1.
Vulcan thought.
‘Asha has disappeared.’
She had thrown herself into the subspace where Hestia was imprisoned, vanishing without a trace.
There was no reason to worry.
Marine had placed a magic that allowed them to sense each other’s conditions, and it whispered that she was safe.
‘Then, what about Hestia?’
To be honest, he didn’t know.
Since Asha was with her, the chances of safety were high, but the opponent was <Black Wolf>.
Even though their confrontation had lasted only a few dozen minutes, Vulcan had already assessed their strength.
‘They are slightly weaker than us.’
A different conclusion from Asha.
Both the strength of Black Wolf’s leader and that of its members felt as threatening as Asha, but unlike Asha, who evaluated the enemy based on information, Vulcan trusted his instincts.
That led to a certain thought.
‘Black Wolf. He looks as strong as Asha at first glance… but for some reason, he feels manageable.’
He couldn’t quite explain it.
He didn’t know why.
Even after thinking it over, he couldn’t figure it out.
But somehow… it felt as if he might die if he miscalculated even slightly.
Regardless, even if they were slightly weaker, the strength of <Black Wolf> was undeniable.
‘They’re probably on par with or even stronger than those so-called Great Ten.’
And with Hestia in their hands, the safest course of action was to follow their instructions.
‘…Perhaps I should just take my own life.’
As Vulcan steeled his resolve, a moment of confusion flashed through his mind.
Come to think of it.
‘…I only have one life.’
There was only one life he could offer, yet now there were two people he needed to save.
As Vulcan was caught in contemplation, questioning himself, Black Wolf spoke abruptly.
“If you fight, I’ll let them go.”
Fight.
Hestia will be freed.
…And if things go well, maybe even Asha.
‘Smart thinking, Vulcan.’
Praising himself, Vulcan retrieved the shield he had embedded into the ground and equipped it once more.
“My opponent?”
“…I’ll decide that for you.”
Looking somewhat reluctant, Nahan turned his head toward Luna.
“Face him, Persona.”
“Yes, Captain.”
A composed emerald gaze.
—Smile brightly, that way you’ll survive.
—That’s right, smile a little more.
—Brighter, as if your mouth might tear apart.
—That way, you’ll survive.
Eyes forcibly curved into a smile.
—Don’t tremble, that way you’ll survive.
—When it gets too hard, cry behind a mask.
—Keep trying, and trying again.
—Someday, you’ll be able to smile even with the mask on.
…Step, Step, Step.
Her previously fixed steps began to move, closing the distance toward the man holding the shield.
Step.
When she finally stopped, they stood face to face.
“What are the rules?”
“Just fight. Until I say stop.”
“I understand.”
Vulcan nodded and lowered his stance while Luna turned her head slightly to look at Nahan.
“Captain. Requesting permission for release.”
【No.4 – <Persona – Luna(A)> initiates the masquerade!】
【Warning!】
【No.4 – <Persona – Luna(A)> requests the release of restricted power!】
Reading the uncertainty in her gaze, Nahan nodded in approval.
【Restriction release approved.】
【No.4 – <Persona – Luna(A)> returns to her original rank.】
【(A) → (S).】
Had she grown stronger in recent days?
Her rank, which had fluctuated between S- and S, was now firmly fixed at S.
Luna’s once-gentle aura settled into an eerie calm, as if she were the eye of a storm, dominating the surrounding space.
At the same time, countless masks began to float.
Dozens of masks, imbued with Luna’s aura, arranged themselves in midair like artworks in a gallery.
Luna, having materialized all of them, took a few light steps back and bowed gracefully, like a performer opening a show.
“I shall begin.”
A voice at once refreshing and laced with unmistakable murderous intent, an obsession with life woven into its tone.
“…So you were hiding your strength after all.”
Sensing something from Luna, Vulcan’s expression turned even more serious.
Watching the two glare at each other as if they were about to kill, Nahan thought to himself.
‘I should have done this from the start.’
The mere mention of the name “Vulcan” had made him wonder who he was. But now, he fully understood.
‘In any case.’
Nahan silently lowered his gaze.
