CHAPTER 664: [BLOOD MOON WAR] [9] SURROUNDED

I turned my head slowly.

A pair of calm strangely familiar grey eyes stared back at me.

"Will you stop that?" He said.

Startled, I immediately yanked my hand away from his and instinctively jumped back a step, putting distance between us. My heart pounded as I got a better look at him under the filtered daylight.

He stood tall and still, his silver-grey hair pulled neatly into a tie at the back of his head, and his grey eyes locked onto mine with something like happiness or curiosity?

Strange, intricate markings—almost like ancient runes or scars—were etched across his face, cutting across his features with a muted, metallic sheen.

There was something hauntingly familiar about him.

Wait... Had I seen him before?

A dream. Yes—he felt like someone from one of my dreams. One of those hazy, surreal visions I’d had before, where faces blurred and meanings never made sense. But this one—this man—he stood out.

Before I could say anything, the question slipped out of my mouth.

"Who are you?"

But I wasn’t the only one.

"Who are you?" Ernest echoed at the exact same moment, his voice matching mine with quite timing.

The man turned his head towards Ernest and offered a slight, formal nod. "It’s an honor to meet you, Your Highness," he said with a trace of a smile. "I am Samael Falkrona. I was sent by Edenis Raphiel to assess the situation in Sancta Vedelia."

Samael?

My eyes narrowed slightly, suspicion blooming.

Ernest, too, seemed on edge. He took a small step forward, his posture guarded. "You come from Edenis Raphiel as well?" He asked before shooting me a sidelong glance.

Samael tilted his head toward me. "And who might this be, Prince Ernest?" He asked. "I saw you fighting earlier."

Ernest didn’t take the bait. Instead, he folded his arms and countered with a question of his own. "Since when does House Falkrona take orders from Edenis Raphiel?"

Ah, finally.

Someone said it.

I’d felt it too—there was something deeply off about this man. The way he stood, the way he spoke, even the way he looked at me. Not threatening... just familiar. Too familiar. It wasn’t just the shared family name.

No, this went deeper

But it wasn’t just that.

Suddenly, a cold shiver crawled down my spine.

Nemes.

I could feel her. Her presence stirred violently within me, her aura dark and furious. Her rage was so suffocating, it felt like it might spill out into the real world.

She was furious. Dangerously so. I could almost see her phantom figure pacing restlessly inside me, blade in hand, ready to slice off that Samael’s head.

Was it because this man bore the same name as her beloved?

No.

That wouldn’t be enough to set her off like this. She might be crazy in her head, but she wasn’t that irrational... right?

Samael chuckled suddenly.

"Yes," he said, "I do hail from the Falkrona House. But I currently serve Edenis Raphiel, under the command of the Eden’s Kings."

As if to prove his claim, he flicked a small metallic token through the air—something like a badge or coin—which Ernest caught deftly. His eyes scanned it before tossing it back.

"I thought Edenis Raphiel had no interest in aiding us. That they were too frightened to set foot on our land," Ernest said now more skeptical.

Samael didn’t deny it. In fact, he nodded slowly. "Indeed. That was the case—for a long time. But it’s been over nine years now, and Sancta Vedelia is bleeding out. The Witch gains more ground each passing day. Edenis Raphiel has grown... concerned. If she manages to fully subjugate Sancta Vedelia, they fear she may turn her gaze outward. Once she controls the Holy Tree of Eden, things could escalate very quickly."

His tone dropped slightly.

"Wouldn’t you agree?"

"Perhaps. But she won’t take the Tree," Ernest replied.

Samael’s lips curled into a knowing smile. "I do hope you’re right."

While Ernest and Samael exchanged sharp words and guarded glances, I quietly slipped away, my feet backing toward Alicia’s position with slow steps. Something about this whole scene—it just didn’t sit right with me.

Nemes’s presence in the back of my mind had grown increasingly unstable. I could feel her wrath boiling beneath the surface. She wasn’t just angry. She was furious. And when a mad woman inside you starts itching for blood, the smartest move is to get as far away as possible.

