BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM

The sounds of combat drew closer, and Vania's grip on the vial tightened. She may not know what it would do to her, but the chance of finding out grew with each passing moment.

Vania could see more of the monstrosities pouring through the corridors.

"Commander, we're receiving reports of a gas being deployed in the outer compound," another Enforcer said. "Everyone caught in it... they're melting, ma'am. Just dissolving where they stand."

Amber Joyce. It had to be. Not only was she Romano's personal attack dog, but she was also his girlfriend, or whatever she was called. Everyone knew Erik had three companions, among whom was Amber Joyce, so it wasn't surprising she was on Mur with him.

Vania had read the reports about her feats in Fasard—entire squadrons were reduced to liquid within minutes.

But it wasn't just that; Amber Joyce, the daughter of one of their most troublesome enemies, was also a brilliant tactician.

"Seal all ventilation systems," Vania said. "Activate the emergency air filters."

"Already done, Commander, but the eastern wing reports the filters are failing. The gas is eating through the mechanisms, and most of the ventilation shafts had been blasted open by Romano's troops."

The command center's doors burst open as more creatures poured in. These moved differently—more coordinated, more powerful.

One unleashed a torrent of flame, incinerating the blackguards before they could defend themselves. Another created a metallic armor around itself. Most of them were an amalgam of different thaid parts. They didn't look human, aside from their faces, which were identical to that of Erik Romano.

"The clones are here."

Vania drew on her own powers, combining blood manipulation with a wave of snaking spectral chains that squished dozens of the monsters.

Their own blood was used against them to form needles that pierced their bodies, reducing them to twitching heaps.

"Status report on the remaining wings," Vania said.

"North Wing is barely holding. South Wing is compromised. East Wing has fallen. The West Wing is destroyed. Central Hub—this command center—remains our last secure location."

There were thousands of people in the central hub building, and more were pouring in, including the enemy soldiers. Most blackguards withdrew from their battles and rushed here, but many died in the initial attack.

Vania took a moment to process their situation. Thousands of blackguards were dead. Most of the research staff was killed.

One of the large creatures grabbed a blackguard and threw him across the room. He slammed into the wall with a horrible sound and slid down, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

Vania didn't waste any time—she used her power to pull the blood toward her, shape it into a sharp spear, and shoot it straight through the creature's chest.

"Commander," a voice called over the communications device. "Dr. Mercer's escort is down. We've lost contact with her."

"Lena…"

She was dead or being kept prisoner, but there was nothing Vania could do about it now except continue fighting and killing these abominations.

The battle got more intense as the Chimaeric Demons broke through their defenses. The command center had become a slaughterhouse.

Vania stood in the center of the chaos, blood swirling around her in a protective sphere. Her powers had always been considered disturbing by some—the ability to manipulate blood was considered macabre even among those who controlled equally sinister powers.

Only the third division commander did worse, as she could raise the dead. But now, surrounded by death and blood, her power reached its zenith.

The blood of fallen blackguards and creatures alike rose from the floor, forming a hurricane that tore through the invaders.

With subtle gestures of her hands, she directed the blood storm, severing limbs, bisecting bodies, and removing heads. And the more she killed, the more powerful she became.

For a moment, the attack faltered. The creatures hesitated, reassessing the threat she and her Vindicators posed.

The command center was in ruins. Consoles sparked and smoked. Bodies covered the floor. Of her elite guard, only seven remained standing, forming a protective circle around her position. Beyond them, the creatures gathered, watching, waiting.

"Why have they stopped?" one of her guards asked.

The answer came in the form of a tremor that ran through the building. This time, it wasn't an explosion, but something else entirely. A pressure that built in the air, making it difficult to breathe.

The creatures parted, creating a path through their ranks. Footsteps echoed in the sudden silence—measured, unhurried, and confident.

Vania knew before she saw him. The mana signature was unmistakable—dense, controlled, and overwhelming in its intensity.

Erik Romano stepped inside the command center; his expression was calm as he looked around, reveling in the destruction his minions caused. His eyes found hers, recognition flashing across his face.

Erik never saw her, but he could infer her identity thanks to her uniform and the overwhelming powers that decimated his children.

"You must be the first Division Commander," he said, his voice carrying clearly across the room.

"At last."

Erik and Vania faced each other across the devastated command center.

Bodies of blackguards and clones—littering the surrounding floor—were the silent witnesses of this staring battle. This meeting was the culmination of a conflict that had brewed for years.

Vania's Vindicators formed a protective circle around her, but she never stopped staring at Erik.

"You've destroyed centuries of research," Vania said, breaking the silence. Blood continued to swirl around her, matching her increasingly irate emotions. She was ready to strike or shield at a moment's notice. Certainly she wanted to strike rather than defend.

"All our work, all our progress—obliterated because of your vendetta."

Erik's expression hardened. "Progress? Is that what you call it?" He stepped forward, crushing a broken console beneath his boot.

"Research built on the skin, flesh, and bones of innocent people. Experiments conducted without consent, without mercy." His eyes narrowed.

"Besides," Erik said. "You should have thought twice before killing my father. Before hunting me like an animal for years, before trying to strip me of the happiness I got after years of abuse and poverty, before sending the Crystal Cross Gang to capture me, before placing the basis for the crystal cross gang, the mambas, to spread their vicious roots in New Alexandria, leading to Anderson's and Mr. Fox's death."

Vania shook her head, blood tendrils tightening around her like armor. "Everything we did was for humanity's sake. For survival." She straightened her posture. "You've condemned us all with your selfishness."

"Humanity's sake?" Erik laughed. "Is that the story you tell yourselves? The noble lie that lets you sleep at night after torturing, killing, and experimenting on people alive?" He gestured at the surrounding destruction. "Do you truly believe what you did was for humanity's sake, and not for your selfish need for power and control?"