Axel grew serious.
"Stay where you are."
The two men quickly moved away, heading toward a separate space that resembled a makeshift room. The rest obeyed without question.
Nero, Lux, Kōri, and Sunday sat in a secluded corner. A heavy, uncomfortable silence settled between them.
Sunday was the first to break it.
He looked at Nero seriously and leaned in slightly.
""Hey… I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I didn't mean to."
Nero watched him for a few seconds. He didn't seem to be evaluating him; rather, he seemed to be wondering if it was worth responding. Finally, he nodded slowly.
"Me too. I shouldn't have reacted like that."
There was no immediate relief. Only a fragile calm, like ice about to crack.
"Your swordsmanship…" Nero added after a moment, "isn't so bad, considering how unpredictable you are."
Sunday let out a short, almost involuntary laugh. Lux and Kōri exchanged glances; they didn't say anything, but both noticed that something between them had changed.
Nero lowered his gaze… and it lingered on Kōri's skirt.
"What are you looking at?" she asked, blushing slightly.
"How can you argue with that?"
Kōri hesitated for a moment.
"It's light. And flexible. It's not as much of a hindrance as it seems."
The conversation continued for a few more minutes. Brief smiles. Trivial words.
But Nero was no longer there.
The Smilers declared war on us.
It wasn't an exaggeration.
Fifty monsters.
Twenty of them.
Rank 11s… at least.
Nero sighed and massaged his temples.
I need to rank up. Fast.
The church wasn't an option. Self-control… too simple.
He was left with goals. The consumption of Centrums.
Change what?
Habits.
Fears.
Emotions.
Bad habits.
Routines.
Everything was so ingrained that he didn't even know where to begin.
I suppose that's the point.
Then, the idea appeared.
The oil spill.
A forbidden ritual. One that no one performed without consequences.
If it works… maybe I can contact "Him."
An angel?
An archangel?
A god?!
Nero smiled.
It wasn't a peaceful smile.
It was a dangerous smile.
In the secluded room, five people sat in a circle. Axel stood in the center.
"We're dead," someone said bluntly.
"The Smilers aren't a gang," another added, "they're monsters."
Axel closed his eyes for a moment.
As leader… I have to make sure everyone lives.
"We only have one option," he finally said.
He swallowed.
"Flee the eastern zone."
"Are you crazy?!" Westen jumped up, his chair falling to the floor. "The Fillius Dei would kill us before we allowed it!"
"Calm down," Axel replied. "I have a plan."
After a tense, short, and bitter argument, the group left the room.
They gathered everyone.
Nero and his men stood together, silent.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Axel's voice echoed through the room, "we have bad news."
"Our greatest enemy has declared war on us."
"We have no chance of winning."
He took a deep breath.
"We'll escape... through the sewers."
Silence fell like a ton of bricks.
Then, a murmur. Suppressed panic.
Nero's eyes widened.
The sewers...
It was a death sentence.
A taboo in Vickmolt. The Fillius Dei guarded every entrance. Agents trained to crush common criminals.
"You have one day," Axel continued, "one day to prepare."
He looked... scared.
"Are the Smilers really that dangerous...?" someone murmured near Nero.
Yes, he thought.
They're damned monsters.
"We'll go south, then west, and finally north," Axel said. "We'll meet inside the sewers." "Bring your families."
He paused.
"And one more thing… the eastern zone will be destroyed."
Are you kidding me…?
Nero gritted his teeth.
He had to pack. Quickly. Warn Rose.
The ritual… he might not have time anymore.
One by one, the young people began to leave.
Axel ordered his men to take only the essentials and conserve their strength.
The Alexue House.
Nero packed his things with quick, mechanical movements.
As he folded the last item of clothing, he understood.
If they ran away… there would be no ritual. If he performed the ritual… he might not run away with them.
He closed his backpack.
He left the room and opened Rose's.
She looked up. She was studying.
"Pack," Nero said. "We have to go."
Rose sensed the gravity in his voice and began packing without saying a word.
Nero returned to his Fourth. She rummaged through the table drawers until she found the ritual manual.
She held it for a few seconds.
Then she put it in her backpack.
