30 minutes before sunrise.
Amira launched herself with unwavering determination, her spear aimed directly at Larka's chest, where she hoped to strike his core. The relentless battle had left her drained, but the thought of failure was not an option.
"Do you think I'll let you kill me so easily?" Larka roared, sidestepping her spear with incredible speed. He countered with a powerful punch, but before it could land, Leon, moving with the agility of the wind, intercepted the blow. The force of the impact sent a shockwave rippling through the cave, but Leon held firm, giving Amira the opening she needed. She thrust her spear forward, landing a precise strike that sent Larka crashing into the cave wall.
Blood trickled down Larka's forehead as he staggered to his feet. His piercing eyes studied the two humans standing before him, their breathing heavy yet their resolve unshaken. A troubling thought crossed his mind: Are these humans truly below Rank 4? How are they keeping up with me?
"I thought you creatures would be weak. It seems I've underestimated you," he sneered, masking his growing frustration.
Amira's grip on her spear tightened, her voice steady as she replied, "We've faced worse—far worse than you. Your strength doesn't scare us." Her mind flashed back to the terrifying encounter with Camellia, the Primordial Demon of Blood.
Larka's lips twisted into a snarl. "Is that so? But unlike that demon, I will be the one to end your insignificant lives!" He charged toward them, his body wrapped in a protective barrier of writhing vines that shielded his vulnerable core.
"How long do you plan to toy with that weak demon?" A casual, almost bored voice echoed through the cave, halting everyone in their tracks.
Amira's eyes widened in disbelief. "Uncle? You're conscious?" She turned toward the source of the voice and saw her uncle, Rona, stretching and yawning casually against the cave wall, his wounds seemingly healed.
"Conscious?" Rona repeated with a grin. "I wasn't unconscious."
Leon's face twisted with fury. "You bastard! You had me carry you while you pretended to be unconscious?!"
"Oh, it's the Nortel kid. What's up, kid?" Rona replied, waving nonchalantly at Leon.
"Did you just now realize I'm here? I CARRIED you, you bastard!" Leon shouted, his voice a mix of rage and exhaustion.
Ignoring Leon's outburst, Rona fixed his gaze on Larka, his expression darkening as he noticed the bruises on Amira. "Did you… hit my niece?" His voice dripped with quiet fury, his playful demeanor evaporating.
"How dare you—" Larka began, but his words were cut off as Rona appeared before him in an instant. Rona's hand closed around Larka's throat with bone-crushing force, lifting him off the ground.
"You can hit me all you want," Rona growled, his voice like steel. "It doesn't matter. But the moment you lay a hand on my family… your only option is to die."
Before Larka could react, Rona's free hand plunged into his chest, shattering the protective barrier of vines as if it were paper. His hand closed around Larka's core, and with a sickening crunch, he crushed it into dust. Larka's body went limp, the light fading from his eyes as Rona tossed him aside like discarded trash.
Leon and Amira stood in stunned silence, their weapons lowered as they processed what had just happened. They had known Rona to be resourceful and clever, but they had no idea he was this powerful.
Rona turned back to them, his expression softening into a warm smile. "Now then! Amira, you've grown," he said, opening his arms wide.
"Uncle!" Amira cried, running into his embrace.
Rona held her tightly before pulling back to inspect her. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school?" he asked.
Amira sighed. "Uncle, I graduated last month. I sent you an invitation several months ago, but you didn't respond."
"Ah, really? I wonder if the servants misplaced it at the estate," he said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
"You probably did, not the servants," Amira quipped, rolling her eyes.
Rona chuckled before glancing around. "By the way, where's the other Nortel kid?"
Amira's face grew serious. "He's at the Oak Tree," she replied.
Rona's playful demeanor vanished instantly. "The Oak Tree? Don't tell me you let him go up there alone! That kid doesn't stand a chance against that demon!"
"He chose to," Leon interjected. "Asuma has something he needs to figure out. Something only that demon can answer."
Rona's brow furrowed in concern. "What would he need to find out from a demon?"
