Flavio McLoren and Naoto Gan explored the depths of the Divine Tree. However, a sudden wave of energy caused the entire tree to shake and tremble with the force of a raging storm. It was enough to knock the two completely off-balanced.
Mcloren got up in a daze. He called Isalde’s voice through the communications talisman he had placed on him prior to the operation, but there was nothing but radio silence. “So he used that…It seems like we’re approaching the worst possible scenario.”
“...?” Naoto looked at him in confusion.
“I’m saying that our enemy has pushed my son to his limits. That shock wave was likely the result of an energy blast he created. I doubt that he is still alive. It is a shame, but it seems I’ll just have to start over.”
“You’re especially cruel, even for me…”
McLoren looked at the distressed detective with a vague indifference, “I don’t think that is what we should be about for now. There is no way a priest-level threat could take such an attack head-on. We’ll keep pressing forward.”
“Well, I suppose that is true, but we need to catch that Reed Rowley character first. Any idea where he may be?”
“If he wasn’t incinerated by that blast, then he must be somewhere within these roots.”
“Could he really survive this environment? We’re only holding out because our Authorities are providing us with ample protection.”
“Then Rowley must have some exceptional abilities. We should prepare for the worst.”
“Fine by me.”
Down the narrow corridor, where frenzied vines twisted and writhed like serpents in the gloom, a familiar silhouette emerged, casting a shadow that seemed to swallow what little light remained. The corridor itself seemed to recoil, painted in a sinister hue of dark red, with blood splattered across its walls and ceiling, like the remnants of some gruesome ritual.
There, amidst this macabre scene, Derrick lay slumped upon the floor, his body weakened and battered by the onslaught of injuries that marred his form.
"So you really weren't lying about being half-dead. I'll tell you, it's almost satisfying," mocked McLoren, his voice dripping with a twisted amusement as he regarded the young boy with a childish grin.
Derrick managed a weak chuckle, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. "I could... use some... reassurance... asshole," he managed to rasp out between labored breaths.
"Who attacked you?" inquired Naoto, his voice tinged with a mixture of concern and disbelief.
"It was Reed. Reed Rowley..." Derrick's words hung in the air like a dark omen, causing Naoto and McLoren to exchange stunned glances.
Despite The Boy's rampage in the Dark Side, Reed Rowley was still alive, and he was right here in the Divine Tree, their sanctuary turned into a battleground of nightmares.
Naoto offered Derrick a hand, “Can you stand up?”
“I can muster up the strength to move, sure, but fighting is out of the question. I’m almost completely out of energy.”
He shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalant manner, “Eh, I’ve seen worse.”
Naoto helped Derrick up from the floor before traversing the Divine Tree once again. After some time, they entered a spacious chamber with a large ornate door standing before them. Upon closer inspection, the door was slightly open. At the foot of the door, two members of the Alchemic Order’s Royal Guard lay dead on the floor, their wounds recent, too recent.
“Reed Rowley managed to take down two members of the Alchemic Order by himself? They didn’t look like pushovers either…” McLoren looked at the ominous door with concern and hesitation, “Do you really think we can win?”
“...” Naoto could no longer maintain his confident facade and chose to keep his mouth shut. Honestly, he had no idea if they’d even make it out of there alive, but they were already too far gone to turn back. Luckily for him, Naoto had gathered a couple of Mythical Items during the hunt for Reed Rowley, so he would at least earn a modest reward if he survived.
They entered the throne room of the Divine Tree with wavering spirit and determination. The crimson red vines transformed into deep, frenzied purple as the core of the tree convulsed and pulsated like a heart. In front of the heart stood a mysterious young man with black and white hair. He wore a white button-up T-Shirt with classic dress pants that an average student would wear.
The young man turned around with a jovial smile, "Hey!"
“Reed Rowley!" Naoto wasted no time with idle discussion or banter. He gathered a vast amount of spirituality in his fingertips before unleashing a barrage of wind bullets like a hand-gun.
Rowley easily dodged the wind bullets with strange, unserious movements that underlied his childish nature. “Haha! An elemental ability? That’s a pretty unique characteristic! You aren’t from the Western Continent, are you?” He pulled out a .38 caliber handgun and fired at the group. McLoren erected a barrier and easily blocked the attack.
He shouted in desperation, “Go!”
Naoto propelled himself with twin gusts of wind and attacked Rowley with a downward slash. Unexpectedly, the attack missed completely as Rowley cowered in a fetal position.
“Gah! H-How come I always get the tough enemies? You almost sliced me in half!”
“That’s the plan, dickhead.” Naoto pursued the nimble Rowley at a blinding speed. With his wind manipulation ability, closing the gap was hardly an issue. However, there was something off about Rowley and how he fought.