【Bad Ending – <6. The Hero’s Return> in progress.】
A blue glow flickered at the edge of his vision.
The moment those two clashed, the bad ending would be complete.
And—
【Skill List – Yellow Dragon】
– Passive: Sun’s Blessing (EX).
– Skill 1: Solar Annihilation (EX). (New!)
– Skill 2: (Access Restricted). (6/15)
– Ultimate: (Access Restricted). (10/15)
【Skill List – <Black Wolf>】
– Passive: Black Wolf (EX)
– Skill 1: Veil of Shadows (EX)
– Skill 2: (Access Restricted) (EX) (6/15)
– Ultimate: (Access Restricted) (EX) (10/15)
The Key to unlocking the second skills of <Black Wolf> and <Yellow Dragon>
‘This is going to be interesting.’
Even with just his passive ability and first skill, he had managed to hold his ground. If he gained another new skill, things would become much easier.
“……Smile brightly, that way you’ll survive. That’s right, smile a little more. Brighter, as if your mouth might tear apart. That way, you’ll survive. Don’t tremble, that way you’ll survive. When it gets too hard, cry behind a mask. Keep trying, and trying again. Someday, you’ll be able to smile even with the mask on.”
Engrossed in his anticipation, Nahan failed to catch Luna’s murmurs. Instead, he raised his hand, envisioning a better future.
“Fight as if your life depends on it.”
With those words, the signal was given.
“【Crushing Charge】”
“【Masquerade】”
Boom!!
The battle began.
2.
“【Crushing Charge】”
A skill designated by the world itself—though its wielder remained unaware. It was Vulcan’s first skill.
【Skill 1 – Crushing Charge】
◆Effect
:If the user collides with an enemy within a 50-meter straight-line distance, there is a 50% chance of shattering the target.
A simple, brute-force attack that perfectly represented Vulcan was unleashed toward Luna.
Boom!!
With almost no preparatory motion, his massive body shot forward in a straight line.
The broken edge of the shield in his hands swung, aiming to slice through Luna’s neck.
Had she not released her restraints, she wouldn’t have even had time to react—it was an attack of overwhelming speed and power.
Barely recognizing the danger, Luna forced her lips into a strained smile.
“【Masquerade】”
Luna’s first skill—Masquerade.
【Skill 1 – Masquerade】
◆Effect
: Stores collected <Souls> in the form of masks and displays them around the user.
By wearing a <Soul>, the user can utilize that <Soul>’s <Ultimate Skill>.
The power of the ultimate skill scales based on how much affection the <Soul>’s original owner holds for the user.
Simply put, it allowed her to convert collected <Souls> into masks, store them, and use them during battle.
As Vulcan closed in on her, Luna reached out into the air and picked up one of the floating masks, putting it on.
【Equipping <Ciel of Swiftness (C+)>】
【Activating Ultimate Skill – <Wander (B)>】
【Skill power increases in proportion to the original owner’s affection.】
【Activating <Wander (SS-)>】
Shff.
Her robe-covered body turned translucent, and by the time Vulcan’s charge connected, she was already gone.
Boom!!
Realizing this, Vulcan quickly slammed his right hand down, embedding it into the ceiling.
Crack, crack, crack!!
His arm bent at an unnatural angle, scraping against the ceiling as he forcefully halted his momentum.
‘That mask’s power was at least on par with mine—maybe even stronger.’
With the instincts of a beast, Vulcan immediately sensed the power hidden within the mask and faced a choice.
Should he charge in?
Or should he create distance?
But in truth, it was just a fleeting thought—his body was already moving forward.
‘If I fight, Hestia will survive.’
Casting aside his own life, he held onto the sole rational thought of saving Hestia. Clearing his mind entirely, he charged again.
Using his forward momentum, he lunged like a predator, aiming for her neck while swinging his sharpened shield toward her vital points.
As a shield warrior, he had maintained some level of rationality. But now that his shield had become a weapon, his combat style had transformed into that of a beast hunting its prey.
“…Captain.”
Observing the battle, Dalan hesitated before cautiously speaking.
“Shouldn’t we help her?”
His voice carried a tinge of concern. Nahan’s gaze flickered.
