The castle was quiet.
Far quieter than it had been during the feast.
Most of the servants had already retired for the night.
Only a few maids remained on duty, moving quietly through the halls while guards patrolled the castle.
Everything seemed normal.
Until a shadow passed through the entrance hall.
Eyeless stepped into the castle.
He moved without a sound.
A maid carrying a tray turned the corner.
She stopped.
"...Huh?"
Eyeless was already standing behind her.
Before she could call out, he struck her lightly and caught her before she hit the floor.
He carefully lowered her down.
The tray remained untouched.
Eyeless looked down the corridor.
"...Closer."
He continued.
Another maid appeared.
Then another.
Neither had enough time to react.
One by one, they were quietly knocked unconscious.
Eyeless never lingered.
He simply kept moving.
The spirit floated behind him.
"You're getting closer."
"Yes."
He reached a larger hallway.
Two guards stood at the opposite end.
One noticed him.
"Stop."
Eyeless froze.
The guard reached for his weapon.
"Identify yourself!"
The second guard stepped forward.
"Alert the others!"
Eyeless moved.
The hallway echoed with a few brief impacts.
Then silence.
Both guards were left unconscious on the floor.
Eyeless continued deeper into the castle.
---
Inside his office...
Levi sat at his desk.
He had been trying to finish the last few documents before going to sleep.
His eyes were already becoming heavy.
He placed his pen down.
"...That's enough for tonight."
He leaned back.
Silence.
Then...
THUD.
Levi's eyes opened.
He looked toward the door.
"...?"
Nothing.
He waited.
Silence returned.
Levi frowned.
Maybe something had fallen.
He picked up his pen again.
THUD.
This time...
Closer.
Levi stopped writing.
"...What was that?"
He stood.
Another sound came from somewhere beyond his office.
THUD.
Then silence.
Levi stared at the door.
His hand slowly moved toward the sword resting beside his desk.
The castle was supposed to be quiet.
He knew the guards were on duty.
The maids were still moving through the halls.
So why...
Was nobody making a sound?
Levi opened the door slightly.
The hallway was empty.
"Hello?"
No answer.
He stepped outside.
His eyes scanned the corridor.
Then he noticed something.
A cup had fallen onto the floor.
Broken.
Levi's expression changed.
"...What?"
He walked forward.
Another corridor.
Empty.
Then he saw it.
A guard lying unconscious against the wall.
Levi froze.
"..."
His hand immediately went to his sword.
He looked around.
Another guard was lying farther down the hallway.
And beyond him...
A maid.
Levi's heart sank.
"Guards!"
His voice echoed through the castle.
Nothing.
No response.
Levi's grip tightened.
"Where is everyone...?"
Then...
A sound came from the darkness ahead.
Step.
Levi slowly raised his sword.
Another step.
Step.
A figure emerged from the shadows.
Long white hair.
Emerald-green tips.
A black cloth covering his eyes.
Levi's eyes widened.
The same figure.
The one from the tower.
The one he thought he had imagined.
"...You."
Eyeless stopped.
For several seconds...
Neither moved.
Levi's expression hardened.
"So you were real."
Eyeless tilted his head.
"Yes."
The spirit floated silently behind him.
Levi raised his sword.
"Who are you?"
Eyeless reached toward the weapon at his side.
"I've come for you, Lord Ravenholt."
The castle fell silent.
Then Levi stepped forward.
"Then you're going to have to get through me first."
Eyeless smiled faintly.
"That's exactly what I intended."
Levi's hand immediately reached for the sword at his side.
Azhir.
The sacred sword gifted to him by the Goddess.
The same sword he had obtained from the ancient temple hidden deep within the forest, after overcoming the golem that guarded it.
He drew the blade.
Eyeless stood still.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then Eyeless suddenly stepped forward.
THUD!
His foot struck Azhir.
The sword was knocked from Levi's hand and slid across the stone floor.
Levi stared at it.
Then back at Eyeless.
"...You just kicked my sword."
Eyeless remained silent.
His gaze shifted toward the sword lying across the floor.
"...Azhir."
Levi's expression changed.
"You know that name?"
Eyeless stared at the blade for a moment longer.
"...So you found it."
Levi tightened his fists.
"You were looking for it?"
Eyeless slowly turned his attention back toward him.
"For a long time."
Levi's eyes narrowed.
"And now it's mine."
