The corridor leading toward the throne room trembled beneath black Aether.
Broken pillars lined both sides of the massive hall while countless cracks spread across the floor from the battles below. At the center of the corridor stood Noir alone, black tendrils twisting slowly behind him like living shadows.
Cold eyes observed the three Royal Knights before him.
Taren.
Kael.
Lio.
Noir's gaze carried neither tension nor caution. Only disappointment. "…So the famous Royal Knights wish to stop me?" he asked quietly.
Kael rested his sword across his shoulder. "Got a problem with that?"
Noir's eyes narrowed faintly. "You don't possess the courage to stand on the same level as me." His voice echoed softly through the hall.
"Weaklings."
SHHK—!
The corridor exploded instantly. Dozens of black tendrils shot toward the three Knights simultaneously from every direction—walls, floor, ceiling, shadows themselves.
Fast.
Lethal.
Taren moved first.
He moves first, but not recklessly—controlled steps, spear thrusts aimed at angles that force Noir to react rather than dominate.
Noir responds by not blocking directly. Instead, he bends space around him with thin, invisible tendrils that redirect Taren's spear mid-air, twisting its momentum so Taren is thrown off balance without a single direct clash.
Kael enters immediately after.
Unlike Taren, Kael fights with pressure. His blade carries explosive bursts of crimson Aether, each swing meant to overpower Noir's defense through raw force. He breaks through the tendrils once, forcing Noir to actually step back half a pace for the first time.
That small reaction changes Kael's expression—this is no longer theory. Noir can be pressured.
Lio shifts the rhythm.
He doesn't clash head-on. He reads. Every movement Noir makes, Lio traces the opening between intent and execution. Blue Aether flows through his blade like water, slipping through defenses instead of breaking them.
He lands the first clean cut on Noir's sleeve, drawing a thin line of blood. For a moment, silence. Noir looks at the blood, then at them. Then he smiles faintly.
Then, Noir changed.
The killing intent vanished. So did the reckless aggression. His stance lowered slightly. Calm. Controlled. Silent. And for the first time— he stopped fighting like an assassin. And started fighting like Black Petal Number One.
The corridor itself responded.
SHHHKKKK—!
Black tendrils surged across every surface simultaneously. Walls. Ceiling. Pillars. Floor. They no longer attacked directly. They controlled space, movement, and vision.
Every shadow became Noir's eyes.
Taren's expression sharpened immediately. "…Something changed."
Lio slowly adjusted his stance. "…He's controlling the battlefield itself."
Kael clicked his tongue. "Tch."
Then the tendrils moved again. Not toward all three. Toward Taren.
SHHK—!
A hidden strike erupted from beneath the floor directly toward Kael's blind spot. Taren reacted instantly.
"Pulse Art—!"
CRACK—!
Lightning burst around his spear as he intercepted the attack before it reached Kael. But another tendril immediately emerged behind Lio. Then another near Kael. Then one toward Taren himself.
Too many angles.
Too many decisions.
Taren gritted his teeth while moving constantly between them. Protect left. Advance right. Cover Kael. Watch Lio.
Every hesitation cost him ground. Every choice forced another sacrifice.
Noir watched silently. He understood immediately. Taren's weakness wasn't skill. It was responsibility. The need to protect everyone.
SHHK—!
A tendril narrowly missed Taren's throat. Another sliced across his shoulder. Blood scattered across the floor.
Kael growled. "…Focus on yourself for once!"
Taren blocked another attack desperately. "I'm trying!"
BOOM—!
The floor exploded beneath him as another hidden strike forced him backward violently.
Noir remained unmoving. Cold eyes observing. Analyzing. Breaking them apart mentally.
Then his attention shifted toward Kael. The tendrils retreated briefly. A deliberate opening. Kael saw it immediately.
"…Got you."
BOOOOM—!
Crimson Aether erupted around him as he charged forward aggressively, blade roaring through the corridor with overwhelming force.
"Blade Art: Tyrant—!"
SHHK—!
The opening vanished instantly. Black tendrils redirected around Kael like flowing water, avoiding direct clashes entirely. His massive strikes shattered pillars and walls—
But never Noir.
Kael's breathing slowly worsened. Every missed strike consumed enormous Aether. Every attack forced more stamina.
Noir wasn't overpowering him. He was exhausting him. Noir's eyes remained emotionless.
