"What… what happened?"
Eve huddled in the corner, lifting her head to stare at the lights swaying violently from the ceiling with every tremor. What had happened? Everyone had felt that violent shaking just moments ago. Inside the relatively spacious safehouse, several patients had begun screaming in panic. Not long before, for reasons Eve did not fully understand, several patients deemed exceptionally valuable to the research had been transported here first. Eve was among them, along with her fellow lunatics. Those lunatics were currently strapped to their beds, screaming incoherently. Some shouted that it was an earthquake. Others cried out for their mothers. The medical staff did everything they could to calm them, while armed soldiers stood guard around the perimeter. Something bad had happened…
The medical staff tried to reassure the patients, telling them that this time there would be no injections, that it was merely an outing—a little spring excursion. Hearing that, the lunatics burst into delighted laughter. Sometimes Eve almost envied them. For fools, life was wonderfully simple; there was no need to think too much about anything. But Eve was no fool, nor could she ever become one. She was the only person among these patients who still possessed a normal mind, and because of that, she could vaguely understand what was happening.
This was Blackmount Hospital, a heavily guarded facility under the protection of the Purification Bureau. Judging from the violent tremor just now, there were only two possibilities. An accident in the experiments… or an enemy attack. Eve had no idea which one it was, but whichever the answer, neither possibility could possibly mean anything good. Then, however, she felt it—that familiar sensation.
A strange, bone-chilling cold pierced straight into her heart like a blade. Her pupils contracted slightly, and cold sweat trickled from the tip of her nose.
"Demons…"
Suddenly, the entire safehouse fell silent. The patients who had been screaming only moments before seemed to have lost the ability to make a sound. They simply stared wide-eyed into empty space.
The medical staff were frightened by the sudden change, but then a low murmur emerged from the room.
"Demons…"
"Demons…"
"Demons…"
Every patient began whispering that strange word over and over. Some wore expressions of terror. Others looked furious. A few had already lost what little sanity remained to them and collapsed into unconsciousness.
Eve stared blankly at the scene. Only then did she finally realize what these patients truly were. They were not ordinary patients. Every one of them had once been a soldier of the Purification Bureau, sent to Blackmount Hospital after being corrupted by demons. Some had eventually recovered and retired. Others had been driven completely insane. They had given everything to the Purification Bureau, and that was precisely why they had been among the first to be protected.
But now, some faint fragment of reason seemed to be awakening within their madness. After all these years, these lunatics had sensed the presence of their sworn enemy once more—and with it, they had been dragged back into that nightmare.
"The enemy is here! Soldiers!"
The long silence shattered. Old Cole, still strapped to his bed, let out a furious roar. Nearby, the soldier Gavin suddenly seemed to see some unspeakable nightmare. He clutched his head and began trembling violently.
...
Above ground, gun barrels spat tongues of fire without pause, illuminating the ironclad suits of ancient-world divine armor. Torrential rain poured over the cold metal, while the polished surfaces reflected the hideous demons advancing through the storm.
Breathing mixed with the crackle of electrical interference, echoing throughout the Birdcage. No one had expected this sudden turn of events. Even those who had vaguely anticipated an attack had never imagined that everything would descend into chaos so quickly.
Blue Jade and Swallow, the two participants in the experiment, had already drawn their weapons. Everyone else had been dispatched to other sections of the research district. For the moment, the two of them were the only ones here who could truly be considered combat-capable.
"Arthur. You need to give the order," Merlin said.
Their contingency plans had accounted for the possibility of an attack by the New Church. But now Lawrence's remnants had joined the assault as well. The scale was enormous, their objective unknown, and the entire situation had completely disrupted the Purification Bureau's preparations.
According to Arthur's original assessment, fighting the Demon Hunters should not result in large-scale destruction. As long as they held the Birdcage, that would be enough. But what had come this time were demons—creatures of pure disorder. No one knew where those damned things would emerge from, nor where they would strike next. One thing, however, was perfectly clear to everyone: every demon had to die here. Not a single one could be allowed to escape.
"We need to withdraw. Staying concentrated in one place will only make us an easy target for a decapitating strike."
Merlin spoke again. He had personally witnessed Lloyd's power. Every one of these Demon Hunters possessed terrifying individual combat ability. The people here had no hope of withstanding a single Demon Hunter whose Secret Blood had awakened.
"Should… should we terminate the experiment?" Abigail asked.
