The Moon Rabbit’s declaration poured cold water all over the white-haired boy’s body as he completely froze in place. The fingers that were holding his Immortal-Grade Mirror was trembling, and his face turned as pale as a winter’s curse. He had tried to sway Momo and to hopefully convince her to follow the Allfather’s word. Alas, the Moon Rabbit only joined the Black Masks and swore fealty to the Allfather because of one reason…

And Shiro tried to kill that reason right before her very eyes…

“Momo, think about the Allfather… Please… We can’t afford to lose you here,” Shiro shot out his final hallelujah cry. “I don’t want to be the one to do this to you, Momo...”

The pink-haired girl acted as if she hadn’t heard Shiro’s speech. “Nenene… Kin and Gin… They’re… UNTOUCHABLE!!!” In a fit of rage, Momo’s petite body ‘exploded,’ and black mist gushed out into the enclosed prison. The shockwave shook all who inhabited the room, forcing the four Spirit Saints to bundle up together near Shin and their two captives. Since the place had been compromised, there was no need to supply spiritual energies to the enhanced walls. Which could mean only one thing…

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!

With nothing protecting the prison walls, everything was blown apart by the sudden shockwave. Broken brick pieces flew everywhere, and ash clouds rose to the heavens like a towering skyscraper.

The billowing smoke slowly came to a halt, revealing the visage of the former pink-haired girl who had unleashed the ferocious attack. In her place, a two-metre-long pink rabbit, with fluffy, elongated ears and a bushy tail, stood silently over the prison. Her beady eyes were staring the white-haired boy down as if she were a monarch looking down on her subjects.

“Shin! Are you alright?” Longyu Tian was the first one to arrive by Shin’s shoulder and gently held onto his body. Since the four Spirit Saints had moved quickly, the damage from the broken prison walls barely reached Shin and the two prisoners. However, the protective aunt nature of Longyu Tian couldn’t help but ask the obvious question.

“Yeah,” the Prince of Water replied, his face void of any emotion. “The Moon Rabbit… It looks like there has been a falling out...”

“Looks like it,” the Saint of Time nodded. “The Black Masks may not be as unified as we initially thought.”

“...” Shin frowned and kept his thoughts to himself. The Alliance was just too ignorant about the internal affairs of the Black Masks. Typically, in a war against such a dastardly organisation, spies would be commonplace. Unfortunately, any and all spies that the Alliance sent into the Black Masks were instantly weeded out, and barely any information was leaked from within.

Therefore, even though the Alliance had been in a prolonged war with the Black Masks, they knew painfully little about this enigmatic organisation that brought the whole world to heel.

‘The Moon Rabbit is rebelling against the Black Masks? Is that even possible?’

Shin’s mind was rapidly firing signals, leading to an endless train of thought. Based on their intelligence, the Allfather’s word was law. If anyone dared to go against the Allfather’s wishes, they would be subjected to the worst punishment known to the Black Masks. The Allfather’s curse was ingrained in every Black Masks’ soul from the moment that they’d entered the organisation. Not even the mighty Nine Coloured Noble Beasts were exempted from this requirement. Hence, for Momo to actually launch a counter without any repercussions… Something was really off.

‘Just now… Kin said that they lacked the time… Now, the Allfather didn’t act even though Momo is clearly putting up an act of defiance… Wait a second… Does that mean?!’ Having an epiphany, Shin cocked his head up and stared straight at the four Noble Beasts present. Even though the roof had been broken down, Kin, Gin and Momo were wholly unaffected by the Allfather’s curse, which would have killed any Black Masks that dared to betray the Allfather.

“Yip yip yip! Shin!” While Shin was in the midst of his contemplation, a familiar voice rang from a distance. A snow-white haired girl flew straight down, her icy crystal wings fluttering in the wind. Behind her, a blonde beauty entered the building with an ashen face, as if she had regained the looks of her real age.

“Yipyip! Shin, are you hurt?”

“Shin! You alright?”

Both the Kamaitachi and her master called out to Shin, utterly unbothered by the fight that was occurring overhead.

“No, I’m fine,” the Prince replied calmly. “What about you guys? Were you injured?”

“Nothing of the sort,” Lady Seph folded her arms. Once she confirmed her disciple’s safety, the lifelong researcher’s analytical mind took over. “The Noble Beast left Binging behind and charged straight at the dome. I’d thought that it would force all of you into comas or something. Also, what’s going on here? Why are the Noble Beasts facing off against one another.”

“That’s what we’re trying to find out,” Longyu Tian interjected. Up till now, the four Spirit Saints had been holding back their captives while desperately trying to isolate the prison from the outside world. However, with the cell now destroyed, there was a major change in plans. “Seraphim. Take care of the prisoners for now. We’ll deal with the two Noble Beasts in the air.”

Whipping out her fishing rod, Longyu Tian summoned the elongated Golden Koi, forcing the Time-Elements to dilate all around her. The other three Spirit Saints had similar ideas as well. Saint Althea moved right next to Lady Seph, ready to supplement her precious disciple and grand-disciple. Saint Atossa left her post as guardian and brought out her own Spirit in an attempt to stop the carnage from ever breaking out while Saint Thor swung his mighty hammer around with the same intentions.

“Shouldn’t you just let the two Noble Beasts fight it out? Let them wear each other out and then strike,” Lady Seph suggested.

“Wouldn’t it be simpler to just apprehend them? We have four Spirit Saints at our backs. They only have two Tier 9 Spirit Beasts. We can easily-...”

“No wait, Aunt Tian… Master has a point,” Shin interjected, his face radiating up. “Something is wrong, don’t you think?”

“Meaning?”

“Why hasn’t the Allfather’s mana intervened, now that your protection is broken?”

“That!” Longyu Tian widened her eyes. “You’re right… That’s the whole reason why we handicapped ourselves in the first place… So why haven’t the Allfather killed the prisoners?”

Shin scratched the bottom of his chin, and the familiar face of thought came up. “I think… The Allfather, he is weakened… He no longer has the same hold of the Black Masks as he did before.”

“The Allfather is weakened?!” Lady Seph shrieked.

“That’s just my hypothesis… However, it makes total sense. Even if he was hibernating for the past ten years, splitting the continent, separating the Terrestrial Dragon’s spiritual energy from the land can’t be an easy feat. Not to mention, as much as the Black Masks wouldn’t want to admit it… The Allfather isn’t an Immortal. He is still bound to the laws of nature and will age just like anyone else.”

“I see… So you’re saying that the Allfather won’t interfere with their battle?” Longyu Tian asked.

“There’s a high possibility,” Shin nodded. “How’s the situation outside? Is Senior Zishen managing?”

“They’ll survive… The real problem is the Moon Rabbit right here. Once she’s down, the zombies that she controls will likewise fall.” Lady Seph added.

“That’s good,” Shin smiled. “For now, let’s stay our hands. We can rest our forces while they weaken themselves. Furthermore...” The simple, innocent smile grew ever more sinister. His face contorted, the Prince of Water claimed: “We can manipulate them to leak more information about the Black Masks… Let’s not squander this opportunity.”