A human stood before Ryujin, Noel, and Luna.
For a brief moment, he looked completely normal.
Then his body convulsed.
Bones twisted violently beneath his skin. His muscles swelled beyond human limits, tearing through flesh as his form expanded. A deafening crack echoed as his spine elongated, arms thickening, fingers sharpening into claws. In seconds, the man was gone—replaced by a towering giant monster that radiated raw, unstable power.
Noel's eyes lit up.
Noel: "Now this is more like it. Looks like I finally get to show my worth."
Ryujin frowned.
Ryujin: "Noel, don't rush in."
Noel didn't listen.
The moment the words left Ryujin's mouth, Noel burst forward. The ground shattered beneath his feet as he accelerated, closing the distance in an instant. He leapt high into the air, twisting his body as his fist drew back—compressed power surging through his arm.
He threw the punch.
But before it could land—
The monster moved.
Its arm shot forward with terrifying speed and slammed straight into Noel's body.
The impact sent Noel flying like a cannonball. His body smashed through a building, embedding deep into the concrete wall as debris rained down onto the street.
Ryujin's eyes narrowed.
Ryujin: "Its reflection speed… is faster than Noel's."
Luna: "Yes, but—"
Before she could finish—
Noel smiled.
A sharp, twisted grin spread across his face.
Suddenly, the monster let out a horrific scream.
The arm it had used to strike Noel began to melt.
Flesh bubbled. Bone dissolved. The limb collapsed into a dripping mass as if exposed to extreme heat.
The monster staggered back, roaring in agony.
Ryujin's expression shifted.
Ryujin: "So he already applied his rule."
Luna nodded calmly.
Luna: "Yes. His ability—Absolute Clause."
Absolute Clause.
Noel's ability allowed him to impose rules—on himself or on his opponent.
At that moment, Noel had imposed a rule upon himself: anyone who touched him would begin to melt.
The monster stared at its dissolving arm in terror.
Then, without hesitation—
It severed its own arm.
The limb fell to the ground with a wet thud, melting completely as a new arm rapidly regenerated in its place.
Ryujin: "It cut off its own arm to stop the melting… and it's regenerating."
Luna: "It won't help."
Noel stepped out from the destroyed building, cracking his neck.
Noel: "Once a rule is applied… it cannot be removed."
His eyes locked onto the monster.
Noel: "There's no one left to save you now."
He vanished.
Noel reappeared in front of the monster and slammed a punch straight into its face. Then another. And another. His fists moved like blurs, each strike landing with brutal precision. The monster staggered helplessly as Noel laughed, continuing his relentless assault.
Luna suddenly turned her head.
Luna: "Ryujin—look ahead."
Ryujin followed her gaze.
Four more humans were approaching.
One by one, their bodies twisted and expanded, transforming into giant monsters.
Luna sighed.
Luna: "Looks like they weren't happy seeing us relax."
Ryujin tightened his grip on his blades.
Ryujin: "How many are there? They just keep coming."
Luna smiled faintly.
Luna: "Opportunities like this are rare—when you can use your power freely."
She stepped forward.
Luna leapt toward one of the giant monsters. It reacted instantly, swinging a massive arm toward her. Luna vanished mid-air, reappearing behind it as she swung her scythe toward its neck—
Clang.
The blade stopped.
It didn't cut.
Her scythe was stuck.
Before she could retreat, the monster punched her square in the torso, sending her flying high into the air.
While airborne, Luna extended her hand.
Purple-black aura gathered around her palm, glowing violently. A massive pentagram formed in front of her, rotating slowly.
Luna: "Summoning Kara."
The pentagram split open.
A massive demon emerged, its presence alone crushing the air. In a single motion, it bit down on the monster's head—crushing it completely.
Noel and Ryujin turned toward the scene.
Before the body even fell, Luna landed, yanked her scythe free, and leapt again. She slashed another monster's neck in one swift motion.
The demon grabbed the second monster, lifted it effortlessly, and devoured it whole.
