Through the magic orb, Vareth’s trembling hands struggled to keep it steady as the scene unfolded. The outskirts of the town were a storm of destruction—flames devouring wooden homes, smoke spiraling into the darkening sky, and monstrous shapes prowling through the chaos. The screams of the townsfolk reached his ears, even through the orb’s magic. His heart pounded as he watched a demonic panther lunge at a fleeing family, its claws tearing through flesh like parchment.

"Where are they?" he muttered, voice breaking as he scanned for familiar armor. His family’s soldiers should have been there, standing against the tide of destruction. But they weren’t. Then, he remembered something. The cult had ordered him to take them all away on a mission, so the candidates would fight to their heart's content. There was no one left to defend the town but weak patrol guards.

Panic clawed at his throat as he turned away from the orb and stumbled toward the far corner of the room. Vareth hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and gave himself courage to speak.

"Darius!" he called, desperation seeping into his voice.

"What is it, Vareth?" Darius’s voice was calm as he sipped his wine.

"It’s the town!" Vareth’s words tumbled out in a frantic rush. "The outskirts are under attack! Demonic beasts everywhere! You have to send someone—anyone!"

For a moment, there was silence. Then Darius replied, "The townsfolk are expendable. The cult will compensate for their loss, as well as the damages."

Vareth’s hands curled into fists, his nails digging into his palms. "Expendable? These are people! Families! Children!"

"And what of it? The cult's goals outweigh the lives of a few commoners. You know this, Vareth. Don't waste my time."

Vareth's anger boiled beneath the surface, threatening to spill over. He wanted to scream, to throw the orb across the room, to do something—anything. But he couldn't. The cult’s control was absolute, and he was powerless against it.

Biting down on his fury, he turned back to the orb, forcing himself to watch as the town burned. There was nothing else he could do.

"The Crimson Sun... Arayn... I swear I will have my revenge," he muttered under his breath.

---

As the thick smoke parted, Arayn stood tall, his dark cloak billowing in the fiery winds. The demonic beasts encircled him like predators stalking their prey. Yet, instead of fear, his lips curled into a sharp grin.

"Finally," he said, his voice ringing with excitement, "Saria, you’ve brought me something worthwhile. Let’s see if these beasts can truly entertain me. I hope you watch me from somewhere, Clown! I’m ready to show you my trump card."

Above him, the Venom Wyvern and Chimera roared as they ascended into the smoke-filled skies, their massive wings stirring the ash-laden air. On the ground, the Fire Golem and Giant Skeleton charged, shaking the earth with each step. The Ethereal Panther crouched low, its form shimmering as it vanished into thin air.

Arayn’s eyes narrowed as he assessed the battlefield, his mind working at lightning speed. "Level 18," he muttered, "but their stats rival that level 20 alpha Bloodthorn Beast I killed. The panther and the wyvern—those are the real threats." His gaze flickered to the wyvern circling overhead. "I’ll take the wyvern down first."

Arayn’s smirk deepened as he darted through the golem's flaming swipes and the skeleton's sword slashes. A faster swing and flame bullets tore through the air, narrowly missing him, but he weaved and ducked. Each step veered the monsters toward the panicked townsfolk. Cries for help pierced the air, mingling with the roar of collapsing homes and the hiss of spreading flames. Arayn barely glanced at the carnage. Chaos surged around him, and he wielded it like a blade.

The Giant Skeleton let out a bone-chilling roar, swinging its colossal greatsword through fleeing townsfolk, their blood staining the cracked cobblestones. The Fire Golem followed, lobbing flame bullets that ignited homes and swallowed people. Still, Arayn slipped through the crowd, leading the destruction further away from himself.

A sudden shimmer of light was all the warning he had before the Ethereal Panther lunged from the empty space, its claws aimed for his throat. Reacting instantly, Arayn unleashed a wave of [Demonic Aura], slowing the panther’s charge just enough for him to sidestep. His foot lashed out in a brutal kick, but the panther’s body turned ethereal upon contact, vanishing into the air.

Before he could recover, the Fire Golem unleashed a volley of fire bullets, their trajectory splitting between Arayn and the panicked townsfolk. He cursed under his breath and activated [Demonic Step], his body blurring into motion. Crashing through the nearest house, he rolled beneath a splintered table and dove out the opposite window just as the structure was consumed in flames.

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He didn’t stop. Another house. Then another. Each building he entered became another casualty of the inferno. Behind him, walls crumbled, and the echoes of terrified screams filled the air. He spared no glance at the destruction, his focus fixed on his goal.

Finally, his eyes locked on the clock tower standing tall amidst the ruins. Its height would give him the vantage point he needed. Without hesitation, he darted toward it, his boots kicking up ash and debris. Reaching the base of the tower, he pressed his hand against its stone wall, a sly grin spreading across his face.

"That Clown is profiting from this massacre," he murmured, walking up the wall, his body defying gravity as he ascended toward the sky. "She should present her tribute to me. Wait for me, Clown Kaelthara."

Arayn stood atop the tower, the wind whipping his cloak as the Venom Wyvern circled menacingly above. A sickly green mist spread from its maw, the venomous breath hissing as it corroded the air around him. Without hesitation, he activated [Dark Pact], a surge of power darkening his veins for an instant.

With a burst of [Demonic Step], he vanished from the tower's edge and reappeared midair, streaking toward the wyvern. His voice rang out as he said, "Vaa'thrak, nek'thal vorak suul drak'mar!"

