Rain mist drifted across the rooftop of Noctharis Castle, and the distant sound of waves crashing against the cliffs echoed through the night.
Salim stood frozen.
His mind refused to process what he had just seen.
Blood on the stones.
Dead guards.
Green eyes.
A smile that didn't look human.
He stared upward at Ton, who still clung to the ceiling like a creature from a nightmare.
"How did you…?"
His voice shook.
"What did you…?"
He pointed weakly.
"Who did you…?"
Ton released the ceiling.
THUD.
He landed silently in front of Salim.
His claws scraped against the wet stone, sharper than ever, and the sound sent a chill through Salim's body.
The storm rumbled above them.
Salim swallowed hard.
"We thought you were joking all this time."
His eyes drifted to Ton's hands.
"The claws… the violation story… the forest experiments…"
Lightning flashed.
"Did that actually happen to you?"
Ton's shadow stretched across the rooftop.
His voice became deep and unnatural.
"Yes."
A long pause.
"I am human… Ventualla… lizard mutated."
Salim's face crumpled.
The joke was real.
Ton had been suffering while everyone laughed.
Salim suddenly grabbed him and pulled him into a hug.
"I'm sorry, man."
Rain tapped softly around them.
"No one took you seriously."
For a moment, neither of them moved.
The storm seemed far away.
Then Ton spoke in his completely normal voice.
"Let's find some girls."
Salim blinked.
"What?"
Ton grinned.
"You heard me."
Salim burst out laughing despite everything.
He grabbed Ton's hand dramatically.
"Let's go, sir."
THE BEACH PARTY
They climbed over the final rooftop and looked down at the beach below.
Lanterns burned along the shore.
Bonfires crackled in the sand.
Music drifted through the rain-soaked air while dozens of young nobles danced beneath glowing blue banners.
Salim's eyes lit up.
"Race."
Ton smirked.
"You'll lose."
They exploded forward.
The wind roared past Salim's ears.
Then—
Ton vanished.
Salim skidded to a stop.
"WHERE DID HE GO?!"
He looked ahead and nearly screamed.
Ton was already on the beach.
Dancing.
With an entire group of girls.
Music blasted around him while he spun one girl, bowed to another, and somehow kept perfect rhythm.
Salim stared in disbelief.
"HOW FAST IS HE?!"
Ton pointed at him mid-dance and shouted proudly,
"LIZARD POWER!"
The girls laughed.
Salim finally reached the beach, panting.
He looked at Ton surrounded by smiling nobles.
"Damn… you are definitely him, man."
Ton winked and returned to dancing.
Salim shook his head.
Focus. Rescue mission first.
THE SEARCH
Salim moved through the party, scanning faces.
No dark energy.
No suspicious aura.
Nothing.
He checked near the bonfires.
Near the musicians.
Near the wine tables.
Still nothing.
Eventually he wandered into a section where a group of boys were dancing loudly.
Before he could escape, they pulled him in.
"Come on, dance!"
Salim froze.
"Uh… guys…"
One of them threw an arm around his shoulder.
Another offered him a drink.
Salim laughed nervously.
"Man, I'm not gay."
The boys cheered anyway and kept dancing.
Salim looked directly at the sky.
I came here to save my captain.
And now I'm trapped in a dance circle.
He groaned internally.
What has my life become?
After several painful minutes, Salim finally slipped away and sprinted back toward Ton.
Ton was still dancing.
Salim grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out of the crowd.
"What happened?" Ton protested. "I was enjoying myself."
"Ton, I can't find a dark magic user."
Ton folded his arms thoughtfully.
"You were with the gay people, weren't you?"
"…Yeah."
Ton nodded like a wise philosopher.
"Dark magic only suits girls."
Salim stared.
"That sentence made no sense."
Ton ignored him.
"Now watch a professional."
TON'S METHOD
Ton marched straight back into the crowd.
Salim watched in horror.
Ton leaned toward one girl.
"Do you know dark magic?"
She slapped his shoulder.
"No."
Another girl.
"Dark magic?"
"No."
A third.
"No."
A fourth.
"Get away from me."
Minutes passed.
Salim checked the clock tower nervously.
Time was disappearing.
Then suddenly Ton froze.
A girl with silver hair nodded slowly.
"…Yes."
Ton's eyes widened.
He immediately grabbed her hand.
"FOUND ONE!"
Before she could react, he dragged her across the beach toward Salim.
The poor girl stumbled through the sand in complete confusion.
Salim blinked.
"You know dark magic?"
The girl looked from Salim to Ton and back again, clearly terrified.
Then recognition appeared on her face.
"Wait…"
Her eyes sparkled.
"Aren't you two the Dogs from the Black Meeting?"
Salim winced.
"I loved your dance!"
Ton's expression darkened instantly.
The girl leaned closer in a teasing voice.
"So why do you need dark magic? Is it because you plan to do something with me?"
She bent slightly, smiling flirtatiously.
Ton took a dramatic step backward.
"GET OUT!"
The nearby dancers turned to look.
Ton pointed at the castle.
"We need dark magic for a mission! If you want to help, then help. If you can't, then go. Don't do weird things in front of us."
Salim stared at him in complete shock.
He really chose captain over girls.
The girl blinked several times, then burst out laughing.
"Okay, okay."
She crossed her arms.
"What do you want?"