So I listened to my instincts.

Step by step, I retreated until I felt the warmth of someone standing beside me.

Alicia.

Without a second thought, I reached out, grabbed her arm, and swiftly hoisted her onto my shoulder in one quick motion.

"Whaa—Hyaa?!"

"Stop screaming like that," I snapped, adjusting her weight as I turned and bolted from the scene.

With a single powerful leap, I sprang over the nearest rooftop, trying to get as far from the place as possible. I didn’t know what that Samael’s deal was, and I definitely didn’t want to find out with Nemes in kill mode. But just as I settled into a sprint, I frowned.

"...How the hell did you get heavier in just a few hours?" I muttered under my breath.

When I had lifted her earlier, Alicia had been featherlight almost unnaturally so. But now? There was definitely a difference. Not massive, but enough for me to feel the strain across my shoulders.

"Hm?"

Something soft bounced against my back.

Slap. Slap.

I knew exactly what it was or maybe what they were.

When did Alicia suddenly get this... much?

Curious, I tightened my grip on her thighs—just a little—to confirm the softness, and—

"L–Leave me, you pervert!" She snapped at me.

Wait.

That wasn’t Alicia’s voice.

I slowly turned my head.

A long, cascading curtain of deep blue hair fell over her shoulder, and her eyes—one a burning red, the other a piercing silver—glared down at me with the promise of violent retribution. Mana radiated off her like a second skin, coiling and sparking with restrained hostility.

"Oh, crap," I muttered.

I immediately flung her off my shoulder like a sack of cursed potatoes and leapt several meters back, landing in a crouch. My eyes darted around in panic.

Where the hell was Alicia?!

My gaze locked onto her—still standing exactly where I had originally tried to grab her, frozen in place. And she wasn’t alone.

A hooded figure stood behind her, pressing a sleek, curved blade against Alicia’s throat. She looked completely still, her eyes locked on mine.

Damn it.

I sprinted toward her without a second thought, boots hammering against the ground. Everything was going wrong so fast. I just wanted to speak with Viessa, get the information I needed, and return to the present.

Why the hell was this happening now?!

But before I could close the distance, I sensed another mana signature closing in—fast and furious.

It was her.

The dark blue-haired woman I had just yeeted off my shoulder.

She was coming at me, pissed off beyond reason.

"Don’t move!" She shouted.

"I’m not interested in you. It was a misunderstanding," I snapped back, skidding to a halt.

"It’s not about that!" She shot back.

I narrowed my eyes on her. Her presence was nagging at something in my memory. Where had I seen her before?

The heterochromia eyes—red and silver—stood out like a signature I couldn’t forget, especially that red eye.

Wait... Celesta?

I could swear I had seen her there.

Not in a dream, not a vision.

For real.

I’d have to dig through my memory later.

Right now, Alicia was still in danger.

I turned my attention back to her.

As I neared, the hooded woman slowly rotated her body, bringing Alicia around with her like a puppet. Her grip was tight, her stance controlled. She wasn’t bluffing.

I came to a silent stop, landing lightly on the cobblestone with barely a sound. My eyes locked onto the hooded woman’s face.

Underneath the shadow of her hood, I could see flashes of platinum blonde hair and—just like the blue-haired one—she had heterochromia eyes. But unlike the first, her gaze was different.

One eye shimmered with a sapphire blue hue.

The other... silver.

The same silver.

What was going on with these women?

"Release her," I said.

The hooded woman didn’t even moce. "No," she replied curtly.

I heard Alicia’s voice tremble from behind the blade. "S–Senior... just leave."

"What?" I blinked, turning to her in disbelief.

"F–Find a way to go back," she whispered. "I’ll wait for you."

Wait for me? She really thought I was going to leave her behind like that?

I clenched my fists. "I’m not leaving you here," I said, taking a single step forward.

That was all it took.

The woman’s blade pressed tighter against Alicia’s throat, and I saw it—a thin line of crimson trailing down her neck.

