As time passed, evening soon arrived.
The royal capital remained lively, but that liveliness had changed somewhat.
At some point, fully armed groups of Knights had flooded the streets and begun sealing off certain areas.
Specifically, they were relatively remote, sparsely populated places.
"The Kingdom Knights are carrying out a mission here."
"Unauthorized personnel are prohibited from approaching."
"Please stay away from this area."
The Kingdom Knights addressed civilians near the sealed-off areas, some sternly and some politely, leaving the people puzzled and confused.
"What happened?"
"Why are they suddenly blocking off the roads?"
"Did something happen during the Three Races conference?"
"Who knows?"
The civilians could only discuss it in confusion before obediently leaving the sealed-off remote areas.
As a result, scenes of Knights cordoning off areas appeared throughout the royal capital, leaving the citizens bewildered.
What these citizens did not know was that there was something even more baffling.
After the Kingdom Knights sealed off the remote, uninhabited areas, armed forces began entering them and conducting frantic searches within.
Among these armed forces were the kingdom's Royal Knights, the empire's Empire Knights, the Beastmen Race's Priestly Corps, and the Elves' Elf Division. They were all elite troops from the various human factions.
Clearly, this operation involved not only the kingdom, but the other human factions as well.
They had obviously joined forces instead of opposing one another.
Under such circumstances, what was happening in the remote areas and shadowy alleys of the royal capital was quickly discovered with remarkable ease.
"Found them!"
"There are some here too!"
"Look over here!"
"They've appeared!"
In every corner, combat units from the various human factions finally discovered the darkness lurking there.
"Roar!"
"Howl!"
People whose bodies were torn open as though savage beasts lived inside them—either their bodies had transformed into