15th of Carnsmoon – Ice Faction Base:
Clack.
In the early morning before the artificial sun rose on the second stratum, Sarissa walked through the halls to the head office to begin the daily paperwork.
Creak.
She turned the handle and paused at the chief's office door.
Scrib. Scratch.
Just like the past few days, Elfaria sat at the desk signing off on a mountain of parchment.
But this time the sight made Sarissa worry.
Creak.
Closing the door behind her, she approached the desk.
Elfaria didn't lift her head.
Sarissa whispered, "You're a clone?"
Elfaria's hand didn't pause as she nodded.
Sarissa clenched her fist, hissing slowly.
"You're venturing to the death floors, you need to save as much mana as possible…!"
Elfaria's Ars Weiss sighed and set down her quill before looking up.
She responded quietly.
"It's just one clone. I can manage."
"But—"
"It'll also do well as a smokescreen." Elfaria's clone cut her off.
She brought a finger to her lips. "Very few people know I've left the tower, let's try to keep it that way, alright?"
Elfaria had left in the dead of night for a reason.
Sarissa blanked, then hung her head.
"Is it to protect our faction's pride?"
As long as they never learned their leader went to the Dungeon, they would never blame themselves for being powerless to follow.
Elfaria's clone sighed. "Yes, but there are several other reasons."
She hoped only to deceive Gohtia, or whoever was targeting her, long enough to reach a dungeon depth where she couldn't be tracked.
Moreover, keeping a set of eyes in the tower would also serve as a line of communication between body and clone should misfortune strike either.
Sarissa was smart—she didn't need Elfaria to spell it out.
The adjutant fixed her square glasses and reached for the papers. "I understand. Still, this could be overly taxing on your mind. I should handle this—"
Fwip!
Elfaria's clone pulled the sheet back and shook her head.
"No. I can take care of mere paperwork."
Sarissa blinked.
Elfaria's gaze softened. "I think there's something else you should be doing."
Sarissa froze, then straightened and bowed.
"I understand, Lady Elfaria. I'll get to it at once."
The clone nodded and returned to her paperwork.
Sarissa spun and marched out, closing the door quietly behind her.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
On the large field behind the Ice Faction manor, all personnel currently stationed in the tower assembled on the pitch.
They exchanged puzzled glances, unsure why their adjutant had ordered them out at 7:00 a.m. sharp.
Mimily whispered to Lunias and Jhorua.
"Even the seniors look confused. Do either of you know what's happening?"
Both boys shrugged.
Clack.
All heads snapped toward Sarissa as she stepped onto the field.
"Fall in line," she ordered, eyes sweeping over them.
Fwip. Thump.
Not needing to be told twice, the thirty-five Ice Mages quickly formed five neat rows of seven.
Sarissa observed them in silence, gaze sharp.
Many had to resist the urge to twitch under that piercing glare.
Only once she seemed satisfied did she withdraw her wand from her sleeve.
"Today marks the start of daily group training for our faction. Every day at this time we will gather and hone our magic."
The group collectively blanked.
Sarissa continued without inflection.
"I'm sure some of you are confused. Ice Faction policy has long been to grill the recruits until they were mission-ready… and then largely leave you to your own devices."
She glanced pointedly at the newest additions.
"Due to obvious unforeseen circumstances within our faction, I lacked the time to begin your proper training. I apologize and will rectify that now."
Mimily, Lunias, and Jhorua gulped but nodded.
"Y-yes, Ma'am!"
Sarissa turned to the veterans.
"The change is this—from now on, you will all be joining them. Training will restart from scratch. The Ice Faction was one of the few lacking group drills, and that complacency fostered a lax atmosphere. We are no longer a major faction… so that will no longer be tolerated by either Lady Elfaria or myself. Any objections?"
Veterans trembled in cold sweat.
"N-no, Ma'am!"
"W-we'll be here! We swear!"
Sarissa nodded. "Good."
She pointed her wand forward.
An icy-blue array bloomed at the tip.
Vroom.
"With all that said, we are not the Thunder Faction. We'll do things our way. Now then—come at me."
Before anyone could blink, their vision was swallowed by a miniature avalanche.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Fourth Stratum – Thunder Faction:
As the first break in morning drills began, Will and Lihanna sipped their water and stared down the track.
At the far end, sitting apart from the others on a lonely bench, were two loners.
The only other newbies in their faction.
Both boys were hunched over, receiving a vicious tongue-lashing from Guilford.
"Ptew!"
The Thunder Faction adjutant spat in their faces, then stormed off fuming, leaving Will cringing as the boys slumped further.
"..."
Will and Lihanna exchanged a quiet look, noticing the hostile whispers and side-eyes their former classmates were getting from the veterans.
As the seniors returned to their stretches and gossip, Lihanna exhaled sharply and walked across the field.
Scratching his cheek, Will followed after her.
They stopped in front of the two boys.
Eyes dull and fixed on the track, neither seemed to notice them at first.
Both were plain-looking.
Black hair and blonde, hazel-eyed, just like most thunder mages.
They were Will's height but completely lacked his build.
Scrawny, like the average caster.
Lihanna broke the silence with a whisper.
"Brann? Niall?"
