《Thanatos System》 Chapter 1 - Before The Ashes As the sins of man began to accumulate, so did the Gods and their disdain towards showing forgiveness. When that disdain became fury, that is when they arrived. The winged punishers. The angels. One by one, they slaughtered humans, their crusade for the New Gods started a war between the world of man, and a world vastly superior to the common man''s. "This world is unholy. Exterminatus!" Cried the angels as they beheaded people mercilessly. It resulted in mankind clinging for life, being driven back towards the last Niflheim. It is 20th century, all that remains of humans is Niflheim. Although mankind was united against one common enemy, their combined might was not enough. Nightmares of plague and sickness haunted Yin for as long as he could remember. Was this the future brought upon by the New Gods? Yin could see the silhouette of a beheaded child. The green farmlands were tainted with blood. It reeked of death. It spoke in a language which he could not seem to understand. "Mortem?" asked an Angel in a beautiful voice. It was always the same nightmare time and time again. He wanted to ask them why, what had they done to anger the Gods in such a way? Why were humans meant to live like the pigs that he tamed, to live like livestock? His anger would consume him in these dreams. He recalls touching the mere ground and having it decay and wither. In these nightmares, he possessed decaying powers, everything he touched turned into ashes. Every single animal he touched decayed in five seconds. But before he could shout or fight it back, he jolted in his bed awake. The stench of pigs and other farm animals was something all too familiar for him, so much so that his nose had amazing tolerance for it. The perks of having worked as a farmer ever since he was a child. A faint voice of a child could be heard knocking. "Mr. Yin! My dad would like some fresh cow milk!" It sounded like Jon. He was the son of the stable''s caretaker. "I''ll deliver it before lunchtime, Jon." He is a man of medium build, in his early twenties. Yin had black hair and was quite small in his stature. The war was not a fight he could ever partake in, despite him wanting to. Yin always did his best, he knew his place in society, he was meant to cultivate land, to raise animals. He was not meant to fight. Afterall, what could a weak peasant who could not even awaken his Anima Cells do in the war? You guessed it, nothing. Due to fighting against Angels for centuries, humanity slowly evolved. Anima cells were found in their DNA. These allowed them to cast spells with their affinities, they could also enhance their physical strength with their aid. Skies were as red as they are like any other day. Yin stared at it intently. Thinking about the only reason that Angels could not penetrate the Gates of Niflheim which was due to a barrier casted by the most gifted Slayers of the past. To be able to serve as a Gatekeeper, you would have to be at least an S rank Slayer. Slayers are individuals who have awoken Anima cells and are regularly chosen by the government to pledge their lives to humanity''s freedom. If you cannot awaken, you cannot die or live as a Slayer. That was their motto. "Here comes the exception." Yin stared at a distance. A single horse kicked off dirt from the path hailing from the city. Suna waived smilingly. "Are you still having those weird dreams?" "Yeah, I prefer to call them nightmares though." Suna lets out a sigh of relief as her horse gallops towards Yin. Instead of wearing Slayer armor, she opted to use a light black armor coupled with a scarf at all times. A weird choice of apparel for someone fighting in a war, isn''t it? She says she wears it as a way to honor her ancestors. She had oriental features, short black hair which she tied in a bun. Well, she is an Asian woman. And Yin''s childhood friend. Her slim and petite build allowed her to be as agile as a cat. You wouldn''t know from looking at her, but she''s one of the strongest Slayers around. Her Anima cell count? Zero. None. Suna stares at Yin with her grey piercing eyes. "I''m off for a C rank conquest mission, try not to die of boredom!" She exclaimed as her horse rode into the sunset. She''s the only Slayer with no Anima cells. But she boasts a B rank. Suna relies on nothing but pure physical strength and athleticism. She dodges attacks based on instinct, like a feral animal. Humans normally awaken their Anima cells before turning ten. Yin had waited all day until he turned eleven. Waiting for his Anima cells to awaken. But they never did. There was a time when he despised his very being. To be powerless in a fight. To be a noncombatant in a war. To watch as his friends died one by one. As his heart settled down, he came to terms with the reality of everything. Growing crops and living an honorable life as a farmer was not such a horrible thing. Yin put on his hat to prepare to milk the cows. His daily monotony was shattered when the Townhall''s trumpets buzzed. This meant that an intruder has infiltrated Niflheim. It could be a lowly monster, or worst-case scenario. An Angel. Protocol was to run, hide, or seek shelter. Yin panicked and ran towards his barn. He hid behind a kennel for goats. When suddenly a huge explosion was heard. His roof was torn off. There it was. Flying atop of where his roof used to be. It was an Angel. It had humanoid features, except it had wings. Its hair was long enough to reach its knees. The Angel''s eyes were white and empty. Though the face was human-like, you could not distinguish whether it was male or female. It held a large scythe with both arms. The Angel''s skin was as white as snowfall. As it descended, the flapping of its wings slowly stopped. It had not seen Yin as of yet. Yin was sweating bullets. He was trying hard not to make the slightest noise or semblance which might cause it to know he was there. The suspended breathing was due to him covering up his mouth in sheer terror. For what felt like forever, the silence was unbearable. How long was this meant to last? "Mr. Yin, I''m coming for the milk!" It was Jon. He was knocking on the door. The Angel turned towards the door. With each step, Yin''s heart shook. Jon opened the door. Carrying what seemed to be empty glasses to be filled with milk. One second after the door opening was all it took. The Angel had him by the throat. Coupled with a Jon loudly screaming, he synced it with his breathing. He took large breaths and held it for as long as he could. Yin wanted to help. But he knew blind stubbornness would only get them both killed. At what seemed to happen at the blink of an eye, it choked Jon against the wall. Blood splattered across the barn. The Angel proceeded to open its mouth. This was when the human-like comparisons came to a stop. With one fell swoop from its scythe, it beheaded Jon. The opening of its mouth was like a blackhole in space, sucking in every fleeting star that comes across its path. The poor boy just happened to play the role of a star. This was a sight forever etched into Yin''s mind and ears. It flew upwards. Out of the hole in the roof that it created in the first place. Yin was furious. Furious at this abomination. Furious at his own powerlessness. This was the worst possible move in this situation. Wind started to shake the barn as the Angel kicks down the door. It knows. "Exterminatus. End the defilers." Yin knew it was futile to hide. If he were to try to live, it would not have been probable to rely on a supernatural being''s stupidity. But he was willing to risk it. To rely on himself for once. He ran outside as fast as he could. If this seemed stupid, it''s because there is no smart or correct decision for this situation. As he ran, the Angel flew towards him, with his back towards it, it prepared to swing its sword. He tripped. Not like not tripping was going to make a difference anyway. He chose to die with honor and dignity. To face his end like a man. As Yin watched the Angel draw its scythe closer and closer, he moved his arms that were shielding his face. It was all futile anyway. The Angel kneeled down. It was crying. "W-what are you waiting for! Strike me down already! You kill and kill despite us not even knowing why! Exterminating us as if we were vermin, as if we were pests! What did mankind ever do to deserve this fate?!" What the Angel did next will forever keep him up at night. The Angel opened its mouth, guessing that it would suck him into a vacuum of nonexistence. Yin closed his eyes. It threw up. What Yin saw next was the beheaded child. The green pastures of grain were drenched with blood. "Mortem?" The angel asked. Although the language was something incomprehensible to him, he knew what it meant. "Mortem" meant death. Chapter 2 - Mortem Awakening The Angel slowly stood up from its kneeling state. With swift tenacity, it lifted the scythe. Blood still oozing from Jon''s headless corpse. Yin could feel his life flash before his eyes. "Mortem it means death." He thought to himself. "I''ve had this nightmare time and time again." "Was it just a premonition of death?" Why were these the last few words echoing inside his head? As the scythe''s fangs drew closer. Time seemed to stop. A feminine voice rang in his ears. A screen-like hologram was shown in his sight. It was a red message box. [ You have been chosen as worthy of the Thanatos System, accept or perish. ] Yin was speechless. His lips tried to utter words, anything, but nothing came out. [ You only have 20 seconds left to decide. Accept or perish. ] [ You only have 15 seconds left to decide. Accept or perish. ] "I-if I accept, will my powerlessness be cured?!" The only sound Yin could hear was the ringing in his ears. [ If you accept, Master Yin. You will become more than powerful. With your original might, even the Gods will wither. The Thanatos System itself is power. Will you accept or will you perish? Will you accept¡ªeven if it means destroying the world? You have 2 seconds remaining. ] With his heart full of resolve. Yin accepts the System. [ Welcome home, Thanatos. ] Yin touches the ground instinctively. He releases an aura of death. The black fog enveloped the area around him and the Angel. It was murky and quick. Needing only 5 seconds to cover up 50 meters. Every single living being within a fifty-meter radius of him decays to their deaths. Chicken, goats, cows, even crops died. It was as if they all aged to their deaths in a span of 5 seconds. All that remained of the animals were bones. [ Questline Initiated : Destroy the Angel (0/1) ] Yin could feel power surging through his body. But he was not able to maintain the Aura for much longer. The Angel spread its wings and flew upwards. He was already tired as is, if he were to do that move again, there is no way of knowing what would happen. The Angel flew downwards towards him. Its wings impaled both his left and right arms against a tree. "Get away from me!" The Angel leaped backwards a few meters away from Yin. Why was it so cautious of him? It took out a grimoire. Full of letters seemingly alien to the common man''s eyes. "It''s casting a spell!" Yin exclaimed as he was still stuck to the tree. A beam of light from the Angel''s mouth was slowly materializing. The yellow beam was as if the Sun itself had empowered it. Before it was able to hit Yin, someone shielded it. Yin slowly opened his eyes to see that a tall young man wearing full body armor had shielded the blow. He wore black, heavy armor with three lines intersecting in the middle of it. Much like a triangle. His eyes were as blue as the ocean. The fresh breeze lightly brushed through his long blue hair and through his single hanging black earring. This person looked to be in his mid-twenties. "W-wait, this insignia. Slayers?" "Yep." As the mysterious blue-haired knight smiled while continuing to block the beam of light. "You know, I''ve been watching you for a while now, what a shame. I thought you had this guy. Or thing, or whatever these Angels are. The name''s Luken by the way." Before Yin could react to what he said, the stalwart young man dashed towards the Angel as soon as the beam ran out. He lifted his massive sword upwards. A moment of hesitation was all it took for the Angel to lose. It contemplated whether it could block the blow or not. When it chose to fly away, it was far too late. Luken''s sword had severed the wings. The sound of crackling bones was going to haunt anyone who heard it for quite some time, he was sure of it. He stepped on the Angel''s head as its face was embedded in the decayed land of crops. Luken pointed the sword at Yin. No words were necessary. Yin knew what he meant. He had to finish the Angel off by himself. "Can I still do the Decaying aura for a second consecutive time?" He thought to himself. "This man is clearly Luken Regalia, Commander of Niflheim''s Slayer Corps and leader of the Six Blades. Suna had told me a fair bit about him. What better witness to my new abilities than this guy?" "I still don''t know what the Thanatos System is. But I am not powerless now. I can fight. And every fight should be given a person''s all, even if it means placing one''s own life in danger." Yin''s arms were limp from being impaled earlier. His legs were still fine, he thought. He ran towards the Angel screaming. "Commander Luken, get back!" Yin demanded him to get out of the way. If he did not, he would get caught up in the Decay Aura. "Fifty meters, right? Gotcha." He gestured a thumbs up sign. Although his right hand was still limp, he moved it with sheer willpower alone. With a scream from the top of his lungs, Yin placed his palm on the incapacitated Angel''s head. A screeching sound was made by the Angel. Much like the sound of an animal who is dying and on its last breath. Little by little, the pale white skin of this abomination began to crack. Wrinkles began to form at a molecular level, only two seconds had passed. "More!" Yin shouted. His palm was on the Angel''s head for a total of five seconds, much like earlier. All that remains of the Angel were bones that were too brittle to even touch. The slightest disturbance in its current state would make it turn into dust. [ Questline Completed : Destroy the Angel (1/1) ] [ Experience points earned : 1000 ] [ Leveled up. Current Level : 2 ] Yin was at his limit. Before he fell down, Luken had caught him. Cautious of his head hitting the rocks below. A grin formed around the Commander''s mouth. He could sense that this person, Yin Sohaya had undergone something never seen before. At eighteen years of age, he had his Anima cells awakened. Luken took out some cigarettes from his pocket. Lit it up and waited for back up to come. He looked at the farmlands. The sight of death plagued the area. The Angel''s soul itself was not sent to the afterlife. It was completely destroyed. Nothing was left, not even a speck of it. After a few hours, the other Slayers arrived to the scene. "Luken, is it true? How could an Angel make it past the barrier?" "Yeah, I wanted to ask the same thing, where is it now?" The Slayers drew their weapons and prepared their grimoires. "It''s over. This kid right here killed the Angel. All on his own." Luken said while eating a banana nonchalantly. Several gasps of disbelief could be heard. "Are you making a joke out of us?" "Do you really expect us to believe that a lowly farmer with no Anima cells could take out an A rank monster?" He pointed towards Yin''s body. "Go on, sense him." The Slayers collectively agreed and what they sensed scared them. "His anima levels¡­" "They''re strong enough to be ranked at C, but something''s off about them. His cells, they''re still growing!" Normally, a C rank is not especially big. But he just awakened today. When a Slayer''s Anima cells awaken, they are placed in the Unranked division. How does this person already have cells strong enough to have a rank? "Luken. This child is¡­" "Yeah yeah, I know. I''m going to take him under my wing." "But the Six Blades are not recruiting, right?" Asked another Slayer. "Yeah Luken, we are the ones who will take him to the Higher Council." "Then you''re going to have to fight me if you want him." Luken says in a tone that sent chills down everyone''s spines. Luken''s face slowly contorted in disgust. Disgust turned into rage. His arms were crossed in his chest. He lifted a finger as a display of power. The sheer stimulation of Anima cells shook the very land itself. Everyone could feel it. It was anger. "I mean even if it''s only me against all of you, do you really think you can take me on?" Luken said while smirking arrogantly. "I''ll give you a choice, you can come at me as you please. Do it in a way that you think would give you more chances of winning." "Come." His blue oceanic eyes had the intensity of a thousand sharks. Everyone backed off. They knew an SS rank Slayer was too much even against their sheer numbers. From the far reaches of the farmlands, a single horse could be seen. A lone horse rider kicked up dirt in its trail. It was Suna. Suna disembarked her horse as fast she could. She made her way through the dozens of Slayers gathered around the barn. "What happened here, Commander?" "Oh, Suna, what''s up? Do you know this guy?" Luken asked while poking Yin''s face. Suna''s face was as pale as a ghost. Her fingers were noticeably trembling. This caused the already frightened Slayers to back up even more. She slowly lifted her head to the commander. "Yin! Commander, what happened?!" She ran towards Yin and held his faint body. "Is something wrong, Suna?" "H-his hair. It wasn''t white earlier." Luken instructed Suna to take him to the Six Blades hideout. The Slayers present were powerless to do anything about it. The Commander and Suna arrived at the hideout shortly after. "Suna, you know this is unprecedented right? I mean you should know yourself. You''ve never even awakened." "Yes Commander, frankly I''m not hoping for a miracle anymore. I can fight without Anima cells. But what happened to Yin? I knew you were watching the whole event unfold." "I was too late. I couldn''t save the child." The Commander looked down and frowned in disappointment. They were both bewildered as to how an Angel managed to slip through the barriers. "I was going to kill the Angel a bit earlier, you know." "But I sensed something happen. For a split second, this kid had monstrous levels of Anima cells awaken all at the same time. And I admit, I was kind of curious as to what would have happened next." "And you know how every single time we slay monsters, their souls fly upwards? Not this time, it was as if he exterminated the Angel down to the very core itself." Yin Sohaya''s life was about to change.. For better, or for worse. Chapter 3 - Black Lightning [ Daily Quest : 150 pushups, 150 sit-ups, 150 pull-ups. ] [ Current Level : 2 ] Yin woke up not knowing where he was. The sun shone brightly on his face as it illuminated through the window. On his right side was Suna. She fell asleep sitting and rested her head on top of the bed. Before he could turn to his left side to look, the Commander was already all up in his face. "Yo, you''re finally awake." "How are you feeling?" "What do you remember about yesterday?" "You do know that you have superhuman decaying abilities, right?" "Why did that Angel hesitate when it could''ve killed you whilst you were impaled?" Yin''s head was hurting from this man asking questions and speaking as if he was in a marathon. "P-please let me gather my thoughts." Yin stuttered. It was then that Yin noticed his hands were tied and bound. Why was he tied? What happened to Jon? These questions that Yin had all begged to be answered. The Commander''s playful manner dissipated into something more serious. His face showed immense sadness and regret. "I''m sorry for not being there in time. I could have saved the kid." Guilt was slowly swallowing Yin. If he had milked the cow earlier, maybe he could''ve been the one who died rather than Jon. If he had intervened earlier, maybe he could''ve saved him. If he- His spiraling thoughts were interrupted by Luken. "What caused you to awaken at eighteen years old? That''s eight years far too late. Frankly I have never heard of anything like this." "I-I don''t know. I''ve given up on awakening for years now. I was happy working in the farm. What happened to me?" Yin''s face resembled that of someone who lost. Despite managing to finish off the Angel. "You can curse your powerlessness. There is no shame in that." "But you just managed to kill a Rank A monster. An Angel. Shortly after awakening Anima cells after a few minutes. You''re strong." These words pierced through Yin. Without even knowing it, tears started to flow down his cheeks. "Commander, can I save more people with my power? It feels heavy, much like a monster riding on top of my head 24/7. My Anima cells are unstable right? What if I hurt more people than I can save? What if I hurt you, or Suna, or any other person? "That''s why I''m here, man. I''ll put you to sleep before that even happens. Trust me, I''m very strong." His smile showed him that everything was going to be alright. A feint ray of hope that eliminates the clouds of hopelessness. Commander Luken assured him in a kind gesture. He then extended his palms open to go for a high five. How could he have forgotten? He tied up Yin''s hands himself just last night. "Oops, my bad." After a few seconds of awkwardness, the Commander apologized. "Do you know Suna?" Yin asked him while looking at her. "Well, it''s kind of complicated and confidential, but she''s training to be one of the Six Blades." Yin''s jaw dropped. "What?!" "Yep, she''s that strong." "If you''re thinking that maybe you should have done what she did, aka train your body to the maximum extremes, forget it." "Her physical strength is almost on par with mine, and that''s without Anima cells. She''s a freak of nature. The higher ups wouldn''t agree to me taking someone with no Anima cells on conquests. They said that if she died, it was on me and my conscience." Yin was still in awe. The Commander lights up a cigarette as he opens the window. Flocks of birds flew away with the disturbance of the ambiance. "But she didn''t. She reminds of my own little sister." He smiled. Shortly after, Suna wakes up. She hugs Yin and tries to examine for any wound that was not treated last night. "All good!" Suna took out a mirror from the drawer and showed it to Yin. "W-what happened to my hair?!" "That''s what we''d like to know too, you know?" "Speaking of which, why are my hands tied?" Yin asked addressing both Luken and Suna "Well¡­ you kind of activated your Anima skills while sleeping last night." Luken pouted his lips pointing towards a pile of ash-like powder. "That''s a coffee mug. Well, it used to be, at least." "I did that?" Yin could not believe it. "What if I do it to you guys?" Yin was panicking now. He was out of breath due to anxiety. Luken walked towards him, cigarette still in his mouth. "I told you, if you even so much as touch another person lethally, I''ll deal with you." His blue eyes pierced Yin''s whole being. "For now, you''re reported as missing." "Missing? W-why? I should get back to the farm, I need to tend to the sheep and to milk the cows and- His words were cut short by the Commander. "Yin. You are a rank C Slayer now. Normally, I won''t even look in the direction of someone who isn''t even rank A, but for you guys, I''ve made an exception. Suna rolled her eyes in annoyance and gagged playfully. "C''mon Suna, you''ll be rank A in no time!" "I know that Commander! I just have to work and train harder!" Her face was fired up and excited. Luken then turned his direction towards Yin. "If other Organizations were to get a hold of you, you would be executed. Your Anima cells are far too unstable, even for the crazier groups. The Higher Council would not even think twice of hearing your pleas as you are now. That''s how weak you currently are." Yin''s head faces down in bitterness at himself. "But we can change that. Prove to Niflheim that you are worthy to be called a Slayer." "Your training starts today." Luken shows a grin painted with smugness. "I won''t allow a rank C Slayer to reside in the Six Blade''s hideout for much long." Yin''s face was shining with will and determination. "I won''t be ranked C for long, Commander." "Don''t disappoint me Yin. I''ve never been wrong in scouting people." Suna helps Yin sit upright. She slowly removed his tied hands from bondage. Luken gives Yin a pair of black gloves. "Wear these, as long as you''re close to me, I''ll negate your Decay Aura until you can turn it off by yourself." The three stepped outside. "First things first, we have to see what your Anima Affinity is." "There are five, Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Lightning. Though some irregularities appear here and there. Well, they''re not really irregularities, they''re just special people." Luken takes out a rock from his pocket. Suna was about to ask why he kept a rock in his pocket, but she thought he probably did it on purpose so someone would ask why the heck someone kept a rock in their pockets. Luken''s was that of a clown begging to be given attention. But he was given none. Zero. "Really? Nobody? You''re not even curious why I have this baby here?" Yin and Suna both stared at him with lifeless expressions. "Alright alright! Yin, I want you to focus your Anima on this rock, release it as much as you can. If it burns up, your affinity is fire, if it gets wet, yours is water, and the others go without saying." "I''ll just focus it on the rock, right?" Luken nods in agreement. Yin focuses his skills on the rock. After what seemed like forever, a black spark hit the rock from up above. It was lightning. But it was different this time, it was black lightning. Both Suna and Luken were speechless. "I guess we have an irregularity on our hands." Yin proudly says as the rock transforms into a weird coral-like structure. It was fulgurite. This was what happened when lightning struck rocks. But something happened shortly after, the fulgurite turned into ash. "You''re wrong Yin, this is special." The Commander said in excitement. "It seems your focused Anima skills have a dual effect." "First, it strikes with black lightning from the heavens, then it applies a delayed effect of decay. But this is different, you made rocks wither, and the mug from earlier too." "Yesterday you were containing your abilities to only fast-forward the aging of organic things. This is very interesting." Yin listens intently. He tried to do it with a grimoire handed to him by Luken. But he couldn''t. "What''s happening Commander?" "Well, it seems like you can''t cast spells with grimoires. You''re a close quarters type combatant, Yin." "You can disperse energy and strengthen your physical attributes greatly. But I would like you to refrain from using Decay until you can control it, okay?" Yin nodded in approval. Suna was warming up at a distance. She was doing pushups and jumping jacks. "All finished! Let''s go Yin." Her eyes hade the same flare as that of a lioness stalking its prey. "W-what? You want me to spar against her??" Yin asked Luken with an obvious sense of terror in his voice. To which Luken smiled with sympathy. "Welp, I feel sorry for you. But it must be done." He ran back towards the house and hid inside, only looking through a window. Yin wanted to take this opportunity to stretch up. He performed his daily quest. After doing 150 pushups, 150 sit-ups, and 150 pull-ups, a red message box appeared. [ Daily Quest : Accomplished] [ EXP gained : 100/2000 ] [ Level : 2 ] Once Yin was finished with his daily quest, he got ready for the inevitable sparring against Suna. "T-take it easy, alright, Suna?" "I''ll try." Her face says the opposite. Suna had a smirk tugging at the sides of her lips. What happened next was a beat-down so great that even Luken was covering his eyes. Well, he did move his fingers a bit so he can still see the bloodbath. "That was a good spar, Yin!" She says as her forehead barely breaks a sweat. But it was noticeable that she had fun. Yin and Suna have not had this type of fun since they were playing as children. Suna''s determination and concentration mirrored with her fighting style. "If I can''t use magic against the monsters, the least I could do is use my fists to bash their heads in!" Both of them spent the afternoon sparring. The number of hits Suna landed = 205 The number of hits Yin landed = (almost ) 1. He could''ve landed that one hit if Luken did not shout this out at the top of his lungs. "An Angel!!" There wasn''t one. Chapter 4 - The Goblin King After the tedious sparring which resulted in Yin getting bodied by Suna, the three sat down in a campfire. "Since you''re a close quarters combatant like Suna, you should choose a weapon, Yin. A man''s chosen weapon says a lot about him, choose well!" Yin was thinking hard. Luken and Suna gave him every usable Slayer weapon. For what felt like forever, Yin had finally settled on one. "This is perfect for me. I would not want to sacrifice agility for anything else." Yin chose a piece of steel brass knuckles. "I''m not one to judge but¡­ isn''t that quite odd?" The Commander says that while judging his choice. Suna glowered at Luken angrily. "Yep, that''s a good choice, Yin!" "What do we do before supper?" Yin asked, tapping his feet impatiently. "You, my child, are going to exterminate a rank D hideout by yourself." Suna was about to protest due to the sheer danger of it. But the Commander signaled a reassuring hand motion. Yin took on the challenge. "I''m a C rank Slayer. If I fail, then I die. If I don''t try, then I''ll never be able to fight stronger monsters." Luken claps happily, like a toddler given candy. "That''s my boy!" "Be careful Yin." Suna warns him cautiously. The Commander had made her go through the same procedure when she was a C rank too. Yet she could not shake this feeling of dread. The three of them walked towards the highlands. "These places are flocking with weak monsters. You should be able to deal with them, boy." Yin readied his knuckles with force. Sweat began to accumulate on his forehead. The group kept walking until the see a dark opening. The Commander points to a cave. "Right here." "I''ll be back as soon as I finish them all off." Yin stretches. He then rubs his hands together. "Remember, don''t use Decay if you can''t control it. You might bring the whole cave down on yourself." Yin nodded. As soon as he stepped into the cave, the system began to show messages. [ Quest : Exterminate Goblins 0/50 ] He breathed in and exhaled. They were approaching. Five? No. Twelve goblins, in fact. Five in the front, seven at the back. These goblins were half the size of him. It should be easy, Yin thought. They had light-green skin, coupled with sharp teeth. Noses that took up thirty percent of their faces. It was as if their faces were permanently contorted into a sick grin. They wore dirty, brown garments. Most of them had swords, hammers, even knives. They were trying to flank him. "Okay, time to try something out." Yin took blew on his brass knuckles and focused Anima energy over it. This caused his fists to be imbued with the elemental power of black lightning. "Let''s dance." He takes his first step forward, hitting the first goblin with a punch straight into the heart. Yin''s fist was stuck. This was a problem. Two goblins were closing in on him from behind. Another four were also quickly approaching from the front. With his right hand still trying to free the left which was stuck. Yin was desperately trying to pull out the stuck knuckle. The first of the two goblins coming from the back was met with a swift kick to the stomach. This incapacitated it, and further agitated the remaining ten in that specific area. They slowly closed in on him from all angles now. "Little did they know, this was all according to plan." Yin whispered to himself. When all of them were in a fifteen-meter distance from him, he pressed his palms against the ground. Luken, who was hiding in the shadows was surprised. "Is he going to cast Decay Aura?" He continued to watch, albeit cautiously. All the while this was going on, Suna was outside eating roasted hotdogs. Black lightning entered the cave from the entrance. Yin electrocuted all twelve of them in one motion. The Commander was amazed. Not only did he not use Decay, but he actually used his brains in a fight. [ Quest : Exterminate Goblins 12/50 ] The fight took way longer than Yin expected. His stamina was already starting to dwindle down. But he must not falter. There are still more goblins to be executed. Black Lightning enveloped his limbs. "It won''t last long, but with this, I''m faster, faster than I''ve ever been." Yin''s speed was increased tenfold due to his Anima skills amplifying it. He got down, assumed the starting position of a runner. All the while enchanting each fist with the black lightning. "Thirty seconds." "That''s all the time I can keep black lightning up." He zipped through goblins left and right. Slicing through them with ease. His attacks were combined with speed and electrocution. [ Quest : Exterminate Goblins 20/50 ] "All right, almost halfway there." Meanwhile Luken silently claps at a distance. Yin only had ten seconds left of black lightning amplification. A goblin tried to swing blindly in hopes of hitting him. It almost did. It blindly swung its sword with all of its might in a backwards swinging motion. "Ah crap!" He barely evaded the attack unscathed. Yin hadn''t thought about them adapting to his speed. This miscalculation had frustrated him greatly. Just as he was about to compose himself and strike, it ran out. The black sparks of lightning faded. "Thirty more¡­ every single one of them are aware of my presence now." The Commander watches in anticipation. "What will you do, Yin-boy?" Yin knew he could not use Decay Aura if he couldn''t control it. "The Commander said that. But he didn''t say I couldn''t use it if I COULD control it." He removes the enchanted gloves given to him by Luken. Yin''s hands were white as ash. "Come." A single goblin tried to close the gap between them. Yin had let go of his earlier shabby knuckles. He assumed a fighting motion reminiscent to that of a boxer. "I hope I can do Suna''s stance as well as she does." Just as the goblin was about to lift its massive hammer, Yin had struck its face first. "I can''t go all out and use Decay Aura on my surroundings. I have to channel it, focus it on my fists. And then release the energy on impact. I can do this!" A massive hole substituted where the goblin''s face could''ve been. It was gone, turned into ashes. But the toll it took on him was noticeable. Time suddenly halted. The system''s red message box popped up. [ Thanatos, your weapons of old are available to you at any time. ] [ Your fighting style is deemed worthy of the Execution Gloves ] [ Would you like to redeem it? ] A glint of hope flashed in his eyes. "Hell yeah." With that, his bare fists were covered with red gloves. They were noticeably dusty, was it from being shelved for millions of years? The Execution gloves amplified his close quarters combat significantly. As the goblins continued to approach him one by one, by fear of being struck by the black lightning all at the same time if they all approach him at once. This was Yin''s domain now. A stadium with the audience coming down to face him one by one. A goblin smack down, if you will. "Fu-fu-fu" As Yin hits them with a jab-right-cross combination, it was enough to eliminate them. The gloves helped with the Decay, it allowed him to expend as little energy as possible. Two goblins bet on him not using black lightning. They sprinted towards him at the same time. "Both sides, huh?" As the two were about to pierce him with their swords from left and right. Yin ducked as low as he could, after seeing the blades pass by him, he extended his two hands. "Take this!" With a synchronization of his left and right arms, both performed simultaneous uppercuts. Erasing the goblin''s faces entirely. He was panting from fatigue. But it was different this time. He was not afraid. He was not powerless. Yin had become a Slayer worthy of his rank. Even more. Luken watches like a proud father seeing his son succeed in life. The Commander then frowns. "Crap, I''m getting old." Yin thought he had taken out all of them. He checked the system. [ Quest : Exterminate Goblins 49/50 ] "Hmm, I don''t see any Goblins left. Maybe the system made a mistake?" A few seconds after¡­ Loud thuds could be heard. Were these footsteps? Yin was bewildered. There it was. Slowly walking towards Yin. A Goblin King. It stood at about 15 meters. It had a distinct eye patch, covering up a scar in its left eye. A hammer which was not larger than he was. The dark-green complexion of the Goblin King separated it from the rest. The various war-scars it wore like badges of pride. Red were the eyes as though it activated a specific bloodlust directed towards Yin. Yin felt fear. Cold sweats began to drip from his temple. His hands were shaking noticeably. As it prepared and stretched its body by jumping up and down. Luken shouted. "Yo, good work kid! I''ve been watching you since you came in." "That''s a bit creepy, Commander." Yin retorted in a playful way. "Anyway, I''m not helping you." "You either die or win. There are no alternatives. If you can''t beat the Goblin King, the Six Blades has no place for you." The Commander says as his brows and face form an infuriated expression. *Gulp* Yin swallowed his saliva and collected his thoughts. "Don''t worry Commander, I don''t plan on dying." Luken lets out an enigmatic smile. Yin''s black lightning should be ready now. He tightens his fists and summons it. "Black Lightning : Amplification!" Black sparks of electricity covered up his limbs like an armor. The Goblin King pounces towards his direction. A split second too late and Yin would be crushed to his death. He looked at the Commander who was still noticeably smiling for some reason. Yin immediately understood. Luken was serious, he was prepared to let Yin die if he didn''t win. He placed his fists just a few inches above his head. The sparring with Suna definitely helped him. "I''ll end you." Yin says with pure anger. His eyes were flickering red. Yin took charge and sprinted as quick as lightning towards the Goblin King. Leaving behind a trail of fulgurite, which immediately decayed shortly after. His white hair elegantly moved with the wind. The Goblin King tried to squish him to death with its foot. But Yin was faster. Much faster. What he had in speed, he lacked in firepower. His punches noticeably hurt the huge Goblin, but it was not enough. "If one punch isn''t enough, I''ll just have to do a hundred." "And if that''s still not enough, I''ll just have to do a thousand." He says as he lets out a confident smirk. The Goblin King stomped his hammer on the ground. Causing Yin to lose his footing. He hadn''t noticed it because of the adrenaline, but his feet were bleeding from running too much and too fast. That''s when his attention was fixated on one thing. The Goblin King''s heart. Yin had to punch it with a force as strong as he can humanely muster. The Goblin King clobbered at him with the force of a tank. Each hit was slowly about to hit Yin. When an opening presented itself to Yin. The hammer swing was too slow. That realization made him instinctively leap towards the hammer. Once it was lifted, he jumped straight at the heart. The Goblin King''s claws were only a few inches away from Yin''s face. But Yin''s bet paid off. He had pierced the Goblin King''s heart with a combination. A one-two punch combo. His right hand was filled with Black Lightning while his left was focusing on Decay. On that day. The Goblin King fell. Luken didn''t tell Yin. But the Commander knew that the cave was a rank B monster den. [ Quest : Exterminate Goblins 50/50 ] [ EXP Gained : 300 ] [ Experience Points : 400/2000 ] Chapter 5 - Gavins Return "Hey Suna. Help me carry this guy." Suna lets out a defeated sigh. She did not protest any further. The group went back to the hideout for supper. "Say, Commander, is Gavin coming back today?" "Yep." "I wonder what he''s going to bring us, I hope something delicious." Suna says while noticeably salivating from hunger. "That guy always cooks the best meals. All I can cook is this thing." "It''s not even that good." Suna points out at the roasted fish was as black as charcoal. The Commander says as he gazes at his sorry campfire and the sorry attempt at roasted fish. Suna facepalms. "Really, Commander?" "Hey hey, don''t blame me! I''m not used to Gavin being gone this long. You know what I hate about him is that-" Before he could even finish his rant, a piece of chicken feet had been thrown into Luken''s mouth. To which he mowed down in five seconds. "Heard you guys were hungry." A refined English accent was heard from a few meters away. Gavin said politely with a smile so pure it was blinding. Both Suna and the Commander shouted in delight. "Gavin!!!" The pair were on the verge of tears. Hunger pangs were steadily gnawing at their stomachs. Gavin was a tall and handsome young man. Roughly the same age as Luken. He had dark, golden skin. He wore a dark coat coupled with a green scarf. His green eyes were as lush as the deepest forests. Gavin Khalil. An S rank slayer specialized at Grimoire Summoning and long range combat. His main weapons were throwing knives which he used with great precision and accuracy. That explains how he was able to target Luken''s blabbering mouth a few meters away. His eyes fixated on Yin. "Luken, is this the kid?'' The Commander nods proudly. "I''m sure you''ve heard of what he did?" "Yes, the towns are talking about the Angel-slaying farm-boy." "Some dismissed it as merely a superstition. Still, how could an Angel make it past the barriers?" "That''s what I''d like to know as well, Gavin." "Suna, you''ve been with the Six Blades for almost a year now, how has your stay been?" Gavin asked Suna with a calm voice, as if a mother was checking up on her daughter. "Don''t mind me, sir! I''m just happy to be scouted by such a prestigious group. I''ll work twice as hard to get stronger!" Gavin nodded while smiling. "I was supposed to work in the farm with Yin. But the High Council deemed my worth as a Slayer, and Commander Luken was willing to take a bet for me. I''ll forever be grateful for that." She says with a headstrong expression. His smile vanished. He looked at Luken and talked in a serious tone. "The High Council knows, Luken. They want to see the boy in six months." "Several organizations have also been scouting around." The Commander''s face matched that of the current mood. "I know. Let''s just hope those old geezers will entrust Yin to us." "And if they don''t?" Suna asked them. A grim silence plagued the area¡­ It was broken by Yin waking up. "Something smells good. Is that chicken?" When he opened his eyes, he saw Gavin. Just as his mouth was about to open and ask Suna who he was, he noticed the insignia. Golden intersecting Slayer lines. He also had the same earrings that the Commander wore. It all clicked at that moment. This dark-skinned, tall man was his superior. Yin stood upright as quick as he could. "Sir! My name is Yin Sohaya. I am currently in training to be a member of the Six Blades. Please to make your acquaintance!" Gavin chuckled a little bit. "No need to be so formal, Yin." "I''m Gavin Khalil." "So anyway, you guys seem hungry." He took out a box full of golden, perfectly fried chicken. The three of them jumped at it like rabid hyenas locking on to a prey. "Wait." The three stopped mid-air comically. "Let''s eat inside the house." The Six Blades hideout was a medium-sized house. It had the flag of the Six Blades logo, which was six pairs of blades thrusted by hooded members into an Archangel. Once inside, Gavin stopped for a moment. His hands ran through the windows. After noticing specks of dust, his eyes fixated towards Luken. "Didn''t you say you were going to keep the house clean while I was gone?" Gavin''s face forced a smile, but underneath that smile, was anger. "L-look Gavin, I can explain¡­" The Commander desperately tried to come up with a reason. He squinted at Yin and Suna. "Because of them! I was busy training them. Heh." The pair shouted both at the same time. "T-that''s not true! You''ve only trained us this day." Luken turned white. His head slowly turned towards Gavin who was boiling with rage. He tried to reason, but words would not come out. Gavin slowly approached him with the ferocity of a caged animal. Gavin proceeded to lightly bonk Luken''s head. "Don''t blame it on the kids." As he exhaled a breath of exhaustion. Gavin then told the story that the food he brought came from his old chef''s restaurant. "Let''s dig in, shall we?" Yin, Luken, and Suna ate to their hearts content. Two whole chickens seemingly vanished into nothingness. Just like that. Gavin stared in awe. Yin was unlucky. He tried to do Luken''s trick of not even chewing the food, just directly swallowing it as fast as he could He choked. Suna tried to help but she was too busy laughing and trying not to choke herself. Gavin immediately stood up and gave him a glass of water. The immediate assistance all happened in a flash. Gavin couldn''t help but smile. He whispered to himself. "You would have loved this, Adam." There were two other members with Luken''s appetite residing here now. "After you''ve finished eating. We''re going to clean this place up." Gavin says as he clapped his hands in excitement. Yin asked Luken if he was that much of a clean freak. Luken''s terrified nod confirmed it. After they finished doing the dishes, the four of them were now cleaning the Six Blades'' hideout. Yin was motioned by Gavin to come to him in the living room. "How are you liking the place?" "O-oh it''s uhm, it''s honestly great so far." "I forgot, when was the last time I even ate dinner with other people? My parents were farmers as well. They died shortly after my tenth birthday. I coped with waiting and waiting for my Anima cells to awaken. They never actually did. I-I''m sorry for oversharing. I just made the mood depressing, my bad." "I''m sorry to hear that, Yin. It''s alright. We may not look like much, but we''re your family now." Yin''s eyes had fixated on Gavin''s earrings. They were black dangling circle-shaped earrings. "Oh, these? You''re probably wondering why Luken and I wear them." Yin nodded. "Adam started this tradition. He said it was a way to distinguish ourselves from different organizations, said it made us more of a family. So, we sort of just went with it." Gavin explained with while leaning against a wall. Yin''s eyes nudged with curiosity. "Adam?" "Me and Luken''s predecessor. The Slayer Corps previous Commander, and the previous leader of the Six Blades. He was an SSS rank Slayer." "Where is he now?" Gavin''s face contorted. He had difficulty swallowing. Luken then shouted from the second floor. "Yo, Yin. Come help out Suna over here!" "A-alright. Let''s talk later, Gavin." He waves to Gavin and proceeds to climb the stairs above. Luken came down to the living room. His expression was more serious than it ever was. "Gavin. It''s not time yet." "They don''t need to know about that." "I know. My bad." "Don''t mention that name in front of them ever again. At least not yet." "Understood." The Commander then shifted to a lighter tone. "Well, we''ll continue training them tomorrow, alright? We''ll finish cleaning up. You''ve been away for a pretty long time. Get some sleep." "Yes. I think I will." Before Luken walked back upstairs. Gavin shot him a quick glance and a nodded. "Luken. Thank you." The Commander made a thumbs up gesture with his right hand. After Yin and Suna finished cleaning, they went to bed. Each one of them had separate bedrooms on the second floor of the house. Though modest in size, it did the job well. Morning came. As the chickens clucked coupled with the rays of sunlight, it was a new day. Yin woke up earlier than anyone else. He wanted to do start his day as soon as possible and train. [ Daily Quest : 300 pushups, 300 sit-ups, 300 pullups, 10k run. ] Yikes. That''s a lot. He went outside and started stretching. His feet were still sore from the wounds he got yesterday. Although it stung every single time he walked. "This is nothing." He thought to himself. Yin heard Gavin open the front door. Gavin sat down on the chair by the porch. Holding a cup of coffee. Yin nodded to recognize Gavin''s presence. Gavin did the same. "You''ve woken up awfully early, Yin." He shouted. "You as well! I wanted to start training as soon as I can." Yin responded. Gavin''s green eyes slowly sensed Yin''s pain every time he landed on his foot when he stretched. "Your feet. Are you hurt?" "O-oh, yeah, this was from yesterday. I can bear with it though." "Nonsense!" Gavin immediately stood up quickly. He did it with such grace, not a single drop of coffee. As he walked slowly towards Yin, he took out a grimoire from his coat. The S rank Slayer proceeded to summon a snake. "Don''t be afraid." The snake slithered towards Yin''s injured feet. Its scales possessed the ability to heal and rejuvenate them. "Woah Gavin, you''re a healer?" "Not quite. I''m a summoner. This snake just happens to be fond of healing." Gavin responded with a cheeky smile. "After you''ve finished your calisthenic exercise, I might be able to help you train." "Really?" Yin''s eyes lit up in excitement. He then proceeded to do his daily quest. It took him two hours. [ Daily Quest : Accomplished ] [ EXP gained : 300 ] [ Experience Points : 700/2000 ] He ran back to the house. The smell of bacon and eggs greeted his nose. After re-hydrating with water, he went to the kitchen. Suna and Luken sat there. "W-where have you been, Yin?" Suna was seemingly interrogating him. Her face comically resembled a skull. Yin told them he was training. "Well, Gavin here doesn''t want us to start breakfast without you." Luken says while giving Gavin a quick and petty glance. Gavin just grinned. "Have a seat, boy." Yin took a chair and sat on the table. Gavin served bacon and eggs in a truly exquisite way. He topped it off with parsley, some potatoes and vegetables. Suna placed the vegetables at the farthest edge of her plate. "You''re a growing lady. You must eat your vegetables, Suna." Gavin said in a manner reminiscent of a parent. Luken was happy that Gavin had only seen her plate. But he turned white when Gavin saw his. "How do you expect to be strong when you don''t even eat potatoes?" The Commander let out a sigh of surrender. Both of them forcibly swallowed the food while Gavin watched closely. "There we go. That wasn''t so hard, was it?" His grin had grown even more menacing than before. As hectic as the Six Blades were, Yin knew. He knew that this was his new family. Chapter 6 - Preparation For The Conquest 1/2 It was afternoon later that day. After another grueling spar with Suna which ended as well as anybody has expected, the Six Blades sat together underneath an oak tree. A messenger dove flew on top of Luken''s hand. There was a note attached. As Luken''s blue eyes scanned the message, his expression screamed trouble. "We''re leaving the day after tomorrow." Yin, Gavin, and Suna had perplexed faces. "The High Council has ordered the Six Blades to exterminate an Angel outside of Niflheim." Although terrified, Yin and Suna knew this was the time to show their worth. They thought that since the Commander and Gavin was with them, it would be a lot easier. "One more thing. Rank C Slayer Yin and Rank B Slayer Suna were to be the only combatants against the Angel." "W-what?!" Gavin had clenched his jaw in anger. "It''s their orders. We have to follow it." The Commander says with a blank stare. "Right. We still have until nighttime today and the entirety of tomorrow to train. Both of you, stand up." Gavin says with authority. "I''ll take the Angel on by myself, sir!" Yin had exclaimed in a cocky way. This prompted Gavin to look at him with a piercing gaze. "If you cannot best my summons, forget about exterminating Angels." He said as he took out his Summoning Grimoire. His right hand flicked the pages as fast as he could. When he finally settled on a page, he used a Summoning Incantation. "Cursed Wolf. I call on thee!" In just an instant, a bloodthirsty wolf had been summoned. Its fur was as dark as the night. "This is my weakest summon. I expect you to beat it." [ Quest : Exterminate Cursed Wolf (0/1) ] Gavin was not playing around now. Yin and Suna assumed fighting stances. "Suna, distract the wolf for a bit, I have to put on my gauntlets!" "Gotcha." Just as the fangs of the Cursed Wolf were about to sink into Yin''s face. Suna struck it first. Her grey eyes resembled that of a hungry beast itself. She stepped forward with her right foot first. Suna then did a crescent kick with her left. The Cursed Wolf was stricken with a blow to the gut. This was enough to buy Yin a few precious seconds to arm himself. "Thanks, Suna." "Don''t mention it. Back me up." Yin had deployed his fighting stance. Suna charged at the Wolf with speed. She tried to do the crescent kick again, but the Wolf sidestepped it easily. Little did it know, Yin was behind it now. Sparks of black lightning dimmed the sky and came crashing down into the ground where it landed. This caused the Cursed Wolf to use Yin''s body as a wall and leaped away from the electrocuting ground. "A-ah!" Yin was injured now. The claws of the Wolf had scratched him deeply. It then hastily readied to pounce a split second after landing. Yin''s shoulder and lower stomach was struck the most. With quick thinking, Suna kicked Yin off the side so he won''t get hit by the pounce. "Are you alright?" She shouted. "Y-yeah. I''ll manage." The Cursed Wolf''s blood lust was now directed at Suna. It was now faster than before. With a combination of alternating swipes, it backed Suna off into a corner. As it readied for another opportunity to munch them off, she quickly moved out of the way. Projectiles were now flying towards the Wolf. "R-rocks?" Suna was confused. There Yin was, throwing boulders and decaying it once it was midair. "Who says I can''t fight from long distances!?" Yin''s body was obviously battered, but his face signified perseverance. He was not about to give up. "Suna! Try to keep him off the ground. I''ll bombard him as soon as he jumps." In an instant, Suna was on the offensive now. The Cursed Wolf was the one backing up, until it hit a tree from behind. She was now hitting it with a barrage of punches. As soon as the Wolf recovered, they switched. Suna did a backwards cartwheel to switch positions with Yin. "Come here, doggy." He was provoking it. As soon as it was only a few centimeters in front of him, Yin punched the ground with decay. This caused the Wolf to stumble and fall into a hole. "I''m going to need a few seconds to recharge my Decay, Suna. Pin it down for me!" Suna''s silhouette was engraved deeply into the Wolf''s sight. She landed on its body with both feet. A loud whimper was heard all across the forest. Human-sized boulders were being crumbled midair now. This was the last thing the Wolf would ever see. The Wolf evaporated into nothingness. [ Quest : Exterminate Cursed Wolf (1/1 ] [ EXP gained : 500 ] [ Experience Points : 1200/2000 ] Yin gave Suna a high-five, celebrating their triumph. Gavin glared at the pair, and then switched his eyes towards Luken. "I knew Suna was going to be strong. But I never thought Yin was this adept at combat." The Commander had a playful smile written on his face which seemed to say the words : I told you so. Albeit non verbally. "Why don''t we try for something a little more challenging, shall we?" Gavin smirked. Luken motioned towards the pair to look at Gavin. Yin and Suna both had the same reaction. "I-is he serious?" The S rank Slayer was now summoning a humanoid opponent. "Headless Swordsman. I call on thee!" "Yo Gavin, are you trying to kill the kids?" "They''ll live if they win. They''ll die if they lose. They''ll lose if they don''t fight." The cool calm and collected Gavin now had a sinister smirk. The Headless Swordsman was fully covered in plated armor. It wielded a heavy sword as sharp as a razor. "Since you''re both physical fighters. Let''s see if you can take on my Headless Swordsman." [ Quest : Exterminate Headless Swordsman (0/1) ] "I-I thought it was over, Suna." Yin looked at her with a worried expression. "That''s just how Gavin is. He wants us to be strong. Now quit whining and get off your ass." She helped Yin up. The pair assumed combat positions once more. "Suna. I want to take the lead this time. Wait for an opening and strike as soon as you see it." This was the first time Yin had displayed authority in a fight. He was deliberately putting himself in harm''s way. Suna thought hard. "Is Yin trying to kill himself? He was still injured from the battle earlier." No. She knew better. His eyes flickered red whilst grinding his teeth. He was the predator, not the prey. His hands reached towards the sky in a fist-like manner. Black lightning enveloped his limbs. Yin assumed a runner''s stance at the start. A split second after, he sprinted towards the Headless Swordsman. The summoned creature easily dodged it by moving tilting its body left. Yin''s speed was not faltering, he charged right back while it had its back turned towards him. With a swift right jab, he hit the swordsman''s chest. The ground shook from the attack''s intensity. The black lightning had no effect on the creature. "How about this?" Yin kicked its thighs with the same force and power. Luken''s eyes were enlarged with shock. Yin could now apply Decay with his feet, not only his hands. The Headless Swordsman''s thigh-armor slowly rotted away and turned into dust. It backed off at the perfect time, if it had waited a second longer, it would have lost its whole left limb from decay. What was left was a rectangular mark where the thigh used to be. "How''s that?" Yin asked as he turned his face towards Gavin. Gavin was as surprised as Luken. "Now, Suna!" With the Headless Swordsman now facing Yin''s direction, she could land a direct hit. But her exhaustion from earlier had started to creep up and whittled away at her stamina. Her punch wasn''t as strong as she thought it would have been. With her fist still on the swordsman''s armor, it drew its sword and sliced through the air horizontally. Suna immediately ducked to avoid the blow. But she was in deep trouble now. The swordsman was preparing its foot to stomp on her as she was defenseless on the ground. Yin focused all the black lightning he had left into his shoulders and tackled it. "Suna! Move!" He shouted as the Headless Swordsman fell down having lost its balance. She thought about every single probability wherein she is able to help Yin. Then she saw it. The sword was now on the ground. Suna kicked it as hard as she could. Flocks of birds flew away as the sword flew out the stratosphere. She then moved out of the way to take cover. Yin leaped towards the Headless Swordsman''s downed body. Both his feet held its legs in place. Punches were exchanged with so much force that each impact made leaves fall from the trees. Yin was slowly being overpowered. His black lightning had run out. His decay abilities were at their limit as well. That''s when he remembered what Suna said shortly after he woke up after the farm incident. A grey Suna appeared in his memories. "If I can''t use magic against the monsters, the least I could do is use my fists to bash their heads in!" He curled his lips in anger. Yin was done trying to dodge its punches. If it landed a punch on him, he was going to punch back even stronger. "If I can''t use my skills, I''ll just have to bash your head in." Suna was gazing in Yin''s direction worriedly. Just as she was about to jump in, she noticed Gavin gazing at her in a way that suggested she should not interfere. After he heard what Yin said, she knew that her worry was for naught. That worry slowly vanished. It turned into hope. She had now acknowledged Yin''s strength as a Slayer. The Headless Swordsman landed focused punches aimed at Yin''s face. He dodged none of it. His face was badly battered by the punches, but so was the Headless Swordsman''s chest. Instead, he did what he said he would. He just fought fire with fire. It was now a war of attrition. To see who can hold out the longest against each other. Gavin and Luken stared in anticipation. Luken was ready to save Yin in case worse comes to worst. Gavin signaled him not to do it. "Hope, Luken. Believe in Yin." To which the Commander clenched his fists in worry. Five whole minutes had passed. The last punch was thrown. It was Yin''s. He shouted a battle cry of victory at the top of his lungs. The Headless Swordsman''s armor and whole body shortly united with the gust of the wind. It had turned into dust. Yin then collapsed shortly after, not before being caught by Luken. [ Quest : Exterminate Headless Swordsman (1/1) ] [ EXP gained : 800 ] [ Experience Points : 2000/2000 ] [ Leveled up. Current level : 3 ] [ Passive skill unlocked : Regeneration ] Just as Gavin was about to summon his healing snake, he stopped immediately after seeing Yin''s face. It was healing by itself. Although a tad bit slower, Yin was still healing, all on his own. He was regenerating. Chapter 7 - Preparation For The Conquest 2/2 Two days have passed. The Six Blades were now preparing early morning to disembark for the conquest. Yin Sohaya was still asleep. Yin sensed this feeling of dread and urgency. A lurking, impending doom that is to come. He opened his eyes but all he could see was the blackest of voids. "W-where am I?" [ Greetings Thanatos, we would like to give you the "Deathly Binding Chains" skill. ] The system''s feminine yet deadpan voice broke the silence. "Binding C-Chains?" [ Yes. It combines accumulated dust from earlier instances of decay. In short, every residue of decay will be used to create chains strong enough to hold your adversaries down. ] "Hmm. That is pretty neat. It might come in handy when we''re outside of the barrier." A deafening roar echoed through the pitch-black place he was thrown in. His eyes circled around, trying hard to see anything. But all his gaze could see was the infinitely dark void. He felt something at the bottom. "What''s happening?!" [ Thanatos, all the souls of whom you execute can never rest, instead, you send them to a place of torment and suffering from beyond their graves. You know that better than anyone else. ] "I''m not Thanatos! I don''t even know who that is!" [ You are Prince Thanatos. The personification of death. ] His feet were now being pulled by a hundred decaying arms. He recognized whose hands these were. They were the hands of every monster he turned into ashes. Even the farm animals who got caught up in the Decay Aura in the Farm incident were tugging at his feet. Seemingly swallowed by paranoia, Yin shouted. "Get off me!" Before his whole body could be dragged in, he woke up for real this time. [ Daily Quest : 300 pushups, 300 sit-ups, 300 curl-ups. ] A scream full of pain and anguish was heard all across the Six Blade''s house. This prompted Suna, Gavin, and Luken to hastily draw their weapons. "What''s wrong, Yin?" Luken asked with a worried expression. "I just had this nightmare¡­" He proceeded to tell everyone about the nightmare, minus the existence of the System. Yin carefully skipped around the subject. Being careful as not to reveal his system. "This was not like any other nightmare you had as a child." Suna said with a tremulous voice. "N-no it isn''t. This was different." "Thanatos, huh?" Gavin closed his eyes, seemingly imagining or thinking of something. "That name does ring a bell." The Commander glared at him with narrowed eyes while cocking his head. "That''s one of the Old Gods. Luken''s predecessor, the ex-Commander of the Slayer Corps was looking up ancient scrolls about why the Gods were sending Angels and other monsters to decimate mankind, his face became pale when he stumbled across a particular scroll." Everyone in the room had faces of dread, their breaths were irregular, they were now sweating nervously from the revelation that Gavin laid out. "He only showed it to me for a few seconds. All I could make up was this." ''To the New Gods who have sat atop the thrones above. Hear me. For I will not hesitate to rot this world, if it means massacring you all.'' "Yin. Why do you have visions of Thanatos?" Gavin confronted him. "I told you everything already! Why are you guys doubting me?" "We''re not doubting you, boy." Luken said in an assuring tone. "We just want to know what we''re dealing with." Suna was on the verge of tears. "Everyone calm down!" She shouted. Everyone took their time to absorb the information and calmed down for a bit. "We have to get ready, or else the carriage will leave us." Gavin voiced out in importance. To which everyone got back to their preparations. Suna, still teary-eyed, was now sharpening a sword. Luken leaned against the wall outside on the patio with Gavin. "What''s happening, Gavin?" "I''d like to know as well." "Wasn''t Adam digging through dusty books and texts trying to piece together why Thanatos felt enraged at the New Gods? He was not even sleeping, every single time I woke up during the night, he was at his study, he grew pale the more he was reading and skimming through them." Gavin said in a tone he never once used. It was fear. "Drop it. Don''t assume that it''s connected to that person and what he did." Luken said with authority. "Look, you have to use logic. We can''t just ignore facts just because it reminds us of painful memories and tragedies. Don''t carry the whole world on your shoulder, Luken." "I''m not. What happened two years ago is still fresh on my mind. That was not just anyone else. That was my sister." The Commander said as he gritted his teeth in anger. "She was like a sister to me too, Luken. You know that better than anyone else! We tried, and we failed. Get over it! We can''t be like this forever, not while we have Suna and Yin looking up to us. We''re the Six Blades, right?" Luken''s teeth were now at ease. With a deep sigh, Luken retorted. "You''re right, I''m sorry for lashing out at you, Gavin." "Hey, we''re in this together, alright? Besides, I''m already scouting a potential member." Gavin said with a faint smile. The door to the patio opened with force. Yin and Suna were now ready with their bags packed. The pair wore faces of courage, all traces of fear were now gone. "Let''s go!" The Commander exclaims excitedly while stomping his foot. "Oh, but before we go, here''s something cool for you guys!" Gavin watches as Luken hands out black coats with the Slayer logo. But this one was unique. Above the logo, there it was. The insignia of the Six Blades. Six hooded swordsmen stabbing an Archangel in a circular formation. Yin and Suna''s eyes lit up with joy as they proudly wore the cloaks. "Okay, let''s go!" The group made their way to the town of Venhagen, where a carriage would be waiting for their arrival. Everyone in the town went pale after seeing both Suna and Yin wearing Six Blade cloaks. Yin still wore the Execution Gloves he got from the System. Whispers were flying around left and right. "Isn''t that the kid who killed every living thing in his farm?" "Shh, I heard he killed an Angel." "An Angel? Don''t be an idiot! There''s no way those things could get past our barriers." "Look at his hands, why''s he covering them?" "Probably to clean off that poor boy Jon''s blood which was on his hands." Gossips and rumors like these ran rampant every single time they saw their cloaks. People were aware the Six Blades had the "Anima-less" Slayer and the kid from the ''Farm'' incident. Suna learned to zone off and to seemingly "mute" noises from useless townsfolk. She developed this because they often talked behind her back about the fact that she''s a Slayer without Anima cells or powers to show. Yin, on the other hand, was not so lucky to possess such a skill. He was shaking. Was he scared? Was he angry? It was a mix of both. Luken placed his hands on Yin and Suna''s shoulders. "They''re afraid of what they don''t know. You guys are plenty strong, after all!" "I know that, Commander." Suna smirked at Luken. "Y-yeah. I knew that too." Yin responds in the most insecure way possible. "Nah you didn''t, look at your face! Hahaha-" Before Luken could finish laughing at Yin, Gavin bonked him on the back of his head. "Ow! What''s the big idea?" "Shush, Luken." "Don''t worry Yin. Just understand that these people have not witnessed the bloodshed that Slayers go through every single mission. They couldn''t possibly understand. These are common folk, let''s just get on with our business." Gavin always knew what to say to make others feel at ease. They had another five hours to kill before the carriage came. The four of them decided to checked in at an inn. Yin and Suna were like little kids waiting for their mother to finish talking to someone. They waited for Gavin to finish the check-in arrangements. While they pranced around impatiently, a rugged Slayer loudly tapped the counter. He was a bald, large, beefy man built like an ox. He had a red, lengthy spade beard. The fact that his arm was tattooed with the word "Slayer" was obvious enough to know that he was one. While Gavin was still chatting with the cashier about check-ins, overall cleanliness of rooms, and other factors, the bearded man approached him. "Oi, what''s taking ye so long? I want a drink right now!" Gavin just ignored the man behind him. The bearded Slayer said as he puts his hand on the back of Gavin''s neck. "Don''t touch me." Gavin asks with a grim yet confronting expression. Before Gavin could pull out his Grimoire, Luken stepped in. He held the man''s arm by the wrist with ginormous amounts of force. "Get your filthy hands off him." "Oh yeah? Or what, you pathetic, weak excuse of a man?" Luken then slammed the bearded man on the floor. In a split second, the man was on the ground, Luken still grabbing his left hand with his own. But the Commander now had his other hand at his throat. With a blank stare of disgust, he gripped his throat even harder. The bearded Slayer was now coughing and gasping for air. "L-let go of me!" "Enough, Luken." Gavin motioned him to stop choking the man. To which Luken did. The Slayer''s backups were quickly approaching, but they were stopped by Yin and Suna. "I dare you to take a step. Just try it." She took a fighting stance and was on guard. Yin readied his gauntlets in anticipation for a fight as well. Both their faces had the semblance of a violent feral animal guarding their domain. "You alright?" Luken asked Gavin. To which the latter nodded. His gaze was then focused back on the bearded man. "If you try to brute-force your way through everything, make sure you''re the strongest person in the room." With an icy cold tone, the man could do nothing but look down in shame. The Commander then took out something from his pocket. It was a badge. Engraved in a gold, shining badge were the words: ''Commander of The Slayer Corps'' ''Luken Reeves'' "Know your place, trash." The bearded man was now kneeling and begging for forgiveness. His friends'' knees were shaking in fear. "T-that''s Luken Reeves and Gavin Khalil from the Six Blades." "W-what? No way?!" To which Gavin scratched the back of his head and smiled. He apologized to everyone in the inn who were startled and disturbed by what just happened. The cashier then shakily handed the keys to him. The four of them made their way upstairs, to where the rooms were. Luken breathed a sigh of relief. "Whew! I swear these people just prey on weaklings. But little did they know, I''m the stronge-" "Yes, yes. We know, Commander." Suna ruined Luken''s speech. This made Gavin and Yin laugh. An hour later, Yin took a nap. Gavin was reading a book on how to properly care for your pet frogs. He wasn''t particularly fond of it; he just ran out of books to read. Suna was doing pushups and stretching. Luken was having a smoke by the window. "Suna. Look after Yin, alright?" She nodded. "His Anima cells, they''re still unstable. But his Anima levels are now equal to that of a B rank Slayer." He added. "Although I have never seen anything like this. But in terms of raw strength and damage output, you''re still stronger than him. So please, look out after him." "Don''t worry Commander, I won''t let you guys down." "Also, didn''t you go a little to far with that guy downstairs?" She asked reluctantly. "Oh trust me, I only felt bad for whoever was going to clean up after Gavin was done with him. So I had to step in and do as little damage as possible!" He says proudly. As he almost crushed another Slayer''s windpipes five minutes earlier. The remaining hours have passed. The carriage was transporting them to the Outer Gates was now here. Chapter 8 - Rizako Village "The Outer Gates are still a few towns away." Said the coachman. He was a tall, calm man in his mid fifties. You could tell he has been a coachman for the majority of his life just by looking at him. After all, it is the main way of transportation across Niflheim. The four of the Six Blades were now riding the carriage. The carriage was enormous. It was larger than most. The brown exterior paint coupled with the gold-plated Slayer logo was truly extravagant. Yin''s eyes were filled with awe. It was the first time he got this far outside of the farm he used to work in. "I had no idea Niflheim was this huge." He said as the carriage passed by another range of mountains. The piercing peaks met with the clouds up above. They were going to stop by a tavern once they were halfway the journey. "Now, there will be other Slayers joining you guys in the hunt. But truthfully, I think the Higher Council are just using them as bait. To send B class Slayers, even lower, to exterminate an Angel is basically a death sentence." Luken warns Yin and Suna. Gavin pulls out a map of Niflheim. He points out at a spot still far away from the right-most edge. "This is where we are now. Once we pass by the chilling Mountains of Madriel, we will arrive at the small village of Rizako. We''ll be stopping at a tavern to sleep and prepare. You guys should definitely train once we get there." Gavin said. The four of them gazed at the sunset. "By the way, Commander. I wanted to ask why the Slayer corps sent this luxurious carriage to transport us." Yin asked. "Hah, the Commander of the Slayer corps would have nothing short of extravagance, boy!" The Commander exclaimed proudly. "Didn''t you basically beg and grovel to the Higher Council to let us use this particular carriage for transportation?" Gavin once again ruined Luken''s moment. Suna, with her head turned towards Yin asked him. "Aren''t you scared, Yin? Even though I''ve been to several conquests, I still haven''t faced an Angel yet. And I''ll admit it, I''m feeling kind of terrified." "I''m scared as well, Suna. I''m scared to death. But something is different this time, I''ll be fighting alongside you now. I can fight. Just know that once we''re in the battlefield, I''ll always have your back." A reassured Suna cracked a smile. "And I have yours as well." Yin knew that there was no shame in being an essential citizen, someone who did not possess Anima cells was only given the work that would suit society. Like farming, cloth-knitting, building houses, etc. But this time, he was prepared. The coachman called Gavin''s attention. "We''ll be stopping now. Rizako village has a tavern with rooms. We''ll wait by the carriage first thing in the morning." To which the four waved a respectful farewell before they disembarked and went straight to the tavern. They still have a few hours to kill before dinner, Yin and Suna decided to spar outside. Yin told her to wait for a bit, he started to do his daily quest. After a grueling experience of doing 300 pushups, 300 sit-ups, and 300 curl-ups, Yin looked like he was going to fall at any second. [ Daily Quest Completed : 300 pushups, 300 sit-ups, 300 curl-ups. ] [ EXP gained : 500 ] [ Experience Points : 500/3000 ] [ Current Level : 3 ] Suna hastily ran towards him. "I thought you were just going to stretch? Why did you overdo it?" "Because I have to get stronger, Suna. I have to level up." Suna was now a bit puzzled by his choice of words. "No matter, give me a few minutes to catch my breathe and we''ll start sparring." Loud blows could be heard across Rizako. Meanwhile Luken and Gavin were preparing their rooms. "Luken, if one of them is at the brink of threat of death, I''m helping them." "As will I, Gavin." "The High Council may have given the order for only the two of them to be the combatants from our organization, but I am willing to disobey orders if a Six Blades member is in trouble and I am forced to stand idly and do nothing." "Then we''re on the same page." Both of them shook hands as though they struck a deal. "Tell me Luken, do you wholeheartedly believe that Yin and Suna plus other low rank Slayers can take out an Angel without us?" Gavin asked him wearing a worried expression. "No. They''ll probably die." Luken responded with a blank face. "What''s the Emperor even doing? Does he know about this absurd conquest those old fools in the council are instructing us to partake in?" "He probably doesn''t know. Those on the council are trying to get rid of Yin. They''re afraid of what they don''t know. I mean come on, a kid awakening his Anima cells eight years after this tenth birthday is unheard of. But shouldn''t we study that? The reason why civilization has stopped improving is because of these outdated ways of thinking!" Gavin was now obviously infuriated. Luken places has hand on Gavin''s shoulder. "Let''s just believe in them, alright?" Yin and Suna''s spar was interrupted by the Commander. "Hey, you guys!" "We''re going to eat somewhere, change your clothes and take a bath or something!" To which the pair responded with hungry expressions. "Yes, sir!" After a change of clothes and a fresh shower in their separate rooms, the pair went outside to meet up with the Commander and Gavin. Rizako was a small village that prides itself in the transportation of livestock. All of Niflheim relies on Rizako to provide them with meat. Every alley had different animals, from pigs to cows. They walked through Rizako until they set their eyes on a humble diner restaurant. It was small-sized yet the aroma of freshly cooked food drew their hungry selves inside the door. "Welcome to The Silver Spoon Diner!" The waiter greeted the four of them and escorted them to their respective seats. He was a well-kept man in his early thirties. A wonderfully pleasant slicked back hair and gloves as white as sheep wool. His white shirt coupled with a black tie really gave the restaurant a touch of sophistication and class. The waiter pulled out a pen and paper. "So, what would you like? I recommend the sirloin steak we currently serve for a discounted price-" His words were interrupted shortly by Yin, Luken, and Suna. "W-we''d like the steak, please!" "Fantastic." The waiter''s eyes glinted in happiness. He turned his attention towards Gavin. "How about you, sir?" "I''d like one serving of salad and another serving of salmon. Thank you." "I''ll be on it, sir." "Woah, I didn''t know this small village served sirloin steak!" Yin exclaimed. "Weren''t the animals outside a dead giveaway already, Yin?" Suna asked with an obvious hint of sarcasm. "Well, Rizako is known for its livestock. These essential workers fuel the society inside the gates of Niflheim, they might not have Anima abilities, but they still do what they can to be productive members of society and to cater to its needs." Gavin explained. Suna''s stomach was now grumbling. "Don''t worry guys, this meal is on me." Luken said in a proud tone. To which Suna gleefully slapped the table in excitement. "Awfully generous, aren''t you?" Gavin said to the Commander. "Hey now, the kids have earned it." Both of them smiled whilst looking at Yin and Suna''s salivation waiting for their steak to be served. "So, Commander, since you guys aren''t allowed to help us, where will you be?" "Me and Gavin will be somewhere near where can see the action. Don''t go relying on me all the time, Yin-boy!" "I-I''m not. To be honest, I am quite excited. I know I basically finished off a weakened Angel at the farm. Without your help, I would have died. But now, I''ll use my own strength." Yin said with a composed look. "Don''t forget about me!" Suna said to the Commander. "Alright alright, just make sure you guys make it out alive, okay?" Their conversation was interrupted by the delicious scent of steak. The waiter proudly served it to their tables, which prompted them to tear up in happiness. "Please pardon their reactions." Gavin quickly assured the waiter who thought there was something wrong with the food he served. And that the three were just that excited to see steak. The waiter then went back and served Gavin''s order. The steak was cooked medium well. Its juices oozed out as the trio violently stabbed it with their forks. "Seriously, you guys act like you haven''t eaten in days." Gavin said. His words fell on deaf ears as the three of them munched and gobbled up the food into nonexistence. He could not help but feel the warmth of seeing them enjoy a meal. Luken asked the waiter how much the group ordered for expenses. "That is five thousand zennies, sir." Yin was pretty sure he heard the Commander choke. Shortly after finishing up, Luken whispered something into Gavin''s ears. "Hey, so I told them it was my treat, right? Do you mind lending me a few zennies this time around? I''ll pay you back soon, alright?" A sad sigh escaped Gavin''s mouth. "Seriously, I thought I only had two children to take care of." The group bid farewell to the waiter and the diner''s owner after everyone was full. As they made their way to their rooms, Luken tapped Yin''s head two times to signal for his attention. "In battle, some sacrifices are necessary to win." Without giving Yin the time to retort back, the Commander went to his own room. Still piecing together what Luken meant, Yin went to sleep with a troubled mind. Tomorrow was the day. A couple hours on the carriage and they would be at the Outer Gates. Then, morning came. The Six Blades were now en route to the Outer Gates. Outside Niflheim, the Barriers no longer protected them. All sorts of monsters could pounce at any minute and they would be left to their own devices. The four of them waited as the coachman signaled them that they have arrived. "We have arrived at the destination, sirs. The Outer Gates." It did not look different from inside Niflheim, the forests were still lush and green, the world was still itself. At least that''s what Yin thought. Several Slayers were at the location already, Luken''s face slowly turned dark. The Commander was now clenching his jaws in anger. These Slayers... They were sent to eradicate an Angel? He could not even recognize any of them. They had to be below rank B if he were to assess them on the spot. "G-Gavin. What''s happening? Why''s the High Council doing this?" Gavin, who knew nothing could say nothing. "They''re all going to die." Luken clumped his fist as he states the obvious. Chapter 9 - To Die As Slayers Every single Slayer here. They were all barely twenty years old. These guys were probably had been born the same time as Yin and Suna were. Everyone was petrified with fear. Though there were a few ones who showed amicable dedication and focus, most were too scared to even hold their weapons. It had to have been about fifty Slayers. Fifty unranked or lower-class Slayers. Their eyes were then locked onto the Commander and Gavin, whom they recognized and hailed as their idols and role models. Their fear was now gone, surely with the SS-rank Commander and the S-rank Serpent Summoner, the Angel wasn''t about to stand a chance. That''s what these clueless Slayers believed in. "D-did nobody brief you guys in?" Gavin asked hesitantly. "About what, sir? We were only told to exterminate an Angel lurking around the Outer Gates. That''s all." A child, not even older than fifteen, answered with a monotonous voice which implied he had already lost hope. He probably knew. The faces of the Six Blades went pale. They didn''t know. These people did not know that only Yin and Suna were allowed to engage in combat. An emissary from the High Council made her way through the crowd of Slayers. She wore a blindingly white hooded robe. Her features were sharp and precise. The blonde hair of hers was steadily gusted away by the winds. She was a fierce young woman who looked to be in her early twenties. "Greetings, Slayers." "It has come to our attention that complacency is being spread due to the fact that there are S-ranked Slayers in our midst. Namely the Slayer Corps Commander and the renowned Serpent Summoner. Do not misunderstand. They are only here to watch and observe. Not to fight. No, you, will do the fighting." Just as easily as their worries vanished, it sunk even harder for them. The realization that they were sent to the Outer Gates. To die. Yin, Luken, Suna, and Gavin could do nothing but lower their chins in shame. "I''m sorry, everyone." Luken said. Yin slowly walked to the emissary, he wanted to know why the Commander and Gavin were not allowed to fight. "Are you prepared to have the blood of all us here in your hands? Why are you limiting our chances at victory?!" Yin exclaimed furiously at her. Suna tried to hold Yin back, but to no avail. "Slayers are soldiers. From the day they awakened their Anima cells, to the day they die doing their duties, they are soldiers. Don''t question authority if you don''t want to be marked with insubordination." Yin quickly backed off. She was serious. "I''m also here to assess what rank you and your friend should be." She said as she points to Suna''s direction. "So, if there are no objections, I''ll proceed with the briefing. Reports have documented that the Angel''s last seen direction was a few kilometers north of here. An Angel, as you know, is an A-rank monster. The most effective way to exterminate it is to pierce its heart with a weapon, or anything that suits you. Now, form squads according to your Anima Affinity and walk north. Claim the land for Niflheim." Flame Slayers, Water Slayers, Earth Slayers, Wind Slayers, Lightning Slayers, and Summoners were grouped separately within their own affinities. Yin and Suna bid farewell to the Commander and Gavin. "Don''t die. That''s order for both of you." Luken says with a firm, worried voice. "We''re basically Six Blades already, sir. We won''t fall that easily." Suna affirms her worried seniors with that. She had no affinity or Anima cells whatsoever, so she was instructed by the emissary to be with Yin. The pair donned the black Six Blades cloak with pride and honor as they slowly marched north. Luken looked at the emissary with disdain in his gaze. "You both, come with me." "Why should we?" Gavin asked in an enraged manner. "Because that''s orders from above." They had no choice but to comply. Rather than taking the road, they instead jumped to the forest''s trees right beside the area. "This is a good place to keep watch. We can also follow them much efficiently." The two did not even mutter a single word to her the whole time. They steadily tracked the group as they moved forward swinging from tree to tree. "H-hi. You''re Six Blades, right? That must mean you guys are plenty s-strong." A pale young man roughly the same age as Yin asked them. He was armed with stiletto daggers. His blonde bowl-cut hair covered both his eyes. He was not built like a soldier. The man was obviously shaking from terror. "Y-yeah, you can say that." Yin tries to comfort him. But even he can''t fake his own terror. "I-I''m Vinny, by the way, a lightning user like you two." Suna was far too drained to correct him. Vinny''s friend approached them. "Since you guys are part of a top 5 organization, that must mean you''re strong, right? I mean the Commander and the Serpent Summoner trained you guys, right?" Suna tried to tell them the truth, that she was a B-rank Anima-less Slayer, and that Suna had only turned into a Slayer less than a month. But Yin stopped her. "Yeah, we''re strong. Just stick with us, we''ll protect you." Suna''s face had anguish written all over it. "Yin, why?" "Because that''s what I''ll do. I''ll protect every single one of these guys." The Lightning group''s morality was slowly raising, hearing of them having not one, but two members of the Six Blades was assuring. They even saw the pair disembark the carriage with Luken and Gavin, after all. "W-we might actually have a chance of surviving this conquest thanks to you guys!" Vinny said with a smile that seemed to cope with his fright. Everyone else followed in the same sentiment. "What have you done, Yin?" Suna knew. She knew that this was false hope. But Yin was wholeheartedly serious. He thought he could save them. Suna knew better than to dispel one''s way of maintaining focus. If this was what''s keeping Yin from mentally crumbling, then so be it. Two hours of marching and they finally reached it. A crumbled city. Humans used to inhabit this place a hundred years ago. Until the Angels drove them back, further and further until the remaining humans joined the last frontier of Niflheim. All fifty of the Slayers stopped. Everyone had cold sweats dripping from everywhere. They were petrified. Suna readied her brand-new sword given to her by the Commander. Yin clenched his fists, waiting for the Angel to show itself. Surely the Angel has noticed them by now, they thought. It just waited. Waiting for the perfect time to strike. That''s when it happened. At the speed of light, covered by the blinding rays of the Sun. An Angel hacked off a Flame Slayer''s head clean. Panic ensued. It was using the screams of confusion to its advantage. Luken and Gavin could do nothing but watch. The Angel flew upwards and pulled out its Grimoire. It was chanting spells. Yin knew what it was doing. This was something he witnessed before. He knew what was coming next. It was going to open its mouth, and so it did. A high-pitched scream coming from the heavens above was heard by all the Slayers below. The Angel was aiming a concentrated energy beam straight towards where it decapitated someone from earlier. "GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Yin warned the other Flame Slayers not to get close to their fallen comrade''s headless body. He was too late. Five Slayers from the Flame group were now nothing but ashes. Suna instinctively pulled Yin''s hand and took him to the city''s remnants to hide. Vinny and his group saw them and joined in. Other people from other teams saw and soon followed. Everyone took cover behind the city''s rubbles. They were now confined into a small room. "W-what''s the plan?! What''s the plan?! Aren''t you Six Blades members?!" Another person from the Lightning group asked impatiently. Word of Yin and Suna being a part of such a prestigious group quickly spread. Everyone was fixed their gaze at the two. Although more focused on Yin. It was then that Yin realized his mistake. He made everyone place his faith on him. He was now the de-facto leader of this ragtag group of low-ranked Slayers. "Make a plan, quick!" Shouted another Slayer. The Angel''s wings could be heard flapping louder and louder. This only meant one thing. It was descending. Closer and closer, it was approaching. Summoners pulled out their Grimoires and cast incantations in advance. But Yin noticed the difference in their summoned creatures once compared with Gavin''s. One summoner had a wolf. This wolf was small and noticeably had no strength in its limbs. Another summoned a frog. It was as small as a normal frog. Several others had different summons, but they were clearly too weak to even put a dent on the Angel. The more Yin and Suna looked at their abilities, the more they lost the will to fight. They were doomed. But Yin remembered his own words. He called the attention of everyone in the room. "I honestly don''t know if we''ll make it out of this conquest alive. I''ve been a Slayer for only a month at most now, and I''m only a C-rank at best. I shouldn''t even be here giving out a speech." When they heard what he said, they grew even more panicked. "W-what? How could the Commander possibly recruit a weakling like you?!" "How dare you wear the cloak of the Six Blades? You are a pathetic excuse of a Slayer!" "We thought we could rely on you, Yin." Everything that was said cut through Yin''s heart like a knife. "Enough!" Yin exclaimed with full authority. "I know that better than anyone else. The fact of the matter is that there is an Angel hunting us outside of these broken walls. If we''re going to fight anyway, why not fight as soldiers? Why not die as Slayers? Did you come here just to rely on someone? Or did you come here to do what was ordered of you. To exterminate this Angel. If we lose, then we die. If we don''t try, we won''t win." His words were not that of inspiration. They were words that were harsh but true. They all knew that most of them would die. Yin''s words kept them composed and focused once more. "Besides, we''re Six Blades for a reason." His pupils dilated. With a deep breath, signaled the start of their counterattack. "Slayers! On me!" He then touched the fragile walls and Decayed it in two seconds before jumping out to the Angel. "Yin!!" Suna followed him shortly after. Though the others were still hesitant, they still wanted to die as Slayers. "Everyone! Follow their lead!" Vinny shouted as every single Slayer jumped after Yin. The Angel was frantically searching for them has now pinpointed their location. This was when the battle at the Outer Gates truly began. [ Quest : Exterminate Angel 0/1 ] "What do you think I''m going to do, System?" He said with pure focus and seriousness. Chapter 10 - Assault Both Yin and Suna had landed on their feet. The pair met the Angel''s gaze. It was roughly the same humanoid size as the one in the farm. It had skin as blindingly light as snow. Elegant, plum, red hair atop of its head. What was different, however, was its weapon of choice. It wielded dual katanas with both hands. The Angel seemingly humming a lullaby as an offering to the New Gods up above. Every single Slayer was far too cautious, they did not want to preemptively strike without a plan. Then, something happened. Its eyes then locked onto Yin''s. Hollowed out eyes as they were, everyone could tell it was looking at him. The expressionless Angel had now contorted its face into sadness. Tears rolled down its cheek. Why was it crying? But Yin knew it was not the time to occupy his mind with trivial questions. Him and Suna assumed fighting stances. All the other Slayers did the same. It was now a fight of forty-five slayers versus this monstrous Angel. Suna drew her sword. It was black and short. The blade seemingly sucked every speck of light it encountered in an instant. "Why are you using a blade, Suna?" Yin was perplexed and wanted to know. "I know I can fight with my fists. But you know what separates a good Slayer from an excellent one?" Yin shook his head as he did not know the answer. "Versatility." Her smirk was then accentuated by her tremendous focus. "Summoners, make sure your beasts are ready." They did not hesitate to follow her instructions. Grimoires were pulled out in an instant. Although they already summoned their beasts earlier, it was not the end of it. With careful Anima manipulation, the remaining Summoners infused their beasts with their own life force to create stronger summons. The lowly and meek wolf Yin saw earlier has now transformed into something reminiscent of Gavin''s wolf. Black fur and fangs that were focusing on the prey up ahead. Nearly every summon once they were inside has now powered up. But this was not without a cost. These Summoners were expending their life energy just to raise their beast''s attack power for a little bit. Yin slowly realized it. "Y-you guys are sacrificing yourselves. You don''t believe you''ll survive." A Summoner smiled. "That''s right." "If our life force ends up entirely drained, we will simply die. We would rather die fighting than to ever cower in front of an enemy." Everyone on the battlefield had affirmed their resolve. A worrying fact that they all seemed to fixate around earlier was no longer bothering them. The fear of something looming, inches away. The fear of dying. Every single Slayer here knew that chances of surviving are slim. Yet they persevered. Yin looked at Suna and nodded. "Close range fighters, follow me and Suna. Spellcasters and Summoners, stand back and focus on your incantations. Make sure to know friend from foe. Know when to cancel your spells once a fellow Slayer is in range of it. I know these might be the basics, the least we can do is have a refresher lesson in times like these." "And remember. Aim for the heart." As he addressed the ragtag group of lowly Slayers. A war-cry was heard in the middle of the group. It was a blind Water Slayer. Her fear kept her from standing still, but this time, it was different. She wasn''t on the ground petrified. This prompted the other Slayers to shout chants of glory as well. "For Niflheim!" "Die, you wretched destroyers!" The Angel now scanned every single Slayer, it was looking at their hands, what weapon they had, what grimoire they were carrying, and what affinity they possessed. That''s why it took a long time for it to move. Luken, Gavin, and the Emissary made their way around the rubbles of what used to be a city. Atop of a damaged watch tower, the three of them looked closely. "Tell me, emissary, are you prepared to have forty dead kids and their blood in your hands?" Gavin asked the woman in a guilt-inducing manner. "Quiet, Summoner." "You''re telling me to shut my mouth and my eyes? To avert my stare from such an obvious outcome? It''ll be a bloodshed and you know it." Gavin pressed on, seemingly annoying the blonde emissary. "Stop it, Gavin." Luken stopped Gavin''s confrontational behavior. "I know her. We were the same low-ranked recruits. How long has it been, Isabelle? Five years? Six?" Though Luken seemingly recognized the emissary sent by the High Council to prevent the two S and SS-ranked Slayers from helping, his tone was dry and obviously in anger. "I specifically wore this hooded robe so you wouldn''t, but you did, you remembered me, Luken." "Tell me, Isabelle, your brother, Vinny, isn''t he down there?" "Yes, yes he is. He''s that scared Lightning Slayer right in the middle." She raised and pointed a finger as to identify him. "Are you prepared to let him die? When we were in the same Water Slayer squadron back then, you told me you had a brother you loved so much. You loved him so much that you wished for him to not awaken his Anima cells. That way, saving him from this war. But he''s down there. And he''s about to die." "If he''s weak, then yes, we will die." Though her words seemed cold and distant, she was biting her lips infuriatedly. Back to the battlefield down below, Vinny suggested a plan to everyone. He approached Yin. Vinny''s calm demeanor changed. He was now their tactician. After a few seconds of sharing his plan, everyone present agreed and nodded in unison. Yin nodded in approval as well. "Lightning Slayers, electrocute!" As Vinny''s words left his mouth, they all moved in sync to cast lightning shocks on the ground where the Angel stood. What happened next was a familiar sight for Yin. Suna looked at him. "Y-Yin. Fulgurite." "Yeah. I know." But these Fulgurites were different, their shapes were focused to form spikes which elevated upwards. "Now, Earth Slayers!" Earth Slayers focused all their Anima on the ground as well. Their joints began to show as testament to the intense tolls it took on their bodies. The fulgurite spikes were now being targeted towards the Angel. The tactic was to seemingly force it to have no choice but to fly upwards. After all, not even an A-rank monster can survive an Earthquake Spike, right? It tried to flap its wings and fly upwards, just as they discussed. This was when the cue for the close quarter combatants came. Led by Yin and Suna, they jumped and met the horrific monster airborne. It swung its double katana downwards, it wanted to free itself from the Slayers which it saw as mere pests. Suna blocked the right slice. Yin, on the other hand, was lucky. Its left hand had aimed for a swing at his face. He quickly moved his head in the opposite direction and dodged the swift slice, only mere centimeters. Evident of the fact that his cheek was still cut. "Yin!" Suna shouted in worry. "Don''t underestimate us, you darn Angel!!" An Earth Slayer wielding a giant hammer announced his arrival. Several more were jumping downwards behind him. They did not care whether the Angel were to cut them in half, as long as it prevented it from flying off, they did their jobs already. The hammer wielder landed a direct hit. Or so he thought. The Angel quickly crossed his arms and protected its chest. But this was enough. Enough to send it flying back down to the ground. The Wolves, Frogs, and other summoned creatures bit its legs to keep it in place. Even the Earth Slayers had no down-time, they quickly bind the Angel''s foot even more to the ground itself! As it swung its blade downwards in an attempt to execute the creatures and free itself, this attempt at being unrooted was quickly interrupted by the flame projectile appearing closer and closer. All the Angel could see was the red hellfire it was about to be hit with. "Now!" The Flame Slayer''s leader signaled everyone else to disperse. "Pull back! You''re going to get caught in it!" To which every melee fighter jumped backwards after landing, careful of the spikes below. "Pyrodragon Dance!" Flame Slayers shouted in unison as they casted the spell and combined their energy outputs. In an instant, a dragon molded from flames covered the Angel as it was being immolated. Sounds of its cracking exterior was heard. It was obviously damaged by the heat. Water Slayers were charging up a waterfall-like formation in the backlines. "Hydro Tsunami!" A Tsunami came crashing down on the burnt Angel. The Angel then casted a spell. It was going to do it again. It opened its mouth and let out an energy beam blindly targeting anyone in the vicinity. These Water Slayers intended to merge the water with the flames in order to create mist. It was used as a smokescreen to blind the Angel''s sense of sight for quite some time. Its wings were too burnt to fly away now. Even with their immense efforts to regroup, losses were still seen. Slayers who were hit by the energy blast were gone. They were missing. Just like that, they were eviscerated into nothingness. Panic was slowly getting into them. Their brains wrestled with the fact that it was still living despite what they did. Suna was now pulling Yin away from the battlefield. "A-are you okay, Yin?" "I''m fine, Suna. Did they get that thing?" She shot a glance at the place where it should have been. It was now gone. Everyone looked around, on guard to see where it was. They did not hear wings flapping so it could not have gone up above. So, where was it? The trio at the watchtower knew all too well. They were mistaken. Mist did not cover their retreat, no. It only allowed the Angel to adapt to the situation and pick them off one by one, silently. Screams of pain were cut short by the sound of its katana piercing their throats. Chapter 11 - The Tragedy The Angel lets loose a scream in pain. The combined might of the Slayer''s attacks worked. But the mist was now the problem. Yin''s face was lightly grazed by the Angel''s blades. Adrenaline made him ignore the stinging pain on his cheeks. "S-Suna, what''s happening? Did we get it?" He asked as Suna carefully carried him with his hands on her shoulders. "We''re getting picked off. One by one. It''s adapting to the situation. The Angel''s eyes can see a lot better than a normal human''s. It''s betting on that fact now. The fact that we are completely blind." "Everyone, fall back!" Yin ordered them. It was far too late now. What needed to be done? What could they have done differently? This was a foe far too much for them. Everybody knew that. Yin closed his eyes and focused. Time seemed to stop all around him. Cries of hysteria. The scenery of Slayers running for their lives. Blood that was shed on the floor after an Angel decapitates someone''s silhouette. What could they have done? That''s when the idea hit Yin. "I have a plan! Everyone, run as far away as you can southwards!" But that was already what they were doing, was this Yin''s idea? Or was it some sort of sick joke? The remaining Slayers had thought. "Wind Slayers! Stay behind and cast spells in the opposite direction." Suna''s face contorted in dread. "W-what are you doing, Yin?" Her voice trembled. "Are you planning to sacrifice the Wind Slayers?" "No. I''m staying behind to help them." He said with a stalwart expression befitting that of a leader. Suna knew she could not say anything to dissuade him from doing this. "The spells that you cast will allow us to get our visibility back! Don''t hold anything back! We can get a clear view of the enemy again while hitting it with Gust or Wind spells while the others stay back and regroup." "Are you with me?" There were only about five Wind Slayers left alive. All of them were prepared to go with the plan at first. Except one guy. He had black, golden skin. This man was muscular, roughly the same height as the Commander. He had a clean buzz cut, coupled with some piercings. "Are you trying to get us killed? Do you think we''re worth less than every single person running right there? That we''re worth less than about fifteen of those fools?'' He said as he points to the ragtag group of Slayers running for their lives down south. "Tell me, why should we stay behind and cover their retreat?" He approaches Yin and stares at him dead in the eyes. Suna was about to get in the middle of this scuffle. Yin motioned her to stay back. "Because you''re Slayers, aren''t you? The only ones who can deal with the mist right now, is you. It''s not a matter of who''s lives weigh more than whose, there are just some things that require particular sets of skills to do effectively. And you, Wind Slayers, are the only ones who can do this. Don''t worry, I''m staying behind as well. If the Angel lays a hand on you guys, I''ll rot it away." Yin uttered with clear conviction in his voice. "I can respect that." The opposing Wind Slayer extends his hand to shake Yin''s. It was a sign of mutual respect. Two soldiers who knew it all came down to their actions, if they were meant to stand a chance against this holy beast. As they both shook hands, every non-wind Slayer except Suna successfully regrouped at the back lines. The five Wind Slayers, as well as Yin and Suna formed a wall. Wind Slayers cast incantations after they took out their respective grimoires. Yin called on Black Lightning to empower him. The Sky began to shudder in darkness as a lone bolt made its way below towards him. Suna unsheathed her black sword in preparation for combat. In just a split second, the Angel lunged forward. With an unholy screech seemingly coming out from such a holy creature, it prepared to stab Yin with its dual blades. "Now!" To which Yin and Suna jumped both ways respectively to dodge the Gust spells of the Wind Slayers. The Angel was now shielding itself from the intensity of the barrage. Human-sized tornadoes were spammed every second. It pinned the Angel down, it had no choice but to move forward while covering its upper body, albeit slowly. As the Angel shielded each attack, the wind slowly eliminated the mist from behind it. "We''re almost at our limit!" Exclaimed the Wind Slayers. Yin signaled them to retreat and rejoin the back lines, which they did. The Angel which had its arms badly damaged from the barrage earlier, now looked straight towards Suna''s direction. It was badly beaten up, but it was still stronger than all of them in the battlefield combined. Suna preemptively blocked the attack, if she waited even a second, it was going to be the end of her. The Angel rushed and struck her with a piercing motion from its katana. She guessed correctly, blocking the attack with her sword. Yin clenched his fist in the air and prepared to clobber at it. But what he forgot to realize was that its reflexes were as quick as his, even faster. While applying pressure to the blade blocking Suna, it extended its leg to do a side ward kick. The kick was a direct hit to Yin''s sides. But he knew this. He had himself hit on purpose. A couple of his ribs cracked; the sound was heard all throughout the area. Blood splurged out of Yin''s mouth. Vinny and the others were about to jump in, when the Wind Slayer from earlier stopped them. "You''re only going to slow them down." Everyone watched in anger at their own powerlessness. But wait, something was going on which they did not understand. Yin. Yin was smiling? "Say goodbye to your left leg." With both hands, he held the Angel''s leg with tremendous force. Yin knew he lacked the physical strength to crush it. He had an ace up his sleeves though, his powers. Yin could only manifest decay in five seconds at most. So, he made sure to use at the perfect time and place. "Take this!" With the combined might of the black lightning and his superhuman decay, he held the leg with all his might. Two seconds have passed, the Angel''s left leg was now crumbling, it looked as if it fast forwarded for about a hundred years time. Five seconds. All he needed was five seconds. After what seemed forever. Yin succeeded. The ashes of what used to be its limb were now one with the air. It did its best to balance its whole body with only one leg, it was adapting. Only half of the total Slayers from before were still alive. They were on the verge of tears, clapping at Yin''s feat. "It''s not over yet. Now we can join the fight! Don''t let Yin''s efforts go to waste. Close quarters combatants, on me!" Shouted the Slayer with the buzz cut. For what seemed to last forever, Suna overpowered the Angel''s hand. She let go of her sword and proceeded to charge at it. A flurry of punches and flails aimed at the Angel forced it to move backwards whilst blocking. Suna saw about half of the group were now approaching to help. "Get Yin to safety!" "Yes, ma''am!" Some of them dragged Yin away from the fight and tended to his wounds. He was coughing up blood. The damage to his ribs were far too much to handle. The other five charged straight at the Angel. Another Slayer hacked away at the Angel''s remaining leg. The Angel writhed in pain. Five of the Slayers were led by Vinny then worked side by side to strike at it from both sides. "No! Don''t!" Suna warned them. But her warnings fell on deaf ears. They were letting their emotions get to them. "This is for Maya!" "I''ll avenge you, Ponzu!" "You bastard, you killed my friend!" "Isabelle, your brother''s about to die!" Gavin shouted at her. "Please give us authorization to join the conquest below! I can save still make it in time to save your brother!" Gavin shouted again, with more ferocity. The emissary shed a single tear. No matter the cost, she was not going to disobey her orders. Even if it meant letting Vinny die. Luken watched in a deadpan expression. He could have sworn he heard Isabelle whimper in pain. After a solid minute of the group trying to beat down the Angel, it finally mustered enough strength to make its move. It spun around with only one leg. This pivoting motion was being done while it extended both arms still wielding the katanas. It was reminiscent of the Wind Slayer''s tornadoes from earlier. Except this time, the Slayers were on the receiving end of it. It was a spinning motion of impending doom. The Angel turned around so many times with its blades still raised. It had become a whirling tornado of death. Whomever approached it was diced into mincemeat. The five of them got flayed in half. Blood splattered on the ground and on Suna''s face. Yin could do nothing as he was battling in and out of consciousness. The Angel had painted the entire battlefield red. Stench of blood riddled the place. Luken, Gavin, and the emissary looked on in anger. Was this the outcome the High Council wanted? To send a bunch of children to their deaths? Chapter 12 - Six Out Of Fifty One by one. The remaining Slayers pushed forward towards the Angel. With his palms on his chest, Yin was telling them not to go. "Stop it! You''re going to die!" There was an unspoken truth in the atmosphere. These Slayers wanted nothing more than to offer themselves to death''s cold embrace. They just wanted to get it over with. Failure was imminent. Yin''s thoughts circled around and around. Suna was on the ground, slowly being approached by the ghastly Angel. Only being stopped momentarily by the Slayers attacking it thoughtlessly. What was Yin''s next move? An action that would increase their chances of victory. A move that he was still hiding. That''s when it hit him. How could he have forgotten it? The Deathly Binding Chains. With his chest still in pain from the crushed ribs he suffered earlier, he stood up. Bodies were being thrown at the Angel, only to be decimated one by one. The buzz-cut Wind Slayer from earlier told Yin something before charging straight into the monster himself. "I admit, I doubted you as well. I know it''s not right to put a price on lives, but after seeing you and Miss Suna in action, you both are worth more than every single one of us out here. He tried to reach out. But Yin could not dare to invalidate someone''s resolve. He respected his decision. His decision to die as a soldier. As a Slayer. Shortly after standing up, Yin clapped his hands one time. Forming a motion reminiscent to that of a prayer. Vinny was still trying to fight death. His lips were pale and his eyes were hollow. "Y-Yin, Suna. Don''t let us die for nothing. Let our deaths mean something. P-Please." Suna held her chin down. She could not stand to look at them and promise something she was unsure of. She slowly took a knee and rose up from the ground. Vinny''s soul has left his body, leaving behind a grotesque dismembered corpse. Isabelle cried out at a distance. About six Slayers were now left standing. And that''s already including Yin and Suna. A pair of twins, both Water Slayers, clearly just only children. A petite Earth Slayer with brown hair and lean frame. And a Summoner who had used his Grimoire as a shield for the Angel''s blow earlier, he was basically useless. The Angel was now out of energy. But it was too fatigued to fly away and escape. With one leg, it slowly crept up to their location. "Focus on supporting my advance." Yin ordered them. "You children, stand back. You clearly have no stamina left to do anything." As he pointed at the Water Slayer twins. "Summoner, can you fight? Physically, I mean." Suna wanted to gauge her teammates strength and what they can and can''t do to prepare for the worst. "No." "But I can act as bait." "Nobody''s going to be bait. Don''t be ridiculous." Yin shot him a stare of disapproval. "Sir, I''ve lost all my friends already. I''ve got nobody back home. The least I can do is hold that thing down with all my might while you guys impale it or something. I have to do this, while my friend''s remains are still here. I want them to see that they did not die for nothing. Remember what you said to all of us? If we win, we''ll live. Let''s win, Mister Yin." Yin had realized. This kid knew about sacrifices and accepted it wholeheartedly. He picked up a spare dagger from a fellow Slayer''s lifeless corpse. "Use this." He handed the dagger down to the Summoner. To which the latter nodded in approval. "I can still dance." Said the Earth Slayer. She wielded an axe as huge as her frame. "The name''s Cosette. I''m afraid my stamina is already far depleted for spells, but I can still dance with my Axe." Her face had confidence written all over it. She wore brown leather armor, which complimented her dark brown skin. Her hair was worn in a bob cut, she probably dyed it brunette. Suna was the same height as her, but she was clearly younger. Her eyes were a dark hazel brown color. "Alright, back me and Suna up as best as you can, retreat when it gets too dangerous." To which she nodded while doing a half-smile. Even Suna could see she was overflowing with confidence. "Excluding the Water Slayer Twins, that makes four of us. I''m not letting everyone die for nothing, Vinny. I promise." The Angel was now revving up its single foot at a distance now. It was preparing to do what it did to decimate their allies earlier. Yin placed both his palms together and slowly separated it. Everyone, including Gavin, Luken, and Isabelle could see it. He was conjuring something from his palms. They were¡­chains? "Deathly Binding Chains." Yin wrapped the chains around his fists. The Slayers were dumbfounded. Wasn''t this guy a close quarters combatant? That''s what everyone had in mind. Luken smiled at a distance. Isabelle''s tears quickly dried up as she wrote what she saw in her notebook. "This is the first time I''ve seen Yin do this." Gavin was in shock. "Don''t worry. You''re not alone in that." Luken placed his arm on Gavin''s shoulders. "Let''s believe in our juniors." To be able to conjure something out of nothing like that except for Summoners casting incantations to summon their beasts was unheard of. Before they could even ask what Yin did, the Angel made its move. It used its swords as crutches, even with the damage it took, the threat was still too strong for them. Slowly making its way towards the group. "Cosette, take the twins some place far away and regroup afterwards!" Yin said with no hesitation in his voice. "You got it, sir!" She quickly grabbed the Water Slayer twins and ran as fast as she could away from the place of action. "Suna, synchronize with me. We''ll pummel at it with all our might, focus on keeping its defenses down." "Gotcha." Yin looked at the knife-wielding Summoner. Trying to think about what he could do in this situation. "I don''t know how good you are with a knife, but still, fight in a way befitting a Slayer." The Summoner was trembling, but he still nodded in assurance. Yin called forth the black lightning and empowered his limbs once more. "Remember, it''s as tired as we are. If we''re out of energy, then it feels the same way. Hold out until Cosette returns. Don''t die." "Roger!" Suna and the Summoner verbally approved in unison. The Angel was now only a few inches away. Suna tried to sweep its last remaining leg with a kick, thinking it would go down. It didn''t. Instead, it jumped up the air for a few feet just to dodge her kick. It landed towards where the Summoner could have been. But due to quick thinking, Yin shoved him and managed to block both swords with his chain-reinforced fists. Yin threw an uppercut which hit the wounded Angel straight in the jaw. It was shaking while being shocked by black lightning. Suna followed up with a kick to its side. The Angel screamed out in pain. The Summoner guessed that this was the perfect time for him to strike. He guessed wrong. The Angel had recovered after being thrown sideways by Suna''s kick. Before it got up, it mustered all its strength and cut the Summoner''s left arm off. He screamed in pain. Without hesitation, Yin threw himself in front of the Summoner and tackled him to the ground in hopes of saving him from a second slice of the Angel''s blade. Yin succeeded in that, but he was too late from saving him from being decapitated. Suna rushed at the Angel. She hit it with numerous combinations of kicks and punches before being sent flying away with a kick, prompting the Angel to fall down again. "I-I''m sorry. I just wanted to avenge my friends." The Summoner said while crying. "You already have, soldier." Yin was consoling the injured Summoner. He had his back turned from his enemy. The Angel calculated the distance in a split second. Within that time frame, it threw one katana in Yin''s direction. It was thrown with such speed that it only took a split second to almost pierce Yin''s back. "Yin!!! Behind you!" Suna warned him with a violent screech. The Summoner tried to push him away, but with one arm, he found it too difficult. Before Yin could fully turn around and comprehend the situation, Cosette had arrived. Yin could hear her Axe being swung behind him. She successfully managed to deflect the katana thrown by the Angel with her axe. Any second later and she would have been too late. "Phew, glad I could make it in time." She wiped the sweat off her head and held an arm out for Yin. To which he accepted and stood up. The Angel threw one of its two wielded weapons in an attempt to eliminate Yin. Thanks to Cosette''s timing, it never reached its target. She assumed the position of a runner getting ready at the start. In mere moments, the distance between her and the Angel was gone. She was all up in its face. "You know for an Angel, you''re quite ugly." Cosette mocked it. She lifted her axe in preparation for a swing once more. The Angel hastily jumped back to dodge the swing. Suna timed her attack with Cosette''s and hit the nape with a clean hit, sending the Angel flying towards Yin''s direction. He removed the chains from his fists and wrapped it around its body like a mummy. But Yin had miscalculated, it still had its sword held in place. It slowly hacked away the chains which were binding it. Suna and Cosette were running but they were too far. The closest except Yin was the Summoner. He ran as fast as he could towards the bound Angel and stabbed its hands, wanting to make it let go of its blade. Before he could finish cutting off the Angel''s hand, the Angel threw its last katana once more. Only this time, it hit its mark. "No!" Yin cried out but nothing could change what happened. The blade flew straight at the Summoner''s neck. Killing him instantly. "Out of fifty Slayers. Only three remain in action." Luken made his words heard by the emissary, who was now shaking in panic, fear, and anguish. "Don''t forget Isabelle, you did this." Chapter 13 - SSS Ranked Reaper - Adam Rosa Once the Angel let go of its weapons, there was no way it could escape Yin''s binding chains. With both hands, he pulled on it with force. "Suna. Cosette. Stay back." This prompted both Suna and Cosette to stand as far back as they could. Yin''s voice was trembling. But it was not trembling with fear or terror. No, it was rage. He put both arms together and enhanced his limbs with Black Lightning once more. His hands exerted all his might on the chains. The Angel tried to escape by contorting its body in all sort of ways. But the more it struggled, the tighter the binds got. "Why are you doing this to us?" Yin asked the bound creature. "Please. Tell me." As he incorporated his chains with the lightning. The Angel screeched in pain. This continued on for about thirty more minutes. Cosette went to check on the twins. She covered their ears from the deafening screams of the Angel. Meanwhile Luken, Gavin, and the emissary, Isabelle, were still watching. The monotony of the situation was broken by someone''s presence. The three of them at the watch tower sensed something. It was someone, or something with monstrous levels of Anima energy. And it was approaching the battlefield fast. "Yin! Finish it off!" Luken shouted from the top of his lungs, revealing their positions to the five of them below. He knew something was wrong. This energy¡­ Whoever or whatever it was was far stronger than he was. This person approaching had more Anima energy than the SS-ranked Commander and the S-ranked Serpent Summoner combined. After hearing the Commander''s worried concerns, Yin quickly pounced on the Angel, still binding it. "Die." His eyes lit up with fury, burning with the pride of a Slayer. Yin was about to avenge his fallen comrades. He did not know them all. He did knot even know much about those he knew names of. But they were still his brothers-in-arms. They fell to the Angel''s sword just so Yin could decimate the Angel himself. He stomped on the Angel''s mouth repeatedly until it could no longer show resistance with its bites. "See you in hell." Yin''s hands were placed on the Angel''s temple. He was casting Decay Aura now. The noise the Angel made was now amplified ten times than its previous screams. Suna had to back off and cover her ears. Yin, on the other hand could not afford to turn back now, he was going to eliminate the threat even if it cost him his sense of hearing. His ears were now heavily bleeding. "Luken!" Gavin looked at the Commander. "Go." Luken approved Gavin''s intention to go down and cover Yin''s ears. As the Serpent Summoner was airborne, he took out his grimoire and summoned several ear-less Goblins. These Goblins made their way towards Yin and covered his ears from further damage. Gavin used his hands to do the same to plug his own ear holes. The looming presence slowly made its way towards them. Closer and closer. The Angel''s skin was now crumbling into nothingness. The winged beast''s screams slowly stopped. Was it over? Everyone thought it was. [ Quest Completed : Exterminate Angel 1/1] [ EXP gained : 1500 ] [ Experience Points : 2000/3000] [ Current Level : 3 ] Seeing the battle was over, Cosette made her way towards Yin, Suna, and Gavin while carrying the Water Slayer twins who were traumatized. Their expressions said it all. Suna steadily made her way towards Yin and assisted his attempts at standing up. What happened was nothing short of a tragedy. A massacre, if you will. Just as Yin was about to stand up, he felt it as well. Someone was behind him. He did not even sense this person in his peripheral vision. As his neck slowly turned to see who it was, he was halted by a voice. "I wouldn''t do that if I were you." A soft-spoken male voice warned him. Yin and Suna could only look at Gavin''s direction. The Goblins wished to charge at the man, but after having thoughts of aggression, they instead exploded where they stood. Both Yin and Suna were frightened of what they saw. Gavin turned pale. His lips were deathly white. Eyes as wide as if he saw the whole world crumble. He even stopped breathing and swallowing his saliva altogether. "A-Adam. Why are you here?" Gavin asked in a scared tone. "Gavin. You''ve grown. Well, sad to say that I am not here for you. I came to observe Thanatos'' vessel in action. And I must say, I am impressed. Truly, I am." His soft hands made its way towards Yin and Suna''s heads. Gently patting them. His blue eyes were the same as the Commander''s. It slowly fixated on their black cloaks. "New Six Blades?" Gavin nodded reluctantly. "I see, it seems my juniors have continued the tradition of scouting only the extraordinary. That''s good." Luken leaped from the watch tower and landed in front of the individual named Adam. "Luken boy. How are you?" "Let go of them. Don''t you dare touch them, you filthy, disgusting traitor." The Commander wore an expression nobody even knew existed. His laid-back and fun demeanor was now replaced with pure hate. He unsheathed his blade and enchanted it with his affinity. Violent waters soon enveloped the blade, enhancing it as if it was a chainsaw made of concentrated water. "Water Enhancement : Chainsword." His eyes were pitch black, this was not the normal state of the Luken everybody knew, no, it was different. "You finally mastered it, Luken. I''m very proud of you." Adam smiled while letting go of Yin and Suna. This man was the Commander''s predecessor and mentor. Gavin and Luken''s ex-superior, Adam Rosa. Luken vanished from his last location, seemingly teleporting. But he didn''t, his agility was just far too quick to be seen by the naked eye. He slashed his sword straight at Adam. The blonde man just dodged it with his eyes closed, still wearing the smile he had from earlier. Luken unleashed a barrage of combinations, slicing and dicing at the former Six Blades'' direction. Not even one slice landed a hit. And this man still had his eyes closed. He was dodging on pure instinct and intuition. Gavin summoned a much stronger version of the Headless Swordsman which Yin and Suna defeated during their training sessions. "Headless Swordsman Omega!" Gavin exclaimed. It was three times larger than a regular person. The Headless Swordsman now wielded two Greatswords with two hands. A single Greatsword was meant to be the limit, but this monster was strong enough to dual-wield such a gigantic blade. That''s when Suna and Yin saw the opportunity to move away from the skirmish, worried that they might get in the way of their superiors. Yin took Suna''s hand and ran away. They both turned at the direction of the battle. It was the first time they ever saw Adam Rosa. He was slightly older than Luken and Gavin, who were still in their twenties. Adam wore a pitch-black turtleneck combined with a grey suit. He even had the same earrings that Luken and Gavin had. Yin remembered what Gavin told him about the tradition Adam made them partake in regarding the earring. His dark blue eyes were now opened. He brushed his parted hair with his hands and dodged Luken''s piercing stab in a single motion. Gavin threw a dagger at Adam''s direction. It was surely going to land. But he just stopped it with his bare hands. The Headless Swordsman Omega rushed at Adam with no hesitation, prompting the Commander to create some distance so he would not get caught in the assault. With both heavy greatswords, it lifted them and sliced downwards. "W-What''s happening, Suna?" "That man. SSS ranked Slayer, Adam Rosa. Also known as the Reaper. He''s a traitor, Yin." They could do nothing but watch the fight unfold. Adam quickly sidestepped the attack with ease. "Nice beast, Gavin. I''m glad you''ve grown this strong." "Shut up." Gavin retorted with the same intensity and anger as Luken. They were not messing around. Each attack they threw were done with a killing intent. "Have you ever seen the two of them fight seriously?" "Not until today." Suna answered back. "I''m not here to fight you." "Doesn''t matter. We''re killing you for real this time, you wretched traitor." Luken was blinded with rage and angst, swinging his chainsword violently at the blonde man. Isabelle did not stop them. She knew the threat of Adam''s existence. "The Fallen Reaper." Her lips quivered in fear. "You know, if I really wanted to fight, I could decimate you all with one hand. I''m sure you both know that better than anyone else." He proceeded to lightly tap the Headless Swordsman''s chest. The summoned beast was now paralyzed in place. While simultaneously dodging Luken who showed no signs of stopping, he clamped his fist. Prompting the Headless Swordsman''s every orifice to bleed out. "Sorry about that. Tell me, are you both S-ranked or more now? You guys are plenty strong, you know?" His words did nothing to stop their approach. Gavin threw ten knives at Adam in a single second, while charging towards him, holding two knives, intent on stabbing Adam. Luken amped up and sliced his chainsword towards Adam, the sword had formed the sharp fangs of the now extinct Megalodon. A monstrous shark 20 meters in size. "Always assess the situation. Didn''t I teach you that?" He dodged Gavin''s knives and made his way towards Luken. After the straight horizontal slash by the Commander missed, Adam was now in front of him. He hit Luken in the gut with his knee. Making the Commander of the whole Slayer corps writhe in pain and vomit out blood. "Commander!" Both Yin and Suna shouted. Cosette was smart enough to not even get near them. Adam now had his back turned towards Gavin. He saw this as an opportunity and summoned a Flame Phoenix to dive and burn him. "Interesting choice of action, Gavin." He extended his left hand and blasted the beast away with a single beam of water. Adam struck Gavin''s face with a kick which knocked him unconscious. Even the Serpent Summoner and the Commander could not even stand toe to toe against him. He slowly made his way towards Yin, who couldn''t move a muscle from the fear he felt. Chapter 14 - The Aftermath [ Quest : Exterminate the Reaper (1/0) ] "I-I can''t." "This guy''s a monster." Yin said to himself as the System gave him the quest. [ Exterminate the Reaper, Thanatos. ] "Are you crazy? I mean have you seen this man in combat?" [ He knows too much. ] That was the last message the System was going to give him today. "You''re Yin, I presume." "Y-Yes." He was soft spoken and surprisingly pleasant to talk to. Adam glanced in the direction of the Angel''s corpse. Or what remained of it, anyway. "You can turn your enemies into ashes by decaying them, huh? I''ll have to admit, I wasn''t aware someone who had such abilities existed." Yin and Suna were silent. "A-Adam¡­Get away from them!" Luken said as he covered his mouth. The Commander was still clearly in pain from earlier. "I''m not going to hurt them, Luken." "Besides, if I wanted to, these two would be bathing in their own blood right about now." The pair gulped and exhaled in relief. "And you¡­" His attention turned towards Suna. "No wonder I can''t sense your Anima. You have none, don''t you?" Suna nodded hesitantly. "And yet you still fought an A-ranked Angel marvelously with pure physicality. That''s impressive." Why was Adam seemingly complimenting them? Yin mustered all his remaining strength in his hands. He tried to get up and strike a blow at Adam, but his instincts told him not to. Suna also stopped him from doing anything reckless. "Y-You''ll pay for what you did to Luci and the others. I swear on my grave, Adam. One of these days, I''ll be the one to kill you." Luken said while on his knees. "I see. Then I''ll respect your resolve, Luken." He turned his back towards everyone and held his head up, facing the sky above. "I came here to see the vessel of Thanatos in action. You''re strong, Yin. In fact, you''re stronger than every single one who died here. This tainted battlefield is filled with the remains of weaklings. They couldn''t win, so they died. That''s just how it is." "Don''t you dare disrespect their deaths. Or I''ll be the one to end you." Yin was now on his feet gritting his teeth. "I wasn''t disrespecting them. I''m just being honest. As much as I admire your resolves, I''m just going to be blunt. If all of you were to take me on at the same time, even throw in that emissary on the watch tower and that Earth Slayer with those kids hiding over there, I could still kill you all in under a minute." Adam was now in Yin''s face. Staring dead-eyed into him. "And I never miscalculate. Never." A shiver went down everyone''s spine. Cosette hugged the twins. "H-how does he know we''re here?" Adam got back on his feet and walked towards Luken and Gavin. "You have recruited strong and special Slayers into the Six Blades. That''s good. In two years, I will lead an attack at Niflheim. Show me your resolves then." "I''ll be taking my leave now. Farewell." He was still smiling. Adam effortlessly flapped out wings out of his back. The same wings the Angels had, except it was pitch-black. Adam Rosa flew high up the sky, seemingly piercing the clouds upwards. "S-Suna¡­ why does a human have wings?" "I-I don''t know as well." Cosette saw it was safe to approach them already. So, she slid down the slope whilst carrying the twins with both arms. The emissary also did the same. "I would like you all to refrain from disclosing information to the public, or to anyone as to the Reaper''s sudden reappearance today. Any acts that disobey that will be seen as treason and treated as insubordination. Got it?" "Y-yes ma''am." Yin, Suna, Cosette, and the twins agreed in unison. Luken slammed the ground in frustration. "Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit! He was right in front of us, Gavin! And we still could not do a damn thing!" The Commander bit his lips until they bled. "Apply first aid to your wounds or injuries, let''s meet at the watch tower in an hour." Ordered the emissary. Suna and Cosette both ran towards Gavin to treat his badly kicked face. Yin limped to where Luken was. Yin''s wounds were exhuming vapor. They were already healing thanks to his passive skill which was regeneration. "C-Commander, are you alright?" He helped Luken up. "You did well, Yin boy. Both you and Suna." As he tapped his shoulder proudly. "I-I''m sorry I couldn''t do anything when you and Gavin fought Adam." "It''s fine, Yin. We''ll talk about that later. For now, let''s just focus on getting home, alright?" Luken who was still obviously upset, did his best to crack a faint smile. "Yes, sir." Suna and Cosette gave Gavin some water to drink out of their own bottles. To which he obliged. "My thanks." The pair helped Gavin stand up on his own. He caressed his hands on his cheek and left lip which were still red and bleeding. "He got me good that time." The Water Slayer twins who were only twelve years of age were hiding behind Cosette. Gavin walked towards them. "I''m sorry you had to be here and see what you should not have meant to see." The twins'' eyes were empty, they were clearly traumatized. All the blood that was shed today. The lives lost. This was no place for children. Gavin removed his green scarf and covered it around the twins. He then took out his grimoire and cast an incantation spell and summoned five small puppies. They were not hostile. In fact, they even approached the twins and were licking their faces. "Do you mind accompanying these guys? They really make my grimoire a lot heavier than it should be!" "S-Sure." The twins nodded their heads. The puppies played with them, even making them run around the place away from where the bodies were. Gavin smiled at the twins. "They''re going to have to grow up sooner or later, ya know?" Cosette told the Serpent Summoner. "Yes, but everything has a perfect place and time. They don''t deserve to see this type of scenery. Children should just be children." "Is your face okay, Gavin?" Suna worriedly asked him. "It''s fine. It will heal soon enough, don''t worry." He was back to his cool calm and collected self. Stench of death and rancid corpses slowly enveloped the area. Luken shot Gavin a look of defeat and regret. He responded back with a nod. "Let''s meet up at the watch tower." The Commander ordered. Everyone made their way up to the place except for one ¨C Isabelle. "The emissary''s still down there." Suna said while pointing towards her. "Give her time. She needs it." Luken retorted. "W-Why Vinny? Why did you have to die?" She let her strong fa?ade crumbling down to grieve for the death of her younger brother. Her cries were the painful enough that it made Yin and Suna cry as well. Gavin approached them both and hugged them in his shoulders. "There, there. Just let it all out." They bawled their hearts out. From their lack of abilities. From their weakness. From their inability to exterminate the Angel before it could kill ninety percent of the Slayers in their squadron. "It''s okay. There''s no valor or strength in acting tough. Even heroes cry." Gavin consoled them. Cosette was trying to distract the twins from looking over below. From seeing the lifeless bodies of the people who they came here with. Luken was obviously still pissed off. Even after two whole years, he was still no match for Adam. "I''ll check up on Isabelle. You guys should get ready to leave at any time once we''re back up here." Luken jumped down from the watch tower to the open field below. "Why did the High Council do this?" Luken asked her. "They were willingly sending these children to their deaths. Why?" "I-I''m just following orders. I don''t question them, I obey." "Is that why your brother''s dead?" His words were cut short by Isabelle slapping him. Luken''s right cheek was now red from the aftermath. "I could have saved them. I could have saved them all and you know it, Isabelle." "I know, Luken. I''m sorry. I know how painful it is to be able to do something and being prevented from doing it just because of orders from above. I''m really sorry." She cried in his arms for a long time. Both of them made their way up the tower and instructed everyone to get ready for the journey back to Niflheim. "I''m going to repeat this once again. If anyone wishes to ask you about what happened today in the Outer Gates, we exterminated an Angel. That''s it. Alright? Once rumors about the SSS ranked Slayer Adam becomes public, there will be an outcry. If you spread these rumors and we trace it back to you, it will be treated as an insubordination and violation of the Slayer Code. Are we clear on that? "Yes, ma''am." Everyone replied. Chapter 15 - Sins Of The Reaper As the remaining Slayers marched on the road back towards Niflheim, rain started to pour. They took shelter inside a cave they happened to stumble upon. Gavin gathered some dry wood outside and brought it to the cave to make a campfire. It was five in the afternoon now. The whole operation from the journey to the ruined city down to the Angel''s extermination took up half of their day. Everyone sat around the fire and kept themselves warm. Yin was still upset that he was not able to defeat the winged beast as early as possible. He was blaming himself for the deaths of his fellow Slayers. "I-I''m really sorry about Vinny, ma''am." Yin turned towards the emissary, Isabelle''s direction. "He died as an honorable soldier. Never backed down against an adversary a hundred times stronger than he was. Not only him, but every single one of those people we left who fought there. You did well, Yin." She was obviously grieving over her brother''s death. "Vinny fought well. He really did." Suna added. "I know he did. Listen, I don''t want to burden you guys more than you currently carry on your shoulders. But you''ve seen what happened with your own two eyes. The fact of the matter is that they all made a collective decision that they would sacrifice themselves for you. That and their rage also blinded them. The ones who survived that fight will forever live a life that is heavier than most. A life that those forty kids deemed worth more than their own." The emissary said with a sad expression. Even with the grief she was currently dealing with, she still maintained her professionality. "So, Isabelle, why did the High Council send dozens of kids in an operation they knew would not end well for them? You at least owe an explanation to every single one of us here." Cosette asked her in an interrogative voice. "The main reason I''m here is because of my age. They probably thought that an A-ranked sixteen-year-old was just a fluke. Imagine if I wasn''t as strong as I am now? I''d be a lifeless corpse in the ruins of a city by now." She added while staring straight into the emissary''s eyes. "I-I really don''t know. Even if I did, that would be classified information. But trust me, I really don''t. All I was told was to instruct the Slayers present that the Commander and the Serpent Summoner was not allowed to engage in combat." Her confident demeanor suddenly cracked. Perhaps she was telling the truth, after all. "You know, me and Gavin were prepared to disobey orders if my Six Blades underlings were about to be fatally injured. I could have jumped down any time and exterminated that thing in thirty seconds. Or let Gavin do it in a minute." Luken said. "So why didn''t you?!" Yin retorted with frustration in his voice. "The Higher Council would use that as a leverage to gain custody of you. There''s no knowing what they would do to you. Yin, you awakened at eighteen years of age, nothing like that has ever happened before. Throw in the fact that you have superhuman decay capabilities which is not a power that a single Slayer even possesses right now, and you have a recipe for life under the dungeons or being dissected alive." Gavin responded. "Isn''t that right, Isabelle?" Luken now met the emissary''s gaze. She did not mutter a single word. Instead, Isabelle just looked down in shame. Because that''s what the High Council would probably do. "Your superiors are so frightened of things they don''t know. Without thinking for the briefest of moments that this might help us understand and actually fight these monsters plaguing the world right now!" Yin shouted back. Suna did her best and held him down. Even if Yin wanted to break loose, he couldn''t. She was as strong as ever. He backed down and resumed sitting. The entire