The inner chamber, buried three levels below the Virelia Instute's main cathedral was a room designed to evoke the ancient Roman spirit.
columns lined the walls, each one carved with scenes from the Rift War.
Candles burned in iron sconces, their light casting shadows across the circular table that dominated the space.
Fifteen chairs surrounded that table, each one occupied.
At the head sat Vice Dean Martinez, a man in his fifties with graying hair whose face was an indication that he was aging much faster than he was suppose to.
He wore the ceremonial red and gold robe of Virelia administration.
To his right was Professor Giacomo, in his striped suit with an immaculate buzz cut and very much neutral expression.
Among the familiar faces present were General Toretti, Dr cross and Professor Helen from Commerce Legion.
And scattered among those farmiliar faces were the other legion heads and coorporate representatives.
The tension in the room was thick enough to cut.
"absolutely unacceptable," A thin man, one of the corporate representatives was saying. "We invest billions into this institution, and students are getting killed during routine field ass—"
"It wasn't routine," said Toretti, halting him mid complaint. "It was a coordinated ambush by a rogue Arcanum agent and a Kaiser operative."
"Kaiser." The word came dripping with disdain from Elena Santos, the current Chief at the Arcanum divsion. "An organization we forced to disband years ago. Yet here we are."
Vice Dean Martinez raised a hand. "The situation has been contained. The chief already has arcanum conducting a full internal review of Inspector Landers' activities and connections."
"Contained?" The thin man's voice pitched higher. "One student dead, seven injured, and another traumatized beyond recovery. How exactly is that contained?"
"You try to make it sound like this is about the students for you." Hermione said quietly, not looking up from the tablet in front of her.
"What are you trying to to imply doctor..." The thin man inquired.
"Speaking of the students" Mr. Azzuri, a big man and the head of Azzuri Innovation's voice was smooth, quickly diverting the topic. "I understand there was another incident requiring... discretion. Something about an art exhibition?"
The temperature in the room went cold.
Professor Helen cleared her throat. "There was a situation at the media & entertainment legion's annual art gallery. Several students were exposed to an unknown substance. We contained it before it could spread."
"Contained it," Azzuri repeated. "Or covered it up?"
"Both." Martinez's tone was flat. "The substance was neutralized, affected students were treated and the incident was attributed to a faulty pneuma scanner. No public panic equals no problems."
"No problems except the fact that someone smuggled an experimental substance into this campus," Santos interjected. "I have agents already investigating, but nothing yet."
There was silence and Azzuri shifted slightly in his seat.
The thin man noticed. "Mr. Azzuri. You wouldn't happen to know anything about experimental substances, would you? Considering your company's recent... complications."
Azzuri's expression didn't change. "I assume you're referring to the warehouse incident in Sector 7."
"The one raided by the Golden Chalice, yes."
"That was an unauthorized facility operated by individuals who've since been terminated." Azzuri's voice remained smooth. "Azzuri Innovations had no knowledge of their activities."
"How convenient."
"Gentlemen." Martinez's voice carried warning. "This isn't a tribunal. We're here to discuss the Institute's response to recent events, not to assign blame."
"Then let's discuss solutions," Giacomo said, speaking for the first time. His smile was pleasant. "The field assessment incident was resolved thanks to exceptional student performance. Specifically, one student managed to identify the threat and ultimately expose Inspector Landers' betrayal."
He pulled up a holographic display from the table's center console.
A photo appeared, hovering above the table for everyone to see.
Huegen Cross.
Several of the stakeholders leaned forward.
"the curse of the house...." one of them said, the word carrying unmistakable disdain.
"A Neophyte 1 student from Logistics and Support," Giacomo cut him off in a deliberate tone.
The thin man scoffed. "This is absurd. We're celebrating an Achusoi for doing the bare minimum? He didn't fight, he just—"
" identified the enemy, and stopped them from getting their hands on the Nexus key." Toretti interrupted, his empty sleeves shifting as he leaned forward. "He manipulated two hostile parties into turning on each other, essentially saving the day . That's not 'bare minimum.'
Martinez studied the photo for a long moment.
"The Cross boy," he said finally. "He's the one who lost his father to that... incident, correct?"
The room went quiet.
"Atticus Cross," Hermione confirmed softly.
"My Father. He's currently in a medical facility under intensive care."
"I'm sorry." Martinez's tone was genuine. "That must be difficult for your family."
"We manage."
Martinez nodded, then addressed the room. "Given recent events, I'm proposing we implement enhanced security protocols for all field assessments. Faculty supervision will be mandatory, Arcanum supervisors will undergo additional vetting, and student groups will be equipped with emergency extraction beacons."
