As Kaoru shot forward, leaving a bright red trail like a meteor piercing through the night's darkness, his companions were left speechless, unable to put into words the mix of emotions stirring within their hearts. In a mere instant, they had just witnessed a truth that had long been hidden behind the man they thought they knew. A great secret had been unveiled, and they all knew that the world would never be the same again.
Asuka stood frozen, her tear-filled eyes gazing far into the path Kaoru had taken through the sky. Her voice was barely audible as she called out to her lover, "Kaoru..." Her lips trembled, still haunted by the devastation that had just befallen the village festival. Her heart felt heavy, but she knew that behind it all, Kaoru had made the decision to protect them with every ounce of strength he had—strength he had long kept concealed.
Shiranui, usually calm and calculated, now clenched his jaw tightly. There was a flash of concern in his eyes, something rarely seen from the man. Yet, he knew Kaoru had crossed the threshold of an unbearable rage. Yukikaze, on the other hand, seemed restless. His right hand was balled into a tight fist, as if ready to unleash power at any moment, though deep down, he knew now was not the time to act rashly. The atmosphere was thick with tension. Rinko, despite maintaining her cold expression, couldn't completely hide her fear. Her eyes were filled with determination, but beneath the surface, there was anxiety lurking.
They all—without exception—had just seen the full extent of Kaoru's true power, a power that had been hidden from them all this time. And now that it had been revealed, they realized the threat they were facing was far greater and more dangerous than they had ever imagined.
Meanwhile, Tatsuro, typically slow to grasp the situation, stood in shock. His eyes were wide open, but his mind seemed to be drowning in confusion. Asuka, on the other hand, was struggling to regain her composure. Her still-wet eyes, showing the depth of her emotion, knew this wasn't the time to wallow in sadness. She understood that Kaoru had entrusted them with safeguarding what remained, to protect the wounded village and its innocent people.
With quick steps, Asuka wiped the lingering tears from her cheeks and spoke firmly, breaking the silence that had fallen over them. "Everyone!" she called, her voice trembling with resolve, drawing everyone's attention. "We trust Kaoru to handle Nomad. The rest of us—we need to evacuate the survivors immediately!"
Asuka's eyes shone with renewed determination. She quickly assumed command. Though her heart was torn between worrying for Kaoru's safety and her responsibility as a leader, she knew they could not hesitate. Kaoru wanted them to protect the civilians—and that was exactly what they were going to do.
-
At a remote location, about fifteen kilometers away from the scene, stood a temporary base resembling a military outpost. However, the people there were neither government soldiers nor official military personnel. They were members of Nomad, a large corporation operating both on the surface and in the underworld. Among them were some of the loyal subordinates of Edwin Black, one of the organization's highest-ranking executives.
At this moment, Edwin Black had yet to fully recover from his incomplete resurrection. Though he was still in the form of a child, Fürst, one of Nomad's senior executives, had taken over command and was leading this dangerous operation. His objective? To sacrifice 10,000 lives from Gosha Village to fully revive Edwin Black in his true form—a terrifying, unstoppable power. With fresh blood and this great sacrifice, Edwin would rise again, stronger than ever.
Inside the command center, Edwin, in the guise of a small child with white hair and glowing red eyes, sat on the lap of Maisie, a vampire bearing the title of Baroness. Maisie, with a look of smugness, gazed at everyone as though they were mere insects. The woman, with her deadly beauty, was notorious for her cruelty, especially toward the weak. Standing beside her was Valentia, an elegant yet sadistic dark elf. She relished every moment of the competition and found violence to be an unmatched form of entertainment. Nearby, there was Kiryu Sabato, a mad scientist with a disturbing laugh, responsible for creating such grotesque biological weapons that even the members of Nomad themselves were horrified at the thought.
It was Kiryu who had successfully revived Edwin Black using dark alchemical powers and twisted experiments. However, Edwin's resurrection was not yet complete, and to finish the process, they needed a massive sacrifice. Now, Edwin sat quietly, appearing like a harmless child, though within him lay dormant a dark power ready to explode at any moment.
"We've launched the first attack," Fürst's deep voice broke the silence in the command room. He stood confidently before the large screen monitoring the entire operation. "Coordinate the troops that have infiltrated the village. It's time to begin the assault."
Around him, the other executives nodded in agreement. "So far, everything is going according to plan," Fürst continued, his voice full of certainty despite the faint tension that hung in the air between them. "But remember, the enemy will strike back soon. I want all of you to be ready."
Maisie gave a thin smile, her crimson lips curling cruelly. "A counterattack? Let them come. I've been waiting for a chance to crush a few worthless creatures." Her tone dripped with mockery. Her eyes gleamed as she glanced at the small boy on her lap. "And soon... our true master will rise."
Valentia, with her graceful demeanor, ran her fingers through her hair as she smiled slightly. "I can't wait to see the despair on their faces. This will be delightful entertainment." Though her words sounded light, there was darkness in every syllable. For Valentia, this war was more than just a victory; it was a sadistic game to be savored.
Meanwhile, Kiryu, with his obnoxious laugh, messed with his hair in erratic movements. "Hahaha! I've prepared everything. If they think they can stop us, let them try! And if things go south... I still have a 'secret weapon.'" His voice was full of satisfaction. "My elemental bomb—its explosion will be twice as powerful as the Tsar bomb those humans created."
The tension in the air grew thicker, but none of them were afraid. With plans A, B, and C in hand, Nomad was ready for any scenario. The enemy might be strong, but they were confident that the power they wielded, especially with Edwin Black soon to rise fully, far surpassed anything their opponents could muster.
In the distance, the sound of alarms and the rumbling of the earth could be heard, signaling that the enemy's counterattack was approaching. But inside the base, there was only calm. A cruel indifference.
"Prepare yourselves," Fürst said, his eyes gleaming sharply. "The real show is about to begin."