Chill air drifted through the streets of Agatha Special Force’s barracks, causing the squirrels to remain in their holes while the outside of the trees began to freeze.

Snowflakes swirled around before slowly landing on the ground.

As every room in the barracks cooled down of its heat, Hei Yung’s was hot as if he lived in a different country that was not time bound.

Sweat kept on tracing thin lines from his brows to his cheeks, while the faces of the Seol-Mujin officials played along in his head like a memory he never wanted paid for.

"WHY?!" He screamed then slammed his fist on the wall, causing it to shake as tremendous vibrations passed through it. "Five days? How can we achieve that?"

He rushed toward his window, then swung it open, hoping for the outside air to cool him down, but that only worsened his stature.

Instead of cooling Hei Yung, it only activated his lightning abilities and caused half of his belongings to burn when he slammed his fist on the wall the second time.

Smoke flew into the air and caught the attention of the fire attenders of the barracks when they saw fire splashing out of the Blackscale Citadel. They rushed toward it and began to use their hydro machines to quench it, but the more they tried the more the fire grew higher.

From a distance, Lu Wang and Hei Luo joined the fire rescue team. The two higher rank officials did not hesitate for a second before dashing into the fire.

Hei Luo’s face turned pale when he saw the devastated stare in Hei Yung’s eyes. He closed in with Hei Yung, then placed a warm hand on his shoulder which calmed Hei Yung in a second.

"It’s okay. We would face whatever the Seol-Mujin officials would bring when we are not able to reach the deadlines."

"We can’t just lose the country we have used our lives protecting for them over a small misunderstanding. No, there should be another way." Hei Yung said while flames streaked across his face, but were not burning him.

"We would find a better way, let’s just go out of the fire so the fire rescue team could quench it."

The three walked through the burning building as if it was nothing that could kill. Meanwhile, two squirrels that had their home in the tree branch closer to the building had died from suffocating.

...

At the southern part of Tartarus, Seo-jun sat at the front of the Triarch, staring at the smoke coming from a distance after he had separated the group for them to search and collect a huge number of the Starfire Opal.

On the first day, Joon and the two masked soldiers came back with a bag of twenty Opal stones each, after following the direction Leon had led them to.

On the evening, when everyone was tired and sleepy, Leon stood up. He glanced at their sleeping postures, went inside the Triarch and calmly placed Liu Yan’s sword and An Lang’s war discs in a safe before exiting.

When he exited, he noticed the three masked soldiers had changed their posture of sleep, but he did not bother about it and went toward the direction of the heart of Tartarus.

When everyone was tired, Joon convinced the other two to chase after where Leon had gone.

"Come on guys, he’s going to collect the stones for himself, let’s chase after him." Joon said in a low voice. "You know how Dusthollow people are, quiet and always stealing what isn’t theirs."

"Yeah, I think that’s why all his squad are dead and he’s the only one alive," Shone said in response as he jolted up.

When the other masked soldier also stood up, the three looked at each other for a moment before moving toward the narrow path leading to the mainland of the heart of Tartarus.

The cool wind of Tartarus flew across Leon’s face as he stood outside the Triarch, listening to all that was being said by Demon.

Large monstrous figures remained at the side of the path the three masked soldiers were on. Some had the hollow shape that seemed to have been occupied at first, but now it was empty.

"Joon," Shone called out as he rushed forward, after glancing at the unidentifiable figures on the walls. "I think we should head back."

"Why, don’t you want to seize all the stones he would take for himself?" Joon asked in a cold voice when he stopped and looked at Shone’s trembling body. ’You call yourself a soldier yet you’re afraid, what a waste.’

Joon snarled then turned. He doubled his steps then exited the path, leaving the two soldiers behind.

Immediately Leon neared a few feet away from the rotting corpse of the Varkhaza, the sound of swords clashing echoed from behind him.

"Hmph," he turned, then shook his head.

As soon as he crouched down, carried the skeletons of Wu Ze and headed back, he saw two of the masked soldiers lying on a bloodied ground, dead.

Just as he moved two steps forward, Joon appeared, panting heavily. "NO! NO!! NO!!!"

He screamed, placing his palms on his cheeks. "You killed them! Leon Storm, you killed two of our men!"

Leon did not give him the attention and went back toward the Castle of Souls where the Triarch was still at.

"Guys! Guys!! Guys!!!"

Screams tore through the air and woke Seo-jun, Kim and Eun-woo up.

"Where is that noise coming from?" Seo-jun asked as he brushed his palms across his face, wiping off the remaining sleep from his eyes.

Kim walked to the front of the Triarch then squinted at the figure nearing the Triarch from a far distance. "I think someone is coming. But wait, where are Leon, Shone, Joon, and that new boy?"

Eun-woo quickly exited the Triarch and searched around it, then returned with a pale face. "I didn’t see them outside."

When he turned and squinted at the figure running toward them, his eyes widened. "Is that Joon?" 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Immediately Joon stopped before the Triarch, he collapsed onto the floor, crying heavily. "Leon killed them, Leon killed both of them."

"Leon killed who, and where are Shone and the new guy?" Kim asked as she walked toward Joon and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Just as Joon straightened himself and was about to say a word, Leon appeared, holding human bones in his crossed arms.

"You killed them!" Joon stood up and rushed toward Leon, but Leon sidestepped and caused Joon to trip and fall to the ground.

He did not say a word to Kim or Eun-woo when they approached him.

"They followed you and you killed them, Leon Storm is a murderer." He said in a sobbing voice. "I saw it all happen before my eyes."

He collapsed on one knee and began crying heavily, catching the full attention of Kim, Eun-woo and Seo-jun, while Leon just stood there, watching him with no sign of sorrow in his eyes.