Jack charged in head-on, blocking the polearm with his hardened arms—but the sheer force threw him back into the wall.
Jack (gritting teeth): "He's stronger than the Guardian…!"
Emilia darted around him, her mist striking at his exposed implants—but Ravenous Halo spun the polearm with one hand, creating a localized gravity well that pulled her mist into a vortex, forcing her to reform and dodge back.
Ichiro moved in from the flank, his wind aura cutting through the distortion briefly, letting him land a clean strike on the Commander's side. But Ravenous simply absorbed the hit, twisting the gravity around his own body to nullify the impact.
Henry stepped in last, reading the flow of the fight. He aimed for the halo ring itself—knowing it was the source of its synchronization.
But Ravenous Halo anticipated him. With a flick of his wrist, he reversed gravity under Henry's feet, sending him upward toward the ceiling before slamming him back down with crushing force.
The Commander paused briefly, not finishing the strike.
Ravenous Halo: "…Impressive. You fight with more cohesion than expected. But you are still… incomplete."
Henry rose slowly, eyes steady despite the pressure.
Henry: "You're not here to kill us, are you?"
The Commander tilted his head.
Ravenous Halo: "No. I am here to measure you. To see if you are worthy of being crushed beneath the Ascendant's gaze."
Jack growled.
Jack: "Yeah? Well, here's your measurement!"
He lunged again, this time with full force, while Emilia and Ichiro coordinated their strikes.
The chamber shook with the clash, but Ravenous Halo remained calm, deflecting, countering, and using gravity to redirect their momentum, making it feel like they were fighting the room itself.
But Lenny, watching from the edge, noticed something: every time Ravenous Halo shifted gravity, the halo behind his head flickered slightly.
Lenny: "Henry! The halo! It's the control focus!"
Henry's eyes sharpened instantly.
Henry: "Jack—distract him. Emilia, cover me."
They moved in perfect sync.
Jack slammed forward recklessly, forcing Ravenous Halo to commit his focus. Emilia sent a wave of dense mist to obscure his vision for half a second—just long enough for Henry to appear with Shooting Star and strike the halo ring directly.
The hit disrupted the gravity field, making the commander stagger briefly.
It wasn't enough to defeat him—but it was enough to create an opening.
Henry: "Now! Move!"
The group retreated toward a side corridor while Ravenous Halo regained his balance.
As they pulled back, Ravenous Halo didn't follow. He simply stood in the center of the chamber, watching them leave.
Ravenous Halo: "…Run. Deeper, if you wish. It won't matter. All paths lead to the Halo's embrace."
His voice echoed after them as they vanished into the tunnels.
They didn't stop running until the gravitational hum faded behind them.
Jack panted slightly, wiping sweat from his brow.
Jack: "That guy wasn't even trying. He was toying with us."
Emilia's eyes were narrowed but calm.
Jack leaned against the wall, cracking his neck and shaking out his arms.
Jack: "That guy wasn't just another Guardian. He was… controlled. Precise. Like he knew every move we'd make."
Ichiro wiped sweat from his brow, his jaw still tight.
Ichiro: "And he wasn't trying to kill us. He could have. He was holding back."
Emilia: "No. He was watching. Measuring us. Which means someone higher up wants to know what we can do."
They hadn't just been fighting an enemy. They'd been studied.
Henry stayed silent for a long moment, his thoughts heavy.
Lenny crouched nearby, catching his breath as he glanced at Henry.
Lenny: "Henry… what now? We got what we came for—proof of the Black Halo's connection to the Soul Reapers, the Ascendant Protocol, everything Ronnie asked for."
Emilia stepped forward, her calm eyes sharper than usual.
Emilia: "He's right. We already have enough. You saw that, Commander—we're not ready for what's deeper in these tunnels."
Henry stayed quiet, scanning the dark corridor ahead.
Emilia took another step closer, her voice still soft but firm, layered with controlled frustration.
Emilia: "Henry. Stop pretending we can keep doing this without consequences. Every step down here costs us more. You felt it too, didn't you? The weight of something bigger waiting below."
Henry finally turned his head slightly toward her.
Henry: "If we leave now, we give them time. Time to finish whatever they're building. Time for Zorath to prepare the next phase."
Emilia's gaze hardened.
Emilia: "And if we keep going, we walk straight into his hands. Do you think they didn't want us to see those files? Do you think Ravenous Halo didn't let us leave so he could report back about us?"
Jack raised an eyebrow, glancing between them.
Jack: "She's got a point. That guy wasn't really fighting us. Felt more like an exam than a fight."
Ichiro stayed silent but watched Henry closely, waiting for his response.
Henry's voice was calm, but there was an edge beneath it.
Henry: "Yes. He let us leave. Which means someone higher up wants to know how far we'll go. That tells me they're not done here either. And that's exactly why we have to push further."
Emilia shook her head slightly.
Emilia: "You're walking into a trap. You know it. And you're still going."
Henry met her gaze steadily.
Henry: "…Because sometimes the only way to see the whole trap is to step inside it."
The silence between them was heavier than the tunnels themselves.
Emilia exhaled slowly, looking away just enough to hide the flicker of frustration in her eyes.
Emilia: "… Then don't expect me to pretend this is smart."
Jack smirked faintly to cut the tension.
Jack: "Well, I'm with Henry. If it's a trap, let's spring it. Better than crawling back with half the picture."
Lenny muttered quietly under his breath.
Lenny: "…I don't like this."
Ichiro finally spoke, his tone steady.
Ichiro: "If we're going deeper, then we move carefully. No mistakes."
Henry nodded once.
Henry: "We move. But we stay sharp. If we see something we can't handle, we pull out. Agreed?"
Emilia gave a small, restrained nod. She wasn't convinced, but she wasn't going to split the group.
They pressed on, the corridor ahead growing wider.