She had never experienced a battlefield firsthand. Everything happening around her was utterly unfamiliar, and she had no idea what to do. All she could do was leave the decision to these battle-hardened men.
After a brief silence, Arthur finally spoke.
"Merlin, Abigail, you two evacuate first. Blue Jade, Swallow, get them out of here. Find a way to escape Blackmount Hospital. I'll rendezvous with Gawain and take command of the battle."
As the Purification Bureau's core scholars, Merlin and Abigail were obviously more valuable alive than the soldiers around them. As long as they survived, the Purification Bureau would retain the possibility of moving forward. If they were killed here, the Bureau would suffer a devastating blow.
"No. Arthur. Whoever is attacking us, we're only secondary targets. Their true objective is Lloyd—the False Holy Grail."
Merlin rejected Arthur's proposal.
"Lloyd must be evacuated first. Once they realize Lloyd is no longer here, there will be no reason for them to continue the assault."
Arthur fell silent. Then he picked up the communicator.
"How's the situation, Gawain?"
After a burst of harsh static, Gawain's voice came through. He sounded remarkably calm. Beneath the howls of the demons, that calmness was strangely reassuring.
Gawain was simply that kind of man. Rather than a knight, he was perhaps better described as a simple soldier—one who carried out every order given by his commander without question.
"Still under control. Most of the enemy are ordinary demons. There are a lot of them, but with our current firepower, we have the advantage. If we maintain this position, we should be able to wipe them all out."
It was rare good news. The defensive line had not yet been breached.
"What about Percival?"
"I'm moving toward the research district. The demons have blocked the route. We're having to fight our way through."
The communicator carried the sounds of demonic howls and gunfire. Even the usually irreverent Percival had become surprisingly dependable when it mattered. Arthur looked toward the others before continuing.
"Merlin, you're right. But one of the enemies is carrying inferior Secret Blood. He's the one turning our patients into demons. And here… in the severe ward, there are even more patients…"
"You think they'll go there and turn those people into demons as well?" Merlin asked.
"I'm only guessing that's what they intend. Otherwise, this attack makes no sense at all, does it? Gawain's firepower alone is enough to keep them under control… There has to be something else waiting for us. And then there's the New Church…"
"Most of the patients are in the safehouses," Abigail said at that moment. "We shouldn't have to worry about them for now."
Arthur's expression changed. It grew darker, blacker.
"No. Never underestimate your enemy, especially when that enemy has anything to do with Lawrence. The patients are concentrated inside the safehouses. If the defenses hold, they'll be safe. But once those defenses are breached, the patients will have nowhere to run. And those patients themselves are victims of corruption. They're far more susceptible to transforming into demons, which means they could become our enemies…"
Arthur's gaze hardened.
"Evacuate the patients. All of them."
As he spoke, he looked toward Abigail and Merlin.
"You two as well. Evacuate with them. There's no time to wait for Percival. Blue Jade and Swallow will assist you. Get out before the demons break through Gawain's defensive line."
"What about Lloyd?"
Abigail did not understand why Arthur had not mentioned the Demon Hunter. Lloyd might very well be the primary target of the entire attack.
"Lloyd…"
At the sound of that name, Arthur could not help remembering what Lloyd had said to him earlier.
Lloyd had not lost yet…
Then what was he planning to do? What could he possibly accomplish under circumstances like these?
"No. Don't worry about that Demon Hunter. Just unlock his restraints and let him escape on his own. Of everyone here, he's the one we least need to worry about. Though… recapturing him afterward will probably be impossible. We may never know what the False Holy Grail truly is."
If Arthur were Lloyd, he would run. He would leave Old Dunling, leave Invelg, and disappear into the world. With Lloyd's abilities, none of that should be particularly difficult.
But what should they do now?
"Wait… Lloyd!"
Merlin suddenly shouted.
Everyone's attention snapped toward him. At some point, the flickering lights had already gone completely dark. Lloyd hung motionless inside the Birdcage, his head drooping as though he had lost consciousness. There was not a sound from him.
"The plan has changed. Looks like we'll have to take Lloyd with us."
Merlin picked up the stacks of data they had printed earlier, then turned toward Arthur.
"Move, Arthur! Eve is in the safehouse too. She's the final product of the Ranger Project. Her value is extraordinary."
"And you?" Arthur asked.
