After hours of merciless fighting, the once lively streets of the kingdom had turned into a field of ruin.
Broken stone.
Collapsed walls.
Blood splattered across the empty road.
Heavy breathing echoed from every corner.
Out of Kito's team, only three were still standing.
Kito.
Shina.
And Alex.
Even standing was an act of sheer will.
Kito's body was covered in cuts, his knuckles torn apart, blood dripping from his chin. His breathing was harsh, his dark eyes burning with rage and exhaustion.
Shina's entire body felt numb from the lingering poison. Though she had defeated Sima, her arms trembled every second she remained upright.
Alex leaned slightly on the Rodium Arm, bruised and bleeding, her clothes torn from countless invisible strikes.
But the others—
they were gone.
Sam had been defeated by the violet-haired hunter.
Daniel was finally overwhelmed by Ryzan after a brutal exchange.
Yuri had collapsed after exhausting herself trying to assist both sides.
Their unconscious bodies had been dragged away in the middle of battle.
Kito was the first to notice.
His pupils shrank.
"Sam!"
"Daniel!"
"Yuri!"
No answer.
Alex looked around frantically.
"They took them!"
Shina clenched her teeth.
"Then move!"
Without wasting another second, the three of them forced their broken bodies forward and ran deeper into the kingdom, following the trail left by the enemies.
Every step hurt.
Every breath burned.
But none of them cared.
Their friends had been captured.
And they were already too late once with Rin.
They would not be late again.
Deep beneath the central district—
inside the underground ritual chamber—
Ronan stood before a massive black ritual circle carved into the floor.
Ancient symbols glowed with twisted violet light.
At the center of the chamber, Sam, Daniel, and Yuri were thrown carelessly onto the stone like discarded corpses.
Around them stood Ryzan, the violet-haired hunter, and the remaining victorious subordinates.
Ronan slowly pulled back his hair, revealing his full face.
He was smiling.
Not the fake gentle smile he once wore.
This smile was dark.
Triumphant.
"The time has arrived."
The moment those words left his mouth—
the ritual circle erupted.
Darkness began to pour upward like liquid smoke.
Thick.
Heavy.
Alive.
It twisted around the chamber before splitting into multiple streams.
Seed of Void.
The forbidden fragments of the Void God.
One by one, those streams pierced into Ronan and every subordinate standing around him.
Ryzan's body trembled.
The violet-haired hunter's eyes widened.
The other cult members gasped as the darkness entered their veins.
Then—
they smiled darkly.
Power.
Overwhelming, terrifying power flooded their bodies.
Their muscles swelled.
Their senses sharpened.
Even the air around them felt heavier.
Ryzan slowly clenched his newly empowered fist and laughed.
"This..."
"This power..."
Ronan looked at him with satisfaction.
"This is merely the beginning."
Ryzan bowed slightly, then spoke in a much deeper voice.
"We will search for the other three as well."
"Even if they are not a threat..."
"...to be safe, we should kill them all."
Ronan nodded.
"Go."
At once, several subordinates turned and rushed out of the chamber to hunt Kito, Shina, and Alex.
Silence returned.
Only Ronan remained, standing before the unconscious captured trio.
He folded his hands behind his back and looked down at them as if they were insects.
His smile widened.
"You should never have entered this kingdom."
"This is what happens to people who interfere with my plan."
He slowly crouched.
His cold eyes scanned Sam, Daniel, and Yuri one by one.
Then he chuckled.
"One of your friends..."
"The white-haired boy..."
"Rin..."
"He is already dead."
Ronan stood back up.
The ritual light reflected in his eyes.
"And soon..."
"all of you will join him."