Naoto contemplated, He talks and behaves like a child, and it’s obvious that he doesn’t have any real combat training. So why…why can’t I hit him?
Despite his severe injuries, Derrick mustered what little strength remained and launched himself into battle, aiming to catch Rowley off guard. However, his movements were sluggish and feeble, providing ample time for the cunning adversary to retaliate with his own Heirloom, the Yata Mirror. This ancient artifact possessed the ability to instantly reflect attacks back upon the assailant, granted the opponent's strength fell within a similar or lesser caliber.
Though the reflected assault failed to inflict significant harm, the sheer shock of the blow rendered Derrick incapacitated, exhaustion overtaking him and forcing him out of the fight. With Derrick down, Rowley wasted no time in closing the distance between himself and Naoto, seizing the opportunity to unleash a point-blank gunshot from his second Heirloom, The Thunderer.
"Alright, who's left?" Rowley's tone dripped with indifference as he turned his attention to McLoren, his disregard evident. "Sorry, but I don’t know your name, but I’ll have to take you out too."
McLoren sat in stunned silence, grappling to maintain his composure. Despite Rowley's seemingly weak body, McLoren understood all too well the insurmountable odds stacked against him without the aid of the Bloody Devil. With a single stomp to the head, McLoren was down. It seemed like no one was left to stop Reed Rowley from achieving his goal.
He turned towards the beating heart of the Divine Tree and looked at the grotesque organism in confusion. “That was a pretty boring mission. I wish I got to witness the priest’s fight upstairs at least. Oh well! I’ve gotten what I came for.”
Derrick, despite his injuries, found the strength to confront Reed Rowley, driven by a burning curiosity about the enigmatic figure's motivations.
"Why are you doing this, Reed?" Derrick's voice was strained, laced with pain yet tinged with an unwavering determination. "You're on the run from the police, aren’t you? What do you hope to achieve by seizing the power of the Divine Tree?"
“On the run…? So you know about my affiliation with the police? That is mighty inconvenient.”
Derrick's voice cut through the tension, his anger palpable as he confronted Reed Rowley. "Ever since the attack on the First Police Precinct, the higher-ups have probably labeled you a liability, haven't they? All the evidence points back to you and the Karma. That's why you've been cozying up to Naraka-affiliated organizations. You're just trying to save your own skin!"
Reed's expression momentarily shifted, a hint of confusion crossing his face as he regarded the battered Derrick. He stroked his chin thoughtfully before responding. "You're perceptive, Derrick. We could have been classmates, you and I. But you're only half-right."
Derrick's confusion mirrored his own thoughts. How could he have been mistaken?
"Let me enlighten you," Reed continued, his tone almost gleeful. "It's a villain's prerogative to explain their plans to the hero, after all."
"As for Naraka and the Mathers Police Department," Reed went on, "they've been in bed together for longer than you realize. Do you honestly think they'd oppose my dealings with them? Quite the contrary. Corruption runs deep."
Derrick's realization hit him like a blow. "Corruption...even within the police?"
Reed nodded, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "And as for my relationship with the Police Department, let's just say I hold little sway there. I'm a mere rookie, barely a blip on their radar. They couldn't care less about me. All I had to do was kill some homeless guy called Reed Rowley and I got in! Incredible!"
“You’re depraved.”
“Thanks! I’m glad I’m getting into the aesthetic.”
Derrick shook his head, unable to comprehend the depths of Reed's evil. “Then on that day…you were there. You were at the First Police Precinct during the attack!”
“Right you are! Thanks to that “Alice Nim” character, It was pretty easy to infiltrate some of the restricted servers and steal some fragments of the Karma. Making convincing forgeries was the hard part. Do you know how much time that takes? It’s absurd!”
So we played right into the hands of the enemy. I was way too hasty. If only I didn’t put this on Elizabeth…she might not have had to put herself in such a dangerous situation.
"But here's the twist," Reed interjected, lifting his shirt to reveal a green tattoo—a testament to his allegiance with Testament. "Naraka and I are enemies. Mortal enemies."
Derrick's mind raced, piecing together the puzzle before him.
“That’s right, I’m operating as a triple agent! My actions within Naraka have come solely from my desire to benefit Testament and its position within The Hole.”
“No…I can tell you’re lying. You speak with a sly tongue, but your intentions are obvious. You couldn’t care less about Testament.”
“...” Rowley’s eyes sharpened with malicious intent. “I can’t exactly say you’re wrong, but you aren’t right either. Spreading chaos within Naraka by distributing false Karma fragments was truly in service of Testament, but there is something else I’m working for - something else I want.”
“And just what is that?”
Rowley let out a sinister grin. “I want the world.”
