The Organization was still bathed in bright sunlight, but the atmosphere was heavy. During the agent meeting, Rimuto propped his chin up, speechless in front of the gathered agents.
In just a few days, the situation across the continent had drastically changed.
"It's been seven days since the northern war broke out. No.1 and No.2 performed well, eliminating all the invading Awakened Beings." The deputy leader finally spoke. "But in that conflict, we also lost 24 Claymores. On top of that, the death rate among the current trainees has far exceeded expectations. So, in the coming period, we'll need to recruit more girls." 17 died, confirmed by the Frozen Monument. 7 others are missing—most likely defectors.
The room fell silent.
Then, the agent representing God-Eye Galatea stepped forward. "According to Galatea's observations, the Southern Abyss and Northern Abyss have both disappeared. There was a massive battle in the Holy City. It's been completely destroyed."
"Hmm." The leader actually nodded upon hearing that.
Lulu was hidden among the agents. He had received word that the homeland had dispatched the Seven Knights of the Dragon's Bloodline to test the continent by wiping out the Organization. But none of them had shown up since. Chances were, they got caught up in the Holy City battle and didn't make it. Honestly, who knew what the higher-ups were thinking—so reckless.
Every day brought new intelligence, more chaotic than the last. It was impossible to tell what was real anymore.
"There's also a rumor that Priscilla appeared in the Holy City... and was defeated by a single Claymore," one of the agents reported.
Dead silence. Among the Organization's higher-ups, Priscilla was a forbidden topic. She was too dangerous. But beaten by one Claymore? No way. Who would believe that?
"Verify that intel again," said Rimuto. "What's the status of the Earthlings' base? Didn't the defectors Rafaela, Iselin, and Ophelia all go there?"
"The Earthlings have been active in the surrounding area. That white-cloaked man, Kid, has been seen flying in and out frequently. He's been spotted all over the continent, including the North."
That Earthling, Kid, was a real headache.
"Leader, we can't just sit by and do nothing. Eventually, the Earthlings will threaten our interests." Lulu made it sound like he had the Organization's best interests at heart.
Several other agents agreed. They supported eliminating the Earthlings. This test continent was crucial, and the Earthlings were too close for comfort. The Organization couldn't feel at ease.
"Plus, they've been in frequent contact with the defected Claymores. There's no way their intentions are pure." More agents nodded in agreement.
The leader slowly rubbed his fingertips together, deep in thought. It might be time to make a move.
But the deputy leader interjected, "Right now, we need to replenish our Claymore numbers. At the same time, we must begin the Abyssal Devourer experiment. With the disappearance of both the Southern and Northern Abyss, if the Western Abyss vanishes too, there'll be no test subjects left."
The leader said, "The Abyssal Devourer experiment must begin immediately—that's our top priority. As for the Earthlings, their origin is a mystery. They must also be dealt with soon."
"Your command?"
Rimuto, meanwhile, was thinking of another piece of classified intel. The Dragon's Bloodline had reportedly been spotted in the south but vanished shortly afterward. Had they discovered the truth about the test continent? If they had, then this place was no longer safe. There were too many problems. Giving everything he had still wouldn't be enough. The Earthlings, the Dragon's Bloodline—one after another, all headaches.
But the intel about the Dragon's Bloodline was still unconfirmed. First, they'd handle the Earthlings. "Send the Abyssal Devourer to drive the Western Abyss toward the Earthling base."
The cunning leader had played a classic move—using a wolf to drive away a tiger.
It worked. After seeing Luciela, Lulu had done a lot of thinking. He figured the biggest reason behind Luciela's transformation had to be the Earthlings. And if they wanted to eliminate the method of creating the perfect weapon, the best approach was to wipe out the Earthlings—or at least drive them off.
"And those girls we just recruited need to be trained quickly and prepped for fusion." The Claymores were the foundation of stability across the continent. The Organization still needed them to make money.
"Understood."
Sunlight filtered into the crowd of black-cloaked agents. A strange tension was in the air. Unease—yes, it was unease. Too many strange things had happened lately. The powerful Abyssals were vanishing one after another, and no one could clearly say what was going on. The Organization still couldn't confirm whether they were dead or just hiding. For the first time, the Organization had lost control over intelligence on the continent. That was the birth of unease.
In the west, Riful was furious. She smashed things onto the ground in rage. First, Dauf had gotten injured. Then, Awakened Beings from the north started invading. She felt she'd stayed holed up in the west too long. People had forgotten the terror of the Western Abyss.
She was so mad, all she could do was throw things. Beside her, only Dauf was there. He had no idea how to comfort the woman he loved, so he just stood there awkwardly, zoning out.
Seeing him like that only made Riful angrier. 'Why is my man such an idiot?' she thought. "Dauf, what did that Awakened Being who hurt you look like last time?"
She was already thinking of taking revenge for Dauf—and making a statement in the process. So she started questioning him.
But Dauf couldn't describe it properly. One moment he said she looked like a snake, the next like an eagle. It was like he recognized each part individually, but when combined, he couldn't make sense of it. He muttered dumbly, "She was really strong... Just flicked me away like nothing."
"Idiot! How am I supposed to avenge you with a description like that?" Even if Riful always treated Dauf like a lackey, she really did care about him.
Riful had been the first female Abyssal on the test continent. She was also the first female No.1. She still remembered back then, full of ambition, she went searching for the strongest male Claymores. That's when she met the male No.1 Isley, No.2 Silver-Eyed Lion King, and No.3 Dauf.
It had been rare for all three top male warriors to gather in one place. And of course, men being men, they couldn't resist testing their strength. Riful had arrived right in the middle of their fight, interrupting the duel. Isley and the Silver-Eyed Lion King left, but Dauf fell for her at first sight and stayed behind.
She still remembered their first exchange:
"You must be No.3…"
"Dauf. My name's Dauf."
"So it's Senior Dauf. I still have a lot to learn, but I hope we can work well together."
"Can… can I hold your hand?"
"Eh? No way! And you stink, Senior Dauf! You should really take better care of your hygiene between missions…"
That was the beginning of the bond between the Western Abyss and the clumsy but pure-hearted Dauf. That was over 100 years ago now. Back then, Riful had been playful and mischievous. And Dauf wasn't nearly as dumb.
But time had changed everything. Riful had become ruthless, someone who killed without blinking, finding joy in tormenting Claymores. Dauf had become her loyal servant, completely obedient, without any concern for good or evil.
Everything had changed—except one thing. Dauf's love for Riful. He would do anything for her.
In the west, the Organization's vehicle quietly dropped off the first batch of Abyssal Devourers.
The experiment to wipe out the Abyssals had officially begun.