Only the Voice Can Be Heard...

By the time I made it back up to the surface from the underground storehouse, the place was a total circus.

"R-Run for it! You’ll get caught up in the crossfire!"

"Idiots, we’re breaking out! This is our only chance!"

A massive wave of prisoners was surging out from the courtyard. I was immediately swallowed up by the crowd and trampled underfoot.

In proper mob-like fashion, of course.

"Guh?! Glargh-h-h-h!!"

Oh, I know this one. It’s that thing on the news where people get crushed to death in a stampede. Well, if they were a normal person, anyway.

"Oof! Gack! Pffft!"

I was basically a human soccer ball—getting kicked, stepped on, and spraying fake blood everywhere. By the time the storm had passed, I was left lying in the courtyard like a tattered rag.

"Wh—?! S-Sid?! Are you okay?!"

I was really soaking in the mob vibes when Clara rushed over and pulled me into her arms.

"U-Uuugh..."

"Thank goodness, you’re still conscious. I’m so sorry for getting you dragged into this..."

She laid me down gently against a wall where it was safe.

"Wait here. I’ll definitely patch you up as soon as this is over. I have something I have to do."

She stood up and scanned the courtyard. Directly ahead of her, the prisoners from the Royalist Faction were duking it out with the guards, weapons in hand.

"Do it! Crush them all at once!"

"Don't stop! We're racing against the clock!"

They swung their blades, scattering the guards. It wasn’t just the Royalists, either; ordinary prisoners were joining the fray, taking shots at the guards in all the confusion.

"Dammit, where did these guys get weapons?!"

"This is bad! Call for reinforcements!"

Outnumbered and shaken, the guards were being completely overwhelmed. It looked like the tide had turned entirely in favor of the Royalists.

However, I could sense countless presences approaching from outside the perimeter. Reinforcements, most likely. And it sounded like there were spellswords in the mix.

If spellswords arrived, it was game over.

The prisoners couldn't use magic because of their magic-sealing collars. A fight between a spellsword and a regular human is like a heavyweight boxer going up against a toddler. They didn't stand a chance.

"Alright, we can do this!"

"At this rate, we'll rendezvous with Owl—!"

Just as the prisoners were finishing off the guards, the main gate swung open. The reinforcements had arrived, fully armed and ready for blood.

"That’s enough! Drop your weapons immediately!"

"Wh—reinforcements?! They’re too fast!"

"This is bad. Why are they here so soon...?"

Yeah, they’re right. That was a little fast. But hey, now that they’re here, the game’s basically over.

"No way... there should have been more time. Why...?"

Clara’s expression turned grim. It looked like being stopped here was definitely not part of her plan. Armed guards filed in, surrounding the courtyard.

"W-We had nothing to do with this!"

The fighting spirit of the prisoners who had just tagged along for the ride broke instantly.

"Th-That's right! We just happened to get caught up in it!"

You’re pretty heavily splattered with blood for people who just 'happened' to be there.

Well, that just left the Royalist prisoners. Even though they looked cornered, they kept their weapons raised and glared at the guards.

"This is your final warning. Drop your weapons," the lead guard declared coldly.

The Royalists looked like they still wanted to fight, but this was the end of the line.

"Sid, I’m sorry. It looks like I won’t be able to treat you after all."

Clara whispered the words to me, then stepped forward with the face of someone who had made her peace with death.

This was the end... normally. I made sure no one was watching and got ready.

"Everyone, stop—"

The moment Clara stepped out in front of the group to speak, I erased my presence, zipped around at ultra-high speed, and activated my Shadow Voice.

"—Is the battle already over?"

My voice echoed throughout the entire area.

"Eh? Who’s there?!"

"Who are you?! Show yourself!"

"The voice... it’s coming from everywhere!"

With my presence completely masked, there wasn't a soul who could find me.

"—You still have things you must do, do you not?"

God, I’ve been dying to do this! The classic "mysterious voice of the mastermind echoing from nowhere" trope!

"Who is it? Owl?"

"No, this isn't Owl."

"Just find him! He has to be nearby!"

The guards were panicking beautifully.

"—Your sister is still out there, fighting. If you continue to struggle, your paths will cross eventually..."

"My sister...? Wait, who are you?!"

I dialed up the pressure in my voice.

"My name is Shadow... He who lurks in the shadows, to hunt the shadows..."

"You’re Shadow?! The one from the Bushin Festival?!"

"Shadow?! The guy rumored to have wiped the floor with Beatrix?!"

"I-It’s a lie! There’s no way Shadow would show up in a dump like this!"

"If Shadow is here, does that mean Shadow Garden is backing the Royalists...?"

Yes, yes! Make more of a fuss!

"—If you lack the power, I shall remove your shackles."

In an instant, I manipulated the slime I’d already tunneled underground, shattering every prisoner’s magic-sealing collar in a single stroke.

"The collars... they're gone..."

"No way... how did he break them...?"

"Don't tell me... the real Shadow is actually here? But why...? Whatever, we can actually fight now!"

As countless collars hit the dirt, I delivered my parting line.

"—Fight to your heart’s content. Show me that you can defy fate..."

Then, I let my magic power explode, dyeing the entire courtyard in a brilliant, violet-blue light.