Eyeless took a step forward.
"Then show me if you're worthy of carrying it."
Levi raised his fists.
"Gladly."
Eyeless moved.
The fight began.
After exchanging blows after a while, Eyeless spoke.
"12 years ago... i searched for it."
"intrigued by my allies and even enemies who know of the stories."
Eyeless threw another punch.
Levi blocked it at the last second.
"You what?!"
Eyeless snickered.
"Wow... I didn't know Azhir was popular."
"Among men at that."
He glanced toward the sword lying across the floor.
"Azhir really gets around, huh?"
Levi scoffed.
"Don't flatter yourself."
Eyeless laughed quietly.
"You're not even going to ask why I wanted it?"
"I was planning to."
"Good."
Eyeless raised his fists again.
"Then keep up."
"Dont got to say it twice."
waving his fingers toward himself.
"As i was saying..."
"I defeated a paladin of the Goddess."
"Well..."
"countless of paladins, but it was the repetition of saying 'if only i had Azhir' "
"and after, how many paladins... i gave in and looked for it."
---
Eyeless sighed.
"Fuck... how long is this going to take?"
He wiped his forehead.
"I'm getting tired already."
He looked around the forest.
"Those damned bastards..."
"They said it's somewhere here in Darkin Forest."
His thoughts went back to the person he had spoken with before coming here.
'You sure it's here?'
'Of course. Just keep searching.'
Eyeless sighed.
"I shouldn't have been this curious..."
He shook his head.
"My wife's going to kill me."
---
THUD!
Levi's punch suddenly snapped Eyeless back to the present.
Eyeless blank, as if waking up.
"Forgive me for my rudeness..."
Eyeless straightened his posture.
"I seem to have zoned out."
He raised his fists again.
This time...
His strikes came harder.
STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!
Levi barely managed to keep up.
THUD!
Levi was pushed back against the table, raising his arms just in time to block another strike.
Eyeless struck again.
THUD!
The table cracked beneath the force.
One more strike.
CRACK!
The table broke apart.
Levi stumbled backward.
Eyeless didn't give him a moment to recover.
"You're weak at hand to hand combat."
Eyeless punched at Levi.
THUD!
Levi dodged.
Eyeless smirked.
"did you get too used at using Azhir."
"I guess so..."
Levi smirked aswell, as if mocking Eyeless.
Eyeless laughed, a loud one.
"Fine, pick up that damn sword."
Eyeless backed away.
A wide smile spread across his face.
He looked excited.
As if he couldn't wait to see what Levi could really do.
Levi reached down.
He picked up Azhir.
The moment his hand touched the hilt...
THUD!
Eyeless kicked him.
Levi was sent flying through the window.
CRASH!
Glass shattered as Levi fell from the castle.
He quickly infused mana into his body.
He twisted himself in the air...
And landed in the training grounds below.
BOOM!
Cracks spread across the ground beneath his feet.
Levi slowly looked up.
Eyeless stood at the broken window above.
Looking down at him.
Like a predator watching its prey.
Then...
He disappeared.
Levi's eyes widened.
Eyeless was already falling toward him.
His greatsword raised above his head.
"HAAAA!"
BOOM!!!
Eyeless struck down.
Levi raised Azhir and blocked the greatsword.
The impact shook the entire training ground.
Cracks spread further across the floor.
Levi gritted his teeth.
The pressure was overwhelming.
A small amount of blood escaped from his mouth.
"Too... heavy..."
Levi immediately poured mana into Azhir.
BOOM!
A burst of energy erupted from the sword.
Eyeless was pushed backward.
He slid across the ground before stopping.
Levi stood up straight.
Azhir suddenly spoke.
"What's with all the noise?"
Levi glanced at the sword.
"Azhir..."
He tightened his grip.
"I need your help."
"I'll give you all the mana you ask for."
He pointed Azhir toward Eyeless.
"I just need him..."
"...gone."
Azhir went silent for a moment.
Then...
Its voice became excited.
"I see..."
"LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!"
Eyeless raised an eyebrow.
"Already gone mad from that attack?"
Levi didn't answer.
He began pouring enormous amounts of mana into Azhir.
Fire.
Darkness.
Both began swirling around the blade.
His grip tightened.
His breathing changed.
And then...
His instincts took control.
Levi moved.
"IMPERIAL RAINSLASH!!!"