The boys stiffened and looked up at once.
Niall, the blonde, forced a smile. "Y-yes, Lihanna?"
Brann followed. "I-is something wrong?"
Will cleared his throat. "T-that's what we wanted to ask you two. Are you guys okay?"
Niall clenched his jaw. "O-of course—"
"Why bother pretending." Brann cut him off with a snort.
Niall sighed and dipped his head as Brann offered a self-deprecating smile.
"There's not much to say. Once again we weren't up to Thunder Faction standards… so Sir Zurgas made sure we got that through our thick skulls."
Lihanna chewed her lip. "But you finished your laps without collapsing—"
"So after nearly two weeks we finally hit the bare minimum?" Brann scoffed. "Yeah. Real achievement there."
Niall let out a long breath.
"At the end of the day we still rounded up the rear… and probably always will."
Brann wiped at his forehead. "Maybe we should just leave. Spare ourselves the humiliation and the seniors the trouble of having to slow down."
Niall nodded stiffly. "We just drag everyone else down. You'd both be better off without us."
He let out a hollow laugh. "The academy's probably hiring anyway, after losing so many faculty during the Praxis and Terminalia. Might as well take advantage of that."
Brann elbowed him with a resigned grimace. "Yeah. With Professor Serfence gone, the academy might actually not be so bad."
Will blinked.
Huh? What happened to Edward-sensei?
Lihanna cleared her throat, unsure how to respond. "S-so you're just going to give up? Don't you have dreams—"
"Dreams? Normies like us?" Brann barked a laugh. "Please. We're not special. We've never been delusional enough to picture ourselves standing at the top."
Niall chuckled hollowly. "Guess I'll disappoint my parents, but what can I do? We're not highborn… nothing distinguished about the Varga or Brontës lines."
He glanced from Lihanna to Will.
"No illustrious lineage. No crazy secret power. We barely scraped together the credits to join the tower."
Brann nodded bitterly. "And it just had to be Thunder, the faction full of monsters competing like there's no tomorrow. Honestly, this place is where hope comes to die. I need money to give my family a better life—not this stress—so I think I'll call it quits."
Lihanna lifted a finger hesitantly. "I-I mean… if you use your lightning in bursts instead of—"
"You think we don't know that?!" Brann snapped, making her flinch.
He immediately ducked his head. "Sorry… it's just—we heard Ms. Theralde's advice to you. We tried that. We've been doing it too…"
Niall clenched his jaw. "But even then it's not enough. We don't have the mana to last a hundred laps, even with output cut to practically zero… We're just not like you two."
Will was a swordsman.
Lihanna came from a knightly lineage.
Physical strain was familiar territory.
But Brann and Niall were typical mages—raised to cast flashy spells from wands, not sprint until they puked.
Even if they trained their bodies and somehow became ripped, that future looked bleak… and frankly too troublesome for either of them.
With no lofty ambition, why break themselves for marginal wage and glory barely better than what the major cities already offered?
Will clenched his fist.
There it was again.
That habit of comparing.
They compared themselves to him… to Lihanna… not knowing they too felt inferior to others, and that even their idols likely looked up to someone else with envy.
A never-ending chain.
Those classmates who couldn't reach the tower probably envied Brann and Niall.
Those who never graduated envied even harder.
But neither Will nor Lihanna could bring themselves to chastise the pair.
Because they were different.
Lihanna—Miss Perfect, scion of House Owenzaus.
Will—the coveted Sword, owner of the mysterious Fifth Source.
She was being trained personally by Thorzeus' true number two.
He was the man's sparring partner.
Meanwhile Brann and Niall had known nothing but torment and emotional abuse since setting foot here.
How could either claim the moral right to "encourage" them?
Paradise rewards only those who stand out.
To climb, another must fall.
There are only so many seats at the top.
Most thrones rest atop the forgotten.
Will exhaled and stepped away. "To each their own… but I hope you won't quit just yet."
Lihanna followed him back toward the drills. "We still have a mission to complete. Try to see it through till then."
Brann and Niall watched their backs with hollow eyes.
When the break ended and laps resumed, Guilford once again urged them to hit the showers and never return.
This time… they listened.
They returned to the Colorless Garden.
Brann Brontës and Niall Varga became the first dropouts of the Generation of Disquiet.
Members remaining: 49/51.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Dungeon – 37th Floor:
"..."
Elfaria surveyed the scene in grim confusion.
Corpses of deep-dungeon monsters—including the notorious beasts and even the floor's boss—lay torn apart across the pulsing and writhing surface.
Charred flesh crackled.
Burn marks and the stench of melted meat made her nose twitch.
"What happened here… who could do this?"
This was the deepest she'd ever come alone.
Through careful use of Ars Weiss, concealment magic, and a myriad of smokescreens she had slipped back to the 37th unchallenged.
Her plan had been simple.
Defeat the Floor Boss once more as a warmup.
Gauge her condition.
Then descend to the 38th floor.
Dungeon protocol didn't require defeating every guardian to advance unlike the tower… but doing so was a reliable self assessment. A last chance to turn back if unprepared.
She intended to use every opportunity to grow.
Instead, she met this carnage.
