Chapter 2: The Forbidden Tri-Pact
Rensho sank back onto the cold ground, staring once again at the torn map in his hands. The lines and symbols blurred before his eyes, not because of confusion, but because his mind was too tense, too aware of the chaos unfolding around him.
High above, Bizogle flying over his paper plane, observing the creatures at his command.
"Will my pets be enough to protect the UTP?" he muttered to himself, eyes scanning the creatures circling below. "The guards are only for show. The real power… lies with them."
Meanwhile, Lishea tapped her communicator, calling Hizek and Clite.
"Hey, Hizek," she said, voice steady but edged with adrenaline. "Kingolo and I have neutralized all the guards here."
"Good," Hizek replied, his tone calm but precise. "Clite and I are approaching the castle from a distance. Our task was only to track the guards' positions."
Lishea ended the call and glanced at Kingolo.
"Our job's done. We should leave now," she said.
Kingolo shook his head.
"I'm not leaving yet," he said, eyes glinting with bloodlust. "I'm about to activate the second ability of my tri-pact. I just need a bit more… and my dragon will awaken."
Lishea's eyes narrowed. "That's direct defiance of the leader's orders."
Kingolo grinned. "I'm making their job easier."
With a roar, he approached a fallen guard and began striking relentlessly. Every strike sent blood cascading into his sword, feeding the dark ritual within it. The crimson liquid shimmered unnaturally, pulsing with life as if the weapon itself drank it.
Lishea slipped silently from the castle, blending into the shadows.
Kingolo stepped back, raising the sword high.
"Now… Blood Dragon, arise!"
The air shimmered violently as a dragon formed from the very blood Kingolo had collected. Its scales glowed deep crimson, glistening like molten metal. The scent of iron hung heavy as it unfurled its massive wings.
"Tharagon," Kingolo commanded. "Break the castle gates!"
With a headlong dash, the dragon struck, smashing through the reinforced doors as if they were paper. But the moment the dragon's claws touched the rubble, Kingolo recalled it. This creature thrived only on blood; if its source ended, the tri-pact would collapse.
Inside the castle, Kingolo advanced, slicing through the remaining guards effortlessly.
Outside, Rensho groaned, slumping against the wall.
"Ugh… am I just supposed to sit here all day?"
A shiver ran down his spine. Something off… dangerous approached. His instincts screamed, and he went on high alert.
An object whistled past his head, a deadly projectile but Rensho dodged with precise reflexes.
From the shadows emerged a skeleton, moving with unnerving intelligence. A hollow laugh echoed softly.
Rensho threw his razor blades, flicking them from his fingers with deadly precision. But the skeleton didn't flinch. Its body was nothing but bones, no nerves, no flesh razors bounced harmlessly off.
The skeleton lunged, using a rib as a weapon. It barreled past him, spinning to strike his face. Rensho sidestepped, the clash of momentum sending dust into the air.
"Tri-pacts can't form from living beings," he muttered. "But this… isn't alive in the usual sense. It's conscious. That means–"
The skeleton tried again, swinging the rib with savage force. Back and forth, strike and dodge, the two clashed across the ruined courtyard. Each movement was a blur of speed and precision.
Finally, the skeleton grabbed Rensho and hurled him toward the castle wall. With a crash, he was sent flying but instinctively, he caught the edge of his web, halting his momentum just in time.
Eyes locking on the skeleton, Rensho propelled himself forward, delivering a devastating kick that wrapped it in webbing. One precise strike, and the creature was trapped.
"Controlled," he muttered. "This skeleton… has been tamed."
Breathing hard, Rensho sank back against the torn gate, eyes returning to the map as if the world outside had paused.
Meanwhile, the skeleton's skull lifted into the air, whispering with unnerving clarity.
"I must report to my master… about these intruders."
Elsewhere, Rax examined the room containing the unregistered tri-pact (UTP).
"Strange," he murmured. "Something so important, yet no guards… no precautions."
His eyes landed on the object.
"There it is, the UTP. If it falls into my hands, everything will bend to my will."
For a moment, he prepared himself.
"Time for a safety check."
Rax threw his rubber ball at the UTP. But almost instantly, knives emerged from every corner of the room. A deadly forest of steel surrounded him. Escape routes vanished as doors locked.
Within seconds, even Rax's defenses began to falter under the relentless onslaught.
A faint glow pulsed from Rensho's Nightfang insignia, embedded near his waist. He realized immediately.
"Rax… is in danger," he whispered.