NOVEL NEXT Chapter 8: p.8:.. unbound law Entity
10:46 AM - (23rd August 2026 [2126] • Schelvia City • City's Heart • ALPHAO.CRESCENT.UNITY (A.C.U.) • HQ • Meeting Room Chamber)
"...Sure... but I think there's no need for Noir to attend this meeting anyway. He's probably out wilding straight to the Mirage District without us even telling him."
A boy waved his hand dismissively at the suggestion of assembling all the Top 9 for this urgent meeting. His golden-blonde wavy hair gleamed under the room's soft artificial lights, as his brown eyes held a bored expression. He leaned back against his chair, one hand lazily running along his tousled locks while the other rested on the table.
Kaelis Aurion - Rank 5 (Academics and Curriculum Officer)
Nickname: The Scholar
Gender: Male
He continued, his tone light and unbothered, "Besides, he's still going to survive either way. Just like what happened last month at the South Gate-he killed one 'DERØXIRIDE' all on his own. He's fine by himself. After all, he is the Tactical Combat Lead, the so-called Noir Prince-"
"Stop it, Kaelis! This is not a joke!"
The sharp, cutting voice of a girl across the table interrupted him, making him pause mid-sentence. She stood abruptly from her chair, her movements charged with frustration. Her cyan eyes burned with an intensity that matched the glowing crimson pulses of her Vitreous pendant, which dangled around her neck like a beacon of her rising anger.
Elysia Thorne - Rank 6 (Diplomatic Relations Officer)
Nickname: The Diplomat
Gender: Female
Elysia's sharp glare locked onto Kaelis, her words laced with stress and fury. "The East Gate was attacked by something, an entity we're not familiar with-one that can match us, the Top 9. Okay?! No matter how capable Noir is, this thing is... far more dangerous than any 'DERØXIRIDE' we've faced!"
Kaelis's eyes widened slightly, his usually indifferent expression flickering with a hint of surprise at her outburst. But that momentary reaction was quickly replaced by a smirk-a challenging, almost taunting curl of his lips. His brown eyes gleamed as he leaned forward, his voice dripping with mockery.
"...Are you saying you're doubting Noir's combat skills? Or... are you saying you're challenging him?"
"What? No! I'm not! What are you accusing me of?!" Elysia stammered, her cyan eyes widening in disbelief as she struggled to clarify herself. "I'm just saying that-"
"Oh, you're afraid, aren't you?" Kaelis interrupted, his smirk widening as he leaned back in his chair once more, clearly enjoying the rising tension. "Oh, wait, I know! You've never killed a DERØXIRIDE before, have you? You're just scared because you know you can't match him. After all, no one dares to challenge Artoria's Shadow." He let out a low, mocking chuckle before adding, "Ooooh, you're badmouthing him, huh? You'd better watch out-you might get challenged to a duel for that."
"Shut up, Kaelis! Don't accuse me of such nonsense!" Elysia snapped, her voice trembling with barely-contained rage. Her teeth clenched as the glow of her Vitreous pendant grew more intense, its crimson light pulsing rapidly like a beating heart on the verge of bursting. "I'm just saying that even the Noir Prince needs us as a powerhouse to confront this thing!"
Kaelis's smirk didn't falter; if anything, it only grew more pronounced. He thrived on her frustration, his cocky attitude stoking the flames of her temper. "You want to deal with this? Why don't you just finish me off right here, huh?"
Finally snapping, Elysia slammed her hand onto the table, her Vitreous pendant glowing brighter than ever. In a flash of crimson light, a massive battle axe materialized in her grip-a weapon of intricate design, its surface pulsating with vivid red lines that radiated raw energy. A faint red mist flowed from the axe as she raised it above her head, her glare fixed on Kaelis with unwavering intensity.
The room fell silent, the tension thick enough to suffocate.
Elysia stepped onto the round table with a determined stride, pointing the tip of her axe directly at Kaelis's head. Her voice rang out, loud and furious.
"Fight me, you damn coward!"
---
Outside the Chamber Room
"...What does this entity look like, based on your observation team's findings at the East Gate, Astra? We'll need every detail for the meeting with the rest of the Top 9 so we can plan how to handle it."
The firm, authoritative voice belonged to a girl walking briskly down the corridor of the A.C.U.'s 56th floor. Her thin coastal-blue glasses caught the ambient light as she adjusted them with a quick flick of her fingers. Her piercing gaze shifted briefly to her fellow council member beside her as their boots clicked softly against the polished floor.
Solaria DeVannis - Rank 2 (Vice-Leader)
Nickname: The Luminary
Gender: Female
Her companion, a quiet yet sharp-eyed girl holding a holo-tablet, glanced up at Solaria with a nod. Her slender fingers tapped against the device's surface, pulling up files and images as she began her report.
"...They seem to be busy for now," Astra said softly, referring to the chaos in the meeting room. "But based on the findings led by Alessandra Rayne and the video captured by Kairos Lucent's drone POV... this creature... it's not just any ordinary threat."
She paused, tapping her screen again to zoom in on an image, before turning the tablet toward Solaria for a closer look.
"This entity doesn't even resemble a 'DERØXIRIDE.' In fact, it looks more... human. But there's something off."
Astra Lynwood - Rank 7 (Security and Surveillance Specialist)
Nickname: The Watcher
Gender: Female
Solaria narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the image on the tablet. The drone footage showed a cloaked figure standing amidst the ruins near the East Gate. Its posture was unnervingly still, its face obscured by the shadows of its hood. The faint outlines of its features suggested something humanoid, but Astra was right-something about it was deeply unsettling.
"What do you mean by off?" Solaria asked, her voice low and cautious as her gaze remained fixed on the screen.
Astra hesitated for a moment before replying, her tone laced with unease. "...It's difficult to explain. But the way it moved in the footage-it was almost as if it wasn't bound by the same physical laws we are. And its cloak... the material isn't natural. It absorbed the light around it, almost like it was alive."
Solaria's brows furrowed as she
processed this information, her mind racing. Whatever this entity was, it was clear that it posed a threat unlike anything they had encountered before.
"..Alive?"