After exploring Mulligan which was accompanied by Raizel's grumbling, Joshua was back outside. He had earned quite a bit of cash thanks to all the transactions going on, so his first plan was to explore for a bit. Getting himself the penthouse at the same hotel was first. Finishing the transactions and so Joshua headed back to the Union. Where messages on his phone popped up. It was a text that called for the Venerators for a rapid extermination. No level requirement. A red spire that was nearby. A rapid extermination that needed as many Venerators as possible due to the fact that people inside a mall had been kidnapped into it.

The spire is a property of the militaristic Assault Works Union group, their gear was comparable to the Private Military Corporation outfits. Joshua did a bit of searching on the web, seeing that they were led by SS rank known as the General. A bunch of military officers that had become Venerators. They were working with three other groups, the rescue experts known as the Iron Guard, melee experts known as Blade Sanctuary and lastly the Apocalypse Raiders who were primarily magic based.

"Hey, you mask guy! Join the op." Joshua walked on over to the burly man that was the General, wielding a M4A3 that was heavily customized with grenade launcher underneath and a shotgun attached to the left.

"Sir, he's an E-rank." One of the members protested.

"Doesn't matter, he showed up. We've got a team of 60 ready to go. I'll need to coordinate things from here. We've got a lot of civilians in there. Join up with team 1." Joshua joined the first team, it was being led by one with callsign 'Alpha 1'

Joshua joined them as the Union officers readied the Spire's Doors. The door transformed into a gate.

"Go go!" The 60 Venerators stormed into it, breaching in as they found themselves in the shopping mall.

"Listen up, we've got roughly a thousand people in the building. We'll have to rescue them as we move along. Apocalypse Raiders, can your familiars do recon?" Alpha 1 asked the others, keeping his rifle to his chest as they thought about what to do.

Joshua readied the Twin Guardians to his hip. The familiars were a bunch of wolves, they proceeded to move on ahead.

Exterminate the enemies in the Spire.

Number : 35,000

"Alright let's move around." Joshua followed suit, they were careful with each movement.

"Alpha 1." Joshua heard the radio go off with one of the members, the bag had an antenna sticking out of it.

"Yes, sir. We've just started. It might be a tough job, we've got 35,000. Target rich environment. Enemy types unkno-" A creature jumped at Alpha 1, he elbowed its head and drawing the pistol to fire into its head.

"Identified. We're dealing with elemental werewolves. We may be dealing with more of them." Alpha 1 explained as they continued moving along. Hearing a cry from help from inside a shop. The Iron Guard made their way to it, seeing the steel shutter blocking their path. Using magic to melt the shutter away, ripping a large hole where they see a mother and a child. Inside a bloodied shop, the other bodies were

"We've got a few civilians." Joshua readied his pistol, looking at the mother and child. He had a bad feeling to it, an ill omen like they were possessed.

"Hey, what are yo-" Joshua fired into the mother and child, where their bodies fused together. Becoming a long four legged creature with the child inside of the mother's chest. The creature opened its mouth to attack the Iron Guard member that got close.

"Ice Reaper." Ice Reaper put that creature down first.

"What the hell was that?" Alpha 1 asked, then looking at Joshua. Grabbing Joshua by the collar.Ice Reaper then put the scythe by Alpha 1's neck.

"Easy, Ice Reaper." Ice Reaper pulled the scythe back to his side. Then Alpha 1 was pushed back by Lugasa who was yawning.

"Lugasa." Joshua looked at Lugasa who let out a sigh.

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"Werewolves are one thing, but there is something else moving here. Not the good kind, an ominous kind. That thing... It's called a Crying Mother. This place is going to be a nightmare for you guys but because you killed the Crying Mother. Everything going to let itself be seen. There's no civilians here and you're trapped." Lugasa said to them..

"Alpha 1, come in?"

"This is Alpha 1."

"Alpha 1, Teams 2 and three have found the civilians, no sign of any enemies. We've rescued the civilians... What's going on?" The General spoke and the others looked at Lugasa.

"The werewolves... They're dead. We're dealing with something sinister in here. The kind that may give you nightmares. And whatever this thing was, it's pumping out creatures. And now it knows it can't lie to you." Lugasa blurted out, this was grim and Joshua could feel the sting in his gut. Hearing loud screams in the distance.

"Alpha 1 to General. We're in a double spire, sir. We're dealing with horrors." Alpha 1 spoke as blood trickled down from the ceiling, looking at a human head that was staring at them. Then Raizel appeared out of Joshua's pocket, staring at the head.