atmosphere''s mood was now dark and gloomy. Everyone just wanted the rain to stop pouring so they can go home. "About that Alan or Adam guy or something, something''s been bugging me since then. Why does he have wings?" Cosette asked. Gavin glared at Isabelle. She just nodded. "Luken?" The Commander sighed. "Well, I guess we''re going to have to tell them at some point." Gavin cleared his throat. Luken stood up and went outside to light a cigarette in the cold rainy night. "That ''guy'', Adam Rosa, is a traitor. Two years ago, he planned to massacre every single member of the Six Blades. He killed Luken''s sister and two other members. After that, he fled outside of Niflheim. His current location is unknown. But scouts have reported that he''s been sighted with Angels. The off-putting fact is that they were not in combat, no, they were not. Adam was said to be ordering them himself." "W-what? Why would the Angels listen to a human? Let alone make him command them? And why would he murder his fellow members? I mean this guy was your leader, right? Yin was dumbfounded. "I still don''t know exactly why or how. I also don''t know what drove him to kill half of the Six Blades one night. Even after two years passed by, it still feels unreal. He taught Luken and I everything we know. Adam was a kind person. Why did he turn traitor all of a sudden? I still don''t know, but I''d like to." Gavin cleared his throat again. He was now clearly on the verge of tears for reliving something as painful as this memory. "What he did was unforgivable. We all looked up to him, you know? Then one day he just decides to murder nearly all of us and vanish. That''s what I don''t get, did he know something we didn''t? That still doesn''t excuse the fact that his hands are drenched with the blood of his friends, his family. That person is no longer the Adam Rosa me and Luken knew from the olden days. And it is very painful to accept that reality." "You know I''ve read about you guys, both you and the Commander. But I haven''t read anything regarding what happened to the Six Blades other members, the official books said that they were either killed in combat or left." Cosette said with a sad expression. "Just how strong is Adam, Gavin? He made two S and SS-ranked slayers look like lowly Goblins when you fought." "Adam Rosa has the highest Anima Cell count out of every single Slayer born in the last one thousand years. The closest currently in action Slayer would be The Basilisk Slayer. He''s like three times as strong as Luken, the last time I checked, that is. He''s called the Reaper for a reason." Everyone''s jaw dropped both in fear and worry. Why did someone as strong as Adam rebel against the High Council and sided with the Angels who were supposed to be the ones threatening humanity''s very survival? "Him vanishing is the sole reason why the Slayer Corps is no longer as strong as it once was. Well, I''m only giving you a summary of what happened and whatnot. You guys do know what the protocol is once you stumble upon him is, right?" Suna raised her hand. Gavin pointed at her which prompted her to stand up. "To run on sight, sir." "Yes, that''s right. Even with all the existing S or more ranked Slayers still active right now, I''d say he would be able to kill most of us before we take him down. It also explains just how strong Luken is. I mean the Reaper himself taught him." "And that''s going to be his undoing. I''ll kill him myself." Luken said. He was soaking wet. His expression was pure, unadulterated bloodlust. "I''m going to kill him using everything he taught me. Every move, every skill, every spell." "C-Commander Luken¡­ you''re scaring the children." Yin pointed out. The Water Slayer twins were now frightened. Shakingly trembling on their feet. Cosette approached them slowly. "Let''s go explore the cave, guys! I''m sure there''s a treasure or two somewhere around here, you want to help me look for it?" She purposefully distracted them. To which they obliged and nodded. The twins followed her deeper into the cave as Cosette carried a torch which lit their way. "Luken. What if we tried to communicate with Adam? I''d like to hear personally from his side and point of view." "We''re way past the point of talking, Gavin. Once he ran his scythe through my sister, I knew he was too far gone." The emissary called their attention. "Attention, any sort of attempt to try and establish contact with the rogue Slayer code named ''Fallen Reaper'' will be seen as an act of treason. Please choose your words wisely next time." Isabelle lectured them. "Why did he kill them? What drove him to that point?" Yin asked. Gavin locked his eyes with Yin''s. "You might have forgotten it but we discussed this at the hideout." Yin and Suna were sweating from their temple. "He read ancient texts which answered why Thanatos was enraged at the New Gods." Chapter 16 - A Much Needed Rest "The rain has now stopped." Gavin stated. Traveling at night has always been risky at the Outer Gates. Only Slayers were allowed to journey outside and only then if they were assigned or given missions. The twins were fast asleep in Cosette''s lap. She was dozing off as well. Gavin stood by the cave''s entrance. His face had gloom written all over it. "Commander, shouldn''t we go back now?" Suna asked Luken. "We really should. But I kind of want to rest. Let''s say we were to venture into the night, with torches and the moon''s light guiding us. If monsters were to attack us, I can exterminate them. Even while closing my eyes, no problem. But I really do feel particularly tired today. We should rest and report back to Niflheim tomorrow morning." Everyone collectively agreed with that decision. After that bloodshed, they all deserved to rest. But not before filling their stomach with supper. Cosette left the twins be as she slowly rose up from her sitting position. "Yo. I''m going to go catch some pigs, who''s coming with me?" "I-I''ll go with you." Yin raised his hand and immediately answered. "All right! Let''s go!" Cosette was oddly excited to hunt for game. They both looked at the emissary. Seemingly wanting her approval, they asked for it non verbally. Isabelle just nodded. So did Luken and Gavin. "Be careful, you two." Suna warned them. "Odd. I thought you would go and join their little hunt, Suna." Gavin turned his head towards her. "W-what? Why?" "You know, Yin being alone with another girl and stuff. Oh, maybe I was just wrong. Never mind." Suna turned red and had a glint of shyness in her eyes. "They could both handle it. Cosette''s pretty strong anyway." "Now that you put it that way, they do make a good couple ¨C I mean pair." Gavin smiled and scratched his head at his intentional "mistake." "Gavin!" Isabelle could have sworn she heard Suna growl, like a rabid animal! "I''m just joking, just joking!" "Gah. I''m going to go stretch." Suna''s face had jealousy all over it. "Be careful not to overdo it!" Gavin still wore that conniving grin of his. Meanwhile Luken just stood still in a corner. Sitting and closing his eyes. The Commander really was tired. Back at the outskirts of the forest. "You know, I had friends who died earlier. Some I grew up with, some I was really close to. When they charged right at that Angel, it only took minutes for them to become mincemeat. Isn''t that funny?" Cosette laughed. "What''s so funny about that?" Yin had a worried expression. "Life really is fickle. I wonder how people were before the war with the Angels happened. Was humanity free back then? Can we even be free with our situation as it is right now? I only dodged death because of my strength. If I was weak, I would have died instantly, together with my friends." Cosette had tears rolling down her cheeks. Yin slowly moved close to Cosette. He picked up a sharp rock on the ground and stared at her brown eyes. "I''ll change it. I can change humanity''s current position! If I kill every single Angel, every single monster roaming outside, then I''ll do it! If it means giving us freedom. Then I swear on my own blood, I''ll be stronger, strong enough to carry your dead friend''s bodies on my back, stronger than Gavin and the Commander. Even strong enough to beat the Reaper myself!" Yin was determined to make his oath a reality. His bright red eyes were flickering as if it was a torch going up in flames and being extinguished after a few seconds. He ran the sharp rock through his palm. Letting his own blood drip as he stared back at the moon. "I have to get stronger. Strength. Strength to protect the one''s I value the most. Strength to free humanity from the chain''s of being caged. I was given this power to do that!" "Now I know that my friends did not die for nothing. Thank you, Yin. Please don''t forget what happened today. This is what happens to weak and powerless people." She bowed her head down as a sign of gratitude. Yin''s cut palm was already starting to heal. Oozing off steam as if it was a boiling pot. Cosette stared at his wound. "I''m not even going to ask how. You''ve got a long way to go. But your heart is in the right place. She smiled. They proceeded to find wild boars to roast for dinner. Meanwhile back at the cave. "Isabelle. What is the High Council going to do to the boy?" Luken asked her. "I honestly don''t know, Luken. Chances are they are going to try and take custody of Yin." "You know we won''t allow that." "Orders from the High Council must be met with no obstruction whatsoever. They''re the ones powering up the barriers just so these monstrosities can''t come inside Niflheim and start slaughtering every citizen on sight." "You yourself know that even your own brother sacrificed himself just to buy time for Yin. That''s how important and special he is!" Gavin butted in. "I am an emissary to the High Council first and foremost, and a sister to my siblings second. That''s how important the Council is." "Does the Emperor know about this?" "No. He does not. And under no circumstances must you tell him about the child''s existence and powers. Or at least that''s what I was told." "If those old geezers try to lay a hand on Yin. I''ll personally see to it that the Emperor knows about it himself. Mark my words." Luken threatened Isabelle. "Is that a threat, Commander? Are you letting sentimentality cloud your judgment?" "Alright alright, if they lay a hand on Yin, me and Gavin are going to paint the castle red with their blood. Is that sentimental enough, emissary?" Her face was annoyed and panicked at the same time. Before things could further escalate, Yin and Cosette arrived at the cave''s entrance. "Yo you''re back! And you brought the food too!" Yin and Cosette were both panting in exhaustion. Luken''s demeanor did a complete reversal. The pair carried with them a slain wild boar which they caught. Gavin prepared his gloves and started cleaning it for supper. "Let''s do this." He let out a deep sigh. Chapter 17 - Ogre Ambush The next morning came sooner than expected. Yin was always an early riser. Before the sun even completed rising, he was already up. Shortly after waking up, Yin was greeted with a message from the System. A red message box appeared in his field of view. Coupled with a familiar feminine voice. [ Greetings, Thanatos. You have unlocked the Inventory. It is a never-ending backpack that you may use to store your weapons or things. ] [ To be able to use the Inventory, summon the System and time will stop. Allowing you to take whatever you stored. Please take note that you will be unable to use the Inventory once you have taken damage in the last five minutes. Give it a try. ] "How do I summon the System?" [ You already know the answer to that question, Thanatos. ] "W-What? What are you talking about? How would I know how to do something I was never taught?" Yin was in awe. The information seemingly inserted itself into his brain in an instant. "I-I see. So that''s how it is done." [ Give it a try. ] Yin slammed his palms together in a clapping motion. This summoned the System, seemingly stopping time altogether. A large rectangular and golden chest appeared in front of him. His hands opened the chest with ease. He wanted to test it for himself. A stick was going to suffice for this experiment. He picked it up, summoned the System again, and placed the stick inside the chest. Shortly after doing that, Yin closed the system altogether. "Alright, time to test this Inventory thing." After summoning the System with a simple hand gesture, he sticked his arm out at the chest''s opening and was shocked. "I-It''s gone? Where''s the stick?" [ Visualize it, Thanatos. ] He closed his eyes and began visualizing the stick. After a short while, his hands began to feel it. Yin pulled it out successfully. From the realm of the System, back to reality. That''s the dimensions that the stick traveled in. Yin was amazed. He thought about the different ways he could make use of this Inventory. "Is something wrong, Yin?" Suna asked him with a worried look. "Oh Suna, n-no, nothing''s wrong, why do you say that?" "Well, you were clapping your hands and closing your eyes for like three times. I thought you were possessed or something." She answered. The Commander was now up. "Alright! Let''s go home, people!" "Can you be less annoying and energetic first thing in the morning?" Gavin told him in an annoyed voice. The twins woke up as they slept next to Cosette. So did the emissary. Everyone had back pains, not used to having their sleeping bags on unleveled flooring with rocks in a cave. "I''ll give you guys an hour to get ready! Report back here till then." Luken ordered. "Sir!" His underlings nodded in approval. After an hour of preparations, they made their way back to Niflheim. "I''ll be stronger. I have to be. I''ll free humanity off of these monstrosities. I promise that. I''ll be the strongest Slayer there is." Yin muttered to himself. "Well, since Adam is not technically in the Survey Corps anymore, I''m still the strongest, Yin boy." "But you know, from what we''ve seen yesterday in the conquest. I think you just might surpass me. And I won''t allow that!" Luken corrected him in a comically funny way. "Seriously. Who''s the child here?" Gavin facepalmed. The group finally showed genuine emotions. They finally had a laugh. While walking, Suna sensed something. She motioned everyone to stop their march and to hide in the bushes nearby. "What''s the matter?" Cosette asked her. "I sense a monster. A big one. With these footsteps and its intensity, it can only mean one thing. An Ogre." Everyone gulped. They all simultaneously swallowed their saliva in nervousness. "Just when we were so close to Niflheim! Why did it decide to approach us now?" Isabelle the emissary was noticeably frustrated. "This could be a great learning activity, you know? Suna, can you handle it?" Luken turned his head towards hers. "Of course." She smirked. She gave her sword to Yin. "Do you mind holding this for me? I want to fight with my fists, this time." "S-Sure." As the Ogre''s footsteps gradually increased in volume. So did its intensity. Each step shook the very ground itself! "Can she really handle it by herself?" Yin asked. "Have a little faith, Yin. The Six Blades chose her for a reason. Besides, you''ve sparred with her already, is that not proof enough of her strength?" "Y-Yeah, you''re right. I wouldn''t want to fight her when she''s serious." Yin''s doubts were now gone. What replaced it was faith. Faith in his fellow Six Blades member. "Let''s do this." Suna jogged towards the road. Making her presence known to the large hideous Ogre. It had two heads. An abomination of a monster. Ogres are normally ranked at B, but this thing was an exception, it was a rarity. Two heads meant that its capacity for thinking in battle was doubled. "Well, this could possibly be close to a B+ rank." Gavin observed astutely. "H-Hold on, isn''t that girl just B rank?" Cosette wanted to clarify. "Yes, you''re right." Gavin answered her directly. "She''s going to die, you know? You should never fight a monster with the same rank as you if you are alone. And this twin-headed Ogre seems to be half a rank above her." The emissary pointed out. "Oh! So, this is what happens to someone becoming the High Council''s lapdog. It has blinded your observation in battle, Isabelle." "Battles are not always determined by what rank you are, or what affinity element you possess. It''s what you do with what you have in combat, that is what''s going to make a difference and give you the greater edge in a life-or-death situation. In the time that I''ve known Suna. She''s never back down from any foe. Never." Luken arrogantly smirked at the non-Six Blades that were fearing for Suna''s safety. "Have you already forgotten how she fought that Angel with you and Yin?" Gavin turned towards Cosette in a smug manner. Chapter 18 - A Physical Anomaly "Hey, ugly!" Suna caught the twin-headed Ogre''s attention. It was now aware of her presence. The Ogre was three times as large as a normal human being. It wore metal plated lower garments down to its toes. The metal was filthy and filled with the bones of humans which it proudly wore as a belt. Dark, rusted metal kept the bones in place tightly. Although it had possessed two heads, it only had one weapon. A gigantic club filled with spikes. The wood and metal spikes had turned brown due to dried up blood, presumably. One of the heads had a blank lifeless expression which slowly turned into anger as its brows frowned. It had a humanoid face, albeit having tusks long enough to reach its chin. This one was also bald. No hair whatsoever. With sharp ears pointing towards the sky up above. Meanwhile the other head looked pretty dull and stupid. Its face was circular as well as its big, round eyes. This one had facial hair all over its face. The mouth was also covered with sharp uncountable teeth. They were as sharp as a saw. But the body was different from a generic Ogre. It was not a typical fat Ogre which was slow. No, this one was muscular and fit. The Ogre was built bulky, built like a brick house. Both pairs of its green eyes slowly made its way towards Suna as it turned its neck around. "B-Brother! H-Human? Human!" The dull head told his brother. "Brother''s eyes work. Quiet!" The bald one responded. "Your brother seems pretty¡­stupid?" Suna said to the two-headed Ogre. "Agh! M-Me no stupid!" The monster had a deep, gravelly voice. Suna assumed her fighting stance. A laugh was heard in the atmosphere. It was the bald one. "That true! You stupid." As it pointed at his brother''s head. Well, wasn''t it basically pointing at itself? Suna thought so herself. "Puny human! Get crushed!" The two headed Ogre laughed. "Crush me if you can. Anyway, you''re both stupid." The dull one laughed. His laughter was cut short when their left hand extended upwards and slapped him in the mouth. Both the Ogre''s heads faced upwards. It screamed a loud roar to the sky. As their heads went back to their normal positions, they looked at Suna''s last direction. She was no longer there. Not a sight of her. After a solid five seconds, she pummeled at a portion of their feet which wasn''t armored ¨C the toes. The Ogres shrieked from the pain. It swung its gigantic club in a downward motion. Suna easily dodged the attack by jumping back a little bit. One of the Water Slayer twins made her way towards Gavin. "Mister, why isn''t she using her skills?" Gavin was perplexed at first, but he quickly realized that the child didn''t know. "Uhm, actually, she doesn''t have an affinity." The child was now the one with a puzzled expression. "Well, I''ll just put it simply in a way that you''ll understand. You know why you and your twin are Slayers right?" "B-Because we have water powers?" "That''s right. And you''ve noticed the others here have different elemental affinities, right? Different powers other than water, I mean." She nodded. "You see, that girl fighting over here. She has none of those. No elemental skills." "S-So why is she fighting if she doesn''t have one?" "Because she''s a physical anomaly. Her physical strength is monstrous. Because she''s powerful in her own way." Gavin answered proudly. Suna evaded each thwack the Ogre did. She was waiting for an opening. The Ogre was frustrated by her raw agility and swiftness. "Stop moving!" It said furiously in their broken voices. With both hands, it lifted the spiked club and smashed it against Suna with all its might. She was almost struck. It was only off by a few inches away from her face. "This speed. It''s not normal for an Ogre. Well, neither are the conjoined heads." Luken said while observing the battle. Yin almost jumped in. The Commander placed his hands on Yin''s shoulders tightly. "Easy there, Yin boy. I thought you believed in Suna''s strength?" Yin looked down in frustration. "Y-Yes, sir!" Suna fell down on the floor. She immediately got back up while picking up two pieces of stones with both hands. "Phew, you almost got me! I really thought I was going to die, you know?" The Ogre was now charging at her like a bull seeing the color red. Its feet were causing the area to quake just from the sheer force of it. Suna wiped the sweat off of her forehead. The distance between Suna and the twin headed Ogre was quickly closing in. Each second felt like it was going to be too late. "W-What''s she doing?!" Cosette asked. "Look at her hands, young lady." Gavin answered smugly. Both her arms were brimming with force. But it was concentrated just enough to not crush the stone into dust. When the Ogre was only two meters in front of her, that''s when she saw her opening. Suna threw the stones in each of the bald headed one''s eyes. The Ogre fell on its knees, slamming the ground in pain. "Now then. It''s time to get to work." She cracked her knuckles whilst locking eyes with the stupid one. "B-Brother?!" It was useless. The bald Ogre''s head could no longer see anything. As it stood up, it was now moving slower and more sluggish than earlier. Its combat capabilities were cut in half now. The stupid one was not used to fighting without his brother''s field of view. Suna gambled on that fact. She did not waste a single minute. Shortly after the Ogre was on its feet, she immediately jumped upwards. The Ogre swung the club, but Suna had dodged it easily, it wasn''t as fast as it was back then. Where was she going? That was the question on the dull head''s mind. "O-Our back!" The bald one could sense what she was trying to do and tried to warn his brother, but he was far too late. He couldn''t see anything, after all. Suna stopped her momentum just at the tip of the stupid Ogre''s head. She used its wide forehead as a jumping position to elevate herself once more. The stupid Ogre thought she was going to jump straight into his mouth. It opened it. Revealing hundreds of teeth underneath. But it had guessed wrong. Suna merely jumped on its forehead, using it as a trampoline. She made her way to the back of the Ogre. This was her real target, the nape. With all her might, she prepared her legs for a kick. Her legs began to show joints and muscles contracting at the same time. "Fall." She whispered to both Ogre''s heads. Suna kicked the nape with everything that she had. The loud boom caused a shock wave which made the birds fly away from the trees. It wasn''t the last shock wave though. Right before it fell, she shouted at her friends nearby. "You guys might want to jump!" Cosette instantly grabbed the twins and leaped up a tree. Luken and Gavin were already up above before her warnings. Isabelle made her way upwards to a tree as well. Yin on the other hand¡­ Well, he wasn''t so lucky. His mind kept thinking about why she warned them to jump. "Hey guys why should we-" He immediately stopped his question before he even finished it. Seeing as nobody was there behind him anymore. Suna covered her face with her hands in a shielding position. Yin just closed his eyes. As the Ogre fell to the ground, it had created a shock wave of dust and rocks around the area of its fall. Yin was now covered in dust, pebbles, and branches. Like a piece of meat dropped on the ground of a forest. Luken couldn''t help but laugh. To which Gavin smacked him behind the head again. "I thought you were going to bring him up?!" "Well, I also thought it would be funny not to. You know?" The Commander hysterically chuckled. The battle wasn''t over yet. Although unconscious, it was still breathing. Gavin threw Suna''s sword at her. Yin didn''t even notice Gavin taking it from his hands. She caught it easily mid-air. "Thanks Gavin!" She smiled to him with a glint of gratitude in her eyes. Suna stabbed the Ogre through the heart. This was the blow that finished the two headed Ogre''s ambush. Chapter 19 - Heart Of Niflheim Shortly after Suna''s fight with the Ogre which ended in her triumph, they continued walking back home. Niflheim was only a few minutes away. They could now see the black Outer Gates which separated Niflheim from the outside world. A messenger dove landed on Isabelle''s wrist. It had carried a letter which she read immediately. Their feet stopped moving. Everyone''s eyes were set on the emissary now. Eager to see what the higher ups'' instructions were. She cleared her throat with a gentle cough. "Attention. All survivors of the conquest are to report back to the Grand Castle immediately after their arrival at Niflheim. A royal carriage will be waiting." "Is that all?" Luken asked her. To which the emissary simply nodded. The group continued their stroll towards their homeland. "So, you guys know that the Annual Slayer Tournament is coming closer and closer, right?" Cosette mentioned it to everyone. "Yeah¡­about that¡­" Luken said. "Oh, don''t tell me you haven''t informed them? I thought you told Yin and Suna already?" Gavin was slightly annoyed at the Commander. "Well, I thought I already did as well." He bowed his head at Gavin signaling an apology. All the while scratching his long blue hair. "Yin, Suna, listen up." The Serpent Summoner called for their attention. "The Annual Slayer Tournament is basically a one versus one battle between two Slayers within the ranks of A and B. Excluding S+ ranked Slayers such as me and Luken, of course. For example, Cosette and Suna here are respectively ranked at A and B, they might be able to fight against each other if the bracket allows it. If they make it all the way to the grand finals, then they are eligible for a rise in their ranks. If Cosette makes her way to the grand finals, she can become an S rank Slayer. And if Suna does that as well, she might be able to become an A rank. The winner of the grand finals will receive one hundred thousand zennies." "O-One hundred t-thousand??!" Yin''s eyes were now wide open. "Yes, well, about that. Yin, you''re ranked at C, you are ineligible for the Tournament. Although I can sense your Anima cells are at B rank at best already, that won''t change the fact that you''re still a C-rank slayer." Yin turned his head downwards in disappointment. He sighed and looked pretty down. Suna patted him on the back. "Hey, don''t worry! I''ll win the zenny for the Six Blades, you''d best believe it!" "R-Right. Goodluck, Suna." Yin responded in a defeated voice. He then turned towards Gavin and asked. "So, how do I rank up, then?" "You must survive five conquest missions that you will be deployed in." Gavin answered. "That many??!" Yin exclaimed. "Don''t worry about it so much, Yin boy. I finished five conquest missions in under six months!" Luken comforted him. But this made Yin much more depressed. "That''s because you''re strong as heck, Commander." "Oh, yeah, that''s about right." Gavin glared at Luken furiously. "Who do you think is making it to the top 10 this year, Commander? I mean it took me two years to get to the grand finals." Cosette asked Luken. He placed his fingers on his chin. The Commander then posed a ''thinking'' stature. "Hmm. Well, I''ve certainly heard of many promising Slayers this year. That''s including both you and Suna. The other organizations have astounding fighters as well. If I''m being honest though, Hector from the Inferno Garden would probably win." "Who''s that?" "That child is a prodigal Flame Slayer. That''s all you need to know for now." Gavin responded. "Don''t be sad, Yin-boy, you''ll make it in no time!" "Yes, sir!" After some idle chatter, they finally arrived. Niflheim. They were now home. The red skies brought upon by the Barrier was a clear giveaway. "Good to be back." Yin said. Which prompted Suna and Cosette to nod. "Our carriage is already here." Isabelle pointed at the white colored, fancy carriage. It was clearly superior than the one Luken requested on their way here. He grumbled to himself. "Hop on. We''re going to the Grand Castle. Through the heart of Niflheim itself." Cosette helped the twins up on the carriage first. Then everybody climbed up and sat. After an hour of, they arrived at the capital of Niflheim itself" Everyone''s eyes were sparkling with amazement. "Woah, I never knew a city like this existed in Niflheim!" Yin exclaimed. "I''ve read about it, but this is the first time I''ve ever been here." Suna said. "Meh, you''ll get bored of it soon enough." Cosette turned her head at the two who were sticking their faces out of the carriage''s windows. The place was immaculate. Everything seemed to be without a speck of dust or dirt. All of the civilians wore expensive clothing. The city had houses high enough to reach the clouds. Slayers who wore full plated metal armors acted as the guardians of peace in here. "Welcome to Andora. The capital of Niflheim. We''ll be arriving at the Grand Castle in no time." The coachman said to them at the back. "Look at all these oblivious pricks. Do they even know we''re fighting a war? While they sleep in their gold-plated beds and drive away the poor, do you think they even once thought about helping the cities faced with famine?" Luken stared in contempt at the citizens. Yin and Suna''s amazement dwindled down. "That''s what being born with a silver spoon does to you. Nay, not even silver, a golden spoon, rather." The carriage made its way towards a gigantic Castle. It was a medieval castle painted white. The Slayer''s insignia was placed in a banner in front of the main gates. "Open the gates! The emissary has arrived from the conquest!" The coachman shouted to the guy who handled the opening of gates. This made him open the gates instantly. "Right, this is our stop." Isabelle told them. "Everyone, follow me." They followed her instructions and followed her lead. Luken signaled them behind Isabelle''s back to stay close to him. Everybody at the back nodded. The Grand Castle indeed lived up to its name. It was grandiose, much like a fairytale. Countless maids and butlers stumbled around trying to serve food in the dining area. Slayers with blindingly bright armor marched around and patrolled the castle''s proximity. Yin smiled at one of them. The Slayer locked his gaze at Luken and Gavin and recoiled in disgust. This was what happened to each Slayer who came across them. "Do they hate you guys or something?" Suna asked. "They hate our guts." Gavin grinned. Isabelle stopped in front of a huge door. "Beyond this door is every member of the High Council. They are the reason why these monstrosities have not even set a single foot inside Niflheim. The High Council is made up of the longest-serving Gatekeepers, manifesting their Anima powers to make the barrier work. Be on your best behavior. Especially you, Luken." "I''m always at my best behavior!" Luken sarcastically retorted. Isabelle knocked on the door. For what seemed to last for an eternity. It finally opened. Chapter 20 - An Unheard Of Oddity The room was about twenty meters high. Ten respective pillars were occupied with obviously grandiose, red velvet chairs. Seated on top of each chair were figures with white hooded robes. Except their leader, who wore a black robe. "Emissary. Are these the survivors?" An aged voice asked in a meek tone. Their faces were obscured by the shadows of their hood. Isabelle nodded and knelt to the ground. Everyone else followed her as they also humbled themselves before the High Council. "Yin Sohaya, a C rank Lightning Slayer. Suna Izanami, a B rank Slayer. Cosette Akim, an A rank Earth Slayer. And finally, two D rank Water Slayers whom are also twins, Earl and Everette Samson. These are the survivors of the conquest at the Outer Gates sent to eliminate the Angel. They are the only ones remaining out of the initial fifty. As instructed, the Commander of the Slayer Corps, Luken Regalia and the Serpent Summoner, Gavin Khalil, did not engage the Angel in combat. It was a successful mission." "I see. That''s good." The person who sat in the middle responded. Was this the de-facto leader of the High Council? Yin asked to himself. "Additional information. The Reaper, Adam Rosa, joined the battlefield, causing both the S and SS ranked Slayers at our disposal to engage in combat as well. We were unsuccessful. He got away after dealing physical damage to both of them. The Reaper has also declared an invasion which will occur exactly two years from now." Isabelle''s last line caused gasps of panic among the High Council. It was of both fear and confusion. "Why couldn''t you kill him then and there, Luken?" Asked the black-robed man. "Perhaps both he and the Serpent Summoner still feel a bit of empathy for their former teammate." Another member of the High Council added. Luken clenched his fist in anger. He just stared at the ground, refusing to look up to the robed individuals. The Commander''s palms were bleeding from the sheer force of his clenches. Yin looked at him and shook his head. This seemed to make Luken calm down. "Do you want to fight him yourself? You''re free to try." Luken retorted. "Silence!" The black-robed man interrupted his smugness with a shout. This sequence of events made everyone sweat heavily. Yin was too scared to even swallow his saliva. "Yin Sohaya. Stand up." Yin was shaking. But he still managed to stand up proudly and looked up at them. "Demonstrate what you are capable of." A log of wood was thrown down at them from up above. To which he caught midair. "I-I beg your pardon?" "Show us your powers, Yin Sohaya." A woman''s voice from the one of the ten pillars ordered Yin. Yin called forth the Black Lightning. After bumping his fists together, Black Lightning from the skies made its way through the large open windows of the room down to his limbs. "This boy is a special class Slayer." Another robed figure stated. "Yes, based on his affinity''s characteristics, it is safe to say that he is." "Black Lightning wielders have not been born since forever." "A special class Slayer who has awoken his Anima cells eight years too late. This is indeed unprecedented, there have been no documentations of such a thing happening!" They all took turns talking. Until finally, the black-robed man asked him in his deep voice. "That''s not the only power you have, right?" Yin gulped. He looked at Gavin and Luken. They slowly nodded. Yin squeezed the log of wood between his palms. He exhaled a breath of immense focus. After five seconds, it turned to dust. It decayed. After the wind scattered the dust, there was no evidence whatsoever that a piece of log was ever there in the first place. Yin then summoned his Binding Chains. He placed his palms on the floor and shouted. "Deathly Binding Chains!" The chains he summoned were not even a meter long. This was due to the log producing such a small number of ashes. Binding Chains bases their size on the number of ashes decayed prior. So, the larger the number is, the bigger the chains are. Another round of gasps and shock rang through the room. "W-What?!" "Heresy!" "How can this child exhibit such a destructive power?" "It might be that this child is also a monster." "He''s part of the Six Blades, Adam probably had something to do with this." "Silence!" The leader of the High Council signaled them to quiet down. "Yin Sohaya. As much as we value a special class Slayer in our military ranks, to possess these decaying powers such as you do is unheard of. To awaken your Anima cells this late in your age is also unheard of. If you cannot explain in detail how you have accomplished this feat, then we will be forced to exterminate you. No human is able to do this. If you are not a human, there''s only one thing that describes you ¨C a filthy, tainted monster." Suna turned her head towards Isabelle in anger. Her eyes burnt with the intensity of a thousand suns. "F-Forgive me, I did not know it would end up like this." Yin had to say something. What was he about to say? Was it safe to reveal the System to them? No, that is out of the question. He still does not know much about the Thanatos System, besides, if they were to deem him as a liar, he''d be executed right away. The black-robed man descended from the pillars up above. He jumped down to the ground. Though his face was still hidden underneath his hooded robes, he pulled out a golden grimoire. "N-No. Impossible! That''s the Golden Summoning Grimoire. Luken, these guys aren''t kidding, at this rate, they really are going to kill Yin!" Gavin said as he turned towards Luken. "Answer us, Yin Sohaya." No words would even come out of his mouth. "I-I d-don''t know." That was all he could muster. "One last time. Answer us!" The man was now flicking through pages of his golden grimoire, looking for the fiercest of beasts to summon. The others finally stood up. Suna, Luken, Gavin, Cosette, and even the twins stood in front of Yin. Suna assumed a fighting stance. Luken drew his sword. Gavin pulled out his grimoire. Even Cosette readied her axe. "I-I don''t even know why I''m doing this." She whispered to herself. The twins merely lifted their arms sidewards in order to protect Yin. "S-Stop it! You''re going to get killed too!" Yin demanded them to stand down. "This is foolishness!" Isabelle shouted at the Commander. "If even I couldn''t manage to lay a finger on Adam. Do you think you guys could? Luken smirked. "You disgusting, old, outdated, fossils. I dare you to try it. Try striking my pupil down and I''m taking you all with me to the underworld." Like a shark locking eyes with its prey, Luken prepared to slice them up. The High Council leader now hesitated. Luken was not kidding around. "T-This is treason! How dare you defy the High Council!? We''ve been the ones keeping the Barrier intact for many decades! Don''t you dare doubt our wise judgment! Step aside, or perish with Yin Sohaya!" The System''s voice wormed its way around Yin''s head. [ Exterminate the High Council (0/10) ] "W-What?!" Yin was confused. Why did the System give him such a quest? "Come." Luken motioned them to approach with his fingers. Everyone stood still. Until finally, the door behind was kicked open. A clap was heard afterwards. "Luken, Willis. That''s enough." A majestic voice ordered everyone in the room to stand down. It was the commanding voice of Niflheim''s whole authority itself. It was the Emperor. "Y-Your majesty!?" The black-robed old man exclaimed in shock. Chapter 21 - The Emperor The Emperor walked into the room just in the nick of time. If he had waited a second later, this room might have become bloodbath. "I would like to refrain from repeating myself to everyone in the room. Stand down." He was a man in his forties, he had greying black hair which he wore in a parted cut. A well-combed beard hanged from his chin. His black eyes scanned the room. The Emperor wore red ceremonial royal robes and garments. It was covered in gold. He was about as tall as the Commander. His rapier held tightly by a golden belt on his waist. "Willis, what is the meaning of this?" The black-robed leader of the High Council whose name was revealed to be Willis, stood down. Dropped his golden grimoire to the ground and knelt before the superior figure before him. Yin dropped his gauntlets and knelt to the ground as well. This was followed by every single High Council member jumping down from their pillar-like thrones in order to show their fealty to the Emperor. The Commander, Gavin, and the others followed shortly after. "W-What are you doing here, Emperor Nicholas?" Willis asked in his fragile voice. "Well, it is not exactly hard to pinpoint the place where such high Anima energy is focused. Now, I would like you all to answer my question. Why have you drawn your weapons against each other?" "Permission to speak, milord?" Gavin asked courteously. "Ah, the Serpent Summoner. Very well, you may proceed." "We have come back to report the outcome of our conquest in front of the High Council. After exterminating the Angel, the traitorous SSS ranked Slayer, Adam Rosa appeared. He announced his invasion against Nilfheim in two years. Now as for what happened here, a member of our organization ¨C the Six Blades, was ordered to show his powers, after he did just as asked; the High Council''s leader immediately took out his grimoire with the intention of killing the said member. This boy, the one with snowy white hair." Gavin said as he pointed to Yin. "Adam¡­ that traitorous scum! So, why is that, Willis?" "M-Milord, this boy has powers which do not tie in to his lightning affinity. H-He can turn inanimate objects into dust by decaying. Reports have shown that he is able to age anything hundreds of years into the future in mere seconds! He has also awakened his Anima cells eight years too late! This such thing is unheard of! It is either black magic or tied to that traitor, Adam!" Willis'' voice shook with every syllable he managed to blurt out. In less than a fraction of a second, the Emperor was now in front of Yin. "W-What speed!" Yin thought to himself. The Emperor reached his arm out in Yin''s direction. "Take my hand, boy." His voice had no ill-intent in it. It was in fact very soothing to everyone''s ears. Yin gladly took his hand and got up. "I am the Emperor. Nicholas Schneider. I''m sure you''ve heard of me, right?" Yin nodded his head slowly. "What''s your name, child? "Y-Yin Sohaya, sire. I''ve only recently awoken my Anima cells. Before that, I was a farm boy in a small village far away from Andora." "Now, can you show me what you can do? I want to see what it is that scared Willis so much that he resorted to murdering a mere child." He asked Yin and then gave Willis an intimidating glare afterwards. "Y-Yes, milord." Yin was nervous. Although he was still a bit tired from the journey and the earlier exhibition, he buckled up and focused. He exhibited his powers, both the Black Lightning and the Decay. Much like he did earlier to the High Council. "This is the first time I''ve ever seen anything like this." "Exactly, milord, that is why it is dangerous!" Willis forcefully inserted that into the demonstration. "Willis. Be quiet. The child is focusing." "Tell me, boy. Are you on humanity''s side?" "Yes, I am, milord!" Yin answered loud and clear. "Throughout twenty years of me being Emperor, this is the only time I''ve ever seen such abilities, its safe to say that your powers are not transferable or can be wielded by anyone else other than you, is that right?" "Yes, milord. Y-You''re correct." Yin nervously answered. "Seeing as you''re a member of the Six Blades, I expect great things from you, Yin Sohaya." "Sir!" "Willis, if you or the High Council ever pulls something like this without consulting me ever again, you will be severely punished, do you understand?" "Understood, Emperor Nicholas." All ten of the High Council members responded in unison. "Everyone. Rise up." The Emperor commanded them all. "You know even though I''ve been doing this for quite a long time, I could never get used to people kneeling in front of me, it''s just too formal for me." Emperor Nicholas chuckled. Luken was trying to stay hidden. "Don''t even bother trying to hide, Luken. Are you up to trouble again?" "O-Oh, I wasn''t trying to, milord." The Commander let out a mischievous grin. "I trust that you will take care of the boy well?" "Yes, sire. I will." Luken nodded. "Good. You''ve matured, Luken. I''m proud of how you''ve grown." "Thank you, sire." The Commander let out a smile of gratitude. "Milord, if I may?" Gavin asked for the floor once again. Clearly, he wanted to speak his mind urgently. "Of course." "The High Council ordered Luken Regalia and I not to engage in combat in the conquest, leaving fifty barely C-rank or lower children to fend off for themselves. This has resulted in forty or more children''s death. Were you aware of this fact?" "N-No. I was not. Explain yourselves, High Council!" His black eyes stared daggers at the High Council''s leader, Willis. "I-I can explain, milord. It was merely to see if five dozen Slayers could defeat an Angel. We needed to know the ratio of a single Angel''s equivalent to our troops! It was a success!" The Emperor brushed his hair upwards. He was clearly trying to prevent his anger from overtaking him. "It just sounds like you were trying to get rid of Yin Sohaya before I could even get ahold of him. Willis. This is the last time you are ever going to brief a conquest without my signature. Once there are reports of you and your council going behind my back again, you really should dig your own graves before doing so." Suna smiled. She thought this was exactly what these old geezers deserved. Emperor Nicholas made his way towards the Water Slayer twins. Their eyes still clearly showing they were traumatized. "I''m sorry, little ones." He knelt in front of them and hugged Earl and Everette. Which made them sob even more. After a few minutes of the humble and sympathetic Emperor consoling the twins, he got up and looked at Suna and Cosette. "I''ll be watching the Annual Slayer Tournament. It will be held in the Grand Castle a few months from now. Do your best, girls." "Y-Yes, sire!" And with that, the Emperor left the room as he turned around and opened the massive door. Yin''s eyes were shining with excitement. "It''s still a few months away, right? Do you guys think I can become a B-rank Slayer in time for the tournament?!" He asked gleefully. "You''re going to have to break my world record, Yin boy." The Commander grinned. "Then I''ll do it. I''ll beat your record and become a B-rank Slayer before the Annual Slayer Tournament opens for registration!" Yin knew what he was going to do. His determination and perseverance mirrored in his eyes. "I''ll get stronger. I have to. I''ll become the strongest Slayer there is and eradicate these monstrosities roaming outside Niflheim!" "That''s the spirit." Suna lifted her palms upwards towards Yin. Yin high-fived it instantly. "Right, let''s go back to our hideout and make preparations." Gavin said. Everyone made their way out of the room. All of them except for Luken. "See you later, fossils." He waved at the High Council with a mocking grin. Isabelle had a look of disappointment painted on her face. "Why can''t you just leave quietly?!" "Y-You imbecile! Come back here!" Willis exclaimed. The group continued their idle chitchat in the hallway. This was disturbed by someone''s urgent warning. "R-Run! I might have provoked the elders!" Luken shouted. With no questions asked, they quickly ran towards the entrance. Chapter 22 - Nightly Carriage Trip When the group reached the exit of Andora, they stopped for a quick break under an oak tree. "You know, I can ask Gavin to let you guys in on the Six Blades." Yin told Cosette. "Nah. It''s not really my style. I''ll just wait around and wait until I get recruited or called for a conquest. It''s good training in preparation for the tournament." "O-Oh, alright then. What about Earl and Everette?" "They''ll be fine. Isabelle told me she would pick them up soon after we parted ways." Gavin took out two wooden fish about the size of his pinky finger out of his pocket. "Listen, I have a very important mission for the both of you." He said as he faced the twins. "Return this to me the next time we meet. You''d best keep it safe. It is of utmost importance, got it?" Gavin''s smile rivaled that of the sun. The twins happily nodded. "Hey! You guys! The carriage is here!" Suna shouted from a distance. "That''s our cue. See you later, Cosette." Yin said his goodbyes to the A rank Earth Slayer. "Y-Yeah. Make sure you don''t die in the battlefield." She had a playful expression. "Knowing how Yin is, I''m not sure he can promise that much." Luken interrupted them. Everyone laughed from the Commander''s joke. "What''s that supposed to mean, sir?" Yin had a bewildered face. "Mainly because you always try to save everyone. You jump in head first if you see someone in danger. That''s just the kind of person that you are. That''s a good trait to have, if you''re strong, anyway." Cosette answered him instead. "What''s taking you guys so long?" Suna called out for the remaining Six Blades still in the middle of getting up from their well-hidden spot underneath the huge tree. "We''re coming, young lady." Gavin said. As they waved their goodbyes to Cosette and the twins, this meant the end of their conquest to the Outer Gates. Slayers were going to be sent to the ruined city in order to eliminate the lesser monsters. After elimination, they would be tasked with rebuilding the city, to extend Niflheim''s domain. To give humanity more land to live in. This was something only a Slayer could do. The carriage ride made everyone''s butt sore. "Are we there yet?" Suna asked. "No." Luken answered. "How about now, are we there yet?" Yin took Suna''s place and asked as well. "Nope." Luken answered in a deadpan manner. "Say, Commander, there''s something I''ve always wanted to ask ever since we got back." Yin said to the gallant, blue-haired SS ranked Slayer. "Oh yeah? Spill it out then." "Could you ever beat the Reaper by yourself?" A silence made its way inside the carriage. Until finally, Luken addressed Yin''s curiosity. "No doubt about it. But I''d have to go all out, you know? I''d most likely die in the process. That''s just how strong that guy is. He was my mentor, after all." "I-I see." Yin frowned. Worried that he might have touched upon a sensitive subject. "Hey come on, don''t worry about stuff like that! You still have to survive four more conquests, you know?" Luken chuckled. "Yes, sir!" They made their way across the snowy mountain ranges by now. It was almost nighttime. Although there were no monsters in the vicinity, it was still creepy. "Why did the Emperor know you guys?" Suna asked. "Well, there are only a few S or more ranked Slayers." Gavin answered. "But in all honesty, that''s because he used to be a member of the Six Blades himself. We weren''t in the organization at the same time, though. Adam was the one who came after their retirement from the Six Blades." Yin and Suna absorbed their predecessor''s history lesson eagerly and intently. "Since we''re just asking questions, I''d like to ask Suna one." Yin said. "Sure, ask ahead." "How did you join the Six Blades?" "It''s sort of a long story, so I''ll just condense it for everyone''s sake. You remember the times I sneaked out of the farm to try and join the Slayers and their conquests, right?" Yin nodded. "And each time, the guards would recognize me and throw me out of the group. Back to the farmlands. There was one time when the Commander and Gavin were leading a conquest to eliminate five Angels gathered in one area. Can you imagine that. Five?!" "That''s to be expected, I am the stronge-" Luken''s self-boasting speech was cut short by Suna''s continuation. "So, anyway, I tried to sneak in that group again, I didn''t even know they were going on such a perilous conquest. When one of the guards spotted me. Just as he was about to kick me out, the Commander intervened." "That''s pretty cool, sir!" Yin''s eyes were shining with adoration. "Again, Yin boy, that''s to be expected, I am the coole-" He was interrupted. Again. This time, by Gavin. "Suna, tell Yin what happened next." "He asked me what I wanted to do. I simply told him I wanted to fight for humanity. There was an emissary present during this raid, like always. And she was so mad at the Commander for bringing a civilian into the group, she kept yapping about how dangerous it was for a girl my age to be in the frontlines, seeing as I wasn''t even capable of using Anima skills." She stopped her story and looked at Luken and then back to Yin. "So, the Commander placed a bet. The emissary claimed that if I died, it was on Luken''s conscience. This happened shortly after the Reaper went berserk, so the High Council thought that the Commander just lost his mind altogether." "Ah, yes. But I didn''t." Luken grinned. "I survived that conquest. Though I was bloodied and injured close to death, I survived. That''s why I''m strong, I''ll forever be grateful to you two for giving me the opportunity to fight." She said as she glanced at Luken and Gavin. Gavin was on the verge of tears. Like a mother seeing her son grow up so quick. He was proud. Luken, on the other hand¡­ "Well, you''ve surely grown since then. But, the fact of the matter is that every guy is afraid of you. Scared that they might get clobbered at night." Before he could laugh, he was punched by Suna. "Nice hit." Gavin said. Yin panicked around trying to shake the Commander on the ground. "H-He''s still breathing! Are you okay, sir? Answer me!" This made Suna and Gavin burst out in laughter. The night continued as did their journey back home. Chapter 23 - The Village Of Cisco Later then, midnight was fast approaching. "Hey, kids. We''re going to be passing through Rizako the first thing tomorrow morning. Until then, would you be fine with staying in an Inn at a nearby town?" The coachman asked. "Where would that nearby town be, coachman?" Gavin was curious. "The town of Cisco, sir." He answered back with hesitation. "Yikes." Luken scratched his head. "Why, what''s the matter, Commander?" Yin''s face was puzzled beyond belief. The Commander nodded at Suna. Signaling her to tell Yin herself. "There''s been some reports of a number of mysterious deaths and ''accidents'' happening to people living right between Cisco and the town we just passed a couple of days, Rizako. Cisco has one of the most hardened underground societies living underneath it. It is basically a tunnel that resembles a village, after all." Yin swallowed his saliva ang gulped. "T-That''s not very funny, you know? I mean we''re going to spend the night here!" "Although official reports have not pinpointed on a perpetrator, or have proven the existence of a serial murderer who would be responsible for such heinous crimes, there is still a possibility that this was done by a single person. The only commonality these victims share are their positions in the government. The victims were all prominent figures in their local governments and such, some even report directly to the High Council and the Emperor." Gavin''s eyes turned cold as he said that. "Why haven''t they caught the person? I mean it''s not that hard if he''s targeting politicians, right? Surely their deaths are far too convenient for a chain of accidents." Yin was deeply invested in the situation. "Alright, alright. Before you guys scare yourselves too much, we should check in to an Inn as soon as we can." Luken said. "We''ll be here the first thing in the morning." Gavin told the coachman. The group said goodnight to the guy and proceeded to the nearest Inn they could find. ''Moonshack Inn ¨C Make yourselves at home!'' This was plastered on their walls outside. Gavin immediately approached the counter and logged all of their names in a notebook. "We''ll be staying for a single night only, thanks." "You got it, man. Your room is right over there. At the end of the hallway." Responded the Inn-keeper. The Inn was not remarkable. It was old and dusty. The food did not look that appetizing at all. Everyone made their way to their room at the farthest end of the hallway. "Just how long is this hallway?" Suna asked. "I don''t know. It''s making my feet hurt, though." Yin was pretty beat from the carriage trip. They finally reached their room, plopped the key in and went inside. The room was unremarkable as the Inn itself. There were two bunk beds, a window overlooking the streets underneath it. Luken opened the window and lit a cigarette. "Their food did not look good at all. I''d argue if it''s even edible." Gavin was disgusted with the presentation of the Inn''s cuisine. He saw the dirt and filth plaguing this Inn. But it was just not the Inn, it was Cisco itself. This small village was corrupted. "I''m going out to try to get some food. Yin, come with me. Luken, stay here with Suna." "Roger that." Both the Commander and Suna answered unenthusiastically due to their hunger pangs gnawing at them. Yin and Gavin walked through the busy streets, looking for any sort of store that sold food that late at night. They walked for what felt like forever. Until they reached the end of Cisco itself. "Just beyond this forest is Rizako, right?" Yin asked the Serpent Summoner. "That''s right. We should not venture that far, it''s not good to split ourselves up in a place like this." The pair began walking back to the Inn, content to eat the unappetizing porridge that Moonshack Inn had to offer. With a defeated sigh, Gavin whimpered. Earlier streets of the night market filled with people began to change. The citizens of Cisco were entering their houses now. Most of them were in a hurry, even. "I wonder what''s happening." Gavin pondered upon the situation he saw. "Maybe they''re afraid of the murderer?" Yin said. "No. It makes no sense. Only politicians have died so far, so why would the people of Cisco be afraid?" "Oh, yeah, I forgot about the murderer''s choice of targets." Yin and Gavin walked back to the Inn. They were now the only souls left on the streets. Deafening silence buzzed through their ears. Gavin''s pace while walking was gradually becoming slower and slower. Yin was confused as to why this was, but he knew better than to question Gavin''s actions. Whatever they were. Until the green-eyed Summoner finally stood to a halt. [ Warning. Dodge. ] [ Danger imminent. Thanatos, dodge. ] The System''s voice rang loud and clear inside Yin''s ears and mind. Was it telling him to dodge whatever Gavin was going to do? Yin''s mind was racing. With no hesitation, Gavin immediately kicked Yin''s feet off the ground. Yin hit the floor with a loud thud. "O-Ow, what''s the big idea, Gavin?" "Look behind you." What Yin saw were two pairs of daggers stuck to a tree. "W-Where did that come from?!" Yin was now in fight or flight mode. "Someone has been following us ever since we got to the end of the village." Gavin announced. He took out his grimoire and summoned a white wolf. The wolf sniffed at the daggers. Its eyes turned hostile afterwards. "Go! Find the person who threw these daggers!" With a loud howl, the white wolf sped past behind them. Yin took out the daggers from the trees and noticed something. They had words carved into them. Him and Gavin ran as fast as they could back to the Inn. They were worried that Luken and Suna might be targeted as well. The letters were carved into the daggers with much force. Yin showed it to Gavin. "How¡­much?" That''s what the letters formed to say. "We still don''t know who is after us, Yin. But we''d best save these daggers so we can have something to show to those two." Yin nodded. "G-Gavin, what did it mean? Was it asking how much was I worth or something? If you weren''t there, I''d probably be dead by now!" Yin was scared. "We''re going to find out, alright? For now, let''s regroup with Luke and Suna." Gavin reassured the young boy. Even the System was telling him to dodge the daggers from earlier. But had Gavin not been there, it would have been too late. Just who were these people targeting them? Yin was determined to know. Chapter 24 - 10 Kilometer Sprint It was already way past the middle of the night. Yin and Gavin were running from the edge of Cisco back to the Inn whence they came from. "W-What do these words mean?!" Yin asked in a state of panic while holding the sharp daggers which almost struck the back of his head. [ Greetings Thanatos, it is time for your daily quest. ] "You''ve got to be kidding me! Can''t you see we''re being chased? I-It''s already after midnight? We haven''t even eaten dinner yet!" [ The day has started. Here is your daily quest. ] [ Daily Quest : 10-kilometer run. ] "Why does it seem to keep getting harder and harder?" The white-haired lad was distracted by the System''s message popping out. "We should just fight them now!" "Yin, focus! Assess the situation, we don''t know how many of them there are, we don''t know their abilities, too. We''re fighting under their own turf. It''d be best to regroup for now!" Gavin shouted at him. Yin responded with a frustrated grunt. The roads kicked up dirt because of their sprint. Nobody was in the streets. Not a single soul roamed Cisco after dark. Yin and the others did not know why, though. After about ten whole minutes of sprinting non-stop, they finally reached the Inn they were staying in. Gavin opened the door. The once crowded pub of the Inn was now empty. Much like the streets from earlier, not even a single drunkard was present. "Yin, I''ll stay here and guard the door. Go the room we were supposed to stay in and alert Luken and Suna. Tell them it''s time to go!" "Yes, sir!" Yin sprung into action and ran full speed, his adrenaline kept him going despite fatigue obviously catching up to him. But he was not the same person as he was just a few months ago. His daily quests helped him tone his body and shape his physique. Yin now had visible muscles and a finely shaped body befitting a soldier. Time seemed to slow down. As his legs moved forward one after another, he realized just how much he''s grown. He wasn''t the same frail farm-boy that he was. Yin finally reached their room which was located at the end. He turned the knob on the door. It wasn''t opening. "Commander! Suna! Open up!" Silence. "Are you guys there?!" Not a word was heard. Yin was worried. "C-Could something have happened to them? Impossible! Knowing the Commander and Suna''s strength, they wouldn''t go down or be taken without a fight!" His words were a way of comforting himself and assuring him that his companions were all right. Until he finally decided to open the door by force. Yin backed away from the door for a little bit. He revved up his left leg for a kick. His foot swung on the door''s knob to break its lock. The loud crack from the wooden door and countless small bolts came flying across every direction. It was a success. Yin was preparing himself for the worst. What he saw made him sigh. The Commander was fast asleep on the window, peeking his head out of the night sky. Meanwhile Suna was snoring at the upper bunk bed. "S-Seriously?!" He slammed the ground a single time. It seemed to do nothing. "WAKE UP!!!" Yin had enough and just resorted to shouting. "Oh, Yin, did you guys finally bring food?" Suna''s sleepy face quickly turned hyper active. "Get up, Suna. Let''s pack our things and get the heck out of this town." "B-But we haven''t even eaten¡­" "Exactly! We won''t be eating anything if we''re dead!" The intensity in Yin''s voice made Suna stand upright and immediately started to get to work in preparing their things. The Commander was still asleep. "Say, Yin, can I wake him up instead?" Suna asked him. "S-Sure." Suna raised her palm to the sky and slapped the back of Luken''s head so hard that it made the floor shake from the intensity. He yelped with a high-pitched voice. Luken held the back of his head with both hands. "What''s the big idea?!" Suna turned towards Yin''s direction. "Gavin told me to inform you guys, someone''s after us. We were chased back here! T-They threw daggers while I had my back turned, I almost died!! Can we please get out of here?!" "Jeez, Yin boy, take a chill pill, alright? Where''s that green-haired slime?" "He''s watching the door to the Inn, we should go back to him as soon as possible, sir." After they made preparations and gathered their bags, they made their way from the hallway to the entrance. Where they found Gavin. His face was pale. It had dread written all over it. "Woah. What happened to you?" Luken asked. "We have to get out of Cisco. Now." Gavin responded back with a stern voice. "You still haven''t answered by question you know?" Luken retorted back in a comical fashion, much like he always does. Gavin ignored him. "Listen, they''ve probably blocked the entrance from where we came from, we can''t retrace our steps back." "What should we do then?" Suna asked. "Let''s make way for the forest. We''ll travel on foot towards Rizako. But the instant we step a single foot outside, we should run. Run like our lives are on the run. Because this time, it is." "Slow down, man. Why can''t you and I just take them on, right here, right now, like the good old times!" Luken said. "I''m going to need you to trust me, Luken. Just do as I say for now." Sensing the urgency and seriousness in his voice, the Commander dropped his whole comedic and calm demeanor and nodded in approval. "Alright." They prepared to go outside, as soon as Gavin stepped outside, the other three immediately bolted out as well. Their feet were fast, as fast as lightning. "Tell me, what did you see, Gavin?" Luken asked concernedly. "It''s not so much as what I saw, just what I heard." "Err, so, what did you hear?" "I felt someone''s presence up against the door, I took out my daggers and was prepared to take them on, when a soft-spoken voice said ''The Red King wants to know how much for the boy.''" "Seriously?!" Luken couldn''t believe what he heard. Until Gavin handed him the daggers inscribed with the words ''How much?''" Gavin nodded. Yin and Suna were still dumbfounded, all they knew was that someone or something was after them. "Who''s the Red King?" Suna asked. "Alright, alright, you two, we''re going to have to break some world records for sprinting, okay? Just think of it as training, well, if you get left behind, you''ll probably die." Yin grinned. Although he was scared, he was confident. "There''s no way we''re dying in a place like this." Yin said with sheer confidence. Gavin smirked. "That''s the courage of a true Six Blades member." Chapter 25 - Return To Rizako [ Daily Quest Completed : 10-kilometer sprint ] [ Experience Points gained : 500 ] [ Experience Points : 2500/3000 ] The group ran through the forest for as long as they could. "I-I can''t go on much longer!" Yin''s whole lower body was starting to grow numb from all the running. He was sweating bullets. So were the others. All of them except Suna. "I can go on for 10 kilometers more, you know?" "Are you even human?!" "W-We''ve probably lost them by now. Let''s stop for a bit." Gavin''s frantically panted. "I can''t go on much longer¡­" The Commander said dramatically. They stopped in the lush forest connecting Rizako and Cisco. Luken glanced at his tired troops and decided that they should rest there until sunrise. "Surely, they could not have kept following us, right?" "Who''s to say for sure." Gavin retorted. They still have not eaten dinner and the sun was almost rising. "Gavin, don''t you have some snacks or something kept hidden in your bags?" Yin asked in a pale, starved face. "Am I your mother?" Yin sighed. "Oh, here''s some butter biscuits I bought earlier." Gavin handed out a piece to each of them. "Thanks, mom." Luken joked lightheartedly. Their aggressive and obviously hungry demeanor calmed down. For two whole seconds. "Have you guys tried chewing, maybe?" Gavin placed his hand on his head with an exasperated voice. "M-More¡­please¡­" Suna was crawling towards him. "Unfortunately, Suna, there is none left." As he shook his bag up and down, eliminating all the excess crumbs that fell off. They all looked at the horizon ahead. Yin broke the silence with a question. "By the way, who''s the Red King? What''s his deal?" Gavin coughed to clear his throat. Just as he was about to open his mouth and answer Yin''s question and provide him with much needed clarity, Luken butted in. "Well, Yin boy, the Red King isn''t really a person." Yin and Suna were both confused, understandably. "Rather, it''s a title. You know, like how a person ascends into Kinghood, he has to have a crown on top of his head." Yin was about to say that he understood what Luken said. His deep subconscious knew better than to lie. Suna was still trying to grasp how the Red King isn''t a person. She fixated too heavily on that choice of words, literally. "If the Red King isn''t a person, is it a monster?" Luken had a look of disgust in his face. It was like someone spat in his face and insulted his ancestors. "Alright, you two, just be quiet and listen, alright?" The two nodded. "In the underground world, which is thriving, by the way, there exists the title of the Red King. It is a very prestigious title awarded to those who is able to assassinate the current Red King. And you can''t just kill him with no credentials, you have to have a hundred victims on your belt. So, in short, to have the chance to assassinate the Red King and become crowned yourself, you need to kill a hundred people. You''d have to sell your soul." Cold shivers went down everybody''s spine. The chilly winds of dawn were starting to affect them. "We''re going to have to keep moving soon, Luken." Gavin said. The Commander just nodded. "If you become the Red King, do you get something in return? Like a literal crown, or a kingdom, a domain, anything?" Suna asked. "The details are classified, you have to understand, the underworld is very secretive. We believe that becoming the Red King gives you immunity in the underworld. Nobody can touch you, nobody except those ''soulless'' people that I''ve mentioned with a hundred slain victims, that is." "Why would they do something like this? It''s irrational and cruel!" Yin asked. "That''s how the underworld''s assassins, murderers, killers, and other deranged psychopaths want to gauge out their strengths. By assassinating the strongest person below." "What could this Red King guy want with Yin¡­" Suna contemplated. "I still have no idea, Suna. I''m as clueless as you guys. The fact of the matter is that the Red King has never really been that nice of a person, with all the murdering and assassinations and whatnot, you get what I''m saying, right? Most of these guys aren''t even normal human beings working essential jobs and stuff, they''re all unregistered Slayers who are working and operating from the shadows. We don''t even know how strong they are or what their abilities are without engaging in combat with them ourselves. I can probably take the Red King and his underlings on by myself, but I really don''t want to cause a ruckus in villages and major cities." "That was very heroic of you to say, Commander!" Yin''s eyes glinted with admiration. He admired the Commander''s strength and confidence against an unknown enemy. "But that''s just me, if you or Suna ever come across these people, you have to run, get away from them as soon as possible, okay?" "Aye, aye, sir!" The sun slowly showed itself and dispelled the darkness brought upon by the night''s presence. It was morning. They decided to walk towards Rizako and find food to eat and a place to rest and crash. "My stomach hurts." Yin said. "Yours isn''t the only one that''s hurting, Yin boy." Luken responded as he held his stomach in place. Just a couple more steps and they would be in Rizako already. "What about the coachman and the carriage we left at Cisco? Are they going to be alright?" Suna asked. "They should be fine. Those guys aren''t amateurs, they would know immediately that something was wrong or that we are in some kind of dilemma just from the fact that we did not show up this morning." Gavin replied. The smell of crackling bacon and other breakfast servings drew them to a small restaurant. Yin sat down immediately at a table. Suna followed him shortly after. The owner greeted them with the warmest of greetings. She was an old woman wearing traditional oriental clothing. Her smile rivaled even the brightest of stars. "Ah, Slayers!" "How do you know that, granny?" Luken asked. "I was once a Slayer myself, boy." She responded after showing the scars in her arms from battle. Yin stood up and bowed at her, so did Luken, Gavin, and Suna. It was a symbol of respect to a veteran. This lasted for a minute. The sound of someone''s stomach grumbling interrupted it. It was Yin''s. Chapter 26 - Last Nights Dinner And Todays Breakfast The elderly woman wore a purple blouse coupled with a pearl necklace hanging from her neck. She had a brownish complexion on her skin. Grey, white hair brought upon by old age. Her eyes had rounded glasses below. "My, my, aren''t you boys awfully polite." She said. "The name''s Dinah. As you''ve seen based from my battle scars, I was once like you, a hardened soldier fighting for humanity''s future. But they deemed me unfit for combat because of my left arm." Dinah tried moving her left arm around, to no avail. "What happened to you, granny?" Yin asked. "It all started millions of years ago, young child, when the Angel''s waged war on mankind¡­" A man in his thirties came out of a room in the restaurant, he wore apparel befitting that of a waiter''s. Although the man was a bit rough, you could tell he had a kind heart underneath. "S-Sorry, what will it be, guys?" He asked after pulling out a pen and paper, preparing to write our orders down. "My mother has probably finished introducing herself already, I''m her son, we run this small yet humble restaurant together. People around here call me George. You can call me the same as well." Everybody took turns shaking the sweet mother and son''s hands. Gavin was the one who told him what the group wanted to eat, that''s how much he knows their appetite. "What happened to you guys? You look pretty awful, and obviously famished beyond belief!" The elderly woman said. "Yeah, well, we have been kind of getting chased by the Red King and stuff from midnight till morning. As you can see Suna right here resembles that of a ghoul more than a lady." Luken retorted while pointing a finger at Suna''s barely recognizable face. After hearing the Commander mention the ''Red King'' in broad daylight, this prompted George to immediately close the restaurant down. Luckily nobody else heard it, as they were the only customers that early in the morning. George locked the windows, closed the curtains, placed five padlocks on the main entrance all in an instant. "What did you say?" "Yikes. My brain''s too drained to mind the words coming out of my mouth, sorry for that." Luken apologized. "Seeing as you reacted to his name, just what do you guys know about the Red King?" Gavin asked in a slightly interrogative manner. "I know the underworld goons and thugs mainly operate underneath, but lately, they''ve been growing bolder and bolder, some have even reported sightings of them right here, in Rizako. And all of the reports say that an elderly man dressed in red clothes are leading them." George replied. "We should just deal with these guys, once and for all!" Yin exclaimed. "Did you hear what George just said, Yin? We can''t fight outside openly and place the people of Rizako in danger. There''s got to be another way." Yin frowned. He realized his emotions just got the better of him. He knew better than to confront these shadowy menaces out in the open. "Cisco is ways away from here, I bet you are all hungry from that sleepless and starved journey. Son, accompany our guests, I''ll handle the cooking in the kitchen." "Alright, mom." The man took a seat in the counter and made himself comfortable. Although the restaurant was only modest in size, it was amazingly arranged. The oaky, wooden walls was painted and varnished with a brighter yet still wooden color. "I saw the sign outside, Stein''s Restaurant. What''s the story behind that?" Suna asked George out of sheer curiosity. "T-That''s my father. He died a few years ago, he was a B rank Water Slayer in the Slayer Corps. They could not even retrieve his body, the men carrying his remains had to drop him because the Ogre chasing them was slowly catching up. That''s how it is. My father was a benevolent and kind man, he would not even hurt a fly. He even told us he was going to start a restaurant right here with the zennies he was going to earn working as a soldier. We''re just out here slowly realizing his dreams." "I''m sorry for asking. I really, truly am." Suna apologized with a heavy heart. "It''s good, he''d be happy seeing mom and I making his dream into a reality. Let''s talk about the Red King later when you''ve finished eating, I can''t imagine just how tiresome it must be to run from Cisco straight to the forest at midnight without stopping." George went to the kitchen to help Dinah prepare the meals. "Really, Luken? Did you really have to mention the Red King that loudly in a restaurant?" Gavin had a look of disappointment on his face as he looked at the Commander. "Hey, don''t blame me, all that running and absence of sleep can take a toll on a young man''s body." "Stop calling yourself young, it''s weird." After a few minutes, the aroma of bacon which originally led them to the place started to occupy the atmosphere again. It was not just bacon. There was also sausages and potatoes. Dinah opened the door together with her son, George. They were carrying plates of roasted sausages and fried bacon served with a side of mashed potatoes and four glasses of beer. Even Gavin, who was extremely behaved, started to drool from the sight and smell of it. "Thank you for the food!" They all dug in and ate what was both supposedly their dinner last night and their current breakfast. After an hour-long feast and three refills and servings, they were finally full. "Hang on, Yin, you don''t do too good with alcohol, right?" Suna pointed this fact out to him. It was too late. Yin was choking on the food and had no choice but to down it with a full chug of beer. "Well, just don''t say I didn''t warn you." Suna on the other hand was unfazed by whatever alcoholic beverage there was on Niflheim. This has always fascinated both Luken and Gavin. "So, let''s talk about the Red King more thoroughly then, shall we?" Luken said as he placed his palms on the table. Chapter 27 - In The Cover Of Darkness "The whole town has gone paranoid, sir. We have heard our rooftops invaded by the noise of unfamiliar suspects in the numbers of dozens, no, even a hundred! Several children have gone missing, we think that its because of these thugs prancing about at night!" George exclaimed as he explained the situation to the Six Blades. Gavin, Luken, and Suna all turned their heads to look at Yin. "I mean, the kid''s not that short, but he does look like a child." "There''s no denying that." "Maybe they want a simpleton with child-like intelligence?" That last line by Gavin made Yin stand up from where he was seated. "H-Hang on! Does that explain what was carved into the daggers back in Cisco? D-Do those sick ruffians want to buy me and turn me into their slave?!" "You would be very fortunate if that''s all they were planning to do with you, Yin boy." Luken interrupted him. "Well, based on the stories that I have heard from others, you won''t be turned into one of their slaves, no¡­" Yin breathed a sigh of relief. This sense of reassurance was immediately removed after what the Commander said next. "Nah, you would probably be sold to a human harvesting operation, you know, take your organs out and sell it somewhere and stuff." "That''s pretty gruesome, thank God that they didn''t get you, Yin." Suna said with an honest and relieved smile. Yin was now on the verge of collapsing. "Enough, both of you!" Gavin reprimanded both Luken and Suna. He then fixated his attention at the owner''s son, George. "Has the government not sent out Enforcers in the area?" Enforcers are the peace keepers of Niflheim. They deal with trouble among the commoners and every single human residing in the country itself, whether it involves Slayers or not. It should not be a problem since they are Slayers themselves. "N-No, they kept saying there were not any reports of missing people passed to them. We think they are just not paying any attention to Rizako because its close to Cisco, they are probably too afraid that they might enrage the underworld''s biggest people." "That is very suspicious, shouldn''t they work hard on this case? Considering the Red King is out murdering government officials right in front of them!" Gavin responded. "So, Commander, what''s the plan?" Suna asked Luken. "Clearly, we should not just leave these people to fend off for themselves, right?" Everyone nodded. "Let''s wait till nighttime. Let''s catch these guys ourselves." "You know that we are not authorized to do that, right?" Gavin said. "I''ll just send the Emperor a messenger dove or something in case we get questioned for it, don''t worry about it. The safety of the people and residents of this village takes top priority." "Yes, sir!" After promising George and his mother that they would personally deal with the underworld goons themselves, the Six Blades went outside of the eatery and sat underneath the cover of the restaurant''s roof in their terrace. They wanted to bide their time and wait for the sun to go down, after all, these suspicious red-wearing individuals were not going to show themselves in broad daylight, that was for sure. People came and went after dining in Stein''s Restaurant. Every single one of them was too beat to even formulate some sort of plan for later, so, they decided to sleep until nighttime. Following an hour of snoozing, George came out of the restaurant''s back door. "What are you guys doing sleeping out here?! We have plenty of space inside!" He woke everyone up and urged them to come inside their household. "My mother and I are the only ones here, you guys can sleep in the living room for now, right? I normally stay there, but you guys can crash in there for now." "T-Thank you so much, mister." Yin showed his gratitude to the man. "Don''t mention it, boy." As the darkness of the night slowly enveloped Rizako in its pitch-black palms, Yin had woken up first. He looked at the window and noticed there was nobody roaming out in the streets anymore. Much like the time he and the Serpent Summoner spent walking in Cisco at night, the people just vanished. They were probably not taken away or kidnapped, it was an absence due to precaution. The citizens themselves were hiding in the safety of their homes. Scared of what lurks beyond the dark corners of the moon''s reign. He poked the Commander''s face gently. "Yo, Commander, wake up!" "Alright, alright, Yin boy, what do you want?" "Have you forgotten why we are here in the first place?!" "O-Of course not! Dinner, right?" Yin exhaled in a dismayed manner. Gavin and Suna had woken up not long after Luken. "We should assess the situation for now, let us first see just how many of them are there." Everybody was on guard. Yin was readying his gauntlets. Suna was prepared to draw her sword. Gavin clenched his grimoire just in case. "Where are Dinah and George?" Yin pointed upwards. Luken went on to check on George and his mother upstairs. There were two doors in this floor level, another was towards a bathroom, the other one was locked. "That''s odd." The Commander knocked slowly. "Dinah? George?" His gentle knocking slowly turned frantic. But before that, he noticed something seeping out from under the brown wooden door towards the room. It was liquid. Red, gooey liquid with a rusty smell. He knew all too well what it was. Blood. Luken was now on full alert. He kicked the door down. "Dinah! George!" The other three heard his screams from up above. "W-What do you think is happening?" Yin asked in a state of panic. "I don''t know as well, Yin." Suna replied. What the Commander saw was a bloodbath. Dinah and George''s lifeless corpses were mutilated and mangled beyond recognition. If they were not wearing the same clothes they did earlier during the day, they would have been impossible to recognize. Blood covered the floor. The window was forcefully opened, its glass was shattered in an effort by the assailant to get inside. "I''m sorry." With his footsteps still bloody, he went down and prepared to tell the bad news to the others. Chapter 28 - Underworlds Underlings Their three sharp eyes were fixated on the windows. Peeking to see if the unruly underworld thugs were outside. This was distracted by a couple of loud thuds. "Footsteps?" Suna asked. "It''s probably Luken." Gavin replied. Yin gulped. Although the footsteps definitely only belonged to one person, it felt oddly too heavy and crass. Luken pried the door open in an instant. A grim look lingered on his face. "W-What''s wrong, Commander?" Yin asked. "Dinah. Dinah and her son. They were murdered." As soon as his mouth mentioned the word ''murder'', Gavin immediately went and rushed upstairs to check the situation. "To slaughter someone that way, it truly is despicable. These individuals are no longer people. They are no longer human. Whoever killed them has abandoned their humanity long ago." Luken vented. This was a sight that seemed familiar to both Suna and Yin. They saw this before. It hit Suna. She remembered this all too familiar sight, back in the Outer Gates. When Adam Rosa fought Luken, he made the same face. Luken, the ever-playful, often times childish, Commander of the whole Slayer Corps itself has now let go of that expression and demeanor. His face had ''vengeance'' written all over it. His eyebrows frowned in anger. The ocean blue eyes he had was hollow. He was clenching his fist, even through his gloves, the force against his palms and fingers was so intense. Yin felt his heart beat faster and faster. What was he supposed to say in this situation? Although the young man had several calming words in the back of his head, he knew none would go through someone in this state. Luken repeatedly slammed the ground with his fist. "How could I not have noticed it!?" Yin slowly walked towards the enraged Commander. "C-Commander? Calm down!" The Commander exhaled a deep one. He slicked his long, turquoise-colored hair back. "You see Yin, the ones who did this are no different from the monsters that we Slayers hunt outside the Gates. They''re filthy, disgusting, monsters that deserve to be put down!" Luken raised his voice. Suna stepped in, kicking the floor with her first dominant right step. She raised her hand swiftly, like the wind, and then proceeded to slap Luken. The sound that her slap made was so sharp and crisp. "S-Suna?!" Yin was gravely concerned. "Get a hold of yourself, Commander. We don''t need your judgment influenced by anger if ever it''ll turn into a battlefield outside. You''re scaring us." "..." "You''re right, Suna. I''m sorry you both had to see that." He caressed his cheek that was red from the impact of the slap from earlier. "I just felt like we were indebted to these folks, they fed us and let us rest in their homes for nothing, and these bastards just come and murder them like livestock¡­" "Tell the truth, Commander." Luken''s blank expression turned into a scowl. "I-I felt like we were partly to blame for this. Because we stayed here, their proxies and spies in broad daylight probably targeted this place. They knew that Dinah and George told us about the Red King and their lackeys. They knew that we were downstairs, which explains why none of them even bothered coming down here." "The fact that you admitted how you really felt is commendable in of itself, Commander." Yin said with a stern expression. "Let''s avenge them." Gavin burst through the door. "We have no authority or right to murder them, though, they''re still humans in the eyes of the law, you got that, Luken?" The Commander nodded, slightly annoyed this time. "The blood is still warm. Which means they were only murdered recently. If we go outside, there''s a chance we would probably be ambushed. But still, Luken''s right. Dinah and George''s blood are on our hands, let''s honor them in a way befitting a Slayer veteran." Gavin said. Yin and Suna frowned. Yin took it the hardest. "Someone died partly because of me once again. We''re not even in the Outer Gates, and it has happened again, inside Niflheim, of all places." He bit his lower lip with sheer force until it bled. Gavin placed his hand on Yin''s shoulder. "Dinah was a Slayer, she was tough. I''m sure as hell she did not deserve to die like that. Let''s take these guys to the nearest Enforcer station a few towns away. Reflect on what happened after we''ve done our job. For now, keep your senses sharp. There''s no telling what lies beyond." Gavin''s words were what kept Yin calm. "Commander Luken¡­" "Oh, hey Suna." "Listen, I''m sorry for slapping you earlier. I just felt like-" The Commander interrupted her with a grin on his face. "That was a good slap, it definitely woke me up, thanks for that, by the way, I needed it. Keep it up and you''ll make for a good Commander!" Although one could immediately tell that Luken still felt animosity towards the suspects, he managed to actually calm down. The group walked towards the house''s entrance. "Don''t forget. I''m leading this conquest- I mean this mission, alright?" Gavin wanted to assume authority since Luken was going to end up making impulsive decisions based on his thirst for retribution. Both Yin and Suna simply agreed. "Yes, sir." Luken was pouty. "I could not quite hear you, Luken." The Commander just grunted. "Seriously, are you 12?" Gavin placed his hand on the door''s knob. He glanced at the other three. Seemingly asking them non-verbally if they were ready. With an affirming nod, he opened it. There were about twenty, no, thirty individuals wearing red robes and cloaks armed with knives and other Slayer-grade military weapons outside. Every single one of them was sitting on each house''s rooftops. Gavin closed his eyes for a second, immediately opening them back. His pupils dilated, signaling immense focus. The red hooligans locked their sights on the Six Blades. "Crap, they''re onto us." Yin said. "Well, we definitely don''t look like Rizako citizens, that''s for sure." Suna sarcastically retorted. "Over there!" Gavin pointed towards a man wearing a red mask sitting on Stein''s Restaurant''s rooftop. His features were hidden but his blade was not. It was a blunt hammer. Still dripping with blood. "Do you think he''s the one who-" Suna''s question was immediately stopped by Luken. In a flash, the Commander was now behind the masked man. "Did you do it?" The other red thugs were getting ready to pounce on the Commander. "Yin! Suna! Watch each other''s backs. We''ve got this." "B-But there''s dozens of them!" Yin said. "I''m pretty sure Luken''s more than enough, but I need to blow off some anger as well. We''ve got this." He patted Yin''s head as soon as he jumped up. Gavin took out his grimoire. "I wonder what Gavin''s going to summon!" Yin watched with anticipation. As Gavin proceeded to throw the magical book flat on the ground¡­ "Wait, what?" Yin was confused. "Relax Yin, it''s not everyday that we get to see the Commander and the Serpent Summoner beat some hooligans up. Keep your eyes open, we might learn some nifty tricks here and there." "A-Alright." Suna was shaking as she said that. But it was not due to fear. It was that of excitement. It was the feeling of justice about to be served. Chapter 29 - Hold Back "Is Gavin not going to use his grimoire and summon monsters?" Yin was bewildered. The young Slayer was scratching his head in visible confusion. "He''s trying to limit himself and hold back, Yin. Imagine if he summoned something really powerful here, there would be nothing left of these guys to take to the Enforcers." "O-Oh, I get it now." Up above the rooftops where the crimson-wearing hooligans converged on both Luken and Gavin. They were all armed with various weapons ranging from swords to even gauntlets. Most of them wore masks to hide their faces, but the ones who bared their appearances were truly terrifying. Men and women alike who had this bloodlust deep inside their eyes. You could immediately tell they were not just random people living in Niflheim. No, these were hardened ruffians raised below. Raised in the underbelly of vile cruelty and absence of sunlight. These ''people'' were armed to the teeth. Moonlight shined its lunar glow on the town of Rizako. It was about to get bloody. Thirty or more of them were dashing at an astonishingly high speed towards the Commander and the Serpent Summoner. Luken had the masked man armed with the bloodied copper hammer by the throat. "Did you kill the old lady and her son?" He asked calmly. Yet his actions and demeanor totally mismatched the tone he used. Just as the masked man was about to swing his hammer at the Commander''s face, Gavin came in the clutch. The Serpent Summoner pulled out two obsidian black daggers and proceeded to aim it directly at the assailant''s hands. Gavin threw it with such precision and meticulousness at his hands that the others were stopped in their tracks. The masked man screamed at the top of his lungs. His loud piercing shriek mirrored his own hand''s state. Two black daggers pierced his wrists in an instant. This prompted him to let go of his hammer. "Listen here you little shit, do I look like someone who is in the mood to be persistently pestering you with the same question over and over again in the entirety of this night?! So, did you kill them or not?" The Commander was obviously trying to quell his own anger. Shortly after that, the man actually opened his mouth despite the agonizing pain in his right wrist. "I ain''t telling ye filthy Slayers a thing!" The masked man shouted with such smugness and conviction. Luken drew out his sword. "Maybe, just maybe, if I chop off one of your fingers, would you talk then?" His smug facial expression vanished. The Commander slammed him into the roof. Coughing and gripping his own throat to soothe it after being choked, the man was gasping for air. "E-Even if ye kill me, my comrades will still outnumber both of ye and win! T-They are going to kidnap those kids on the streets and leave you and that dagger-throwing scum to die a painful, horrible, death. With the strength of an SS-ranked Slayer, Luken punched him while he was down. He then proceeded to touch his sword''s whole width with his other hand while the man was still immobile and writhing in pain. Luken''s sword was drenched in water, it had absorbed the water shortly after and turned blue, his sword was now enveloped in it, forming mini-blades moving in a circular motion that were akin to a chainsaw. All that was left of the man''s face was pure, unadulterated fear. In all his life spent in the hell hole that was the underworld, he knew The Commander was true to his word. "Stop! Luken!" Gavin shouted from afar. The Commander stopped. But it was not due to the fact that Gavin told him to, no, he noticed the thirty or more troops were starting to move towards them again. He pointed at the masked man. "Move a muscle and that would be the last thing you''ll ever do in your pathetic, worthless, unfruitful existence." Fifteen seconds, that was all they had to spare until the masked individual''s backup arrived at the scene. Gavin moved closer to the Commander. "Try not to break their bones too hard, Gavin." "The same goes to you, Luken." Both S and SS ranked Slayers were reveling in the glory of battle. Gavin and Luken took off their Six Blades cloaks and stretched for ten seconds. They used the remainder of the time to ready their weapons. "Learn how to hold back, will you? Look, I even threw my grimoire away, you would not want to be banished for accidentally killing someone, right?" Gavin said. "Oh, yeah, my bad." Luken deactivated his water enchanted sword, placed it back to his sheathe and tossed it to Yin. "Yo, Yin boy, hold on to that for me!" "Alright, sir!" Gavin''s green eyes were filled with poise and focus. With their backs against each other, they readied themselves. [ Quest : Exterminate Underworld Thugs 0/35 ] "W-What? This isn''t my fight though. Seriously, can you learn to read the situation a little bit better?" Yin addressed his words verbally to the System itself. "Who''re you talking to, Yin?" "O-Oh, I-I was uh, nobody! Don''t worry about it!" The Serpent Summoner had two seconds to formulate a course of action to take. He decided on brute force. "You take the back while I''ll take the front, alright?" "Alright, alright. Let''s do this." They both took their first steps instantly towards the direction they faced. Three of the underworld thugs rushed at Gavin all at the same time. Gavin kicked the first one upwards, hitting him in the chin. The thug was still in the process of drawing his sword out. He was sent flying down to the streets. "Yikes, that''s got to hurt." Suna remarked. Another one dashed towards Gavin and prepared to stab him from the side. Gavin ducked just in time. He swept the dagger-wielder off the roof, just as the thug was about to recover, Gavin punched his nape, rendering him unconscious. "I really don''t know if you guys thought about this already, but you do realize we''re not your average coddled and pampered Enforcers, right?" The Serpent Summoner had a smug look while he looked at the third one. "Y-Yer monsters!" "Nope. Incorrect.. We exterminate monsters, and I see plenty of monsters tonight." Chapter 30 - Lurker Among The Shadows "Man, you guys sure are persistent, aren''t you? I think I can easily beat you up with just my non dominant left hand." The Commander placed his left hand behind his back. "Don''t think for a second that it is not going to hurt, though." His blue eyes scanned the enemies approaching him. The nearest one drew his broadsword and attempted to slice at the Commander vertically. Luken blocked it immediately with his bracers. But he was shocked that it was even damaging them. "Damn, those really are the same quality weapons as the ones we give out to Slayers." He thought to himself. Just as he blocked the blade, there was already someone behind him, swinging a mace with all his might. Luken pulled the man attacking him earlier by the collar and used him as a shield against the mace-wielding hooligan. This prompted the latter to hesitate for just a split second, this was all the time the Commander needed. He threw the guy he pulled at the other guy''s direction, causing them to collide against each other. After that, he noticed countless luminescent arrows from up above. It was five archers shooting a volley of arrows at his direction, they were enchanted with their affinity which was fire. "T-They are actually using battle tactics!" Yin remarked. "We should take cover. Don''t want to get caught in it." Suna calmly said. The projectiles were dodged by the Commander with little to no effort, just as he was about to traverse the rooftops and close the gap between them, he looked back and saw that the fire arrows were going to engulf the houses in flames. To counteract this, Luken held out his palm and blasted streams of water at the fires, putting them out with no hesitation. "Sorry for this! Just think of it as rain or something, I am sure it''s better than getting burnt to a crisp!" Luken shouted so the residents could hear him. The archers were positioned at the highest point of Rizako, the tallest house there was. The Commander locked eyes with one of the archers from afar. Luken Regalia''s gaze was enough to petrify the archer. This was a person who has slain countless monsters. Enough to earn him the rank of the Commander. And they made the mistake of targeting him with such fickle things like an arrow. The Commander sprinted at them, closing the distance in a couple of seconds only. "H-How is he this fast?" "I don''t know, keep shooting arrows at him!" They were panicking heavily now. Red gloves were raised by the group''s supposed leader, it was a signal to reload their arrows. "Quick! He''s gettin'' closer!" He immediately put his hand down. Another volley of arrows was fired at the Commander. With a couple more thugs hot on Luken''s heel, he outran them with sheer speed as he drew closer and closer to the archers. The Commander planted his foot on the roof just below where the archers were firing from and leaped so high that his face was ten inches away from the fiery arrows at mid-air. There were four, no, five arrows in total. Luken moved his head in order to avoid them from hitting his head. "Right, I really want to make this quick, so let us get on with it." "I''m gonna kill ya filthy Slayers!" "That is not very nice, mister. But you''re always free to try." The red-armored thug ran straight at the Commander armed with a knife. He easily overpowered the thug with a clean punch straight in the face. His subordinates were too scared to even move. Luken took this opportunity to turn back, lifted his left arm and formed it like pistol. Five fiery arrows were still mid-air. The Commander aimed at them, closing his other eye. "Bang." With that, the Commander''s finger discharged a highly concentrated beam of water. The arrows and their flames were immediately snuffed out. "You guys really do not know how to fight close range, right?" Footsteps of the other thugs catching up to Luken were approaching nearer. Luken picked up the knife from the unconscious thug from before. "H-Hang on, he''s not going to kill them, is he?" Yin asked worriedly. "Let''s hope not." Suna answered nonchalantly. The Commander readied as the remaining four dashed at him. He used the knife''s butt to disable them. But he was still careful as to prevent himself from killing these thugs. "Ouch, I really had to hold the blade as a handle in my palms for you guys, not worth it, if I''m going to be quite honest." Silhouettes of the red-wearing hooligans pounced at the Commander. "My, my, you just can''t seem to wait for your turn, can''t you?" Gavin was busy fighting the others as well. Not that they even stood a chance, anyway. Suna watched intently, absorbing every little move and information that her superiors did. "I still can''t fathom just how strong these two are." Yin was shocked. "Yeah, you said it. You know, in my entirety of training under the Six Blades, I have never seen them go all out, not even against that time they were battling Adam." "R-Really?" "Well, they are S and SS ranked Slayers respectively, that should tell you a whole lot about their physical prowess and Anima skill capabilities." "I''m really glad I became a Slayer." Yin said while teary-eyed. "I''m glad you''re with us now, as well, Yin. Every single time I went outside for a conquest, I was worried about you." Just as Suna finished her sentence, they both felt the presence of someone lurking in the shadows. An unfathomable evil carefully observing the situation up above. As the bodies of the red-wearing thugs were sent flying to the streets below, he gradually stepped out of the darkness. "I''m glad to be here as well." The deep voice of someone they did not seem to recognize was heard. "W-Who''s there?!" Yin asked in a shaky voice. "Mind your manners, boy. Or I am going to have to discipline you." "Show yourself!" Suna was in attack mode now. "Who do you think I am, you insolent cretin?!" Still hidden in the shadows, he peeked his head out, revealing a red, grotesque crown. [ Quest : Exterminate the Red King ] Chapter 31 - The Red King The deep-voiced man slowly walked out of the night''s fading darkness. A middle-aged man who wore the Red Crown stood in front of Yin and Suna, who were both on their guard. He was definitely in his late forties. His thin brows formed a frown written across his face. A monocle was placed carefully on his right eye. To add to that, his slicked back long and dark ebony hair was tied in a ponytail. The man wore a refined black vest paired with a long white shirt, all put together perfectly and complimented heavily by the dark red tie he had around his neck and chest. Though what garnered the most attention was his bloody red crown, a crown which both evoked unnerving vileness and the willingness to kill. The Red King''s Crown also seemed to hurt him, the bottom most part of the band was covered in thorns. Not thorns on the outside, rather on the inside. It was almost as if the crown itself was stuck in his head because the thorns were deeply impaled, judging from the fact that it had dried up blood all around the top of his head. "There is no doubt whatsoever, this sadistic guy is the Red King!" Yin whispered to Suna with an obvious hint of agitation and horror in his voice. "Did the Red Crown give it away?" She answered sarcastically. Suna was trying to keep her emotions in check. She knew that if she showed even the slightest glint of fear, they would probably end up dying then and there. Just as the Red King was illuminated by the moon, both the Serpent Summoner and the Commander sensed the presence of a person focusing huge amounts of Anima cells, they noticed his lust for blood. "You two look strong but appearances are always deceiving, you know? I''ve actually killed people twice your size wielding weapons as huge, no, even bigger than they were!" "Are you not hurting from those thorns in your crown?" Suna asked. "Silence! This crown is a symbol! A symbol of strength, the strength of someone who has long abandoned his humanity in search of power and the allure of murder!" "Yikes, aren''t you a bit too loud?" Suna retorted. Yin was glad that she was not fazed. But in reality, she was trying to cope with her nerves getting too hard to even swing her fists. Suna was distracting herself, trying to assess every single thing in her point of view. She exhaled deeply. "What was the first move that he was going to do?" "What kind of fighter is he?" "Is his affinity and weapon good for close range combat or long range?" "Could he use the environment to his advantage?" "How proficient is the Red King in Anima skills?" "Can Yin even move a muscle or would he be useless in this fight?" "Are Gavin and the Commander finished dealing with the underlings, if so, when can they provide us with back up?" Suna thought to herself long and hard and incorporated all of these into her brain all in the least amount of time available. She knew she had to take the lead as Yin was visibly shook. Across all the months Yin has been a Slayer, he has never had to fight against human beings. To ask him to fight well against a human adversary would probably be begging for too much. Still, Suna knew she was not going to take the Red King down on her own, she needed Yin''s help. "You Slayers and citizens residing here up above don''t know the pain and suffering inflicted on us, the people below. I was going to buy the white-haired kid, having sensed that his Anima levels were unstable, he would have fetched a fair price. I personally don''t like murdering young saplings such as yourselves, but I''ve sacrificed so much to become the Red King, what''s two lives more, am I right?!" The Red King leaped forward, revealing his weapons to be bloodied brass knuckles he kept hidden in his pockets all this time. What''s more, he was targeting Yin. Yin knew that he had to dodge, that he had to move out of the way. His legs definitely got overtaken by the initial shock and fear. "I-I mean Slayers are supposed to fight monsters and Angels, right? Why are we here in Niflheim fighting people just like us?!" That''s what his internal monologue said. Suna had to push him out of the way, blocking the fists with her arms straight on. The brass knuckles'' impact made her bones crack. She let out a grunt of pain. "That''s why you brats should have just stayed and died outside the gates!" The Red King remarked. "S-Suna!" Yin overflowed with pure rage. In an instant, Luken was behind the Red King. He amped up his legs and kicked him in the ribs, sending the man flying and hitting a tree. The Red King immediately got up and started sprinting towards the three of them. "Yin! Get Suna out of here! Now!" Yin nodded and carried Suna away from the streets. "Who are you supposed to be?!" The Red King asked violently as he pummeled at the Commander, the latter easily dodged each strike while counterattacking at the same time with his own fists. "What a feeble king." The Red King turned around and saw Gavin up on the tree, just as he was distracted, Luken managed to land a solid kick on his face, shattering his monocle. Just as the Red King was about to retreat, he readied to jump and make way back to Cisco. "I''ll get my revenge soon enough!" "¡­" "W-Why can''t I move?!" He looked at his feet and saw a ten-meter-long python embedding its fangs with force. "This is for Suna, you pathetic old man." Gavin said while taking out his throwing knives. "I-Impossible! The Red King can only be killed by the soulless from the underworld! You people are unworthy!" He shouted. "You know for a king; you really are weak." The Red King was prepared to burn Rizako down, he jumped back, with the snake still on his heels. He created some distance between him and the two, pulled out a grimoire and prepared to cast a fire spell. Luken was faster though, the Commander blasted him with a concentrated wave of water from his palms just before he could light a single flame spell. Gavin moved behind him and kicked legs down to the ground, he then pulled both his hands behind his back. "I can order my python to secrete a poison that would kill you in ten seconds, or you can stand down and just give up." The Red King was panting, he still had some tricks up his sleeves, his brass knuckles slowly heated up. He tried to burn Gavin''s hands which were holding him down. Luken moved swiftly and was in front of the Red King now. He pointed his index finger at the Red King''s forehead, looked straight into his eyes with a blank expression and said, "Do you know what happens to your brain once a laser beam of water is shot through it? I don''t know as well, but we can both find out." Chapter 32 - This Ones Mine Yin, who was now carrying Suna also wanted to take a shot at the Red King. The latter was still in immense pain. She groaned while trying to ease her battered and bruised arms. They both stopped somewhere close where they still could be able to see the action at a much safer distance than before. Dark clouds hovering over them which they did not notice earlier started to creep up on them. Loud, eerie lightning started to crack down from up above. Until finally, rain. Droplets started to ease their way down into the land. Drenching the entirety of the humble village of Rizako. Yin carried Suna somewhere where there was a roof which shielded them from the downpour while still keeping his eyes locked and fixated on the Red King. Meanwhile, Gavin held the man from behind the back. "Remove your brass knuckles." A silence. The Red King did not even bother to respond. "I am not going to exert any sort of effort into asking again, you cur. Remove them." Seemingly out of nowhere, the Red King just cackled maniacally. "You lot don''t have power over me! You pampered Slayers and citizens alike have nothing to threaten me with! I am the Red King!" Even with one eye still bleeding from the broken pieces of glass earlier from his shattered monocle, the man stayed non-compliant. He screamed each word intensely straight from his throat until it became hoarse. The citizens of Rizako, still hiding in the safety of their own homes started to open their windows and peek out. "H-Hey, who''s that!?" "They say that''s the Red King!" "Quiet! He might hear you!" Little by little, everyone in the town now fixated their gaze on the scene unfolding. Even with the rain still pouring down on them. "Threaten me with anything, do what ya wish, punish as ya please, snake-eyed brat!" "Do not say I did not warn you, old man." After forcefully making him remove his weapons from his fingers, Gavin leaned in closer. And with a swift crushing motion with both his hands, he broke the old man''s wrist. A scream echoed throughout Rizako that night, one of the many screams that were let loose, really. "That''s enough, Gavin." "It would take more than a broken finger as payback for Suna''s sake." "I understand how you feel, really, I do. But you''re the one who assumed to command this mission, right? Calm down and do not let your emotions cloud your judgment. That''s what you told me earlier at Dinah''s place." The Serpent Summoner seemed to calm down. His shaky demeanor brought upon by anger slowly subsided into a calm and collected one which Gavin was famously known for. "What''s the matter? Ya had enough?! That was some ineffective torture!" The Red King still giggled much like a jester would. "I''m sure the Enforcers are on their way now. As incompetent as they are, they could have probably heard all the commotion from miles away. Let us wait till then." Gavin said. Luken simply nodded in approval of his plan. The Serpent Summoner sat down, not before ordering his python to sink its teeth deeper into the Red King''s heels, making him squat on the floor as well. Just like little tiny daggers from the sky, the rain still continued to drop. "Why don''t they just kill him on the spot?!" "You idiot! They''re not enforcers! They should not even be authorized to do these things inside the walls." "Yeah, look at their cloaks and armor, those are Slayers. And not just ordinary, low-ranked Slayers, from the looks of their insignia, those are the Six Blades." "S-Seriously?" "Yeah, I doubt the Red King expected the Emperor to bust out the heavy artillery this early." The villagers continued to chatter and commentate about the situation. Rain had gotten heavier and heavier as time went by. A child came out of his home''s door and approached Yin and Suna. The kid startled Yin as he crept up behind him. "Agh! O-Oh, hey there." "Hey." "Listen, you really should go back inside, it''s not safe here yet." "I know, mister. I just wanted to give you this." The little boy handed out an umbrella to Yin, the child probably noticed that the protection of the roof was still drenching them. With a sprint, the child ran back inside. "T-Thank you!" The Red King''s goons who were knocked out unconscious earlier still were not able to move. Gavin, Luken, and the Red King were seemingly stopped in time. Not one of them wanting to move a muscle. Luken still had his finger pointed at the Red King''s forehead. "You know, old man, for someone who''s pretty noisy and talked a lot about us having nothing to threaten you with, you sure are scared of death, aren''t you?" The Red King merely let out an aggressive grunt. "When are these Enforcers going to come? I''m sure to catch a cold after tonight!" Luken sighed. "Aren''t you a Water Slayer?" Gavin retorted. "Well, yeah, but still!" Just as they were running their mouth, a silhouette was seen dashing at them. Suna noticed it first. She then tapped Yin who was still eyeing the Red King. The silhouette was now closing in on the Red King''s location. It was only for a tenth of a second, but after Luken and Gavin noticed what the person masqueraded by the silhouette was trying to do, they tried to stop him. If their reactions lagged behind even just for a second, there was no doubt, the Red King would have been killed by this person. Luckily, Luken picked up the Red King''s body in a swift motion and threw him to the side. The injury the Red King sustained was a clean and direct hit on his leg. A part of his lower leg down to his foot was cut clean. His severed leg was sent flying, this caused the citizens to erupt in screams, sending everyone to a state of panic and paranoia. The rain made visibility hard and they thought that one of the Slayers holding the Red King down was just killed. The Red King was in pain, trying to hold the severed part with his hands to prevent blood loss. Luken and Gavin were confused. How did they not notice this person coming from afar? "That one''s mine. Back off." To everyone''s surprise, it was an unnaturally deep voice of a man with a young boy''s height and stature. Chapter 33 - Nobody The man wielded a gigantic scythe, roughly almost twice his size. He wore a pitch black trench coat which reached down to his waist. A brown pair of pants and a pair of boots of the same color and complexion. His features, however, were obstructed by a mask covering his whole face. It was a gas mask. Blood dripped from the scythe''s mouth, he drew it from the Red King. "I won''t let another prey be stolen away from me. Back off." Yin and Suna was just as shocked as the Commander and Gavin. Who was this person? Was he a thug from the underworld? Was he one of the goons who attacked Luken and Gavin from earlier? "Suna, who is this guy?" Yin asked her. "I have no idea as well." She replied. Both of them were visibly baffled. "Is he not one of the Red King''s underlings?" Yin asked again. "Use your eyes, Yin. Look closely, he chopped of that old man''s left leg, I''m sure he''s not in good terms with him whatsoever." Suna retorted back. "W-Who are ya?! What''d ya do that for!? My leg! My precious leg!" The Red King, still applying pressure to stop the bleeding, asked. He found it hard to apply pressure with a broken wrist, though. "You stole something from me." "And what is that supposed to be?" Gavin asked in the Red King''s stead. "A kill." "So, eh, do you have a cough or something?" Luken regressed back to making jokes again. The masked individual looked at the Commander. "You know, I would like to think of myself as a pretty sociable and outgoing person!" The Commander added. All eyes were now on him. "What''s that guy even saying?" "I really don''t know, I''m as confused as the next guy here." The villagers were disoriented. After witnessing such a bloody sight, why was the Commander talking about trivial things? "What is he even doing?!" Suna was now enraged. "After all these months, I still really can''t read Commander Luken at all." Yin rested his palms at his face in disappointment. "Alright, alright! We''ll negotiate! We will give you this old coot." "L-Luken?! We are doing no such thing!" Gavin responded. The masked man''s attention was now piqued. "But, what do you even have that would be of equal value? Do you even possess something that would be of similar weight to this buffoon right here?" "H-Help me! I''m going to bleed to death!" "In exchange for zennies, I''ll take him." His deep voice seemed shaky. "How much do you have?" "Fifty thousand zennies." Everybody''s jaw dropped. "D-Did I hear correctly?" "Yeah, I heard that too. Fifty thousand? Surely he''s bluffing, right?!" The villagers were, again, weighing in their thoughts to this absurd situation. "Are we Slayers even allowed to do this? We are not bounty hunters, right?" Yin said. "This does seem pretty illegal. But just imagine the food we could buy with that much money! We would be set for life, Yin!" Suna''s face lit up in happiness. "Aren''t you supposed to be in pain or something?" He added. Luken locked eyes with the him. "You''re pretending. Aren''t you?" "No, I am not." He opened up a backpack filled with thousands of shiny zennies, showing them to everyone who did not believe him." Luken grinned. "No, boy. Not about the money, about your voice." "W-What?!" The masked man who was revealed to have faked his voice to pretend to be older drew his weapon out and pointed it at the Commander. "As you lifted your weapon up from earlier, I sensed a moment of hesitation in your actions. It was only for a split second, but it was still there. You were shaking." Luken said. "I thought only soulless people who murdered a hundred or more were worthy of laying a finger on the Red King, well, except us, but still, we played along with and let you have that grand entrance. Well, not so grand since you didn''t really kill the guy." Gavin added. "You have not killed a single person, haven''t you? Let alone a hundred. If you did not hesitate earlier, we still could have thrown the decrepit old man out of harm''s way, but we wanted to see what you would do, boy. You try to growl and deepen your voice more than normal, you''re trying to be someone you''re not ¨C a murderer." The Commander''s words finally triggered him. "Y-You don''t know the slightest thing about me!" The boy shouted. "Bottom line is, I could have lifted the Red King earlier and leave him unscathed, but that would not be fun for anyone, wouldn''t it?" The revelation that Luken purposefully let the boy attack the Red King angered the old man. "You fools! Why didn''t you stop him!? Ya Slayers aren''t supposed to hurt other people, let alone operate in missions inside Niflheim like this!" Gavin kicked the old man''s back, causing him to grovel on the ground. "That one was for Suna." He said. "This is your first time using a weapon, right? Your technique is horrible and your form leaves a lot of holes open for your opponents. There''s also the fact that even though you''re a Slayer, you did not use that to your advantage in a surprise attack. Factoring in the environment, since it is heavily raining, we can imply that you''re either a Fire Slayer who can''t maintain his skills in a heavy storm like this, or someone who is not confident enough to use his Anima skills out in a battle." Gavin said while looking straight at the boy. "H-How did you know I''m a Slayer?!" "I was just bluffing. But thanks for confirming it." The Serpent Summoner cracked a devilish smile. "I-Incredible¡­" Suna was in awe at them. "Yeah, I know. They thought about that just and factored everything all under a second?" Yin said. "Our superiors are incredible." "You can say that again." "So, you let me cut off his leg on purpose?!" The boy asked both the Commander and the Serpent Summoner. They both nodded like children being asked a simple, innocent question. "And you really did not have any intention of trading him for thousands of zennies?" They then both shook their heads in the same manner as their nodding from earlier. "We did pull of some great acting, didn''t we, Gavin?" The Serpent Summoner nodded. "Heh. You got me. I really am too weak. I honestly thought I had the upper hand all this time. Bravo." The boy now let go of his forcibly deep voice and used his real one, a gentle and soft spoken voice which reminded them of Adam Rosa''s. "Who are you, boy?" "I''m nobody." With that, he immediately jumped up the roof and vanished into the darkness of the storm. Chapter 34 - Shaheen Patel Yin wanted to pursue the boy. Suna grabbed his hand and pulled him back. "It''s not worth it, he might have backup waiting, the last thing we need is for you to get ambushed and become a bargaining tool for the Red King, right?" Suna said. "Hey wait!" Luken shouted. "Let him go, I''ve already tracked him with my snake." "Man he could have left a couple hundred zennies, you know?" "Honestly, how are you still this shrewd?" Gavin looked at him. His green eyes pierced Luken as if he was judging his whole existence. "Hey, hey, don''t look at me like that! You can''t blame me for trying, man! Still, that kid was cool. Almost as cool as I was at his age, right, Gavin?" "You wish." Moments later, the Red King collapsed, his lips were white as snow. "He''s gone into hypovolemic shock. Don''t worry, I sense a few Enforcers, they should be here anytime soon." Gavin said. "Which do you think it was, Gavin?" Luken asked. "What do you mean?" "Was he a Fire Slayer or was he just too weak to use his own affinity?" "A bit of both, honestly." "Damn, I did not expect the Commander to do anything smart. Props to him, he really baited the guy." Yin said as he observed and thought about what occurred. "When it comes to combat, there are a lot more factors to be considered other than just raw physical strength and skill usage. The psychological aspect of it really is underrated. Commander Luken revels in that." Yin was fascinated. "He''s a sore loser. He hates losing more than anything else, why do you think he''s the strongest Slayer around in the ranks of the Slayer Corps as a whole?" She laughed. A couple of moments after that bizarre encounter with the masked, scythe-wielding boy, sounds of horses kicking were heard at a distance. Luken waved his arms around, calling for them. "Over here!" As the horses approached, Luken''s face immediately turned sour. "Sh-Shaheen?!" "Luken?!" Shaheen Patel was a man in his twenties with a medium build. Together with Luken, Isabelle, and Gavin, they were sent to the Outer Gates for their very first expedition years ago. Shaheen had a sepia colored complexion which greatly complimented his dark bushy eyebrows. He also had an imposing aura around him partly because of his thick mustache. He wielded an ironclad mace proudly on his waist. "What''s a piece of filth like you doing here?!" "I could say the same to you!" "Well, it kind of makes sense for Shaheen to be here since he is an officer of the Enforcers in this part of Niflheim, you know?" Gavin said to Luken. "Ah, Gavin. Greetings" The Enforcer''s Commander shook the Serpent Summoner''s hand and bowed his head slightly, as did Gavin. Luken merely rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Hey Suna, who''s that guy?" "That guy, Yin, is an officer of the Enforcers. He was with Gavin and Luken when they first ventured the world outside. They almost died." "So he has history with our superiors?" "Well, I''ve only met him two times, tonight being the second time and all. But after coming out of their first expedition alive, Shaheen vowed to stay inside Niflheim and be the Enforcer that everybody looks up to." "Stay inside? Is he that scared?" "No, he''s plenty strong. It''s rare to find a Slayer with such skill as well as physical power as he does. He just decided long ago that fighting monsters and Angels outside was not his calling. That to expand Niflheim''s domain and reach, someone had to change the Enforcers from inside the ranks. At least that''s what Gavin told me." "But aren''t most of the Enforcers here corrupt and drunk with power? Is he the same as them?" "No, like I said, he vows to change the Enforcer''s way of doing things from inside. That basically sums up the S ranked Earth Slayer, Shaheen Patel. Yin nodded and absorbed all the information there was. "Oh, before I forget, you do have a healer with you, right?" Gavin asked as he pointed to the Red King''s body. He was fighting death himself. Shaheen nodded and instructed his subordinates to heal the man. Shortly after healing the Red King and stopping the bleeding by cauterizing the wounds with spells, the healer ran back to Shaheen and reported something that made his jaw drop. "S-Sir! That''s the Red King!" Luken was grinning smugly at a distance. "You see, Shaheen, we caught this troublesome murderer for you and for-" "By the Gods, are you guys alright, Gavin?" "We''re fine, one of ours got injured, but it was not that severe." The Commander got interrupted by Shaheen who was talking to Gavin. Both of them paid Luken no mind. "This might be the first time in a hundred years where the Enforcers actually managed to detain the Red King before someone else assassinated him and got the title. I owe you and the Six Blades kids, I really do." "Think nothing of it, we just wanted to help, really. Also, you better send in a few messenger birds back to your HQ, we''ve got countless unconscious thugs just hanging on the roof." Gavin said as he glanced up above. "Justice will be served. You really have gotten stronger and even more reliable these past few years!" Shaheen exclaimed. "Well, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but it was a collective effort of both Gavin and I which resulted in the capture of the Re-" "Oh! Are these the new Six Blades recruits?" Luken got interrupted, again. Yin and Suna walked towards them them. "I should not have gotten injured, I''m sorry Commander, Gavin." "I knew you only tried to save Yin, thank you for that, Suna." Gavin responded. "How you have grown Suna! I have only seen you a couple of months ago but you look as fierce as ever!" "Is this guy always this loud?" Yin whispered to Suna. She just nodded nonchalantly. When the S rank Enforcer locked eyes with Yin, he glared at him. "I-I''m Yin Sohaya, sir! C Rank Slayer of the Six Blades!" "You guys recruited someone with that rank?" Shaheen was confused. Yin turned pale in shame. "I-I''ll become even stronger and surpass the Commander, sir!" "Such passion. That''s good! I can truly see why you''ve been picked, Yin." Shaheen patted Yin''s head. His expression was definitely that of pride and hope. Yin had felt appreciated, although not for his rank, but for his tenacity and drive to become the strongest. Chapter 35 - Drenched Rizako Shaheen and his enforcers carried the Red King into their carriage. "It''s going to be a tedious ride back. Try to get him to an apothecary and heal his wounds, and then place him in the dungeons. Think you can handle it?" He asked his subordinate. "I''ll get to it at once, sir!" With that, the Enforcer got on the carriage to ride back through the rainy night. His dark, hazel brown eyes locked on to Stein''s Restaurant. Shaheen now glanced at Gavin. Gavin nodded his head. "Move!" The remaining Enforcers left in Rizako opened the door and went upstairs. Villagers were now prancing about outside. "Ma''am, you have to stay indoors, it is still not safe." Shaheen told them. "D-Did something happen to Dinah and George?" "We don''t know for certain yet, but trust me, I''ll make sure that we take and discover all necessary clues and information and distribute what happened the public. You have my word." The villagers went back inside their own homes. They were now oddly at ease. Perhaps they realized that now that the Red King was caught, maybe, just maybe, nighttime will not be as terrifying as it was. As the Six Blades and Shaheen stood outside, still being poured on by the never ending rain, a lady went outside. "T-The Red King, did you people get him?" Her voice cracked and her eyes definitely had a few nights full of tears and sleeplessness. She was a middle aged woman wearing fine regal clothes. This lady''s black ebony hair was worn down by the rain. Her golden skirt was soaked by the puddles of rain at the ground. Shaheen simply bobbled his head up and down. This confirmed it for the woman. She fell to the ground and cried. Her shrieks were truly soul-crushing. A boy with covered in a yellow raincoat ran outside to her immediately. "Mother, let us go back inside. It''s going to be alright now." Gavin was seemingly surprised. He squinted his eyes open as he shot a glance at the boy. "How fascinating¡­" He said. Shaheen whispered something to the Six Blades. "From the looks of it, that grieving woman''s Lydia Lancaster, the wife of the deceased chief. We speculate that he was killed by the Red King''s lackeys or the Red King himself." "How horrible." Yin frowned. The dead chief''s wife approached them closely. "P-Please wait here!" She ran back inside their gigantic house and came back instantly, carrying a small pouch of what seemed to contain a thousand zennies. Madam Lydia handed the pouch to Luken''s hands. "W-What''s this for, ma''am?" Please just take it, think of it as our humble gratitude for you and your group. Luken turned to Shaheen. He thought the officer would not allow such an exchange because Enforcers nor Slayers should not accept payment from the citizens, for they are just doing their jobs. "It''s fine, you can take it. It is not bribing or money extortion if you actually did your job, even if what you did was technically something that an Enforcer should have done long ago. We''re also at fault here, we responded too late." Luken bowed his head at the woman. "Thank you. I am sorry for your loss, I really am." "Life goes on, young man." Her smile was pure and blinding. "Do you know where you will be going this late in the night?" The Six Blades all collectively shook their heads in unison. "Well, after you''ve settled everything out in here, you can stay with us for the night. It''s only me and my son and a couple of servant workers in that big spacious house, it is the least we can do. Our door will be open." Gavin stepped in instantly. "Then we will be glad to take you up on your offer, kind madam." Gavin shook her hand gently while smiling. The boy''s appearance was still covered by the yellow raincoat he wore. "Thank you for everything, sirs." He then helped his mother back inside. Everybody in Rizako that night was drenched to the bone. Shaheen and his Enforcer squad brought out Dinah and George. Or what remained of them at least. They covered it with a white sheet of cloth which immediately soaked up the blood from the bodies and turned red with no delay. Luken slammed the wall nearby with such force that it shook Stein''s Restaurant for a bit. Shaheen approached him. He placed his hand on Luken''s shoulder. "We have not always been able to see eye to eye with each other, even before we rose up in ranks. Even so, trust me when I say that you''ve done more than anyone else here to avenge these people. Even more than me. Hold your chin up." The Commander was silently biting his lower lips. "Yin, did that boy seem familiar to you at all?" Gavin asked Yin, pointing to the young boy helping his mother walk back home in the rain. "N-No, sir. Not at all, why do you ask?" "Nothing, I was just curious." Gavin said while maintaining a half-smile with the aura of confidence. Yin knew Gavin knew something, even someone as kind and polite as the Serpent Summoner is able to be mischievous sometimes. "Say, Gavin, you think you could teach me how to summon monsters and stuff soon?" Yin asked. Suna scratched her head. "Have you been paying attention to your practice lessons and spars or not?!" "I-I''d like to think I have!" Suna let out a sigh. "You''re a Lightning Summoner, Yin. You can''t summon anything, only Summoners like Gavin can do that, but the drawback is that they don''t have an affinity and have to rely on grimoires." "Suna''s right, Yin. But still, I''d like to think I am very proficient at close quarters combat, that is what it means to train your weaknesses." Luken gazed at the three of them going back and forth about the most trivial things ever. The Commander could not help but smirk. Shaheen bid farewell to the Six Blades and rode off into the night while having five different carriages come in to carry the mountains of unconscious bodies as a result of Gavin and Luken''s rooftop battles. "Now then, let''s go to the chief''s house!" Luken exclaimed. "Why are you being that excited? They''re still grieving you know?" Suna corrected his behavior. "S-Sorry." Chapter 36 - Lancaster Home The Six Blades were now seated on the Lancaster family''s couch in the living room. "Yikes, it is like we''re splashing the house with buckets of water." Suna remarked. "Zachary! Bring them towels and bath robes!" The woman said to his son. Zachary was a young boy, roughly the same as Yin and Suna, although he was significantly taller than they were. He had a black parted hair in the middle and wore a deadpan expression, his eyes were empty. "Good evening, you can call me Zach." "Well then, Zach, you don''t seem awfully thrilled that we avenged your late father, don''t you?" Luken said. "Commander, what the hell?" Yin was shocked. He simply dodged the question. "Here are your bathrobes. Once you''re all done showering, I''ve prepared a room for you upstairs, we''ll call you down for dinner, seeing as its way past 10 o''clock now, you guys must be starving." Zach walked away. "What is wrong with you?! How insensitive can you be, Commander?" Yin was enraged. "He certainly did not look like he grieved, even for a single day. That kid''s fishy, I''m telling you." Gavin did not say anything at all. He just stood up and called dibs on taking his bath first. One by one, they each went upstairs to their rooms, waiting to see if the bathroom was available. It was now Yin''s turn to take a bath. Luken, Gavin, and Suna were all in the room. Their room was immaculately designed. It was minimalist and simple yet so clean and well put together. There were four separate beds, the three of them occupied one each. "What do you think they''re going to be serving for us?" Suna''s mouth was now watering in anticipation. "I don''t know but I hope it''s something good. I haven''t stretched and used my bones that much in ages!" Luken responded. "You two really are gluttons." "Glu-what?" "It is nothing, Luken, no need to rack your brain up about it." The Commander opened the window and took out a cigarette. He tried to light it up. Heavy emphasis placed on the word ''try.'' "Gah, it''s wet! Man this rain really does blow." "Hey, Gavin, I have been meaning to ask you something." Suna said. "What is it?" "Why didn''t you two just let the masked man from earlier kill the Red King?" "My ideals don''t really align with that kind of thing, after all, Slayers are not even supposed to operate inside of Niflheim. The outside world is our domain, not here. So, I believe I was not qualified to judge whether or not that old cretin deserved to die right then and there. He probably did deserve it, but still¡­" Gavin answered. "Also, from the looks of how that masked person rushed in, he''s still green. He hasn''t killed anyone yet, probably. He even hesitated, so I called him out on it. If someone like that was still shaken from the thought of killing a pest like the Red King, then it would really be wrong to push him down the path of a murderer. By the way Suna, how are your arms?" "They''re alright now, it still is a bit sore but they''re usable you know?" "That''s good." Yin slammed the door open. "G-Guys." Suna, Gavin, and Luken were now on high alert. "What happened?!" "B-B-Buh" Yin was stuttering more than ever. They all stood up and walked in front of him. Luken crumpled Yin''s cheeks together. "Spit it out, Yin boy! What is it?!" "B-Barbecue¡­" Luken and Suna were now on edge. "Barbecue?! Are you serious? Why haven''t they called us down for dinner yet?!" Luken shouted. Suna was moving her arms around freely know. She wiggled it up and down. "I''m healed! Barbecue is tantamount to a miracle!" Gavin sighed. "Why are you guys like this?" Their rowdy and rough noises were cut short by a knock. "Alright, alright, Suna, you go and answer the door, make sure to remain calm, can you do that?" "Yes, sir!" "Calmly, okay? They might sense our gluttony and stash the barbecue away someplace safe!" "Now you know what that word means, huh, Luken?" Gavin could not help but laugh. Suna walked slowly to the door. "Y-Yes?" It was Zachary. "Erm, sorry for the wait. They''ve just finished cooking now. You can come down whenever you please or feel like it." The tall young boy said in a soft-spoken voice. "Hey! Wait a minute, Zach." "What is it?" "Your voice, it seems oddly familiar¡­" "O-Oh, is that so? People have a lot of things in common with other people you know?" Zachary was sweating bullets. He was fidgeting around. Suna squinted, trying to remember where she last heard this kind of voice. But her train of thought was halted. "W-We have barbecue for you guys! Chicken, pork, and even fish!" "Really!?" Her face lit up. "Yeah, just come on down whenever you guys feel like it, alright?" Luken and Yin immediately went to the door and walked downstairs, they even passed by Zachary. "Why are you guys having a headstart?! Hey!" Suna shouted. Gavin stayed behind and walked with Zach. "Any Slayers here in Rizako lately?" He asked. "N-No sir, your group is the only band of Slayers I''ve seen in weeks." "I see." Gavin smirked. After he walked off and tried to catch up with Luken, Suna, and Yin, Zachary went to an empty hallway. He was short of breath and was now panting excessively. Zach clenched his fist in anger and impatience. "When are these people leaving?!" He muttered to himself. The late night dinner served by the Lancasters were quite a feast. Plates of barbecued chicken and pork and fish captivated the three gluttons, they immediately dug in first. "Sorry for that, madam." Gavin had to apologize to Madam Lydia. "Oh no need to apologize, my dear, you all should eat as much as you want. Dig in!" "Thank you. I''d like to ask you a few questions about your son, if I may?" Gavin''s face had a hint of seriousness. Chapter 37 - Unmasked Boy "A-About my son?" The matriarch of the Lancaster family was surprised. "Yes, about your son, Zachary Lancaster." Gavin said sternly. "Pardon me but I do not disclose my family''s information and such for no apparent reason. If its something that you want to know about that much, you should talk to Zachary himself. Please, excuse me." She said while making herself scarce from the dinner. Meanwhile the trio of gluttony continued to mow down their food. The plates were cleaned out so fast that you would think they merely vanished into thin air. After a solid hour of stuffing themselves, they said their thanks and retired back into their respective beds in their amazingly arranged room. "I feel like I''m so full I''m going to puke!" Suna exclaimed. "Well, try not to, because that would be pretty disgusting." Gavin said. Yin already fell asleep. His bloated stomach was definitely more than noticeable, as a humongous bump was showing underneath his sheets. Luken asked for some cigarettes from the workers downstairs and lit it outside the house, on the patio. The Serpent Summoner knew something that both Luken and Suna were suspecting the same thing. He went down the steps and saw Zachary. The young boy was helping the workers clean the dishes and arrange the chairs, as the aftermath of their feast looked like a monster had ravaged the dining area in its entirety. Gavin slowly walked towards him. He knocked on the table in order to get the attention of the boy. "Hello there." He said as he announced his presence. "H-Hello sir." "Helping out with the dishes? The son of a royal family should not be tasked with doing errands such as that, right?" "Right. But the workers here are good people, and I want to help them clean up whenever I can. Cleaning is just something that comes second nature to me. It is sort of a part of my daily routine that I absolutely cannot break." "Looks like someone''s passionate about cleaning." The two laughed. They continued to talk until all the other workers had gone down the cellar and take their well deserved rest. "T-Thank you for catching that serial murderer, sir!" They thanked Gavin before doing so. He waved at them as a way to say goodnight and farewell. Seeing as they were the only ones still on the kitchen, Gavin took a sit. Zachary was convinced by him to do the same as well. "How long have you been a Slayer?" Gavin asked directly. "I think you must have mistaken me with the wrong person sir, I am not, nor will I ever be a Slayer. I''m already eighteen years of age. And it is far too late for me to awaken my Anima cells now." "Is that so?" "Yes, sir." "You should learn how to lie better, Zach." Zach was now sweating bullets. From the temple of his head down to his neck, it was as if a small cloud was pouring over him. "I am not lying at all, sir." "You seem like a bright and intelligent kid. So, you do know that everyone who manifests their Anima cells at the age of twelve is supposed to report to the Slayer Corps, right?" "S-So I''ve heard." "Please explain to me why you have not been enlisted into the ranks of the Slayer Corps then." "It is simple, sir. Because I am not a Slayer." They were both smiling politely, seemingly laughing and joking about it, but their inner monologues said the opposite. "Just admit it. There is no use lying now." Gavin thought. "Leave me alone you wretched Slayers." Zachary had repeated these words time and time again ever since Gavin talked to him. There was a deep silence that enveloped the situation. Until it was suddenly broken by Luken''s arrival. "Yo, any one of you guys have a lighter or some matchsticks or something?" Both Gavin and Zach shook their heads. "Come on kid, just use your Fire spells and light this up for me will you?" "¡­." "No? Alright then." Luken walked back upstairs. But not before taking an entire bottle of whiskey. "You do know that we are leaving early morning tomorrow, right?" Gavin said with an annoyed face. "Yeah, yeah, I heard you." Zachary was inching towards the stairs himself as well. "Your technique and form is shoddy at best. You''re not going to be able to do anything if you''re wasting your talent like this. Let alone ''kill'' the person that stole a target from you. The Red King." "You know nothing about me." Zachary was now annoyed. "I know that you are an incompetent fighter though. You moved the same as my juniors when they first fought and bore