Ton smirked.
"So… we want—"
Before he could finish, the scene shifted.
DEVIL HORNS' CHAMBER
The storm outside had grown fiercer.
Rain crashed against the windows, and blue flames danced wildly along the stone walls. The room smelled of sea salt, wet clothes, and burning oil.
The silver-haired girl stood in the center of the chamber with her arms crossed, clearly regretting every decision that had brought her here.
Katsa leaned toward Salim and whispered into his ear,
"Who did you bring? She looks nothing like a dark magic user."
Salim whispered back confidently,
"Trust the process."
On the other side of the room, Mil and Ton were whispering while staring at the girl.
"Ten."
Ton nodded seriously.
"Definitely ten."
Mil rubbed his chin.
"Silver hair too. Wow, dude."
Ton placed a hand over his heart.
"I respect beauty."
The girl slowly turned toward them.
"I can hear both of you."
Ton immediately looked at the ceiling.
"Beautiful weather tonight."
The girl sighed.
"So… is someone going to explain why I was kidnapped?"
Ikiro stepped forward dramatically.
"SO—"
She pointed at him instantly.
"No. Not you."
Ikiro stopped mid-pose.
"I want that handsome man with the purple energy around him to explain."
Everyone looked at Michael.
Michael blinked once.
Then smirked faintly.
"I'm married."
The girl shrugged.
"It doesn't matter."
Katsa pinched the bridge of her nose.
"For Junyu, just explain."
Michael sighed and stepped forward.
"Do you know how to transfer a soul into another body?"
The girl raised an eyebrow.
"That? That's basic dark magic."
The room went silent.
Salim whispered loudly,
"SHE'S REAL."
Mil nearly jumped in excitement.
"Can you do it for us?"
She looked him up and down.
"No."
Mil froze.
"…What?"
She pointed at Michael.
"I can do it for him."
Michael immediately placed a hand on his chest.
"I feel honored."
Ton muttered,
"He used the married-man card and still won."
Katsa glared at Michael.
"Focus."
Michael nodded quickly.
"Yes, captain-not-captain."
The girl folded her arms.
"If I'm doing this, bring me the body."
A heavy silence fell over the room.
Ikiro slowly dragged something forward from behind a curtain.
The girl stared.
"That is a guard."
Everyone looked away awkwardly.
"What exactly are you people planning?"
Michael smiled politely.
"Darling, it's fine. Just do the spell."
The girl looked deeply concerned.
"I'm beginning to understand why the Black Meeting fears your crew."
Mil stepped forward.
"I'll be the one who enters the body."
The others turned toward him.
"You sure?" Michael asked.
Mil's expression hardened.
"I'll complete the mission."
The room fell silent.
The girl knelt beside the unconscious guard and placed her hands over his chest.
The blue flames dimmed.
Wind suddenly rushed through the chamber though no window was open.
The silver-haired girl closed her eyes.
Then she began to chant.
The language was ancient.
Cold.
Wrong.
The shadows around the room stretched unnaturally.
The candles extinguished one by one.
FWOOSH.
Dark mist crawled across the floor.
Ton took a step backward.
"Okay, this is officially creepy."
The girl's voice grew louder.
The mist began circling Mil.
His body trembled.
Veins darkened across his skin.
The guard's body convulsed violently.
Katsa covered her mouth.
Salim whispered,
"Why is the guard bending like that?"
Lightning exploded outside.
For a heartbeat the entire room turned white.
Then the darkness returned.
The chant became a chorus.
Voices seemed to whisper from every corner of the chamber.
"Veyrath… Noctum… Seleris… Veyrath…"
The air temperature dropped sharply.
Michael felt frost forming on Regicide's hilt.
Ton's claws instinctively extended.
The guard's eyes snapped open.
Pure black.
Mil screamed.
The guard screamed.
For one terrifying second, both voices came out together.
The room shook.
Then—
BOOM.
A wave of dark energy burst outward.
The blue flames reignited instantly.
Silence.
Heavy breathing filled the chamber.
Mil slowly stood up.
But he was no longer in his own body.
He looked down at unfamiliar hands.
The guard's hands.
Behind him, his original body lay asleep, breathing quietly.
Salim pointed with a shaking finger.
"YOU'RE UGLY NOW."
Mil looked up.
His new voice came from the guard's throat.
"Worth it."
Ton circled him like a scientist studying an alien.
"Say something evil."
Mil cracked his neck.
The guard's face twisted into a grin.
"Let's wreck this meeting."