Frost's halo and eyes were the only sources of light within the tunnel. It banished the shadows and sufficiently illuminated the length of the Leviathan.

Raoul didn't acknowledge her light. He continued to reminisce. The Traumatic Clock showed everything that he kept close to his heart, but Frost knew there was more to it than just this.

So much more that no number of words could change Raoul's mind.

That's why she listened and patiently waited for him to speak.

The next fragment revealed the cave again, and Raoul walking past the flames, and out towards the entrance of the cave. There, he saw the sun. It was a star, and beside him was a faceless man who carried an airy presence.

"My mentor, my teacher, took me to a cave. An Author of Existentia. His name was Plato. He taught me the teachings through shadows puppeted along the walls. Funny, I thought. Looking at shades when they were no more than aberrations presented to be the truth. From the Solemn Paw to a Star of the Nexus, to a Wayfarer– I came to an epiphany."

The light returned.

But all Raoul could see was darkness.

They were almost past the City of Spades now.

It was unclear just how much time had passed. Minutes felt like hours, and yet, Frost and the twins remained, listening.

Then, he heard it.

A faint ticking.

"People cannot be changed by my hands. And people will inevitably change for the worse without me. There is no consistency. Truth is thrown away. People live in ignorance and chase the shadows of accursed stars, only to find themselves torn and broken. Violence breeds violence. The cycle of hatred I tried to end with the Solemn Paw, for the sake of achieving one wish, only continued the cycle."

Raoul resigned himself from desires. His last aspiration was also born from resignation. He didn't believe in a future worth striving for.

Their hell would only get worse.

The only way to preserve people as who they are in that kind of world was to Corrupt. But now that he failed, he had nothing worth looking forward to. If he wished to leave this world forever, then he would only be brought back to live through this hell.

A world where he tried to protect others and failed.

His mother.

His sisters.

The twins.

… And Ara.

A world where he had followed the orders of others to achieve his own wish…

"Who do you blame for your sorrow?"

< "Old friend. The mistress of despair has come to knock again at my empty chest. You'll find no heart here… The fault lies within, for nothing exists here." >

He did not blame anyone but himself.

His body began to morph. Wretched, putrid cackling broke free from his body as Frost was repulsed by an invisible force.

< "The shadow that follows me is all I have left. The shadows of misery are waiting for me to rest at night, because it knows I'll return to it. My grief and my failures– my covers and my thorns to bind my hands to a heart unbelonging to me. I don't recognize the man in the mirror any more than the man in the coffin. Nihilism and despair. You are, and always have been, my consistent companions…" >

//////// < WARNING > ////////

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< RAOUL'S CORRUPTION EVENT HAS BEGUN >

"I see. Was this too much for you? Elysia's gotten hold of your heart again. But unlike last time, I don't see you undergoing a half-Corruption."

Frost wasn't surprised in the slightest.

She immediately put up a barrier to defend the twins, as well as applying a [Protection Ward] on the two.

Raoul became giant, six-legged wolf with a hollow cavity in the center of its chest. Its dark fur was sharpened like blades as electricity crackled between each blade of fur.

A dozen strings originating from thin air hovered above and dangling along the tips were hearts encased in ice.

Nav put up an order to stop the others from attempting to join the fight. Otherwise, the Leviathan may not survive the trip to the City of Strings.

Therefore, Frost alone would deal with him, with the twins serving as the audience.

However…

"I suppose the Repenters can assist." Frost noticed Horus entering through the latch, and at once, Usari, Icara and Hayte arrived to bring their co-worker back from Corruption. "Raoul. I hope you'll learn that lacking a heart does not necessarily mean you lack a compass of your own. I've seen Impuritas take reign over their hearts. Oboros Infinitas will chain you down again. But I don't believe it'll be for the worse."

"Assisting… with healing." Orth unfurled her claws.

"Preparing dosage." Thras joined her.

"There's no way this crew's going down when you got three-four Healers on you!" Abigail kicked the hatch open and loaded Healing Bullets into her Talon. "But don't lose your head!"

"Usari will beat our recruit into joining us!"

Then, a deafening roar shook the Leviathan.

< "Warm blooded body. Frigid cavity. What heart fits in this hole to guide me towards where I must be?" >

//////// < WARNING > ////////

< HAILSTORM >

< THE ARBITER'S TRUMPET SINGS >

The Wolf Who Had No Heart in His Body Raoul

< A heart from there for a cavity in here. What shall I pick out from the shelf today to end this misery? >

ATTRIBUTE: Meaning

LEVEL : 25 ORIGIN : Trauma

HP : 12,200

ATT : 210 MAG ATT : 100 ATT DEF : 15 MAG DEF : 25

MP : 300

RESIST : 20 AGI : 12

"Usari. Icara. Hayte. I don't expect you to win. I apologize in advance if this fight ends up becoming prolonged."

"Usari doesn't think he looks that strong!" The bunny blurted out and began firing wildly at Raoul, only for her bullets to phase through his body. "Huh!? Usari's bullets are made of phantoms!"

Icara followed with a barrage of icicles. They phased through Raoul like the bullets.

"It does not appear that our target is the body itself. Icy. Do not expend any more mana." Hayte concluded. "I should make it clear, Black Dove, that the responsibility for directing us lies in the Harrower. But given that our Color lacks the motivation to lead us until we pick up 'Azazel', I request that you lead us in combat."

Icara nodded, and Usari practically hopped in agreement before one of the hearts above fell.

"Dodge. Three steps right. Don't attack yet." Frost ordered, using her foresight to her advantage. "This isn't a straightforward fight. That would explain it's Hailstorm designation despite its level."

Nav. Got the Conditions ready?

"Are you truly going to let these Repenters fight?"

I'd end up killing Raoul before learning anything. Besides, there's a chance that he'll learn something out of this too if we prolong it.

The Conditions then appeared in front of her.

< CONDITION: The Wolf Who Had No Heart in His Body (TWWHNHHB) cannot take physical or magical damage. It may only take damage when its linked heart is struck. Striking a false heart will cause 5% of its total HP to heal. When it wears its linked heart, its stats will double and its remaining HP will be halved. It will wear its linked heart when its Frigid Shell is broken >

< SUPPRESSION REQUIREMENT: Destroying all hearts except for its linked heart and Found Heart will cause TWWHNHHB to enter a sub-state. When the linked heart is destroyed, suppress TWHNHHB. Repenter returns from Corruption >

< SUBJUGATION REQUIREMENT: Destroy the linked heart >

Frost relayed this order to them.

It was obvious which path she'd take to bring Raoul back from his temporary Corruption.

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