"Did a deep-level monster Floor Up…? But there are no signs…"
She crouched, tracing her fingers over faint prints scorched into stone.
"These tracks… they're human?"
Five flame mages in the tower came to mind who might be able to manage something like this.
Cariott. Leopold. Logwell. Lefiya. Ceridwen.
But none of them had such barbaric battle habits… and besides, all five were still in the tower.
More unsettling were the precise cuts in some of the corpses.
As though someone had harvested parts with surgical care.
Elfaria gagged. "Did Mr. Mystery… eat dungeon meat?!"
No one sane would! Not unless it's properly treated!
Deep-dungeon creatures carried miasma-rich flesh and bizarre organs.
Eating them raw was suicide.
She lifted her Ice Maiden's Staff and drew out tingling black dots of miasma.
"Whoever did this didn't even bother to gather the traces… Are they truly human?"
Sighing, she stepped toward the cliff edge.
With the miasma absorbed, it would be a while before the dungeon respawned a new wave.
No time to waste.
She would proceed.
Fwoom.
Levitation magic carried her into the abyss below.
Her true trial started now.
Unnoticed by Elfaria, a faint blue glimmer slipped after her through the darkness.
Search magic was a big no-no here, after all.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
16th of Carnsmoon — Slumland Street, Hen and the Beanstalk Tavern:
Nightlife roared once more in Regarden.
Even at midnight, Gina's tavern bustled like a raging pit—yet among the regulars sat a rare sight: Team Lihanna.
…Or perhaps it was more accurate to call them Team Colette now.
The earth princess raised her mug with a sunny smile.
"So, it's been a full week since we got our orders! How's everyone holding up?"
"Dead."
Wignall, Lihanna, and Will answered in perfect unison.
The elf looked haunted, as though he'd witnessed something unspeakable.
The other two were simply… exhausted.
Their legs trembled from being run ragged by Thorzeus Fasce's top three.
Sion said nothing—but if the tremor in his frame was any hint, he hadn't fared better… unless he was just enjoying everyone else's misery, which was very on-brand.
Colette sat down with a wry smile, wrapping both hands around her frothing mug.
"I guess every faction is brutal in its own way, huh?"
Will buried his face in his folded arms and whispered weakly.
"H-How about you, Colette…?"
"The body's fine." She forced a smile. "Emotionally… that's another topic."
Will and Lihanna shared a wary glance.
Wignall, meanwhile, pinched his nose.
"Why this filthy den for our meeting? You know we elves are not on friendly terms with these—Fwaam!"
A napkin whizzed past his face and smacked a wooden beam.
Gina grinned razor-sharp from across the tavern.
"If ya got a problem with my joint, no one's stoppin' ya from leavin'—just pay up first, twig-ears!"
"Nngh…!"
Wignall bolted upright.
Clunk!
The entire table shook.
Colette frantically waved her hands, stepping between them.
"W-Wignall, stop! We needed a place hidden from the senior mages in our factions!"
"Grr…" He clenched the edge of the table. "If not for Will, I'd never set foot in this vile—"
Sion rolled his eyes.
"Which is precisely why we chose it. No prideful High Mage or elf would be caught dead in this dump. Honestly, is your brain just as illusionary as your magic?"
Wignall's face darkened with thunderclouds.
Will winced.
"S-Sion… could you maybe say that nicer?"
"Hmph."
The Ulster heir downed his drink in a single long pull.
It wasn't bad… exactly.
Just leagues below his noble standards.
Still—he swallowed it without complaint.
"Hmph." Wignall scoffed and sat again.
He didn't drink.
He didn't rise to Sion's provocation.
But at least… he behaved.
Colette let out a sigh of relief before tilting her head.
"Little Selia didn't come with you?"
Wignall's voice was indifferent.
"Lady Selia is not at liberty to come and go from the tower—or Elleaf Cannan—as she pleases."
Too many eyes watched her.
Colette blinked. "Lady Selia?"
He didn't elaborate.
Simply straightened in his seat.
"And even if she could, I wouldn't permit her to dirty herself in a place like this."
Gina flashed him a murderous smile from across the bar.
Wignall didn't look her way.
She disappeared into the kitchen.
He nodded toward Colette.
"And you? Where's your friend?"
Colette froze for a second, then forced a smile.
"O-oh—Rose and I thought it'd be suspicious if we both vanished. While I'm out, she's… distracting her grandfather, the other elders, and that pervert."
The table collectively pitied her.
Colette mimed wiping a tear, raising an imaginary mug.
"Rose… your sacrifice will be remembered."
Lihanna groaned. "Alright—let's stop wasting time. The longer we're gone, the more likely someone catches on."
She looked around the table.
"Let's share what we've learned. Eccentrics aside, the Thunder Faction seems relatively clean. Honestly hard to imagine mages that loud thriving in secrecy."
Will nodded.
"Maybe Mr. Nanaru could, but he's more introvert than anything."
Colette folded her arms.
"For the Earth Faction… nothing in their records stood out."
Will blinked, impressed.
"You already accessed their archives?"
Dry laugh.
"Rose is the granddaughter of the official chief… and I'm… something to them. Comes with certain perks."
Will's concern deepened.
