Incineration

A strange device.

The magic crystal–etched circuits had long since decayed.

Thick green vegetation covered every surface.

It had become its own tiny ecosystem.

Clearly… it had not been used for a very long time.

Luna had never operated such a thing before.

But she could roughly guess its purpose.

A massive construct—

Using combustible minerals to replace a mage’s flame.

In essence…

An enlarged crucible.

Though she didn’t fully understand its operation—

She grasped its principle.

And that alone forced her to think.

How… was she supposed to use it?

She had no training.

No knowledge.

She needed guidance.

But here—

Who was left alive?

And among them—

Who could use it?

The answer was almost none.

Outside—

The wet, dragging sound returned.

Closer.

They had caught up again.

In barely a minute.

“Tch… troublesome…”

Luna frowned.

Through her Mind’s Eye—

Those countless weak points reappeared.

Her scalp tingled.

There wasn’t enough time.

The mass crept closer—

That “slow” approach—

Still nauseating.

Like sticky parasites chasing her.

She couldn’t kill them.

That was the worst part.

They simply followed.

Endlessly.

The smell alone—

Was revolting.

And the sight—

Writhing flesh, churning like sludge—

Enough to make anyone retch.

But Luna endured.

Her tolerance was far beyond normal.

Once—

As a hellhound—

She had fed on corpses.

Those skeletal remains in Demon Castle…

Her doing.

Yet now—

She felt disgust.

A habit formed over time.

Thanks to Lilith’s constant warnings.

She clawed at her hair in frustration.

Her crimson hair—

Already messy from her flight—

Now resembled a tangled nest.

“So annoying!”

She puffed her cheeks in anger.

Her temper burned hot and wild.

But this thing—

Left her helpless.

She had reached the device—

Yet couldn’t use it.

Desperation surged.

She almost smashed the circuits apart.

But stopped.

Because she knew—

This was her only chance.

She had already lured the Corpse Guardian away.

If not for Allen and Eugene—

She could have fled.

She was faster.

Eventually, its magic would fade.

It would become nothing.

But—

Back in the town—

Two enemies clashed.

Savage and Eugene.

She feared for him.

So she had to act.

Fast.

Destroy this thing—

And return.

But how?

Savage had planned this perfectly.

This monster countered her completely.

She groaned in frustration.

Nearly tearing her hair out.

The circuits—

Unreadable.

Runes—

Meaningless.

Magic flow—

Unknown.

She searched her memory.

Desperately.

Nothing.

Not a single clue.

Meanwhile—

The mass entered the building.

The doorway was low—

It squeezed in slowly.

Now inside the main chamber.

Opportunity.

The black scorch marks on the walls—

Told her everything.

This was the place.

The moment.

But—

She couldn’t act.

She didn’t understand alchemy.

A cruel disadvantage.

Her mind buzzed.

Overloaded.

She decided—

Enough.

She would jump in.

Beat it into pulp.

With her own hands.

Even if it killed her.

She removed her coat.

Tossed it aside.

Preparing to leap over the crystal barrier—

Into the chamber.

“BANG—!”

A loud crash erupted beneath the console.

A brass cabinet door rattled violently.

In the dark silence—

It sounded like restless spirits knocking.

Luna froze.

Her ears shot upright.

Fur bristling.

“What the—?!”

A round object rolled out.

Like a head.

No—

Bigger.

Like a giant’s skull.

She tensed instantly.

Activating her Mind’s Eye.

Ready to strike.

Was it a stray Corpse Guardian fragment?

A trap?

With Savage—

Anything was possible.

But the result shocked her.

It was alive.

Not undead.

Not a corpse.

Alive.

The “sphere” moved—

Unfolding like a puppet.

Standing upright.

Messy gray hair—

Like dry weeds.

It looked more like a scarecrow than a person.

Terrifying.

But—

She saw its weak point.

One punch—

Enough.

“No time!”

The figure spoke urgently.

Her voice trembled.

Yet…

Clear and sweet.

Like a nightingale.

“Allen?!”

Luna gasped.

She hadn’t expected her here.

Inside the cabinet—

Were glowing crystal lamps.

Festival lanterns.

“Quick! No time! Kill it! Kill it!”

Allen cried—

Her voice frantic.

Like chanting a spell.

“Allen—calm down!”

Luna snapped.

Something was wrong.

Her eyes—

Glowed like bloodstones in darkness.

Just like that night.

In the interrogation room.

When she drank her blood.

Those bite marks—

Still vivid in memory.

This wasn’t Allen.

Or rather—

Not the Allen she knew.

“Slap—!”

Luna struck her without hesitation.

The red glow vanished instantly.

“Ugh…”

Her eyes returned—

To a dull wine-red.

“Quick!” Allen shouted.

The Corpse Guardian had fully entered.

This was the moment.

Born in Bordeaux—

Even if she hadn’t seen a grand crucible—

She had heard of it.

It once affected the climate.

She had overheard it many times.

She knew the records.

She understood the runes.

Only one thing was missing—

Magic.

Just a tiny spark.

Enough to trigger it.

Like dominoes—

It would activate everything.

She didn’t know why she came here.

It felt… destined.

To meet Luna again.

She had hidden in darkness.

Afraid.

Waiting for dawn.

Feeling watched.

As if something followed her.

Then—

She felt it.

The watcher…

Was herself.

A strange presence.

Then footsteps.

So she came out.

“Give me your hand!”

She ignored the slap.

As if it hadn’t happened.

A red mark burned on her cheek.

Like a bloody imprint.

Luna hadn’t struck hard.

But it still showed.

“Trust me…”

Allen hesitated.

Luna’s gaze—

She knew it.

Too well.

The look people gave monsters.

Her heart skipped.

Fear crept in.

Carefully—

She took Luna’s hand.

Gently opening her fist.

Like touching a stranger.

She placed it on the console.

“Lom…”

She whispered.

“Lom…”

Luna repeated.

“BOOM—!”

The long-abandoned crucible—

Ignited once more.

This time—

Not for magic engineering.

But—

For liberation.

For the soul.

It…

Was not dead yet.