After receiving several reports, Vincenzo Gambino finally pieced together what had happened.
It was the Cassano Family’s doing.
A crime family that had risen to power twenty years ago. They had never had any conflict with the Gambinos before.
“And they think they can oppose me?!” Vincenzo roared. His brows furrowed as a vein throbbed on his temple.
He turned to the man tied to the chair before him—a Cassano thug they had captured.
“I’ll ask you again, boy. Where is my daughter?”
“Like I said…. I don’t know…. we don’t know—”
Bang——!
Vincenzo fired without hesitation. The man slumped forward in his chair. This was the fourth Cassano member he had interrogated today, and every single one had given him the same infuriating answer.
‘We don’t know. I don’t know. We didn’t kidnap your daughter.’
What a ridiculous lie.
At the scene of the crime, the bodies of men from the Cassano Family had been found. There was no denying their involvement.
And yet, they continued to feign ignorance?
“How dare they!”
This was it. A clear call for war.
Turning to his consigliere, Luca, who stood silently with his arms crossed, Vincenzo’s tone turned cold and heavy.
“Luca, it’s time. Mobilize everyone.”
Luca nodded. “What are your orders, Boss?”
“Raid every Cassano base, every business, every safehouse they own. Take control of their docks, their warehouses, their casinos, their brothels, everything. Leave no stone unturned.”
A shadow crossed Luca’s face, but he nodded without hesitation.
“It’ll be done.”
***
Meanwhile, a separate group of chasers—the Gambino Family’s hunting dogs—were dispatched to Raelina City to track down Vanitas Astrea.
While his case was secondary to the all-out assault on the Cassano Family, it was still a matter of importance.
His supposed betrayal couldn’t be ignored.
Leading the group was Bellingham, a seasoned chaser known for his ruthlessness and loyalty to the Gambino Family.
Handpicked by Luca himself, Bellingham and his team set out with clear orders.
Locate Vanitas Astrea, confirm his involvement, and if necessary, bring him back by force.
As the train rolled into Raelina City, Bellingham stepped onto the platform.. The chasers behind him fanned out and blended into the crowd.
“We start with the inns near the market district. Vanitas Astrea won’t stay anywhere too conspicuous, but he’ll want easy access to resources.”
Another chaser nodded. “We’ll flush him out in no time.”
Splitting into pairs, the team moved through the city.
They hit every cheap inn and tavern, asking discreet questions and listening for rumors of a hooded figure matching Vanitas’s description. The search was slow but efficient.
By dusk, they regrouped in a quiet alley to compare notes.
“Three leads,” one of the chasers reported. “A hooded man was spotted at the northern inn two days ago. Another witness said they saw someone fitting the description buying supplies near the docks.”
Bellingham studied the notes carefully. “We’ll check the northern inn first. Move quickly but don’t draw attention. If he’s there, we take him down cleanly.”
“Understood.”
The team nodded and dispersed.
It was only a matter of time before they found him.
“Vanitas Astrea, you’re done for.”
***
“Ahh… this is great,” Anastasia sighed.
Her face was pressed into the cushioned table as the masseur worked on her back. The tension in her body seemed to melt away with every press.
In the next room, Vanitas was lying face down on another massage table, while his own masseur was quietly working away at his shoulders.
“Maybe this is what I needed,” Vanitas muttered, his eyes half-closed.
For a rare moment, he felt like all his problems were being washed away.
The quiet ambiance of the spa, the soft instrumental music, and the soothing scent of lavender filled the air.
Once their massages were done, Vanitas and Anastasia decided to explore the city.
Both wore disguises—Anastasia in a wig and sunglasses, while Vanitas wore a black cap, a red wig, and green contact lenses.
“I still don’t think it’s safe to be out in the open like this,” Vanitas said, looking around.
“It’s fine, Professor,” Anastasia replied confidently. “Didn’t you say you left a red herring?”
“Yes. They should be searching in Raelina by now.”
For context, Raelina was located in the northern region of Aetherion, while Ophelia was in the south—a considerable distance away.
Anastasia stretched her arms with a satisfied grin. “See? Nothing to worry about. Now, let’s enjoy ourselves.”
Vanitas followed her, shaking his head. “You’re taking this too casually.”
“Why not? Life is short. Might as well have some fun before it gets complicated again.”
Anastasia pulled him toward a nearby stall selling souvenirs.
“Look at these, Professor! Don’t you think your sister would like one of these?”
Vanitas raised an eyebrow. “You’re thinking about my sister now?”