Colette waved it off.
"Point being—we found nothing. Rose was hoping to uncover something incriminating about Mr. Steinfels… so she's very upset."
The table sweatdropped.
Sion cleared his throat.
"I've left spying to Lyril and Gordon. Sadist Carriott's already killing me. Sir Logwell and Mr. Vermillion won't give me a day off either. Espionage is a luxury."
Will stiffened.
Vermillion?
Orange hair.
Second Bloom.
Standing beside Incindia Barham.
His mind flickered—overlaying that calm, polite man with a monster he'd once seen.
Will shivered.
Just a coincidence, he told himself.
Maybe a distant relation.
Nothing more.
"..."
Wignall glanced at him but said nothing.
The elf sighed smugly.
"As I've said—elves would never stoop so low as treason."
Team Colette barely resisted the urge to roll their eyes.
Lihanna glanced around the table.
"Julius is late… not that the Water Faction is our biggest concern right now, but still… odd."
"Mreow!"
Kiki agreed loudly.
Lihanna scratched her chin. "The Upper Institute and Light Faction are one problem… but what about Dark and Wind? What's our plan for them?"
Colette grinned smugly.
"I already invited a few representatives! They should be—"
Bang!
The tavern door slammed open.
A pale-skinned girl in dark green garb with forest-green hair stepped in beside a brown-haired boy with monkey-like ears and a sweeping black robe.
Emma Clever waved cheerfully.
"Sorry we're late!"
Will flinched.
Mike Maius followed her in with a laugh.
"Trying not to be seen was tough, I'll tell ya!"
Sion raised a brow.
"Oh? Mike and Emma…"
Mike plopped down next to Will with zero hesitation.
"Don't look at me like that. I didn't ask to be invited to this fancy elite meeting."
He waved toward the bar.
"Oi, I'll take an ale!"
Gina's voice rang out: "ON THE WAY!"
Emma sat beside Mike, facing Will.
"After all the talking we did after the Festival and Bloom… funny that this is the setting we finally gather, isn't it?"
Will rubbed the back of his neck.
"Haha… yeah… sorry about that."
Emma smiled gently.
"Maybe we can start over? As friends this time?"
Mike thunked his mug down.
"Oooh, me too! I'm in! I didn't bully you like Sion and the rest, so I'm good, right?"
"Hmph." Sion scoffed behind his glass.
Emma and Mike leaned forward with raised mugs.
"We know we're late in saying it, but… thank you for fighting for all of us during the Terminalia, Will."
Will's eyes widened.
His cheeks flushed pink.
He lifted his mug, smiling brightly.
"Of course. Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Clank.
Colette dabbed at the corner of her eye with invisible lace.
"Oh, Will… you've come so far. More friends already… I could cry."
Colette stood again, hands planted firmly on her hips.
"Alright then—Mike, Emma. How are things inside your factions?"
Mike let out a long suffering sigh.
"I've said it before and I'll say it again. Even if they aren't traitors, every last one of them is guilty of something. We should just lock them up now while we've got the chance."
Colette sweatdropped.
"Uh-huh… thanks for the paranoia. Emma?"
Emma tapped a thoughtful finger to her chin.
"Hmm… aside from the lingering suspicions around Great Mage Yuno, Sir Sylor, and Sir Terzo… there's nothing specific I can really point to."
Will adjusted his glasses, narrowing his eyes.
"Didn't you mention something during orientation… about Ms. Orphan and Mr. Olus?"
Colette perked up. "Right! What happened with that?"
Emma flushed slightly and chuckled weakly, scratching her cheek.
"Eheh… I-I think I was just overthinking back then."
"Overthinking?"
Emma nodded.
"Y-yeah. Sir Arvin and Lady Monica argue so much I thought something sketchy was going on… now it just feels like, uh… lovers' quarrels?"
"Lovers' spat?" Lihanna blinked. "Like Anna-senpai and Sir Guilford?"
Colette's eyes glittered.
"Oooh—gossip?! Tell me everything!"
Emma and Lihanna exchanged a resigned look but didn't run.
"Well… it's like this—"
Off to the side, Will's gaze lowered to the tabletop.
"So that's how it is…"
Wignall's eyebrow twitched as the chatter derailed.
"Can we stay on track, please?"
His sharp gaze shifted to the boys.
"What is Gohtia—or whoever our foe truly is—actually after?"
Sion shrugged lazily.
"If that Headless freak was being honest… tearing down the False Sky."
Wignall whispered grimly, "So either undo the Great Barrier… or wipe out the Vander themselves."
Will exhaled slowly.
"Either goal is enormous. How could they even begin to pull off something like that?"
"And why?" Mike demanded. "That barrier's the only thing keeping the Celestial Host and their freaks from swarming us! If it falls, we're all toast! Do these psychos have some escape plan we don't?"
Sion snorted.
"Who cares what goes on in their heads? We just find them—and crush them."
Click.
Wignall made a sharp noise with his tongue.
"Immature Rhizanth. Perhaps finding them would be easier if we understood what motivates them?"
"What was that?" Sion hissed, glowering.
"You heard me," Wignall replied smoothly—wearing his most punchable smile.
