The underground bunker trembled violently beneath Shadowhaven.
Dust rained endlessly from the cracked ceiling while distant explosions echoed through the collapsing tunnels. Purple tendrils crawled slowly across the ruined floor like living veins as Cedric stood alone before the destroyed entrance.
The ember of his cigarette glowed faintly beneath the darkness.
Four silhouettes stared back at him. Black robes. Black masks. Black Petal tattoos branded upon their necks. The atmosphere itself felt suffocating.
One of the figures stepped forward slowly. "You betrayed the organization, Shadecrow."
Cedric exhaled smoke calmly. "…Funny." His tired eyes narrowed slightly. "After all these years, that's the first thing you say to me?"
Another assassin tilted their head slightly. "You exposed Moonveil."
"No," Cedric corrected quietly. "I protected her."
The tunnel suddenly trembled again.
BOOM—!
A violent surge of Aether exploded from one of the assassins as curved black blades unfolded from beneath their sleeves. Another drew thin wires coated in poison while the remaining two silently disappeared into the darkness of the corridor itself.
Cedric sighed. "…Still using the same tricks."
SHHK—!
The tunnel exploded into motion. One assassin appeared instantly behind Cedric, blade aimed directly toward his neck.
Too slow. Purple tendrils burst violently from Cedric's back.
CRASH—!
The assassin was slammed directly into the stone wall hard enough to crack it apart.
Another rushed from the front simultaneously. Cedric twisted calmly, avoiding poisoned wires by mere centimeters before grabbing the assassin's wrist.
"…You children never learned patience."
BOOM—!
Purple Aether erupted point-blank from Cedric's palm, launching the assassin backward through a pillar. The remaining two appeared together from opposite sides.
Fast. Far faster than ordinary assassins.
Their blades flashed through the darkness toward Cedric's blind spots with perfect synchronization.
CLANG—!
Purple tendrils hardened instantly around Cedric's arm like armor, blocking both strikes at once. Sparks exploded through the tunnel.
One assassin narrowed their eyes.
"…Your Veil Arts evolved."
Suddenly—
SHHK—!
Thin black needles erupted from the ceiling above. Cedric stepped backward immediately, but one needle sliced across his cheek slightly.
A small line of blood appeared.
The assassins froze. Because Cedric started laughing quietly. "…Ah." He touched the blood on his face. "Now I'm pissed."
The underground chamber darkened.
Purple Aether spread violently across the walls. The tendrils behind Cedric multiplied endlessly, twisting across the tunnel like monstrous serpents awakening from sleep.
The assassins immediately stepped back.
For the first time, fear appeared beneath their masks. Cedric slowly removed the cigarette from his mouth.
"You four seem to misunderstand something…"
His voice lowered dangerously. The tendrils rose behind him like a living storm.
"I did not leave the Black Petals because I was weak."
BOOOOOOM—!!!
Purple Aether detonated through the bunker.
The entire underground tunnel collapsed into chaos.
On the other side of the Shadowhaven —
The dungeon beneath the Black Castle remained silent except for the sound of dripping water.
…Drip.
…Drip.
A single ray of pale light pierced through the darkness above, illuminating the figure chained at the center of the cell.
Seris.
Her wrists remained restrained high above her head by cold iron shackles. Dried blood stained her torn clothing while bruises covered her arms and shoulders from repeated interrogations.
Yet despite her condition— she no longer looked broken.
Footsteps echoed beyond the corridor. Slow. Measured. The iron door creaked open.
CLANK—
Noir stepped inside calmly.
Purple tendrils slithered faintly beneath his sleeves as he entered the dim prison cell. His sharp eyes immediately settled on Seris.
For several seconds, he simply stared at her.
Then—
"…Moonveil."
Seris slowly lifted her head. The silence between them felt heavier than chains.
Noir walked closer until he stood directly before her. His gaze traveled across her wounds before settling on her face.
Noir stopped directly before her. "You disappeared for quite a while." His voice carried amusement beneath it. "And now look at you."
