Location: Liebus HeadquartersPlace: Training Facility
The entire training facility fell into complete silence.
Only moments earlier, the massive hall had been filled with explosions, collapsing walls, and the deafening clash of battle. Now, the only sounds that remained were chunks of broken concrete falling from the shattered ceiling and dust drifting slowly through the air. Soldiers stood frozen with their weapons still raised, unable to tear their eyes away from the unbelievable sight before them.
Nothing made sense anymore.
The ordinary soldiers couldn’t understand what they were witnessing.
The elite guards couldn’t understand it either.
Even the captains, warriors who had survived countless battles against demons and witnessed horrors beyond imagination, found themselves staring in complete disbelief.
Their Chief...
One of humanity’s strongest warriors.
A woman who had spent her entire life being forged into a weapon to protect mankind. The very existence that stood at the frontlines against the Demonic World, someone whose strength was respected across every Agency branch...
...was kneeling before an unknown woman who, at first glance, didn’t even appear particularly powerful.
Everything they believed they knew had been overturned in a single moment.
Sara slowly lowered her head, one knee resting firmly upon the broken ground. There wasn’t the slightest hesitation in her movements, nor was there any sign of unwillingness. The posture she displayed wasn’t born from fear or defeat.
It was the respect one ruler offered another.
"May our Queen live forever."
Her calm voice echoed throughout the ruined training facility.
When her words faded...
Silence followed.
Not a single person dared to speak.
Fiona’s eyes widened as she stared at Sara, unable to believe what she had just heard. For a brief moment, she genuinely wondered if she had misheard the words.
Queen...?
The single word echoed repeatedly inside her mind.
She wasn’t the only one.
Every soldier, every elite guard, and every captain found themselves asking the very same question.
Queen?
Who was she talking about?
Confused whispers slowly spread throughout the formation as soldiers exchanged uncertain glances with one another, desperately hoping someone nearby understood what was happening.
None of them did.
Among the captains, Lily stood completely speechless.
Sara had always been someone she admired more than anyone else. To Lily, the Chief had never been someone who would lower her head before another person. She was the one everyone else respected.
Yet now...
The woman she looked up to the most was kneeling before someone else without the slightest hesitation.
A short distance away, Raven remained equally stunned.
Everything she possessed today her strength, her resolve, even the ruthless mentality that had allowed her to survive countless missions—had been taught to her by Sara herself.
The woman who had once told her...
"Never bow your head unless it’s absolutely necessary."
...was now kneeling.
It made no sense.
High above the ruined walls of the training facility, members of the Shadow Unit remained hidden among the damaged structures, silently watching everything unfold below. The air felt strangely heavy as none of them dared to move. Their mission had always been to observe, gather information, and wait for orders, yet what they were witnessing completely shattered everything they believed about the woman they had followed for years.
Although every one of them was stunned by Sara’s actions, their attention gradually shifted toward the one person they trusted most to make sense of the impossible.
Raven.
A long silence lingered before one of the Shadow Unit members finally spoke, his voice filled with uncertainty.
"...Captain."
He swallowed nervously before forcing the next words out.
"The Chief..."
"She... she bowed her head."
Another member immediately shook his head, refusing to believe what his own eyes had seen.
"No..."
"That’s impossible... right?"
Raven didn’t answer immediately. Her sharp gaze never left Sara’s figure below as countless thoughts raced through her mind. She searched desperately for any explanation that could justify what she had just witnessed, yet every possibility collapsed the moment she compared it to the woman she knew.
"No..."
"It can’t be."
"There has to be a trick."
Her fists slowly tightened until her knuckles turned white.
This is Sara.
The strongest woman in Liebus.
The woman who taught us that strength meant never lowering your head before anyone.
She would never kneel willingly.
The more Raven replayed the scene in her mind, the more impossible it became. Sara wasn’t merely their commander. She was the embodiment of pride itself. Throughout countless battles, she had stood before enemies far stronger than herself without showing even a hint of fear. Even in the face of death, she had never once lowered her head.
Someone like that...
Could never submit.
Her thoughts raced from one possibility to another until a single memory suddenly surfaced.
Her eyes widened.
"...Yes."
A faint smile slowly formed across her face as if she had finally solved an impossible puzzle.
"Now it all makes sense."