Seriously… between him and Patri… it had to be an elf thing.
Mike quickly raised both hands.
"Whoa, whoa—guys. Peace. Okay?"
"Hmph!"
Both promptly turned away from each other.
Meanwhile, Will stroked Kiki's back, muttering under his breath.
"Seriously… where's Julius?"
"Mreow~!" The Carbuncle purred happily, curling up in his lap.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Urbus Regarden – Central Flos:
The Great Barrier stretched over the night sky like a silver, false moon.
Not far from the town square, a ragged breath fled into the frosted air.
"Augh…"
Down a narrow alley behind a storefront, blood painted the cobblestone.
Crimson smeared across glass.
The foundation cracked.
Julius lay slumped against the wall, back to brick, chest torn open by a gaping hole of writhing dark energy.
His wand trembled faintly in hand.
His smile—bitter.
Already pale skin draining to grey.
Life was leaving him.
"Honestly… knew it… I was never cut out to be kind. Anna…"
Clack.
His wand slipped from limp fingers.
Yet even as consciousness blurred, he clung desperately to a glowing amulet pressed to his chest.
Light ebbed from his eyes.
"…Why'd I ever try to be a hero…?"
His heartbeat slowed.
Footsteps echoed faintly from the mouth of the alley.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Too weak to lift his head, he could only lie there as death crept closer.
But the voice that followed… was unmistakable.
"I know exactly what you're feeling, kid."
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Hours later, as dawn light filtered through the Great Barrier, chaos erupted in the alleyway once more.
A crowd had gathered, whispering in horrified tones.
"Oh heavens!"
"W-What's going on?!"
"C-Can't you see? A High Mage's been murdered!"
"Y-you're kidding—!"
"Move aside!"
"Clear the area!"
Colorless Enforcers shoved back civilians, trying to secure the scene.
Through the commotion, Team Colette pressed forward—leader in front, brow furrowed.
"Let me through!"
Colette burst through the line—then froze solid.
Her breath caught in her throat.
"...Julius?"
Will stopped beside her.
He couldn't move.
Couldn't breathe.
Fwup!
Two more figures ran in—Ice Faction uniforms.
Lunias and Jhorua skidded to their knees at Julius's side.
Or rather… his body.
Sweat rolled down Lunias's face as he stared at the wound.
"T-This… this has to be some kind of sick prank, right?!"
Jhorua shook the corpse desperately.
"C-C'mon Julius! Wake up! Y-you can't die like this!"
Lunias nodded, voice breaking.
"Y-yeah! You're House Reinburg! Future Vander! You've got your whole life ahead of you—WAKE UP!"
Colette clamped a hand over her mouth, gagging.
"N-No… No, he… Julius can't be dead… he can't—"
Will stared down in numb disbelief.
"Julius…"
He reached with his senses—probing for any trace of ki.
Nothing.
No heartbeat.
No spark of life.
Only—
His eyes widened.
Wait.
There was something…
Something that made his skin crawl.
"…J-Julius?"
Just as Will stepped forward to inspect the corpse, the sharp click of approaching heels made him halt.
Clack.
Sarissa Alfeld arrived, frowning darkly.
"Lunais? Jhorua? What are you doing here? Training begins in a few minutes."
The two Ice Mages froze—stunned by her tone.
"M-Ms. Sarissa, how can you say that?! Julius… he's dead!"
Sarissa calmly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"And? What does that have to do with us? He isn't Ice Faction."
Their mouths fell open.
Before either could respond, someone else stepped ahead of Sarissa.
A plain-looking man wearing an unfailingly polite smile—accompanied by a nervous woman wringing her hands.
"Ms. Alfeld is correct," the man said mildly. "This is a Water Faction matter. Please step away."
Will blinked. "Mr. Coqus—"
"That goes for all of you," Fumito Mikuriya added pleasantly, cutting him off.
He and Kezōkaku stepped forward.
The latter trembled, lips quivering as she stared down at Julius's corpse.
"J-Julius… I-I swear whoever did this… I'll hunt them down and— and—"
She paused. "A-Actually, no promises… but I'll try!"
Fumito sighed and gestured toward the body.
"Just preserve him already."
Kezōkaku nodded.
Brrr.
Ice crawled instantly over Julius's corpse, sealing him in a frozen cocoon.
Fwoom.
Levitation magic gently lifted it into the air.
Fumito turned toward the shattered storefront.
Fwoom.
Tiles and glass reassembled perfectly.
Fwoosh!
Water sprayed and blood vanished from stone as though it had never spilled.
Without another word, the duo departed—hauling the iced body away as if it were routine clerical work.
The crowd watched them go in dazed silence.
Sarissa adjusted her glasses and turned to Lunais and Jhorua.
"I'll give you two an extra hour to recover. No more. Be back on the field by 8:00. Understood?"
They nodded stiffly.
Sarissa pivoted and followed after Fumito and Kezōkaku.
Not a flicker of emotion on her face.
Will clenched his fist, eyes sweeping the alley as Wignall whispered with a grim frown.
"Could this be… Gohtia's work?"
Sion's expression was murderous.
Lihanna stared blankly.
Colette sobbed.
Emma and Mike looked shaken, hollowed out.
