The air turned cold. Not from wind. Not from the sky.
It was the mana.
Dark. Twisted. Writhing.
Evelyn stood still, a chill crawling up her spine as she watched the black fog spiral around Reyon's body. The slashes that had torn through Cerberus were long gone. The battlefield—broken. Still. But this...
This was worse.
"…Reyon," she muttered, backing one step.
The black mana engulfed him entirely, coiling like smoke from a burning corpse. His body—shuddering. Veins bulging. His eyes hidden beneath that veil of corrupted energy.
Then, he moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
"Wait—"
He blurred past her. She spun just in time to see his figure close in on the two S-rank beasts she had been battling. The injured centipede and the other s rank only had time to hiss.
Slash.
The first move—a clean, downward slice—split the centipede's neck in one brutal motion.
Thud.
The head hit the dirt, eyes still blinking.
Reyon didn't stop.
The other s rank growled, firing off a spiral of flame.
Reyon ducked, spun low, and leapt straight under its attack. His dagger flicked outward in a brutal arc, slicing through its soft underbelly.
The beast howled, collapsed, twitched, and died.
All in three moves.
Evelyn's heart clenched.
"That's… not how Reyon fights."
She clenched her fists. "He doesn't fight like that. He—he always observes. Always keeps a distance. He plans—thinks—stalls—"
Her words caught.
"…What the hell is this?"
Reyon turned.
His eyes met hers.
Or rather—his eyes stared into her.
Lifeless.
Mad.
He took a step forward.
"Reyon!" Evelyn called, her voice sharp.
But he didn't respond.
Not even a twitch of recognition.
She tried again. "Get your mind straight! It's me! your ant!"
The silence was louder than a scream.
Reyon lunged.
Wind exploded beneath his heels—Wind Razor slashed through the space between them, whistling with deadly speed.
Evelyn twisted to the side effortlessly.
"I expected that."
He spun mid-air, leg whipping around for a follow-up strike.
She ducked, caught his ankle, and tossed him to the ground with ease.
He rolled, rose, charged again.
His movements—erratic. Wild. He attacked without rhythm, without the caution Reyon always held. His sword sliced the air three times, each aiming to kill.
Evelyn weaved between them like water.
She exhaled. "This isn't you…"
His dagger came again—missed. She stepped behind him, backhanded his wrist, making him drop the blade.
Still, no words.
Only that dead, hollow gaze.
He clawed at her next, like a feral beast.
She grimaced, heart aching. "You're not even thinking…"
She ducked, spun, kicked him away, but he only stumbled—never fell.
The corrupted mana thickened.
Evelyn stared, whispering, "The dark mana… it's taken over. It's completely… overridden your mind."
Reyon stopped moving.
But it wasn't peace.
It was preparing for a big move to end things in one attack
He raised his hand.
Evelyn's breath hitched.
"…Don't."
Symbols spun to life around Reyon's fingers.
One.
Two.
Three.
"…Reyon."
Four.
Five.
Her hand trembled.
"…Don't cast that."
Six.
Seven.
Eight.
Her heart raced.
"No…"
Nine. Ten.
Her voice broke. "You'll destroy everything—"
Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen.
Fifteen.
The ground trembled.
Evelyn's eyes widened.
"He's casting… the same spell that subdued Cerberus?"
Her knees bent. Muscles tensed.
"I have to stop this. I have to."
She closed her eyes.
"…Forgive me, Reyon."
She raised both hands. Her mana spiraled upward, drawing from every last ounce she had.
Wind gathered—furious and thick—compressing the entire battlefield. The trees cracked. Rocks lifted from the ground and shattered mid-air.
Clamo Vento Dues.
The very sky bent downward.
An invisible dome of pressure surrounded Reyon, crushing the field like an angry god's fist.
He didn't flinch.
The moment Evelyn cast it—
Aqua Slash.
The exact same spell.
Fifteen stacked σ, compressed into that ocean of death.
It tore through her ultimate with ease.
The wind shattered.
The dome cracked.
The slashes—millions of them—rushed forward, carving the battlefield, trees, and air itself into ribbons.
Evelyn stood still.
Eyes dim.
Lips parted.
"Haa…"
She smiled faintly.
"…Is this the end?"
Her knees buckled.
"We succeeded in subduing the berserker…"
Her voice faltered.
"…But a much larger threat… emerged because of it."
The slashes neared.
Her lips trembled.
"…Edward… you'll have to subdue him now…your own son"
She closed her eyes.
"…I'm sorry, my dear nephew…"
A single tear slipped down.
"…We failed to protect you."
The slashes howled.
But just before they could reach her—
A glow.
Black.
Soft.
And infinite.
Her necklace.
It shimmered, faint and almost forgotten, until now. The light grew—swallowing her in a veil of swirling black mist.
Void.
Not cast.
Not drawn.
But stored.
A defensive veil, gifted long ago.
Evelyn gasped. "This…"
The void consumed the slashes.
All of them.
And didn't stop there—it reflected.
The ocean of blades surged back—redirected toward Reyon.
Her eyes widened.
"…Father."
She remembered.
Leywin's voice. That day.
"This necklace will protect you, Evelyn. Just once. Only when your life is in danger."
She never used it.
Never needed to.
Until now.
The redirected slashes closed in on Reyon.
He reacted instantly.
∞
The Infinity symbol spun from his palm. σ σ σ σ σ
Five symbols followed.
He raised the void barrier—
But it wasn't enough.
The mastery wasn't complete.
Cracks appeared instantly. Lines of weakness along the void's curve.
The slashes broke through.
Reyon darted sideways—barely dodging the first wave.
Second wave came—he twisted mid-air, using Wind Razor to blast away momentum.
Third wave—he leapt, but a single blade grazed his ankle.
Slice.
His right leg—
Bleeding.
He slammed into the ground, gasping.
Fourth wave—he tried to dodge with various spells deflected the strikes but in end some got to him—
Too slow.
Slash.
His left arm—severed.
Blood sprayed the cracked stones beneath him.
The wind stopped.
The void vanished.
Evelyn opened her eyes slowly, the dust cloud dissipating.
A battered figure lay in the rubble.
She walked forward.
Each step uncertain.
"…Still alive?"
The dust cleared.
There he was.
Reyon.
Lying in the crater.
His chest heaving.
Two limbs missing.
His eyes—still flickering with madness.
But he wasn't moving anymore.
Evelyn dropped to her knees.
"…Haa."
She let out a long breath, tears forming again.
"I'm glad."
She wiped her eyes, voice cracking.
"With your limbs gone… we can control you now."
She placed a hand over his heart.
"…You're still alive."
The silence returned.
But this time—it didn't feel like doom.
It felt like relief.