By The Blood

But he could still feel her arm wrapped around his stomach. Enduring the pain, Karl glanced down. A hand, covered in a black sleeve, was gripping him tightly. However, it was drenched in blood and severed at the shoulder, with blood dripping from the wound.

What?

He turned and saw his carrier clutching her shoulder as blood gushed from the cut. She had lost her hand!

Her already pale face had grown even whiter, nearing ghostly at that moment. Despite the obvious pain, she didn’t make a sound and simply stared at the figure in front of them.

Another swordsman stood there, this one with a stern gaze, far more serious than the previous attacker. His chain sword dripped with fresh blood, and his intense eyes soon focused on Karl.

A chill ran down Karl’s spine. Why do they want me? he thought, panic rising.

"You really thought you could take on a special class when you’re merely an advanced?" A voice echoed from behind.

Karl spun around to see the earlier swordsman, the one whose face had been half blown off. His flesh had almost completely regenerated, leaving only a small patch on his head with an open wound, though the writhing tissue was rapidly healing.

Anette didn’t flinch or show any fear. She turned to Karl and said, "Come closer now!"

Why? Karl thought briefly before dismissing it. She’s the better choice between the two. Without hesitation, he rushed toward Anette.

She quickly pulled out a strange orb from her clothes. It was about the size of a small ball, metallic, with netted sections that emitted a faint white glow from within. Symbols were etched on its surface, glowing with a wavy white light.

The swordsmen frowned. Realizing the danger, they swiftly moved to stop her before she could act.

"Hold your breath," Karl heard her say urgently.

The world seemed to freeze as the orb in her hand brightened and expanded into a blinding white light. She hurled it forward and shielded Karl with her body.

Boom!

From a distance, it appeared as though a massive white mushroom cloud sprouted from the earth, reaching high into the night sky.

Watching the explosion from a safe distance, Fredrick sighed and said, "200 souls, gone just like that. I suppose the Ministry will seal off that area soon."

He quickened his pace, and behind him, the pig-man squealed and wept as it followed.

____

THE WORLD SPIRALED into an endless darkness, barely lit by flashes of lightning. Karl felt as if he had been plunged into the depths of an ocean, where only chaos reigned. He tumbled into the space, yanked in every direction by an unknown force. Pain surged through him—intense, searing pain that made his blood feel like it was boiling. He wanted to scream, but no sound came. He sensed something watching him, yet he saw no one. Suddenly, in that abyss, a faint, transparent ripple pulsed from his body.

Everything stopped. He found himself floating amid the stormy, lightning-lit darkness. Confused, he glanced at his body. A spiral of light radiated from him, swirling around in a fast, turbulent motion as if he stood in the eye of a vortex—or perhaps the vortex was emanating from him.

What is this? He looked around and spotted the mysterious woman from earlier. She floated at a distance, adrift atop the spiraling white vortex originating from him. Her body appeared lifeless, like a corpse submerged in chaotic waters, slowly orbiting around him. She was far away, but he noticed she was gradually drawing closer, though at a glacial pace.

He couldn’t rely on her for help. Not anytime soon.

Where am I? Karl wondered, just as two more figures suddenly appeared in the vortex—a man with brown hair and a woman with red hair. Both looked confused and panicked, thrashing as if trying to escape the invisible waters that surrounded them, also orbiting closer to Karl.

Who are they? Do they know what’s happening? Karl was about to speak when the vortex suddenly sped up, glowing with a blinding white light. Rays of light burst from the center.

Boom!

The crack of thunder echoed through the chaos as Karl’s senses once again vanished, everything around him crumbling like a paper being crushed.

Vin floated in the vast expanse of darkness, the occasional boom of lightning flashing momentarily before fading away. Numerous white lights spun around her in the void, some large, some small, twinkling like distant stars. She turned, her gaze locking onto a particularly bright light far off in the distance.

It was much larger than the others, its brightness resembling the sun, pulling many of the smaller lights toward it. As Vin stared at the brilliant glow, she saw something—or someone—within it. A boy with black hair and dark eyes stood at the center as if he were the source of the light.

Boom!

Vin’s eyes snapped open, her body jolting awake from the sudden explosion of sound. She found herself in a small room with a desk to the left and an open wooden window. Mist from outside crept into the room, swirling like ghostly fingers. Shaking off the grogginess, she reached for her coat beside the bed and buttoned up her kefna. Unlike most, hers was paired with white trousers rather than a flowing skirt. Her free hand was adorned with numerous interconnected chains and jewels, while her Soundhand was covered and buttoned up—a personal reminder of her origins. Finally, she picked up her trusted rapier.

Steadying herself, Vin leaped out of the window.

She dropped through the air, the cobblestones below rushing up to meet her. Mist swirled heavily across the ground, enveloping everything it touched as she descended.

The familiar pain of mana usage stabbed through her body, reminiscent of her treatment at the sanitarium. Damn it! She cursed, recalling the awful experience. Just as she was about to hit the ground, she distorted the air beneath her.

Her descent slowed as if the very atmosphere had solidified, halting her a few meters above the ground. The mist welcomed her, swirling around as though it recognized her presence. She felt like she was standing on a solid surface, though it was made of air. Looking ahead, she gazed over the tightly packed city, illuminated by the moon’s whitish-red hue. In the distance, smoke rose into the sky, and faint orange lights spread, expanding by the moment.

That’s not the slums! Vin realized with a jolt. Usually, fires like this happened in the slums, but this was different—it seemed to be near the Thales Cathedral! Could someone be attacking the Ministry? But who would be reckless enough to do that?

