The Outer Rings trembled as the elite Wardens barely had time to process the sudden surge of Abyssal energy before an enormous humanoid Shade lunged toward them.
It wasn't until the creature drew close that the Wardens could fully grasp the scope of the threat.
Despite its now-massive frame, the jagged, white bone-like armor covering its arms, and the mask concealing its features, its presence was unmistakable.
"Tala?!"
Rohan Elysius, Jinrei Kuroshi, and Selene Yadomaru exchanged shocked glances.
The sheer Astral Resonance radiating from the Shade was overwhelming. Its bone mask and armored limbs confirmed something deeply unnatural had occurred.
"No… this can't be…" Selene whispered, her voice barely audible over the creature's oppressive aura.
Yet there was no mistaking the form. The tattered insignia of the former Ninth Division Commander gleamed faintly beneath the armor—this was unmistakably a Hollowified former ally.
"Regardless of who this is, we fight!" Rohan gritted his teeth, raising his Spirit Arm.
The Shade erupted with a devastating surge of Astral energy, signaling the start of the battle.
"Be careful, Rohan! This isn't the Tala we know—!" Arin's observation came too late; the clash had already begun.
From the very first exchange, it was clear. The former Warden had lost reason, stripped of training and tact, yet retained raw destructive power. Each strike shattered the ground beneath them, bone armor deflecting nearly every attack.
Faced with this former ally, the Wardens hesitated, their instincts betraying them. Every strike carried hesitation—every pause widened the danger.
Recognizing the dire situation, Jinrei and Selene rushed to assist. Even combined, the trio could barely restrain the monstrosity.
Then—
Another Shade appeared.
Her sudden arrival sent shockwaves through the Wardens. Like the first, her limbs were covered in jagged white armor, her face hidden behind a black-and-white mantis-like mask. Her Astral Resonance screamed of chaos and raw aggression, far beyond what any vice-commander should wield.
The Wardens froze.
"This… she's transformed too?" Selene whispered, horror evident.
Recovering quickly, Selene, Jinrei, and Rohan combined their forces, attempting to halt her advance. But despite outnumbering the Abyssal pair, they were being steadily pushed back.
Then salvation arrived—
Kairo Tenel, moving with measured precision, used intricate Ward Techniques to bind the armored opponents. His expertise turned the tide just enough to give the Wardens room to regroup. Together, their efforts culminated in a complex binding sequence, finally restraining the Hollowified allies.
The damage, however, had been done. Each Warden was battered, bleeding, their bodies heavy with exhaustion. Yet one danger remained unnoticed.
Tala's Astral energy began fluctuating violently. Her breathing grew erratic; her eyes glowed with raw malice. In a moment of terrible clarity, the white-and-black mask formed across her face.
"No… Tala?!" Rohan's eyes widened in disbelief.
Selene, Jinrei, and Kairo could only step back, horrified, as their comrade transformed before them.
Darkness descended suddenly. A suffocating black veil blanketed the battlefield, obliterating sound, sight, smell, even spiritual senses.
"What… is happening?!" Jinrei shouted, but his voice dissolved into silence.
Pain struck suddenly, a searing blow to the chest. When it lifted, the Wardens lay wounded and broken, barely conscious.
Watching from the shadows, Arin Solara leaned back, opening a small pouch of rations, his calm expression betraying the chaos around him.
"The real stage is set," he murmured.
Only Rohan remained conscious, barely able to lift his head. His eyes widened as he finally saw the orchestrator of the attack—a man wearing the uniform of the Ninth Division, a mask concealing his face, and a Spirit Arm slick with fresh Astral energy.
"You… you attacked them?!" Rohan gasped.
A calm, deliberate voice echoed from behind.
"He didn't betray me," the figure intoned.
Rohan froze, recognition dawning. Slowly, he turned. There, commanding the scene with unsettling composure, stood the true mastermind—Uehara Shiroha.
A chilling smile spread across his face as he stepped forward. Behind him, a quiet figure smirked in amusement, observing the chaos he had orchestrated.
Rohan clenched his fists, rage and disbelief twisting his expression.
"I knew something was wrong!" he spat.
Uehara tilted his head, serene and deliberate.
"So… when did you first suspect?"
Rohan's pupils shrank. He had been played. Every moment, every attack, every Hollowified ally—it had been a test.
And now, the Outer Rings had become the theater of his reckoning.