Chrono's sinister schemes could have been more far-reaching than expected. But Raiden and Noelle were driven by more pressing desires that dominated their thoughts—nothing else mattered.
Raiden sensed Deathsight's presence completely and would fulfill his vow to kill him. Noelle shared the same single-minded focus—the FIRMO was within reach, and finally, she could rescue her mother.
Despite the dense shadows cast by the moon, Raiden's gaze swept the distance with crystal-clear vision, hunting for them.
The instant he found them, excitement coursed through his body. There, in the center of the death field, stood six figures with Deathsight at their head, glancing around in search of him.
Those eyes… brown, cold, yet strangely gentle eyes that Ling the Deathsight had no right to possess. He stared straight at him, each passing moment stoking his fury. He would rip them from their sockets, and it didn't matter if he was number five. He would still do it if he was zero.
"There… there they are." He pointed in their direction, and the others instantly fell in behind him as he launched into a charge.
Soon enough, they saw Raiden and his group closing in. Chrono wasn't with them, but Odard was, restraining a black-clad man who radiated a blue aura. Raiden paid no attention to such details; his gaze was fixed entirely on Ling.
But when they came within range, Levi suddenly stopped dead, making the others pause in bewilderment. All except Raiden.
"What?!" Levi exclaimed, eyes wide with bewilderment, pointing at the red-haired man in glasses and a black cloak.
"That's him, Vance… Freya's mentor."
Raiden paid no attention to his words, continuing his charge toward Deathsight. Soon enough, Ling mirrored his expression with a knowing smile and rushed forward to meet him, white hair streaming through the crimson-thick atmosphere.
Each step forward sent thrills coursing through Raiden's veins. He would finish this with one decisive blow. Mana flowed into his fists as he focused his power. From Deathsight's ominous blue aura, Raiden could tell his enemy had the same plan.
But when they were mere meters apart, Raiden's eyes went wide with shock. His instincts flared, bloodlust evaporating instantly as he skidded to a stop and jumped back. Ling mirrored his retreat.
Instantly, a colossal gazebo erupted from the ground, drawing the skulls from the blood-soaked battlefield toward itself and compelling them to move faster as the structure spanned most of the gap between Raiden and Ling.
Raiden gulped in confusion. "What was that?" He muttered and took a better look. Chapters first released on novelFirｅ.net
Inside the gazebo sat a horned creature, swaying gently in its chair as it wore flowing white robes. Though it seemed around fifteen years old, its features were more goat-like than human.
"That's Luci. I'm certain," Noelle muttered from behind as they approached.
Raiden's mind cleared instantly, his rage dissolving at the unexpected sight. Luci was the domain's ruler, but his emergence from the ground caught him completely off guard. Even worse, Raiden couldn't feel his presence at all.
"…Vance is here, Raiden," Levi said, his eyes still fixated on the red-haired man. "Odard gave him the pages."
Levi let his head fall, the gesture catching Raiden's eye and making him turn toward his companion.
Levi clenched his fist in irritation. "Freya only wanted one thing—to kill that bastard. She said he was alive and that if she didn't stop him, the world would end. But I didn't believe her… I never believed her." His voice cracked on each word as though he was fighting the urge to cry.
Raiden shifted his gaze to the FIRMO, taking them in. Freya had been unique, hotheaded and battle-hungry, yes, but she'd given her life so they could survive. If her mentor was really that twisted, then after dealing with Deathsight, Raiden would kill him too. Slowly.
Yet as Raiden studied the six distant figures, something caught his eye that froze him to the bone. Those unmistakable gray eyes, the black cloth over his mouth; he could never forget them.
"Noelle… I think Stanley's here."
Noelle's eyes traced Raiden's line of sight, searching for what had caught his attention, but MK spotted it first.
"My lady… I see him. He's with your mother… the Walking Myth." MK's words hurried out of his mouth.
At that moment, Noelle seemed to snap. She grabbed her head and released a tortured scream. MK attempted to comfort her, but she struck his hand aside.
"You mean to say… Stanley is the damn Walking Myth?!" She yelled out.
Raiden observed her breakdown with complete comprehension. They had traveled with Stanley for an entire week on the Drake's Shell survival route. They had actually helped Stanley learn desert survival techniques during their escape. And he was working against them the whole time?
But then a startling realization hit Raiden, causing his head to whip around toward Stanley. A soft breeze stirred as his mind worked.
Stanley had always shown a white aura, marking him as a simple supporter, yet this figure—despite looking exactly like Stanley—emanated a gray aura that Raiden could clearly see through the shadows.
"No… it can't be Stanley. This one bears a Chaotic Crest."
Noelle's gaze jerked back to them, and while it didn't completely calm her fury, Raiden watched as a burden seemed to lift from her when she understood his revelation.
"I want to kill Vance… you, Odard, everyone." Levi muttered, his gaze fixated on the floor.
But before anyone could confront his threatening presence, a sharp clap rang out across the battlefield, compelling everyone to look toward the sound. It was Luci, standing tall with his palms pressed together.
Suddenly, a powerful gust swept through, its force compelling everyone to cover their eyes. When the tempest finally subsided, an eerie quiet settled over the battlefield as Raiden's gaze searched frantically.
Everyone from behind had vanished. His head snapped left to find Luci back in his seat, one leg crossed over the other as he regarded him directly. But Deathsight's menacing aura weighed on him, forcing him to pivot toward the threat.
There before him was Ling, apparently as disoriented as Raiden himself. Yet the instant Raiden laid eyes on him, he had no time for rational thought.
His dragon hatred and pride as the brother of Jobe ran deep. Without conscious thought, he found himself charging toward Deathsight once more.
"I will kill you…" he muttered through his twisted smile.