"You again..."Eryx's voice rumbled like thunder, distorted, ancient, and inhuman.
His body stood still, yet something far greater stirred within. Red, crackling flames leaked from the jagged edges of the black mask that now covered the upper half of his face. His breath came out in slow, heavy bursts, the air around him warping with every exhale.
The voice wasn't just Eryx's. It was deeper—colossal. As if a devil, or perhaps a dragon, was speaking through him.
Atlas narrowed his eyes. "So it's awakened again..."
The ground beneath Eryx's feet began to frost and burn at once—ice and crimson flame battling in the air around him, fighting for control. His presence felt suffocating, like a storm of death and destruction had just been born before them.
Eryx's distorted voice echoed once more, thick with rage and pain."Why did you stop me back then? If you hadn't, she would've died—and my mission… it would've finally moved forward. I waited for so long for that moment. I lost it… because of you, fellow human. Why did you do it?"
Atlas's eyes narrowed, a whisper escaping his lips."'For so long? What does he mean by that... Is he… from that era?"
But he quickly shook off the thought and answered firmly, "Why do you want to kill them so badly? And if you want to know why I stopped you that day, it's simple. I value the lives of innocent people more than your crusade against the gods. If you had killed her, the other gods would've retaliated. The City of Shadows would've been blamed and wiped out in their so-called 'justice.' We need power to fight them, not war born out of recklessness. And I'll gain that power through—"
"Enough."
A new voice cut through the air. It wasn't Eryx's.
Dark, commanding, ancient. The kind of voice that silenced even the wind.
"I'll return. Do what you want—but protect the boy at any cost. And… find her."
As the voice faded, the red flames surrounding Eryx vanished. His body relaxed, and his form returned to normal. His mask cracked apart and dissolved into embers as he collapsed, unconscious.
Before he could hit the ground, Navia dove into the arena, catching him in her arms.
"Oh boy… this is way out of control," she muttered. She looked up at Atlas. "Captain, if you'll allow me, I'll take care of him and give him treatment."
Atlas nodded, visibly relieved."Yes, please. And Navia… always stay with him. If he ever enters that form again, use your crystal spell to knock him unconscious—nothing more. We can't lose our last hope."
Then Atlas turned to Marco. "Come with me to the Guild Master's room. There's something urgent we need to discuss."
With the guards' help, Navia carefully carried Eryx away toward his resting quarters.
Elena stepped forward and made the announcement."Everyone, that's the end of the trials for today. You may return. The trials will resume in a few weeks. This trial session is now concluded."
As the crowd began to disperse, still shaken from what they'd just witnessed, Atlas's voice called out again."Miss Ada. Would you please join us in the meeting?"
Ada turned, composed but still processing everything."Yes, Captain Atlas. It would be an honor."
In Navia's House
Navia gently placed her glowing hand over Eryx's chest, mending his fractured bones with steady, quiet concentration. The room was dim, lit only by the soft blue hue of her healing magic.
"Wonder who he meant by 'her'... Who was he talking about?" she murmured under her breath, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
Suddenly, Eryx jolted awake, eyes wide, panic in his voice."W-Where am I?! Na…Navia?! Forgive me—Navia!"
He looked around frantically before his gaze locked on her. His expression twisted with relief and guilt.
"I… I saw you die in my dream," he whispered. "The God of Darkness—he pierced you with his power right through your chest. You fell from the sky like a broken star. I shouted your name because I felt your mana fading… fading fast."
Navia blinked, stunned for a moment. Then, suddenly—
"Pffft—HAHAHAHA!"
She burst into laughter, nearly doubling over from how hard she was giggling.
"D-Don't laugh!" Eryx said, cheeks turning a little red.
"You seriously care that much about your friends and loved ones, huh?" she teased between breaths. "But don't worry! I'm alive, totally fine—see? No gaping chest wounds. You were dreaming, dummy. Just a nightmare."
Eryx looked down, a little flustered."I guess… I think about my friends a lot. Especially you. You've always had my back, so yeah… you're important to me."
Navia stopped laughing and smiled warmly."It's an honor to hear that, Eryx. Thanks," she said softly, then chuckled again. "But seriously, you should've seen your face."
Eryx's eyes darted around the unfamiliar room."…Wait, where am I? This isn't the place from earlier."
"You're in my house," Navia said casually.
"WHAT?!" Eryx shot up a little too fast and winced in pain. "Why am I here?! Who even decided this?! Why am I living with a girl my age?! That's—weird!"
Navia snorted. "Relax! We're barely home anyway—we'll be out on missions most nights. And even when we are home, you'll be in the other room. Don't worry, perv."
She smirked and patted his shoulder."Now get some sleep and heal up. We've got our first mission together tomorrow, and I don't need you dragging your feet."
She stood up, walking toward the door.
"Rest well, Eryx. You've got a long road ahead."
As the door gently closed behind her, Eryx lay back, staring at the ceiling. Her words echoed in his mind—about living together, about the mission, about being important to her. A faint smile crept onto his face, and slowly, his eyes fluttered shut.
Sleep claimed him once more.
"Hey! Eryx! Eryxx—wake up, dummy!" Navia's voice echoed through the room like an alarm bell. "We're gonna be late! All the missions are gonna get handed out to someone else if we don't move!"
Eryx groaned and jolted awake, still half-tangled in the sheets. "O-Okay! Okay—I'm up!"
As he rubbed his eyes, Navia crossed her arms and grinned."Good morning, sleepyhead. How're you feeling now? Still hurting?"
Eryx sat up and stretched. "Yeah… I feel—"
WHAM!
Navia threw a light punch to his chest. Not enough to cause damage, but just enough to sting.
"—OW! What was that for?! Are you mad, Navia?!" Eryx yelped, clutching his chest.
