"Mr. Veridian! The Battle Priests are launching an attack!" The man burst into the room, gasping for breath as he found Veridian sitting before him, with a drink in hand. Despite his ragged appearance, torn clothes, battered body, and labored breathing from his escape, he paid no heed to his own condition. The urgency of the news he carried took precedence, and he needed to deliver it to his boss, Veridian.

"Good work for bringing me this news, Vincent. Have a drink for now," Veridian said, offering the drink to his trusted right-hand man.

"Hmm... I'm sorry, but alcohol isn't good for your health," a man with closed eyes wearing a white robe suddenly interjected, appearing between them and swiftly slicing Vincent's outstretched hand before sheathing his weapon.

"Ahhh!!!" Vincent screamed in pain, staring at his severed hand on the floor.

"Hmm... excessive screaming isn't good for vocal cords, and it might hurt my ears," the man remarked calmly before decisively removing Vincent's head from his shoulders.

Veridian’s cold gaze fell upon the lifeless body of Vincent. There was no hint of remorse or sorrow in his eyes, only a calculating determination. He knew that in their world, mercy was a luxury they couldn’t afford.

“Clean this mess up,” he ordered his remaining subordinates, who quickly moved to dispose of Vincent’s body, leaving no trace of the gruesome scene behind.

Veridian’s mind was already racing, considering the implications of the Battle Priests’ attack. He knew it was a direct threat, and he couldn’t afford to underestimate them. As he sipped his drink, he pondered the best course of action.

“It seems the Battle Priests are growing bolder,” Veridian mused aloud, addressing the man with closed eyes who had just taken a life so casually. “We must respond in kind.”

"Al Capone, join me in the fray!" Veridian's call echoed through the tumultuous battleground. With those words, his entity Al Capone, one of history's most notorious gangsters, manifested. Veridian's attire shifted into a sleek black suit, complete with a classic white fedora adorning his head and a tobacco firmly gripped between his teeth.

"Hmm… Smoking is bad to your health," Katana interjected, his hand poised to draw his trusty blade. But before he could unsheathe it, Veridian halted his motion.

"Health be damned," Veridian retorted, exhaling a plume of smoke in front of Katana's face. He continued with a sly grin, "Did you know, Katana, that a kind word and a gun can take you further than a kind word alone? You fail to grasp that concept, don't you? Allow me to demonstrate."

Veridian raised his hands, declaring, "Mystic Firearm Manifesto!" A plethora of firearms and weapons materialized upon his back, all aimed at Katana. "Fire," Veridian commanded coldly. It should have been a hail of thousands of bullets unleashed upon his adversary.

But to Veridian's astonishment, not a single shot was fired. His plan had been thwarted.

"This is the problem with entities. Their abilities can rival even ours," a disinterested voice remarked from outside. The speaker, a man with unkempt hair and rumpled clothing, wore a bored expression that made his disinterest unmistakable.

Veridian clicked his tongue, quickly realizing why his skill had failed. "Nine… This could be troublesome."

Nine, seemingly uninterested, looked at Veridian and casually muttered, "Ferrokinesis." Those words were the final words that Veridian heard before he was barraged with thousands of bullets.

"Hmm… Impressive as always, hero. Dispatching Veridian with his own weapon was indeed satisfying," Katana complimented Nine with a contented smile. However, Nine's response was nothing more than a casual yawn before he walked away. Katana bowed, maintaining his respect until Nine's presence could no longer be detected. Then, with a command, he ordered the other battle priests, "Eliminate them all."

——-

"I gaze up at the sky, watching a bird gracefully glide through the azure expanse, feeling the wind beneath its wings. The sun's warm embrace filters through the lush green leaves of the trees, dancing with the gentle breeze. As I lay in this ground, I felt it as comforting as a baby in its mother's womb," I muse silently.

“Stop daydreaming, Noctis!”Akaku's stern voice pierces my reverie, her bamboo sword resting on her shoulder. Raphael, alongside his eagle Banzo, observes the spectacle and asks, "How many times have you fallen, Noctis?"

A concerned shout from Miya echoes from the sidelines, "Are you okay?"

Leona, her voice filled with pride, taunts me with a smirk, "If you don't pick up your spirit, this king will strike again, Noctis!"