arms. You won''t be able to kill the Red King in your current state, masked boy." Zachary gritted his teeth. He clenched his fist in anger. Yet he still managed to respond in a lightheaded manner. "I have no idea what you''re talking about, mister." He responded. "Drop the act, Zachary. You might have been able to fool the people in this house, but not us. You were the gas masked boy who attacked the Red King just hours before this. Since you''re a part of a royal bloodline or family, surely fifty thousand zennies would be nothing to you. Is that not enough evidence for you?" Gavin smirked. Did the Serpent Summoner corner the boy already? Was he about to admit his true identity? Zachary clapped slowly. "My, my, you Slayers really are trouble. Aren''t you a smart fellow? Alright, fine, I was the one who rushed in and tried to assassinate that putrid old man they call the Red King. That was the first time I ever stepped outside and put my talents to the test, are you satisfied now?" He said so while smiling menacingly. "I am offering you the chance to come with us. To undergo brutal training and to see if you are a good fit for the Six Blades, and we can overlook the fact that you hid from enlistment all these years." "Are you kidding me? Do you expect me to-" Zachary''s outburst was interrupted by Gavin. "Stop talking, just go and think about it.. I''ll be in my quarters now, let''s talk about your decision tomorrow, Zachary Lancaster, unverified Fire Slayer." Chapter 38 - The Fifth Out Of Six The sun''s unwavering shine beat down on the windows of the Lancaster''s home. A rooster crowed from a poultry farm not that far away from where the prestigious house stood. The Serpent Summoner was the first one up. Gavin did not bother waking the others. "They kind of earned it, I guess." He thought to himself. With a tired set of feet, he moved slowly to the door. As he turned the knob open, Zachary was already there. Standing and sweating nervously. "Let us proceed outside. It is much safer to talk there I did assume currently with the fact that you wanted to talk, right?" Gavin asked. Zach just nodded. Rizako residents had already started working, to get ready for the day ahead of them. Both Zach and Gavin were now at the patio. Seated on the chairs of sandalwood. "These are quite expensive, you know? Though I expect no less from the son of a bloodline such as the Lancaster. So, answer me now, truthfully, no games, no deceptions. Why have you kept your identity as a Slayer all these years, Zach? The Slayer Corps is need of all the hands it can get just to stand the littlest of chance against these holy abominations and monsters alike." Gavin said with an interrogative voice. His green eyes locked hard on to Zach''s own. "My parents have hidden the fact that I awoken my Anima cells when I was only eleven years old. They thought that sheltering me from the life of a soldier fighting for humanity''s sake would be better than having the risk of me dying out there." Zachary said. "But believe me, I really did try and fight back, I kept convincing them to tell the Slayer Corps the truth, yet they just shrugged it off. You know my family; their ties and connections are no laughing matter. They kept my identity hidden all throughout my existence." "Why would you want to fight? Why risk your life outside the Gates? You''re perfectly fine here, right?" "As a kid, I really idolized Slayers. I thought that they were especially brave for venturing the outside world. To conquer back the land that we have lost is nothing to laugh at. The very first time I tried to convince my parents. All I got was my dad''s palm running across my cheeks. Every single instance that the subject came to light, my father hit me. My mother tried to cover for me, every punch that was directed at me that she covered, hit her. That''s how much of a piece of trash my father is." "Y-You mean the ex-chief?" "That''s right, the one people thought was such a caring patriarch of the Lancaster family. In reality, he was an abusive and violent person who took everything out on his family. Life bound inside my home and quarters were not spent to waste though, I read about Slayer skills and enhanced my body by extensively training. I was going to be the one who would kill him ¨C at least that is what I vowed I would do." Gavin shook his head. He pondered inside his mind as to just how much this kid has suffered. "Is this where the Red King came into play?" Gavin asked. "Yes. Yes, it is. The Red King stole my target, a kill I was preparing for my whole life, and he just stole it in a single night. All my preparations, down the drain. Just like that, it is all gone." "I-I see." Gavin always wondered why Madam Lydia wore dresses with sleeves longer than normal, was that to hide her bruises and scars? "Honestly, Zachary? I doubt you are even strong enough to take the Red King on at his full strength. You''re still pretty weak." Zachary gritted his teeth. "I know." He had his head held down. "But you have the potential to become even stronger. Strong enough to take him head on." "So, where are your bags? "M-My bags?" "Yeah, did I not tell you last night that we would be glad that you train under the Six Blades?" "H-Hang on! I did not agree to anything yet!" Zachary blushed at the idea of being recruited by a top five Slayer organization. "Well, realistically, you could join the Inferno Garden. They''re the top one organization composed only of Fire Slayers. But to be frank with you, I''m not sure they would even look at your general direction. That''s just how weak you are as of now." Zachary immediately had his ego grounded. Gavin placed his hand on Zach''s shoulders. "We can change that. If you can keep up, that is." Gavin smiled. Zach let out a menacing smirk. "Is that supposed to be a challenge?" The sun was now fully up. "Oh yeah, speaking of which, how did you manage to track me? Or even know that the masked man was me at all?" He asked. "Only a could would think of copying an older person''s voice to sound old." Gavin laughed. "But in all seriousness, turn around." "W-Why?" Zach conceded and turned around. He felt something crawling out the back of his shirt. "W-What the hell is that?!" He exclaimed. "It is the smallest snake in the world, the Barbados thread snake. This is what I used to track you. I ordered it to crawl behind your back when you had your monologue in the rain wearing that gas-mask last night. Careful that you won''t step on it now." The tiny snake slithered back in Gavin''s pockets. "I shall make myself scarce and wake the others up now. I''m sure you''ve heard our names plenty of times already, but I would like to formally introduce myself. Gavin Khalil, also known as the Serpent Summoner, S rank, and a member of the Six Blades." Gavin extended his hand into form a gesture of a handshake. Zachary was intimidated. All sorts of thoughts raced inside his mind. He buckled up and raised shook the Serpent Summoner''s hand, signaling the start of a new Six Blades member''s journey. Chapter 39 - Nightmarish Dream Back in the Six Blades quarters. As Yin still had his eyes shut, a dream slowly crept its way around his subconscious mind. Or was a nightmare? Yin walked around a field of flowers. Soon as he passed by them, his mere presence itself caused them to decay and wither. He walked for what felt like hours. Yin wanted to scream, but he could not. The sound of what should have been fabricated by his voice and words never really came about. All he could do was walk. Walk towards the sound of something distant. Every step he took killed the flowers. His strides created a garden of nothingness. Piled on by the ashes of what should have been there, had he not walked forward. The distant sound turned out to be music. It was a melody, in fact. A piano piece which he seemed to remember, but not from where. This piece of music gave him that existentialistic feeling of dread and loneliness. He walked closer and closer to where the sound was. Now disregarding the flowers that died in his wake. But for a moment, he stopped in place. Yin looked at his hands. How long has it been since he last felt them without the gloves that the Commander provided? He sure felt like it was an eternity. When the sonata hit the heavy notes, Yin looked at his hands. His red eyes gazed at his palms. And Yin cried. He walked as he wept. Droplets of tears slowly dripping from his eyes down to his open palms. "Why are you crying?" A woman''s voice at the back of his head asked him. This was clearly different from the System''s deadpan monotonous voice, though, it was strangely¡­human? "W-Who are you?" Yin asked while wiping the tears off of his eyes. The woman''s voice simply laughed, as if his question was nothing more than an attempt at fooling around. "Do not joke around like that, Thanatos. When will you be coming back?" In a split second, Yin lost control of his body. It was as if he was viewing his body from a third-person perspective. Seemingly sucked out of his own body from behind like a vacuum. As if he was a mere soul watching his physical form stand idly. He could not breathe. Just as he was gasping for air, his body knelt to the ground. Covered its face with both hands and cried even harder. "Soon, my love." Yin''s body spoke. But it was not his voice. No, it was the voice of someone else. A deep voice of someone or something whom is greatly in pain. After that, his soul merged back with his body. He panted, pressing his chest for any semblance of air. Yin slowly calmed down. His eyesight was now focused on the ground below. The ground was made of glass. Yin watched intently as his reflection was not something he could even recognize. It was a dark figure, like a shadow, but the features were covered in pitch black. All he could make out of it was its shape. Yin freaked out and fell to the ground. "W-What are you?!" The symphony was still playing, he stood up and continued to walk. A massive door stopped him in his tracks. This huge gigantic red door was plated with gold. But there was no doubt in Yin''s judgment whatsoever. This was where the piano was coming from. As Yin was about to open it, he saw the glimpse of the reflection on the floor. The black figure was the one seated on the piano''s chair, playing this symphony. Before the light could even shine on the figure''s face, Yin jolted and woke up. A familiar monotone voice greeted him first thing in the morning. It was the System''s lifeless voice. [ Good morning Thanatos, it is now time for your daily quest.] [ Daily Quest: 400 pushups, 400 sit-ups, 400 curl ups ] Sweating and delirious, Yin ran to the bathroom. There, he closed his eyes. "W-What''s happening to me?" He slowly opened them while looking at the mirror in front of him. Yin exhaled a sigh of relief to see his reflection was still his own. Although he still was not used to his pupils turning red and his hair turning white, he was thankful it was just a dream. He took off the gloves and looked at his palms concernedly. Suna knocked on the bathroom door. "Hey! What''s going on? Are you alright?" "Y-Yeah. I''m good, Suna!" "I guess all that barbecue took a toll on your stomach that badly, huh?" "W-What, no! I-I mean, sure, you''re right." Suna walked away and went back to their quarters. "What happened to him?" Luken asked her. "He must really have had to go, you know?" She answered. "I told him not to eat that much last night!" Luken exclaimed. "Well, you can''t blame him, the food was the best I have ever eaten in my entire time as a Slayer." Suna said. "Is that supposed to be a jab at me? No. I still will not learn how to cook. We''ll either starve to death or hold out until Gavin comes back and rejuvenates us to life with his food." Luken said. Gavin walked into the room with all smiles. "Seems like you''re in a good mood, Gavin." Suna stated. "Is it that obvious, Suna?" The Serpent Summoner asked while he still continued to have that huge grin on his face. "Yep, it really kind of is." Suna sat down by her bed. Gavin prepared to clean up the place and arrange all their bags for the long arduous journey up ahead. "Hey, you know what we should do? We should stay for breakfast at least!" Luken suggested. Gavin stared with the hint of disappointment at him. His eyes seemed to judge Luken''s whole existence in that very moment. "Let us not abuse the kindness and hospitality of the Lancasters. We have burdened them long enough, Luken." His green eyes pierced the Commander''s soul. "T-True, we really shouldn''t do that, Suna!" Luken faced towards Suna''s direction. The Commander forced a cough as he shook his head as if it was her idea. "Hey, weren''t you the one who wanted to stay for breakfast?!" She exclaimed. Chapter 40 - Whys He Here? A knock on the door was heard. "Suna, can you get the door? Luken''s pretending to be busy." Gavin sighed. Suna nodded and got up from her seat. She hastily opened the door. Zachary stood there, wide-eyed. "I-I uhm, is Gavin there?" Suna looked behind him, she saw he had a large backpack on his back. She smirked with a vile smile. "Who is it?" Gavin shouted from his bed as he had his back turned from them. The Serpent Summoner was busy folding his clothes and arranging it in such an intricate and careful manner. "You have a visitor, Gavin!" Suna responded. Gavin turned to glance and saw Zachary. "What are you going to tell your mother?" He asked. "Do not worry, I have it all planned out. But you guys are going to have to carry my scythe, they might suspect something amiss when I''m the one bringing it." Zachary said. "Nah, leave it, boy. We have got plenty of weapons in our hideout, scythes included as well." Luken said. Zachary''s eyes lit up. "A-Alright." Zachary was asked by them to take a seat. To which he promptly accepted. "When is Yin going to be finished in the bathroom? My stomach is kind of hurting now¡­" Suna stated. "Too much information, Suna." Gavin responded with a hint of disgust in his face. A tap on the window disturbed the room. It was a carrier pigeon. Tied with a large scroll on its talons. Luken opened the window with no hesitation. The letter had a blue and green line indention in front of it. "Yo, this looks like it is meant for us." Luken walked slowly towards Gavin''s bed. Suna moved as well, approaching the Commander and the Serpent Summoner. The Commander halted her approach with an open palm motion. "Nope, this is classified, Suna." Suna pouted and walked back to her corner. Gavin clearly gasped. "Damn, why so soon?" "I am as much in the dark as you are, Gavin. I do not know as well." The Commander responded with a serious expression. Even Suna could tell that he was not joking, this was for real. "W-What''s going on? What did the letter say?" She asked. No response was given by the two. "I hate to be that guy, but we should really leave as soon as possible. My mother might change her mind in an instant, she''s pretty paranoid." Luken nodded. "The kid''s right, we should get moving, I''ll go tell Yin to hurry the heck up." He walked out the room and proceeded towards the bathroom, where Yin presumably was. Just as the Commander was about to knock, the bathroom door opened. Yin''s face was ghastly. It was as if he saw a ghost, or a haunting apparition set on causing him nightmares for the foreseeable future. "Yin boy, what''s wrong?" Luken asked in a worried tone. "O-Oh, it is nothing, sir. Just a bad dream, that is all it was, yeah, just a horrible nightmare." "You sure you''re okay? We''re about to head out soon, you know?" Yin simply nodded and walked back to the room with no energy whatsoever. "Sheesh, what happened in this bathroom?" The Commander thought to himself. Yin was worried. They were not merely nightmares caused by overthinking or the fear of monsters, no, it was something else, something much more menacing. He felt it deep inside him, this thin line that he was prancing on about, if he took one wrong step then it would all be over, he''d drop down to the pit of despair. Once Yin stepped foot into their room, he was shocked to see Zachary was there. "W-What''s that guy doing here?" Yin asked. "Yin, do you remember the masked person that got in the way and wanted to kill the Red King?" Gavin asked him. Yin''s eyes glinted with happiness. He thought Gavin implied something else. "No way! You''re the one who killed the masked boy?" He asked Zachary who was covered his eardrums, protecting it from Yin''s overly loud and crass voice. "Quite the opposite. I''m the masked boy." Zach answered nonchalantly, as if the information he dropped was not in any way huge. "What?! Then why are you here? Hell, you even attacked both the Commander and Gavin, right? You''ve got some nerve coming here. I can take you on! Everybody stand back!" Yin exclaimed as he prepared to get his gauntlets from his backpack. "You really are awfully loud, aren''t you?" Zachary was noticeably annoyed. "Both of you, calm down." Gavin softly tried to squash the squabble between Yin and Zach. "Think you can take me, shorty? You have to at least be this tall to even put a scratch on me." Zachary said as he taunted Yin by raising a hand to his eye level, belittling Yin''s height. "I''ll bring you back down to the ground, just try me." Yin was focusing his Black Lightning. Gavin kept a keen smile. But that cool, calm, and collected smile was about to vanish. Suna noticed it first. "Uh-oh, guess I''m out of here, I''ll be waiting outside." Just as both Yin and Zachary were about to pounce at each other, Gavin took out a grimoire and summoned King Cobra snakes to bind them to the ground. "I said that''s enough, didn''t I? Or did I mistakenly stutter? Yin and Zachary turned white, they knew Gavin was not playing around this time. They both calmed down and eased up a bit. "Gavin, why is that guy here? He tried to hurt you and the Commander, right?" Yin asked while he was still enraged. "Well, Yin, to answer that question it-" He was immediately cut off by Zachary''s response. "Because they both invited me to train under the Six Blades, you dense idiot!" Zachary shouted back. "You''re not even a Slayer! You weren''t using your Anima affinity when you tried to land a cheap shot on the Red King, you big loser!" Their squabble was halted by the Cobras tightening their grips on their feet. "Never ever interrupt me, you got that?" Gavin looked at both of them. "Y-Yes, sir...." Chapter 41 - Way Back Home Both Yin and Zachary eased up a bit. "That is more like it. You children do know we can have a civil discussion without having an all-out brawl in our host''s home, right? Well, it is technically Zachary''s home, but still." Gavin looked like someone who was about to give up. "I-I just do not understand how the Six Blades are inviting someone who blatantly threatened them in combat right in their ranks?!" Yin shouted. Zachary just smugly rolled his eyes and looked the other way. Luken banged on the door loudly. "Hey, what are you guys still doing? The carriage is here!" The three of them did not answer, although Yin and Zachary were loosened up by the Gavin''s snakes, they were still on edge. The Commander finally opened the door and saw the scenario in front of him. "Yikes. Seems like I stumbled in an awkward situation." Luken said. "I really think I deserve an explanation as to why we have someone who''s turned his blade against us last night." Yin said with a determined expression. Creases forming on his forehead from his brows meeting together. "Why couldn''t you explain it to this guy right here? Seeing as he is a legitimate simpleton." Zachary remarked. "Who the hell are you calling a simpleton?" Yin and Zachary began clawing at each other once more. "Alright, alright, can you both just take a seat or something?" Luken got in the middle of them. Both of the simpletons began to sit down. The Commander glanced at Gavin, he seemed to ask for permission non-verbally. "Yes, please." Gavin sighed and nodded afterwards. "Now, Yin boy, what are you so worried about, anyway?" Luken looked puzzled and confused. "My problem, sir, is that this person tried to hurt you and Gavin! I mean have you forgotten what happened in that rainy night yesterday?" Yin said as he smacked the table straight down forcefully with his fist. Zachary was noticeably acting smug and was cracking a half-smile. Luken caught a glimpse of it. "Hey, hey, who do you think you''re talking to, Yin boy?" Zach was now the one with the confused face. He looked at Gavin seemingly wondering what he was going on about. Gavin just shrugged his shoulders. Though the Serpent Summoner knew full well what was about to occur. "He''s about to gloat, is he not?" Gavin whispered to himself. "You''re talking to one of the strongest Slayers currently in the Corps right now, Yin. I''m the Slayer Corps Commander myself! There is absolutely no way that a mere boy could harm me! Oh, don''t even get me started about Gavin! The nationally renowned Serpent Summoner himself! Did you know that¡­" One by one, the trio of Gavin, Yin, and even Zachary banded together and slowly walked out of the room while Luken had his back turned. As they were placing their baggage at the back of the carriage one by one, Yin took the initiative and approached Zachary first. "H-Hey, sorry for lashing out earlier. I just thought you were back for more and were looking for trouble, is all. Y-Your name, it''s Zachary, right? The name''s Yin, by the way." Yin extended his palm in an attempt to shake Zach''s hand. But the latter simply stared at him in disgust and walked past him. "I''m going to help the others lift their things up on the carriage." Zachary said with a deadpan expression. This greatly enraged Yin. "Shake my hand you stubborn fool!" "Yeah, no thanks." Yin and Zachary ran laps around the place, Yin desperately wanting Zach to shake his hand. Suna watched them run in circles until they were too tired to even stand up. "Well Gavin, guess we have an apathetic smartass and a loud dork. And they''re both kind of simpletons as well." Suna said. "You''re going to have to step up and take care of them, you know?" Gavin responded. "Nope, not a chance!" She replied with a playful smile. "You two!" Luken''s shout made the nearby birds flocking around the roofs fly away into the horizon. "I was lecturing you, isn''t it rude to walk out on me like that? That includes you as well, Gavin!" Luken said. "Wait, why am I supposed to be included?" He replied. Luken was speechless. "Hmm. Why should he be included?" He thought to himself. While the Commander took his precious time to contemplate things, the four of them made their way inside the carriage. It was a bit smaller than what they were used to riding, but it will do. The problem was that there were only four seats in total. One in the front, and three at the back. This carriage was definitely structured fairly modernly. So, one of them is going to have to ride with the baggage and luggage at the back. Neither of the four near to the carriage wanted to conceded and volunteer for the difficult task of having an uncomfortable ride back home, so they talked and devised a plan. The plan was to occupy the four seats so that Luken would be the one at the back. Sadly, for the Commander this strategy worked. As Luken walked slowly and placed his baggage at the back, he asked the coachman where he was going to sit, seeing as all four seats were now occupied. "You were not told by your companions?" "Err, about what, Mister Coachman?" Luken looked dazed. "Well, to be honest, young sir, I was told there would only be four of you I had to take to your hideout, but it seems you have someone added to your group, so the fifth person has to sit behind the cramped luggage area." "I-I see. That''s understandable¡­" The four of them could not help but laugh at Luken''s defeat. The Six Blades now had five members, five strong, capable, and highly potent Slayers. Their young core also had potential to exceed all limitations. Luken spent the whole ride cramped at the back, he could not even sit down normally, he was squatting. There were a couple of instances where he faked being suffocated just to have someone swap their places with him, sadly, none of them budged. Chapter 42 - Six Blades Hideout Tour The Six Blades arrived at their well-hidden hideout some time during the night. Suna stepped out first. She inhaled the breeze of the mountains which she always missed every single time they went on conquests. "Ah, finally, fresh air!" "You say that every time you come back from missions." Gavin chuckled. He turned to Zachary. "Welcome to the Six Blades hideout." "It looks okay¡­" Yin gritted his teeth. "What do you mean ''okay''? It looks absolutely splendid!" Yin said. "Whatever you say." Zachary responded with zero cares in the world. A loud huffing sound was heard in the carriage. It was as if someone was choking and gasping for air. It was the Commander. "I, ugh, I-I, I never EVER want to do that again! I swear I would rather walk than sit or crouch in that position for several hours, it was a nightmare!" Luken shouted as he was wheezing. The remaining Six Blades could not help but contain their laughter. They bid farewell to the coachman and unloaded their bags from the carriage. "Right, Yin, I would like to ask you to give our newest potential member a tour of the place, I shall be off cooking our dinner." Gavin told Yin. "W-Wait, why me?!" Yin exclaimed. "I do not think Luken is in the right state of mind to give a tour honestly, just look at the guy." Yin, Suna, and Zachary shot glances at Luken, who sat down in the ground wallowing in dirt. "I never want to do that again, I never want to do that again, I never ever WANT TO DO THAT EVER AGAIN, MARK MY WORDS! I WOULD RATHER WALK FROM RIZAKO TO HERE WHEN THE TIME COMES!" The Commander was hysterically shouting. "Suna, I would like you to help Luken unload the bags, can you do that?" Gavin asked her. "Sure, no problem." She nodded quickly. Yin walked off straight in the direction of the hideout. Gavin noticed this instantly. "Hey! You forget your guest, did you not?" Yin''s face formed an angry combination of both rage and disgust. "C-Come here¡­" "You look rather unpleasant for a tour guide." Zachary snuck in a verbal punch to Yin''s gut. "Don''t push it!" Yin responded. Zach walked towards him and the two began going inside of the hideout. "Say, how come your features do not resemble your father at all? I mean I have seen multiple paintings of your family back in your place, that''s all." Yin asked Zach in an attempt to break the ice. "I took after my mother''s. In terms of features and physical appearance, I mean. My father was really tall so that is probably the only thing I got from him, thankfully so. My mother is half-oriental, they were wed because of some governmental or political dynasty, maybe that is why he never really loved her, nor me." Zachary went on a monologue even longer than Yin would have expected. Yin went silent. "Gavin never told you, didn''t he?" "About what?" "I was plotting to kill my father. Instead, the Red King got to him first, they double crossed him. He was not the fine and fair politician people thought he was, he used Rizako''s money to buy Slayer-grade weapons and sold them to the black market, this did not bode well for him in the end, as the Red King had him killed." Zach said. Yin''s pupils were dilated. "So, that was why you said the Red King ''stole'' your kill!?" "Yep, that is right." "But why would you even want to kill your own father? I am sorry for asking." "No, it is alright. Because he was an abusive piece of trash towards me and my mother. A typical two-faced politician who shed his "good" persona mask when the curtains were closed. He hurt my mother. Is that not reason enough to end his life? Well, I did not technically do it myself. That is what infuriates me the most." "Why did you even come with the Six Blades, then? Why accept Gavin''s offer to join us?" Yin was adamant in knowing. "Because in my state as I am as of right now, I am not strong enough to go toe to toe with the Red King myself. As painful as that is, it is the truth. I have to get stronger, much stronger¡­" "I see, so that''s why you attacked both Gavin and the Commander, you were not really aiming for them, right?" Yin said. "Precisely, even so, even if I were to target them, that will not change the fact that they are both Gavin Khalil and Luken Regalia, they would eliminate me in less than a second if they really thought I was a threat. You had nothing to worry about, honestly." "A-Alright. What do you want to see the most in the Six Blades hideout? After that, we should meet up with the others and help in preparing dinner, is that cool with you?" "Sure. Show me the armory with all the weapons." Gavin, Luken, and Suna all carried the bags into the house. Suna lets out a sigh. She saw how Luken is still traumatized by the that uncomfortable trip in the carriage. "Should we really just leave him be?" She asked Gavin. "Yep, nothing much we can do when he is in that state." Suna went outside to catch some fresh air. She used her agile limbs and superior physicality to climb up a tree and sit there. She looked at the starry skies with her beady little eyes. "I survived another conquest yet again, mom, dad. Are you proud of me and what I''ve accomplished so far? Well, you both should be, but don''t think that this is my peak. Once the Slayer tournament rolls in, I''ll be a head turner and beat everyone." She said to herself. "You are going to have to train hard if you want to win it all, Suna! Don''t forget about me too!" Yin and Zachary showed up out of nowhere. "That goes without saying." Said the tall young man. "Bring it on!" Suna exclaimed. Chapter 43 - A Few Seconds More With the aid of Gavin''s cooking, the group''s wavering strength came back to normal. The toll that the trip from the Outer Gates back towards the hideout definitely exhausted them, everyone slept with a bellyful of freshly roasted chicken that night. Zachary Lancaster could not help but crack a smile. "The Six Blades, huh? Their prestigious ranking being a top five Slayer Organization might intimidate other people, but everyone here is surprisingly normal." He said to himself as he fell asleep that night. The fledgling Six Blades member was given his own room in the second floor of the hideout. Yin fell fast asleep with no delay whatsoever. But his dreams, no, his nightmares, rather, still continued to bother him in his slumber. The faint melody of a piano. Notes arranged with such a beautiful yet melancholic tone. A familiar voice he could not pinpoint when or how he knew such an angelic voice called out. But it did not call out to Yin, rather, it called out for someone else. "Thanatos, where are you?" The girl was singing a song. "I''m not Thanatos! I do not even know who that is! My name''s Yin Sohaya!" But his voice fell on deaf ears. Yin touched his cheeks. Tears were rolling down. His dreamlike nightmare was interrupted by his sudden jolt of waking up. Yin was surprised. He had his arms up. His palms were wide open, as if holding someone''s hand and never wanting to let go. And the tears, the tears were real as well. "What''s happening to me?" He placed his hands covering his eyes. [ Daily Quest : 15-kilometer sprint ] "Ugh, seriously? Isn''t that a bit much?" Until suddenly, five knocks. It was probably Suna, it would have only been two knocks if it were Gavin by the door. "Yin! It''s time to eat!" After chow time, Luken instructed them that they have to begin training as soon as possible. None out of the three of the young members complained, they all knew their strengths were still lacking. Luken helped Zachary pick out the scythe he was most comfortable with from the armory, he thought about it long and hard last night, after Yin showed him the weapons. "You sure about that, Zach?" Gavin asked him. "Yeah, I am." The Six Blades were now outside, in the green grassy open fields. "You''ve had your first glimpse of combat, Yin. Tell me, are your powers and skills enough? Is it enough to save your allies from certain death? From the perils of monsters looming outside the gates?" Luken asked him with a straight face. "No, sir." Yin had flashbacks of what happened when they fought that Angel. The bodies of his comrades piled up and decapitated by the winged holy creature. His powerlessness to protect most of them. Every single memory struck his hurt like a wooden stick impaled through it. "I have to be stronger, I need to be stronger, sir!" Yin shouted from the top of his lungs. "To be honest, if Suna and Cosette had not been there, you would have died. That is the harsh truth, Yin." Luken looked down as he said that. "Everyone had to cover for your lack of stamina, you are unable to maintain your decay for long, and that will be the difference between life and death for you and your comrades one of these days." Zach''s eyes sharpened, his eyebrows met each other in a frowning reaction. "Decay? Neither Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, nor Lightning can ''decay'' an opponent. What did they mean by this? Is this just a slang or shortcut for something else?" He asked himself. "Now, I would like you to do it for as long as you are able to. Start with that tree over there." Luken instructed him. Gavin noticed Zachary was perplexed, this was his first time hearing a Slayer who could ''decay'' things. Yin began by removing the safety gloves that Luken gave him long ago, and equipping the Red Gauntlets the system bestowed him with. After clapping his palms one time, he placed both of it on the body of a tree. He closed his eyes and showed immense focus. "Longer. I have to do it longer than five seconds. Come on, longer!" Yin screamed internally. The tree began to wither and decay as if a couple of decades had been fast forwarded into its lifetime. All the while Luken was counting. "One, two, three..." Zachary''s eyes began to widen as if he had seen a ghost or an apparition. "H-How the heck?!" He asked Suna. Suna basically just shrugged her shoulders. This was the best response she could have given, as none of them knew how or why Yin got his powers from. "You know, Yin was not a Slayer until he was eighteen." She said. "Big deal, I am not a Slayer also, well technically." Zachary responded. "No, you did not get what I mean. His Anima cells had just awoken recently. I am not going to bore you with the details, but some weeks after he turned eighteen, Yin was attacked by an Angel right here in Niflheim." Zach was at a loss for words. This was far too much to take in, even for him. "Hold on, are you saying that a person who has not even had slight glimpses of possessing Anima cells when he was a mere child suddenly turned into a Slayer? Also what is with that about an Angel attacking Niflheim? How did they even get past the barrier?" Zach asked. Gavin approached the two of them. "You''re right about that first part, Yin is the only documented case of a ''late-bloomer'' of a Slayer, as you know, Anima cells normally develop before children turn twelve. As for the Angel, it is still classified, everyone who was there at the incident were given warnings by the Emperor himself to keep everything under wraps." Gavin answered Zach''s nagging questions. "Twelve, thirteen, fourteen-" Yin had reached his limit. He was breathing rapidly now. Despite his struggles, Yin managed to crack a smug smile. "How''s that for a simpleton, Zach?" Chapter 44 - No Affinities Zachary mirrored Yin''s smug grin as well. "Not bad." "That is good enough, Yin. As long as it is not a meager five seconds, that should suffice for now. We will practice your Lightning affinity some other time." "Yes, sir!" The ashes brought upon by the tree''s decay faded away with the wind, taken by gust of the mountains. Yin himself equipped the safety gloves of Luken which prevented him from using his decay abilities subconsciously. Suna and Yin high fived as the latter sat beside her. "Nice one, Yin!" "Y-You really think so, Suna?" "Of course, dummy!" Her smile was pure and honestly blindingly bright. "Next up, Zachary." The tall lean man stepped in front of the Commander. "Tell me, Zach boy, when you attacked us that night, you could have maybe landed a hit on the Red King had you just used your Anima skills. It''s Fire, isn''t it?" "It''s honestly too hard for me to control my skills, sir. Even enchanting my weapons would last from five seconds to fifty seconds on a good day. And yes, I am a Fire Slayer, technically." Zach responded with an annoyed face. "A Slayer must learn to master his spells and skills in order to become an effective soldier, have all the books you have read not teach you that?" Luken approached him. "I-I know that. But maybe I can become a Slayer without exercising my affinity? People with awakened Anima cells like us already have heightened physical strength and instincts, right?" Zachary protested against Luken. "Are you serious? You will not even practice using your skills?!" Yin stood up. "Calm down, Yin. Let us see where it goes from here." Luken placed his hand on his chin, indicating a "thinking" posture. "Hm, let us see. Alright, I will allow it. I''ll allow you to only use your scythe and nothing more." Luken said. "Really?! Do you mean it?" Zachary''s eyes glinted with happiness. "He must really hate practicing affinity spells and skills." Suna remarked. "On one condition. You must be able to hit me, hit me with anything, honestly, be it your fists or your scythe, as long as you make contact with me, you''re free to do as you please." Luken locked eyes with Zachary. His ocean blue gaze intimidated the young man and caused him to back down a little bit. "Very well." Zach nodded. "I am ready when you are, Zach boy." Luken smirked. Gavin face palmed. "He is having way too much fun. He''s supposed to be training you guys." Yin stood up to focus on what was about to happen much more closely. "This is fine, sir." His eyes were different. They were that of an animal''s, an animal trying to study its prey and learn from it. "Very well, I won''t interrupt them." Gavin said. "I''ll give you one whole minute, if you can''t make contact or even touch me in that time, you lose." Zach nodded. "Here I come, sir!" Zachary kicked off his approach by rushing at the Commander. He swung his scythe at him in a wide horizontal angle. "I''ve got you now!" In a split second, Zach''s scythe was now on the ground, it was pierced by Luken''s sword. Zachary tried to pull it out from the ground where it was stuck, but to no avail. Luken was stepping on his sword''s hilt on one foot, all the while balancing his whole body on top of his sword. "Hey Gavin! Do you think you can cook the Peking duck tonight for dinner?" Luken shouted at the Serpent Summoner. "Not a chance." Gavin answered back. "W-What?!" Zach was enraged. Not only was the Commander not facing towards him, he was reading a damn recipe cook book! "That has got to be disheartening." Suna said. Zachary jumped vertically upwards with such force that the a shockwave of wind began to kick up below him. While mid-air, he swung a jabbing motion with his fists. Luken just jumped from the hilt of his sword and dodged it easily. "There''s no way to go but back down when you jump, Commander!" Zach smirked yet again, thinking he had the Commander cornered. The Commander shot a water blast from his palms sideways, propelling him away from the hungry Zachary just waiting for him down below. Zach clicked his tongue in anger and dismay. "S Ranks and above really are on another level. But no matter, as long as I can make contact, I still win!" He said. "Thirty seconds left, Zach-boy. You know you can just give up now and accept that you lost, right? You are wasting our time." Luken said mockingly. "Never!" "Hey Gavin, who do you think has the most physical strength among the three of us?" Suna asked the Serpent Summoner directly. "Well, if I had to rank it from the top one, top two, and top three, it would probably be - you, Yin, and then Zachary." Gavin answered her straightforward question with no hesitation. Suna clenched both of her fists close to her face. "Alright! I''m the strongest!" Gavin sighed. "Suna, we''ve been telling you this time and time again, physical strength is not the only factor that determines who wins in a battle, there are plenty other factors that come into play as well." She did not hear these, as she was too busy complimenting herself in her mind. "One minute is over, Zach boy. I win." Luken said while not even looking at Zach, he was still reading the cook book. "Why are you even reading a cook book? I do not think you even know how to cook an egg at all!" Zachary was frustrated. "You''re right about that! But man, looking at food just makes me excited to go on conquests, I''ll get to eat these dishes after a successful mission, every single time! Anyway, you lost, so you better get ready to brush up your flames, young man." "Y-Yes, sir." Although he lost, Zachary was grinning. "I will be sure to get you next time, with my fire spells and skills!" Chapter 45 - Practice Battle The Commander fixed his gaze on Suna. She reciprocated back with the same ferocious stare. Without any single word or sound uttered at all, every single one of them knew that it was Suna''s turn to show the Commander how much she has improved over the months. "I am going to be using two hands now in combat now, Suna. I hope you are ready." Luken said as he assumed a fighting stance. He let go of his sword and implanted it on the ground. "This exercise is going to be much like the one that I did with Zach boy over there, but you are going to have to land a hit on me before I do the same to you. Got it?" "Yep, I got it, sir!" Suna''s eyes were that of a tiger studying the patterns of its prey. Readying to strike and making use of whatever was around it just to land a clean swipe or bite at its prey. This was going to be a match up of pure physical prowess, nothing more, nothing less. Suna began stretching. She cracked her knuckles as well as her neck. Zachary sat next to Gavin and Yin in the green grasslands. "Where are her weapons or grimoire? Do not tell me she is not going to use any of those." Zachary asked both the Serpent Summoner and Yin. "It would truly be better if you see it for yourself, Zach. Yin is not the only outlier in the Six Blades. We have quite a fair share of quirky yet unorthodox and unique members." Gavin responded. "If you think you are already physically strong and built well, this will make you think twice." Yin smiled as he said that towards the curious Zachary. The latter focused all his sights on both Suna and the Commander, eager to see what kind of battle will commence. "Oh, by the way Gavin, the Commander never uses his hands against Suna normally in practice, right?" Yin looked at the Serpent Summoner. "Yes, now that you mentioned it, I remember that now. An astute observation, Yin. I truly do wonder what made him take her much more seriously this time around. This should really be exciting." Suna began by picking up three medium sized rocks from the ground. "Don''t bore me this time, Suna." After Luken finished his sentence, Suna immediately started her approach. She threw the three rocks all at the same time at the Commander''s right side direction. While the rocks were still flying straight at the Commander, Suna did not wait a single moment and began sprinting to the opposite direction of the rocks. "S-She''s fast!" Zach exclaimed. Suna swung her fist in a jab-like manner aimed straight at Luken''s face. Followed by another jab, then another, and another. She unleashed a full barrage of punches at his direction with such pure strength that even the three of them watching could hear the sound waves of each punch. The Commander was forced to be on the defensive, although he dodged everything that was thrown at him in Suna''s barrage from earlier. "You''re still slow, Suna." Luken mocked her while he was smiling devilishly. Her barrage of punches became even faster and stronger this time. "I am pretty sure I would die if I got hit by even a single one of those." Yin said while his face now turned incredibly white from the fear of coming into contact with Suna''s death punches. "Yeah, no kidding." Zachary said. "But what is her game plan? She already has Luken on the defensive, if this were a battle of stamina, she would clearly lose as Luken''s only dodging with no effort whatsoever." Gavin stated. "Suna is analyzing the landscape and area, thinking about what environmental factor could come into play which would give her the upper hand. But I am still worried about her kicks, she has not been using them for quite some time now..." Luken thought to himself all the while dodging her flurry of punches. The Commander was still on the defensive in this battle, he was busy dodging, too busy in fact, to notice that he was only a meter away from a large oak tree. "Commander, look ou-" Yin was about to warn Luken. Gavin quickly intervened. "Shush, Yin. Let the battle play by itself, this is only for Suna''s sake as well." "M-My bad, sir..." "No way, Commander Luken is about to get cornered against that tree behind him! He does not even notice it! Was this her tactic all along? Once he is cornered, it would be the perfect opportunity to use her Anima skills and affinity." Zachary contemplated. Luken felt something hard against his back, it was distinctly rough as well. He turned around for a split second only to notice it - a tree. "Crap." He said. Suna changed her stance and assumed a fighting position that would allow her to use her feet and kick much more freely. While Luken was still adjusting from being too used to her punches, Suna did a round house kick aimed at the Commander. "I will not be able to dodge it on time!" Luken''s mind was racing. "She''s got him!" Zachary said. "Excellent strategy, if I say so myself, Suna." Gavin clapped. Luken was finally forced to use his hands to shield his face from being pummeled by her kick. "Tough kick, Suna. You almost got me!" Luken was holding his heart with his palms indicating that he was nervous as well. "Damn! I thought she had him already!" Zachary exclaimed. "I thought so too." Yin said. But Suna recovered fairly quickly and threw another kick at him. Luken ducked just in time to not get hit, her legs struck the tree with such force that a hundred leaves began to fall down opposite to the birds that flew away from the impact. "Too slow!" The Commander chuckled. He flicked Suna''s forehead. "I win." Luken smiled. "Agh! I was so close to hitting you, for real!" Suna was disappointed in herself. She looked down in anger. "Hey now, look at the bright side, you made me use my hands, didn''t you?" Luken responded. Chapter 46 - Conquest Report As Suna and Luken walked back to where the others were, Zachary stood up, he seemed like he had something to say. "W-Why did you not use any spells or skills? He was cornered! You had him already at that moment!" Zachary asked Suna. Suna just scratched her head and smiled. "Well...I sort of can''t." She said. "What does that mean? Also, Commander Luken, why is she allowed to fight without using her affinity element?" "I do not have Anima cells, in fact, I have never awoken them!" She said proudly. "WHAT?!" Zachary was dazed and confused. "Did you go deaf or something?" Yin made fun of Zachary. Zach looked at Gavin, the latter just nodded. "Y-You do not have Anima cells? B-But you are a Slayer, are you not?" This time, he was truly perplexed. "Well, it is kind of hard to explain, it would also take a long amount of time to explain. So, it is what it is!" She said. "You mean all those punches, even your physical prowess and capabilities, those come from only your strength alone?!" "Yeah, pretty much." Zach was disheartened, he even wanted to only use his physical strengths in battle, without the aid of his Fire affinity, but here Suna was, a person who does not even have Anima cells, going almost toe to toe with an SS Ranked Slayer. "It is a cruel world we live in..." He thought to himself. "If we were to narrate the details, we would be here till the next morning, have Suna tell you some other time, alright?" Luken said. "You were legitimately scared for a second there, were you not, Luken?" Gavin confronted him. "N-No! I am the strongest there is! Why would I be scared?!" Luken stammered while answering. "I definitely saw sweat coming down from his head after the battle, I can tell you that much." Yin said while laughing. The sun was almost setting. Their individual training was truly a success, the Six Blades sat across a bonfire which took Zachary one whole hour to ignite, despite being a Fire Slayer himself. "See?! I told you I was bad at using my affinity." He said. "Confidence, boy, be confident. When the time comes, you will be exuding flames from every part of you!" Luken said in a way that eased Zach''s worries. A messenger pigeon dropped a scroll on Gavin''s lap. "What''s that, sir?" Yin asked. "Just some news about a successful conquest, it happened roughly 3 kilometers away from the one we were in." Gavin answered Yin''s question. "How many Angels were there, Gavin?" Asked Suna. "There were Six Angels." Yin and Suna stood up in bewilderment. "S-Six? That''s a lot! They must have expended hundreds of squads and troops, right?" Suna exclaimed. Luken finally broke his silence and asked Gavin something. "Which organization led the conquest?" He asked. "It was the Inferno Garden." "Tch. I should have expected so. How many members did they send?" "Only two." Gavin''s answer made all of their jaws drop. "T-Two Slayers versus Six Angels? How the hell did they win?" Zachary said. "Who were they, Gavin?" Asked Luken. "It was the Inferno Garden''s de-facto leader, Ignis Silva, and the newly ranked rookie Slayer, Hector Incendium." Gavin said. "Jeez, Ignis still has no chill, what if the kid died or something in battle? What was he thinking?" Luken answered. "You know how Ignis is, it seems like this kid Hector is the real deal. Suna, if ever you come across him or get seeded against him in the Slayer Tournament, I want you to surrender or disqualify yourself immediately." Gavin stared at Suna. "Why would I do that? I am excited to fight this Hector guy, besides, we started to get our ranks roughly at the same time, right? So we are both rookies." She said proudly. Luken lit a cigarette and moved slightly away from them, as Gavin did not want to inhale cigarette smoke. "Look, Suna, I am not telling you this in an attempt to scare you. I believe Gavin here has already told you the rules of the Slayer Tournament, right?" She nodded. "The Slayer Tournament''s matches will not stop or be stopped by the officials unless someone admits they''ve already lost. And knowing you, I know you will never admit defeat. There have truly been some cases where participants actually died. Their pride and ego were far more important to them than their lives, even at death''s door step, they never surrendered. Do not be that way, there is no honor in stupidity." "What if I beat him?! I know I can! I just have to train as hard as I can!" She responded. "Are the Inferno Garden members really that strong, sir?" Zach asked. "They are the top 1 organization for a reason. And they only recruit Fire Slayers." Gavin said. "These guys seem scary, promise us you will not do anything rash in the tournament, Suna. The Commander is right, I am sure there is honor in bravery and fighting till the end, but not if it ends up in your death. I would not want that, even a simpleton like me understands that much." Yin faced towards her direction. "Woah, you actually said something decent for once, knucklehead." Zach directed an insult towards Yin. "What''s that?!" Yin asked. "Did you not hear me? Aren''t you the one who was asking me if I was going deaf earlier?" Zachary answered with pure sass. "Alright you two, break it up. I am far too exhausted to immobilize each one of you if you started to misbehave now, so cool yourselves off." Luken said to the quarreling and bickering Six Blades newbies. "Oh crap, it is almost night time! I have to do my daily quest!" Yin exclaimed. "Your daily what?" Zach mocked him. "M-My uh, my daily exercise ritual, yeah, t-that one! I will be back before dinner, guys! Don''t start without me!" With that, Yin started to run in order to fulfill his daily quest requirement. He was not about to find out what would happen if he missed it. Chapter 47 - Burden Of Heroes After a feast of a dinner prepared by Gavin, all of the Six Blades returned to their respective quarters in order to sleep. "Make sure you guys get plenty of shut-eye, you worked hard today, you really did!" Luken said. It was midnight already. The absence of light brought upon by the night covered the Niflheim. As the new Six Blades member was still up reading books, his page flicking was stopped abruptly by something. Or someone. Zachary heard someone creeping about. Footsteps. From the sounds of it, it only belonged to one person. Who was it? An intruder, a spy? Zach heard it from the outside of the hideout. He got up from his bed, placed the book down, and tip toed around the living room, watching from window to window. His eyes slowly fixated on a silhouette. A mirage of someone''s shadow. It was too far to make out who it was, or what it was, even. But the silhouette resembled that of a person. "Just who is that?!" He whispered softly. "I do not know as well." Zachary was startled, once he looked at his right side, he saw Suna was already there, crouching beside her. "H-How did you get here? Why are you even here?" He asked. "You are not the only one bothered by the footsteps, you know? I heard it as well as you did." She replied. "Do you think we got broken into? I will try to check the living room and the locks if something is missing or taken." Zach said. "Who would be dumb enough to steal from a renowned Slayer organization? Does not seem very wise, even I know that much." Suna said. After a couple of minutes, Zachary noticed that nothing was taken or amiss. Everything was perfectly as it was from the moment after they ate dinner. But there was something wrong, the door was opened. Suna examined the main door herself. She got up and started poking around it. "There is not a sign of forced entry. The bolts on the door are intact and were not damaged or forcefully opened in any way. That is pretty weird." She said. "The person is moving! No, it is running!" Zach remarked. He opened the door and ran outside, Suna followed shortly after. After about a minute of running, they finally caught up to the person. He was wearing a dark hooded cloak. "Explain yourself! You are on Six Blades property!" Suna shouted. The person placed his arms up in the air and slowly turned around. Everyone was both surprised and disappointed, leaning much more to the latter. "Yin!?" "Suna?!" Both of them were surprised. "What the heck are you supposed to be doing out here?" Zachary''s fears were instantly turned into anger. "I-I was training! Is it not obvious?" Yin responded. "Why would you be training at night?" Suna asked him. Yin did not respond to her question. "Hey, answer her!" Zachary shouted. Back at the Six Blades hideout, Luken was watching from his room. Gavin knocked on his door. "What are they doing outside? Shouldn''t we stop them or something?" He said. "Nah, teenagers always snuck around places, specially at night! You should know that Gavin, we were like shadows back in the day, creeping around aimlessly all through the night¡­" Gavin sighed. "Whatever, I am going back to sleep." "What''s wrong, Yin?" Suna approached him slowly. "I just ¨C I can''t sleep, Suna. Every single time I close my eyes, I remember our comrades who died in our last conquest. I can see their hesitant faces, reluctantly charging into battle to fight for Niflheim. They protected me, they protected you as well! That is why I have to be stronger, even if it means training all the freaking time, I have to be what I was not back then ¨C a hero." Yin said as tears rolled down his face. Suna picked up a wide and flat rock. She proceeded to sit down on it. "I understand that feeling. I know it all too well. The very first time I survived a conquest, was that time the Commander allowed me to join in on it, despite not having any Anima cells. I cursed my own weakness, contemplating whether or not I should have lived instead of them. I mean just look at me, I have no Anima cells, no affinities, I have nothing. It does not get easier, Yin. Every single time conquests end with fatalities, but what we experienced recently, getting decimated to less than ten after starting out with fifty Slayers, that was the worst possible start to your journey as one. I carry the burden of all my comrades who never make it out of conquests alive, not a day goes by that I do not think about them." Suna said as she herself began to tear up. Yin got up and hugged her. He whispered into her ear. "Let''s become heroes, Suna." She nodded. Zachary looked up above the starry night sky. "Yeah, maybe these guys are worth sticking around with. Just maybe." He thought to himself as he cracked a smile. "Are we going to spend the night crying and stuff?" Zachary broke the silence. "Or are we going to train?!" He grinned hard and locked eyes with Yin. Yin and Suna looked at him with anger for a split second there. But it immediately changed into smiles after what Zachary said. Luken was now looking at the three with a telescope on hand. "Welp, I couldn''t make out what just happened, but these smiles should lead me to believe that it was a good thing." He laughed as he pulled his sheets and went back to bed. The three rookies of the Six Blades trained for a couple of hours before going back to bed, unbeknownst to them, Luken and Gavin both knew what they were up to that night. "To become heroes, huh? That''s a goal I can get behind with, Yin." Suna said as she shut her eyes for a good night''s rest. Chapter 48 - Three Blades Out Of Six [ Daily Quest Completed : 15-kilometer sprint ] [ Experience Points gained : 500 ] [ Experience Points : 3000/3000 ] [ Thanatos, you have leveled up. ] [ Current Level : 4 ] Yin''s head buzzed with the woman''s monotonous voice from the System. "How long has it been since I have had this System in my body?" Yin thought to himself. [ It has approximately been three months and three days since you have inherited the Thanatos System, master. ] Yin sighed. "I was not asking you, I was just talking to myself!" [ My apologies, master. ] "What even are you, anyway? Some kind of parasite? An otherworldly power? A gift from the Gods?" Yin asked the System itself. [ Information classified. ] "Alright, well, can you at least tell me where you came from or how you came to be?" [ Information classified. ] Yin sighed one final time and closed his eyes, getting ready for bed. "I wonder what we are going to be doing tomorrow¡­" His mind wandered aimlessly as he finally drifted asleep. The next morning rolled around sooner then expected. As the sunlight slowly invited itself over them and their room''s glass windows, the rays of light woke them up. All of them, except for Yin. Every single member took turns helping Gavin cook, while the others set the table for breakfast. The aroma of fried fish and mashed potato sided with half slices of apples was the factor that jolted Yin awake. The Six Blades enjoyed a merry breakfast. "So, I heard some strange things in the house last night." Gavin said. This made Yin, Suna, and Zachary choke up. "I, err, it is probably some stray animals, right? Wolves and such." Zach said. "Y-Yeah, come to think of it, I really did hear some barking coming from the woods nearby, my senses are totally accurate and never miss so you can count on it!" Suna responded nervously, trying to back Zachary''s sentence up. "Today will be our last training for a while." Luken said immediately. "W-What? Why?" Yin demanded to know. Scared that they might have enraged their superiors by lying about what transpired last night, Yin had to own up. He glanced at Zachary, and then at Suna. Both of them nodded. In support of letting Yin tell them the truth. "T-The truth is, we went out into the night to train. There were no wolves, I snuck out first and both Suna and Zachary followed, I should be punished for it!" Yin exclaimed. "And you are revealing this to us for what reason?" Gavin asked with a stern look on his face. "A-Aren''t you mad that we lied? To the point that you are going to stop training us?" Suna responded with a question of her own. "Nah, not really, besides, we already knew what you guys were up to last night, anyway, so even if you still had not told the truth, it was still kind of useless." Gavin said with a chuckle. "So why would today be our last training session, then?" This time, it was now Zachary''s turn to ask. "It is totally unrelated, Zach boy, come on, man, you really think we are that petty?" Luken laughed. Everyone was still silent, waiting for him to reveal his explanation. "Well, Gavin has received a message from the Emperor himself earlier this morning, information regarding the Angels have been uncovered. It is supposed to be something of utmost importance, it is so important, in fact, that they refused to write it on carrier pigeons, they feared the information might be leaked to the public." Luken said. Gavin coughed in order to clear his throat. He did so while covering his mouth with a handkerchief. "Basically, they invited every S rank Slayer and above for a meeting at the palace. Additional details about the briefing are classified, but we are set to leave tomorrow morning. Who knows when we will be back here again? If we are not back here in a month, then we will send out proxies to take Yin and Zachary on conquests, you are free to come if you would like Suna, see it as a practice drill in preparation for the Slayer tournament to be held six months from now." Gavin''s length explanation came to an end. "Oh, and guys, try not to die. Even if I say this or not, I know you will survive. You are the new young core of the Six Blades, we chose you for a reason, and the Six Blades never chooses those who do not have the potential to be truly great Slayers serving their country and mankind. Do not disappoint us." Luken said. The trio of Yin, Suna, and Zachary stood up and bowed their heads. "Yes, sir!" A couple of hours after breakfast, they all met up outside the hideout, where they trained for the past couple of days. Gavin approached Zachary. "How are you finding the place so far?" He asked. "It has been good. I''ve learnt a lot." Zachary responded. "Is your heart still set on vengeance, Zachary?" Gavin followed his question up. Zachary did not respond. He was silent. "I am not one to tell you how to live your life, it is yours and nobody else''s words should sway how you wish to live it, but having revenge as your primary motivator is a slippery slope. Trust me, me and Luken know full well how dangerous it is." Zach reluctantly just nodded. "In about a week, your Fire grimoire will be arriving, work on your Anima affinity spells, you got that?" Gavin said. "Yes, sir." Luken gave each and every one of them clear and concise lectures about what they lacked, what they should do, and other tips in becoming an elite Slayer. The sun went down just as swiftly as it rose up to the sky above, now it is setting far below. Luken and Gavin bid the trio farewell. Chapter 49 - Vale Ashford A week has passed by since Gavin and Luken left the Six Blades hideout. Leaving Yin, Zachary, and Suna to take care of the place and train while they are at it. It has been a long and tiresome journey onward to the Grand Castle for both the Commander and The Serpent Summoner. On the way there, they came across some other S Rank Slayers. About a hundred of them rode their respective private carriages in groups of five as they made their way to the heart of Niflheim itself. "Man, we have been getting no breaks so far." Luken sighed. "I think we already do get plenty of resting time, Luken." Gavin said. "Quit your yapping, you are supposed to be the Commander of the entire Slayer Corps of Niflheim, are you not?" A strong-willed female voice butted in. "V-Vale? Did you come here to take revenge on me or something? Do not tell me you ae planning to assassinate me!?" Luken had an overly exaggerated reaction on his face. "I would not waste my time with the likes of you, Luken. She turned her silver white eyes at the Serpent Summoner. "Hello Gavin, well met." Gavin shook her hands. "It is good to see you are doing well, Lady Vale." This silver haired woman who wore her hair in a long-untied manner. It was also shining and silver. She was roughly the same height as Zachary. Vale was indeed tall. She was a woman who knew how to carry herself well. Her pale skin also did not help, Vale was as bright as the sun. One quick glance and you could even confuse her as an Angel, that is just how bright and shining she was. Vale Ashford had worked her way up to become an S Rank Slayer, she was only two years younger than Luken. Yet her feats and accomplishments made the current Emperor Nicholas consider her for the position of ''Commander'' at one point, before they stuck to Luken. She specialized in espionage and stealth. Once a monster sees her and notices her drawing her weapon, that would be the last thing these monsters would see, Angels and other creatures alike. Vale was armed to the teeth with her signature ebony switchblade, a couple of throwing stars, her black-tinted light armor which made her move around swiftly undetected without sacrificing maneuverability. "Look Vale, only S Ranked Slayers are allowed into the Grand Castle for now, so whatever it is you are doing, cease it immediately!" Luken stood his ground to strike an honorific pose. "You idiot, it has been years since I became an S Rank, we were both pitted and compared with each other as to who should be the Commander! Did you forget about that already!?" Vale exclaimed. "Please forgive him, Vale. He is still the same old idiot even after how many years might go by, you know how he is." Gavin forced Luken to bow down in an apologetic way as well as him. "Yeah, I keep forgetting how this guy is. I do not understand how you have kept sticking around with him after all these years, Gavin. It is honestly astonishing." She replied. "Believe me, I ask that question to myself every single day of my life." Gavin responded. "Hey! Aren''t you supposed to be on my side, Gavin?!" Luken said. "The fact that we have not noticed your presence up till now is not very surprising, Vale, you are still the sly fox that you used to be back in the day. I commend you for that." Gavin said. "I do what I do best." She said. Luken had a serious face now. "By the way, Vale, just what did you find out there?" He asked. "Can you not wait until we get to the Grand Castle for everyone to hear it?" She responded in an annoyed tone and manner. "How did you even guess that it was me?" "I have my own connections, you know. Do not underestimate the Commander of the Slayer Corps." He smirked. After all these years, Vale was still kind of bitter after the Emperor chose Luken over her. Little do the people of Niflheim know, there were actually three people that the Emperor was going to choose, Luken Regalia, Vale Ashford, and Ignis Silva. When Emperor Nicholas suggested Ignis to be the Commander, every single Slayer and even the Higher Council were in uproar. They knew what Ignis Silva was like. And deep down inside her heart, if she was not to be the one the Emperor chose, she would rather have Luken be the Commander rather than Ignis. "You are going to have to wait for my report in the Grand Castle, I am not going to disclose information early, specially not to you." She scoffed. "Alright then, I have no problems with that." Luken looked at the carriage windows and pulled out a stick out of his cigarette box. Just as he was about to ignite it, he noticed his lighter was missing. "Crap, I left my lighter at home." He frowned. His eyes then locked with Gavin''s gaze. "Do not even think about it." Gavin said. Luken attempted to look even sadder than before. "Do not think that I am going to be persuaded like that." Gavin immediately responded. "Please, dude. Just summon one of those fire egg creature things or something, anything!" Luken hysterically cried out. "You win, but I get to choose where we will eat outside afterwards, okay?" "Fine, fine." Gavin took out his grimoire. Flipped the pages a few seconds to try and find the perfect summon. "Where was it¡­" Gavin was desperately trying to find a fire summon. Seconds turned into minutes. He was getting more and more frustrated. "Are you alright, Gavin?" Vale had to ask him. "Yeah, I am fine." Gavin immediately stood up and told the coachman driving the carriage to stop. "S-Stop? For what?" The coachman asked. "Do not worry, it will only take a short while." Gavin responded with a cold tone. "Yo, what are you going to do, Gavin?" Luken asked worriedly. Chapter 50 - Meeting At The Grand Castle Luken realized that Gavin was more and more annoyed. He was having a hard time finding a fire-breathing smallish imp that he always used to light Luken''s cigarette. Gavin finally let up and just summoned the closest fire-based creature he could find after flicking several pages with anger. "Luken. Stick your mouth out." He said with a lifeless yet annoyed expression. "I-I can just smoke later, you know? We should get going to the Grand Castle now, the grumpy old sages like Willis are waiting for us there¡­" Luken said in an apologetic way. "Just do it." Luken had no choice but to adhere to Gavin. He did not want to be on the other side of his rage, after all. Vale rolled her eyes. "Man, you guys are still the same after all these years." Gavin lifted his right hand while his left held the grimoire tightly. A large blast sent shock waves which shook the carriage and the nearby town. Gavin had just summoned an Elder Wyrm Dragon. Its scales were black and red. Seemingly burnt themselves. As soon as the Elder Wyrm opened its mouth, Vale took out her switchblade just in case. Luken''s eyes were wide. "Crap, he actually summoned Ryoko. Is this where my life ends? The Commander of the Slayer Corps, an SS Rank Slayer, eaten alive or roasted by a Dragon summoned by my beloved friend?!" He thought to himself. The Commander stood his ground, although it was fairly obvious that his complexion turned white long ago due to fear. "What is thy bidding, Master Gavin?" A growling, low voice spoke out, mist came out of the Dragon''s mouth as it spoke. It was the Elder Wyrm itself. "Greetings, Ryoko. I apologize for summoning you out of nowhere in an instant." Gavin scratched his head and smiled. "Apologize not, Master Gavin. You may call upon my aid whenever and wherever you may be." The Wyrm replied. "Thanks, Ryoko, you''re the best. I summoned you before me so you can light this guy''s cigarette ablaze." Gavin said as he pointed towards Luken, who was pointing his mouth and snout out. "H-Hello, Ryoko!" The Dragon scoffed. "First off, I would really like to say sorry for bothering you with stuff like this, I mean it is not like I was the one who summoned you in the first place, right? So, I, uhm-" Luken got cut off with a fiery belch of fire from Ryoko''s mouth. In the aftermath of this belch, there was nothing left of the cigarette that Luken kept biting with his teeth. "It is done, Master Gavin." The Dragon bowed down and Gavin scratched its head. "I knew I could always count on you, Ryoko." Gavin laughed. "Well, you kind of burnt my¨C " Ryoko''s green gaze locked with Luken''s. "Never mind, I''m good." Luken replied with little to no life in his voice. Vale Ashford was surprised at what she just saw transpired. "The Serpent Summoner still has no chill." She thought to himself. Gavin opened his grimoire again and sent Ryoko home. "I will be seeing you later, Ryoko." "Till next time that you might implore my aid, Master Gavin." After a bright flashing light seemingly condensed Ryoko the Dragon''s entire body back into the magical book that Gavin held in his hand, he started walking back to the carriage. "I thought I was going to die, you know!?" Luken''s voice made the coachman place his palms in his ears. That is how painful and loud it was. "Why does Ryoko not like me? I mean we''ve known each other for how long now? How many decades? You have to tell her I am trustworthy, Gavin, come on!" Gavin sighed. He continued walking towards the carriage. "You know you did not only light his cigarette up. His face almost got burnt and roasted." Vale said. "Oh, really?" Gavin turned his head and saw Luken''s annoyed face. "My bad." "By the way, Vale, where is Dunham? Shouldn''t he be with you at all times?" Vale gulped. She was visibly tensed up now. "I''ll tell you at the meeting, come aboard, we have to go." She said. After an hour of travelling, they finally arrived at the heart of Niflheim. It was not different from the last time they were here, although it was not that long ago. Luken, Gavin, and Vale hung around outside the castle. They waited for the other S Rank Slayers to arrive. As soon as they arrived, they all went upstairs into the dining hall all at once. The S Ranked and other Slayers were greeted by the Emperor Nicholas and Willis Zafron, the head of the High Council. "Where is the Specter?" The Emperor asked them. "I am here, sire." Vale walked out of the crowd towards the Emperor who was summoning her. She knelt in front of the Emperor. "Tell me dear, do you swear the information you will disclose is truthful and reliable?" Nicholas asked. "I swear upon the reliability of the information with all my life, sire." She replied. "Very well then, rise, S Rank Slayer, Vale Ashford, also known as the Specter of Niflheim. An expert of reconnaissance and stealth as well as a Wind Slayer. Tell your fellow S Rank Slayers about what you have found out." He said as Vale slowly rose up and faced the fifty plus Slayers present. Not a single Slayer here was weak. They were all hardened soldiers. Warriors who have laid their lives for humanity and have continued to survive time and time again. Humanity''s greatest and most powerful soldiers, S Rank Slayers. Just as Vale was about to reveal the important information which caused all of them to gather in the Grand Castle in the first place, Willis stopped her with a question. "Before that, Specter, where is your partner, Dunham Miller?" Willis asked her. "Dunham is¡­" Silence. Everyone knew what she was about to say, but they all respected Vale enough to let her say it herself. "Dunham Miller gave his life in service of humanity and Niflheim!" She shouted. Gavin looked down in grief. "But I will not let his death be in vain. Our joint mission has revealed something that will aid humanity''s war against the wretched Angels!" Chapter 51 - Back At The Hideout It has been a week since Luken and Gavin left the Six Blades Hideout. Yin stared at the skies intently. He got up and did his daily quest which allowed him to level up. [ Thanatos, you have now leveled up. ] [ Level : 7 ] [ Experience Points: /7000 ] The System''s monotonous feminine voice rang inside Yin''s head as he laid his back on the lush grassy fields beneath him. He raised his arms up. "A hero¡­" Yin remembered all the times that he did not manage to fulfill the System''s quests. Also, the weird instances wherein he was asked to ''exterminate'' the High Council always sit in the back of his mind. Sure, the System saying that Adam Rosa was a target for extermination did not surprise him that much, but why the High Council? Were they not supposed to be the good guys? He scratched his head in confusion. "I honestly still do not know much about the System." He thought to himself. "But I do know that I can use it as a tool. A tool to become someone people can rely on, someone like the Commander or Gavin, someone people are able to call a ''hero.''" Yin kept on whispering to himself. His thoughts were broken by the sudden flinging of rocks in his direction. Yin turned to his side and dodged two whole boulders coming his way. He sidestepped each one of them with clear precision and accuracy. "Hey! Be careful!" Zach shouted at him. "You''re the one who should be careful, idiot!" Yin shouted back. Yin was not even shocked to see Zachary was on the floor, raising his hands indicating that he already lost and concedes. Zachary and Suna were busy sparring. Yin was supposed to keep track of the wins and losses of the three of them up until Gavin and Luken comes back, so they can show them the fruits of their training. "I won, you better write that down, Yin!" Suna said as she had her toes pointed at Zach''s neck. "You will not beat me without using your Fire Affinity, you know that right?" Suna grinned. "Do you think I do not know that already? Get off me." He was annoyed. "Don''t be a sore loser, wasn''t your original plan supposed to be not using any Anima skills and just relying on your physical strength? You are looking at the epitome of physical prowess right here." Her grin grew wider and wider. Zach dusted off his clothes and went inside the Six Blades home to pick up a towel and some water for the others. This was their way of ''punishing'' the losers. Suna jogged towards Yin. "What''s the score now?" "Well, so far, you''re leading the wins with over fifty, I''m trailing behind with Zachary being in second place." Yin said. Suna felt bad, she thought that maybe she would go easy on their hand-to-hand combat next time just to give Yin a win, thinking that might cheer him up. She sat down and looked at Yin. What she saw was not the face of someone who was upset. It was that of a person who wanted to grow, who wanted to get back up time and time again after getting beaten down. Yin''s red pupils were focused, they were seeing something past the horizons, past the barriers put forth for protection. Finally, Zachary got back to them and handed them wooden jugs filled with water and a couple of towels to wipe their sweat off with. "I truly do wonder if my grimoire is even coming. It has been a week already." He was visibly upset. "Hey, calm down, it should arrive any minute now, maybe then you would be a challenging opponent." She was teasing Zachary. "Tch." Zach just clicked his tongue in annoyance. "But you know, after a week of straight stamina practice, I have learned to maintain my decay for much longer now. I am actually able to maintain it for fifteen seconds." Yin revealed to them. Suna clapped while Zach just stared at him blankly. "So, can you tell us how you got your powers?" He asked in a confrontational tone. "I-It just came to me one day. That is honestly all that I can say for now." "Really? From the looks of it, you seem like you''re hiding something." "Why would I hide the origins of my decay powers?" Yin got up and responded with a question, he was noticeably agitated now. "If I knew, why the hell would I be asking you?!" Zachary retorted. "There is no use talking over this, you want to throw hands?" Yin asked. "With pleasure." Zach responded. Suna got up and knocked their heads at the same time. "Can you two just calm down? I hope you haven''t forgotten, Gavin left me in charge of the team after their departure, so just sit down and cool it." Both Yin and Gavin slowly caressed their heads. "I am trying to be more resourceful and intelligent in my approach towards fights and combat as a whole, making use of my environment, the enemies'' skills and abilities, as well as my own. I am not able to win fights just relying on my strength alone, I have to fight smart, specially because I have no Anima skills myself." Suna immediately began monologuing. The boys did not know why, but they respected her enough to listen to her words. "This is the first time I have been given this big of a task ever since I joined, and I intend to do it well so Gavin and the Commander will not regret their decision in leaving the Six Blades to me as of now. So, if you both lose your cool and start fighting for no apparent reason, I''m going to have to stop you in your tracks myself. Do you two get me?" Her voice was soft, but her nerves were ice cold. You could see the anger deep beneath her forced smile. "Y-Yes, Suna." "Yeah, sure." Zachary and Yin knew not to act like stubborn children, specially because they were now Six Blades members, they not only carry their first names and surnames, but the name of the organization itself. "I want to make the Commander and Gavin proud of us when they come back. They will see that our training was not useless at all. The three of us will be strong, we have to be, and even if you guys slack off, I know I won''t. Afterall, I am going to be a hero!" Yin exclaimed to the top of his lungs. This made Suna and Zachary laugh. "What would you do without me, Yin? Of course, I won''t slack as well, I am going to fight by your side at all times." Suna assured him with a smile that shone brighter than a thousand suns. "And I have a score to settle with someone, I am going to leave you behind if you guys don''t keep up with me." Zachary said. "Big words from someone who can''t even enchant his weapons with his affinity, aren''t you a Fire Slayer?" Yin made fun of him. "It is not exactly my fault that my grimoires still not here, is it?" Zachary said. "By the way Yin, your physique has actually improved a lot." Suna said. "Really!?" Yin''s face glinted with happiness. "I do not get it. He still seems pretty weak to me." Zachary immediately made fun of him. "You should have seen him when me and the Commander first rescued and brought him to the hideout, Zach, he was like a twig back then!" Suna chuckled so loud even the birds flew off from the trees. Yin gritted his teeth at the two of them. When suddenly, the three Six Blades rookies heard a footstep. Someone, or something was approaching. Suna motioned them to be quiet, they climbed a tree and hid. They all waited attentively as the steps were getting closer and closer, much more visible and obvious as time went on. Suna saw a person''s silhouette. Her position was elevated much better than the two others up the tree, so her vantage point was perfect for scouting the roads nearby. "I-I can see it, it''s a man. What does this guy want?" "Is he carrying a weapon? Or a grimoire? Anything?" Zach asked her. "No, nothing. I can see that he has a bag, though." "A bag?" Yin was confused. "Yeah, a bag, oh, wait, hold on ¨C he is trying to get something out of it." Suna squinted her eyes to see better. "Crap, he has a grimoire! Yin, Zach, let''s assess what this guy''s affinity is! Make use of our environment and surprise him with an attack! After Suna''s warnings, they all propped down from the tree and assumed fighting stances. Suna burst through with sheer speed to close the distance between her and the person, she held a rock against the back of his head, Yin followed and placed his palms on his chest, finally, Zachary pointed his scythe at the person. "What business do you have with the Six Blades?" Yin asked the man who was sweating profusely. "I-I''m supposed to deliver this grimoire to a certain Zachary Lancaster, I swear, that was everything I was meant to do!" The man cried out. "Wait, so you''re the postman?" Zach questioned him. "Yes, I am the postman indeed, please, let me go!" Chapter 52 - Information Worth Thousands Of Lives Vale planted her right foot firmly, both as a means to display courage and as a way to kill her nerves. "We can fight the winged creatures without casualties! We are able to kill dozens, no ¨C even hundreds of them all at once!" A commotion erupted in the Grand Castle. Not a single soul could believe what their ears heard. The roars of the Slayers grew louder and louder as each minute passed. Emperor Nicholas had to step in and calm them all down. "Silence! Let the Specter finish disclosing this important piece of information!" The noises had subsided after the Emperor''s intervention. Vale Ashford remembered her fallen comrade, Dunham, and how much he and every other Slayer sacrificed just to get this information back to Niflheim. She also heard about the Tragedy of the Outer Gates from another Slayer before the meeting started. Children. Mere children were being sent outside to see who was to survive an onslaught against a single Angel. The thought repulsed her so much. Veins began to form around her temple as she raised her voice and shouted. "Me and my late partner, Dunham, have not only found a way to eliminate humanity''s foes for eons now, what we discovered is also tied with how the reproduce. Our efforts will allow mankind to deal with these pesky Angels in one fell swoop!" She exclaimed. Vale took a deep breath in. The Specter took some time to follow her words up. Every single Slayer there now had their attention glued towards her. Their gazes fixed on her as though she was a performer meant to entertain a crowd. But this was for good reason. What she started to declare was something humans had not known before. It was going to be their sword, a weapon, if you will, against the harbingers from above. That is what these war-hardened Slayers thought. They were indeed right. "Continue, Vale." Emperor Nicholas, who stood in front of the crowd told her. Vale Ashford nodded. "The Angels that we know of breed using hives." She said calmly. "H-Hives? You mean like bees?" "Yes. Exactly like bees." A disgruntled low voice from the crowd asked. Vale coughed. She had to clear her throat as she was going to be talking for a long time tonight. "Dunham and I were on the verge of making the longest expedition outside the Gates ever recorded. We were both committed to our mission, to scout the enemy and gather whatever valuable information there was to be gathered. But little did we know, we were about to stumble into a gold mine." The Emperor told a servant to get a glass of water for the lady, to which the servant devoutly complied. "We walked far north, dodging every monster and Angel that came our way, that was when we found it. The hive." Vale gulped. "It was truly where one would expect these shiny, white, blinding Angels to come from. The hive was shimmering with light, at first, we did not know what it was, to close the distance, we would have to wait out until the patrolling Angels in the sky would up and vanish, so me and Dunham waited for five whole hours, not moving a muscle, hidden in a well-placed bush." Vale covered her mouth and coughed once more. Though both Luken and Gavin knew she was only trying to contain her tears. No matter how strong someone might be, losing your friend or family in battle is the hardest loss one can ever be subjected towards in Niflheim. "So, where was I?" She asked. "You were hiding in the bushes for five whole hours." Said a man with a soft voice, yet spoken with such concrete annunciation. It was Ignis Silva. "Y-Yes, as I was saying, we waited until the patrolling Angels flew away, it was like a gamble, honestly, we did not know if they would even fly away. Yet our gamble worked in our favor, after a couple of hours, they indeed flew away. We knew it was now or never, either we persevere and push through towards the hive, or we would go back to Niflheim with the same old empty-handed information that our Slayers would not even use." She said. The Emperor''s servant rushed out and gave the Emperor the glass of water he demanded from earlier. But the Emperor waved him off with his hands. "It is not for me, young boy, give it to that lady over there, the one speaking in front of everybody, she must be exhausted, both mentally and physically." The Emperor said. After that, the servant handed Vale Ashford the glass of water, just in time as she was catching her breath. "Thank you." She said to the servant. The latter merely bowed and lowered his head, before running back outside of the room." "We slowly crawled towards the hive, keep in mind that we did not know what it was as of that moment, but we messed up, our gamble was wrong, just as we were about to stand up, two Angels walked out of the hive, perhaps they were the ones truly guarding this hive. Me and my late partner sprung into action, of course, as someone who is known as the ''Specter'' I fight close quarters and I fight quick, with speed to my advantage, the Angels were not able to react in time, we both took each one of them out with a quick slice to the throat. When we finished exterminating them, it was obvious that these bodies should not be laid around here, a patrol might come scouting back, and that would be the end of us, so I dragged the bodies and have Dunham go inside the hive first, I told him I would catch up." "Well, did you?" A bright shine reflecting from this man''s glasses was seen. This condescending voice again, it could only belong to one other person, Ignis Silva. "Ignis." Luken said his name in a higher intonation, signaling his annoyance at him interrupting Vale. "Well met, Luken. Oh, my bad, it should be Commander, right?" The man smiled mockingly. He had his brunette hair worn down in a sort of messy toupee. Ignis was a tall, well-kept man with a pale complexion. The Inferno Garden wore white coats, with the pocket bearing the organization''s insignia ¨C a burning eagle spreading its wings as it is engulfed by the flames. While Luken and Gavin wore their signature Six Blades black coat with the six robed individuals stabbing an Archangel with each sword. It was now time for the Emperor to butt in again, if he did not, there was no knowing what each of them might do. "I have called this meeting for a reason, it is so we are able to be briefed about the information that Vale Ashford has gathered that she has deemed necessary in order to win this centuries-old war against the Angels, I do not think I stuttered nor misplaced any indication that we are to gather to fight amongst one another, did I?" Emperor Nicholas was visibly infuriated. Gavin had to pull Luken back. He did not say a word. "My apologies, sire. I was only really going to say hello to my dear friend, the Commander, over here." Ignis said while keeping his mocking smile painted over his face. "I would like to extend my humble apologies, I really do, Vale, please, continue." He said as he walked back to crowd. "R-Right. After I hid the Angel''s bodies, I caught up to Dunham who was prowling around inside the hive. What we found was truly haunting. It was only a small hive, there had to be around twenty or less Angels slumbering inside the hexagonal layers of the hive. We snooped around and for ways to kill them all at once, while they were still asleep, that way, we can eliminate them without having to fight twenty Angels head-on. Our time was also limited, there was no knowing when the patrol of Angels might come back here, and it would be hard to outrun them in an open field like this." Each Slayer present in the meeting at the Grand Castle inched closer, eager to hear what happened to Dunham and how the rest of Vale''s story might end. "They were basically asleep. I gambled one last time, I took out my blade and cut a finger off of a sleeping Angel. Blood poured out of it, but it did not react, no, it was still asleep. Dunham then attempted to slit one''s neck, it worked, but we both found out that the hive''s thick, gooey layer was hard to cut through, so there might be a much more efficient way to do this. As you know, I am a Wind Slayer, whereas Dunham was a Fire Slayer.. Both of us were left to our devices there, if either wind nor fire does not work, we wouldn''t be able to kill any of them." Chapter 53 - Scalding Cynicism The Specter of Niflheim cleared her throat once more. "After realizing that these hardened layers inside the hexagonal slumbers that the Angels were situated in was fairly hard and time consuming to do, we decided to try our luck with my wind spells. I took out my grimoire and began blasting the slumbering Angels away with my gust spells and wind blades, yet nothing worked. It took me about five minutes of trial and error to realize this." She stopped to gather her thoughts. "And what of Dunham?" Willis asked, combing his greying scruffy beard. "He was much more successful, on the other hand. Dunham cast a flame tornado right in the middle of the hive, he motioned for me to slowly back away to the entrance, to which I did, he stayed a bit longer inside than me. I heard the Angels. They were letting out a weeping sound. Almost like children crying. Dunham slowly moved outside, while maintaining focus on the spell so it would not break or get extinguished, specially since the land out here was windy, he had to place all his attention on maintaining the fire. The white shimmering hive that we saw earlier had turned into an ash grey version of itself. It truly was burning. I ran back to the bushes to take cover, waiting for Dunham to finish the job. I gazed upon the flames with delight, I mean we just took out twenty Angels without even so much as engaging them in combat, right? Surely this was something meant to be celebrated." There was another unbearable silence within the crowd. They were all waiting for Vale Ashford to explain how she lost Dunham, her partner. Faces were frowning yet everyone had an aura of perseverance. Each and every Slayer here knew the pain of loss, the hopelessness of failed conquests, but now, a chance to strike back was amidst them. "Countless souls flew upwards. They were indeed from the slumbering Angels in the hive. The burning hive was steadily being carried away into the wind as its foundations were being burnt to dust. I shot Dunham a look of victory coupled with a smile. We did it. What happened next occurred too fast. Was it my fault? Was I the one who caused my partner''s demise? Maybe I am just coping with loss. Who knows, I know I don''t. Dunham lifted his neck and looked at the sky above us. I knew what he was looking at. That expression of defeat and loss was the precursor towards something worse ¨C death." "Vale, you need not to go into detail as to what happened to Dunham Miller, it is alright." The Emperor comforted her as he placed his palms on her shoulder. "No. I am fine, sire. Thank you for your concern, but this is something that is as important as the hives and their existence, it is the sacrifice of a valiant and noble soldier who gave his life in order to allow humanity to fight back. As I was hidden in the bushes, the Angels screeched. Their faces had an expression I have never seen before, they were only supposed to be lifeless and emotionless harbinger for whatever higher power is controlling them, right? But no, they were angry, their screeches caused Dunham''s ears to bleed. I covered mine just in time. He did not even bother to look at me, afraid to give away my position. Dunham Miller knew, heck, even I knew it. That if I were to come out and help him, we both would die, we would bite the dust without disclosing this information to anyone. At least that is what I am repeating to myself over and over, maybe I was just too scared. The dozens or so Angels finished screeching, I''d like to think of their screeches as a form of weeping and mourning for their hive, but these monsters do not feel anything as they hack down our fellow Slayers. Good riddance, I thought. They flew down and impaled Dunham to the ground. His body was bloody and lifeless, yet it was still standing, their spears gave him the perfect support it needed to keep standing, even after death. I waited, again, this time as I was alone, I waited for them to fly away. They stared at the hive''s ashes for what felt like hours, honestly, before they went away for good. My trip back to the Outer Gates felt numb and empty, yet here I am. That''s about it." The Emperor was moved, he gave Vale Ashford the most honest salute a man could ever give. "N-No, you really don''t need to do that, sir." She protested slightly. But every single Slayer in the vicinity of the room followed shortly after. They gave Vale the utmost respect and saluted her valiant actions, it was not only for the Specter, it was also for her fallen partner, and their comrade, Dunham Miller. Vale lowered her head and bowed to everyone. Mutual respect among war-hardened Slayers was something that would not occur daily. Drops of tears began accumulating on the stage where the Specter stood. "Please. Do not let my friend die in vain." She cried out. As their salutes slowly died down, bits of chatter were heard. An unfamiliar expression began to form on the Slayers faces. They were smiling. "Thank you, Vale, thank you to you and Dunham. Together, you gave humanity hope. You did more than anyone in this room could ever do for mankind in the last couple of centuries. Thank you." Gavin said with a well-spoken and caring voice. "Yeah Vale! Now we have something to fight these Angels with!" "We commend your actions, such bravery and valiance from the Specter herself." "Keep your head up, Vale, you have given us hope." All the other Slayers did not say these words just to encourage the bowing Vale Ashford, they really did mean it. "Then this means the Inferno Garden and I reign supreme, even coming from the Angel''s perspective. We will burn them to the ground." Ignis Silva said as he slowly walked towards the stage. "You act as if you guys are the only Fire Slayers in Niflheim, what''s your deal?" Luken was now even more annoyed at Ignis. "Rest assured, Commander, we know we are not the only ones who are adept at fire, but we do know we are the strongest Fire Slayers, even when compared with all the Fire Slayers in this country." Ignis said with an innocent smile, yet this smile masked something truly sinister. This man always had something up his sleeve. He raised his hand, "If I may, Emperor, I would like to have a couple of words to my fellow Slayers." The Emperor was surprised, but allowed it. "Very well. Make it quick, we still have to go into the specifics of the hives and their structures." He said as he took a seat in his chair. "Thank you, you are too kind, your grace." He said. The SS Rank Flame Slayer turned his attention towards Vale, who was staring at him in return. "You know the location of the nearest hives, right?" "So what if I do?" She retorted. "A bit too hostile there, Specter, I was merely asking you an innocent question." He scratched his head while feigning innocence. Ignis took a seat on the stage itself, on the steps, specifically. The man stroked his chin. Indicating a motion that he was thinking about something. Before the Emperor could tell him again that their time was limited, Ignis stood up, seemingly finishing up his thoughts and ideas, ready to reveal it to the people here. "I would like to offer another gamble, since we do not know how long these hives will hatch these Angels, I say we take on a scouting expedition. If things get bad, I know I will always have the firepower ready to set these winged anomalies ablaze." Ignis said. The chatter between the Slayers grew, some were in support of Ignis'' idea, while others condemned it as risky, saying he is only in it for personal glory. "Silence!" The Emperor''s words put a stop to the idle chatter among them. "I would like you to elaborate more upon your idea, Ignis. Only then can we decide if your course of action is viable and whether or not it has a high chance of succeeding." The Emperor said. "Once again, Emperor Nicholas, thank you for heeding my words." He bowed to the Emperor. "What a snake." Said Gavin, who was obviously as pissed as Luken. Ignis took out his glasses and wiped them with a clean cloth straight out of his breast pocket. "What I am suggesting is that if our scouting expedition fails, and the nearest hives have already hatched, we should just exterminate the newly born Angels. What better way to welcome them into the world than to send them back from whence they came, am I right?" His grin was sinister, yet his plan was tempting. Chapter 54 - Hope "No matter how you look at it, the Inferno Garden is the most potent organization against these hives, and these Angels as well. Ignis said, caressing his chin. "We''re the top one organization for a reason, after all." "Is that all you have? The power to burn these hives to the ground? You really think you can take these Angels head on if they ever were to awaken from their deep slumbers?" An unfamiliar voice stepped in. It was unusually deep. Thunderously rich was the baritone voice which made every Slayer turn their heads towards the person speaking. Walking out of the crowd''s cover was a tall person. A strange, ebony colored, long-haired man revealed himself. His features indicated he was of oriental and Asian descent. He wore a black vest with a white shirt underneath it, finished up with clean, black shoes and equally black khakis. "Oh boy, I knew gathering all the weirdoes and cynics in one place would be a bad idea." Gavin said. "Why is he here? I thought he hated meetings and briefings." Ignis had an annoyed expression written on his face. His brows lifted up, forcing a smile, but it never came. "Faust Keisuke, did you have something else you wanted to say? Something of value perhaps, something that might add to the already disclosed information by the Specter, or are you trying to ruin my time on the stage?" Ignis wore an indescribable face, it was a mix of being repulsed and pure, unadulterated rage. The Emperor sighed. He was far too tired to contain the personalities clashing in this meeting. "I came here as the representative of the Primal Hounds." The man known as Faust said. "What''s with you sabotaging this already unpleasant meeting all of a sudden?! You annoying sack of trash." "Come and say that to my face, you lowly lapdog. Also, do you not find it the least bit ironic that you are the one sabotaging me right about now?" Ignis grinned. "Alright, alright. Settle down, you all." Luken spoke up. Faust''s eyes lit up. "Greetings, Commander Luken!" He bowed down. Luken sighed heavily. "You can''t just disturb someone''s proposal or when he''s speaking during a meeting Faust, you know that already." Luken said. "You could have raised your hand or something, probably wait your turn." "I know that, but this cretin thinks he and his organization are the strongest there is, I take insult to that." Faust''s brown eyes glinted with fury. "Yeah, yeah, I know how you feel, Faust, but man, you have got to cool it. Seriously. We can slander Ignis afterwards, but we should at least hear what he''s thinking. I am sure you don''t want to stay here all day, right? Let''s just get on with it." Luken said. Gavin was innately surprised. He was shocked that Luken was the one playing conflict resolution himself. Gavin was more used to Luken being the center of the conflict rather than the one solving it. Faust backed down and went back to his spot in the crowd. "Right. If I may continue, sire?" He asked permission from the Emperor. To which Emperor Nicholas nodded justly. "I, Ignis Silva, would like to lead a group of Slayers towards the location of the nearest hive. I know I''ve gone through this earlier already, but rest assured that I will come out on top and bring positive results." Gavin raised his hand. "Yes, Serpent Summoner, you''d like to ask something?" "And what of the risks? For all we know, the hive could no longer be there, perhaps the Angels have already accumulated their incubation stage and have started to fly around the place. I honestly do not like this mission. It is far too risky. I also do not trust your judgment in and out of combat, word of your latest conquest has spread far and wide, Ignis. It was truly impressive, believe me, but you still brought a B Rank rookie with you. That''s questionable." Gavin''s haunting stare seemingly confronted Ignis. The Slayers present wanted to know as well. "If the hives are empty, then we can just take out the Angels ourselves. So, you think Hector was in any danger at all?" Ignis asked while wiping his glasses off with a clean cloth once more. "I for one, do not know. You tell me." Gavin stood his ground. "Well, why don''t you ask him yourselves?!" Ignis exclaimed. A faint knock was heard on the door. "Who''s there?" The guard stationed by the door asked. Lifting his heavy spear in advance. Another knock, this time, louder. "Oh, for the love of God, just open it." Ignis said. With all eyes on the door, it opened slowly. A young boy walked through. He looked to be two years younger than Yin. This boy had rounded, yet driven eyes, it darted around the room for a bit. His thick, albeit short eyebrows rested gently on his face. "Hector! Why don''t you introduce yourself!" Ignis exclaimed once more. "Greetings. I am Hector Incendium, B Rank Slayer from the Inferno Garden. It would be a pleasure to work you all." Hector placed a clean salute from where he stood. He wore the same white cloak that Ignis did. "What is the meaning of this, Ignis? I thought I had made it clear in the letters that only S Ranked and above Slayers should be present! This is not information that should be freely disclosed to the public as of yet!" The Emperor got up from his seat and confronted the SS Rank Fire Slayer. "I brought him here because he will be accompanying me on the reconnaissance journey. That''s why." The outcries and protests by the Slayers were followed with laughter and mockery aimed at Ignis and Hector. Ignis Silva clapped his hands once to get everybody''s attention, the Emperor was still dumbfounded. "You may laugh all you want. It does not change my decision. I''m bringing the boy with me." He declared with utter certainty. "You''re bringing a B Rank Slayer with you to a freaking Angel hive? Not to mention the fact that Hector Incendium''s records show that he is only 17 years old and is only a Rookie Slayer. Have you lost it?!" Another one from the crowd shouted. "No, I am as sane as I ever will be." Ignis responded. "If Hector ends up dying, or is injured in the line of combat, then that is on him. The Inferno Garden does not care nor have the need and interest for weaklings. Hector! Do you hear me!?" Ignis shouted to the boy. "Yes, Ignis!" The boy responded with pride. "If ever you die, Hector, who''s fault would it be?" "The fault would be mine and mine alone, sir. My own weakness and aversion to strength, my own fault for being powerless. My own remedy for the disease called ''fragility'' would be death itself. And I would gladly embrace it with pride, as it is the only cure for a life of not being strong." Hector stomped his foot and aimed his salute at Ignis. Everyone went silent. "This kid''s far too gone." Luken whispered to Gavin. "Yeah, tell me about it. Ignis Silva has brainwashed him to be a Fire Slayer under the insignia of the Inferno Garden, from the moment Ignis recruited him, he has ceased becoming a human being, and have been rendered as nothing more than Ignis'' weapon in the battlefield." Gavin responded while shaking his head. "How vile." The Slayers present knew just how rigorous the training in the Inferno Garden was. Reports have been written about children, even adults, dying while under Ignis Silva''s wing. "Remember, Hector, if you are ever on the brink of dying, galloping between the thin line of life and death, you shall have nobody else to curse but your own. Curse your own powerlessness for placing you in that situation. The Inferno Garden does not have a place for babied pushovers only to become fodders in this great war that humanity currently fights!" Faust clicked his tongue in disgust and disdain for Ignis Silva. "How detestable¡­" Vale walked back to the stage and drew a rough sketch of the Outer Gates map. She sketched where Niflheim was, and where the nearest hive was which she saw while traveling back home after her mission. "It is here." She circled the northeastern part of the map. "This is where the nearest hive is located in. Although I am sure it will not be left unguarded. The first hive that Dunham and I burnt to the ashes serve as humanity''s hope. We can still win and conquer the outside world, start from the beginning, repopulate mankind and take back the planet from these winged harbingers!" She rallied the Slayers who were also pumped and fired up. The Emperor, who was still on his feet, turned towards Ignis once more. "Very well, I accept your request for a mission. However, I have several conditions that you must meet before I give this scouting or exterminating mission the green light." The Grand Castle was swallowed up by the sound of Slayers clanging their weapons and clapping. This was the start of mankind''s all out retaliation. Chapter 55 - Sharpened Blades Days have passed after the S Ranked and above Slayers met in the Grand Castle. The Six Blades back at home were as raggedy as ever, practicing their individual shortcomings and improving their teamwork little by little. Zachary took out his grimoire with no delay whatsoever. He flicked through the pages and settled on a spell to use. "Fire Belch!" Zachary exclaimed as he opened his mouth. A concentrated flamethrower came out of it. The fiery breath of his was the one thing he was trying to practice for days now. He knew that he had to show something to his superiors when they came back. Zachary finally accepted that being a Slayer requires you to make use of whatever advantage you have in order to attain victory, and that includes using your elemental affinity, which for him was the fiery red flames. Just as the fire was about to make contact with Yin and Suna, they rolled out of the way and dodged in opposite directions, left and right. "Not even close. You''re going to have to aim better." Yin grinned. "I''ll burn you till nothing''s left, you pest." Zach exchanged his grin with a smug smile. They kept on training and sparring until the sun went down. Blows for blows were exchanged among the Six Blades. Sweat, blood, and bruises accumulated through the entire week. The three Six Blades rookies were huffing and puffing from exhaustion. Yin''s wounds were exuding smoke. They were healing rapidly. Suna looked on in amusement. Her eyes glinted with curiosity and amazement. Though they she has seen this for quite some time now, it still made her eyes wide. Zach stared at the healing wound in disgust. His eyes squinted. "Can''t you at least cover it or something?" he said. Without letting Yin respond, Zachary got up. "I''m going to prepare the food now." He said. Yin did not bother responding, knowing how they''re going to be eating a dinner cooked by Zach, no matter how much Zachary got on his nerves, he knew that the guy was an amazing cook. "Oh, yeah, it was your turn to cook tonight, Zach, what are you making?" "It has been my ''turn'' for three days now." Zach said with a deadpan expression. He then turned to Yin''s direction. Staring his soul down with the intensity of a primal feral wolf. "Why do you think that is, Yin?" Yin opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Zach grinned. "I thought so." "Can you just go and cook already, Zach?" Suna told him. To which the latter did, he went inside the house to prepare dinner. "Why can''t you two just get along?" Suna sighed. "He hates my guts, and I hate his much more, so much more, in fact." Yin responded while clenching his fist. "But you know, I can see why Gavin and the Commander were interested in him." "Woah, really? That''s the first time I''ve heard you say something good about Zach. Are you sure you''re okay? Hit your head or something?" Suna asked him. Yin laughed. "Nah, that''s not it. Zachary annoys me but his potential is legit. I mean I may not know much about being a Slayer and all, but the guy''s gifted. He may be laid back, but whenever we''re pit against each other in practice spars, his eyes light up with sheer determination. Zach might not say it, but he''ll always have our backs in combat, I just know it. He hates losing as much as I do, which makes us both really sore losers!" Yin smiled as he said that. Zachary was still not in the kitchen, he noticed he left his handkerchief outside where they were seated earlier. Just as he was about to go outside, he heard what Suna and Yin were talking about. He clicked his tongue and grinned. "Tch. That much is obvious, Yin, you dumbass." Zach did not bother going outside, he just resumed cooking. "I mean, he''s stubborn, but he''s a good person deep down." Suna said. "Yeah, probably." Yin replied. "Hey Suna, what time is it?" "It''s almost 7 PM, why?" "Crap, I have to do my daily quest!" Yin exclaimed. "You know, Yin, you have been saying that a lot, ''daily quest'' and stuff, is that some sort of personal training regime or something?" Suna was curious. "Y-Yeah, some calisthenics and endurance training that I have to do every single day, the Commander taught it to me, before they left." Yin made up an excuse right on the spot. "Really?! That''s so cool! You should teach me how to do it sometime." Suna replied. "Sure, d-definitely." Yin stammered on his words. He ran to the woods in order to do his daily training quest. A couple of hours passed by. Something was definitely off. Yin only took an hour at most to do his daily ''quest'' regime as he called it. Suna knew something was not quite right. "Hey, Zach, come with me for a second, I think we should go check on Yin, maybe he got carried away and forgot about dinner altogether." She said. Zach scoffed. "That guy? Forgetting about dinner? Impossible. But I do agree that something feels definitely off about him being late, as much of a klutz he may be, he''s never late for dinner, not even once." Zachary closed the book he was reading and took his grimoire with him in his pocket. "What are you bringing that for?" Suna asked him. "Yin got attacked by an Angel a few months ago, right? We should always be cautious, inside Niflheim, even humans can become monsters, if need be, trust me on that." He replied. Suna nodded. With the moon''s luminescent gaze being withered away by the clouds hiding its light, the forest was pitch black. They went to the forest to look for Yin and tell him that dinner was ready to be served. Zachary went with her. "Maybe he just got caught up in his training?" Suna thought. "As I have said earlier, ever since I got here, Yin has never been late for breakfast, lunch, and most especially, not for dinner. What the heck is taking that guy so long?" Zach was obviously infuriated and annoyed at how Yin kept the food waiting. "Let''s just find him as soon as possible, the food is going to get cold at this point¡­" Suna had a sad expression on her face. She was clearly much more worried about the food right now, ruling out the possibility of another monster getting inside Niflheim and somehow making its way here was out of the question for her. Their stomachs grumbled all at the same time. "Yin!? Where are you? Dinner''s ready, man! Don''t keep the food waiting!" Suna shouted. It was pitch black, luckily, Zach was adept enough to light his thumb as though it were a match stick. This gave them the ability to navigate around the forest. Suna and Zachary walked for about twenty minutes. Zach picked up a piece of wood and set it ablaze with his flames, he handed it out to Suna. "Here. We should split up for now, let''s cover more ground. This forest is huge, and we still don''t know what part of this humongous forest that guy is in." Suna took the torch and began walking towards Zachary''s opposite direction. Zach did the same. After quite some time, Zach knocked something over with his feet. There he was. It was Yin. Propped up on the ground, unconscious and seemingly lifeless. His lips cracked and he was as pale as a ghost. "Suna!" Zach shouted. Suna responded back. She followed Zachary''s voice until finally they met up. Suna saw Yin''s knocked out body on the ground and immediately ran towards him. "What happened, Yin?!" Suna shook his head. "Check his pulse. I''ll stand my ground and cover you two, we can''t rule out the possibility of an attacker." Zachary readied his grimoire, flicking through pages in preparation to retaliate for whatever he thought seemed to have attacked Yin. "He''s still breathing!" Suna shouted. "Good. Walk back slowly, I''ll cover the rear. We should regroup at the hideout. Fighting in this forest will not be to our advantage, I am unable to use my spells to illuminate for vision while I cast it against whoever or whatever got Yin on the ground and knocked him unconscious." Yin attempted to speak. "Save your strength, it''s alright, we''re here now, Yin." Suna assured him that everything was going to be fine. Zach and Suna both felt and sensed it. Small footsteps. Was it a child? A goblin? Cold droplets of sweat began dripping down from their temple. Slowly making its way towards them, unveiling itself from the darkness of the shadows cast by the forest. "Suna! Lay Yin on the ground and back me up, I have a bad feeling about this." Zach said, still preparing his grimoire for whatever might come out from the forest. Chapter 56 - Panda As the supposed suspect made its way out of the forest''s shadows, it was not something that Suna and Zachary could have ever expected. It was ¨C a panda. Although its stature indicated that it was still a baby, the short, fluffy panda walked out to reveal itself. Small plopping noises could be heard as his little fleet walked straight forward. It had a red collar hanging around its neck. It had something written in it, but it was far too dark to be able to discern what it was. Zachary and Suna lowered their guard. But the panda cub just looked at them and walked right past them. "Hey, where do you think you are going?" Zach called it out. His words might as well have fallen on deaf ears. "I am not going to warn you again, furball!" Zach was getting more and more agitated. "What was this creature doing here? Is it one of those shapeshifting monsters that assumed the appearance of a cute and wholesome baby panda, just to transform into something nasty that would tear into the three of us all at the same time?" He thought to himself. "I know what you are thinking, Zach. I have read about those shapeshifters myself in the books. But watch closely, something feels different about this panda." Suna wrinkled her eyebrows. "For one, he is kind of walking on his legs, instead of a real panda which might crawl on all fours." Zachary mirrored her wrinkled eyebrows as well. He was now genuinely much more amazed and curious rather than worried. "Now that you mention it, I have never heard nor read of bears or pandas walking on two feet with that much grace, it is like a human or something. As graceful as it is, it''s kind of eerie at the same time." He said while nodding slowly. "You''re right. Maybe it was trained somewhere? I mean it has a collar and all. And look! It even has a small backpack!" Her shiny eyes glinted, amazed at the creature''s endearing get up. "Oh, I see it. I wonder what it keeps inside." Zach said. When the panda was now beside them, about a meter away, to be exact. The panda took off his backpack and ruffled across its things, it was desperately trying to find something. "What are you looking for, little guy?" Suna approached the baby panda who was starting to get frustrated, not being able to find what it was rummaging for in its backpack. She took a peek inside and had a dumbfounded look strongly etched on to her hungry face. What''s inside was all leaves. All types of leaves from different plants, it was probably the panda''s food. "I really don''t know what I expected¡­" She sighed. After a short while, the panda''s eyes lit up. It finally found what it was desperately looking for ¨C a foldable bamboo stick. "Look, Zach! It even has its own little weapon! Just how adorable can this little guy be." "So, that stick is its weapon?" Zach responded. He took a moment to process his thoughts. "Hm, I''m going to be honest, that is pretty neat." The panda waved its bamboo stick around, imitating a fighting stance. Swinging it around as though it were a sharp sword ready to cut and weave through his foes like butter. Suna''s face was in awe. "Woah, those are some legitimate stances and slashes right there, little guy. I wonder what brings you here, though. It is pretty late into the night, maybe you got lost?" No response. The panda just stared at the very depths of her soul. Moments later, the panda licked her face. Suna slowly got up and turned around towards Zachary''s direction. "Hey, Suna. You alright?" He asked. "C-Can we keep him?!" She exclaimed. "I mean you are the one that the Commander and Gavin left in charge, right? That''s your call. But I do not think it is a good idea. Something still feels off about this panda, we should just leave it be and get on with our supper." He shrugged his shoulders. "Then it is settled! We will keep him!" "Did you hear what I said?" Zachary facepalmed. "Yep! Loud and clear, in fact!" Suna announced to everyone there. "You really should not be this loud, it is a bit rude to the animals laying dormant in this forest. I am going to pick Yin up and go back to the hideout. Give me a hand." Zachary said. But just before they were about to walk near Yin''s unconscious body, the panda sprinted towards Yin''s direction and got there first. "H-How fast is this thing?" Zachary was confused. Suna noticed the panda was slowly rising its right hand upwards. "What''s it doing?" "Beats me." *Bonk* The cute and adorable panda just smacked Yin''s head with its bamboo stick. It was not a playful smack. The panda was actually exerting effort into the heavy strike. Both Zach and Suna were shocked. "I told you so." Zachary stared at Suna''s eyes with such bleakness and disappointment that it sent shivers down her spine. "The little guy is just playing around. Seriously, Zach, you should learn to loosen up a bit sometimes." Suna laughed anxiously. After a few whacks from the panda''s bamboo stick, Yin still would not budge. "Suna, the food back at the hideout has gone long cold now, we really ought to get going." Zachary said. This motioned her to take on the offensive and save Yin from further beatings by the deceptively cute and endearing little panda. When she was trying to pull Yin away and lift him up, the panda got angry. "What''s wrong, little panda?" The panda continued to express its frustration. He bared his adorable little fangs. "That really does not answer my question, but alright." She got close to it and proceeded to lift the panda off the ground herself. Suna then glanced at Zach''s direction. "Sorry Zach, I think you are going to have to be the one carrying Yin, I am all too occupied, as you can see." There was an obvious smirk on her face. Zachary wanted to protest, but Suna had already left the place all the while carrying the furball on her back. "Weren''t we here to call Yin for dinner or something?" He thought to himself. "The days just keep getting more and more unbearable." Although his mouth echoed with complaints, he still piggybacked Yin. "You''re a bit heavy for a dead weight." After saying that, the back of Zach''s head got headbutted by Yin. "What did you say?!" His voice was sore and fatigued, that much was obvious. "I said that you are freaking heavy for someone who''s dead weight. Do I need to repeat it a third time or did you get me the second time around?" Zachary responded. Yin got quiet. Having heard no response, Zach nudged him lightly on his back. "Hey, did you die or something?" The silence was still apparent. "Good, just shut up, be quiet, and let''s get on with this." Zachary reached the hideout now. He saw Suna playfully fighting against the panda. "You should block with your stick like this, if someone is going to attack you from below like that." She was actually teaching the creature how to fight. "Is this what you have been doing?" Zachary had a look of defeat carved in his face. "Pretty much." Suna laughed. Zach laid Yin on the ground. Well, ''laid'' is a bit of an overstatement, it was more like he dropped him down instantaneously. "Hey! Be careful! We still do not know what happened to him, mind his wounds, Zach!" Suna exclaimed. "Watch closely, he has not regenerated ever since we saw him propped up on the ground in the forest earlier." Suna focused her eyes on Yin, still unconscious on the ground. After caressing her chin with her hands, indicating a thinking motion, she finally gave up after just a few minutes have passed by. "Can you explain what I should be looking at?" Zachary was supposed to lecture her, but he was far too hungry and tired to exert any effort at even that, by now. "His wounds, look at them. Or what used to be his wounds from earlier, anyway. They are gone." Zach said. "Yeah, that much I can see. But why should that be surprising? He can heal or regenerate passively, you''ve seen that ever since we got here." "Because, Suna, every single time his wounds were healed by him, there would be steam emanating from his wounds just before it turns into scars. Tonight, though, he just got healed completely." Suna took a look at Yin once more, studying his sustained damage from earlier. "Now that you have mentioned it, you are right, there have been no indications of his wounds exuding steam healing him. Maybe it happened while you guys were on the way here?" She asked. "Not possible, I would have noticed it." Zach responded before fixing his gaze on the little panda. "We still do not know what happened to Yin, but I think we''ve got ourselves a healer." Chapter 57 - His Names Oliver Yin had awoken in the middle of the night. His stomach growled with hunger. As he rose up from where he slept, he looked around. "Ugh, what happened?" Yin thought heavily to himself. Something was weighing him down. His nose was kind of itchy for some reason. He let out a deafening sneeze. Just as he felt that the thing weighing him down was on his stomach, he stared at it. It was the baby panda. Yin was startled. "W-What the heck is this thing?" He asked. After looking around, he had noticed he was outside. He contemplated several reasons as to why he was outside, yet nothing stuck with him. All he knew was that he was hungry right now, so hungry and famished that could devour a whole horse if need be! Yin''s disoriented eyes then fixed on the table right beside him. "Why am I even here?" There was a plate with a note. ''If you do not eat what I''ve spent hours cooking, I''m going to unknowingly feed you poison next time.'' Yin turned white. "Man, there is no doubt, this is from Zach. I would be better off remembering back what happened with a full stomach rather than an empty one, right? Since Zach cooked it, and not Suna, it is bound to be tasty!" Yin was salivating. The pangs of hunger were invading his thought process. He opened the plate''s covers and saw something which would make him lose his mind even more. Leaves. Leaves were placed on the plate. There was a faint smell of roasted pork, but where was it? "That scum, did Zachary trick me!?" Yin exclaimed. His anger was cut short by a sound. It was the baby panda. The baby panda had burped out something, it was bones, pig bones, in fact. Yin was curious as to what it had in its backpack. His hands were careful and concise, careful not to try and awaken the panda. There it was, a half eaten pork belly, sitting comfortably with a pile of leaves. "Gahh! How dare you sleep on me while you ate my dinner you damned furball!" Yin tried to get up from the seat he was laying on, but he was far too fatigued to do that. His stomach continued to grumble into the night. "This is the worst." Yin scratched his head. He was trying to figure out just what happened. All he could remember was that he was doing his daily quest. Yin did about two hundred pullups from a low hanging branch from a stunted tree. "So, it is not possible that I fell down that hard and hit my head, right?" He placed his right hand on his chin. "I mean I am probably here because Suna and Zach brought me, but why did they not just wake me up? That is the part that I do not understand. If they had just woken me up, maybe then I could have eaten my dinner at least." Yin sighed. "And I still have no idea who this little guy is. Do we even have pandas in this forest? I am sure I have not seen any panda for over a month of staying in the hideout, what is this thing''s deal? And why does my head hurt so much? As if someone or something was smacking it." He said as he rubbed his head slowly. "Oh well, this seems to be the type of problem for the ''Yin'' of tomorrow, not today!" Yin said as he continued on with his sleep. Thinking as it was far too futile to move back to his room, he just resumed it the way he woke up. The sun''s rays invited itself to everyone''s day. It was now morning. Suna and Zachary opened the door from the inside of the hideout and got out. "Hey, Suna. Go check on Yin." Zach said. "Alright." Suna was still groggy from waking up, but she nodded and followed. Yin had drool coming out of the right side of his mouth. "Wow, Yin, you still drool while sleeping after all this time?" She was amazed. Suna remembered back when they were kids, Yin was made to sleep on a different bed because of his drooling tendencies, other kids would not want to sleep near him. A little droplet was running from his mouth. The droplet was going to fall downwards. "Oh, here it comes!" She exclaimed. Suna lifted Yin''s head lightly, enough to change the trajectory of it. When the drool finally dropped, it hit the baby panda on the head. To which the creature got up and grinded its head on the ground below. Suna laughed. "Sorry, little guy." The baby panda had a worried expression on its face. Suna approached it. Its collar had a note, this was something they did not notice last night, seeing as it was too dark. But because of the morning''s bright light, the note made itself visible. "Hey, what is this, little guy?" Suna asked him. The panda merely removed the note from its collar and gave it to her. "Do you want me to read it for you?" A nod gave Suna the affirmation that the panda did in fact want her to read it. "Alright, no problem." Suna smiled at him. She opened the note and began reading it. ''Greetings, if you are currently reading this note, it means I have long since passed away. I was a Summoner under the Slayer Corps for quite a bit, but I had to forcibly retire due to having lost my left and right leg from an Angel''s blast. I am now spending my time as a lowly farmer from the northern parts of Niflheim, my identity does not really matter, trust me. This baby panda is a summoned creature, but there is something special about him. Since summoned creatures typically go back to their worlds after a time limit or after their Summoners have deemed them having done their jobs already, this panda should be long gone now, but his return to his world has been long overdue. For about thirty years now, I was adamant that one day he would up and vanish, having returned from where he came. But it never happened. Oliver is very picky; he hates people and only chooses to be with those he likes. That is what I named him, Oliver the baby panda. I instructed him to travel Niflheim and find owners who will love him and cherish him after my death, he has been through a lot. Although he is a summoned creature, thirty years has been a long time, perhaps his soul and its essence have acclimated to this world of ours? Who knows. What I should tell you first and foremost is that Oliver always tries to smack wounded people with his bamboo shoot, contrary to the pain of being smacked by it, it actually heals the person, albeit slowly, so it would take plenty of smacks, and Oliver gets tired easily. He eats leaves, but he also is able to consume regular human food. I did not inform the Grand Castle about his existence because he might be branded a monster, and even worse, be executed by the High Council. Please, take care of Oliver, because you are reading this, it means he has chosen you. He means the world to me, and even if he might not mean the world to you, please take care of him wholeheartedly." Suna had tears rolling down her cheeks. She hugged Oliver and lifted him up the air. "You have been through a lot, haven''t you? Oliver, we are going to take care of you, buddy. Don''t worry." She sniffled as tears continued to run down her face. Oliver had tears on his face as well. It was as if he understood what she said. This warm hug was broken up by Zachary shouting at Yin. "Wake up, you damn freeloader!" He shouted. Yin groaned for a bit. "I said wake up you useless imbecile!" Zach continued on. The white-haired Yin finally got up. He was still groaning in pain though. "What the hell is your problem?!" He responded back. "It is your turn to cook breakfast today, you idiot! Get up and go cook for freak''s sake!" Yin knew he was right. "Could you not have said it in a quieter way?! Seriously, it is early in the morning and you''re out here scolding me like you''re my mom or something, do you have some kind of brain problem?!" Yin still retorted back. Suna walked up to them, still carrying Oliver in her chest. "Would you both shut up? You''re scaring Oliver!" She said. Zachary had a puzzled look engraved in his face. "Wait, who is Oliver?" "Yeah, Suna, I do not see anyone else here." Suna sighed heavily. "I''m talking about the panda, you mongrels!" "Wait, did you name him already?" Zach asked. Suna showed both of them the letter that the Summoner who turned to farming had dangling around Oliver''s collar. Chapter 58 - As White As Snow After everyone took turns reading the note left by Oliver''s original owner, they all looked down and had a look of pity on their faces. "You two need to get it together, I for one, would not like Oliver''s new home to be full of shouting and fighting." Suna crossed her arms together. "Y-Yes, Suna." Yin nodded and got pretty calm afterwards. "Tch." Zachary clicked his tongue. "I know that much." The awkward silence was cut short by Oliver walking up towards Yin, who was seated on the wooden outdoor-chair. He took out his bamboo shoot and prepared to ''heal'' Yin. "N-No, no, no, I-I am alright now, Oliver. Thank you for the kind gesture though, little guy." Yin gave a reassuring smile and caressed his fluffy forehead. Oliver heard this and opened his backpack. The baby panda then placed his switchable bamboo shoot back into place. "By the way, Yin. What happened last night?" Suna asked him. Zachary was also eager to hear what his answer was. "I mean it is impossible to assume that Oliver did that to you, right? Seeing as you are really not that hostile with him, it also seems like this is the first time you met him, as well." Suna said. "Yeah, no, Oliver was not the one who attacked me, in fact, there was nobody else attacking me that night." Yin replied while looking down. He arranged his hair and slicked it back. "What do you mean?" Zach was confused. "Do you mind explaining what the heck happened to you last night, then?" "I think it was myself." Yin said slowly. Zach and Suna did not say anything. Although they were very confused, they still wanted to hear what Yin''s explanation was. "In my dreams, I had remembered faint instances of what actually happened last night. I over trained. But something was different, my senses were heightened, my Anima cells were going rampant, and my physical strength was different." Yin said as he continued on caressing Oliver''s belly now, scratching it ever so playfully to the baby panda''s delight. "How did that happen?" Suna pressed on with the questions. "I really do not understand nor have had that experience myself, because, as you know, I have no Anima cells myself." She turned to Zachary. "How about you Zach, ever had something like that happen to you?" She was adamant in knowing. "No, to be honest, that has never happened to me. From the way he said it, it seemed like he got stronger overnight for that very specific instance only, thus taking a toll on his body would be the most likely thing that might have happened next." He said. Yin just continued on listening to them. Their chatter and theories were silenced by Yin''s words. "I-I also saw my reflection in the nearby lake before what I said earlier had happened to me." Yin contemplated. "Anything out of sort? What did you see?" Suna wanted answers and she wanted it now. Zachary was in the same position as well, he did not want for there to be an enemy or monster lurking around while they were cooped up in the hideout, there is no knowing when it might attack, if ever there was one. "My reflection, the face at the lake, it was like an Angel''s¡­" Zachary got up and close to Yin''s face. "Quit joking around!" He exclaimed. "I really wish I was joking. It would be much easier if I was. As I looked closer at my reflection on the lake, my eyes were white, as white as snow. They were shining too, rivaling that of the moon''s luminescent glow." Yin said it with such a melancholic tone. "And what of the Angel that you saw?" Suna asked. "It was not me, it was a mask. An equally white mask attached to my face." Yin was shaking. "What''s happening to me?" Zach extended his hand to Yin. "Get up." Yin looked at him, now teary-eyed. "It is normal to fear the unknown, to fear what we do not understand, that is something that makes us human. After the fear subsides and fizzles away, what remains is us, only us. Our strength and fragility, our happiness and sorrows, those are factors that allow us to feel alive. Tell me, Yin, would you fear your own powers if you solved the mystery behind it and how to use it?" Yin shook his head. "Precisely, now, get up." Zach''s stern voice prompted Yin to take his hand and stand up on his own two feet. "Thanks, Zach." Zach pulled his hand away. "Idiot, I am not doing this for you, as I said earlier, it is your time to cook breakfast today, you better not mess it up." He then walked away after saying that. Suna smiled. "I don''t know if you still remember our time at the orphanage, Yin, but you used to be kind of a loser. Every single kid there would pick on the weaker ones. You stood up for them and you fought back time and time again. Even when you were outnumbered, you kept standing up and threw punches, well, you never really landed that many though. You rarely won any of your fights back then. They would only stop after I showed up and scared them away." Her smile then turned into laughter. She chuckled. "But even back then¡­" Suna paused. "I thought to myself how cool it would be to become someone like you. To keep standing up even when the odds are stacked against you that much, to persevere in the face of the impossible. I''m happy you never grew out of it. You''ll make a fine hero, Yin." She ended her monologue right then and there. Before Yin could say anything back, Suna was gone, she jogged to the nearby lake in the forest, bringing Oliver along in case he got thirsty. "Thank you, Suna, Zachary." Yin stretched for a bit. "Right, time to cook breakfast!" Hours went by and it was now time for training. This time, it was Suna against Yin. Yin realized every single factor about him increased by phenomenally once he activated those white eyes and white masquerade of his simultaneously, just like last night. But there was a catch, he did not know how to do it. He let out a deep breath. Focusing all his will in activating it. That was when the System''s monotone voice made itself shown, after being hidden for days. [ Thanatos, you are not yet capable of using the Nix Eyes reliably. ] "N-Nix Eyes? What is that?" [ There was a miscalculation last night, you were not supposed to use it. ] "Who the hell says what I am supposed to and not supposed to do? You are merely a voice in my head!" [ I see that the memory transfer has not yet accumulated well enough with you. Your memory is still barren, nothing has been remembered. ] "I have told you time and time again now, I am not Thanatos! This power that you have given me, I am grateful for it, yet you tell me nothing of its origins, where it came from and how I am better able to wield it! You just tell me to level up and level up for months now! Seriously! I will use the Nix Eyes as I see fit, with or without your approval." Yin said to the System. [ The power that ''we'' have given you is not ours; we do not possess such strength and capabilities stacked within, just waiting to be given, no, this power belongs to you, Thanatos. In due time, you will remember. You shall remember the wrath of the Old Gods, and the winged creature''s beginnings. Here is an advice from us, if you forcibly use the Nix Eyes, be prepared to have it take a toll on your frail body. ] "Oh yeah? Watch me, then. I''ll use the System and become someone who is able to protect others. Just watch me." All the while Yin was having this conversation in his head, Suna had already taken the first step. With one quick leap, she closed the distance between her and Yin. Dust kicked up from the ground. "Look alive. You are going to have to do better if you want to be a hero, Yin." She smirked. Suna threw a right hook at Yin, to which he swiftly blocked with his left arm. This caught Zach by surprise. His eyes were that of someone who has seen something out of this world. None of them have been able to block Suna''s constant barrage of attacks reliably. It was taking them a while in combat to be able to adjust to her fighting stance. They have only been blocking it for about five percent of the time, that is how rare it was. Yet here Yin was, blocking her punch on the first try. Yin smirked back. His eyes fixated on Suna''s. Something was wrong, they were white. Chapter 59 - Nix Eyes : Black Burst "Hang on, Suna." Yin held his palm up, indicating for her to stop for a bit. "Is something the matter, Yin?" She asked. Yin was pressing the other hand on his face. Specifically, near where his eyes were. "Are you sure you are alright? We can postpone this, you know?" Suna was worried. "N-Nah. I think I have got the hang of it now." The white-haired Slayer looked up and revealed his ocular prowess. Eyes as white as the snow. They looked as if they were lifeless, that of a monster''s eyes. "I am ready whenever you are, Suna." He announced. "Begin!" Zachary gave the ''go'' signal to both of them. Suna closed the distance with a quick sprint. She then attempted to sweep Yin''s feet off of the ground with her right foot, to no avail. Yin was on the air. The sun''s shine hitting his back, making him look like a silhouette with only his white eyes discernible. Suna circled around in a three hundred and sixty degree motion and threw a roundhouse kick at the airborne Yin with her left foot. He immediately forced all his weight downwards to land faster on the ground, dodging her attack once more. "Oh, not bad!" Suna commented. With Yin on the ground now, he wanted to go on the offensive. "There is something I wish to try, Suna. I will not hold back this time." He said. Suna did not respond. She was in the zone. Focused, calm, and serene, like a lake. Yin clapped his hand one time. Lightning came striking down from the heavens and struck his hands. This enchanted his fists with black lightning. Zachary and Oliver watched on in amusement. Oliver had covered his other eye with his hands, but left one able to see, Zach did not bother asking why he did this. "Nix Eyes : Black Burst!" Yin shouted out his attack. In one swift motion, he went from being fifteen meters in front of Suna, to being behind her in just two seconds. The B Rank Slayer was still standing, she shielded her face with both hands to mitigate the damage. But there was no question, Suna got caught by surprise. Her arms were turning purple and bruising from the earlier attack. If any other person were in her position right about now, they would probably concede and cut their losses, but not her. She grinned. "That is the first time I have seen that attack from you, Yin. Well done." Zachary was visibly worried. "Do not get carried away! Remember what the Commander always said, it is not too late to surrender if the adversary is too much to handle! That goes for both of you!" He shouted. "Did you hear him, Suna? I am sorry for not being able to hold back¡­" Yin was bothered. They were just training, yet he gave every single ounce of his strength in that attack. It was not something aimed to just plainly hit Suna, that attack was meant to kill. Yin was aware of this. "You''re sorry? Who are you apologizing to, exactly?" Her grin turned into an angered expression. "That is how it is supposed to be. Holding back is just insulting the enemy right in front of you! It is like saying that he or she is not strong enough to give it your all and still be left standing!" She stomped her foot. "These burns are nothing, I have endured far more." Suna then turned towards Zachary. "There is