Solaris's calm cyan pupils—
Slowly began to change.
A familiar yellow color returned… creeping in like something long buried rising back to the surface.
Then—
He spoke.
His voice was no longer light.
It was deep.
Heavy.
Almost… suffocating.
"…I'm not… normal?"
The moment the words left his mouth—
Something snapped.
A violent surge of aura erupted from his body.
No—
It didn't just spread.
It exploded outward.
The air trembled.
The ground beneath them cracked further under invisible pressure.
And they felt it.
All of them.
Hayami reacted first.
Her instincts screamed danger.
In an instant, she stepped in front of Reina, her hand gripping her sword tightly as her entire body shifted into a defensive stance.
"What's wrong with him all of a sudden?!" she shouted, her voice sharp with tension.
Her eyes narrowed, scanning Solaris.
"Where is this mana coming from…?!"
She gritted her teeth.
"…This doesn't even feel human."
A chill ran down her spine.
Her expression darkened.
"…It feels more like… a beast."
But Reina—
The moment the pressure reached her—
Her body froze.
Then suddenly—
She collapsed to her knees.
Her hands shot up, clutching at her throat as if something invisible was choking her.
"I…!"
Her voice trembled.
Her breathing broke.
"I… can't… breathe…!!"
The air around her felt unbearably heavy.
Like the world itself was pressing down on her lungs.
Her vision blurred.
Her heartbeat pounded violently in her ears.
---
The pressure—
It kept getting heavier.
Heavier.
With every passing second, the air itself felt like it was thickening… turning into something solid.
Something suffocating.
Beside Reina—
Hayami stood still.
She didn't move.
Not because she didn't want to—
But because she couldn't.
Her instincts, her experience, everything within her screamed the same conclusion.
Her grip on her sword tightened… but her hands trembled ever so slightly.
Her voice dropped.
Low.
Heavy.
"…We can't win against this… thing."
And Leonhart…?
He stood frozen.
Completely still.
His eyes were locked on Solaris.
Wide.
Shaking.
As if what he was seeing—
What he was feeling—
Was something his mind refused to accept.
A moment passed.
Then—
His lips moved.
Slowly.
"…I knew you were strong…"
His voice cracked.
"…But this…?"
---
The scene shifted to Solaris.
His pupils—
Were no longer cyan.
They had turned completely golden-yellow.
And slowly—
They began to change shape.
Stretching.
Narrowing—
Into a vertical slit.
A faint, beastly killing intent crept across his face.
Uncontrolled.
Raw.
Around his body—
Violent yellow lightning began to spark and surge.
Crackling through the air like a storm struggling to break free.
Each flicker—
Each surge—
Made the atmosphere heavier.
Denser.
More oppressive.
---
Hayami, Leonhart, and Reina could all feel it.
Every second felt longer than the last.
Every breath heavier than before.
But none of them moved.
Because deep down—
They already knew.
Trying to do anything now…
Would be meaningless.
Now all they could do—
Was stand still.
And wait.
Wait for whatever fate had decided for them.
And then—
At that exact moment—
A voice echoed.
Not in the air.
Not around them.
But directly—
Inside Solaris's mind.
A familiar voice.
Urgent.
Desperate.
"Master… please calm down…!"
The voice trembled slightly, yet it carried a deep sense of loyalty.
"They're just a bunch of weaklings… they don't know anything about you…"
A brief pause.
Almost like it was pleading.
"Please… calm down."
---
And then—
Something changed.
Solaris suddenly snapped back.
As if something had pulled him out of the abyss.
His consciousness returned.
The vertical slit in his pupils slowly faded—
Returning to their original shape.
But the color—
Remained.
Golden.
His breathing was still heavy.
His body still tense.
"…Oblivient…?"
His voice came out low.
Unstable.
"…Is that you…?"
Leonhart heard it.
His brows furrowed in confusion.
"Oblivient…?" he repeated under his breath.
The voice answered.
Calm.
Yet carrying a faint edge of urgency.
"Yes, Master. It's me—Oblivient."
A brief pause.
"Listen carefully… I'm here to help you."
Solaris's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Help me?" he muttered, confusion clear in his voice.
Slowly—
The golden color in his eyes began to fade.
Returning…
Bit by bit—
To their usual cyan blue.
"As far as I remember…" Solaris continued, his tone still heavy but now carrying a hint of playfulness.
"…you've only ever given me pain."
A slight pause.
"…Are you even capable of helping?"
For a moment—
Silence.
Then—
Oblivient's voice returned.
This time—
Sharp.
Annoyed.
"Didn't I tell you to stop talking out loud, you idiot?"
There was clear frustration in his tone.
"They can't hear me—but they can hear you."
A short breath.
As if he was forcing himself to calm down.
"…Listen," Oblivient continued, more controlled now.
"I don't appear for no reason."
A pause.
"I always show up when you need me the most."
Solaris didn't respond.
But his expression—
Had changed.
Slightly.
"Right now," Oblivient said, his voice turning serious,
"I'm going to give you access… to a portion of your memories."
Solaris's eyes flickered.
"…Memory access?"
The moment the words left his mouth—
A single heartbeat passed.
Then—
Pain.
Not a simple ache.
Not something he could ignore.
It struck deep within his chest—
A violent jolt ran through his entire body as if his heart itself had been gripped… and crushed.
"—ghh…!"
The pain intensified.
Deeper.
Sharper.
Unbearable.
It felt like something was clawing its way out from within—
Memories.
Fragments.
Something buried far too deep.
His vision blurred.
His body trembled uncontrollably.
And then—
His legs gave out.
He dropped to his knees.