“Yes, yes. She’s cute. Unlike her brother.”
Anastasia picked up a small crystal pendant.
“You should get her this one, Professor.”
“You think that would suit her?” he asked.
“No idea,” she admitted, inspecting the pendant. “I don’t even know what she looks like.”
“Like me, but with long hair.”
Anastasia’s face twisted. “I really didn’t need that image in my head….”
They continued exploring, stopping at a food stall where Anastasia eagerly grabbed a skewer of grilled meat.
“You have to try this, Professor. It’s amazing!”
Vanitas reluctantly took a bite. “Not bad.”
“Told you.”
They wandered through the market. Anastasia tried on hats, sampled sweets, and even convinced Vanitas to play a dart game, where he surprised her by hitting every target.
“Are you cheating?”
“No,” he replied flatly. “I just don’t miss.”
Their day continued like that. By the time they returned to the hotel, Vanitas slumped into a chair and leaned back with a sigh.
“How long is this going to take?” he muttered. “I just want to go home.”
“Give it a week, Professor. No, actually, give it a month,” Anastasia said casually, stretching.
“Easy for you to say,” Vanitas shot back. “You’re just a student skipping classes. I’m skipping work.”
A week seemed reasonable enough for the Gambinos to deal with the Cassanos. Anastasia, on the other hand, probably just wanted an excuse to slack off.
“Anastasia,” Vanitas began. “Were you never afraid of me back then?”
“Huh?” Anastasia looked at him, picking her ear. “Why would I be? My father would’ve blown your head off if you tried to fail me.”
“Fair.”
Vanitas decided not to ask any more questions.
“You’re sleeping there, Professor?” Anastasia asked, glancing at the couch he had claimed.
“You want me to sleep on the bed with you?”
“I—I don’t mind….” she muttered, looking away.
“Crazy—”
“If you sleep outside….”
“….”
Vanitas frowned.
“Not happening.”
“You’re just using me escaping as an excuse, aren’t you, Professor? You just want to be in the same room as me, your only student who respects you, right?”
“Say whatever you want, but you’re not leaving under my watch.”
“Tsk. Whatever,” Anastasia huffed, turning away.
“Why are you so adamant about leaving?” Vanitas asked. “I’m not going to drag you back to your family. Don’t worry.”
Anastasia hesitated for a moment before responding. “….Because I forgot to do it.”
“Do what?”
“Eh?” Anastasia tilted her head. “Don’t tell me you forgot too?”
“Or did I?” he replied casually, masking his confusion.
“….”
Vanitas had no idea what she was talking about, but he decided to play along. Subtle manipulation was the key.
“Ah, right,” he said, leaning back as if recalling something. “That thing. I wasn’t sure if you’d get around to it.”
“Yes. So you do remember.”
“Of course,” Vanitas replied smoothly. “Though, it’s surprising you didn’t handle it before leaving for the Theocracy.”
“Well….” Anastasia scratched her cheek awkwardly. “I thought I’d have time, but you know how busy things got.”
“Makes sense. Advanced education to prepare for your third year must’ve been demanding.”
“Yeah,” she admitted with a sigh. “But now I feel bad. I mean, it’s homework you gave me before summer break, Professor.”
“….Homework?” Vanitas blinked, genuinely caught off guard.
“Yeah,” Anastasia said, nodding. “The one you assigned before I left the theocracy.”
“Ah, that. Yeah, tell me what it was and we’ll figure it out.”
“….You really don’t remember, do you?”
“I’ve been preoccupied.”
“Fair.”
Anastasia sighed and started explaining. As it turned out, it wasn’t as important as she’d made it seem. Just a task he had assigned before her second year ended.
“Ah, that,” Vanitas said, waving it off. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, it’s not a big deal.”
“….Oh.”
“Like I said, you don’t have to be on guard. I’m not dragging you back to your family,” he added, leaning back in his chair.
Vanitas stood up then.
“Where are you going?” Anastasia asked.
“Fresh air.”
She hesitated before responding. “After all the times I’ve tried kicking you out, you’re actually leaving me alone?”
“I’ve indulged your whims today. If you’re still planning to ditch me, go ahead,” he said casually.
“….”
Anastasia stayed silent. Her face practically screamed, Wow, are you bipolar? What’s with the change of heart?
As Vanitas left the hotel room and stepped outside, her words echoed in his mind.
——Don’t you remember asking me to procure Shadowmoss, Nightbloom Petals….
So on and so forth.
To most people, these were considered banned herbs due to their dangerous nature. But to those in specific fields of study, they knew what they were for.
