In a place set in Japan's Edo period, lifeless bodies of Shinsegumi police officers littered the ground. At the center of this gruesome scene stood a blood-covered boy, holding the severed head of one of the officers. The boy was bewildered by the horrifying sight.
A crowd of citizens dressed in kimonos rushed toward the scene. They were the families of the fallen officers, their faces contorted with grief and rage as they accused the boy of the heinous crimes. He remained confused, unable to comprehend the unfolding chaos. The cries of anguish and the accusations echoed in his ears, slowly distorting his perception of reality, turning his waking moments into a living nightmare.
Renji awoke from this disturbing dream and found himself beside Risstle, who was conversing with a group of people. Renji inquired,
"Who are they?"
Risstle replied,
"These are the citizens of Pasay City. They were held captive beneath the city grounds, treated as nothing more than livestock for the Acolytes' insidious purposes."
Renji was astonished by what he had just heard and asked,
"How long have you all been captive?"
A random person in the group replied,
"We've been here for a week, ever since the Philippine army's last stand fell at the hands of those monsters."
Renji directed his attention to the person who had spoken and asked,
"What's your name?"
The individual responded,
"My name is Jack, and I need to get out of this place as soon as possible. I have to find my sister."
Risstle chimed in,
"Wait, are you Sanillia's older brother?"
Jack confirmed,
"Yes, and you know my sister?"
Risstle replied,
"Yes, we know her. She is currently under our care. But..."
Risstle started to unseal the golden necklace containing Sanillia, but Renji interrupted,
"Not right now. Unsealing the necklace could disrupt Oliver's training, rendering all my efforts pointless. Jack, please trust us. Your sister is safe within my protective spell, alongside my student. Rest assured, we'll get you all out of this prison."
Jack, feeling a mixture of trust and relief, responded,
"Yes, sir. I trust you."
In the mayor's office, Netheroc and his armies were deep in the midst of planning their next move.
Netheroc spoke with determination,
"It's time for the retrieval of talisman of Enigma."
A sudden, unknown voice interrupted,
"And how do you plan to do that?"
From the shadows, a man emerged. He was dressed in a formal butler-like attire, had black curly hair, piercing green eyes, and an "X" tattoo on his neck.
An Acolyte guard, alarmed, shouted,
"Intruders, raaaah!"
and lunged at the man.
Netheroc, panicked, shouted,
"No, stop! Don't do it!"
However, the guard couldn't halt his attack. But as he approached the man, the stranger extended his arms, palms outstretched, and the acolyte disintegrated into black dust.
"Your guards are too weak to withstand my Black Rust magic,"
the man in the suit calmly stated.
Netheroc, his face etched with seriousness, asked,
"What do you want, Dylan? Also known as the Messenger, the Meta."
Dylan replied,
"I've come to deliver a message from the Dark Elders. We've heard about your ties with Malachai and your mission to retrieve the Talisman of Enigma."
Netheroc inquired,
"What is the Dark Elders' message?"
Dylan stated firmly,
"As the Messenger of the Dark Elders, I hereby order you to eliminate Renji immediately. If he remains alive after coming into contact with your forces, you and your minions will be executed."
Shock and worry spread among the acolytes in the room.
Netheroc protested,
"If I agree to these orders, we risk execution by Malachai if we fail our mission to retrieve the talisman."
Dylan cut him off, saying,
"Whether you agree or not, I'm not the one to negotiate with. You will obey the Dark Elders' command for the sake of the entire undead forces. It's not my problem, Netheroc."
Dylan released an ominous aura that forced Netheroc and all the acolytes to kneel before him.
Netheroc, trembling with fear, asked,
"But how can we possibly accomplish two missions at once? And why are you so eager to eliminate Renji?"
Dylan explained,
"Renji is not just an ordinary elite sorcerer; he bears the name 'the Eredar' or 'demon sorcerer,' making him a formidable foe."
Netheroc was taken aback and stammered,
"Aren't demons unable to enter our human world due to the atmospheric pressure maintained by the angels to protect humanity? That's why they created us undead millions of years ago, to fulfill their goals. Thanks to the Dark Lord Nāzuru's sacrifices, we are free from the demons' constraints."
Dylan nodded, saying,
"Exactly. We have no knowledge of demons existing in our world. However, we must eliminate Renji because all we know is that if this demon manages to enter our world without dispersing, he is powerful enough to escape his fate within the human world. So, eliminate Renji as soon as possible."
Netheroc then asked,
"What's the reward for eliminating Renji? We, the acolytes, need our share in this."
Dylan chuckled,
"You acolytes are known for your greed, but your duty is to serve the undead, the lowest of the lows, hahahaha."
His laughter ceased, and he fixed Netheroc with a chilling gaze.