no humiliation in surrendering, I know that much, but I also know that I have not lost yet, and that is something I am a hundred percent certain!" Zach clicked his tongue but could not help but grin. "Tch. Stubborn as always, huh, Suna?" Suna assumed a defensive and wide stance right about now. "Yin, I would like you to try that attack once more on me. If you hold back, I will be more than angry, I assure you." He complied with her request. The white haired C Rank Slayer focused all his Anima cells on his eyes and hands. Unbeknownst to every single person there, even Yin himself, this allowed the System to manifest the masquerade and equip it on his face. "Man, his powers just keep getting weirder and weirder by the day. You are going to be seeing a whole lot of this, Oliver, hope you''re ready for tons of healing afterwards." Zach said. "Suna! I am coming!" "I am not holding back as well, Yin! I will never lose!" She shouted back. Right after Yin clapped once more, the black lightning enveloped his fists and supercharged his whole body. "I think I get it now. The Nix eyes heighten my senses and give me physical strength that rivals even that of Suna. But it is not reliable, even after just a few minutes of activating them, my eyes are hurting, I just wonder how long I am able to keep this up." Yin thought to himself. A faint leaf was falling towards the ground. Merely a few milliseconds after it made contact with it, Yin blasted away and jolted towards Suna. He was quick, like lightning itself. "Nix Eyes : Black Burst!" He left a trail of yellow and black in his wake. But Suna realized something after Yin''s first attack. It was that Yin took a huge step in order to gather enough force to propel him forwards, he was not running towards her, no. In fact, he was leaping towards her. She bet on the fact that Yin''s mid-air control of his body was still not as polished as hers, and this bet really did pay back dividends in no time. Eager to land a clean hit on Suna once more and hopefully ending the spar, Yin had not noticed that Suna was moving as well, her body moved, but she was in the same place. "W-What is she doing?! If she does not block my attack, there is a chance I might actually end up killing her!" Yin thought to himself. Zachary chuckled. "Excellent, Suna. Your adaptability in combat has really improved drastically." Suna was placing her own body on the line, if she had not swung her fist fast enough, there was no doubt that Yin would get a clean hit on her, absolutely no question. But Suna began throwing the punch even before Yin jumped forward in a straight line, she had bet that Yin would get hit by her punch before she is struck down by him. It was a battle of speed, Yin''s Nix Eye Black Burst versus Suna''s inhuman hyper reflexes were pitted against each other. "You are not able to control your body that well mid-air, right, Yin?" She thought to herself. "Let us see who can land a blow the quickest, your black lightning, or my punch!" Before even getting close to her, Yin suddenly fell to the ground. "I-Impossible! Did he know what I was about to do? Did he predict it and purposely fell to change the trajectory that his body was going?" She was visibly shocked. "Wait. What?" Zachary was also perplexed. He ran towards the scene as fast as he could. Suna was still standing, her position and stance indicated that she already threw her punch. "Did you hit him or something, Suna?" Zach asked. Suna shook her head defiantly. "No! I don''t think I did!" She shouted back and then ran towards Yin, who was on the ground. There was blood everywhere. "Blood!?" Cold sweat began to flow down her temple. "What?! What did you just say?!" Zachary grabbed Oliver who caught up to him and got close to Yin. He lifted his head and instructed Suna to remove the white masquerade. It was stuck on his face, like a snail. "It is not coming off!" She said. "Just do it! It is not connected to his face, we have to see what kind of damage he sustained and where it came from. You are positive that your fist did not make contact with Yin, right?" Suna nodded. "I am sure of it. In the trajectory and pace he was going for, I am sure that I would have hit him, maybe he did it on purpose?!" Suna shakily asked. "No, that is impossible, it would not explain how the blood is coming out from his mask, where the hell did this mask even come from, anyway?! It just manifested out of nowhere!" Zach exclaimed. "Alright, we are going to pull the mask out together, Oliver! We are going to need your help as well, buddy." The baby panda bobbed his head up and down. "One! Two! Three! Pull!" After a few minutes, the mask was gone. Following its removal, it got erased into nothingness once more, but now, it had turned into dust, the same dust that is the byproduct of Yin decaying things with his hand. There, they saw the damage. Zach''s guess was right, his eyes, they were bleeding. "How did this even happen?!" He was slowly rising his voice in intervals. "I think I have an idea why¡­" Suna said. "His body, it can''t keep up with the insane toll the Nix Eyes have on him." "I definitely do not want to keep doing this every single day, seriously, how fragile is this guy?!" Zach retorted. Chapter 60 - Memories Of The Reaper Back in the Grand Castle''s inner city, the S and higher ranked Slayers were on stand by. They were all given rooms and quarters to sleep in inside the castle. In the end, the Emperor conceded and gave Ignis the chance to lead a mission outside the Outer Gates. His decision made several of the Slayers disturbed and annoyed, yet they could not argue against the Inferno Garden and the organization''s leader''s rate of success. The Inferno Garden boasted the highest percentage of missions and conquests that ended up a success over the centuries. It was always a part of the culture of the organization to have a no-nonsense attitude whenever they dealt with missions, often frowned upon but the results always spoke for themselves. Several instances have been recorded in the reports wherein they left a wounded Slayer in order to retreat and have no further casualties. This was a hard decision to make, but it is definitely understandable. The disturbing part about this was that not a single Inferno Garden Slayer even turned their necks around or even hesitated to help the fallen Slayer. Members of the Inferno Garden have been branded as ''unpleasant'' or difficult to work with by others, and for good reason, that is. Gavin and Luken sat on a window overlooking the domain of mankind''s last bastion, Niflheim. The Commander took out a single stick of cigarette from his pocket, he did not forget to buy his own matchbox now, afraid that he might annoy the patience of Gavin once more. As the Commander lit it, he looked at Gavin. "What do you think he is doing right now?" The blue haired SS Rank Slayer asked his partner. "Who exactly are you referring to?" Gavin answered his vague question. "You know who. Adam." Luken retorted without a single pause. This immediately shifted the atmosphere into a grim and dark tone. "Why did he do what he did, Gavin?" The Commander now clenched his fist, desperate for an answer. Gavin was silent. It was not that he did not want to answer the question that Luken proposed, it was that he did not know the answer to it. Luken and Gavin were left to rebuild the Six Blades by themselves after Adam massacred Luken''s sister and two other members. "When we saw him outside during that conquest, during the ''Tragedy at The Outer Gates'' as several people have taken to calling it, you yourself held back when we fought him, did you not?" Gavin broke the eerie silence of the castle hallways. His words struck a nerve with Luken. The Commander wasted no time and immediately got in front of the Serpent Summoner''s face. "What are you trying to say?" He asked while gazing right into Gavin''s eyes. His hands were now on Gavin''s collar. "Are you saying I held back against that despicable traitor? That I held back against the person who is the sole reason for my sister''s death? Is that what you are trying to say, Gavin?!" Luken lost his cool. Veins popped out of his temple as he started tugging on Gavin''s collar harder and harder. "Let go of me." Gavin said calmly. The Commander still had his hands on him, refusing to let go. "I am not going to say it again. Back off, Luken." In just a split second, Gavin now had his grimoire on the palm of his hand. His emerald eyes glaring back at him intensely. He turned it backwards to show Luken that he meant business. The page that he stopped leafing on had an illustration of a muscular beast''s body with the head of a man. It also had razor sharp wings and a tail on its back. This creature had a name, this particular one was ''The Sphinx of Annihilation.'' Luken saw this and immediately jumped back and assumed a defensive stance. His right hand was now on the sheathe of his sword, ready to pull it out in case Gavin follows through with summoning the legendary Sphinx. Ignis walked in. He stopped to look at what was transpiring before his very eyes. "Isn''t this interesting¡­" Ignis said with a snarky tone. "This does not concern you, Ignis. Walk away." Luken''s attention now focused on to him. "Would you look at that. How utterly frightening. What caused both of you to fight amongst yourselves? You have to control yourself, Commander." He said the word ''commander'' with such an insulting enunciation. The Commander offered him no such response, as well as Gavin. After that, he simply went on with his walk and made himself scarce from the scene. "How dare you ask me that question, Gavin." "I was watching you the whole time. You were definitely holding back." The Serpent Summoner responded back. Luken clicked his tongue in disagreement. All the other Slayers in the same hallway knew better than to butt in a fight between Luken and Gavin, things might get ugly and there is a high chance whoever breaks up the fight will get caught in the crossfire between these two juggernaut Slayers. "Believe me, Luken. I know. Because I myself did the same as well. I also held back against Adam." Gavin looked down and bit his lip in frustration. "I wanted to go all out against him, I really did. I have reinforced that inside my brain, repeating it for countless of times now. Yet when I saw Adam again, I hesitated. I hesitated and held back. I was as pathetic as I could be. That much I know." His lower lip was now starting to turn red with blood dripping out. "You are not the only one bearing the burden, Luken. You and I built the Six Blades back to its former glory, although we are still a bit far from it, we are making great strides, believe me. We''ve got three promising Slayers back at our hideout, they are training their butts off as we speak right now, we owe it to them to give those stubborn kids the opportunity to fight with us in the frontlines of this war." Gavin added. The Commander now calmed down. His grip on his sword gradually started to loosen up a bit. "Till this day, I still do not know why Adam did what he did that night." Luken said. "We are in the same boat, Luken. A part of me knows why I hesitated and held back against him. It is because deep inside, underneath all this hatred I felt for what he did, I still wanted to know what drove him to killing half of the Six Blades in a single night. I would imagine you feel the same way as I do, right? Albeit unconsciously, you might not realize it, but you were indeed holding back without knowing it. You still can''t accept that he was responsible for what happened or there might be some other explanation for it." Luken fell silent. Their discussion was then interrupted by someone screaming across the Grand Castle. "Hey! I am looking for the Commander and the Serpent Summoner! Anybody here seen them?!" Luken sighed. "This rough, hoarse voice, it could only belong to one person, I do not think I have the time nor energy to deal with him right now¡­" He thought to himself. "It is Faust, isn''t it?" Gavin asked. To which the Commander merely nodded in disappointment. Faust Keisuke made his way to them. His brown hazel eyes were like a predator locking its gaze with its prey. "Oh! There you guys are!" Faust''s black ebony hair elegantly bobbed up and down through the wind. "I have something important to announce!" He exclaimed. "Do you not run out of energy, Faust?" Gavin asked him. "Nope, sir. And if ever I do, I have gallons of backup reserves to carry on with the entire day!" The Serpent Summoner nodded sarcastically. Luken stared at Faust''s face. He then sighed once more, this time, more pronounced. "What is it, Faust?" He asked. "I would very much rather prefer to tell you this information in your quarters. If you do not mind, sir." He bowed his head down slightly. "Didn''t I say to stop being so formal towards us? It is kind of weird, to be quite frank." Luken responded. "S-Sorry." Faust Keisuke respected Luken and Gavin dearly. His strength speaks for itself, and he respected everyone with the power and will to fight. Well, everyone except for Ignis, who always got on his nerves every single time they met. The three of them began walking back to their room. They made their way across the Grand Castle''s vast and spacious hallways. It was cleared to make room for the Slayers that were called for the meeting. "So, what is it that you wanted to disclose to us, Faust?" Gavin followed up on his news. "We should really wait until we get to your quarters, sir. It is going to be amazing!" This guy''s energy just never seemed to run out. It was pointless trying to pester him for more information. Chapter 61 - Faust Keisuke Faust wanted to disclose what he had to say when they were at the safety of their rooms. Both Luken and Gavin had an idea as to why. Yet they were both still quiet. After walking up a flight of stairs, they were close to arriving at the Six Blades quarters in the Grand Castle. Faust was the one taking the lead. Galloping excitedly, as if what he was about to say was good news. "You seem to be much happier and more hype today." Gavin said. "That is right, sir! I will not deny that." The Primal Hounds second in command was gleefully grinning. "Do you mind telling us why that might be?" Gavin pressed on. "Nope! We have got to wait until we get somewhere safe." He retorted, still maintaining the cheerful smile he had painted on his face. They finally got to a wooden door engraved with the words ''The Commander'' and ''The Serpent Summoner.'' Faust Keisuke''s eyes glinted in amazement. "We have these in our quarters as well!" He exclaimed. "I think every Slayer present in the meeting currently staying in the Grand Castle has their names and such placed in the doors like us." Luken answered. "Exactly! That is what makes it cool! It means we are the strongest Slayers of our generation right about now!" He claimed. Faust''s energy and aura was seemingly contagious, even Gavin got caught up in it. The Serpent Summoner let out a chuckle. "Well, I guess we should not argue with that." Luken took out his keys from his pocket. He stepped in front of the door and opened it after unlocking it. The Commander playfully waved his right arm in a pointing manner, imitating a butler or a coachman. "Make yourself comfortable, Faust." He said. "You really are the best, Luken!" The S Rank Earth Slayer happily let himself in and sat down on a chair. Their quarters were a bit tight, something that you would expect from two people living in it. A bunk bed, two desks, and two windows. Luken and Gavin have not spoken to each other ever since their altercation from earlier. It was clear that they were ignoring each other. "What has gotten into you guys? You had a fight or something?" Faust asked. "N-Nah. Not really." Luken answered. "I am sorry to be rushing you like this, Faust, but what is it that you wanted to tell us in private?" Gavin asked him with a deadpan voice. "W-Well, I, uhm¡­" Faust stuttered. "Agh, I guess it would be better to have you read about it for yourselves, right?" He took out a mailed letter out from his vest pocket. "We are not supposed to disclose this type of information as of yet, only the ones chosen would have been told this early." Faust said. "What do you mean?" Luken stood up from his bed. "I came across Ignis earlier. You guys do know how much I hate that intolerant and condescending asshole''s guts, right?" He asked them. To which both the Commander and the Serpent Summoner simply nodded in agreement. Faust then handed the letter to both of them. Gavin read it first. His eyebrows simply raised up and he then nodded to himself. After reading it, he handed the letter to Luken, without a single word spoken between the two of them. Faust was keen on knowing what the Commander''s reaction might be. Luken scratched his head slowly. "This is going to be one hell of a drag." The letter read as follows: ''Faust Keisuke, S Rank Earth Slayer and second in command of the Primal Hounds, you have been chosen as one of the Slayers to be deployed on the Operation Phoenix months from now. Give it your all and offer your life for mankind. Attached to this letter are the names of the others that have been chosen by Ignis Silva, captain of this operation and leader of the top ranked organization ¨C the Inferno Garden.'' Written below were names of Slayers that Ignis chose. It only had ten individuals on it, including Ignis and Hector Incendium. Gavin Khalil and Luken Regalia were there. As well as the Specter, Vale Ashford. "I really though Ignis was going to give each of you a letter earlier, I saw him walk towards your direction, after all." The Primal Hounds'' second in command said. Gavin had a slight realization. "Hmm. I guess that was why he approached us earlier." He said. "We were not exactly approachable back then, but I think it was for the best. I would not want to entertain Ignis under those circumstances. I''d probably take my anger out on him or something." The Commander said. "That would have been a sight to see." Gavin laughed. Luken now began to break out a slight half smile. "By the way, Faust, you seem to be overly joyous for someone handpicked by Ignis on this mission. I thought you hated the guy?" Luken asked him. "It really does not matter to me who chooses me in conquests or missions, as long as I can go out there and fight, I will gladly take every single chance I can get!" Faust was amped up right now. "Fight me, Commander! Let us have a friendly spar outside the Grand Castle. I will show you how much I have grown since I was still a rookie!" "No thanks, I kind of want to sleep right now." Luken answered with his voice absolutely being bored. "W-We can do it after your nap! I swear I will make it worth your while. You have not fought a lot since coming back from the Outer Gates, right? I am not sure you even fought back then! Let''s do it! I am going to wait outside the castle in about three hours!" Without letting Luken interrupt him or even retort back, Faust ran to the door and vanished. Luken groaned. "Hey, Gavin, you want to fight him instead?" Luken asked. "I am going to have to pass up on that offer, besides, he would have a much better and fun time fighting against you in hand to hand combat, he looks up to you, you know that?" Gavin responded. "He was not like that back in his rookie days. Faust Keisuke was the weakest rookie in his class, believe me, he used to have absolutely no redeeming qualities to himself as a soldier." Luken said. "What happened? Was I not there? For as long as I can remember, the first time I saw him, he was already the hyper active Earth Slayer who just wants to have a fun time fighting for humanity." "You were not. We were separated that time, you lead another conquest while I lead a separate one as well. Anyway, that kid used to be a scaredy cat. Think of Yin, but even more anxious and having little to no self confidence, that is how Faust used to be." Faust Keisuke''s sprint slowly turned into a slow walk to his quarters. He remembered his first team, the very first conquest he was deployed into, when he was a D Rank Rookie Slayer back in the days. Luken was still not the Commander then, but he was chosen to lead this young squadron to conquer a distant town in the Outer Gates. Faust stared at the sunlight until the white rays blinded his sight for quite a bit. He now reminisced his rookie days. "Faust! What''s with you? Will you stop shaking? Even if we''re rookies, we have to pull our weight here! The people back at home are paying taxes for what we shove down our mouths every single day! We are not here to be scared, we are here to fight!" Her friend held his shoulders. "I-I am trying, believe me!" Faust protested. They were walking from the Outer Gates and were now close to their mission''s location. This group had to eliminate two Angels all on their own. It was a combination of battle-hardened Slayers as well as a bunch of rookies and first timers. "Leave him be. Every Slayer has had these moments in their first deployment." Luken assured the shaking child. "What is your name, boy?" "F-Faust, sir! Faust Keisuke!" He exclaimed. "That is a neat name, your affinity?" "I''m an Earth Slayer, sir!" "Do you have family back in Niflheim?" "Yes. My mother and sister." "I see. Look around you, Faust, all this ruination. This death, it is horrible. None of us here wants to be outside the Outer Gates, right? But it is a job that someone is going to have to do. If you do not want to subjugate your family back in Niflheim to the horrors of the Angels and monsters, then you must fight. Even if you are shaking, even when you feel fear looming into you and numbing your senses. Fight. If not for you, then at least do it for your mother and sister." Luken said. Something had changed in Faust. He was now much more focused and calm. "I would gladly do that for them, sir." Chapter 62 - A Flashback From Long Ago 1/2 The group lead by Luken, who was not yet the Commander back then, had fifteen total members. Many of them were in Faust''s rookie class. Luken took charge and lead them to an open deserted town in the Outer Gates. "Right, we were briefed that there would be two Angels patrolling here, our mission is to exterminate them and report back to the Commander, The Basilisk Slayer." Luken said. "Sir!" They all saluted as a nod to what he said and continued on with their journey. Time seemed to stop as they set their gazes on the ruined town. Ruins from another time, from humanity''s past defeats, never to have been conquered again. But Luken had something to prove, he wanted to show that mankind still has the strength to fight back against these winged harbingers. He did not want to disgrace his family''s name. The rookies in the team were very confident that they will accomplish this with little to no casualties, after all, they had the up an coming A Rank, soon to be S Rank Slayer, Luken Regalia on their side, right? Faust felt something was wrong. His instincts were always top notch and reliable. He kept telling his team that they should be much more careful strolling around here. Luken felt it as well. The A Rank prodigy signaled them all to halt. He motioned his fingers towards his lips, this had prompted them to be quiet. Luken knelt and touched the ground. "Something is wrong¡­" Before he could warn his team and give instructions to disperse and stay off the ground, it was far too late. The ground below them rumbled, only Luken and Faust could sense the faint vibrations which was caused by something slowly moving upwards, thus amplifying the rumbling. "Everyone! Stay away from the ground! Jump up to the buildings and regroup-" Luken''s instruction was cut short. Faust had barely pulled two members with his hands and escorted them to safety up on the ruins of what used to be a brick house. The others, they were not so lucky. They were annihilated by the Angel''s blast. It had come from below. Luken was starting to shake. "From underground?! H-How?!" He thought to himself. His frustrations and questions in fact had merit. There were no documented cases of Angels using advanced fighting tactics such as taking advantage of the terrain and making use of the land to their favor in combat, this was different. After the rubble and destruction caused by a single Angel, all that was left of Luken''s team were Faust and two other rookies scared to their deaths. Amidst the smoke and chaos, there it was. The Angel responsible for decimating more than half of Luken''s assigned team. Its wings spread out across the sky. "W-What is that?!" Faust pointed out. This Angel was different. Unlike the other Angels that the Slayers have encountered, this Angel had no hair on top of its head. Instead of the usual luminescent and elegant hair, it had a halo on top of it. One stare was all it took to instill a bit more fear into the remaining survivors. The deadpan glowing eyes was a sight they will remember for quite some time, that is, if they survive. "S-Sir Luken, why does it look different than other Angels? Its bloodlust is also emanating much stronger than the other Angels that we have faced so far, what is that thing?!" Faust asked. His hands were shaking so much so that he could not wield his knives that well. His teammates were in a state of shock, blankly staring at the creature and looking down on the bloodied bodies of what remained from their teammates. Limbs were pulled away from the body. Some of them were now headless. Another one was burnt beyond recognition. There was another desperately clinging to life, breathing in and out, despite having the entirety of his lower body cut in half, every single one of them knew that he was not going to make it. "I will protect the three of you. Do not engage in combat, no matter what happens. You got that?" Luken ordered the surviving Slayers who were still petrified. Faust could not help but fix his eyes on his teammates. The woman who was comforting him earlier, was now laying on the ground, lifeless and decapitated. Just five or so minutes ago, they were just marching down and surveying the area. Now, most of them were on the floor, dead. The misty atmosphere was colored red with the sanguine and metallic smell of blood. Luken looked at the two individuals that Faust saved, they were far too gone. They could barely even stand up from the looks of it. Children, they were only children. He had no choice. "Faust! I am putting you in charge of the team as of now. Make sure you protect these two with your life, you got that?!" Luken exclaimed. Faust was still silent. Until the silence he evoked was broken by himself. "I-If only I sensed it much earlier, I could have saved everyone, right, sir?" Tears rolled down his cheeks. "Listen to me! This is no time to show weakness, let us leave it all here on the battlefield. Mourn your weakness later, for now, these two children need you, understood? Take them somewhere safe while I distract this monster. Quick! It is getting ready to launch an attack! Can I trust you with this task, Faust?" As if he was rejuvenated, Faust was now as limber as ever. "Yes, sir!" Tears still continued rolling down his face, but he was moving. "Good. This will be over in no time." Luken smirked. The then A Rank Water Slayer enchanted his sword and drew it out from his sheathe situated in his waist with no delay. Faust Keisuke knew that fear was completely normal. To be frightened by an event such as this is completely normal, he knew that. But something clicked inside him after Luken''s words. "Mourn my weakness later. For now, I have got to focus on the mission!" He carried the two Slayer children on both his shoulders. Shockwaves and impacts of the battle behind him were starting to get stronger and stronger. Luken went blow for blow against this absolutely overpowering humanoid. If this were a normal Angel, Luken knew that he would have made quick work out of it in no time. But no, this was not a normal Angel. It was dodging his attacks with clear intention and use of thoughts and patterns. This one was learning. Luken suddenly felt something intruding his thoughts. This voice was absolutely eerie and unnerving. As if all the animals on the planet morphed their voice into one single cohesive speech. "I am Sarathiel. One of the Twelve Seraphims." Luken was confused. "How are you communicating with me telepathically?!" He responded. "We are not the same as our lesser brothers and sisters. We are much more. Seraphims have ascended." The Angel, now revealing itself to be a ''Seraphim'' as it called himself, said. "I honestly do not care what type of Angel you are, I am going to exterminate you till nothing is left, nonetheless." Luken smirked. "Tell me, human. Have you seen him? The carrier of the System. Have you seen Thanatos? We have searched far and wide, unearthing this wretched planet, yet we still have not found him. Perhaps your kind has found him?" Sarathiel''s unnerving voice asked. Luken dismissed the Seraphim''s words. "I do not know, and I do not care as well. Die." His predatory blue eyes locked on to the Seraphim. "Waterfall Slash!" Luken lifted his sword upwards and swung it down. The Seraphim nearly dodged it, but it underestimated humans far too much, this had cost it dearly. Luken''s sword slashed the Seraphim''s shoulders, cutting it deeply. It wailed and cried loudly. Faust Keisuke turned around, but his eyes could not see anything. All he saw were blue and white silhouettes moving far too quickly for his eyes to even follow. "If I were to go back and help Luken, I would only be placing me and these two in danger. Also, I doubt he would be able to move that freely if he had to worry about me. Tch. I am sorry, sir Luken." He shook his head. "No! I do not need these thoughts right now, regrets come later, what I need now is to fulfill the mission given to me!" He carried the children far away, somewhere wherein he was still able to see the battle, well, barely, at least. Luken and the Seraphim went toe to toe against each other. The Seraphim was now bloodied and bruised. Luken did not go through the battle without his fair share of injuries as well. His ribs were cracked and his left leg was broken. During a few seconds of panting and hyperventilating, Sarathiel the Seraphim whispered into Luken''s mind again, telepathically. "You are worthy. You are the strongest human I have ever faced in my years of existence. What is your name?" It asked. "Luken, Luken Regalia. A Rank Water Slayer.. It is not like it would make a difference whether I tell you my name or not, anyway, I am still going to strike you down where you stand." Chapter 63 - A Flashback From Long Ago 2/2 The battle raged on for another hour more. An Angel that stood against the prodigy that is Luken Regalia was still unheard of during these times. Whenever Luken lead a team into a conquest or a different mission, he always garnered great results and accolades. But deep inside his mind, he knew. Luken definitely knew that this was his first time failing. Several rookie Slayers have died under his command, and this will not bode well for his image. He was not caring about his image and his renown being tarnished, though. Luken was more worried about the families he had to talk to back in Niflheim. The thought of explaining to them that their sons and daughters were cut down by this newly revealed type of elite Angel, the Seraphim, weighed on his mind for the entirety of his fight. Faust held the two children and hugged them. He tried desperately to cover their ears from the loud clanging impact that the battle between Luken and the Seraphim were in, but it was useless. Luken swung a kick at the Seraphim. Its eyes flashed instantly, causing the visibility of Luken to drop for a second. He was not at all expecting Sarathiel to pull this move out. The Seraphim grabbed his foot mid air and threw Luken to the ground, front faced. Groans of pain were heard all around the place. "It was to my understanding and belief that you were to strike me down where I stool. That was what you told me, was it not, Luken?" Sarathiel was mocking him. Luken stood up, holding his chest, the nagging pain of his broken ribs was absolutely dragging him down. He writhed in pain, gently pressing on the area of his chest. Sarathiel walked slowly towards the injured Slayer. Faust saw this, although he wanted to run up there and help him, he knew that it would be in vain. The Seraphim would notice his presence from a mile away. Heck, it even notices he is watching right now. "S-So that means if Captain Luken fails and is defeated by that thing, i-it will come for us?!" This thought was repeating inside his head. Sarathiel was now closing in on Luken. The Seraphim was pounding its fists together. It waited for quite a bit before doing anything. "To be human, means to be fragile. We are the hunters, the apex predators. While you lowly beings are merely fodder for our mission. Once we find ''him'' we will discard of your existence altogether and leave this destitute planet behind." Sarathiel''s eerie voice rang through Luken''s mind. The Seraphim had leaned its head closer in order to incite fear in Luken''s state, to cause further damage. Luken placed his hands forward in a shooting manner, much like a gun. In that instant, a piercing flow of water flew out from the tip of his fingers and hit Sarathiel in the eyes. This made the Seraphim scream out in anger and annoyance. Faust, due to his extraordinary senses, knew someone else was there. He felt the silhouette of someone who was fast, far too quick to be seen by the naked eye, that was for certain. But there was no mistaking it, someone was coming. "Who was that? I sure did not call for backup, was it another Angel? No. I sensed a person who had overwhelming Anima cells, someone on par with the Captain himself¡­" Faust was dumbfounded and continued to watch the battle unfold. "I get that you''re the first instance of an Angel who is able to communicate and all that, but you talk too much." Luken said while he was smirking in a smug manner that seemed to enrage Sarathiel even more. "How long are you going to wait around, Artorias?" He remarked ecstatically. His words had confused the blinded Seraphim. That small window of confusion was more than enough. A faint green slash was the last thing Sarathiel was about to see for a few hours, if it had not slashed his head off, anyway. Faust was absolutely dumbfounded and surprised. He could not believe his eyes. It was the SSS Rank Slayer ¨C Artorias Khalil. Also known as the Basilisk Slayer. "I-Is this for real?! This person is the only Slayer who can go toe to toe against The Reaper, Adam Rosa!" He exclaimed. "What the heck took you so damn long, man?!" Luken had a hint of impatience in his voice. Artorias wore a darkish green heavy armor. The texture was scaly, much akin to a snake. He also had a helmet on which covered his whole face up, his eyes glowed green on the narrow holes for vision. He pushed his helmet''s visor upwards to reveal an expressionless man with golden, dark skin. "What seems to be the matter here, the ''prodigious'' Slayer of the century as touted by many is having trouble against a single Angel?" Artorias slightly mocked Luken. His English accent was palpable and pronounced. This person was indeed Gavin''s brother, he had the same snake-like eyes. "Cut me some slack, Artorias. This thing right here is not your typical run of the mill Angel, it can speak. Luken said. "Fascinating. I take it that this creature should probably be ''stronger'' than the average Angel, yes? Seeing as how sorry your state currently is." Artorias responded. "Man, you look more and more like Gavin each time I see you. Or could it be that Gavin looks more like you? You know, since you are older than him." Luken responded back. "Is that really something you wish you could have said?" The Basilisk Slayer had a glint of disappointment in his eyes. "Nevertheless, seeing as how this ''Seraphim'' as you call it has given you this much trouble, it might actually be worth my while." Artorias stretched around and pulled out his massive broadsword from the ground. Sarathiel was waiting for its eyes to recover and heal up. "Oh, sorry about that. I did not know Luken damaged your eyes already, if I had known, I would have aimed for another spot." Artorias said. "How arrogant. Tell me, human, would it not have been better if you were to strike me dead in the state that I am right now? Rather than waiting for my eyes to heal? This might end up costing you both your lives. Take it as a warning." The Seraphim Sarathiel communicated with Artorias and Luken through their minds once again. "You were not lying, Luken. This thing really is able to speak. Well, its voice is a bit weird, but it is understandable." The Basilisk Slayer turned to Luken and said that. "Are you sure you do not just want to finish it off right now?" Luken asked him. "No. There is no honor in exterminating damaged foes, so much more if they have sustained significant handicaps. That just makes it a non-battle, it would be ¨C boring." Artorias'' words enraged Sarathiel even more. "Fool! You will regret giving me the chance to-" Before the Seraphim could finish transmitting its words to their brains, Artorias was already behind it. "I just want to make sure you do not run off when the fun part begins, Sarathiel." After saying those words, the Basilisk Slayer cleaved through and clipped the Seraphim''s wings. Bones crackled at such a loud frequency that Faust had to cover his own ears. Luken did so as well. "There. Once your eyes heal, that is the time wherein I will strike. No flying away, alright?" Although he wore a helmet, the Seraphim knew what expression was painted on his face. It was a smug grin. "You are merely human! You do not have the right to speak to a higher being in that tone! Very well, I shall fight you to the death." Sarathiel said to them telepathically. "Hey, Art, come here for a second." Luken gestured Artorias to approach him. "What is it?" Luken was panting. His breathing has gotten faster and faster. "Do you have those, err, healing snakes or something that Gavin could summon?" He asked. "You know, Luken, for a prodigal Slayer, as the people might call and proclaim you as. You are a bit stupid." Artorias responded back. "That is a bit harsh, man. I was just asking you!" Luken pouted. "Do I look like a Summoner to you? By the way, how is Gavin nowadays? Why are you not with him?" "No, you look like an asshole, and you most definitely are! Gavin and I were assigned to lead separate teams on separate missions today. I think he''s in the Eastern part, if I recall correctly." Luken said. "I see." The Basilisk Slayer sat down next to Luken and observed the Seraphim slowly emanating steam trying to heal its eyes. "Don''t worry about Gavin, he''s a hell of a lot more capable than me! He''s pretty smart as well." "Idiot, I am not worried about him." "Isn''t he your brother or something? Why shouldn''t you be?" "Precisely. He is my brother, so I have nothing to worry about." Artorias said with a smile. Chapter 64 - Prodigy And Juggernaut "Right, so, where were we?" Artorias gazed at Sarathiel the Seraphim who was still focused on healing up its eyes. The feathers of its wings lay on the ground, bloodied and plucked out. "After my sight is healed, my silhouette shall be the last thing you shall see, mortal." Sarathiel said telepathically once more. Faust looked on. "What are they doing?! They should be able to finish it off while it is still immobilized, it is stuck in its place!" He exclaimed. "Luken, who is that scruffy kid over there?" The Basilisk Slayer asked Luken. "That is Faust. Faust Keisuke, he is under my command as acting captain of this team. The other two with him are what is left of the members." Luken bit his lower lip with pure unadulterated rage. "If those three are the only ones left standing, then that can only mean one thing¡­" He added. "No need to say it. I already know. I saw the bodies. Do not worry about your track record, that will not matter. When your foot steps outside the gates, the only thing that matters is the strength you wield and how you use it. As well as how you lead your team. This has been the first time we have encountered an Angel that is so eager in communicating like this, this thing would make a fine prisoner." Sarathiel twitched. The Seraphim could not even begin to fathom what Artorias was saying. It was insulted by the mere mortal insinuating that he was going to take it as a prisoner. The last of its steam exuded from its eyes. It was now finished healing up. Sarathiel''s grey white glowing eyes opened and closed rapidly. "Are you finished?" Artorias asked. "If you had trouble even only against Luken, do you really think you can stand up to me?" The Basilisk Slayer''s tone shifted. His green eyes shone like an emerald newly unearthed from below. Luken backed up a bit. "I would not want to get caught up in this¡­" He thought to himself. "Art, be careful. Do not let your ego and thirst for a clean duel and combat cloud your judgment. This is not an ordinary Angel." He warned the Basilisk Slayer. After that, Luken jumped forward and whispered something into Artorias'' ears. They both chuckled. "For real?!" "Yeah." The Seraphim was annoyed by this and stomped the ground with its fist. Clouds of dust covered the vicinity. Faust could not see a thing. "Should you not heed your underling and his warnings? I will give you the chance to retreat and cower for now. Tuck your tail between thy feet and run as far away from me as possible, if not, then I shall erase both of you from this entire realm of existence. Do not test me, mortal." Sarathiel told Artorias and Luken. With no delay whatsoever, Artorias lunged at Sarathiel. The Seraphim had no time to react to his move. "Luken was right. You really do talk too much." Artorias sunk his broadsword into Sarathiel''s mouth. With all his might, he held the hilt with both hands and kicked the Seraphim to the ground. "W-What immense strength. This human is on another level from the blue haired brat I fought with from earlier!" Sarathiel thought to itself. "Say goodbye to your head, Seraphim." The Basilisk Slayer was serious. This made Sarathiel panic, the Seraphim threw a punch at Artorias. The Basilisk Slayer easily dodged it with no effort. Although this did make him pull out his sword from its gaping mouth. Sarathiel coughed out dark, sanguine blood. "You were serious about slashing my head clean off earlier. I thought you were to take me prisoner back to your foul nation?!" The Seraphim once more intruded Artorias'' thoughts. "Sarathiel? Was that your name? It is really fascinating to see that you can talk to me without using your mouth, telepathy is one hell of a power, huh?" Artorias chuckled. "Y-You dare make a joke out of me!? Your race is on the brink of extinction. The flames of humanity will soon be extinguished by your winged destroyers, us, the chosen Angels of the New Gods!" Sarathiel raised its voice in a combination of both fear and irritation. "I have not seen Artorias in combat for months now, hell, even his own brother has not seen him for quite some time. I might be able to pick up a few tips here and there if I observe the battle." Luken thought to himself. Artorias rushed in once more. His speed was absolutely overwhelming. A wide swing was his bread and butter once in combat, a powerful slash capable of decapitating foes from Angels down to monsters. Sarathiel could barely dodge it as it was still writhing in pain from the damage it sustained from the attack it had failed to move away from earlier. Although this Angel was of a higher caliber than the others that the Slayers have faced so far, it is also far more intelligent, it still stood no chance against the Basilisk Slayer. During these times in the past, the highest ranked Slayers were Adam Rosa, also known as the ''Reaper'' and Artorias Khalil, who is obviously the Basilisk Slayer. Though some other Slayers were rising the ranks and were showing a lot of promise, specifically, Luken Regalia, touted by the people of Niflheim as a prodigal Slayer with insane Anima cells, people have called him a generational soldier with the renown of being able to one day surpass the two juggernauts seated at the top of the Slayer Ranking ladders. The other one was Gavin Khalil, also known as a once in a century gifted Summoner. Since Summoners typically lack the hand to hand and physical combat prowess once an Angel or monster closes their gap against them, they are often seen as underwhelming hand to hand combat fighters, but Gavin was different, he was very proficient in wielding throwing knives. Hitting the heads and marks of his enemies if he wills it. Since he is part of the famous Khalil family, he inherited the trait of having dark green hair as well as shining emerald eyes, this can also be seen once looking at his brother, Artorias. The Basilisk Slayer called forth lightning enchantments and summoned forth green thunders from the heavens up above. It enveloped his dark armor with green tint and electrical properties, as well as heightening his speed and boosting his physical capabilities even more. "Does a highly advanced type of Angel such as yourself ever feel fear?" He asked Sarathiel with a deadpan and monotonous expression. As if he was a predator attempting to toy with its prey, intimidating and playing with it before devouring and swallowing it whole. The Basilisk Slayer rested his forehead into his broadsword in a forward motion. Shortly after that, he held the blade with one hand, aiming for the Seraphim who was stuck in place, confused from many other factors, the main thought plaguing its mind was this ¨C "Am I really going to die by the hands of mere humans?! We Seraphims were supposed to handpicked by her. Our mother. Is my fate tied to being cut down by this anomaly of a human?" Much like a javelin, Artorias threw it with one hand. Luken, who was still watching from up close, had his eyes wide and open. It was the first time he saw the Basilisk Slayer pull out this move up close. "I have read about this attack, but to see it up close, not going to lie, I am kind of excited." He said to himself while grinning heavily in excitement. "There are not a lot of Slayers that amaze me with their raw power more than Adam Rosa and Artorias Khalil. These guys are the real deal, they are the strongest weapons of mankind." Luken clicked his tongue. "Tch. I still have a long way to go until I am up to par with these guys, they are like monsters camouflaged as humans. Absolute strength." He said. The green broadsword flew in the air towards Sarathiel. Worriedly, the Seraphim still had no clue what Artorias'' plan was, it was slowly losing its cool. The Seraphim easily side stepped it and got out of the way of the sword which Artorias threw, thinking it was out of harm''s way, even just for that very moment, Sarathiel had the nerve to crack a smug smirk. "How foolish are you? To throw your own weapon away, you are underestimating your foe far too much!" The Seraphim was now a hundred percent done with maintaining its calm and serene behavior. Its eyes glowed even brighter, and its mouth opened up and bared dozens of sharp teeth. Artorias'' sword was now only a few inches behind the Seraphim. In an instant, the Basilisk Slayer was now the one behind it. Sarathiel looked at him and quickly glanced back to where he once was, in that place, was his sword. The Basilisk Slayer had swapped his position from earlier with that of his broadsword flying mid air. Chapter 65 - Bloodlust The battle between the powerhouse Slayer of the Khalil family ended with him emerging victorious. Luken and Artorias made their way towards where Faust and the other two Slayers were. There were only four survivors in the totality of this team, including Luken. It was definitely his first time having team members die on him like this on that scale. Faust''s eyes were that of a sorrowful gaze. His brown hazel pupils stood firm as he saluted Luken and the Basilisk Slayer. Luken pat his head and forced a smile. "You did good, Faust. You really did, believe me." The prodigy Slayer said to him. "I-I am sorry I could not do anything to aid you in your fight against the Angel, sir." Faust apologized and looked down. "Hold your chin up, Faust. Let this be a reminder that being strong comes with added responsibilities. My responsibility was supposed to be to protect all of you, but I did not expect Sarathiel to emerge from the ground and catch us with a surprise attack. That is on me. Their deaths are something that I will forever carry, not you. Do you get that?" Luken responded. Faust had tears rolling down his cheeks, as well as the two children he held tightly in his arms. "This happens every single time in battle, kid. Do not sweat it. We risk our lives every single time we venture out in missions and conquests to claim back the land that humanity lost. To be able to do that, one must know his own limitations and strengths. I was sure you would have been a burden towards Luken had you jumped in and helped him in his battle from earlier, judging from the Seraphim''s strength, I can tell you that much. That is good, that you know your own limitations. Life is fickle, try to find meaning in the littlest of things. Just look at me, fighting gives me a rush, and I embrace it wholeheartedly." The Basilisk Slayer placed his hand on Faust Keisuke''s shoulder. It did not stop him from crying, it worsened it. Faust was now bawling his tears out. "Had you decided to help Luken, I doubt these kids would have made it if there were additional reinforcements. You did well for a rookie. I will be expecting great things from you, Faust." Artorias said. "Luken, I will be heading back to the Grand Castle as quick as possible, my memory is not as good as my brother, so I am going to report it back and write down what happened before I forget about it." "Seriously, how do you even forget about something like that? Did you not say that Sarathiel the Serpahim was one of the toughest foes you have had to face for quite a bit now?" "I say a lot of things like that to my enemies, would not want them to die feeling they were only pests and were no match for my might." He smirked. "I know I have said it before, Luken, but you really did well. Just keep this between us, but I have spoken to Adam Rosa about two weeks ago, and he said he has his eyes on you. Well, not just you, both you and Gavin." The Basilisk Slayer said. "F-For real?! Are you serious!?" Luken was back to his happy cheerful self once more. "Adam Rosa? Isn''t that the one that the Basilisk Slayer keeps competing in the top spot against? He is also the de facto leader of the Six Blades, another top organization along with the Inferno Garden and Primal Hounds, right? These two keep going back and forth each month, taking the top two and the top one place in the Slayer Rankings all the time. The disparity between top two and three is honestly something that is known in the Slayer Corps by now." Faust Keisuke thought to himself. The people right in front of him were definitely on a whole different level than him as he was right now. "But know this, brat, I will never lose the drive to be the strongest Slayer ever documented in mankind, not to you, not to Adam Rosa, not to anyone¡­" Artorias said. "I will be catching up to you soon, be careful, Art. If you focus only on Adam, I might just blow up in the ranks one of these days and overtake both of you." The blue haired Slayer grinned. Faust felt the atmosphere change swiftly. "A-Amazing. Even after fighting that new type of Angel, which was obviously stronger than the ones we have fought so far, they both still want to talk about being as strong as possible." He said to himself. "I am looking forward to that. Now then, I shall be taking my leave." He shook Luken''s hand. "It is nice to meet the three of you. Farewell." Addressing that to Faust Keisuke and the other two survivors before walking into the sunset back towards home. Luken scratched the back of his head and let out a chuckle. "He is a bit cynical, but he is a good guy." He said. "Y-Yeah, you are right, sir." "Artorias the Basilisk Slayer does not really take the time of his day to ask for rookies and their names, Faust, that means he sensed something within you, an untapped potential, perhaps. He is expecting a lot from you. But do not be pressured or anything, just take it easy!" Luken told the D Rank Earth Slayer Rookie. "H-How can I take it easy after what you have just told me, sir?!" Faust exclaimed. There was a glint of hope in his eyes. "So, what do you want to do?" Luken asked. "I am going to mourn my fallen teammates and allies when we get back. As well as my own powerlessness. After that, I am going to train. I will catch up to you guys, mark my words¡­" Faust looked up to the sky as he said that, seemingly announcing his intentions and aspirations to the world. He closed his eyes and opened it instantly. Faust was now back to the present day. "I still have a long way to go before I can even get to stand on their level, but I am adamant that I can do it." Faust Keisuke said to himself while he lay on his bed. He looks at his brown watch situated in his wrists. "Hmm. It seems it is almost time for my fated sparring against the Commander." Faust made his way outside of his quarters and quickly jogged down the Grand Castle''s hallway in order to arrive at the gates. By now, Luken was lighting up a cigarette by the window in his room. "Luken, are you not meeting up with Faust ten minutes from now?" Gavin asked him. "I am, do not worry, I have not forgotten about it." Luken smiled. "I just thought about how quickly the passage of time makes its way in our lives. A couple of years ago, we faced the first ever Seraphim humanity has encountered. That was also the last time. I have not seen their kind for years now. It makes me a bit anxious thinking about it, you know?" Luken said. "Yeah, my brother told me what had happened that day a couple of years back. He also said that you were as much of an ass as ever, and that you let the people''s praise go to your head." Gavin quickly shut him down. Luken chuckled sarcastically. "By the way, Luken. Wasn''t the original plan supposed to be that you guys were to capture Sarathiel the Seraphim back then? What happened?" Gavin asked. "It was your brother, you know how much he loves a duel and fighting as a whole, right?" Luken responded. Gavin nodded and waited for what Luken was about to say. "Well, let us just say that he got carried away." "Meaning what?" "It was really scary, believe me, his green eyes lit up underneath his mask as if he was reveling in the bloodlust, you know it is frightening if even I got scared." Luken answered Gavin''s question. Gavin let out a sigh. "That is why he does not want to join an organization. He is at the top right now in terms of individual rankings, but he has no team with him. The higher ups coddle him by appealing to his requests of being deployed solo every single time." Gavin clenched his jaws and made a fist. "Not being in an organization is not so bad. I mean sure, it might get lonely, but I just do not see your brother as the type to regularly interact with other people, I am sure you know that more than I do. You are probably worried about him, right?" "I did not say that." "You do not need to. Just remember, Gavin, he is at the top for a reason. Even without someone else watching his back out there, he''ll still emerge victorious. That is how strong Art is." "Yeah, I guess you are right. Gavin smiled. Chapter 66 - One Knock One knock. It was on Ignis Silva''s room. With no response from the SS Rank Fire Slayer, a second knock was soon to come along shortly after. The boy''s knuckles was about to make contact with the door, but Ignis spoke up, halting this. "Yes?" Ignis'' soft voice responded. "It is me, sir. Hector." "Ah, Hector! Come in. You do know that we are in the same room now, right? It is my quarters as much as yours. Be at ease." "Yes, thank you, sir. I read your message sent to me by my carrier pigeon. You summoned me?" The round-eyed young man was direct and had no lapses in his words, he only ever said what was needed and what was expected by him from his leader. "That, I did. I spent the morning reading the update Slayer Database as of today, it seems Luken Regalia''s little group has grown once more. The Six Blades currently have four members in total, namely, Luken Regalia, their leader as well as the Commander of the Slayer Corps, he is pretty much every Slayer''s superior outside of special missions and operations such as this. Gavin Khalil, the Serpent Summoner, he is quite possibly the best Summoner active in the Corps today, if only he was a dual wielder¡­" Hector raised his hands and interrupted Ignis'' description of the group. "Sir. I would like to ask what a ''dual wielder'' is." "Ah. It seems I have not told you about that. Dual wielders are getting harder and harder to come by nowadays. Basically, Hector, they are Slayers who have two Anima affinities. For example, the top one Slayer as of now, Artorias Khalil, which is Gavin''s older brother, boasts the Wind Affinity as well as the Lightning affinity. A dual wielder can also be a Summoner who is blessed with the ability to wield one more affinity." Ignis gently nudged his glasses back to his nose bridge. "I see. Thank you for the knowledge you''ve given me, sir." "Do not mention it. You, and every single member of the Inferno Garden are my family. Think of me as your patriarch." Hector nodded silently. "So, where was I?" "About the dual wielder, sir." "Oh, yes. If Gavin had been a dual wielding Slayer, obviously being a Summoner and Fire Slayer, I would have done everything I possibly could to recruit him." "Might I be of freedom to ask, sir? Why is that?" "He''s strong. Really strong. If he were akin to someone in our organization, he most definitely would be the ''Kai Xin'' of the Six Blades." The thick, black, eyebrows of Hector slightly raised upwards. "Is he really that strong, sir? Surely you must hold him at a high pedestal, seeing as you have compared him to Sir Kai." "Yeah, in terms of strength, the Khalil family of Slayers has no shortage of it, and Gavin Khalil is no exception." "I have noted that, sir. What of the other members?" Ignis'' left hand extended to reach his chin. He sat down in his bed and took his glasses off instantly. "As for the remaining members of the Six Blades, there is someone really fascinating in their ranks. She has not been with the organization for that long. She goes by ''Suna Izanami.'' Luken caused quite a stir by recruiting her." "Why? Is there something wrong with her personality or mental status?" Hector was eager to have his question answered. He was definitely curious about Suna, and he was not the type to be curious about other people, he just had a hint that she was not ordinary. "Suna Izanami does not possess any Anima cells. She cannot use any affinities, nor can she summon beasts and creatures by using a grimoire like Summoners can. But do you know what she can do? Her physical strength is top notch. The High Council and their lapdogs were very doubtful about Luken''s decision at that time, it was very fascinating. You should keep an eye on her, she is of the same class as you, I believe. Do not lose to her, Hector. I expect great things from you. Do not disappoint me. Ignis'' black eyes stared deeply at Hector Incendium''s very soul itself. Hector gulped. "Yes, I will not lose to her. I will not lose to anyone. The Inferno Garden does not recruit those whose strengths are lacking. I am living proof of that." "Good. Anyway, the fourth one is honestly surprising. He was not in my radar at all. I did not see his names in the database in the past, only now. Perhaps he had a growth spurt and is probably an underrated Slayer in his own right, but right now, he is weak. Maybe Luken had a lapse in his judgment? Who knows? His name is Yin. Yin Sohaya. He is a C Rank Lightning Slayer, nothing notable about him. Nothing noteworthy, honestly. Ignis scoffed. "I do not know what that idiot Luken is thinking, he is merely throwing dirt at his own organization by recruiting a weak Slayer in his ranks. So much for that, anyway, tell me, Hector, have you read about the ''Tragedy at the Outer Gates?''" "Yes, I believe I have, sir. Fifty Rookie Slayers were sent to fight an Angel. Only three of them survived." "The records and paperwork have their names hidden, but the three survivors had two of the Six Blades members present." Ignis once more glanced at Hector. It was as if he was asking him a question right out of the blue. "So Suna Izanami and Yin Sohaya were one of the two survivors?" Hector asked. "Fantastic. Yes, you are correct, Hector. But Yin Sohaya is not the last member of the Six Blades, actually." Hector''s eyes were squinted, he was confused as to what Ignis meant. "They have a fifth member, though it is only rumors, it seems he is unregistered. I wonder who he might be." "Pardon me for asking once more, sir Ignis, but why are you talking about them as of now?" "Do not mind me, I am just curious. And you know what happens when I am perplexed about things I do not know, right?" Hector nodded. "I want to see just how strong the next generation of the Six Blades are. If we were not summoned in the Grand Castle for that absolutely vital information, I would go to them personally, myself. So, instead of me, I have sent someone else to scout them in my stead. Of course, I am not recruiting them, they do not have a Fire Slayer that I know of, that is obvious. It is just my wish to gauge their strengths and capabilities. We must not lose, Hector. The Inferno Garden shall remain the number one organization under me and my successors. "Who did you send, sir?" "I have sent Kai to their hideout; I have instructed him to do as I have told him in my letters. To test them." During the same time that the Grand Castle fiasco occurred, back at the hideout. Yin, Suna, and Zachary were training as hard as they did for the last couple of days. Yin Sohaya, the C Rank Slayer was still not taking his training that heavily due to what happened when he first activated the Nix Eyes. For now, Zachary was training all alone, while Suna and Yin watched him. The latter was gently rubbing Oliver''s belly, to the baby panda''s delight. Zach was growing more and more frustrated that there was nobody to help him with his grimoire troubles. He shot a glance at Yin and Suna. "The other one is a physical monster and relies on athleticism and brute force alone, while the other has some sort of weird power which does not rely on grimoires, only enchantments. Seriously? Is there nobody who could help me train using my Anima spells?!" Zach gritted his teeth as he said that to himself in his mind. He took out his grimoire and flicked the pages, trying to find the most basic spell. The young Fire Slayer was so disinterested in this that he still did not memorize what each page contained and what spell they had. Finally, he ended up on the page thirteenth of the magical book. "Whirling Fireball!" Zach shouted as he announced his attack. The skill which was ''Whirling Fireball'' relied on immense focus in order to exude a spinning fireball from the palm of the caster, opposite to the arm holding the grimoire at least. Yet in the case of Zachary Lancaster, nothing came out. It was nothing but black smoke. His screams of frustration filled the air of the hideout, much to Yin''s delight as he laughed it off. Yin''s grimace was shortly erased after seeing that Zach was now staring at him. After that, Zachary attempted to cast the Whirling Fireball once more, instead of just mere smoke coming out of his hands, a faint flicker of fire was there now.. It was still pretty miniscule. Chapter 67 - Fiery Perplex One knock. It was on Ignis Silva''s room. With no response from the SS Rank Fire Slayer, a second knock was soon to come along shortly after. The boy''s knuckles was about to make contact with the door, but Ignis spoke up, halting this. "Yes?" Ignis'' soft voice responded. "It is me, sir. Hector." "Ah, Hector! Come in. You do know that we are in the same room now, right? It is my quarters as much as yours. Be at ease." "Yes, thank you, sir. I read your message sent to me by my carrier pigeon. You summoned me?" The round-eyed young man was direct and had no lapses in his words, he only ever said what was needed and what was expected by him from his leader. "That, I did. I spent the morning reading the update Slayer Database as of today, it seems Luken Regalia''s little group has grown once more. The Six Blades currently have four members in total, namely, Luken Regalia, their leader as well as the Commander of the Slayer Corps, he is pretty much every Slayer''s superior outside of special missions and operations such as this. Gavin Khalil, the Serpent Summoner, he is quite possibly the best Summoner active in the Corps today, if only he was a dual wielder¡­" Hector raised his hands and interrupted Ignis'' description of the group. "Sir. I would like to ask what a ''dual wielder'' is." "Ah. It seems I have not told you about that. Dual wielders are getting harder and harder to come by nowadays. Basically, Hector, they are Slayers who have two Anima affinities. For example, the top one Slayer as of now, Artorias Khalil, which is Gavin''s older brother, boasts the Wind Affinity as well as the Lightning affinity. A dual wielder can also be a Summoner who is blessed with the ability to wield one more affinity." Ignis gently nudged his glasses back to his nose bridge. "I see. Thank you for the knowledge you''ve given me, sir." "Do not mention it. You, and every single member of the Inferno Garden are my family. Think of me as your patriarch." Hector nodded silently. "So, where was I?" "About the dual wielder, sir." "Oh, yes. If Gavin had been a dual wielding Slayer, obviously being a Summoner and Fire Slayer, I would have done everything I possibly could to recruit him." "Might I be of freedom to ask, sir? Why is that?" "He''s strong. Really strong. If he were akin to someone in our organization, he most definitely would be the ''Kai Xin'' of the Six Blades." The thick, black, eyebrows of Hector slightly raised upwards. "Is he really that strong, sir? Surely you must hold him at a high pedestal, seeing as you have compared him to Sir Kai." "Yeah, in terms of strength, the Khalil family of Slayers has no shortage of it, and Gavin Khalil is no exception." "I have noted that, sir. What of the other members?" Ignis'' left hand extended to reach his chin. He sat down in his bed and took his glasses off instantly. "As for the remaining members of the Six Blades, there is someone really fascinating in their ranks. She has not been with the organization for that long. She goes by ''Suna Izanami.'' Luken caused quite a stir by recruiting her." "Why? Is there something wrong with her personality or mental status?" Hector was eager to have his question answered. He was definitely curious about Suna, and he was not the type to be curious about other people, he just had a hint that she was not ordinary. "Suna Izanami does not possess any Anima cells. She cannot use any affinities, nor can she summon beasts and creatures by using a grimoire like Summoners can. But do you know what she can do? Her physical strength is top notch. The High Council and their lapdogs were very doubtful about Luken''s decision at that time, it was very fascinating. You should keep an eye on her, she is of the same class as you, I believe. Do not lose to her, Hector. I expect great things from you. Do not disappoint me. Ignis'' black eyes stared deeply at Hector Incendium''s very soul itself. Hector gulped. "Yes, I will not lose to her. I will not lose to anyone. The Inferno Garden does not recruit those whose strengths are lacking. I am living proof of that." "Good. Anyway, the fourth one is honestly surprising. He was not in my radar at all. I did not see his names in the database in the past, only now. Perhaps he had a growth spurt and is probably an underrated Slayer in his own right, but right now, he is weak. Maybe Luken had a lapse in his judgment? Who knows? His name is Yin. Yin Sohaya. He is a C Rank Lightning Slayer, nothing notable about him. Nothing noteworthy, honestly. Ignis scoffed. "I do not know what that idiot Luken is thinking, he is merely throwing dirt at his own organization by recruiting a weak Slayer in his ranks. So much for that, anyway, tell me, Hector, have you read about the ''Tragedy at the Outer Gates?''" "Yes, I believe I have, sir. Fifty Rookie Slayers were sent to fight an Angel. Only three of them survived." "The records and paperwork have their names hidden, but the three survivors had two of the Six Blades members present." Ignis once more glanced at Hector. It was as if he was asking him a question right out of the blue. "So Suna Izanami and Yin Sohaya were one of the two survivors?" Hector asked. "Fantastic. Yes, you are correct, Hector. But Yin Sohaya is not the last member of the Six Blades, actually." Hector''s eyes were squinted, he was confused as to what Ignis meant. "They have a fifth member, though it is only rumors, it seems he is unregistered. I wonder who he might be." "Pardon me for asking once more, sir Ignis, but why are you talking about them as of now?" "Do not mind me, I am just curious. And you know what happens when I am perplexed about things I do not know, right?" Hector nodded. "I want to see just how strong the next generation of the Six Blades are. If we were not summoned in the Grand Castle for that absolutely vital information, I would go to them personally, myself. So, instead of me, I have sent someone else to scout them in my stead. Of course, I am not recruiting them, they do not have a Fire Slayer that I know of, that is obvious. It is just my wish to gauge their strengths and capabilities. We must not lose, Hector. The Inferno Garden shall remain the number one organization under me and my successors. "Who did you send, sir?" "I have sent Kai to their hideout; I have instructed him to do as I have told him in my letters. To test them." During the same time that the Grand Castle fiasco occurred, back at the hideout. Yin, Suna, and Zachary were training as hard as they did for the last couple of days. Yin Sohaya, the C Rank Slayer was still not taking his training that heavily due to what happened when he first activated the Nix Eyes. For now, Zachary was training all alone, while Suna and Yin watched him. The latter was gently rubbing Oliver''s belly, to the baby panda''s delight. Zach was growing more and more frustrated that there was nobody to help him with his grimoire troubles. He shot a glance at Yin and Suna. "The other one is a physical monster and relies on athleticism and brute force alone, while the other has some sort of weird power which does not rely on grimoires, only enchantments. Seriously? Is there nobody who could help me train using my Anima spells?!" Zach gritted his teeth as he said that to himself in his mind. He took out his grimoire and flicked the pages, trying to find the most basic spell. The young Fire Slayer was so disinterested in this that he still did not memorize what each page contained and what spell they had. Finally, he ended up on the page thirteenth of the magical book. "Whirling Fireball!" Zach shouted as he announced his attack. The skill which was ''Whirling Fireball'' relied on immense focus in order to exude a spinning fireball from the palm of the caster, opposite to the arm holding the grimoire at least. Yet in the case of Zachary Lancaster, nothing came out. It was nothing but black smoke. His screams of frustration filled the air of the hideout, much to Yin''s delight as he laughed it off. Yin''s grimace was shortly erased after seeing that Zach was now staring at him. After that, Zachary attempted to cast the Whirling Fireball once more, instead of just mere smoke coming out of his hands, a faint flicker of fire was there now.. It was still pretty miniscule. Chapter 68 - The Dragon "Woah, would you look at that¡­" A voice from the woods nearby was heard. This prompted the three of them to assume battle stances. Oliver was also quick to draw out his weapon, the famed bamboo shoot. "Who goes there?!" Zachary asked with urgency. A figure walked out from the cover of the tall trees. "Yo. I am not here to fight, by the way. You can rest easy, believe me." He said just before the sunlight uncovered the shadows and revealed his features. This man was young, probably in his early twenties. His skinny and generally scrawny figure would lead you to believe he is not a Slayer. But the insignia of the Inferno Garden disproves that instantly. He had long and red auburn hair which he wore slicked back, some stray strands of it were in front of his face, though. The man wore a white fur coat covering his body fully. Underneath it was a red undershirt paired with black trousers with chains, finished off with equally black boots. "Why is an Inferno Garden Slayer supposed to be here? In a hidden hideout occupied by the Six Blades?" Suna stepped in front to confront the shady person. "There is no reason, really. I am just here for a quick adventure! Why don''t you and your friends just ease up a bit? Is this how the Six Blades treats another Slayer? How rude." The man exclaimed while smiling with his tongue out, revealing a metal rod in the middle of it. His slanted eyes were calm and relaxed. "Let us say that might be the truth, that still does not allow you to trespass in our hideout and come over without sending a message via your carrier pigeon or for good reason! Identify yourself!" Yin shouted back. The red haired Inferno Garden Slayer reached for his pocket slowly. Yin, Zach, and Suna were all anxious. "What is he doing?!" They all thought to themselves. A laughter came out from the man''s already smiling face. He pulled out a worn leather wallet. "It is just my wallet, what are you kids so worked up about? I really do not get it." The man opened it and flipped it back towards the Six Blades rookies. It was his Slayer License. Suna squinted. "K-Kai¡­Xin?" She saw his name. After seeing the young man''s rank, she immediately told the others to back off a bit. She whispered something to Yin and Zach. Their eyes widened with surprise. "Yeah, that is me! Kai Xin." Kai revealed his name. "Is my birth name honestly that bad or scary? Why did you back up? I am kind of hurt, really." He said playfully imitating a crying motion. "What is your organization ¨C the Inferno Garden''s intention here, sending an S Rank Fire Slayer in another top ten organization''s hideout area?!" Zachary asked Kai. "I already told you, didn''t I? I am just sightseeing, honestly! Wait. I was told there would only be two members at home. Hey, you! The tall one! Who the heck are you, kid?" Kai answered Zach''s question with another question directed at him. "The name''s Zachary Lancaster. I am a rookie in training under the Six Blades." Zach retorted back at Kai. "Let us see. I would like to guess that you are a Fire Slayer, am I right?" Kai guessed. "H-How did he know that?!" Zach turned to both Yin and Suna. "I have no idea. One thing is for sure, this guy is shady as hell¡­" Yin sad. "Yeah, he is ridiculously strong as well. I honestly do not think we can take him on in a fight." Zachary said. "Open your eyes, Zach, he just came here unannounced for no other reason than to ''sightsee'', if that is not a load of lies then I do not know what is. For now, we should just assume that he is here for a fight, I have no reason to back that up, but I just feel it." Suna told them. The four of the Six Blades, including Oliver, huddled up and talked it out, leaving Kai to stand his ground and wait. "What are you guys talking about? Can I join in?" Kai Xin still had that devilish smile etched into his face. "I am getting kind of bored being left out of here, guys. I would really appreciate it if you let me join in on whatever it is you are talking about." Kai crossed his arms and moved his point finger up and down signifying his impatience. "What should we do, Suna. You were the one that Gavin entrusted us with, right? Make the call and I will follow it." Zach told Suna. "Our actions will be determined by your decision, Suna. We will trust your judgment." Yin said to her as well. "Let us just wait a little bit for now. We will see what his actions will be and I''ll make the call based on that, just be ready for a fight. Got it? Every single one in the huddle nodded, even Oliver the baby panda. Kai Xin sighed. "Ugh, fine. I will tell you what I was really instructed to be here for, I have not got the time to spend all day here watching you guys glaring at me..." Kai slicked his hair back with his hands. "To put it in the simplest of terms, I am here to fight!" His grin made a come back right in that instant. "I should tell you for what reason, really. But that can be told later on. Now, you Six Blades brats, come at me with everything you have got! If you hold back, I will know it. I can sense your fighting spirits; it gives me the chills¡­" Kai was definitely not holding his excitement back. "There we have it, he is here to kill us. Great." Zach said nonchalantly. "Focus, Zach. Yin, can you fight in your condition?" Suna was still worried about Yin. The Nix Eyes activation was most definitely the cause for his weakened state. Oliver was pulling on Suna''s feet. "It is okay, Oliver, we will protect you." The baby panda shook his head but Suna failed to notice this. "My condition is irrelevant, Suna. It does not matter. I will fight alongside you guys, I could bear to live with myself if I just watched you and Zach from the backlines. Yin said as he readied his gauntlets. "Tch. Just focus on not being a hindrance and bringing our rhythm down in the fight." Zachary quickly said. "Was I even talking to you!?" Yin exclaimed back. Oliver once more pulled Suna to get her attention. It was as if he had something to urgent to show them. "Guys! Focus!" Suna shouted. In the midst of their conversation, Kai Xin had vanished into thin air. "C-Crap. Was this what Oliver wanted to show me?! I was too careless!" Suna thought to herself. "Watch your surroundings, eliminate the areas where he might hide in, make sure your form has no blind spots!" The three of them formed a circle and rotated around, having their backs against each other. Zach had his grimoire out and ready to go. Suna was slightly hopping up and down, warming herself up. [ Quest : Exterminate the Dragon ] "What? I do not see a dragon anywhere?!" Yin exclaimed. This confused Suna and Zachary. "I keep telling you to focus, Yin!" After she said that, she sensed a silhouette coming from up above. "Everyone, scatter out!" Suna tried to warn the two of them to scatter out because the surprise attack was going to come from above, not in front of them, but Kai was far too quick. He kicked Zachary''s grimoire out of his hands as he landed and then threw a punch at him, sending the rookie Fire Slayer flying to the side. "Zach!" Suna shouted. As she turned her attention towards Kai, he already had his hands on Yin''s neck. His smile which was so prevalent from earlier, was now gone. All that was left was pure strength and focus. Kai''s red eyes immolated like a bonfire left unchecked. "How do you know my moniker, boy?" Kai held Yin up with his hands. "I-I-I do not know!" Yin responded back. Oliver desperately slapped Kai''s legs with his bamboo shoot, it was not doing anything whatsoever to stop this. "Yin! Hang on!" Suna dashed forward towards them, but Kai had already sensed her presence getting closer and closer. He threw Yin''s body at the dashing Suna with no hesitation. Both of them were on the ground. Slowly, the three of them got up. Zachary flipped through the pages of his grimoire until he could find the page with the Whirling Fireball spell. Zach casted the spell and aimed it directly at Kai, who just stood his ground and watched him. "Interesting. You really are a Fire Slayer. I suppose the Commander has chosen all-rounders this time around, huh?" His deadpan gaze slowly regressed back to his joyful demeanor. "You kids are not worth taking seriously. I doubt you''re even worthy of carrying this organization''s name." He bluntly said. Chapter 69 - Strength Disparity "Why in the hell are you attacking us?!" Yin shouted at the Fire Slayer. Kai sighed once again. "You really should not take it out on me, boy. I was only following Ignis'' orders." Kai replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "Ignis?" Yin was confused. He did not know the leader of the Inferno Garden at all. "I believe that is their leader, Ignis Silva. The SS Rank Fire Slayer representing the Inferno Garden. I have read about him many times in my books and even on the newspapers." Zachary said. "Bingo! Looks like someone is at least knowledgeable. Hey, your name was Zachary, right? You seem smart, but your grimoire casting is a bit sloppy." Kai said as he nodded, seemingly approving of his own words himself. "I know that!" Zachary exclaimed. He readied his grimoire again and attempted to cast the Whirling Fireball spell once more, this time, a fireball was indeed formed. The fiery projectile glided through the air quickly, Kai dodged it by moving his head to the left on pure instincts. "Would you look at that, that is some nice improvement, man!" Kai said to Zachary, who was obviously annoyed by the intruder''s overly enthusiastic attitude. "Tch. He does not think we are worth fighting for real, he is just toying around with us. Yin, you should make sure that you do not use your powers, I am not talking about the black lightning enchantment, I am referring to your decay aura." Suna clicked her tongue as she said that. If there was one thing Suna Izanami hated, it was whenever an enemy looked down on her and her allies. "The difference between an S Rank Slayer and the three of us is honestly overwhelming." Yin said. "But there is no reason that we should not try, he clearly is not going to take us seriously unless we beat him to a pulp. He intruded on Six Blades territory. Let us defend our honor as members of the organization!" He added. Yin called forth the black lightning and enchanted his gauntlets with pitch black thunder from above. "Did that really need to be said?" Zach laughed a bit. "You took the words right out of my mouth, Yin." Suna assumed her fighting stance once more. Kai''s eyes were perplexed. "Would you look at that. Black Lightning, that is pretty rare, you know? Anyway, we should stop having these long pauses, guys. I mean we are in a fight, right?" Kai Xin was mocking them. "Now. Come at me, bring your honor to the Six Blades!" His face once more went from playful to deadpan in an instant. Suna rushed in first, unleashing a barrage and volley of punches at Kai Xin, which the latter was easily dodging. Behind her was Zachary, who did not have his scythe, he only had his grimoire with him so he was forced to only have this tool in this battle to use. After dozens of punches, Suna jumped upwards into the air, this confused Kai, he squinted his eyes as he glared at the Sun behind Suna. This was the opening that they desperately needed in order to even have the tides remotely turn in their favor. Zachary was not relenting. He opened the grimoire to the same page once again and threw the Whirling Fireball at Kai Xin. The Inferno Garden Fire Slayer backed off and was forced to unsheathe his saber. He sliced through the fireball with a grin on his face. "Damn, now that was ''almost'' a fireball, good job, Zachary, take my compliments as someone who is also a Fire Slayer!" Kai Xin was busy chuckling that he did not notice Yin run from the side towards his back. Kai quickly turned around and saw Yin was coming at him with his fist cocked back and revved up. The S Rank Fire Slayer knew that it would be far too late to turn his whole body around to block the attack, he thought of a decision right on the spot as quick as he could. He swung his sword backwards while keeping his body steady facing frontwards. Yin''s fist was planted in his blade. It was not on the sharp edges so Yin''s hand was not exactly cut. But Yin was not controlling himself well enough. "Shit." Yin did not hope to activate his decay aura, but it just did involuntarily. "That was a good plan of attack, I am honestly impressed. You are one sneaky son of a ¨C" Kai Xin''s words quickly got interrupted by the sight of his red saber getting decayed and turning into dust. The decay started from the part where Yin punched and spread throughout the blade. In an instant, Kai let go of the sword and threw it away, his instincts were heightened. Kai''s fight or flight tendencies were activated seeing his saber decay into dust just from a punch. The imminent sense of doom was there for him. There was no mistake about it. If he held on to his blade as it crumbled into dust, he would follow shortly after, starting with his hands until nothing was left of him. The Fire Slayer''s grin was erased, replaced by his serious one from earlier. "What the fuck was that?!" Kai stared at Yin. The latter was now sweating bullets. Zachary and Suna were confused as well. Yin was starting to panic. He was hyperventilating, his feet were planted to the ground. Yin wanted to move, but he could not. "What have I done? I targeted my System powers at another human being?! I am sure even this Kai Xin guy knows how dangerous that was. I could have killed him¡­" Yin thought to himself as cold sweats dripped down from his temple. "Since you are not going to answer. I am going to beat you all down till you do." Kai said. Zachary attempted to cast the fireball, but Kai was already in front of him. "H-How fast is this guy!?" He thought to himself. Kai Xin''s burning red gaze was the last thing Zach would see. For a couple of hours, at least. Kai Xin hit Zachary''s neck off with a chop from his bare hands, knocking him out unconscious. "Too slow." He then turned his attention at Suna. Both of them exchanged blows and punches. Each impact sent ripples of shockwaves across the forest. "You really are something else. To go toe to toe against someone with no Anima cells and come out even like this, you are strong, Suna Izanami." Suna swung a round house kick at Kai. The latter easily dodged it. "Shut your mouth and focus on our brawl, you weirdo." "How rude. I would like to admit something, though." He said as he threw a one two jab that almost got Suna on the second swing. Yin was still planted on the ground. The thought of him almost killing another human being with his decay powers was gnawing at him. Even if Kai was an intruder, it was clear that he was holding back. And if he really wished them harm and death, he could have taken them all out minutes ago. "The thing is, you know how Anima cells, if activated and stressed correctly, can heighten a person''s physical capabilities, right?" He said as he dodged a powerful kick from Suna once more. "It is a bit rude to attack someone while they are talking, I''ll say that. So, anyway, I am going to tell you that I have not activated my Anima cells whatsoever even since after I showed myself to you guys." Suna stopped in her tracks and composed herself. "Is this guy serious? All this time he has just been fighting us with his raw physical prowess? What kind of monster is he?!" She thought to herself. "Surprising, isn''t it? That is why I am honestly amazed at you. The database show that you have no Anima cells yet you managed to climb to the B ranks easily. You must be powerful. But there is a clear disparity between me and the three of you combined. A disparity wider than you can even begin to imagine." Kai said to her, he wanted to see if his words would bring her down. "Is that so? Well then, watch me rise up to the ranks even more with nothing but my fists." Suna smirked. Kai Xin could not help but crack a faint smile. "Interesting. You have ice cold veins in you, but willpower and meek strength alone will not help you win battles." Kai said. He kicked his feet one after another, Suna was confused as to what he was doing. Flames engulfed Kai''s black boots. "Blink, and you will miss me." Suna did just that and noticed that Kai was gone from her line of sight. She sensed the presence of someone behind her. As she turned around, Kai had already hit her nape with a well placed chop from his hands. This made Suna drop unconscious on the ground. Chapter 70 - The Creator Yin desperately looked around, but all he could see was pitch black darkness. He heard someone''s voice. "So, you really are the System''s holder? You do not seem strong at all. In fact, your strength is nonexistent." A man''s soft spoken voice told Yin. "Who goes there?!" Yin shouted. "Tell me, boy, how were you even compatible for receiving the Thanatos System? I mean just take a long hard look at yourself." The voice said while laughing hysterically. "Show yourself, then! I will beat you to a pulp!" Yin said. "The way that you are right now, Yin. You are not even worthy of breathing the same air as me. That is how insignificant you are. I saw your life back when you were still working as a farm boy, nothing has changed. You are the same as you were back then. Just cattle to hungry monsters outside." "Do not ever talk to me like you know me! You are just some voices from the System. Another one of those annoying voices trying to tell me what I can''t and can do! Let me out of this place, I have to go help my friends out. Or is this some kind of power or skill that you have casted on me, is that you, Kai Xin?!" He responded. "It does not matter who I am. What matters right now is you. What is it that you want to do, Yin?" "I-I want to protect my friends and everyone else in Niflheim from the Angels and monsters outside the gates, that is what I want to do!" "Those are honestly big words, boy. Big words for someone who went into a mental shock from almost killing another person with his System powers." Yin clicked his tongue. He wanted to move and go to the source of the voice. But he could not, his hands were bound behind him, he sat in a dark room with little to no lighting. All he could ever see or hear was the voice of this man coming from a door which was slightly opened. The voice belonged to someone who could be seen with glimpses as sitting in the room with the slightly opened door. Flowers were on the room''s floor, now decayed and withered away. It was far too dark and blurry to be able to see the man''s build and appearance, though. Yet what was in front of him was clear ¨C a piano. The man was not playing it, however. He had his whole body faced towards Yin from the slight peek from the doorway. Yin was enchanted. It was as if his frustrations and stresses were nonexistent here, wherever this was. "A realm inside the System, maybe?" He thought to himself. Yin could not explain it, but he felt like he had been here before. He felt as if he was home. Until suddenly, he remembered Zachary and Suna, how Kai Xin was taking them down one by one. "Let me out of here! I have to go help them!" He exclaimed once more. "And what, you come back out there and turn that guy into ashes? What do you think would happen if you could not control your powers once again? If it runs amok like it did earlier, you will end up killing the person as he does not know what your capabilities at all are." Yin looked down and bit his lower lip. He tried to move and get out of the area he was bound in, but he could not, no matter how hard he struggled. "Deep inside, I know what you want to be and what you want to do, Yin." "If you think you know so much, then what is it?!" Yin exclaimed back. "For someone who wants to be a hero who shields everyone from harm''s way, your powers are the opposite of it. It is destructive, cataclysmic, even. Your powers reek of death, yet you wish to take the high ground and claim yourself to be a hero. It takes a strong person to deny the true nature of what he is. Even if it is laid out in front of him." The voice said with the equally soft enunciation of words it has done for quite some time now. "Yet the strength of willpower alone cannot carry over to one''s actions." It added. Yin knew he was correct. "I can fix this problem of yours right now, Yin." Yin''s eyebrows raised for little. "Oh yeah? How are you supposed to do that? You''re just a voice in the System. A voice residing in my head, you have nothing you can do to help me. You get nothing from it, you are probably reveling in my suffering right this moment." "Trust me, Yin Sohaya. I really am. You talk big, you really do. Is this the extent of what a hero is able to accomplish? Just standing idly, shaking, as his friends are knocked out one by one? Some ''hero'' you are." Yin clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Are you going to tell me what it is you wish to do that will help? Or are you going to sit there, visible only with a small crack of the door, talking smack at me and hurling insults!?" "Heh. Very well. Lend me your physical body, I will control it myself. Just think of me as some kind of ''System Enhancer'' if you may." "L-Lend you my body? What does that even mean?" "I have already told you. Once you lend me your body, I will be able to control it. And we can eradicate this Kai Xin guy, well, I do not know about beating him, since your body is pretty weak, even after all of the daily quests and training you have partaken in. There is also a chance I might fail and end up losing, but that should be attributed to your weak body frame and structure, not mine, got that?" "No way! I am not lending it to you. You do not even trust me enough to tell me your name, how do you suppose I would react if you told me that you wanted to use my physical body in the real world? Are you out of your mind?" "I understand there is some confusion as to what I am and exactly who I am. I will only say this much, I am the sole reason this System was created for. Think of me as one of the two creators of the Thanatos System. Once I am in control, the System powers heighten and will render you stronger for that very moment. That is all that I am willing to disclose. Are you letting me switch with you or not?" "Let us say I do, what if you do not give control back to me?" "Well then, you are going to have to gamble on it." The voice chuckled as it said that. "G-Gamble?! Be serious for once!" "Oh, but I am serious. If I decide to keep using your body, you will not be able to do anything about it, you will take my place in the System and sit around, at my mercy if I ever would want to switch back." "¡­" Yin was silent. "Let''s do it, then." He said. "Wait, did you even hear what I just said to you?" "Yeah, I did. If that was really your plan all along, you would have sweet talked me into it. Disclosing your plans and it being as sinister as that really does not add up. You could have done that without telling me." The voice laughed louder than it did earlier. "You''re interesting, Yin Sohaya." "Just shut up and get on with it, Creator." "Fascinating, is that what you will be calling me from now on? Very well." The figure sitting in that room, only visible by the smallest of openings on the door, slowly got up and opened it. What''s behind him was blindingly bright, Yin could not make out his features, nor his face. The blinding rays of light slowly enveloped the room and expelled the darkness covering it. Kai Xin turned around to see Yin, still on the ground shaking. "Are you just going to wallow around there and let your friends go down like this? Pathetic." He said. Silence plagued the air. Yin did not respond. Kai kicked his feet off and was now in front of Yin in the blink of an eye. He was absolutely the real deal. Oliver was trying to shield him by extending his arms around Yin, forming a shield of some sort. Little did he know, Kai was already behind him. Kai just ignored the baby panda. "I was talking to you, white haired brat. Are you as rude as your friends as to not even respond when someone is addressing you?" Kai lifted his hand up and was going to knock Yin out unconscious once again, the same as he did with Zach and Suna. But Yin was different this time. His pupils were glowing white underneath the masquerade which seemingly manifested out of nowhere. He blocked Kai Xin''s hand and held it. Chapter 71 - Hellish Smile "What has gotten into you, Yin Sohaya?" Kai chuckled. Yin pushed away Kai''s hand and dashed towards him, not saying anything at all. Kai blocked every single punch and kick that Yin threw his way. The intensity of each one was getting stronger and stronger. "I do not know what kind of abilities and powers you possess to be able to do this and have those snowy white eyes and that stylish masquerade, but were you just hiding that strength all this time? If you had told me that you were this strong, I would have gone straight for you, Yin!" Still no response from Yin. Oliver was not even going near Yin. Was it sensing that he was not the same Yin Sohaya as before? Yin revved up a punch while closing the distance between the two of them, Kai prepared to block the anticipated trajectory of where it would have hit, but Yin, rather, The Creator, planned this all along. Yin pulled back his punch and instead threw a broad kick which Kai failed to anticipate himself. The S Rank Slayer was sent flying, until he finally hit a tree. Kai Xin got up and dusted off his clothes. "Aw, look how dirty I got!" He then removed his white fur coat and hanged it slowly on the tree that he hit against. Yin was still standing, his back arched and his head tilted down. Kai did not know that Yin was not the one in control of his body. As Kai was about to open his mouth and blurt more words, he noticed something was wrong. His nose. It was bleeding. Kai gently nudged his nose with his hand. He looked at his hand and nodded. "Alright, Yin. Alright. I have no idea how you knew my moniker earlier, but that does not matter. I will show you why I am called ''The Dragon of The Inferno Garden.''" Kai said as he wiped his nose off slowly. "My turn." Their fight went on for an hour at most. The Creator never spoke, not even once. He also did not use any System powers, afraid that he might end up killing this person. But with just a pure physical fight alone, it was clear that Yin''s body was at a disadvantage, even if the Creator was the one using it. All this time, Yin''s Nix Eyes were up and running. It was starting to take a toll on his body. Kai Xin was panting. His red undershirt tattered and damaged, his face equally bloodied and bruised. Yin''s body was not without its sustained damage, though. His face was equally bruised up and was obviously beaten. As both of them panted, trying to catch their breaths, a serene calmness was there. Oliver was hitting Suna with his bamboo shoot, attempting to heal her. Zachary was still propped up on the ground, grimoire in hand. While the two Slayers left standing were staring at each other. "You are not Yin, aren''t you?" Kai Xin broke the silence with a question, his grin accompanying his words. Yin, once more, did not speak. Instead of words, he reciprocated the Fire Slayer''s grin with a smile of his own. An equally wide grin yet a thousand times more sinister. Kai Xin could sense the bloodlust emanating from Yin. He knew that what he was seeing was not of this world. It was that of a sleeping monster in of itself. This was not Yin Sohaya, it was something else¡­ Kai prepared for the inevitable first strike by this thing or person controlling Yin, but it never came. Instead, Yin fell to the ground and was knocked unconscious. The S Rank Fire Slayer breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank the heavens that was finally over." He said as he turned around to look at Yin''s body on the ground. "This should be fascinating." It was approaching sunset now. Kai looked up to the sky above and contemplated a lot of things as he waited for them to come to their senses and finally wake up. He saw Oliver and shot him a nod. To which the baby panda rolled its eyes and ignored him. Kai scratched his head and laughed. It was nighttime now. Yin had awoken first. He looked around and checked on Suna and Zachary, seeing if they sustained any fatal wounds. Yin was relieved and continued to lay on the ground. Just as he was about to close his eyes, a familiar voice broke his plans for a shut eye. "So, what''s your deal, Yin? Who was that earlier? Who was I fighting?" Kai Xin''s voice asked nonchalantly, as if nothing ever happened. "T-That was me!" Yin was in a state of shock. "How did Kai know that The Creator was using my body back then? Did The Creator himself tell him willingly? No, he has nothing to gain from that. Maybe he does, I do not even know." Kai laughed. He then proceeded to ask about various details about the fight, including the most obvious, like who did what move and whatnot. Yin stuttered and stammered on his words, failing to answer truthfully and was just airballing each question so far. "It is alright, Yin. This is not the first time I have sensed something like that in a person during a fight, trust me." Kai assured him. "You do not have to tell me anything at all, I respect that. Just be careful not to misuse your powers like you did earlier, if I had not been me, someone who could not think quick on his or her feet, you would have killed that person, withered him or her away into nothingness." Yin was about raise his voice and scold Kai back for even coming here in the first place just looking for a fight, but Kai Xin cut him off. "Relax, I know I sound like a hypocrite for telling you that while I trespassed your hideout and all that. Sorry for that, I was only following Ignis'' orders." "What did your leader even want to accomplish here today? Even back then during the start of the fight, I knew you were holding back, you were just toying with us. If you had been serious, I am sure you would have cut us down where we stood in an instant." Yin said. "Look at you, using your brain and stuff." Kai chuckled. "Just kidding, Yin." "You at least owe us an answer. You sabotaged our hideout and knock us out on the ground for what, really?" "Well, Ignis'' instructions were to ''gauge'' how strong the Six Blades'' new members were." Kai hesitated while saying that. "Do not tell Ignis or anyone else I told you that, alright?" Yin nodded. "Anyway, Ignis has always been fixated on people and organizations that he thinks will pose a threat to the Inferno Garden. And at this moment, he sees Gavin Khalil and Luken Regalia as his ''rivals'' do you get it?" "Rivals?" Yin asked. "Yeah, you heard me. After that whole fiasco with Adam Rosa defecting to the Angel''s side, Ignis, who was desperately attempting to catch up to him, was left empty handed. He felt like his life had no direction, he knew he could not climb the top rank and outrank either Artorias Khalil or Adam Rosa, so he wanted to beat them in the organizational rankings." "Is that not sort of petty?" Yin said. "I am not in a position to disobey orders. I could easily disobey and not do what he told me, but I respect Ignis enough to do what he tells me to, that is about it." Kai wiped the blood from his bruises. "S-Sorry about that¡­" Yin apologized to Kai Xin. "No need to apologize, Yin. I gave you your own fair share of damage as well." Kai laughed. Yin was far too amped up with the adrenaline from the fight from earlier to even notice it. He huffed and pressed on his ribs. "D-Did you seriously break them?!" "Hey, you should take that as a compliment, you know. The Dragon himself deemed you as a worthy opponent in a fight. Worthy enough to be taken seriously by me!" Kai continued laughing. He stopped for a brief moment. "By the way, how did you know my nickname? I have truly been curious all this time. It is not like I told you guys during our first encounter hours ago, right? I am not even able to remember, that is just how often I run my mouth." Yin cracked a slight laugh himself. "I would prefer if I did not tell you." He got up and took a hard glance at the stars up above. "Very well, I respect that. I am not going to pester you with more questions about your powers, just be careful, alright?" Yin nodded. Oliver crawled towards Yin and brushed his head at him. "No smacking people with your stick, alright, Oliver? At this rate, that would be more painful rather than heal us." Oliver bobbed his head up and down in agreement. "Can you help me with something, Kai?" Yin asked him. "Sure, what is it?" "Let''s carry them back to the hideout, it is going to get cold out here in the night." "Very well, perhaps that would ease their anger towards me if I did that." "Perhaps." Chapter 72 - Roasted Duck Feast Zachary had awoken from being knocked out unconscious by Kai from earlier. "Shoot, for how long was I out for?" He asked himself. His eyes darted around the room, making sense of where he was. Zach has in his room. Grimoire still in his hands. He jolted himself up from bed, but slowly groaned from his injuries. "Ugh. That Kai Xin guy really did a number on me. I can barely feel my face." Zach said as he caressed his left cheek which the S Rank Fire Slayer from the Inferno Garden punched from earlier. A knock from his door was heard. "Hey, Zach. Are you up?" It was Suna''s voice. "Yeah, I am up. Did you end up in your room as well?" "Uh-huh. Yin and Kai carried us to our respective rooms. It is almost 10 in the evening, the supper is almost cooked, I think. Come down and eat!" She exclaimed. "Alright, I will be down in just a bit." "¡­" "Wait, what?! Kai Xin is still here?!" "Yep." Suna replied. Zachary opened the door and ran downstairs. His heart raced with the thought of their attacker still being here. "What is he up to? Has he taken them hostage? Was he waiting for me to wake up? Where the hell is that klutz, Yin? Is Suna in on this as well?!" Panic was rushing through Zach''s mind. As he stepped his foot on the first flight of steps from below, he immediately went straight to the living room. There they were, Yin, Suna, Oliver, and Kai. Sat on a table, together. Zachary readied his grimoire and opened it, landing his fingers on the Whirling Fireball spell he desperately was trying to still practice for days now. "Woah, woah, slow down there." Kai attempted to calm Zach down. So did Yin and Suna. "It is fine, Zach, you can stand down now." Suna said. "Stand down?! After what this guy did to us earlier? And why are you three even siding with him?! Even Oliver! I will not condone this traitorous behavior at all!" Just as he was about to expel the fireball from the palms of his hands, Kai Xin was now in the front of his field of view. Kai''s boots were smoking lightly. His hands held Zach''s grimoire in place. "Let go!" Zach shouted. "You really have to hear my side of the story out, young Zachary. Seriously, man, can you calm down for a bit?" Zachary lowered his guard and sighed. He sat down at the table, walking past Kai Xin. "Very well. Talk." Zach said as he crossed his arms. Kai pulled a chair and took a seat in front of Zach, who was still adamant about everything so far. He explained everything to him, such as why he was there and why he had to fight them. "Couldn''t you have made something up and pretend that you actually fought us? Did you really need to go all out against a bunch of rookies like that?!" Zachary raised his voice. Yin and Suna nodded, supporting Kai''s story. Suna at first was definitely on edge, but after hearing it straight from Kai himself, she eased up a bit. It helped that Yin also told her that he was not lying at all. "So, that about explains my predicament¡­" Kai scratched his head while laughing nervously. "Hm. I still do not trust you." "That''s really rude of you, Zach!" Kai responded. "Oh, I almost forgot, the roasted duck is ready I believe." Kai stood up from where he sat and went outside. "Roasted duck?" Zach turned to Yin and Suna. The two hungry gluttons shook their heads up and down. Zachary could have sworn he saw them salivating just a minute ago. Oliver was dozing off on Suna''s lap. "How come you came to your senses much faster than I did, Suna?" Zachary asked her. "Well, it is all thanks to this baby furball." She said as she scratched Oliver''s ears lightly. "Hm. So he really is a healer, huh? That is pretty neat, to be honest." Zachary then raised his arms and pointed his finger at Yin, "You! You just stood there shaking earlier. You could not have helped us? Seriously. Also, you just used your powers that turns anything into dust as it crumbles. You used ''that'' power against another human being!" "Hey, lay off me! It just activated by itself involuntarily. I did not mean to do it. By the way, weren''t you the first one who got knocked out during the fight? You are such a nitpicker, I swear!" Yin said. "Can you both be quiet? The roasted duck is almost here¡­" "Hm. Is it?" Zach has not seen it yet. "It may be hidden from my eyes, but I can smell it. It is getting closer and closer¡­" "Yikes." Kai got back inside the hideout once more, carrying a roasted duck cooked with a bamboo pole, circling it around with coal until it turned golden brown. "Behold, my very own roasted duck recipe!" Kai proudly placed it on the table with a plate under it. Yin''s eyes were sparkling and widened. "Woah, you really can cook, Kai." Yin said. "Of course. This is child''s play for me!" Kai responded while chuckling loudly. Zach scoffed. Perhaps he was threatened by another cook potentially curating food and making it better than he does. "Alright, go dig in, everyone!" Suna and Yin were basically clawing against each other at the table. Plates clinked loudly as both of then went at it. "Aren''t you well behaved?" Kai Xin made an observation targeted at Zach. Zachary just ignored him. He was still furious at his intrusion and audacity to initiate a fight against them from earlier. Zachary took a plate and cut out a part of the duck with his table knife and fork. Kai watched them eat in delight, while he took small bites himself. Even Oliver was digging in, they gave him a small plate to eat on the table with. The baby panda was reluctant at eating something he did not eat before at first, but after a few spoonsful, he was loving it. "How is it, little one?" Kai Xin asked the baby panda. Oliver simply nodded in joy. "That is good, eat well." Zachary did not even turn to look at Kai, he was only focused on eating. After half an hour of the Six Blades stuffing themselves with Kai Xin''s special roasted duck recipe, they finally exhausted themselves after tearing it apart until only bones were seen. Kai stood up. "Well, it would seem as if I really do not need to ask you how it was anymore. Seeing as there is nothing left of it." The S Rank Inferno Garden Slayer let out a victorious chuckle. "That was amazing, Kai!" Suna exclaimed. "Yeah, I am so full I do not even know if I can still walk¡­" Yin said after he gulped down a whole glass of water. "Tell me, Kai, do you really think this makes up for your intrusion in our hideout?" Zachary wrinkled his eyebrows. Kai sighed. "Here I thought we would be even after cooking for you guys¡­" "You thought wrong, then." Zach responded. "Hey, cut him some slack, Zach, I am sure even you knew that if Kai did not hold back during our fight, we would have been seriously injured, right?" Yin said as he stood up. "Yeah, I do know that. Not once was he taking us seriously in that fight." Zach said. "Alright, young Zachary, what do you want me to do to make it up to you guys? By the way, you do know I can just not do it, right? I am just being a stand up guy here. I feel bad for fighting a bunch of rookies, but hey, that was my mission." Kai was serious now. "To make it up to us, you are going to have to train me!" Zachary shouted at Kai. "Nah. I am not good at teaching and training other Slayers, sorry Zach." Kai smiled nervously. "T-That does not matter! At least teach me how to use my grimoire effectively, you are the perfect person for this, you''re a high ranking Fire Slayer. You are in the Inferno Garden for god''s sake!" Kai contemplated it. He squinted his eyes as he thought long and hard about what his response would be. "Hmm. I would not be able to train you efficiently given the time constraints. I have to be somewhere tomorrow evening. But, I am free tomorrow from morning till afternoon, let us squeeze in as much as we can in that timespan, are you good with that?" Zach nodded. "Then let us get started!" Kai exclaimed. "Your first task in this training regime is to¡­" Zach waited while his impromptu teacher was stalling for what he was going to say next. "To clean the table and wash the dishes!" "Are you kidding me right now?!" "Nope, you''re the one who chose me as your teacher, right? You''ve got to listen to me, student." Yin and Suna laughed at the events unfolding before them. Chapter 73 - Grand Castle Debacle During dinnertime the same time at the Grand Castle. The hundreds of S Rank and above Slayers were cut down to just twenty. These numbers were decided based on their abilities and compatibility with the operation that Ignis Silva was going to lead. Operation Phoenix was to be a ten man mission led by the Inferno Garden''s top gun. There were now two groups left, each having ten members. One was the main squad which consisted of Luken Regalia, the Slayer Corps Commander, SS Rank Water Slayer, as well as the likes of Gavin Khalil, Faust Keisuke, Vale Ashford, and many other talented names. The secondary team was also filled to the brim with talented and strong S rank and above Slayers in their own rights. It was meant to be a backup team, in case things did not go immediately as planned or in schedule. If a member of the primary team was injured, or unable to go on to deploy on the day of the Operation Phoenix, the secondary team would be where the replacements would come from. The twenty or so Slayers ate in a large dining table in the main hall, with the Emperor of Niflheim himself, The Grand Emperor Nicholas joining the session. Slayers were still getting accustomed to living temporarily in the Grand Castle after all, so everyone was understandably on edge. Luken broke the ''weird'' silence, as he had gone accustomed to calling it. "Hey, Ignis?" He called for the Inferno Garden''s leader. "Yes?" Ignis had a glint of annoyance in his eyes, his eyebrows also wrinkled quite a lot just from hearing Luken''s voice calling out to him. "I do not see your second in command anywhere. I have been trying to find him ever since the meeting. The only one I have ever seen from your organization is Hector Incendium. Where is Kai?" Ignis clicked his tongue. "And, what business do you have with Kai Xin? You know he is not going to be defecting from the Inferno Garden and joining an organization that is a couple of ranks below us such as yours, right?" Ignis wanted to dissect what Luken''s interest in finding him was, but he did not let go of the opportunity to hurl insults at Luken. "You have got to let that go and chill, man. That was ages ago, besides, he joined you guys, not us. Although I would not call his decision based on some real critical thinking, anyway." "What do you mean to imply, Luken Regalia?" Luken shrugged his shoulders. "Well, he kind of just flipped a coin to see whether he is joining the Six Blades or the Inferno Garden, right? That did not really reflect on proper and decisive decision making. So, he did not choose the better organization, he just joined you guys based on chance." Luken said as a wide smile was painted on his face. Gavin desperately tried to pull him from saying anything more, worried that they might get sanctioned or get into trouble. "Do you not know how to calm down, Luken?" Gavin asked him while planting his palms on his face in disappointment. "Be that as it may, Luken. The fact of the matter is that we still won. Whether it was that coin toss, or the organization rankings, I won. The Inferno Garden won. Well, so much for that, why are you looking for him, anyway?" Ignis clapped back with a sinister grin of his own. "No particular reason at all, I figured me and my friend just had a bit of catching up to do, that is all. I have not seen him in months." Luken responded. "I see, well, I will make sure to extend your regards and good will and have it reach him. Wherever he may be right now." Ignis said, knowing full well he just sent Kai to test the Six Blades rookie and what their strengths are. Hector had his iconic straight face on in the midst of the entire exchange, not once making any unnecessary movements. Everyone could sense the A Rank Slayer''s focus and state of mind. They were amazed at the composure and overall mental strength as to not be intimidated by a dozen war hardened Slayers in a room. When the servants knocked, signaling the arrival of their supper, the Emperor allowed their entry and everyone was served well into the feast. During their dinner, Ignis had noticed that the night has gone smoothly without any further nonsensical things being said. He eyed the chairs and table, seemingly looking for someone. "Where is Faust Keisuke?" He asked. "Err. About that¡­ Him and Luken sort of got carried away while conducting a ''sparring practice'' from earlier." Gavin responded. "Where is that nitwit now, then?" "He is in his quarters, his food will be delivered to him shortly after, do not worry." Said the Emperor. "Why did you even include me, Luken, or even Faust into the Operation Phoenix, Ignis? Seeing as you hate us with all your heart and all that. Are you not worried about chemistry issues and the lack of team cohesion once we are outside the gates?" Gavin asked the operation leader. "You see, Gavin, as much as I hate your guts and who you are as a person, I still acknowledge your strength. And, I believe that the gap brought on by chemistry issues as well as lack of cohesion in the battlefield will be easily covered up by our raw strengths with little to no effort." Ignis Silva responded, taking a bite off of his medium rare cooked pork steak. "Does that mean you acknowledge my strength as well, Ignis?" Luken raised his hand and asked sarcastically. Ignis Silva did not even bother to take the time of the evening in responding to his antics. "I see. I guess I am able to rally on with that." Gavin said as he slicked his long, dark green hair back and tied it in a bun. "I am curious as to your brother''s location nowadays, Serpent Summoner." Ignis said as he took a glass of champagne and observed it under the lights of the chandelier. "I would have loved to have him on my team." "You are going to have to ask him yourself, but the first thing to be done is to find his whereabouts. Even I do not know what he is up to." Gavin turned a glance at the Emperor. "Well, as The Basilisk Slayer is the Slayer Corps strongest Slayer, ranking first place in the individual rankings, his activities are not always disclosed to the public." Emperor Nicholas said as he wiped his mouth with a tissue. "Is there any valid reason as to why he is absent from the meeting earlier? I believe he still fits the criteria of the attendees, no?" Ignis was adamant in knowing why Artorias Khalil was a no-show. "Even if Art was here, do you really think he would want to be in a ten man squad led by a scum such as yourself?" Luken could not resist it. Red flames encircled around Luken''s chair. One glance at Ignis, you would see that he already had his grimoire on his hands. The Commander stood up from his seat and aimed both of his fingertips at Ignis Silva''s head. "It is too deep into the night for such a blazing temperature, wouldn''t you say?" The Emperor could not help but sigh. "Why did you even recruit Luken in the first place if you knew it would always be like this, Ignis?" "I have repeated this time and time again already, although I do not respect the person and however, he wishes to carry himself, I respect his or her strength. That is one constant thing about me. Whether it is Luken or anyone else that I do not like, if he has the strength to make the mission a success, I will tame him." He said that as he let go of his grimoire. Hector was ready to pounce at the Commander and take the shot for Ignis. Gavin had also summoned fifty snakes underneath the table, unseen by many. He did this when he sensed Ignis'' bloodlust. Luken also pulled his hands down. He took a cigarette from his breast pocket and asked Ignis to light it up for him, to which the latter obviously declined. "Man, you are such a sore loser." Luken walked out of the room, without finishing his plate. "Send my leftovers to my quarters later, I might feel my appetite coming back to me soon. But I have long lost it eating in front of Ignis." He said that with a smile on his face. This was not an uncommon sight for the Slayers present there. Barely anyone but Hector and Gavin reacted. They all knew that whoever lost their temper first and drew blood would be eviscerated and be forced to fight against all of them. As it is in the Slayer Code to never draw your fellow Slayer brother''s blood, even though you may belong to different factions and organizations. Chapter 74 - What Once Was The supper at the Grand Castle ended shortly after. Luken was in Faust Keisuke''s quarters. His hand had a cigarette stick, half burnt. "You alright now, Faust?" "Y-Yeah, I think I am. You are still as strong as that day against the Seraphim, Commander." Luken could not help but feint a smile. "That is kind of why I have survived as long as I have. Although I hate how much Ignis overstates strength, it really is the difference between life and death in our professions. By the way, I am sorry for getting carried away earlier." "Heh. Do not even mention it. I was just far too underwhelming." "You did manage to land a couple of solid blows at me, though. The last time we sparred, you could not even land a scratch on me, so, consider that a win." Faust laid there, his left arm in a cast and his legs wrapped around gauze bandages enchanted with healing liquids. Despite this, he still managed to force a ''thumbs up'' sign with his left hand. "Thanks, sir. I will even be stronger than before, so just like now, do not ever hold back." "Yeah, I will not. Do not worry." With that, Luken exited the Primal Hounds'' second in command''s room and went up to the castle''s turret. The one with the highest elevation. There, he finished his smoke. While contemplating everything that has happened so far. He reminisced about his sister. About the old Six Blades and every member back then. The Commander''s blue eyes fixed at the stars above. Each speck of light was millions of lightyears away. "What the fuck happened to you, Adam?" Gavin was in the Six Blades'' quarters now. Sipping coffee while writing a letter for the remaining rookies at the hideout. He picked up a quill. Spinning it around and around until the words finally came through for him. Gavin Khalil was definitely not one for many words, but a letter is comprised of that, so he had his work cut out for him. ''Dear Suna, Yin, and Zachary. How are you guys faring? As of the arrival of this letter from my ''carrier pigeon'', it would have been two weeks after me and Luken have departed for this important meeting. Do not be startled, however, my carrier is not a normal pigeon, I have chosen it to be my trustworthy snake. I will tie this letter to his back as he speeds his way back home. Well, its importance absolutely cannot be understated. I am not in any position or able to disclose everything here, but the time will come that it shall be disclosed to the public. Do not worry, it is the potential of a huge-scale win for mankind. Are you guys eating well? How is the task delegation? Is everyone doing their jobs successfully and efficiently in rotation? If they are not, then I already told you this, Suna. But you will be able to punish them, however you might want to do it, just do not get carried away. Luken and I are fine here. Things are about to be break loose soon. Do not worry about us, we are in the top ten individual Slayer rankings for a reason. That is all. I hope this letter finds you well.'' Gavin finished the letter. He rolled it up and tied a knot to it. He called forth his carrier snake, gently tapped its head. Gavin took out a small vial from his breast pocket, it was a vial full of small worms. He fed his small carrier snake with a single worm, it then made itself scarce shortly after that. In the Inferno Garden quarters, Hector Incendium was meditating on the floor, exhaling and inhaling with great calmness and precision. Ignis was reading a book himself. "Might I ask what you are reading about, sir?" Hector asked Ignis. "It is nothing. Just a summary and several news stories of that time the ''Reaper'' turned traitor. You have heard it, right?" "Yes, I indeed have, sir. The Fallen Reaper is an enemy to humanity, although the details have not been publicized to the brim, it is known that he has joined the ranks of the Angels now. He did so after slaying everyone but the Commander and the Serpent Summoner of the Six Blades." Hector nodded as he said that. "I see you have done your fair share of research, Hector." Ignis adjusted his glasses from falling off. "That is correct." "Why are you curious about it now? Is it because of the Commander?" "No particular reason whatsoever." "Forgive me for this observation, sir. But you seem to hold a special sort of anger and animosity towards Luken Regalia." "He is an eccentric. The same goes for his friend, the Serpent Summoner, Gavin Khalil. But there is something else I feel for Luken." Hectors eyebrows raised. Ignis now captivated his attention and pulled it in fully. "I feel bad for him." Hector was surprised with the way that Ignis Silva was talking that night, the Inferno Garden leader was not someone who easily opened up about these things. Therefore, he did not even bother prying him more about it. Hector just left it as it is. "I see. I will now be retiring to my bed, if you do not mind, sir." "Not at all. Sleep well, Hector." Hector bowed his head downwards slightly to his leader and slowly walked back to his bed. He left his white Inferno Garden robes on the chair. "Hector, I would like to ask you one thing in return, now." The A Rank Fire Slayer stopped in his tracks and turned around quickly. "What would that be, sir?" "You have not worn your honorary Inferno Garden robe. You realize you are a member of the Inferno Garden for months now, right? I have only seen you carry it on your hand or let it hang on one side of your shoulder." Hector''s round eyes were widened. He was visibly surprised. "Ah, I could not believe you noticed such a detail, sir. Well, to answer that question, it is because I know I am far too weak to wear it." Ignis raised his eyebrows. "Too weak? I would like to ask you to elaborate on that statement." "I mean that my capabilities still are not up to par with someone who should be wearing this robe. If I get strong enough with my own standards, or win the Slayer Tournament, I might just wear it." The rookie said with a smile. "I see. You know, Hector. The Slayer Tournaments is still ways away from now. If you survive the Operation Phoenix, I would like you to start wearing it. That is an order, you understand?" Hector nodded. "You are dismissed." Ignis continued to read on. "I was supposed to surpass you first, Adam Rosa." His red eyes were ablaze as he read the events surrounding that night. Luken finally descended down back to his quarters. As he opened the door, Gavin''s judgmental gaze immediately pierced his soul. "Excellent display of maturity out there, Luken." Gavin said with a cold stare. "Cut me some slack, man. You know how much Ignis deserves to be treated like that." Luken responded as he took a seat on his bed. "I apologize for my sarcastic tone." Gavin let out a relieving chuckle. "You are right, he does deserve it." "See?! I told you!" Luken said. "But you have to manage your emotions better, all the young and promising Slayers look up to you, I am sure as Commander of the Six Blades, you do know that, right?" "Yeah, yeah. You have been telling me that for as long as I can remember after I was appointed as the Slayer Corps Commander, man." Luken sighed. "It is not like I really wanted to become Commander, you know?" Luken responded as he was about to light up his cigarette inside the room. "No smoking on your bed, Luken. It will stink up the room, we talked about this already." Gavin said. "Why didn''t you campaign yourself for Commander back then, Gavin? I am really curious. I am sure you can rally the Slayer Corps better than I do. You are pretty strong yourself and your decision making and critical thinking makes your value go up insanely." "The Emperor actually asked me who I would recommend would be the best candidate for the position back then." Gavin replied. "And?!" Luken raised his voice in anticipation. "What do you think, genius? Of course, I suggested your name." Luken let out a sigh of defeat. "Why did you have to do that, Gavin? Can you see how time consuming and absolutely tiring it is to be the Commander? I thought you were my friend!" Luken was comically having an outburst. "Alright, alright, calm down now. Get up and light your cigarette in front of the window, just not on your bed. Perhaps I did it out of spite and to piss you off? Maybe I really do believe you are the best man for the job? Who knows?" Gavin left Luken puzzled. Chapter 75 - Coin Flip As the birds chirped from being awoken by the sun''s gentle touch, it was yet another day once again. "Rise and shine, my dear pupil!" Kai was knocking on Zachary''s window now. Although it was technically morning, it was still 5AM. Zachary saw Kai''s overly excited face, stared at it for ten seconds with his bewildered expression, and went back to sleep shortly after. Kai continued to knock and pester him. "Hey! Weren''t you the one who wanted me to take you under my wing? Come on, Zach. I only have two days at most!" The S Rank Fire Slayer did not cease from waking Zachary up. "Why does it feel like I did a terrible thing last night? I should not have asked someone as annoying as this to be my teacher. But regardless of his personality and how he carries himself, his strength cannot be denied. I really do have no choice, do I?" Zach asked himself in the deepest recesses in his thoughts. He grumbled all of it incoherently in on his pillow. "Your training has not even started yet, it is far too early to lose it, you know?" Kai grinned at the sleeping rookie through the window. Meanwhile Yin was on his room, getting blasted by the notification from the Thanatos System regarding his daily quest. "When is this going to end? I am only Level 12, and I already want to give up¡­" Yin said. "Some ''hero'' you are." The Creator''s voice responded to him. "What?! Why are you in my head?!" Yin exclaimed. "Why not? I am one with the System. Have you already forgotten? I am one of the two reasons why this System was created." "No. I definitely have not forgotten that, but you still have not told me your name. What is it?" "Who I am, what my name is, what I do inside your head, why I exist ¨C all these meaningless questions are of no importance to your circumstances right now, trust me. I am who I will always be to you. I am The Creator." "It is a bit too early for me to listen to your condescending voice, to be quite frank with you." Yin responded nonchalantly. The Creator''s voice scoffed. "Fine, have it your way." Yin went back to sleep after their that very uneventful conversation. His sleep''s resume was cut abruptly with the sound of shattering glass. It came from Zach''s room. Yin immediately put on his boots and ran towards the location of the sound. As he was in the hallway, he spotted Suna, who was also startled and was running towards Zachary''s room. She still had her hair styled in the famous "bed head" style. "Did you hear that?!" Yin asked her while his face had a startled expression on. "Yeah, that is why I jumped out of bed, what the heck was that?!" She responded. As the two made their way to Zachary''s room, they eyes began to go from ''concerned'' to ''not even surprised.'' On the floor was Kai Xin, picking up the pieces of broken glass from Zachary''s window pane. Zach was there, standing over him, like a disappointed yet equally furious mother making her son clean up after his carelessness. Kai saw Yin and Suna at the door. "Oh, what is up, guys?" Kai laughed nervously while scratching his head. "It may look bad, but there is an explanation for this, trust me." Together, Yin and Suna did not even respond to the man. They both just walked back to their rooms and resumed their sleep. "What were you thinking, honestly?" Zach asked Kai Xin. "Look, Zach, I did not know that it would break the glass! I was only going to shine a light ray of fire at you, it would not have hurt you, emphasis on the word ''light.''" Kai Xin responded to Zachary. "And what would that have accomplished?" "I was hoping it would get you out of bed, honestly. Looking at you standing up from your bed now, it worked. Right?" Zach sighed. He sat back down on his bed. "I read some details about the letter Gavin and the Commander, Luken, got. It was written that all S rank and higher rank Slayers should have been present for a meeting at the Grand Castle." Zach said. "Are you sure snooping around your superior''s things would not get you into trouble? That is not a very nice thing to do, Zach." "Comedy will not help you out of the question, Kai. I am just curious; I do not mean to pry." "Aside from the fact that Ignis instructed me to do what I did yesterday, which was precisely done because then Gavin and Luken would not be here, well, I just did not like to go, plain and simple." Kai responded while picking up the shards of glass carefully as to not cut his palms. "Wasn''t it an order? Can you really afford to disobey summons from the Emperor himself?" Zachary was puzzled. "You know how all Slayers are in the same Slayer Corps, right? But we are free to choose our organization and what group we wish to be included in. I asked Ignis if it was a necessity for me to go, he just told me to not force it. That I should not go if I did not really feel like it." "And?" "And, my young student, that is precisely what I have done! There will be penalties to my paycheck, I am sure of it. But that is nothing, I would rather be penalized than to force myself to attend those meetings, if it really is that important, I can have Ignis relay the events there to me." Kai Xin took out a small plastic bag from his pocket and placed all the shards of glass there. "It seems to me like you are much more loyal to your organization leader, which in this case, is the ruthless Ignis Silva, rather than to your duty as a Slayer." Zachary told the man as it is in a harsh manner. "Yes, I suppose that perfectly encapsulates it, I believe." He stood up and watched the Sun slowly ascend to the sky up above. "Frankly, I do not see anything wrong with that." Zachary was silent. "After what happened to Luken Regalia''s sister and the other Six Blades members, I was recruited by Luken and Gavin." Zachary''s eyes were widened. Kai laughed softly. "Judging from your reaction, I am thinking they did not tell you, right? It is not like it matters right now, anyway." He said. "Wait, so how did you end up choosing the Inferno Garden over the Six Blades? Was Ignis Silva really that emphatic of a leader that a lazy simpleton such as yourself ended up choosing him over Luken?" This time, Kai did not bother holding back his laughter. He laughed, but not in an insulting manner. It was of pure enjoyment and amusement. "No, it is nothing like that. Although I do admit there are several qualities that Luken does not possess which Ignis does. But that can be said the other way as well. Ignis also has many factors absent from him which are abundant in Luken Regalia''s arsenal." Kai responded back. "So, which is it?" Gavin was eager to know. "It was honestly a really tough decision to make for me. Both of them were in my batch. Ignis, Luken, Gavin, and I were in the same rookie class. So, I had a dilemma in my hands." Zachary was very captivated by Kai Xin''s story. To know more about his superiors and those that were stronger than him and their history were things that he enjoyed. "Then what happened next?" "Luken called me up and sent me a message via his carrier pigeon one time. I was wasted in a bar, I had just drunk a ton more than I could handle that night before. I opened the message and he wanted to meet me for lunch. I went ahead and met him, obviously. He invited me a place on the Six Blades, honestly, I was touched." "Why didn''t you accept it, then?" "Luken gave me a day to think about it. I was chilling for a bit, I sat down under a large ass oak tree somewhere near the Grand Castle. That was when I saw Ignis. And he saw me as well, I knew the guy. I knew what his gaze meant. So, I tried to look away and cover my face, attempting to be asleep and stuff. He approached me instantly and we talked for a bit. I was honestly a bit relieved as he stood up, he didn''t ask me to join his organization, what a relief, I thought to myself. Ignis was walking back towards wherever he was going that day, he looked back at me and offered me a place in the Inferno Garden at the last possible second." Kai caught up to his breath and sighed. "So I did the most practical thing there was. Heads for the Six Blades and tails for the Inferno Garden." Zachary''s jaw dropped. "Y-You flipped a fucking coin?!" Chapter 76 - Survivors Guilt "Yep, I did flip a coin." Kai noticed Zach was obviously worked up and surprised at the same time. "Is something the matter, Zach?" "N-No. It is just surprising to me that you let a fifty fifty chance on whether what organization you were about to join be decided by the simple flipping of a coin." Kai sat down, his back turned towards Zach''s clothing drawer. "It might seem stupid to some people, but I would not have done it any other way. I was torn between two friends of mine, I could not decide on my own, so I chocked it up to probability. There was a fifty percent fair chance of me joining either, do you feel me?" Kai asked Zachary who was still dumbfounded. "Yeah, I definitely do. I just would not do it myself." The rookie replied. This made Kai let out a gentle smile. "Definitely. You should not chock things up to chance like I did." "Why do you think that is, Kai?" "Because, my young student, you will be left with lingering thoughts. Thinking whether what your position and how you would be if you were in the place opposite of the choice you made is not good. Once you are torn between decisions or choices, choose something while acknowledging that you did it of your accord. Accept what happens after that decision, but never regret choosing it." Zachary scoffed. "It seems to me like you are unhappy in the Inferno Garden, do you feel like you have made a mistake for choosing them instead of sir Luken Regalia and the Six Blades?" Zach was eager to know. "Nah. I am perfectly fine here." "Then why are you telling me all of those things about not regretting decisions and living with your own choices?" "Because I often think of the ones who are not here anymore." Kai said. Zachary''s eyebrows were wrinkled. "What do you mean with that?" He pressed on. "I am referring to the ones six feet below from us. The ones who have been face to face against death and have not come out on top. That is who I was referring to." Zachary was silent. Kai Xin''s whole demeanor had changed. The smile he wore this whole time gradually turned into a frown. A frown painted with the sad colors of pain and regret. "That night. When the Reaper turned traitor and killed all of the Six Blades members excluding Luken Regalia and Gavin Khalil, if I had joined them instead, would I have been one of the Reaper''s victims?" Zachary could not muster the courage nor did he have anything worthwhile to say in this situation. He shut his mouth tight and continued to listen to Kai''s words. "Luken''s sister and all of the other ones who were killed. It would be highly probable that I was to be one of the bodies buried that day had I not joined Ignis and the Inferno Garden. You might even say I really did dodge a massive bullet on that one, a bullet aimed straight at my head through millions of concrete walls. And it still would have gone in and pulverized me." Kai played around with his white Inferno Garden robe. "Did I just survive by chance? By a stupid game of probability where I got lucky and lived?" Although the S Rank Fire Slayer asked the question out loud, there was something nagging Zachary to not answer him. This was not a question directed at him, as a request for a feedback or a reply shortly after. No, this was a question from Kai Xin to himself. Kai Xin''s voice was empty and hollow. Zachary did not notice it, but Kai was far too emotional that he was squeezing the shards of glass he picked up from earlier. Blood was dripping on Zach''s wooden floor. Upon noticing this, Kai immediately picked himself up and composed himself. "Whoops. I would like to apologize for that, I will clean this myself." He said as he looked around trying to find something to wipe it off with. "Do not worry about that, just do it later, tend to your hand and come back here, once you are back, we will start our training. It is almost 6 AM now, anyway. It is also my turn to cook for the gluttons still fast asleep." Zach assured him that it would be fine. "Alright, if you say so. I will be back in about twenty minutes. I can help you cook if you want." Kai said while doing a thumbs up motion with his still bleeding hand. Zach was now annoyed. "No. I will show you that I am able to cook better, I won''t lose to you, besides, you would only slow me down. I am sure of it." Zach said as his eyebrows met and his face had a disgusted expression painted on it. Kai shrugged his shoulders comically. "Have it your way. See you in a bit, my hand kind of stings now." "Can you just leave unannounced?" After Kai left, Zachary thought long and hard about his choices. "Am I really fit to be a Slayer? These guys have gone through so much. To survive for long in this line of work is not something easy to do. It is not a simple walk in the park, the question is ¨C am I fit to be one?" He asked himself. These thoughts kept nagging at Zach''s mind. But the fact that Luken and Gavin chose him, they must have seen his potential. At least that is what Zach repeated to himself. "I also do not wish to lose to that blundering fool, Yin." He stood up and made his way down towards the kitchen and started to prepare the breakfast for everyone. Zach finished preparing the food, after an hour and thirty minutes all in all. He took off his hairnet and apron and hung them by the kitchen wall. "Woah, you really do take things a bit too seriously." Kai had arrived and was peeking through the glass window in the kitchen. "It is called being clean, jackass." Zachary''s mood went from happy to annoyed in a matter of seconds. "Also, were you not supposed to be back after twenty minutes? You could have taught me stuff while I was cooking." He asked. "I thought about it, but then that would put a damp on the food''s overall presentation and flavoring itself." Kai spoke proudly, as he himself is a food connoisseur. "If I was disturbing you during the whole process, I would have eaten a bad breakfast. No offense, Zach. But food has to be given the utmost attention and care while making it." "Why are you teaching me how to cook my food? You should mind your own business and your own kitchen, Kai." Zachary was now definitely more than annoyed. Kai noticed this and let himself in through the front door. "How did you unlock the door?!" Zach asked. Kai did not even acknowledge his presence. He took a pillow and mashed his face in it and promptly fell asleep. "I am just going to make myself home, thanks. You can wake me up if breakfast is ready. Make it quick, though. I am starving." Kai Xin exuded a slight laugh after that. A few minutes after Zach had finished preparing the table and setting everything up, he decided to take a seat and catch his breath. "Why do you cook so immaculately every single day? Do you not know when to take it easy?" Kai asked with his muffled voice from his pillow. "It is not every day, we delegate it and alternate the cooking designation. Also, it does not matter who is eating, as long as it is not my father, I will prepare food the same way every single time ¨C as presentable and delightful