The quiet hum of machinery in Durnath was broken by the hurried footsteps of a breathless messenger. His clothes were dust-stained, his face pale from exhaustion.
"Urgent news!" the man panted, clutching his side. "An entire village has been… wiped out!"
Ryle, who had just started recovering from his brutal "training," immediately stood up.
"Details. Now." His voice was sharp, commanding.
The messenger swallowed hard. "No survivors. Every corpse had the same unnatural blackened organs—just like the noblewoman possessed in Elden."
Thea's expression darkened. "This is Blood Harvest."
Without another word, Ryle grabbed Thea and shot into the sky, his dragon wings spreading wide.
The First Village – A Horrifying Sight
Ryle soared through the air, the wind whipping against his face. Below, the forests blurred as he flew at full speed, his grip firm around Thea.
After an hour, the ruined village came into view.
The moment they landed, a suffocating, rotten stench filled the air.
What they saw made Thea's stomach turn.
Every single villager—men, women, and children—lay motionless in the streets, their bodies twisted in agony. Their organs had turned completely black, their skin pale as ash.
There were no signs of struggle—it was as if they had all died instantly.
Thea clenched her fists. "This isn't just a massacre. This is an extermination."
Ryle crouched down and examined one of the bodies, his expression cold.
"Blood Harvest… but it looks like a more advanced version than before." He narrowed his eyes. "The corruption is more potent."
Suddenly—
A scream echoed in the distance.
Ryle's head snapped up. He turned to Thea.
"Another village is under attack."
Ryle and Thea burst into the sky once more, racing toward the source of the screams.
As they neared the next village, they saw dozens of villagers collapsing one by one—black veins spreading across their bodies.
He sees a point where all the soul being harvested.
Ryle didn't hesitate.
He cut them.
Thea followed, her dual swords flashing as she cut through them.
However, despite their efforts—
Half the village was already dead.
Ryle clenched his jaw as he looked at the survivors, who sobbed over the bodies of their loved ones.
He hated this feeling. The feeling of being too late.
Realizing the scale of the bloodshed, Ryle turned to Thea.
"We can't stop this alone. I need you to fly ahead and search for more villages at risk."
Thea nodded, determination burning in her eyes. "I'll cover as much ground as I can."
As Thea took off, Ryle pulled out his journalist communicator crystal and contacted Varek.
"I need Durnath's help—now."
Varek's voice crackled through the crystal. "Tch. I figured something was up. What's the situation?"
"Village after village is being wiped out. We need weapons, reinforcements, and people who can recognize Blood Harvest."
Varek cursed under his breath. "I'll mobilize the Durnathian combat smiths. You just focus on keeping people alive."
Ryle nodded grimly. "Understood."
Days of Relentless Rescue Efforts
For the next several days, Ryle, Thea, and the forces of Durnath worked tirelessly.
They traveled from village to village, intercepting Blood Harvest attacks whenever possible.
Hundreds of lives were saved.
But thousands were lost.
No matter how fast they moved, they couldn't stop every massacre.
Still, Ryle refused to stop.
He flew until his wings ached.
He fought until his body bled.
He cut the dark aura with the Hemlock Steel sword.
Yet the attacks never stopped.
Blood Harvest did not affect everyone equally.
He compared his notes, cross-checked survivor testimonies, and studied the corpses.
Not a single atheist had been touched by the Harvest.
Ryle's hands tightened around his notebook.
Emily Astoria.
Her hatred for religion.
Her obsession with destroying divine beings to revive Ignilth.
His eyes darkened.
"So…" he muttered, his voice cold, "this is a war against faith itself?"
Ryle glared at the blood-stained ground.
His claws sharpened, his dragon eyes burning with fury.
"This massacre… it's all Emily's?."
She was behind everything.
And Ryle swore—
He would kill her for this.