The surrounding members immediately turned toward her, hope returning to their expressions.
"What do you mean, Captain?"
"Did you figure something out?"
Raven gave a confident nod.
"Do all of you remember Suriya Rakh?"
The moment that name left her mouth, every member of the Shadow Unit froze.
How could they possibly forget?
Suriya Rakh was one of the Demonic World’s most infamous mental manipulators a upper blood demon feared not for overwhelming strength, but for the horrifying ability to invade a person’s mind. Victims couldn’t distinguish illusion from reality. They could be forced to see things that never existed, hear voices that weren’t there, and even believe lies so completely that they would willingly act upon them.
One member’s eyes widened in realization.
"...Hypnosis?"
Raven nodded without hesitation.
"Exactly."
"That’s the only explanation."
"Our Chief would never kneel before anyone."
"Someone must have manipulated her mind."
Another member instinctively tightened his grip around his weapon, his expression hardening.
"Then... the intruder’s ability isn’t physical."
"It’s mental."
"It has to be."
The Shadow Unit exchanged determined glances, and the suffocating confusion that had filled their hearts slowly transformed into certainty.
The impossible sight before them suddenly became far easier to accept.
Rather than believing that the strongest warrior in Liebus had willingly bowed before a complete stranger, they chose the explanation that aligned with everything they knew about Sara.
There was only one answer they were willing to believe.
Someone...
Had taken control of Sara’s mind.
Before anyone below could react any further, a loud voice suddenly echoed across the entire training facility.
"Listen to me, soldiers!"
Every head instinctively turned upward.
High above the ruined walls, Raven stepped forward from the Shadow Unit’s position, her voice carrying across the battlefield with absolute authority.
"This is your Captain Raven speaking!"
The soldiers who had been frozen in confusion immediately snapped back to reality. Even Lily instinctively looked toward the damaged walls where the Shadow Unit had been observing everything from the beginning.
Raven took a deep breath before pointing directly toward Erza.
"The intruder is no ordinary enemy!"
"She is a demon!"
"A demon with abilities similar to Suriya Rakh—the Upper Blood Demon!"
"She has invaded the Chief’s mind and is manipulating her thoughts!"
"She’s forcing Chief Sara to lower her guard!"
The moment those words reached everyone’s ears, countless pairs of eyes widened in realization.
Everything...
Finally made sense.
The impossible scene they had just witnessed no longer felt impossible. Sara kneeling before someone, Erika and Elga suddenly fighting one another, the strange claw marks carved across the walls despite no visible enemy, and the intruder standing completely unharmed while two captains had nearly killed each other...
Every piece suddenly fit together.
Raven immediately seized the opportunity before doubt could return.
"Aim for her eyes!"
"Destroy her concentration!"
"Save our Chief!"
Her voice echoed throughout the facility like an unquestionable order.
Below, Erza remained completely silent.
She listened patiently as Raven pieced together her own version of the truth, yet not a single word stirred any emotion within her. If anything, the constant shouting only made the irritation growing inside her even stronger.
Moments earlier, she had actually been pleased.
Ever since arriving on this insignificant planet, not a single person had treated her with the respect befitting the Queen of Atlantis.
They had pointed weapons at her, questioned her authority, and even spoken to her as though she were their equal. Even Yuuta, despite being her husband, barely understood the proper etiquette expected when addressing royalty.
Yet Sara...
Sara had done what no one else had.
She had lowered her head and greeted her with the respect worthy of a queen.
For the first time since arriving on Earth, Erza had felt a small sense of satisfaction.
But now...
That feeling was rapidly disappearing.
Not because of Sara...
But because of the endless interruptions.
Nearby, Lily’s eyes suddenly widened as another realization struck her.
Suriya Rakh...
If Raven’s theory was true...
Then everything made sense.
Her gaze immediately shifted toward the deep claw marks gouged into the nearby wall before recalling the reports she had received earlier.
So that’s it...
Captain Erika and Captain Elga weren’t fighting because they had turned on each other...
They were under hypnosis.
Her breathing grew heavier as the pieces continued falling into place.
That would explain why Elga had attacked Erika.
It would explain the destroyed walls.
And it would also explain how the intruder had remained completely unscathed while two captains had nearly killed each other.
Without another moment of hesitation, Lily raised her weapon high into the air.