Flavio McLoren and Naoto Gan explored the depths of the Divine Tree. However, a sudden wave of energy caused the entire tree to shake and tremble with the force of a raging storm. It was enough to knock the two completely off-balanced.
Mcloren got up in a daze. He called Isalde’s voice through the communications talisman he had placed on him prior to the operation, but there was nothing but radio silence. “So he used that…It seems like we’re approaching the worst possible scenario.”
“...?” Naoto looked at him in confusion.
“I’m saying that our enemy has pushed my son to his limits. That shock wave was likely the result of an energy blast he created. I doubt that he is still alive. It is a shame, but it seems I’ll just have to start over.”
“You’re especially cruel, even for me…”
McLoren looked at the distressed detective with a vague indifference, “I don’t think that is what we should be about for now. There is no way a priest-level threat could take such an attack head-on. We’ll keep pressing forward.”
“Well, I suppose that is true, but we need to catch that Reed Rowley character first. Any idea where he may be?”
“If he wasn’t incinerated by that blast, then he must be somewhere within these roots.”
“Could he really survive this environment? We’re only holding out because our Authorities are providing us with ample protection.”
“Then Rowley must have some exceptional abilities. We should prepare for the worst.”
“Fine by me.”
Down the narrow corridor, where frenzied vines twisted and writhed like serpents in the gloom, a familiar silhouette emerged, casting a shadow that seemed to swallow what little light remained. The corridor itself seemed to recoil, painted in a sinister hue of dark red, with blood splattered across its walls and ceiling, like the remnants of some gruesome ritual.
There, amidst this macabre scene, Derrick lay slumped upon the floor, his body weakened and battered by the onslaught of injuries that marred his form.
"So you really weren't lying about being half-dead. I'll tell you, it's almost satisfying," mocked McLoren, his voice dripping with a twisted amusement as he regarded the young boy with a childish grin.
Derrick managed a weak chuckle, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. "I could... use some... reassurance... asshole," he managed to rasp out between labored breaths.
"Who attacked you?" inquired Naoto, his voice tinged with a mixture of concern and disbelief.
"It was Reed. Reed Rowley..." Derrick's words hung in the air like a dark omen, causing Naoto and McLoren to exchange stunned glances.
Despite The Boy's rampage in the Dark Side, Reed Rowley was still alive, and he was right here in the Divine Tree, their sanctuary turned into a battleground of nightmares.
Naoto offered Derrick a hand, “Can you stand up?”
“I can muster up the strength to move, sure, but fighting is out of the question. I’m almost completely out of energy.”
He shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalant manner, “Eh, I’ve seen worse.”
Naoto helped Derrick up from the floor before traversing the Divine Tree once again. After some time, they entered a spacious chamber with a large ornate door standing before them. Upon closer inspection, the door was slightly open. At the foot of the door, two members of the Alchemic Order’s Royal Guard lay dead on the floor, their wounds recent, too recent.
“Reed Rowley managed to take down two members of the Alchemic Order by himself? They didn’t look like pushovers either…” McLoren looked at the ominous door with concern and hesitation, “Do you really think we can win?”
“...” Naoto could no longer maintain his confident facade and chose to keep his mouth shut. Honestly, he had no idea if they’d even make it out of there alive, but they were already too far gone to turn back. Luckily for him, Naoto had gathered a couple of Mythical Items during the hunt for Reed Rowley, so he would at least earn a modest reward if he survived.
They entered the throne room of the Divine Tree with wavering spirit and determination. The crimson red vines transformed into deep, frenzied purple as the core of the tree convulsed and pulsated like a heart. In front of the heart stood a mysterious young man with black and white hair. He wore a white button-up T-Shirt with classic dress pants that an average student would wear.
The young man turned around with a jovial smile, "Hey!"
“Reed Rowley!" Naoto wasted no time with idle discussion or banter. He gathered a vast amount of spirituality in his fingertips before unleashing a barrage of wind bullets like a hand-gun.
Rowley easily dodged the wind bullets with strange, unserious movements that underlied his childish nature. “Haha! An elemental ability? That’s a pretty unique characteristic! You aren’t from the Western Continent, are you?” He pulled out a .38 caliber handgun and fired at the group. McLoren erected a barrier and easily blocked the attack.
He shouted in desperation, “Go!”
Naoto propelled himself with twin gusts of wind and attacked Rowley with a downward slash. Unexpectedly, the attack missed completely as Rowley cowered in a fetal position.
“Gah! H-How come I always get the tough enemies? You almost sliced me in half!”
“That’s the plan, dickhead.” Naoto pursued the nimble Rowley at a blinding speed. With his wind manipulation ability, closing the gap was hardly an issue. However, there was something off about Rowley and how he fought.