SHING! SHING! SHING! SHING!
Slash after slash.
Fire and darkness fused together around Azhir as Levi attacked without stopping.
Eyeless blocked.
But Levi didn't slow down.
"SOVEREIGN FANGSTORM!!!"
Hundreds of thrusts erupted within seconds.
Eyeless's expression changed.
He quickly planted his greatsword into the ground.
Then positioned himself behind it.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The attacks crashed against the greatsword.
Eyeless remained behind his weapon.
Blocking everything.
Levi suddenly stopped.
He shifted his stance.
His mana began changing.
It started gathering.
Slowly...
Then faster.
Mana from his entire body began flowing toward Azhir.
Total Convergence.
Levi's sword began vibrating under the pressure.
Eyeless looked up.
Levi raised Azhir.
"Eclipse Rend."
Darkness exploded around the blade.
Levi swung.
SHING!!!
A massive shadow-infused sword arc tore across the training grounds.
Eyeless's smile widened.
He stepped forward.
His grip tightened around his greatsword.
"Void Gale!!!"
His old Wind Mana mixed with the Dark Mana within him.
Black wind blades erupted from his greatsword.
They twisted through the air unpredictably.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The attacks collided.
The ground shook.
A massive cloud of dust and smoke spread across the training grounds.
---
The impact was loud enough to wake people throughout the castle.
Then...
DING!
One of the tower bells rang.
Then another.
DING!
Guards rushed toward the walls.
"What's happening?!"
"Training grounds!"
"Get everyone into position!"
The guards began lining the walls, staring toward the smoke.
Inside the smoke...
Nothing could be seen.
---
Levi suddenly leaped into the air.
Eyeless looked ahead.
Nothing.
His smile faded slightly.
"...Where did he go?"
He looked around.
Then...
He looked up.
Levi was already above him.
Azhir raised high over his head.
Darkness gathered around the blade.
Levi swung downward.
"VOID..."
The dark mana compressed around Azhir.
Eyeless looked up.
He could feel the attack approaching.
But instead of blocking...
He tightened his grip around his greatsword.
The wind around him suddenly began to gather.
Faster.
Faster.
And faster.
Eyeless raised his greatsword.
"...Mourning Gale."
The wind exploded around him.
"MOURNING GALE!!!"
A massive slash of wind erupted from his greatsword.
At the same moment...
Levi brought Azhir down.
"BREAKER!!!"
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The two attacks collided.
Darkness and wind violently clashed in the air.
The shockwave tore across the training grounds.
Cracks spread across the ground.
Neither attack gave way.
Levi pushed harder.
Eyeless pushed back.
The wind screamed around his greatsword.
Darkness continued tearing through the air.
Then...
Levi's attack began overpowering the wind.
Eyeless's smile disappeared.
"...What?"
CRACK!
Mourning Gale began to break apart.
Void Breaker pushed through.
Eyeless raised his greatsword in front of himself.
BOOOOOOM!!!
He was forced backward.
The attack passed through his defense.
He staggered.
His clothes were torn.
A deep cut marked his body.
He dropped to one knee.
But...
He was still alive.
Eyeless slowly lifted his head.
And smiled.
"...Now."
He turned toward the spirit.
"Do it."
The spirit floated beside him.
Eyeless raised his hand toward his face.
"Lend me your eyes."
The spirit slowly reached toward him.
Her violet hand hovered over her own eyes, and ripped it out.
A loud scream rang out the whole Ravenholt.
Then...
She placed her hand over his face.
the two eyeballs moved violently, and stopped and locked onto Levi.
The wind stopped.
Everything became silent.
Levi stared.
"...What?"
Dark mana began pouring from Eyeless.
Violet energy spread from the spirit's hand.
The ground beneath Eyeless cracked.
His greatsword trembled.
CRACK.
A fracture spread across the blade.
Then...
SHATTER!
The greatsword broke apart.
Eyeless stared at the shattered remains.
His head began twitching.
Once.
Twice.
His body trembled as a strange grin slowly formed across his face.
Dark mana began flowing from his body.
It ran down his arm...
Into his hand.
The darkness began gathering.
Condensing.
Taking shape.
A new greatsword slowly formed from the dark mana.
The massive blade finished taking shape in his hand.
Eyeless tightened his grip.
His head twitched again.
Then...
He laughed.
Not from pain.
Not from fear.
From excitement.