Synopsis

The chapter opens with the main character reflecting on their past and relationship with Leah, before the story shifts to the chaos of the present. The protagonist’s group discovers that many members of their organization, Nautilus, are actually followers of the Black Magician, leading to an ambush and a brutal confrontation where key members are lost. The chapter ends with the main character being confronted with both a difficult decision about recruitment, and the reality that they are seen as unreliable due to being perceived as weak.