The atmosphere in the Southern Sector of Oakhaven transformed from a damp, rainy night into a literal furnace. High Inquisitor Valerius's "Sun-Purge" protocol was not a mere search; it was a scorched-earth cleansing. From the rooftops, massive brass mirrors—specially designed for Holy Magic—began to catch the faint, artificial light from the Capital's towers, magnifying it into searing beams of concentrated phosphorus energy.
The beams didn't just illuminate the streets; they carved through the stone. Any shadow that touched the light evaporated instantly. The smell of ozone and burning masonry filled the air as the Inquisitors began to flood the sewer entrances with liquid light.
Deep within the Sanctum, the walls began to groan. Kaito felt the vibration in his teeth. The violet lines on the floor flickered as the holy energy from above tried to pierce through the ancient obsidian.
"They're burning the city," Mara said, her voice shaking as she clutched her satchel. "Kaito, if they keep this up, the Sanctum will become our tomb. The 'Sun-Purge' is designed to boil the ground itself."
Kaito stood in the center of the chamber, his eyes closed. He could feel the connection he had made earlier—the faint, rhythmic pulse of the violet flower he had touched with his magic. It was distant, cold, and surrounded by a blinding white light, but it was there.
"She's in the North Tower," Kaito whispered, his eyes snapping open. "My sister. She's alive, Mara. And Valerius is heading toward her right now."
"We can't just walk out there!" Mara argued. "The streets are covered in phosphorus light. One touch and your shadow—your very soul—will be scorched."
Kaito looked at the lead Grave-Walker. "The 'Forgotten Legion'... you were the guardians of the Royal family. Do you still remember the 'Obsidian Path'?"
The Grave-Walker bowed deeply, its porcelain mask reflecting the flickering blue light of the Sanctum. "It is a dangerous road, My Prince. It requires you to merge with the Void completely. You will not be walking under the city, but through the space between shadows. If your focus wavers for even a second, you will be lost in the emptiness forever."
"I don't have a second to waste," Kaito said, his voice dropping an octave, resonating with a power that made the air heavy.
He didn't draw a sword this time. He opened his arms, allowing the black streaks on his neck to expand, covering his chest and arms in a shifting, liquid armor of darkness. He wasn't just using shadows; he was becoming one.
"Mara, stay with the legion. If I don't return by sunrise, take the secret tunnels to the Western Harbor and don't look back."
"Kaito, wait—!"
But he was already gone. Kaito stepped into the center of the obsidian map and vanished.
The experience was unlike anything he had ever felt. The world turned into a silent, grey void where sound didn't exist. Above him, he could see the "Sun-Purge" beams as massive, golden spears piercing through the reality of the city. He moved between them like a ghost, leaping from one shadow to another in the 'between-space.'
Every step felt like his body was being torn apart and stitched back together. The cold of the Void was biting, trying to freeze his heart, but the memory of his sister's violet eyes kept him moving.
He emerged for a split second behind a stack of crates near the Governor's Mansion. The heat was unbearable. A beam of phosphorus light swept just inches above his head, turning the wooden crates into white ash instantly. Kaito didn't wait. He dove back into the 'Obsidian Path,' reappearing at the base of the North Tower's sheer stone wall.
High above, the window he had seen in his vision was glowing with a pale, sickly light. He could hear the heavy clank of armored boots on the spiral staircase inside.
"I'm coming, Aira," Kaito muttered, his fingers turning into sharp shadow-claws as he began to scale the vertical wall with impossible speed.
The Prince had reached the fortress. But as he neared the window, a golden aura erupted from the top of the tower. Valerius had arrived first. The hunt was no longer a game of hide-and-seek; it was a collision of two worlds.