The fog above Shadowhaven trembled beneath the clash of Aether. Broken stone littered the plaza. Fires burned from shattered lanterns while blood mixed with rainwater across the cracked ground. The battlefield had long descended beyond chaos.
And at its center— the Royal Knights pushed forward.
BOOOOM—!
Kael's blade collided directly against Blood Cleaver, crimson Aether exploding violently from the impact. Garrick grinned like a beast, forcing his massive weapon downward with monstrous strength.
"HAHAHA—! THAT'S MORE LIKE IT!"
The ground beneath Kael's feet shattered instantly. But this time— Kael didn't budge.
Crimson-hot Aether surged around his body like burning pressure, his muscles tightening as he slowly pushed the gigantic weapon upward inch by inch.
"…You talk too much."
Garrick's grin twitched slightly.
Then—
SHHK—!
Lio appeared beside him like flowing water, blue Aether tracing calmly across his blade as it cut toward Garrick's ribs with impossible precision.
Garrick twisted instinctively. Too late. A deep slash tore across his side.
"Tch—!"
At the same moment—
CRACK—!
Yellow lightning burst through the fog as Taren's spear slammed directly into Garrick's shoulder, forcing the massive assassin backward several steps.
For the first time, Garrick stopped smiling completely.
"…Three against one," Taren exhaled heavily. "Doesn't feel so fair now, huh?"
Meanwhile—
Across the shattered plaza, Renn and Lyra vanished simultaneously.
CLANG!
Their blades collided mid-air.
Golden Aether exploded against dark violet venom as the shockwave cracked nearby walls instantly. Lyra twisted mid-spin, thin blades slashing toward Renn's neck from opposite angles—
SHHK—!
Renn tilted his head slightly. The attacks missed by centimeters. Then his dagger flashed upward.
BOOM—!
Lyra blocked barely in time as the impact blasted her backward across the plaza, boots dragging violently through broken stone.
"…You got stronger," Lyra muttered softly.
Renn walked forward slowly, golden mist flowing endlessly around his evolved dagger.
The fog shifted violently around them. Then, Lyra vanished again.
SHHK—! SHHK—! SHHK—!
Multiple strikes erupted from every direction simultaneously. Thin poisoned blades pierced through the fog like invisible fangs.
Renn closed his eyes briefly. Golden Aether pulsed.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Every strike was parried perfectly. Lyra's eyes widened slightly within the mist.
"…He's reading my rhythm?"
Renn opened his eyes. Then disappeared.
BOOOOM—!
The ground exploded beneath Lyra as Renn appeared directly in front of her. Their blades collided again and again and again, shockwaves tearing through the plaza with every exchange.
Golden light.
Violet venom.
A storm of steel.
Lyra spun low toward Renn's side— Renn intercepted immediately.
CLANG—!
The force alone sent cracks through Demonfang's blade. Lyra froze for half a second.
"…What?"
Renn stepped forward again relentlessly.
CLANG!
Another impact. More cracks spread across Demonfang.
"No way—"
Renn's eyes sharpened.
"Aether Art: Piercing Collapse"
Golden light erupted violently around his arm.
BOOOOOOM—!!!
His dagger collided directly against Demonfang. And the artifact shattered.
CRRRRKKK—!
The black-purple blade snapped apart into fragments of corrupted Aether, scattering across the battlefield like broken glass.
Lyra's pupils trembled. "…Demonfang…?"
For the first time in years, fear crossed her face.
Meanwhile—
Garrick roared violently as Blood Cleaver surged with crimson energy.
"YOU THINK YOU CAN BREAK ME?!"
He swung downward with overwhelming force.
BOOOOOOM—!!!
The explosion swallowed the plaza again. But this time, three figures emerged through the smoke.
Kael first. Crimson Aether burning around him like molten fire.
Then Lio. Blue Aether flowing calmly around his blade.
Then Taren. Lightning cracking violently around his spear.
