Meanwhile, Tokyo.
Low, dark clouds blanketed the sky. Boundless blackness spread in every direction, as though the entire world had sunk into eternal deathly silence.
Thud thud thud thud—
Inside the towering Spear Body Tower, hurried footsteps echoed as a staggering figure ran up the stairs in a sorry state.
Behind her, black mist that continually writhed and changed shape surged in from all directions.
The spell formations lining both sides of the stairs activated one after another, but they could only delay the black mist for a moment.
Damn it, how did this happen?!
The general who had once ruled this city, Anastasia, the Saintess of Winter, clutched her limply hanging left arm. Cursing in frustration, she quickened her pace and rushed into the lounge at the tower's central axis.
The instant Anastasia stepped out from the stairwell, the runes carved into both sides of the doorframe lit up. The entire doorway turned into a pool of flowing Mercury, instantly sealing and filling the passage below.
The all-pervasive black mist was also successfully walled into the completely enclosed stairwell by the alchemical formation.
Finally, finally shook them off...
Seeing the silvery Mercury behind her seal away the last wisp of darkness, Anastasia, leaning against the outer wall, could not help but let out a long breath.
"Crash!"
Yet at the very moment the general relaxed, the floor-to-ceiling windows on both sides of the lounge shattered with a deafening roar.
Several pitch-black monsters smashed through the double-layered bulletproof glass reinforced with alchemical formations and charged into the lounge with low growls.
Their truck-like bodies nearly filled the limited space. From their several hideous maws full of sharp teeth came the faint stench of corpses mixed with the peculiar scent of embalming spices.
Their appearance was even more distinctive.
Their jaws