When the darkness shattered, a wave of heat mixed with dust swept across Luxe and Steve's faces.
The glowing eyes they had seen before now moved out of the shadows, no longer just staring—emerging.
A massive head came into view, eyes blazing—one shining bright violet, the other deep, abyssal blue. Its hooked beak gleamed, gray-black feathers radiating suffocating heat that stole their breath.
Cinder Bird.
Its wings unfurled, far too large for the cavern. With a single beat, scorching winds laced with dust blasted through like a storm.
Steve choked, trembling as he summoned Crag Bull and his baby Tigrix Rex.
"W-What… what kind of Beast is this?! Why does its aura feel… so terrifying?! Don't tell me… it's a Myth Beast?!"
Luxe didn't answer. His face was calm, but inside he knew: Outside means running into the Rogues. Staying here means being devoured by this bird.
There was no safe choice.
"Phantom Sever!"
His black-green scythe blazed, cleaving the air, spectral wings flickering behind him. Shadows whipped forward. "Chain Shadow!"
WHUUSH!
The strikes passed through as if Cinder Bird were made of smoke. The Beast shrieked, then slammed its massive wings down.
BOOOOM!
Luxe, Steve, Crag Bull, and Tigrix Rex were hurled against the cavern walls, blood filling their mouths.
"N-No way…" Luxe gritted his teeth. He summoned Miravore—yet only its small wolf form appeared. "Help me."
The tiny wolf darted forward, fangs glowing faintly, but against those colossal wings it was nothing. Steve's Pets lunged, but their attacks barely grazed the storm of gray feathers.
The fight pressed them harder and harder into a corner. Luxe clenched his jaw. Tch… I'll have to summon Prism Ward. Even then… it might not be enough.
Prism Ward erupted from the shadows, a towering knight of black-and-white steel with twin scythes gleaming. At the same time, Miravore's body cracked apart—its small frame swelling, reshaping into a shadowy Tigrix Rex.
Steve froze, stunned. "…T-That's… Prism Ward?! And Miravore… transformed?!"
Luxe had no time to respond. Prism Ward clashed with the Cinder Bird's beak, steel against ember. Shadow-Tigrix clamped onto its wing. But even together, the pressure was overwhelming. Prism Ward's armor cracked, Miravore staggered, and Steve's Pets collapsed back into the glowing symbols on his arm—KO.
Steve fell to his knees. "We… we can't win…"
Yet Luxe still stood, scythe trembling in his hands. "I'm… not done yet!"
"Chain Shadow!"
For the first time, the chains wrapped tight around the Cinder Bird's body. It shrieked, debris raining down as violet-blue fire-like dust scattered with each beat of its wings.
CRACK! CRACK!
The chains snapped.
The Beast lunged at Luxe.
"LUXE!!!" Steve screamed.
BOOOOM!
But instead of blood, the Cinder Bird's body burst into ashen light.
Dust spun wildly, wrapping around Luxe in a storm. The air trembled, time itself seeming to slow.
"Urghhh—!!" Luxe groaned as pain rippled through every nerve.
The ash clung to him, fusing with skin and cloth. Across his torso, armor formed—dark gray with glowing violet-blue cracks pulsing faintly. It spread, coating his arms to his fingertips, down his thighs and calves, binding to him like living fire-forged steel.
There was no explosion, no roar. Only a solemn radiance—as if Cinder Bird had chosen to dissolve and merge with him, leaving behind a mark of its existence.
Steve gaped. Luxe stood in the middle of the ashen mist, half-silhouette, half-human, his body clad in faintly glowing armor. Not ordinary gear… something alive.
His black-green scythe quivered, green fractures glowing brighter, resonating faintly with the new power encasing him. Each subtle movement left trails of glittering ash in the air.
An aura surged from Luxe—light yet oppressive, as if at any moment his body could fade into the surrounding dust and shadow.
Steve whispered, his voice trembling. "…Living Equipment…?"
Before Luxe could answer, the armor pulsed once. His knees buckled, and he collapsed, scythe clattering onto the stone floor.
Silence claimed the cavern again. Only faint motes of ash drifted before vanishing, leaving Luxe unconscious, wrapped in the glowing armor.
Steve staggered closer, pale, disbelief written on his face. "…Luxe…"
Footsteps echoed from the cavern mouth. Harsh voices followed.
"The tremors came from here!"
Steve's eyes went wide. "Shit… Rogue Slayers! They must've felt the fight!"
Luxe stirred faintly, his body glowing weakly with the new armor. "We… have to go deeper…" he rasped.
Steve threw Luxe's arm over his shoulder and half-dragged him further inside. The Living Equipment flickered faintly, threatening to vanish, but it clung to Luxe like a second skin.
"Faster, faster—damn it!" Steve panted, his eyes darting around the collapsing mine. "Where the hell do we hide?!"
The clanging steps of Rogues drew closer, echoing through the tunnels. "Check deeper!" one barked.
Panic flared in Steve's chest. He stumbled, trying to move faster, but the noise of his boots betrayed them.
Suddenly, Luxe's armor pulsed. From the violet cracks along his arms, fine ash seeped out, spreading like mist. It swirled around them, weaving into the cavern wall.
Steve froze as his vision blurred. "W-What… is this?!"
Their bodies thinned, melting into shadow and stone. The ash pulled them into the wall's embrace. From outside, they were nothing more than a faint silhouette etched in darkness.
An essence lamp's light swept directly over them. Steve's breath caught, his heart hammering loud enough he thought it would give them away.
But the Rogue Slayers only scowled at the bare rock.
"Just rubble. Nothing here."
"Fall back. We're done."
Their voices faded, footsteps retreating.
Only then did Steve collapse to the ground, gasping for air. He eased Luxe down beside him, both of them sitting against the damp cavern wall.
"Hah… hah… hahahaha… insane, Luxe," Steve laughed shakily. "We nearly died three times tonight!"
Luxe managed the faintest smile, conserving what little strength he had left.
Steve's voice wavered. "You're crazy. Prism Ward… Miravore… and now that thing turned into Living Equipment on you?!"
Luxe lifted his head slightly, his smile still there despite the pain.
"I only did… what I had to… to survive."
Steve swallowed, then whispered, "Yeah… but you saved us. You're not even gonna tell me to keep this a secret?"
"…No need. I know you will—without me asking."
Steve's eyes glimmered. "So… you do trust me?"
Luxe chuckled faintly, clutching his ribs. "I trust you're a good man. You could've run when the Rogues were searching. But you stayed. You carried me."
Steve blinked fast, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "Damn it—don't say it like that! I just… did what I had to! Now shut up and rest. I'll keep watch."
Luxe smiled faintly, eyes closing at last.
For the first time that night, the tension eased. Despite their wounds, they shared a secret in the darkness of the mine—one that could change everything.
Meanwhile, deeper in Pinefall forest, the Rogue Slayers regrouped. One knelt before their scarred leader.
"Boss, we checked. Nothing. Just the aftermath of the fight."
The leader was silent a moment, then his scarred mouth curved into a smile. His hand rested on a crimson-etched Core Vessel, within it the captured Grimthorn Stag.
"Good… that means we're clear."
He rose to his feet, eyes glinting cold through the night.
"We take this back. Return to base."
His grin widened, sharp and cruel.
"Prepare yourselves, Beast Slayer Association… This time, it will be our turn to strike."