'The Eternal Life Association... So that Era Relic was left by someone from the Eternal Life Association.'
'Could it be that they really lost that parchment scroll by accident?'
Ariana's expression turned grim. "Lisi," he said, clearly displeased, "he's still a rookie. This won't work. I suggest we pull out of here immediately."
"Denied!"
Lisi, her Two-Handed Axe held ready, remained vigilant, scanning her surroundings and listening intently for something.
"But—"
"I said, quiet!"
"..."
Ariana pressed his lips together. He was familiar with Lisi's way of doing things; she wouldn't abandon a mission unless faced with an unbeatable foe.
"According to the work regulations, I must obey your command. However, I suggest we wait for the City Guard to arrive before we make a move."
Lisi nodded slightly, accepting his suggestion.
"Alright, then. Leave this side to me."
Seeing her agree, Ariana said no more, his gaze turning back toward the path they came from.
Then, he undid the buttons of his coat, tossed it aside, and murmured in a low voice, "Simon, Vandome, Hain, Sludan..."
'Huh?'
By oath, great Guardian Spirit—heroic soul of the Holmes Clan, heeding the ancient bloodline inheritance, I beseech you...
Wei'en heard the familiar Gonzalez language and turned his head to look at him.
Following the deep, sonorous chant, Ariana's entire head began to swell as if being inflated.
The veins and muscles on his face squirmed rapidly, and even his short hair started to lengthen and dance.
In just a few seconds, countless tentacles appeared around his head, rhythmically expanding and contracting as if breathing the air.
But Ariana's transformation didn't stop there. A powerful roar erupted from his mouth: "Cerosda!"
The sound was like a war cry, like the unified shout of two armies facing off.
Immediately after, all the tentacles broke off from his body, floating eerily around him.
'...The fuck?'
Wei'en stared at him blankly, his face a mask of confusion.
'Is this really not some kind of monstrous transformation?'
'The words he chanted were all about guardians, heroic spirits, and bloodline inheritance...'
'So how did he turn into such a terrifying monster?'
"Lisi, I can't maintain this state for long. You'd better be quick."
Lisi nodded and said, "Tina, Spirit Vision."
With that, she moved directly beside the white-haired girl and planted the handle of her Two-Handed Axe into the ground. "Ku'erde."
'Shield Guard?'
Wei'en pulled his gaze away from Ariana and turned to look at Lisi and Tina beside him.
At that moment, Tina let go of the corner of Wei'en's shirt. She covered her eyes with both hands, her long white hair flying about as if in a wind. "Tina's Vista!"
Wei'en's vision blurred, and in an instant, the scene around him completely changed.
All the surrounding buildings vanished, replaced by a dead, dark silence. Only the spot where the four of them stood was illuminated.
'Huh?'
As the darkness spread, several dim silhouettes slowly materialized around them.
'This is...'
"You pieces of trash, how dare you show your faces in Caster again?"
Lisi's tone was even colder now, laced with a hint of hatred as she glared at the dark figures.
As her words fell, a lazy voice, slow in cadence with a distinct drawl, immediately followed. "Oh? Have we been found?"
'A woman?'
Wei'en edged closer to Lisi, his grip on his gun tightening as a thin sheen of sweat broke out on his forehead.
He was certain that the dark figures weren't inside any buildings, but in the open space very close to them.
'Invisibility?'
'Or some other ability?'
"What happened here, was it your doing?"
One of the dark figures tilted its head, seeming to scrutinize them. "Are you referring to those lovely servants who used to live here?"
"Servants? You've been proselytizing here?"
Lisi stared at the dark figure and gritted her teeth. "Aren't you worried the flames of Dawn will incinerate you all again?"
"Oh-ho-ho-ho..."
The dark figure covered its mouth with a delicate, mocking laugh. "The flames of Dawn? Just a boring little trick created by a bunch of pathetic worms. How could it possibly stand against the Eternal Flame?"
"Lisi, stop wasting your breath on her!"
Ariana moved closer. The tentacles floating around him had, at some point, opened one eye after another, looking at the various dark figures in groups of two and three.
