The single word—"What!", still trembled through the grand hall long after it left his lips.

Alexander Arman sat motionless on the lone cushion, the letter trembling faintly in his hands. His sharp emerald eyes darted across the parchment again and again, as though afraid the words would vanish if he dared to blink.

Once. Twice. A dozen times. Only after the twelfth reading did he finally accept that this wasn't some cruel trick of his mind. The message was real.

"…After all this time," he muttered, voice low but unsteady, "is there finally a way… to destroy these wretched things?"

It was rare, unheard of, even for an emperor of his stature to lose composure. But this… this news was enough to shake the pillars of his restraint.

The letter spoke of a boy, someone who possessed the ability to destroy corruption.

For three years, that word alone had chained the empire by the throat. Corruption was not a creature, nor a poison, nor a curse one could simply cleanse. It was alive, a blight that bloomed within living beings without warning. The weak succumbed in days; the strong resisted for longer, but all eventually fell. And when they did, they became something else. Something no longer human.

Even the emperor himself, a Rank 9 professional whose strength could level armies, had been powerless against it. His soldiers could burn cities to ash, yet none could burn away corruption.

Until now.

His hand tightened on the letter. "With this… we might finally be able to rescue Mother."

The words came out softer, almost a whisper of hope. Then, in one smooth motion, Alexander rose to his feet. His aura surged unconsciously, shaking dust from the distant pillars as he turned toward the exit. He was ready to leave, ready to see this boy himself.

But before his first step met the marble floor, a voice drifted through the air, calm yet filled with quiet curiosity.

"Brother… where are you going?"

Alexander froze.

From the empty space near the far wall, golden light shimmered and took shape, a woman stepping into existence with the ease of breathing. Her beauty was sharp, regal, and hauntingly familiar. The same brown hair framed her face, the same emerald eyes glimmered with calm intelligence. The only difference was the pair of silvered wolf ears atop her head, and the soft tail swaying gently behind her.

Genevieve Arman.

The Empress of the Arman Empire, and Alexander's twin sister.

She regarded him with a questioning tilt of her head, her gaze flicking from the glowing parchment in his hand to his unsettled expression.

"Did something important happen, Alexander?" she asked, her tone gentle but edged with concern.

The emperor's eyes lingered on her for a long moment. Then, slowly, he exhaled.

"…You could say that," he said quietly. "Something that may change everything."

*****

Genevieve watched her brother in silence, the soft echo of their shared blood humming between them. She could tell from his posture, from the quiet fire behind his eyes, that whatever he'd just read had rattled even his iron composure. When he didn't immediately explain, she simply waited, patient, regal, but expectant.

Alexander didn't speak. Instead, he handed her the letter.

Genevieve took it, her expression calm at first, until her eyes began to move across the words. The further she read, the wider her eyes grew, and by the time she reached the end, her lips parted in disbelief.

"Is this real?" she asked, her voice breaking the heavy stillness of the hall.

Alexander's reply was calm but sharp. "The commander wouldn't dare send a false report."

Genevieve inhaled slowly, lowering the letter as a faint, incredulous smile tugged at her lips. "Then it seems the stars are shining in our favor at last."

Alexander's gaze hardened, purpose flooding through him. "Then I'll be off."

Genevieve bowed her head slightly, acknowledging his decision. Before she could say another word, Alexander vanished, his presence snapping out of existence like a candle flame smothered by wind.

She remained still for a moment, eyes lingering on the empty space he'd stood in. Then, softly, she murmured to herself, "With this… there might truly be a chance to save Mother."

The idea of sending an emissary to meet this mysterious boy never even crossed their minds. The matter was too important, too sacred. Only the emperor himself could afford to see it through.

****

Back in the Imperial Guard headquarters, Leon sat in the silence of the guest room, the faint hum of the chandelier above him casting soft light over his face. His earlier discussion with Racheal and Adrian had ended not long ago, they'd gone over everything: how to locate their missing squadmates, how to move within the empire, and everything Leon understood so far about corruption itself.

Now, the room was quiet. Racheal had left to finally eat something, her last meal interrupted by the lieutenant's arrival. Adrian had returned to his duties.

Leon, however, didn't need food anymore. His new body had long since transcended such mortal necessities.

The stillness allowed his thoughts to deepen. With a small exhale, he lifted his hand slightly. A faint shimmer of violet light appeared before him as his status panel unfolded in the air.

[Status Panel]

Name: Leon Kael

Race: Void Spawn

Age: 19

Class: Warrior

Rank: D-Rank

Talent: {Attack} — EX Rank

{Mark} — Overlord Rank

Status: Normal

Health: 100%

[STATS]

Vitality: 6500

Stamina: 6100

Strength: 6490

Senses: 6678

Speed: 6350

Aura: 6500

Affinity: Force (IV)

Destruction (I)

[Skills]

[EXTREME ART]

—

[Inventory]

—

The numbers glowed faintly before him, proof of his rapid growth. Yet, staring at them, Leon couldn't help but feel detached.

These were just numbers now. Strength measured in digits. His body was strong, his aura vast, but he knew better, until he crossed beyond mortality, his stats were only a reflection of what a mortal frame could hold.

He leaned back slightly, his eyes narrowing. 'During that battle… if not for my affinities, my arts, or burning attack points to force my stats up, I wouldn't have stood a chance against Lancelot.'

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