Everything came crashing down.

The land that had existed apart from the entire world beyond its walls now roared in devastating waves.

Halo's assault wasn't well received, and now he was in hell.

The entire land was in uproar. Their most beloved guard had been slaughtered, and somehow, all of it was blamed on Halo.

Security was tight, making it impossible for Halo to leave. Locals were in constant pursuit. His portraits were everywhere, his unusual dirty-white hair with vivid red streaks unmistakable on every poster.

He was impossible to miss.

Despite everything, he was surprisingly at ease. But Iris wasn't.

He was the villain in his own quest to save lives. People like him could never stand in the light, but he believed this chaos would help them finally solve the Chaos Eater mystery and fulfill their Purpose.

The land lacked order now, creating the perfect opportunity to draw out the mastermind they'd been hunting all this time.

It should have been easy, but it wasn't.

The Chaos Eaters, the brain-eating maniacs, struck exactly the day after Spector's death. They could now pass on the virus through contact.

Only five people were killed, yet they all turned into Chaos Eaters right after their deaths. This was unlike anything they'd usually done, and it gave the locals more reason to be furious.

In their defense, everything had been perfect before Halo's arrival. They'd managed Chaos Eater attacks without fear, but now the Sinners had evolved twice in just two months. Everything was Halo's fault.

***

Sunlight streamed through the windows, falling gently into the room and highlighting the table and chairs, Halo's calm expression, and Iris's bothered look.

Though the entire land screamed with rage and stank of hatred, within these walls, Halo only concerned himself with how pristine his clothes were. Every cut he'd endured during the battle with Spector had healed by morning.

"I don't mean to be rude, but… I really wish you'd told me what you were planning. You could have been hurt. You don't get to scare me like that."

Iris said with a saddened look.

She had been like this for the past two days, since Halo fought Spector. She'd apologize constantly and wish for something better. Hearing those words every minute was absurd, but she was only worried because she cared.

"The damage is done, but now, we need a solution."

Halo gave her a nod and room to let out her plan.

"We can't leave this place yet. They've made sure you'd be caught the second you try to escape. And the bridge… you can't jump. That river will boil you alive in one breath."

True, but something nagged at Halo, though.

The period between the guards discovering Spector's corpse and them pinning everything on him was too abrupt. It was as though they'd already had a suspect in mind.

Halo's blue eyes met Iris's golden ones.

"What do you think? Did they already expect me to face Spector head-on?"

Iris shook her head in disapproval.

"Your approach was reckless, far beyond what they'd predict from a group this outnumbered. That's why I'm certain Spector left a contingency… a note that if he doesn't return, you're the one who ended him."

Halo drowned himself for a second.

He'd already considered it, but that wasn't what he expected from Spector. Given how his True Ability worked, it would have been reckless of him to assume he'd lost before the fight even began. Unless…

Unless his commander had known about Halo's mission and wanted to use Spector's life as a weapon against him. Cruel, but it was definitely possible.

"How do you propose we pull Spector's commander out of hiding? He's the one we must remove first."

Iris's eyes squinted.

"We can't act without exposing ourselves… but it doesn't matter. They're already on their way."

Halo's expression darkened.

"How?"

Iris smiled.

"They've already resolved to search every house, and they're focusing particularly on anyone new to this land."

Halo frowned.

"Huh?"

The smile across her face grew warmer as she pulled a silver key out of her pocket.

"Honestly, I figured you'd pull something on your own and kill at least one guard. So while Mika had you, I went ahead and secured us another house in the next district."

She gave her words a beat.

"We only need to get the commander into that house. And once he falls… I've already secured a place where you can vanish."

This was ideal. Since countless people had seen Iris exit this room repeatedly, if Halo was spotted here, it would blow her cover and reveal they were working together.

But while this seemed fine, something didn't sit right with Halo. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he knew this plan wouldn't be as easy as it seemed. Perhaps it was his assassin's instinct.

"How sure are you this will actually work? The Prince runs that whole district, and if she commands all the guards, she has to be dangerous. I can't afford to get caught off-guard without a plan."

Iris's expression darkened for an instant before it shaped into a smug smile.

"Don't worry. I don't know much about the Prince, but the fact that she hid her identity tells me she isn't our main concern. The commander is different. He's a brute, a reckless bull who charges at anything without thought. Spector was the one who kept him grounded."

"…"

"He used to have purpose. Now he clings to anything, so long as it lets him chase revenge."

Halo watched the smile on her face for a moment. He still wasn't convinced. They weren't sure if the commander was behind the Chaos Eaters, but given his idiotic persona, it was hard to believe he could pull off something so complex.

They couldn't pin it on the Prince either, they had no concrete evidence. Her position screamed that she played a larger role, but they couldn't base their argument on suspicion alone.

They just had to take out the commander, and whoever took control from that moment would be their next suspect.

Halo didn't trust Iris completely, but he knew they could manage this together. Unless she'd been the Prince all along.

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