Nox sat cross-legged on his massive bed, fingers tangled in the duvet. His brow was knotted in a hard scowl as his rational mind began to fracture. The situation was beyond unnatural; he'd have dismissed it as a fever dream if he hadn't blacked out earlier. He glanced up at Veil, who was drifting through the air with infuriating ease.
'If I have to kill these things,' Nox thought, 'which one should I start with?'
"'Well, you're a complete amateur, so One would suggest sticking to Bottom Feeders,"' Veil chirped, looping a lazy circle.
'"But! With your Familiar by your side, even a Harbinger or a Disaster shouldn't be lethal. You'll be fine~"'
Nox felt a surge of tears, but his pride choked them back.
'And where do I even find them?'
"'Everywhere!"'
'What the hell is that supposed to mean?!'
"'Ruach Ra'ah are everywhere unless someone goes through the trouble of purging them," Veil explained. "They're in your bathroom, your gym bag, your closet... basically, wherever mortals exist—and even where they don't—they are there."'
"...Sob... Sob..."
"'Oh, stop crying. As long as One is with you, you shall not die!"'
"...I hate this..."
Nox whispered. Veil only snickered. Meimei leaned in, licking the salt from his cheeks, and the small gesture of affection offered a flicker of comfort. He stroked her fur, forcing his breathing to steady.
"...Even if I agree to go, how? Zayne will catch me if I use the door. And we're in a penthouse—the window is a death sentence."
A heavy silence fell. As he ran through the exits, the reality set in: he was trapped.
Then came the sound of cracking bone.
Nox's heart hammered against his ribs. He spun toward the noise, jaw dropping in sheer disbelief. Standing where the cat had been was a beast the size of a tiger, draped in midnight-black fur. Its eyes were sharp, intelligent, and a blue so piercing they bordered on violet.
Veil hummed, clearly enjoying the show. Before Nox could process the transformation, the beast tilted its massive head.
"Master," it said, its voice resonant. "Climb onto my back. We are leaving."
Nox clutched his chest, certain he was having a heart attack. "...Meimei? How are we getting out?"
The beast stared unblinkingly. "The window." She gestured toward the floor-to-ceiling glass with a heavy paw.
Nox froze. 'So it's stay here and die tomorrow, or plummet forty stories tonight.' He didn't give himself time to overthink it. He lunged forward, scrambling onto Meimei's broad back.
"Master, hold tight. Do not let go."
Nox buried his arms in her thick neck fur. Meimei approached the glass, which hissed open automatically, and stepped out onto the balcony. For a moment, the cool night breeze felt peaceful—then Meimei stepped into the empty air.
Gravity claimed them. As they plummeted toward the pavement, Nox buried his face in her mane and screamed.
Thud!
The jarring impact never came. Instead, there was a heavy, resonant vibration. Nox peeked through his fingers and gasped; they were suspended in mid-air. Meimei was standing firmly on a translucent, shimmering blue platform that hovered over the abyss.
"WHAT THE—"
Before he could finish, Meimei coiled her muscles and launched forward like a bolt of lightning. Nox slammed his eyes shut and held on for dear life.
Meanwhile, on the Kraelion Continent...
Inside the soaring monolith of the Luo Conglomerate, the atmosphere was one of cold, mechanical efficiency. This was the heart of a global titan, an empire that moved markets and shaped nations.
On the topmost floor, in an office that overlooked the world, Zhizung Luo Gallows sat behind a desk of dark stone. He was staring at the holographic screen before him with a look that suggested he was ready to erase the caller's entire bloodline.
The figure on the screen was draped in flowing white-and-gold robes, their face obscured by a delicate veil.
"Oh, come now, brother. I only mentioned Genevieve and you're already looking at this young miss like a murderer. Where's the brotherly love~?"
Gallows ground his teeth. A localized aura of pure malice radiated from him, causing the temperature in the entire skyscraper to plummet. Floors away, secretaries shivered without knowing why.
The figure on the screen erupted into wild, melodic laughter. Gallows looked like he wanted to reach through the light and strangle the concept of joy itself.
"Ha... Hehehe... Alright, alright, stop it. I'll be in Canih in a few days."
"...Tsk. And you call yourself the Pope," Gallows growled. "You are utterly ridiculous, Longxiao Luo Vespera."
"Maybe! But I'm still on a mission, so I'll see you soon. Bye, little brother!"
Beep!
The terminal went dark. Gallows leaned back, rubbing his temples as a long, weary sigh escaped him.