The ratman leader, also pulling back with his forces, abruptly stopped. He scanned the retreating crowd, searching for Phantom, though there was no trace of him. Determined, the leader occasionally grabbed a fellow ratman, scrutinizing their features in his search.
Unaware of this, Phantom had already moved far from the battlefield. He now felt the full weight of the world pressing against him, no longer shielded by the corrupted lands' influence.
The oppressive sensation didn't last long. Not far from where he stood, Ikenga's carriage materialized. Phantom shifted back into his true form—his face a constantly shifting mosaic of features—as he stepped inside the carriage. Instantly, the crushing pressure dissipated.
Ikenga greeted him with a warm smile. Phantom, like a child caught in mischief, dropped to one knee and bowed his head. "I apologize, my lord. I let myself get carried away."