as possible." Zach said proudly. "You really are geeking out right now, I did not take you for someone who was fond of cooking." Kai said. But something had really gotten his attention and he wanted to press on. "Your father? Why wouldn''t you cook as delightfully and as presentably as possible for your dad, man? I mean I would not really understand it I bet, because I am an orphan myself, but still though¡­" "Forget I said that, it is nothing." Zachary immediately responded. Seeing as Zach was not about to be persuaded into sharing things, Kai just responded with a simple nodding groan. Zachary walked upstairs with no rush, he needed to wake Yin and Suna up. His slow walk was a much needed breather before doing the gargantuan task of waking these pigs up. "This is the worst part of being assigned to cook breakfast." Kai, who was just chilling downstairs, heard the commotion. He could have sworn things were flying everywhere. "Hmm. Weird. I know they are rookies, but they seem to have lackluster chemistry.. They also do not look like they grew up together. I wonder where Luken got these rookies from and why¡­" Chapter 77 - Azure After the Six Blades plus Kai Xin finished eating their breakfast, they lazed around and cleaned for a bit in order to prepare for another grueling day of training. While Yin and Suna were sparring, Oliver was watching them intently, of course, he was cheering Suna on. The baby panda was waving his bamboo shoot in support of Suna. While the two of them were going blow for blow, Kai and Zachary had a separate place where they trained. Both of them were in a plain field. Kai raised his hand and pointed towards Zachary. "What do you think is the most important factor whenever you cast spells, Zach?" The S Rank Fire Slayer posed a simple question to the young man. "Your Anima cell count? The more your Anima cells are, the stronger your spells will be when they come out, right?" Zach answered with no hesitation or delay, he was locked in. "That does hold some merit, but it is not the only factor that plays in your spellcasting.." Kai expounded on Zach''s answer. "Then what should it even be?" Zach''s eyebrows met and were starting to wrinkle. "Focus, my student. You have to focus. With enough training, a Slayer''s Anima cells can indeed be exponentially increased significantly, but ¨C the most important thing is your focus and state of mind." Kai Xin said as he took out a grimoire of his own. "You do not need to be so hard on yourself as of now, I understand Gavin had to leave in haste and you were left with figuring things out on your own, but there will be a time where doing things smartly will not pan out well for you, especially in combat. In that single moment when you throw the fireball white it is in your palm, focus all of your energy and Anima cells into the palm of your dominant hand. Go on, try to cast the Whirling Fireball." He added. Zachary flipped his grimoire and focused on the page. "The Whirling Fireball¡­I can do this, there is no way I am losing to that knucklehead simpleton Yin!" He thought to himself. "You know, I actually managed to master that spell when I was like ten or eleven or something. I could barely even remember!" Kai exclaimed. Zachary did not even notice his presence, that was how focused he was. After taking deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling with focus, Zachary finally pulled his right hand back and targeted his palms at Kai Xin. "Fire away. It is not like anything or any spell you can hurl at me is going to land, hell, I do not even think it would graze me in the slightest if it ever landed." Kai was mocking Zachary. "We will see about that, Kai." "Whirling Fireball!" Zachary exclaimed as a circular fireball was hurled from his open palms towards the seemingly disinterested Kai Xin. Zach''s jaw dropped. Kai Xin''s eyes were wide open, staring at the fireball casted by his pupil. The fireball ¨C it was blue. Kai leaped upwards and dodged the attack. "D-Did that really just happen?!" Kai exclaimed. Zachary took a close look at the palm of his hands. He was very taken aback. "H-How did I do that?!" Kai quicky marched towards Zachary and hand both of his arms on top of his shoulders. He shook Zachary in excitement. "You did not tell me you had blue flames! Holy crap that was dangerous, man. If I did not dodge that I would have seriously taken some legitimate damage!" "T-Tell you?! I did not even know I had those blue flames up until now!" Zachary retorted back. The S Rank Fire Slayer raised both of his hands in an open palm, Zach did the same. They high fived as sparks went flying from their palms. "I guess you are some sort of anomaly yourself, Zachary Lancaster." Zachary grinned. "It seems that is quite the case, Kai." They both went on with their training until the afternoon finally ended. After that, both Kai Xin and Zachary walked back to where Yin and Suna were. "Hey! I have something to show you two!" Zach shouted from afar. "A bit too early for you to show off, is it not?" Kai mocked him. "Oh, shut up. I am sure I''ve earned this!" Yin and Suna made their way towards the both of them as they sat down in the table outside. Oliver followed to two of them as he waddled. "Why are you walking with two feet, Oli?" Suna asked him while caressing his head. "By the way, Oliver, can you heal my legs? They are a bit numb¡­" Yin asked the baby panda''s assistance. To which Oliver''s eyes glinted with pride. He took out his bamboo shoot from his backpack and folded it into a weapon. A weapon of healing, as opposed to destruction, in fact. Oliver began slapping Yin''s legs with it. "Ow!" Yin exclaimed at the very first slap. "Do not be such a wuss, Yin." Suna said. "I am not! It is just a weird feeling, you are getting healed yet he is doing it so by slapping the crap out of you with that thing!" Yin responded. Zach ran a few meters north to get some logs for target practice. "So, Kai, what is he trying to show us?" Suna asked. "I promised I would not tell, I believe Zachary is going to have to show it to you guys himself." Kai answered back. "Did you finally manage to teach him how to use his grimoire book efficiently?" Yin shot another question at Kai. "Nah. I think I was awfully useless today, sooner or later, without my aid and assistance, I am sure he could have discovered his own powers by himself." Kai Xin said as he laughed. A few moments later, Zachary was back. He placed five large logs in front of them from about thirty meters away. Zachary ran back towards them and took out his grimoire. Yin and Suna were quite amazed, in all the days that their impromptu training camp had started to become a part of their every day routine, this was the first time Zachary did not have an annoyed expression etched firmly on his face. The leaves were sent flying as Zachary planted both of his feet to the ground. He flicked his pages and was dead set on casting his spells. "Azure Whirling Fireball!" Zachary lifted his dominant hand, which was his right in front of him, while his left hand held the grimoire steadfast. His palms exuded a focused spinning blue fireball from out of it. Yin and Suna, even Oliver, gasped. Zachary, who was so sure that he was going to hit the three logs which were his targets, turned around and faced his team members. "Pretty cool, isn''t it?" Suna pointed her finger at his back. The blue fireball did not even reach thirty meters. It evaporated and vanished into thin air. Kai Xin had the most victorious laugh out of all of them. Suna and Yin followed with no hesitation. Zach clinched his palms in embarrassment. His cheeks were obviously turning rosy red. "How dare you insolent fools laugh at me! The goal of this was not to hit the logs, but to show you that I am a special type of Fire Slayer, idiots!" Zach exclaimed. "Did you see the look on his face?!" Kai asked Yin. "Yeah, he even had that proud look on his face like he really did what he wanted to!" Yin nodded and responded with a huge grin. "I have got to admit, Zach, that was pretty funny." Suna said. It took the three of them a grand total of five minutes to stop laughing. It could have been ceased a lot sooner than that, but every single time Kai, Yin, and Suna actually caught up to their breaths, someone repeated how Zachary was overly confident asking them if what he did was indeed ''pretty cool.'' "Are you finally done?" Zach asked them. The three of them nodded as though they shared a single brain cell altogether. All the while Oliver was still attacking (healing) Yin''s feet and legs. "But seriously, Zach, you are like Yin." Suna said to him. "What?! How am I like that simpleton?!" Zach overreacted. "Because you both have special affinities, idiot. With his black lightning and your azure flames!" Suna shouted. Zach scoffed. "Hm. Is that so? I never thought of that. Now that I have shown myself to not be a generic Fire Slayer, I can safely say I will cast all the spells I want to in combat effectively!" He retorted. "Is that why you were not confident in using your affinity a few weeks ago?" Yin pressed on. "No, I just thought my physical capabilities would carry me to the top. But seeing as we have a monster of raw physicality of our own here, I will focus on what I have instead of what I wish I had or thought I was." Zach said in a light manner. "Look at you, growing up so soon! My pupil has finally shed his smart ass demeanor!" Kai Xin rushed in to hug Zachary, to which the latter sprinted away from. Chapter 78 - The Letter Suna finally received the letter from Gavin as her carrier pigeon neatly landed on her arms. Oliver was obviously making a mean face, attempting to scare the bird away. "Are you mean mugging the pigeon, Oli?" Yin asked with a slight chuckle. Oliver did not respond and only continued on grinning angrily at the bird. Suna''s carrier pigeon''s eyes met with Oliver''s. The bird flapped its wings elegantly, and turned its neck away from the baby panda. As if to make fun of Oliver. "Now, now, Oliver, you have got to make an effort to get along with my pigeon. Her name is Pratty." Suna crouched down and leaned her arm which Pratty sat on towards Oliver. The baby panda and the carrier pigeon''s reactions did not change, it was as if they hated each other at first sight. Yin had to get in front of them to prevent an all out animal clash. Zachary and Yin gathered towards Suna. "Who is the letter from?" Yin anxiously asked. "Take a look at the mail closely, Yin. It has a green snake stamped right on it, who do you think it comes from?" Zachary, who was obviously sarcastic in his tone asked his fellow rookie, who was still puzzled. Yin thought long and hard. "Crap, I have got no idea, how about you guys?" He said after a minute of thinking about an answer. "My god, are you kidding me?" Zachary planted his palm on his face as a symbol of disappointment. "It is obviously Gavin, why does it seem like I have been here longer than you?" Just as Yin was about to retort something back at Zach, Suna opened it. The sound of the mail opening ceased their bickering. Both of them rushed in to read it. Suna stopped them right in their tracks. "We can read this without you guys getting so rattled, seriously, can you calm down?" Suna asked. "How can I calm down? What if my conquest deployment instructions are here?!" Zach exclaimed. "Y-Yeah, I am in the same boat as well! I have to get my ranks up or I will not be able to join the Slayer tournament, you know?! Yin followed shortly after. Kai just looked at them and blinked his eyes in disbelief. "Hang on, you brats. Especially you, Yin Sohaya. Are you telling me you want to make it to the Slayer Tournament?" Kai Xin was surprised, as if the look on his face did not give it away. "You do realize it is for B and A rank Slayers only right? They are the only ones who are qualified to join, just thought that you should know." Yin shot a glance at Kai. "Yeah, I do know that, Kai. That is why I must be deployed as soon as possible. I want to be able to acquire enough experience on the field and to see other Slayers and how they move in the battlefield as well." He answered in a deadpan voice. "Hey, is this kid for real?" Kai thought to himself. "W-Well, it is certainly not wrong to have a goal or to dream of accomplishing something like that, and trust me, I believe that you are strong enough, but you should not rush it. Nobody has been able to climb the ranks in such limited amount of time, well, nobody but the current Commander, that is." Kai said to Yin, careful as to not crush his spirits or his dedication to his duty as a Slayer. "I know that, Kai. But the longer I get promoted, the longer I can get on more missions. The higher your rank is, the more you are in demand for deployment, right?" Kai Xin simply nodded. "What are you getting at, Yin?" Zachary asked him as well, he himself was curious. "I want to go out there as soon as possible and as often as possible. I''ve watched every single Slayer in me and Suna''s group of friends as a kid get deployed, marching through the opening of the Outer Gates, and never coming back alive." Yin composed himself, he was shaken up remembering so many faces go out through those gates, and having almost all of the ones he knew as monster or Angel fodder. He clinched his fist in disdain. "I do not want that to happen as often as it does, to be honest." "So, you would think it is better to offer your life instead of the lives of others, instead?!" Zachary exclaimed. Yin was silent. "Are you taking the easy way out, Yin?" Kai asked him. "No. I am not going to be deployed into conquests and missions just to come back in a body bag or with pieces of my hands. Trust me, my will to live has never been stronger than it is right now." Yin said sternly. His voice was shaky and he was obviously scared. Kai remembered something he read in the newspapers about a few weeks ago. "Wait, this kid was one of the five survivors of ''that'' incident? The Outer Gates tragedy? I remember Ignis tell me something along those lines but I did not really pay attention to him during that time. Shit." Kai realized something in the deepest recesses of his mind. He gazed at Yin''s eyes. There was no mistaking it, Kai had seen these eyes before, these eyes were the ones glinting on many Slayers. The eccentric and strongest ones. "This kid has already gone through hell and he wants to jump right back in?" Zachary did not say a word. Although he admitted several times that he really does hate Yin''s guts, this time, it was different. "Whatever, I do not really care." He dismissed everything that he said. "Good, and the same goes for me to you." Yin retorted. Both of them glared at each other ominously. "Will you guys just cut it out?" Suna was full of it. She had sat down in front of the two of them so that they may read the letter as she does. After reading it, she took a pen from inside the hideout house in order to send a letter back to Gavin, to assure him and the Commander that the hideout was fine. "So, what should I say in the letter about Kai Xin''s ''visit'' she squinted at Kai." "O-Oh, I-I do not really think that my presence is that important. Trust me, you can probably fit more words or say a lot more things if you just resorted to not mentioning me ever in that letter!" He said nervously. "Err, Suna, if you can, you should include updates about my deployment, do not forget about it." Yin added. "Please include mine as well, I would like to know too. I have not been on a conquest and I really do not wish to be deployed on the same squad as this doofus simpleton right here." Zachary added while hurling a slight insult at Yin. "What did you say? Say that to my face, coward, do not whisper it under your breath!" "Did you not hear what I say, you mongrel?!" Zachary slicked his hair back, as several strands were now intruding on his face. "I would much rather be deployed with Gavin or Kai Xin than you. I would have a much easier time not worrying about my survival rate." "You talk big for someone who has not had real experience, Zach, have you forgotten who has actually exterminated an Angel between the both of us? That is right, it is me." Yin grinned. "Oh, and do not forget that I did not only kill one, no, but two Angels!" Zachary scoffed and his eyebrows were wrinkled. "Tch. Are you kidding me? Did you not basically just steal Commander Luken''s target? I asked both the Commander and Gavin about what happened that day, straight from the mouth of the horses, you better humble yourself." Suna stood up and stopped writing the letter. "What is the matter, Suna, are you finished writing? That was awfully quick. Do you mind if a have a quick glance at your letter? I am just going to check if you did not mention me at all and stuff, nothing else, also I ¨C" Kai was interrupted by her stomping her foot on the ground. She dashed towards the location of both Yin and Zachary, who were so invested in their argument that they did not notice Suna coming straight at them with both fists raised up. Suna passed by Kai, who just side stepped in order to dodge her way. "Yikes. If this does not shut you both up, then I do not know what will, honestly." He said to himself. Suna moved at the speed of lightning, seemingly, and hit both of them in the head. Both Yin and Zach squealed. Oliver, on the other hand still has not broken his never ending gaze at Pratty, Suna''s bird. "Will you both shut up already? I have already told you to cut it out earlier, didn''t I?" "¡­" Yin and Zach were silent. "That is more like it, now then, to get back to writing our response." Chapter 79 - Last Meeting For the very next day, the chosen primary and secondary squad were called in for a very important meeting. They were all propped on the dining hall. Ignis Silva sat on the chair beside the Emperor. Drinks were served for the members there. "So, first thing''s first. I want you to work as a team. We do not need any more heroes whatsoever for this mission." He said firmly. Luken raised his hands, but everyone knew that the Commander did not have any serious suggestions, so they did the most efficient way of dealing with a jokester such as Luken Regalia ¨C to simply ignore him. Someone from the secondary squadron now had a question for him. "Regarding what you said, what did you mean by not needing any heroes, sir?" A young boy around the age of Suna and Yin asked now. "What did you not understand in my statement, young boy? I do not think there were any lapses in what I have said." The young boy did not respond, instead, remaining standing, adamant on getting a response from the Operation''s assigned Captain. "You should answer him, Ignis, these youthful S Rank Slayers are the future of the Slayer Corps, after all. Before you know it, they are to surpass even you and the Commander!" The Emperor said jokingly with a laugh accompanying it. Ignis Silva sighed. "Very well. As I have said earlier, I meant it. This mission does not need any heroes. I know your type. I know all of your types. You people are actively seeking glory. Even if it means to sacrifice yourselves for those who are weaker than you. Believe me, I have been to countless missions in my time as a Slayer. Do not ever try to assume the role of a hero in an ingenuine manner. If it only means to sacrifice yourselves." Ignis Silva stomped his foot as he said that with such intensity. "You are S Rank Slayers, whether it be by chance or by your own capabilities and skills, hell, it can even be said that there are certain elements of luck in it. But do not offer your own selves to save several weaker ranked Slayers." Gavin stood up from his seat. "What exactly is your point here? Do you mind telling us? Clearly there are none other but S Rank Slayers in this dining hall. Keep this meeting short and simple, so we can have concise flow of information without all the unnecessary egos." The Serpent Summoner said. Ignis Silva scoffed. Luken knew that this was now his optimal time to make Ignis mad. "Well, take a look at yourself, Ignis, are you not the one who brought an A Rank Slayer here? Hector Incendium is present despite not qualifying for this meeting''s much needed S Rank." The Commander said mockingly. Gavin shot him an annoyed glance, which made Luken sit on his ass immediately. "I am going to pretend I did not hear that, Luken. Are there any more interruptions, or should I continue on with the plan?" Every single one of them was silent. "Good. First, we shall use the Specter ¨C Vale Ashford''s keen senses and astute stealth abilities to scout on ahead. I would like to assign two of you to accompany her, the three of you are the main scouting unit. Send us signals and notes with your carrier pigeons about the status of the hives." Ignis said as he pointed at two experienced S Rank Wind Slayers to accompany her. Vale Ashford and the two members who were a part of the primary squad simply nodded. Ignis Silva walked up from his seat at beside the Emperor''s and pranced around the room. "For the next plan, it would be safe to assume that the hives are no longer there, and that the Angels have already hatched. Once that happens, we will assume combative positions and place the primary spellcasters who can use long range bombardment and projectile skills from the back behind our formations. And have the brawlers like Faust, Luken, and Hector in the front." He wiped his glasses and put it back on. This was also a way for him to catch his breathe. "To add to that, the Summoners will be in the middle. I forgot to mention, but, I will be the ''brawler'' team''s leader at the front. Gavin Khalil, who is the strongest Summoner present, will lead the Summoners, while Sasha, the renowned Sapphire Sorcerer, a strong Water Slayer in her own right, will be leading the backlines. Keep in mind that this will only be happening if the Angels have gone from their hives to the world of the living, assuming there will be dozens of them, we will maintain the formation and slowly back off." Ignis Silva took a glass of water prepared to him by the Castle''s servants. He thanked the servant and drank the glass. "This is one of two outcomes. If, they have not hatched from their hives, then we will close in on the location, have the Specter and her group take out the Angels guarding the hives, if they have successfully done that, the Fire Slayers will form a line circling the hives and burn it down." Ignis Silva bared his fangs and grinned. "Are there any questions?" He asked. Nobody raised their hands, this was a squad of Slayers who are experienced in the hardships and battles of the outside world. "Let us do this, for humanity. Even if it means to let go of our own. To fight these winged harbingers, we are to assume the role of monsters ourselves. One cannot retain their humanity and succeed in eliminating these threats. We have survived long enough for this very moment. I will not promise that there will be no casualties for this mission. But I can assure you that I see our members as the cream of the crop, the very best of the Slayer Corps. We shall come back to Nifhleim victorious! Our flags of triumph will wave and show that humans are able to win versus Angels. For Humanity!" The Slayers saluted Ignis, even Luken. "For Humanity!" They all chanted loudly. "I will see you in the Outer Gates specifically three whole days from now. Until then, you shall remain in the Grand Castle and prepare for the Operation Phoenix. You got that?" "Sir, yes, sir!" They responded in unison. After their last meeting for the Operation Phoenix, they all went to their quarters. Gavin Khalil and Luken Regalia were in their room. Luken took a cigarette from his pocket and lit it with a match. Gavin was reading a book. A knock came through their door. Luken got up from his seat located near the window, and opened the door. He panned his gaze at the person who was there. "Yo, Faust, what is up? How are your injuries, by the way? I noticed you were missing from the meeting today. I kind of feel bad for it, to be honest." Luken said. "Do not worry, sir. I would have been very much more upset if you actually held back during our fight. I trained so hard all these months for that, and I still got my ass handed to me. I guess you really are that strong." Faust Keisuke scratched the head of his back nervously. "Did you want something? You can come inside." Gavin said politely. Faust made himself comfortable and sat on Luken''s bed. "What is it, Faust, spill it out, my cigarette''s burning and it is burning fast!" Luken said comically. "It is about our mission. The Operation Phoenix." Gavin''s brows lifted up. "What about our mission, is there something bothering you?" He asked the S Rank Earth Slayer. "I am here as the representative of the Primal Hounds, so there is no way I am ever backing out from this opportunity." Faust Keisuke said that, with his head turned towards the ground. "But there is something seriously bothering me. Call it intuition or just me being scared, you may call it what you wish, but there is a certain thing that will go wrong during our mission, that much I know." He said. "No disrespect to you, Faust, I have known you ever since your Rookie days, but I have never seen you this shaken up about a mission, you were always happy about being deployed for conquests and missions, so what the hell is happening to you now?" Faust Keisuke gulped. "Do you remember that Seraphim, Sarathiel? The one that the Basilisk Slayer eviscerated?" He asked while shooting a glance at Gavin. "Yeah, I do remember it. I was there, you know?" Luken responded. "That Seraphim, Luken. That thing''s presence is out of this world. It is a step above normal Angels, that is obvious. But deep down, I could sense the sinister aura emanating from it from far away. I told you back then didn''t I? I could have warned the others, but I was too late." Luken was waiting for what he really was leaning towards in saying. "I am feeling that right now. I hope it will not happen all the same three days from now." Faust was shaking. Chapter 80 - Operation Phoenix Three days have passed after their last meeting. When the sun has yet to make its presence known, they rode into the dim dawn, clothed in the pitch black robes they all collectively wore. Coupled with the sounds of horses kicking the floor with their hooves and the dusting of the road could only mean one thing ¨C Operation Phoenix has commenced. Every single one of them donned a black robe to cover themselves against the freezing temperatures of the Outer Gates. Nobody wore their respective organization''s insignias or special armaments and clothing, as on this day, they were not individuals merely representing their organizations. They were not only seeking to one up their fellow soldier''s accolades, they were there for humanity itself. Ignis Silva lead the charge, beside him was his trusted subordinate, the prodigal Fire Slayer, Hector Incendium. Luken Regalia, the Commander was behind them in the formation for the trip, he had Gavin Khalil by his side. The primary squadrons were at the middle meanwhile the secondary squad was located at the back of the pack. Chilly winds began to prickle their skin little by little, Luken raised a scarf to cover the lower half of his face, only showing his shiny, cerulean eyes. Gavin did the same, as well as the others. "The closer we get there, the colder it shall be. Remain calm and breathe efficiently. We do not have the luxury to have any stops whatsoever." Ignis Silva announced to the members of this operation as they continued on with their journey. After about an hour of making their way through the small towns and plain fields of grain and farms growing livestock, the Operation Phoenix participants were slowly realizing something. Every single time that they go through these roads whenever they are deployed, they are reminded by one thing time and time again ¨C that if they do not fight the winged beasts, who will? Each and every one of them will always choose to fight in the front lines of this war rather than to subject their families back in Niflheim to an all out siege from the Angels. One of the riders was trembling, he was shaking hard. The young Slayer''s hair waved with the wind; she was an S Rank Slayer for the secondary squadron. "Hey, are you alright?" Faust Keisuke, who was riding alongside her could not help but notice her shaking. Perhaps it was the fear, or the cold, in all honesty, it seemed as though it was both. The young woman did not respond. "I know how you feel, trust me, I really do." Faust said as he tied his hair back, placing his hands off of the horse''s head collar rope. "I-It is just that I keep imagining the worst case scenarios of what would happen if we failed¡­" She said. "What if we end up walking right into a trap? Suppose we all go down, that is twenty S Rank and higher Slayers gone in an instant, just like that! Instead of doing this for humanity and proving that we are able to take a step forward, we might actually bring our whole progress back even farther. Until we ultimately end up at the mercy of ''them.''" Faust Keisuke exhaled as deeply as he inhaled the cold air. Forming a cloud of smoke from his mouth. "You know, if the implications of us losing is that serious, and believe me, that does not even scratch the least of it, you know what we should do, then?" The S Rank Earth Slayer asked the woman, who was obviously puzzled and confused. "We should just win." Faust Keisuke said with a smile on his face as he removed his hooded robe to reveal himself. His ever iconic grin was present. This seemed to calm the woman down for a bit. She knew that the mission would be dangerous and survival rates would not be ideally that much higher, but seeing Faust''s smile and confidence made her remember why she was really there for. "For Humanity!" Ignis Silva shouted at the top of his lungs. Everyone followed him in unison, letting out a war cry which made the villagers they were passing by through open their windows and take long hard glances at them. Luken felt their eyes on him, those eyes with hope slowly diminishing. It was as if they were the eyes of mere cattle seeing one of their own fellow human being attempt to stand against the predators. "We have been in a stalemate against these creatures for as long as mankind has remembered, but today, this is our chance to make a permanent dent on their ranks. It does not matter to me if you people doubt us or believe in us. I am doing my duty as a Slayer and as the Commander of the Slayer Corps. We will triumph. Whether there are eyes watching us or not." The Commander said to himself as he smirked behind the concealment of his hood. After passing by the small village, they finally saw it. The gigantic Outer Gates powering the red bubble field encircling Niflheim from the intrusion of monsters and Angels alike. Once they were finally at the exit, every one disembarked from their respective horses. These animals were too valuable to be brought to the punishing environment outside. Besides, they will only be fodder to monsters, so it is much better to rely on their transportation via horse back and carriage trips inside the country of Niflheim, not outside during conquests. A representative from the High Council was present at the exit''s location. It was a familiar face. Luken squinted his eyes to see if he was truly seeing the same person in his mind. There was no doubt whatsoever, it was Isabelle Estes. The High Council''s Overseer. Both Isabelle and Luken''s eyes were locked in to each other''s. The Commander still felt contempt and disdain towards her for not allowing him and Gavin to help the children, that would have prevented the ''Tragedy At The Outer Gates'' incident. "What are you doing here, Isabelle?" Luken Regalia asked in a serious manner. "I am here to do a head count, to make sure that the names written in the log books really do match the ones that are here today. All twenty of you, in fact. So, let us do this quickly, remove your robes and show your faces." She said firmly. "Are you sure you should be halting us for that long? I was only told that we would be leaving the horses to someone near the Outer Gate''s exits, I was not told of a head count." Ignis Silva butted in. Isabelle remained silent. "Very well. Do what you were told, I just do not understand the logic behind this, I am this mission and the primary and secondary squadron''s leader. You would think that I would bring Slayers who are not in the list?" He was slowly getting agitated. Gavin attempted to hold Ignis back. The latter merely walked away and sat somewhere; Hector followed him shortly after, but not before making sure to tie both their horses to a fence. Isabelle walked up to Luken, who already had his back turned towards her to try and collect himself alone. She patted him on his back. "You seem to have a problem with me, I sense a bit of resentment within you towards me." Isabelle said with a straight face and deadpan voice and delivery. "What would make you think that, Overseer?" Luken asked with a voice obviously forcing itself to come across as polite and nice. His smile certainly did not help, knowing how they were in the same rookie class, she already knows Luken''s tricks and such. "Cut the crap." She said. "Frankly, Isabelle, I do not see why I should harbor anger nor resentment towards you, I mean I do not ever think of you, not even a little, not at all." Luken responded with an unyielding ferocity in his eyes. Even Gavin knew that Luken Regalia meant what he said. "I will be resting at my corner, my legs are stiff from the long horse ride, call me if it is my turn for your ''headcount'' or whatever it is you do for the High Council, honestly." He turned his back towards her once more after saying that, quite literally. Gavin just bowed and excused himself from Isabelle, making his way towards Luken who was now exhaling smoke from his cigarette. "That is an awfully quick light up you did, you should take those sticks easy, Luken. They are not entirely that healthy, well, I suppose you yourself know that already." Gavin said while shrugging his shoulders. "Yeah, I am trying to cut this old habit of mine out." Luken responded. "Which one? That godawful smoking habit of yours? Or the pettiness that you displayed earlier?" Gavin retorted. "You were there, you were there two times when she pulled that shit on us, letting her brother die just to prevent us from helping against that Angel, and taking the High Council''s side when they wanted to get rid of Yin, how do you expect me to react, Gavin?" Luken quickly snapped back at the Serpent Summoner. Chapter 81 - Chilly Outer Gates "Mind your tone when you speak to me or to anyone else, Luken. Not everything can be solved by rage and crassness." Gavin said to him. Luken felt bad for a second there, but he then remembered how atrocious the High Council were. "I am sorry for flipping out on you, Gavin, I really am. But I am not apologizing for what I have said to Isabelle nor will I apologize for the tone that I have used. These High Council lap dogs deserve anything but my respect." Luken said to Gavin. Gavin sighed for a brief moment. The cold atmosphere made him uncomfortable, his green orbs glanced at the sky above. "What a crappy weather we are having today, huh?" The Serpent Summoner thought to himself. All the Slayers who are a part of the Operation Phoenix were asked to line up and have Isabelle check their licenses and papers. "Why is the High Council doing this, sir Ignis? Among all of the conquests we have gone through outside, this is the first time that a head count was done by an Overseer from the High Council so far." Hector Incendium turned towards Ignis Silva. "I am afraid I do not possess the answer to your question, Hector. As I myself am also clueless why the old fossils from above have decided to descend from their high horse and are getting involved with our operations." Ignis responded to Hector as he clicked his tongue in annoyance. The A Rank Slayer thought it would be appropriate to end it at that, as he moved closer and closer to the end of the line himself. His fellow Slayers eyes looked at him in a way that you would look at a defenseless child about to encounter a major catastrophe. Deep down, Hector himself knew it. "It is practical and common sense that they would not trust me to have their backs. An A Rank Slayer in a strict higher rank mission is unheard of. If sir Ignis did not bring me here, perhaps the one who would have had my place was a higher ranked Slayer and a more experienced one at that." Hector''s black pupils darted around as his thoughts raced. "Yet it does not matter to me. I will show them why the Inferno Garden has placed immense trust in my abilities, enough so that he brought me here. I will not be coddled like some child. I shall pull my own weight and not be a nuisance to my superiors during this operation." He clinched his fists as he said that to himself. Perhaps this was his way of assuring his ego, one can never tell with Hector''s blank expression and rounded lifeless eyes. Their mission was delayed significantly due to this unexpected move by the High Council. After Isabelle had finally finished checking everyone whether they matched the official database for this mission''s deployed members, they finally finished it up and are preparing to go on the road. They formed a rally the same as before, but now, they are without their mobility that came with the horses. "I do not need to tell you all how dangerous it is outside these gates. The red sanguine barrier protecting us from the horrors that have cornered mankind down to only a single colony can no longer be held back by it. We shall be on our own. I trust you all, that is why I have picked you, no matter how different our personalities might be. Operation Phoenix shall be a success!" Ignis Silva shouted from the top of his lungs. Each and every Slayer there gave the favor back by chanting "For mankind! For Humanity! We are Slayers! Exterminate the harbingers!" Ignis could not help but crack a faint smile. "I will show them why I am the leader of the number one ranked organization in the org rankings. Honor and duty above all." He said under his breath. Hector heard him, but the latter merely nodded in approval. The Specter and the two other members assigned to her are now taking the charge in the front, carefully scouting the surroundings and sending signals and messages towards the ones behind them to indicate that they are in the clear. This had continued on for about thirty minutes, until they came across something which would cease their march once more. It was a rough time to travel outside, as the coldness would inevitably turn into snow. The crystalline coating of various trees and their corresponding leaves are no accumulating more than they its thin branches and stems could ever handle. Movement was especially hard as the snow slowly piled on to the land below, making movement much harder. Ignis Silva had anticipated this, and decided that each member of the operation would clothes fit for the appropriate snow. This had included sturdy rough boots which could withstand the drag of having their feet bothered by it, as well as to have their black robes come with fur collars, to generate heat in this cold and destitute area. Faust Keisuke was not apparently fond of the cold and was attempting to jump up and down to make himself heat up. This prompted his fellow members to call him out and telling him to conserve his energy for better scenarios and more useful purposes. "Not everyone is used to this type of shitty weather, bro." He whispered to himself. Their feet were held in place when Ignis raised his hands in an open palm, indicating that they should stop all immediate movement and assume cover in any possible location. They all did just that and held their place. "What is the matter, Ignis?" Gavin asked the SS Rank Fire Slayer''s delegated leader. He exhaled. "Vale spotted something; her carrier pigeon gave me a note telling me that there are adversaries in the way." Ignis Silva said. "Adversaries? What kind? We should just fight it altogether! We are more than capable of stomping out these petty monsters, even one of us would suffice!" Faust Keisuke said. "Have you forgotten the plan, Faust? And judging by what you have said, these may only be small and incapable monsters, and it is true that only one of us are able to take down a ghoul or ten, but there are twenty of them." Ignis cleared his throat with a cough while covering his mouth. "Let us leave the clean up to the Specter''s group. She is a capable Slayer, one of the youngest to ever get a renowned title all on her own without an organization, place your trust in her." He said. "As much as I do not like Ignis, he is right this time, Faust." Luken responded. "Did you really have to mutter out your hate and disdain towards me like that in the open, dumbass?" Ignis asked. Luken smirked and ignored him. "Think about it, if we were to all steam roll against every single monster that comes our way, it may lead to us attracting a swarm of Angels. Then, the mission would already be harder than it is, we have not even reached our destination, no, not even close." Luken took a cigarette from his pocket and placed it in his mouth. "The best course of action while on foot is to have the tactical squad up front deal with the monsters such as the way we are employing them to right about now." Luken noticed that his matchbox was missing. He had left it in his quarters back when they departed. "Y-Yeah, that does make sense." Though Faust had already realized the nature of their plan, he just wanted to engage in a fight and burn off the coldness in his body. Luken stared at the Fire Slayers nearby, he had a long and hard look at every single one there, but he knew that they either did not like his guts, or that he had not made an acquaintance out of most of them. Until finally, he saw Hector Incendium, stared at his soul with his cerulean orbs and began approaching him. Ignis was confused by his sudden action. "Where do you think you are going, Lu-" He was interrupted by what Luken had said next. "Kid, can you light my cigarette up?" The Commander said to the A Rank Slayer hailing from the Inferno Garden. At first, Hector glanced at Ignis, who was looking away while rolling his eyes at the same time. "Just do it, Hector. Do it as quick as you can so he goes away just as fast." Ignis said. Hector took out his grimoire and casted a small pinch size fireball with his fingers. Setting Luken''s cigarette ablaze so hard that the half of it turned straight into burnt ash. "Yikes. That was my very last stick, kid. You did not have to burn half of them!" Luken said manically. "Just say thanks to the kid and move on, Luken." Gavin said. Luken patted Hector''s head and thanked him. "Make sure you wash your hair when we get back, Hector." Ignis said bitterly. Chapter 82 - Specters Shadow Vale Ashford, together with the two scouting members ahead spotted thirty humanoid ghouls circling the rubble road up ahead. She quickly concealed herself behind the sturdy rocks. The snow was still falling hard on them, so movement was very limited, this was especially hard on her squad, who had to rely on mobility and quickness. Lateral speed was the ace that was up their sleeves and even that was not going to be as effective as they would have wanted. A ghoul fixed its gaze at their location, Vale was sure it was merely staring blankly, as they had muffled their footsteps and they were pretty far away from them. The ghoul was a hairless humanoid freak. It had teeth that were sharp and rotten, there was no mistaking that the creature could decimate any human it would ever sink its teeth into. Its body was also built muscularly, with a dark empty pupil in both eyes. Their hands were armed with sharp fingertips, ready to pounce and clobber any Slayer foolish enough to show themselves A normal ghoul was only B Ranked, but this was not their main concern. They were worried that if ever they struck preemptively without scouting for the surroundings, it might attract bigger and much larger foes, causing an Angel to come and inform its cohorts. Vale Ashford signaled the Slayers under her to hold their ground, and that she was going alone. "Both of you, stay here and watch the rear. I shall return shortly. If they are only a group of ghouls and no other higher-class monster was present, then I will signal you to aid me in exterminating these creatures." She bid her group farewell with a slight nod. Vale had tied her long silver hair into a ponytail before she became one with the rocks and shadows, closing in on the ghouls while using her stealth to her advantage. Each step she took was a gamble. Even she herself knew this. The ghouls were a strong foe, and thirty of them would be a nuisance to fight against. Vale''s white complexion complemented the snow well. Her feet were seemingly unbothered by the snow, as her squad mates pointed out. "So, this is the Specter¡­" They were both in awe at her stealth capabilities. She had accomplished so much at such a young age at that. Vale Ashford had her back turned behind a huge rock which shielded her from sight. Her hands ruffled through her waist, counting how many throwing stars she had and activating her switchblade to see if it was still working. A ghoul was fast approaching the rock wherein she was hiding though, and she herself noticed this almost immediately. With the singular ghoul''s one glance at her direction, she had sensed its bloodlust. She smirked and was waiting for the ghoul to approach the boulder. With each crass step it took, Vale knew, the monstrous ghoul was walking towards its demise. It had finally reached the boulder and peeked under from up above. The ghoul and The Specter''s eyes met, Vale Ashford now had the chance of striking first, as she was already preparing for it a few seconds earlier. The monster opened its mouth to let out a huge scream, but no noise whatsoever actually came out of it. Vale had thrown two shooting stars towards its neck and had damaged its pipes before it could call for help. Sanguine blood gushed out of the ghoul''s neck and mouth, its hands were covering up the wounds as if it would help. It never did. This ghoul''s last memory of living was the Specter''s silver hair closing in on it with a high jump just high enough for the size of where she was hiding. She immediately had her switchblade in hand opened and slit the monster''s throat, exterminating it in the process. To prevent the other ghouls from seeing their fellow monster''s body laying lifeless, she pulled it down to where she was hiding and muffled the sound with the snow which was piling up. "Guess this weather is actually pretty useful for stuff like these." She remarked to herself. Her head peeped out from where the ghoul came from, just above the terrain of where she was laying in. Her silver eyes were focused on the surroundings, studying ever corner, every location, and every possible area some other group of monsters may very well be hiding. As well as keeping tabs on each ghoul, careful that they would not see her. After a minute of scouting the said location, she turned her glance towards her squad mates behind her. She nodded her head and gave a hand signal which indicated that the ghouls were in fact, alone. Both of the members closed in on the location and were now in the same spot as Vale, covering their tracks and muffling their footsteps. "You guys are not so bad yourselves. Still a bit sloppy in your technique, but you are definitely good Slayers for reconnaissance missions which rely heavily on stealth such as these." She smiled. "I am sorry for asking this late, it might not be the proper area for introductions, but do you guys mind telling me what your names are? The man cleared his throat "I am Ajay Shantal, S Rank Fire Slayer from the Tribe of Ankylos. That other person is my brother, Sae''jal Shantal, S Rank Wind Slayer, the same as yourself." "I know your organization. The Ankylos are a respectable organization on the rise, you guys are top 17 now, right?" Vale Ashford''s eyes lit up in amazement. "Well then, allow me to introduce myself as well." "Yes, you are right about that, madam. No, you need not to burden yourself with introductions, we all know you. The Specter of Niflheim. The quickest and most agile Slayer in existence." Ajay and his brother Sae''jal bowed their heads as a sign of respect. "Keep your chins up, you two are capable in your own right as well. Nobody who is not would make it as far as surviving and assuming the S Rank." She affirmed them. "Now then, there are thirty two ghouls in total, they are patrolling the area, well, not really patrolling. It is more like they are prancing around and darting aimlessly, looking for other Slayers to feast upon." She cleared her throat. "Minus this guy right here, and their number is reduced to a mere thirty one ghouls." She said as she stomped her foot at the dead ghoul on the floor. The snow had slowly piled up on the body and was almost covering it up whole. "What is your plan in mind, madam?" Ajay asked her in a thick accent. "We split up and cover the whole place in a triangular motion. We hit them, and we hit them fast. I am fairly confident that there are no other Angels nor other monsters in the area. But just to make sure, use spells that do not generate loud noises. Hit them hard and hit them fast. When we are in position, I will throw two shooting stars at the two ghouls closest to me, I suggest you do the same as well. Do you have any throwing weapons?" Vale asked in order to survey that her squad members are on board with the plan. Ajay lifted his tomahawk axe and nodded. Sae''jal also showed her a crooked blade meant for long distance confrontations such as this. "Good. Let us make haste, do not forget, we are on borrowed time. Surprise them with our first strike, all in all, we will be able to take down six of them in a single second before alerting them. Once they notice it, just lunge and exterminate these fools. Remember, exactly five minutes from now, let loose with your range arsenals." She prepared two shooting stars in one hand and pulled out her switchblade with the other. "Any questions?" The two of them shook their heads. "Right, let us move." The three of them assumed their positions, slowly manifesting the shadow which the nearby tall trees were giving, hiding after each consecutive step, careful as to not alert the dozens of ghouls just walking around the area. After four minutes and a few seconds to spare, and a grueling as well as intense sneaking, the three of them were now in position. "Five." "Four." "Three." "Two." "One." "That is about it, that''s five minutes." Vale aimed at the two ghouls walking closely side by side and let loose with her throwing stars, piercing the two ghoul''s heads and giving them a quick death. Ajay''s tomahawks were sent flying and shattered the ghoul''s skulls. The satisfying cracks of their heads were heard. Sae''jal''s blades were also right on the money, killing two ghouls swiftly as well. After a second of realizing what had just happened, the ghouls were now full on sprinting towards the squad''s position. "I sure do hope you fellas are ready." Vale cracked a grin. "Ready when you are, madam." Chapter 83 - Breaking Formation The Specter took a deep breath and counted just how many ghouls were left and if Ajay and Sae''jal successfully took all four of their targets down altogether. "I got two of them!" Ajay shouted. "I also exterminated two!" Sae''jal responded afterwards. Vale Ashford danced around the battlefield, gracefully, as though she were a butterfly leaping between ghoul to ghoul, making them the ''flowers'' that a butterfly may land on. Both of the Ankylos Tribe S Rank Slayers had their hands full of their own fair share of ghouls. Slicing through each and every single one of them like bamboo. At a distance, Vale had taken a smoke bomb that was hanging from her waist. There were about ten ghouls that were blinded by the smoke from it, they were all scratching at the closest thing they felt near them. Little did these ghouls know, Vale was already out of the smoke, she took her remaining throwing stars and let loose from far away. "Die, you filthy pieces of trash." She whispered under her breathe as she said that. The throwing stars were enchanted with her affinity, which was Wind. Each impact, although only thrown with such little force, were like the heaviest things there are on impact. Splatters of ghoul blood turned the smoke red. She slid her hand and watched her palms before wiping them off hastily with her arms. Some of the blood had made its way from the smoke into her cheek. She immediately wiped it off with her arms, her silver eyes stared at the blood and caused her face to recoil in disgust. Meanwhile, Ajay and Sae''jal were still hacking away at the ghouls, there were only five or so left more on the battlefield. The first stealth squad had successfully fulfilled their duty while following the plan set in motion during the meeting. With a final slit to the throat to the last ghoul''s neck, their small skirmish was over. The three of them sighed in relief. "Be wary, men, the operation has just only gotten started. There shall be many more where that came from." Vale said while catching her breath. Fatigue had slowly crept up on their battle-ridden bodies. Ajay was instructed by the Specter to send out a signal through his carrier pigeon to tell Ignis Silva that the coast up ahead of them was now clear of all monsters. Ignis Silva got the word with no delay. The SS Rank Slayer could not help but smirk. "Small victories make up the success of an operation. And we have just won our first. Pick yourselves up! The Specter and her crew has successfully repelled the ghouls, thus, we will now commence our march!" He shouted. The Slayers who were laying low and listening to their surroundings, always keen and focused, heard the good news and nodded. "Good going! That''s Vale for you!" Luken said while having that excited, child like look on his face etched. "Indeed, she truly is capable. It is a shame that she was not chosen as the Commander by the Emperor a few years back, wouldn''t you say so, Luken?" Gavin said to Luken. "Hey! Do you really not want me leading the Slayer Corps that badly?!" Luken asked comically. Gavin could not help but laugh. "Dummy." He said with a faint smile underneath his scarf which was covering his mouth. "I really want to fight right about now¡­" Faust Keisuke said to himself. "But this lingering feeling of intense evil and bloodlust which I have felt for days now still has not subsided, maybe I am just nervous? I do not know, we are going to have to see." The Operation Phoenix commenced its march towards the area marked on their maps. Towards the place where Vale Ashford saw the hives. What lay there waiting for them was something they did not know, hopefully, the hives were still intact. And if not, well, that is something that they were going to have hope has not already happened. After about thirty more minutes of walking, Vale and her squad has not spotted any more monstrosities up ahead of them. Luken was busy lighting a cigarette up and exuding the smoke upwards. This caused the Slayers behind of him to mean mug the Commander. Someone tapped his shoulder and asked him, "Do you mind not smoking that closely to us? Some of us are not that tolerant of tobacco smoke, Commander." The S Rank Slayer behind him said. Luken immediately threw the half used cigarette on the ground. "My bad. We should move to the backlines, I think." The Commander said. "Let''s move, Gavin, Faust!" Luken shouted as he motioned the two of them to follow him to the back of the march. "Did Ignis not say that the backlines were meant for the heavy spellcasters?" Gavin looked at him in disappointment. The Serpent Summoner was shaking his head, if it could not have been any more obvious. "I am coming, sir Luken!" Faust was sprinting to follow the Commander''s steps. "When will I ever cease to be stuck with two or more simpletons?" Gavin said under his breath shortly before following Luken to the back of the group. The three of them made their way behind, garnering many puzzled looks among their fellow Slayers. But Luken, the simpleton, thought that they were merely psyched to see him and began waving his hand around as though he was the main attraction, some sort of celebrity, perhaps. At least that is what he thought in whatever went on in the deepest recesses of Luken Regalia''s mind. His face glittered and sparkled with pride. "You know they are just curious as to why you broke your formation, right, Luken?" Gavin immediately popped his bubble. Luken curled up in sadness. "Are you alright, sir!?" Faust was immediately making sure that Luken was alright. "We really are going to get an earful from Ignis, aren''t we?" Gavin said with a sigh. "The last thing I would ever want in the world is to have that tyrannical maniac spout about authority and loyalty deep in my ears and how important it is for Slayers." Gavin scratched his green hair in annoyance. Faust Keisuke and Luke Regalia walked first while Gavin followed them from behind. "Say, Commander Luken, does your nose smell that?" Faust Keisuke''s eyebrows wrinkled. "Smell what, Faust?" The latter played and fiddled with his nose for quite some time. "You really do not smell that?" He was keen on asking. "Nope, not at all." Luken responded. The S Rank Earth Slayer turned his neck around and met Gavin''s exhausted eyes. "How about you, Gavin? Has your nose picked up on that peculiar scent?" "Hm. Not really." The Serpent Summoner retorted back. "Alright, I guess it is just me. Might be the cold or whatever, do not sweat it, guys." Faust said with a thumbs up motion formed on both of his hands. "If you say so." Luken shrugged it off and continued walking. When they finally made their way to the very back part of the squadron, they joined in line and acted as if nothing happened. A Slayer''s eyes met with Gavin''s. "I bet she is asking why the hell the primary squad who should be in Ignis'' formation is here." He said to himself. "These two idiots will be the death of my reputation¡­" Luken finally felt that he was free to enjoy his smoke, without the nagging complaints of others that will surely come if he was at the front. "Tell me, Luken, was it worth it to break our formation for a simple stick of cigarette?" Gavin was mildly infuriated now. "Relax, man. There is also a good reason as to why I made us position ourselves here." Luken took a cigarette from his breast pocket. "Oh, is there? And what would that be if you do not mind me asking?" The Serpent Summoner was a little more than agitated right about now. "There is a glaring weak spot in Ignis'' formation for this one." Luken said as he inhaled a huff of tobacco. "Really? There is? What is it, Commander?" Faust Keisuke''s interest was more more than piqued. "The backlines currently have the weakest hand to hand combatants placed in it, right?" Luken asked them. "You might think that placing them here would make them less vulnerable towards frontward assaults, that is where you are wrong. My friends." Luken exhaled a deep huff one again. Both Gavin and Faust''s eyebrows met and were wrinkled, afterwards, they both looked at each other, still not in the know as to what Luken was saying. Little by little, however, Gavin slowly got it. "Wait, you mean to say that you were preparing for an attack to the rear? Is that why you chose to position us here?" Gavin was amazed. "Honestly, I never thought you would ever use that brain of yours, Luken." He added. "Hey! No need to hurl insults at me, man!" Chapter 84 - Backline Bonanza "How did you even manage to think about that possibility, Luken? I mean I hate Ignis as much as the next guy, but you cannot deny his intellect. I am sure he has also thought of that, so why didn''t he adjust ''protectors'' at the back formation?" Gavin was puzzled. "Hm. Perhaps he did not think about it that much. After all, we have a more than capable scouting group at the forefront of the formation, so who would think of an attack coming from the back? But I did not just move us here to have me enjoy my smoke in peace, no, I definitely feel something that told me to break formation and come to the back." Luken said while huffing his cigarette once again. Faust Keisuke was curious. "What would that have been, Commander Luken?" Luken turned his head to look at Faust''s baffled face. "Insticts, Faust, my gut feeling is enough." The Commander said while nodding. "You do know that does not make you look less idiotic, right, Luken?" Gavin said. Faust was walking right behind the two of them, as there was not enough space to squeeze in through the spell casters. The last thing the three of them wanted now is to annoy these people. "By the way, Faust, is your nose still as sharp as ever?" Luken was curious. "I remembered that you possessed above average intuition and a sense of small that tracks monsters in the vicinity, correct?" Faust was shoving off the snow that was accumulating on his shoulders. "I mean, I guess so, yeah, why do you ask, Commander?" "Nah, no reason whatsoever, I just remembered that you had that ability in your arsenal." Faust was left dumbfounded, he asked himself as to why Luken was curious about something like that and asked about it out of the blue. His face contorted with disgust. "What the actual heck is that smell?" He said under his breath. After hearing this, Commander Luken, who was just in front of Faust, turned around in an instant. "What is it, Commander Luken?" The young man asked while covering his nose. The S Rank Earth Slayer asked. Luken slowly raised his right arm up and pointed a finger gun at Faust Keisuke. Gavin was startled and aghast. "W-What are you trying to do, Luken?! Have you lost your damn mind?!" The Serpent Summoner''s voice was loud. In fact, it was loud enough that all the other Slayers in front of them ceased their march and turned around themselves, curious about what sort of altercation was happening at the back lines. Ignis had noticed the commotion and was squinting his eyes, eager to see what had caused it at the back. "What the hell is going on back there?!" Ignis Silva demanded to know. His eyes had noticed that Luken Regalia, Gavin Khalil, and Faust Keisuke were missing from their assigned formation spot. Luken''s cerulean eyes gazed at Faust Keisuke''s very soul itself. The latter was far too afraid to even make a move. "What has gotten into you, you idiot?!" Gavin was trying to stop Luken from aiming his hand at Faust. Until suddenly, the Commander opened his mouth and muttered the words "Duck in three seconds" to Faust. Faust Keisuke was still confused, he did not get why the Commander had pointed his hand at him. "Y-You mean now?!" Faust wanted to make sure. Luken simply nodded. The S Rank Earth Slayer counted down to three mentally and got the ground, using both his palms for support. Ice cold snow came between his palms and the ground below. With no delay whatsoever, Luken blasted his pointing finger with a concentrated beam of water, same as what he attempted to do to the Red King back in Cisco. The beam had pierced something, that much was clear, it sounded as though flesh was being stabbed with something sharp in a second. After that confusing choice of action by the Commander, everyone knew that he was not turning traitor nor attempting to kill Faust Keisuke, no, he was aiming at a type of monster called the chameleon. The chameleon was another humanoid type adversary, boasting a measly C Rank only, although weak by itself, a chameleon never ever wanders off to find its prey all alone, it is always accompanied by a group of a couple dozen, no, even a hundred other chameleons. "How long do you monsters intend to tail us?" Luken asked them. The fallen chameleon''s blood had colored the snow into a dark reddish complexion. Commander Luken had a grin coupled with the expression of anger. Ignis Silva was running, making his way to the back where the supposed ''trouble'' was as soon as possible. When he and Hector Incendium had finally gotten to the area, they saw the lifeless body of a chameleon. "I wonder just how many of these things there are? Clearly you did not take chameleons into consideration when you made the formation, did you not, Ignis?" Gavin said to the SS Rank Fire Slayer. Ignis could not help but bite his lower lip in an infuriated manner. He took a deep breath and inhaled. "Slayers! To battle! Exterminate these horrid chameleons!" Faust got up and sighed a sigh of relief. "I really thought for a second there that the Commander had gone insane and was going to shoot a water beam straight into my heart, fuck." He said as he sighed. Luken extended his hand to help Faust Keisuke up. The latter gladly accepted it and got up with the Commander''s help. A clear reason why they had not noticed monsters tailing them was because of the nature of chameleons. Although it is not that common for a monster to possess the ability of camouflaging itself to the environment, only chameleons could do it with no effort whatsoever. "Jeez, we really are lucky it is just chameleons, just think what would have happened if it was a real troublesome monster, is that not right, Ignis?" Luken glanced at the Operation Phoenix''s leader. "Tch. You really ought to know when the proper time for talking and when the proper time for fighting is, Luken." Ignis immediately retorted. It was fairly easy for the chameleons to camouflage themselves to the ground because of the snow. A little bit of irregularity in the texture and color of their camouflaging would have been definitely brushed off because of the snow itself, these monsters really were trying to make the best out of the environment to sneak up on the Slayers behind. The dead chameleon''s tongue stuck out as its heart had been turned into mush by Luken''s attack. Ignis walked in front and prevented more from joining the attack. "Do you mean you already knew when you asked about my nose being pretty capable of detecting stuff, Commander Luken?" Faust asked him. Luken Regalia brushed and slicked his marvelous shaggy hair backwards to prevent it from getting in the way of his sight in combat. "Yep, that is right, Faust." The Commander said. "Why did you wait until something like that was already less than ten meters away from me, then?!" Faust stressed out about this detail. "I had to ''feel'' just how many they really are, you know? I did not want them to know that I was already in the know as to what they wanted to do. These disgusting cretins wanted to sneak up on us, well, that is quite a shame isn''t it?" He threw his cigarette to the ground but not before inhaling a huge huff and exhaling it to the air up above. "Luken, yourself, me, Hector, and Faust will handle these maggots." Ignis Silva said with sheer confidence. "No disrespect to you guys, Ignis, but I really think I could handle these lowly monsters by myself. There is no need for you guys to use your strength for this." Luken said in an attempt to be looked upon as heroic. "Would you cut the crap already? The same goes for you, it would be more efficient if we joined in, besides, it is not like you will be of any use to us in the hive location if your exhausted to the brim, idiot." Ignis Silva immediately shut him down. Faust Keisuke took out his stiletto knives from his waistband and began warming up. Just as Gavin was about to summon a monster from his grimoire, Ignis stopped him. "It is fine, Gavin. We shall take the chameleons on. Your summoned creatures will be used for a much more viable time, it would be a waste to use it here, to be quite frank with you." Gavin scoffed but complied. He closed his grimoire shut and watched the battle unfold before his very eyes. Luken cracked his neck both ways, left and right. "Do you ever stop doing that before a fight? Seriously." Ignis shook his head. "Nah." Luken responded with a huge grin on his face. Hector had his huge double bladed axe already glowing red with the fiery flames of his affinity. Chapter 85 - Strength Of The Apex "First things first, you foul creatures, just how many of you actually are there?!" Ignis shouted at the chameleons who were still in camouflage mode, hiding from them despite the Slayers already knowing their plan. With no response from the monsters, Ignis Silva and the others prepared for their showdown against the sneaky foes. His eyes turned towards Hector, as if he had communicated something clearly without the use of words whatsoever. The A Rank Fire Slayer who should not have even supposed to coming with them in this expedition simply nodded. Hector Incendium took out his grimoire and immediately casted a spell. Ignis instructed the fighters to stand back, for fear of them getting hit by it. The young prodigal Slayer, as called by many others, flicked through the pages in quick succession. Once he found what he was looking for, the chameleon''s cover was about to be blown. Hector placed his hand upwards, towards where the sky was, after a few seconds, he immediately directed his hand towards where the chameleons were hiding in front of them, in the snow. Black rain came from above. "W-What is this? Water? Why is it black?" Someone in the back asked. "That is a highly advanced pre-immolation technique which can only be done by gifted Fire Slayers." Gavin fixed his hair and stood back a bitr more. "That is not water, that is oil, my friend." The Serpent Summoner had always been intelligent, known to frequent the libraries and has never been seen without a book (not his grimoire) in his rucksack or in his hand at all times. "Not all Fire Slayers can perform that spell, the amount of Anima concentration required for each droplet is not a small feat to achieve. The main purpose is basically to make the enemies much more susceptible to flames. But, Ignis had probably thought of using it as a way to sniff out these chameleons and their whereabouts. Look." He pointed. The chameleons were now scrambling, there were about hundreds of them crawling around the snow, bumping into each other in an attempt to regroup. Ignis Silva''s pupils dilated. "There you are." He whispered gently. "A bit creepy, Ignis, you definitely have got to chill out, man." Luken said. Faust immediately rushed in and cut a chameleon''s oily throat. A chameleon immediately jumped on top of him and attempted to scratch his nape off, this had happened while Faust Keisuke anticipated it. A few minutes ago, while the chameleons had their eyes on Hector Incendium, curious as to what he was about to do, Faust took the time to armor his whole body with a solid rock coating. The chameleon''s fingers cracked after coming in contact with Faust''s hardened skin. "Get off me, you pest!" The S Rank Earth Slayer was now engaged in combat, about a dozen chameleons were squaring him up. Hector Incendium immediately swooped in and decapitated five of them just in one fell swing. "Are you alright, mister?" He asked Faust Keisuke. "I-I was fine! I really was! Why did you have to go and steal my moment like that?" Faust felt down and scratched his head comically. Ignis now jumped upwards and lit his weapons on fire. His choice of weapons was definitely surreal and out of the box, one might say that with absolute certainty, as his hands had ten pairs of cards in total. Five in each hand and gap between the fingers. The SS Rank Fire Slayer threw them towards the chameleons that Hector''s oil rain had marked. Upon impact, his cards exploded with such fiery intensity. "How pathetic." Ignis thought to himself. The screeches of the chameleons were heard for a short while before deafening themselves after succumbing to death. Hector and Faust Keisuke were fighting with their backs turned against each other. The Earth Slayer was doing precise and swift motions while Hector was swinging his double-bladed axe with no effort whatsoever. "Holy crap, are you telling me that kid is a rookie?" Another Slayer in the spellcasters column asked. "You know how tedious the Inferno Garden application process is if you are not handpicked or chosen by their higher-ranking members are, right? That kid has probably gone through a lot, not more than we did, but definitely he has had his fair share of hardships." Gavin cleared his throat. "I agree. His movements might seem callous and careless to the average person, but they are in fact clean and well thought out. It would be a travesty if Hector Incendium had exterminated more than our rough and rugged young S Rank Slayer ¨C Faust Keisuke." Gavin let out a playful chuckle. This was not a mere fight. No, it was an execution. An extermination that was not meant to be halted no matter what these chameleons might do. They were fighting with all their might while Luken was simply playing around with his finger guns, aiming directly at their heads and letting loose. Their organs splattered on the ground as each dead chameleon had its camouflage skill turned off in default. Ignis Silva was cutting through them with his throwing cards, yet he was careful not to aim them near his comrades, as the explosions were definitely no joke. "We are not your typical Slayer conquest squad. We are the best of the best. Next time, choose your targets well, because if you do not, then choosing horribly will be the last thing you green cretins will ever do." Ignis said to a chameleon with pure anger in his eyes as the creature was shaking in fear. "Good. Fear is something we should all be happy to experience. Once you conquer your fear, you will become stronger than you ever were yesterday, but now, the question is, can you conquer me?" Ignis Silva ended the single chameleon''s life by immolating its blood from the inside out. Red buckets of blood had no gotten on his black coat. Faust Keisuke enchanted his feet with his Earth affinity, turning it rock solid while kicking the monsters straight in the head. He switched the rock enchantment whenever he used a specific type of limb. Once he was fighting with his fists, he concentrated his Anima cells to focus on his hands. "T-That young boy is the Primal Hound''s second in command¡­" "Is he really? His movement is stiff but his power is undeniable." The Slayers there were approving of their methods, one might even say that they were pleasantly surprised to see such monstrous Slayers up close other than themselves. As the mission deployments commonly only use two S Rank Slayers at most, in fear of over using their strengths in a specific mission that might be overdoing it. So, it was definitely a breath of fresh air to have most of the strongest Slayers in the Corps all in one squad in total. But there were also several others that were looking down on them, angered that their rankings were lower than they had hoped it was. "Tch. Big freaking deal, I can do what that kid is doing and ten times more efficiently." "Hah! If that is the bare minimum of what you need to join a top organization, then color me surprised! At this point, I might even lead one myself judging by how weak these children are" "Yeah. I might be able to respect Ignis Silva and Luken Regalia''s strength as a whole, even though their mouths are pretty insufferable, but those kids? They are not that big of a deal. Remember their names, you will see it on the obituaries sent out in the newspaper one of these days." There were truly some people bringing them down, their fellow Slayers at that. Gavin heard them talking smack about Faust Keisuke and Hector Incendium''s fighting style, calling them overrated and not worthy of their respective organization''s position. He turned around and attempted to single out those who were dissing them. His green orbs fixated on the crowd of Slayers. "I for one do not exactly know who said that, but let me be clear, those ''kids'' as you call them, are the future of humanity. As young as some of us are, our time will come much sooner than theirs. And it will be up to them to handle humanity''s biggest burden, this god forsaken war against the winged harbingers, and what do you people do? You waste your time and breath talking shit for no reason, is it jealousy? Are you that petty? These ''kids'' have achieved more than you did at their age. You can talk trash in private to each other, but if I ever hear one person bring their fellow Slayer down in public like this, I will make sure to go out of my way and rip you pieces of shit a new one. Mark my words." The ones who were dissing Hector and Faust tucked their tail between their legs and did not speak a single word. They knew that the Serpent Summoner was renowned for a reason, and to see him this angered was fairly new to them. "Just watch the show and shut your mouth if you have nothing good to say." Gavin said as he turned back around and watched his fellow Slayers dismantle this entire group of chameleons. Chapter 86 - Past Scars The group of the Commander, SS Rank Water Slayer Luken Regalia, the Operation Phoenix''s leader, SS Rank Fire Slayer Ignis Silva, S Rank Earth Slayer, Faust Keisuke, and the last but definitely not the least, the A Rank Inferno Garden prodigy, Hector Incendium. Together, they have successfully exterminated the countless chameleons with little to no effort. Faust Keisuke finished off the very last one with a stomp on its head. Blood splattered everywhere, mainly his boots. The ground which was covered by an abundant amount of snow had turned sanguine red from the battle. "Well then, now that that''s taken care of, do we have any injuries?" Ignis Silva wanted to assess the damage to each member of the squad before pushing on. Vale Ashford and her group lazed around, they did not attempt to go towards the backlines. Having seen Ignis himself go back there, she thought it would be a stressful thing to go out of their way and see what the commotion was all about. Thus, they just took a break and rested. Ajay and Sae''jal were clearly in need of one. "Are you not exhausted yourself, madam Vale?" Ajay asked her in a concerned manner. "No, barely. I am used to this type of stuff, besides, if I let my guard down, I am an easy target for monsters, specially when I lease expect it, but with you two here, I am more comfortable being more relaxed most of the time. Thanks for that." The Specter responded. "Should we really not check up on them?" Sae''jal asked once more. "They will be fine, this team Ignis put together is definitely capable, I will give him the much needed credit for that." She retorted as she drank from her water pouch. "Nope, no injuries here!" Luken Regalia said. "None here either." The S Rank Earth Slayer said. Hector Incendium''s black empty eyes met with Ignis, he then shook his head, to indicate that he had not sustained any fatal damage from the fight. He then waved his axe in a single cutting motion. The chameleon''s blood had soaked the blade and he wanted to get rid of it. "Since Luken had this bright plan of guarding the backlines, even though the casters themselves were capable of dealing with such lowly chameleons, I appoint you, Faust, and the Serpent Summoner to stay at the back from now on until I call you up to the front. Might as well start what you were planning to do, right?" Ignis shot a confident look at Luken. Their gazes met and the over all vibe of the place had turned sour. "All right, that is enough." Gavin intervened. Ignis Silva scoffed as he and Hector went back to the front to lead the charge. Luken bowed in front of the spellcasters, he had expected a praise of some sort, but nothing was said to him. Not even a single gratitude or thanks. "Come on, you really expected to be showered with flowers for that? You just did what you had to, you followed your instincts and this time, it was on point. I am sure not everyone has the mental capacity to be playful during times like this. Operation Phoenix could be the biggest mission for mankind. Try to understand them." Gavin told Luken. "Yeah, yeah, I get it." He responded while taking out another stick of cigarette from his pockets. "Hey Faust, I know our spar at the Grand Castle was not really indicative of your improvement and strength since, well, I am kind of in the top five strongest Slayers as of right now, but I definitely think your room for improvement is still pretty high." The Commander complimented the young up and coming Slayer. His words made Faust''s eyes light up in sheer happiness. Faust Keisuke nodded. "I will become even stronger, sir Luken! I will surpass you and sir Artorias Khalil in no time!" He said at the top of his lungs. "Keep it down kid, also, keep your goals realistic as well! You are going to have to do even more to come close to me, I am not even able to fathom just what you would have to do to surpass Art." Luken laughed before turning his attention towards Gavin, who was keeping his eyes on the surroundings. The Serpent Summoner was known to be fond of the cold climate and chilly temperatures, just not to this degree. "I thought you liked being cold?" Luken asked. "This, my friend, is not merely ''cold'', it is a damn blizzard out here." Gavin responded. "Hey Gavin, speaking of Art, where is he nowadays? I still do not get why he ditched on this mission, does he not know about the Angels and the hives or something?" Luken was very curious. Artorias Khalil had been the one who taught Luken and Gavin to be competend Slayers at the earliest age they could ever remember. The Basilisk Slayer and the Reaper, Adam Rosa, were the mentors of these two powerhouse Slayers. Though the latter''s betrayal definitely impacted Artorias in a significant manner. He went from being out going and generally an extrovert, into a shell of his former self, personality-wise. "I for one really do not know, Luken. Did you forget that I have already told you that my brother does not work well in groups? His disdain for Ignis is pretty clear as well." Gavin cleared his throat. "To add to that, I am pretty sure that my brother knew about the hives after Vale reported it to the Emperor, he probably got briefed in and had the information summarized and spoon fed to him." He said. "Being the top Slayer really does place you on a plane above all others, huh? I wonder what I would do once I am at the top like sir Art is." Faust Keisuke thought to himself. "Besides, he is a Lightning Slayer, he will probably need a Fire Slayer to accompany him if he were to be deployed for a mission like this, which he will probably hate every step of the way." Gavin Khalil said. "Speaking of mission tandems, wasn''t sir Artorias Khalil deployed in many duo extermination missions with the late Reaper, Adam Rosa?" Faust asked. The S Rank Earth Slayer''s question had sent chills and the feeling of anger down Luken and Gavin''s spines respectively. Information of the SSS Rank Reaper was not known to the public, mainly his acts of treason which can never be mended. Thus, the government and the Emperor decided to have the information about the Slayers of the Six Blades'' death be some sort of ambush by Angels, causing their demise. Official reports in the newspapers have said clearly that half of the Six Blades, who were led by Adam Rosa, the number one Ranked Slayer at the time, was ambushed by Angels, causing the deaths of Luken Regalia''s sister and several other members. But it was definitely much more painful for Luke and Gavin, who knew of the real story. Not only the higher ups, but also the ones who have significant influence and large names like Ignis Silva. "Yeah, it really is such a shame that Adam Rosa passed away at such a young age, right?" Luken tried his best to put on a smile. Yet his jaw was clinched to the extremes, his anger was only being contained. Gavin placed his hand on Luken''s shoulders. His green pupils fixed on the Commander''s blue cerulean ones. The Serpent Summoner simply nodded lightly, this was to quell Luken''s anger. It was an indirect and non verbal cue saying "You know full well I feel your pain as well." With that, Luken relaxed for a bit. "Are you alright, sir?" Faust asked. "Y-Yeah, I am fine, anyway, how is the Primal Hounds nowadays, Faust?" Luken immediately shifted the topic. "Well, we are plenty strong, but the thing is, a lot of our people are young. They are roughly only a few years older than I am! The Primal Hounds are on a full on rebuild now. It is all about the young blood where we hail from." Faust replied. "That does not change the fact that you guys have made the top five in organization rankings, seriously, give yourselves some credit." Luken retorted back. Gavin looked up to the hailing grey skies. He then said softly to Luken, just soft and calm enough that nobody around them could have heard his question. "Tell me, Luken, do you think Adam is gazing at the grey skies we currently are right now?" The Serpent Summoner shed a tear. "The next time I see him, Gavin, I am not going to hold back. I promise you that." "Yeah, I will not hold back as well. Count me in on that. It is the least we can do to honor them." Both of the power house Slayers exuded some sort of dreadful aura which Faust caught up to, but knew full well that they were carrying burdens which should not be brought up. Chapter 87 - Grotesque Hives After a grueling journey on towards the hive''s last seen location by Vale Ashford, they finally saw it. She surveyed the location with her eyes first, seeing if there were any winged harbingers hovering on top of the hive, ready to strike at unsuspecting Slayers unfortunate enough to stumble upon these birthing grounds. They were above a plateau while the hive was positioned below them. Snow had started to cover the hive, she was indeed curious as to how this was affecting the Angels slumbering, waiting for their chance to become a slaughterer in their own right. "S-So those are the hives, Vale?" Ajay was taken aback. Vale Ashford nodded. Ignis Silva''s eyes darted around the surroundings. Vale and her squad regrouped with Ignis. "That''s about it. That thing right there is the hive. Hundreds of Angels lay dormant there, who knows when they are ready to awaken?" Vale said. "Then we are going to have to burn them to the ground before that happens, is that right?" Ignis Silva responded coupled with a dark glint on his bloodlust gaze. Dark humongous towers of doom ¨C that was how one of the S Rank Slayers in the Operation Phoenix had taken to describe the hives themselves. "T-Those things are where these cursed Angels come from?" Another one asked. They all laid their eyes on the hive towers and had noticed no Angels guarding them. Although it was only one hive, the grand scale and sheer size of it was truly gigantic. Vale Ashford had remembered her partner, Dunham. Both of them were one of the best reconnaissance and stealth deployment Slayers in the Corps right now, she still could not believe that her colleague suffered a mortal blow for her. "Dunham, we are going to avenge you, these dozens of Slayers here right now all want one thing and only goal in mind ¨C to exterminate and to burn these wretched hives to the ground, no matter where it might be." The S Rank Wind Slayer thought to herself as she had her eyes closed, channeling her focus. Ignis coughed in order to clear his throat, catching everyone''s attention. "Gentlemen and women! We are here to do our jobs as Slayers! We know not of the properties these hives possess or what might happen once we hit it with other affinities other than fire, so it is safe to assume that flames are the best way to exterminate them, none other than that! I am sure I have already told you this during our last meeting at the Grand Castle, but I shall repeat it for those who were not in attendance for some apparent reason." Ignis Silva''s eyes locked in on Faust Keisuke''s, he was not sugarcoating the fact that his words were dead set on target towards the Primal Hounds'' second in command. "We do not need heroes. Do not sacrifice yourselves for anyone who is less valuable than you. As cold and callous as that might sound to some of you in each squadron, that is how the Inferno Garden has maintained a ninety percent mission success rate. And I do not intend to break that percentage, specially not today." Hector Incendium was reaching out to his backpack, he took out a small red box the size of his palms, they were marked with the sigil of the Inferno Garden. The A Rank Slayer then gave it to Ignis Silva who was still rallying the troops. Ignis opened it and grinned. "Thank you, Hector." His hands opened the red box to reveal dark red playing cards, a bit different from his main variant of weapons which were just plain ones. Luken whistled softly. Just soft enough to not disturb Ignis'' prep talk. "It looks like someone is really taking things seriously." He said. "Are you not going to take the mission seriously, Luken?" Gavin shot him an angry glare. "Do not worry, Gavin. I will, for sure. It''s just that I have not fought alongside Ignis for as long as I could remember. The last time we probably got clumped in the same squad was when we were still rookies, right?" The Commander asked Gavin. "How am I supposed to remember? Anyhow, it seems as though your memory is superb once it is tasked with memorizing and remembering utterly useless facts and information, I will give you that much." The Serpent Summoner shut him down and chuckled. Faust followed in Gavin''s laughter in no time. But both of them were stopped by Ignis'' dark sanguine eyes seeing if anyone was not listening. "Now! Seeing it with your own eyes, you can see the hives themselves have not hatched, right, Vale?" Ignis asked the Specter, whom replied with a hasty nod. "The formation is now going to be changed until we march back home towards Niflheim. Every Fire Slayer, form a line with me in the middle! We will burn these hives to ground until nothing remains but dust and would-be Angel corpse burning away into nothingness!" The Fire Slayers were quick on their feet, walking lightly towards where Ignis was. "Are these all of them?" Ignis asked. They nodded. "Yes, sir!" "In order to make our extermination and burning of the hives a success, we must be able to assure that we are safe while casting our flame spells. I shall designate Vale Ashford, Ajay, and Sae''jal to scout the area for Angels, scour them and point out their location, and together, we shall bring the wrath of mankind down on them!" Ignis and the Fire Slayers were on stand by, as well as the others. "Why did you say that Ignis was getting serious, sir Luken?" Faust Keisuke asked the Commander. "Just one look at Ignis'' hands and I already knew. It is those red boxes of cards, Faust. Once he pulled that out, I was certain that the man is not going to hold back for anything else in the world." Luken answered the young Slayer''s question. Faust''s eyebrows were clearly wrinkled. "Are those cards enchanted or something? I am sure his normal playing cards from earlier once we went up against the chameleons were also enchanted, right? What makes those ones different?" Luken was trying to find the words to explain the strength of Ignis'' trump cards, literally, but the only words his brain could come up with was "B-Because they''re stronger! That is right, they much stronger than the cards from the earlier fight!" The Commander answered ecstatically. Gavin butted in and decided to answer Faust instead. "Those cards are red for a reason, a quite disgusting reason at that." Gavin said as he was polishing up his grimoire in preparation for the Operation''s most important step. "It is red because those cards are soaked in his blood." "W-What?!" Luken Regalia and Faust Keisuke screamed while asking. Someone prompted them to keep it down, afraid that these two doofuses might blow their cover in any case that there was an Angel hiding. "How do you not know that, Luken? Isn''t he your rival or something? Why did you even say they were stronger if you did not know just why they were stronger than his normal playing cards?" Gavin was agitated at Luken''s simple mindedness. With a sigh to exhale all his disappointment at his life long friend, he immediately went back to explaining it to Faust. "The Silva bloodline are no joke when it came to their wealth and renown. Ignis Silva''s grandfather and his father died in the line of duty, both of them were the Inferno Garden''s leaders as well, retaining the mentality of strength above all. Because of his family''s long line of being S Rank and above Slayers, they have generated wealth which would last their bloodline ages to burn through." Gavin cleared his throat. "That is not all though, for reasons I for one do not know, his family''s blood itself is special, again, I mean this in a literal sense." Luken was puzzled. "I think you told me this long ago, but I kind of forgot about it." Gavin rolled his eyes. "Anyway, his blood amps up the Fire affinity his family possesses. They are what you might call generational Slayers. He dips the cards in his own blood, amplifying it ten fold. The explosions are no joke, even I can admit that." Gavin said. Luken nodded as if he had not forgotten all about this. "But that is not doable every single time he gets deployed, right?" Faust asked. "Precisely. The amount of blood needed to even fully coat one single card is pretty unnerving when you think about it. So he only brings those red blood coated cards out whenever he is in a rut or when there are big exterminations or conquests. " Gavin replied. Luken was stretching and jumping up and down. "What do you think you are doing, Luken?" Ignis approached him and asked the Commander. "What do you think? Warming up, of course!" "You do realize you are not going to be in the front lines right? Have you forgotten your affinity as well?" Ignis asked him. Chapter 88 - Immolation The SS Rank Water Slayer glared at Ignis Silva menacingly. "No, I have not forgotten, Ignis." "Is that so? Good for you then, Luken." The latter responded and walked away to lead the Fire Slayer squad. "I guess we are going to have to go with Vale''s squad, then." Faust Keisuke said as he was sharpening his weapon in preparation for a battle. "That seems to be the case. We did have a tad bit of luck in our side this once, though." Luken''s eyebrows shot up. "Really, how so?" He asked. "The Angels are still deep in their slumbers in these ginormous hives, we did not get here just late enough for them to emerge from them." Gavin responded firmly. Vale Ashford, Ajay, and Sae''jal began their scouting task by sliding down the plateau in a slow and quiet manner, just not loud enough to attract any hidden Angel''s attention. The three of them observed the desolate place. Nothing was teeming of life over here. There were stumps of trees, but that was all they ever were, stumps. Some of them had fallen down as if it was struck down by an unknown force. "Leaves are not present in every single tree." Sae''jal remarked. His brows wrinkled, indicating curiosity. His fingers ran through the dead and barren trees. They crumbled under the single force of his hand''s stroke, turning into nothing but dust as it united with the snowfall. Vale Ashford had noticed this and was perplexed herself. "What sort of snow causes trees to decay like this?" She asked. "Maybe it could have been the snow mixed with something else? Possibly an effect of that?" Ajay said. "No. It could not have been the snow being modified or any other natural phenomena." Her silver eyes fixated on the two large hives towering over them as though they were mere felines looking up to a human being''s size. Its dark aura was definitely palpable once they were this close to them. The smell was unbearable as well. "We are going to have to get used to the smell of these disgusting hives." Vale placed her scarf and pulled it upwards, covering her mouth and nose. "It shall smell even worse once it is set ablaze, trust me on that." The two S Rank Slayers with her mimicked her and covered their mouths and nose as well and nodded afterwards. "Keep your eyes peeled, one has to keep it up above the sky, and the other one and I should keep surveying the ground level below." She gave them the order to always be aware, as they were the ''eyes'' of the Operation Phoenix and all of its members here with them right now. "A squadron cannot function without a de-facto leader, and after that leader is to be culled in the line of duty, the second in command has to step up, I am sure you guys have heard of this time and time again during your rookie days, but reconnaissance tasks are different. No matter how efficient the leaders above us are, they will always be caught off guard without our guidance and support. For the phoenix to fly without coming into contact with walls and such, it must possess eyes to see it first." Vale finished her order with a speech that was empowering both Ajay and Sae''jal. Every single Slayer present here knew the implications of what might happen if they ever make a single tiny mistake during this mission, and that would be an utter and catastrophic failure. And this type of burden was resting on the backs of Vale Ashford, the S Rank Wind Slayer. Ignis Silva and the Emperor Nicholas had trusted that her reputation preceded her. That she was worthy of the nickname which was ''The Specter.'' Vale knew this as well. She did not want to become a burden for any person for as long as she lived. That was her code. Her way of life, as some might call it. As the three of them focused their eyes on the surroundings, covering all the areas while moving slowly, careful not to draw in much unwanted attention from the Angel guards, if there were any. Time seemed as though it was stopped, the Slayers up above were keen and prepared to strike if there were ever Angels in the vicinity, that was for sure. The S Rank Slayers gripped their steel armaments, grimoires, blades, swords, and other weapons. Fire Slayers had their grimoires opened to a specific page different from each individual one of them. "Whatever strongest Fire spell you are able to muster up and use, make sure you are prepared to let hellfire rain from above at these disgusting hives!" Vale Ashford and her squad finished surveying the location near the hives, concluding that it was in fact, empty. They checked the hive and entered it. The Angels were still in place, sleeping, waiting for their chance to burn humanity themselves if kept alive. The Specter raised her hand from below, indicating that they were going to be finding a way upwards from the other side, and that the ''Hellfire'' part of the Operation Phoenix was going to be given a green light. Ignis Silva grinned and gazed at the abyss which were the hives. He pointed at them and prepared to throw his red playing cards as the first sign of attack. The SS Rank Fire Slayer''s hands let loose a barrage of red playing cards stained by his own blood to make much stronger explosions as a result. It was followed by the other Fire Slayers letting loose and not holding back. Each one of them had been given a meter or more apart in order to avoid crossfire. Snowy grounds had their white coating melted from the heat of the flames. Gavin stared at Ignis Silva, eagerly waiting on him to give the Serpent Summoner the signal to summon something massive. "Do it, Gavin Khalil." The leader of the Inferno Garden said with such dedication in his eyes. With that, Gavin took out his grimoire and summoned the Elder Wyrm herself, Ryoko. The same dragon who lit Luken Regalia''s cigarette up when they were still on route to the Grand Castle with Vale Ashford on the carriage trip. Shockwaves were sent from the area of proximity where Gavin had summoned the mighty beast. Black dark scales covered it up as its red eyes were burning with intensity. The Elder Wyrm Ryoko was one of the oldest and strongest monsters that were able to be summoned by Gavin. She was the perfect one to summon since she specialized in burning things down to a crisp to the point of nothing but ashes. "What is thy bidding, Master Gavin?" The dragon''s feminine yet intense voice asked. Gavin pointed at the black hives. Once Ryoko''s eyes locked in on them, there was an expression of disgust that was apparent on the dragon''s face. "I know." Gavin said. "I will explain it to you later, everything down to the bone about what the hell these things are, but for now, I am going to have to ask you to fly up above and breathe fire onto these things." "I shall gladly do thy bidding, Master Gavin." Ryoko said that, but as she was about to fly, she had noticed Luken''s sweating face. "H-Hey! Long time no see, Ryoko!" The S Rank Water Slayer nervously chuckled and greeted the dragon. His greetings fell on deaf ears, however, as the dragon ignored him and proceeded to ignite the hives. The non Fire Slayers were just positioned at the back, wary of approaching too close to the hives that they might be burnt down by their fellow Fire Slayers by mistake. Finally, Vale and her squad made their way up, although it was snowing, the three of them were riddled with sweat down to their necks. Luken Regalia stared at them. "What? Do you have a problem, Luken?" The Specter asked him. "O-Oh no, no, no, not at all! Damn you guys are sweaty, is it really that hot down there?" He asked. "You should ask that yourself." She replied. Luken was using his black coat as a make shift fan. "Well yeah, I mean I do know how hot it is here, with all the Fire people led by the maniac Ignis, I was just asking how much different it would be from down there." He said nervously. "Was that really something you wish you might have asked?" Vale was annoyed. The hives were burning. Coupled with the immolation were the hundreds of voices of Angels crying out in pain. "Deserves you right you filthy creatures! Burn to ashes and feel the wrath of mankind!" Ignis Silva shouted. Hector Incendium was busy casting spells himself at the hives down below. His face was as expressionless as ever, but the same cannot be said about the intensity of the spells he was letting loose. "Hey, Gavin." Luken pulled him. "Do you think Zach could do something like that?" "With proper training and without his smart ass attitude, I am sure of it." Chapter 89 - To The Late Dunham The hives emanated screams of terror and anguish. Painful screeches which pierced the Slayers ears. Yet with each scream that their auditory senses heard, they only seemed to feel more into it. For as long as they could remember, Angels have always been nothing more but harbingers of death towards humanity. Mankind had always been one step behind, being driven back to barriers powered by magic and sorcery just to ensure their species'' survival. It was not a life that any single boy, man, girl, nor woman would ever dream to have from the day they were brought into this hell hole of a world till the day they were to die. But sadly, they had no choice. To live as though they were nothing more but insects ready to be stepped on and for a reason they did not even know was their only way of life. Niflheim was their only sanctum. The humiliation of being kept inside these barriers was demeaning and a blow to the gut of mankind. Due to the Specter ¨C Vale Ashford and her close associate, Dunham''s discovery, they had now pinpointed where the Angels came from. It did not matter to them if they still were in the dark as to why they were plucking out humans one way or another, but still, this was a victory for humanity nevertheless. The world had now been an eat or be eaten world for hundreds, even thousands of years so far. Although the Slayer Corps have done their job in being the striking weapon for mankind, for being the blade of humanity''s retaliation, it was not always enough. They needed to find two things: the reason for these Angel''s innate hate and bloodlust for humans, and where they came from. One of which was already solved, the latter. Angels were birthed from hives, hundreds of Angels are deep in slumber inside these hives, awaiting their inevitable awakening. Ignis Silva''s Operation Phoenix was the shadow that was the shade casted on the sky, the cover that would remove all sources of sunlight to even reach these young Angels after their hatch. Flames covered the tower hive below. Its dark and pitch black color seemingly devoid of light palettes is now being burnt into nothing but tiny little specks of ashes. Although the elite group of S Rank Slayers would be more than enough of a competition and challenger for a normal Angel, it would be ideal to kill them while they were still unable to even move. "Do you see it now, Dunham?" Vale Ashford asked as her eyes fixed on the surroundings. "This is the start of many more expeditions and conquests focused on burning these hives. It is all thanks to you and your sacrifices that we are able to do this. Rest in peace, my friend. Till we meet again in the afterlife, but that would have to come much later than I would like. I still have Angels to burn and even more to kill while I am still in this world." Her silver eyes had shed a tear. Before the single tear made its way down her neck, it had evaporated into nothingness. That showed just how hot the temperature was over they as of that moment. Luckily, the snow was in fact the one factor keeping them from burning themselves from the face of the Earth. This much heat was not ideal for the simple human body to withstand, no matter what affinity you had. Ignis Silva had thrown the last piece of his blood stained playing cards. He caught his breath for a moment and began to use his normal playing cards. "Die. Die. Die. Die. Die." The SS Rank Fire Slayer repeated to himself in a low voice which only those nearest to him could hear. Hector Incendium heard it all. His head faced Ignis, who wore an expression he had never seen before. It was of pure anger, but it was not just that, no. It was also of someone who has taken revenge for the many allies he has lost during his tenure as a Slayer. This had only made Hector admire his leader more. All the S Rank Fire Slayers seemed to relish and share in his emotions. Each one of them had felt that they were blessed enough to strike significant blows towards the Angel''s breeding grounds themselves, with their own will, hands, and powers. Every single attack and spell they had used was a punch from their families back at Niflheim. It was a symbol of mankind not fighting for nothing but a means of survival. No, they were fighting right now, this very moment, in order to fully exterminate an Angel before it is even conscious enough to take flight. "Hey! Ignis! That is enough!" Gavin desperately tried to quell their bloodlust, but his words seemed to not reach the huddle of Fire Slayers led by Ignis Silva. "Ignis! Tell them to cease at once! The hives are no more! You need not to expend more energy!" The Serpent Summoner realized that this was not working. His green orbs locked on Ryoko the Elder Wyrm''s eyes. With a single nod, the dragon immediately knew what was being asked of him by her master. The dragon faced the Fire Slayers and let out a loud rumbling sound. The Fire Slayers had their attentions drawn towards the dragon, Ignis was no exception. "Did you not hear me? I told you that is enough!" Gavin repeated once more. Ignis'' gazed on the ground below him. Nothing was left of the hives but ash. Vale Ashford ¨C The Specter, had no emotions on her eyes as she stared at what once was the location of the two massive hives. Her lips had turned pale and white, as white as her eyes were, in fact. Ajay handed her his own water pouch, sensing that the Specter was now dehydrated from the humidity of the atmosphere right now. She took out the water pouch from the Slayers hand and immediately chugged it down to the very last drop. After realizing she drank all of it, her eyes widened. "I-I am very sorry. I would like to apologize for using up all of your supplies, I was just too thirsty, I am sorry, once more." She said while looking down. "Madam, you need not to apologize. You may use all the water pouches that we all have right here, and it still would not be enough payment for what you and the late sir Dunham has done for mankind." Ajay assured her that it was alright. "Thank you, Ajay." She immediately focused her attention on the ashes down below. Ignis picked up his glasses which had fallen down from his face without him realizing it amidst his emotional barrage of attacks at the hives. After noticing that the lenses were covered in black dust and smoke from their attacks, Hector Incendium immediately stepped up and offered to clean them. To which the SS Rank Fire Slayer declined. "That would be alright, Hector. I am able to clean my own glasses myself." He said politely to the young boy. "It would seem as though I had let my emotions get the best of me, Gavin. Who knows what might have happened if we continued to burn this land without stopping for anything else. You have my gratitude for ceasing our outburst." He said to Gavin Khalil while wiping his glasses with his black coat robes. "Everyone! I am proud to announce that the Operation Phoenix has been a success!" The Inferno Garden leader shouted from the top of his lungs. All the Slayers deployed in the Operation Phoenix also shouted cries of victory. "We did it!" "This was not so much of a challenge after all!" "Now these wretched beasts finally feel the wrath of mankind and what we can do!" Ignis cleared his throat. "But before that, the mission has not yet ended. We have not finished it without making it back home safely! Now, we march as the victors! As the ones who have gotten the upper hand against the Angels! A deployment mission that has been executed without a single encounter against a single Angel while killing hundreds of them is unheard of! We have now done the unthinkable! Rejoice, my warriors! Rejoice for we have won, rejoice for we have exterminated these monsters while they slept defenseless in their grotesque hives!" Ignis said once more with passion. "It is finally over, huh?" Faust Keisuke asked the Commander. "Not yet, Faust, did you not hear what Ignis said? The mission is never over until we get back to Niflheim. I hate to admit it but he definitely devised one hell of a plan." Luken said while grinning. Gavin approached them, but not before saying his farewell to Ryoko and telling her how grateful he was for her aid in this mission. "Does this mean you admit Ignis is better than you in every single way possible?" He asked Luken. "No way." The Commander replied with a grinning smile. Chapter 90 - Wingless Harbingers The sun was starting to hide away from the inevitable arrival of the night. Ignis Silva''s Operation Phoenix was shaping out to be a success after all. The Inferno Garden''s eccentric leader was the only one who could rally his fellow high ranking Slayers in one cohesive squad and order them around. With their formation still being kept the same as when they started venturing from Niflheim, they were confident that home was not that far away from where they were as of that moment. Vale Ashford had walked and crouched carefully, even though her, Ajay''s, and Sae''jal''s bodies were already aching from squatting around and scouting for the locations up ahead. Her strength was replenished whenever she thought about the good news that she was about to bring back to the Emperor. Operation Phoenix has successfully uprooted the cause of the problem even without fighting their opponents head on. This inevitable victory is not only a source of pride for Ignis Silva, whom lead the team successfully, no, every single Slayer walking back towards Niflheim were due their woes and glory. Gavin had suggested to Ignis that it would be good to bring back an unhatched Angel from the hives back to the Grand Castle, to dissect and study. Slayers were having a hard time trying to capture Angels as these beings were much stronger than they were, and only A to S Rank and above Slayers even posed a match to these winged monsters. But their plan to capture even a single Angel was held back by their own sense of rage and bloodlust. Yet who could really blame them? Each one of them deserved that. Both the Slayers deserved to get revenge and the Angels, in the Slayers eyes, deserved nothing but a fiery, painful death. So, Gavin Khalil had let it slide, but he told Ignis Silva that it was rare for the latter to let emotions override their tactician''s prowess and decision making. Snow was still piling up on their way back. Their feet were having an even harder time than before walking through it. The S Rank Slayers of all affinities, shapes, sizes, and age were all exhausted, they wanted nothing more than to get back home, hug their families and have a well earned good night''s rest. "I wonder how those little runts have been faring so far." The Commander said out of the blue. "Little runts, sir Luken?" Faust Keisuke was oblivious to the fact that they had left their new rookie members back at base to train. "The Six Blades rookies, Faust." Gavin answered softly. "Oh! I remembered that you guys had recruited Suna Izanami, right? You know we of the Primal Hounds ourselves were adamant in trying to recruit her back then?" Faust Keisuke said while scratching the back of his head nervously. "Yeah, I knew about that. But I never actually told her to pick us." Luken took out a cigarette from his pocket and asked the nearest Fire Slayer from his area to light it up. "I think it was fairly useless trying to pester and pressure her as to what organization she would end up in. After all, she can choose any organization and I would still accept her decision with no ill will." "Nah, it was more like you were pretty confident that Suna was going to pick us, the Six Blades, as her choice for an organization to join in. But you know something, Faust? When he heard that several high rank organizations had interest in her, I swear Luken was fairly worried that she might end up joining you guys or any other instead of us." Gavin revealed the Commander''s reaction at that time. "G-Gavin you idiot! I swear when we get back home I am going to tear you a ¨C" His words were cut short by the Serpent Summoner''s words himself. "Forgive me if I am out of line by saying so, Luken. But she honestly reminds me of your sister." He said with a sad and equally melancholic expression etched onto his face. "Yeah, that was the reason why I let her join in on those expeditions and conquests even when I knew she had no Anima cells. And that was like a week or more after my sister had died. Was it wrong of me to drag her along just for my crass decision and her likeness for my sister, Gavin?" The Commander responded with a question. Gavin Khalil shook his head firmly. "It was absolutely not the wrong decision, Luken, trust me. Suna wanted to fight for mankind even without Anima cells. Knowing full well that plenty of lower ranked Slayers would try and hurl insults at her and calling her an ''invalid'' or a burden, she still wanted to do it, and I believe that we gave her the proper amount of push to succeed." The Serpent Summoner shoved off the snow that was building up on his shoulders before continuing what he was saying. "Now look at her, she is a capable B Rank Slayer with a little renown to her name. Our very own brawler in the Six Blades." "Now that you said that, I think you are right. We did make the right decision. Her will to fight is close to none." Faust Keisuke butted in. "I would like to meet with your rookies and spar with them sometime, sir Luken and Gavin!" He announced. "Do not worry, Faust, I am sure they would love that as well. I mean it would be a fantastic change of scenery to see someone much closer to their age than us." Gavin said. The Slayers continued their long and arduous journey, although tired, they wore their initial victory on their sleeves and pressed on. This weather was getting worse and worse gradually. Snow had began falling at a much heavier rate than the morning which they departed from. Vale Ashford and her cohorts ran towards Ignis Silva, sweat had began to pour on their faces despite the cold temperature. "What seems to be the matter, Specter?" Ignis asked, he was awfully curious why she decided to run back and not send her carrier pigeon the message which she seemed to desperately want to share. "We''ve got a huge problem." She said. Ignis Silva ordered the men to stop. He had not yet said the reason why, he still wanted to get to the bottom of this. Luken, Faust, and Gavin, as well as all the other Slayers behind Ignis were confused. "Why are we supposed to be stopping here?" "What''s going on there, Ignis? We are going to be freezing to our deaths out here!" Cried the Slayers. Ignis had moved to the front with Vale and the others to see the ''problem'' with his own eyes himself. "W-What are those?!" He exclaimed. "We do not know what or who they are. The databases have not indicated such monsters to have even existed up till now." Ajay said. "In short, they are a new breed of monsters that we have not seen so far. The newest monsters that were newly discovered was about two hundred years ago or less." Sae''jal added. "That is not all, however. Take a look at them more closely." Vale said as to Ignis as she lent him her binoculars. Ignis Silva hurriedly used them to take a closer look. "Do you see it?" She asked. These humanoid monsters were dressed in the same entrapments as the Angels, the same humanoid faces with blank expressions, glowing white skin and equally shining white eyes. They had weapons, varying amounts of weapons, even. Some had been spotted wielding a scythe, some were seen arming themselves with swords, hell, some even had grimoires on their hands. But something was clearly different about them from the traditional Angels that the Slayers were so used to fighting against. The wings. These creatures possessed no wings whatsoever. One look at them and you could see that their main way of maneuvering around was walking upright and using their legs. "A-Are these Angels? Where did they come from? I thought we burnt those hives already and there were no Angels spotted this near to the Outer Gates!?" Ignis was equally puzzled. "I do not know, but they are slowly marching towards us. You can decide now, we can turn back and be even further from home for no reason, or we can stand our ground and fight." She said. "I will inform the squadron to assume a fighting position. You three will stay together with me and the ''brawlers'' at the forefront. The Summoners shall be lead by the Serpent Summoner at the middle part and the spellcasters will continue to bombard these monsters with spells from the backlines." Ignis said. This was the same plan and formation that he wished to use when they had their last meeting in the Grand Castle. "We do not know just how strong these ''wingless Angels'' are. But we are about to find out ourselves." Ignis Silva said as he adjusted his glasses. Chapter 91 - Top Five For A Reason As the wingless Angels on the ground still have not spotted the Slayers, they knew that they had the upper hand at the first strike. "Our first attack has to be a success. We have the odds of it in our favor." Ignis Silva said before turning towards Luken Regalia, the Commander''s field of view. The Commander looked at his rival''s eyes dead on. "What do you want?" The blue haired SS Rank Water Slayer asked. "I, as the Operation Phoenix''s leader, wish to have you take the first attack against these newly spotted monsters." "Why does it have to be me, though? I am not really in the mood, Ignis." Luken sighed. "Because, you bumbling fool, as much as I cannot stand your attitude, I acknowledge your strength. I have little to no playing cards left, counting the ones I have in total ¨C I only possess about fifty of them. I would do it myself, but I am in a bit of a rut, as you can see." Ignis Silva said as he shrugged his shoulders. The Commander got up from his sitting place. "Is that an order from you to me?" "Yes, if you ever wish to deny the order, I will put you forth to the High Council on the counts of insubordination against authority." The Slayers present knew that this was turning into much more than the slight banter and quarrels they were used to these two. Vale Ashford got in front of them. "Can''t you just do it, Luken? The sooner we exterminate these Angel-ghoul looking hybrids, the sooner it is are we to set foot on our homes." She said with an angered expression "Fine, fine. I was just playing a joke, you know? Jeez, you people have got to learn how to unwind and chill for a bit." The Commander said while chuckling. "Luken, we talked about this before already, there is a clear time and a place for jokes, and I believe this time is not appropriate for such foolishness." Even the Serpent Summoner butted in and ridiculed Luken. "Can you all just please take a chill pill? I already said I was going to do it, right? After my initial attack, I will give you the signal to jump in, if you guys are quick on your feet, we would finish this as soon as possible, I am sure of it." He said as he took his rapier out of its sheathe from his hips. The Commander had already enchanted it with ripples and mini waves. He had done this sort of tactic before, it is now a chainsaw-looking sword rather than a rapier. Blades were circling around almost like it really was a moving saw. "I am getting pretty impatient, so it would be in our best interest to leave like three or five Slayers behind to document how these ''Wingless Angels'' move and maneuver themselves. That is what should be done whenever there is a new breed of monsters spotted." Luken said before leaping to the area where the Wingless Angels were. "Err. You guys seem weird. What happened to your wings? There are also dozens of you here, I have never seen Angels flock together in numbers like this. That is pretty cool." Luken spoke to the Wingless Angels, in an attempt to see if they understood human speech, or at least that was what he was trying to do, as Gavin said it. Ignis scratched his head in disappointment. "What is that blundering fool doing?! He was supposed to catch them by surprise! To hell with it, men, on me!-" Gavin and Faust prevented them from moving forward by raising both their arms sideways. "W-What is the meaning of this, Serpent Summoner?" Ignis asked. "Just wait. He is baiting them. You of all people should know that Luken Regalia always does his job as he was told." The Serpent Summoner said. If it were any other Slayer doing what these two were, Ignis would have pushed through and shoved them, but knowing Gavin Khalil, judging from his tone and body language, the Serpent Summoner was nothing more than serious. The Wingless Angels began sprinting towards the Commander''s location. "Woah, you guys are pretty fast, huh? But even I can tell from that sprint that you are not faster than the common Angel. Though the speed difference between the normal winged Angels and you guys are not that much, it is still noticeable for strong Slayers like me. Just saying." Ten Wingless Angels dashed towards the Commander. Luken Regalia had a grin on his face. He waved his sword and slashed it on the air, hitting nothing else. Ignis Silva squinted. Gavin Khalil let out a smile. "Just watch." The Commander''s sword had been imbued with the water enchantment from earlier still. His sword was exuding droplets of water towards the ten of them approaching him. These droplets were carefully placed near the Wingless Angel''s blind spots, the areas where their field of view or vision was obstructed. Luken, with his signature grin still written on his face, placed his rapier on the ground, hitting the heavy snow below. He clapped his hands one time. This, and the droplets were the catalysts needed in order for him to perform what he planned to do. "Aqua Juxtaposition!" He shouted. After saying those words, every single droplet in the Wingless Angel''s blind spots had turned into the Commander. There was now ten Luken Regalias in the battlefield! Each and every one of them stabbed the monsters without them being able to react fast enough to block the attacks. The skill had only lasted for a single second, but still, the damage it had done to the Wingless Angel''s ranks were not a joke. Ten of them fell to the Commander''s Aqua Juxtaposition. Blood had started to color the snow red once more. The Slayers who were watching were in shock. They were not really deployed in the same squad as the Commander, they knew he was strong, but not this strong. "A-Are my eyes alright or was I seeing ten Luken Regalias for a good second?" "N-No. I saw just that as well¡­" The Slayers remarked. Ignis had a look of annoyance etched on his face. He clicked his tongue. "Tch. You always find a hundred different ways to grow stronger each time I see you, Luken. Well done." His SS Rank Fire Slayer counterpart said. "Everyone! Assist Luken and take down the remaining Wingless Angels! Nobody is allowed to die on my command! I repeat, nobody!" Luken still had the grim grin on his face. "You know, for all the time and years I have spent as a Slayer for the Corps, there has always been one thing that is nagging on the back part of my mind." He said to the Wingless Angels. Whose expressions were still blank, these monsters did not even react in the slightest to the image of their fellow Angels being decapitated. "Does an executioner tasked with bringing down the blade of the guillotine ever fear that in some eerie way, in that specific moment, it would be his head that would be sent rolling down the gallows?" Luken said as he slowly approached the remaining Wingless Angels, still armed with their various weaponries. "In short, I am asking if you monsters ever feel fear. Does an executioner''s knees tremble in fear after seeing the Grim Reaper himself bring the blade down on their own necks?" The Commander picked up his rapier from the blood drenched snowy ground below. His slow walk towards them made the Wingless Angels twitch. "What is wrong? What seems to be the matter? Strike me down. Execute me the same way you do my fellow human beings. What is stopping you from moving forward and facing me? I for one do not know if you understand basic human speech or language, maybe I am just venting. But still, I am much less human than all of you combined. I am in the top five for a reason." Luken dashed and pierced a Wingless Angel''s neck, separating the creature''s neck from its head in one fell swoop. Back up had arrived and the battle was now underway. Faust Keisuke jumped into the fray and killed the ones in front of the Commander. "Are you alright, sir Luken?" He asked worriedly. "I am fine, Faust. Why shouldn''t I be? These things are weak, nothing more than flightless Angels, perhaps the reason why you creatures do not possess the gift of flying is because you are far too weak to be graced with it." He said mockingly to the Angels whose wings were absent from their backs. "Ignis!" Luken shouted. Ignis Silva made his way towards Luken while Hector Incendium sliced the limbs of every single monster attempting to approach Ignis. "What?" He asked. "These things are no joke. Although they are a tad slower than normal Angels, their strengths are still the same. Plus, they are traveling in groups. The greatest number of Angels we have ever seen patrol together were only about fifteen or so.. They are no match for us, but they will prove to be difficult against lower ranked Slayers." Chapter 92 - Loss Blades were heard clanging across the battlefield as the fighting went on. Neither side had it in them to back down and surrender. It was shaping up to be an all-out brawl against the Wingless Angels and the Operation Phoenix Slayers. Luken Regalia continued to dance around the battlefield with his rapier, decimating every foe that was foolish enough to stand against him. Ignis Silva showed his proficiency in hand to hand combat, as his playing cards were all out, he resorted to fighting using the old fashioned way. The operation''s leader enchanted his fists and feet with flames as he clobbered the Wingless Angels and burnt them the same way he did with their hives ¨C to ashes. This fight did not last long, after about ten minutes of intense fighting, the Slayers had emerged victorious. "Why do these creatures not have wings? I mean they look the part of a typical Angel, it is just the absence of the wings that irks me off." Faust asked Gavin. "I am as clueless as you are, Faust. But there is one thing that we do in fact know, it is that these Wingless Angels will prove to be a difficult opponent for Slayers who are not ranked S and above." His eyes darted around and focused on Hector Incendium. "Except for anomalies and prodigies, I guess." "Aren''t you a prodigy yourself, sir Gavin?" Faust pressed on. "Well, you get the point already, do you not?" The Serpent Summoner ended it at that. Ignis walked up to a hill, adamant to be in a place which he is able to see the Slayers and make not of who fell in the battle. "Did we lose anyone?" His soft voice asked with a clear sense of urgency to it. A Slayer in the huddle raised his arm up. "Y-Yes, sir. I believe we lost this one." He said as he carried a Slayer''s body up on his shoulders. It was a female, and a young one at that. Her body was mangled and spliced up. Wounds that were clearly inflicted by blades were dripping with red sanguine blood. Ignis Silva clicked his tongue. "Tch. Shit. That is unfortunate. It really is." The Inferno Garden leader was not shy in showing his disappointment at the loss, even if it was only a single person. He walked towards the Slayer carrying the body and covered the fallen Slayer''s face and her whole body with his own black coat. "I will carry her." He said. The Slayer nodded. "Y-Yes, sir!" Ignis Silva held the lady on his back. "Sir Ignis, if I may? I would like to point out that I am not encumbered or burdened by anything else, I will do that." Hector said with the same emotionless delivery he always exhibited ever since he was introduced to everyone in the Grand Castle. "No. Hector. It is fine. This loss is on me. This young Slayer''s death is on my hands, that is just how it is." The dark haired man continued to march onwards. "The Outer Gates are only a couple of ways away from here, I believe you all can sense that already. Get up and get going, let us honor her to the fullest by doing our duties as Slayers. Get up." The Slayers resting from the exhausting battle were now slowly getting up. Faust Keisuke had recognized this Slayer, the one who had met her demise. It was the Slayer he had interacted with from earlier, the one who was shaking on the way to the hives. He bit his lower lip in anger until it bled hard. The S Rank Earth Slayer remembered how the young Slayer was fearful and optimistic about the outcome of the mission. For her to die this way, for her to meet her demise just as when they were about to get back to home, it was someone that unnerved Faust Keisuke deeply. This unnerved sense of dread made him quite emotional and mad. Faust had known long ago already that death was a part of being a Slayer. Nobody was untouchable by death''s cold fingertips. He knew this already, but still, the reality of it every single time always hit him hard. The mood and atmosphere of victory and triumph against an unknown type and breed of monsters were hastily culled short. What replaced it was the grim reminder that even though they were S Rank Slayers, one of the best that the Slayer Corps ever had, they were still walking on the fine line of life and death. They got up and walked. Ignis Silva was still carrying the Slayer''s lifeless body. "I thought Ignis did not care about casualties." Gavin remarked. "He tries his best to pretend that he does not, Gavin. He has always been that way ever since. But deep down, he does care for his subordinates. He just has to maintain that repugnant attitude in front of many people because of how an ''Inferno Garden'' leader is supposed to be." Luken responded. Niflheim was close, the Slayers could sense the Anima concentration brought upon by the Red Barriers of the Outer Gates. Whenever a group went out for deployment or an expedition, the feeling of the Outer Gates'' aura has always been a good sign, specially if they are coming back from a successful mission or are on a full on retreat. It is not like the Red Barrier does not have its flaws, though. The conjured up barrier is only focused on keeping high level monsters such as Angels and the likes of the Seraphims at bay, lower level monsters like goblins and such could crawl from underneath the ground and set up camp at Niflheim''s burrows. That was where Yin was sent by Luken to fend off for himself against the Goblins. "I am sorry." He said to the dead Slayer''s lifeless body behind him slowly. Hector heard this but did not comment on it. This was the first time he had ever seen his leader show such an attitude towards the fallen. He knew that it would be out of place for him to point it out to Ignis. So, he kept his mouth shut and walked onwards. Ignis Silva''s mind had been racing around various memories and emotions. Trying to make sense out of whatever it is this plane of existence has in store for him. Ever since he was little, all he could ever want was to be the top Slayer. The number one ranked Slayer in the leaderboards. That was Ignis Silva''s lifelong goal. His father, his grandfather, all the other Slayers before him who ultimately lead the Inferno Garden were already at one point the strongest Slayers there were during their times. And Ignis was adamant about living up to his bloodline''s renowned name. "Every mile I walk in the Silva name''s feet, I stand atop a mountain of bodies. Bodies of my comrades, my fellow Slayers. And the one I am carrying was of no exception. Her life has been cut short not directly due to my lack of leadership or incompetency, no, it just happened as the mission went on." Ignis Silva thought to himself. The SS Rank Inferno Garden leader knew that her death was not because of him and his poor choice of action. What other outcome was there for that situation? There was none. Nothing else was going to happen. A fight was inevitable. Humans and monsters were never going to peacefully coincide and coexist with one another in this wretched world. Both sides knew of nothing but to place damnation on the other. If you do not kill, you shall be killed. That was just how it was. The walk back to Niflheim was soon ending. But there was no doubt, the end portion of the mission was painted with grief and sadness with the loss of one of their own. "You know, Faust¡­" Luken interrupted the painful silence. "I can never ever get used to this." Luken said, referring to the dead Slayer. "It should never be said that it is a good thing that only one died out of the twenty of us here today." Gavin added. He sighed deeply, indicating his exhaustion from everything. "The fact of the matter is that a group of S Rank Slayers managed to let one of their own die. I cannot speak for myself out of hypocrisy, as I did not even see the chance to help her earlier in the fight. My eyes never even saw her in peril. Which meant she never called for help." The Serpent Summoner said. "What are you trying to say, Gavin?" Luken asked him. "Nothing. I just said some stuff that popped up in my mind just now. Do not mind me." The skies were colored dark with freezing temperatures. Snow had been ravaging the Operation Phoenix squadrons heavily ever since they left Niflheim. But their efforts were worth it, as they have finally managed to beat the Angels without even fighting them, well, the winged ones, at least. Chapter 93 - Operation Phoenixs Curtains Close Isabelle was waiting from the area where they had first departed from. The High Council''s Overseer had her arms crossed before waving at the Slayers after seeing them. Her enthusiasm was cut short after she had noticed that Ignis Silva had been carrying someone on his shoulders. Isabelle''s eyes were aghast and mortified as she noticed the body was moving up and down with no force or life whatsoever. It was a Slayer''s dead body. She immediately ran and approached Ignis, she had pulled the dark pitch black robes from the dead Slayer''s face. "L-Let her down! I can still heal her!" She said. Ignis shook his head ever so slightly. Indicating that it was far too late for any healing techniques and skills to be done on the woman. Even back then, it still would not have made a difference. The way that the others found her body was truly horrific, her skin had turned pale, the blood that was lost wasn''t mendable with any kind of healing, no matter how high class it may have been. "Enough, Isabelle. She is gone." Ignis said with an emotionless look on his face. "How the hell did twenty S Rank Slayers manage to lose even a single member?!" She protested and demanded to know. Hector raised his hand, showing courtesy and respect as though he was still in a meeting. The eyes were now glued onto him. "Madam, if I may?" Hector asked. Isabelle nodded. "We have encountered a new variant or breed of Angels. They possess excellent speed and dexterity, they seem to arm themselves with the same scale and rotation of weapons that normal Angels tend to use. However, they are flightless." Isabelle''s brows moved upwards. "The new breed of Angels are basically normal ones without wings. That is about it. We were lucky to even make it out of the battle as the victors, this lady''s loss of life is indeed tragic, yet it is not something we should dwell on. We are Slayers. Curse your own powerlessness." He said as he turned his head and looked at the Slayers behind hm. This had sent them into a frenzy. "How dare you! Who the hell do you even think you are?!" "Shut your damn mouth or I will cut your throat open, worm." "Big words for an A Rank Slayer. You should not even be here in the first place, know your damn worth, you twerp." Hector Incendium was fully prepared for the insults hurled at him to let it slide off, but this latter one''s words was what triggered him the most. The A Rank Slayer''s brows met and he finally began to show his emotions for the first time. "I am the meek A Rank Slayer, totally unqualified. Sent to the battlefield in the most important mission of our kind to date. Yet take a long hard look at yourselves, back there, I saw some of you hesitate. You were held back by the fear, was it the fear of fighting the unknown? Was it the fear of your own powerlessness? What was it? Help me to recollect." Hector''s black pupils were painted with rage, as his tongue was unsheathed and not held back. "I might be weak, but I killed as many of those creatures as the second in command of the Primal Hounds. If I am weak, then what does that say about your so called ''strength''?" Hector said. Luken and Gavin did not speak a word. Perhaps deep down they knew that Hector was the real deal. Faust just looked down to the ground. Sure, what Hector said about him killing as many Wingless Angels as he did was a compliment, but Faust Keisuke was still disappointed at himself and at how close Hector Incendium''s combat capabilities were at this stage of his rank. "Allow me to rephrase my words, as I am not quite good at using it. She was powerless against the inevitability of death. She was not powerless against the creatures, she fought till she dropped. Her heart and soul rose up and will forever be immortalized as a Slayer." Hector ended it at that, coupled with a bow of respect. Ignis Silva walked towards the entrance. "Good work, everyone. Operation Phoenix members at the time of departure, twenty-seven. Operation Phoenix members as of now, twenty-six. That is all, you are dismissed." He said. Hector followed him soon shortly after. "Sir, you still have her body with you." The rookie said. "I am taking her remains back to her family myself. This is the least I could do. Try to find out about her, check the logbooks and databases." Hector nodded and the two vanished into the night, back towards Niflheim. The rest of the Slayers followed shortly after. All of them wanted nothing more right now than to be back at home. They walked by Isabelle who had been startled by seeing the dead Slayer''s body. It had reminded her of her own brother. Even after months, the pain of the ''Tragedy At The Outer Gates'' still loomed in her heart. Just as Luken and Gavin walked right past her, she said something to them. "What was I supposed to do back then? Gavin? Luken?!" Her harrowing words sent chills down their spines. "Honestly, Isabelle, I do not know. I just hope your position within the High Council''s lapdogs give you the warmth that your brother gave to you back then." Luken said as he shrugged his shoulders. After some distance was put in between Isabelle and them, Gavin tapped Luken''s shoulders. "That was too much, even for her." "I know what I said." Just as they were at a literal crossroad, the other one leading to the south and the other lead to the west, Faust bid them goodbye. "I''m headed here." He said as he pointed to the sign with the western place. "It has been an honor fighting alongside you two, till we meet again!" Faust''s smile was still ever so bright. Faust Keisuke waved them farewell. "Say, Gavin, who do you think would win if they ever fought three on one, our rookies at home, or Faust?" Luken asked while keeping a finger at his chin, thinking long and hard about the scenario he presented himself. "That is an easy question, Faust Keisuke would win, of course. He isn''t the second in command for a top organization for no reason. He is crass and childish yet he remains grounded with his actions and never flaunts his strength. He is a good kid." "Heh. I thought as much as well." Luken said with a smirk. "Then what about Suna and Hector? I am sure they would have to go toe to toe against each other in the Slayer Tournament soon. It is fast approaching, we should teach her how to fight against that monster of a Slayer." The Commander hopped around, he was not hiding the fact that he was excited to see his young, budding rookies once again. "Well, as we have said to her during the trip back from the Grand Castle, she should still forfeit her matches whenever she gets seeded against Hector. That kid is no joke. I was observing the way he was fighting the Wingless Angels, and if I could describe it in the least amount of words that I can, it would be ¨C ''chaotic yet controlled.''" Gavin picked up his grimoire which had fallen from his breast pocket. "Anyway, that kid has also got a skewed sense of morality, as expected of Ignis Silva''s cohorts." Both of them walked onwards until they spotted a carriage. The carriages were specially catering to Slayers who had come back from long missions and were awaiting transportation services. "Where to?" Asked the coachman in a drunken yet soft voice. "Err. Just take us to the town before Cisco, coachman." Luken said. "Very well! Hang on tight, sirs." The coachman said as he pulled on his steed to accelerate forwards. Niflheim coated with snow was not a sight unfamiliar to the residents. It was a common occurrence, in fat. Nearly half of the year was of Niflheim being covered in thick white snow. The Commander looked out through the window as fractals upon fractals of snow fell down from the sky above down to the ground. "How long do you think we will arrive to the hideout, Gavin?" "Are you serious? Why do you have to ask me that every damn time we come back from the outside or from any mission whatsoever?" Gavin responded with a huge sigh. "Come on now, we just eviscerated those hives, man! Why can''t you loosen up a bit? We should have just summoned Ryoko and rode her huge, scaly, dragon back towards our hideout!" Luken suggested with a wide playful grin etched on his face. Gavin did not respond, instead, the Serpent Summoner merely fixed his gaze at him. His green, disappointed orbs stared at Luken''s very soul. "Luken." Gavin sighed once more.. "The next time I summon Ryoko, I''ll have her gobble you up whole." Chapter 94 - Home At Last The luminescent brightness of the moon gave light to the night skies. The trio of Six Blades rookies were still going hard at practice, even though it was fast approaching midnight. "I just got word from Gavin!" Suna shrieked. Both Yin and Zachary immediately approached her. "So, what happened?! Was their top secret mission a success?" Yin asked. "You should know that we technically have not been informed about their operation at all. We only know because we have pestered Kai into telling us some details. I suggest we act surprised the first time they tell us about it. Zachary added. Suna opened the letter from the Serpent