Roland watched Anno vanish in that bizarre fashion, but he didn't lower his guard just yet.
His eyes narrowed as he focused his mind, silently activating Shadow Perception.
His consciousness spread out like fine, invisible tendrils, sweeping over every inch of ground and every shadow in the vicinity, searching for any lingering trace of a malevolent aura or any hidden threats.
Only after confirming multiple times that the nauseating abyssal presence was truly gone and that there was nothing else amiss did he finally let out a long, slow breath, allowing his tense nerves to relax slightly.
He stood in place, the strange, fleeting events of moments ago replaying in his mind.
The eerie phantom pressed against Anno's face with a mocking smile, and the severed arm that had activated on its own, transforming into a life-saving black cocoon.
'This isn't simple Energy corrosion or possession…'
Roland calmly deduced.