Will observed them silently.
Then, slowly, he lifted his gaze.
Chirp. Chirp.
High above—unnoticed by anyone else—hovered a bird.
A hawk-shaped construct.
Made of ice.
It flapped up toward a marble statue and perched casually on its shoulder.
The statue of Saint Viola—recently restored after the Terminalia.
The very same monument Colette had once used to annihilate a herd of dinobori.
"It's all my fault…" Colette trembled on the bench at its base, face wet with tears.
"If I hadn't insisted on meeting at Gina's… J-Julius would still be—"
Emma hugged her tight.
"Stop that, Colette. Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault."
Will's expression darkened ever so slightly.
His jaw tightened.
He wanted to speak—something sharp, maybe—but held himself back.
"…"
Lihanna alone noticed.
Stepping forward quickly, she drew all attention away by offering a napkin.
"Here. Use this."
"T-thank y-youu…" Colette sniffed.
Wignall folded his arms.
"If this was Gohtia… why target Julius specifically? What does that gain?"
Mike rubbed his chin.
"W-well… he is an adjutant now. Maybe they wanted to send a message?"
"To a minor faction? And the smallest one at that?" Sion snorted, leaning against the fountain.
"Unlikely. All this has done is spike suspicion inside the tower. Exactly the outcome any half-competent spy would avoid."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Unless they discovered Julius' investigation… Still, that man was too paranoid to be caught off guard and exposed so easily—"
"He learned something."
Will's voice cut sharply through the thoughts, snapping all eyes to him.
"Whatever it was… it was big enough that they had no choice but to kill him before he could talk."
He stared at each of them in turn.
"There were no witnesses. It happened too fast and too clean. Julius made himself a target. Which means…"
He paused.
"…the rest of us connected to him are probably on the hit list too."
Wignall swallowed, staring at him.
"Will… what are you suggesting?"
Will exhaled softly.
"Lay low. Stick close to someone you truly trust—preferably from our own cohort."
He looked around firmly.
"For now… return to your factions and do only the work assigned. Nothing more. Understand?"
No one argued.
They simply nodded—quiet and afraid.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Will and Lihanna walked side by side down the empty street.
She shot him a sideways look.
"Alright, spill. You're normally emotional. You're acting way too calm."
Will clenched his jaw but said nothing.
Lihanna's voice softened as she leaned closer.
"At least tell me why we're back at the crime scene after you told everyone else to lay low."
Will knelt without answering.
Lihanna crouched beside him.
"If you're trying to be covert… broad daylight is a terrible choice."
He exhaled. "Sorry. There's something I have to confirm."
"Mrowl!"
Kiki padded forward and pointed her tiny paw toward a crack in the cobblestone.
Lihanna's eyes widened when Will reached in with a cloth and pulled something free.
"A shard of ice?"
Will nodded. "Kiki memorized all our magic signatures. She sniffed out a spell Julius cast right before he died."
He pocketed the shard carefully.
"And now we know this wasn't some random rogue mage's ruse."
Lihanna narrowed her eyes. "Meaning?"
Will went silent and stood up.
She hesitated. "Even knowing him only briefly—I find it hard to believe someone as capable as Mr. Coqus missed such a clue."
She drew a bit closer.
"Unless… someone aware of Kiki's abilities left it. Just so you would take it."
"…"
Will didn't acknowledge the accusation. Instead, he murmured his own thoughts.
"The killer used Dark magic. Thanks to old superstitions, no one in this world ever truly drops their guard around dark mages. Julius… wouldn't have either. Yet there were zero signs of resistance."
"So?" Lihanna prompted.
"So, that means either the killer was that skilled… or—more likely—it was someone he personally trusted."
Will's expression twisted into a grim smile.
"Either way… that narrows things down a lot."
He stepped forward.
She followed.
"And what makes you so certain?"
Will rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I overheard some Colorless discussing the scene—probably shouldn't have—but apparently there were still lingering Dark magic traces in his wound."
He sniffed the air lightly. "I smelled it too."
Lihanna gawked. "You can smell magic? And eavesdrop without spells? Are you sure you're not dungeon-birthed?"
Will clicked his tongue.
"So," Lihanna said dryly, "you think it was a friend?"
"I do. The attack looked point-blank. Julius didn't even raise a barrier. He wouldn't let someone he didn't trust get that close."
She crossed her arms. "Or it was just a highly skilled assassin."
Will sighed, tapping his temple. "Which means our headache either way will be tremendous."
"…"
"To rule that out, I need to talk to Lunais and Jhorua."
Lihanna blinked. "Why them?"
"I need to ask them something only they would know."
She stopped walking. "Will… you know who did this, don't you?"
He paused.
Then he looked back at her with a sad little smile.
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a hunch. But some things still don't add up."
"Like what?"
Will gestured toward the distant tower. "If we go back now, I doubt Sir Guilford will let us leave again. Our best bet is to skip training."
Lihanna groaned. "Great. Whatever punishment's waiting is going to scar me for life."
Will chuckled. "T-think positive, Lihanna."
She shivered. "Then stop talking about training entirely."
"Haha…"
He looked up once, gaze briefly scanning rooftops—then continued toward Regarden Academy's gates.