Luna wielded the Reaper Scythe—granting her the abilities of a reaper.
The demon she summoned was one of those abilities.
By striking the monsters first with her scythe, she automatically marked them as the demon's targets.
Ryujin turned as the remaining two monsters charged straight toward him.
He drew both blades and merged them together.
Ryujin: "Kageutsu."
The world shifted.
The monsters' movements slowed. Their reflections lagged behind reality itself.
Ryujin stepped forward.
Ryujin: "24/1—Severance Principles."
One slash.
Both monsters froze.
Then their bodies split—cleanly—into twenty-four pieces each.
Elsewhere
The scene shifts.
A narrow underground tunnel stretches endlessly ahead, swallowed by darkness. Rusted pipes run along the ceiling like veins, occasionally dripping water that echoes through the silence. Dim emergency lights flicker weakly, barely holding back the shadows.
A man wearing a doctor's coat walks calmly through the tunnel. His footsteps are unhurried, deliberate. Despite the darkness, his posture remains confident—as if this place belongs to him.
Above him, resting casually on a thick iron pipe, lies Volt.
One leg hangs loosely in the air while the other is folded. Earphones plugged in, music humming softly, he looks completely at ease—almost bored—amid the suffocating darkness.
Without opening his eyes, Volt speaks.
Volt: "Yo…
Merf. Did you bring any news?"
The man in the doctor's coat stops beneath the pipe. His glasses reflect a faint glint of light as he looks up.
Merf: "Yes.
I did the research you asked for. You were right. That thing… could actually be useful."
In an instant, Volt's eyes open.
He jumps down from the pipe, landing lightly on the ground, excitement flashing across his face.
Volt: "See? I told you."
"My instincts are never wrong."
Merf studies him for a moment before changing the subject.
Merf: "By the way… how's your injury?"
Volt rolls his shoulder casually.
Volt: "It's healed now."
Then, with a curious tilt of his head, he asks,
Volt: "And what about your experiments in Seora? How are they going?"
Merf's expression hardens slightly.
Merf: "Forget them."
"They were failures anyway. The Guardians eliminated them… which means my entire storage is empty now."
Volt lets out a low chuckle.
Volt: "How cruel."
"Using the Guardians to erase the very things you created yourself."
Merf's voice remains cold.
Merf: "In my world, there is no place for those experiments."
Volt smirks.
Volt: "Heartless bastard."
A brief silence passes between them before Merf speaks again.
Merf: "By the way… the King has ordered that the sealed vault be retrieved as soon as possible."
Volt's expression doesn't change.
Volt: "Don't worry about that."
"I've already made all the preparations."
As he says this, the atmosphere subtly shifts.
Shadows begin to appear.
One by one, silhouettes of people emerge along the pipes above Volt—figures standing silently, watching from the darkness.
Their presence is heavy. Intentional.
Volt glances upward, his smile widening.
In Seora, S.O.S refugees had already arrived.
Emergency camps were being set up across the city, and security forces had begun sealing off entire zones. Barricades lined the streets, and patrol units moved constantly, ensuring that no further chaos could spread.
Inside the headquarters, a large meeting hall was filled with tension.
Ryujin, Noel, and Luna stood together among several other high-ranking members. At the center of the room stood the Chief, though he had not yet begun speaking.
Noel let out an irritated sigh.
Noel: "Huh… sitting here for so long is seriously ruining my mood."
Luna glanced at him, a faint smile on her lips.
Luna: "You're just jealous of us, aren't you?"
Noel's expression darkened instantly.
Noel: "Oi, Luna. Who do you think you are, huh?"
Before the argument could escalate, footsteps echoed through the hall.
The Chief stepped forward.
Chief: "Enough, Noel. Calm down."
The room fell silent.
The Chief looked around at everyone present before speaking again.
Chief: "I've called all of you here to inform you about something important."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.
Chief: "First— the monsters that attempted to cause havoc in Seora today… were victims of human experiments."