Summoner. Her eyes skimmed through the letter. It was fairly short. She then gave it to the others for them to read. Oliver was fast asleep, he had a makeshift hammock in the living room. Of course, Suna was not thrilled to be the one who cleaned up after Oliver''s fur shedding. Thus, the rookies made it some sort of exercise as well, to see who could clean the baby panda''s fur the fastest, alternating participants in between days. "It seems like they will be arriving after midnight of some sorts. You guys want to stay up and wait for them?" Yin asked. Suna and Gavin nodded. "I am just going to go check on Oliver for a bit, I will be back." Suna stood up. "Hey Yin." Zach called out to the white haired Slayer. "Your powers, where did you really get them from?" Zachary asked him out of the blue. Yin was adamant in staying silent, fearful that telling other people about the unknown origins of his powers might cause confusion and such. Specially since the Angels were interacting with him in a strange way back at the farm. "I-I don''t¡­" Yin stammered on his words. He could barely surmise what the whole schtick about his powers actually were, what the System was, and who made it. But the brief memory of the sobbing Angel stuck to him deeply. Yin had also asked the Creator about the origins of the System, but the latter was keen on keeping his mouth shut even tighter than he did. "Forget it." Zach responded with a faint smile which was rare for him. "As long as you are on our side, on humanity''s side, it does not matter where you got it. You might be an annoying simpleton but at least your will is in a good place." Yin was awfully surprised. "W-What did you even want to say? On the rarest of occasions that your unpleasantness is not on full display, you still find the time to call me names or something. Seriously." Yin did not know how to react. "I am not losing to you, though. No matter what kind of abilities you might have, there is no way I am losing to you." Zachary said as he stood up from where he sat. "The same goes for me as well, you know? I will be the strongest Slayer ever recorded. I will actually make a difference in this world, just wait and see. You are free to tag along, but make sure you do not slow me down, Zach." Yin said with clear conviction. The intensity in his eyes mirrored his iron will. His moment was interrupted by the creator, unbeknownst to Zach. "Big, big words coming from someone like you." The Creator whispered into his ears. Zach clicked his tongue. "Kai Xin told us not to tell the Commander and Gavin about his presence here, make sure you do not forget about that." He said. "Yeah, yeah, I will not." Yin responded. Although their relationship was still pretty rocky, it was slowly turning into a much more solid one. The rookies'' understanding of each other''s strength as their training went on was getting more and more deeper. They were now able to coordinate synchronized attacks using each other''s strengths while covering their weaknesses. But one thing was bothering Yin for quite some time now. The fact that he had not heard from the System itself after he turned level twenty seemed off. He tried asking the Creator but as always, he merely gave no knowledge that was viable whatsoever, just light banter and insults. It finally hit Yin, he had heard about the traitorous SSS Rank Reaper conducting several experiments and readings about the old gods and such. Yin knew that he had to ask and inquire about it to his seniors when they came back. Suna finally went outside and sat down. "Why are you guys so tense? Come on, training is over, we could just enjoy the night sky while we wait for them to come home. Do you think those two would like Oliver?" She asked. "I mean who would not want an adorable fluffy baby panda like Oliver? Of course they would!" Yin said with a grin. "Sir Gavin has definitely had his fair share of summoned creatures, he would love Oliver, trust me." Zach replied. "Thanks guys." The three rookies shared the night just lazing around and laying on the grass outside, the cold breeze brought upon by the climate made them go back inside, however. No amount of winter clothes would ever beat the heat this time of the year. "Hey Zach, can you light the hearth over there?" Yin pointed out. Zachary took out his grimoire and casted a mild fire, using his fingers as some sort of lighter. He used a paper to light it up at first, and then focused it on the firewood situated in the hearth. The blue flames turned into the normal red ones after he left it alone. Suna looked at the fire in amusement. "Blue flames really do cool pretty cool, right, Yin?" "Tch. Whatever, they probably do, I don''t know." This prompted Zachary to grin and stare at Yin. The latter did not reciprocate the same energy, however. "I am getting really sleepy. I might just crash here in Oliver''s hammock; you guys can wake me up when they come around." Yin lifted the baby panda ever so gently, careful as to not wake him up, after getting into a position he was comfortable in. The baby panda let out a soft and gentle squeal which melted everyone''s hearts. The white haired System holder was now asleep on what was supposed to be the panda cub''s sleeping place. Oliver was demoted from his hammock and is now snoozing on Yin''s belly. He did not protest though. "Say, Suna." Zach called out to her. "Yeah, what''s up?" "Are you nervous about the Slayer Tournament? It is fast approaching you know, you better represent the Six Blades with your full might." "I know that." Suna smirked. "Once I finally get to the A Ranks, you both better catch up soon." "Heh. What other choice do we really have?" Both of them snoozed off while waiting for Luken and Gavin after about thirty minutes of chatter. Zach was asking Suna how to improve his fighting stances and such, while Suna was curious about how it felt to cast spells from one''s own grimoire. And just like that, it was as if all the training they did finally caught up to their hyperactive bodies. It was now about 2 AM early morning, Yin''s snores were far too annoying for Zach to deal with, he had awoken from it, after all. He covered him up with some sheets and rags. "Why can''t you just sleep like a normal person for god sake, Yin?" The Fire Slayer said mentally to himself. He decided to go upstairs to his room, but a knock stopped him in his tracks. The knocking was getting louder and louder, signs of an impatient visitor, or perhaps Luken? Zachary opened and was greeted by the Commander and the Serpent Summoner. "Yo! What are you guys doing here sleeping and stuff?" Luken''s loud voice jolted Suna awake. "Ergh. Can''t you keep your voice down, Commander? You could have woken us up like a normal human being, you know?" Suna said groggily. "Did you guys bring food or snacks or food?" "It is nice to see you as well, Suna." Gavin replied while unpacking his things. They had turned pale white because of the coldness. "Hey, Zach. The fire''s out, light it up again, please." Zach had a smirk on his face. He wanted to show off to both of them. They were to ones who recruited him to the organization so it would only be fair, according to Zach, that they see his strength and worth as a Slayer. The Fire Slayer took out his grimoire and began casting the same spell as he did to ignite the fire from earlier. His fingertips lit up with the blue flames. Gavin was shocked. Luken, on the other hand, had a greedy, devilish smile on his face. "What do you guys think?" Zach asked with the grin still on. "I think you three truly are something else." The Serpent Summoner said with a smile. Chapter 95 - Blades Reunited "Still, Zach, you know how Yin has black lightning, right? Several other people have different and diverse affinities. I mean I am not bragging but my grandfather had green flames as well as being a Combat Slayer and Summoner hybrid." Gavin was walking around the living room, touching ever nook and cranny of the place. "Hm. It would see as though you guys did not clean the place as often as you promised you would." The Serpent Summoner''s eyes squinted at Suna and Zach. Both of them thought it was unfair that they were getting lectured while Yin was on his lazy ass sleeping, dreaming about whatever it was he had in mind. Gavin cleaned off his hands and wiped them with his coat. "Anyway, to go back to my grandfather, it took him several years to develop green flames. I believe other variations of affinities are much stronger from a power-wise perspective, but they are highly unstable and harder to control. For you to have learned it in what, two to three weeks¡­" Gavin placed his fingers on his chin. "Wait, how long has it been since we departed? Ah. Never mind that. Anyway, it is generally impossible to go from normal affinity colors to other variations with no training or prior experience, disregarding Yin''s case, though. As he awakened his Anima cells at such a late age. So, what I would like to ask you, Zachary, is the question ¨C who taught you how to do all that?" Gavin''s tone was confrontational but not utterly mad, per se. Zachary shot a glance at Suna, asking her without words whether they should tell these two that Kai was sent here to basically beat them to a pulp. Suna shook her head ever so slightly, but Gavin caught wind of this. "Seriously though, who was it? I would actually like to commend him or her. I mean that person managed to train our rookies for some reason, and I am thankful for that. Zach, you went from spouting about not using your affinities in combat and look at you now, using blue azure flames and all that." Finally, Zach gave in. "K-Kai¡­" Both the Commander and the Serpent Summoner tensed up and cut Zach off before he could finish the person''s name. "Kai Xin?!" Luken asked. "Where is he now?" The Commander was frantically looking for him in the hideout, as if the Dragon was hiding here somewhere waiting to surprise him. Gavin let out a chuckle. "Hah. I would have thought as much. No wonder why he was not there during the meeting at the Grand Castle." Zachary and Suna had a look of confusion on their faces. "Wait, you guys are not mad?" Suna jolted a question in response. "Of course not. Kai Xin is our friend. We were in the same class of rookies together with the Specter, Ignis Silva, and Isabelle." Gavin walked towards the sink and washed his hands. "We are just more upset at him for not staying till we got home." "He looked like he was in a hurry. Do you remember the letter we sent back to you when you were still on stand by at the Grand Castle? After that, he just vanished." Zach said. "So, what was he here for, actually? Did he not know we were away?" Luken was pondering about it, thinking deeply. The Commander was never one to use his brain and come to conclusions, so this was a rather strange occurrence to everyone there." "Careful, Luken. You might fry your small brain if you use it too much." Gavin said a slight to the Commander. "I think I know why he was here. How did you guys manage against him? I would not be surprised if you did not land a blow at all." Gavin said with a confident grin. Just as Zachary was about to open his mouth and say excuses about how Kai took him off guard, Suna immediately revealed that Zach just casted some petty fireballs which hit nothing and was sent to sleep by the Dragon with neck chop. "For me, I was actually doing well, up until he used his Anima cells, anyway¡­" Suna''s smile turned into a frown of disappointment. "Hah. Classic Kai." Luken said as he nodded. "Although, Kai Xin did say that Yin gave him the most trouble out of the three of us. We were knocked unconscious so we did not really see what went on during their fight. But from both of their mouths, we heard it went on for almost an hour." Zach said with the click of his tongue at the end. Perhaps he was still salty about being taken out of the fight at the start. The Serpent Summoner''s brows raised up once more. "Really now, one hour?" He said as he shot a glance at Luken. "Do you think he was having fun playing and toying with Yin during that time span?" Gavin asked. "Nah. Kai is not the type of person to not get bored of toying with his opponents in a fight about ten minutes or so afterwards. Perhaps Yin was really holding his own back then. I am just curious as to how. We definitely have a lot to talk about with Kai once we see him again, Gavin." The Serpent Summoner nodded. "Definitely." "Speaking of Yin, where is that boy?" Gavin asked. Zachary pointed at the hammock, which he covered in sheets earlier. "D-Did he die or something?" Luken joked. He walked towards the hammock and got rid of the sheets. "Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Luken said as he saw the baby panda, Oliver sleeping on Yin''s stomach. His eyes were absolutely enamored by the panda''s small soft breaths while sleeping. The immaculate fur as well as the precious beany toes it had on its arms and legs. "Where did you guys pick this thing up!?" Luken said as he raised Oliver up, the baby panda''s cuteness was definitely getting to the Commander. "Interesting, where did that summoned creature come from?" Gavin was puzzled. Suna explained to them how they found Oliver that one fateful night. "He''s stuck in our world, basically." Suna said as she gave Oliver''s original owner''s letter to Gavin. The Serpent Summoner read intently and was teary eyed after taking in every word in the letter. "This is the first time I have heard of a summoned creature being ''trapped'' in the human world even after coming into terms and finishing his job order by his Summoner." Gavin wiped his eyes off. "It seems the Six Blades have its mascot now. A baby panda, not bad¡­" "Yin! There is an Angel invasion! Twelve of them are hovering around the hideout and are closing in on us! Wake up!" Luken shouted at Yin. The latter then got up as quick as he could and although he was still groggy from waking up, was now assuming a fighting stance. "W-What? Where? Wha- Wait, why are you guys laughing?!" After realizing Luken had pulled another prank on him, Yin slapped himself in the face. The sound made Oliver wake up and stare at the Commander''s face. Something was up, though. Oliver was pissed. "O-Oh, sorry about that, Oliver. I am Luken Regalia, by the way." He pointed at Gavin. "That guy right there is Gavin Khalil. He''s a pretty strong summoner so you guys might get a-" He was interrupted with a slap to his knees. Oliver had pulled out his retractable bamboo stick and began smacking Luken''s knees with it. "Ouch! H-Hey! I am sorry for waking you up! I thought you were someone who could do no harm, Oliver?! What happened to you!?" Luken said dramatically as well as in a comedic way. Oliver began to chase him around the area. Gavin cleared his throat before speaking. "Now that you three are awake, I am excited to see how you have spent these past couple of weeks. Eager to see just how much you have improved in this limited amount of time without us. Tomorrow we shall be training as usual. For now, let us call it a night and catch some sleep." Gavin stared at the clock and realized it was already late as hell. "Err. Just this once, I would like to give you guys the leisure of sleeping in and waking up at the time you desire. I feel groggy and tired myself, let us rest up and prepare for an even more grueling conditioning and training, got it?" Gavin asked the trio of rookies. "Sir, yes, sir!" They replied. After finishing up helping their seniors unpack. Each one of the Six Blades went back to their rooms upstairs. Suna had removed Oliver''s hammock from the living room and decided to take it upstairs to her room. "Starting today, Oliver, you are going to have to be nice to your new family. The Commander is pretty annoying but trust me, he is a good person deep down. Both he and Gavin are the types of people you can trust." She said. Chapter 96 - System Dreams Yin made his bed before laying down, he had noticed that he did not do so after he had woken up yesterday. He sighed. After making the bed, he slithered in and finally closed his eyes back again after being woken up by Luken''s voice. Just as Yin Sohaya closed his eyes, he remembered the System and why it had not been giving him daily quests and objectives. He had also stopped leveling up at the 20th level. "Hey, Creator, do you at least mind telling me what the hell is happening to the Thanatos System?" Yin asked in his mind, for sure, the one he was pertaining the question towards would be able to hear it. The Creator lived in his head together with the System, after all. The deep and articulate voice of the Creator responded. "Why should I tell you that? You were just lucky to be compatible with the System, nothing more." These particular set of words struck Yin the wrong way. "Luck did not play a factor in it. I was chosen by the System for a reason. You of all people should know that considering you are the one who created whatever the System is." Yin said firmly. "Look at you, growing a pair in such a short amount of time, aren''t you?" The Creator laughed. "If I am being honest with you, however, Yin. I do not know what drew the System to you. I really don''t. But there is no use withholding the answer to your question to you now." "Then tell me. Tell me everything about the Thanatos System, what it really is and why I was worthy of being chosen by it." Yin demanded. "Hold your horses, Yin Sohaya. I am not going to tell you everything about the System, where is the fun in that? For now, however, I would like to tell you the real answer as to why you cannot level up anymore¡­" In his mind, Yin was still sitting on an empty lifeless place. Filled with nothing but decayed flowers and a door that is not even half opened. He is only able to see a fraction of the Creator who sat there. The black silhouette of a man sat in front of a piano, playing an unknown melody that was emanating the feeling of sadness and longing for something. Tears started to fall from Yin''s eyes without him realizing it. "W-Why do I feel like I have heard this melody long ago? As far as I remember, the only time I have been hearing this was when the System came to me." Yin''s body was now asleep in the real world, and he was transported to the System inside his dreams. "That piano piece. Where have I heard that from?" Yin asked directly to the Creator. The Creator''s dark silhouette was now grinning, revealing his teeth. "Answer me! I do not know why I feel some kind of connection to whatever it is you are playing. It must be tied to the System somehow!" The music stopped. The Creator''s hands stopped playing. His fingers lifted upwards and he stood up from where he sat. Yin saw this and he was on high alert. He felt an evil sort of presence and aura coming from the Creator''s very soul. The dark shadowy silhouette peeked through the door''s gap and grinned. "Perhaps you just have a deep appreciation for the arts and soul of music?" He asked. Yin stood his ground and did not waiver nor let himself be intimidated. "Just who in the hell are you, Creator?" "In time, you will know. That question is not what I promised to answer, right?" The Creator responded as he went back to his chair and continued playing the harmonic song in the background. "I was only going to tell you about your ''level cap'' and why you are not getting any more EXP points or any quest whatsoever." Yin stood around impatiently. "Can I go over there to your room?" He asked. "No. Absolutely not. You shall stay there. Once the time comes for you to see me in my entirety, I will tell you. Until then, observe and heed my words as I am hidden by the shadows of obscurity." The Creator said. He cleared his throat afterwards. With each note he pushed with his fingers, the music''s intensity grew more and more. "Yin, the System is not merely something that you use as though it is a tool. You have stopped leveling up because it is acclimating itself to your body." "Acclimating itself to my what?!" "As I have said before, whatever skills or abilities you use from the System, the stronger and faster it merges with you-" The Creator got cut off by Yin who was now frantic. "M-Merges?!" "The Thanatos System, my dear Yin Sohaya, is a way to resurrect Thanatos. I will not explain to you who or what he is, just that that is how it will always be. The truth of why you are not able to level up and improve your physical stature and strength for every level is because the System is trying to fit itself within your very soul." Yin was speechless, both because of the fact that he did not know what the Creator meant by the System ''merging'' with him, and because of the implications it might have on him. The Creator went on talking. "I am not supposed to tell you this early, Yin. But I will. When you finish merging with Thanatos, and it will happen so when you reach the farthest level, which is 100, you will lose yourself." Yin still had that frantic expression on his face. "I would like you to elaborate more as to what the merging would mean for me. Please." "Very well. What I meant by you losing yourself means exactly that. Your vessel will be used as a reincarnation of Thanatos. The System is what has given him the power to become reincarnated into a whole new compatible vessel. Simply, put, your powers, everything about it ¨C the healing and regenerative capabilities, the inventory, the binding chains, the Nix Eyes, those all belong to him." "S-So I am just being used as a tool of some sort in order to resurrect someone? Someone I do not even know?!" "It does not matter if you know Thanatos or not! The fact is that you have been using his powers and have activated your Anima Cells as a result of borrowing it. Am I right or wrong?" This was the first time that the Creator had ever lost his calm demeanor. Yin was surprised. His voice was thunderous and showed intensity that Yin had never experienced before. But even Yin Sohaya knew deep down, that the ability to fight for mankind in the front lines of this holy war was because of the System itself. If it had not picked him as the inheritor of it, he would have died long ago in those farmlands right after the Angel annihilated Jon. "You are right. But first things first, there is something I am very curious about. Just what is the criteria for being chosen by the System? Why me? Why did you choose a lowly farm boy who did not even have Anima cells? It would have been better to have someone else stronger for the System to merge with¡­" Yin said as his confusion was still shaking him hard. The Creator was speechless. "Once again, that matters not." He said. "I at least deserve to have an answer. If I really am going to lose my very soul to Thanatos or whoever that is, at least tell me why the System saved me. I deserve it and you know it as well, Creator." Yin pleaded to him. The Creator still did not give in. It really did not sit well with Yin. If he knew that his body was not going to be his own anymore after reaching level 100, Yin at least wanted to dig deep into why this intricate and complicated Thanatos System deemed him worthy all those months ago. "Beg as you will and plead as hard as you do, I will have no words to answer that for you." All this time while they were having the conversation right after the Creator sat up, he was still playing on the piano. Each note was masterfully sounding, it was the performance of a true master pianist. "Do you want my advice, Yin?" The white haired Slayer nodded. "This is the only time you will ever get to contribute to mankind. That kind of power that the System has given you is not something that should be taken lightly. Think about it, you have a unique affinity, your black lightning. You have multiple spells and skills from the System''s blessing. What more could you ask for? You are helping mankind on borrowed time and capabilities." The Creator said to him. Chapter 97 - Conundrums Yin smiled. "Could I have a couple of days to decide whether I want to level up more and have the System totally merge with my soul?" The Creator was shocked. "Under normal circumstances, that should not be possible, but for you, I shall make an exception. Alright, Yin Sohaya. I will give you a week to decide. But bear in mind that you cannot abuse loop holes in the System''s rules. Even if you decide to not go through with it and be stuck with your current level which is 20 ¨C you will lose the System itself and go back to becoming an ''anima-less'' individual. Someone who is not even worthy to be a Slayer. But you will live, that is the one upside to that decision. I will contact you again at exactly a week from now. Think about it until then." A bright shimmering light illuminated from above whatever world the Creator and Yin were at the moment and blinded Yin Sohaya''s vision. When he opened his eyes, he was already at his bed. The windows were already bright. The sun did not make its presence unknown. Yin''s mind was riddled with problems. What was the correct decision here? He also did not know what would Thanatos do once he had taken over his body. If Yin had asked, he was sure the Creator would keep his mouth shut about it. Yin Sohaya was in a rut. Two knocks were heard on his door. "Yin! Breakfast is ready!" It was Suna''s voice. "I-I will be down in a minute¡­" "Alright, do not waste too much time or we are going to end up eating all of what Gavin cooked!" She exclaimed. "And here I was thinking I was finally going to make a difference on my own. With what power I had gained. Only to find out it comes with a cost, my own life." Yin sighed. He did not notice it but Luken was at his doorstep. After hearing what Yin had spoken about, he said nothing and let his presence go unaware. The Commander was now worried about what Yin had said. "What did he mean by that? And why would it cost him his life of all things?" Luken asked to himself. Breakfast was over in quickly, they had not eaten Gavin''s food for weeks now and were craving for it, so it was an instant hit for them. Sparring went on as usual, with Suna and the Commander going at it with no holds barred, for Suna at least. Blow after blow sent shockwaves to the forest. "Show me your other spells, Zach." Gavin said to the Fire Slayer. "Very well." He unleashed an array of spells, they were quite honestly still a work in progress. Some of them flopped and failed to even manifest, but it was due to his blue flames being harder to control than the usual red ones. But there was clear progress in Zachary''s spell casting. His scythe was the one who was left untouched, he was still not confident enough relying back to his old ways. Using his scythe while disregarding his affinity itself was a hole he did not want to dig himself back into. Zachary Lancaster wanted to become a Slayer that was both adept in fighting with spells as well as physical combat in close quarters situations. The last thing he wanted to do was to be a one-trick pony. While they training was going on, Yin was sat under a tree. Contemplating long and hard about what the proper decision might be. Both for himself and for mankind. The Commander caught wind of this and made quick work of Suna, dropping her on her butt swiftly. "You still have a lot more to learn, Suna. But every single time I come back from an expedition, you get stronger and stronger, keep it up." Luke Regalia said with an innocent smile. Hearing such words of praise coming from the top two Slayer in the Corps as well as the Commander was definitely a boost in her confidence as well. The Commander walked up to Yin. "What is with the long face, Yin boy?" He asked. "O-Oh. It is nothing, sir. I am just worried about my next assigned conquest, you know? That is all." Yin responded. His voice was not much more chipper than usual. In fact, it was obvious that he was being kind of a downer, and the extrovert Luken saw through this. The Commander sat down and leaned on the tree next to Yin. "When I recruited you, Suna, and Zachary, I always knew you guys were something else. The Six Blades never recruited people who did not show promise and high skill ceilings. That much is true. However, I have also kept one thing in mind, I expect you three to be the young core of the Six Blades who shall be with the organization for the long haul! Not only for a couple of months or years. Can I trust you to maintain that sort of expectation, Yin?" The Commander was lenient in his tone, as always, Luken was friendly. But this time, something was different, Yin thought. "Does the Commander know?" The white haired Slayer asked to himself. Yin was far too confused to give a proper answer. He just nodded his head. Luken placed his hand on Yin''s shoulder. "Listen, we are your family, okay? You can tell us anything you feel comfortable sharing about. Whether it be problems or anything else, really. We''ll be happy to help and listen to you. You know that already, right?" "Y-Yeah. Thank you, sir Luken." "Ah, do not mention it, Yin. So, show me what you have been practicing on for these past few weeks! I am pretty eager to see!" Luken Regalia''s carefree and happy go lucky attitude was the breath of fresh air that Yin desperately needed in these conflicting times. He was thankful for the Commander. Yin stood straight up and warmed up. He activated the Nix Eyes, manifesting the white masquerade covering his eyes and turning his pupils snow white. Gavin turned his head around because of the high concentration of Anima cells he sensed, as did Zach. Suna was clueless but she knew that something was going on with Yin. She looked over and nodded. "Oh, I guess this is sir Gavin and the Commander''s first time seeing Yin''s Nix Eyes. This should be interesting." She chuckled. "Okay, I am just going to forego the ''how'' and ask you to show us exactly what that new form of yours does." Luken said as he was grinning. "How come you guys are not as surprised as we were when we first saw it?" Suna asked. "We have seen all sorts of crazy stuff and weird powers from many other Slayers, Suna. I prefer to include this in that category myself." Gavin responded. "So, Yin, what exactly does that mask and your shimmering glowing eyes do? I mean not to lie, but you kind of look like an Angel now with your white hair and all that jazz." Luken laughed. The others and even Oliver stared at his face. Scrutinizing his bad attempt at a joke. But it had some kind of truth in it, though. Yin''s silhouette was definitely reminiscent of an Angel''s. His glowing white eyes if you had not told anyone that it would belong to Yin Sohaya''s it could fool any resident from Niflheim that it was an Angel''s pupils. "It looks like you are already warmed up yourself, you mind fighting me, Yin?" The Commander asked. He was also getting ready to up and fight as well, he took out his sword and threw it to the ground below. "Whenever you are ready, Commander." Yin smirked. He thought that he should definitely make use of the time he has the System right now. It is not important for him to worry about losing his own body and consciousness as of this moment. What was important right now was to show the Commander and Gavin that him, Zach, and Suna did not waste all these weeks training just to show no results for nothing. "Hmm. Yin definitely seems stronger. Unnaturally so." Gavin remarked. "Alright then." Luken targeted Yin with his finger pistol and shot it point blank at the white haired Slayer. Yin dodged it with no problem whatsoever. "Woah, nice speed, Yin boy. Check this out, though." Luken activated the Aqua Juxtaposition and manifested a clone made out of water but looked entirely identical to the Commander. The concentrated beam of water which came out of the Commander''s point finger was the catalyst for that. Same as the droplets he spread before taking care of those Wingless Angels at the Outer Gates. Yin sensed that someone''s presence was right behind him, but he thought he was just imagining it since Luken was in fact in front of him. His miscalculation in not turning around would cost him dearly. The Juxtapose clone kicked Yin at the back and knocked him down on the ground. "You okay?" Luken smirked. Some blood began to drip from Yin''s nose, which quickly turned into vapor because of his passive healing skill. "Never been better, sir." Chapter 98 - Unwanted Activation "Get up and fight, then." Luken said with a proud smile on his face. The white haired Slayer swiftly got back on his feet. With a smirk also on his face, Yin called forth the black lightning and enchanted his feet and fists with it. The cacophony of lightning crackling was heard all around the place. Oliver looked in amazement. "Shiny, right?" Suna asked the baby panda, to which the latter nodded happily. Yin now held out both his palms in a motion that was obviously ending in a clap. The Commander just left him to do so, curious as to what kind of skill he was about to pull out. "Nix Eyes : Black Burst!" Yin''s speed was as fast as lightning. He circled around the Commander and got to his back. With his hand cocked up, Yin started his offense by throwing out a punch to the Commander. In the slow motion sequence that this event had happened, Yin swore he saw the Commander tilt his head around. "W-What kind of reflexes does this man possess?" He thought to himself. A large boom which sent dust particles and small pebbles flying all across the area was heard. Luken had successfully parried Yin''s attack. "Never make your attacks and offensive moves so easily predictable, Yin." The Commander said with the same smirk he wore just a few minutes ago. "How was that predictable? You are just a hundred times stronger than I am!" Yin replied. "Woah, this is the first time I have seen you exhibit the same attitude in practice like Zach." He circled his hands around his mouth indicating a ''whispering'' motion towards Yin. "A sore loser." Yin picked up a rock with his other hand without the Commander noticing. He rushed forward with the same speed he did earlier. Only this time, he threw the rock towards the Commander and had it decay as it was in the air, in hopes of affecting the Commander''s visual perception. It looked as if it had in fact worked, but Yin was quickly proven wrong. The C Rank Slayer revved up his right foot for a kick towards the Commander''s abdomen. Luken had covered his eyes and defended it from being hurled at with the ashes of the rock. Yin hit something soft, he thought it was a direct hit against Luken. His smile slowly turned into a look of discontentment as he saw that the Commander used his other palm to pull out his grimoire and had casted a spell in front of him. The spell was some kind of water wall, although it was not rock solid, it was made that way. Water Wall was a simple beginner spell that Water Slayers could begin to cast at the youngest of ages. But with the Commander''s Wall, it was fortified, not its hardness, but the ability to retain its ''stickiness.'' Yin realized it far too late. His foot was stuck to the elastic Water Wall. "Shit. I can''t get my foot out of this thing, what the hell is this?" "It is quite a simple spell, but you know, it is always effective. Well, one cannot cast a Water Wall with this caliber as I do. Under normal circumstances, let us say a low rank Water Slayer were to have tried to block your kick with this spell, his Water Wall would be destroyed with your kick''s impact, no question about it." "So, why the hell is my feet still stuck?!" Luken let out a chuckle. "Oh, boy. He is showing off, isn''t he?" Suna asked Gavin. The latter simply sighed and closed his eyes. "Yeah, that might seem to be the case, Suna." Zachary was absorbing every little information about their movements as always. He tapped the Serpent Summoner lightly on the shoulder to get his attention. "Oh, do you mean to ask me something about what''s going on, Zach?" The Serpent Summoner asked. "Actually, Gavin, yeah. Do spells from grimoires get stronger as your Anima cells do? Do they come hand in hand? I am sure I heard the Commander say that the Water Wall he just casted was an entry level spell but even Yin in his Nix Eyes could not force his way out of it¡­" Zach was confused. "Ah. Yes, about that. First of all, Zach. I would like to apologize for not being there to teach you the basics of using your grimoire. If the mission was not as important was it was, I would have opted not to go, but it kind of was of the utmost importance. So, sorry for that." "N-No need to apologize at all, Gavin. I firmly believe that was much more important than teaching a rookie how to cast spells anyway. Besides, Kai was here to teach me. As crass as he was, he still taught me how to unlock the Azure fire that I had within me." Zach said. "How come you have never experienced casting blue flames ever since you were a kid, Zach?" Suna asked while she was playing with Oliver. "I-I do not know." Zach stammered on his words. While they were talking, Yin had broken loose from the Commander''s Water Wall. And the two of them were exchanging blows. Every single time Yin got hit, he tried to take it and then hurl another attack back at the Commander. "That is a pretty bold strategy, Yin. But if I were to be fighting you seriously now, you would have no consciousness left in you to even pull that kind of stuff off." Luken''s cockiness was showing. But Yin knew that the Commander was right. Gavin cleared his throat to answer Zach''s concerns. "Well, Zachary, let us put it this way. Suppose a Fire Slayer casts a normal fireball, and he is like, err, let''s say B Rank for the sake of the argument. His fireball would be a solid one, it would inflict heavy damage upon impact to whoever or whatever the target was. But, once you have someone like Kai Xin, an S Rank Fire Slayer, cast the same spell, the exact same Fireball, it would be far stronger than the one that the B Rank Slayer had casted." Zach nodded and was absorbing what Gavin was saying. "I see, so Anima cells really do scale with your casted spells, is that right?" Gavin raised his eyebrows. "That is correct, Zach. The stronger your Anima Cells are, the more impactful and intense your spells will be. Yet this does come at a cost, since your spells are stronger, you will have to exert more effort, energy, and stamina to cast it. Do you get me?" "Right. Yes, I do, Gavin. Thank you for making that clear to me." Suna gazed at the sky above. "If I had Anima cells, I wonder what my affinity would be?" She asked. Suna was not asking in a petty way to gather sympathy or whatnot, she was perfectly fine being the way that she is. She just asked in an innocent ''what-if'' scenario. "You would most definitely have the Earth affinity, Suna." Gavin said. "Definitely Earth, no question about it." Zach concurred. "Why is that?" "It just seems to suit you well, Earth affinity has some of the best pound for pound spells that you can cast, it would be perfect on you." That was Gavin''s answer. "Because you are a knucklehead." Said Zach. "What''d you say?!" Suna reacted. Both Gavin and Zachary laughed it off. The Commander and Yin''s sparring ended as were the rookie was far too exhausted to stand up. His Nix Eyes had deactivated long ago. "Seems like you can''t maintain that form for long, Yin. Is that right?" "Yeah, that is about it. My eyes start to bleed if I do it for too long." Luken extended his hand to help Yin up. "You good?" "Y-Yeah, I am alright." Yin grabbed the Commander''s hand. But something was about to go wrong. The System''s powers had activated without Yin noticing it. Luckily for Luken, he was wearing gloves. He immediately pulled out his hand and removed his gloves with a water spell. "Yikes. That was close." Gavin, Suna, and Zachary ran towards them. "A-Are you alright, Commander?" "Sir Luken, is your hand okay?" Both Suna and Zachary were concerned. Just seeing what Yin''s decay touch could do to things as solid as trees and rocks, and what it could have possibly done to a normal person''s hand. "I-I did not mean to do that, sir. B-Believe me¡­" Yin was panicking. "Relax, Yin boy. I know you did not mean to turn me into ashes or dust or whatever I would have been had I not been reacting fast enough. Accidents happen all the time in sparring sessions!" Luken was nonchalant. "How did you touch your gloves without your hand being affected by it?" Suna asked. "Simple. I focused all of my Anima cells into my hand which removed the gloves, thus making the decay ineffective against it. But still, I could feel the Anima cells slowly die from the contact, that is how potent and quick acting it was." The Commander retorted. Chapter 99 - Improper Disclosure "But still, if I were any other person than the Great Commander Luken Regalia, I would have probably decayed by now." The Commander wiped the sweat off of his forehead. "That is not important, we should not dwell on hypotheticals, I am alright and nobody else is hurt, that is what should be regarded as the most important thing today. Do not sweat it, Yin." The Commander was doing his best to make Yin calm down. "We should take a breather. Yin, do you want to help me with dinner?" The Serpent Summoner asked him. "S-Sure, Gavin." He finally mustered the courage to mutter out words. Yin was in a state of shock. Just like how it was in his fight against Kai Xin, he almost killed another human being again. "What have you done this time, Yin?" The Creator''s voice asked him as he walked towards Gavin. He did his best to ignore the voice, though. Suna, Zach, and Oliver talked with the Commander, they had asked about what the mission was about and why it was important. They had started to bombard him with questions. Meanwhile, Yin had not said a word to Gavin in the entirety of the time they were preparing dinner. "Are you well, Yin?" Gavin asked with a concerned tone. "I-I honestly do not know, sir." Yin tried to force a smile, but it was an obvious one. That smile was the type of expression a conflicted person would do. "I almost did the same thing to Kai Xin a week ago, you know?" "¡­" Gavin did not know what to say to the C Rank Slayer at this point. He figured it would have been better to keep Yin talking, perhaps he might be able to vent a little. "What exactly happened back then?" Yin cleared his throat. "I am not sure if I should tell you this, maybe the others have and I just forgot, but did you know the reason why the Dragon was here?" Yin turned the question around to Gavin. "How did you know his moniker? He always hated that name¡­" Gavin said. "O-Oh, h-he told me, that''s right, it came straight from his mouth." "I see." "Basically, he was tasked with finding out how strong the Six Blades rookies were. That was what he said to us." "Ignis probably put him up to that. As hectic and chaotic as Kai Xin is, he respects authority." Gavin clicked his tongue. "Tch. He should have joined the Six Blades." Yin knew what happened and why he did not end up joining the Six Blades, but he figured it was not the proper time and place to bring such a sensitive matter up. "When he rushed towards us and we began fighting, I activated my decay aura by mistake and started to wither down his sword from metal to rust until it had finally turned into dust." Yin said with a sad expression. "I feel horrible about it every single time that I am able to remember that moment. This has only happened to sir Luken and Kai, but what if I had done this on accident at a lower ranked Slayer who did not know any better? Would I be branded a murderer? I do not know." Gavin sighed. "I could not possibly begin to fathom just how heavy it is for you to have those powers as a kid your age. I wish me and Luken could help you carry the burden of that, we really do. A temporary solution would be for you to always use the suppressing gloves that Luken gave to you when you first got here. Only ever take it out when you are in combat or any other similar occasion. Got it?" Yin nodded. "Can you tell me just how you got these powers, Yin? Maybe we could find some sort of cure or alternate way to control it for you." Gavin wanted to know just how Yin was able to contract this power, not for his own selfish reasons, but to help his rookie. The Serpent Summoner''s concerns were real. "I-I am sorry, Gavin. I am afraid I really cannot disclose how I got it, I hope you''ll respect that." Gavin pulled out a reassuring smile. "Don''t worry, I do." He said as he placed his hand on Yin''s shoulder. During dinner, because of how awkward the whole situation was, Luken kept breaking the ice. None of them were really interested in whatever nonsense he had to say, though. That was when he finally gave in. "Okay! I will tell you what we were doing outside the Gates, then!" He claimed. "Luken!" Gavin corrected him immediately. "As long as you three keep your mouth shut, there is no concern of you guys telling on me, right? I would say you four but Oliver seems to be best friends with me, isn''t that right, Oliver?" The baby panda sneered at the Commander and just continued eating his carrots. This was a pleasant surprise as Olivero only ever ate bamboo shoots. Gavin sighed. "There is no stopping you whenever you are this hyperactive, very well, just not the classified parts of it, okay? Just tell them the parts that you deem exciting for them or whatever." Suna and Zach were delighted. Yin was still having his head down, he was both ashamed and guilty to have endangered someone like Luken''s life. Someone who could have helped humanity win against this war much better than he would have. "The nerve of you to almost kill the Slayer Corps Commander, how riveting¡­" The Creator whispered words like that to him from time to time ever since earlier. It was not helping Yin''s mental state of mind become any better. "Now then! Where was I?" Luken exclaimed. "You were saying something really interesting about what your mission was about or something¡­" Zach said with a deadpan expression. "Oh right. Then I shall change that! I will tell you some about some new breed of monsters, though." Luken chugged his beer down. "Pay attention, okay, kids?" "You definitely should get to the good part already." Suna was impatiently tapping her foot. "Surely, you''ve heard of Angels, right? Every single Slayer sat on this table right now has fought one. Well, everyone except for one." Luken''s cerulean orbs stared at Zachary Lancaster''s very soul. "Would you stop that?" The Fire Slayer said to the Commander as he felt creeped out by it. "Anyway, there is a new kind of Angel breed outside." Yin, Suna, and Zachary leaned an inch closer. None of them were attempting to disrupt Luken''s train of thought, who knows when it would get derailed like so many times before? "These Angels, my dear rookies, do not have wings. They are also generally less strong than a normal Angel. But the difference is that they can patrol areas in large amounts and numbers." Suna raised her hand. "Yes, Suna?" "Question sir! What of their fighting style? Do they still use the same one that the Angel''s employ on the battlefield?" "Hmm. Well there is generally less flying around and air maneuvering because they do not have wings, but think of it this way, they are not exponentially weaker than a normal Angel, just a little bit only. So, a lower ranked Slayer like a D or C Rank will definitely have to fight for their lives once they come face to face with a swarm of them." The Commander said. His tone was serious, he was definitely telling the truth. "I am just going to be honest with you guys, I know we should not disclose this type of stuff to rookies or any other Slayer below the rank of S. But, we lost someone during the operation." Gavin''s words were even more of a kick to the stomach. The rookies'' eyes were widened. The three of them were definitely surprised. "How did you lose someone? Aren''t you all S Rank Slayers and above?" Zach asked. "Yeah, I ask that question myself every single time I get, Zach." Gavin answered. "I am telling you this because you should never underestimate any kind of monster outside, specially you, Zach. I know how you fight, you generally hold back unless you deem your adversary as necessary to give your all towards." Zach did not even protest, he knew the Serpent Summoner''s assessment of his fighting style was correct. "Never ever do that once you are outside, exterminate your foe without giving it the chance to escape or regroup. That is what Slayers do, we exterminate any other non-human lifeforms outside of Niflheim. If we do not, then they will end up doing that to us. It is not a pretty world out there, we either kill or be killed." Their dinner ended and as they were cleaning up the table and the plates, Luken went outside. He lit a cigarette and huffed the smoke in and out. The Commander had noticed that Yin was also outside. "Hey! What''s up?" "I am sorry, sir." "I know you are. It is not like you did it on purpose Yin, it is okay." The Commander smiled at his rookie. Chapter 100 - Wingless Mysteries Yin excused himself from the Commander. Gavin soon followed the Commander outside. "What do you think we should do about Yin?" Luken looked down and frowned. He was genuinely worried about his rookie. "We should not force Yin to tell us what his powers and abilities'' origins are. But it is safe to assume that it does take a toll on him, not just during decay activation, but also mentally." Gavin quickly retorted. "Yeah, you are right about that. He seems, disturbed. For lack of a better word, anyway." Luken said as he exhaled a thick emission of smoke. "I just want to be there for the three of them, Gavin. I do not want to ever be an ''absent'' leader who just comes around whenever it is convenient for him. I want to be better than Adam." He added. "After what Adam Rosa did, any body could be a better leader then he ever was." The Serpent Summoner looked up to the sky. "Do you really think his brain just went snap, causing him to undergo that rampage a few years ago?" "There has got to be a reason for it, but right now, we should not dwell on that guy. He is a traitor and my sister and the other late member''s bloods are on his hands and his alone. I''ll drag him back to Niflheim with my teeth if I have to." Luken clinched his fist. "This does not need to be said, but I am sure you know we share that feeling, Luken." Gavin assured him. "Something has been bothering me about the Operation Phoenix for quite some time now. Ever since we got back, actually¡­" The Commander thought long and hard after saying this. His words had piqued Gavin''s interest, who took a seat on the steps below. "I thought I was the only one who noticed it." Gavin''s green orbs were intense and full of emotions. "I am sure the others might have caught wind of it, but those Wingless Angels and their fighting patterns and styles. I-I recognized some of the stances they used." The Commander said. "I mean normal Angels themselves already have the same physical structure as humans, albeit much taller and bulkier. One would can even mistaken them as a human if not for their wings, but those Wingless Angels and the way that they fought was just unnerving to me." Gavin said. He asked for a stick of cigarette from Luken, to the latter''s surprise, he let him have one and lit it up himself. "Woah. Since when did you start smoking?" Luken asked with a surprised expression. "Don''t be stupid, of course I am not going to start huffing up these things. I just like to watch it burn itself away into nothingness." Gavin placed the stick on the ground below. "Why do you think the Slayers with us that time did not point it out? Not even Ignis Silva had to blabber his mouth about how human-like the Wingless Angels are in terms of their style of fighting." "They are probably asleep. We should head back inside and continue this discussion in the living room, it is getting pretty cold out here." "I agree." Both of them went to the living room, sat on a table and continued their discussion. Gavin brewed some green leaf tea while Luken waited for it and continued talking. "Judging from how Ignis reacted, and I know this because at first realization of it, I was paying attention to him. Eager to see if he had decoded the same thing as I did as well. And trust me, Gavin, he knew. About a minute after I had realized it, Ignis also realized it as well." Gavin poured the scalding hot water on a tea cup, the green leaves discoloring the water. "How many cubes of sugar do you want?" The Serpent Summoner asked. "None! You of all people should know that by now, come on, man!" Luken comically overreacted. "I know, I know. It is just that every single time I drink tea, I tend to make it a unique brew based on my mood and place." "That is weird, even for me." The Commander responded. "To each his own, I guess." Gavin finally pulled out the chair and took a seat across from his friend. "So, what are you trying to imply, Luken? Were we fighting humans back then?" Gavin asked the question that was hidden deep inside Luken''s psyche. He did not want to entertain the thought of that quite possibly being real. "I honestly do not know. We do not even understand the type of technology that these Angels use. But that still does not answer the fact that those Wingless variations were more ''aware'' when it came to fighting, albeit weaker, than the normal Angels." Luken said worriedly as he sipped his tea. "Perhaps they have devised some kind of magic of some sort that is able to replicate the bare minimum of a Slayer''s fighting stances and capabilities without the affinities?" Gavin shot a question back at the Commander. Luken responded by placing his fingers at the temple of his head. "Things just seem to get more and more complicated I guess." He said. "Have a good night''s sleep, Luken. I will be retiring in my quarters now, I will stay up and leave for the Grand Castle once more next week or so." "You''re leaving again?" "Yes, indeed I am. I believe that I should conduct a research without the Emperor nor the High Council finding out. There has to be some kind of reason as to why these Wingless Angels were too human-like. It is far too eerie for my taste." Gavin cleaned up the table from the tea cups and plates. "I heard Yin and Zachary will be deployed soon as well. I might go with them." "Very well, it is another journey with yours truly and the rookies once again!-" Luken''s enthusiasm was easily shut down by the Serpent Summoner''s bluntness. "No. You are to stay here with Suna and Oliver. The Slayer Tournament is fast approaching, you have to train her, you promised that to her, remember?" Luken attempted desperately to remember, fidgeting his foot against the ground. Gavin just sighed. "The point still stands, you are going to have to train Suna. This is not just for the reputation of the Six Blades, Luken. It is also for her." "Fine. But you are going to have to promise me that you''ll be bringing back some exotic food from the Castle square!" "Seriously? How old are you?" With that, Gavin went upstairs to his room. Luken hanged his Six Blades coat on the rack. His cerulean orbs fixated on the organization''s logo. "Seraphims, Arch Angels, no matter what one might call them, I will still exterminate these pieces of trash." He clenched his jaw. Yin was far too restless to even get a good night''s sleep in. He thought about what might happen next if he were to activate his powers and mistakenly use it on others. The visions merely brought him nightmares and worry. "Why has this been happening to me ever since I got the System?" Yin asked the Creator. There was no response from the latter. "If the Creator will not answer or heed my questions, then I will have to learn my powers on my own. I don''t need him or the System constantly nagging on me. I am my own person." Yin affirmed himself with those words. He even contemplated that it would really be worth it to scale more than the 20th level in his case. If Thanatos really does end up devouring him whole, then he could at least say he did a good job for humanity, with the limited amount of time he had. Yin shook his head. He was conflicted. The Creator''s single sheet of music played on and on inside his head. "Just what the actual shit does this song have to do with me?!" Yin exclaimed as tears began to drip from his eyelids. Every single time the Creator had his fingers on the piano playing the same exact song, a surge of emotions flooded Yin all at the same time. Grief, agony, pain, sadness, sorrow. All of these condensed into one. He tried to cover his ears with his pillow. But this did not work, as the music was not coming into his ears from an external element, rather, it came from his mind. His deep subconscious from within. Yin was not in control of his body for two whole seconds, even he could feel himself disassociate. His mouth muttered the words ¨C "Wherever you might be in this wretched plane of existence, I will find you, my love." Yin Sohaya got up from his bed. "What''s happening to me? That was not me!" Luken knocked on his door. This caused the music inside his head to stop momentarily. "Are you alright, Yin?" The Commander asked. "Y-Yeah. I''m fine, sir. Sorry about the noise!" Yin pretended that everything was okay. Chapter 101 - Messengers Letter About six days have passed since the Creator gave Yin an ultimatum. All this time, they had been undergoing rigorous training under the Commander and the Serpent Summoner. It was noon already; their sessions were interrupted by a courier or messenger of some sort. Upon closer inspection, Zach, Yin, and Suna had recognized this man. It was the person who delivered Zachary''s grimoire. The trio all greeted him and the messenger gave a smile and nod back nervously. Perhaps them jumping on him like he was some kind of intruder in their hideout certainly scared the poor fellow. The person then went straight to the Commander. He opened his knapsack and pulled out a carefully wrapped letter. After handing it to the Commander, he bid farewell and went on with his day. "He sure seemed tense around us." Gavin remarked. "T-Tense, y-yeah, I wonder why that is?" Suna attempted to feign ignorance. After reading it, Luken called out to Yin and Zachary. "Err. Zach. You know how your papers are pretty jumbled and stuff, right? Under no circumstances should you even be given leverage to be deployed on missions. Normally you would have to stand in trial against the High Council for not announcing the fact that you are a Slayer sooner." Zach gulped. He was clearly worried. "But! Due to me being the way that I am, I have successfully placed your papers and writ in it that you have some kind of disease that has prevented you from being deployed up until now. My pull in Niflheim is absolutely no joke!" The Commander kept tooting his own horn as Yin and Zachary clapped forcibly. "Why don''t you get to the important parts, Luken?" The Serpent Summoner told him. "Yes, well, right¡­ Yin, your second conquest is a search and destroy mission comprised of five members in a team. It shall be led by a familiar face, actually." Luken was surprised. "Who is it, sir?" Yin inched close. "It seems you will be meeting Kai Xin once again. He is assigned to lead the operation. Your targets are not really specified here but you will be briefed better once you are there I guess." Yin sighed with the breath of relief. "Thank heavens, I feel better knowing I would already know or be acquainted with at least one person there." The white haired Slayer said. Zach was fidgeting around, excited to hear what kind of conquest mission he will be getting. He had also felt slightly jealous because Yin was placed in the mission together with Kai, whom even though Zachary normally insulted from time to time, he still saw him as one of his teachers. Much like the Commander and Gavin. Luken turned to the Fire Slayer. "Right, as for you, Zach. You will also be placed in the same squad as Yin and Kai." Yin and Zachary''s jaws just dropped, they had to make sure that they heard the same thing correctly. "Wait, what?" "W-What?!" They both exclaimed. "Now I know that you both are prone to being unpleasant towards each other, but you have to get along, you feel me? We are part of the same banner, the Six Blades!" Luken''s enthusiasm definitely was not helping them. "D-Did you influence the way that the group members were selected?" Zach asked. "Definitely¡­not!" Luken responded afterwards. "You both have got to understand, even though Luken is the entire Slayer Corps'' Commander, that does not give him the right to tamper the squad selections. These are all made by the High Council and were done based on fit, chemistry, and the overall compatibility of your affinities. As well as your strengths and weaknesses and those best suited to pair with you to cover those weaknesses and amplify your strength." Gavin had to step in. "What about me, Commander?" Suna asked. "Well, you, Suna, are going to be undergoing the most dangerous and tedious task out of all the rookies!" Luken attempted to set her up in an epic way. "You will be staying here and training with me until the Slayer Tournament begins!" Suna''s face was blank and her eyes were empty. "Well, that is not bad at all, but I had expected to be deployed in a mission as well¡­" She said. "Think of it as a blessing, Suna. That way, you can focus more on preparing for the tournament. I, for one, will be accompanying these two to the Outer Gates because I have been requested to lead another mission as well." The Serpent Summoner assured her. "If you see Kai Xin over there, make sure you punch him for me, Gavin." Luken said jokingly. "Will do." "Here I thought my mission was going to go well, and I just had to be placed with the simpleton¡­" Zachary sighed. "Hey, I can hear you, you know?" Yin shouted back. "You better not slow me down out there." "Are you forgetting who''s first mission it is? It is definitely not mine, so that saying should only apply to you, you big whiny ass!" This back and forth was giving everyone migraines. Suna finally had to step in and smack both of them on the head. "Can you two behave? At least you are getting to see some action, imagine me and Oliver being stuck here with the Commander. I have to listen to his sermons and speeches that start and end with nothing meaningful said alone!" Yin and Zach nodded. "Y-Yes." "What type of mission are you going to lead, Gavin?" Zach asked. "I am going to go with my brother on a joint reconnaissance mission." Gavin answered reluctantly. "You do not seem thrilled, is something wrong?" "It is nothing. I am happy to be able to see my brother, but I have never been excited for being deployed outside the gates, not ever. And since I am leading the mission, the old coots at the High Council probably did that to keep my brother in check." Luken joined the conversation. "Woah, you are finally going to meet Art after so long, Gavin. Say hi to him for me!" Luken said. "Yeah, no problem." "Art?" Zachary asked. "Yeah, Art is short for Artorias, that is Gavin''s older brother." Luken answered. "Y-Your brother is the top one Slayer in the Corps?!" Yin was totally losing it. "Oh, I did forget to tell that to you guys, huh." Suna said. "You are related to the Basilisk Slayer? Holy crap. That explains how strong you guys are." Zachary said as he took out a notebook. "Artorias Khalil, also known as the Basilisk Slayer." "I wouldn''t say I am strong, per se." Gavin was trying to remain humble. "By the way, what is that notebook for, Zach?" Zachary flipped his notebook back and forth. "Oh, this? This is just some sort of a weird hobby of mine." "Do tell, it seems interesting." "Basically, I study the S Rank Slayers, like their names, abilities, affinities, quirks and stuff. Well it is just a compiled version of information available on the papers, anyway. It just keeps me calm at night." Zach said shyly. "That is pretty amazing, I did not expect that sort of hobby from a person your age." Gavin responded. "C-Can we see your brother when we get to the Outer Gates as well, Gavin?" Yin was adamant in seeing the Basilisk Slayer first hand. "Not a chance. Your mission is set to take place a day before ours. I will just take you there and rest up in a tavern and wait for him, probably." This bummed Yin and Zach out. "You will probably annoy the hell out of the man, Yin, it is a good thing you won''t see him." Zach was coping by hurling insults at Yin. "The same goes for you, he would probably be weirded out by your questions for your notebook or something." Yin retorted back. Gavin and Luken looked on as both of them were going back and forth. "Are they really going to be fine?" Gavin asked. "Don''t worry too much, man! Did you forget just how we got along years ago?" "Trust me, I would like to forget about you entirely." "Aww, surely you do not mean that, Gavin?" Suna was curious. "What''s the matter, did you two not get along as well?" She asked. "Worse, Suna, we were far worse than whatever Yin and Zachary has going on right now." Gavin replied. "Come on, Gavin. Don''t put it that way!" "Well, that is a story for another time, how about you, are you going to be fine here?" The Serpent Summoner asked. "Y-Yes, sir! I will do my best to train my hardest with the Commander and hopefully win the Slayer tournament in its entirety! I know you told me to withdraw and surrender when I am faced against that prodigy, but I will not do that. I will fight until I drop!" She said, referring to Gavin''s earlier comments about Hector Incendium. Luken sighed. "You better train your ass off, then!" "No question about it." Suna replied with a confident smirk. Chapter 102 - La Mort The very next day came through without delay. Yin was already packing up his things and essentials. Gavin had told both he and Zach that they would be leaving right after lunch to make it in time there. They would be spending the evening at some tavern and will be set for their mission in the morning. Just as Yin reached out for his spare change of clothes, the drowsiness and tiresome training regiments that his superiors put him through after their return has definitely affected his sleeping pattern. He is much more prone to being encumbered by fatigue much more easily. "If I were to sleep about just an hour more, I think nothing would go wrong, right?" He said to himself as a way of affirming his decision to take a quick snooze. The C Rank Lightning Slayer''s eyes closed shortly after laying on his bed. Yin was awoken by a loud sound. "W-What is that?" He asked. Yin saw the Creator''s dark silhouette. With his features still hidden in the shadows, the Creator smiled. "Yin Sohaya, what is your answer?" The Creator asked him. "I see. So, it has already been one week, huh?" Yin let out an innocent chuckle. "I have spent the days well, Creator. I''ve been thinking about what would happen to me if I were to lose the System and everything that came with it." Yin sat on the white floor with the same scenery. The decayed flowers almost too brittle for even a faint touch of one''s hand. It was obvious that the smallest of contact with it would wither it away into nonexistence, thus, Yin knew better than to touch them. The blinding light behind the room the creator was in was far too intense for Yin to make out just how the Creator actually looked like. One thing was obvious behind him, though. It was his piano. "Yes, exactly, Yin. You will not only lose the System, but you will lose the affinity that you so desperately need in order to combat the winged harbingers! You will lose your Anima cells and they will deactivate as you become a shadow of your former self. More people have known you as the C Rank Lightning Slayer Yin Sohaya rather than the farm-hand version of yourself, am I wrong?" The Creator asked an imposing question. Yin was silent. Because deep down he knew that no matter how much this silhouette''s words hurt and stung him deep, it was still the truth. "I-If I really do accept the System and continue to level up more and add to my own strength, how long until Thanatos wakes up and takes over my body?" Yin asked worriedly. "You will have a year. In that one year, your level capper will be unlocked from 20 to 100. You shall be stronger than most of the Slayers in the Corps. And you already know what strength does in this predatory world. It changes things." The Creator started to walk down from the flight of stairs leading up to his room. Yin covered his eyes because the brightness was in fact so intense that it was burning him lightly. "What will Thanatos do after he is resurrected in the form of my body, then?" "He will destroy the Angels and crumble them to dust." "I-Is he an ally of mankind? Is he even human?" Yin was far too confused. He did not wish to strike a deal wherein he did not know the factors of it in its entirety. "Thanatos is¡­a God. The God of ruination, plagues, sickness. La mort." The Creator stopped himself from walking down. "That is all that I have the freedom of saying, whether he does mankind good or not, it will not be your problem any longer." "What do you mean it will not be my problem?!" Yin screamed back. "My actions will be the catalyst which shall bring him back into this world! Of course, it is my problem! I started the whole damn thing, after all!" Yin was getting frantic once more. "Then make sure that you will achieve what no other human has done ever since the very first of your kind has learned to walk on your feet. Change the status quo with the System''s, or rather, your capabilities. For a year, they will be yours, after that, who knows?" It was a dilemma which Yin had already come to terms with a few days ago, he had decided by himself that he was going to unlock the level cap and make the most out of his time left in this world as Yin Sohaya. But now that the decision has to be made, waves of fear struck Yin''s very soul down. "If I am being completely honest with you, Yin. If Thanatos really does end up doing mankind more harm than good, shouldn''t you just do your best to clean everything up by then? Every monster, every Angel, exterminate them and when the time draws near, tell the most powerful Slayers to be prepared to fight a God." The Creator''s words did not have any of the usual goofiness and nonchalance. He was completely serious. "So, you are saying that I should make the most out of the situation I am in right now?" Yin wanted to make sure that he and the Creator were both leaning towards the same idea. "I am not saying anything, Yin Sohaya. I am merely a voice. A non entity. A show in the void of nothingness which is the System. My words mean nothing and will never amount to anything. This is the first time I have had a conversation with another human being in hundreds and thousands of years." The Creator was now revealing bits and pieces of information about himself, this was the farthest Yin had ever heard the Creator talk about his origins and who he really is. "Don''t say that. Of course, you are not merely ''nothing'', you made this, right? This ''System'' of sorts. This was because of you. Not that I am going to say I understand how it works, I really don''t, but still, the fact that I am a Slayer right now is all thanks to you and the System. So, yeah, I figured I would just make the most out of my chance here as you said and continue to level up!" Yin said as he shrugged his shoulders. "D-Do you really mean it?" The Creator was surprised that Yin was going to go along with it. "Yeah, I do." Yin slowly walked towards the Creator, in an effort to see what he really looked like. But when he came close to revealing his face, the Creator''s silhouette turned into dust and withered away. "W-What happened? Where are you, Creator?" Yin asked. "Right here." The voice had come from atop the steps of the room. "What should I do to finalize it?" "You do what you have always done ever since, Yin." His wording had Yin confused as hell. "I have no time to spend napping around, this was supposed to be a break from all the preparations for the journey, you know? Just tell me what I need to do so I can wake up and get on with my conquest." Yin demanded. "Come up." The Creator instructed him. "Up? You mean up the stairs to your room?" Yin answered him back with a question from himself. "Yes, Yin. Where else did you think I was meaning to take you?" "I-I really do not know, I mean you know this place better than I do. Besides, I still have not seen your face, why did you hide away earlier?" Yin pressed on pertaining to the time he teleported back to the top of the room''s stair floor. "When the time is right, I shall show how I look like to you, I am not that beautiful or handsome, so it is not that much of a thrill. But for now, it is useless for that. Come up here." Yin nodded and began walking up. With each step up on the flight of stairs that he took, he felt growingly more and more scared. "Are you scared?" The Creator asked. Yin did not respond. "Fear is perfectly normal, do not worry. Man fears the things he does not know. The unknown is an abyss that gazes right back to one''s soul. Either petrifying it or frightening it to death." "This is a first for you." Yin said. "What?" The Creator asked. "You seem to be comforting me." The white haired Slayer let out a chuckle. "Perhaps." Yin still did not manage to make out the silhouette''s features as his whole body was pitch black. It was like it was merely a concentrated cloud of black smoke sculpted into the form of a person. "W-What happened to your body?" Yin trembled at the sight of the Creator''s form. "The same thing that happens to everything else that lives.. Time." Chapter 103 - Parting "You must sign the contract to become one with the System gradually, Yin Sohaya." The Creator said. "H-How do I do that?" "Sit." The Creator''s black void of a body pointed to the chair right in front of the piano from where he regularly played. Yin was reluctant at first, but he slowly agreed to whatever the Creator said. After all, this was his world, Yin had no knowledge about anything that went on inside this part of the System. As he sat down, the black oak colored piano was right in front of him. The body was clearly old and dated, but it had a uniqueness towards it, seemingly some kind of pull that Yin seems to be getting dragged into. Almost like the piano was whispering something into his ear, yet he just could not pinpoint what it is. It was a familiar feeling. "H-Have I been in this place before?" Yin asked to himself in his mind. "No. That is impossible. This is the first time the Creator has even let me set foot into his room. He always had his door closed or just opened a tad enough to stare back at me through it. This really is the first time I am here." His train of thought was cut short by the time he opened his eyes. As he opened it, he stared at his fingers, which were now on top of the piano''s keys. The Creator smiled, even only for a brief moment. "W-Why are my hands here? I definitely do not recall moving them towards the keys." Yin said as he stared at the Creator. "Go on. Play it." His words had caused even more confusion in Yin. "How can I play something that I do not even know? All my life as a farm hand, we were never once exposed to such musical instruments¡­" Yin said. The Creator approached him from behind. He had placed both of his hands on top of Yin''s shoulders. "Play it. Yin." The Creator''s voice was soft yet firm. "You are going to have to tell me why you are trying to get someone who has not even played the piano to attempt to work this musical organ first." Yin replied. "This is the only way for you to sign the contract. A binding contract that you will acknowledge that in one year, Thanatos will be reborn in the form of your body. Enough questions, play the piano." Yin once more placed his hands on the keys. He closed his eyes, trying to think about his life. "In one year, will I really achieve everything that I set out to do?" Yin sighed. "There is no other outcome than to do it. I have no time left to whine or to negotiate terms. I will make do of the time I am given." As his cold fingers made contact with the keys, his hands immediately started playing the same symphony that the creator kept playing ever since Yin met him. Yin was in shock. But somehow, the answer as to what the proper key to be pressed next was seemingly coming naturally from within him. "H-How do I know the notes of this song?" Yin asked the Creator. "You just do." He answered back. Time seemed to stand still every single moment that Yin was here, but in the Creator''s room, it was like it had never existed at all. Yin had felt the calm and soothing touch of death, without him even knowing it. It was a serene experience, to have his hands and brain work together to seemingly input whatever key the next one was to be pressed in the song. The melody was not strange to Yin at all, it was oddly familiar. The Creator crossed his arms and tapped his foot as he listened with joy. Yin''s fingers stroked the last key of the symphony as he took his hands off of the piano. "Your soul is now bound to the System, Yin. In one year, you will no longer be you, you will lose all your memories and yourself as a whole. I am sure you are already tired of me repeating these words, but it is of the utmost importance that you have understood what you just signed your soul for." Yin nodded. "So, today is the first of many days that will come closer to the end of my time in this Earth." Yin made peace already with his inevitable end. His life was like the clock of a time bomb, each tick counted down towards its last. What greeted Yin was Gavin staring at him by the doorstep. "I thought you were getting ready." The Serpent Summoner said with a judgmental look. Yin turned his head and saw that his clothes were still unkempt and were on the bed. "I-I err, about that-" Yin tried to explain that he just wanted to doze off for a bit. "It is fine, Yin. I know you are tired. I am just joking." Gavin broke out a faint smile. "When you are ready, meet me and Zach downstairs, okay?" Yin nodded. "We''ve got a long day ahead of us, you''d best pack well." Gavin said as he left the room in a hurry. Yin darted his eyes around his hand. "Where did you learn to play like that?" He seemingly asked the question to himself. The white haired Slayer got up and faced the mirror in the bathroom. In a split second, he saw his reflection''s skin turn pitch black and wearing a devilish grin. Yin freaked out and stumbled on his foot while backing up, falling down and sending a large thud throughout the hideout. When he was ready to come down, Luken, Suna, Oliver, Gavin, and Zach were all waiting for him. "What the hell is taking you so long?" Zach was irritated by Yin''s tardiness. "W-Well, I sort of told him to come down whenever he was ready, it was my bad, really." Gavin said nervously as he scratched his head. "You''ve got to let them fight some time, Gavin, otherwise you are just going to deal with the constant pettiness." Suna told the Serpent Summoner. Luken had his back turned towards them. "I can''t believe it, guys." He said while he was sniffling. "Y-You''re really going to leave me and go on to your separate journey." Suna shook her head and looked down. "Is he really going to be this dramatic again?" She thought to herself. Oliver was quite curious as to why Luken was acting this way, so the baby panda approached him and tugged on his feet. Oliver was concerned for the Commander. "I-I know Oliver, they really are going to leave us for good. It''s going to be okay, buddy." The baby panda''s brows met and were furrowed. Oliver simply had no idea what Luken was talking about. "Stop being dramatic, Luken. You do this every single time I leave you to your devices." Gavin sighed as he said that. Zach whispered something to Suna. "Is the Commander usually like this whenever Gavin leaves?" He asked. "Yeah. If you already have not realized it, the Commander is a bit of a drama queen. Well, the ''bit'' is sort of an understatement." She said while rolling her eyes. Yin walked down the stairs carefully. He had equipped the gloves that the Commander had given him in his first day in the hideout, after the farm incident. Luken wiped off his non existent tears. He was now being serious. "Yin, I know you already know this without me telling you, but still, please be careful with your powers." The Commander told him. "Y-Yes, sir." "Zach, I trust that you will keep him in check, alright?" "Is that a command, sir?" "Yes, in fact. It is a command." Luken said sternly. Zach bowed his head. "Then I will ensure that I do the task at hand with diligence and success." "A bit of an ass kisser, aren''t you, Zach?" Yin said to the Fire Slayer. "Shut your mouth, I absolutely cannot believe I have to take care of a child on my very first conquest. How cumbersome¡­" The two of them jawed at each other until the Serpent Summoner pulled the back of their shirt''s collars off. "Oh, I almost forgot." Gavin said. Let''s walk back to the table outside. When they arrived, Gavin pulled out a mirror. "Woah, you''re going to give it to them?" Luken was amazed. "Give what?" Yin asked. "Yeah, give what, exactly?" Zach was equally as surprised as Yin. "These." Gavin pulled out three black stud earrings from his cloak. "Those look like the ones that you and the Commander are wearing, right?" Suna remarked. "Terrific observation Suna." Gavin said. "Now, I am going to pierce your ears. "P-Pierce my ears?!" Zach exclaimed. "M-My mother would never let me hear the end of it! She would sermon me about how much of a hooligan I would look like if I ever went home!" Chapter 104 - Blades Tradition "Come now, don''t be such a big baby, Zach." Gavin said to the young rookie Fire Slayer. "I will have you know, these earpieces are not only for fashion purposes, no, they are in fact the symbol that you are a full fledged member of the Six Blades. It is quite an honor to be bestowed one of these." The Serpent Summoner said to them. Little did they know, Zachary was afraid of needles and syringes. Scratch that, he was afraid of every single little thing which had the risk of being pointy enough to wound him. "That is actually pretty awesome, Gavin. But, I have no holes in my earlobes, though." "As I said earlier, Yin, I am going to pierce them, do not worry about it." Gavin''s head turned towards Suna. "I am guessing you already have had your ears pierced before, right?" Suna was absolutely clueless. "I thought only princesses or those royalty figure people wear those. I thought that was the reason why you and the Commander wore them, to be honest, you know, because of your high ranks in the Slayer Corps." She said. "Don''t sweat it, you guys! It is nothing at all. The pain goes away in a second or two at most." Luken tried to act tough and put on a brave face in front of his rookies. "Correct me if I am mistaken in recalling a specific memory, Luken. But weren''t you the one who almost cried because our superiors tried to pierce your ears?" The Serpent Summoner revealed the truth behind what happened during he and Luken''s ear piercing tradition. "N-No! I-I had sore eyes or something that day, I swear!" Every single one of them laughed. "If we are having our ears pierced, then that means Oliver should have his ears pierced as well, right?" Zach asked them. "Are you really trying to drag Oliver into this, Zach? How disappointing of you." Gavin shook his head. "Do mine first, Gavin!" Yin ran immediately towards the Serpent Summoner''s direction and positioned himself right in front of him. "What kind of blade or needle are you going to use?" Yin asked. "What do you mean?" Gavin was surprised as he pulled out his grimoire. "W-Wait, you are not going to use your summoned creatures to carve a small hole into your earlobes, right?" Yin wanted to make sure of it. But little did he know, that was in fact going to be the case. "How else would one even do it reliably?" Gavin asked. The Serpent Summoner then called forth a small petite snake from his grimoire. The small snake hissed up until its small beady eyes saw that the Serpent Summoner was the one summoning it. "Hey there. I believe you already know what I summoned you here for, right?" Its tiny head nodded. Zach gazed at both of Gavin and Luken''s earlobes. He knew that they already wore matching earrings but for a reason that he did not know, today, he knew. Zach realized that wearing them is to be a significant part of the Six Blades history. To be a part of their long running tradition of uniform black circular earrings was something that Zachary wanted. He stepped forward and offered to do it first. "I-I would like to do it!" He screamed. "Easy there, Zach. What''s gotten into you? I did not know you had the pipes to scream that much." Gavin was surprised. "J-Just do it, Gavin." Zachary had his eyes closed. He had felt the snake slithering on top of his shoulders. Zach knew that if he looked, it would be much more painful than it really is. "Are you ready?" Suna asked the Fire Slayer who was trying to force his eyes be more closed than it already was. "Just do it!" He shouted. Zachary screamed in anguish. It was the sound of someone who had undergone torture for the first time. "I-Is it finished?" He asked. His question was answered back with laughter. Zach turned his head around and saw that Oliver was poking his earlobes with a sharp stick. Just careful enough to wound it, but it sure was stinging him. "Stop that, Oliver!" He shooed the baby panda away. To which Oliver responded by walking away. His saddened face filled with fur stuck with them. Suna ran towards the baby panda in attempts to comfort him. "Seriously, Gavin¡­" Zach was about to explode, he was fuming with rage already. The Serpent Summoner laughed. "Sorry, I was really going to do it, but Oliver wanted to know what the big fuss about your ears were, or at least that is what I think was in his mind." The piercings were done with relative ease. Well, except for Zachary''s overreaction at times, they were finished. Yin Sohaya, Zachary Lancaster, and Suna Izanami were all donning the staple of the Six Blades members'' look. "Sheesh, you guys do look good in those. I am not going to lie, I hated it at first, I thought it just does not fit well with my overall vibe and aesthetic¡­" Luken said. They all ignored him and said their goodbyes once more. Gavin, who walked in the middle of Yin and Zach in order to stop them from fighting, was already getting exhausted from the journey, and they still have not even left the hideout yet. "Hey Suna." Luken called out to her. "Do you think Yin and Zach will be fine out there?" The Commander''s question genuinely confused Suna. "What do you mean, Commander?" "I cannot even hide it, I really am worried for them. If they High Council decided to appoint Kai Xin as the squadron''s leader, then it might be a bigger fish than they could ever hope to catch." The Commander''s words did not do anything to quell Suna''s puzzled expression. "I get that you are worried for your rookies, sir. But you have got to trust in them, they are not mere children anymore. They are warriors of mankind vowing to fight against the outside forces and monsters that are trying to gnaw at us." Suna said. "Yeah. You are right. My energy exerted in worrying would be better spent elsewhere. I saw Zach''s blue flames, although they were too prone to combusting and being hard to control, the raw power in his spells is undeniable. And do not even get me started about Yin and whatever his weird abilities are." Luken pulled out a cigarette from his pocket. "I trust Kai to make the correct judgment in the battlefield, to ensure both the victory and survival of his members." "Speaking of Kai, Commander, who is stronger between him or Gavin?" Suna was genuinely curious as both of them were of the similar rank and they both had similar sounding monikers. Such as ''the Serpent Summoner'' and ''the Dragon.'' Luken looked up to the azure blue skies up above. "It is interesting that you brought that up, considering you never even fought Gavin. But, to answer your question, Slayer versus Slayer combat is never only reliant on the raw power that the other could exude, it also relies on intelligence, combat experience, of course strength is a factor, but the most important thing in a make-believe scenario of pitting Slayers of our caliber against one other is one thing." Suna leaned in closer, for the first time in months, this was the only time she was interested in the Commander''s words and coinciding with him being as serious as he was now, she thought it was going to be something important. "The ironclad will to emerge victorious and never lose. For the only thing that awaits a Slayer who lost in combat outside these Red Barriers covering Niflheim, is death." The Commander''s words sent shivers both down Suna and Oliver''s spine. "Sorry, I kind of turned it into something complicated instead of answering directly. To cut the chase short, they are pretty even, but Gavin has the slighter advantage of battle IQ." "B-Battle IQ?" She was perplexed. "Yeah, it is how productive and effective your choice of actions is once you are pitted in a do-or-die scenario outside the Gates. How smart you are whenever you are faced with an adversary and how you conserve your energy and such." Luken answered while holding his point finger upwards towards the sky. "Kai is no joke either, I am sure you already know that much considering the fact that you fought him right here." Suna rolled her eyes. "Believe me, I know." She sighed. "The guy was going toe to toe against me in close quarters combat. It was all fine, honestly, I felt like I had the upper hand as he was too focused on defense. But when he revealed that he was not even using his Anima cells, that was when it hit me¡­" "Oh?" "It hit me that people of your stature and how strong you guys really are is just on another level compared to us rookies." "That''s why you train. Pick yourself up. Assume a fighting position because I am going to be upping our training regime a shit ton more." The Commander said as he grinned. "Very well, Commander." Suna responded back with an equally confident smile of her own. Chapter 105 - Visitor After a couple of days of travelling towards the Grand Castle, the trio of Yin Sohaya, Zachary Lancaster, and Gavin Khalil all crashed at a local tavern. Tomorrow would be the start of the rookies'' mission with Kai. Something was different about Yin. Even Gavin and Zach could recognize it. He seemed oddly ''distant'' for lack of a better word. "Are you not happy to be wearing the traditional Six Blades signature accessory?" Gavin asked the rookie while toying with his black round earrings. "N-No, sir. I am, I really am happy to be a part of this." "Then why the long face?" Yin stared at the Serpent Summoner. His pupils'' intensity was something that Gavin could not look away from. "What happened to you, Yin? Are you still hung up on that time when you almost turned Luken into dust? Although I am going to have to admit, doing that to him would have a couple of upsides¡­" The S Rank Summoner attempted to joke around, but Yin was not buying them. "If you were to go past your body''s limitations and weaknesses and become a version of yourself that is a million times stronger, but your life would be hanging by a timed thread, would you do it?" Gavin sat down next to the boy. "That is an interesting thought experiment, Yin. Where did you get that?" "It is basically what it is, a thought experiment, as you said. Nothing more, nothing less, do you mind answering the question for me?" Yin said. "No, I do not mind. Very well, I do not think I would do that myself. Our lives are already on the line every single time we get deployed like this, I myself would like to know that I had gone down fighting with my all. To be knowledgeable of when one might meet his or her end is a blessing and a curse, Yin." Gavin cleared his throat and placed his book in hand on the table. "I assume you are referring to the body''s limitations and such with power, am I right?" The white haired C Rank Slayer could not help but nod in agreement as an answer to Gavin''s question. "As interesting as that might seem, it mainly relies on how strong you can actually be without your limitations. If my strength is enough to end this god forsaken war that has torn our planet up, then I would gladly do it in a heartbeat." Gavin''s answer struck Yin''s heart like a needle. "H-How fool of me to even doubt my decision. Even if I will not be able to end this war myself, then I will do everything to push through with that goal in mind. Seriously, how selfish of me¡­" Yin was beating himself up because of this. His frustrations were cut short rather quickly by what Gavin said next. "Or at least that is what I would answer to someone asking that question if I were unselfish¡­" Yin looked at the Serpent Summoner. He was smiling, in fact. But he had this kind of melancholic and lonely way about it. "Deep down, Yin. I know that I would not do it myself. I want to bet my life on the randomness and chances of survival that the battlefield out there offers me." Gavin opened the windows to let out the hot air steaming the room up. With his back turned towards Yin, he continued his sermon. "I know what I want and as fucked up as it might sound, I would not want to end my life soon for any other reason. I want to grow old and see you guys become bonafide Slayers in your own right as well. While me and Luken and my brother would just laze around waiting for you guys to get back from wherever you were assigned to. I want to see my family for as long as possible while I am here. So, in truth, no, I would not do that." His answer had Yin break down in tears. "W-Was it something I said?" Gavin was definitely confused as well as concerned. "I-It''s nothing, Gavin, trust me." Yin forced himself to say that while he was still sniveling. Gavin was about to pry him to open up more about it. The Serpent Summoner himself was curious as to how Yin got these powers and if it is coincidental with the fact that he had his Anima cells awakened at the 18 years of age. Luckily, Zach burst through the door without warning. "Oh. Did you miss me that much? Are you crying already from your realization that you do not have my capable array of skills beside you-" He got cut off by Yin. "Not a single chance, idiot!" Afterwards, he stared at the Serpent Summoner. "Another time, Gavin." Gavin simply nodded. "O-Okay then." Gavin took a seat next to the window which he had opened and asked Zach. "So, Zach, what did you buy from the food stalls below?" The Fire Slayer brought out three pieces of potatoes, some bread, and some fish. Except for the bread which did not require it, the potatoes and fish were all uncooked. "Did you forget to tell the ones selling the food to cook it or something?" Gavin was perplexed. "No. I am going to cook it myself!" Zachary announced proudly. "As much as I admire your fascination and endearment for the culinary arts, young Zach, I believe you may have forgotten that we do not have a proper kitchen in this room. Taverns are not usually known for placing their rooms with kitchens." Gavin answered sarcastically, doing his best not to show that he was lightly irked. "I am going to cook them with my bare flames." Zach grinned. Gavin facepalmed himself. "In a room made of wood?" "I-I had not thought about that¡­" Zachary scratched the back of his head nervously. "Why didn''t you just tell them to cook it?" "Because I thought I would do a better job myself¡­" Yin heard something from outside the walls of their room in the window area, but just decided it was probably cats or something. "Heard you guys had some problem burning or cooking stuff-" It was Kai. Kai Xin, the S Rank Fire Slayer also known as ''The Dragon.'' Gavin was startled and immediately thought he was an enemy, the Serpent Summoner threw his knives at Kai who just caught them mid-air. "Hm. Impressive." "Likewise, Gavin, impressive reflexes as well." Kai got up to their room and made himself welcome. He just got in through the window on his muddy shoes. The sight of it had enraged Gavin. "You couldn''t have taken the time of the night to clean your boots off before setting foot in our room?" Gavin''s passive aggressive tone was always scary for Yin and Zach, because the Serpent Summoner was rarely like this. Kai looked down on the ground and saw smudges of mud and dirt left behind by his own boots. "T-Those are definitely not mine, Gav, it was probably Zach''s." "Wait what?! Why are you blaming me?" Kai chuckled. "Heh. Just kidding. Don''t worry, I''ll clean it off myself. Let me just grab or borrow a broom from the staff downstairs." "Don''t bother, man. They would probably keep you out as we only paid enough the amount for three people. Just use your hands or something." Gavin said. "But Gavin, it''s mud and dirt, bro, it isn''t exactly clean enough to wipe my hands with." "Exactly. Shouldn''t you have thought of that the first instance you planned to surprise us by peering out of the window like a lunatic?" Kai Xin sighed. His eyes darted around the room, scanning it. "Hey Yin!" "Good to see you, Kai." Yin was still mentally exhausted and physically tired from the journey and the fact that he was not going to be here a year from now anymore. "Uh-oh. Looks like someone is a bit of a downer, what''s wrong? You scared for your mission tomorrow? Don''t worry, Yin. You''ve got me! With me leading the squad, it is a guaranteed success!" Kai said proudly before fixing his gaze on Zach. "Well, well, well, if it isn''t my student!" Zach did his best to stay out of the Dragon''s field of view. But the room was far too small to dodge him and pretend that he does not exist. "H-Hello." "Is this coldness really the proper way you treat your master?" Kai made fun of him. "Don''t you have a floor to clean?" Gavin crossed his arms and moved his fingers impatiently. "Yeah, I did not forget, just calm down already!" "Yin?" Gavin called out to him. Yin''s hands were already on Kai Xin''s feet, holding it to prevent his escape. "You were totally planning on ditching after making this big of a mess, weren''t you?" "T-That was not my plan at all!" Kai nervously responded. At the end, he relented and just picked up some rags and cleaned the floor. The S Rank Dragon was delegated as the floor wiper by the Six Blades. Chapter 106 - The Night Before "Do you have anything important to tell the rookies about the mission, Kai?" The Serpent Summoner asked him. "About what?" "The mission, smart ass." "Oh, right, the mission¡­" Yin and Gavin moved in closer to the Dragon in an attempt to listen closely to what he had to say about the mission. "Nah. Not really." Both of them had already expected to be disappointed but not at this level. But knowing Kai, they should not have expected anything serious at all. "I was just joking! Of course, I have some stuff I''d like to debrief you guys about, but that can wait for tomorrow. It would be unfair to your three other teammates that I would only disclose this information to you guys this early, right?" His red eyes locked on to the uncooked food brought by Zach. "Don''t tell me you did not eat yet¡­" Yin said to the S Rank Fire Slayer. "What a coincidence, Yin! I actually haven''t eaten dinner, thank you for asking and inviting me to munch down with you guys, I really appreciate it!" Gavin stood up from his seat. "Hold it right there. Go buy more food. This won''t be enough for four of us. Because, as you know, I only planned for three normal people. Not for three people plus one glutton." Gavin just could not stop burning the Fire Slayer. "Take it easy, man¡­" "Yin, you should go with him outside." Zach demanded the white haired Slayer to accompany Kai to buy some more food outside. "Why should it be me? Aren''t you his pupil?" Zach did not respond. Yin just complied with it, but not without grumbling some things under his breath. The bright lights of the city shone outside. "How''s your training been, Yin?" Kai asked. "I-It''s been alright." Kai Xin pat Yin''s head and ruined his worn down hairstyle. "Hey, trust in yourself, alright? I know that you''re stronger than you let on." He said to the young rookie. "Just how much do you know about my powers, Kai?" Yin went straight for the question. "There are appropriate times and settings where you could ask me that, but trust that I will not wait for you to ask. I will just tell you when I deem that it is so." Kai said. "You''ve got my back tomorrow, right?" Kai asked with a smile on his face. "Yeah, yeah. I do." "Good. That''s all that matters. Whatever goes on in the battlefield, whether it is by our own strengths or not, always remember to have your comrade''s back." Kai said as he smacked Yin''s back far harder than he should have. "Oh! Look! Someone''s still selling raw pork over there!" The Dragon ran towards the person selling it and left Yin trying to rub his back, mending the pain from his smack. "Would it really have killed you to hold back on that one?" Yin asked while coughing. Meanwhile Zach was sharpening his scythe at the room. "Do you want to listen to an old story of mine, Zachary?" Gavin asked the rookie. "Sure, what is it about, Gavin?" "It is about the first time I ever got deployed to a conquest." Zach placed his scythe on the ground and began facing the Serpent Summoner. This was a story which he was definitely keen to listen to. "I was deployed with Kai Xin, Luken, Ignis,and Vale. The latter you probably have not met yet or do not know about." "V-Vale, sir?" "Yes. Vale Ashford. Her name is not really mentioned that much in the newspapers as she prefers secrecy and privacy above anything else. Here is a fun fact, actually. When Luken was requested to step up to the role of Commander, Vale was actually the one who was the other choice of the Emperor. So, the whole race for the role of the Commander thingy was torn between Vale and Luken. I digress, anyway, back to my story¡­" Gavin closed the window as the cold night wind was far too chilly for his comfort. "All I could summon back then was a shitty skeletal warrior. Well, it was more than enough since we were fighting C Rank monsters anyway, but one time, my Anima focus was disrupted, causing my summoned skeletal warrior to disintegrate. It was really bad timing since a Rock Golem had just shown itself and started hurling rocks at me." "What happened next?" Zach asked as he leaned in. "Don''t get me wrong, I killed the most monsters next to Luken, it was just a freak accident, really. An unfortunate loss of focus in that moment which would have ended up in my death. If not for the quick decision of our squad''s leader." Gavin played around with his grimoire, fidgeting it around. "He showed up and immediately blew the airborne rocks out of the air, the guy saved me." "W-Who was he?" "You probably do not know him, he is long dead now. He was a talented A Rank Slayer who made the most out of his talents and role. Not a day goes by that I do not thank him for saving me." "I-I see." Zach faced down, disheartened by just how easy it is to die in the frontlines. For months to weeks, you train your ass off, your affinity, your weapon-handling, everything. Only to end up as a statistic in the papers back home as a part of the casualty in a conquest. At least that was what the rookie was thinking about. "My point is, Zach. Is that you should not be expected to do everything in a battle. You are a smart kid, use your brain and keep your wits about you, remember, you still have Yin to watch over." Zachary sighed. "I will keep that in mind, Gavin." Zach went back to sharpening his weapon once more. But the fact that the person who saved the rookie Gavin Khalil is now six feet underground is just something that sent existential dread down Zach''s mind. "Just how expendable are we?" He thought to himself. "You have not told your mother you are a Slayer, right?" Gavin asked. "No, no I have not." "What better way to announce it than your first conquest being a success, am I right?" Zach smiled. "You''re right. That would be the best way to show her I am already capable of making decisions for myself. I do not need to be coddled around like a baby. Plus, I have the Red King to settle a score against." Gavin''s eyebrows raised up. "You''re still hung up on that, huh? Hm. I am not one to judge, but remember, don''t do things out of impulse or in a rush. Know your strengths, know your limits." Zach took mental notes of whatever Gavin was telling him. After a few minutes, Yin and Kai finally got back. Kai had to come inside through the window once again to avoid having Gavin pay the penalty of overloading the room with an extra person. Zachary smirked. "Good work you two, how should I cook these, then?" Kai squinted at Zach, seemingly judging his whole soul down to its core. "Why are you staring at me like that?" "Err. I believe you would not be the one to cook them, Zach." Gavin said. "Stand aside, young rookie. Allow me to show you how it is done!" Kai said proudly. Yin saw just how frustrated Zach was, he wanted to show off his flame control, after all. "Why don''t we have Zach show us what he''s got?" Yin said. "Finally. The first time you have said something decent ever since I joined the Six Blades. It is never too late, Yin, I am proud of you." Zach was happy for Yin''s recommendation but still managed to sneak in an insult here and there. Gavin was far too amazed to even call him out on it. The Serpent Summoner just nodded. "Damn. That was a good one. I''ve really got to use that on Luken one of these days." He thought to himself. Kai handed out a single potato to Zach. Which might seem strange in any other circumstance. "Cook it with your blue flames, then." Kai grinned. "Do not mind me if I do." Zach accepted the potato and immediately began ''cooking'' it in the palm of his hands. In about two seconds, the potato was already burnt. "That, my student, does not look edible at all." Kai said while trying to hold back his laughter. "I am going to have to agree with Kai on this one, Zach, I would not subject myself to eating that thing." The Serpent Summoner said. Yin was far too busy trying to hold his laughter back. "This is how you do it." Kai took out another potato and focused. He placed it on the same area Zach did, on the palm of his hands. A quick flare of fire was seen. It only lasted for a split second. But it was more than enough.. The smell of baked potatoes filled the room and reminded everyone that they have not in fact eaten dinner yet, and it is almost eleven o''clock. Chapter 107 - Cosette And June Right after eating their late dinner, the other half of the Six Blades consisting of Yin, Zach, and Gavin were all fast asleep. Kai joined them and forced Zach to sleep on the ground with Yin. Zachary Lancaster was not happy about it. Morning soon came faster than expected. As the sunlight beat down on the windows, they knew it was time to wake up. [ Greetings, Thanatos. ] Yin heard the familiar voice of the female within the System greeting him in his head. [ Starting today, your missions will now be tied to your quests. ] "Err. Can you elaborate further on that? How long has it been since I heard your voice? It really has been awhile." Yin responded. [ You will see when you are faced with your mission later. For now, do not forget to warm up and stretch before deploying to the conquest. That would be all. Good morning. ] Yin nodded. "Still the same old monotonous voice, huh?" There was no reply from the System. Yin saw Gavin already sitting by the windows, watching over. Was he trying to find someone? "Good morning, Gavin." Yin said to the Serpent Summoner. "A pleasant morning to you as well, Yin. By the way, I am not going to have to bring you over now, you have Kai with you. I should take this opportunity to sleep more¡­" Gavin said to the rookies. Zach was already awake as well. Kai was missing but he immediately burst through the door, was he waiting for his cue or something? Yin asked himself. "Well, kids, it seems like Captain Kai is going to be steering the wheel for now!" The three of them bid farewell to Gavin, who was catching up on his sleep. "Yo, Zach, are you mad at me or something?" Kai asked him. "No. I just do not see the reason why someone just crashed for the night had the opportunity to sleep on the bed, meanwhile I had to make do with the floor." Zach said with a scary expression. "Come on! You had Yin with you, you were not alone. Besides, there are multiple upsides for sleeping on the floor." Kai said. "Such as?" He looked around nervously and steered the conversation away from it. "There''s our girl!" He exclaimed as he pointed out towards someone far ways away from them. It was someone familiar as well. "C-Cosette?" Yin asked Kai. "Wait, you know her?" Kai asked back. "Yeah, we were the survivors of the fifty Slayers sent by the High Council back then." "Hm. That incident, huh? Alright, it seems like a good thing that you already know her. She can be pretty difficult at times." Kai said. He sprinted forwards to get Cosette Akim''s attention. "Yin, you know that woman over there?" Zach was curious. "Yeah. Her name is Cosette Akim. She is an A Rank Earth Slayer." "I see. It is definitely assuring that we have high ranking Slayers on our team¡­" Zach said as he exhaled afterwards. "Not really." Yin said. "How so?" "It''s pretty common that you send high ranking Slayers in one mission and clump them up in a single squad if the mission or conquest itself is going to be hard. This is just a hunch, but I do not think it is going to be an easy one." "Are you scared already?" "Heh. Right back at you, this is your first mission, so just stand by me if you feel afraid or something." Yin grinned as he said that. Zach just clicked his tongue in annoyance. The Grand Castle was always as shiny as ever. Cosette Akim and Kai Xin were slowly walking back towards the group. As Cosette saw Yin, she waved at him. Yin gave a modest wave back. "I did not know you were going to be here!" She said. "Yeah. The same goes for me as well." "How is Suna?" "She''s doing well, honestly. Suna''s currently training with the Commander in preparation for the Slayer Tournament." Yin told her. "I see. I can see that she''s taking this seriously, that''s good. It is her first Slayer tournament after all." Kai immediately interrupted their conversation by introducing Zachary to Cosette. "This here is a rookie Fire Slayer, Zachary Lancaster." "H-Hello." Cosette''s eyebrows went up. "Woah, you''re pretty tall aren''t you?" She said as she tried to compare her height to his. "Wait, Lancaster? I have heard about what happened to your father. My condolences." Zach just nodded. The squad sat around and ate breakfast in a caf¨¦ nearby. Zachary ordered coffee and some bread. While the other three were stuffing their mouths with all sorts of food. Zach''s judgmental gaze moved on from Yin, to Cosette, to Kai Xin. "You have to eat more than that, Zach! You are still a growing boy!" Kai said as he handed out a piece of porkchop and let Zach smell it. "Can you not?" The Fire Slayer said. "Your loss, then." After an hour or so, they finished eating finally. "Shouldn''t we be leaving, Kai?" Yin asked. "Aren''t we a bit excited? We''re still waiting for another member of the squad, you know." "Who is it?" Cosette was curious. "Another rookie." Kai answered while wiping his mouth. "You know, I am a bit surprised that this squad has a varying degree of members." "Varying? Would you mind elaborating on that?" Zach asked him. "What I mean is that we are going to have two rookies, two experienced Slayers, and another one who is not quite a rookie but is still someone who has not really gotten his feet wet yet. It is an odd group, honestly." Kai responded back. They waited for a few minutes more. A young boy walked up to them. "A-Are you Kai Xin?" He asked with a soft manner and tone. "I believe that''s me, boy. What''s up?" "I-I was told to meet you here. I am a member of the squad to be deployed this morning." This boy had golden hair and brown eyes. He was definitely short. Quite obviously younger than Yin and Cosette. Kai stood up from his seat and hit his head on the pole above. "Ouch!" He scratched his head. "So, you''re the rookie, right?" The young boy nodded. "Uhm. Let us see here¡­" Kai took out his notebook, it had a list of the squadron''s members and their affinities as well as ranks. "June Alcindor, correct?" Kai wanted to verify if this was really the kid. "Yes, sir. That is me." This kid was definitely nervous to the bone. His words were delivered with a clear stutter and shakiness to it. "That white haired dude over there is Yin Sohaya, a C Rank Lightning Slayer." "Hey." Yin smiled. "The tall gentleman right there is Zachary Lancaster, he is a rookie like yourself. Don''t worry, he''s plenty strong already! Yin and Zach are both members of the Six Blades." Zach just waved. "Lastly, this girl right here is Cosette Akim. She is an A Rank Earth Slayer." Kai had finally finished with the introductions. "T-The Six Blades?!" June was amazed. "Yep. I, on the other hand, am the second in command of the Inferno Garden myself! Kai Xin!" He exclaimed. "Would you stop tooting your own horn?" Cosette asked Kai. June was starting to sweat despite the cold temperature that this morning had. "You alright?" Yin checked up on him. "Y-Yeah. I just did not expect to be deployed with some Slayers as strong as you guys¡­" The kid responded. The group began to walk towards the Outer Gates now. "Don''t worry about it. I am not that strong myself. Besides, you are not the only rookie here, Zach is also a rookie." Yin wanted to assure the kid that it was going to be alright. "R-Right¡­" "What''s your affinity, by the way? Kai forgot to ask you, I bet." Cosette asked the kid. "I-I''m a Wind Slayer. I specialize in long range spell casting and spell support." June answered back. "June, the fact that you''re here with us, in this group, is reason enough that you are strong and capable. Keep your head up, we trust you, okay?" Cosette said. "O-Okay, ma''am." June looked around and noticed that Yin was the only one who did not have his weapon around his hips or on his back. "What type of weapon do you use, mister Yin?" "I use gauntlets. They''re in my backpack right now. I wear these ones instead." Yin said as he showed the repressive gauntlets that the Commander gave to him. "I-I do not have any offers for organizations right now." "Really? That''s fine. Once this mission is over, it will be a success, you''ll have multiple suitors vying for you to apply to their org soon enough!" Kai said to the young boy. "You do not need to have an organization to be touted as strong, though. Take a look at me for example." Cosette said proudly. The group continued to walk towards the Outer Gates. Chapter 108 - Who They Should Have Saved The group was ready to set forth on their mission. "Hey, Kai, what kind of monster are we going to be hunting today?" Yin asked their leader. "A horrible one. We''ve lost contact with another squad some days ago, the last distress message they sent were ones asking for immediate assistance. Of course, we could not send one that fast, we had to make sure the team composition, chemistry, and teamwork was there for a squad to be deployed." Kai Xin answered. He was different after setting foot on the Outer Gates. Kai was actually being serious now. Zach could not help but have his nerves shaken about. After all, this was his first mission. He and June Alcindor were both nervous. "So, Kai, what tipped you guys off that there was a monster who supposedly wiped an entire squadron off by itself?" "We still do not have concrete information about how many of them there are, just that they''ve killed the Slayers who requested back up." Kai said. "H-How did you know that, sir?" Kai pulled out the letter from his backpack. It was almost like the piece of paper was a colored one. The letters were far too jumbled and written in a hurry to be readable in just one glance. And the paper''s color was changed from white to red. It was drenched in blood. All of their eyes widened at the sight of it. "Holy crap." Cosette blurted out as she looked more closely into the letter. June covered his mouth to avoid gagging. "I guess that is why we have many high ranked Slayers with us, huh?" He said. "Wait a minute, Kai." Yin interrupted, why didn''t the High Council just send whoever was available or whoever was nearest to them for help? Why did they have to wait a couple of days before assembling this squad of ours?" Yin was very confused. "I really do not know, Yin. Believe me. All I am doing right now is following orders, and making sure you kids do not die under my watch." Kai retorted back. They were walking west, opposite of where the Operation Phoenix was set. This area was molten hot, full of spacious desert fields. Zach took in the surroundings and everything that his eyes saw. "This is the world outside of the Red Gates¡­" He said under his breath. "What is the matter, Zach, you freaking out?" Yin teased him. "Of course, I''m not. Are you perhaps projecting your fear over towards me?" Zach replied. Cosette whispered something to Kai. She motioned for him to come close to her as she leaned in and whispered something. "Why is June Alcindor here? He''s just a kid, a beginner, a rookie. I have no qualms about having another person to save while in combat, I just do not believe that the High Council should have endangered this child''s life at this stage of his age." Kai nodded. "I share the same sentiment as you, I really do. But for now, we are just going to have to suck it up and do what those old men tell us to. I hate them as well." Cosette clicked her tongue and shook her head. Indeed, this was no squad to place a child in, a rookie at that. The group kept walking towards where the letter said they were holed up in. Heat was beating down on them, they had accumulated sweat and were exhausted to the core. They finally saw the landmark. It was a rusty mountain range in the western part outside. Kai pointed out to it. "That''s it. That is where we are headed towards." He said. "I should have brought less things if I had known we were going to hike up and down off of mountains¡­" Yin said. "You alright, June?" Zach checked up on his fellow rookie. "Y-Yes, I am okay, sir." "You do not have to call me sir, we are both rookies." Zach tried his best to force out a smile from his mouth. "O-Oh. Sorry, I apologize!" June bowed his head at the Fire Slayer. "Seriously, that was a creepy looking smile, Zach." Kai pointed it out. "Hey! That wasn''t creepy!" "It kind of was." Yin affirmed the fact. "You guys, quiet. I think I see something." Cosette told them to hush down and behave. "Do you see something, Cosette?" The white haired Slayer asked her. "Yeah. I do." She pointed out at the silhouette of something or someone right in front of them. They were clearly too far away to make out who they were. But their silhouettes were obviously of humans. "Do you think those are the ones we are sent to save or retrieve?" Cosette nudged Kai''s shoulders. "I-I honestly do not know. If that''s them, how have they survived all these days outside the Gates without food or water?" Kai was disturbed, and so was everybody in the group, apart from Zach. "This is good! That means they have probably beaten the monster and are calling out for us to escort them home, right?" He smiled and looked at the others. "We do not know anything as of yet. We should attempt to make contact with them just to be on the safe side." Kai said to his squadron. "I have a bad feeling about this." Cosette mouthed to Yin. "I know. I feel it too." Kai took out his newly made sword. "N-Nice sword, Kai." Yin pointed out. "Thanks, Yin. I had to get a new one after you eviscerated my old one into nothingness." Kai responded with a passive aggressive yet slightly annoyed tone. "Everyone, make sure to ready your weapons and grimoires. It is better to be safe than sorry." He said. "I-I do not understand, sir, shouldn''t we be calling out to them to avoid friendly fire?" June asked the S Rank Fire Slayer. "That is the proper thing to do in this scenario, but I am going to go with my gut this time." Kai''s eyes were set ablaze as though they were burning themselves. After a few minutes of walking towards them, they could now make out just who those silhouettes were. "Hide! Quickly!" Kai instructed them as they hid behind the rock formations below. "Why are we hiding, Kai?" Yin asked. "Just do as I say, alright?" Kai Xin was nervous. He gulped down and drank the water jug from his bag. "June, I want you to peek at them and see if they''re okay. You''re the smallest one here, you have the least chances of being spotted while peering out of cover." June Alcindor nodded proudly and slowly peered over. His eyes turned wide and tears started to swell out from it. Zach pulled him back before he could see any more. "What''s wrong, June? What did you see?" Zachary asked him. "T-The people¡­" The rookie could not put what he saw into words, Kai had to take his turn and scout it out for himself. He stared at the silhouettes which the squad saw earlier and chills began to go down his spine. He sat back down as Yin, Zachary, and Cosette were all waiting for what he had to say about he saw. "E-Everyone. Take up your weapons and grimoires. These are not Slayers nor are they humans anymore." The three of them stood up to get a clear view of them, sure enough, what they saw was going to haunt them forever. These Slayers now had white eyes and blood gushing from out of their mouths, nostrils, as well as their ears. They just stood in place, holding their weapons, as though they were statues assigned to guard the area. "What the hell happened to these people?!" Cosette asked the others. "We have to help them as soon as possible! Maybe they are just hurt!" Zach retorted back. "Open your eyes for a bit, Zach. Look at their skin. The sun has been shining for quite some time now. Their skins are tan and their mouths are snow white. They have been dead for a long time now." Yin said as he shook his head. "Let us finish what we came here to do. First things first, we eliminate them if they are ever hostile and find the monster who did this." Kai said while clenching his teeth. His rage was almost palpable. "On me." "One." "Two." "Three." "Go!" After Kai''s countdown, all five of them rushed to the undead-looking Slayers. "Identify yourselves!" Kai shouted at them. These pale white figures looked as though they were reanimated and have long died already. "We came to save you guys!" Cosette shouted as well. "Just say something and we''ll escort you to the nearest healer and mend you back!" Zach said. There were five undead Slayers there. Not one of them responded to Kai''s squad and their pleas. "We are just going to pass by, then." Kai said. He walked towards them first. "Kai!" Zach shouted for him to stop, sensing the imminent danger that they posed. Chapter 109 - Reanimation As Kai Xin walked slowly and raised his arms up to the air to indicate that he was not there for a fight, it was all going to go downhill now. "Kai! Get back!" Zach continued to raise his voice to get Kai Xin''s attention and to stop him from trying to communicate with the remnants of these Slayers. The statue-like undead who were still holding their weapons up began to swing it at Kai Xin. He easily dodged them by leaping upwards. "Everyone! Battle stances! We will call them the ''Reanimated'' for now." Kai said as he instructed the others to get ready for a fight. Zachary provided a suppressing barrage of spells to help Kai back out and recon with them. He took out his grimoire and began casting a spell. "Azure : Flamethrower!" A concentrated blue beam of fire came out of Zachary''s palms as he aimed it at the Reanimated with no hesitation. Roars were heard from their mouths as their skins were burnt away. The sound of crackling skin was haunting to those who were there. Yin called forth the black lightning from the skies and enchanted his fists. The C Rank Slayer was ready to throw hands right now. "Do not hold back! They are no longer one of us! I do not know what happened to them or who the hell did this, but it is either us or them! Treat them as you will the Angels or monsters!" Kai shouted. Cosette began rushing at the burning Reanimated Slayers with all her might. She started by decapitating one of them to render them immobile. June Alcindor, who was still in tears at the horror he was seeing right before them, was attempting to cast a skill for pretty long now. "Gale Typhoon!" He shouted while sniveling. A typhoon the size of a house began to manifest out of thin air in front of him. "Everyone! Back off for a bit!" He shouted, in order for them to avoid getting caught up in his spells. Kai doubled down on June''s warnings and told them to disengage right now. The sheer concentrated Anima cells this kid was focusing was definitely no joke. Kai realized that the High Council placed him in the squad for a reason. His Anima control was very good for that of a rookie. The typhoon slowly turned larger and larger until it had swallowed in the 5 Reanimated Slayers whole. Kai observed if that did significant damage to them. "Remember, they are no longer Slayers under the servitude of Niflheim! Their anima cells are still active but it is far more volatile than ever, I have the feeling that this battle is going to be far from over¡­" Sure enough, Kai Xin''s words were true. As June Alcindor''s spell typhoon finished its cyclonic attack, it had vanished and become one with the earth. Yin clapped his hands together once. He was now ready to do whatever it took to put these poor restless souls out of their torment. "We did not sign up for this¡­" Cosette said under her breath, Zachary heard her, however. "Yeah, neither did I. Neither did everybody else in here." The rookie Fire Slayer said as he gripped his scythe hard to quell his anxiousness. When the typhoon''s aftermath finally subsided, what greeted their sights were the five Reanimations still limping towards them. One of them mouthed something out, but no voice ever came out of its mouth. They could just barely make out what the ex-Slayer wanted to convey. "K-Kill me¡­" Kai took out his grimoire and casted an advanced enchantment spell. He applied elemental enchantments of fire to his limbs and got ready for combat. But before that, the S Rank Fire Slayer bowed to the Reanimated Slayers walking their way. "I hope your souls find peace." Kai gripped his sword and dashed forwards, cutting all of their legs off. He saw what Cosette Akim did earlier in order to limit their mobility and the Dragon saw that it was definitely effective. Their bones were severed cleanly as Kai Xin chopped them all off in one swing. The Reanimated Slayers fell to the group with no proper ground support. "Finish them off, Yin!" "Got it!" It was now Yin Sohaya''s time to put an end to their suffering. Yin took off the restrictive gloves that The Commander gave him and proceeded to activate his decay aura. "Get them, Yin!" Cosette shouted as she cheered on her friend. Yin nodded and rushed at three of them, sending them flying with his fists as well as crumbling them into dust afterwards. "I-Impossible¡­How is he doing that?" June Alcindor was both confused and amazed at the same time. After all, he had ever seen anything like this before. "Zach! Cosette! Take each one of them out!" "Alright!" Cosette took out her grimoire and made the entire ground shake lightly, just enough to stop these Reanimations from crawling after them. She threw her grimoire to the ground and leaped towards one, with a huge revved up swing from the back, she successfully decapitated one of them. But this was difficult to do for her, she still saw them as her co-Slayers serving the Emperor and fighting for the banner of Niflheim''s freedom. Zachary Lancaster took care of the other one left with ease as he split it up in half with his blue, burning scythe. "May you find peace." Zach said before he sliced the last one. They ran towards June and helped the young rookie calm himself down. "What the hell is happening to this place¡­" Cosette said as she sighed. "It keeps getting worse and worse every single time I come out here, I swear." Kai Xin shook his head. "Just what the hell are these things, Kai?" Zachary asked their squadron leader. "From the looks of it, it seems they are the dead corpses of our fellow Slayers. Their squad was probably sent here and got turned into one of these things by another monster we do not know about. Judging from their earlier wounds before we even made contact and attacked them, they already had injuries which were fatal." Kai Xin took out his notebook and wrote about the encounter with the Reanimated Slayers. "I am going to write about these things in my report. For now, I will send a message via my carrier pigeon back to the Grand Castle. I am telling them that we are pursuing the mission and are tracing the root of this abominable evil¡­" Kai Xin''s anger was palpable even more now. As much as he was carefree, Kai cared about the Slayers in the Corps. "Did you know someone here, Kai?" Yin asked in a sad tone. "No. But I do know they are our brothers and sisters in arms. Till death and towards their last dying breaths. I will never forgive the person who did this." The S Rank Fire Slayer announced. "Let''s go, then." Yin turned around and pointed towards the direction north of them. "I want to avenge our comrades. Nobody deserves to go out and have them breathe their last breath only to get reanimated and fight their allies. How truly damn despicable of these Angels or whatever monster it might be who did this." Yin Sohaya was locked in. Cosette calmed June down as they went on forwards. "So, this is the life of a Slayer in the Corps¡­" June said as he kept his head down. "Make sure you are strong enough to survive the next conquest you get deployed to, June. You are strong. Just focus more on your spellcasting, you will be a valuable asset to humanity in the long run." Kai sad as he turned around and placed his hand on June''s shoulders for a second. "By the way, terrific symphony of attacks back there, all four of you. You really did good." The Dragon complimented them. "But if we come across an Archangel or a Seraphim, well, they are pretty much the same thing, promise me that you will turn tail and run off without me." He said. "That''s absurd. You know full well we are not leaving you to fend off against a Seraphim." Zach protested. He had read about the Seraphims back in his youth. The very first report of one which was taken down by the Basilisk Slayer was Sarathiel, one of the Twelve Seraphims. "No offense, Kai. You definitely do not seem stronger than sir Artorias." Yin''s words irked Kai off, but no longer after what he said next. "But with all of us fighting alongside you, we would definitely have a much better chance of taking these Angels down." Kai could not help but laugh. "You kids have a death wish or something?" He asked. "I-I would also not leave without all of us making it out safely, sir. I am prepared to deal with the repercussions of not listening to your orders but I will do so only if we get back home in one piece." June Alcindor''s words were serious. This had made Kai laugh even more. Chapter 110 - The Enemy "Heh. If I''ll be completely honest, you guys will only slow me down." Kai said to his squad members. "Still! We absolutely cannot leave a member while we turn around and run for safety." Yin responded back. Kai Xin said nothing in return. As the squad continued onwards in search of the monster responsible for this horrendous act, the heat was gradually burning their skins. Cosette was panting. "How much longer until we get there?" She asked in a tired voice. "I for one do not know as well, we are going to have to stop this monster, though. I would not want to fight against Reanimated Slayers. It leaves a bad taste in all of our mouths, right?" Zach said while turning around to Yin and June''s direction. "I-I agree¡­" June said with a nod. Kai was leading the march. After about half an hour more of the grueling walk under the burning sun, they were finally starting to get close. Too close for comfort. Kai stepped on a single piece of wooden stick on the ground, he noticed it first¡­ There was a beam of flames coming from the north. "Everyone! Get down!" He instructed them, they all complied and got on the ground fully. "W-What''s the matter?!" Zach frantically looked onwards and saw the concentrated beam of flames. It was thin, very thin, in fact. But as the beam traveled to the space above them, everyone could feel the intensity of it. If Kai Xin had not told them to duck immediately, they were sure if that beam had pierced their hearts or chest, they would have been long goners by now. "S-Such power..." June Alcindor remarked while shaking. "Another one is coming! It is trying to aim below! Jump up and dodge it!" Kai Xin instructed them once more. And once again, they all followed his instructions. June could not leap as high as the others, however. He almost had his feet pierced by a few centimeters off. The beam had hit his shoes instead, lucky for him. "Are you alright, June!?" Cosette asked the rookie. "Y-Yeah, it almost got me." Kai sprinted north towards the area where the beam came from. "Follow me! Make sure to dodge the beams when I say so!" Kai Xin shouted to them. As reluctant as they were to head straight towards it, they had no other choice but to face the enemy. The monster who was spamming the flame beams at them was hidden well enough for them to only sense it whenever it was firing. Only for a split second, and after each attack, it switched to a new location to cover its tracks. Kai focused long and hard. After dodging the third flame beam it fired out, Kai pinpointed the pattern where it would be heading towards successfully. He heaved up his sword and held it by the handle as he revved it up and threw it straight at the monster''s location. An ear piercing scream was heard, all of them had to cover their ears because of the high pitch it had. "Did we get him?" Yin said as he looked around the area. "No. I can still feel the monster''s Anima concentration." Cosette replied back as she got ready for a fight, brandishing her war axe around. "That will not be enough to kill this monster, I believe." Kai said calmly. He walked towards the location of where the scream originated from. "Be careful!" Zachary said as he gripped his grimoire in preparation for a retaliating attack. Kai Xin''s sword had pierced the rocks from where the monster was hiding behind. He walked around the stone and saw the true figure of the monster. It was an Angel. It was a white humanoid Angel writhing in pain from being pierced by Kai Xin''s sword through where it was hiding. Kai Xin immediately took out his grimoire and blasted it with bursts of fireballs, alternating between both left and right palms. The smoke from the initial S Rank Fire Slayer''s barrage covered his retreat as he pulled out the sword from the back and went back to his squad. Kai was panting. "This is worse than I had thought¡­" Kai said under his breath as he shook his head. "Prepare for battle! We will bring this Angel down all at once!" "Yes, sir!" Yin called forth the black lightning from the skies above once again. Footsteps were heard amidst the smoke. Kai had failed to finish off the monster. Not that he expected that his earlier attack would have been enough, but still. He did not think that it would get up this easily. "June!" He shouted. June Alcindor knew what to do in an instant. The smoke from Kai Xin''s attack was hindering both of his squad''s and the Angel''s field of view. The rookie Wind Slayer pulled out his grimoire and casted a miniature version of the typhoon he casted against the Reanimated Slayers before. But this time, it was not casted in order to damage the Angel, no, it was far too weak of a spell to even put a dent on it. This spell was casted in order to blow away the smoke from the fires and dust. "Yin! Follow my lead!" Kai said as he sprinted towards the Angel who is now visible once more. "Remember, react to its move set and what it does! Dodge its attacks the way that I do!" "Right!" Kai slashed the Angel''s stomach but the Angel had already blocked it with its own arms. Yin was surprised at how resilient and durable the Angel was. "I-Impossible! Even Kai''s sword swing did not manage to cut its hands off!" Zachary said to himself. Kai Xin pulled back out and let Yin shoot his shot instead. Yin Sohaya jumped upwards and did a roundhouse kick right in the face of the Angel. But his attack hurt his legs more than it damaged the Angel itself. Both of them jumped back and collected themselves. "Why aren''t our attacks working!?" Yin clicked his tongue. "Damn. Were my kicks not strong enough?" He was blaming himself for that clean opportunity to strike and his inability to follow through. "No. It was strong. But this thing is built like a truck. Its body is not that thick, it is of skinny build, but its skin is solid. Rock solid." Kai absorbed the information about this Angel. "This is not a normal Angel. I believe." His last words sent shivers down everybody''s spine. Judging by their faces filled with immense shock, there was only one possible answer for what this Angel was. "A-A Seraphim?!" Cosette stammered on her words before asking fully. "Seems we''ve got bad luck on our side this time." Kai Xin grinned. Deep down, the S Rank Slayer always wanted to know how it felt to fight a Seraphim. When the news of Artorias Khalil dragging the body of a Seraphim into the Grand Castle''s chambers were rumored among the higher ranking Slayers, every single one of them felt fear. This was the elite of the elite among the Angels'' ranks. Although Kai Xin definitely was afraid of the implications of what it would be to be in a death match against such monstrosities, a part of him was glad to be given the chance to prove his power against Seraphims. "We have talked about this earlier. I already told you that you should run back. The odds of stumbling across one of the Twelve Seraphims would be much greater when we are this far away from the Barrier." Kai said. "Enough of that foolery, Kai. Minutes ago, we already affirmed that we will stay and fight." Zachary replied back as he cracked his knuckles and readied his scythe in his right hand and his grimoire in his left. "We are going to bring this Seraphim down together!" Yin said with passion and confidence. "I for not do not know just how strong the Basilisk Slayer is, fighting something of this degree would definitely be a cool way to gauge it." Cosette Akim replied back. She was an avid fan girl of Artorias Khalil. The number one ranked Slayer always kept to the shadows, away from the limelight of the crowd and reporters. Cosette has never even laid her eyes on her idol. She only heard about him from his successes as a ''prodigy'' when he was still a rookie and his accolades as the top weapon of humanity. June gulped down all his fear and anger. "Let''s go!" He shouted. Even the youngest kid in the class was exemplifying what it means to be a Slayer, it would be a shame if Yin, Cosette, and Zachary were to tattle their tails and run. That was what they thought. The Angel flew upwards. It had a drastically different appearance from the typical Angel. It donned on white bracers and neck armor only. Leaving other parts exposed, but it was not important to cover it all up, as it was virtually invincible from physical attacks like earlier. Its white hair floated about and covered its eyes. The wound that Kai Xin hit it with from earlier was already healed up. Chapter 111 - Pugna "Where is Sarathiel?" The Angel opened its mouth and asked about her missing fellow Seraphim. "Where have you taken him?" Kai Xin''s squad and he himself was in awe. They could not believe that an Angel just spoke. Her voice was raspy and rough. "So, the rumors were in fact, real." Kai said with a smirk. "Seraphims really can talk¡­" "Did I just hear that Angel speak our language coherently?" Yin was confused. Zachary and Cosette nodded. "Yeah. We heard it too." "Why are you doing this to us?!" Yin shouted at the Seraphim. This made her focus her gaze at Yin Sohaya. Its pale, snowy, white skin around its arms and legs had turned red. Seemingly hardening it even more. It was clear that the Seraphim was reinforcing its durability to those areas of her body. "Why are you here, Thanatos?" The Seraphim''s words startled Yin to the point of him backing up until he fell on the ground. "H-How-" Before Yin could react, Kai Xin stepped up and began taunting it. "If steel, grit, iron, and such other gimmicks will not work against you, then we are going to make you dance with our affinities." The S Rank Fire Slayer''s taunts had sent the Seraphim into a state of berserk. The Seraphim then flew upwards and began to dive down towards Kai Xin. Kai blocked her initial attack''s impact with his sword enchanted with flames, but he was still sent flying across the area. "Tch. I guess these things really are built different from the common Angels." Kai said as he was sent airborne by the Seraphim''s attack. Zachary tried to get some attacks into the Seraphim in hopes of damaging it. Knowing that spells would be the only type of attacks that would work against it, he casted a spell point blank aimed at the Seraphim''s face. "Burn." Zach said right before letting his whirling fireball projectile hit the Archangel in the face. He then implored the others to back up and regroup with Kai Xin. They all followed his orders. Yin did his best but he was still disturbed by the fact that this was not the first time an Angel had acted weirdly whenever he was present. He remembered the farm incident and how the Angel had tears pouring down from its eyes with the sight of him. "Pick yourself up together, Yin!" Cosette shook Yin back and forth until the white haired Slayer finally regained his senses and stopped letting his nerves get ahold of him. "S-Sorry, Cosette. I am alright now." Yin said as he enchanted his fists with black lightning. The Seraphim stood on the spot where Zachary hit it. While waiting for the cloud of smoke to subside, they were all hoping that Zachary''s attack dealt significant amounts of damage. After all, that spell was casted right in front of the Seraphim''s face, it definitely could have grazed it, right? That was what they were waiting for. Indeed, the left part of the Seraphim''s face was nothing but charred bones. She stared at the person responsible for this, in that case, it was Zachary. "I¡­am Pugna. One of the Twelve Seraphims. Do you know where they are keeping Sarathiel?" It calmly asked as if Zachary had not just blown a hole right in its face. The rookie Fire Slayer did not respond, instead, he just continued on flicking the pages of his grimoire. Kai''s eyes were wide open. "I see. So, spells and affinities can definitely damage you, just not physical attacks." He said to himself. Cosette was charging up a spell, and at the same time, so was June Alcindor. While they were waiting to see if Zach''s attack was a success, they were formulating their own course of attack. And because it was, they were prepared to follow through with it. "Ready, June?!" Cosette exclaimed while asking the rookie if he was ready. "Yes, ma''am!" Cosette Akim placed her palm on the ground while holding her grimoire with the other. "Split Earth!" She shouted as the ground beneath where Pugna the Seraphim stood on top of began to split towards opposite directions. The Seraphim did not even bother to fly away, as Cosette''s plan was reliant on it not being able to adapt as quickly. After it was sent down to the deep depths below, June threw a concentrated gust of wind to stop it from flapping its wings and flying back towards the surface. "Kai! Your turn!" Cosette turned her head at their squad leader. "With pleasure." Kai responded with a grin as he opened his grimoire quickly and proceeded to cast fifty fire balls continuously from his palms. Seconds after they had pulled of the attack, they eased up and tried to catch their breaths. "Did we get it?" June asked while heavily panting. Flaps of its wings were heard from the crack down below. "It''s a Seraphim. I believe it will not go down that easily." Kai Xin said with a stern expression on his face. Pugna was already starting to heal up the burns that it had sustained from Kai''s array of flame attacks. As its throat was severely burnt, it still managed to speak out. "Where have you primates taken Sarathiel?!" Pugna the Seraphim shouted. "Everyone but June, enchant your weapons with