The five masked

Ray remained still as he looked up at Corazelle.

She sat on the edge of the rooftop beneath the night sky, casually swinging her legs as if she were simply enjoying the evening breeze.

"Now, now, don't mind me," Corazelle said with a playful smile. "Keep talking. I won't mind. Though I am listening."

Silence followed.

Ray said nothing.

The vampire lowered his head slightly. The moment his eyes met Corazelle's, a chill ran down his spine. Every instinct within him screamed that the woman above was dangerous.

Still, vampires were not known for backing down easily.

The vampire clicked his tongue and let out a sharp call.

A moment later, countless bats emerged from the darkness.

They poured into the alley from every direction, filling the night with the sound of beating wings. The swarm circled overhead before descending one after another.

As they touched the ground, their forms twisted and stretched.

Bats became people.

Men and women with pale skin, crimson eyes, and predatory smiles appeared around the alleyway.

More and more arrived until every exit was blocked.

Ray slowly glanced around.

The alley was completely surrounded.

Dozens of vampires stood on rooftops, fire escapes, and the ground itself, watching him like hungry wolves surrounding prey.

The leader smirked.

"Now the odds seem much more reasonable."

Above them, Corazelle rested her cheek on her palm.

"Oh?"

The single word made several vampires tense.

She looked around at the gathering crowd before smiling brightly.

"My, my."

Corazelle's emerald-green eyes gleamed beneath the moonlight.

"I just wanted to say something to Mephesto after a thousand years of parting ways."

Her gaze sharpened.

A wide smile spread across her face, though there was something unsettling behind it.

"I just want him to know something."

She puffed her cheeks for a brief moment before turning toward Ray.

"Ray~"

Ray instinctively looked up.

"Tell Mephesto everything I said, okay~?"

Slowly, Corazelle rose to her feet atop the rooftop.

The night wind stirred her hair as she spread her arms wide, as though embracing the entire sky.

"Tell Mephesto..."

Her voice echoed across the alley.

"...that the real war begins."

The moon hung behind her like a silver crown.

She tilted her head upward and giggled softly.

"Him versus me."

Then she lowered her gaze back to Ray.

"And his pawns versus my pawns."

For a brief second, her smile faded.

A strange gentleness appeared in her eyes.

"Don't make it hurt, okay?"

Her words sounded less like a wish and more like a command.

Then—

Five presences emerged from the darkness behind her.

No one saw them arrive.

One moment the rooftop was empty.

The next, five figures stood silently at Corazelle's back.

Each wore a mask.

Each carried an aura that made even the veteran vampires freeze.

Orange.

Yellow.

Indigo.

Violet.

Green.

Five colors.

Five masks.

Five silent warriors.

The vampire leader's expression immediately changed.

His instincts screamed danger.

"Kill them!" he roared.

The alley exploded into motion.

Vampires lunged from every direction.

Some leaped from rooftops.

Others rushed across the ground with supernatural speed.

Yet the masked figures moved first.

The Orange Mask vanished.

A shockwave erupted through the center of the vampire formation.

Several vampires were hurled through walls before they even realized they had been struck.

The Yellow Mask raised a hand.

Golden light flashed.

The nearest vampires found themselves bound by glowing chains that appeared from nowhere, pinning them against the surrounding buildings.

The Indigo Mask stepped forward.

The shadows beneath the vampires twisted and rose like living creatures.

Screams echoed as dark tendrils dragged dozens of them into the darkness.

The Violet Mask merely pointed.

A wave of violet energy swept across the alley.

The attacking vampires froze in place as if their bodies had forgotten how to move.

And then—

The Green Mask moved.

Unlike the others, there was no explosion.

No flashy power.

Just a single step.

A vampire appeared behind the Green Mask with claws extended.

The next instant, he collapsed.

Then another.

And another.

Each fell before anyone could understand what had happened.

The battle became a massacre.

Ray stood in stunned silence.

Around him, powerful vampires who moments ago had surrounded the alley with confidence were being overwhelmed.

The vampire leader staggered backward.

"W-What are these monsters...?"

Above them all, Corazelle simply watched.

Her smile remained unchanged.

The moonlight reflected in her emerald eyes.

"See?" she said softly.

"I told you."

Her gaze drifted beyond the city, as if she were looking at someone far away.

Someone who wasn't there.

"Tell Mephesto..."

The smile on her face widened.

"...I'm finally coming for him."

The moment Ray gathered enough courage, he teleported away from the alley.