Amira hesitated, her mind racing. She couldn't bring herself to reveal Asuma's suspicions about being connected to demons—about being the so-called Prince of Mercy. How would her uncle react? Would he see Asuma differently? She decided to remain silent.
Rona noticed her hesitation but chose not to press further. If it was something important, Asuma would have to tell him himself.
"The kid's strong, I'll give him that, but he's not ready to face something like that alone," Rona said, his tone resolute. "Let's head back to the Oak Tree."
"Okay," Amira replied, exchanging a worried glance with Leon.
"Wait, Amira, aren't we forgetting something?" Leon asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty. His brow furrowed as he tried to piece together what was nagging at him. He was sure they had another task, but the details eluded him.
Amira stopped, her spear resting lightly on her shoulder, and shot Leon a quizzical look. She paused for a moment, thinking before her eyes widened in realization.
"The Duke!" they both shouted simultaneously, their voices echoing through the dark cavern.
"The Duke?" Rona questioned, his tone curious but skeptical. "Are you kids referring to Duke Vauh?"
"Yeah! Did you see him?" Amira asked urgently, stepping closer to her uncle.
"What are you talking about?" Rona replied, shaking his head. "Duke Vauh was never here."
Amira froze, her mind racing. "Wait, what? Grav—the knight we met in Nale—told us that the Duke was traveling with you when the attack began," she insisted.
"Grav? I wasn't traveling with any Duke," Rona said firmly, crossing his arms. "I came here alone to investigate the underground tunnel system. Nobody even knew I was in Bagon."
Amira and Leon exchanged wide-eyed glances, the realization hitting them like a bolt of lightning.
"That means…" Leon began, his voice trailing off.
"…that Grav wasn't a knight," Amira finished, her tone thick with dread. "He probably lured us here on purpose, but why?"
Before they could process the implications, the ground beneath their feet trembled violently. Dust and loose rocks began to fall from the cavern ceiling as an ominous rumble reverberated through the space. The sound of clashing echoed faintly above them, growing louder with every passing moment.
"Did the guild attack already?" Leon asked, trying to steady himself as the tremors intensified.
Amira shook her head. "I don't think it's sunrise yet," she replied, her voice edged with concern.
Rona's gaze sharpened as he stared upward, his senses honing in on the disturbance. "That's not the guild," he said darkly. "There are two powerful auras clashing above us—both demonic."
Leon and Amira stiffened at his words. If two demons were fighting, it could mean Asuma was involved. Without hesitation, Rona turned toward the tunnel entrance.
"Let's move. We need to get to the Oak Tree—now," he commanded, taking the lead as they raced back through the winding tunnels.
When they reached the chamber where the abyss gate had been, they found it eerily silent. The gate that had once glowed with an ominous red energy was now closed, its swirling vortex of chaos gone. Rona's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the scene.
"It's closed," he muttered. "That only happens if the demon who created it closed it themselves—or if they were killed."
Leon frowned. "You think one of the demons was defeated?"
"I'm not sure," Rona replied, his voice tinged with unease. "But I can still feel two strong presences clashing outside. One of them is similar to Manola's, but the other…I don't recognize it."
"The steps are still here," Leon pointed out, gesturing toward the spiral staircase leading up to the base of the Oak Tree.
As they prepared to ascend, Amira lingered for a moment, her gaze sweeping over the chamber. Her eyes fell on the withered remains of the magic users who had been trapped there, their bodies consumed by vines and grotesque flowers that bloomed from their lifeless forms. Her heart sank, and she lowered her spear.
Amira closed her eyes, muttering a quiet prayer for the fallen. "May your souls find peace beyond this horror," she whispered, the weight of their deaths pressing heavily on her shoulders.
"Amira, we need to go," Leon said gently, his voice pulling her from her thoughts.
She nodded, gripping her spear tighter. "Let's finish this," she said resolutely. Together, they ascended the spiral steps, bracing themselves for whatever awaited them at the surface.
As they climbed, the tremors grew stronger, accompanied by the unmistakable sound of destruction—explosions, shattering stones, and the furious howls of demons. The air grew thicker, tinged with the metallic tang of blood and the acrid scent of burning wood.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," Leon muttered under his breath, his knuckles white as he gripped his bow.