your affinities! Our blades alone will not be enough to damage her. It seems like this one''s specialty is its durability, or at least that is what it currently seems like." Kai drew out his blade from the ground and began coating it with his red flames. "I know you have not done it before, Zach. Enchanting your weapons takes some getting used to, but what better teacher to learn from than the fear of dying, right?" Kai said as to his pupil as he chuckled slightly. June was not included in the brawl because he was mostly only a spellcaster. His physical abilities were not really honed to the point that he could even go toe to toe against a normal Angel, let alone a Seraphim, Kai studied his squad members intensely right before the mission started, it was not like he was just being a carefree klutz all of the time. Cosette cracked her knuckles and began to hurl giant rocks at Pugna while she was still in the air up above. This was an attempt to bring her back down to the hungry sharks that were Kai, Yin, and Zach. Zachary successfully enchanted his scythe with the blue flames he was proudly touting after one attempt. Which was definitely a good thing, this meant that they had four heavy hitters in the squad. Pugna the Seraphim dodged each boulder hurled at her by Cosette easily while its burns from earlier were now healed as though she was never even hurt before. "Do Angels really heal that quickly?!" Yin asked Kai. "They do have healing factors and regeneration, but not on this level." Kai answered back. "June! I want you to write a message and send it directly to the Emperor. Tell them that as of this minute, we are currently engaged in battle against a Seraphim." June nodded and got to a safe place where he was going to pen the letter as fast as possible. Pugna was about to make her move, though. She set her sights on Kai, which she singled out as the leader of this team, if she were to eliminate him, perhaps his subordinates would lose morale and make it easier for her to kill them as well. The Seraphim enveloped her own body with flames as well. She flew downwards and began attacking Kai Xin. The S Rank Fire Slayer was not one to back down from a direct confrontation, sparks of flames went flying after each clang of Kai''s sword and the Angel''s arms made contact. Yin attempted to back Kai up after the Seraphim landed a direct blow on his face. "Kai!" Zachary shouted as he ran to his aid. Yin Sohaya burst through to close the gap between him and Pugna. Yin and The Seraphim exchanged punches. Pugna''s expressionless face leaned towards a haunting smile. "Thanatos¡­" She said the System''s name once again. "Don''t call me that!" Yin exclaimed as he kicked Pugna right in the stomach with a lightning-enchanted blow. Cosette followed Yin''s steps shortly after and heaved her axe towards the Seraphim, she attempted to slice her head clean off from her shoulder. Pugna blocked the A Rank Earth Slayer''s attack with ease as it was healing from Yin''s kick. "Weaklings¡­" The Seraphim said. All four of them attacked Pugna all at the same time, but this had only ended in them getting more and more exhausted as the Seraphim merely healed her way through all the injuries it sustained. "Damn! Our best way to deal with this troublesome Archangel is to deal as much damage as we can in the shortest amount of time before it can heal up. It definitely is easier said than done. Shit." Kai Xin said. Meanwhile, June Alcindor was finished writing a present report and had his carrier pigeon fly upwards back to Niflheim. Chapter 112 - Zacharys Plan While Kai and Yin were keeping Pugna the Seraphim occupied, Zach was thinking about how to adapt to the situation. "Shit. What can we even do this thing? Whenever we inflict heavy damage on it, it just regenerates fast as hell." Zach said to himself. That was when the idea hit him. He whispered something to Cosette. The A Rank Earth Slayer''s eyes lit up in amazement. "Good plan. I think it is worth executing." She said. Cosette jumped in and told Yin and Kai to put some distance between them and Pugna. She also briefed them about Zachary''s plan. Both of them had no problems with it. Because at this point, they were willing to try out everything. It was a fight of stamina. Who would be the first ones to expend all of their energy? Would it be the Kai Xin''s squad or would it be Pugna the Seraphim''s healing? The squad sincerely hoped that it would be the latter, though. As June Alcindor''s pigeon flew out back into Niflheim, their best bet right now was to exterminate the Seraphim or wait for reinforcements to arrive. The said reinforcements might never come at all or it might actually be too late already. Kai was exhausting and using all of the tricks up his sleeve. "This is one tough Angel, I''ll give her that¡­" The S Rank Fire Slayer said. "Once Sarathiel is in my arms once again, I shall make myself scarce¡­Tell me where Sarathiel is!" Pugna''s raspy voice was getting more and more intense every single time it spoke. The Seraphim flew into the sky and was now crashing down on towards June. This was the perfect opportunity to execute Zachary''s plan, little did it know. Whether it would work or not, they did not care at this point. To fight and die as a Slayer until the very end¡­ That was what was embedded inside their hearts. Yin burst through with his inhuman speed and pulled out June Alcindor from imminent danger. Cosette then casted her mud wall and imprisoned the Seraphim. Kai Xin and Zachary jumped and stabbed her wings in place with their weapons which were enchanted with their flame affinities. Now that it could no longer move for a split second, this was a window of time that the squad desperately needed. Yin placed June somewhere safe and zipped across the other side of the battlefield where Pugna was imprisoned by Cosette. The plan was for them to wait for the Seraphim to come crash down and do the diving attack it was easily doing quite often earlier. When that happens, Yin, which was the second fastest Slayer in the squad, was to take out whoever Pugna was targeting and take that person to safety. If it was Cosette, then he would have to meet the Seraphim up in the air before it could make contact with her. But since it was targeting June, Zachary''s gamble was a success in the beginning. After Cosette Akim imprisons the Seraphim, they only had two seconds at most before it could burst through the mud wall and get loose if nobody held it in place inside the wall. This was where Kai Xin and Zach came into play. They were meant to hold down the Seraphim''s wings to the point of it not being able to fly away nor power through the mud wall. Because according to Kai, "As strong as this Archangel might be, you cannot ignore the fact that it squeals and grunts whenever we damage it with anything, it can still feel pain. The wings are vulnerable enough." He definitely showed why he was second in command of the Inferno Garden, the top organization in the Slayer Corps as a whole. Kai grinned while keeping Pugna in place with his sword, as well as Zach. June was meant to jump up the mud wall and apply the suppressing gust of wind he did earlier in order to pin Pugna down, but since he was the one targeted, he was going to be take somewhere safe instead. They were going to have to do it without their nervous Wind Slayer rookie. But June Alcindor definitely was not one to give up, even though it was clear that he would not make it in time to help in the plan''s execution, he still ran towards them. June''s heart was in the right place. That was what Zach thought. After saving whoever the Seraphim targeted, Yin had to run back and punch a hole in the mud wall, in an attempt to hold the Seraphim with both of his bare hands and let his decay aura run loose. All across the span of this fight, he found it hard to even hold Pugna down with his arms and let the aura wither her away. That was just how hard this battle was for Yin. It especially took a toll on him just running around the battlefield trying to catch Pugna and pin her down, but Zachary''s plan made all of their strengths combined and had a decent thought behind it. "Yin!" Zach shouted out. "I''m coming!" Yin retorted back. Crackles of the Seraphim''s bones being damaged as it was held in place by Kai and Zach were heard. "I-It is not going to last much longer!" Cosette was already going past her limit. Her veins were starting to pop out trying to keep Pugna inside the wall. Kai Xin and Zachary could not cast spells while holding the Seraphim in place because they had to use both of their hands on their weapons. And if they ever did, they would burn Yin Sohaya''s hands as well, it would be too hard to control their flames to only engulf the Seraphim. That was just how overwhelmingly strong Pugna was. She cried out while trying to shake off Zachary''s scythe and Kai''s sword. Cosette''s mud wall was starting to crumble. "Yin! Hurry!" The white haired Slayer was now in front of the mud wall. He placed both of his palms on it and started to make holes inside the wall. His hands were now holding both of the Seraphim''s wrists. Yin screamed as he activated the decay aura. It was rotting away the Seraphim''s wrists gradually, Yin had to move up to his arms as his hands were no longer there. "Th-Thanatos?! Why?!" Pugna wailed out in anguish. "Do not call me that! I am not Thanatos! I''m Yin Sohaya! A C Rank Lightning Slayer in the Slayer Corps!" The white haired Slayer proudly announced. The Seraphim continued to screech in pain. As much as they had wanted to make Yin completely disintegrate Pugna till nothing was left of her, Yin was at his own limit. He was hyperventilating hard already. Cosette was on her knees, trying to muster what remaining strength she had to strengthen the mud wall so it would not collapse. Kai and Zachary were holding on to the Seraphim with their enchanted weapons. June was now near enough to climb on top of the mud wall and he did so while gripping his grimoire. As he climbed on top of the mud wall, he casted his gust to pin down the Seraphim even longer, giving the others time to breathe and ease up. "How do you like that!?" June Alcindor''s voice was shaky, and this was his first time even fighting an Angel, and it was no normal Angel at that. In his first conquest ever, though unbeknownst to the High Council, June is now going against one of the Twelve Seraphims. He casted a similar spell as he did earlier, though this time, his gust was even stronger than before. Kai Xin knew something was not right during this time. "June! I order you to not remove your suppressors!" Suppressors were unseen sort of "locks" inside one''s body. When someone uses his or her Anima cells, it puts immense strain on one''s own body. These suppressors work so that Slayers have their own limiters, thus avoiding using up too much Anima cells at the same time. For if a Slayer were to cast a spell and focus nearly all of their Anima cells on that particular spell, they would run the risk of their limbs getting paralyzed. Though it was possible to remove the suppressor and cast a spell with even more power than usual, it was always a fifty fifty chance of gambling whether you will get struck with the consequences or not. "Please let me do this, sir! I will buy us a few seconds, ten, at most! That will be more than enough for you guys to catch your breath and renew what you were doing just now!" Indeed, June was right. But now it was up to Kai Xin''s decision. Was he going to gamble on a rookie''s hands? Kai was conflicted. The Seraphim was still screeching out in pain, so whatever they were doing was definitely effective. It was all up to Kai Xin, now.. His words would mean their triumph or result in their demise. Chapter 113 - Sacrifice "I shall decapitate your heads and attach them again when it is your turn to serve me in the afterlife!" The Seraphim said in a hurt voice. Time seemed to stop around Kai Xin. It was now confirmed ¨C Pugna was the one who reanimated the dead Slayers that they faced earlier. This makes her powers capable of reanimating dead individuals and making them fight for her behalf. Truly a frightening display of power. Seeing just how strong June Alcindor''s gust attacks were, a more refined one with even more Anima cells used would definitely pin down the Seraphim for much longer, allowing them to buy time. "Sir Kai, you have to decide now!" June shouted at the S Rank Fire Slayer. "Tch. I know¡­" He said to himself. "You have to make the decision that would benefit mankind the most!" June added. Pugna the Seraphim was already charging up a flame attack, this would definitely ruin their composure and their formation. Kai Xin had no choice. "June! Do it!" Kai gave out the order. "Thank you, sir." June whispered under his breath just low enough for Kai to hear it. The rookie Wind Slayer gripped his grimoire tighter than ever. Blood started to gush out of his palms. "Take this, you insufferable piece of trash!" He shouted at the Seraphim trying to charge up an attack as retaliation. After the fraction of a second, June finally casted his gust spell. Cosette knew that this would be her chance to catch her breath, as did Kai, Yin, and Zach. They all backed up and let go of the Seraphim. The mud wall which Cosette desperately kept up for minutes was now gone and crumbled. But it was all good, June was about to cover for them. "Everyone! Prepare to rush back in after June exhausts his spell!" Kai ordered. He was hoping that the limiters being gone would not render June''s arms as unusable. "Please, stay strong, June." He gently said to himself. Yin activated was preparing to activate his Nix Eyes now. "Kai! We have to finish it off soon! I am going to use all my strength to activate my Nix Eyes, afterwards, there''s no knowing if I could even stand up!" Yin Sohaya shouted out to their squadron leader. "Yeah. We are definitely not letting June''s sacrifice just be for nothing!" Zachary enchanted his scythe even more than before, it was now shining with blue flames much brighter. June was giving it his all, the Seraphim was pushed against the ground by the sheer force of the young rookie''s gust. He was getting paler and paler by the second, the limiters being gone meant that this attack would be his last one during this mission, or his short time as a Slayer. The blood dripping down began to go from his palms now to his arms. "Cosette! Can you still put up a mud wall once again?!" Kai Xin asked the A Rank Earth Slayer. Cosette shook her head. "It is impossible, Kai. I can barely cast a single spell at my current state. I would be better off helping you pin the Seraphim down with my weapon." Kai nodded. "Alright, then you, me, and Zach will pummel down on Pugna while Yin disintegrates this thing into oblivion!" Cosette enchanted her gigantic axe with shards of rocks. "This might not cut through the Seraphim, but it will be much more effective in pinning her down!" She said as she swung her axe around. Kai saw that June was now at his limit. "June! Stop!" He shouted out. "He''s going to end up paralyzed at this point, Kai!" Zachary exclaimed. Kai ordered them to move out and proceed with their attack. Cosette Akim clobbered the Seraphim first with her blunt Earth enchanted axe. This gave June Alcindor the opportunity to back out. But he no longer had the strength to even do so. Kai had to drag him towards somewhere so they could continue pinning Pugna down. "I-I will be fine here, sir Kai." The young rookie''s cracked lips mouthed out. The Dragon''s anger was now uncontainable. Kai Xin wanted to eradicate this abomination''s existence out of this world. Sparks of red began to flicker from his eyes. The Dragon was keen on burning Pugna''s face off until nothing remained. While Zach, Yin, and Cosette were holding the Seraphim down, Kai was running back towards them. They were attacking her wings much faster than she was regenerating them, the fatigue was slowly catching up to them. "Do not ever throw away June Alcindor''s sacrifice!" Kai shouted. "Yes, sir!" The trio retorted back while hacking, slashing, and pounding away at the Seraphim. Pugna''s hands were not regenerating anymore. Which meant that Yin''s decay aura was the answer to their battle. If they could somehow hold it down once more while Yin''s Nix Eyes were activated, focusing on turning one of the Twelve Seraphims into nothing but dust was definitely not outside the realm of reality. "Yin! Your decay is working wonders against it!" Zach said to the white haired Slayer. "I know!" Yin replied. "There will be a new plan, Yin, conserve your strength and help Cosette and Zach in holding this piece of shit down." Kai Xin said. "W-Why are we changing the plan?" Zachary was perplexed. Judging by how long it took for Yin''s decay aura to actually work earlier, Kai thought on the spot that the best way to deal with Pugna right now would be to let it exhaust its regeneration factor and have Yin activate it afterwards. After he relayed this to the squad, it was time to get to work. "Pin her down. Never ever let Pugna go!" Kai shouted out. A red aura exuded from Kai Xin''s whole body. They were all amazed, they have never seen this skill before. "Do pieces of trash like you ever feel the emotion of fear?" Kai asked the Seraphim. The Seraphim ignored him and kept on jittering, trying to escape the trio''s hold. But it was getting harder and harder as the weight of Cosette''s axe definitely weighing the Seraphim down. The Dragon was about to bare his fangs. Even Yin was sensing that Kai''s bloodlust. Kai Xin placed his sword against his head and bowed. "Ardens: A Hundred Fiery Slashes." Kai rushed at the Seraphim and hacked away at its body, all the way from its head, down to its feet. Each cut was getting deeper and deeper. His sword was immolating so much that it was even beginning to melt away itself. The S Rank Fire Slayer showed immense focus and poise, masterfully avoiding Yin, Zach, and Cosette''s weapons as he slashed away at the Seraphim. In the span of ten whole seconds, he slashed away a hundred deep cuts at Pugna''s scalding body. The Seraphim''s screeches were defeaningly loud to the point where their ears were starting to bleed. But this was nothing, the trio tasked with holding Pugna the Seraphim down did not relent. This was an opportunity which June Alcindor paved the way for, there was nothing else that would happen in that moment which caused them to ever let go of their weapons. "T-Thanatos! Y-You must not side with these buffoons! Let me go and I will tell you everything! I will forget about Sarathiel and bring you towards heaven instead!" Pugna was now pleading for dear life. Her regeneration was slowing down. "Yin!" Kai shouted to the top of his lungs. It was now time to switch with him. Yin''s white eyes and his masquerade glowed intensely, he clapped his hands once, indicating that his decay aura was ready to be unleashed. "I have already told you, I am not Thanatos, nor will I ever be him. I am Yin Sohaya." Yin said softly to the Angel. A single tear dropped from the Seraphim''s cheek as Yin focused both of his hands and choked her with both of it. "This is for June, and for everyone else back at home. I hope your soul finds peace in this wretched world of ours, Pugna." Yin Sohaya said to the Seraphim as some kind of farewell. Once his palms made contact with her, it was too late for the Seraphim to escape. Her regeneration was already exhausted, she could not heal fast enough as she slowly turned into black dust which floated on the air aimlessly. "Die." Yin whispered. A bright light blinded them all as Yin dealt the final attack to the Seraphim. After they had finally eviscerated the Seraphim to death, the squad fell on the ground. They were all panting heavily. "D-Did we do it?" Cosette asked. "I think so." Zachary responded. Kai was already at his limit, in theory, he should not even be able to move, but he was crawling towards June. "P-Please¡­" He said. Kai dragged his meek body towards the Wind Slayer rookie, hoping that he would be alright and to get him to a healer as soon as possible. But once he got near enough, it was already too late. Chapter 114 - The Apothecary They all had adrenaline pumping through their veins, that was why they did not notice their skins being sore and burnt lightly from the bright explosion after Yin exterminated the Seraphim. "June?" Kai called out to the rookie. There was no response from the kid. Yin was plopped on the floor, unconscious. His Nix Eyes had already been deactivated. But he was using it far longer than he should have, he was way past his limit already, yet the white haired Slayer forced it. June Alcindor''s lips had turned pale, as well as his skin. If they did not get him to a healer as soon as possible, it would be too late already. Kai powered through his fatigue and injures and wrapped June Alcindor''s hands with some rags to stop the bleeding. "H-How did I do, sir Kai?" The rookie managed to mouth out. "You''re a soldier. A damn fine one at that." Kai Xin shed a tear. Everyone there knew that it would be too late to bring the kid to Niflheim in under ten minutes in their current situation. "Hush now. We''ll get you home." Kai slowly walked back towards the direction of Niflheim. Zachary got up on one knee and helped Cosette Akim up as well. They both went towards Yin and carried him on both of their shoulders. "Shit. These burns hurt." Cosette whispered under her breathe. "Yeah. Tell me about it." Zach retorted back. Kai Xin''s squad limped back towards home. Zach wanted to console his teacher, but even he knew that the Dragon was not prepared to talk about what had just happened. It was particularly heavy on him because he was the one who gave out the order. "I''m sorry, June." He said to himself while watching the almost lifeless body of the Wind Slayer rookie. The S Rank Fire Slayer was battling in and out of consciousness himself as well. With what little strength they had left, they managed to get back home without any stray monsters or Angels standing in their way. After arriving at the Outer Gates, a low ranked Slayer stopped them right in their tracks. "Halt! You must identify yourself, your affinity, your organization if you ever have one, and lastly, your rank-!" Kai Xin pushed him out of the way. "Get the hell out of the way!" The Slayer did not even protest or fight back, he saw the bloodlust and panic in the Dragon''s eyes. He had finally recognized Kai, he bowed and apologized. "Sorry for that." Cosette said sorry in behalf of Kai Xin. "J-Just what happened to you guys out there?" The Slayer asked. "Wait for the papers, buddy." Zach said while he panted. Carrying Yin while they were on the brink of passing out themselves definitely did not help. The Slayer helped them bring the C Rank Lightning Slayer to safety. Isabelle and Gavin were there, waiting for them. Both of them ran towards Kai who was carrying June Alcindor''s now lifeless body. Upon seeing Isabelle, Kai Xin ordered her to heal him up. "Heal him! Quick!" He shouted. Isabelle just looked down, avoiding Kai Xin''s gaze. Gavin placed his both of his hands on his friend''s shoulders. "Snap out of it! You know full well it is too late!" The Serpent Summoner said. Kai sighed and fell on the floor. Gavin caught him before he could hit his head against it. They all brought the Slayers to the Grand Castle for them to be healed and to study the effects of suppressor-removal casting of the body on June''s corpse. The skies were covered up by something large, it was the SSS Rank Basilisk Slayer''s emerald dragon, illuminating the skies above into a green tint. He got off from his ride and asked his dragon to stand by in the Grand Castle''s courtyard. Artorias Khalil made his way up the stairs towards the apothecary, his strides quickly turned into a sprint. The SSS Rank Slayer burst through the door quickly. He stared at Kai Xin, Yin Sohaya, Cosette Akim, and Zachary Lancaster''s knocked out bodies. With his back turned towards him was Gavin Khalil, his brother. "Any casualties?" Asked the number one ranked Slayer in the leaderboards. "Yeah. A rookie." Gavin responded back. "I see. How unfortunate." He replied back. "Our mission is supposed to be for tomorrow, not tonight. Why are you here?" Gavin asked him. "I came here to see my little brother; what kind of question is that?" Art chuckled. "That is one part of it, anyway. I heard that they were fighting a Seraphim. Which one here is June?" Artorias took out the distress letter written by the Wind Slayer out from his pockets. "June¡­Alcindor?" "In the morgue downstairs." Gavin clicked his tongue. Artorias did not say anything back. "Why did they not just send you on a solo mission to hunt down the Seraphim?" Gavin asked his brother. "The High Council probably did not know that they would be sending this squad to fight against a Seraphim. Trust me, if they had known and were trying to keep that kind of information under wraps, I would still know about it." Art pulled out a chair and sat down next to Gavin. "Damn. Kai Xin really had his work cut out for him this time, huh?" "Yeah. I still can''t believe they made it out there in one piece." Artorias stared at the other bed ridden people. "Which one of these are your rookies?" Gavin pointed towards Zach and Yin. Art then placed his fingers below his chin. "Interesting, you and Luken managed to recruit some interesting faces once again. That''s good." "I suppose it is." Gavin responded. "You have not been visiting mother as much lately." The Serpent Summoner said to his brother. "I''ve been busy, Gav. Real busy." Gavin scoffed. "Still, you could not have made the time of the day to visit her once in six months?" An expression of annoyance was painted on the Serpent Summoner''s face. "Trust me. If I wasn''t busy, I would laze around at home all day, every singled day. Nothing beats mom''s homemade cooking, right?" The Basilisk Slayer retorted back. "And do you mind If I ask you what this ''thing'' is that is keeping you too occupied?" He asked. "I do mind, in fact. It''s a secret, Gav." Artorias said while scratching his little brother''s head. "Stop that." Gavin cocked his head back. "I do not see Luken anywhere, I would guess you sent him out of the room for smoking or something¡­" "He''s not here. Luken is at the hideout training our representative for the Slayer Tournament." Gavin replied. Art then physically counted the Six Blades members on his fingers. "Oh. You guys still lack one more member, right?" "We do. Why are you asking? Do not tell me you wish to join again." "Nah. I am fine being on my own, honestly." "Tch. That''s what I thought." Artorias'' eyebrows furrowed. "Why the long face? You and Luken seem to be handling the organization well enough, it would be overkill for me to join." Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of someone else inside the room. A knock was heard on the door. "Who is it?" Gavin said. The door just opened, whoever it was just let himself in freely. Disappointment was obvious on Gavin and Art''s face after seeing that it was none other than the Inferno Garden leader ¨C Ignis Silva. "What a surprise to see you here, Artorias." The SS Rank Fire Slayer said. Accompanying him was none other than Hector Incendium, the boy still had that intense and stiff way of carrying himself. "I could say the same to you." The SSS Rank Slayer said as he chuckled. "I came here to check up on Kai. I heard he was fighting one of the Twelve Seraphims." Ignis said as he and Hector walked towards Kai Xin''s bed. "Hm. It seems their mission was a success." He said while surveying Kai''s condition. "One rookie died, sir Ignis." Hector whispered to him. "A sacrifice that is very much worth it for the price of a Seraphim''s life." Gavin got up from his chair and held Ignis by the collar. "Why don''t you stop being an insensitive asshole and get yourself out of the room?" "Oh dear, aren''t you worked up. How scary!" Ignis still made light of the situation. Gavin slowly let him go. Ignis Silva looked at the mirror in the room and fixed his clothes, after Gavin crumpled it up. "I''ll be taking my leave now. Tell Kai we will be waiting at home." With that, Ignis vanished as quickly as he arrived. Hector bowed to both the Basilisk Slayer and The Serpent Summoner. "That kid¡­" Art said. "Yeah. He''s a monster, power-wise." Gavin replied back. Yin''s eyes slowly opened up. Gavin ran towards him afterwards. "Hey, Yin." "G-Gavin? Where am I?" "You are at the Grand Castle''s apothecary floor. It''s okay." The Serpent Summoner made Yin calm down. Chapter 115 - Seraphims Aftermath Yin was startled awake by a shimmering light in front of him. He squinted and what greeted him was a scene he was more than familiar with. It was the System''s room once again. But now, instead of being located outside, he was inside the room where the Creator was, he looked down and saw his fingers were placed on top of the piano''s keys, without him even noticing it beforehand. It seemed as if he was meant to be here. Like everything fell on place perfectly. Yin Sohaya got up and frantically looked for the Creator. He turned around and finally found the shadowy void in the shape of a man. It was the Creator. "Hello, Yin, it has been a long time, hasn''t it?" "Creator¡­No, it has only been a couple of days since I last saw you." "O-Oh, I see. Then forget I said that last part, then." "Whatever. Why am I here again?" Yin asked the Creator. "Before I answer your questions, which I know will be so damn many, I''ve got to hand it to you, you have gotten better at controlling the Nix Eyes and your powers altogether. Bravo." The Creator clapped. "As for your question as to why you are here once again, that is phrased rather wrongly. You have always been here, Yin. You just do not know of it." Yin''s eyebrows furrowed. "I do not understand what you are saying at all¡­" "In time, you will." The Creator placed his hand on top of Yin''s forehead, covering his face altogether. Afterwards, Yin was awake in the ''real'' world. That was when Yin asked Gavin of his whereabouts. After the Serpent Summoner informed him of where he was, Yin''s tenseness eased up a bit. He looked around in a careful manner as to not put unnecessary strain on his body. His red pupils saw Kai Xin in his right side, covered in bandages. And Zachary on his left, also wrapped in the same manner as he was. Last but not the least was Cosette Akim right across from Yin''s bed, no difference, she was also covered in bandages. "W-Where is June, is he alright?" The C Rank Slayer''s words were like daggers aimed at Gavin. The Serpent Summoner stammered on his words, careful with choosing how he would say what had happened to June after Yin was knocked unconscious in combat. "I-I. Well¡­" Artorias simply butted in and told Yin Sohaya the truth. "Regarding the status of the unranked Rookie Slayer June Alcindor ¨C he is dead, kid." Art said. Yin''s eyes were filled with sheer rage. He smacked the study table right next to him in his anger, without realizing it, he had activated his decay aura once again. The wooden table has now turned into nothing but dust, dirtying up the apothecary''s room. "Hm. Fascinating." The Basilisk Slayer said to himself in an amused tone. Gavin shot a glance at him. "I was going to tell him, Art." He said. "News like that has to be delivered clearly and concisely. Keep your words together and tell the truth." Art retorted back at his brother. "I-I''m sorry, Gavin." Yin apologized after doing what he did to the table. "Do not mind it, Yin. Sometimes it is much better to let go of your initial anger than to hold on to it for long, do not let it pester." Gavin said to his young Six Blade. "W-What about them? Are they alright?" Yin nervously looked around at his squad members once again. "Don''t worry about them, they will be fine. The burns were healed by the best healers in the Corps, after all. But when it was time to heal you, it was pretty much useless." Gavin said. His words confused Yin. "Useless? How so?" He asked back. "Due to your, err, I do not know how I should say this. Whatever you call your passive regenerating skill, it was exuding steam and healing your burn wounds almost instantly after you were brought here." The Serpent Summoner told Yin. Yin looked down and just nodded. He could not help but feel guilty that his wounds were now healed and he was only suffering little injuries here and there compared to three of them. Specially compared to June Alcindor. "June¡­" He clenched his jaws. "What of the Seraphim?! Did we get him?!" Yin attempted to get up from his bed but was stopped by his weakened state. "Before Zachary and Cosette snuck into unconsciousness, they told me about everything that had happened in your mission." Gavin said. Yin was trying to stay focused and pay attention to the Serpent Summoner, but his eyes darted around the room and he could not help but stare at the Basilisk Slayer. He wore green heavy armor and a massive great sword which was as heavy as it looked. "What''s the matter, kid?" The Basilisk Slayer asked Yin. "N-Nothing." "Do not mind him, Yin." Gavin shook his head. "Anyway, I figured I should introduce you guys already, that person sitting right there is my brother, Artorias Khalil. Art, you already know Yin, right?" "Yeah, more or less." Art nodded. Yin was taken aback. "No way. This is the strongest Slayer in the corps right now? The number one ranked Slayer¡­I mean I know the Commander calls himself the strongest all the time, but still¡­" "Cat got your tongue?" Artorias asked the C Rank Slayer. "Ignore him, Yin." Gavin said as he walked back to where his brother was and smacked the back of his head. Yin was in awe, that was what Gavin kept doing to Luken if he kept misbehaving. So, it still applies to his brother, huh? The white haired Slayer thought to himself. Artorias Khalil stood up and scratched the back of his head which was smacked by his younger brother mercilessly. "Never start with the head!" The Basilisk Slayer said. "Anyway, it is nice meeting you, Yin." Artorias walked up to Yin''s bed and extended his right palm for a handshake. Yin hesitated and ultimately decided against shaking his hand. "You saw what I did to that table, right?" Yin nervously asked. "Yep. I saw it as clear as day. Imagine that, man, from wood into dust, just in mere seconds!" Art exclaimed. He was showing amazement which confused Yin. "Shouldn''t he be supposed to be scared?" Yin thought to himself. "Go on, kid, shake my hand." "S-Sure, but I am going to have to wear the gloves the Commander gave me before doing so¡­" Art shook his head. "Nonsense, just do it." Yin could not help but feel intimidated enough but to just do what this guy asked of him. He could feel the difference in power between he and the Basilisk Slayer, it was the same feeling that Yin felt when he saw the likes of Gavin, Luken, and Kai firsthand. But now, it was overwhelming. Almost like the Basilisk Slayer''s aura was going to swallow him whole. "What has gotten into you?" Gavin asked his brother. "What do you mean?" Artorias shot back with a question. "I just wanted to shake your rookie''s hands, no big deal, right?" He said. Yin relented and finally gave into it. As much as he feared the outcome of mistakenly activating his decay aura, it was totally the opposite for the Basilisk Slayer, he felt no fear. "I-Is he really this stupid or stubborn? I totally can''t get this guy¡­" Yin thought to himself. As both of them shook hands, a grin began to form on the Basilisk Slayer''s face. "Yin Sohaya, I expect big things from you. You have already survived your second conquest, two more and you can join the Slayer Tournament which is fast approaching, can you do it?" Gavin shook his head. "You''re going to give me a headache, brother." He said. "Of course I will, sir." Yin''s answer was filled with confidence and showed that he was up to the challenge. But deep down inside, the white haired Slayer was confused whether he even had the time of the day to actually do it. He only had one year to get rid of the Angels after all. "Good. I am going to get something to eat outside, you guys want anything?" Artorias Khalil asked Gavin and Yin. Gavin and Luken all shook their heads at the same time. "Suit yourselves, then." The Basilisk Slayer just oozed with confidence and suave. After he walked out, Yin told the Serpent Summoner: "I can''t believe that guy is your brother, Gavin." "That makes two of us, then." As they both chuckled. "Regarding what happened to June Alcindor. I am in no position to say whether his life was worth it to exchange for a Seraphim''s or not, it is up to you, Yin. Don''t let the deaths of your comrades result in nothing. We all want to turn the tides of the war as soon as possible, right?" Yin nodded while trying to hold back tears. The fact that a child as young as the ones he went outside with in his first conquest died once again in front of his eyes was a blow to his psyche. Chapter 116 - Efficiency "Was he a good kid?" Asked the Serpent Summoner. Yin replied with a simple nod while keeping his head down. The depressing aura of the whole floor was definitely palpable. "I see." Gavin opened up a book right after pulling out a chair to sit next to Yin''s bed, as he was the only one out of them who was awake. "How was Zach''s first conquest, Yin?" He wanted to know in order to gauge the rookie. "Zach held his own and carried himself well out there. He fought his heart out and left it all on the battlefield. If a single person in our five man squad had been flimsy or unprepared, we would have all been dead by now." Yin said while wiping away stray tears dripping down his face. "I see that you have given Zach some high praise, given how rare that is for you two, I would assume you worked well together out there." The C Rank Slayer nodded. "What about you and your brother, Gavin?" Yin asked. "The two of us are going to proceed as scheduled, we will depart early morning and try to find potential locations for hives-" Gavin slipped. "H-Hives?" Yin was curious about what Gavin was meant to say. The Serpent Summoner sighed. "Look, I am not supposed to tell and disclose this information as of now, but since I have already mentioned it, I might as well tell you." He said with a sigh. Gavin pulled his chair closer to Yin and leaned in closer himself. He then looked around and lowered his voice. Yin gulped. "Angels are born from hives." "L-Like bee hives?" Gavin cleared his throat. "Yes, yes, Yin. Like bee hives. And the only way to destroy these breeding hives crawling with Angels is to burn them down." Yin was overcome with shock. "I-Is this why you and the Commander were called away for two weeks last time?" He asked. "Yes. We were assembled and were led by the Inferno Garden''s leader, the SS Rank Fire Slayer Ignis Silva, also ranked number three on the individual Slayer rankings. He''s sort of an ass, to be quite honest." Gavin replied while handing a slight insult to Ignis who just happened to come by earlier. "Although our execution was messy, it was a success." "The Wingless Angels that you fought was from that mission?" "Precisely, Yin." Yin could not help but feel worried for his superior. Gavin was like the calm and gentle older brother in the group, he was always calm and acted in the best interest of the Six Blades and every member. "Be careful, Gavin." "I will. Do not worry too much, my brother is going with me, and even though he''s a tad bit annoying, his strength is undeniable." "The top one Slayer of the entire Corps, huh?" Yin smiled at the thought of him earning that spot. If only his life was not timed by the sand specs inside an hourglass. Perhaps this would have been what Yin wanted to become. "Hey, are you alright? I can get you some food if you want to eat anything." Yin shook his head. "I am fine, Gavin. I was just thinking about things." Yin Sohaya has already survived two conquests, two more to go until he rises up in the ranks and gets a B ranking, but can he really do it in time to participate in the Slayer tournament? This was going to be a massive undertaking which required a hundred percent of the young boy''s effort. After all, he could not make a difference just being stuck in the lower ranks, he had to rise up and take on more missions, more missions meant more chances of combating Angels and defeating them, if it did not end in his own. And now that Yin knew where the Angels came from, he could specifically request to be deployed in conquests built on burning these hives just as Gavin said. "Gavin, if I rise up in the ranks, I will have more say in what type of missions I can be able to take, right?" "That should be the case, yes. Why the sudden urge to rise up in the ranks, Yin? Do you have a specific goal in mind?" "N-No, sir. I just wanted to know more about it." Yin''s own response had him feeling weak and soft, so he added onto it and changed it. "That was a lie." Gavin''s head turned to stare at Yin with a surprised expression. "A lie?" The Serpent Summoner was confused. "I want to be in the missions wherein Slayers are sent to eviscerate these hives in flames, Gavin. I wish to eradicate this world of Angels as soon as possible!" Yin replied back with a worked up tone. "You seem to be rushing things. Keep in mind that you do not become strong by taking hundreds of missions in the least amount of time, you become stronger by conditioning and training yourself and your body. Stop being hasty, Yin." The Serpent Summoner responded back. "I know that¡­I just¡­" Artorias opened the door without knocking. "Sorry, I overheard the white haired brat yelling from across the hallway." He said. "S-Sorry about that." Yin apologized. "Judging by the fact that you mentioned the hives, it seems Gavin has already told you about it, then. Why do you think you should be in the elite squads tasked with hunting these hives down?" Yin clenched his jaw. "Is it because you think you are far stronger and better than the current S Rank Slayers in the Corps that you deserve a spot over them?" He added while munching on a meatloaf. "Or, could it be that you are rushing things because of some other reason¡­" Yin was now the one who was disturbed. "D-Does he know about the ''one year'' conundrum I am currently in?" Yin asked himself. "I mean you are not dying soon, aren''t you?" "N-No, sir, I am not." The Basilisk Slayer placed his hand on Yin''s shoulder. "Good, then do not rush things, plenty of fools have showed that they have the necessary skills and abilities to fight, but they lack the proper mental cohesion to actually make a difference. Keep in mind that there is a clear distinction between rushing things and doing them as fast as possible in the most efficient way possible." The Basilisk Slayer confidently claimed. "Can you keep your voice down, Art? You do realize there are still unconscious people resting all around you, right?" Gavin said as he shook his head. "Oops. My bad, Gavin. You want half of my meatloaf?" He asked. "No thanks." His brother politely declined. Artorias Khalil''s attention quickly shifted back to Yin Sohaya. "At the mentality you are currently going with, that is going to end up biting you in the back instead, kid." Yin bit his lower lip, he wanted to let them know about his limited time in this plane of existence, but it would raise far too many questions. "If only you guys knew¡­" Yin thought to himself. "Here. Eat." The Basilisk Slayer cut the meat loaf in half and handed the other part to Yin. Yin accepted the meatloaf and ate it despite him having no appetite as of now. He thought that if he were to have declined, then the Basilisk Slayer would stuff the meat loaf right in his face and forcefully feed him, judging by how his interactions with the person have gone recently. "It is good, isn''t it?" He asked. Yin nodded while his face was still full of it. "I bought it from a newly opened bakery downstairs, you guys should totally check it out!" This guy was totally different from Gavin. His outgoing personality was the exact opposite of how the Serpent Summoner carried himself in public. This was very surreal for Yin. "I have a question, sir Artorias Khalil." Yin said as he raised his hand. "Woah there, too long, kid. Just call me Art for short." "A-Alright then, sir Art. What do I have to do to become stronger as a Slayer in the most efficient way and least amount of time as possible, just like you said earlier." The Basilisk Slayer leaned against the open window, his back turned towards the night skies above as the cold air came rushing in brought upon by a gust. "There are basically two ways you can go about it." Yin was ready to take mental notes of whatever this person said, after all, he did not become top one for no reason. "One!" Art said as he raised his finger in front of Yin. "Seriously, keep your voice do-" Gavin attempted to discipline his brother, but he was immediately cut off. "You are going to have to be a prodigy." Yin scratched the back of his head. "And it really does not seem like you are one, no offense, Yin." "It is alright sir, none taken¡­" Yin replied with a sad tone, his spirit was crushed but he knew it was the truth. Chapter 117 - Up Above Yin was in and out of sleep while the night continued to develop. "A hero¡­" He thought to himself. "So, you are still aspiring to be a hero, huh?" The Creator''s voice was heard as Yin was trying to sleep. Yin did not answer his question and just let himself fall into the realm of drowsiness. All sorts of thoughts invaded his own as he slept. Dreams of a faint and blurry image. An image of a man sitting on the chair in front of the piano inside the System. Yin''s vision was blurry so he did not really see it clearly. It was a vivid image only. But whatever he saw, it sent ripples of sadness down towards his very soul. Someone was next to the man. He could not make out who it was but it was in fact another person, that much was clear. "W-Who is that?" Yin squinted his eyes in an attempt to see better, though his efforts were still futile. Whoever the person next to the man was, it was a feminine figure. Tears started to fall from Yin''s eyes as he saw them both. Yin looked down and was confused. "Tears." He said melancholically. The Serpent Summoner and his brother, the Basilisk Slayer got some shut eye and woke up as soon as the faintest amount of the sun''s light began to show itself. Artorias Khalil yawned as his eyes began to get drowsy. "Keep your eyes awake, we are going to be going somewhere a bit farther." Gavin said to the top one ranked Slayer. "Yeah, I know." Artorias was looking around outside of the tavern, he was missing something. "I could have sworn I left that little bugger here¡­" The Basilisk Slayer said as he looked for his emerald dragon. "You do realize that you can''t just keep placing Amara anywhere, right?" Gavin said. "But she is-!" He got interrupted by the younger brother. "I know she is harmless towards people, but they still do not think it is common occurrence to have a dragon laying around the Grand Castle''s vicinity. It will startle a lot of people, Art." "Drop the sermon, brother, I think I know where she is!" He said giddily. They both walked towards the stables where the horses where located and finally spotted the big emerald colored dragon, eagerly watching the majestic horses from afar. "Why do you not go near them, Amara?" Gavin asked, making their presence known to the dragon. "Hello Gavin. These are gentle creatures, I do not wish to startle them in any way. I am happy to be observing them from afar where they can be themselves." Amara''s eyes slowly turned towards Art. "I see you are there as well, Artorias." Her happy expression turned into a bored one after seeing Artorias Khalil. "You looked like you were much happier seeing Gavin than me!" Artorias acted hurt and turned his back around the dragon. "That is because I am." Amara said with a chuckle. Gavin took out some snacks from his backpack and fed it to the dragon. Amara thanked the Serpent Summoner with a lick on his cheek. "There, there." Gavin said as he scratched Amara''s head. "It is a good thing that you actually have the gall to put up with my brother, Amara." The Serpent Summoner said jokingly. "To this day, Gavin, I still do not know why I put up with that blockhead." Amara the dragon said jokingly. The Khalil brothers were now riding the emerald dragon on her back, all the while Gavin was busy keeping track of where they were headed. They were soaring through the clouds. Niflheim was getting smaller and smaller in their field of view. "Are you sure this map is accurate?!" Gavin shouted a question to his brother who was just closing his eyes and slowly vibing to the skies. "Hm? Oh. Yeah. Do not worry about it, we will make sure to burn those hives down the first instance that we see them!" The Basilisk Slayer exclaimed. "Were you not paying attention to the old coots at the High Council? We are not to engage in combat, we are only here to do reconnaissance and snuff out where the nearest hives are. So that we are able to study the maturation stages of the hives." Gavin corrected the Basilisk Slayer. "Come on, are you really going to believe those guys? They''re hacks. Sure, what they do to provide the Barriers are important, but they are self-important pieces of scum as well. Sitting high and mighty after declaring that their years of service has earned them the right to do that. It is detestable, honestly." Gavin sighed. "I do get what you are saying, brother, but out orders are clear, we should mark the hives'' potential locations in the map so that the other Slayers can depart for conquests themselves." Artorias Khalil scoffed. "It would still be a waste to go back home and not burn these Angels and their hives to the ground. Do those old coots not understand just how strong we both are?" The arrogance of the Basilisk Slayer was showing, but it was not without reason. After the Reaper had departed and left the Slayer Corps and Niflheim as a whole, his closest friend and confidant ¨C Artorias Khalil was all alone in his strength power group. Luken Regalia was the closest thing to Adam Rosa''s fighting style and overall finesse in combat that there was right now in the Corps. Even though Adam Rosa did what he did, it was still commendable of him to take Luken and Gavin under his wing and teach them what it meant to be a mighty warrior serving Niflheim and humanity as a whole. "How is Luken nowadays?" Artorias asked his brother. "He is doing well. I mean, he is doing as well as you would have expected someone like him to do in a role such as a commander." Gavin chuckled. "But on a more serious note, he is still immature and overly playful, yet his feet have filled the role seamlessly." The Basilisk Slayer stared at the skies and smiled. "To be honest, Ignis Silva might have been a better candidate and overall fit than Luken." Art''s words made Gavin turn his head around. "Yet I would still prefer Luken Regalia as the Commander as he is right now rather than the Inferno Garden brat." He said with a smirk. "Why is that?" Gavin was curious, his brother had never told him his feelings about the Commander''s replacement. "Luken Regalia possess something that Ignis does not have. Or rather he does have it but he cannot overtly show it, because of the burden that being a part of the Inferno Garden, not to mention being able to lead it, places on him." Gavin knew the answer to his brother''s words from afar away. "Humanity, right?" Gavin answered with an innocent smile. "Precisely, brother. Take me for example, I would not be able to lead the Corps for long, I am not even a part of an organization at all. Tell me, Gav, how many letters do you think I receive from other orgs asking me to join them?" "Now you are just bluffing." His brother replied with a smile. "No, I am trying to prove a point, dear brother¡­" He said as he threw out a toothpick down towards the world below. "The point is that a lot of these organization recruit me because they expect my strength to correlate with my leadership skills and my ability to rally the Slayers. The truth it, I am not that kind of person, you of all people know that much, right, Gavin?" The Serpent Summoner nodded slowly. "Ever since we were kids, I have always resented having to work in teams and having to be brought down by other people less talented and understandably less strong than me." The Basilisk Slayer said while shrugging his shoulders. "That is because I do not think I will be able to move as freely as I do, I would have to worry about all the miniscule movements and little quirks that my underlings possess. Which means I have to play protection for them while combating all sorts of monsters and Angels outside the gates, and that is just not my style, little brother." Gavin sighed once again. This time, he was sighing in annoyance. "Have you not told me about this before?" "Be patient, little brother, I am getting to my point." He said as he was caressing Amara''s head. "My individual strength might tower over many people and Slayers combined, I am sure that feeling is felt by you and Luken as well as I feel it." He proceeded to clear his throat. "But, do not get me wrong, individual strength and the ability to have the trust of others is another level towards being called ''strong.''" Gavin understood what he meant now. That having the ability to fight does not automatically mean that you have the strength to tout your power.. Or maybe he was misreading it altogether. Chapter 118 - The Second Hive After hours more of hovering around the desolate lands outside the Gates, they finally found a hive below. "Gav, look at that one." Art said as he pointed at the hive. "You are the one who has seen a hive up close and personal, is that it?" The Basilisk Slayer was curious. Gavin nodded. "Yeah, Art, that''s the one." Amara was asked by Artorias to descend lower down, but slowly, in order so that they can still check their surroundings while they were going down. "By the way, Gavin, is that Yin Sohaya kid any good?" "What do you mean to imply or to know by using the words ''any good''?" Gavin shot back with a question. "I meant, like, what do you think about his potential." Artorias Khalil clarified. They were talking while keeping an eye on their surroundings, peeling their eyes around to see if there were stray monsters or Angels guarding the hives. "His powers are still an unknown factor for most of us, yet he has continued to show adept usage of it time and time again and he still continues to get better." Gavin squinted at somewhere in the distance, but he slowly eased up as he realized it was just nothing. "His ceiling and potential are limitless, Art." The Basilisk Slayer''s eyebrows shot up in shock. "That is very high praise coming from a pessimist like yourself." "You are showing far more curiosity and eagerness to know about a C Rank Slayer for a nihilist." Gavin replied. This guy really was a member of the Khalil bloodline. He was smart, quippy, and strong beyond ordinary Slayer measures. But most of all, he could go toe to toe against Gavin in banters and intelligent remarks. "And what of the other members? I have not seen that Anima-less Slayer of the Six Blades which people often talk about. Is she any good?" Artorias was probing Gavin about the state of the Six Blades and the rookies. "I really do not know how to explain just how she can fight with her physical prowess alone, but nobody other than her can do it better, that is for certain. She might hit a wall because of how absent her affinities and grimoire spellcasting is, but I trust in Suna Izanami to go beyond and adapt to the situation and overcome it. She is quite stubborn, not to mention, she is Yin''s childhood friend, so their chemistry is very solid. She will grow up to be an S Rank Slayer, I am sure of it." Art clapped his hands. Gavin was confused. "Just hearing things about your members got me thinking, Gav. I should never take it easy, heh." The Basilisk Slayer chuckled. "Have you lost your mind or do you mean to tell me what you actually want to say?" Gavin was tired of Art being all mysterious and all that. "I am saying that even though I am ranked at number one, Luken might surpass me sooner than expected, and you might be the top two as well, it could be either you or Ignis for all we know. But just hearing about all of these fascinating and interesting young Slayers that the Corps have managed to muster up, it gets me excited and keeps me in check." Artorias pulled out some biscuits from his pocket, Gavin had a face of perplexment and disgust, but he was far too tired to even ask why and how. "Complacency is never good, brother, it never is." The Basilisk Slayer said with a grin. "Indeed." Arrows from below were heard and they were fast approaching Amara, both the Khalil brothers sensed the bloodlust coming from down below. They both looked directly down and saw that a bunch of kobolds were trying to bring the dragon down. Artorias Khalil could not help but contain his laughter. "Hah. What do you think those idiots hope to accomplish? A bunch of low ranked monsters trying to bring my dragon down, I doubt they could even pierce her scales." Gavin calmed down after seeing that they were only just kobolds, the lowest of low. They were like goblins in that sense. But these things were absolutely no problem. The arrows began to hit Amara, none of them so much as even left a dent to her scales. "Are you alright, Amara?" Art checked up on his dragon. "I am fine, these things tickle." Art pointed his fingers at the kobolds. "Can you deal with them, Gav? I am a bit tired, I do not have the time of the day to spend on these meager pieces of trash." Once again, even though he was boastful about it, the Basilisk Slayer''s strength meant that he could say such words and it would still be absolutely true. "Are you saying that my time is less valuable than yours, then?" Gavin was annoyed at what his brother was implying. "Not at all, Gavin, I mean there are only three of us here, Amara''s trying to descend as slowly as possible, I am out here trying to eliminate our blind spots and making sure other monsters or Angels will not catch us off guard, I would say that you dealing with those kobolds would be your fair share of doing a Slayer''s work, or am I wrong?" Gavin sighed. "Fine." He counted the numbers of the kobolds down below, only three of them were shooting arrows, some were attempting their hardest to hurl rocks at Amara, yet none of them even reached her. "Seven of them¡­" The Serpent Summoner thought to himself as he took out seven throwing knives from his breast pocket. With four of the knives in his right and three on the left, Gavin threw them all out in one motion, the distance between Amara and the kobolds were more than enough for the Serpent Summoner to land lethal and sure blows on them. His knives were coated with the venom of a snake, so even if the wounds were not the one to deal the last blow, the venom would make their bloods boil and would finish them off instead. "Don''t you think the venom is a bit much of an overkill? I mean those are just kobolds you know¡­" The Basilisk Slayer''s words were interrupted by his little brother. "Just try holding your tongue out from saying anything at all. Could you do that?" Art nodded comically. "Good." The knives met their targets perfectly, seven kobolds down, right in their foreheads were the knives thrown by Gavin. "Bullseye." He said with an accomplished face. "Perfect accuracy, Gavin." Amara pointed out. "How come you never tell me whenever I am doing good myself, Amara?" Art asked in an annoyed tone. The emerald dragon merely decided to ignore him altogether. They made their way to the ground below. The Basilisk Slayer was equipping his signature glowing green armor. He covered his face up with the headgear of the same aesthetic. "I do not understand why you do not use armor and such, Gavin¡­" "What did we talk about holding one''s tongue?" "You''re right, sorry!" Art replied as he scratched the back of his nervously. They landed somewhere not too close to the hive to be seen and not too far away to have an intense long walk or jog to be able to come near it. Just the perfect position to scout it out from a distance and observe the hive''s behavior. As they got closer, Gavin''s eyes were widened. "We were too late¡­" He said. "What do you mean?" Artorias Khalil was puzzled. He then decided to focus immensely and sense the Anima cells of the Angels inside if they were still there, the absence of it answered his question. "So they have gotten out of the hives already, huh." He said. "What is your call, Gav?" "We should go nearer to inspect the hives up close." They did just that and Gavin proceeded to cut out some chunks of the hive and placed it on his backpack. "Nasty¡­" Art thought to himself. "This is necessary, Art, one must be able to study and research these types of things specially if it is unknown to us, that is how civilization and mankind as a whole goes forward and achieves greater things." "I know that, I am just saying that it seems gross." Gavin''s angry look made Artorias behave immediately. "Where are they, though?" That was the question that these two wanted to be answered. Judging by how fresh the hive still looked, it could not have been long ever since the Angels have hatched, are Angels already intelligent enough to be able to assemble after just being born? "There is something wrong¡­" "I agree, Gav, something feels off here¡­" The ground began to rumble as hundreds of Angels'' hands popped out attempting to grab them. Gavin used his quick thinking and immediately summoned a dozen headless swordsmen, the ones that Yin and Suna fought, just bulkier and even larger than before. The two brothers rode on top of the headless swordsmen on their shoulders and watched the sight below. Chapter 119 - Emerald Storm The Basilisk Slayer let out a sigh of relief. "Quick thinking right there, brother." He said to Gavin. "Thanks." The Serpent Summoner responded with the most casual reply ever. Hundreds of Angels were attempting to fly upwards and attack them right about now. "What the hell do we do?!" Gavin shouted. "This is not a fight we can afford to partake in, I believe. We do not know if they have already called in reinforcements as well, a hundred Angels would have been the perfect warm up for me¡­" It seemed as though Art was lamenting the fact that he was not going to be able to be given the chance to plow down these one hundred Angels. Amara was already flying upwards, ready to swoop in and rescue the Khalil brothers. The Basilisk Slayer opened his grimoire and began electrocuting every single Angel below, making them fall to their knees. "Now is our chance, Gav, jump!" He told his brother as Amara was already flying overhead them, if they were to waste this opportunity, there would be no way of knowing if the emerald dragon could ever come this near once again, incapacitating a hundred Angels is a feat only the strongest Slayer could ever accomplish. They landed on Amara''s back as she swiftly burst through the air as she flapped her wings rapidly. Some Angels had recovered much quicker than the others though, and were on hot pursuit. With their mouths opened, they were attempting to fire off bright beams of energy at Amara, wanting to bring her down and force the Serpent Summoner and the Basilisk Slayer to fight on the ground on their own terms. "As much as I want to finish your flimsy lives in one stroke of my great sword, it would be troublesome if your numbers somehow multiplied while we were engaged in combat, that is just dishonorable, don''t you think?!" Artorias shouted back at the Angels behind them while focusing his power on something else. Amara gracefully dodged each beam, but it was getting harder and harder to do so because the Angels were steadily growing in numbers in the sky, just as the Basilisk Slayer said. Amara groaned. "Are you alright?!" Gavin asked the emerald dragon. To which the latter simply nodded. The Serpent Summoner knew what his brother was attempting to do, though. "I see what he is doing." Gavin said as he observed his brother. "This was always one of his favorite tactics, to bait them into thinking we were the prey because of our mortality and being human, only to turn the tables on them in a split second and have them regret ever underestimating us." Artorias was grinning. "Just hang on for a bit longer, Amara!" He said to the emerald dragon. Gavin let go of his headless swordsmen down below, letting them escape to whatever realm they came from, as their jobs were finished. He picked up his summoning book and was thinking whether it would be the right moment to summon someone that Amara knew fully well ¨C the Elder Wyrm, Ryoko. "I am going to summon Ryoko, is that alright, Art?!" Gavin asked his brother before making his decisions. "Stop asking me, Gav, make your own decisions, I will adapt to them, if you think that summoning Ryoko would make our victory more palpable, then feel free to do so!" Artorias Khalil responded with a thumbs up and a grin. "Very well, then." Ryoko was summoned out of the Serpent Summoner''s book. "Ryoko is the perfect beast to summon in this situation, she can fight up above the sky and provide cover for us while brother finalizes his plan¡­" Gavin thought to himself. Ryoko appeared right above Amara, the both shared a look of mutual respect and nodded, acknowledging each other''s existence. Only the Khalil family could ever summon such great beasts and make them their confidants and allies in combat. "What is thy bidding, Master Gavin?" "Ryoko! I apologize for summoning you once again in such a short notice! We are currently in a bind, as you can see." The Serpent Summoner said as he pointed at the Angels still following their tail and charging attacks pointed right at Amara. "Do you think you could buy enough time for us? Just until Art finishes luring them wherever he was planning to!" "I shall gladly do thy bidding, Master Gavin. Hello there, Amara." "Well met, Ryoko." With that, the Elder Wyrm flew right into the ranks of the Angels as she was firing flames out from its very mouth. The barrage of their attacks directed at Amara were now drastically lesser, making the dodging much easier. "Once again, Gavin, great thinking!" Art shouted out, it was difficult to even have a conversation with normal tones when the emerald dragon is flying at this speed. "You know you could have just told me that it was the right thing to do instead of saying that long sermon!?" Gavin replied back. "But where is the fun in that?!" The Basilisk Slayer retorted. After ten minutes of Ryoko stalling the Angels, she managed to burn and kill five of them all by herself. But she was slowly getting overrun by them, Gavin saw this and asked his brother, "Are you still not ready?!" "On my command, tell Ryoko to fly upwards so she will not get hit by my attack!" The Serpent Summoner nodded his head. "Three. Two. One. Now!" He exclaimed. Gavin called for Ryoko''s attention and told her that she should fly up and that Art was ready to unleash his bait. Ryoko knew of her Master''s brother, the generational Slayer. She knew it would mean death if she ever were caught up in the crossfire. "Nevermind! Just go back home, Ryoko! Thank you for your help!" Gavin changed his mind, deep inside, he was still worried for his summoned beast''s well-being, specially with an attack as unpredictable and strong as the Basilisk Slayer''s. Ever since they started going up above the air and were being chased, Artorias was setting up a thunderstorm in the location they were headed in, he had to focus up all his Anime cells to remotely even manifest it, hence why he was not able to cover them. He kept both of his hands together after a clapping motion. The Angels were still following their scent, refusing to let go of the two of them. Gavin looked onwards and there it was¡­ A green thundercloud violently exuding similarly colored thunderbolts. "You already know what to do, Amara!" Art had complete trust in his summoned beast. "You do not need to tell me." Amara replied in a snarky manner. The Basilisk Slayer was leading a hundred of Angels into their deaths, a thunderous one at that. Amara swiftly traversed underneath the thundercloud and dodged every bolt of stray thunder coming down her way, to the relief of Gavin and Art. The Basilisk Slayer then proceeded to unleash it all just as the Angels were directly beneath it. What happened next was an extermination like no other. All in a snap, a hundred Angels were now toasted and charred by the violent green thunderstorms of the Basilisk Slayer. "End scene." He said under his breath. Gavin nodded his head, surprised by how his brother is still this efficient and effortless in combat as ever. "Good to see you are having fun." Gavin said. "You can never not have fun in this line of work, Gav, trust me. It works to disassociate and just do things with a pinch of humor every now and then, keeps things light hearted despite of how many deaths there are all the time." A melancholic smile was etched on Artorias Khalil''s face as the charred Angels were falling onto the ground below. "I see." The Serpent Summoner cleared his throat. "The only thing we got out of almost dying and risking our lives is this slab of the hive, it is still a bit icky." He said while pointing to his backpack. "Then the old coots at the High Council must learn to be content with it, even though they are decrepit and ''wise'' as they call themselves, I am sure they still understand just how low the chances of surviving missions actually are." Art replied back. "You did good, Amara, just like always." Artorias said as he pat his dragon on the head. Gavin laid down as they were headed straight into Niflheim. A total of seven whole hours have passed ever since they departed from there. "But now we know that newly hatched Angels are going to dig deep down and emerge from there, just as we experienced earlier." The Serpent Summoner said. "Heh. Yeah. I mean what the fuck was that? It really caught me off guard, you know?" Art retorted back with a light chuckle. "Do you ever question why the Angels do what they do, Art?" Gavin asked. "Not a day goes by where I don''t, Gavin.. That much is certain." Chapter 120 - Reconnaissance Turned Extermination Yin had slept late and woke up early in the evening. He looked around and saw that Gavin and the Basilisk Slayer was squatted on the floor, tending to the slight injuries they sustained while outside. Kai Xin, Cosette Akim, and Zachary Lancaster were also up now. They have been for quite long, it was Yin who was taking his time while resting, however. The Rookie Fire Slayer was talking to his personal hero, the Basilisk Slayer, until he spotted Yin moving up from his bed. "Look who''s finally up." Zachary snarled at him. "Tch. Lay off me, man." Yin clicked his tongue in annoyance after seeing Zach''s mean mugging face. Kai was still looking down, after all his years as a Slayer, and a top ranked one at that, it never really got easier for him. Life being snuffed out as easy as it was in this world was still an anomaly for him. "Did I really make the right choice?" He asked himself as he stood by the window, contemplating everything else with the stars up above. "I-Is Kai alright?" Yin shot a question at Cosette which only two of them could hear of it. "I do not know, honestly." Cosette said as she shrugged her shoulders. "I am sure the kid knew what would have happened to him if he attempted to remove the limiters. He was aware of it, Yin. He knew the outcome." The A Rank Earth Slayer answered. "For a squad which just took down a Seraphim all by themselves, you sure seem like a depressing bunch¡­" Artorias joked around. "Anyway, based on the reports and what Kai Xin has told me personally, it seems my theory really is correct." Everyone shot him a glance of curiosity and perplexment. "Not only are Seraphims significantly stronger than the common Angel, they are also unique. Each member of the Twelve Seraphims as that annoying sack of shit Sarathiel told me possesses their own specialized skills and stuff." Artorias took a chair and sat down. "For example, this particular Seraphim that Kai Xin''s squadron fought against, it was named ''Pugna'' right? She was immune to physical attacks from what I have heard. It is also said that she uses flames and concentrated beams of fire to fire off her spells. That is totally different from the one I fought years and years ago. That was when it hit Yin. "S-Sarathiel! That is right! The Seraphims are trying to save one of their own!" Yin''s idea came crashing down on him hard. Kai shook his head slowly to disagree with the young Slayer''s words. "At first glance, that might seem like the most logical explanation for Pugna looking for Sarathiel, but I have heard it from Artorias himself¡­" Kai did not continue his words and made Art say it instead. "As disturbing as it is, Yin, it seems Pugna was looking for Sarathiel in order to ''silence'' her." Gavin and Kai were unsurprised, but Zach, Cosette, and Yin were blown out of their minds. "B-But, do they not want her back?" "They do, of course, but it is not because they want to save her and have her avoid the maltreatment at the hands of the ''cattle'' which they have terrorized, no, they want to make sure that Sarathiel did not speak their secrets out to us." "C-Correct me if I am wrong, sirs, b-but does it not sound like something a human would do?" Cosette stammered on her words but her point was understood. "Indeed. It really does sound like the filthy tricks a bunch of humans would resort to." The Serpent Summoner responded back as he locked eyes with Artorias. "That might not mean anything or say something explicitly, but it seems like there are far more similarities between us and these winged harbingers than one would like to imagine." He responded back. "Let us just keep these under wraps for now, in time, we will tell the public about the existence of these hives and where Angels really come from." The Basilisk Slayer said with a stern tone. Every one in the room understood that he was serious. Yin raised his hands. "Yeah, what is it, Yin?" "How did your mission go?" Yin asked. The mood on the Basilisk Slayer''s face immediately lightened up and eased a bit. "Well, not to brag but we just took down a hundred Angels!" He exclaimed so proudly. Far too proud and loud in fact, that a healer had to knock and make herself in and proceeded to scold the Basilisk Slayer afterwards, saying the people in this room were not the only ones they were treating, so she would greatly appreciate it if he would take his loud mouth somewhere or not open it at all. Artorias could do nothing but apologize profusely while scratching the back of his head nervously. "W-Wait, did you just say a hundred?" Zach wanted to make sure he was not mishearing things. "Yeah, that is what I said, Zachary Lancaster. A hundred Angels were exterminated in just a single mission. Heh." The Basilisk Slayer could not help but showboat, but now a bit quieter than before, he would not want to get scolded again. "Amazing¡­" Cosette''s jaw dropped. "I know this guy is strong enough to be ranked as the top Slayer in the leaderboards, but not to this extent. Seriously? A hundred freaking Angels¡­" Zachary was dumbfounded. "You do realize that we have actually did not manage to observe what happened from the point of them emerging from their hives specifically, right?" Gavin was not satisfied with their escapade and wanted his brother to wipe off the smug grin on his face. Artorias quickly got serious as he saw Kai was still down. "Kai Xin. I know how it feels to lose your subordinates in missions. Believe me, I do." Art said while placing his hand on Kai''s shoulder. He then proceeded to whisper something inaudible to the rest of the people there except for the S Rank Fire Slayer. This made Kai bite his lower lip until it bled. "I know. I know." He said. "Regardless of what happened to a member of your squad which was hastily put together, keep in mind that you also had two rookies who were never outside of the Outer Gates before. Yet you lead them towards victory. You are a good soldier, Kai. Keep it up." The Basilisk Slayer''s words made Kai Xin exhale a sigh of relief. "Turn his death into your strength. All of you. June Alcindor''s soul is long gone from this world, but his fight for the freedom of mankind will never waver from yours, even after your deaths, the essence of what the Slayer Corps have been fighting for will never be lost in this realm, trust me when I say that." Gavin was surprised, it was a shock to see his brother actually say things with the consideration of others in mind, not just his own. It was not like Artorias Khalil was a boastful asshat, it was just his powers alienated him from every single person here. Gavin realized that his older brother was just far detached from normal people and Slayers because of his sheer strength. He also had no filter in his words, he always said what he meant and what needed to be said. His words made them all realize both how insignificant their lives are in the long run. How the kingdom of Niflheim is founded on the hundreds of thousands of bodies of dead Slayers that have come before them. "Were they all fighting knowing that this battle would never be resolved in their lifetime?" Yin Sohaya thought to himself. He easily shook of those thoughts from his head. "No. It would be the wrong state of mind to fight for the chance for your offspring to be able to fight in your stead. Every single Slayer which came before us, they all had the idea that this millenia-long bloodbath would end with their victory, but it never really came because here we are." Kai was definitely picked up by the Basilisk Slayer''s words, even if they were not meant to be that of encouragement, who knows what he was meaning to say, right? "June fought till the very end¡­" Kai said slowly as the eyes turned towards him and focused in. "This is not the first time I lead a mission that ended in one or two, hell, even more of my members dying, it really does never get any better. Every single time, it still is a tragedy that I will never ever get used to." Kai clenched his fist. While Yin was still asleep, the Basilisk Slayer and the Serpent Summoner got back from the reconnaissance, they told the High Council all about what happened back at the hive. The old members of the council expressed their disappointment at the Basilisk Slayer, which prompted him to walk out of the meeting and go straight to where the apothecary was, as they waited for the others to wake up. Chapter 121 - Super Rookie "I only have a month at most in order to go on two more conquest missions and survive them." Yin thought to himself. Gavin walked up to him and asked him what he wanted to do right now as well as to tell him what his options were. "Yin, for now you can stand by here in the Grand Castle, I will tell the Emperor myself that I requested a room for you on me and Luken''s behalf, so that you can easily be deployed if there was ever a mission available for you." "Y-You can do that, Gavin?" The Serpent Summoner nodded. "Yes. Anyway, I will also put in a good word for you for the team who are assigning missions to Slayers, so that they may consider you even more. I know how eager you are to catch up to Suna and join in on the Slayer Tournament, that much is for sure." Gavin''s words made Yin smile. He was glad that he found a superior whom was concerned for his well being and is keeping his interests and wants in mind. "Your other option will be to go back to the hideout and continue training with the Commander, you will have an easier time staying there, I know. But it would be harder on you regarding the constant need of having to travel back and forth from here to the hideout and vice versa if ever you were chosen as compatible for another specific squad." Yin thought long and hard about it. Considering he did not know much about the Grand Castle and the heart of Niflheim, it would be a hassle to stay here, even if he had free roof under his head in the castle. "Err. If I choose to stay here for now, will you be staying here as well, Gavin?" Yin wanted to know if the Serpent Summoner was going to be staying here as well. The latter responded by shaking his head. "Nope. I will be going somewhere else which is classified. The higher ups and the Emperor have request for me to join in on the research group. We will have to debunk everything that we know so far regarding the Angels, because of the progression that the Corps have made outside the Gates, I am guessing it would be much more productive." "I-I see." "But do not worry, I have not told Zach about it as well, he might also want to be staying here in order to be more available for missions. The High Council also places in mind the availability of specific Slayers and where they are in Niflheim. For example, you cannot be deployed for emergency missions if you are at the hideout because of the time delay it would take for you even reach the Gates." Yin Sohaya nodded. Because of Yin''s annoyance towards his fellow Six Blades member, he would have wanted him to just go back to the hideout and have Yin be enlisted in missions alone. The thought of it made Yin look forward to it. "Then I will make my decision right now, and please do not inform Zach, he might follow me or something, that would not be good for both of us, trust me." Yin exhaled deeply. "I will be staying here in the Grand Castle and become much more available for missions outside the Gates, sir." He said slowly and softly in Gavin''s hears so that Zach might not hear his decision. "Excellent choice, I knew you would not be the type of person to pass up on the opportunity to join the Slayer Tournament at your age. You are wise beyond your years, Yin, although that might not seem at first glance. Heh." The Serpent Summoner responded with a slight chuckle. "You are wrong, Gavin. If my life had not been timed, I would have preferred to go home to the hideout and train with the Commander and Suna. There could always be next year''s Slayer Tournament, but a year from now is not my time anymore. It really is not¡­" Yin said to himself with a sad expression. He did not really realize it but he was staring at Zachary while spaced out. "What the hell are you looking at?" Zach was confrontational in nature as always. "What makes you think I was even looking at you?!" Yin shouted back from his bed, their voices were far too loud to be shouting, considering they were only located like five meters across of each other. The healer who had scolded the basilisk Slayer earlier now peeped in on the door, seeing if the noise came from here and if it has not yet subsided. "Who is making a ruckus here?!" The healer asked. "N-Nobody, ma''am." Gavin told her. They all let out a sigh of relief. "She''s pretty strict for a healer, don''t you guys think?" Cosette said jokingly. "She has always been like that, Cosette. Don''t mind her." Artorias Khalil retorted back. "Y-You know my name?!" This surprised the A Rank Earth Slayer that the top one ranked Lightning Slayer would even acknowledge her presence. "How do you know me? Where did you know me? Do you think my fighting skills are top notch? Do you want to invite me to your organization? Do you have any moves that you wish to teach to me?" She proceeded to bombard Art with questions such as those. "Woah there, slow down. I keep a list of promising Slayers in the back of my head, you know? It would be a shame if I did not acknowledge you as one of it. Also, I am not part of an organization. I do not need it because-" The Basilisk Slayer got interrupted by Cosette Akim once again. "I will not let you down! Please watch the Slayer Tournament and I will show you that all the hype surrounding my name is legitimate and not an overstatement!" Afterwards, Cosette ran out carrying her large axe which she strategically placed under her bed. "Why was she keeping her weapon underneath her bed?" Zach asked Kai nervously. "Believe me, I know as much as you do, Zach." Kai replied with a smile. This whole comedic sequence made him ease up a bit, even for just a little. "By the way, Kai. Ignis Silva came by with Hector yesterday, but you were knocked out on the bed when he visited, he told me to extend his message to you instead." The Serpent Summoner told his dear friend. "Oh. I see. What did he say?" But before Gavin could tell Kai what Ignis wanted to, Kai inserted his question with another one. "Wait, how do you know Hector?" "Hm. Judging from the urgency of your voice, I would best answer the latter question first, then." Gavin put the book he was reading down and stood looked at Kai. "Everybody from the Operation Phoenix knows of Hector Incendium." Kai was confused and amazed at the same time. "Is he really that famous?" "No, no, you misunderstood me. Operation Phoenix was conducted with Hector as part of the squadron which Ignis Silva led." Kai''s expression quickly turned into shock which then subsided back into being amazed. "Damn. Seriously? That is such a reckless thing for Ignis to have done. I can''t imagine bringing a kid into that cesspool of a mission¡­Anyway, I would guess some Slayers in on the squad were not particularly fond of it?" Kai replied. "Not some. In fact, most of them were still not sold on bringing a kid like Hector Incendium into such a dangerous operation like that." Everyone in the room was confused as to why Gavin and Kai were talking about the mission details just like nothing, as if they were not there. "Oh, and before you guys react, the news will be available to the people tomorrow, but it will only say that we''ve exterminated many numbers of Angels, without all the actual important parts of it." The Serpent Summoner said with a smile. "I thought you slipped there for a second or something." Artorias said while nodding his head. "Anyway, getting back to you, Kai. Hector outperformed some of the most war-hardened Slayers in that squad, unbelievably so. He really is a monster." Kai looked like a proud uncle while shrugging his shoulders. "What can I say? The kid''s got potential, Gavin, he will probably win the Slayer Tournament a month from now." Kai''s words made Yin and Zachary slouch from their beds. "Damn. Someone like that exists within our age group?" Zachary thought to himself. Meanwhile Yin thought about just how strong this Hector guy actually is, he cursed the fact that he was still asleep when Ignis and Hector came by, other wise he could have gotten a clear look at him. "Who''s stronger between him and me, Gavin!?" Yin said as he raised his hands. With no second wasted or even a fraction of it spent on thinking about comparing the two, the Serpent Summoner replied. "Hector, of course." Chapter 122 - Arts Treat Zachary Lancaster and Yin Sohaya felt disappointed that someone of their age group was cleaning house and making headlines and that it was not them. Zach limped towards Gavin and whispered something in his ear as well. "What''s up, Zach?" "I would like to take you up on your offer to have me stay in the Grand Castle so that I can be deployed much easier." Zach whispered those words into the Serpent Summoner''s ears. "Very good. Then you shall be staying with Yin." "Staying with who?!" Zach was surprised. "Why are you startled? You are not the only one who wants to be easily available, Zach. Yin is going to do his best to train as well, you''d best get along here while I am gone and please do not embarrass the Six Blades, got that?" Gavin said. Zachary responded with a grunt. Kai had a look that meant that he was waiting for something which Gavin had forgotten. "Oh, right. Regarding what Ignis said, he told us that he and Hector will be waiting back at ''home.''" Kai just nodded with a satisfied expression. "Alright, then." He went back to his bed and promptly lay down. "I will be leaving tomorrow morning at the first sight of the Sun, is anyone coming with me?" Nobody replied, the room was dead silent. "Come on, I could not be that horrible, right?" He asked comically. "Well, I am staying here, so¡­" Yin awkwardly said. "The same goes for me, Kai." Zachary said with a wave. "I live like ten minutes away¡­" Cosette said. Kai Xin stared at Gavin, hoping he would be able to save him from this conundrum he set himself up with. "No can do, Kai. I have other things to do myself. Heh. Sorry." The Serpent Summoner apologized. "Maybe I can catch a ride with you and Amara, Art?" The Basilisk Slayer pretended to be asleep while resting his head at the window. "Huh? Oh. Sorry, Kai, she''s a bit picky. Anyway, I am sure you guys have not eaten dinner yet, let us go outside this darn castle. My treat." The Basilisk Slayer said as he walked outside. "Hang on, Art, we do not know if they are well enough to be walking outside like that already." Gavin said to his brother but he was already gone. "I-It''s fine, Gavin. He just said he would treat us, right? Or was I actually mishearing what he said?" Yin was seemingly in a trance, even though he was still hurt, he could not afford to pass up such an opportunity to be treated for dinner by the number one ranked Slayer in the Corps. The same goes for everyone else except for Kai. Kai Xin was in fact amazed and saw Artorias Khalil as one of his inspirations to become the best Slayer ever, but he had already known him for such a long time that everything he did felt like something Kai saw as ordinary for him. They all went outside the Grand Castle and made their way to the Grand City. Whenever they walked and crossed paths with civilians, most of them would actually move out of the way with fearful expressions. This was the first time that Yin and Zachary ever walked around the heart of Niflheim freely without the need to report to the castle, so this was a crushing blow to Yin. He thought that people liked Slayers. "Hey, Kai, is it just me or are they afraid of us?" Kai Xin smirked. "They are not afraid of us, Yin, only one." He said as he pointed to the Basilisk Slayer''s back. Artorias definitely looked different from when he was still in his armor. Without it just like right now, he still looked imposing and huge. He was tall, his back was broad and his muscles were very toned with multiple scars from combat. "Why would they be scared of sir Artorias? Shouldn''t they be glad to see the top one Slayer?" Yin concurred. "Because of Art''s playful attitude, they acknowledge that his strength is appropriate for his top one rank, but they question his loyalty and dedication towards mankind. This is mainly because of his close ties to the traitor ¨C Adam Rosa." Cosette answered Yin''s question back. "But even if the Reaper left Niflheim, that was his decision alone, right? There is no way the Basilisk Slayer would stay here if they were both in on it!" Yin exclaimed. "Calm down." Zach told him. Yin promptly did so. The Basilisk Slayer''s very presence itself carved a way for him to walk freely in these busy streets. None of the people wanted any contact with him at all. It was something that perplexed Yin so much. "How could society doubt the man who was the strongest soldier currently? Isn''t he doing a good job? He just annihilated a hundred Angels alongside Gavin, why would they be doubtful of his loyalty?" Yin asked to himself. "Do not think about it too much, kid." Kai said as he shook his head. "People are just confusing like that, even I do not understand it. But do not forget that there is a thin line between us Slayers and normal people." "A thin line¡­" "Yes, the people think that we are not doing our best outside the Gates and in combat, which is obviously a shitty conclusion to make considering the amount of bodies we bring back from our conquests in the morning down to the return in the afternoon or evening." Kai was getting worked up. "We''re here!" The Basilisk Slayer shouted. It was a tavern which mainly sold chicken, whether it be fried or in a curry-like dish. "Oh, yeah, this guy really likes chicken, so I am guessing this is where we will be stopping, kids." Kai said with a smile, he himself was hungry also. When they got inside, all eyes were on them, this seemed to affect only Yin and Zachary. Artorias Khalil, Gavin, Kai Xin, and Cosette were already used to these looks, it was nothing to them at all. The waiter recognized Art and shook his hand. "Rio!" "Art-boy!" They both greeted each other and the waiter who was oddly named Rio accompanied the group to where they were going to be sitting. It was a large table which was seemingly reserved for them. "Did you guys know we were coming?" Gavin asked Rio. "Yes, of course, monsieur Gavin, your brother told me the night before you went on your mission, let us see when that was¡­Ah! Yesterday evening!" Yin thought that this waiter was very chummy with the Serpent Summoner and the Basilisk Slayer, he thought that perhaps there was some kind of connection between them, considering the fact that Rio was not as scared of them as the other people outside were. After they all took their seats, Gavin wanted to ask his brother a question. "So, you already knew that our mission would end in a success or that we would make it out of there alive?" The Basilisk Slayer''s smirk was all the answer that he needed. Gavin smacked the back of Art''s head. "Ow! What did I do to warrant such a painful attack?!" Gavin did not respond, however. Yin and Zachary were amazed. "Such confidence¡­He already knew that he and Gavin would make it back in one piece enough so that he actually scheduled a dinner the night after. Holy crap." Yin said to himself. "I wonder how strong you have to be to have that much faith in yourself. Is it even believing in oneself or the anticipation that the mission would not go south?" Zach asked himself as well. They were both looking up to the Basilisk Slayer now. "S-Sir Art!" Yin exclaimed. "Oh, what is it, Yin?" "Y-You are a Lightning Slayer, right? What color is yours?" Yin''s question left the SSS Rank Slayer dumbfounded. "What do you mean by the color?" He asked. "He meant if your affinity is unique, as I have already told you, Yin here has black lightning instead of the standard lightning that most Slayers have." Gavin said to his brother. "Ah. That is what you''ve meant. Well, Yin, my affinity is nothing special, really, it is standard lightning." Art answered with a chuckle. "How did you manage to exterminate a hundred Angels in your mission, sir?" Zach was the one asking now. "Now, now, kids, there is a time for training and there is a time for eating. Tonight however, is the latter, enjoy the feast coming and I will answer all your questions when we are finished," He said. The food could not come any sooner, the sweet and delightful aroma of different sorts of ways to cook chicken filled the air. "I am surprised a cheapskate like you is treating others, Art." Kai said to the Basilisk Slayer. "W-What are you saying, I always do this to any of my juniors that I come across or make acquaintances of!" Chapter 123 - Roaming Three days after The Basilisk Slayer''s unexpected spending spree to treat Kai''s squad. While three of the Six Blades members were situated at the Grand Castle and the city surrounding it, the Commander, B Rank Slayer Suna Izanami, and Oliver the baby panda were busy busting their bodies trying to train for the Slayer Tournament. In the middle of a spar against Suna, the Commander noticed Gavin''s snake crawling towards him on the ground. Suna thought that this momentary time of inattentiveness was her prime time to strike, so did Oliver who jolted up from his seat while watching the two of them duke it out. The Commander ducked down to pick up the small snake with a letter wrapped on its neck. Suna slashed at the Commander who just easily stopped her attack by blocking it with his wrists. The loud clang from Luken''s armor made Oliver cover his ears. It was then that Suna realized that Luken was not acting like he was taking their training in an unserious manner, he just managed to see Gavin''s messenger. "Calm down for a bit, Suna, sheesh." Luken said with a pale expression. "That blow was covered with the intent to hack my handsome face off!" He exclaimed comedically. "Is that not the point of our spars? I swore I heard you tell me to not hold back just a minute ago¡­" Suna said dumbfounded. "Yeah, but look right here¡­" Luken lifted the snake off of the ground and showed it to Suna. "Isn''t that Gavin''s messenger?" Luken nodded. Oliver was far too mesmerized by the small snake with the black beady eyes staring at him to not approach it. The Commander handed the snake off to Oliver after taking the letter off of its neck. The baby panda, who surprisingly did not eat it, instead wanted to play with the snake. Together they both ran off to the jungle. Even though the snake protested, it could do nothing as Oliver placed it inside his backpack and proceeded to dash at the trees. "Be careful you two!" Luken shouted to the creatures and proceeded to read the letter afterwards. After a couple of minutes of staring at it, Suna was impatient enough to jump around and ask what the letter was written for. "What does it say?" Suna asked. "Well, it is brief and concise, this is just like Gavin¡­" "Yeah, but what does it say?" The Commander handed it to Suna. "Read it for yourself." "Have you and Suna been cleaning the hideout? I do not wish to go back there while the place is musty and a mess, you know that already, right? Anyway, I have good news. I am just going to put a segment in the newspaper issue to be released next week." A darkly printed paper was inserted into the letter which read as: Kai Xin''s squadron which consisted of : the squad leader himself, S Rank Fire Slayer of the Inferno Garden, Kai Xin, also known as the Dragon, C Rank Lightning Slayer - Yin Sohaya, A Rank Slayer ¨C Cosette Akim, and Rookie Fire Slayer Zachary Lancaster have successfully survived their mission. This squad led by the Dragon has eliminated a Seraphim know as Pugna. Further details about the Seraphim will be released to the public soon. Their mission did not go as smooth as expected, however, considering they have lost a Rookie, namely June Alcindor. He died for mankind and for Niflheim." "As for me and Art, we do not have any newspapers segments printed out, fortunately, as that would be annoying. But we have successfully carried out our mission, as unexpected as it went depends on your definition of a ''success.'' Anyway, we are staying here in order to have them easily available for more missions. I cannot fault them for their perseverance, I suggest you show the same fervor in training Suna. That would be all. P.S., I am not telling you when we will be coming home so that you will always keep the place as tidy as ever, it could be any day now." Suna jumped up in celebration. "Alright! They did it!" Her happiness slowly subsided as she realized that another rookie was lost in this mission. "Keep your head up, Suna. That June kid did not die for nothing. He also did not lay his life in order for us to feel pity towards him or how he was in life. One thing is certain, he died fighting for mankind. So, keep your head up and show me that your resolve is as hardened as his." The Commander''s serious tone sent shivers down Suna Izanami''s spine. "Alright, here I come!" They continued training until the sun came down, meanwhile Oliver had his own adventure with the reluctant snake who was forced to come with him on this voyage. This was without the snake even knowing why. Yin and Zachary were given the same room inside the Grand Castle despite their constant protests to Gavin that they would really prefer it if they had private quarters instead. "You two need to behave. Keep in mind that soldiers like you two should not even be in the Grand Castle waiting for conquests on standby, just be thankful I have quite a strong pull on the Emperor. Tch." The Serpent Summoner said as he shook his head and clicked his tongue. This made the two simpletons behave. It was not like their room was any different from the one that Gavin and Luken stayed in, it was roughly the same. Identical looking beds, furniture, and singular window. "I have already told you this before, but do not embarrass my name, Luken''s, or the Six Blade''s, are we clear?" "Y-Yes, Gavin." "Yeah." They responded back. "Good. I will check on you from time to time just for the meantime, learn to survive on this." Gavin said as he tossed a pouch of zennies to them. "Make sure you do not spend this in under a week, be thrifty." With that, the Serpent Summoner and The Basilisk Slayer bid them farwell. Kai Xin had already gone home into the Inferno Garden''s hideout after the day of Artorias treating them, while Cosette left the very next day that Kai did. The room was dead silent. "Man, I really would have wanted to stay in a room alone." Zach said as he rolled his eyes. "Do you think that does not go for me as well?" Yin retorted back. "By the way, your technique handling your weapon is sloppy at best. You should work on that." Yin told him this just to annoy him, although Zachary could not really get mad as deep down he knew that his weapon handling was in fact very shaky. After a few minutes of trying to sleep, they both realized it was far too hot inside this part of the room to even enjoy a good night''s rest. "Do you want to go walk around the castle''s halls?" Yin had no idea why he asked Zachary, but the latter grunted and agreed. "Fine." They saw the portrait paintings of multiple Emperors before Emperor Nicholas was instated into the throne. "Just how many of these people came before the Emperor?" Yin was amazed at the sheer numbers that were plastered on the walls. "Did you not read books as a kid?" Zachary scoffed. "No. I really did not. Even if I did, I did not have the time to do so. It was always having to work for me, farm work, handiwork, any type of work that people deemed essential, I did those. Me and Suna." Yin''s answer definitely caught Zach by surprise, he did not expect Yin to not hurl an insult back at him. "How you never tried to be a Slayer even if you did not have Anima cells back then?" Zach asked the white haired Slayer. "Because I am not as strong as her, Zach. If I were to try and do what she does without my powers right now, I would die in a second out there." Yin said. "Is it wrong to feel thankful for what happened?" Yin asked out of the blue. "What do you mean?" Zach was not following what Yin was saying. "Nothing. Forget about it." Yin said as he walked off into somewhere else in the castle. Zach thought about what he meant but decided to let it go and follow him. "Do you feel regret becoming a Slayer, Zach? You could have hidden all your life without the others knowing that you had Anima cells, you could have pretended to be powerless, right?" "I am sure there was a time during that mission where I thought I was going to die. It felt like that Seraphim was going to swallow me whole. That was when I felt truly hopeless for the first time in my life. I felt like I was merely an insect in the convoluted web of animals in a jungle.. That is how powerless it felt like." Chapter 124 - Trio Mission "Yet we still managed to win against Pugna." Yin said in a tone that meant to assure Zach. "Yeah. Yes, we did. In my first ever freaking conquest, I managed to survive against an Archangel." Zachary Lancaster was shaking just remembering how thin of a line Kai''s squad were balancing on. "By the way, Yin. Maybe it is just me, but why do you seem like you are constantly in a hurry ever since we got here?" Zachary asked him. Yin gulped. "I-I had not thought about that at all! I just do not want to waste time sitting idly at the hideout while Slayers risk their lives all the time." Yin retorted back. "I am sure that we have done much more than the others did in just our past mission, I have a reason to be here, I want to get stronger and get deployed in as many missions as I can so that I can atone for my sins." "Your sins?" Yin asked. Zach nodded. "The first time I knew that I had Anima cells, I just lazed around at home, coddled by my mother as my father terrorized us. I was pampered, surrounded by books as a replacement for real life experiences, I thought that I was going to be safe there, hell, I wanted to be safe at our town, live a lavish life as a normal citizen of Niflheim. But after Gavin and the Commander talked to me, I knew that this would be my calling. And that I have to atone for my absence these last few years. I should have been here as soon as possible¡­" "I see." Yin had not thought about just how hard Zachary''s childhood was, seeing as he was a member of the wealthy Lancaster family. "I guess we all have our demons to face, huh?" Yin added. "You are actually right for once. Heh. What about you, though. What kind of demons do you have to exorcise for you to still be here after that understandable successful yet traumatic mission?" Zachary returned the favor towards Yin Sohaya. "I am being chased, Zach." Yin said as he observed the paintings of the hallways. "I am chased by the sands of time''s hourglass. That is all that I am able to say as of now." Zachary smiled. "Then that is all that I will process in my head, tell me about it some other time when it is possible to disclose." "For sure." They both went to their rooms afterwards as they had already eaten dinner and went to sleep. Two additional days passed by and there were still no word of missions coming their way. Yin was getting impatient enough to actually go to the Emperor himself and ask why the two of them had not been considered for another mission still. Zach pulled his arm back. "Do you remember what Gavin said?" Zach said while facepalming. "We should not embarrass their names, let us just wait, idiot." The two were now back to their antagonistic ways of treating each other after their long talk that night. It was as if nothing had happened, but they both had additional sense of respect towards each other after realizing the conundrum they were in. Plus, it is not like they actually have a choice in it. It was late in the afternoon when they were still staring at the door, waiting for a messenger, a courier, hell, anyone else to bring a letter to them. A knock was all it took to have them jolt up and stand straight on their feet. "Come in!" Yin shouted out. But the person who was knocking never actually opened the door. Zachary was far too impatient to wait, so he stepped forward and open it himself, revealing ¨C nobody, actually. "Are you the Six Blades brats?" A feminine voice asked from behind them. Both Yin and Zach turned around instinctually after hearing the woman''s question. It was someone they had never met before, but oddly familiar for Zach. He could swear this person''s face was familiar, perhaps he had seen it long ago in one of his books about Slayers. "W-Who are you?!" Yin asked her. The Specter sighed out. Finally, Zachary Lancaster figured out who she was, he smacked the back of Yin''s head reminiscent to that of how Gavin does it to Luken. He then whispered out to Yin. "Idiot! That''s an S Rank Slayer, the Specter!" "R-Really?! Wait, why the hell did you smack me? Was I supposed to know that?" "Have you boys no manners? There is someone in front of you and you proceed to whisper amongst each other? You still have not answered my question yet." Zachary stood straight up and stomped his foot to solidify his form. "W-We are members of the Six Blades, ma''am. I am Zachary Lancaster, technically still a rookie since I have not received my rank after my last mission!" Zachary exclaimed as he introduced himself. "I am Yin Sohaya, ma''am! C Rank Lightning Slayer of the Six Blades, a pleasure to meet you!" Yin also exclaimed with the same energy as Zach did before him. "I am sure the tall one over there definitely took his sweet time but ultimately ended up recognizing me. Heh." Vale Ashford said after pointing at Zach. "Y-Yes, ma''am!" The two were still nervous as this was their first time talking to an S Rank Slayer which were not the Commander, the Serpent Summoner, or the Dragon. "Be at ease, you two. I thought you would not know who I am, I really am not fond of the newspapers, you see." She said. "So that is why I could only read about your name in one of the books." "Precisely, kid." The Specter nodded. "Anyway, my name is Vale Ashford, more commonly known as the Specter, I am an S Rank Wind Slayer. You have not seen me before this, I assume. But I am also sure that you''ve heard of me, right?" "Of course!" Zach answered while still nervous. Yin was silent as he definitely has not heard of her, I mean he has not been a Slayer for even a year yet. "Seriously, can you two ease up for a bit? You two seem stiff and tense. You can take a seat." Yin raised his hand up, implying that he wanted to ask a question. "Yes, Yin, was it?" Yin Sohaya nodded before speaking. "If I may ask, ma''am, how did you manage to get inside the room?" Across all the commotion, Zach forgot to realize that she just appeared out of nowhere. "It is a secret, why do you think they call me the Specter, kid? Heh." She replied with a chuckle. "You went in through the window, didn''t you?" Zach said. "That''s right." "So, you knocked on the door and somehow ended up inside the room by going in from the window in under five seconds?!" Zach said. Yin was amazed at her speed and the fact that they did not even hear her behind them. "I can see that Gavin and Luken recruited two promising Slayers, fascinating." She said as she took a seat herself. "Do you know them, ma''am?" Zach asked her. "Okay, first things first, although I appreciated it the first time as it is out of respect, I would very much prefer if you had just called me Vale. Hearing young men like you refer to me as ''ma''am'' makes it seem like I am quite old!" She exclaimed. "Aren''t you, though?" Zach retorted back with no disrespect meant, he just wanted to know the truth. "If I am old then so are your superiors! We were in the same class of rookies, I''ll have you know." The Specter stood up and made the two men tense up again. "I am not one to waste my time so I will tell you right now why I am here. " Yin and Zach looked at each other and grinned. "Finally, a mission!" "Is this going to be our new squad leader?" They both asked themselves. "I would like to know if you two are available for a trio mission with me right this instant." They both answered back in unison. "Yes, we are, Vale!" "Excellent. Pack up, then, let us get going." "Y-You mean we are going out right now?" Yin was confused. "Yes, what did you expect when I said ''this instant''?" Vale Ashford was a bit irked. "I-I see-" Yin got interrupted by the Specter. "I will give you two five minutes to prepare your backpacks, weapons, and whatever you prefer to bring on a mission. Do not be late, the countdown starts now." She said as she walked past them straight into the door. "And I really do mean it, if you are late, then you won''t be coming." After hearing those words, Yin and Zachary were fired up and prepared their things in a hurry. The Specter smiled at the boys and their innocence. Chapter 125 - Nightly Escapade The two Slayers left in the Grand Castle scrambled around and packed their things in as little time as possible. "Why did you not tell me sooner that that was someone important?!" Yin asked Zachary. "How the hell was I supposed to know that you had no knowledge about other S Rank Slayers?!" Zachary replied back. As they both raced down the massive stairs down towards the exit, they bumped into each other, trying to compete for who the first one to get out would be. Just as they were about to get to the main door, the were halted by the presence of Emperor Nicholas himself. "What has gotten you two in a hurry?" The Emperor asked. He then realized that Yin''s face was familiar. "You there, aren''t you Yin Sohaya? Judging from both of your black coats, you are Six Blades members, right? The ones who got summoned by the High Council here months ago, I would like to apologize for that altercation." Both of them were too nervous to respond and simply nodded. "Hah. No need to get all nervous around an old man like me, by the way, I was the one who told the Specter to take you both in for a mission. Remember, she could have done this easily on her own, it was I who insisted on her taking the two of you on a scouting mission." Yin opened his mouth. "W-We will note let you down, your majesty!" He exclaimed while kneeling, Zachary did the same. "I expect great things from products of the Six Blades. Goodluck, kids." Right before making his way upstairs, the Emperor turned his head around and said something which empowered Yin Sohaya and Zachary Lancaster. "By the way, I have heard about the Seraphim, Pugna. Great work, to all of you." After that, he made himself scarce. Zach wiped the sweat off of his face. "That was my first time seeing Emperor Nicholas in person for ten years now. It would really have been a problem if he recognized me¡­" "You met him when you were like eight years old?" Zachary had an aura of proudness around him. "Of course, the Lancaster family were invited to the Grand Castle around that time, and while I was strolling outside, I was-" The Rookie Fire Slayer''s words got interrupted by the Specter. "Are you two really going to chit chat there and keep me waiting?" She asked in an annoyed expression. The three of them walked towards the entrance of the Outer Gates and finally got prepared. "Err. Might I ask why we are going outside at the dead of night, ma''am?" Zachary asked Vale. "What did we talk about using the ''m'' word?" She retorted back with an angered expression. "M-My bad, Vale, it just sounds weird to call you by your first name without your title¡­" Vale Ashford scoffed while smiling. "Come on kid, it is fine." She drank out of her water pouch and answered Zachary''s question after drinking. "Well, it is because the night brings darkness, and darkness, my friend, is the ultimate ally of stealth." "But would that not be a double edged sword in of itself? Monsters will also be harder to see in the night, we might get caught off guard if we are not careful." Yin said as he tensed up. "Then we are going to have to be the smarter species among Angels and monsters if we want to come back alive, right?" Vale Ashford said with a grin. She taught them how to crouch while eliminating unnecessary noises and movements, as well as how to keep their eyes peeled at all times and always try to see and sense everything in their perception. They managed to evade some lowly ranked monsters by doing what she told them to. "See? It is not so hard isn''t it?" She said in a soft slow voice. "Yeah, but you still have not told us what we are going to scout for in this mission." Zach said with a deadpan and bored expression. "We are going to try and kill a Seraphim, boys." Her words made Yin cough out, thus attracting a lowly kobold to their location. "I will take care of this." Vale Ashford assured them. As the kobold was sniffing around their part of the woods, it was getting dangerously close, this was the time when The Specter dashed from behind it and slit its neck in one slash. The sanguine blood on her blade was hastily cleaned off by a quick flick and slash on the air. "M-My eyes could not even follow her¡­" Yin thought to himself. "The Specter indeed, a master of stealth, espionage, and reconnaissance. I have a lot more to learn in this aspect of being a Slayer, I will absorb as much as I can while watching her." Zachary said. "Why does the fact that we are going Seraphim hunting cause you to cough out and choke on your own saliva, Yin?" Vale asked the white haired Slayer. "It is just surprising, Vale, because three days ago, we just managed to kill a Seraphim who spewed out flames¡­" The Specter was surprised. "Oh, right, Kai was the one leading your squadron, if I am not mistaken? Well done, kids. Unfortunately, I know you are both down on your luck in getting deployed in missions or even being considered as potential members in conquests, so, this is the best deal you are ever going to get as of now, of course, you are free to turn back, I will not report you for treason." There was no malice or anger in the Specter''s voice, she really meant what she said. Perhaps deep down she understood how it felt like to make it out of a situation which was seen as inescapable. Just like what happened in their last mission with Dunham Miller. "I am staying, Vale." Zach proudly stood his ground. "I am here to stay and finish the mission no matter what happens as well." Yin said. Vale Ashford did not say anything but as she turned around, a faint smile began to break out from her. "You sure taught these boys well, Luken, Gavin." She whispered under her breath. After a few minutes of sneaking past the monsters while keeping to the shadows, Zachary was curious about some things in the past. "How were the Commander and Gavin like back then?" The Fire Slayer asked. "Hmm." The Specter thought long and hard before answering this question. "Luken Regalia was not always the way that he was right now, he always hid behind Gavin Khalil and Kai Xin, but time and time again, he showed that he was a once in a generation type of Slayer as time went on. And as for Gavin Khalil, he was the ''big brother'' of our class of rookies, despite being the same age as us, he has not changed at all that much these past few years, always reliable and understanding. Not to mention a prodigal Summoner in his own right." Yin and Zachary were amazed at the stories of the past told to them by the Specter. Zachary thought about what his legacy would be and how he would be remembered in the future if ever he lived long enough to climb up to the highest of ranks. "I wonder if people would smite me for hiding the fact that I had Anima cells back when I was twelve years old and just followed my family''s choice to not enlist and fight." He thought to himself. Yin tapped his shoulder to stop him from daydreaming. "Keep your eyes peeled, Zach. Remember what Vale told us, the darkness can be an ally as well as an adversity for the three of us in these types of missions." Even though Zachary did not like the fact that Yin told him what to do, it could not be denied that he was in fact right. "You''re right, my bad." Zach said. "Tell me, boys, have you lost anyone in these missions you partook in? It could be a friend, a family member, any Slayer." She asked them. Yin remembered his first conquests and how they started out as fifty Slayers none older than twenty, and in the end, only had five or six survivors in total. This memory pains him every single time that he recalls it, yet he uses it as the driving force to be stronger and better every single day. He also thought about June Alcindor and his sacrifice to remove his suppressors just to keep the Seraphim pinned down long enough for him to eviscerate it in his Nix Eyes state. Zachary remembered the horrors on Kai, Cosette, and Yin''s faces when they were carrying June''s body back to Niflheim. They both nodded as an answer to the Specter''s question. "I see. I, as well, have lost many, many dear friends in my tenure as a Slayer. Most nights I feel like I am still alive because I am stepping on a mountain of corpses my comrades left behind." She said. Chapter 126 - Holed Face The area they were moving around was a wet jungle, the green trees and grasses were drenched, this seemed to irk Vale Ashford off. "I do not think it has ever rained today or yesterday¡­" She said. "So, why is everything here drenched to the brim?" Her question made Zachary and Yin think as well. It was a mystery as to why this jungle area was wet ever since they got here if rain was never even present. "It really is odd." Zachary Lancaster thought to himself. Yin touched the ground below while still maintaining a crouching position. "No wonder it is this slippery here." Yin said. Vale took out her blade and advised both of them to do the same with their weapons. "I do not see any monsters nearby, Vale, do you?" Yin asked the S Rank Wind Slayer. "Something is up, I can feel it, you two best pull out your grimoires and weapons in advance." She saw that only Zachary had a grimoire on the other hand while Yin was equipping his gauntlets. "Sohaya, where is your grimoire?" This was the first time that Yin heard this question. "M-My grimoire?" The question caught the C Rank Lightning Slayer off guard. Zachary tried to explain his stead. "Err. Well. Yin has unique capabilities and skills that are far more amplified with his close quarters combat approach, I think the fact that the Commander and the Serpent Summoner never really gave him a lightning grimoire is attributed to that." He said. Yin nodded a nod of gratitude at Zach. "Hmm. I see. I hope your special powers will be of any use during combat scenarios, Yin. I trust you on that." Vale did not press the issue further and was satisfied with the explanation that Zachary gave. She was also a bit curious to see what kind of capabilities the Fire Slayer referred to as he talked about Yin. "I feel a drastic change in the atmosphere a few seconds ago, the presence of something caused it. Something strong¡­" The three of them pressed onwards and climbed up to the branches of trees in order to have a higher vantage point for scouting. "Who told you that a Seraphim would be here, Vale?" Yin asked. "A squadron was decimated in half by this thing. Five of them are now at the apothecary floor getting healed. Before setting off to go to where your room was, I stopped by there." She stopped in order to catch her breath. "And what I saw were the empty husks of what used to be Slayers¡­They were all traumatized, none of them were even higher than A Rank and they had unfortunately came across a damn Seraphim." She said while clenching her fists. "What did they tell you?" Zachary asked. "It was useless trying to make conversation with the other four, most of them just repeated the phrase ''La mort'' whatever that may have meant. But one of them was sane enough to fill me in on the details, thankfully. She was a Water Slayer who looked to have returned straight from hell itself. She promised that her words were nothing but the truth, no matter how surreal or horrifying they might have been." Zach and Yin gulped. "She said that they noticed a flock of Angels flying towards somewhere near Niflheim, and that if they were to backtrack and go back from where they came, they would get picked off one by one from above. Thus, they wanted to push on forward and find a safe place to wait until the winged harbingers left that place near the Outer Gates. But what they saw was even worse. They had not known it was a Seraphim so she proceeded to describe it. Her words exactly were that it had an empty and absent hole for a face, the top of its head was a circular water ball which was pushing water out of its face. It was wearing a blue tattered armor with an equally destroyed dress at the bottom. They waited for it to pass, but Angels were already onto them, and at that point, it was a question of who would survive the sprint back to Niflheim between them¡­" Yin clenched his jaws in anger. Zach was speechless at what happened to this squad. "So, anyway, I am on guard because of how wet this area is, it looked as if a flood or hurricane had passed through yet we have not even experienced rain back at Niflheim. Perhaps it is connected to that water Seraphim." Vale Ashford said. "That is a plausible explanation. But how sure are we that we would be able to handle it on our own? Just the three of us seems like we are heavily undermanned." Zachary responded back. "You just took a Slayer down not even a week ago, keep your head up, Zach. You two seem stronger than you let on, I trust you on that." The Specter replied with a confident smile. "If the Emperor had not recommended us for this mission, would you still have considered us?" Yin asked in a soft tone. "Of course not! Heh." Vale Ashford chuckled. "Yet I do not feel any regret bringing you both here, I guess I was wrong to doubt you kids, considering you are Six Blades, after all." This gave Yin and Zachary a boost in confidence right after their saddened faces before the Specter said her last line. They continued their journey onwards as the area they were traversing got more and more drenched. Vale signaled them to hush down with her hand and pointed at something in front of her afterwards. The boys looked on and found just what the Specter was actually pointing at. It was the Seraphim. "I-Is that what the girl described it to look like?!" Yin said while trying to lower his voice. "There is no doubt about it, that is the Seraphim." Vale Ashford said while nodding and gritting her teeth. "Are we sure that''s it?" Zach protested. "Yes. So far, there are only three variations of Angels, the newly discovered Wingless Angels, the normal ones, and the Seraphims. Not even the Wingless Angels look like that. Seraphims also exude a different aura than them, they are a cut above the rest. I am guessing the Seraphim you just took down also looked wildly different from the other Angels you have fought before, right?" Yin and Zachary nodded. "There are three Angels currently hovering around the Seraphim. What the hell is it even doing?" Vale asked. The Seraphim was looking down below with the hole it had for a face and the crystalline circle orb it had above its head continued dripping out water out of the hole. There was no doubt about it, this was the most surreal looking Seraphim that mankind has ever seen. "What now, Vale?" Yin was curious what their next move was going to be. "Now we are going to have to wait. I am confident I can take down these three Angels by myself but I have you two to protect so there''s that." Her words were delivered with such ease that both Yin and Zachary felt powerless. "We can fight as well!" Zachary said. "A Seraphim and three Angels, that is four targets that we will not be able to take head on, even if we fought them one against one. Besides, we still do not know what that Seraphim''s goal or abilities are, the only thing we know about it is that it uses water, similar to Water Slayers and their affinities, that would explain that weird floating ball excreting water into its face." "Tch. I am going to be at a disadvantage, then. Damn." Zachary said while looking at his grimoire. "As unfortunate as that seems, that really is the case, Zach." Vale said with a smirk. "But we might just be able to make something out of that disadvantageous match up, Zachary." The Specter thought about how to best use Zach in the battle, she still has not told him this yet. "Lightning conducts over water, right? Does that mean I will have to be the ''bruiser'' this time?" Yin excitedly asked. "That is right, Yin. Just be careful, though. It is not like we are attacking right this instant, we have to observe it and hope that those Angels stray far enough for me to pick them off one by one. We will conduct a plan later when it is alone already." Vale said. Zach was having a hard time trying to grasp that his spells would not be as effective this time around. "I am going to have to go all in on my physical attacks, then." He said to himself. "It is either you both are extremely unlucky or lucky. Heh." Vale smirked as she watched the Seraphim closely, observing every single small movement it did, memorizing its quirks and whatever it did. "To think that you will get to fight a Seraphim once again after just a few days.. That has got to be either two of those." Chapter 127 - The Plan The Angels ascended and spread their wings out, making flapping noises as they left the Seraphim all alone, it still facing its head down as the water dripped out of its nonexistent space where its face should have been if it had one. Zach looked at Vale Ashford''s face intently, as if to ask her without words ¨C "is this our chance?" The Specter knew what the young Slayer meant. She responded back with a nod. "Yin, me and Zachary here will rush the Seraphim head first, you stand back and study its attack patterns, the way it uses spells, everything that you are able to squeeze out of our skirmish, you should best memorize it as best as you can. If I notice that either me or Zach are in imminent danger, we will pull out and that is when you will come in, try to pummel it with lightning attacks but be careful not to step on the water under its feet, you could shock yourself if you are careless." Zach nodded, as well as Yin. They now had a plan formulated after hours of waiting for the Angels beside it to make a move, now was the perfect time wherein it was all alone. Although they were also gambling on the fact that the Angels will not come back immediately, it was worth it in the eyes of the Specter. "On my signal, Zach, bombard it with fireballs or whatever projectile based spell you have in order to distract it and I will creep up behind and try to end it in one blow, that way, we would not need to endanger both of your lives at once." She said. "R-Right, Vale, but what if you fail?" Zach shook his head violently. "I-I am sorry I said that, I am just cautious¡­" "Hah. I understand your worries, Zach, believe me, I do. But even if I were to fail, we could just try again and converge so that Yin is able to see how the Seraphim moves around, isn''t that right, Yin Sohaya?" The Specter said as she turned her head towards Yin. "Y-Yes, ma''am!" "What did I say to you about using that word?" Yin got startled and remembered that it was a sort of a ''must-not'' say word around the Specter. "S-Sorry, Vale." "I am just kidding kid, I trust in both of you." She stood up and drew her blade. "Now, let us take this Seraphim''s head back to Niflheim and show these Archangels what mankind is capable of." Even though the mission was going to rest on the probability that the Angels would not come back and check on the Seraphim, as well as on Yin''s hands whether lightning really will prove to be effective against this Water Seraphim, the Specter was still prioritizing the safety of her underlings. She was not as vocal as Kai Xin and Luken Regalia, but the Specter was a strong Slayer in her own right and in her own way. Yin remembered Suna from the way that the Specter carried herself, with pure poise and confidence in her own abilities. "Now!" She exclaimed, alerting the Seraphim which caused it to look around to see what made that noise. Zachary revealed himself from the bushes and proceeded to cast a whirling fireball right at the Seraphim. Yin observed with sheer focus just how this Seraphim moved. As the Seraphim noticed that a fireball was heading its way, the crystalline orb on top of its head glowed up and caused its face to let a straight beam of powerful water let loose. The water assault extinguished the fireball right as it was airborne in no time. "Tch." Zachary clicked his tongue in an annoyed manner. He knew that his fireball would not ever reach the Seraphim and that it was only supposed to be a decoy in order to buy time for the Specter to wrap herself around where the Seraphim was, but its reaction time was far too quick than Zachary had anticipated. Yin moved positions in order to dodge the beam of water making its way towards him, doing his best to still stay hidden from the Seraphim''s gaze. Zachary was shouting at the Seraphim now, attempting to draw its attention even more. "Hey! I am bringing you down you no-faced sack of shit!" The Fire Slayer exclaimed. The Seraphim, although it had no face began to speak in the same language. "You are weak. Can you even bring down the simplest of our grunts? Sit down and let me tear you apart, do not make it any harder than it should be." One noticeable difference was that this Seraphim was far more articulate than Pugna, her words were coherently phrased and her enunciation was so close to that of a human woman that it was uncanny. This caught Zachary off guard and he began to shake under the pressure. He attempted to retort something back at it but it seemed like the cat got his tongue. "Hm. So they really do talk, how creepy. That is more than enough time for me, Zach." The Specter said as she was now successfully situated behind the Seraphim, ready to gather her step and decapitate the Seraphim in one blow. Zach saw that the Specter was already in position so he climbed down from the trees and annoyed it even further. He casted the whirling fireball spell once again even though it was futile. The Seraphim burst out in laughter. "Hah. How pathetic. Your kind should have died out long ago¡­" The monster said. Yin blinked once and the Specter was already in the air at the back of the Seraphim, ready to take its head out in one slice. But the Seraphim quickly blocked the attack with its arms, wounding it instead of having its head roll down. "I see that there are two of you." The Seraphim''s voice was still distinguishable, its tone was definitely not that of a human''s. That was for certain. Vale Ashford grabbed a smoke bomb from her pocket and threw it at the Seraphim''s face, making way for her to escape just in time. She regrouped on the ground with Zachary who was now much calmer than earlier. "I see that you''re alright now, I was worried that you were far too shook to the point that you would be in no position to fight." Vale said to Zachary. "I am fine, ma''am." Zach said the last word on purpose. They both rushed at the Water Seraphim with their respective weapons drawn. The Seraphim backed off from the assault and composed itself. Water came out of its face and it was hardened into ice to form a trident. "Your entire species should not even be alive at this point, I shall dismember you as it is my duty." It said calmly. The Specter was holding her own against the Seraphim but it was clear that Zachary was out of his element. He was in a battle far too deep to get out of. Vale Ashford was going blow for blow against the Seraphim but her focus was torn between going on the offensive and trying to block the blows aimed at Zach at the same time. Yin desperately tried to find a weakness in its fighting position but he could not find one. The Seraphim was far too nimble for someone of its size. It was taller than Pugna, that was for sure. His eyes focused in on the arm that blocked the Specter''s surprise attack from earlier. "I-It is bleeding from that area¡­So it is not immune against physical attacks like the last one was." Yin thought to himself. It also combined the water beams with its heavy strikes as it pummeled down both Zach and Vale. Zachary blocked the attacks but the physical toll on his body was now obvious. He laid on the ground and crawled off to safety. "Shit. Zach is in trouble." Yin said. The Seraphim held the trident with one hand and began focusing its attack on the Specter only with its right hand holding the trident with the intent to kill. "How the hell can you even see with no eyes?!" The Specter asked the Seraphim. It merely ignored her question and grinned. As its right hand was busy trying to keep Vale Ashford company, the Seraphim''s left hand was now turned into a pointing position with its finger locked in on Zachary. "H-How the hell can this thing use that!?" Vale panicked for a bit. "Would I even make it in time to save Zach?! I do not think Yin is going to make his presence known at this point, we still have not gathered anything about how this thing fights yet!" The Specter was conflicted. Yin knew what attack it was going to throw at Zachary with its fingers pointed like that. There was no question about it, it looked like the attack that the Commander constantly used. At this rate, Zachary was going to be impaled by a concentrated beam of water right through his back. Chapter 128 - Futility Yin thought quick and enchanted the soles of his feet with the black lightning he called forth from above. He sprinted towards Zachary and tackled him away from where the attack was headed towards. He knew that if he were to pick Zach up and carry him away, he would not make it in time. The water beam sounded like waves hitting the ground below, that was how strong it was. Vale Ashford was now rushing at the Seraphim''s footing, trying to catch it off guard. But the Seraphim itself was too shook to even move, so it just stood there taking the attacks from the Specter. "H-How could it be?!" The Seraphim''s unnerving voice was absolutely floored. Vale was confused. "Is it this surprised that we had a third member in our squad or was it surprised that its attack did not reach Zach?" She asked herself. The Seraphim leaped right in front of where Yin was. It caught him off guard. Yin immediately got up and began to attack the Water Seraphim. "Why are you doing this, Thanatos?" The Seraphim asked in a sad tone. "She misses you, he has been longing for your touch for millions of years now¡­" Yin did not react to whatever this monstrous Archangel said but something peculiar was happening, Zachary saw it first hand as he was looking at Yin from the side. Yin Sohaya''s cheeks had tears streaming down from his eyes as though he was weeping. After noticing it, Yin wiped it off and was confused for a brief moment. "Just what is the connection of these Angels and the System I hold?" he asked himself. But quickly snapped out of it and began pummeling at the opponent right in front of him. Vale Ashford was now enchanting her blade with the power of the wind and approached the Seraphim while it was still distracted. Zach did not want to be deadweight in this mission just because he was at a disadvantage when it came to his affinity, he picked up his scythe and began attacking in unison with them. "If I eviscerate these puny humans keeping you chained down, Thanatos, I shall proceed to take you with me." The Seraphim said. Yin did not respond but let his fists do the talking instead. The Seraphim was charging up another water attack, Yin gave the Specter and Zachary a look. They already knew what he meant, the Seraphim still had no idea what his affinity was because he only enchanted the soles of his feet, the black sparks were not that noticeable. It was trying to make the ground as slipper as possible in order to limit their mobility, plus, the wounds it sustained from the earlier attacks were now beginning to heal. "Damn, this one is going to be tough. Tch." The Specter said as she clicked her tongue. Right before the impact of its attack had reached the floor, the three of them cleared out and were now on top of the tree''s branches. "Yin! Now!" Zachary shouted. Yin jumped down towards where the end portion of the puddle was and called forth the black lightning to hit the water puddle. The crackling thunderstorms from above came crashing down and electrocuting the water puddle and the Seraphim itself as well. Yin activated his Binding Chains in order to hold it down at a distance without him being shocked from his own attack. Vale Ashford took this opportunity to blast it with pure waves of air pressure from afar. Zachary was trying to hit it with his flame spells as well. "You are not able to extinguish my flames without your water attacks!" Together, they both alternated between Zachary''s fire balls and Vale''s wind spells while Yin was holding it down. The Seraphim screeched out, it was not expecting that Yin was going to hold it down or that he was a lightning Slayer himself. "Thanatos! Why do you aid these pathetic creatures!? Leave these despicable monkeys and come with me! She is waiting there!" Vale Ashford was now looking at Yin. Not because she was anticipating an answer to this provocation, but because it was not a coincidence anymore. There was no doubt, the Seraphim had called him Thanatos two times already. "Who the hell is Thanatos, Zach?" She asked the Fire Slayer. "Believe me, Vale, I am as clueless as you are! Let us dwell on that after we exterminate this thing!" He replied back. It had been too long ever since Yin used the Binding Chains, his control was far too erratic to stabilize it. He also had not turned many things into dust for awhile so the chain''s links were not as long and sturdy as it should have been. The Seraphim wriggled itself aggressively in order to get out of the conundrum it was in and successfully managed to break the chains into dust. "There is no doubt about it, your powers, you definitely are him." The Seraphim said with a creepy grin on its face. "Very well, then I will start with your cohorts." The Seraphim looked towards where Zachary was and extinguished his fireballs with water coming out from the void where it should have had a face in. After that, he aimed his trident at the Fire Slayer. "Shit, he is going to throw it! Get down!" The Specter shouted at Zachary but he was frozen in place. "Am I really going to die like this? Being impaled into a tree by a Seraphim from far away?" Zachary thought to himself as he felt life flash before his very eyes itself. The Specter jumped towards the same tree Zach was in and attempted to parry the massive trident with her own blade. She successfully did so but it was not without its repercussions. Her sword was pushed too far back into her that her shoulders were wounded by it as her sword broke off in two. "Vale!" Yin shouted from below and then rushed at the Seraphim with his fists enchanted with black lightning. "A-Are you alright, Vale?!" Zachary could not help but feel this was his fault. "This is nothing, kid." The Specter replied as she removed the blade of her sword embedded on her shoulder. "I better ask the blacksmith back at Niflheim to have sturdier weapons, though." She joked about the whole situation before leaping down to help Yin who was slowly getting overpowered by the Seraphim. Although he was frightened at the sheer disadvantage in his affinity against this opponent, Zach swallowed his fear and followed shortly after. Their battle gone on for another ten minutes with the Seraphim clearly holding back, only the Specter was now left standing as she could not really focus on the offensive because of how much the Seraphim was targeting Zach. Bloodied and bruised, she took out a knife and stood in front of Yin and Zach. "Before you are even able to lay a finger on them, you have to go through me, monster." "Then I shall gladly pierce my hand through your heart." The Seraphim said calmly. The attack was stopped by the arrival of someone, though. Right behind the Seraphim was a familiar person. Someone which Yin had seen only once but heard tales of horror about, it was Adam Rosa. His black single wing flapped about and he had an angered expression on his face. "Are you really one of the Twelve Seraphims if it is taking you this long to finish what you said you would do?" He asked the Water Seraphim. "H-He is talking to it like it answers directly to him¡­" Yin pointed out. "What the hell are you doing here, Adam!?" The Specter shouted at the blonde SSS Rank Slayer. "Answer me!" "Be quiet, Vale. I have no time for the likes of you." He said to the Specter right before whispering something to the Seraphim which caused it to back off and create some distance between them. Adam Rosa''s eyes locked in on Yin. "Interesting, so you really did choose to do it, huh?" The white haired Slayer was confused by his choice of words. "What did he mean by ''doing it''?" Yin asked himself. "Could it be that he knows of me merging with the System itself?!" "The way that you are right now, it is absolutely not worth it to bring you towards the castle in the distance." The Reaper said poetically. "A-Adam Rosa¡­" Zach had already lost hope after seeing him. "There is no way we can take these two on with just the three of us¡­No freaking way¡­" "That might be the case, Zach, but I am not dying dishonorably." Vale said as she turned her head at the boys accompanying her on this mission. "Come! Adam!" She said while wielding the knife she took out earlier. "Do not make me laugh, Vale.. It would be a waste clashing blades with you the way that you are right now. I guess you really are not used to fighting while protecting a couple of weaklings, eh?" Chapter 129 - Traitorous Reaper The traitorous SSS Ranked Slayer Adam Rosa was berating Vale Ashford now. "I truly do wonder what made you work in a squad with other Slayers, Vale. Especially ones who are not even average at stealth. Who forced you into this? Look what this has done to you. I know you kids probably did not recognize it, but as I was watching the battle from afar, it was clear that the Specter was not prioritizing her own offensive skillsets against the Seraphim, instead, she was busy trying to figure out ways