrel removed his helmet with a smile. His light brown hair and kind face blended in with ease.
"It was my duty to infiltrate, but I didn't expect comrades were here too. Haha!"
"This place is…"
"Ah, forgive me—I forgot. This is the Rasentiven underground hall. A special district for researching artifacts and miracles, adapted to a world in constant motion. Thus, much must be done below ground."
As Victor listened, he glanced back—only to find the path behind had vanished.