Rio's expression shifted instantly.
Kharzeth?
Why did that name sound familiar?
Then—
another deafening crash echoed from upstairs.
BOOOOM.
Rio moved instantly.
Light mana erupted beneath his feet as he rushed toward the upper floor. The old wooden stairs nearly shattered beneath the force of his movement.
He arrived at the second floor hallway—
and froze.
"…What the hell…"
At the center of the orphanage—
a gigantic black tree had erupted through the building itself.
Its roots tore through the floorboards while twisted branches stretched violently upward through the roof into the night sky.
Dark crimson veins pulsed across the bark like living flesh.
The air itself felt corrupted around it.
Standing before the tree were Tristan, Silver, and Fiora.
All three looked shaken.
"Guys what happened—"
Tristan silently pointed forward.
Rio's pupils shrank.
A body hung from the center of the tree.
A man with red hair.
Or rather—
what remained of him.
His torso had been split completely open while twisted roots pierced through his limbs like hooks. Blood slowly dripped down the bark beneath him while several organs hung grotesquely from exposed flesh.
Fiora covered her mouth instantly.
Silver's face darkened heavily.
"I suppose…"
His voice sounded unusually cold.
"…that's the proctor assigned to supervise our mission."
Silence fell.
Rio slowly clenched his fists.
This had escalated beyond expectation.
Far beyond.
He exhaled slowly before turning toward Silver.
"This mission's completely out of control now."
His eyes hardened.
"Contact the academy immediately."
Silver nodded seriously and activated his academy watch.
Then—
Astravax suddenly laughed.
Not mockingly.
Interested.
"I see…"
Rio immediately glanced toward the black cat standing near the roots of the tree.
"What?"
Astravax's golden eyes slowly narrowed while staring at the gigantic tree.
[That is merely a manifestation.]
Rio frowned.
"…Manifestation?"
Astravax's gaze lifted upward toward the sky beyond the broken roof.
[The true Beast of Kharzeth could easily reduce this entire nation to dust.]
The room fell silent.
Even Silver stopped moving.
Astravax continued calmly.
[What stands before you now…]
The black cat's voice lowered slightly.
[…is only a vessel carrying a fragment of its power.]
Rio's eyes widened slightly.
A fragment?
Just this alone already felt monstrous enough to suffocate the entire orphanage in pressure.
Then suddenly—
the black tree moved.
Its roots twisted violently.
And from somewhere deep within the darkness above—
something began crawling downward.
The sound came first.
CRACK.
CRACK.
Like bones snapping one after another inside the walls.
Everyone instinctively stepped back as the branches above began twisting unnaturally. The darkness between the roots thickened until it almost resembled liquid.
Then—
something descended.
Long arms emerged first.
Far too long.
They dragged against the bark with wet scraping sounds while dozens of fingers dug into the tree itself.
Fiora's face immediately lost color.
"T-That's…"
The creature slowly crawled downward from the ceiling.
Its neck bent at impossible angles while exposed muscles twitched beneath pale flesh. The thing's face looked half-formed, as though someone had stretched human skin over an unfinished skull.
And its smile—
extended far beyond where a mouth should have ended.
Silver immediately drew his blade.
SHING.
Cold mana erupted around him.
The creature's head suddenly twisted.
Too quickly.
Its hollow eyes locked directly onto Rio.
Then—
it smiled wider.
Astravax's eyes narrowed slightly.
[Interesting.]
Rio's instincts screamed instantly.
"MOVE!"
The creature vanished.
BOOOOM.
The entire hallway exploded apart as the thing suddenly appeared beside Fiora.
Its massive arm swung downward violently.
Fiora barely reacted in time, jumping backward while releasing several arrows infused with wind mana.
The arrows pierced straight through the creature's chest—
but—
nothing happened.
No blood.
No wound.
The holes simply moved like liquid flesh before closing instantly.
"What the hell is this thing?!" Tristan shouted while summoning earth mana around his fists.
The creature suddenly shrieked.
A horrifying sound erupted from its mouth.
The windows shattered instantly.
Several children downstairs began screaming violently.
Rio felt pain shoot through his head.
Mind attack.
The moment he realized it—
the creature lunged toward him.
Fast.
Far too fast.
Its fingers extended unnaturally toward his face—
CLANG.
Silver intercepted instantly.
His silver blade collided against the creature's arm while mana exploded through the hallway.
Silver's expression hardened.
"…It's strong."
The creature suddenly bent its neck backward—
and laughed.
Not screamed.
Laughed.
Then its body began expanding.
More arms tore out from its sides.
The pressure inside the orphanage immediately multiplied.
The walls started cracking apart.
Astravax calmly sat atop one of the branches watching everything unfold.
[You mortals truly attract troublesome things.]
"Now would be a good time to help!" Rio snapped while dodging another strike.
Astravax yawned lazily.
[No.]
