Neraxis had vanished, leaving only chaos in his wake.
People buried beneath rubble struggled to breathe, choking out faint, desperate screams. Smoke curled through the streets. Fires crackled amid toppled buildings, sending ash raining down like grey snow.
Tears streaked faces, grief-stricken cries echoing through shattered streets.
"Those damn Hunters…" someone whimpered.
"I hate every single one of them!" another shouted, fists shaking.
"Why weren't they here to protect us?"
A man, eyes hollow with loss, spat blood and venom:
"May these self-interested Hunters die a dog's death!" The agony in his voice pierced the ruined air.
Yura stood amidst the destruction, muscles trembling, nervous system screaming. He could barely move. His eyes swept over the ruins, every collapsed wall and shattered home a painful reminder.
Just like that day… the cultists… everything destroyed.
He clenched his fists, teeth gritting, a fire burning inside.
We must fight. We must stop this… or there will be endless victims.
Noctyre Valen coughed, blood staining his lips. Weak, he muttered,
"So… the test… was over?"
Yura blinked, confused.
"What?"
Noctyre shook his head, voice faltering.
"N-Nothing…"
In his mind, Yura thought: If we survived… that means the test was passed. Exactly who defeated Commander Yarau?
At that moment, Kael Draven appeared, eyes sharp, scanning the ruins.
"What happened here?" he demanded.
Yura and Noctyre stammered, barely able to speak:
"S-Save… T-Toura Oni…"
Smoke curled around them, embers drifting through the shattered city. The aftermath of destruction was silent, heavy, and terrifying—but a spark of determination burned in Yura's chest.