"Raise your weapons!"
"Kill the intruder!"
The order rang throughout the facility.
In an instant, every soldier stationed on the balconies, rooftops, watchtowers, and training grounds raised their rifles once again.
Thousands of gun barrels shifted in perfect synchronization until every single one of them was aimed directly at Erza, their fingers slowly tightening around the triggers as the battlefield once again descended into suffocating silence.
Sara remained on one knee with her head lowered, not daring to lift her gaze from the ground.
Every word Raven shouted echoed clearly in her ears, and every order given to the soldiers made her heart sink deeper into despair.
She desperately wanted to stop them.
She wanted to scream at them to lower their weapons, retreat immediately, and never provoke the monster standing before them. Yet no matter how hard she tried, her lips refused to move.
Fear had completely seized control of her body. Standing before Erza, she couldn’t even gather the courage to open her mouth without permission.
It wasn’t because someone had physically restrained her, but because the overwhelming difference in power had become an unbreakable law. Before a superior existence, the weak simply did not have the right to act unless they were allowed to.
Meanwhile, Erza quietly watched the soldiers raise their weapons once more. Their endless shouting, accusations, and refusal to understand had gradually exhausted the last remnants of her patience.
Only moments ago, Sara’s respectful greeting had finally put her in a pleasant mood. After arriving on this insignificant planet, not a single person had shown her the proper respect due to the Queen of Atlantis.
Even Yuuta, despite being her husband, barely understood the etiquette expected when speaking to royalty. Sara, however, had done what no one else had accomplished. She had lowered her head willingly and acknowledged Erza’s authority without hesitation.
It was the first time Erza had felt genuinely pleased since coming to Earth. Yet these persistent interruptions had quickly ruined that feeling.
"Annoying pests."
Her voice remained calm, but the irritation hidden within those two words sent a chill across the battlefield. Before a single soldier could squeeze the trigger, Erza slowly lifted one leg and brought her heel crashing down onto the ground.
The instant her foot landed, the entire training facility shook violently as an earth-shattering impact echoed in every direction.
Massive cracks burst outward beneath her heel like a giant spider’s web, causing soldiers across the battlefield to lose their footing as the ground trembled beneath them.
Before anyone could regain their balance, a wave of crystalline ice erupted from the point of impact and surged across the facility with terrifying speed.
The frost spread so quickly that it seemed to ignore the laws of nature, swallowing everything in its path within the blink of an eye.
Soldiers froze where they stood as thick layers of ice climbed over their bodies, imprisoning them completely while leaving only their heads exposed.
The freezing wave continued climbing the damaged walls until it reached the Shadow Unit hidden high above.
Raven and every member beside her found themselves trapped as well, their bodies sealed within solid ice before any of them could even think of escaping. In less than a second, the once chaotic battlefield had become eerily silent.
A faint smile slowly appeared on Erza’s face as the refreshing silence washed over her. The constant shouting had finally disappeared, leaving only absolute stillness behind. To her, the silence felt far more pleasant than the noise that had surrounded her moments earlier.
Sara’s heart nearly stopped the moment she saw that smile.
She immediately sensed the terrifying killing intent radiating from Erza. It wasn’t merely anger. It was the cold, indifferent intent of someone preparing to erase every life standing before her. Sara understood exactly what that smile meant. If Erza wished it, every soldier trapped within the ice would die without a single one of them being able to resist. She knew how merciless dragons could be, and standing before her wasn’t an ordinary dragon. This was Erza Veyla Dragomir, the Queen of Atlantis, the supreme ruler of dragonkind.
Ignoring the overwhelming fear crushing her heart, Sara forced herself to speak while keeping her forehead pressed against the ground.
"Mercy... my Queen."
Her trembling voice echoed across the frozen battlefield.
"Please... have mercy upon us."
Erza’s violet eyes slowly shifted toward Sara. Only moments ago, she had intended to wipe out every soldier within the facility without the slightest hesitation. To her, their lives carried no value. They had pointed weapons at their queen, interrupted her repeatedly, and continued shouting despite countless warnings. Yet Sara’s desperate plea had stayed her hand. Instead of acting immediately, Erza quietly observed the woman kneeling before her, waiting to hear what she would say.
Sara lowered her head until it nearly touched the frozen ground.
