The "Angel's Share" tavern felt less like a celebration and more like a war room.
The thick scent of dandelion wine and aged oak usually felt welcoming, but with the city bells still clanging in the distance, every creak of the floorboards made Leo flinch.
Diluc Ragnvindr stood behind the bar, polishing a glass with a methodical, cold precision that made Leo's HUD ping with a "High Threat" warning.
"So," Diluc said, his voice dropping like a guillotine blade.
"The 'Honorary Knight' ,the Yellow Demon ,a Floating fairy and a 'Bard' have turned our Cathedral into a sunroof, stolen a national treasure, and brought a giant, glowing insect into the city walls.
Care to explain why I shouldn't turn you over to the Knights right now?"
"It was a tactical insertion!" Leo defended, leaning against a stool while his legs still buzzed from the Rising Hopper feedback.
"The giant grasshopper... okay, that was a slight mechanical oversight. But we have the Lyre."Venti strummed a soft, mournful chord.
"And with it, we have the key to Dvalin's heart. Master Diluc, surely you've noticed the winds changing.
The Abyss is tightening its grip."
Diluc set the glass down.
"I've noticed. Which is why the back door is already barred and the Knights have been 'misdirected' toward the side gate.
Now, show me this Power you used at the plaza, Leo.
I want to see if your 'technology' is worth the property damage."
The group huddled over a map of the Brightcrown Mountains.
The plan was simple: break into the ancient, wind-sealed ruins of Stormterror's Lair, use the Holy Lyre to summon Dvalin, and have Lumine provide enough "purification" to shatter the corruption spikes on his back.
"The seal is maintained by three triangular prisms," Jean explained, having slipped into the tavern through a hidden entrance.
"We divide and conquer. Lumine, you take the North. Diluc and I will handle the East. Leo..."
"I'll take the West," Leo said, his fingers brushing the Kabuto Zecter in his pocket. "I'm built for solo runs anyway."
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
MAIN QUEST: THE DRAGON'S NEST
Objective: Deactivate the West Wind Seal.
Potential Reward: 1000 RP
The West Seal
Leo arrived at the western ruin alone.
The air here was thick with a heavy, oppressive Anemo pressure that felt like walking through invisible syrup.
Guarding the seal was a Frostarm Lawachurl, its fur matted with dark purple energy, flanked by three Cryo Abyss Mages.
"Three shields and a walking tank," Leo muttered. He felt the Zero-One data flickering—it wasn't suited for this heavy atmospheric pressure.
He needed something that ignored the environment entirely.
He reached back and gripped the silver belt.
"Let's see if the 'Path of Heaven' can handle a blizzard."
[HENSHIN!]
The heavy Masked Form armor slammed onto him, the thick silver plating acting as a natural heat-sink against the Lawachurl's frost breath.
The monster lunged, a massive fist of ice crashing against Leo's shoulder.
CLANG.
Leo didn't budge.
The heavy armor absorbed the kinetic force, but he was too slow to counter.
The Abyss Mages began their ritual, summoning a localized blizzard to freeze him in place.
"Cast off,"
Leo whispered.
He pulled the Zecter's horn.
[CAST OFF! CHANGE BEETLE!]
The heavy plates exploded outward, shattering the mages' ice shields like glass. Leo stood in the sleek, crimson Rider Form. He didn't wait for the Lawachurl to recover.
[CLOCK UP!]
The blizzard stopped.
The snow crystals hung in the air like suspended diamonds. The Lawachurl was frozen mid-roar, a glob of saliva hovering just outside its jaw.
Leo walked calmly through the frozen chaos. He didn't punch; he placed. He tapped each Abyss Mage on the forehead, then stood behind the Lawachurl.
[ONE. TWO. THREE.]
[RIDER KICK!
]
Blue electricity surged into his right foot.
He delivered a snapping roundhouse kick to the Lawachurl's spine, the tachyon energy priming the strike.
[CLOCK OVER.
]
BOOM.
The Lawachurl didn't even know it was dead. It folded instantly, the force of the kick rippling through its body and shattering the stone floor beneath it.
The Abyss Mages were sent spinning into the abyss of the cliffside.
Leo de-transformed, catching the Kabuto Zecter as it detached.
He walked to the seal and smashed the triangular prism with a single, heavy strike.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
WEST SEAL DEACTIVATED.
RP EARNED: +1000
TOTAL RP: 1800
"1800..." Leo breathed, his eyes wide.
That's four Roll."
The seals were broken.
The grand dome of Stormterror's Lair lay open.
The group met at the base of the central tower, the wind howling with a new, desperate ferocity.
Venti stepped forward, holding the Holy Lyre.
"The stage is set. But remember... Dvalin isn't our enemy. The poison is."
Suddenly, a portal of dark energy opened at the top of the tower.
An Abyss Herald: Wicked Torrents stepped out, his dual water-blades hissing.
"The Dragon belongs to the Abyss!" the Herald roared.
"Your useless struggles will be drowned in the tide!"
Leo looked at his 1800 RP.
He looked at Lumine, who was already drawing her blade.
He looked at the Dragon circling above, screaming in pain.
"System," Leo thought, his heart racing.
"I'm putting it all on red. Give me something that can cut through the Abyss itself."
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
SPENDING 1600 RP: MULTI-ROLL INITIATED... THE ROULLETE SPINS
[G3... AGITO... RYUKI... FAIZ... BLADE]
[ DRAW RESULTS: ]
[LEGENDARY]: DECADRIVER +BASE CARDS - "The Destroyer"
[SUPER RARE]: FLYING FALCON PROGRISE KEY – "Wing's Ability!"
[RARE]: MEDAJALIBUR – A heavy blade that consumes Cell Medals... or maybe Mora?
[COMMON]: EXPIRED DENLINER TICKET – A useless piece of cardboard. Or is it?
Leo froze.
His HUD turned a sharp, neon magenta.
"Oh... you have got to be kidding me."
From the shadows of the ruins, a familiar grey-coated figure watched, his camera clicking once.
"It seems the journey is finally getting interesting," the man whispered.
"I'll see you on the other side, Leo."