Navia smirked. "Just checking. If you're yelling like that, you're fine. Now stop whining and let's go! Captain's waiting."
"Wait, the captain? He's the one giving us the mission?" Eryx blinked in confusion. "Isn't that normally something we get from the guild office?"
"Ohhh, I forgot to explain, didn't I?" Navia said as they stepped out of the house and made their way toward the guild. "So listen up—we're part of the Slayers Guild, yeah? But we're also members of the elite group inside it: the Nightslayers."
"Right, I remember that part," Eryx nodded. "We joined after we reached Seeker rank."
"Exactly! And once you hit Sentinel rank or higher, you automatically become a full Nightslayer," she explained. "This group doesn't take ordinary missions. They handle the high-level ones. Every Nightslayer forms or joins a team, and that team takes on bigger threats. That's us—you and me."
Eryx blinked. "Wait… so this is your first mission with a teammate?"
Navia smiled. "Yep! I've always gone solo 'cause I'm both a combat healer and a researcher. The captain trusted me to handle specific missions alone—ones tied to my experiments or field work for the guild. But now that you're here? I finally get to go out with someone."
She looked genuinely excited. "It's gonna be fun."
"So let me get this straight," Eryx said, counting on his fingers. "If we want Seeker-rank missions, we talk to Elena at the guild office. But for high-level ones, we have to be Nightslayers and get 'em directly from Captain Marco or Atlas?"
"Bingo," Navia nodded. "And yeah, even when we're prepping for bigger missions, we can still pick up small guild jobs if they come up. We'll still get paid for 'em."
"Nice," Eryx grinned. "Wait, but who gives most of the Nightslayer missions? Elena?"
"She handles both, but for us, we'll usually be getting ours from Julia," Navia said.
"Got it. By the way, why aren't you a higher-ranked Nightslayer, Navia? You could be a vice captain."
Navia laughed. "Because I don't want the headache. I value freedom more than some title. Captain Atlas even said it's up to me if I ever want to move up, but I told him No thanks. I'd rather stay a free bird."
Eryx smiled. "Heh… now that's what a real Slayer sounds like."
The two of them reached the entrance to the Nightslayer office, the grand doors looming ahead. Whatever mission waited for them inside, one thing was certain—it was just the beginning.
In the Nightslayers Office
"Hey Julia! How you doin'?" Navia waved casually at a girl with black hair, brown eyes, and a sharp guild manager uniform.
Julia looked up from her desk and smirked. "Oh? If it isn't Navia—the most popular Slayer in the whole damn guild. Long time no see."
"That's 'cause I was busy saving this dummy," Navia said, motioning toward Eryx beside her. "Yep, he's the one—our fresh-out-of-the-flame Fledgling. First ever to join the Nightslayers at that rank."
Julia leaned forward, eyes scanning Eryx with mild curiosity. "So you're the one everyone's been whispering about, huh?"
Eryx gave an awkward nod and a soft smile. "Yeah… that's me. Uh, thank you for everything, Miss Julia. I'll do my best to help the guild from now on."
Julia raised an eyebrow. "Polite one, aren't you? Well, go on up. Captain Atlas said he'll be giving you your missions directly until you reach Sentinel. He's waiting for you upstairs."
"Thanks, you're a lifesaver!" Navia grinned, then led Eryx to the upper floor of the Nightslayers' base. They knocked once on the door to Atlas' office.
"Come in," came Atlas's deep voice from inside.
As the two entered, they noticed a third figure already in the room. Standing by the window was a girl with light black hair cascading past her shoulders and sky-colored eyes that practically glowed in the sunlight. Her presence was calm, but powerful.
"Ada? What's she doing here?" Eryx blinked, surprised.
Atlas smiled faintly. "Took you long enough. So here's the deal: This is your first mission as an official team. And from now on, she"—he pointed at Ada—"will be part of your squad."
Navia sighed, hands on her hips. "Great… now I gotta babysit two rookies."
Atlas raised a brow. "Correction—only Eryx needs watching. He still loses control when his other side takes over. Ada Ellison, however, is an Ascendent-ranked fighter who reached that level even before joining the guild. She doesn't need your protection—she'll be helping you protect him."
Navia rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine. But I swear, if this idiot goes berserk mid-mission again…"
"Just knock him out like last time," Atlas chuckled. "Let him fight on his own until it's necessary. He needs to learn to use his mana—not just rely on that… other side."
Eryx smirked, a bit cocky. "So I scare you guys that much, huh? Two girls are babysitting me. Guess I left an impression."
Navia punched his arm. "Idiot. Ask what the mission is first. That's the first thing a Slayer does."
"Right, right!" Eryx rubbed his arm. "Captain—what rank is this mission, and what's our objective?"
Atlas nodded. "Good question. It's a Seeker-rank mission. A nearby village on the edge of the Shadow Forest has been attacked by demons. Your job is to clear them out, protect the villagers, and set up Mana Sets around the area to prevent future attacks."
"Mana Sets?" Eryx tilted his head.
Ada stepped forward, her voice smooth and composed. "They're spells infused into physical objects, hidden in the land. Once planted, they ward off monsters and demons within a three-kilometer radius. It's a containment method… old but effective."
Eryx blinked, caught off guard by her eyes locking on his. "Ah… got it. Thanks."
Navia clapped her hands. "Alright! Less talk, more action. We'll talk on the way. Let's go!"
"Protect yourself out there, Navia," Atlas added with a knowing tone.
"I always do, Captain. Let's roll, team!" Navia called out as they exited the room.
"Right behind you," Eryx and Ada said in unison, following her lead.
As the door shut, Atlas stared at it a moment longer, whispering under his breath.
"I'll find out who you are, Eryx… Are you truly from the War of Fate era?"
—Chapter 4ends—