"So do I," Amira admitted. "But we have to find Asuma."
Rona, leading the way, remained silent, his jaw tight and his eyes steely. Despite his confident demeanor, even he couldn't shake the unease crawling up his spine. Whatever was happening above them, it wasn't something he had ever encountered before.
As they reached the base of the colossal oak tree, the ground beneath their feet trembled violently. Without warning, massive vines erupted from the earth, their thorny tendrils twisting and tearing through the base of the tree. The very ground seemed alive, writhing with chaos as the oak began to collapse with a deafening roar.
"Amira!" Leon shouted, lunging toward her as the ground splintered beneath them. He grabbed her hand just as she began to lose her footing, pulling her to safety.
"Kid, get close to me!" Rona bellowed, slamming his palm to the ground. A shimmering barrier of glowing golden energy expanded outward, encasing him, Leon, and Amira in its protective dome. The barrier pulsed and shimmered, holding fast against the relentless assault of vines tearing through the tree and the surrounding city.
"This is insane!" Leon shouted, his voice barely audible over the cacophony of destruction. He glanced around wildly, watching as buildings crumbled and the oak tree groaned, its enormous trunk beginning to tilt.
Rona stood at the center of the chaos, his face grim and unwavering as he concentrated on maintaining the barrier. Every strike of the vines sent shockwaves through his shield, but he held firm. "Stay close to me! Don't break formation!"
When the assault finally subsided, the vines withdrew as suddenly as they had appeared, leaving a jagged ruin in their wake. The oak tree, once a towering symbol of power and dread, now lay toppled, its massive trunk split and smoldering. The ground was littered with debris, broken branches, and remnants of the city's structures.
Rona released his barrier, letting it dissolve into faint particles of light. He stood at the ready, scanning the area for any remaining threats. His sharp gaze fell on a figure near the splintered base of the tree—a woman with a demonic aura, her appearance strikingly similar to Manola.
She loomed over Asuma, who lay on the ground battered and unmoving. The woman's presence was suffocating, her aura thick with malice. She spoke a few words, her tone low and mocking, though the distance made it impossible to hear. Then, with a wave of her hand, she summoned an abyss gate that opened behind her. Her form dissolved into the swirling darkness, leaving the ruined city in silence.
Asuma stirred moments later, the rising sun casting its light over the wreckage. Slowly, he pushed himself to his feet, his movements shaky but deliberate. The chaos around him seemed to fade into the background as he stood amidst the destruction, his form illuminated by the dawn.
"Asuma!" Amira cried out, sprinting toward him. Leon was close behind, relief evident on both their faces as they reached him and wrapped him in a tight embrace.
"Bastard, you had us worried sick!" Leon exclaimed, his tone equal parts anger and relief. His hand clapped against Asuma's shoulder in a brotherly show of affection.
Amira pulled back just enough to look at Asuma's face, her expression soft with concern. "You're okay… I thought we lost you."
Asuma managed a weak smile, his eyes flickering with exhaustion. "I'm fine," he said, his voice hoarse. "It's over now."
But standing a few paces away, Rona didn't move to join them. His sharp eyes were fixed on Asuma, his face unreadable, though his clenched fists betrayed his unease. To him, what stood before Amira and Leon was no longer entirely human.
A dark, sinister aura clung to Asuma, wrapping around him like a shadow. It was suffocating, unnerving, and wholly unnatural. A chill ran down Rona's spine as he watched, his instincts screaming at him that this presence wasn't simply exhaustion or lingering magic.
He muttered under his breath, his voice barely above a whisper. "What the hell is that?"
Asuma turned to meet Rona's gaze, sensing his unease. For a moment, their eyes locked—one filled with quiet exhaustion, the other with suspicion and doubt. Neither spoke, but the air between them was heavy with unspoken questions.
Leon and Amira, unaware of Rona's thoughts, continued to check on Asuma, oblivious to the storm brewing beneath the surface.
Rona's thoughts raced. The boy in front of him was different, radiating an intensity that could not be ignored.