The three attacked simultaneously. Kael blocked Blood Cleaver head-on. Lio struck Garrick's blind spot instantly. Taren's spear crashed into the center of the weapon.
CRAAAAACK—!
Blood Cleaver trembled violently. Garrick's eyes widened.
"No…"
The three pushed harder together.
BOOOOOOM—!!!
The artifact shattered apart in an eruption of crimson fragments. Blood Cleaver broke. Garrick staggered backward in complete disbelief.
"…My weapon…"
Kael smirked despite his injuries. "…Looks like your oversized knife couldn't handle us."
Lio lowered his blade calmly. "…Aether Artifacts aren't invincible."
Taren grinned tiredly. "…Neither are you."
The plaza fell silent. Both elite assassins stood frozen.
Their legendary artifacts— destroyed.
The shattered plaza of Shadowhaven had finally fallen silent. Broken stone littered the streets beneath the endless white fog while fragments of destroyed Aether Artifacts still glowed faintly across the battlefield.
Lyra Vex sat tied against a cracked pillar, wrists restrained tightly behind her back. Her silver hair was messy now, her expression irritated beyond words.
"…You people are insane," she muttered bitterly. "Do you even know how expensive Aether Artifacts are?"
Nearby, Garrick Dreadmaw remained seated against a collapsed wall, bound heavily with reinforced chains stolen from the plaza itself. Despite his condition, he still laughed loudly.
"HAHAHAHA—! Blood Cleaver snapped in half!" Garrick shook his head in disbelief. "The old blacksmith's gonna kill me."
Kael crossed his arms. "…Good."
"You destroyed Demonfang too," Lyra added coldly while glaring toward Renn. "…You're paying for that."
Renn ignored her completely. His eyes remained sharp. Focused.
"…Where's Seris?"
Silence.
Lyra blinked once. "Who?"
Garrick frowned slightly. "…Never heard of her."
Renn's expression darkened slightly. Then—
THUD.
A figure suddenly landed smoothly atop the broken remains of the plaza fountain. Everyone immediately looked upward.
The old restaurant owner stood there calmly beneath the fog, coat fluttering lightly behind him. One hand rested inside his pocket while the other held his usual smoking pipe.
Lyra's eyes widened instantly. "…Boss?"
Even Garrick straightened slightly. "…Boss Cedric?"
The old man exhaled smoke slowly. The atmosphere changed immediately.
Taren blinked. "…Wait." He pointed toward him. "…YOU'RE the leader of the Veiled Daggers?!"
Cedric sighed tiredly. "Unfortunately."
"Boss!" Lyra immediately shouted. "Untie us already!"
"Yes," Garrick added casually. "These lunatics broke our Artifacts."
Cedric slowly looked toward them. Then, the old man's eyes sharpened. Instantly, both assassins went silent. Even Garrick looked away after that.
The three Royal Knights exchanged glances quietly.
Cedric stepped down from the fountain ruins and approached them slowly. "This entire situation," he muttered, gesturing around the destroyed plaza, "…was merely a test."
Kael frowned. "…A test?"
Cedric nodded once. "You entered Shadowhaven illegally." He glanced toward the four knights calmly. "Naturally, we needed to evaluate whether you were enemies… or potential partners."
Lio narrowed his eyes slightly. "…So you sent elite assassins after us?"
"I sent them to test your strength," Cedric corrected casually.
Lyra muttered quietly, "…And they broke my dagger."
Cedric ignored her. "The Veiled Daggers survive through relationships," he explained. "Kings. Nobles. Hidden factions. Trust is currency here."
He looked directly at Renn. "And strength determines whether someone is worth trusting."
Silence lingered briefly. Then Renn stepped forward slightly.
"…Who is Seris?" Cedric paused.
Taren answered first. "White hair. Purple eyes. Uses a purple rapier."
The moment those details left his mouth, Cedric froze. The air changed instantly. Purple tendrils suddenly burst violently from beneath Cedric's robes.
SHHKK—!
Before anyone could react, the tendrils wrapped around everyone instantly—including Garrick and Lyra.