Gasping for breath, I apologize, "Y-yes, I'm sorry," as I struggle to rise from the hole-ridden field. I can't help but protest, "Stop turning this place into a deathbed for me!"

Leona grins, unfazed, and readies her wooden staff, declaring, "That's the spirit the king desires! Here I come!" With those words, she leaps forward.

It had been a month since I had begun my life in Yūgen Garden. Well, to be more accurate, I no longer had the option to decline their offer, especially considering Akaku's intimidating demeanor. The relentless pursuit of battle priests and heroes had left me with no home or school to return to. It appeared that everyone in Yūgen Garden shared a similar plight, except for one exception – Seimi. There was an unspoken understanding among them when it came to him. Whenever I inquired about it, they simply said, "he is strong." Even my entity, Leviathan, seemed to acknowledge it, though not in words, but rather in an unspoken sense.

Despite my initial reservations, living here wasn't as bad as I had feared. We lived in secrecy, which raised concerns about necessities like food and clothing. However, a glance at my new companions revealed that they seemed far from deprived. Their attire was of high quality, and their vitality suggested they were well-fed. Curious about their means of sustenance, I approached Akaku.

"We have people for that kind of thing. Come, I will show you," she said, leading me to a particular location. When we arrived, I was greeted by the sight of a colossal white building that loomed overhead. Adjacent to it was a park where children and families played together.

"Do these families have entities as well?" I inquired. Akaku shook her head, her gaze soft but tinged with sadness as she looked at them. She explained, "They are survivors of attacks by battle priests or heroes during their so-called exorcisms. They assist us with obtaining necessities from the outside, and we, in turn, provide protection for them."

As we conversed, a bird flew past me and landed on the arm of a tall, handsome man with a buzz-cut hairstyle and chestnut eyes. He exuded confidence as he approached us. "What Akaku said is correct; we protect them. That means you too, from now on, will also protect them," he declared. Raphael's words triggered a flood of memories of what the battle priests had done to my grandfather. Their supposed exorcisms were nothing but excuses to execute innocent people. Determination surged within me, and I gripped my chest, looking Raphael in the eyes. "Yes," I affirmed firmly.

Currently, I'm training with Leona, who wields a wooden staff with an incredible prowess that should have shattered it by now. "This doesn't feel like training! It feels more like an attempt on my life!" I protest.

"Khahaha! You won't die unless you're killed!" Leona responds, fuck! Her logic isn’t logicing!

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"I was right, she's not just using her strength. I can also sense her entity's power," Leviathan told me.

But before I can delve further, Leona's staff descends with blinding speed, and I, "I'm going to get killed."

“Stop!” A booming voice from outside the training field brought Leona’s staff to a sudden halt, creating a gust of wind as it came to rest. As I opened my eyes, I couldn’t help but gulp when I realized the staff had stopped just millimeters from my eye. That was a close call!

“Khahaha! If that voice had come a moment later, you’d be headless by now,” Leona remarked with a hint of amusement.

“This was supposed to be just training,” I muttered to Leviathan, letting out a nervous laugh. He replied, “If that ever happens, I’ll make sure to turn this place into rubble before I’m extinguished.” A chill ran down my spine, not because of his words, but because I knew Leviathan would indeed carry out such a threat.

As tension hung in the air, the newcomer revealed themselves. It was a figure draped in a haori, their presence exuding an air of authority yet there’s a subtle of playfulness in his face. With a simple gesture, they summoned a calmness to the field. “Noctis, Leona, enough for today. We have important matters to discuss.”

Leona begrudgingly lowered her staff and shot me a smirk face, promising to continue our training later. With that, we gathered around Seimi,

"How are you feeling, Noctis?" He inquired as soon as I stood before him.

"Thanks to you, I barely escaped death," I replied with a mixture of gratitude and relief.

"Hahaha, don't worry, Leona wouldn't kill you, even if she wanted to," he chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Fumu! That's right! A true king shall never harm her people!" Leona exclaimed proudly, puffing out her chest at Seimi's words. I often wondered why she referred to herself as a "king," despite being a woman. Perhaps it had something to do with her entity? I made a mental note to ask her about it later.

"What brings you here, Seimi?" Akaku inquired. Seimi nodded gravely in response, a stark contrast to his usual carefree demeanor. The sudden change in his expression sent a ripple of tension through the group, even affecting the typically proud Leona.

