The plaza of Shadowhaven became a warzone beneath the endless fog. Broken stone. Burning lanterns. Blood running through cracked streets.
Renn and the others fought separately now.
Kael, Lio, and Taren struggled against Garrick Dreadmaw's monstrous strength while Renn faced Lyra Vex alone at the center of the shattered plaza.
Steel collided violently beneath the endless fog of Shadowhaven.
Lyra moved like a phantom around Renn, her thin blades striking from impossible angles, yet Renn matched every movement head-on. Sparks exploded between dagger clashes as golden Aether traced through the plaza like flashes of lightning.
SHHK—!
Lyra's blade swept toward his throat. Renn tilted slightly— —and countered instantly.
BOOM—!
The impact blasted Lyra backward across the stone, forcing her boots to drag against the ground to stop herself.
Her eyes widened slightly. "… That was fast."
Renn didn't respond. He was already in front of her again.
Meanwhile—
Garrick's massive Blood Cleaver crashed downward toward Kael—but Kael caught the strike directly with his blade.
BOOOOM—!
The ground shattered beneath them. Garrick grinned wildly. "HAHA—! GOOD!"
Kael smirked back. "Is that the best you can do?" Then—
CRACK.
Kael forced the massive weapon upward through sheer strength alone. Garrick's expression shifted slightly.
"…What?"
At the same moment, Taren's spear slammed into Garrick's side while Lio's blade flashed toward his neck with deadly precision. Garrick twisted barely in time—
SHHK—!
A cut appeared across his cheek.
Silence.
The massive assassin slowly touched the blood on his face. Then laughed.
"…No way."
Across the plaza, Lyra flipped backward after another exchange with Renn. Several strands of her silver hair drifted down slowly where Renn's dagger had cut through them. Her smile faded slightly.
"…You people are annoying."
The assassins watching from the rooftops began murmuring uneasily.
"The Royal Knights are pushing them back…"
"No… they're overwhelming them…"
Even Garrick stopped smiling for a moment. The four Royal Knights stood their ground beneath the fog without retreating a single step.
Then—
Lyra exhaled slowly.
"…I guess," she muttered softly, spinning her dagger once between her fingers, "…it's time to get serious."
"…Awaken, Demonfang."
A pulse of dark violet Aether exploded from her dagger. The weapon changed immediately. The blade elongated slightly, jagged patterns spreading across its surface while black-purple venom dripped from its edges like living poison. The air around it hissed.
At the same moment—
Garrick laughed loudly from the opposite side of the plaza. "Then I'll stop holding back too." He slammed his massive weapon into the ground.
"…Awaken, Blood Cleaver."
BOOOOM—!
Crimson-red Aether erupted violently from the axe-like blade. Veins of glowing red spread across the weapon as blood gathered unnaturally around its edge.
The pressure changed instantly. Even Kael narrowed his eyes.
"…What the hell is that?"
A small golden glow suddenly appeared beside Renn. Lumindelle floated quietly near his shoulder, golden eyes narrowed.
"…Aether Artifacts," Lumindelle muttered..
Taren glanced toward the floating spirit mid-battle. "Aether what?!"
Lumindelle floated slightly higher, gaze fixed on the weapons.
"Artifacts are specialized weapons forged by master craftsmen known as Aether Smiths." Its voice became more serious. "Unlike ordinary Aether-imbued weapons, these are created using condensed Aether cores, rare materials, and artificial resonance rituals."
Kael frowned while blocking Garrick's strike. "…Speak simpler."
Lumindelle sighed dramatically. "They're living weapons without souls."
The three blinked.
Lumindelle pointed toward Lyra's dagger first.
"Demonfang. An assassin-type artifact crafted by a Veil Master." The black-purple venom hissed against the air itself. "Its venom doesn't merely poison the body—it attacks the victim's Aether flow directly. The more it spreads, the harder it becomes to control Aether."