"That's going to be rather expensive," the thin man muttered.
"A lot Cheaper than lawsuits and dead students," Santos countered.
"Agreed," Azzuri said. "Azzuri Innovations can provide the beacon technology at no cost. Consider it our contribution to student safety."
Several stakeholders exchanged glances, clearly wondering what Azzuri's angle was.
Martinez stood, signaling the meeting's end. "We'll reconvene in two weeks to finalize the protocols. In the meantime, I want incident reports from all department heads regarding recent security concerns."
The stakeholders began filing out.
The Blue Reaper's boots hit rooftop after rooftop, each landing well timed despite the literal chaos exploding behind him.
The seventh seal.
His mind raced even as his body moved on pure instinct.
"The church teaches it and every child learns it. The seventh seal was used by the Prime Toplars to bind the Diavolo—Variants so powerful they could single-handedly end the world."
A blast of molten energy screamed past his head, so close he felt his hair singe.
The Blue Reaper twisted mid-air and cleared the gap to the next building.
Behind him, the rooftop he'd just left turned into hot liquid
So why the hell is this guy using that symbol?
He landed, rolled, came up running.
"Are the Diavolo involved? Is Kaiser trying to unleash them? Or is this something else entirely?"
Another blast.
The Blue Reaper barely dodged, leaping off the building's edge.
He fell three stories before catching a fire escape, swinging himself through a broken window into an abandoned office space.
Glass crunched under his boots as he sprinted through cubicles toward the far exit.
Behind him, the entire wall melted.
Peter the Purifier walked through the molten opening, hands dripping with that terrible orange glow.
"Running only delays the inevitable. Reaper"
The Blue Reaper burst through the exit and hit the street at a dead run.
A car was approaching, headlights cutting through the rain.
Above him, the building crumbuled and the entire facade was coming down.
Tons of stone and steel, all of it molten at the edges, all of it falling directly toward the car.
His katana was out before conscious thought.
He moved.
And cut the falling debris split into smaller pieces, scattering to either side of the road.
The car drove through unharmed, the driver never knowing how close they'd come to death.
The Blue Reaper landed in a crouch, breathing hard.
Then Peter dropped from above like a meteor.
He hit the car dead center.
The impact was instantaneous.
Metal melted and Glass vaporized.
The occupants didn't even have time to scream before they were simply gone, consumed by the heat that radiated from Peter's body.
A shockwave rippled outward, the asphalt liquefying in a ten-meter radius.
The Blue reaper jumped back, barely clearing the melting zone.
Peter stood in the center of the destruction, rain evaporating before it could touch him, that terrible smile on his face.
"Do you see now, Reaper? This is divine power. The ability to wash away sin and purify corruption."
"I am purified." Peter's eyes glowed brighter.
"Baptized in the blood of chaos, reborn as an instrument of judgment. These people—qq" He gestured at the melted car. "—they were sinners. Living in complacency, ignorance, willful blindness to the truth. I have freed them."
"You murdered them."
"I cleansed them."
The Blue Reaper's grip tightened on his katana. "This place is going to be swarming with Topplers in minutes. If you wanted to capture me, you're drawing way too much attention."
Peter laughed. "Let them come. I'll purify them too. All of them. The corrupt Topplers, the Arcanum, the entire rotten system that pretends righteousness while enabling evil."
He took a step forward, leaving a smoking footprint.
"I have been given power beyond mortal limits, Reaper. I feel no pain. I fear no death. I am the purifying flame, and nothing can stand against me."
The Blue reaper assessed the situation rapidly.
The buildings around them were mostly abandoned, this section of Sector 9 had been condemned years ago. But that wouldn't last. The explosions were drawing attention.
And one hit from Peter would kill him instantly.
"Jazz," he called out.
"His body temperature exceeds two thousand degrees Celsius, sir. Direct contact would be fatal. His pneuma output is off the charts. Comparable to a vice Magister level Toppler."
"Weaknesses?"
"Unknown. Recommend immediate withdrawal."
Peter was watching him. "You tried running. You tried dodging. You've seen what happens when you engage directly. So tell me, Reaper. What's your plan now?"
The Blue reaper shifted his stance, katana held in a defensive position.
"The area's mostly deserted. That's good. Minimal collateral damage. But he's right, conventional combat won't work. One hit and I'm done."
"Which means there's only one way to win this."
He lowered his katana slightly.
"What's that over there." The Blue Reaper gestured to the sky.
Peter's eyes widened in surprise. "What"
The Blue Reaper was already gone.
Peter snarled and slammed his foot into the ground.