The abandoned cathedral was anything but silent. Birds sang in the distance, and the wind whispered softly through the shattered stained-glass windows. From the high stone sills, one could see the layered snow-capped peaks surrounding the mountains, where—oddly enough—a blooming cherry blossom tree stood proudly amid the frost.
Streams of crystal-clear water ran through the gorge below, winding down like ribbons of silver. A picturesque sight to most.
But not to Adrian Blake.
Trapped in a web of energy-laced tendrils, his body felt submerged in icy water. The phantom touch of each strand constricted around him like living ropes—unyielding, pulsing with magic that sought to suppress him.
It wasn't fear he felt, but irritation.
Power flared within him like a sudden tide. Realizing brute force wouldn't suffice in resisting from the outside, Adrian chose a different approach—he surged inward. With a surge of will, his aura flared.
There was a poetic violence to the scene—something worthy of being immortalized in verse:
"Silver vials burst, splashing waves and battle cries;
Steel mounts charge forth, blades clashing beneath crimson skies."
A single flash of light—a clean cut—and the magic that bound him exploded into a shimmer of broken fragments. Adrian landed with a sharp exhale, boots grinding into the stone floor as he stabilized.
Kalavarner, his opponent, was barely conscious, her breath shallow. She had fought well, but not well enough.
Mittelt, the smaller of the two Fallen, tried to retreat. It was a cowardly flinch, but one he didn't allow.
"Where do you think you're going, little one?" Adrian's voice was low, amused and cold.
She didn't answer. She barely had the chance. His hand shot out and grabbed her collar, dragging her closer.
SLAP!
The sound rang out across the cathedral like a whipcrack.
A shimmer of light flickered where the blow struck, a painful glint that vanished as quickly as it came. There was no need for him to channel a curse; the residual enchantments he'd laid over her body made her feel the pain in waves, regardless of his restraint.
Mittelt whimpered and dropped to her knees, hands trembling.
Adrian didn't gloat. He simply watched, silent, as she curled into herself like a shattered doll. Then, gripping her by the neck, he hoisted her one-handed into the air. She barely reached his chest in height—tiny, fragile.
He turned her toward the statue of the archangel that loomed behind the altar.
"You raised the banner of rebellion against Heaven," he said flatly. "So today, I'll raise a banner of my own. Call it divine retribution."
"N-No! I was wrong, please—" Mittelt thrashed in the air, legs flailing, voice cracking with panic.
Her usual pride and arrogance were completely gone. Whatever twisted, smug superiority she'd carried before had been utterly stripped away, replaced by pure survival instinct.
The others watched in silence. Even Raynare and Maria, both hardened by battle and experience, gulped subconsciously.
Maria clutched her camera to her chest, hands shaking slightly as she continued recording. Even as a succubus, she found herself feeling... nervous.
"So this is what he's like... when he's serious," she murmured.
Raynare bit her lip. She had seen glimpses of this before, but never so raw.
On someone like Kalavarner, it hadn't looked so bad. But on someone as small and delicate-looking as Mittelt—it was a disturbing sight.
"C-Can't… breathe…!" the girl choked out. Her face reddened. Her limbs thrashed, then went limp.
Adrian frowned.
"You're a Fallen Angel," he said flatly. "Can't you use your Light energy to stabilize yourself?"
Mittelt's lips moved, but all that came out was a broken whisper. "L-Light… can't… flow…"
His eyes narrowed. She wasn't faking it.
With a sigh, he pushed a trickle of his own magic into her, restoring just enough balance to prevent her from passing out completely.
She collapsed like a broken puppet once he let go, coughing and gasping on the stone floor.
It was enough. He hadn't meant to kill her—just make a point.
From the side, Raynare and Maria exchanged glances again. For all the brutality, Adrian had shown restraint. He could've gone further. Much further.
Noticing their expressions, Adrian clapped his hands clean and spoke casually.
"Clean it up. This cathedral is still our base, for now."
"Yes, Master," Raynare responded without hesitation, immediately raising a purification spell. The corpses and magical residue littering the floor were swept away by a glowing wave of energy.
The unconscious forms of Kalavarner and Mittelt were left untouched. For now.
Adrian rolled his shoulders, stretching slightly. His body was still resonating from the intense energy surge. The [Beast King's Power] trait he'd absorbed earlier was... intense. Far too many beast-based traits fused into that one, including some from notoriously hyperactive and aggressive animals.
He let out a slow breath.
"Perfect. This will make for excellent training material," Maria said suddenly, lifting the camera like a prized artifact. "I'll edit it, of course—clean transitions, good lighting... maybe add some romantic filters—"
She caught Adrian's eye.
The look he gave her was... not stern. Just a bit too intense.
Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly turned away.
Why did she feel like the purest one in the room right now? She was a succubus. That made no sense.
Adrian seated himself comfortably on one of the broken pews. The wood creaked under his weight, but held. A moment later, Mio timidly stepped over and sat beside him.
"Um… big brother," she said hesitantly. "I still can't figure out how to use gravity magic. I've tried everything."
She looked frustrated and embarrassed. He had demonstrated it once, but the concept remained elusive.
Adrian didn't respond with annoyance. Instead, he reached out and gently took her hand in his, letting a steady stream of his mana flow into her body.
"Feel it," he said. "Let my energy guide you. Gravity is rooted in strength—your strength. Control that."
Mio's breath hitched.
His magic felt like a warm current flowing through her veins—like a tide lapping against her skin. Strange. It didn't feel invasive this time. It felt… calming. Comforting.
Almost addictive.
Her cheeks reddened as her body instinctively leaned closer. She closed her eyes, following the rhythm of his mana.
Then—bam—a jolt snapped her out of it.
"Master~ Sorry to interrupt," Raynare's voice chimed in sweetly from the side. "But the barrier I placed outside has triggered. There's someone approaching. A human."
Mio jumped as if stung and immediately pulled her hand back. Her face was flushed deep crimson.
Why was she imagining such weird things? What was wrong with her today?
Adrian didn't react to her embarrassment. His attention shifted to Raynare.
"You didn't set a repulsion field?"
"I did," she replied calmly. "But… this person is different. Something about her seems off. Also—she's in trouble. I thought you might want to check it out."
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
That was surprisingly diplomatic wording, coming from Raynare. Normally, she'd deal with things on her own.
He stood and strode to the entrance of the cathedral.
Outside, past the cracked steps and weathered pillars, a dark-haired girl was walking through the woods. She wore a modest long-sleeved blouse and a simple black skirt. Her pale skin glowed faintly beneath the fading sunlight, making her appear ghostlike among the trees.
Golden eyes darted nervously from side to side.
Behind her, a creature slithered—a grotesque, humanoid corpse with vacant eyes and twisted limbs. A cursed spirit, clinging to her like a shadow.
The girl moved stiffly, each step deliberate.
She could see it.
She knew it was there.
But she pretended not to.
"Almost there," she whispered, voice tight. "Just a little further…"
She didn't know what was inside the cathedral, but anything had to be better than what was behind her.
Her name was Miko Yotsuya.
She had awakened her spiritual vision not long ago—an unwanted gift that allowed her to see things no one else could. Monsters. Spirits. Beings from the other side.
And she had learned one terrifying rule:
Never let them know you can see them.
Because the moment they realized it—the moment they knew you could see—they would never let you go.