"Another step," the woman warned, "and I will get that blade through her. Don’t move. Surrender yourself."

I froze.

My eyes darted around the square.

Ernest stood several meters away, arms crossed, saying nothing.

That Samael guy was nearby too, watching everything unfold with a faint smile as if observing me.

And behind me... I could feel her. The blue-haired woman, still watching carefully waiting for the opportunity to catch me.

There was no winning this—not here, not now. Not against all of them.

I could run. I was confident I could get away on my own, especially if I burned through some mana and pushed my limits. But leaving Alicia behind? No way.

Not when I didn’t know what they’d do to her. Not when Cain might appear. Not when we had no one else to rely on.

Right now, in this era, she was the only person I could trust completely—and she felt the same.

If I surrendered myself now, they’d have no reason to keep their promises. No reason to let me go. I’d be shackled definitely.

Regardless of what they would do to me, I couldn’t lose freedom right now.

No.

There was only one option.

Run—but take her with me.

I shut my eyes for a heartbeat and drew in a long breath.

Then I moved.

The ground cracked beneath me as I launched forward at full speed, every muscle igniting with mana. The woman’s eyes widened in surprise, her grip tightening on the sword instinctively—but her body didn’t move.

She tried. I saw it. She tensed, she reacted. But it was already too late.

Samara’s reach lashed out from my shadow like a serpent and locked around her wrist in an invisible grip. She strained against it, absurdly strong—strong enough to break through the pressure. But that slight delay, that fraction of a second of resistance, was all I needed.

Alicia twisted her body and dropped low, slipping out of the woman’s grasp. She leapt back just in time—but that was when Ernest sprang into action.

Damn him.

He was fast as well.

He closed the distance in a flash, blade drawn.

But Alicia was faster.

She summoned her rapier midair, her mana flaring as she etched a blazing circle beneath her feet. A wall of searing, blood-red flame erupted between her and Ernest.

It should have stopped him.

But it didn’t.

Ernest’s sword cut through the fire like it was smoke. The blade parted the blood wall, and he surged through it unscathed, his hand reaching for Alicia’s back.

But I was fast as well.

A mirror shimmered into existence just behind Alicia. The second it appeared, Ernest’s hand plunged into it.

"What—?!" He gasped, staggering.

He was gone in an instant, swallowed by the reflection. A second mirror bloomed beside me, and with a sudden flash of light—he fell through it, stumbling into my reach.

His eyes widened in shock, just as my fist collided with his face.

-BAM!

He grunted as his nose broke with a crunch. The momentum carried him backward into the mirror he’d just emerged from, shattering it in a cascade of glowing fragments. Then he flew, crashing into the stonework behind him and hitting the ground hard.

"You’re not going anywhere!"

I didn’t need to look to know who it belonged to. The blue-haired woman.

"Anathemas Fire!" I shouted, snapping my arm forward.

Purple flames erupted from my palm roaring forward. The air shimmered with heat as they hurtled toward her. But she wasn’t fazed. In a blink, she drew a sleek, dark-blue rapier, the steel singing as it sliced through the air. She thrust it straight into the heart of the inferno, parting the flames. The purple fire dispersed into wisps of smoke.

But I wasn’t there anymore.

I had already vanished, gripping Alicia’s hand tightly in mine as we darted through the chaos.

-Crackle!

A sharp, electric sound echoed through the air. I turned my head and froze for a moment.

She stood there.

That blonde woman, her hood now lowered, revealing a sharp, breathtaking face that had half the crowd gasping audibly. Her entire body pulsed with golden lightning that arced across her skin. In her hand was a long golden sword, glowing with the same energy.

Was I dreaming?

Or was I looking at a Hallow of Eden?

"Surrender yourself," she said again.

I snorted. "In your dreams."

Her eyes narrowed.

She swung her sword in a clean arc. Lightning burst forward like a tidal wave of pure energy.

Shit.

That wasn’t just dangerous.

It was very dangerous.