Then its gaze shifted toward Garrick's weapon.
"And Blood Cleaver…" Lumindelle's expression darkened slightly. "…A berserker-type artifact forged by a Blade Master." Red Aether pulsed violently around the cleaver.
"That weapon absorbs blood through every strike." Lumindelle continued, "The more blood it consumes, the more destructive its power becomes."
Garrick laughed loudly. "HAHA! Now THAT'S an explanation!"
Lyra suddenly vanished. Renn barely reacted..
SHHK—
The blade grazed his cheek. For a moment, nothing happened. Then—
Pain exploded through Renn's body. His vision distorted instantly. Veins darkened beneath his skin as the venom spread directly into his Aether channels.
Renn dropped to one knee.
"Renn!" Taren shouted.
Lyra landed lightly nearby, smiling faintly. "…Got you."
At the same moment— Garrick raised Blood Cleaver overhead. Red Aether compressed violently around the blade.
"Move—!" Lio shouted.
Too late.
BOOOOOOM—!!!
The explosion swallowed the plaza.
Kael, Lio, and Taren were launched backward through shattered stone, crashing violently across the ground as red shockwaves tore through the streets.
Garrick laughed loudly. "HAHAHAHA—!" He dragged Blood Cleaver across the ground.
"That's it?! Those are Royal Knights?!"
Kael coughed blood while forcing himself up. "…Damn monster…"
Meanwhile—
Renn remained kneeling. Dark venom spread slowly beneath his skin while Lyra approached calmly.
"You know…" she said softly, "…most people die seconds after getting cut by Demonfang."
Renn stayed silent.
Then, golden Aether slowly gathered around the wound on his cheek. The venom hissed. Burned. Purified.
Lyra stopped walking. "…What?"
Renn slowly stood. The wound closed completely beneath concentrated golden light.
"…How annoying," Lyra muttered quietly.
Renn exhaled slowly. Then glanced toward Lumindelle. "…It's about time."
Lumindelle smirked. "Heh. Finally."
Golden Aether erupted.
BOOOOOOM—!!!
The entire plaza trembled as massive pressure exploded outward from Renn's body. Assassins nearby instinctively stepped backward in fear.
His dagger changed.
The blade extended into a larger, sharper form while golden mist-like Aether wrapped around it continuously like living mana materializing into reality itself.
And his gauntlet— expanded. Golden armor spread upward across his entire arm, forming a full sleeve of radiant plated Aether armor glowing beneath the fog.
The plaza fell silent.
Kael's eyes widened slightly. "…Oi... His daggers' form is completely different."
Lio narrowed his eyes quietly.
Then Taren suddenly remembered. "…During training in Lumisdale…" he muttered. "…Renn kept disappearing every night."
Kael blinked. "…Secret training?"
Taren pointed weakly toward Renn. "I kept seeing him leave his bed at night!"
Lumindelle puffed proudly beside Renn.
"Of course. Did you think my contractor was lazy?"
Lyra's smile disappeared completely. The pressure coming from Renn now felt different. Heavier. Sharper.
Her throat suddenly felt dry. "…What is this…"
Even Garrick stopped laughing briefly. Then he grinned wider. "HAHAHAHA—! NOW we're talking!"
He charged forward again toward the three knights. Blood Cleaver roared with crimson Aether. But this time— Kael stepped forward first.
"…Hey, big man."
Crimson-hot Aether exploded around his body. A glowing red mist materialized around Kael and his blade like burning blood pressure.
"Your attacks are strong…" Kael smirked. "…but slow."
Lio stepped beside him calmly. Blue Aether flowed outward like calm waves surrounding his sword.
Taren spun his spear once. Yellow lightning-like Aether crackled violently around him.
"…Let's show him," Taren grinned. "…it's not only Renn who improved."
The fog split violently.
Then—
The three Royal Knights launched forward simultaneously toward Garrick Dreadmaw.