"A group of battle priests, accompanied by a hero, have obliterated a household that supports us—the Magna Familia," Seimi explained, his words carrying a weighty sense of gravity.

One of the reasons Yūgen Garden managed to sustain itself was due to external support. These supporters consisted of different families—although they weren't bound by blood, they were individuals who had gathered together. Seimi and the others had saved them, offering refuge from a life in hiding. In return, these families vowed to provide support from the outside. Currently, there were ten of these supporting families: The Magna Familia, The Crimson Clan, The Solaris Family, Obsidian Syndicate, Raven’s Wings Family, The Onyx Brotherhood, Jade Lotus Family, The Starfall Covenant Family, The Dragon’s Den, and the Eyes of Family. Each of these families was protected by Vessels, individuals with entities. And the one safeguarding the Magna Familia was Veridian.

"Veridian protected them, but he was overwhelmed by the strength and numbers of his opponents," Seimi continued.

Upon hearing Seimi’s dire news, a heavy silence descended upon our group. The weight of the situation pressed down on us, and the grim reality of the attack on the Magna Familia was impossible to ignore. It was clear that we needed to take action, and quickly.

I turned to Miya, “Who was Veridian and who is his entity?”

"It was Al Capone," she answered, her voice filled with sorrow. "He's the only one who has people working under him and can create numerous weapons. He distributed these weapons to his allies, fighting alongside them. Despite his entity having a ruthless and violent personality, he managed to be kind to everyone. That's why we all trusted him."

Raphael questioned further, "Who were the ones responsible for his death?"

Seimi replied somberly, "There are two individuals you should keep in mind if you plan to seek vengeance. First is Katana, a battle priest wielding the Onryō no Tsurugi, a cursed sword. He led the group of battle priests that attacked the Magna Familia's base. However, it was the Metal Hero, Nine, who killed him. Nine rendered Al Capone's skills useless."

Raphael, his usual composure unwavering, said, “Thank you. Katana and Nine must be held accountable for their actions. I cannot allow them to roam free after what they’ve done.”

“Now that one of the supporting families has been targeted and killed,” Akaku’s voice held a sense of urgency as she addressed Seimi, determination burning in her eyes. She pressed on, “I believe it’s imperative that we exercise extreme caution. The recent actions of the battle priests have become increasingly concerning. It appears they’ve escalated to targeting individuals without entities. Moreover, it seems they’re closing in on one of the families associated with us. If they’ve discovered one, it’s only a matter of time until they uncover the others. What course of action do you propose, Seimi?”

Seimi regarded Akaku with a thoughtful expression, acknowledging the gravity of her words. He then replied with a measured tone, “Akaku, you bring up an excellent point. We must tread carefully in these perilous times. The battle priests and heroes have shown their willingness to target those who support us, even without entities.”

He leaned forward, his gaze unwavering, “Our foremost priority is safeguarding our supporting families. We won’t allow another tragedy like the one that befell the Magna Familia. To achieve this, we must implement heightened security measures across our bases and networks. But most importantly, we need to gather more information and people who can help us that shares the same values as us.”

A small, confident smile played on his lips as he concluded, “In this game of cat and mouse, we will be the clever mice. We’ll stay one step ahead, outsmarting our adversaries at every turn. We will protect our own. That means we will be needing your power too, Noctis.”

Seimi's words hung heavy in the air, and all eyes turned to me, the weight of his request sinking in. Akaku's voice broke the silence, addressing my apparent struggle, "Noctis hasn't managed to summon his entity yet. It appears he harbors fear or hesitation towards it."

I nodded in agreement with her statement. It was true; despite all the training, I hadn't been able to call upon Leviathan. There was an inexplicable apprehension within me, a fear that if I reached out to my entity, it would consume me whole. For the past month here in Yūgen Garden, I could only converse with Leviathan but never fully merge with it. I had tried once, attempting to call out to him, but instead of a response, I was met with an overwhelming darkness. It felt like an abyss pulsating from the depths of my chest, and it terrified me to my core. After that experience, I never dared to try again.

Seimi's words cut through my thoughts, his insight probing deeper, "Perhaps there's a part of your entity that you haven't fully accepted yet, or perhaps there's a hidden aspect within yourself that you're reluctant to acknowledge."

I struggled to find a response, my gaze falling to the ground as uncertainty gnawed at me.