"Your reward is nothing but the opportunity to continue living and serving the undead."
With that, Dylan vanished into thin air. Netheroc, seething with anger, pounded his fist against the wall.
"Damn it!"
he exclaimed.
Karlina, concerned, asked,
"What shall we do, my lord?"
Netheroc clenched his teeth and replied,
"Bring me my wooden staff. I need to track Renji's whereabouts."
Back in the underground prison, Risstle and Renji were determined to find an escape route. As they continued their dash through the prison, they encountered a giant door that momentarily halted their progress. Risstle took it upon herself to open the door, but what she found horrified her.
Beyond the door lay a torture chamber filled with the lifeless bodies of those who had suffered unimaginable horrors. Bodies hung from hooks, their naked forms butchered and mutilated. Among them were children, women, old men – the sight was utterly gruesome. What shocked them even more was the sight of General Marcus, his body also hanging from one of the hooks.
This gruesome scene shattered Risstle's heart, and tears welled up in her eyes. Renji, seething with anger, emitted a surge of anima mundi aura, pushing back those around him.
In a voice filled with rage and determination, Renji declared,
"I will destroy these monsters!!"
His outburst of anima mundi energy sent a shockwave through the area, causing the citizens to recoil.
Renji continued in a more controlled tone,
"Let's go, Risstle. I'm going to pummel Netheroc into pieces!"
Risstle, shocked by the display of anima mundi, replied,
"Yes, let's go and help the citizens escape."
Renji's tone shifted, becoming more conflicted.
"Risstle, by the time we get out of this prison, I want you to escort the citizens outside of the city. I'm going to find Max Couldron and destroy him myself."
Worry filled Risstle's voice as she questioned Renji's decision,
"You're going to take on Netheroc by yourself? I thought we were going to defeat him together."
Renji looked at Risstle with a menacing intensity.
"When I'm about to unleash my fury, even my allies might get hurt. I don't want that. So, I'm going on a rampage while making my way to Max Couldron. Please, help these people escape."
Risstle replied,
"I understand, but what about Charles?"
Renji's expression softened as he assured her,
"He'll be fine. I can still sense his anima mundi from afar, and... "
Risstle pressed,
"And what?"
Renji revealed,
"Charles's anima mundi is gradually increasing. I sense it."
Risstle understood and nodded.
"I see. Let's go, everyone."
As they continued their escape under Risstle's leadership, she noticed that Renji was still standing behind. Concerned, she asked,
"What's wrong, Renji?"
Renji reassured her with a smile,
"Don't worry about me, Risstle. I'll catch up to you."
With that, he began using his
"Generation Utilize Fire Spell Magic: Flame of Styra"
to give a proper send-off to the victims by cremating their remains.
As Renji finished the solemn act of burning the bodies, he quickly caught up with Risstle and the others. They reached a gate guarded by a group of sentinels, seemingly their way out. Renji summoned his
"Fire Utilization, Manipulation: Ignis Veil Manipula: Sword,"
forging a fiery sword in his hand, while Risstle crafted a water bow and arrow with her
"Water Utilization, Manipulation: Aqua Bellum Yumi-no-Mizu."
Renji was a bit surprised by Risstle's water manipulation spell. He inquired,
"I've heard of that spell long ago when I was in Japan. It seems familiar."
Risstle briefly explained,
"This bow is our clan's specialty, passed down by my grandmother to me. However, I haven't fully mastered it, like my grandmother did."
Renji nodded in understanding.
"I see."
Together, they engaged the guards with their elemental weapons. Renji's fiery sword cut through the guards with ease, while Risstle showcased exceptional marksmanship as she fired arrows, shattering the guards into pieces.
Renji was surprised by Risstle's accuracy.
"I didn't know you had such good aim."
Risstle chuckled,
"It's common for me, though. Plus, I just cast my 'Combat Domain Spell' to enhance my vision. Haha."
After dealing with the guards, they tried to open the gates, only to find them locked, requiring the blood of an acolyte guard. Renji and Risstle had incinerated the guards, leaving nothing behind for access.
In a panic, they exchanged frustrated words. Jack, a voice of reason, alerted Renji to a hidden acolyte behind an outpost, their potential last hope. Renji acted swiftly, attacking and subduing the remaining acolyte.
Horrifying smiles appeared on Renji and Risstle's faces as they faced the terrified acolyte, who pleaded, "Please don't kill me. I can serve you and help you."
Renji responded with a menacing laugh,
"Oh yes, you're going to serve me well, acolyte."
The scene shifted to Joel Hyzen, sitting on a bench, sipping an incanned soda and munching on chips. He calmly asked,
"Are you ready now, Charles?"
Charles, topless and stretching his arms and neck, replied confidently,
"Oh yes, Master-ranked Joel Hyzen. It's my payback time."