[Curse Breaker]

Her dried lips searched for the holy water.

Her throat begged for a droplet of heaven's essence.

Her brain screamed for it.

Begged for it.

But it wouldn't change the truth.

The luggage would remain outside the seal.

The Broken-Winged Giants' arm sprouted tentacles and began reattaching itself to his torso. His ear did the same.

At this rate, he would fully recover in less than 20 seconds.

Aranea could use her masterpiece, [Curse Breaker], a couple more times before her Mana Resovoir would reach a dangerous level.

But she had to be careful with it, she needed to save her Mana for the First Act.

She had no way to break the seal surrounding them.

She also couldn't wait for them to try and clear the First Act alone, they would fail miserably without Aranea.

So, Aranea was going to enter via the exit of the Realm Tear.

She was going to enter the Fragmented Realm, Revshika.

"Let's get this fight over with, Giant."

-----

"Your 4th and 5th Squadmates are here, get ready to meet them." Instructor Florin stood in front of them in their private training field.

Silvia and Savana were trapped here with their Instructor for the past 24 hours.

She trained them, grilled them, and beat them left, right and centre based on what she saw in their few days travelling the Ashen Falls Mountain Range.

Savana felt closer to her 5th Aura Star and Silvia had also found her efficiency and endurance had spiked drastically.

Even though they had their suspicions on her, she was undoubtedly a good Instructor.

"What are they like, Instructor Florin?" Savana asked.

"You will see, get dressed in new outfits and head to the Military Academy HQ. I'll wait for you there."

Instructor Florin disappeared right after she finished her sentence.

Savana looked to Silvia while pointing at where Instructor Florin once stood, "I just noticed this, but is it just me or do these people have disappearing habits?"

Silvia blossomed a smile, "I was going to say the same thing." Tapping Savana's shoulder playfully, Silvia left the field alongside Savana to their rooms.

Silvia was suddenly quite happy.

Savana found it odd but didn't think too much of it.

They had to wash up, it was unhygienic to meet their new Squadmates while smelling like shit.

Arriving in their room, Savana pulled out a fresh uniform from her wardrobe, "Say, isn't it dangerous throwing us with new people straight into the battlefield?"

She thought about it for a while, a real Military should focus on teamwork and compatibility; you need to be able to respond instantly to a manoeuvre done by your teammate in the middle of a fight.

Any inconsistencies or bad judgements could lead to their death.

So why were they only being introduced to them now?

Why not before?

Something was fishy, the higher-ups were hiding something.

"Don't ask me, I'm not the one who set this situation up. Forget that though, what do you think of this?"

Silvia pulled out a simple, crystal earring. She gently held it in her open palm.

Leaning over to get a closer look at it, "Who's it for?"

"A friend."

"It's nice."

Turning back around to her wardrobe, Siliva stored it away safely, "Heh. I knew it, she's gonna like this way more than those stupid dolls."

Savana hiccuped, then nervously, "Exactly-"

Her eyes snuck a look at the gift-wrapped rabbit doll in her suitcase.

'...Did I get a bad gift...?' Pouting with puppy eyes, Savana sluggishly dragged herself into the washroom.

Clack-

Silvia warily looked at the locked door, "Did I say something bad?"

---

Military Academy HQ.

Front entrance.

The two of them stood next to each other behind Instructor Florin who popped out from thin air.

With their backs to the entrance, they awaited the arrival of their Squadmates.

Clack...

Trotting steps arrived from their left.

Clack...

A simple carriage casually passed through the street, heading toward them.

Once it arrived in front of them, the carriage driver pulled the reins on the horses to prevent the majestic steeds from trotting onward.

Creak-

The door on the other side of the carriage opened, then, Thud!, it shut behind him.

His star-studded dark golden hair rustled with every step he took, and the vast, goldish-silver shield strapped to his back spoke volumes of his raw strength.

He wore heavy, silver armour across his body, intensifying the weight pressing on his body.

Walking around the carriage, the young man's sturdy posture and indomitable stature felt small as he kept himself composed.

Making his way toward them, he stopped a meter away and thumped his fist on his chest, "Holy Knight, Randuin. It's a pleasure meeting you again, Lady Silvia, and I presume that you are Miss... Savana, correct? The Assassin and Scout of the Squadron?"

Humbly greeting Silvia first, he turned to Savana with innocent curiosity.

Savana didn't mind that he took a second to remember her name, but what she did mind was what he just said.

"Meeting you, again?" She aimed those words at Silvia.

"Mind explaining yourself?"

Silvia let out a small 'Haha' as she turned her head away, "Oops, did I forget to mention that I know both of them...?"

"Should I not have revealed it? Apologies." Randuin didn't make the situation any better.

Glaring at them, Savana once again swore that this Squadron was built to mess with her. First the whole ordeal between Aranea and Silvia, and now this.

Was no one going to explain anything to her?

"Okay, let's forget that for a moment, I'm Savana, as you just said, I assume you are our tank?"

But inwardly, 'That's why she so confidently stated that we'll be receiving a tank and some sort of support.'

Scoffing at Silvia's childish act of taking advantage of this crucial information, Savana put aside her complaints for now.

"Correct, Miss Savana." Randuin looked back at the carriage, "Our support, the Saintess, awaits."

He so casually uttered something insane.

Savana looked at Silvia, the girl looked excited but not surprised.

