Spiral of Madness: Ascension of the Villainous Dragon Prince-Chapter 85: The Mission Begins - The Shackled Saint’s Power [1]

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Three hours ago.

In the Altar of the Emerald Moon, a group of trembling nobles clad in long green and red robes gasped at the delayed news. Communication from their dispatched forces had gone silent. Every Spirit Knight sent to "test" Louis’s abilities—and perhaps eliminate him outright—had perished gruesomely. Worse, the Emerald Moon revealed that two captured souls had been interrogated, confirming Louis and his companions were far more dangerous than anyone had imagined.

The realization that Benladra’s son, long dismissed as a talentless cripple, might have awakened his dragon powers sent chills down the cowardly noble’s spine. His eyes darted frantically as panic set in. His planned invasion army remained incomplete, and with five of his strongest knights gone, his forces looked weaker than ever. The possibility that Louis had summoned reinforcements haunted him. If Gustaf—the King himself—arrived, death was certain.

Gustaf was renowned as an overwhelmingly powerful Esper, ranked sixth worldwide. Few could stand against him. His strength could reduce Emerald Grove to rubble if unleashed, yet he held back, bound by duty and his restrained nature.

Still, Gustaf had intervened before, joining Helena to halt the Tier 5 Spiralwalker Soma Ferrera from destroying the capital and preventing the summoning of the Tier 0 Abyssal Mother, a god-like entity surpassing even the highest-level Grievances.

The once-arrogant noble, who had unified three districts through lies and deceit, felt his confidence crumble. His fragile dreams of seizing the nation Benladra had generously shared with him shattered into pieces.

Amid his growing despair, the other nobles protested loudly, demanding answers for their lost warriors and urging him to unleash his army before the situation worsened.

Verdant heard none of it. A sweet, deceptive voice—mischievous yet deadly serious—whispered relentlessly in his mind.

"Verdant, you know what to do, right?"

His lips trembled as he gazed at the dark skies. The Emerald Moon’s red rose stared into his soul.

"What... I need to do?"

"Yes... You know, right? I can give you all the power you desire."

The voice came from his own mouth. The nobles shouted in confusion, wondering why Verdant muttered to himself so strangely. Ignoring them, the elf raised his arms skyward. Vines covered in red roses and golden thorns emerged, piercing his skin and drawing blood.

Pain coursed through him, yet it felt strangely comforting. For the first time, he released all his fears—and power flooded his veins like never before.

"Verdant?"

"What’s happening to him?!"

"His arms are bleeding...!"

"Oi, Verdant!"

The nobles cried out as dark red vines sprouted from his wounds. A crimson rose bloomed over his left eye. His worried expression shifted to serene tranquility.

"I have seen the solution to all our problems," he announced calmly. "The Gardener has agreed to transform each of you into beautiful flowers. Let us join his eternal garden and bloom forever as roses in paradise."

He spread his arms wide. To the nobles’ horror, countless vines adorned with eyes and roses burst from his body, pursuing them as they screamed and fled. Many were caught instantly, skin pierced as dark vines erupted from their flesh and roses blossomed in their eyes and mouths.

The few who escaped witnessed Emerald Grove transforming. The skies darkened to blood red as the Emerald Moon drew closer, its central red rose gazing upon the city.

♢♢♢♢

To the Prince and the Agents’ dismay, the situation had deteriorated far beyond their expectations. Radiohead couldn’t warn them earlier due to interference from the intensifying Fantasy Field. Though he managed to teleport them here, it was out of sheer necessity.

Agent Stone gazed at the expanding Fantasy Field, arms crossed as he sighed. "So that’s how it is. Prince Louis, it seems the coward you sought to execute has done something even more foolish. He’s sold his soul, mind, and body to the Grievance—likely becoming its new Vessel."

Louis recalled slaying the previous Vessel yesterday. "I see. The Gardener must have grown desperate after I purified his Corrupted Field and destroyed his precious Vessel. So he convinced Verdant to replace it? How utterly pathetic."

Althea furrowed her brows, her eight pink Spirit Drones—adorned with cute cat-like ears—floating around her. "This... The Grievance specializes in the Nature Element. Perhaps... I can counter it."

Stella panicked at her sister’s words. "Are you insane, Althea?! What if it parasitizes your mind and consumes you? What if you become an empty shell?"

Althea shook her head and smiled reassuringly at her sister and the group. "That would be difficult if I unleash my full power."

Radiohead buzzed with static. "No! Absolutely not, Althea! It’s too dangerous! We’ll stick to the original plan—with a few adjustments."

Mirai worried about the city’s inhabitants. "But what about the people inside? Will they be all right? Or... are they already lost?"

"It’s unclear," Stone replied with a heavy sigh. "If we locate and destroy the Vessel, then deploy Purifying Pillars... perhaps, with everyone’s combined efforts, we can revert this new Fantasy Field to a purified state and expel the Grievance’s influence. Those affected might return to normal. However, achieving that without harming innocents is... extraordinarily difficult."

"...When you become an Agent facing these horrors, you learn they can take any form—even possess people," Louis’s uncle said gravely. "Sometimes, changes are irreversible. In those cases... it’s kinder to end their suffering than leave them trapped as puppets."

"T-That’s..." Anastasia whispered, lips trembling at the implication.

"He hasn’t suggested anything yet," Louis interjected firmly. "We proceed with the mission. We eliminate Verdant and his forces, halting the Grievance’s Domain expansion. Anastasia, if you’re not prepared to fight, stay back. I won’t force you."

Louis strode forward, leaving the hesitant behind as he joined the Agents. They swiftly revised the plan, placing the Shackled Saint, Elias Voss, at its core.

"Hoh? The tables have turned. Now I’m the centerpiece? I’m flattered~" Elias chuckled, gazing unafflicted at the Emerald Moon. "Ah, what a beautiful garden you’ve made, friend. It’s almost a pity I must destroy it... Wouldn’t you consider planting it elsewhere? Away from this Kingdom, perhaps? I promise no harm if you comply."

The moon, of course, offered no response—merely an eternal, unbothered stare.

The Agents exchanged uneasy glances at Elias’s words. Most deemed him utterly mad, but that was common among Sinners.

Elias Voss’s mental illness was Multiple Personality Disorder.

His primary personality remained calm, serene, and compliant on the surface. The true monster lurked sealed within—the reason he was feared across not just Frostbane but the entire American Continent when the Dimensional Labyrinth first arrived.