"Huff, huff, huff..."
In a luxurious room, the frantic breathing of three people mingled, the air thick with a heavy, stifling scent. Borick rhythmically pushed against the two girls beneath him, performing a lewd "purification" ritual of his own design.
"Having sex with these brainless sheep is always the best! Soon, as soon as the High Priest disappears, everything will be mine!"
"Power, fame—it will all belong to me!"
He thrust faster and harder at the thought, eliciting continuous moans from the girls. But just as Borick reached his "peak," a subordinate burst in frantically, shattering his moment of ecstasy.
"What is it? Can't you see I'm performing a purification ritual?!"
Caught in the act, Borick felt no shame; instead, he was livid at the interruption. The subordinate quickly dropped to one knee, breathless.
"Lord Borick, the Four Rakshasa Demons engaged a mysterious intruder outside. Three have been defeated; only one managed to escape!"
"The intruder is attacking his way in here!"
Borick's blood ran cold, and his "cannon" went limp instantly. The Four Rakshasa Demons were elite; even Teigu users had fallen to them. How could four of them fail against one person, with three dying and one fleeing?
"No, no! I have to get out of here!"
Ignoring the two drugged girls on the bed, Borick scrambled to pull on his clothes. But just as he managed to get his pants on, the subordinate at the door was grabbed by a hand and slammed face-first into the wall, knocking him unconscious.
A figure clad in white armor stepped inside. Moving faster than the eye could follow, he appeared directly in front of Borick and hoisted him up by the throat with a reinforced arm.
Asahi glanced at the two naked, drugged girls on the bed and frowned. He turned his gaze to Borick.
"What is this?"
"It... it's... a purification... my lord..."
"Sounds poetic."
A spark of hope flickered in Borick's eyes. Perhaps this intruder was interested in such things? If so, he would gladly hand over every woman he had to save his own skin. Once the Prime Minister sent reinforcements, he would make this man pay a thousand times over!
Asahi's question was merely rhetorical. He didn't plan to end Borick immediately; he needed to expose the man's crimes first.
He tossed Borick onto the floor and pulled up a chair. Moments later, a group of people in white robes with red trim rushed in, led by a young white-haired man with his hands clasped in prayer.
"Please show mercy, stranger. We always..."
"Do good deeds, right? Then look around. Is this the 'good' you lot are doing?"
Asahi questioned calmly. The white-haired youth was the High Priest of The Path of Peace. Only now did he realize the room was anything but holy. The two drugged, naked girls on the bed and the foul smell in the air told a clear story. He saw Borick, his "trusted" advisor, disheveled and barely dressed, with damning evidence still visible on his undergarments. It was undeniable.
True to his reputation as the founder of a path based on goodness, the High Priest's voice trembled as he sought confirmation from the man he had trusted.
"Borick... why?"
"High Priest, let me explain—"
Asahi had zero interest in hearing twisted excuses. He hoisted Borick up by the collar a second time. A slight squeeze was enough to make the advisor struggle for air, his limbs flailing. The High Priest and the followers behind him didn't dare protest.
Borick was dropped back down, gasping for air. The near-death experience was terrifying for a man who lived only for luxury.
"If you still care about your cult, have your people tear this place apart and search it," Asahi directed the High Priest.
Though intimidated by Asahi's power, the High Priest felt a surge of gratitude for the exposure of Borick's treachery. He shuddered to think what would have happened to the faith if Borick had succeeded him.
"How... how may I address you?"
"Unnecessary. Now, Borick—spit out everything you've done. Every single thing."
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Capital...
In a small garden within the palace grounds, Esdeath sat quietly, gently stroking a flower. The white petals, tinged with a faint blue, swayed in the breeze. Behind her, Run stood at attention.
"Run, I will tell you this. According to the Prime Minister's research, these monsters were once human."
"Just as I suspected," Run replied. "Their physical structures bear too much resemblance to the human form."
"Turning humans into monsters... outside of a Teigu, there are few other possibilities."
"Does the General mean... Perfector?"
Run crossed his arms, thinking deeply for a moment before offering his deduction.
"Those monsters are likely the experimental products of Dr. Stylish. They appeared not long after he vanished."
"Do you have proof?"
"General, when Bols and I investigated the Doctor's lab, it was suspiciously clean. There should have been specimens, but it was empty. It's possible he maintained a separate, private lab we weren't aware of."
"The Doctor clearly harbored more secrets than we thought," Esdeath noted.
"If these monsters are just experiments, their numbers are finite. They will be wiped out sooner or later."
"No, Run. You're missing a point. Did they escape the lab on their own after his death, or did a third party intervene?"
Esdeath stood and turned around, her expression grave. Run's pupils contracted as he realized he had overlooked that possibility. A specific figure flashed through his mind—one who fit the "third party" criteria perfectly.
"General, could it be...?"
"No, not him. This doesn't fit his style of action. Moreover, he wouldn't let ordinary citizens get involved."
Run was the only one besides Esdeath who had deduced that the "unknown warrior" who fought her and Asahi were the same person.
"I understand, General. I will investigate further. Though, I rarely see you interested in flora."
"This specific flower," Esdeath said coldly, "when rubbed into a wound, causes pain to multiply several times over. It is perfect for slow torture."
While they spoke, other members of the Jaegers were still working to eliminate the beasts.
"Coro, Number 1!"
Coro grew in size, lunging forward to bite Seryu's arm, pulling out a massive spiked mace. She swung the weapon, smashing the roaring monsters that charged her. Coro then shifted into his beast form, tearing them to shreds.
Seryu landed, wiping sweat from her brow. The sheer number of monsters was exhausting, even for her.
She didn't realize she was being watched from a nearby tree. The observer wore a hooded cloak that concealed everything except a glimpse of his teeth.
"So those are the famous Jaegers. Truly strong. In that case, I'll let you play with these toys a little longer."
He vanished into the shadows. Seryu suddenly snapped her head toward the tree where he had stood, her brow furrowing in suspicion.