Savana looked at their Instructor, she wasn't surprised in the slightest.

Savana looked at Randuin, he was casual with it.

'Seriously, am I the only normal one here?'

She was beyond stunned, flabbergasted would be the better term.

The Saintess?

Of Symbollia?

The Holy Churches Radiant Goddess?

Saintess-

Clack.

Randuin opened the carriage door closer to them.

Step...

Her stunning, pristine crystal shoes clattered as she stepped down the carriage.

The Saintess' garb was white with golden embroidery inlaid. It looked simple, pure, Holy. But even this simple clothing was enchanted with extremely powerful Magic to protect Her Holiness.

Soft, golden hair draped down onto her bosom, resting gracefully on her chest, it pressed firmly against her embroidered clothing.

Her fluffy, wolf ears twitched as a gentle, soothing smile bloomed on her face.

Savana's initial shock turned into unbridled confusion.

The Saintess' smile was beautiful.

Her facial proportions were exquisite, her skin smooth and unblemished.

If you pressed it she could imagine water dripping out from how moist it was.

She was beautiful.

More so than any woman she had seen.

But.

Why?

Clack-

Stepping onto the ground, Divinity spread like flowers on a field of spring blossoms.

With her arms elegantly crossing over each other, the Saintess spoke her first words.

Why?

"My name is..."

Why is she?

Aranea looked at the feature on her face which was most prominent.

The wheat-golden bandages.

The ones wrapping around to the back of her head.

"Luliya, Luliya Moon."

Covering her eyes.

The Saintess, Luliya Moon.

Why is she blind?

She knew about The Saintess from her time in the Eastern Continent. But there was never any news of her being blind.

"Lu!" Silvia threw a cloud of wind and dust into Savana's face as she dashed towards Luliya.

Pomf~

Throwing herself into a hug with Luliya, Silvia grinned wildly, "Long time no see!"

All the while Savana was left with more and more questions...

-----

"Lucas!"

Swirling Divine Power gushed out in the form of Divine Magic as layers of defensive Magic rushed into Aria's pores.

Crossing her arms, a Corrupted Monster's beak smacked into her.

Pah-

Gritting her teeth, Aria held herself firmly into the ground with her feet then opened up her arms for a split second to move her grip to the beak.

Grabbing the beak, her knees smashed up into its abdomen.

Crack!

A loud cracking noise joined in with the rest of the slaughter confining the cave they were in.

Moglit and Charles couldn't do much in this area so they focused on defending Yun and Aria from any lethal hits.

Yun's tall figure hazily appeared from a mist beside Aria, blood dripped from his daggers as he took deep breaths.

"How long?"

"The fuck am I meant to know ya doofus."

Ptew-

Aria spat out a mouthful of stagnant blood from her mouth; her lungs burnt from exhaustion as she waited for the next wave of monsters to arrive.

They were stuck with their backs to the wall.

A Dungeon spawned out of nowhere from the entrance and had a Breakout before they could even understand what happened.

Worst of all, all the Monsters were Corrupted. Making them many times more powerful.

"Aria, Yun, I only have enough Divine Power to use three more support abilities." Lucas' clear voice came from behind them.

Their support was a short man with brown hair and hazel eyes, while his face and height weren't anything special he had exquisite timing and energy management.

He could also keep track of everything and coordinate the party well.

Originally Charles was in charge, but, as Lucas revealed his abilities, Charles passed on the role of the leader to him without hesitation.

Originally nervous about his new role, this onslaught of attacks sharpened his edges as he threw away any hesitation.

Suddenly, the sound of hounds and orcs screeching echoed from the Dungeon's entrance.

The next wave was arriving.

But, behind this Dungeon.

As the waves of slaughter ensued.

Something horrific was occurring.

The void was waving, squeezing; crying.

Hues of purple were rippling outwardly from the core of the cries.

The ground beneath the ripples began decaying rapidly as parasites and tentacles exploded from the decayed earth.

As for their Instructor, he was dazed.

Frozen.

Terrified.

He couldn't move his fingers, he couldn't even dare to breathe.

Because the rippling of the sky; the breaking of Realms-

"Cowards exist even among Humans, but you, you are a bigger coward than them all."

His voice was cute, like the voice of your next-door neighbour's baby boy; innocent and adorable.

Those long black nails of his gently stroked the air.

And the air responded in kind; squeezing and shattering.

He was creating a Realm Tear.

The horns protruding from his head coiled inwardly, his extremely tall stature had to bend over to see the face of the Instructor.

And as he stared head-on at the Instructor, he continued forming the Realm Tear.

"Will you let those children die?"

The Instructor remained silent.

"...Sigh. What a disappointment."

Sighing, his hunched back straightened; "You can leave." And he waved his hand.

Nothing fancy, just a simple wave.

He was truly allowing the man to leave.

Just...

Flutter-

...in a different manner.

Minute particles of burnt ash drifted from where the Instructor once stood.

Dead.

With the wave of a hand.

"I have to finish my deal with him, these few should almost be good enough."

This thing didn't reek of Corruption, in fact, it kept the Corruption at bay, away from itself.

It was something different.

Something truly evil.

Letting out a small smile, he nodded in satisfaction at his artwork.

"Done."

Pulses of violet rippled out, and from within, you could see another Realm.

A Fragmented Realm, Revshika.