I yanked out Trinity Nihil and swung it with all my might.

-BOOOOM!

The shockwave from the clash split the air. The ground trembled beneath us. Alicia and I were thrown back like ragdolls in the air. My ears rang, and the world spun.

Before I could catch my breath, a shadow loomed overhead.

Ernest.

He descended like a hammer from the heavens, his fist glowing with amber glow.

-BAM!

I raised my arm instinctively.

-Crack!

"Ugh!" The punch strongly against my arm. I hit the ground hard, the impact rattling my bones.

But I didn’t waste time.

"Samara’s Reach!" I summoned the hands and they burst from the shadows, latching onto the surroundings. They pulled Alicia and me gently downward, breaking our fall and landing us softly. I slung her over my shoulder.

"S–Senior?" She mumbled, disoriented.

She was too slow.

We had to move.

"Behind you!" She cried at that time.

I twisted instinctively—and saw her.

The blue-haired woman again.

"Stop running, you coward!" She screamed, furious.

My eyes flicked to her breasts just for a second.

"They are on full display," I said dryly.

"W–What?!" Her gaze dropped, scrambling to cover her chest—only to realize it was still concealed. Her eyes shot back up in confusion.

Too late.

I was already gone, Alicia still on my back as we raced away, hundreds of meters in the blink of an eye.

"Lisandra... you idiot," the blonde woman muttered under her breath, shaking her head with a sigh before dashing after us. Her golden lightning crackled louder, stronger—she was gaining on us.

Even with Samara’s Reach at full capacity, she was still closing the distance.

Damn.

Was she at the peak of 9th Ascension?

And then, I heard Alicia whisper behind me.

"Raven Arts."

Her rapier pulsed crimson. Above us, seven mana circles bloomed like blooming roses in the sky.

"Blood Rain!"

A moment later, crimson droplets began to fall—not real rain, but thick, heavy blood-like mist that cloaked everything. It spread fast, obscuring vision, distorting shapes, swallowing sound.

"The blood will cloak our presence," Alicia whispered.

"That’s creepy as hell," I muttered, but I stomped the ground, pouring all my energy into one last burst of speed.

The golden light in the distance dimmed, fading behind the curtain of blood.

The blonde woman was falling behind.

Alicia’s spell wasn’t strong—but it was damn clever.

A smirk stretched across my face as the edge of the town vanished behind us.

We were finally gone.

***

In the heart of the town, chaos had fallen.

People huddled beneath awnings and doorways, whispering prayers, eyes wide with fear. The blood rain had sent the crowd into a frenzy, their earlier curiosity replaced by dread.

Yet, amidst the frightened murmurs and panicked cries, two figures stood unmoved—Ernest and Amael.

Ernest wiped a streak of blood from under his nose with the back of his gloved hand, scowling as he stared into the mist-shrouded distance.

"That crafty bastard..." He cursed. "I can’t believe he really managed to escape with that girl."

"It’s because of Lisandra," Sylvia said calmly as she landed softly. "He used her own breasts against her."

"C–Can you please stop talking about my breasts so casually Sylvia?!" Lisandra shouted, landing hard next to them. Her entire face was burning a furious shade of red, nearly matching the blood mist around them. She looked like she might explode from embarrassment.

She clenched her rapier, teeth grinding together. It had been such a cheap, obvious distraction—and yet she had fallen for it. The memory of instinctively looking down at her own chest, only to realize it was completely covered, made her want to scream.

Ernest’s gaze, almost involuntarily, drifted toward Lisandra’s chest—more out of curiosity than anything.

A sharp, cold glare from Lisandra cut that curiosity short. He turned away instantly, clearing his throat as if the whole moment hadn’t happened.

"What do we do now?" Sylvia ignored them and asked Amael.

Amael hadn’t said much. His gaze fixed in the direction Edward and Alicia had disappeared. His lips curled into a quiet smile.

"We wait," he said, the corner of his mouth twitching as if he were enjoying himself far too much. "Just a little."