The chaos vanished in an instant.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in a quiet, deserted street far from the battle.

Silence surrounded him.

Ray let out a slow breath.

For a brief moment, he thought he had escaped.

Then he froze.

Someone was standing in front of him.

Corazelle.

She had appeared without a sound.

Yet something about her was different.

Her dark hair had become pure white, swaying gently in the night breeze.

Her emerald eyes had changed into a deep crimson.

The sight was unsettling—not because she looked threatening, but because she looked completely calm.

As though she had expected him to arrive there all along.

Ray instinctively stepped back.

Corazelle tilted her head curiously.

"hmm?"

She raised her right hand.

A crimson glow gathered around her palm, swirling like mist before taking shape.

Moments later, it formed into an elegant crimson scythe made of pure energy.

The weapon shimmered softly beneath the moonlight.

Corazelle rested it lightly against her shoulder.

Then she smiled.

"Oh, don't worry."

Her tone was almost reassuring.

"I won't harm you."

Ray remained silent.

"I still need you to deliver my message to Mephesto."

She looked up at the moon for a moment before returning her gaze to him.

A playful smile appeared on her face.

"Tell him exactly what I said."

The night breeze passed between them.

Corazelle's crimson eyes seemed to shine brighter.

"And tell him..."

Her smile widened slightly.

"...that I'm looking forward to our next meeting."

For the first time, Ray understood something important.

No matter how far he teleported, Corazelle could find him whenever she wished.

And somehow, that realization was more frightening than the battle he had left behind.

Corazelle slowly raised her crimson scythe.

The curved blade shimmered beneath the pale moonlight, casting a blood-red glow across the deserted street.

Ray froze.

Every muscle in his body locked in place as fear gripped his heart.

The pressure radiating from her presence was overwhelming. Even breathing felt difficult.

Then the scythe moved.

His eyes snapped shut.

He braced himself for the strike.

For pain.

For death.

But neither came.

A cold breeze drifted past him.

Seconds ticked by in complete silence.

One.

Two.

Three.

Nothing happened.

Ray cautiously opened his eyes.

The words caught in his throat.

Corazelle was gone.

The empty street stretched before him, silent and still.

There was no sign of her white hair.

No trace of her crimson eyes.

No crimson scythe.

Nothing.

It was as though she had never been there at all.

Only the lingering chill in the air remained, serving as proof that the encounter had been real.

Ray's gaze darted from one side of the street to the other.

Nothing.

No movement.

No presence.

No Corazelle.

His heart continued to pound against his chest.

Without wasting another second, he raised his hand and activated his teleportation spell.

Space distorted around him.

The world blurred.

In an instant, his figure vanished from the deserted street.

A moment later, Ray reappeared atop the building overlooking the battlefield.

The cold night wind greeted him as he steadied himself.

His eyes immediately swept across the area.

He searched for the remaining vampires.

For the masked figures.

For any sign of Corazelle.

Yet the sight before him made him fall silent.

The battlefield he had left behind was no longer the same.

But something felt wrong.

Ray slowly narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the alley below.

There were no bodies.

No signs of the vampires who had filled the streets only moments ago.

No blood stained the pavement.

No scorch marks scarred the walls.

No broken concrete.

No shattered windows.

Nothing.

The alley was spotless.

It was as if the battle had never happened.

As if dozens of vampires had never gathered there.

As if the masked figures had never appeared.

As if Corazelle herself had never set foot in the area.

The only thing that remained was the quiet stillness of the night.

Ray's heartbeat quickened.

That was impossible.

He had witnessed everything with his own eyes.

The vampires.

The battle.

The overwhelming power of the five masked figures.

Yet now there wasn't a single trace left behind.

Not even a drop of evidence.

A cold sensation crept down his spine.

For the first time, he wondered whether he had truly escaped from Corazelle's grasp—or whether he was still exactly where she wanted him to be.

The thought sent a shiver through him.

Standing alone atop the building, Ray stared into the empty alley below.

The silence felt heavier than any battlefield.

And somehow, that frightened him far more than the vampires ever had.

An hour later...

The top floor of GlobalTech Agencies was unusually quiet.

The floor was restricted—accessible only to six individuals.

Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the dazzling city skyline. Countless lights sparkled below like stars scattered across the earth.

Standing before the glass was a woman.

Her long white hair flowed down her back as she casually held a dark orange orb in one hand.

Corazelle.

She stared at the city in silence.

