The Dock District, in the abandoned West Balam dockside warehouses.
A mournful, freezing wind howled and swirled, countless transparent wraiths flickering in and out of sight within it. Like a school of sharks catching the scent of blood in the sea, they were poised to strike.
On the ground, soft soil was overturned one patch after another, and expressionless corpses sat up from within.
At the center of the howling, freezing wind and the many Zombies and wraiths, two equally pale figures faced each other, their eyes brimming with malice.
The next second, they turned their heads in unison, looking toward the outermost edge of the circle formed by the corpses and wraiths.
Brilliant specks of starlight flew out of thin air, quickly gathering into an Illusory Door covered in mysterious symbols and patterns.
Then Verdu's somewhat indistinct figure emerged from behind the Illusory Door.
The howling, freezing wind made his body shiver uncontrollably, and the hairs on his body stood on end. Intense fear surged through him, freezing his thoughts for half a second before he finally reacted.
His expression was bewildered and terrified. His throat bobbed repeatedly as he swallowed the saliva his emotional turmoil had made him produce.
At the same time, one trembling hand reached for the "door" pattern made of rubies, emeralds, and diamonds on his clothes, hoping to Teleport away again.
But at that very moment, the black robe he wore, with its distinctly old-fashioned style, tightened without warning, wrapping him up layer upon layer like a dumpling until he could barely move a finger.
How could this... At a time like this, damn it...
The two who had been facing off were both stunned by the sudden intruder. Then, in perfect unison, they raised their right hands, thumbs upright beside their index fingers,