"Raizel?" Joshua called out.

"Ah... Yes... Yes... I see... It seems that this is the actions of a cult. They have turned the creatures inside of this place and they wish to summon a creature known as Saggorin.... The ritual is nearly complete, if Saggorin is allowed to roam free. It will try to break into your world and try to attack humans." Raizel chattered.

"That's impossible, only Black Spires can do that!" Alpha 1 retorted.

"Not anymore. It seems that they are getting bolder. The cult of humans in this place are dead and this one was taken as an offering from another place. Lord of Thorns, please put your hand to this one." Raizel said as the tome floated in front of Joshua, where he placed his hand on the page. Joshua's skin started to bleed, they watched as his skin peeled off his body. Joshua groaned in pain, as blood flowed from the orphices of his head. He was getting visions. The many humans that had been sacrificed for a creature that is only known as Saggorin.

The creature itself was a massive head that housed many other heads within its gaping mouth. It was a fleshy construct because it was made with human limbs. Joshua let go off the tome where Donovan caught Joshua.

"Lord." Donovan spoke as Joshua turned to see Iacus who was looking at the area.

"It may be tedious, Lord but we have to kill everything here. Is there a priest here?" Iacus asked.

"I am a chaplain.. A combat priest, I guess?" One of the Assault Works member said.

"Good... This enemy, I do not have much good things to say about it. Chaplain, bless the weapons of your allies. If we want to ensure that all of us make it out alive. Then we need to be careful. These ghosts... They are vulnerable to silver and I know where to find it." Iacus spoke to them as the Assault Works member blessed the weapons.

"Alpha 1 was it? As you are the leader of this group, you have full autonomy. This battle can be made easier if we are armed with weapons made of silver. Ghost types can be killed by having your weapons be coated in silver. Bullets will not be useful until we get to Soggorin." Iacus explained to Alpha 1.

"I understand, then lead the way."

"Thank you, Lord. I suggest you have Zephyr with us." Iacus said as they stepped out of the shop where Zephyr appeared by Joshua's side. The ghosts that were around them were many kinds. From naked women with multiple heads, to children holding dolls that invite them to their deaths. It was unnerving to say the least, Joshua could see the others feeling fear in their veins.

They soon arrived at what seems to be a smithery, a ghost of a smith stood there.

"Humans? Aye, ye might be of a different time. So ye looking for a way out of this hell?"

"Not exactly, smith. We are looking for a way to put them all to rest. But we need to coat our weapons in silver." Iacus answered, where the smith nodded.

"I'm afraid I cannot help ye. Me's a ghost ya see. Can't work flames with these hands." Lugasa looked at the smith.

"But I can. Please, I need to put my kin to rest." Lugasa said where the smith nodded, they all surrendered their weapons as Iacus and Donovan kept watch. The chaplain blessed the silver ore and their weapons.

"Lord. There seems to be a trio of interesting figures in this place. The Lord of Thorns, the 5th one had worked with three individuals that served him. They are present here, and it seems that they sacrificed themselves to stop a few greater demons in exchange for their Lord to deal the final blow.. They may be unstable as a result and have been imprisoned. Though Saggorin has been defeated a few times, these three have not been able to be rescued due to not knowing where they were..." Raizel spoke to Joshua where he turned to the others.

"You're going to go rescue the three?" Alpha 1 asked.

Iacus and Donovan looked at Joshua.

"They may be unstable." Iacus spoke up, clearly he was unsure of this plan.

"They still served the Lord. It may bring us advantage. The 5th Lord of Thorns had his world invaded by the supernatural and the trio of the ones missing from the records are experts when it comes to the supernatural. No other Lord of Thorns has been able to destroy legions of supernatural beings such as them." Donovan had a sound thought to it, but Joshua looked at the others.

"Lugasa, Iacus, Donovan and Ferno. Ice Reaper, stay with them.." Joshua said as Ferno shook its head to Joshua, and laying in his arms.

"The bird is afraid that you may not survive this encounter." Lugasa spoke then watching Ferno fly over to Lugasa, pecking Lugasa's head.

"Cut it out birdie!"

"It's fine." Joshua said as he pulled out the Cherry Blossoms.

"If I wanted to survive, I wouldn't be here." Joshua said as Zephyr appeared outside, awaiting for Joshua.

"Besides, if this thing gets out. It'll be tough. We'll need the help of these experts anyway. They may know how to stop Soggorin." Joshua said as he got on Zephyr, the horse neighed and rearing at Joshua's voice. Excited as they continued onwards.