Naoto contemplated, He talks and behaves like a child, and it’s obvious that he doesn’t have any real combat training. So why…why can’t I hit him?
Despite his severe injuries, Derrick mustered what little strength remained and launched himself into battle, aiming to catch Rowley off guard. However, his movements were sluggish and feeble, providing ample time for the cunning adversary to retaliate with his own Heirloom, the Yata Mirror. This ancient artifact possessed the ability to instantly reflect attacks back upon the assailant, granted the opponent's strength fell within a similar or lesser caliber.
Though the reflected assault failed to inflict significant harm, the sheer shock of the blow rendered Derrick incapacitated, exhaustion overtaking him and forcing him out of the fight. With Derrick down, Rowley wasted no time in closing the distance between himself and Naoto, seizing the opportunity to unleash a point-blank gunshot from his second Heirloom, The Thunderer.
"Alright, who's left?" Rowley's tone dripped with indifference as he turned his attention to McLoren, his disregard evident. "Sorry, but I don’t know your name, but I’ll have to take you out too."
McLoren sat in stunned silence, grappling to maintain his composure. Despite Rowley's seemingly weak body, McLoren understood all too well the insurmountable odds stacked against him without the aid of the Bloody Devil. With a single stomp to the head, McLoren was down. It seemed like no one was left to stop Reed Rowley from achieving his goal.
He turned towards the beating heart of the Divine Tree and looked at the grotesque organism in confusion. “That was a pretty boring mission. I wish I got to witness the priest’s fight upstairs at least. Oh well! I’ve gotten what I came for.”
Derrick, despite his injuries, found the strength to confront Reed Rowley, driven by a burning curiosity about the enigmatic figure's motivations.
"Why are you doing this, Reed?" Derrick's voice was strained, laced with pain yet tinged with an unwavering determination. "You're on the run from the police, aren’t you? What do you hope to achieve by seizing the power of the Divine Tree?"
“On the run…? So you know about my affiliation with the police? That is mighty inconvenient.”
Derrick's voice cut through the tension, his anger palpable as he confronted Reed Rowley. "Ever since the attack on the First Police Precinct, the higher-ups have probably labeled you a liability, haven't they? All the evidence points back to you and the Karma. That's why you've been cozying up to Naraka-affiliated organizations. You're just trying to save your own skin!"
Reed's expression momentarily shifted, a hint of confusion crossing his face as he regarded the battered Derrick. He stroked his chin thoughtfully before responding. "You're perceptive, Derrick. We could have been classmates, you and I. But you're only half-right."
Derrick's confusion mirrored his own thoughts. How could he have been mistaken?
"Let me enlighten you," Reed continued, his tone almost gleeful. "It's a villain's prerogative to explain their plans to the hero, after all."
"As for Naraka and the Mathers Police Department," Reed went on, "they've been in bed together for longer than you realize. Do you honestly think they'd oppose my dealings with them? Quite the contrary. Corruption runs deep."
Derrick's realization hit him like a blow. "Corruption...even within the police?"
Reed nodded, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "And as for my relationship with the Police Department, let's just say I hold little sway there. I'm a mere rookie, barely a blip on their radar. They couldn't care less about me. All I had to do was kill some homeless guy called Reed Rowley and I got in! Incredible!"
“You’re depraved.”
“Thanks! I’m glad I’m getting into the aesthetic.”
Derrick shook his head, unable to comprehend the depths of Reed's evil. “Then on that day…you were there. You were at the First Police Precinct during the attack!”
“Right you are! Thanks to that “Alice Nim” character, It was pretty easy to infiltrate some of the restricted servers and steal some fragments of the Karma. Making convincing forgeries was the hard part. Do you know how much time that takes? It’s absurd!”
So we played right into the hands of the enemy. I was way too hasty. If only I didn’t put this on Elizabeth…she might not have had to put herself in such a dangerous situation.
"But here's the twist," Reed interjected, lifting his shirt to reveal a green tattoo—a testament to his allegiance with Testament. "Naraka and I are enemies. Mortal enemies."
Derrick's mind raced, piecing together the puzzle before him.
“That’s right, I’m operating as a triple agent! My actions within Naraka have come solely from my desire to benefit Testament and its position within The Hole.”
“No…I can tell you’re lying. You speak with a sly tongue, but your intentions are obvious. You couldn’t care less about Testament.”
“...” Rowley’s eyes sharpened with malicious intent. “I can’t exactly say you’re wrong, but you aren’t right either. Spreading chaos within Naraka by distributing false Karma fragments was truly in service of Testament, but there is something else I’m working for - something else I want.”
“And just what is that?”
Rowley let out a sinister grin. “I want the world.”
