Bang!
Seeing the Emerald Spear streak toward him, Casgard showed no panic. He crossed his massive hammer-like arms before his chest.
The spear pierced deep into his thick forearm — but no farther.
The next instant, Casgard's spiritual pressure erupted.
CRACK!
The double-headed spear shattered into fragments of light.
It had inflicted damage… but not enough.
However, Nel was never aiming to defeat Casgard.
She was already moving past him — straight toward Varta, still within the dispersing smoke.
Varta's Counter
"Your Excellency," Varta's cold voice emerged from the haze,
"it seems you will have to bear the consequences."
A surge of pale violet spiritual pressure burst outward.
The smoke vanished.
Varta stood revealed — only his forearm scorched from blocking Sombravida's Cero.
"Since you insist," he said calmly,
"you will leave your lives here."
Purple light ignited in his eyes.
Nel froze mid-charge.
Her pupils contracted.
"This… what is this…?"
Her body refused to obey her.
"An Illusory Cage," Varta explained coolly.
"My spiritual light enters the eyes and imprisons the mind."
"An illusion ability…" Sombravida's voice darkened.
Nel wasn't physically restrained — but her senses were hijacked.
Breaking free would not be easy.
Sombravida Interferes
Without hesitation, Sombravida fired another pale-gold Cero.
It roared toward Varta.
Varta immediately shifted position.
Though it was only Gillian-level in origin, Sombravida's compressed spiritual pressure made it dangerous. Taking it directly would disrupt his illusion and cost him dearly.
He evaded.
But the interference was enough.
Nel's spiritual pressure surged.
The illusion fractured.
She retreated back beside Sombravida.
"Tsk… troublesome," Sombravida muttered.
Three Adjuchas were far worse than expected.
"Nel," he said lowly,
"prepare a Garganta. We retreat."
Bzzzt.
Sombravida fired another Cero to keep pressure on them.
"But… Lord Sombravida…" Nel hesitated.
"I can hold them," he replied quietly. "Prepare—"
The True Trap
"Shadow of Imprisonment."
The dragon-headed Adjuchas finally moved.
From beneath his feet, darkness spread outward like liquid night.
Within seconds, a shadow dome more than five hundred meters wide enveloped the battlefield.
"My lord!" Nel cried as she opened a Garganta.
The rift appeared—
—and shattered instantly, dissolving into black sparks.
"It's useless," Varta said.
"Whisperwind's Shadow of Imprisonment seals spatial resonance and spiritual particle flow. Without a spatial anchor, the Garganta cannot form."
"When your spiritual energy runs dry… death will follow."
Sombravida clicked his tongue.
This was bad.
Very bad.
A Desperate Plan
Direct combat was impossible.
Nel had only recently evolved.
Against three Adjuchas working in tandem, she could not last long.
Sombravida was still Gillian.
Their only reliable defense remained the Anti-Membrane.
Victory was impossible.
Survival required crippling one opponent immediately.
"Nel," Sombravida said,
"I'll hold Varta. Take down the one maintaining the barrier."
But the enemy formation shifted.
Varta moved to stand before Whisperwind, purple light flickering in warning.
Casgard pounded his fists, ready to charge.
No opening.
Then—
Whisperwind stepped forward.
The Question
"Before battle begins," the dragon-headed Hollow spoke for the first time,
"may I know your name?"
He addressed Sombravida.
Not Nel.
Sombravida's eyes narrowed.
This one had seen through everything.
"At least," Whisperwind continued,
"we may record the name of a Gillian who scarred Adjuchas."
Sombravida chuckled.
"Fair enough. If we die, we die with names."
He stepped forward.
"Remember it. Ace Sombravida. The Gillian who will scar your mask."
"Neliel Tu Odelschwanck," Nel said coldly.
"Even in death, I will take you with me."
Varta scoffed.
"Enough chatter. Kill them."
The Sudden Betrayal
Dark energy gathered in Whisperwind's palm.
Casgard charged forward.
"Good," Varta said. "This will be simple. Casgard engage, Whisperwind support — I will restrain—"
BOOM!!!
A deafening blast cut him off.
Varta's vision spun.
His body fell.
His head separated cleanly from his neck.
He saw his own corpse collapse.
Then darkness claimed him.
Whisperwind had fired a point-blank Cero through his neck.
Instant death.
Shock
Casgard froze mid-charge.
"What…?"
Sombravida and Nel stared in stunned disbelief.
Sombravida recovered first.
"Nel! Take the big one!"
Hope ignited.
Nel surged forward.
Sombravida gathered another Cero.
Whisperwind formed a second black-violet blast.
Casgard roared.
"You think you can kill me?! You die with me!"
His spiritual pressure exploded outward.
Cracks spread across his body.
He had chosen self-destruction.
Final Clash
The violent pressure forced Nel back—
—but Casgard grabbed her.
Energy erupted from his cracking body.
Explosion imminent.
"Nel — decapitate!" Sombravida shouted.
Reflex overrode fear.
The Emerald Spear formed.
Nel pivoted — thrust became slash.
SHNK!
Casgard's massive head separated cleanly.
The explosion triggered anyway.
BOOOOM!!!
The blast erupted skyward.
Shockwaves tore through the forest.
Even the Shadow of Imprisonment shattered.
Aftermath
Smoke cleared.
Varta and Casgard had dissolved into spirit particles.
Only their masks remained.
Nel exhaled shakily.
"That was close… If not for your Anti-Membrane…"
"You reacted fast," Sombravida said, approaching.
"Another second and it wouldn't have saved you."
His spiritual pressure flickered — the blast had nearly exhausted him.
But one enemy remained.
Whisperwind.
Nel stepped forward protectively.
The dragon-headed Hollow approached slowly… then stopped ten meters away.
Sombravida spoke cautiously:
"If you seek the masks, we can divide them. Half for you. We leave this forest. You return with an explanation."
Sombravida knew traitors were dangerous — but survival mattered more than pride.
Another fight now could be fatal.
Whisperwind's strength remained unknown.
Avoiding conflict was optimal.
The dragon-headed Hollow lowered his spiritual pressure.
Then—
He knelt.
"My King."
His voice was reverent.
"Forgive Jekain's late arrival."
He bowed his head.
"Welcome back… My King."