CHAPTER 47: THE BATTLE OF INVICTUS (11)

Beneath the bridge, if one descended the winding stairs to the bottom of the crater, just by the edge of an underground stream, one could spot an opening in the rocky wall.

Inside that chamber, the young soldier was dazzled by what stood before his remaining eye: a small wooden chest, the size of a basketball, rested on a stone altar, upon which was engraved a message:

"With great power comes great responsibility."

He didn’t bother to read it, hastily opening the chest, expecting to behold the legendary star. But something went wrong.

The wooden box wouldn’t open. He tried again, this time with more force, but it was in vain. No matter how hard he pushed, the chest wouldn’t move an inch from its stone pedestal.

Frustrated, he turned toward the major—the one who had accompanied him and remained oddly silent. But to his surprise, the major was no longer there.

He shouted, but no silhouette reappeared.

Just as he was thinking of a way to open the chest, a violent migraine seized him, knocking him unconscious on the spot.

Inside his mind, the parasite began to swell, devouring his brain. The poor enforcer died from the sheer intensity of the pain, while the parasite continued growing inside him, taking the shape of a larva.

---

On the surface

The battle had already raged on for more than four hours.

The sun seemed ready to rise at any moment, while calm was slowly returning to the fortress.

Captain Bernard had led his men well, managing to eliminate most of the pests that had stormed the fortress.

The remaining Calamities blended in with the corpses, playing dead.

However, Bernard didn’t dare leave even a single one alive.

He ordered his men to lift every body, ensuring they were truly dead.

On the other side, the parasitized enforcers had all been subdued, no longer posing a threat.

They began caring for the civilians, comforting them as best they could despite their own exhaustion...

When suddenly, a voice rang out, forcing them to pause their tasks.

---

Elsewhere, outside the walls, the major stood atop a massive Calamity.

The giant serpent, once proud of its exoskeleton, now saw it shattered into unrecognizable fragments, crushed under the weight of fists.

Despite his pitiful state, Count Albart hadn’t given up. Opening his mouth wide, a jet of red flames burst out:

Authority of Fire

The major, struck at point-blank range by the flames, reappeared unscathed, as if nothing had happened. Not even a burn marked his clothes.

A semi-transparent barrier had formed around him, blocking the flames.

In retaliation, the major struck again:

Repelling Barrier .

The count was slammed violently into the ground.

He could have finished him off with a single blow, but preferred to vent his frustration on the Calamity beneath him.

Then, suddenly, instinctively, he leapt backward, alarmed.

The major stroked his hand, as if sensing something strange, then ordered in a cold tone:

"Show yourself, scavenger."

At those words, Count Albart’s jaw opened by force, twitching unnaturally, as if he were about to vomit... before something emerged.

It was a larva, as large as a human. It crawled over the exoskeleton until it reached the ground.

The larva turned, staring at the injured Calamity’s body.

"Count Mephisto, is that...?", murmured Count Albart, his voice broken by internal wounds.

The larva made no move, but a voice echoed from all directions, spreading throughout the fortress, reaching even the crater below.

"Humans, hell has come upon you."

The voice was commanding, like an irrefutable truth, reaching the minds of everyone present without passing through their ears—communicating directly with their brains.

In response to such a declaration, the major roared furiously:

"Who dares!?"

"My title means nothing to you. Just know that your lives have always rested in the palm of my hand. Submit... or die."

Yet, the creature didn’t look threatening. Its form was far from terrifying, unlike Count Albart’s imposing body.

And still... despite sharing the same noble rank, its words carried a warning that could not be ignored.

"Tsk. Die," the major spat. Such arrogance irritated him to no end, killing any desire to play. He decided to eliminate them both in one strike.

He took a combat stance.

Coating .

A faint yellow light enveloped his body. But this time, he didn’t stop there.

His aura glowed even brighter, blinding the surroundings before vanishing, leaving complex and mesmerizing tattoo-like patterns on his skin.

It was the Sigma Mode .

When a Master activates Sigma Mode, it means only one thing: Major Kraft was no longer holding back.

Every blow he landed now would be beyond anything his basic coating could achieve.

He raised his right fist and struck the air, producing a deafening sound.

Repelling Barrier .

A barrier, this time far less transparent, burst forth with force and surged toward the two Calamities.

The larva had no time to dodge. She was hit head-on, hurled backward along with Count Albart for hundreds of meters, raising a massive wave of sand on impact.

When the dust settled, Count Mephisto—the larva—was slumped against a broken tree, half his body reduced to pulp.

As for Count Albart, his condition had worsened. Blue blood soaked his body, his breathing was shallow.

He only survived because Count Mephisto had taken the brunt of the blow for him.

---

Witnessing such a scene, the enforcers who had rushed outside after hearing the voice couldn’t help but be awestruck by the major’s display of power, showering him with praise and admiration.

Only Captain Bernard, who truly knew the extent of their commander’s strength, remained unsurprised.

("When he wants to, he absolutely can"), he thought.

Yet his thoughts took a darker, more troubling turn.

He spoke to the major, who had just returned to normal after the attack:

"Major, that must be..."

But he didn’t finish his sentence. The major stopped him, placing his hand back on his arm, confirming the suspicion.

"Yes. I know."

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Sigma Mode: Named for the stigmas it leaves on the user’s body, this state represents a perfect harmony in which the body and the ether become one.

(It can only be attained at the Master rank.)