"I have to shut down the Birdcage and drag Lloyd out. This damned machine was a nightmare to start, and shutting it down won't be any easier."
Merlin looked at Arthur and shook his hand sharply. With a crisp metallic snap, a folding knife appeared in his grip.
"Go, Arthur. Don't worry. In my time, swordsmanship was a compulsory subject for alchemists."
His gaze shifted toward the Demon Hunter imprisoned inside the Birdcage. There was no emotion in Merlin's voice.
"Besides, there are a few things I'd like to discuss with Lloyd."
...
The sensation was strange.
And yet, somehow, familiar.
It was as though he had fallen into the depths of the sea, surrounded by dark-blue water that was cool against his skin.
The broadcast announcements and vibrations were muffled by that invisible ocean, fading into indistinct echoes. To Lloyd, they sounded like meaningless muttering in a distant dream.
As the machine powered up, the excruciating pain gradually receded. At the same time, the world before Lloyd's eyes slowly lost its light, until everything finally dissolved into darkness.
It seemed he had sunk all the way to the bottom of an endless sea. Darkness surrounded him on every side, vast and unreachable.
"I'm not sure I like how dark it is…"
Lloyd suddenly found himself muttering the words.
There was nothing left in the darkness except him—and that damned chair.
Within that endless void, even the boundaries of human sensation began to blur. Perhaps only a few minutes had passed. Or perhaps many years.
Just as the darkness seemed destined to become eternal, a brilliant golden line suddenly cleaved through it from above, splitting the blackness apart. The light jolted Lloyd awake. Curious, he rose and walked toward it.
As he drew closer, the light began to spread, growing wider and wider.
No…
It was a door.
A massive door slowly opening, with light spilling through the widening crack.
Lloyd pushed open the long-sealed door and stepped into the radiance.
All the cold and darkness were driven away in an instant. Warm sunlight poured down upon him. Slowly, he raised his head.
Beyond the window stretched an impossibly blue sky.
He stared at it blankly for a long time. Then, upon his stiff face, a smile slowly appeared.
It had been so long since Lloyd had seen a sky this beautiful.
He had lived in Old Dunling for far too long. The sky there was forever gray and oppressive. He had almost forgotten what the normal world was supposed to look like.
His gaze wandered around the room.
It was a small, cozy-looking cottage. The room was not large, but everything one could possibly need was there. Judging from the clothes piled to one side, this appeared to be a boy's room.
There was something strangely familiar about it all. Lloyd simply could not remember where he had seen this place before.
Then he heard a voice outside.
After hesitating for a moment, he opened the door and followed the sound.
The cottage stood hidden deep within the mountains, concealed beneath the shade of towering trees. Birds sang among the branches, flowers bloomed beneath the sunlight, and the air carried the fragrance of the wilderness.
It was almost a paradise.
As far as Lloyd was concerned, this was an excellent place to retire and disappear from the world. It was certainly better than that cursed place called Old Dunling by more than he could possibly count.
And yet, strangely, Lloyd could see no one.
Everything was beautiful to the point of feeling unnatural, like a meticulously crafted dream.
He continued forward.
The sound gradually became clearer.
The swift, rhythmic sound of a sword cutting through the air.
A boy was practicing swordsmanship.
Lloyd watched him from a distance. The boy had a seemingly timid face, almost fragile in appearance. Yet every time he swung his sword, the blade moved with astonishing speed, falling like a bolt of thunder.
And in those moments, Lloyd could catch a fleeting glimpse of something else in the boy's expression.
A trace of viciousness.
Perhaps he was not as timid as he appeared.
Quite the opposite.
There seemed to be something violent sleeping within the boy—a savage nature he himself had yet to recognize.
Everything seemed peaceful and harmonious.
Until suddenly, footsteps sounded behind Lloyd.
It was like being discovered by a monster.
For some inexplicable reason, all strength vanished from Lloyd's body. He could no longer move. He stood frozen in place like a statue as the footsteps approached, passed him by, and continued onward.
It was an old man.
He walked slowly with the aid of a cane. Time had carved dry, bark-like wrinkles across his face, yet he seemed completely unable to see Lloyd.
He simply continued forward.
The boy appeared to notice the old man's arrival as well. He stopped swinging his sword and walked toward him.
"Good morning, my lord!"
The boy waved as he called out.
Lloyd Medici did his best to form a smile and answered the boy.
"Good morning, 042."