"Regarding the Ancient Artifacts, the Dagon Alliance has given us some basic information," Ye Long began, his tone measured and deliberate. "They categorize the Ancient Artifacts into four types."

"Greed, Zaik."

"Spirit, Francis."

"Curse, Barrosa."

"Ocean, Karen."

Ye Long's voice sharpened as he continued, "The Fish-Man transformation is a curse. Barrosa cast this curse into the deepest parts of the ocean. The only way to break it is with the Silver Thread Needle."

Shino regarded him skeptically. "And this needle is currently in whose hands?"

"A Priest," Ye Long replied, his gaze steady.

Shino's brows furrowed. "With your abilities, you should be able to retrieve it yourself."

Ye Long shook his head. "No matter how strong I am, I’d have to face the Priest first. Fish-Men cannot defy the Priests, and I am no exception. This task requires someone who isn’t a Fish-Man."

Shino leaned back slightly, his voice calm but probing. "Then let's discuss the objective."

Ye Long’s voice softened, almost pleading. "I want to lift the Fish-Man curse—not just for myself, but for my mother."

He paused, his tone growing darker. "The beings beneath the sea plan to wage war on the surface. My mother will become a pawn in their conquest. I need to save her before that happens."

He stepped closer, his gaze unflinching. "We’re both fighting for our families, Shino. This is the only time in my life I’ve asked someone for help. I hope you’ll grant me this."

Silence stretched between them. Shino’s eyes lingered on Ye Long, studying his sincerity.

“Then tell me first," Shino said finally. "Where is Chino?”

Ye Long hesitated but then answered, "If the Chino I know is the one you’re searching for, then he’s beneath the deep sea. In an underwater city called Rlyeh."

Shino’s expression darkened.

"But," Ye Long continued, "I don’t have the authority to enter Rlyeh, nor can I bring you there. Only by breaking the Fish-Man curse can I even begin to show you the way."

Ye Long’s voice lowered as he added, "And even then, whether or not this Chino is your Chino, I won’t accompany you."

Shino’s voice turned sharp. "Why not?"

Ye Long’s reply was a whisper, laden with fear. "Because the thing beneath the sea is terrifying."

Shino’s wings twitched. "That thing?"

Ye Long’s face paled. "It’s... it’s an indescribable, horrifying, and grotesque entity. That’s all I can say."

Shino’s mind raced as he processed Ye Long’s words. Before he could respond, a deafening explosion shattered the air.

Boom!

The ground shook violently as a massive shockwave surged through the area. Shino and Ye Long shielded their eyes, bracing themselves against the blast.

When the chaos subsided, they slowly opened their eyes. What they saw froze them in place.

A massive crater now marred the heart of the once-bustling city. Buildings around it had crumbled into rubble, vehicles were crushed, and the streets lay in ruins. A dense mushroom cloud rose above the devastation, its shape eerily akin to that of a small nuclear blast.

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Shino stood, his wings trembling. His gaze fixed on the crater, his voice barely a whisper.

"My house..."

Instinct took over. His wings unfurled as he leaped into the air.

Ye Long grabbed his arm. "What are you doing?"

But Shino’s Blood Energy surged, forcing Ye Long to release him. Without hesitation, Shino flew toward the destruction, his heart pounding in his chest.

He soared over the smoldering ruins, the heatwave rippling against him like invisible claws. But he pushed through, diving headfirst into the suffocating dust and debris.

When his feet touched the ground, all he found was ash and silence.

Shino’s pupils trembled as his mind tried to reconcile what he saw. This was supposed to be where his home once stood.

"Who?" His voice broke. "Who did this?"

With a sharp beat of his wings, Shino rose above the crater, escaping the oppressive heat. His eyes swept across the ruined landscape, searching for answers.

Then, his gaze locked onto something on the ground.

He saw a black-robed figure clutching a small, ornate box, its lid ajar, the air around it heavy with an unnatural aura.

“Trash Kitsune, chasing me? The Serpent’s Hand will rebuild this shattered world!” the figure sneered, snapping the box shut.

But before he could turn, a hand gripped his arm with terrifying force.