——-

"Noctis! Found you! Khahaha! This king has been looking for you since this afternoon!" Under the moonlight's gentle embrace, I found myself sitting alone, surrounded by the quiet solitude of the woods, when suddenly a loud voice came barging in, interrupting my peaceful evening. "You suddenly walked away after what Seimi said. Why is that?"

I couldn't answer her question; instead, I gazed at the seven aligned moons, bathing the night sky in their beauty, amidst a sea of stars. It was then that Leona began to reveal a side of her I had never seen before.

"I was a general leading a group of elite warriors on the battlefield," she confessed, tears welling up in her eyes. "We were feared and renowned for our skills, and my pride turned into arrogance. We were entrusted with defending a small village against an overwhelming enemy force. I was so confident in my abilities, in my leadership, and in my pride. I believed that victory was inevitable, and I let that arrogance guide my decisions."

Her voice trembled as she continued, her eyes filled with tears that mirrored the pain she carried. Her usual prideful demeanor had given way to vulnerability, revealing the real Leona beneath.

"But that day, everything fell apart. Our lines crumbled, and fear gripped me. Instead of standing my ground, instead of protecting my soldiers, I panicked. And I... I abandoned them, left them to face the enemy alone."

A heavy silence filled the room as she recounted her story, her voice breaking under the weight of her confession.

"As night fell, I ventured back to the battlefield, hoping to find survivors, hoping to make amends. But what I found was a scene of devastation, a graveyard of fallen comrades. Their lifeless eyes seemed to accuse me, their silent cries for help echoing in my ears."

Leona’s voice broke, and she clutched her chest as if trying to hold back the pain that threatened to consume her.

"I knelt beside them, tears streaming down my face, and whispered apologies to each of them. I promised to carry their memory, to fight for a world where no one else would suffer as they had. With every comrade that died because of me, I would repay it by saving others. But their forgiveness was something I could never earn. I battled with myself until I could accept who I had become, and that was when my entity took control, and I became a vessel."

She then looked at me before standing up, “I don’t know what happened with you before, but I don’t want you to forgive yourself. It’s not about forgiveness; it’s about accepting.”

The weight of my unspoken secret bore down on me, as I look at her and think about what she confessed about her past. An unbearable burden that had festered for far too long. And tonight, I couldn't run from it any longer.

With a shaky breath, I began to confess, my voice quivering as I unveiled the darkest corners of my soul. "I... I had a twin brother," I admitted, my eyes welling up with unshed tears. "He was everything I wasn't – kind, talented, adored by everyone. I looked up to him, respected him, but beneath it all, there was something far more sinister – envy."

A haunting silence filled the night as I continued, my voice breaking under the weight of my confession. "We were deep in these very woods that fateful day, just the two of us. I had the chance to save him, to prevent the accident, but instead... I froze. A massive rock came hurtling down, and I simply stood there, watching as it struck him down, taking his life and leaving only his arm."

My words hung in the air like a heavy fog, each syllable carrying the unbearable guilt of that moment. The memory of my inaction, of my envy turning into something far more sinister, was etched into the depths of my soul.

"But the worst part," I choked out, "was what I felt when it happened. As that rock descended, a perverse sense of joy washed over me. The source of my envy, my own flesh and blood, was gone. And, in that twisted moment, I felt relief, a satisfaction I can hardly put into words."

I hung my head in shame, my heart heavy with the weight of my confession. This was the darkest secret I had carried with me for so long, and now, under the moon's watchful gaze, I had finally laid it bare. The world around me seemed to hold its breath, waiting for what would come next.

"That's when Leviathan seized me," I whispered, the words barely audible even to my own ears. "A malevolence, a darkness within me that I couldn't control. It was as if my own envy had beckoned him forth, and I became nothing more than a vessel.”

I trembled as I unveiled the truth that had tormented me for years. A sense of relief washed over me, as if a colossal burden had been lifted. "I will never forgive myself, but I will accept it. Accept that this sin, this envy, is a part of me," I confessed to Leona. I saw her nod in satisfaction, acknowledging my words.

Suddenly, I felt something inside of me, deep within my soul, a pulsating malevolence, unlike before where it felt dark, somehow, this time, it felt like the darkness was accepting, and with a smile on my lips, I whispered,

"Leviathan, embrace me."