Lisi knew his power wouldn't last long. She turned her head and instructed, "Wei'en, stay by Tina's side. If there's danger, open fire on these sons of bitches!"
"Right." Wei'en nodded grimly, moving closer to Tina and shielding her with his body.
'Even though he knew it was probably pointless, he wasn't just going to sit back and wait to die.'
'He was too weak right now...'
'Dammit, as soon as I get back, I'm finding a way to get stronger.'
"Oh? Are we fighting now, you well-endowed lady?" the dark figure said, still in that same unhurried tone.
Ariana roared, "There's nothing to say to trash from the Eternal Life Association like you!"
With that, he charged forward.
The tentacles around him shot out one after another, like hidden projectiles, creating a SWOOSHING sound as they cut through the air.
They instantly pierced the surrounding dark figures, which exploded into shattered silhouettes.
Lisi moved in near-perfect sync with him, sweeping her axe horizontally. "Asriel!" (Dharma Seal: Gale Blade!)
A blade of wind, even more violent than the one before, swept out from her axe.
Immediately after, she fearlessly strode forward, appearing in an instant beside the dark figure that had spoken and bringing her axe down in a two-handed chop.
"Aled!" (Dharma Seal: Shatter!)
The dark figure stood motionless, letting the axe blade pass through its body. "Oh? A Demon Hunter... are you?"
"A puppet?"
Lisi reacted instantly, flashing back to Wei'en's side. Frowning at the dark figure, she said, "You're... from the Eternal Life Association..."
"You recognize me?"
The dark figure's body, which had been split by the axe, slowly reformed. Still using that long, drawn-out tone, it said, "From the Eternal Life Association, Thousand-faced Kreya sends her regards."
"Dammit!"
Ariana cursed. The transformation on his head began to recede, and in a flash, he was back to his normal appearance. "I was wondering why these 'people' were so fragile..."
Lisi ignored him, her brow furrowed as she stared at the dark figure and asked, "What is it you people really want?"
"We just came to say hello. And to give you a little notice. Take good care of that Era Relic. We will be back to collect it..."
The voice slowly faded away, leaving only a long, lingering echo.
THUMP.
THUMP.
Accompanied by the sound of several objects hitting the ground, the dark figures collapsed one by one.
"What Era Relic?" Ariana looked at Lisi in confusion. "You didn't tell me about this?"
"According to the work regulations..."
Ariana threw up his hands, looking aggrieved. "Alright, alright, I know. I'm just here to assist you in investigating the missing persons case."
"As long as you know."
Lisi retracted her Two-Handed Axe. "Tina, deactivate Spirit Vision."
Tina nodded coolly, as if everything that had just happened had nothing to do with her. "Tina's Vista, deactivated."
The darkness began to dissipate, and the surrounding scene of ruin reappeared.
Only the two new gouges in the ground and the corpses scattered about made it clear that what had just happened was no illusion.
"Officer Lisi,"
Just then, Marco arrived, followed by a squad of more than ten armored City Guards.
"Are you all alright? It seems like something incredible just happened here..."
"What do you think?"
Lisi glanced at the surrounding corpses and said with a frown, "Marco, clean this place up. The mission continues."
Ariana grew anxious. "We're still continuing? But didn't she just say..."
'What did she say...'
As the environment returned to normal and the City Guard arrived, Wei'en breathed a sigh of relief.
'He didn't really care whether the mission continued or not.'
'Worst comes to worst... I'll just run!'
'Huh?'
It was only then that he noticed new notifications had appeared in his mind.
[You have stepped into the faith collection site of an unknown existence. Evaluation: Excuse me, was the coffin you dropped gold or silver? Reward: Survival Points +3.]
[Because your Spirit level is greater than 20, you have successfully resisted the corrosion of the Power of Despair! Special Reward: Spirit Level +1.]
[You have been scanned by the spiritual perception of Clelia Yuli Biondini. Reward: Survival Points +1.]
[You have survived combat with Clelia Yuli Biondini. Evaluation: How does it feel to use your divine skill, Gaze Assist, again? Reward: Survival Points +3.]
'I'm being mocked by the panel again...'
'What the hell is a "divine skill, Gaze Assist"?!'