The warship sped through the turbulent Shinshu currents, slicing through the air like a phantom in the night. Inside, Kaiden sat across from his master, Ariel, his body still tense from the encounter with Roulin. The aftershocks of that monstrous power still lingered in his mind, but what weighed on him more was the sudden change of events.
He clenched his fists. "Master, what the hell is going on?" His eyes burned with frustration. "Why did you pull me out of there? The Hell Train—"
Ariel, leaning against the side of the ship, let out a deep breath. His left arm, now lost , Shinshu seeped from the wound as he tried to suppress the pain. Even so, his face remained calm, his gaze sharp as ever.
"No one is boarding the Hell Train, Kaiden." His voice was steady, firm. "It's not safe anymore."
Kaiden's eyes narrowed. "Not safe? Since when has the Hell Train ever been safe?"
"This isn't just about the train." Ariel stood straight, walking towards the window where the vast expanse of the 35th Floor stretched out below them. The cities, the stations, the vast plains ,soon, all of it would be engulfed in war. "The Rebellion Order has decided to make its move. All of its forces are converging here."
Kaiden felt a chill run down his spine. He had heard whispers of the Rebellion Order, of its leaders who operated in the shadows , But he never imagined they'd act now.
"All of them?" he asked, his voice quieter now. "They're bringing everything here?"
Ariel nodded. "Yes. They're coming in full force. Their warships, their generals, their Lord , they're all descending on the 35th Floor. And Zahard's army knows it."
Kaiden exhaled sharply. "Then… this floor is about to become a battlefield."
"Exactly." Ariel turned to face him fully, his one remaining hand clenching. "The Hell Train will be caught in the crossfire. It won't be like any other time , It will be devoured by the war. That's why I pulled you out. That's why no one is boarding it today."
Kaiden was silent for a moment. The weight of the revelation settled on his shoulders. He had spent so much time preparing for the Hell Train, looking forward to what lay ahead beyond it. But now, everything had changed.
"F.U.G… what are they doing?" he finally asked. "Are we supporting the rebellion?"
Ariel's expression darkened. "Lord Grace met with the rebellion's leader. Whatever was discussed there led to F.U.G aligning with them."
Kaiden's lips tightened. "So, that's it then? We're going to war?"
"We're already at war." Ariel's voice was heavy. "Zahard's army has been stationed, ready to wipe them out. That's why no ranker intervened back there. They're all preparing for this. The pieces have already moved into place."
Kaiden turned away, staring out the window. He could feel the tension in the air, the looming storm of battle approaching.
"The Administrator," he said after a moment. "Why isn't it interfering?"
Ariel sighed. "No one knows. Perhaps it's waiting. Or maybe…" His eyes flickered with something unreadable. "Maybe it wants to see how this plays out."
Kaiden closed his eyes for a moment, then exhaled. "So… what happens now?"
Ariel gave him a long look before answering. "Now? We prepare. Because whether we like it or not… we're in the middle of it."
**********
The battlefield was in ruins, but the true horror was just beginning.
Roulin, or what remained of him, stood at the center of the destruction. His entire body was engulfed in a dark aura, tendrils of unnatural energy swirling around him. His once-pristine Arie white hair was now stained with streaks of black, and his eyes glowed a sickly red.
The ancient fragment had awakened.
And now, it was hungry.
With a single step forward, the ground beneath him cracked, and an overwhelming wave of pressure crushed down on everyone present.
Karean gritted his teeth, trying to stand. "Shit...!" His entire body felt like it was being crushed under an invisible force.
Ark, already exhausted from his earlier fight, barely managed to hold himself together. "This... isn't something we can beat!"
Roulin raised his sword—no, the Ancient's sword , dark energy gathering around it.
One swing. That's all it would take to erase them.
And then—
BOOM!
A sudden shockwave tore through the battlefield, cutting straight through Roulin's dark aura. For the first time, the corrupted warrior staggered.
The defects turned their heads toward the source.
A new figure had arrived.
A man stepped forward, his heavy coat billowing from the force of his arrival. His hair, a deep purple , glowed with an eerie glow But it was his presence that truly stood out. It was massive, yet controlled—like an ocean before a storm.
His eyes locked onto Roulin, and he sighed.
"I didn't think I'd have to clean up this mess myself."
Karean's eyes widened in shock. "No way… That's—"
Before he could finish, the man moved.
In an instant, he vanished from sight—only to reappear right in front of Roulin.
And with one swift punch, he sent the Ancient-possessed warrior flying towards the hell train.
The defects could only stare in stunned silence.
This man… Whoever he was…
He had just effortlessly overpowered Roulin.
But Did He ?
***********
Roulin's body landed on the steps leading to the hell train , The dust settled, but the oppressive aura remained.
The man who had struck him stood calmly, rolling his shoulders as if he had just finished stretching. His purple hair caught the dim light of the wreckage, his expression unreadable.
The defects barely had time to process what had happened before Ark took a step forward, his voice sharp.
"Who the hell are you?"
The purple-haired man barely acknowledged him. His attention remained fixed on the pile of rubble where Roulin had landed.
Karean, still catching his breath, narrowed his eyes. "Wait… I've seen him before. That's—"
Before he could finish, a violent explosion erupted from the ruins.
BOOM!
The wreckage was sent flying in all directions as Roulin rose once more. But something was different. The Ancient's control had deepened. The black tendrils coiling around his form had grown denser, more defined. His body was mutating, his once human-like form beginning to resemble something far more monstrous.
A hollow, inhuman voice echoed through the station.
"…You…" Roulin's glowing red eyes locked onto the silver-haired man. "…You are not a part of the old cycle."
The man's gaze hardened. "I don't care about your cycle." He lifted a single hand, and an overwhelming pressure filled the air. "But I do care about cutting this nonsense short."
Roulin roared, darkness exploding outward from his form. The shockwave sent Karean and the defects tumbling back.
Then, he vanished.
A heartbeat later, he reappeared right behind the silver-haired man, his sword already descending in a monstrous slash. The raw power behind it was enough to tear through space itself.
And yet—
The silver-haired man didn't move.
Instead, he caught the blade with two fingers.
The entire battlefield froze.
The defects watched in shock. This sword—the same one that had instantly overwhelmed Kaiden and his group , was now being held back with an almost casual grip.
The Ancient let out a distorted snarl. "Impossible."
The silver-haired man sighed. "I guess I should introduce myself." He turned his head slightly, eyes gleaming with cold amusement.
"They call me 'Specter.'
And then, with a flick of his wrist, he Slammed the ancient to the ground
Roulin barely had time to react before Specter struck. He Thrust his palm to his Roulin's Chest , Purple Shinshu appeared anddanced on Spencer's hand , BOOM ! The attack's shockwave reverberated through the entire station, tearing apart the very foundation of the battlefield.
The regulars and the defects watched in stunned silence.