“Dark magic.”
And by specific fields of study, were none other than dark mages themselves.
——I have no idea what you were trying to get me to find, Professor. But even in the Theocracy, no one’s even heard of them.
“Ha.”
Asking Anastasia to procure such items was just like Vanitas Astrea. If she had approached the wrong people, she would’ve been in serious danger.
No, it wouldn’t be a stretch to think he had tried getting rid of her that way.
“You really are a bastard.”
***
Twenty–two hours inside the Fractal Veil.
Only 14 students remained of the original 48.
Tak. Tak. Tak.
The sound of footsteps echoed as Astrid walked alone in the dimly lit hotel hallways. Around her, monsters roamed the halls. As soon as they noticed her, their focus shifted.
———!
Without hesitation, they charged toward her, claws scraping against the floor.
“….”
Astrid didn’t flinch.
Her stigmata was rare. Actually, one of the rarest of rares.
「Magnetism」.
The power to manipulate natural magnetic waves of people, objects, and even the environment itself.
Though, she preferred to call it telekinesis. It felt more accurate to her, given how she used it.
It was a powerful offensive stigmata, rare even among those with offensive abilities.
As the monsters lunged at her, Astrid raised her hand. The difficult part of having such a flashy stigmata, was that it was impossible to keep it a secret.
Still, Astrid tried not to rely on it too much. The strain on her mental power and mana was immense.
But in this situation, she had no other choice.
———!
She clenched her fist, and the air seemed to shift. The monsters froze mid-air, suspended as if time itself had stopped.
Her grip tightened, and a sharp pain shot through her head. The sound of bones snapping echoed through the hallway.
Moments later, the lifeless bodies of the monsters fell to the floor with a heavy thud.
“Hooo….”
Astrid exhaled, placing a hand on her temple to steady herself.
Without wasting time, she nodded to herself and hurried up the stairs, clutching a plastic bag in one hand.
More monsters blocked her path. Astrid muttered a quick chant, and golden swords of metal materialized around her, slicing through the creatures after consecutive strikes.
Swoosh——!
For the few that managed to sneak up on her, she used her telekinesis to crush them.
“Ukh…!”
But the toll was mounting.
Her head throbbed, her mana reserves were running dangerously low, and her body, weakened from hunger and thirst, felt like it could collapse at any moment.
Still, she pushed forward.
Bang——!
Using her telekinesis, Astrid pushed the door open and glanced around the room. Inside, Cassandra was the only one there, busy cooking a meal.
“Are the others back yet?” Astrid asked.
“No, not yet,” Cassandra replied without looking up.
“I see.”
Their group had split up to scavenge for supplies around the hotel.
With no idea how long they’d be stuck in the Fractal Veil, hoarding resources had become essential.
At this point, they weren’t too concerned about the other students anymore.
Not like there were many left to begin with.
Astrid sat down and took a sip from her water bottle, letting out a sigh.
Moments later, the door creaked open again. Charlotte stepped inside, carrying a plastic bag filled with medicine supplies.
“Back with the essentials,” Charlotte said, setting the bag on the table.
“Good. That’ll keep us going for a while,” Astrid replied, nodding in approval.
Not long after, the door opened again, and Ezra walked in, dragging a heavy duffel bag.
“What’s that?” Cassandra asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ezra dropped the bag onto the floor with a loud thud.
“Weapons. Found a storage room downstairs.”
As they unpacked, Astrid suddenly frowned.
“Where’s Sophia?”
“….”
The room went quiet.
“Do you think…?” Charlotte began but trailed off.
“I wish she didn’t,” Astrid muttered, “but knowing Sophia, it’s most likely the case.”
There was a high chance Sophia had already been expelled from the veil, likely due to sacrificing herself.
“Unbelievable,” Astrid muttered under her breath.
With nothing more they could do, the group began eating the meal Cassandra had prepared.
———!
“….!”
Suddenly, the entire hotel shook violently.
“What’s happening?!” Charlotte shouted, gripping the edge of the table.
“Look!” Cassandra yelled, standing by the window.
The group rushed to the window and froze at what they saw.
“What the….”
Above the hotel, glowing in the dark sky, was a number.
[59:57]
The number ticked down, second by second like a countdown.
“This is it, isn’t it?” Ezra asked.
“The final hour,” Astrid confirmed.
They scanned the horizon, and there it was—waves of monsters, far more than any of the previous stages, moving toward the hotel.
“….”
A chill ran down everyone’s spines.