Black energy from [Demonic Aura] swirled and condensed around his fist. Then, he struck the wyvern square in its chest. The beast screeched, its massive frame plummeting through the sky and crashing into a house below, reducing it to rubble.

Before he could relish the moment, a volley of fiery bullets screamed toward him. Arayn’s eyes flicked to the Fire Golem, its molten form glowing with relentless fury. Snarling, he summoned several [Cursed Fangs], launching them to intercept the incoming projectiles. The collision erupted in a series of explosions that scorched the sky, but Arayn clicked his tongue in irritation.

"Persistent beast," he muttered, noting the golem's unwavering focus on him.

Landing lightly on the rooftop of another house, Arayn's gaze shifted back to the wyvern. From the rubble, the creature rose, its scales coated in a sickly green gas that billowed out in waves. It let out a roar, its venomous eyes locked on him.

The wyvern arched its back, launching a volley of sharp bristles. Arayn stomped down hard, shattering the roof beneath him and plunging into the house just as the projectiles tore through the air above. Dust and splinters rained down, but he barely paused, catching sight of a fiery glow from the window.

A flame cannon roared toward him, its heat scorching the walls as it closed in. Without hesitation, Arayn surged forward, crashing through the door and out into the open. Chanting in the ancient tongue, "Va'zul thas, xe'ra miran. Kos'alai ma'zerok," he activated [Demonic Step]. His form flickered, leaping onto the rooftop in a blur of motion. A shadow clone lingered behind, erupting into a plume of black smoke that cloaked the battlefield.

He darted from roof to roof, each movement leaving another clone that detonated into thick, inky clouds. The town became a labyrinth of shadows, the wyvern’s vision obscured by the swirling smoke. Frustrated, the beast unleashed its venomous breath, sweeping the dark haze aside in a toxic wave.

But Arayn had already positioned himself. He appeared above the wyvern, his hand glowing with dark energy. With a snarl, he unleashed [Soul Rend], black tendrils lashing into the creature’s body. The wyvern convulsed mid-air, its venomous roar cutting off as it plummeted lifelessly to the ground.

Arayn landed with a sharp exhale, turning toward the Fire Golem. Its massive frame seemed to glow brighter for a moment, but then its chest erupted with a gaping hole. The creature crumbled to its knees, molten chunks scattering. Arayn's gaze snapped to the figure behind it—Valen Valehn, standing tall with a spear in hand, its tip gleaming with energy.

Before Arayn could speak, the sky darkened with the shadow of a falling chimera. Its lifeless body crashed into the earth, followed closely by Kaelion, who descended gracefully from the air.

Arayn crossed his arms, a sharp grin spreading across his face. "Two worms coming together. "Irrelevant worm and impudent worm—do you both actually think you can fight me?"

Valen’s expression remained calm, but his tone carried a faint edge of amusement. "It’s fine to call me a worm, Arayn. But don’t you think it’s a bit rude to call Kaelion an ‘impudent worm’? We’re all contestants in this ritual, after all. Whatever the outcome, shouldn’t we treat each other with respect?"

Arayn’s laugh echoed. "Respect? Coming from you? That’s rich. And you misunderstand something. The impudent worm here… is you, Valen Valehn."

Valen’s gaze narrowed slightly, but he said nothing as Arayn continued. "You suppress your murderous intent toward me, but there’s none aimed at Kaelion. The Vorth family, the Vex family, the Valtheran family—they’re all branches of your line, aren’t they? It’s not hard to deduce what’s happening here. You’re working together with him."

Arayn turned his head toward Kaelion with disdain. "That makes him irrelevant. His presence in this ritual is as pathetic as a moth chasing a star—pointless, fleeting, and doomed."

Valen’s face hardened, his tone sharper. "Enough. We’re not here to fight you, Arayn. Truce."

"So you admit it, then?"

Valen exhaled heavily, shaking his head. "Listen carefully. If you were to check your soul-gathering scroll, you’d see countless souls converging toward the mansion. That’s where Saria is hiding. She’s gathering more with every passing moment. Not to mention if this chaos continues, Varondale Kingdom will take notice. They’ll send the Order of Stormguard or, worse, our enemy—the Heralds of the Skyfather. We need to put an end to her madness."

Arayn shrugged. "I don’t care about your problems. If you want to stop her, go on your own. Or, are you afraid of that clown?"

Valen hesitated, then nodded. "Admittedly, yes. She’s a territorial type. She must have installed a lot of traps. Now that she’s cornered, breaking into her mansion won’t be easy."

Arayn scoffed. "Not my problem. You stole my prey, and I’m letting that slide. But... if I count to three and you’re still here, I’ll take it as a declaration of war."

He raised a hand, his fingers curling into a fist. "One."

Valen sighed, his shoulders tense. "Fine. I’ll claim the souls she’s gathered on my own. Don’t regret it when I come back stronger."

Arayn smirked. "Two."

Valen glanced at Kaelion. "Let’s go."

Without another word, the two turned and vanished into the distance.

Arayn’s gaze shifted, locking onto the giant skeleton as it swung its massive blade, slicing through the scattering townsfolk. Nearby, the ethereal panther lunged at a man, sinking its fangs into the man's neck as he screamed "Help!"

"The worms are gone," he muttered. "Time to enjoy myself again."