✦ Tailor Shop, Demon Realm Village
The final thread hummed with mana as the tailor tightened a glowing stitch, then stepped back like he'd just created a masterpiece. Which he did, honestly—Mary's new combat dress looked exactly like something a gothic noble princess would duel gods in.
Lucilla stared, awestruck.
"…She's going to love it."
Rhazor nodded. "She's going to explode."
Asura beamed proudly as if he somehow personally designed it.
"I knew she needed something elegant but scary enough to make divinity shut up."
The tailor adjusted his silver spectacles, examining measurements one last time.
"And this instructor of yours… is she your guardian? Mentor? Perhaps… someone important?"
Lucilla choked on thin air.
Rhazor dropped a bolt of cloth on his own foot.
Asura blinked curious innocence.
"Mary? No! She's just my Magi instructor!"
Then he paused thoughtfully.
"…Though she does get mad when I don't listen during our private studies. Academically."
Lucilla whispered, mortified, "Please stop talking."
The tailor folded the dress into a crystalline garment case.
"There. Princess-grade combat attire. Inscribed and ready."
Asura paid immediately—with entirely too much enthusiasm—then marched toward the exit with his chest puffed out, like this was the most important purchase in history.
Lucilla whispered to Rhazor,
"…He is literally the worst undercover partner ever."
Rhazor sighed. "At least the dress is perfect."
They stepped out of the shop.
Sunlight, quiet streets, peace—
The kind of peace that never lasts.
✦ Weapons Shop – 10 minutes later
The weapons shop was loud. Very loud.
Blades clashing. Mana flaring. Someone yelling about crit damage percentages. The place practically sweated testosterone and bad decisions.
Rhazor approached a display case of swords, eyes narrowing with serious interest.
Lucilla browsed quietly.
Asura immediately touched a sword clearly marked "LOOK — DON'T TOUCH."
Rhazor caught him by the collar.
"No."
Asura pouted. "But what if this one is secretly legendary?"
"It's for display."
"I, too, display power. That seems unfair."
Before Rhazor could respond, footsteps approached.
Three figures—teenagers, probably sixteen to eighteen years old—armor polished, weapons enchanted, mana aura strong enough to impress normal people.
Hotshot swordsman smirked.
"Well, well. Look who we have here."
Lucilla muttered, "Oh no."
The teens blocked the display case like they owned the building.
Swordsman:
"What's a bunch of academy brats doing in a place like this?"
Tank leaned against the wall dramatically.
"Careful, kid. That sword's not a toy. It's S-class weaponry."
Asura stared at him like someone watching a potato brag about its IQ.
Mage girl smirked sweetly.
"We're S-rank adventurers now, by the way. Officially. That means royal quests soon."
Asura blinked.
"Oh. That's neat."
Swordsman puffed up.
"Yeah. Some monsters fear us already."
Asura nodded politely.
"Some chairs fear me too."
Rhazor gagged silently.
Lucilla squeezed her eyes shut. "Please don't engage—"
Swordsman pointed dramatically.
"We could probably take on A-rank monsters already. Maybe even a Titan-class if we were feeling crazy."
Asura tilted his head.
"…You mean like the kind that evolve into dragons?"
Tank scoffed.
"Abyssal beasts? Pfft. Rumor garbage. There's no such thing."
Asura's expression didn't change—but something inside him tightened.
Unseen. Quiet. Wrong.
A chime echoed in his vision—
[System Alert]
Abyssal Event Detected
Threat Class: Cataclysm
Difficulty: SSS+
Warning: Layer Instability Rising
Asura blinked once—slowly.
Lucilla noticed the shift.
"Asura?"
He didn't answer right away.
His eyes turned toward the shop window… toward nothing… but something.
"…Just a feeling. A bad one."
✦ Outside – Street Corner
They stepped out of the weapons shop, Rhazor still eyeing swords, Lucilla rubbing her forehead, and Asura slower than usual—like every step tugged on a thought he couldn't quite hear.
Lucilla nudged him gently.
"You sure you're okay?"
Asura's voice was small, absent.
"…Something feels off."
Rhazor frowned, scanning the peaceful town square.
"There's nothing here."
Asura didn't respond.
He just stared at the horizon—
as if something just woke up…
and was looking back.
✦ Far Away — Vhor'kai Rift Perimeter
A blackened crack tore open in the sky like a wound bleeding darkness.
Smoke curled upward.
The air itself trembled.
From the rift, monsters emerged—towering, armored, snarling. Dozens, then hundreds—marching like a nightmare given orders.
Titan Gorilla cracked its knuckles, fire rumbling under its skin.
"Where's the punishment start?"
Feral Magilion's mane burned abyss-blue.
"Toward the mortal settlement. The child is near. The humiliation began there."
Bladeback Drake snarled, wings scraping volcanic stone.
"Burn everything. Leave nothing unbroken."
Behind them, more beasts pushed through—
Abyss-born, Rift-forged, dragon-loyal.
They marched as smoke rose…
…toward the village that still believed today was just another day.