Manor Of Sin 2

A heavy silence lingered in the dimly lit chamber. The air was thick with an unnatural stillness, the presence of something far beyond human comprehension pressing upon them. Before them, standing amidst the twisted machinery and test tubes filled with writhing figures, was Duke Erisia.

"What do you plan to do with the Forge of Sin?" Ubel's voice cut through the silence like a knife, his sharp eyes locked onto the Duke.

The Duke tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. Then, with the smallest of sneers, he answered.

"Everything I can do to stop the oncoming catastrophe, you indolent worm." His voice carried no hesitation, no uncertainty—only conviction. "With it, I turn useless fools like you into something of use... You don't know what I do for mankind."

Rajin's gaze darkened as he spotted the figures floating within the test tubes—human, yet twisted beyond recognition. His hands curled into fists, trembling in restrained fury.

"In the name of Etrea, we'll put an end to this madness."

"Etrea..." The Duke's eyes flickered with interest. "So that thing has finally decided to make its move. Hm? I had thought it would come personally, but the Lord Regent must see me as nothing more than an agent's workload."

Leo's brows furrowed, confusion setting in. "That 'thing'? Agent?"

The Duke scrutinized them for a moment, his lips curling upward before erupting into laughter—deep, mocking, and filled with something almost resembling amusement.

"What?" Leo demanded, his patience wearing thin.

"I had assumed you were an agent," the Duke replied, wiping a nonexistent tear from his eye. "But you're what—let me guess, some notable Etrean adventurer or something? If Etrea is sending adventurers to deal with me, its prospects are certainly grim."

Leo's scowl deepened. "What the hell are you talking about?"

The Duke waved a hand dismissively. "There's no real point in explaining further. This is the end of the line. Even if you were to abandon the Forge, I cannot allow anyone who has seen this manor's secrets to leave here alive."

A sharp crack resonated through the air as the glass of the test tubes shattered. The malformed test subjects, grotesque amalgamations of flesh and metal, spilled forth, their twisted bodies twitching unnaturally. With unearthly shrieks, they lunged forward, their empty eyes locked onto the intruders.

"Tch—!" Velvet, Leo, Kouneli, and Rajin immediately moved into defensive positions, weapons drawn as the horde of abominations descended upon them.

Amidst the chaos, a blur of movement streaked through the dimly lit chamber.

A sharp glint of steel.

A figure behind the Duke.

A blade, inches from his neck.

Ubel.

With seamless precision, Ubel's flower-patterned sword carved through the air, aimed directly at the Duke's throat. But at the last moment, the Duke shifted—just barely dodging the fatal strike.

His sharp eyes met Ubel's. A flicker of amusement crossed his face before something deeper—something darker—settled in his gaze. "I see the darkness within you."

Ubel didn't respond. Instead, his fingers curled beneath his blade, his palm pressing against the flat of his sword. The air around him twisted and ignited.

"Third Art: Flame Wave."

A burst of fire exploded from his blade, a roaring inferno crashing toward the Duke. The sheer force of the attack sent waves of heat rippling through the room, warping the air as the fire surged forward.

The Duke raised his arms, his gauntlets shimmering with an eerie glow. The flames crashed against him, sending him hurtling backward, embedding him into the stone walls of the manor with a deafening impact.

Smoke and dust billowed in the aftermath, and as it cleared, the Duke emerged—his Erisian gauntlets glowing ominously.

A low chuckle escaped him as he slowly straightened, rolling his shoulders.

"I see now," he muttered under his breath, his gaze locked onto Ubel. "Out of all of them… you're the greatest threat here."