Far above, hidden behind a chimney, a figure in black observed silently.
Vwm.
He vanished without a trace.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
The Tower – First Stratum:
In Colorless Garden's central park, Charles wiped sweat from his brow as two Colorless crowded him.
"Hey, Charles! Is it true the Water Faction's adjutant got killed? Was it that Terminalia traitor!?"
"Yeah! What's the director have to say?!"
Charles gulped.
"Th-there's a gag order on all details related to this incident—so I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anything. Now can we please get back to testing the flying golem?!"
The duo leaned in even closer.
"C'mon, you can trust us! Just a little—"
"S-stop! You'll get me in serious trouble!"
Charles flinched as someone passed behind him.
Will...
A short distance away, Will stood over Lunais and Jhorua, who sat slumped on a bench—dead-eyed and hollow.
"I know it's been rough," Will said gently, "but thanks for agreeing to talk."
They said nothing.
He continued.
"I wanted to ask if either of you know what Julius was doing yesterday."
Jhorua's eyes were empty.
"Why ask us? Like Ms. Sarissa said—Water Faction. We're Ice. We're not close anymore."
Will exhaled.
"We all know that's not true. You two were his closest friends."
Lunais clenched his fists. "…Well. There was one thing."
Will leaned in.
"Yesterday… after Adjutant Sarissa finished killing us in training," Lunais said quietly, "we got back to our room and found him there."
Will blinked.
"In your room? As in—the Ice Faction Base?"
They nodded.
"How?"
They just shrugged.
"We asked what he was doing," Jhorua muttered with a bitter smile, "and in his usual smug tone he said he came to enjoy our suffering."
Lunais's voice cracked. "Yeah… spent a good ten minutes bragging about Water Faction luxuries and Ascendant Silva's 'greatness'."
Will scratched his cheek. "That sounds like him… and after that?"
"He invited us out for drinks at Gina's," Jhorua said softly. "His treat. But… not that day. Said he already had plans to meet you and your crew."
Lunais sank even lower. "Sorry. Guess none of that really helps…"
Will forced a smile. "No—this helped a lot."
It confirms it… he was attacked on his way to the tavern. And if someone was walking with him—
"…Thanks for your time. And… I'm sorry for your loss."
"Don't apologize!" Jhorua suddenly snapped, curling in on himself.
Will paused… then nodded. "Alright. One last question."
A short pause later.
Lunais exhaled. "Yes… Julius knew everything about her condition. We didn't. He was the one who told us."
"Thought so. Thanks."
Will turned away.
His cape fluttered as his maser buzzed to life like a small metallic bird.
A voice came through.
"Will, I caught it. Hurry back!"
He released it into the air.
"Good work, Lihanna. I just finished talking with Lunais and Jhorua. Seems my hunch was right."
"I see… so when do we engage?"
Will's eyes narrowed.
"Tonight."
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Dungeon – 40th Floor:
Elfaria stepped onto the stone with rising alarm.
Just like the 37th.
Just like the 38th.
Just like the 39th.
Every monster on the field had already been massacred—shredded or scorched—before she even arrived.
She gripped the Ice Empress Staff tighter.
This time, she didn't collect the traces.
She simply sat down on a nearby boulder…
…and waited.
Five minutes passed.
The flesh-walls of the dungeon began to pulse, throb, and churn—alive with grotesque creation.
Pwump. Pwump. Pwump.
Miasmic fluids rushed like blood through hungry veins, toward some unseen stomach, to birth something that shouldn't exist.
With a hiss of steam and bile, a creature was vomited into reality.
Tall.
Lanky.
Pear-shaped skull.
One giant cyclopean eye.
It smiled — full of malice.
Elfaria smirked in return.
She'd hoped for the floor boss… but this was even better.
Fwip.
She leveled her staff—not at the monster itself, but the corpses around it.
"The traces. Devour them," she ordered.
The Devander froze.
Elfaria's smile cooled.
"I know you can sense it. I'm not someone you can fight… without them."
The Devander hesitated again. It could tell she wasn't bluffing.
And more importantly—it was curious.
Moved by the prey's arrogance and gall.
It leaned back.
A core protruded from its chest.
From every corner of the floor, black miasma rose off the corpses, swirling toward that core in a horror-fueled storm—absorbed, drunk greedily.
The Devander began to change.
First it grew.
Taller by two feet.
Bulk layered onto once wiry limbs.
Reptilian armor crept across its ribs.
A tail uncoiled.
Tentacles twisted into obsidian wings.
Its toothy maw warped into something draconic.
Its single eye split—becoming two humanoid pupils.
It grinned at Elfaria with intent.
Schemes flickering behind its now-sentient gaze.
Plans to toy with her, break her, let her hope…
Elfaria suppressed a shiver.
The Devander of Floor 40 was infamous.
Not because it simply started strong.
But because it never stopped evolving.
With such an ability it had slayed quite a few Magia Vander.
Right now—it was already stronger than the one Will had killed.
Perhaps even on par with the Floor 44 boss.
A being strong enough to crush this floor's guardian underfoot.
Elfaria's grip tightened.
She didn't flinch.
