The tunnel trembled as Rajiv and his team struggled to stay on their feet. Dust and debris rained down as the traps set by the White Soldiers had backfired, activating a chain reaction of collapsing walls and poisoned arrows. Soraya clutched her side, breathing heavily.
"Poison gas…" she muttered, forming a quick hand sign. A faint glow surrounded her before she waved her arm, dispersing the toxic fumes.
"You can do that?" Liang Bai asked, coughing.
"I told you—I have well abilities. Any spell, any time," Soraya said, smirking despite the chaos.
But Rajiv barely heard them. His focus was locked on the dark silhouette standing ahead. Jiro.
The light from the flames flickered across his figure—a twisted fusion of human and Stray. His skin was grayish, his veins pulsing with dark energy, and his eyes… they were no longer human.
"You're alive," Rajiv muttered, fists clenched.
Jiro stepped forward, his voice eerily calm. "Do you know why?"
Rajiv remained silent, but Yokudo spoke. "What happened to you?"
Jiro exhaled slowly. "Rajiv, let me ask you something… Would you help me destroy the Noble Family?"
Rajiv narrowed his eyes. "No. You know that's not the way."
Jiro chuckled, shaking his head. "Then you're blind. Look at A1 City." He pointed upward, his finger glowing with dark energy.
Above them, the city was in chaos. Through a small crack in the tunnel's ceiling, they could see Strays swarming the streets, tearing through Noble Family forces. White Soldiers were shouting orders, trying to hold their ground.
"The Noble Family is falling, Rajiv," Jiro continued. "Strays are wiping them out."
Yokudo's hands tightened around his sword. "And you're okay with that?"
Jiro's expression darkened. "I made this happen."
Rajiv's breath hitched. "What?"
"You think Strays are just monsters? No. They are the result of noble corruption. I know, because they tried to turn my people—the Akaru Clan—into mindless soldiers. When we refused, they erased us. And now, the nobles are being destroyed by the very thing they created."
Rajiv's heart pounded. "You're saying… the nobles made the Strays?"
Jiro nodded. "They experimented with demon energy, trying to make perfect warriors. But the energy was uncontrollable. The first test subjects… became Strays." His voice turned cold. "The Noble Family threw them away, pretended it never happened. And now, they're paying the price."
"But this isn't revenge," Rajiv said. "This is madness."
Jiro's smile faded. "You think so? Then let me show you… true madness."
He raised his hand. A spark of black and white energy flickered between his fingers. The tunnel trembled violently, and a sphere of energy formed above them.
"Rajiv, you don't understand yet. But you will."
The sphere erupted, sending a shockwave that blasted through the tunnel. The force threw Rajiv and his team backward, slamming them into the walls. A section of the tunnel collapsed, cutting off their escape.
The explosion echoed through the underground maze, reaching the White Soldiers stationed outside.
The White Soldier Commander staggered from the impact. "What the hell is happening in there?!"
One of his soldiers turned to him. "Sir… we're sensing dark energy and Strays inside the tunnel."
The commander's eyes widened. "Impossible…"
Behind them, a figure stepped forward.
"I'll go," Kiran Das said, rolling his shoulders.
The commander hesitated. "Kiran, we can't risk losing you—"
Kiran cut him off. "If there's something unnatural down there, you'll need someone who can fight it." His sharp eyes flickered with determination.
The commander clenched his jaw, then nodded. "Go. But if things get worse, fall back immediately."
Kiran cracked his knuckles and stepped into the darkness.
Back inside the tunnel, Rajiv struggled to stand. Blood dripped from his forehead. Yokudo groaned, helping Soraya up. Liang Bai pulled his sword from the rubble.
Jiro, standing amidst the destruction, smiled coldly.
"Welcome to the new world, Rajiv."