He grabbed her chin roughly, forcing her face upward. "Captured."
Silence.
Noir narrowed his eyes slightly. "…Pathetic."
Still, no response. He clicked his tongue and released her face.
"You once threatened to kill Veyr." A faint chuckle escaped him. "I never forgot that."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"But in the end… you abandoned everything." Noir stepped back slowly. "You left the Black Petals only to become weak."
Seris remained still beneath the chains. Noir smirked faintly. "…The old Moonveil would've never allowed herself to be captured alive."
Silence lingered briefly. Then Noir turned away. "Stay here," he muttered coldly. "And watch how meaningless freedom truly is."
CLANK.
The iron door closed behind him. Silence returned. Several minutes passed. Then, the door opened once more.
A guard entered carrying a tray of food carelessly. His face looked irritated beneath the black hood.
Seris remained motionless beneath the chains. The guard placed the tray near the corner of the cell before sighing heavily.
He walked toward the far wall and began relieving himself casually.
Drip.
Drip.
Silence. Then the guard frowned slightly. Something felt wrong. He slowly looked back toward the center of the cell.
The chains still hung there. But Seris was gone.
"…What?"
Panic immediately crossed his face. He rushed toward the cell entrance and unlocked it quickly.
CLANK—
"HEY—!"
The moment he stepped inside—
THUD..
A precise strike slammed into the side of his neck. The guard collapsed instantly. Seris emerged silently from the darkness behind the doorway. Her silver eyes remained cold.
No hesitation.
No emotion.
She slowly removed the guard's black robes and covered herself completely beneath the uniform of a Black Petal operative.
Moments later—
A lone black-robed figure walked calmly through the underground halls of the Black Petals facility. No one noticed. No one questioned her. The deeper she walked, the worse the atmosphere became.
Seris' footsteps slowed slightly.
Her grip tightened beneath the robe.
Meanwhile—
Far deeper within the underground tunnels—
Renn and the others finally reached the hidden facility beneath Shadowhaven. The moment they stepped inside, everyone froze.
Rows of iron cages stretched endlessly through the underground halls. Children. Dozens of them. Hungry. Injured. Silent.
Children sat behind iron cages beneath dim lanternlight. Thin arms. Hollow eyes. Chains around small wrists. The smell of filth and rotten flesh lingered heavily through the underground chambers.
Training halls echoed with screams.
Some children fought each other using wooden blades.
Some stared blankly through the bars while others trembled weakly beneath chains attached to the walls.
The smell alone made Taren recoil slightly.
"…What the hell is this place…?"
Lyra's expression darkened slightly for the first time since they met her. "…Black Petals training grounds," she muttered quietly.
Even Garrick looked disturbed. "…Damn…"
Kael's fists slowly tightened. "…They're raising assassins."
Lio remained silent while observing the chained children carefully. His eyes narrowed colder with every step.
One small child suddenly flinched away from Renn instinctively. That reaction alone made Renn stop walking. The child's wrists were bleeding from rusted restraints.
Renn lowered his gaze quietly. "…They're here..."
Then the shadows moved.
SHHK—!
Black silhouettes suddenly emerged from the darkness above the cages, landing silently across the underground hallways. One after another.
Dozens.
Black robes concealed their bodies completely while silver masks reflected the dim lanternlight. Unlike ordinary assassins, these figures carried no hesitation in their movements.
Only killing intent.
Taren immediately stepped backward slightly. "…Oh, come on…"
Lyra clicked her tongue. "…Black Petals Assassins."
Garrick cracked his neck slowly. "Guess the warm-up's over."
One of the masked assassins stepped forward. Taller than the others. A black blade rested across his shoulder while a single petal symbol glowed faintly upon his mask.
"You should not have entered this place."
His voice echoed unnaturally through the chamber. The enforcer raised his weapon slightly.
"Erase them."
Black Petal assassins rushed from every direction. And beneath the endless underground darkness of Shadowhaven—
The war against the Black Petals finally began.