Startled, the black-robed figure whipped his head around. Behind him stood a young man with blood-red eyes gleaming like embers in the dim light.

“A vampire?” the figure spat, a mix of contempt and wariness in his tone. “What, you want a piece of this too? Ah, ah—”

The sneer froze on his lips as blood began to pour from his seven orifices. His eyes widened in horror, realization dawning too late.

“Ro… royal!”

Splat! Splat!

The man’s body burst apart in an explosion of blood, his form dissolving into a crimson rain that spattered the ground. The ornate box tumbled from his lifeless grip, landing at Shino’s feet.

Shino crouched, staring at the box. A part of him wanted to believe this was an accident—just another tragic collision of the Kitsune’s ambitions and the Serpent’s Hand’s schemes.

The heatwave from the crater began to fade, a biting wind sweeping through the ruins. Snowflakes drifted lazily from the overcast sky, settling on Shino’s hair.

Ye Long arrived, panting. His eyes locked on the box.

“This… this is an Ancient Artifact?” he asked, his voice faltering.

“What were you doing just now?”

Shino slowly lifted a hand and pointed toward the massive crater. “That was my home.”

Ye Long’s expression froze, the weight of Shino’s words sinking in. “Your phone… check your phone. Call your family, confirm—”

He pulled out his own device, but then his hand stilled. It was Saturday.

Neither spoke. The silence was heavy, broken only by the cold wind stirring the falling snow.

The world felt frozen, even as life moved on.

Ye Long’s voice was barely a whisper. “From the moment we became monsters, we were already trapped in this vortex. No one escapes.”

Shino stood slowly, his movements deliberate.

“Where… where are you going?” Ye Long asked, his voice trembling.

Shino turned, his face calm, almost unnaturally so. “To help you get the Silver Thread Needle.”

Ye Long’s heart sank. “Your family…”

“They’re gone.”

Ye Long’s words faltered, lost in the face of Shino’s eerie composure. It wasn’t grief that scared him—it was the absence of it.

“Stay strong,” Ye Long managed, but his words felt hollow.

Shino didn’t respond. He began walking toward the southern bay, his thin frame cutting through the snow-laden air. His steps were steady, purposeful, his shadow long and solitary under the pale, winter sky.

It’s just a little frost and wind.

...

The streets were quiet save for the crunch of Shino’s boots against the snow-covered ground. His clothes were thin, ill-suited for the biting cold.

Suddenly, the silence shattered. Kitsune soldiers emerged from the shadows, surrounding him, their weapons aimed and ready.

“Vampire detected.”

“Was he responsible for the explosion earlier?”

“No, it was caused by a Serpent’s Hand operative wielding Pandora’s Box.”

“Did we recover the artifact?”

“Negative.”

“Understood. Capture him alive.”

The soldiers advanced, but before they could close in, crimson threads of blood erupted from Shino, slicing through their ranks with terrifying precision.

“What is this?!”

“Blood Threads—royal level!”

“Alert the commander! The vampire at the explosion site is royal level! Repeat, royal level!”

The soldiers faltered, retreating slightly as Shino continued forward, unbothered by their presence.

The distant hum of approaching helicopters grew louder. Moments later, Kitsune soldiers in specialized armor descended from the skies, their movements swift and coordinated.

A figure clad in black armor emerged, his aura oppressive. Purple light crackled around him as he descended gracefully to the battlefield.

“Naira Sorkin,” one soldier murmured in awe. “Right Hand Commander.”

With a single motion, Naira sent a wave of force barreling toward Shino, throwing him backward with the strength of a hurricane.

The Right Hand soldiers extended their arms. In an instant, the snowflakes in the air froze solid, forming shackles of ice around Shino’s limbs.

But with a surge of power, Shino shattered the restraints. Threads of blood shot out, twisting toward his attackers.

Naira raised his hand, the purple light intensifying. He crushed the threads effortlessly, the display of dominance sending the soldiers into a renewed frenzy.

Shino’s blood-red eyes locked onto Naira. With a burst of strength, he slammed his foot into the ground, propelling himself forward like a crimson blur.