The body of Moraku still lay sprawled across the shattered stone floor, blood pooling beneath him like a black shadow. His axe, cracked and useless now, glinted in the firelight beside him. Luv pulled his dagger free, wiped the blade on Moraku's tunic, and slid it back into its sheath. His breaths were heavy, but his eyes were as calm as if nothing had happened.
Ayu stepped forward, brushing soot and sweat from her face. She glanced down at the fallen enforcer, her lips tightening.
"One of their strongest… gone." She looked at Luv. "You realize what we've just done, don't you?"
Luv's black eyes met hers, unwavering. "We've declared war."
As if to punctuate his words, a distant horn blared—low, guttural, and ominous. The doors of the hall shuddered again. This time, it wasn't just soldiers trying to force their way in—it was a battering ram.
"They won't stop," Ayu muttered, reloading her pistols. "They'll send everything."
The ram struck again. BOOM. The heavy doors cracked. Dust rained down from the ceiling. Outside, the thunder of hundreds of boots echoed in unison.
Luv moved quickly, scanning the hall. "We can't face them here. Too narrow, no cover. They'll bury us under sheer numbers."
Ayu gestured toward the upper balcony, a narrow stairwell curling upward. "There's a passage that leads to the outer courtyard. If we can reach it, we might slip out before they close the net."
The ram struck once more—BOOM. The doors groaned, half-splintered.
Without hesitation, Luv grabbed Ayu's hand and pulled her toward the stairs. The two sprinted upward just as the hall doors exploded inward. A tide of armored men poured through, torches and blades flashing, voices raised in rage at the sight of Moraku's corpse.
"Find them! Kill them both!"
The stairwell became a deadly gauntlet. Arrows hissed past, one grazing Ayu's shoulder. She gritted her teeth, firing back with sharp precision, each shot dropping a soldier mid-step. Luv moved ahead of her, his dagger flickering in the torchlight, cutting down anyone who tried to block their path.
By the time they reached the balcony, the air was thick with smoke and the roar of pursuit. Luv shoved open a side door and the two burst into the cool night air.
The courtyard stretched before them, half-hidden in shadows. But it wasn't empty. Dozens of Crimson Fang soldiers were already waiting, their red insignias glowing like embers in the torchlight.
Ayu cursed under her breath. "They planned for this."
From the opposite end of the courtyard, a figure stepped forward. Unlike the soldiers, he carried no weapon—just a long, curved pipe in his hand. His hair was tied back in a blood-red knot, and his eyes gleamed with an unsettling calm.
"The rats leave their hole," the man said, his voice sharp and cold. "You killed Moraku. That earns you more than death—it earns you a spectacle."
The soldiers tightened their formation, boxing Luv and Ayu in from all sides.
Ayu leaned close, whispering, "Who the hell is he?"
Luv's jaw clenched. "Someone worse than Moraku."
The man tapped his pipe against the stone. Sparks flew. "My name is Kael of the Crimson Fang, Moraku's blood-brother. And before this night ends, you'll beg for the mercy you never gave him."