Symbolic magic was not elemental magic.
It was older.
Far older.
It was born from sacrifice.
From rituals.
From symbols carved into flesh, blood, consciousness, and spirit.
Witches did not command natural elements.
They bargained.
Each symbol represented something different.
A law.
A concept.
A spiritual demonic entity dwelling within the underworld layers.
And to gain power from those entities—
A sacrifice had to be made.
Sometimes memories.
Sometimes emotions.
Sometimes lifespan.
Sometimes body parts.
And in extreme cases—
One's humanity.
Or soul.
That was why symbolic magic was feared across Nohr.
Because the strongest witches were no longer entirely human.
Back in the shattered streets of the City of Dawn—
The katydids swarmed violently around Number 12.
Thousands of them.
Their wings buzzed loud enough to shake windows.
Then—
The man's body began twisting grotesquely.
Bones cracked.
Flesh stretched unnaturally.
His body enlarged into something monstrous.
Dark skin.
Multiple arms.
Four massive legs.
A gigantic head with four tiny silver eyes.
Its mouth split open unnaturally wide—
Revealing rows of razor-like fangs.
The creature roared.
The street shook.
Tina stared at it blankly.
"…You ugly as hell."
Then she ran forward.
The monster swung multiple arms downward toward her.
BOOOOM.
The ground shattered.
But Tina moved through the attacks smoothly.
Right.
Left.
Right again.
Minimal movement.
Precise footwork.
Her hands began glowing softly with green light.
Soul power.
"I'm the one…"
She accelerated.
"…you'll wish you never met today."
She folded her fist tightly.
"Righteous Touch."
BOOOOOOM—
Her punch slammed directly into the monster's abdomen.
The impact lifted the gigantic creature off the ground entirely.
The monster screamed.
Not physically.
Spiritually.
Because Tina's power did not simply damage flesh.
It damaged the soul itself.
Her soul power originated from the Underworld.
The Soul Passage.
The endless collective of departed souls flowing through existence.
That energy belonged to Tina.
She could draw from it freely.
And the creature before her—
Was a spiritual demonic entity.
Number 12 had sacrificed his body.
His soul.
His humanity.
Everything.
Just to become a vessel for it.
Which meant—
The entity itself was directly exposed to Tina's power.
And for a being like that—
Soul power was lethal.
The monster froze midair suddenly.
Smoke rose from the place Tina struck.
Burn marks spread across its spiritual flesh.
Then it opened its massive mouth.
"FREEZE."
The air turned crimson.
A massive beam of red spiritual fire gathered inside its mouth.
"DIE, YOU WRETCH!"
The beam exploded downward toward Tina.
BOOOOOOM—
The streets evaporated beneath the attack.
Tina planted her foot into the ground.
Her expression calm.
"Soul Sword."
She placed her middle fingers beneath her thumbs on both hands.
Then overlapped her palms.
And touched the ground.
A gigantic soft-green sword erupted upward from beneath the city.
Beautiful.
Ancient.
Overwhelming.
The sword pierced directly through the pillar of red fire.
Then continued upward—
And sliced clean through the monster's neck.
SHHHKKK.
The creature froze.
Its head separated slowly.
Then crashed into the ruined street below.
The body collapsed moments later.
Silence returned.
Tina walked toward the corpse calmly.
The spiritual demonic entity was already escaping.
Returning to the underworld layers.
Fleeing.
In pain.
And what remained—
Was Number 12's original body.
Lifeless.
Dried out.
Empty.
Tina looked down at him.
"This is what you get…"
"…when you sacrifice yourself for power."
Elsewhere — Forest Region of the City
Trees cracked softly in the wind.
A destroyed section of forest stood silent.
Alucard stood facing another member of the Round Table.
The man tilted his head slightly.
"You smell like an animal."
Alucard's hands transformed instantly.
White tiger claws extended from his fingers.
Sharp enough to cut steel effortlessly.
"I am a monster."
The man smiled faintly.
Then removed his glove.
The number on his hand appeared clearly.
11
He dropped the glove.
And the instant it touched the ground—
He moved.
BOOOOM.
Alucard immediately crossed his arms to block a devastating downward kick.
The ground beneath him cracked apart.
"Fast."
Alucard pushed the man's leg upward forcefully.
Number 11 flipped backward smoothly.
But Alucard was already there.
He sprinted forward instantly.
Punch after punch exploded toward Number 11.
Wild.
Savage.
Relentless.
Claws tore through clothing.
Blood sprayed.
Then—
Alucard's final swing grazed Number 11's chin.
A thin cut appeared.
Silence.
Number 11 touched the blood slowly.
Looked at it.
Then licked it from his fingers.
And smiled.