"It's not that I doubt your ability to control him," Lyon muttered, his voice tense. "But working alongside Sasaki? I can't help being worried. Don't blame me for that."
"I understand," Exca replied through their telepathy link. "But stay alert, Lyon. You know what he's capable of. Keep your distance, and if he shows even the slightest sign of going rogue, retreat immediately. I can't afford to lose you."
"Don't treat me like a kid, you moron," Lyon snapped. "I've been on guard ever since you mentioned his name. Just keep me informed if anything goes wrong on your end. I'll handle the rest."
"As always, you never disappoint," Exca said. "I'll keep you posted. I'm counting on you, partner."
"You can count on me. But there's something I need to ask you."
Lyon continued deeper into the Darkest Dungeon, an underground lair concealed within the forbidden forest along Guhan's eastern border. The ancient passageways stretched before him, their stone walls bearing the marks of countless years.
"What is it?" Exca asked.
"How much Renshi do you need to awaken your bloodline?" Lyon asked sharply. "And don't lie to me. You know you can't just kill a child to satisfy your own selfish interests."
Silence settled over the telepathy link.
"I expected you to ask that," Exca eventually replied. "You're still too optimistic about everything. I have no intention of killing the boy, not if I can help it. But that woman is a problem. She'll never let me drain the boy's Renshi without a fight. If she dies in the process, so be it."
"That's not what I asked."
Lyon's voice had lost its earlier irritation. It was now cold and serious.
"Yes or no, Exca. Are you going to kill the boy?"
"If I awaken my bloodline before the boy dies, he'll live," Exca answered without hesitation. "But if I don't, then no. I won't throw away this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I've waited too long for this. With the power of my Twin Dragon Bloodline, I'll finally be able to protect mankind from higher-ranked Darkside Spirits. Everything I'm doing is for the greater good of humanity."
Lyon said nothing.
"Lyon? Are you still there?" Exca asked. "Don't tell me I've been talking to myself."
"I'm here," Lyon replied quietly. "If that's your answer, then so be it. I'm unlocking Sasaki now."
"Good luck, buddy."
The telepathy link went silent.
Under the dungeon's ancient stone arches, Lyon released a heavy sigh.
*This is going to be a pain in the ass...*
*Killing a child for power? We have children of our own. How could I possibly allow that?*
His hands tightened into fists.
*But if I refuse, Exca will send someone else. Maybe I'm still the boy's best chance of survival.*
He considered the possibility of negotiating with the woman.
*What if I offer her sanctuary? Protection, even gold...*
Lyon shook his head.
*No. She'd never trade the boy's life for any of that.*
"Damn it. This is getting out of hand."
He approached an enormous black stone slab covered in ancient, glowing red sigils. It stood before him like the entrance to an ancient tomb, its surface cold and unmoving.
Lyon placed his palm against it and drew a deep breath.
*Sasaki, huh... Let's hope we don't regret this.*
He reestablished the telepathy link.
"Exca, do you copy?"
"Yeah, what is it now?" Exca replied. "Are you moving?"
"Not yet, you fool. I'm breaking the seal. I thought you should know."
"Hahaha. What, are you afraid he'll jump out and bite your head off?" Exca laughed. "You're a pro Darkside Knight. Sure, he's powerful, but you're not going down that easily."
"Shut up. I'm not in the mood."
Lyon took one final breath before releasing his Renshi into the tomb.
The tomb contained an ancient mechanism connected to Sasaki's restraints. When Lyon poured his Renshi into the stone slab, the energy travelled through hidden channels and activated the release mechanism. The anti-Renshical chains then deactivated and began to unravel.
The chains wrapped around his wrists, ankles, and neck immediately began to unravel. One by one, the restraints loosened, their light fading as the seal broke.
Then the final shackle fell.
A terrifying black aura erupted from the tomb.
BOOM!
An overwhelming surge of destructive Renshi burst through the dungeon like a raging hurricane. The ground split beneath its pressure, sending cracks racing across the stone floor. Outside, trees were uprooted and hurled through the air as the shock wave tore through the forest.
Lyon barely had time to react.
The blast caught him head-on, launching him out of the dungeon and sending him crashing into the surrounding forest.
"EXCA!" he roared through the telepathy link. "ARE YOU JUST GOING TO SIT THERE?! DO SOMETHING BEFORE THIS LUNATIC DESTROYS THE ENTIRE FOREST!"
Gritting his teeth, Lyon released his own Renshi, struggling to stabilise himself in midair.
Even as a pro Darkside Knight, he could barely withstand the monstrous pressure pouring out of the dungeon.
What the hell is this pressure?