…It seemed there was still a long way to go before he could truly stand on equal footing with these people.
“Wait.”
Snapping out of his daze, Nahan refocused on the situation.
“You sure have a lot of tricks!!”
“…!!”
Luna dodged the lethal blows, even if it meant taking minor hits.
She narrowly avoided fatal strikes but was accumulating small wounds.
‘Dalan is right.’
Vulcan’s strength was at SS-rank.
Luna was at the same level, but her power came from forced, temporary enhancements through her skills. There would inevitably be a limit.
If the fight continued like this, she would be killed by Vulcan before long.
And yet…
Why?
Nahan, whose survival instincts had been honed through multiple lifetimes, was reaching a conclusion completely different from the obvious.
‘……Why does Vulcan seem more dangerous?’
A chilling sense of foreboding.
A creeping anxiety, as if he was making a grave mistake due to missing something crucial.
Logically, he understood the situation.
But his instincts—his survival instinct—kept warning him that the real threat was something else entirely.
However, there was no time to think.
“It’s over!! I’ll kill you, Black Wolf!!”
Vulcan stomped on Luna’s foot, pinning her in place as he swung the broken edge of his shield toward her.
‘If Luna dies, I die too.’
Just as Nahan finished that thought and turned to Dalan—
Dalan let out a troubled sigh and muttered.
“Tsk, too late.”
Too late?
“If we kill a hero now, things will become quite a headache later.”
The Hero… dies?
Vulcan, not Luna?
Confused, Nahan turned his head back toward Vulcan and Luna, trying to maintain his composure.
“…No. I won’t die.”
Shff.
As if time had frozen, Luna reached out and grabbed a single gray mask.
Unlike the other cleanly crafted masks, this one looked like a patchwork of something violently shredded and stitched together.
The moment Luna placed the ominous mask over her face—
【Changing mask.】
【<First Mask – Ciel of Swiftness (C+)> has been changed to <Zero Mask – <Mother (S-)>】
【Activating Ultimate Skill – <Whisper (S-)>】
【The power of <Whisper (S-)> increases in proportion to the original owner’s emotions.】
【Activating <Whisper (EX-)>】
“【Do not move.】”
A crimson-black aura burst forth, and in an instant, everything around them froze.
In this space, the only one who could move was Luna herself.
Step. Step. Step.
Luna quietly removed her foot from under Vulcan’s weight and approached him, extending her hand.
“【Give it to me.】”
“…Of course.”
As if entranced, Vulcan wordlessly removed the shield from his left hand and handed it to Luna.
Luna accepted it naturally and placed the sharp edge against Vulcan’s face.
Ssshhh.
A cut formed along the blade’s edge, a thin line of blood trailing down his skin.
Slowly, methodically, she dragged the shield toward his carotid artery.
…Heshil.
With bloodshot eyes, Luna forced a smile—one that looked more pained than anything else—and made a sorrowful request.
“【…Please, die.】”
For my sake.
“…Of course.”
Vulcan’s thick neck slowly tilted toward the sharp edge of the shield.
…Drip.
His skin split, a stream of vivid red blood trickling down.
At that moment, as Nahan’s consciousness faded, his survival instinct roared back to life.
‘I have to stop this.’
Luna.
Vulcan.
Hestia.
No one could die.
If Luna died, so would he. And if anyone else died, the future could spiral into chaos.
Yet, as if paralyzed, his body refused to move.
‘Why the hell am I going through all this…?! Dammit, MOVE!!!’
Screaming inwardly, he desperately searched for a way out of this situation.
【Congratulations!】
【Bad Ending – <6. The Hero’s Return> has been prevented!】
【7th Bad Ending – <7. Butterfly Effect> has been set.】
【You have received a reward!】
Alongside the familiar blue system window, a dark and golden system window appeared.
【Condition Met (6/15)!】
【<Black Wolf>’s Second Skill – <???> has been unlocked!】
【Condition Met (6/15)!】
【<Yellow Dragon>’s Second Skill – <???> has been unlocked!】
‘…This is it.’
Without hesitation, I activated one of my newly unlocked skills.
