The atmosphere inside the palace was still thick with awkward tension. Garaka finally spoke, trying to explain what the Daimogra Wave really was.
"The Daimogra Wave is the surge of demonic Ogres that attacked and devastated this island. Even though they were sealed inside that great wall… tch." His tone carried clear frustration.
Lucy frowned, confused.
"The great wall?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.
"There's a massive wall surrounding the mountain," Garaka answered quietly. "Inside that wall, the Ogres are sealed."
Lucy still wasn't satisfied. Something about the story felt off.
"They must've had a reason to revolt. Can you explain why?" she asked again.
Garaka took a deep breath, like someone about to open a wound that should've stayed buried. He stared blankly at the marble floor beneath him, then began to speak.
Long ago.
Six hundred years ago.
On Vitel Island, two main races lived — the original Ogre Tribe and the human-faced Ogres known as the Tsujin Clan. They were half-human, half-Ogre, with small horns growing on their heads. Their bodies were weaker than pure Ogres, making them look more like humans with faint Ogre traits.
The Tsujin were the minority. Yet, back then, there was no war. Both races coexisted peacefully — helping, trading, and respecting one another. But everything changed three hundred years later.
When a new king from the pure Ogre lineage rose to power, he declared a cruel policy — that the Tsujin were nothing but trash, created only to serve as slaves. The pure Ogres believed their blood was purer, stronger, and more worthy to rule.
For two whole centuries, the Tsujin lived in misery. They were enslaved, tortured, and forced into obedience. The king was worshipped like a god, while the lives of Tsujin were worth less than dust. History was written by the victors — not to tell the truth, but to glorify the ruler's name. As if his pride mattered more than an entire race's existence.
Two hundred years passed.
Then, one hundred years ago, something terrifying happened.
From the depths of darkness, a demon appeared. It offered the Tsujin power — the power to strike back, to end their oppression once and for all. The temptation was too great to resist. The Tsujin accepted.
And from that moment… they changed.
Their human-like faces vanished, replaced by monstrous forms. Their bodies grew massive, their muscles hardened, and demonic energy pulsed through every vein. They became more fearsome than even the pure Ogres.
The demon led them, and war erupted.
The battle between Ogres and Tsujin lasted for two days and two nights without rest. The ground quaked, the sky burned, and blood flooded the valleys of Vitel Island.
Eventually, the pure Ogres won. The Tsujin — along with the demon who led them — were sealed inside the giant wall surrounding the mountain at the island's center.
Garaka fell silent for a while after finishing the tale. His voice trembled as he added, "They shouldn't have been able to break the seal… but… ahh." He exhaled heavily.
Agrasa only lowered his head. He already knew this story. Kaine, too, didn't look surprised. Only Lucy and Waker were truly stunned, their expressions grave as they absorbed every detail.
The silence returned once more.
But Garaka finally broke it.
"I know this might sound selfish… but can I ask for your help to stop the rampaging Tsujin Ogres?"
Before Lucy could answer, Kaine interrupted sharply.
"If we help you, what do we get in return?"
Lucy glanced at Kaine but stayed quiet. She knew the question was fair. Garaka nodded, replying calmly, "We will give you plenty of gold coins… and some food supplies."
Kaine smirked slightly. Lucy and Waker exchanged a look and nodded.
"Good offer," Waker murmured.
"I'm in — depends on you guys," Lucy said.
Both Waker and Kaine nodded firmly.
"So you're all in? Then… we'll fight them!" Lucy declared.
Agrasa sighed in relief. He knew the island finally had a sliver of hope.
"Then we'll need a solid plan," said Garaka.
"A plan, huh…" Lucy muttered softly.
"They won't stop attacking," Garaka continued. "Their waves are endless, driven by vengeance."
Agrasa, who had been quiet until then, finally spoke.
"Then… what should we do with them?"
Garaka looked at him seriously.
"Don't kill them. As the island's leader now, I want to atone for my ancestors' sins."
Waker nodded. "So we need to be careful — no killing."
Garaka stood and gazed out the window at the night sky.
"Tonight will be the second assault. Rest while you can."
They followed his advice. Since their inn was destroyed, Garaka provided them rooms inside the palace. The place was magnificent — walls layered with gold, thick red carpets, a crystal chandelier hanging high above, even the bathrooms rivaled royal hot springs.
A large hot spring was prepared, separated for men and women. Lucy and Waker soaked peacefully, letting the warmth wash away their fatigue. Kaine, however, refused to join — he seemed to be hiding something beneath his clothes, but neither Lucy nor Waker questioned it.
After bathing and resting, night fell. They gathered on the palace rooftop, observing the Tsujin's movements from afar. And sure enough — one by one, they began emerging from the fog, raging, destroying everything in sight. Thankfully, Garaka had already evacuated the citizens into the palace.
But things quickly worsened. The Tsujin forces advanced toward the kingdom. They charged like beasts stripped of consciousness — like bloodthirsty zombies catching the scent of humans.
Kaine leapt from the roof toward the southern side of the palace, activating The Hand of God to push them back. But there were too many — the result of centuries of uncontrolled breeding inside the wall.
Seeing Kaine struggle, Waker jumped in to help. He unleashed a new technique he'd learned in Os'e: Blood Wave — a massive surge of crimson energy that swept away dozens of Tsujin at once. Unfortunately, Kaine got caught in it too.
Kaine roared furiously.
"WHO the hell are you attacking, idiot!?"
Waker grinned sheepishly. "Sorry! That was… kinda an accident, hehe."
Kaine growled but quickly refocused, smashing a Tsujin with The Hand of God.
Meanwhile, Lucy took the western front. Her body glowed softly as she sliced through the wave of enemies, driving them back from the palace walls. Agrasa held the eastern line, while Garaka and the royal soldiers defended the north.
The battle raged for hours. Garaka kept shouting, begging the Tsujin to stop and make peace, but they couldn't hear him. It was as if they had no minds left.
And amid the chaos, the air itself cracked open.
From the rift of darkness, someone stepped out — the demon.
His body was tall and muscular, his skin bright red. Two sharp horns jutted from his head. His eyes glowed yellow, with vertical black pupils like a predator's. He was well-dressed, exuding the aura of a high-ranking demon.
Lucy chuckled softly.
"So that's the source, huh?" she muttered.
With one sharp command, she ordered the northern troops to split and flank the west. Her body turned into particles of light as she flashed behind the demon. Before he could react, Lucy's kick smashed into his head.
The demon flew back several meters — but stood up almost instantly, barely hurt, only slightly pained.
He glared at Lucy and pointed a finger at her. Instantly, the entire Tsujin horde went berserk and charged straight at her. Lucy scoffed, turned into light again, pierced through the mob, and went straight for the demon.
Their fight was beyond human perception. The sky filled with flashes of light, explosions of energy, and shadows moving at lightning speed. From afar, it looked like two stars colliding — light and darkness clashing in a symphony of destruction.
Every time they collided, some of the Tsujin suddenly collapsed. A few began to regain consciousness, clutching their heads in confusion.
Agrasa, fighting on the east side, noticed one of them crawl toward him. The Tsujin grabbed his leg and croaked weakly,
"I'm sorry… for all of this… I… I didn't know what I was doing…"
Agrasa froze. The words stabbed deep into his heart. Memories of his own painful past surfaced — the ghosts of his guilt that had never truly left him.
Tears rolled down his cheeks.
That old shadow returned.
A buried trauma he thought long gone… was rising again.
Twenty-one years ago…
To be continued...