"I heard Sneaky Eyes conquered Floor 44…"
Her aqua eyes hardened to ice.
"If he can… I can."
She raised her staff.
"Without a Mage Slayer you're not half as scary. Come, then—show me your worst!"
"RAAGHHHH!!!"
The Devander bellowed—and lunged straight for her.
It didn't matter if she died.
Not really.
It hadn't been long since the Terminalia ritual.
Even if she perished, the chances of any hole opening in the sky were nearly zero.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Urbus Regarden:
A black disk hung over the Barrier like a false, eclipsed moon.
Under its shadow, Emma walked alone through an empty street—holding a bouquet of delicate flowers and wearing a curiously vacant smile.
"Emma."
She turned at the sound of her name, blinking.
"Will? Lihanna? What're you two doing here?"
"I could ask the same," Will replied. "It's late. Why are you out here alone?"
Emma tilted her head. "Faction errand. Gathering spell reagents. Nothing I can't handle."
She beamed. "Still—with everything going on, I'd be glad to walk back with—"
"What are those flowers for?" Lihanna asked flatly.
Emma paused.
She looked down at the bouquet—expression still hollow.
"They're Belledors. Rare. I plucked them from the Dungeon. Thought they'd—"
"Forgive me, Emma," Will cut in. "But… I was certain you had Floralphagia, didn't you?"
Emma froze.
Will's eyes drifted to her bandaged hands—the bulging, discolored veins hidden only poorly beneath them.
"It's a skin condition. Blisters… sprouting. Triggered by direct contact with certain flowers. Belledors especially."
Emma's pupils trembled.
"Lunais and Jhorua confirmed it. You've known Julius since childhood. Both of you come from highborn families. You frequent the same circles, have shared secrets… ailments included."
Will's voice softened, but his words sharpened.
"He saw you holding those flowers a few days ago. Realized something was wrong. He went to confront you on his way to the tavern… and never arrived. But you did. And your clothes smelled faintly of blood."
Emma trembled violently.
"E-excuse me, but it sounds like you're accusing me of killing Julius! I-I would never—"
"I am accusing you."
Emma's breath hitched.
Will continued, gently relentless.
"I didn't want to believe it. I can peer into sincerity—and when you asked to be friends, your heart was genuine. When we found his body… your sorrow was real. Even when Julius left me a clue, I didn't want to accept it."
Emma's lips parted. "A… clue?"
Will nodded. "A bird. Made of ice."
Lihanna stepped forward. "It was circling outside the tower. With his last strength, Julius summoned an Ice Guardian."
Will slowly drew his sword—the thin, silver Wist blade shining in the moonlight.
"Guardians are self-acting. They obey even after death, so long as the last command persists."
He leveled the tip at Emma.
"Julius gave it one order—'hover above the culprit's head'."
Twak.
The bouquet slipped from Emma's hands.
Will's grip tightened.
"Emma… you struck him down. But even now, I can sense heartfelt pain inside you. As well as disbelief, like you can't fathom it either. That confusion is eating me alive— so tell me. Why did you do it?"
Emma began to shake.
Then—her sclera turned black.
Veins writhed beneath her skin.
Fingers sharpened into claws.
Her teeth grew into jagged fangs.
Her voice warped into a twisted cackle. One that didn't sound like her.
"Heh… hah… HAHAHAHAHA…!"
Fwim!
Dark energy spiraled from her palm before shooting forward.
Fwip!
Will swatted it aside effortlessly.
Lihanna snarled.
"Stark!"
CRACK!
A bolt of lightning sent Emma's body skidding.
Lihanna glared. "That was dark magic."
Will nodded. "Emma is no multos. She cannot use that."
His tense shoulders eased slightly.
"I knew it. Emma would never kill Julius—nor is she an imposter."
His eyes turned cold.
"That means someone is controlling her… So come out."
A long beat of silence.
Then—black liquid oozed upward from the earth, snaring Emma's limp form in shadowy chains and lifting her off the ground.
A petite woman stepped from the darkness, her wrists adorned with similar shackles like jewelry.
Shade exhaled misty breath and grinned.
"Rats! You caught me~"
She giggled manically, chains rattling.
"Well then—come play with me, little kiddies! You'll make the cutest new pets!"
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Tower – 3rd Stratum:
Yuno sat in his office with his boots kicked up on the desk, eyes narrowed as he stared out the window.
His expression was thunderous.
Fwish…
Shadows crawled silently across the floor behind him—pooling, writhing, alive.
He didn't bother turning. No face. No form.
Just a voice.
"You're angry."
Yuno nodded. "I am."
"Swallow it. A little longer."
His fingers twitched in irritation. "How much longer?"
"Just a bit—"
"You've said that for four damn years. Enough. How long is a bit?!"
"…"
Silence pressed in.
Then—calm, measured:
"One week."
Yuno's brow lifted. "One week? You promise."
"Yes. We've reached the critical moment."
Yuno sighed and folded his hands in his lap.
"Listen to me. If even one of my subordinates dies…"
His eyes flashed cold.
"I'll flip this tower—the entire city—upside down. You can take your plans and shove them."
"…"
"Do as you please." The shadow finally answered.
Then the darkness stilled—silent once more.