"Please show mercy upon us, Queen of Atlantis... Divine Being."
"My subjects acted only because they were following my orders. They know nothing of Your Majesty’s greatness. If anyone deserves punishment for offending you, then..."
She clenched her fists before finally finding the courage to finish.
"...let that punishment fall upon me alone."
Erza remained silent, her gaze never leaving Sara.
Once again, confusion surfaced within her heart. No matter how she looked at the woman before her, nothing made sense. Sara belonged to the Blood Dynasty, one of the oldest and most feared vampire bloodlines in Nova.
Their reputation had been built upon centuries of cruelty, arrogance, and absolute indifference toward weaker races. To members of the Blood Dynasty, humans were nothing more than livestock. Some viewed them as convenient sources of blood, while others considered them little different from domesticated animals raised for consumption.
Compassion toward humanity simply did not exist within their culture, yet Sara was willingly offering her own life to protect people who should have meant absolutely nothing to her. It was so unlike the Blood Dynasty that Erza found herself questioning whether the woman before her was truly the same Sara she remembered.
"Why are you going this far for them?" Erza finally asked, her voice cold and emotionless. "Tell me, survivor of the Blood Dynasty... why have you fallen this low?"
Sara’s body stiffened the instant those words reached her ears. She didn’t dare raise her head, nor did she answer immediately.
The pressure radiating from Erza’s body continued pressing down upon her like an invisible mountain, making every breath feel painfully heavy.
Sara understood better than anyone that dragons, especially dragon royalty, possessed little patience. One wrong answer, one disrespectful word, or even the slightest lie could easily cost her life.
After several long seconds, Sara finally forced herself to speak.
"Your Highness... I cannot reveal it."
Erza’s expression remained unchanged.
"Should I take that as your answer?"
The simple question carried enough authority to make Sara’s heart nearly stop. She hurriedly shook her head despite remaining bowed.
"No, My Queen. It isn’t that I refuse to answer. I simply... cannot reveal it here. This matter is deeply personal."
Erza quietly studied Sara for a few moments before speaking again.
"Is it about Anaya?"
The moment that single name left Erza’s lips, Sara’s pupils shrank violently. Her breathing stopped, and every thought within her mind disappeared. That name had remained buried within her heart for centuries. It was a secret she had never shared with anyone, yet Erza had spoken it so casually, as though she already knew everything.
How...?
How does Her Majesty know about Anaya...?
Countless questions flooded Sara’s mind, but none of them reached her lips. After recovering from her shock, she slowly lowered her head once more.
"...Yes."
Erza gave a faint nod, as though that answer had confirmed everything she needed to know.
"Very well. I wanted to ask you about the same person."
She turned slightly toward the main building before continuing in the same calm tone.
"Take me to your room. We will discuss this there."
Sara immediately accepted without hesitation.
"Yes, Your Highness. It would be my honor to guide you."
She slowly rose to her feet while maintaining the respectful posture of a servant standing before her queen. Even after standing, she kept her head lowered, carefully waiting for permission before taking her first step. However, just as she prepared to move, Erza spoke once more, causing Sara to freeze in place.
Before Sara could take even a single step, Erza’s calm voice echoed behind her once again.
"And one more thing."
Sara immediately stopped in her tracks, lowering her head even further.
Without even glancing at the countless frozen soldiers surrounding her, Erza spoke in the same indifferent tone, as though she were merely announcing something obvious.
"From this moment onward..."
"This entire agency..."
"...is under my command."
The words echoed throughout the frozen training facility.
For a brief moment...
No one spoke.
Every soldier stared at Erza with wide eyes, unable to process what they had just heard. Even though only their heads were free from the ice, the disbelief on their faces was unmistakable.
Captain Lily’s pupils trembled.
Captain Raven froze completely.
Even the members of the Shadow Unit looked at one another in utter disbelief.
She...
She wants to take over the entire agency?
The thought alone sounded insane.
This wasn’t just any military base.
This was Liebus.
Humanity’s strongest defense against demons.
Yet the woman standing before them had declared it would belong to her... as casually as if she were claiming something that had always been hers.
No threats.
No negotiations.
Only a single sentence.
Sara slowly closed her eyes.
She already knew...
The nightmare...
Had only just begun.
To be Contiuned....
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