She paused, watching the growing flames. Wait... it's not just the cathedral! The White Bank is also in that area! That means the SS0 might interfere. If there’s a bank involved, there could be spies trying to steal funds to cripple the empire! A grin spread across her face as she distorted the air again.

This time, she propelled herself backward, soaring through the mist like a poised rapier. Red-roofed buildings sped by in a blur as her short hair fluttered in the misty wind.

The Thales Cathedral grew closer, marked by the thick smoke and intensifying flames. Suddenly, a pillar of white light shot into the sky, so bright it blinded her momentarily, resembling the radiance of the white sun. The air echoed with the sound of a thousand ringing bells. Vin hastily raised her hands to cover her ears, the distortion of her movement faltering as she almost plummeted from the sky. Her ears felt blocked, as if filled with pressure, forcing her to swallow to relieve the sensation.

As the light dimmed, she blinked her eyes open to find that it had originated from the Pure White Thales Cathedral. So an invigilator’s arrived... or maybe the bishop? Either way, it meant she no longer needed to head there. Damn it! She sighed, placing her free hand on her hip and turning her gaze to the full moon draped against the night sky

Who would even dare to attack the White Bank? Gangs? An evil god faction? A ruinous god faction? Or perhaps one of the inhuman race gods making a move on the Domination? Vin raised her jewelry-clad hand and waved. The space before her pulsed with a steady rhythm. The air thickened, drawing forward like stretched rubber. As a result, the scene of the cathedral was pulled closer to her, as though the world itself was moving toward her. So, the invigilator didn’t bother setting up countermeasures against being spied on?

Although the burning cathedral now seemed just a few inches away, she was nowhere near it in reality. Distortion has many uses, she mused. Those who followed the incomplete branch of the Strange-Faced Pitcher had no idea of its full potential.

The space appeared to be held by an invisible pulsing ring, a manifestation of distortion. Vin scanned the area.

Beside the white, spear-like cathedral stood a smaller, square-shaped, two-story building. One side of it had been blown apart, charred black, engulfed in flames, and spewing thick smoke. Below, she saw figures moving—some dressed in kefnas, running about with purpose, while others appeared confused and lost.

Among the organized were flame drowners, clad in black, baggy jackets and trousers, their strange rubber helmets reflecting the glow of the fire. They moved with precision, their palms conjuring pools of water that sprayed toward the building. Sanguines with specially chosen water abilities, Vin noted briefly, but her attention soon shifted to the scene playing out just a few feet away from the flame drowners.

There, a man stood out—white-haired, with bronze skin, dressed in a white kefna with notable modifications. His long coat hung open, while the kefna underneath was buttoned down to his belt. A crystal glass monocle rested over his right eye, and in his hand, he held a chain sword, its blade sharpened to perfection. He knows how to care for a sword, Vin thought, smiling to herself.

The man faced off against a small group of individuals, each dressed in hooded silver-gray robes. They wielded smooth-edged blades, chain swords, and the occasional sickle. Vin raised an eyebrow. Is that all of them? Just five? Did this faction really send only five people to battle an invigilator? And right in front of the cathedral?

Though there were five standing now, three others lay on the ground, likely victims of the earlier white blast. Which faction do they belong to? Gray-silver robes… gray-silver robes… Vin’s thoughts paused. There are at least five factions that wear gray-silver. Maybe their powers will reveal which faction they’re with.

One of the hooded figures raised his hand and bellowed, "Theft must be revered! It must be cherished! Glory to the Thieving Guild!"

Well, that’s one way to announce yourself. Vin smirked. If only the spies and criminals she interrogated were this forthright, most of them might’ve kept their fingers and toes intact after visiting the dungeons. People often made rash decisions in heated moments. She recalled hearing that somewhere, perhaps at the theater. But is there even a faction like that in Canen? she pondered. Were they recently created, or did they come here from another city? Glory? Hive? Knight? Forge?

Suddenly, the fervent heretic flicked his wrist, and a blob of white light was drawn from the invigilator, flying swiftly into the heretic’s hand. It glowed with a faint white light before expanding into a massive pillar that shot into the sky!

The ringing sound returned, accompanied by a blinding light that forced Vin to close her eyes. Isn’t that the invigilator’s power? She realized. Did they steal the Pure White Ministry’s branch? No, it seems more like they took his abilities. Her thoughts flickered. Stealing powers? It’s well-known that many factions form around specific evolutionary branches. Could this be their ability—to steal powers? It reminded her of the Trojan Bug Branch, but that branch couldn’t steal evolutionary powers outright. Theirs must be different!

The invigilator staggered back, likely in pain from the sudden loss of his abilities—a common occurrence in evolution. Despite the setback, he managed to steady himself. Clasping his hands together, he formed a brilliant white light that grew brighter and brighter. Then, in a voice so strong Vin believed it would’ve reached her even through the distortion, he declared, "Suffer not the heretic, nor the mutant!"

That’s enough of that. Vin waved her free hand, causing the distorted space to tremble and break apart. The cathedral snapped back, now meters away. She had to stop.

Boom!

And for good reason.

A vast dome of white light expanded from the cathedral’s grounds, made of curved threads of pulsing white energy. The light continued to grow, and even from her distance, Vin felt her distortion becoming unstable. This was the immense power of the Pure White Invigilators, though she didn’t know its exact name. It was said to purify everything within its reach, but the true meaning of that purification was something she wasn’t allowed to know.

This night wasn’t fruitful, she thought with a sigh, turning her gaze away from the cathedral.

As she scanned the city, a bright flash suddenly lit up near the slums—not the pure white light of the invigilator, but a brief, powerful shockwave. Is it something important? Or just another gang brawl?