"WHA—?!" Taren shouted.
The ground beneath them opened. Darkness swallowed them whole.
Deep beneath Shadowhaven—
The group crashed into an underground tunnel hidden far below the kingdom streets. Damp stone walls surrounded them while dim lanterns flickered weakly through the darkness.
Renn immediately stood, dagger raised. "…What was that?"
Cedric walked toward a large iron door calmly while purple tendrils slowly retreated beneath his sleeves.
Renn's eyes narrowed. Those tendrils, they looked familiar. Too familiar.
Similar to Noir's.
Cedric unlocked the massive underground door slowly.
CLANK.
The hidden chamber beyond was quiet. Safe. Sealed completely from the outside world. One by one, they entered cautiously. Cedric closed the door behind them heavily. "…They heard."
Taren frowned. "…Who heard?"
Cedric's face darkened slightly.
"…The Black Petals."
Silence. Even Garrick and Lyra stopped joking after hearing that name.
Lio narrowed his eyes. "…What are the Black Petals?"
Cedric remained quiet for several seconds. Then slowly—
"They are not assassins." His voice lowered. "They are monsters pretending to be human."
The lanternlight flickered softly across the underground chamber.
"The Veiled Daggers handle contracts. Political killings. Silent operations." Cedric crossed his arms. But the Black Petals…" His expression hardened. "…exist only to spread fear."
Renn's gaze sharpened.
Cedric slowly lowered the collar of his shirt. There— Burned into the side of his neck— was a tattoo.
A single black petal. 0176
The room went silent. "I know them," Cedric muttered quietly. "…Because I was once one of them."
Taren's eyes widened slightly.
Cedric looked directly toward the four knights. "The woman you're searching for…" His voice became heavier. "…the silver-haired assassin carrying a rapier…"
A pause.
"…is Moonveil."
Even the air itself felt colder hearing that name. Cedric's eyes darkened slightly.
"The most feared assassin the Black Petals ever created." Silence consumed the room.
Then Cedric spoke the final words slowly—
"Black Petal Number One. The highest-ranked assassin among them all."
BOOOOOOM—!!!
The outer gate of the underground bunker exploded inward violently. Stone fragments scattered across the chamber as shockwaves shook the entire underground passage. Dust and smoke poured through the ruined entrance while the lanterns flickered uncontrollably.
Then, Cedric's expression darkened immediately.
"…They're here."
Purple tendrils slowly emerged from beneath his sleeves once more, writhing like living shadows around his arms.
"RUN." Cedric's voice echoed sharply through the chamber for the first time. "I'll hold them off."
The atmosphere changed instantly. Even Garrick stopped smiling. Lyra clicked her tongue. "…Damn it."
Without wasting another second, the four Royal Knights and the two assassins immediately moved deeper into the underground tunnels.
Footsteps echoed rapidly through the dark corridors while distant explosions shook the walls behind them.
Taren glanced back nervously. "…This just keeps getting worse!"
Kael tightened his grip on his sword while running.
"…What have you done, Shadecrow?"
That was his name given, "Shadecrow" Former Black Petal assassin. Current leader of the Veiled Daggers.
Cedric calmly lit a cigarette despite the collapsing bunker around them. "I didn't say anything except Moonveil," he answered quietly.
Smoke escaped slowly from his lips.
"…Nothing else."
Then— four silhouettes emerged through the destroyed bunker entrance. Fast. Silent. Inhuman.
Their figures blurred through the dust-covered tunnel walls as they immediately rushed into pursuit.
Renn's eyes narrowed instantly. Killing intent. Far heavier than ordinary assassins. Even Kael felt it..
"…These guys are different."
Behind them—
Cedric slowly stepped forward alone into the ruined chamber while purple tendrils spread wider around him like living darkness.
The cigarette ember glowed faintly beneath the smoke. Then the four silhouettes finally became visible beneath the flickering lanternlight.
Black robes. Black masks. And on each of their necks, a single black petal tattoo.
The hunt had begun.