Then the elevator doors opened.

Five masked figures entered.

Without even turning around, Corazelle spoke.

"You're late."

The annoyance in her voice was immediate.

The five figures stopped.

Silence.

Then the Orange Mask stepped forward and pointed at her dramatically.

"HUH!? You're blaming us!?"

His voice echoed through the room.

"You're the one who disappeared and left us dealing with an entire army of vampires, Corazelle!"

Corazelle finally turned around.

"Ohh~"

A mischievous smile appeared on her face.

"Don't tell me you were scared, Kenzo?"

"WHO WAS SCARED!?"

Kenzo immediately exploded.

"I was strategically retreating multiple times!"

"That's called running away."

"IT'S NOT!"

"It is."

"IT ISN'T!"

"It is."

"IT ISN'T!"

"Children."

Aizah pinched the bridge of her nose.

Even through her mask, everyone could feel her disappointment.

"Can the two of you stop arguing for five minutes?"

"No."

"No."

The two answered simultaneously.

Aizah looked ready to throw someone out of the window.

Beside her, Pilina giggled.

"Honestly, it was pretty funny."

"Which part?" Kendrick asked.

"The part where Kenzo screamed."

"I DID NOT SCREAM!"

Pilina immediately mimicked him.

"AAAH! IT'S COMING THIS WAY!"

"I DON'T SOUND LIKE THAT!"

"You absolutely do."

"I DON'T!"

"You do."

Kenzo looked ready to cry from frustration.

Meanwhile, another voice joined the conversation.

"Personally, I think he screamed louder."

Everyone turned toward the Indigo Mask.

"DANTE!"

Kenzo pointed accusingly.

"You're my brother! You're supposed to support me!"

Dante shrugged.

"Sorry. The truth comes first."

"TRAITOR!"

Kendrick sighed.

At thirty years old, he often felt like a father managing five chaotic children.

"Can we please focus?"

"No."

The group answered together.

Kendrick's eye twitched.

Corazelle burst out laughing.

For a moment, the room was filled with complete chaos.

Then Corazelle snapped her fingers.

"Alright, masks off."

The room gradually settled down.

One by one, the five removed their masks.

The Orange Mask came off first.

Revealing a young man with messy orange-brown hair and expressive eyes.

Kenzo Lancaster.

Twenty years old.

Childish.

Argumentative.

A little cowardly.

Unfortunately dangerous enough that nobody could actually ignore him.

"Finally," Kenzo grumbled.

"I can breathe again."

Next came the Yellow Mask.

Aizah Avandra.

Twenty-one years old.

Her sharp golden eyes immediately scanned everyone in the room.

Elegant and mature on the surface.

Terrifyingly sharp-tongued underneath.

She could verbally destroy a person's confidence faster than any weapon.

The Indigo Mask followed.

Dante Lancaster.

Kenzo's older brother by exactly one year.

The resemblance was obvious.

The same troublesome grin.

The same chaotic energy.

The difference was that Dante was significantly more dangerous and somehow even worse at making responsible decisions.

Kenzo pointed at him.

"He's the favorite child."

"We have the same parents."

"Exactly."

Nobody understood what that meant.

The Violet Mask came off next.

Kendrick Mendez.

Thirty years old.

The oldest among them.

His gentle smile made him appear approachable.

Unfortunately, everyone in the room knew that smile usually appeared moments before someone regretted their life choices.

He was the closest thing the group had to a responsible adult.

Which was deeply concerning.

Finally, the Green Mask disappeared.

Pilina Ester.

Twenty years old.

Bright.

Cheerful.

Always smiling.

Always energetic.

And somehow one of the most dangerous members of the team.

At last, all eyes turned toward the woman standing before the window.

Corazelle.

Their leader.

The person who had gathered them together.

Not because they were the strongest.

Not because they were the most talented.

But because each of them possessed something she valued more.

Determination.

The determination to stand against Mephesto.

The determination to see the end of a war that had lasted far too long.

Corazelle looked at her team.

Then smiled.

"Well then."

The five immediately became nervous.

That smile never led to anything good.

"What now?" Kendrick asked cautiously.

Corazelle's smile widened.

"I have a request."

The room fell silent.

Dante slowly looked at Kendrick.

Kendrick slowly looked at Aizah.

Aizah looked at Pilina.

Pilina looked at Kenzo.

Kenzo looked absolutely horrified.

"Why do I suddenly feel like we're in danger?"

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