"…Why?" he asked quietly.
The three Knights paused briefly. Noir's voice lowered.
"She's an assassin. A killer raised by monsters. Her hands are stained with blood." Black tendrils slowly rose again.
"So why do you keep risking your lives for her?"
Silence lingered briefly. Then Taren answered first while gripping his spear tightly.
"…Because she's our friend."
Kael smirked painfully. Lio slowly raised his blade despite his injuries. "…That's enough reason."
Something inside Noir trembled. Not visibly. Not completely. But enough. Because those words sounded impossible inside the Black Petals.
Family.
Friendship.
Belonging.
Those concepts should've died with Serene. Noir's eyes darkened. "…Idiots."
Yet his attacks slowed for half a second. And that hesitation, was the first opening they had seen since the battle began.
"Your pathetic lives end here."
Lio stepped behind Taren calmly, blue Aether flowing around his blade in precise circular currents. Every tendril that slipped past Taren's defense was instantly redirected by Lio's sword. Clean, efficient, and controlled.
"Pulse Art: Flash Barrage."
CRACK—!
Yellow lightning erupted around his spear as his arms blurred into motion. The spear spun violently, intercepting tendril after tendril before they could reach the group.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The hallway filled with sparks and lightning.
Meanwhile, Kael stood at the center like an immovable fortress. Crimson Aether erupted around his body as he shattered incoming tendrils through raw force alone.
BOOM—!
One swing of his blade destroyed multiple attacks simultaneously. The three moved together flawlessly. No wasted movement. No reckless attacks. Only balance.
"Blade Art: Tyrant Breaker."
BOOOOOOM—!!!
His sword crashed against the tendril wall with monstrous force. The layered defense cracked instantly beneath the impact.
CRRRRACK—!
The tendrils shattered apart violently. And at that exact moment— Lio appeared. Silent. Precise. Blue Aether condensed sharply around his blade.
"Astra Art: Final Meridian."
SHHK—!
A single strike pierced through the opening Kael created.
For the first time— Noir barely reacted. The blade cut across his chest. A thin line of blood appeared.
Silence.
The corridor froze.
Noir slowly looked down toward the wound. Then— Black Aether exploded.
BOOOOOOM—!!!
The entire hallway trembled violently as overwhelming Veil Arts pressure consumed the area. Black tendrils spread across every surface like an infection swallowing reality itself.
The atmosphere changed instantly. Even breathing became difficult. Noir slowly raised his hand.
"…You insects," he muttered quietly.
The shadows expanded outward. The entire corridor darkened.
"Ultimate Veil Art: Silent Judgement Corridor."
BOOOOOOOOOOM—!!!
A massive domain erupted outward, swallowing nearly a hundred meters of space instantly. The corridor transformed completely into a death zone.
Every wall.
Every pillar.
Every shadow.
Covered in countless razor-sharp black tendrils all pointing toward the center. Toward the three Knights.
Taren's eyes widened slightly. "…What the hell…"
Lio tightened his grip silently. Kael frowned. Noir slowly lowered his hand. And the tendrils moved.
SHHHKKKKK—!!!
The assassination zone activated instantly. Thousands of tendrils shot toward the three from every direction simultaneously. The hall vanished beneath black destruction.
BOOOOOOM—!!!
The impacts shook the castle violently.
Far behind them— Renn watched silently. His eyes sharpened.
The destruction slowly settled. And somehow— the three still stood.
Barely.
Cuts covered their bodies. Blood dripped onto the cracked floor while their Aether Aura flickered violently around them.
They survived because they wrapped condensed Aether around their bodies at the final second. Defense through pure Aura manipulation.
But only barely.
Kael spat blood. "…Seriously?"
Noir raised his hand again calmly. Another wave of tendrils gathered instantly.
The next attack descended.
BOOOOOM—!!!
Golden Aether erupted across the corridor. The incoming tendrils shattered instantly.
Renn stepped forward.
Golden mist flowed around his evolved dagger while radiant Aether armor covered his right arm completely. The pressure alone forced the shadows backward.
Taren exhaled weakly. "...Right on time."
Kael smirked despite the blood running down his face. "You really like dramatic entrances."
Renn slowly walked forward. The fog covering Shadowhaven began to tremble beneath gathering golden Aether.
The rematch between Renn and Noir was approaching.