In the kitchen, Sunday waited, leaning against the wall. He had nothing with him except his katana. Lux carried a backpack with the Lokg securely fastened.
Kōri paced nervously.
Rose left the room with her backpack half-closed.
She said nothing. She asked no questions. She just glanced at Nero once and nodded.
Then it happened.
A loud crash shook the house.
The walls vibrated. Dust fell from the ceiling.
Then another.
And another.
In the distance, shouts.
"What was that…?" Kōri whispered.
There was no need to answer.
An explosion lit up the windows with an orange flash. The ground shook beneath their feet.
"They've started again," Lux said, her voice strained.
There was no time to Think.
"Move!" Nero ordered.
They ran out into the street.
The east side was in chaos.
Buildings collapsing. Flames rising through the smoke. People running aimlessly, some shouting names, others praying, others simply fleeing.
The explosions kept rumbled, getting closer and closer.
"This way!" Sunday shouted.
He didn't hesitate. He ran as if he already knew the way.
The group followed him without question.
They turned corners, crossed alleyways, dodged rubble. The air was thick with ash and the smell of burnt metal. Each explosion made Nero tighten the straps of his backpack.
The ritual manual seemed to weigh twice as much.
Finally, Sunday stopped in front of a forgotten structure among the ruined buildings.
An old iron gate, half-hidden under trash and debris.
""It's here," she said.
Lux approached and helped her up. The metal squeaked with an unpleasant sound.
From below, a thick stench rose suddenly.
"Ugh..." Kōri muttered, bringing a hand to her mouth.
It wasn't just dirt.
It was rot.
"Come in," Sunday said. "Yeah."
Another explosion shook the ground. This time, too close.
They didn't think twice.
One by one, they descended.
The inside of the sewers was a different world.
Dark. Damp. Alive.
The smell was suffocating, a mixture of stagnant water, rust, and something else... something organic. The echo of the explosions still filtered down from above, muffled but constant.
Rats scurried through the shadows, sensing their presence. Insects crawled along the walls, some too large to be normal.
Rose choked back a gag.
"Don't look." "Get down," Nero said softly, "just walk."
The water reached their ankles. Each step produced an unpleasant splash. Kōri moved nervously, looking all around, as if expecting something to emerge from the darkness at any moment.
"This place…" she whispered, "shouldn't exist."
"It does," Sunday replied, "that's why no one comes down."
A metallic clang echoed in the distance.
Nero stopped.
"Did you hear that…?"
Silence.
Then, another sound. A slow, heavy drag.
In the darkness, Nero could see the barrel of a gun.
"Get down!"
The bullet grazed Nero's face.
Sunday and Nero activated their auras.
Nero took out one of his cards and filled it with aura.
The card sliced through the air, forcing the person in the darkness to dodge.
They could see that on his shirt he had… A cross... the symbol of the Fillius Dei.
"Protect Rose!" Nero ordered, his gaze fixed on the darkness.
Lux reacted instantly. He positioned himself in front of Rose, activating his defense, while Kōri moved to his side, sword in hand, covering the flanks.
"Don't separate," Kōri said softly, her voice tense.
Another shot echoed through the tunnel.
The bullet struck the wall, tearing away fragments of stone and rusted metal.
"Fillius Dei..." Sunday murmured. "They were waiting for us."
The agent emerged a little further into the light. His face remained in shadow, but the cross on his chest shone brightly.
"By decree of the monarchs," he said coldly, "no civilians may cross the sewers. Surrender."
"Don't even think about it," Nero replied.
Sunday advanced first.
His katana He traced a clean arc in the air, forcing the agent back. The next shot grazed Sunday's shoulder, but it was too close.
Nero didn't miss a beat.
Another card appeared between his fingers. He charged it with aura and threw it to the ground, right in front of the enemy.
The energy blast wasn't huge, but it was enough to lift water and debris, blinding the agent for a second.
That second was all it took.
Sunday slid around the side and attacked from below. The agent blocked reflexively, but Nero was already upon him.
The man opened his palm and unleashed a powerful gust of wind.
Sunday managed to dodge it in time, but Nero was propelled backward.
Sunday charged his weapon with electricity and with a swift movement, pierced the agent's throat.
The man stared at Sunday and seemed to recognize him...
"S-Sora?"