"YOU USELESS CAT—"
Before Rio could finish—
the creature suddenly stopped moving.
Its head slowly turned.
Toward the dining hall downstairs.
Toward the children.
Rio's pupils shrank.
"No—"
The creature smiled.
Then vanished downward.
BOOOOOM.
The floor beneath them exploded apart as the monster descended toward the lower level. Screams immediately echoed from below.
Silver cursed instantly.
"SHIT!"
Rio jumped down without hesitation.
Light mana erupted around his body as he crashed through the collapsing floorboards.
And what he saw below—
made his blood run cold.
The creature stood inside the dining hall.
Its massive distorted arms stretched around the terrified children while Reina Emberheart stood directly before it.
Smiling.
"…Finally."
Her voice sounded relieved.
Then slowly—
a black cross appeared across her neck.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Dark mana flooded throughout the dining hall like poisonous smoke. The candles extinguished one after another while cold pressure descended upon everyone present.
Several children collapsed unconscious immediately.
The elderly residents began praying desperately.
Silver landed beside Rio with his blade drawn.
"…Reina."
His voice had turned ice cold.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Reina slowly turned toward them.
The elegant noble girl they once knew no longer remained.
Her smile looked broken.
Fractured.
Her crimson eyes trembled with obsession.
"You don't understand."
Behind her, the grotesque creature bent unnaturally while low clicking noises echoed from within its body. Its elongated fingers slowly wrapped around the ceiling above them.
"I tried everything."
Reina laughed softly.
"My family."
"My mother."
"This academy."
"Strength."
"Talent."
Dark veins spread beneath the black cross around her neck.
"None of it was enough."
Her smile widened slightly.
"But she listened to me."
Rio's eyes darkened.
"The Lady of Velvet Sin."
Reina's pupils shook slightly.
Then she smiled again.
"She gave me salvation."
Astravax suddenly snorted from atop Rio's shoulder.
[Salvation?]
The black cat's golden eyes glowed faintly.
[That thing is devouring her soul.]
Reina's expression twitched violently.
"SHUT UP!"
The creature suddenly shrieked.
BOOOOOOM.
Dark roots exploded throughout the dining hall instantly.
Silver sliced apart several branches immediately while Tristan raised walls of earth mana around the children.
Fiora fired arrows rapidly from the backline, wind and lightning mana coating each projectile brilliantly.
Yet—
the creature regenerated endlessly.
Its flesh twisted grotesquely while more mouths and limbs emerged continuously from its body.
Then—
the creature spread both arms wide.
Astravax's voice exploded inside Rio's mind.
[DODGE!]
Too late.
The creature's arms split into thousands instantly.
Like serpents.
Like spears.
Like hunger itself.
The limbs surged toward everything living inside the orphanage.
Silver and Tristan barely dodged in time—
but Fiora—
"FIORA!"
Tristan screamed.
The creature wrapped several limbs around her body before dragging her violently into its mass.
It wasn't just her.
Lily.
The children.
The elderly.
Everyone was caught.
And then—
CRUNCH.
The creature devoured several children at once.
Rio froze.
Then came the elderly.
CRUNCH.
Lily's scream echoed throughout the orphanage.
CRUNCH.
Fiora looked toward Rio with trembling eyes.
"…Noctis?"
Rio's pupils shook.
She smiled painfully.
"…Am I gonna di—"
CRUNCH.
Blood exploded across the walls.
Silence.
Reina's crimson hair slowly darkened into complete black.
Children screamed.
Cried.
Begged.
And one after another—
they died.
Grotesquely.
Violently.
Like animals thrown into the jaws of something never meant to exist in this world.
Reina watched silently.
Then laughed.
Not proudly.
Not arrogantly.
Broken.
"Tell me, Noctis…"
Dark tears streamed down her face.
"What's the point of living like this?"
Her trembling eyes stared directly at him.
"Why not destroy it all?"
"Noctis…"
Her voice cracked apart.
"Do you think this world is fair?"
Rio looked at her with hollow eyes.
His voice carried nothing.
"Reina Emberheart…"
"Somewhere inside the original story…"
"…Samuel Crimson saved you."
The darkness around him slowly began spreading.
"You were never supposed to fall this far."
"You were never supposed to lose your humanity this early."
His fingers tightened around Nocturne Veil.
"If Samuel stood here today…"
"…he would have tried to save you."
Mana exploded around Rio violently.
"But me?"
His crimson eyes glowed coldly.
"I will annihilate you."
"I will slaughter you."
"I will kill you, Reina Emberheart."
Astravax slowly grinned behind him.
Its voice echoed powerfully.
[Fine.]
Purple runes illuminated across the dragon's body.
[I will help you this once.]
Its golden eyes stared coldly toward Reina.
[Because that girl…]
[…is beneath the influence of a God.]
[And I despise those pathetic beings.]
Then—
the bond between Rio and the Dragon of Eternal Stars deepened violently.