Ryujin's eyes narrowed.
Ryujin: "So human experimentation is still continuing?"
The Chief nodded slowly.
Chief: "Yes. However, they weren't as powerful as the ones we've encountered before."
"It's likely that a different kind of experiment was performed on them—to enhance their strength."
"But judging by the results, the experiment must have failed."
Noel clenched his fist.
Noel: "So they used us to clean up their trash."
The Chief didn't deny it.
Chief: "Now, moving on to the second matter."
"I want all of you to watch this video that was sent to us today."
The lights dimmed.
A large screen activated.
The video began playing.
On the screen stood Volt, facing the camera with a relaxed grin.
Volt (on screen): "Hello, guys… how's everyone doing?"
Luna frowned slightly.
Luna: "Who is this?"
Ryujin answered without taking his eyes off the screen.
Ryujin: "His name is Volt. He's the one after the sealed vault."
Volt continued speaking calmly, almost casually.
Volt (on screen): "I hope all of you can hear me clearly."
"I'll keep this simple."
His smile faded just a little.
Volt (on screen): "Hand over the sealed vault… or many innocent lives will be in danger."
The room grew tense.
Volt (on screen): "If you give us the sealed vault, we promise we won't lay a finger on your country."
"But if you refuse…"
His eyes sharpened.
Volt (on screen): "Be prepared to fight us."
A brief pause followed.
Volt (on screen): "You have until tomorrow."
"The day after that… we make our move."
He waved lightly.
Volt (on screen): "Bye-bye."
The screen went black.
Silence filled the meeting hall—heavy and suffocating.
A heavy silence lingered in the meeting hall after the video ended.
One of the members clenched his fist.
Member: "So he's come straight to threatening us now. Who does he think he is?"
The Chief responded without hesitation.
Chief: "Negotiation is out of the question."
"Whatever is sealed inside that vault is most likely the key to fulfilling his objective."
Ryujin spoke next, his tone serious.
Ryujin: "He clearly said he wouldn't hesitate to involve innocent people."
Another member looked concerned.
Member: "Has Lobo still not returned from his mission?"
The Chief shook his head.
Chief: "No. Until he returns, this operation will be under Franklin's command."
Noel scoffed immediately.
Noel: "That arrogant guy… I refuse to work under him."
Luna glanced at Noel calmly.
Luna: "You're just jealous of him."
Noel snapped back.
Noel: "Can't you just shut your mouth for once?"
The Chief raised his voice slightly.
Chief: "Enough."
"Everyone, prepare yourselves for the mission."
One by one, the members began leaving the hall.
After the room emptied, Ryujin remained behind.
He turned toward the Chief.
Ryujin: "What do you plan to do about him?"
The Chief didn't hesitate.
Chief: "He will remain in prison until this battle is over."
Ryujin hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
Ryujin: "If you give him a chance… he could be extremely useful to us."
The Chief's expression hardened.
Chief: "We're not lacking in strength."
"And the farther he stays from all this, the better."
Detention Facility
Inside the prison, Charlie sat in his cell, visibly bored.
Moments later, several guards arrived and stopped in front of another cell.
Guard: "Denjiro, you're free to go."
Denjiro stepped out calmly.
Charlie looked at him, confused.
Charlie: "What happened? Are you leaving?"
Denjiro nodded.
Denjiro: "I was only here for twenty-four hours."
Charlie: "I see."
As Denjiro walked away, he stopped briefly and spoke without turning back.
Denjiro: "From what I've learned about your arc core…"
"I can say one thing for sure—this prison isn't enough to keep you locked up."
Charlie frowned, unable to understand what he meant.
Denjiro walked away.
Elsewhere
Merf stood before Volt.
Merf: "Their response has arrived."
Volt looked at him with interest.
Volt: "What did they say?"
Merf: "They want to fight."
Volt slowly stood up, a grin spreading across his face.
Volt: "Looks like a massive calamity is about to begin."
.....To be Continued...