and actions as to how to bail you out of trouble." Adam Rosa said softly but his words were definitely heavy and has some truth to it. A truth that the boys did not recognize. "You thought you were in even footing with an S Ranked Slayer? Did you really think your strengths would suffice to bring down a single Seraphim? What a pity. I wonder what kind of nonsense Luken and Gavin have been implanting inside your heads. I know I used to have said that they continued the tradition of the Six Blades in recruiting exemplary and promising Slayers. But the way that I see you two right now, it seems I was wrong." The SSS Rank Slayer said to them bluntly. "Enough, sir Adam!" Vale attempted to quiet the man down but he did not. Zachary pulled himself together and gripped his scythe once again. "Do not dare mock Gavin and sir Luken''s decision. Are you saying they should not have wasted Six Blades slots on us?!" The Fire Slayer was now worked up. Yin also focused on Adam Rosa, trying to gauge him and whether he could actually bring the Reaper down. The Reaper ignored Zachary and merely looked at Yin''s red pupils. "Someday, those red sanguine eyes of yours will drag everything down to the deepest depths of hell." After seeing Zachary''s anger towards what Adam Rosa said, Vale Ashford desperately attempted to stop Zachary from charging in. "Zach! Stop it!" She shouted to the boy, but it was far too late for her warnings. The Fire Slayer was already seeing red from all of his pent up rage at what the Reaper just muttered out. He basically insulted his and Yin''s higher ups and called their decisions to invite them to the Six Blades as a ''waste.'' "There is no way I am going to let this shit slide." Zach said. "Back me up if you want, Yin, even if you do not, I am charging in regardless." With a quick first step, Zachary enchanted his feet with his blue flickering flames to boost his speed. But it was done in a hurry to the point that it was not as effective. Adam Rosa held the scythe with his bare hands, stopping it mid air. "I stand by what I have said. I do not see anything extraordinary in you. Your blue flames mean nothing if you cannot use it well." He said to Zachary right before kicking his stomach and sending him flying across. The Specter threw several daggers at the Reaper but he just dodged them gracefully and with no effort. Yin clenched his fists and activated his Nix Eyes. Turning his pupils into a snow white color all the while giving him a masquerade which formed out of thin air. "I''ll drag you back to Niflheim, traitor." "Stop it, Yin! Our best chance at surviving now would be to regroup with Zachary and retreat!" Vale said to him. But Yin wanted to prove a point. He desperately wanted to defend his and Zach''s honor and to prove to the traitorous Reaper that the Commander and the Serpent Summoner did not make a mistake by choosing them to join the Six Blades. Yin summoned the binding chains and tried to catch Adam Rosa with it, the latter just jumped upwards and narrowly dodged his chains. "What a waste." He mouthed out. Yin had not tried to pair the Nix Eyes with his black lightning yet, as the physical toll it would give his body would be overbearing, but he was willing to risk it all right now. Yin Sohaya dashed around the place, trying to confuse the Reaper''s sense of perception and to ultimately charge up his speed for one swift punch. Time seemed to stop in the moment that Yin was on the course towards his final attack at Adam. Despite this, Yin could have sworn that Adam Rosa knew exactly where he would attack. "Go to sleep, Yin." Those were the last words Yin would ever remember today. The Reaper met Yin''s face with a punch of his own while dodging Yin''s attack, sending the Slayer unconscious. "Yin!" The Specter wanted to have her way with Adam Rosa. Yet something was stopping her in her tracks. Deep inside, she knew that they were only alive right then and there because of his intervention, whether he did this on purpose or not is unknown. But ultimately, what kept her from rushing in and attempting to land an attack was not the fact that she did not have any throwing knives left in her belt, nor was it the fact that her sword had been severed in half. It was fear. The fear of the Reaper was still fresh inside everybody''s heart. How an honorable and distinguished SSS Rank Slayer like himself, someone who had only come once in a generation ¨C decided to kill members of his own organization and joined the ranks of the Angels as a human, the answer made Vale shudder. She respected Adam Rosa and looked up to him, she was even excited every single time she got picked for a conquest in hopes that the squad leader would be the soft spoken yet strong Reaper. "Tell me, sir Adam, what turned you into the way that you are now? You are barely even a human at this point." The Specter asked him. "First of all, you do not need to call me ''sir'' anymore, Vale. I have long abandoned the life of a Slayer. You ask of what it is exactly that drove me into doing what I am doing now? It is quite simple, dear Vale." He said as he walked towards the S Rank Wind Slayer. His footsteps muffled and careful, as if each step was done to not make a sound. "God came before me and asked me what I truly wanted deep inside, what my utmost desire was, what it was which would be able to fulfill my existence. And you know what I said in return? I told him that I wanted wings." Adam Rosa said while leaning in close at the Specter''s face, making her tremble and her lips pale. He motioned for the Water Seraphim to come near him. "We are leaving, Hai." He said to the Archangel. "But Adam, what of the bearer of the System?'' Hai the Water Slayer pointed at Yin''s unconscious body. "Leave him be, at this point, he is not worth anything at all. The same goes for these two he came with." The Reaper said as he waved The Specter farewell. Both he and Hai vanished into the night. Somewhere where the moonlight cold not reach, even deeper into the forest where they were. "If you had just finished them off even sooner, it could have been a wonderful sight." Adam said as he tilted his head at Hai in disappointment. "B-But Adam, I did not expect Thanatos to turn his might against me¡­" Hai said in an apologetic tone. "My legs grow weary, let us fly." The Reaper said joyfully as his black half-wing came out of his back. Together they soared through the skies, as their silhouettes became smaller and smaller because of the distance. "Dammit!" The Specter exclaimed while smacking the wet ground below. Meanwhile Zachary carried Yin towards her. "Tell me Zachary Lancaster, just what is Yin Sohaya?" She asked after seeing his binding chains and Nix Eyes activated. "No other Slayer in the Corps has the same skillset and abilities that he currently possesses. What the hell is this boy and his connection to the Seraphims?" It was only natural for Vale Ashford to doubt Yin as she was still shaken by the encounter. "I for one am as clueless as you for the most part. But for someone who has connections with the Angels or Seraphims as you have said, he sure does risk his life in combat against them more than once already. I am sure his heart and intent are in the right place." Zachary said with a faint expression. "Am I wrong to think that maybe the traitorous Reaper''s arrival stopped us from being obliterated by the Water Seraphim?" Zachary asked Vale. "I do not know.. But it seemed like even the Twelve Seraphims are under the hand of Adam Rosa¡­Just what is his goal siding with the harbingers bent on destroying mankind?" Vale was as clueless as every Slayer in the Corps. Chapter 130 - Hai And Adam "Could we call this mission a failure, Vale?" Zachary asked him while limping back carefully, trying to see whether monsters or Angels were on them. "No. It is most definitely not. We did not lose anyone and we managed to squeeze some kind of information about the traitor Adam Rosa ¨C back then known as the SSS Rank Reaper. We know that the Twelve Seraphims are under the palm of his slimy little hands." She said while gritting her teeth. "Y-You are correct." Zach retorted back. After making it to the Outer Gates while carrying Yin, Isabelle was there. "Greetings, Vale Ashford. I am here to check the squad member''s numbers and their well-being as well as safety." She said while looking at a piece of paper she carried around. After a couple of seconds of penning something in, she left and thanked the Specter for her time. "Tch. Annoying boot licker." The Specter said under her breath when Isabelle was out of there. "You do not seem to like that woman, Vale, might I ask why?" Zachary said. "Maybe another time, Zachary, go to the Grand Castle and rest up, I will visit you both in the morning. When Yin wakes up, tell him I require an explanation as to what and who this ''Thanatos'' fellow is and why the traitor and Seraphim were calling him that. That is all, you are dismissed." Vale Ashford vanished in the dead of night after being one with the shadows. Zachary shook Yin whom he was carrying on his shoulders to wake up him. "Hey. Did you hear that? No response, eh?" The sound of distant birds chirping signaled the rising of the Sun. It was a new day. Zach could barely open his eyes from the post muscle fatigue he felt from fighting yesterday, but he jolted up from his bed as he felt someone was in his peripheral vision, standing up menacingly while staring at him. It was the Serpent Summoner, Gavin Khalil. "Good morning, Zach. I heard from the Specter herself about how the mission went. That should not have been the appropriate mission for you two to undertake, I apologize." The Serpent Summoner said while bowing his head in regret. His actions deeply annoyed the Fire Slayer instead of calming him down. "Keep your head up, Gavin. There was nothing wrong in including me and Yin in on that mission with Vale. Why do you seem to regret it?" Zach asked him. "You could have been killed by Adam and that Water Seraphim, and from what I have heard from Vale, it came quite close to that. So, that is why I am apologizing." Gavin said. "Quit pampering us, Gavin, we are not any different from the soldiers of Niflheim, from other Slayers, our ranks as Six Blades members do not overshadow our lack of strength." Zach retorted back as he was obviously getting more and more worked up. "What has gotten into you?" Gavin finally asked him. The insecurities of what Adam Rosa said to him which was slowly creeping up to his thoughts as he slept that night was on full display. "You apologize as if we are not strong enough to be there in the front lines against these monsters and Seraphims. Nothing is certain in battle, Gavin. We could die at anytime and one of us might not make it every single time. The most important thing is that we do our best and pour our blood, sweat, and Anima cells in fighting for Niflheim and mankind as a whole. Now tell me this, do you regret inviting me and Yin to the Six Blades?" His question struck a nerve with Gavin. The Serpent Summoner approached Zach with a stern expression, his hand raised up indicating an attack shortly after. Zach closed his eyes in anticipation of it, yet it never came. What actually transpired was Gavin placing his hand on top of Zachary Lancaster''s head. "Of course not. You two are definitely worth the slot you take up in the organization. I am proud of both of you. Never forget that." The Serpent Summoner said softly while Zachary calmed down. "T-That is what Adam Rosa told us back then." Zach confessed to Gavin. "I see. That is just like him. He is a twisted person, he probably did it to provoke you." Gavin replied. Someone knocked on the door, Gavin walked towards it and peeked through the hole. It was Vale Ashford, the Specter. "Oh. Gavin. It is good that you are here, I have a couple of things to tell you more regarding what happened which I have not said yet." She said. Yin Sohaya was still asleep. Odd. It seemed like Yin was easily getting unconscious every single time that he stresses his powers. "It is about Yin and this ''Thanatos'' fellow." The Specter said as she took a chair and sat by the window. "This is an awfully crumpled room, are you guys sure you are fine here?" She asked Zach. "I-It is good enough for the two of us, Vale, no need to take it up to the higher ups." Zach said. "Very well, if you say so. By the way, I am the ''higher ups'' that you speak of." The Specter chuckled. Vale proceeded to tell Gavin everything about what had happened, and not just a hurried version of what she told the Serpent Summoner last night. A gust of cold air welcomed its way into the room, giving everyone situated there the feeling of chills. "Hm. So, that is why you asked about this ''Thanatos'' fellow, huh?" Gavin said. The Specter nodded after telling him the whole story. "Still, it is definitely a surprise to know that Adam Rosa is far above than the Twelve Seraphims in terms of authority. He really has cozied up in his new allegiance with the Angels." Gavin''s words were calm yet his actions said otherwise. He clenched his fists and jaws. "The next time I ever lay my eyes on that piece of shit, I am never holding back." "Calm down, Gavin. Reserve your anger for your eventual meeting." The Specter said to him. "That is not the only information that we are able to bring back from our mission. We also have records of how Hai, the Water Seraphim fights. That is what Adam Rosa called him. An odd name if I do say so myself. I will send it to the Emperor first and then to you first thing tomorrow. "Pugna, the Seraphim we faced before this mission with Kai Xin also pointed out how Yin was someone named ''Thanatos'', the Seraphim was even confused as to why Yin was attacking it." Zachary added. "Should we really assume that this ''Thanatos'' person has some kind of connection to the Angels and Seraphims this early?" Gavin shook his head lightly. "We have to gather more information about that name and what it means, that is precisely what I am doing in the underbellies of the Grand Castle''s library day in and night." "So that is what Gavin has been doing here." Zachary thought to himself as he realized why the Serpent Summoner had not gone home yet. "And what of your findings, does it show anything significant so far?" Vale asked the Serpent Summoner. "No. I have noticed some missing pages from a few books which should have explicitly mentioned Thanatos; I believe that Adam Rosa, the SSS Rank Slayer turned traitor has brought them with him, he has either wanted to keep on studying them or has resorted to burning them." Gavin said. "Forgive me for asking, Gavin. But what does Artorias think about all of this, so far?" I have not yet told him about Adam''s sudden appearance at your mission yesterday, but I am sure his connections have already pieced two and two together and he already knows about it. I actually asked him directly after Adam''s betrayal what he would do if they ever met outside the battlefield, and believe me when I say that that was the first time he ever showed such bloodlust in his gaze in the time that I have known him. It even scared me." The Serpent Summoner sighed as he wiped the sweat off from his head. "At this point, he and Luken Regalia are the only ones who can go toe to toe against the Reaper. I do not think it would end lightly." Vale Ashford uttered. "Why don''t we just bring him back to Niflheim and bring the information out of him by force? Just make a squad with the Basilisk Slayer and the Commander, they can manage their own weight against him, right?" Zachary''s question definitely made sense. "You have to consider the fact that Adam Rosa has only shown himself a grand total of two times after he murdered the past Six Blades except me and Luken, Zach. He is not exactly someone who is easy to find and pinpoint.." Gavin said to the Fire Slayer. Chapter 131 - A Familiar Realm Yin noticed some cold particles brush up on his face. This caused him to wake up and see a familiar place he had already been countless of times before - inside the System. "You better get up, Yin Sohaya, lest you wish to catch a cold." The Creator''s voice sad from a distance. "Y-Yeah. I am up. Why am here again, Creator?" Yin asked the Creator who had a black void-like silhouette he called a body still. "You are here for you want to be. This is what your heart desires, to return to a realm where you feel the most warmth. How are your eyes?" "My eyes?" Yin was taken aback by the Creator''s sudden interest in his eyes. That was when he realized that he was referring to the Nix Eyes and not his literal eyes themselves. "O-Oh. I still cannot control it for long, it also gets strained extra whenever I use my affinity along with it¡­" Yin responded back. "Do not worry. That pain and shortly timed usage will go away in time." The Creator answered. "You might be wondering about something else, eh? I am sure of it, you should not even be here at all if that was not the case." "You can read my mind?" Yin asked him. "No. My dear Yin, I cannot. You are going to have to speak your question out if you wish for it to be answered without delay." "Very well, Creator. I am still confused why I have not received daily quests at all. How am I supposed to become stronger and level up if I am not even given the daily amount of quests which I used to have prior to turning level 10?" Yin wanted to know. The Creator approached Yin and pulled his hand. "We should seek shelter. It would be far too cold to talk here under the hail of snow." The Creator led Yin to the same room from where he could only look at, into the room with the old piano. "Have a seat." He said. Yin obliged and took the seat in front of the massive wooden organ. "To answer your question, Yin. It would be far too easy for you to only do menial exercise and bodily activities just to level up the same way you did prior to merging with the system, right?" "What is your point, Creator? Would you just tell it to me straight? I have to get back to the real world as soon as possible! I should not even be held up here for no reason at all!" Yin exclaimed. The white haired Slayer was now getting worked up over being stuck in the dimension of the System, he was here instead of being out there, training and getting ready to be deployed to another mission. "I have already told you. I did not summon you here. I only have the ability to summon your presence back when you were still not one with the System. Before the merge happened, that is. You are here because you wish to, you have questions, or you wish to do something else. That is where I come into play, I will answer your inquiries." The Creator responded with a bow at Yin, much like a butler would to his master. "Keep your head up, I am sorry to shout at you." Yin felt bad for raising his voice at the Creator. "Very well, to answer your question, you will no longer have exercises and such in order to level up, from now on, the System is still acclimating to your soul, you will know when your next quest is available, the red flashing message of the System is impossible to ignore for the System carrier, you are no exemption of that." His playful tone turned into a more mischievous one. "But hear my words, Yin, that man that you have just fought, Adam Rosa, he means business." "Y-You, how do you know him?" "His renown transcends the realm of the living and the dead. The Reaper is not someone you should ever take lightly, especially at this point of your maturity. Focus on leveling up and going on missions or whatever the System might tell you to do so that you can level up, do not expect the same easy tasks that were given to you when you were still a lower level carrier." The Creator cleared his voice and coughed it out. "Now, would that be all? I wish to return to my slumber, dear Yin." "No. I still have one last question for you right now. Just what is the System''s connection to the Seraphims and Angels? Every single time I have come across them, they have gone and called me ''Thanatos'', almost like they know I am one with the System at this point. Do you mind telling me why that seems to be the case?" Yin was definitely worried about this one. Yet the Creator shoved it off and chuckled as if Yin was telling some kind of joke to him. "Much like before, Yin Sohaya, I am not able to answer your question as of now. When the proper time comes, I will tell you the true nature and purpose of the System, but for now, make sure you do not own up and tell them that you are a carrier of the Thanatos System, especially not in the vicinity of those filthy Slayers. Do not disclose anything at all about the Thanatos System. Feign ignorance if you have to in the face of your closest friends. This is only for your own sake. If you wish to save your own skin, pretend as though your powers and abilities merely appeared out of thin air." The Creator''s words were shaky as if he was afraid of something. "You are telling me to lie to my brothers-in-arms. To the people who have recognized me as one of their own, to my fellow soldiers who I have bled through in the battlefield outside the Outer Gates-" Yin got interrupted quickly by the Creator. "What good do you think you are able to do when bound in chains underneath the dungeons of the Grand Castle!?" The Creator exclaimed. Yin was silent. This was the first time the Creator ever raised his voice when they talked here. "I-I am sorry for losing my composure, Yin. Just trust me for now. When the higher ups know of the System and its specific name, you will be sent somewhere dark where your friends will never be able to reach you." The Creator said. "Very well. I will not press the matter on any further. But you should know that I am going to conduct my own investigations, because there is definitely something, some kind of connection or a link between the winged harbingers mankind has been trying to fight for millions of years now and the Thanatos System." Yin responded back. The Creator had no words to retort at the white haired Slayer. "I will be taking my leave now." Yin said as he placed his fingers on the piano in front of him and played a symphony which his mind automatically knew after merging with the System weeks ago. As the melodies harmonized together and the notes were struck in a perfect manner, the flowers outside the room from whence they came withered away. The snow fractals themselves were withered as well. "Good luck, Yin Sohaya." The Creator said as he bid him farewell. "Come anytime you wish." His black void of a body waved at the white haired Slayer. Yin was now finally in the real world. He noticed some fruits on the table, but no sign of Zachary and even the Specter. He reached out for an apple, his body was still aching from the battle yesterday, a note dropped out from the basket wherein the fruits were placed in. "Yin, once you feel like your body is able to move, please meet me in the Grand Castle''s courtyard." ¨C Gavin When Yin Sohaya got there, the Serpent Summoner, the Specter, Zachary, and even the Basilisk Slayer were there waiting for him. "Are you well now, Yin?" Vale Ashford asked him. "Y-Yeah. I can move now, unlike yesterday after what had happened." Yin replied back. Artorias Khalil stepped in and approached Yin Sohaya. "How did your skirmish against Adam Rosa go?" Yin noticed that the Basilisk Slayer was tense, aggressive, even. "I-I could not best him. I am sorry." Yin said while keeping his chin down. "That much is obvious. But I have a question for you, Yin. Why do the Angels and Seraphims seem to call you a specific name every time your squad comes across them during missions?" The Basilisk Slayer pressed the matter on by slowly approaching Yin even more. "I do not know. Sir." Yin replied with a straight face, his red orbs not one to look away from Artorias Khalil himself.. He remained calm and composed even right in front of someone as intimidating as the top one ranked Slayer. Chapter 132 - Fiasco With no delay whatsoever, the Basilisk Slayer removed his great sword from his back and immediately pointed the weapon at Yin Sohaya. "W-What are you doing, sir Art?!" Yin exclaimed as the number one ranked Slayer himself was about to attack Yin. The white haired C Rank Slayer could do nothing but dodge recklessly as the Basilisk Slayer was giving out each slash his all. His eyes met the Serpent Summoner''s gaze and pleaded him for help. "He only wants to test something out, Yin! Bear with him for a while!" Gavin shouted back at his Six Blades junior. "Come on, Yin, prove to us that you are not some sort of sleeper agent the Angels have sent to Niflheim to destroy it from the inside¡­" His thoughts had already been fixated on the worst possible situation. Thirty minutes ago, before Yin had gotten out of bed and was in the System''s dreams attempting to talk and squeeze the information out of the Creator, Vale Ashford, also known as the Specter, convened some sort of plan in order to test Yin''s loyalty in an improvised manner. "As much as I would hate doubting Yin Sohaya''s integrity and loyalty towards mankind, we really have to do this¡­" Vale said to the group consisting of Zachary Lancaster, Artorias Khalil, and Gavin Khalil. They gathered around the courtyard trying to devise what the best plan would be to sniff out whether Yin is with the Angels like Adam Rosa is. "My instincts tell me that the kid is clean, Vale." Artorias said while shrugging his shoulders. "But we should still do this nevertheless, just in case, you know?" He said. "I still do not get why we are doubting one of our own, he had plenty of opportunities to kill me and Luken outside the Outer Gates when we were sent on that suicide of a mission with the fifty other kid Slayers, but nothing happened." Gavin pointed it out. "With all due respect to your words and you, Gavin, the fact that you are a Six Blades member, under the same banner as Yin Sohaya is, makes your statements a bit clouded by bias. Sorry." The Specter brushed off Gavin''s words under the rug and still wanted to push through with her plan. Zachary raised his arms up and Vale acknowledged it. "I am well aware that I am a member of the Six Blades myself, so my words might not carry a lot of weight because of your pre-conceived notions of bias, but you yourself saw how Yin fought against Hai the Water Seraphim back then, did you not, Vale? Why are you doubting him now? It would have been for the best to let me die by that water wave? If he was a traitor like the Reaper, he would not have risked his life to swoop in and save me." Zachary Lancaster said. "You make a good point, boy." Artorias Khalil said as he thought about something himself. "Yet this course of action and plan presented by the Specter is not only for her peace of mind or yours, it is also for your safety as well." The Basilisk Slayer told Zachary. "What exactly do you two plan to do, even?" Gavin asked them." That is simple, my dear brother, we are going to force his hand, if he does have anything up his sleeve, that is for certain." The Specter placed a note inside the Serpent Summoner''s pocket without him noticing it. Zachary''s quick reflexes did, however. His eyes locked with the Specter''s, but she just motioned for him to keep quiet as she mouthed out. "Just trust me." To which Zach did. "I would definitely appreciate it if you respond sincerely just this once, Art. I do not want you shaking up my juniors." Gavin was serious in telling this to his brother. "Alright, Gav. Jeez, calm down, man." Artorias raised his arms up and drew his large inhuman sword out. "There is no better truth serum than fear, always remember that." He said. Fast forward to the current situation and Yin was busy trying to create some distance between him and the Basilisk Slayer, but it was getting more and more futile by the minute. The Basilisk Slayer did not answer to Yin''s pleas and questions as to why he was doing this. Instead, Vale Ashford was the one shouting out responses. "We know what you really are, Yin! All we need is for you to confess that you are in league with the Angels and the deserter and traitor who is Adam Rosa!" Vale shouted. "M-Me?! A traitor?!" Yin was perplexed. "I know I am not supposed to tell you this yet, Gavin, but I think the Specter slipped something into your pockets, it would be best to read it now so we both get the picture already." The Serpent Summoner immediately dug through his pocket and found the small piece of paper. He opened it and was surprised at what his eyes saw. "I know this seems very cruel for Yin Sohaya, Gavin. Believe me, I really do, I fought with this kid out there and I know his heart is clean and pure. He does not harbor the animosity and lingering scent of blood that a traitor does like that traitor Adam did when we last met him. But me and the Basilisk Slayer, your dear brother was instructed to do this by the High Council. I am sorry for this, I hope you play along. They are watching us even right this very moment, which is why we are doing this. We hope you play along with this make believe interrogation." It ended with the Specter''s signature which Gavin easily recognized. "Heh. So that is how it is, huh?" The Serpent Summoner clenched his jaws and whispered something into Zachary Lancaster''s ears. Telling the Fire Slayer about what he read in the note, but he also told him not to make any sudden movements which might throw the fiasco off. "I do not know what you are talking about at all!" Yin exclaimed as he ducked another slice from the Basilisk Slayer''s monstrous great sword. "Shit. Why are they doing this!?" Yin was trying to remember whether he did something which warranted being chased down by Artorias Khalil himself. "What the actual hell is happening?! Is what the Creator warned about turning into a reality? Should I just tell the truth now?!" Yin was contemplating whether or not to own up to the truth that he was the System''s carrier if they even knew it at all. "But there is something wrong with how the Basilisk Slayer is moving, how do I put it? I should not even be able to dodge him at any given point considering our disparity in strengths. If this were a real fight, I would have been mince meat already ever since the first second that the fight started!" He thought to himself. After finally getting cornered by Artorias Khalil, Yin now had no means of escaping at all, he did not wish to draw his gauntlets nor to use his powers at another human being. In his fear and confusion after seeing the Basilisk Slayer raise up his gigantic sword, preparing to slice him from the head to toe, Yin could do nothing but close his eyes and shield the attack with his hands. "I do not think my decay aura would catch him off guard at all! Is this really how my life ends?" Yin Sohaya trembled on his feet. Their little interrogation and way to get a confession out of Yin was stopped by the Serpent Summoner appearing out of nowhere and blocking his brother''s downward sword slash with his delicate knives. "That is enough, Art. Unless you want to fight me for real here?" Gavin was not joking at all. "He is already scared, what more of a confession do you want to hear from him? He knew that his life was in danger from the moment you stepped up and first drew your sword. He could have confessed any time during that but he relented and kept asking what the hell''s happening. Do you get me?" "Yeah. I do get you. I believe that is enough for now." Artorias Khalil and the Specter walked out of the courtyard together, somewhere into the city. Gavin extended his hand to Yin who was still trembling. "I am sorry for that, Yin." He said as the white haired Slayer took his hand and helped himself up. "They were onto the fact that the Seraphims and Angels kept calling you ''Thanatos'' every single time that you went out for a mission, Yin." Zachary said. "I keep telling you, that is a mistake! There is no way I am someone other than myself!" Yin exclaimed. "Calm down. We were defending you. Let us talk inside our quarters with Gavin." Zach said as the three of them went inside the Grand Castle to catch a breather. Yin had an annoyed expression on his face.. "Am I supposed to accept what just happened and all those allegations without an explanation?!" He asked the two Six Blades members. Chapter 133 - Summoning It was late afternoon already; the sun was beginning to set down. Yin was upset because the Serpent Summoner still had not told him what the big idea was. Zach was not saying anything as well. Both of them were just exchanging glances. "You still have not told me why sir Artorias thought I was in with the Angels and chased me around with his sword!" Yin exclaimed at Gavin for good reason. "Is now a good time, Gavin?" Zachary asked the Serpent Summoner. "No. Not yet." Gavin replied. An hour later, their window was covered pitch black by the Basilisk Slayer''s dragon, Amara. Her wings flapped and covered the skies behind them. Gavin got up and opened the window only to see that the Specter, Vale Ashford was riding with his brother. "Did you read the note already?" She asked Gavin. The Serpent Summoner responded with a nod. "Sorry for what had happened earlier, Yin. Get on. We will explain everything to you." The Specter told the white haired Slayer. Yin was still upset but if he did not come with them, he was not going to know why what happened earlier transpired in of itself. "Get on, quick. While I still have them distracted." Artorias said to the three of them in the room. Zachary''s eyebrows raised up. "Them? Does that mean we do not have the eyes of the High Council hot on our tail now?" He asked himself before climbing up the window and getting on Amara. Gavin followed shortly after and motioned Yin to do the same. "Come, Yin, we are going to tell you the truth behind what just happened in the courtyard. But if you choose not to do as we say, we would still understand ¨C after what Art did to you, that is." Gavin said while looking grim. "It is fine. I will come with you." Yin made his decision and hopped on top of Amara. "I would assume this is the first time most of you have had the chance to ride on a dragon, right?" The Basilisk Slayer asked them as if the courtyard incident had not happened at all. Amara flew up to the sky and snuffed the candles in the room out, leaving the Grand Castle by breaking sound barriers flying upwards. "You should be the one to tell Yin, Art. After what you had just made him go through." Gavin said sternly. "Both you and Vale should both tell him now." The Specter took Yin''s hand. "I am sorry for what happened, Yin Sohaya. I truly am. Keep in mind that I have only ever doubted you for a second and have never felt that way afterwards. I am going to leave the important details to Artorias here, since he was the one the High Council gave the instructions to first, only after then did they call me into their halls." The Basilisk Slayer cleared his throat and asked Yin to sit next to him. "First of all, you did a good job dodging my half assed strikes back there!" He said casually. Yin clicked his tongue in anger, he was not in the mood for jokes. He rarely got mad but this time, Yin was exactly exuding those emotions. "Relax, Yin lad, I am joking. Anyway, about those old cretins in the High Council, what really happened was¡­" Artorias Khalil ¨C The Basilisk Slayer''s perspective a few hours after Yin Sohaya, Zachary Lancaster, and Vale Ashford got back from their mission. "We have decided to summon you in front of us for a reason that you probably know as to why already." Willis Zafron, the High Council''s leader said from up above his seat. "Our scouts have reported seeing the Emerald Dragon, Amara up in the skies scouting over the Specter''s group. Is it safe to assume that you went with them despite having no orders to deploy yourself outside the Gates for a mission?" He asked. "Hey, I just wanted to go outside for some fresh air. The atmosphere in the Grand Castle is suffocating, with you being here and all." The Basilisk Slayer said with a smirk on his face. Chatters were heard among the High Council''s members as they whispered words in each other, just not audible enough to be heard by Artorias Khalil. "Alright, I knew Vale Ashford''s mission was going to be to dispatch of a Seraphim on her own. I followed her and noticed that the unranked Fire Slayer, Zachary Lancaster and the C Rank Lightning Slayer Yin Sohaya was with her, I did not intervene in their fight against the Water Seraphim at all. Although if they were in a situation hanging between the fine line of life and death, I am sure I would have swooped down and helped them, but I didn''t." "So, you watched the whole thing unfold? You are not the only one who has eyes on those Slayers. Specifically, Yin Sohaya¡­" "Yeah, his powers might be weird and all, it is pretty unorthodox, but hey, as long as they work, right?" Artorias was troubled. "Did they hear the Seraphim call him ''Thanatos'' already?" The Basilisk Slayer asked himself. Wilhelm laughed at the Basilisk Slayer. "We heard it, Artorias, we heard it well and clear. There was a time when we could have killed that boy right where he stood when they first got back from the Outer Gates. Tch. If only Luken Regalia and Gavin Khalil had not interfered, maybe then we could have killed the boy just before the Emperor himself walked in!" The High Council''s leader got worked up but soon found his composure. "Shit. Since when did these fools find the time of the day to send in their scouts that far?" Artorias "The High Council does not know of this ''Thanatos'' fellow. But it is clear that the Seraphim called him that, whether it is by mistake or if the Archangel really was familiar with Yin Sohaya, he is far too dangerous and unpredictable to be left alive." "What are you suggesting, Wilhelm? That we kill the kid?!" The Basilisk Slayer raised his voice while asking the question. "You said it yourself, Artorias. Perhaps it is best to deal with these types of problems before it is actually revealed that the boy is in fact a sleeper agent for the Angels and Seraphims outside. Take the root out from the soil before it begins to grow." Wilhelm said with a sinister tone. "Our knowledge and information about him are still not concise enough to come up with a conclusion. Do you want to put a kid to death because of the possibility he might or might not be something that you fear he is?!" Artorias Khalil was enraged. "I will not allow it. Either we come up with a compromise or I am hanging my mantle up as the Basilisk Slayer and telling everyone just how sick you fossils are." "How foolish you are to oppose us and our decisions, Artorias. It would seem that you have forgotten who it is that continues to power the red barriers of the Outer Gates. It is us, the High Council!" Wilhelm exclaimed. "Let me intimidate him and try to get him to admit your allegations. That is the extent of what I am willing to do. If you wish to get your hands dirtied by spilling the kid''s blood. I will personally come back here and show you the same hostility as you did to him. Mark my words." After saying that, the Basilisk Slayer left the halls without looking back. He knew that his strength as absolute. His renown is a bit chipped but he was the real deal, if he were to leave the Slayer Corps, the army would be in shambles. And the High Council knew that as well, so they did not oppose the Basilisk Slayer when he threatened to quit. Artorias Khalil came across Vale Ashford on his way out. "Did you get summoned by them as well?" He asked her. "Yeah. Let us talk about it afterwards, meet me in the city''s entrance after I am through here. It would seem as though I am summoned for the same reason as you. Whatever it might be." The Specter said. "Very well." Thirty minutes after the Specter''s summons by the High Council, Artorias Khalil was already by the entrance, waiting for her. "Hey, so what was that about?" He asked her. "I guess I was right, though I definitely wish I was not. I was summoned to talk about the Seraphim calling out to Yin by the word ''Thanatos.'' They already told me that you opposed in the plan to kill him plainly, I am grateful for that. She bowed her head at the Basilisk Slayer. "We should just pretend to interrogate him, do not tell anyone of this, I will write a note in order to inform the others of it. We can tell Yin after we are safe from the eyes and ears of the High Council.. Be careful, they are everywhere." Chapter 134 - Vanishing Of A Friend "Err. So, that is basically what transpired while you were asleep. I would like to apologize once more, Yin. I was only using like ten percent of my strength to slam the sword against you, of course, I trusted that you had enough fight in you to not get hit!" Artorias said to Yin. "The High Council does not know who Thanatos is, huh? Well, neither do I, whether that is a good thing or a bad thing, only time will tell¡­" Yin thought to himself as he began loosening up. He understood that the Specter and the Basilisk Slayer only did what they had to because of the High Council compromising them. "Still, it has been the second time in which they threatened my life now¡­" "Also, I suggest you all to not tell Luken of this, I am sure he is going to storm in the Grand Castle himself out of anger and have his Commander title revoked by the Emperor because of how reckless he is." The Specter said with a sigh. "Yeah. That is precisely how he would react!" Artorias Khalil exclaimed and laughed shortly after. "But you do understand why I had to swing my sword at my fellow Slayer, right, Yin?" he was worried that he might have scared the white haired Slayer too much. "I mean it is better than being killed altogether, I would take a beating over that." Yin finally cracked a smile. They soared through the starry skies above and were astonished at the sheer heights they were elevating towards. Zachary broke the silence by turning towards Yin and asking him a specific question. "Are you really on our side?" His question had no animosity or bitterness behind it, however. Zach was legitimately curious. "I do not know much about how you got your powers and you yourself have already told us that it just happened randomly. But I choose to believe that my comrade is not a traitor for the Angels and for the Reaper. Yin Sohaya grinned "I bet my life on it." He replied back. Gavin smiled and had a sigh of relief. "There are still many things that we do not know about this world and its secrets. But to fight for your comrades and for the people back home¡­it is a noble cause to arm yourself and brave the outside world, isn''t that right, Dad?" The Serpent Summoner asked his father in his thoughts. "When I asked you what you would do if you had met Adam Rosa, you already saw what happened to them and their mission outside, Art?" Gavin asked his brother. "Yeah. Of course. It took everything in me to prevent myself from revealing myself. I wanted to wipe that smug face through the ground with my own sword. But I knew that there would be a better time for this soon enough." The Basilisk Slayer said. "To be honest, I still do not know what had gone through his mind back when he did the deed. The news came to me while I was still asleep. It sent the entire kingdom of Niflheim in a state of chaos. The number one ranked Slayer, the SSS Ranked Reaper had just murdered three members of the Six Blades and was seen being assisted out of the Outer Gates by Angels who took the guards by surprise and hacked them into pieces. That was how it was read in the newspaper delivered by my carrier pigeon. It felt like a bad dream, some sort of sick joke that the ones who were publishing it might have been playing. But unluckily, it was real." A melancholic shine was on the Basilisk Slayer''s pupils as he said that. "T-Then what did you do?" Zachary was curious. "It is useless, Zach, he is never going to tell people about what happened after that, he is not the type to open up to others that easily." Gavin thought to himself. With a sip of booze straight from the bottle which he took out of his backpack, the Basilisk Slayer smiled with the same sad emotions exuded by his eyes. "I could not believe it if I had not seen it with my own eyes ¨C the place where he supposedly did the deed." He watched the stars up above for a quick glance and continued on with his story. Gavin was surprised that he kept on going, but it was not a bad thing at all. "You are finally starting to open up, brother, although it is a bit late, better now than never, right? You only ever used to talk with your heart worn on your shoulders when you were with Adam." He chugged down the booze in a hurry. Almost like he would not even be able to say this story if not for intoxicating himself enough with beer. "I woke Amara up and told her about it. We flew into some area outside the Outer Gates where Adam reportedly killed Luken Regalia''s sister and two other members. The Emperor''s investigative team as already in on it, analyzing every little thing, every drop of blood, footprint, you name it. Yet I still asked them to leave the scene for five minutes, only for me to take it all in. They did exactly that and I began to do my own investigation into the situation." While the Basilisk Slayer was catching his breath, Yin asked the Serpent Summoner. "Where were you during this, Gavin?" "Me and Luken were the ones to report what had just happened to the Emperor himself. I carried the lifeless bodies of my two fellow Six Blades while Luken carried his sister. So, by that time, we were in the Emperor''s chambers, telling him everything." Gavin said. "I know I have always dodged this conversation for quite long now, Gav, it is not because I am in denial. The bodies were evidence of what he had done already. It is just that that was the night I lost my best friend, Adam. After what he did, and who he is right now, I have disassociated the version of Adam I saw yesterday as some kind of separate person from the Adam Rosa which I used to fight side by side with back in the days. But slowly, I just accepted it. I examined the deceased body of Luken Regalia''s sister and studied her wounds, as well as the bodies of the other two. And they all matched. There was no doubt about it, those wounds were inflicted by Adam Rosa''s rapier." The Basilisk Slayer laughed it out, as if to cope with the severity of the situation. "But mark my words, when our blades meet outside the battlefield, I will only play the role of the Basilisk Slayer, the number one ranked Slayer in the Slayer Corps. And he who is before me shall only be known as the traitorous Reaper who shall fall by my blade." Artorias clenched his jaw in anger. The whole mood was soured and had turned grim. But such was the nature of their occupation. Slayers were the soldiers of mankind. Fighting against the winged harbingers with their blades and affinities, just exactly why a Slayer of Adam Rosa''s caliber turned traitor and decided to join the Angels and how the winged creatures even let him in on their ranks is still a mystery. A mystery that will not be one for long, once Artorias Khalil sets out on doing something, he will not stop. Such is the tenacity of the Basilisk Slayer. Not even the Specter had heard of Art being this emotional and open towards talking about his feelings and stories from the dire past. He apologized once again to Yin Sohaya for what just happened, Yin kept insisting that an apology was not necessary. "If you had not offered to only interrogate me as some sort of compromise with the High Council, I am sure my head would be rolling down on the ground right about now. No need to apologize, sir Art." Yin smiled. "You are a good kid, Yin. And I cannot wait to fight alongside you and Zachary here." With that, he dropped both of them off to their rooms in the Grand Castle and flew off with Gavin and Vale still on board. "N-No way¡­did he just say that? Did he really just say what I think I heard?!" Zachary could not keep his excitement in check. "Yeah. It does not seem like you were only imagining it. We are paving our own paths, Zach. Even the number one ranked Slayer is eager to fight with us!" Yin reciprocated the same emotions as his fellow Six Blades brother did. "But you really ought to watch your back, Yin. I know now that these old, cunning, and manipulative High Council members hold such a great hold on Niflheim and the Slayer Corps that not even the Basilisk Slayer nor the Commander despising them has turned their public image sour.." Zachary said. Chapter 135 - Broken Door Fifteen days have come by after Yin Sohaya''s ''interrogation'' at the hand of the Basilisk Slayer. Together with the newly given C Rank by the Fire Slayer, Zachary Lancaster which arrived shortly after the incident, they were still waiting for a new mission. But as they watched by the Grand Castle''s windows as Slayers upon Slayers walked into the mouth of the Outer Gates, they hated the feeling of not being chosen for a conquest themselves. "Fifteen days more and the Slayer Tournament is going to be starting! What the hell are they doing?!" Yin exclaimed. "Calm down. You have seen that they are focusing their resources on making it a success, it is a vital step which is connected to the Slayer Corps as a whole, as we cannot afford to lose our patience now." Zachary retorted back. "Do you mind elaborating as to why making it a grand spectacle connected to making the Slayer Corps much stronger?" Yin asked him. "Well, the more eyes that are observing the participants, the more we are able to gauge who is promising and who is not. It is all about knowing who shows the most room for growth, even if they do not win. The Slayer Tournament is an easier way to recruit other young budding Slayers as well, before they get too big and their renown overshadows every decision they make regarding organizations. Did you understand everything that I have said?" Zachary replied while holding a comprehensive book titled ''The Slayer Tournament; Why It Matters'' before closing it after. "A-Alright, alright, I get it already." Yin sighed and went back to bed, having nothing to do here but wait for a mission announcement and train definitely puts a strain on their boredom factor. "We have not sent any letters to Suna and the Commander in a while, shouldn''t you write one for them?" Zachary asked Yin. "I just do not want to send any messages to them if it does not contain good news. I am sure they have heard of us taking down the Fire Seraphim, Pugna. Gavin probably told them about the whole interrogation fiasco and our failure to take the Water Seraphim''s head." Zachary thought about it for a few seconds and just nodded. "That makes sense, I guess." Their locked door got shattered by someone kicking it from the outside with such force strong enough to utterly destroy a metal padlock. "I missed you guys!" It was Luken Regalia, the Commander of the Slayer Corps. After looking at what he had done, an expression of regret was painted on his face. "Oops. I did not expect you guys to have the door locked, sorry." Behind him was Suna Izanami, her eyes eager and as passionate as ever. "I read the news about you guys and Kai killing that other Seraphim! That is amazing! I wish I would have been with you two instead of training with sir Luken¡­" "Hey! Our training was fruitful and educational, Suna. If you ever win the Slayer Tournament, then it will be partially because of my astute teaching!" The Commander exclaimed. Yin and Zachary got up to greet them and get their bags. As the four of them sat on the ground, one statement from the Commander soured the entire mood. "I heard about what Artorias did." He said. "N-no, no. Do not get it wrong, Commander, I am not able to tell you the reason now, but he did it for a cause, I swear!" Yin frantically tried to explain. "Yeah. I know, settle down, Yin boy. That guy hates the High Council''s fossils seated on top of their huge pillars in the same way as I do. I am sure there is proper reason for what he did. Heh." The Commander said with a chuckle. "Besides, the fact that you are alive with all your limbs in tact tells me he did not come through with whatever those old cretins told him to do. "Damn. How did he get all of that correct? Even for the Commander, that is pretty impressive. Perhaps his hatred for the High Council accurately reflects the same hate that the Basilisk Slayer has for them as well. Considering the fact that they know each other from far back also." Zach thought to himself. "Why are you guys here now, Commander?" Yin asked Luken. The latter stood up and leaned by the window, lighting a cigarette directly in in front of the sun. With one inhale from the stick, he exhaled a cloud of smoke outside the window pane. "Since it is only half a month away until the Slayer Tournament begins, I figured that this would be the right time to come to the Grand City where it will be held. Besides, with only me, Suna, and Oliver back at the hideout, it has gotten pretty monotonous." The Commander said. "By the way, where is Oliver? I do not seem him anywhere when you guys came in." Zachary said after noticing that the baby panda was missing. "We stopped by Gavin''s place on the way from here and left him with Amara, the Basilisk Slayer''s Emerald Dragon. She was clearly not fond of Oliver at first, but as she got to know him, they were playing like old friends already. I asked Oliver if he wanted to see you guys as soon as possible, but he chose to play with Amara instead." Suna replied and shrugged her shoulder. "Damn, Oliver preferred a dragon instead of us¡­" Zachary thought to himself. "Who was cooking while you three where alone at the hideout, anyway?" He asked them. That question made them quite defensive for no apparent reason. "O-Oh, we took turns cooking every other day." The Commander replied before taking a huff out of his cigarette once again. "Come on, Commander, just tell them the truth!" Suna exclaimed. "Fine, it seems like there is no use in lying to them right now¡­" "Wait, why would you have to lie about-" Yin''s words got cut off by Suna''s emotional owning up of the truth. "We spent the entire remainder of the days ordering take out from the nearest village. The Commander''s cooking was just not worthy to be even called "edible." Suna said. "Hey! It is not like your cooking is any better, Suna!" The Commander exclaimed. "And you are telling us this for what reason?" Zachary sighed as he said that. "Because I kind of feel bad for using the Six Blades funds for eating take out every single day just because both of us do not have the proper skills to cook food." Suna said shyly, as if she was ashamed of the fact that she did not know how to cook. "I think it is Gavin''s fault, honestly, for leaving both non-chefs like that to their own devices." The Commander said comically. "Yeah, but it is not like he is not doing anything important here, so, there''s that." Yin chipped in. "Fear not, my juniors, I will personally see to it that all the zennies missing from the Six Blades'' fund will be paid for! You guys should definitely not tell Gavin about that, by the way, even I still have not told him." "Agreed." Zachary nodded his head, Yin Sohaya did as well. And Suna was in compliance of keeping it a secret from the Serpent Summoner. "By the way, in your conquest against that Seraphim named Pugna, you were deployed together with Cosette, right?" Suna asked the two of them. "Yep. Cosette Akim. Although it was the first time that I have met her, she definitely was in a league above us, that is an A Rank Slayer, no doubt." Zachary Lancaster replied. "You are trying to scout her out, aren''t you, Suna?" The Commander asked her. "Hmm. Since the brackets for the Slayer Tournament has not yet been released, we still do not know who you will be facing in your group, it might be Cosette, it might he Hector, or some other A to B Rank Slayer who has flown under the radar ready to take the next step forward, but I must advice you to only ever focus on the opponent right in front of you." "But how am I supposed to come up with a strategy against Hector Incendium when I do not focus on him?" Suna was confused. Luken sighed. "Now that you know it will be Hector Incendium who will be the final Slayer standing in the tournament, you should still not tunnel vision towards him. Sure, even me and Gavin told you to forfeit if you ever cross blades with him, but seeing your growth both in strength and maturity over the past few months, it just might be worth it for you to shoot your shot against him in combat." The Commander said with an encouraging smile. He noticed that Yin was clenching his fists and was being uneasy. "Fifteen days left to survive two missions, huh? Do you really want to enter the tournament that badly?" Chapter 136 - Courtyard Bonanza "Of course, I do, Commander!" Yin exclaimed out. "I do not know if you are going to make it, Yin. It is coming dangerously near now. Before you know it, the trumpets of the Slayer Tournaments will echo though the Grand City once again." The Commander said as he shrugged his shoulders. "Hey, there is something that I want to try against you guys." Suna said with a clear glint in her eyes. "Can''t we do it another day?" Zachary insisted because he wanted to read while waiting for a mission invitation. Yin stood up and was powered up now. "Let us go to the courtyard, Suna! The area there is open enough for us to go all out and not worry about the surroundings!" Yin was excited for another spar against his childhood friend. The Commander shook his head slowly. "Calm down for a bit, guys, I am still pretty tired from the journey, we should bide our time and rest up. Remember, overdoing practice will only lead to more problems rather than doing it for the upside." He said. Zach''s eyebrows wrinkled as he saw right through the Commander. "Don''t you just want to take a break from training with Suna? Heh." Zach chuckled. "I want to take a break from training as a whole, Zach! After fifteen minutes of break time, she just wants to back right back outside and resume our spar, even for me, that is pretty exhausting. But, she is learning, though, astonishingly quick, even." Luken placed his hand on top of Suna Izanami''s head and patted her. "That is my student! I will always find the time of the day to train with you, Suna!" Yin had a look of confusion on his face. "Didn''t you just say you were exhausted by Suna''s training approach¡­" Yin''s words fell on deaf ears as the Commander just crashed on his bed with no warning and fell asleep instantly. His snores were reflective of the Commander''s fatigue due to the travel. "Hey, Zach, I just wanted to ask why doesn''t Gavin just summon his dragons so that we have an easier time traveling from one place to another?" Suna asked the C Rank Fire Slayer. "Well, you''ve got to know that it takes a toll on the Summoner''s body just to keep the said dragon in the physical realm for longer than an hour. Not to mention that dragons are still monsters, although the ones that the Khalil family currently summon at will are pretty legendary, but yeah. I think that is how it is. I am not a Summoner myself so I am not really sure." While Yin was getting changed into his battle apparel and clothing, he also had a question for Zachary. Over the course of time, Zach had become the group''s ''brains'' whenever Gavin was not around. He was smart, cunning, wise, and he knew how to formulate plans on the go, evident as to how they were able to take out Pugna with a combination of their efforts and the Fire Slayer''s planning. "Why does Amara, the Emerald Dragon, not go away when the Basilisk Slayer does not need her? Like whenever he is asleep or something, I could have sworn she was just either hanging around the Grand Castle''s courtyard or the stables¡­" Yin asked him. "Hm. That is actually a good question, Yin. I did not expect you to make any sense at all, knowing how your brain works, and all." Zachary angered Yin Sohaya which caused him to roll his eyes in annoyance, but just as he was about to voice out his sour mood, Zach answered his question. "I actually do not know the full answer or reason to that question, Yin. If I am being honest. But the fact that Amara is never summoned out of the physical realm even though she is not needed just goes to show how high the amount of Anima Cells that the Basilisk Slayer possesses." Zach said. They were both surprised to see that Suna was brandishing a small hand axe on her belt, her black Six Blades coat just covered it up earlier enough to not be visible. "You are using a weapon?" Yin said after seeing the green blades on the axe shine from the rays of the sun. "Oh. The Commander gave me this to add to my arsenal, he said that relying on my fists and gauntlets like you was only going to do more harm than good for me. If you can remember, I did try to use swords but they were just far too inconvenient for me to use for some reason. These axes are good enough to throw from a safe distance and the blades are very thick, enough to withstand the impact from the force of my hacks." Suna was very happy whenever the conversation was about combat. It was very obvious from the way that she talked about her new weapon. "Do you want to come with us to the courtyard, Zach?" Suna asked the Fire Slayer. "No thanks¡­" "Okay, suit yourself, then." Yin said to him as he and Suna were about to head out there. "What if they do some stupid shit and I get blamed for it?" Zachary asked himself and thought about the worst case scenarios possible once they spar unsupervised. "Should I just wake the Commander up and tell him to go with them? No. Just by looking at him, the travel really did do a number on him." Zach sighed and knew what he had to do. "Wait for me." He said to the two, causing them to be surprised that Zachary was volunteering to come with them of his own volition. But before heading out, he grabbed three books that he was going to read while outside so that boredom would not strike him. "Are you not going to join us?" Suna asked him once again, Zach shook his head. "For the past few days, me and this peanut brain have done nothing but spar in the courtyard, I am pretty sure the guards stationed over there are pretty acquainted with us at this point already." The young core trio of the Six Blades were reunited once again, but each of them had undergone a significant change already, an improvement from their past flaws and bad habits in the battlefield which will no doubt aid in their growth towards becoming even stronger versions of themselves. Zachary was no longer a rookie on the battlefield, there were only a handful of rookies who had much of a part involved during huge missions such as this one, but the fact is he and the late June Alcindor were just rookies when they helped take down Pugna the Seraphim. As their spars went on in the courtyard, the Emperor looked out the window with a pleasant smile on his face. "You are doing good work, Serpent Summoner, Commander. Just as I have expected from you." He said with a smile after seeing the future of the Slayer Corps working as hard as they are even during their down time. "What do you think of those three down below, Artorias?" He asked the Basilisk Slayer who revealed himself to be in the room with the Emperor, Art thought he was not yet seen but he was wrong. "You are still as sharp as ever, Emperor Nicholas. Not bad for an old man. Heh." The Basilisk Slayer scratched his head nervously and grinned. "I used to be a renowned Slayer just as yourself, Artorias, I was one of the founding members of the Six Blades for a reason." The Emperor said. "Yeah. That is pretty obvious. Anyway, I wanted to surprise you, that is why I am here." Artorias said to him. "Do not lie, I have already told you, he has not appeared before me again ever since the incident at the Outer Gates." It is revealed that the traitorous Reaper visited the Emperor of Niflheim at the night after fifty young Slayers were sent to their deaths, although the directive was wholly done by the High Council and Emperor Nicholas was not aware of it, he still had the time of the day to scold him for letting that incident transpire. "I was just testing my luck, you know? What if he shows up right this instant, that would be funny. That way, I can shove my sword against his heart and end his treachery in an instant." The Basilisk Slayer''s green eyes were like the venomous fangs of a viper, ready to strike any prey that is foolish enough to cross it. "I promise you. Once he appears again, I will tell you exactly what he says to me, I even tried to catch him myself that night, but my old bones are just too frail to fight him at this stage of my life." The Emperor said. "What a fucking hypocrite. How dare he act righteous yet he himself took the lives of his fellow org members. Despicable indeed.." Art''s words were filled with rage. Chapter 137 - Paintbrush And Canvas "Back when I was still with the Six Blades, I have already heard of you two. All of my peers called you the ''future'' of the Slayer Corps. I truly do wonder what went wrong with Adam Rosa''s mind which made him do what he did, such a despicable act done by a calculated and calm, and soft spoken young man¡­what a shame." The Emperor said. "Heh. It seems even back then, I was known as the loud and rash one. Well, I cannot exactly blame them, that was how I spent my younger years, fighting every single battle possible and making every small thing and imploding it into something large enough to fight about. Bars, taverns, even on the road and on missions. I do admit I was simply intolerable in the past. Adam kept me grounded." Artorias said the last line with his head slightly turned down. The Emperor placed his hand on the Basilisk Slayer''s shoulder and nodded his head. "Those are all swept away by the sand particles of time, yet the memories remain. I hope you do what is right once you cross swords with your old friend. I am sorry to place this burden on you, but you have the highest chance of overpowering the Slayer in a one on one situation. Sure, Luken Regalia and Ignis Silva might be able to put up a fight against him, but those two cannot work together in a battlefield for the life of them." Emperor Nicholas said. "I know what I must do, Emperor. It does not matter whether you tell me or not, my duties as a Slayer remains intact, my pride and honor will forever uphold the Corps. You have my word, sir." Artorias Khalil said as he waved the Emperor goodbye and shut the door to his royal chambers. He looked at the window and focused on the spar between Yin Sohaya and Suna Izanami. The Emperor was pleasantly surprised at what he saw. He had already heard of the physical anomaly that does not have any Anima cells in the Six Blades'' ranks, but seeing Yin himself move and evade every blow, it put a smile on his face. "He surely does not move like a C Rank Slayer, if I say so myself." Back to the courtyard down below, as they both duked it out, Zachary Lancaster was busy reading a book. Glancing now and then whenever they both got too rowdy. "Do I really need to remind you two to hold back? At this point, you are going to ruin the courtyard''s floors. Seriously." Zach said as he shook his head in disapproval. Yet his warnings were as good as unheard, Yin and Suna were not holding back, in fact, Yin was trying to do something risky, he wanted to activate the Nix Eyes without using his decay aura. "Zach, if I go too far, you''ve got our backs, right?" Yin asked the C Rank Fire Slayer. "Can you not see that I am reading?" Zachary replied with an annoyed tone. "Suna, are you ready?!" Yin asked from a distance. "Yeah. Bring it." His white masquerade appeared out of thin air and covered his nose and eyes, both of his pupils were as white as the snow. "W-What the hell is happening to that young man''s Anima cells?!" The Emperor was both fearful and in shock at this display of Anima cells. He had sensed them going rampant underneath Yin''s bloodstreams, an unstable current was surging through him. But Yin was trying to contain his decay powers, even the gloves that the Commander gave him was getting eaten through by his hands themselves. He knew that it was a power that was meant to be controlled by him if he wishes to do well in the Slayer Tournament without actually turning his opponents into dust, he had to control his Nix Eyes with stamina and endurance, and most especially, his decay abilities. "Do. Not. Activate." Those were the words that Yin Sohaya kept repeating in his head time and time again. Zachary even placed down his book and was on alert, if Yin mistakenly touched Suna and activated it, she was going to be in a world of trouble. But the young lass was not scared at all. In fact, she took it as a challenge, she assumed the worst, that if Yin ever laid a finger on her, it would mean trouble. She dodged his blows while keeping her distance, Yin''s body was grazed by her hand axe yet the wounds were already starting to heal. "Even though I have seen it numerous times already, that healing and regenerative skill still surprises me." Zachary said to himself after witnessing his wounds exude steam as it healed. Their fight was interrupted by something, or someone, rather. Huge chunks of rocks flew out of nowhere in the middle of Suna and Yin, causing them to back off and see the person who threw them. Zachary took his grimoire and squinted his eyes. "Who''s there!?" He shouted at the courtyard''s entrance. A person with dark brown hair walked out, he was wearing traditional oriental clothing for men. On his right hand was a paintbrush, while his left had a medium sized blank canvas. His neck had a couple of black tattoos on it, as well as his hands. It was only natural to assume that his whole body was covered in it. "Hm. It seems I may have miscalculated the situation. I thought for sure that there was a fight going on in this location. My apologies." The tattooed man bowed his head and walked back out from where he came from. "H-Hey! Wait a second!" Zachary raised his voice to catch up to him. "Did you need something from me, young man?" The tattooed person asked him with a deadpan expression and his eyes looked like it was closed while he was still awake. "How did you cast that spell where you threw those chunks of rocks without a grimoire on you? Your hands are filled with these art materials, I do not see a knapsack or bags on you to hide a grimoire in." Zachary Lancaster wanted to know how he casted such a spell. "Did he just throw those rocks with his bare hands? He does not seem muscular enough to do such a feat, judging from his hands, they are too tied to have done that." Zach thought to himself. "Ah. I used the only things that are on the palm of my hands. Nothing more, nothing less." What he told Zachary left the young Fire Slayer in awe. "I-Instead of grimoires, you use paintings?" Zachary was dumbfounded still. He had never heard of someone who did not require to read and touch grimoires before casting a spell, let alone just paint it into existence. Yin and Suna were slowly walking towards the person, worried that he was terrorizing Zachary or something. But by the time they had gone close enough to them, the man was now explaining to Zach how his abilities worked. "Y-You guys, this guy uses paintings to cast spells¡­I mean how freaking amazing is that?!" Zach said as he pointed at the person, making him sweat bullets and turning him red. "I am not used to this degree of compliments. I apologize." He said. "Keep your head up! Do not apologize, you should tell me how you manage to do that instead!" Zach was very enthusiastic, ever since he was a child, he never stopped picking up books and reading, so seeing something or someone which he knew nothing about was a breath of fresh air. He pulled the man by the hand to the courtyard to make him tell him how his powers work. "Hoh? I see they have met Fen, this should be interesting." The Emperor saw who Zach was pulling with his hands. "Allow me to introduce myself first, before I will tell you how my spells work. I am Fen Kaori, a member of the Primal Hounds." His words made them doubt the truth of what he just said. "Wait. How is someone like you in the Primal Hounds? I thought those guys were filled with rowdy extroverts who were thirsting for combat all the damn time¡­" Zachary said. "To be quite honest, I was as surprised as you as to how I ended up in this organization. I mean I never really liked to fight ever since I was a kid, yet here I am." Fen replied back. Yin was curious so he tapped Suna on the shoulder and asked her "I have never heard of the Primal Hounds before, what is up with them?" Yin asked her. "Well, the Primal Hounds are unique in the way that they approach combat, they always try to make the life or death situation as ''fun'' as possible, for lack of a better word. It seems pretty twisted to me but who am I to judge, right? We all have our own little ways of coping with life as Slayers.." Suna replied. Chapter 138 - Medium "Err. You wanted to know about why I am able to cast spells without a grimoire on my hands, right?" Fen turned towards Zachary and asked him. The C Rank Fire Slayer nodded. Suna called Yin out and told him that they should resume their sparring, seeing as the guy was a Slayer himself and he only broke the skirmish out when he thought they were fighting for real. "Have a seat. Zachary, was it?" Fen''s soft voice was very calming to Zach''s ears. "Y-Yeah." They sat on an empty bench under the shade of a tree. The man was roughly the same age as the Serpent Summoner and the Commander. He also had a snow-white complexion to his skin. "Let me see your grimoire." Fen reached his hand out to Zach. After noticing that he did not bring it with him, he ran swiftly back to the Grand Castle and brought it out from his drawer. The Commander was still snoring loudly as he slept. He handed his Flame Grimoire to the oriental man shortly after. "Hm. Judging from your appearance, you have already have had your fair share of missions and deployments outside the Gates. But not many enough of battles against Angels and monsters to call yourself a veteran or a seasoned Slayer. I mean that with no disrespect." Fen said to him. Fen Kaori was blunt, almost like his expression never ever changed. You could not tell with a glance what type of feeling he was meant to convey with his words as they were as lifeless as his eyes and face. "N-None taken, Fen." Zach replied back. "Am I really that obviously raw still? He just read me like a book." The C Rank Fire Slayer thought to himself. "I think I did not hear whether you stated your rank already or not, but may I know what it is and what your affinities is?" Zach asked Fen before he could tell him the secrets of his spell casting methods. "Ah. Perhaps I forgot to disclose that information earlier as I introduced myself. My apologies, Zach. I am currently an SS Rank Slayer. I am able to use every affinity, whether it be fire, water, wind, or earth. I am what some might call a ''special'' Slayer." This was the first time that Fen showed the slightest etch of an expression, he was smiling as he said that. "F-Four affinities!?" Zach was even more surprised. It seemed like Fen Kaori was a special Slayer as well. Much like he and his Azure Flames. "I am sorry for reacting this way, but did I mishear your words or something?" "No, I believe that you heard me correctly. I am able to use four affinities without a grimoire. Do you wish to know why?" Zach bobbed his head up and down quickly, he was eager to know how this was possible. "Before that, I should tell you something about these grimoires that you use. You flick the pages and touch the page of what specific spell you want to use in the battlefield, right? These are basically the mediums for our affinities, although they are casted with our Anima Cells being the basis for how powerful our spells are and how advanced these spells can be, we cannot do so without grimoires. Or at least normal Slayers are not able to. That is what makes my case particularly different." Fen took out his blank rectangular canvas and his paint brush and placed it on the bench at their side. "These are the mediums that I use in combat, Zach. It is just too impractical for me to carry four grimoires out in the open and having to flick my pages trying to find out what the best and most appropriate spell there would be for a given situation. Here, let me show you how I do it." Fen Kaori got up from where they sat and wrote a few lines from the Flame Grimoire as well as an illustration of how it would look like. Afterwards, he pointed the canvas in front of him and a whirling fireball came out of it. Luckily, the fireball hit the stone wall of the courtyard, leaving it undamaged, just slightly burnt from the impact. "A-Amazing¡­" Zach said to himself. "Can you teach me how to do that?!" He wanted Fen Kaori to teach him how to fight using his paint brush and canvas methods. Zachary had never even heard of this technique up till now. "I am afraid you are not capable of doing that, Zachary. It is not because of your lack of skill or training mentality, I do not know you enough to make that assumption. But even if you actively train how to manifest your affinities out of a canvas, it still is not possible for one reason : your Anima cells are that of a normal human''s. While mine can be compared to that of an Angel''s Anima cells. It is very volatile and unstable, if I used a grimoire normally, it would burn up and turn into dust as it cannot handle my cells at full force. That is why I resorted to using these as my mediums." Fen replied back. Although that was not the response that Zach expected to receive, he knew it was too good to be true that he would be able to do that. "I see. It is fine, Fen." Seeing that the C Rank Slayer was disheartened, he wanted to say something to lighten up his mood. "If it makes you feel any better, I am the only Slayer who can do this. I believe the ability to use all four affinities and use a unique medium such as a paint brush and canvas is only doable by myself." Fen said to Zachary. "How did your Anima cells become that way, Fen? Would it be better if I had that as well? Will my flames be stronger?" Zachary asked him. "No. You will end up burning your own hands if you had my Anima count on your bloodstream. I was once too weakened by it as a child that I could not even move my legs. I had to train and give it everything I had in order to walk upright after my cells had awakened. That was when I knew that my inability to walk was a side effect of the sheer numbers of Anima Cells my body had laying dormant inside my blood stream." "I-I am sorry for being insensitive, I did not know, Fen." Zach tilted his head downwards. "Do not worry about it, I can see that you are a special case as well. Sensing your Anima cells myself the first time I saw you, your Flames are of a different variation, am I right?" Fen asked him. His question made Zachary''s face glint up, as if he was proud that he also had a few tricks up his sleeve. "It is the same as that white haired boy over there. But I am quite confused, I do not sense any Anima cells on that girl he is fighting with¡­" Zachary chuckled and told him how special of a case Suna Izanami was. He did not expect Fen to be overjoyed at the revelation of Suna not having Anima cells and being a Slayer. "I see. Perhaps I might have already heard of her in my organization circle. If I recall correctly, we wanted to recruit her for ourselves, but knowing that the Serpent Summoner and the Commander already had dibs on her recruitment, we knew it would be futile to ask her to join the Primal Hounds ourselves. She has what I lack, Zachary. The physical prowess to go blow for blow against the winged harbingers. I am able to cause chaos but only from a distance, that is pretty much my downside." Fen said to Zachary Lancaster before saying farewell to the three of them and going out from where he came. "Guys. Let me tell you something about that Fen guy, he can use four affinities¡­" The sheer expressions on Yin and Suna''s face was priceless. "F-Four?!" Zach nodded. "The group of Slayers in Gavin, Kai, Vale, and the Commander''s ranks are definitely another realm of strength that we cannot crack. As of now, that is." His words inspired the three of them to work even harder to become stronger Slayers worthy of their historic organization''s name. "I am glad that you have given them the right words of encouragement for these young promising Slayers. You underestimate yourself, Fen Kaori. You will be one of the pillars that the Slayer Corps will rely on for support. I mean at this point, you already are." Meanwhile somewhere outside the Outer Gates, Adam Rosa is sitting on the ruined fragments of what once used to be a chair. Beside him was the Water Seraphim, Hai. And the silhouettes of nine other imposing presences.. Presumably the other remaining Seraphims still alive. Chapter 139 - Reaper Vs. Seraphim Of War "What are we meant to do next, Adam Rosa?" A faint humanoid voice of a woman asked him as he sat there, reading his grimoire intently. The silhouette of the Seraphim asking was revealed to be the Seraphim of War ¨C Ares. She was the most human-looking out of all of them, her thick heavy armor and large sword gave her an imposing aura. She had the same snow-white complexion that the Angels and Seraphims have had so far. Ares'' eyes were absent of any pupils, only having a bright spectacle of whiteness inside it. "Patience, Ares." Adam said as he shook his head ever so lightly. "Patience?! You tell me to contain my calm as the other Seraphims have either been killed or taken captive, you have the gall to tell me to be patient? Pick up your blade, if I win, then I will be the one to lead the Angels towards glory, not you." Ares said as she drew her sword and pointed it at the SSS Rank Slayer. Judging by her words, it seems as though Adam Rosa is the one assigned to lead the Angels straight into the heart of Niflheim for its ruination. "Put that down. You will only ever embarrass yourself. Have you forgotten the degree of shame that Pugna went through after he challenged me? It is as though the shame swallowed him far too much that he ran away and is now missing. Perhaps the Slayers have already gotten rid of your precious brethren?" His words were not meant to calm the angered Ares, though. They instead angered the Seraphim of War far too much. "Take up your blade or you will die within seconds without a fight." Ares was fuming with rage. "Are you sure I am not able to talk you out of it?" He asked one more time. "Not a chance. Stop talking and pick up your sword." Adam Rosa sighed. "Very well. Go to the healer afterwards, I would not like to see my soldier go to battle with such heavy injuries still not healed." The Seraphims behind them stepped back and made room for their fight. Ares swung her sword at Adam who parried them with his rapier with ease. "The Seraphim of war does not seem to possess the appropriate bloodlust that her name carries. How utterly disappointing." He said out loud. "I will show the Vessel that it was a mistake to choose a lowly human such as yourself to lead the Angels. I will make you know your place in the world, Adam. Now die and be gone, all these years, I have never ever trusted you. Not one bit!" Ares exclaimed as she continued to pound on Adam who was blocking her sword slashes with his thin black rapier. Adam Rosa''s face turned from playful and nonchalant to intense and focused. "Before you question the Vessel''s choice of actions, make sure that you are worthy and strong enough to do so. I will make you feel pain, Ares." Throughout the battle, Adam was holding back and was on the backfoot the entire time so far, this was done in purpose as he was sizing up his opponent. The Reaper never fought full out at the start of a skirmish, he was gathering ''data'' to be able to finish her off as efficiently as possible. They both soared up to the sky, the Seraphim of War revealed its crimson wings at the same time Adam Rosa did with his pitch black half winged back. A normal human eye could not even begin to follow their actions in the air as only sparks of red and black were the racing around the sky, clanging of swords and the grunting Ares could be heard from down below. The Seraphims watched by, they knew that to disturb Ares'' fight and ''help'' her would be even worse than letting her die. As it is her own choice to fight off against the Reaper''s way of leading them. They had already seen Pugna almost bite the dust against Adam, it was too foolish to do the same thing and expect different results, no matter how strong they might have believed themselves to be. Finally, Adam struck her right on the shoulders and dragged her down to the ground. Ares, the Seraphim of War was definitely not as quick and light footed as he was when it came to battle, her swings were not landing, only missing Adam Rosa''s face with just a few inches. Meanwhile the Reaper''s attacks pierced through her thick armor and skin as though they were made out of paper. Ares'' wounds were getting deeper and deeper as the fight went on. "Did you think that during my fight against Pugna that that was the extent of my physical capabilities? The Basilisk Slayer is the top one Slayer in Niflheim right now for one reason and only one: my departure." He said with such animosity that Ares actually lost her footing due to fear. She stumbled and fell down. The Seraphim of War did not have any affinities but her Anima cells were designed so that her physical prowess was maximized and focused. A true bruiser and front liner against the bastion of mankind. And to have her being bested by the Reaper without him even having to use his affinities or his grimoire is definitely an embarrassing display in combat, specially for someone like the Seraphim of War. To be bested by a mere ''human'' as she called him. Adam Rosa kicked off her sword and threw it away, she attempted to get up but Adam''s foot on her neck prevented her from doing so. She could say nothing at this point, all of her threats and words were nothing more than empty phrases because of how the situation looked right now. "I-I thought he was not going to kill me!?" The Seraphim of War thought to herself as the pressure of Adam Rosa''s foot got heavier and heavier by the second. "Never speak of the Vessel''s actions in protest as though you know better than her. Just do what I say as she placed me in charge of you and your kind. Earlier, you told me that you were going to let me know my place, if I am not mistaken. Thanks to your actions, I now know that I am here in this position because I am fit to lead you. The next time you attempt to challenge my authority, you will get more than a foot on your neck. The Vessel told me how long it took to create you Seraphims, the funny thing is, I can render all thousands or millions of those years for naught just by stabbing you right in the heart right now. Do you want to test me?" Adam Rosa had a glint of bloodlust in his eyes the same as that of a monster finally gripping its prey on its palms. "You live and you die as I tell you to." The Seraphim of War could not say anything, it was already shameful enough to have her laying on the ground as a human has her at his mercy. Words could not express her shame from the outcome of this fight. He offered his hand to help Ares up, but the latter ignored it and got up herself. "You might want to have your wounds healed, we do not want a Seraphim to bleed to death, now, do we?" Adam said as the Seraphim of War exited the place with that one last snarky remark. "You have not answered her question yet, Adam. What should we do next?" Hai, the Water Seraphim asked the Reaper. "Back when I was still a Slayer, I read about a banned piece of literature. There exists as sword that can tear through anything, but did you know what it really specialized in? Tearing through barriers and magic." Adam said with an innocent smile. "And where is this sword located?" A voice from another Seraphim asked. "I shall go back to Niflheim, it is fairly easy to bypass the barrier even though my state right now could not be called purely ''human'' I am still not a monster or an Angel. There is a book there which will guide us to the location of the Sword of Alacrity. It is a book with detailed locations and directions as to the sword''s location. I am sure the book will still be there. I hid it somewhere safe before I came here, not a chance those in the Grand Castle would ever have gotten their hands on it ever since my departure. "I do agree that your strength is perhaps one of the reasons why the Vessel appointed you as our leader, Adam. And let us say that you are able to enter the barrier freely, what is stopping you from killing them all yourself?" Another Seraphim posed an interesting question. "Slayers in the Corps still exist there which have the power to overwhelm even someone like me. My pupils, Luken Regalia, Gavin Khalil.. And my best friend ¨C The Basilisk Slayer." Chapter 140 - What The Reaper Is After An emergency meeting was called by the Emperor, summoning only the most capable and trusted Slayers by Emperor Nicholas himself. "I was told there would be food here, yet I see none of it¡­" Luken said softly, showing how much of a glutton he is. Well, it could not be helped as he had not have had any food ever since arriving to the Grand Castle. "This is why I told you to just stop by and buy something on the way here." The Serpent Summoner shook his head in disappointment and shame at his partner''s childish demands. "Do you guys have any idea why we are summoned here?" Vale Ashford, the Specter asked the others impatiently. The Basilisk Slayer sat on the floor, leaning behind a pillar at his back. "I honestly have no idea, Vale. I expected to be called her alone, it is not really such a pleasant surprise to see Ignis'' sour face here." Artorias said. "Yeah. He is here alright, I can sense that putrid scent from a mile away." Vale added. Fen Kaori did not speak a word, it was not like he was terribly unfamiliar with the others, he just did not like to speak all that much. "How have you been all these years, Fen?" Gavin approached the SS Rank Slayer with a smile. Fen reciprocated back with the same expression as well. "Good. I have been good. You have some quite interesting and strong additions to your organization, Gavin." Fen said. "Yeah. We sure do. Wait, have you met them already?" The Basilisk Slayer asked. "Yes. I met them earlier during the afternoon, there was a bright and above intelligent young man, Zachary, I think was his name. I told him the basics of how I am able to cast spells." The Basilisk Slayer had a look of proudness etched on his face. Fen never got interested in other Slayers, he only kept to himself most of the time. It was a pleasant surprise seeing him trying to remember the Six Blades'' young core trio and their names. A bright light invaded the room as someone had opened the door to get in after a quick knock. With his glasses illuminating, he adjusted them with a touch and grinned. "This seems like a star studded summoning, if I say so myself." It was Ignis Silva. He proudly touted the red and white coat of the Inferno Garden as he entered the room. The Basilisk Slayer looked at Ignis'' eyes dead on and rolled his green orbs in disgust. "I wish I was wrong, not this fucking guy¡­" He thought to himself. "You looked as if you wanted to say something to me, Art." Ignis said while walking towards the Basilisk Slayer. "Nope. Not really." Artorias Khalil replied back while shrugging his shoulders. He was trying to avoid talking to Ignis as he was not fond of him, and it was clear. So far, the individuals in the room were The SSS Rank Slayer, the Basilisk Slayer, Artorias Khalil, the SS Rank Water Slayer, the Commander of the Slayer Corps ¨C Luken Regalia. The S Rank Serpent Summoner, Gavin Khalil. The SS Rank Allcaster, Fen Kaori, the S Rank Slayer, Vale Ashford, also known as the Specter. And the SS Rank Fire Slayer, the leader of the Inferno Garden, Ignis Silva. Six of them were summoned by the Emperor in a hurry. Emperor Nicholas walked through the door accompanied by nobody else but himself. All six of them bowed down before the Emperor. "Ah. I see that you are all here. Thank you for making it to the Grand Castle on such a short notice, everyone. You have my thanks, truly." The Emperor said to them. "I know that you are all somewhat perplexed and are eager to know the reason why I summoned you on a whim, that much should tell you about the urgency of this matter." The Emperor cleared his throat before saying the reason. "I have called you here to inform you that the SSS Ranked Reaper has showed up to my doorstep after the tragedy at the Outer Gates ordered by the High Council." His revelation caused everyone to react in a surprised manner. "Why did you wait that long to tell us this?" Luken spoke up and raised his voice. "Patience, Commander, I was trying to lessen the panic. I also tried to decipher his words but all he said was how disappointed he was, he had thought that the whole operation to exterminate an Angel with fifty children was my doing¡­" The Emperor said. "What did he say, exactly, Emperor?" Gavin asked him. "He said he was disappointed in me for sending dozens of children to their death¡­although I will admit that it was rash of me to not notice such a mission was in place. I have strongly advised every member of the High Council to not make decisions such as that without informing me. I never really apologized to the Slayers for my inaction." Fen Kaori walked in front and made his presence known to the others. Ignis Silva was surprised to see that the Allcaster was here with them, knowing how much of a social recluse he is. "I believe you are all focusing on the wrong thing here. The fact of the matter is that someone like Adam Rosa is able to slip in and out of the barrier freely for who knows how long now. Perhaps he might have been coming to Niflheim in secret to scout out whatever it is he wanted to see." Fen Kaori said. "I''ve got to agree with the guy for once, we already know that he has wings or some shit, right?" The Basilisk Slayer said while turning his head towards his brother, Gavin, and the Commander, since they were both witnesses to him possessing half black wings in the battlefield first. "Even me and the Specter saw it with our own eyes, that asshole is no longer human." Artorias Khalil added. "Should we change how the Red Barriers are structured, then?" Ignis Silva proposed. "But keep in mind, at this point, if you tighten the Barriers with who can pass through it, we might have a hard time getting through it ourselves. Every single one of us in this room currently possess more Anima cells than thirty, no, even fifty lower ranked Slayers combined. The Barriers work in a way that the Angels, who have monstrous amounts of Anima cells, cannot go through themselves. Now, this is just my personal theory, but you are having difficulties entering them yourself, isn''t that right, Basilisk Slayer?" Ignis Silva''s words were precise and tenacious. But much dangerously, they were the truth. Artorias Khalil sighed. "I really have got to hand it to the guy, he did his research. Yeah, if we do tighten the Barriers and decrease the Anima classification for entry, there is a risk that most of us S Rank and above Slayers will not be able to gain access to Niflheim entirely. Seeing as how cunning that bastard Adam is, that is probably what he wishes to do." The Specter lost her typical cool and clicked her tongue loudly while shaking her head. "So, what are we supposed to do, then?!" She exclaimed. Gavin Khalil raised his hand. "I am just going to give you my thoughts as someone who trained under the Reaper with Luken. As sickening as it might be to remember that, we have to decode what reason he has to come back to Niflheim, if he ever does. Because for now, we know that the Angels are not able to go through the barrier." "Wait. That is it! The Barrier!" Luken exclaimed. Everyone in the room was surprised, they were expecting him to crack a joke or some nonsensical stuff. "He is trying to get his Angel buddies in." Luken Regalia gave the others some time to understand where he was coming from. "If he ever decides to attack Niflheim alone, he knows that he is still unable to take all of us at the same time. Even without him in the ranks of the Slayer Corps, we are still plenty strong." What the Commander was saying was actually making sense for once. "Color me impressed, Luken. I guess you really do use your head every time a full moon pops up out of the sky." Ignis said. "He is right. Now we just need to know what can make the Angels pass through the barriers. As they theoretically cannot destroy them. They have tried for years now, believe me." The Emperor added. "What if they do not need to destroy it?" Vale said. All eyes turned towards her. "Maybe just disabling it or tearing a hole through the Barrier itself is enough? A hole big enough for all those Seraphims and Angels to pass through would definitely be the end of mankind as we know it." "What about that, Emperor, does such a thing exist here in Niflheim?" The Basilisk Slayer turned towards the Emperor. Chapter 141 - Beaten To It Emperor Nicholas sighed. "It seems there is no reason to hide it from you all now. I expect you all to keep utmost secrecy when it comes to what I am going to tell you." The Six Slayers all gathered around and huddled up. "The late Emperor before me, my father, has told me about the Book of Alacrity, it holds the location of a sword of a similar name. This was a secret passed down from generations of the royal family. The Sword of Alacrity is able to tear the Red Barriers of Niflheim down with just a touch of its blade. It was made by the blacksmith Gods of old in order remove the barriers once the Angels have been defeated." The Emperor looked down and shook his head once again. "But sadly, all others who have come before me have never had the opportunity to make use of it for its intended purposes¡­" "Could this be the same ''key'' that Adam Rosa is after?" The Specter posed the question to everyone. "Who exactly knows of the existence of this book and the sword, Emperor?" Ignis Silva turned to the Emperor to ask. "Perhaps my tongue slipped and I told him some bits and pieces of its story a long time ago. Back when he and Artorias Khalil were battling it out for the top rank one spot in the Corps. I do not expect him to remember it as it was so long ago. Yet knowing the Reaper, he will no doubt be able to recall our conversation in great detail. There is a good chance that maybe he already has¡­" The Basilisk Slayer stepped up. "Where are you hiding the book?!" He asked anxiously. "I-In the back most portion of the library, together with the history books. Worry not, it takes some time to decode the texts in the book, I have a copy of it here in my quarters. I was planning to get rid of it from there already after this meeting." The Serpent Summoner raised his hand. "The sooner we get rid of it, the better, your highness." Gavin said. "Very well, let us get going." The Emperor replied back. Together, they all went down to the library to retrieve the original copy of the Book of Alacrity. The cobwebs forming the place indicated it was much due for a bit of cleaning, it was late at night so the librarian was no longer there. They only saw a handful of guards patrolling, most of whom were surprised to see the Emperor accompanied by such a power-studded stack of Slayers. "Y-Your highness, what brings you to this part of the castle?" One of them asked. "We are here for a specific book. You may leave the vicinity at once, I am more than guarded and secured with the individuals that I came here with." With that, the few guards saluted and exited the library. As they walked into the dark corners where the book was supposedly placed in, a putrid odor made their expressions sour. They knew full well what that stench was. Rot and decay, death and pestilence. Nobody was saying a word, it was already understood that it was the stench of a dead body. "Are we too late?!" The Commander thought to himself. They jogged towards where the smell was getting stronger and stronger. What they saw was something uncommon in Niflheim. A bunch of dead bodies of foot soldiers assigned to the Grand Castle was on the ground. Their bodies have been drained of blood and had turned pale from the touch of death. "What the fuck happened here?!" Artorias Khalil exclaimed while trying to see if some of them were still alive. About four of the foot soldiers lay on the ground, flies were already gathering around them. "Those guards outside, ask them if they saw anyone else leave or enter the floor, tell them to lock the whole Castle down!" Ignis Silva commanded Vale Ashford to do it as she was the quickest one here, speed-wise. "The book! We do not know what has happened here yet, but it if it is Adam Rosa, then he has already made his way towards the Book of Alacrity!" The Emperor said while trying to find the book among the destroyed shelves he said it would be. Ignis, Artorias, Luken, Gavin, and Fen helped him in his search as well. After wiping the sweat off of his temple, the Emperor already knew¡­the Book of Alacrity was far gone. "It is not here anymore." He said. "Shit. We got beaten to it by Adam." The Commander stared at the bodies of the dead foot soldiers on the ground. Their pale, white complexions were the same as that of an Angel. "He did this. Once again, we are left chasing after him." Luken took in what his eyes saw. He was fueling his rage against his former master, the one who taught him how to be the Slayer that he is today is a traitorous scum. The Specter came back after asking and alerting those guards outside. "They said they did not notice anyone come inside the library from the main entrance. It seems like he went in through the window." She said while pointing at the glass shards of the library''s window glass now on the floor. "I have already informed them to lock this place down. Nobody has gone in or out after I told them." "It is too late. He is already long gone. The Reaper got us this time. Tch." Fen Kaori said as he clicked his tongue after. "The Allcaster is right, what do you intend to do now, Emperor?" Ignis asked Emperor Nicholas. "For now, let us regroup back to my quarters up stairs." After they did, the Emperor showed them the copy of the Book of Alacrity which he kept hidden here. He flicked the pages straight towards where the sword itself could be located. "Hm. This is not honestly too far from Niflheim." Gavin added. "I shall assemble one team for every two of you here. The original book has not been deciphered yet, normally, it would take an average Slayer about two to three months of decoding the location of the sword embedded in the book, but this is Adam Rosa we are talking about, it would be safe to assume that he is already on the move. We shall have fifteen members in this squad combined. The Basilisk Slayer shall be with the Specter, Ignis Silva will be with the Allcaster, The Commander shall be paired with the Serpent Summoner. Each of you will be able to choose members that you sync with, if you have an organization, it is recommended that you choose from your ranks in order to avoid non-chemistry between teams. I will give you the freedom to choose whomever you wish to recruit for it. Just tell them that you will depart at noon towards where the ''tragedy'' happened. It is there that the Sword of Alacrity is located in. We do not know when The Reaper will finish decoding the book''s instructions, but we must assume that he will take less than twenty four hours to do so. A determined Adam Rosa combined with his methodical approach is a difficult enemy to race with against time. I will send you additional information via carrier birds before the night is over. For now, I trust you to recruit able-bodied individuals who are up to the task. No more than three recruits per team. That would be all. Dismissed." The Emperor gave out specific and concise instructions to the Slayers summoned there. It was going to be a battle for the Sword of Alacrity. Whoever gets it first will be the victors of the million-year long war of mankind against the Angels. Both sides were unrelenting and have refused to back down, it was all or nothing for the sword. "Who are we going to bring along, Gavin?" The Commander asked his partner. "Who else? Of course, we are bringing the young core of the Six Blades themselves." The Serpent Summoner responded with a grin. "Let us go tell them ourselves, then." Ignis Silva walked alongside Fen Kaori on the way out of the Grand Castle. "Do you have anybody you wish to bring, Fen?" Ignis was actually very calm and non hostile when he talked to the Allcaster. "No. I do not. All three slots of our group are all up to you. I have no say in it, and I do not wish to." Fen replied with the same face, devoid of emotion. "Very well then." Ignis was getting ready to write a letter addressed to his chosen Inferno Garden members. They were written for Kai Xin, Hector Incendium, and one other member. "Who are you inviting?" The Specter asked Artorias. "I still do not know yet, honestly, I might just pick out Slayers randomly from the top of my head¡­" He added.. "Well, good luck with that." Chapter 142 - Race Against The Sword "We are going to go on a mission tomorrow, kids." Luken said to the three young core of the Six Blades as he entered their room. "Is something happening?! We were told not to go outside our rooms by a guard. He was not disclosing the details but he even said it would not be possible to exit the Grand Castle earlier, what the hell is going on?" Suna asked Gavin and The Commander. Their grim expressions were already clear that what had happened was not going to be good news. "The traitorous SSS Rank Slayer Adam Rosa has infiltrated the Grand Castle and has killed a couple of guards." The Commander said while looking down. "H-Horrible¡­" Yin''s expression said it the best. It was a combination of anger and disgust. He thought that maybe if he had been strong enough to kill him back when they were facing the Water Seraphim, this would not have happened. Zachary placed his hand on top of Yin''s shoulder, as if to console him that he felt the same sentiment as well. "That was not your fault, Yin." He said to his co-Six Blades brother. "Is this mission we are going to be in connected to what just happened? Why did he infiltrate the Grand Castle, what did that traitor seek to accomplish?" Suna asked. "I feel like if we are ever going to be deployed to a mission which is connected to what is currently happening, then we deserve to know why Adam Rosa was here." She said. Gavin took a seat. "She is right; however, I will only tell you the full details of it tomorrow when we are on route towards the place. It is a decision which has come straight from the Emperor himself. I hope you three understand. And if you opt not to come with us, I will not protest against it." The Serpent Summoner turned to the Commander and nodded, the latter reciprocated the same action. "We at least deserve to know who we are going to fight, you know?" Zach said. "We shall be crossing swords against the Reaper himself and his cohorts if he ever does show up. That is all that we can say for now." Gavin retorted back. "I am going, then." Yin stood up as he mouthed those words out. "Are you sure, Yin?" Luken asked him in a serious tone. "I am positive, sir. I still have to get back at him for the last time that we fought." The white haired Slayer said confidently. "I admire your resiliency and strength of will, Yin. However, you should know full well that the Reaper will not be your main target if he ever does show up. It will be his underlings, the Angels or Seraphims. You and Zachary''s combat experience when it comes to them is very valuable to us, besides, if you ever go toe to toe against Adam, I am not sure if we can save you." The Serpent Summoner muttered out. "That will be more than enough, Gavin. This is just a step towards freeing mankind of this million year war that we have been subjected to. The world outside is meant to be explored and studied, instead, we are here in fear of our lives. It is about time we give it our all and fight back." Yin said. Zachary smiled. "I could not have said it better myself. There is something about Yin actually saying meaningful things once in a while which makes you believe in him. And I for sure do. Count me in, Gavin, Commander." "Very well, how about you, Suna? I cannot guarantee our safety in this mission, it will not be a simple one if worst comes to worst, both of us might not even be able to come to the aid for the three of you. Are you still sure of your decision to come with?" The Commander asked them once again, making sure that their heart and conviction is in the right place. "It would be a waste for you, Suna. The Slayer Tournament is a month away only, are you sure about this?" Luken''s question made Suna think long and hard. "With all due respect, Commander, I would feel worse if I did not come with you guys, this is the first time that we will actually get to fight with one another for once, without the High Council interrupting and telling you two to just stand idly like last time. Like hell I would just give it up for anything else in the world. Besides, I will have to watch Yin and Zach''s back, I can''t have them distracting you two from going after the big prize." Her grin indicated that she was not afraid of death nor failure. Suna Izanami was a full fledged Slayer through and through. The Commander grinned. "It is decided, then. The five of us will depart after lunchtime towards a place Yin and Suna are familiar with. The ruined city of where you eviscerated that Angel back then. Where the tragedy of the Outer Gates happened." The Commander''s words sent chills down both of their spines. "My life is no longer my own, after everyone''s sacrifice, it will never be my own only. I carry their dreams, their burdens, their hopes for a better future. They trusted in us enough to do what they had done. Not a day goes by here I do not curse the High Council for imposing the rules that they did, if Gavin and sir Luken had fought, it would have been over in no time. But we cannot change what has happened, the fragments of tomorrow is up to the hands of the living. And I''ve lived my life caring for cattle and farm animals, without even realizing we were treated that way by these winged harbingers¡­" Yin thought to himself. "I am sure Zach will be fine as well, he has not even fought an Angel yet he played a key role in exterminating a damn Seraphim. That is a quick up in the ranks in my eyes." Gavin said with a smile. The next day came quickly, during the morning, Kai Xin had received the letter from the leader of the Inferno Garden. Telling him that he is chosen for a very important mission. He got ready and packed up towards the Grand Castle together with Hector Incendium. Vale was knocking on the Basilisk Slayer''s room in a tavern. "Wake up!" After hearing no response back, she decided to knock even louder. "I am coming! Stop shouting, Vale!" Artorias said as he opened the door with bedhead and clear exhaustion etched on his face. "Who did you invite for our group?" the Specter asked him. "Huh? Invite? Wait, I was supposed to do that? Shit." Artorias shook his head. "Alright, give me some time, I will recruit whoever is the nearest, of course, only the strong ones as well. He said while smirking. "Very well, meet me in the Grand Castle in Yin Sohaya and Zachary Lancaster''s room." She said. "Gotcha." The Basilisk Slayer payed for the room on the counter and got quickly dressed. "Amara, let''s go." As he got on top of the Emerald Dragon, he already knew who he wanted to invite. "Where to, Art?" Amara asked. "Towards where Faust Keisuke and Cosette Akim lives." He said. The others were making sure that their teams were well constructed and had the proper chemistry to work together outside the Outer Gates. Gavin was hoping that the Reaper had not yet decoded the book''s passages, he hoped that the day would go by without the blood of the Slayer Corps being shed. This uneasy feeling of going against the person who taught him the most was something he could not get rid of. But his hate was still there, he was for sure never going to hold back against him. "Hey, are you alright?" Luken tapped the Serpent Summoner on the shoulder. "Y-Yeah. I am fine." Gavin replied back. "We are going to succeed and bring the Sword of Alacrity back to Niflheim, alright? If I ever see that asshole again, I shall drive my sword against his heart with no hesitation." The Commander said. Noon had already come and most of them were making their way towards the Six Blades'' quarters in the Grand Castle, even though they never really decided on making it the meeting place. Perhaps they were brought together by a sense of familiarity with the young core trio of the organization? "I am kind of hoping to see the Allcaster in this mission with us." Zachary said. "Eh? Why is that, Zach?" Suna was curious. "I have never heard of a person able to cast all the affinities. All four of them. Plus, he is an SS Rank Slayer, there is no way he is going to be left out of a mission as high profile and high risk such as this." He said. "Yeah, Fen seemed really nonchalant and calm, but even I could sense that his Anima cells were very potent, much like mine.." Yin said. Chapter 143 - The Reapers Backstory 1/4 After the group gathered inside the Six Blades'' quarters in the Grand Castle, they embarked on the race towards the Sword of Alacrity. Betting their all that Adam Rosa had not ben able to decipher the sword''s location in one night only. Yet little did they know, their worst case scenario was coming to fruition. Yesterday at night, Adam Rosa''s escapade back to Niflheim was now underway. He was standing in front of a secluded area of the barrier, no guards or Slayers were posted there, just as he expected. His time as a Slayer was still with him, and it is now being used in order to destroy what he once fought for ¨C Niflheim and mankind''s freedom from the winged harbingers. "I am still able to get in the barrier with no problem whatsoever. Observe this." He said as he stuck his hand in to the Red Barrier and it phased in with no problem at all. Together accompanying him outside was the Seraphim of War and the Seraphim of Water, Ares and Hai. Both of them were surprised that Adam was still unaffected by the barrier despite his torn appearance between that of a human and an Angel. "Should we get in too?" Hai asked him. "Even if you wanted to, you cannot get inside the Red Barriers, Hai. That is why I am going to look for the book I mistakenly read when I was but a youngling. The Book of Alacrity will guide us to the Sword, and that Sword of Alacrity, my comrade, will be able to let all of you in. Do not worry." Adam Rosa said with an innocent and confident smile. It was as if his expression had no malicious or zealous intent. The two Seraphims waited for him outside as he went in. Ares only came in order to see if they could find Pugna and Sarathiel, she still has not lost hope, still believing that they had not been slain. "A-Adam! Make sure to dedicate a little bit of your time inside that putrid Grand Castle to see if they are keeping our siblings there, Pugna and Sarathiel¡­" She pleaded to the SSS Rank Reaper. "I will try, Ares. I will offer you two no promises, however. As that is not part of my mission today, but nevertheless, I will do what I can once I am inside." With those parting words, the Reaper had now vanished into the night. "How can you trust him, Hai?" The Seraphim of War asked her brother. "I am not as smart as our other siblings, Ares, but I do not need brains in order to see who is strong. Although Adam Rosa is a human still, he has proven himself already by killing his own friends. His strength speaks for itself. You experienced it first hand already, did you not?" Hai responded back with a question to which the Seraphim of War was still too sour to retort. "Just a little bit more, mother, and we shall see each other again." Adam Rosa thought to himself as he walked around Niflheim in the Grand City wearing a hooded apparel to cover himself. Ever since he was a child, Adam knew that he was different. He had been treated differently as well from other kids. Being trained by the strongest Slayers of that time even when he had not reached the proper age of Anima awakening. Adam was never one to have experienced a normal childhood, not even once. One time, a representative from the High Council visited their home, a worn down shack which they still proudly called their home. The roofs were riddled with holes which the raindrops could easily slip in, the windows were far too broken to be repaired so they had to endure the cold winter nights with nothing more than a meek fireplace and some blankets. But he knew that everything would be alright if he was there with his mother. She was the beacon of light which made the darkest of days seem bearable, even just a little. After seeing that they had visitors, his mother welcomed them and offered a humble of tea to the person whose features were covered by the hood of the High Council. Adam was still about ten years old at this point, but he was extremely intelligent, he listened in on the man and his mother''s conversation while hiding. "We would like to ask for your permission to train your son and have him live in the Grand Castle''s quarters." The man said. "Why is that, sir? You do not even know if he will develop Anima cells at all, what if he does not and you just end up both wasting your time and tearing him away from me for no reason!?" His mother was asking very valid questions. "Trust me, ma''am, we cannot tell you the exact reason, but we know that your son will in fact have Anima cells once he reaches the age of twelve. Again, the exact reason is top secret and should remain as so. You have to trust the Emperor and our word as the truth, we are the ones keeping you non-Slayers alive after all. If we do not fight outside the Outer Gates, do you think you can continue living your life as normal here?" The man''s patience was getting more and more thin after Adam''s mother insisted on knowing the reason why they were so sure he was going to be a Slayer. Yet ultimately, she did not fight it back any longer. She knew that it was pointless, and the worst case would be her getting thrown in jail for not listening to the government''s plea. She went ahead and showed Adam to the hooded man. "Is this the boy?" The man asked her, to which she responded with a nod. Adam Rosa was attempting to play dumb and clueless as if he had not heard of what they were talking about earlier. "Mama, why are they taking me?" He asked innocently. "Because you will be savior of humanity, Adam. You shall rush this world into a new age of freedom, and after that, we will finally stop living like this, we will be able to see the world outside with no worries about anything else. This man here believes in you, as well as the entire government. I do not know why or how, but do not let them down, okay? Fight for humanity and train under them. I will wait for you here in our humble abode. No matter how long it may take." She said. "But I do not want to go, mother. Who will take care of you? Who will cook for you and aid you in cleaning the house? Your illness has not been diagnosed and you have been getting worse and worse through time. I will stay here and care for you!" Tears started streaming down the child''s face as he pleaded for the man to change his decision. "I-I know, we can take you to the castle! Together, we will live there while I do whatever it is that they ask of me, I promise. Can she come with us, sir?" Adam turned to the man of the High Council, yet his response was not what Adam had hoped for. "No. We cannot. You must come alone." He said. "I will be fine here, son, go now, you shall be the sword of humanity, fight for mankind and for Niflheim, alright? Once you come back here, I will make sure to cook you your favorite potato stew." Adam''s mother said. He bid his mother farewell and was carried off into the Grand Castle by the man. "When can I see her again?" Adam asked. "After two years of your training, well, specifically, after you have awoken your Anima cells." Adam Rosa looked forward to that. Just two years and he will come back as a full fledged Slayer here. He is going to take his mother out of this horrible place and move somewhere nicer and safer, somewhere close to the Castle where he can just walk out and visit her anytime he wanted. That was his dream. But little did he know, dreams die. Reality often is disappointing and kills our dreams, stabbing it straight in the heart, ending its entire essence of being one. Rendering it as nothing more than a hopeful ''what if'' scenario that we play out in our heads while we daydream. He trained how to wield the sword under many talented Slayers, they all taught him various niche and tricks in order to win battles. And after his physical training regimes, it was not an over exaggeration to say that Adam Rosa lived more in the library rather than in his designated room. Finally, the day of his twelfth birthday came around, he was presented in front of the High Council and the Emperor, not the current one today, but his father. He showed off his Anima cells to them, they nodded in approval and gave him the freedom to go back and visit his mother for a week. Chapter 144 - The Reapers Backstory 2/4 Adam Rosa stopped by the marketplace of the Grand City with an excited look on his face. The marketplace was flocking with people trying to haggle and buy what they wanted to for prices as low as possible. He squeezed his tiny body into a stall which sold various fruits and vegetables. It was packed with people with baskets buying these lush and plump goods. Adam took a basket himself and placed a handful of potatoes on it. "Mother said she would cook potato stew when I get back. This is the least I could do for her." He said to himself. After buying the other ingredients needed for a potato stew, he went ahead and hit the road. The High Council and the others had already approved of his one week visit as it was what was promised of him before he came with the man. The scars on Adam''s arms and legs were a display of his dedication towards practice and training. His instructors did not go hard on him as they were not used to teaching boys of his age, only hardened Slayers were assigned to them. And they were not about to change their training regime to ease it up for one thin and sickly boy. But it was not all hardships and moments of exhaustion that he had in the Grand Castle, he had met a friend there. Well, they did not really meet in the general sense that two kids would, Adam Rosa met his would-be best friend, Artorias Khalil after the latter stared at him in annoyance. While he walked on the muddy road back to his home town, Adam reminisced about Artorias and the start of their friendship, and often thought about what he would be doing now. He was excited to tell his mother all about his first ever friend. "I am sure you would be surprised, mother, but I really did make a friend, although it is only the one so far, I will do my best to meet many more." Adam said. The day after he was taken to the Grand Castle, immediately afterwards, he was sent for sword and fencing practice. He walked into the room and saw a bunch of adults with only one other kid there, a green haired kid with a bronze complexioned skin. His eyes were focused and quite scary for Adam to see. It was the same look as all the other Slayers in the room with him. When the instructor saw Adam, he called him forth. "Come here child, are you lost or something? This is no place for you." He said. "No. I am not. I was told to come here for sword and fencing practice. The High Council sent me." Adam replied back. "Ah. I see. So, you are that Adam Rosa child?" He nodded. "Very well, I was only briefed that you would be joining us today. Nothing more and nothing less. Pick up your sword from the weapon rack over there." One look at Artorias and Adam already knew that he hated him. Art looked at him as though he was merely an insect meant to be stepped on and squished. He felt very underestimated by him. Adam was clueless, he still did not know how to wield a sword or what the right type of sword he would be using at all. He glanced at Artorias and was surprised that he was wielding a broadsword almost twice as large as he was. It was clear that Art frequented these types of classes, he was very muscular for a kid almost Adam''s age. After trying to swing the various types of swords, finally, Adam settled on using a rapier. "I shall be using this one." He said to the instructor. "A rapier, eh? But you have not even wielded a sword up till now, right? Are you sure you wish to use that? It is not for beginners at all, young child." The instructor said. "Let him be, sir. He will only stall our practice even further at this point, leave him in the corner to pretend that he belongs here." Art said with a straight face. Adam felt insulted and knew that he needed to respond to that type of disrespect. "Give me an hour of observing the other Slayers who are adept at wielding this rapier, and I will fight you one on one." Adam Rosa said to him with a smug expression. The other Slayers were surprised at the beginner''s guts to immediately challenge the eldest son of the house of Khalil. "What do you say about that, are you going to take him up on his challenge, Artorias?" The instructor asked the green haired boy. "Of course." Art replied back. "Artorias, eh? So, that is your name¡­" Adam thought to himself. The Slayers plus Art were crossing swords already while Adam was in the corner trying to copy one of them who was using a rapier. His stances, the way he struck and pierced his enemy, all of those were taken in and absorbed by Adam Rosa like a sponge. An hour had already passed. "It is time, Art." The instructor said to him. "Hm. I will make quick work of this weakling. Does he really think he can beat me after an hour of practicing his sword skills? Pathetic." Artorias thought to himself. The kid has also not awakened in Anima cells yet, but he was here training already, the same case as Adam was. Everyone else in the room backed off and leaned on the corners, trying to make as much space as they could for the two children and their inevitable showdown. It was also a way to lighten the mood up as most of them here had come from missions and had lost a comrade or two. Adam Rosa assumed a stance that he copied from one of the Slayers that he watched earlier. "You are better off choosing a dagger or short sword or something. I will break your thin piercing blade in two and get you to admit defeat. Prepare yourself." Artorias said to him. "You really do talk a lot, why don''t you swing already?" Adam replied back, taunting him lightly. Artorias Khalil had a quick first step and immediately lunged towards Adam, his quickness caught the latter off guard at just how fast he was despite using that huge broadsword. "Shit. He is even faster when he is right in front of me." Adam thought to himself. Artorias swung his massive sword but his opponent sidestepped it quickly. Adam pulled back his rapier in order to charge a powerful piercing motion right at Art''s face. The blade nearly pierced him right in the cheek if not for his well timed dodge. "Hey, sir, shouldn''t we give them wooden swords or something? At this point they are going to kill each other." A Slayer pointed out to the instructor. "It is fine. There is no better teacher than a fresh wound from one''s own failure to dodge or block it. If I sense that they are one swing away from death, I shall gladly intervene and stop this match, do not worry." The instructor assured them. "For someone who has never ever held a sword before, this kid is tough. No, worse than that, he is smart. He has been adjusting to my movements little by little ever since my first strike. He is reading me like a book!" Artorias said to himself. "I cannot keep this up much longer, my blade is not as thick as his broadsword, at this point, he is going to really break it with the sheer intensity of his attacks." Adam thought. Although he was on the backfoot, Adam was still managing to hold his own. The instructor did not stop their showdown even when their hands and legs were riddled with sword cuts already. It would have to be decided in one final swing. They both created some distance between them and readied a full sprint forward. Each of them leaping at the other afterwards. After a loud clang, the victor had already been decided. With his broadsword pointed at Adam Rosa''s throat, Artorias knew that he won. Applauses and cheers from the other Slayers in the background were heard after witnessing such a marvelous display of a showdown between two children not even old enough to awaken their Anima cells. Artorias did the unthinkable among his peers, he extended his hand to help Adam Rosa up. All of the hate that Adam felt personally towards the bronze-skinned kid was gone in an instant, what replaced it was comradery and friendship. "Thanks." He said to Art afterwards. "With enough practice and after your cells have awoken, you will be a strong Slayer. Your name is Adam, right?" Art asked in order to make sure of it. "Y-Yeah. Adam Rosa." He replied back. "Your footwork and overall grip of the rapier is shabby and mediocre at best, prepare yourself, we still have a full day of training ahead of us." Art said to his new friend.. It was his first ever friend as well. Chapter 145 - The Reapers Backstory 3/4 - Dreams The blonde haired young child smiled fondly as he thought about what he would practice next with Artorias and the other Slayers after his week long break. But the thing he is currently looking forward to while walking the badly paved road back to his hometown was to see his mother again. Adam imagined how she would react after seeing him, a twelve year old boy already growing into a man. He would ask her what she had noticed first as soon as he walked in that run down home they lived in. "Would she take note of how muscular I have become? We never really had much to put in our mouths as a growing boy. I hope she has done well for herself and has lived much more comfortably after I went away¡­" All sorts of thoughts went through Adam''s mind, all of them filled with excitement and eagerness. He had not even noticed just how far away his house was on foot. The High Council offered to send him a representative of theirs to accompany him and give him a carriage ride altogether, but he politely declined, saying that it was going to be fine and that he was used to walking for that long ever since he was young. "Suit yourself, child. But do not overstay your vacation. One week is all we are giving you and that is all you are able to take. We have only ever given days of leave for other Slayers, you should consider yourself lucky that we are even extending your reunion with your mother to a week." The High Council''s leader back then told him straight to his face. Perhaps they were quite fearful that Adam would run away or something. Seeing that he was still but a na?ve child in their eyes, although he never showed impulsivity in his actions, it was still something that the High Council would prefer to avoid. He had also taken the liberty of borrowing a couple of books from the library; books in which his mother would have liked. After seeing the silhouette of his house on top of the hill, it was still the same old run-down shack, but it did not matter anymore to Adam. Adam Rosa had already planned out where they would be living after he became a Slayer. Somewhere near him. So no matter how horrible their living conditions were, it was only going to be mere fragments of the past. A horrible dream that they would both soon awaken from. And it is all thanks to the potential that the High Council and the government saw in him. He is quite thankful to them for that fact. Adam went from being the son of a sickly woman living in the far outs of nowhere and was now making a name for himself as one of the only people who could go toe to toe against the golden child of the Khalil family in combat practice. Artorias heard about the insane hardships that he and his mother had to endure. At first, the thought it was some sort of sick joke that his friend was concocting to make a fool out of him, but after realizing that his words carried the weight of the truth, the privileged Artorias quickly got quiet and went on listening to his friend. "I honestly thought you were trying lie through your teeth about your experiences, which would have been incredibly distasteful to those who are living an impoverished life in Niflheim, yet everything you have said, I sense no lie in what you have said. I do not know if it is a good thing or not to say this, though, you do not look like someone who came from such a background." Artorias Khalil said to Adam. This was because of the way that Adam carried himself, he was always mindful of how he spoke, how he ate in front of other people, and his overall demeanor was nothing like that of a peasant''s. He shone very brightly among his peers. He even looked much more of someone who had come from a royal and rich background than Artorias did, who only cared about being strong and improving his sword training. "Come on, I am not worthy of such high praises from the Khalil family''s poster boy." Adam said jokingly. Artorias smirked. "It is settled then, I will implore the influence of my family name to help you in finding a suitable place in the Grand City for your mother and-" Artorias could not even finish what he had just said and Adam was already smiling the most wholesome he had ever done so far. "Thank you so much, Art. I am really glad to have met you. I will let my mother meet you soon, after I have transferred here to the Grand City, that is. That is a promise." He said to him. Hastily opening the door, Adam could not contain his emotions. "I am home, mother!" He exclaimed after walking in on their home. Fully expecting a hug from her, he was confused at the sheer silence that was handed back to him as a response. A putrid smell of death and rot was greeted him instead. Adam fend off the stench by covering his nose with his arms. He coughed out and gagged for a bit before finally having the stomach to go further into the house. There she was. Laying no top of the bed, she looked like she had already been dead for days now, which explains her body''s rotting smell. She had looked like she aged ten years in only two years time passing by. Adam already forgot about how putrid the air was in here, all he stared at his mother''s lifeless body and could say nothing. He could do nothing. He just stood there, gazing at what once was his mother. "M-Mother?" He uttered out. Adam Rosa''s initial shock was now replaced with anger. He desperately examined what had killed her, seeing if she was the victim of an intruder or thief. Yet his efforts were in vain, there were no wounds on her at all. Her illness was severe but it could not have made her age this much in such a short amount of time, there was no logical way around explaining it. Her skin was also unnaturally white, Adam had never remembered her being this way. Even for a dead person''s body, it was too white to be called pale, it was as if her whole skin was painted white before she died. Adam flipped her over and saw something which horrified him to the core. His mother had wings. They were small, too small for a living thing with the size of a person to take flight in. Much like that of a chicken or pigeon''s wings. Adam fell over and stumbled on his steps, trying to catch his breath while attempting to make sense of what had just happened to her. "W-Was it because I had left you here alone?! Was I the main reason that you had turned into this¡­this monstrosity?!" Adam exclaimed. His mother''s lifeless body was not the sight he had expected to see after coming home. Especially adding that she had turned into something other than human, something indescribable. Almost like an Angel. Once that thought crossed his mind, Adam quickly got up and contained his emotions. He thought about what the people of Niflheim would say after revealing that his mother had turned into something like that. He might lose everything that he had worked for so far. And the only reason why he worked that much was for her, now she is gone. Adam Rosa picked his mother up with a white sheet which had turned sanguine from her rotting remains. That day, he dug up a place for he would bury her body. "Was it my fault?" Adam kept repeating that question to himself. He was slowly blaming himself for what had happened. "A creature might have snuck into Niflheim and turned her into this, right?" He was now talking to himself, trying to come up with different scenarios that led up to his mother turning out the way that she did. Adam Rosa leaned outside the damaged shack which they called home, holding a shovel with his hand, staring at the hole he dug for her. Tears started streaming from his crystal eyes, rolling down his cheeks. That night, Adam Rosa wailed as hard as he could. For fallen dreams and ''what if'' scenarios that he and his mother could never ever live out. Before he knew it, he started slipping in and out of sleep, still leaning stalwartly outside, guarding her remains six feet underneath. Even if it was too late for him to be there for her already. "Dreams. Should I have left her back then? I am sure the man would have forced me out of here still, but maybe if I had fought back enough, they would have taken her to the Castle as well¡­" Thoughts swirled around Adam''s head once again.. Thoughts and ideas of what he could have done to prevent this. Chapter 146 - The Reapers Backstory 4/4 A week had passed by after the incident, Adam lived on the same bits and scraps left inside the house which they had used back when he was still here with his mother. He no longer knew what he had to do. Adam even took note that his week-long vacation had already passed and that if he stayed even a day longer here, he would be in deep trouble. But at this point, nothing matters anymore, his one reason for giving it his all back at the castle was buried a few meters away from him already. The broken glass pane from the window was just large enough for a messenger pigeon to squeeze itself in and him a message. Adam opened it and noticed that it was from the High Council themselves. It wrote as: "Today is the seventh day of your break, we have given it to you as promised. We expect you to report back for duty as soon as possible or before the eight day ends. Do not waste our time, Adam Rosa" then the letter ends. Adam threw the note on the floor and stepped on it. Although the High Council or any one else for that matter even, had not yet known of his loss, the grief-stricken boy stared into the nothingness of the starry skies above. All hope had been lost in his heart. He felt alone, like he was the only person left on Earth, and this was the last scenery of it before everything ends in a massive explosion, bringing the world back into nothing. Adam slept on an empty stomach as there was no more food anymore. He cursed himself and kept blaming her demise on him. "It is all because of me¡­" He repeated. He laid down on the floor and finally got some shut eye after a few nights of restlessness. Morning came, Adam was aware of it because of the hole on their roof, there was this circular hole which emitted a strong ray of light into the dark shack. Because of his superior instincts, Adam could sense that there was someone approaching the area. Someone strong, with footsteps heavy and his or her Anima cells being absolutely monstrous, he got up and peeked a glance through the broken window. Since he still had not returned to the Grand Castle on the eight day, it was only logical for the ruthless High Council to send in someone who would beat him into submission depending on if he had fully deserted. Someone who was able to track him down and either dispose of a traitor or bring him back. The apathy that Adam Rosa felt was replaced with rage. He had never felt like this before, he thought that it would be over anyway, so he might as well vent out some anger and die fighting. "I no longer care for this world, my life is not and has never been my own. I refuse to live without you, mother. I shall kill anyone who dares disturb our untimely reunion." Adam Rosa said with a face which exuded bloodlust. But when he finally saw who it was, all his emotions were stopped for a bit. The person they sent to get him back was none other than his best friend, Artorias Khalil. Adam went outside and greeted him with a wave. "Hey." He said to Artorias. "Why have you not returned yet? The High Council''s pigeon also did not." The Khalil family''s golden boy noticed some bloodstains on Adam''s hands and was immediately on guard. "Why did you kill the pigeon?" He calmly asked his friend, trying to assess the situation itself. "Why does anyone do anything at all, Artorias? My mother died waiting for me to come back and bring her somewhere safer, that was what I promised her. She even called me a hero or something. Someone who could save Niflheim from this godawful existence that we live in, caged like mere animals. But what came of that? Nothing but death, all my hardships, all these cuts on my skin ¨C all amount to nothing if I do not have her!" Adam exclaimed. "H-His mother¡­she passed away?" Artorias asked himself, as he was confused at this turn of events as well. "T-That cannot be, he was brimming with excitement the night before he departed. Do not tell me she died shortly after he came here? What the actual hell is happening, Adam¡­" Artorias raised his arms up, indicating that he was not here to fight. "Calm down, you should tell me everything, I am sure those guys at the Council would understand, you would get to go back to the Castle with no repercussions at all! I would even put a good word in for you, let us just talk it out Adam-" Artorias was greeted instead with a rapier strike straight at his face. "You really do talk too much. You do not get it, Artorias, I did everything for her sake, now it is all meaningless!" Adam said as he continued to slice away at his friend, who did not even retaliate back. Art just kept dodging his strikes which were sloppy and misguided. It really was not like Adam to lose his cool, it was the first time that Artorias saw him in this state of mind, he really has given up on everything. The High Council told Artorias to drag the boy back to the Grand Castle by any means necessary, he can even injure his legs so he would be easier to carry back, of course, Artorias did not agree to any of these, he believed that his friend has a good reason for doing what he did. He promised them that he would bring his friend back unscathed, and that was what he was going to do. Finally, Artorias drew his sword, but not for striking down his grief struck best friend, but it was done to block his attacks. As sloppy as they were, they still came from Adam Rosa. Every blow was an inch closer to death if he was not careful with how he chose to approach it. "Cut it out you fucking fool!" he screamed at his friend, who did not respond as he was blinded with rage already. "What happened to his mother?" That was the question on Artorias'' mind right now, but he knew it would be useless to ask Adam more in the state that he was in. "I do not know what happened to her, but are you really going to throw everything away and be this way?! You will not survive long enough in Niflheim as a fugitive, you know that, Adam! Did she want you to do this at all?!" "Do not dare to speak of her and what she wanted for me to do. You have never even met her! You do not know anything about our dreams so don''t you dare act like you do!" Finally, Adam replied back. But coupled with his words was a straight stab at Artorias'' stomach. This time, however, Art did not block nor evade his attack, he instead took it all in and held the blade itself with his bare hands. With blood gushing out of his friend''s mouth ultimately dripping on his hands, it looked like Adam had finally realized the gravity of what he had done. He stopped and stared at Artorias for a moment. "W-Why didn''t you block!?" He shouted. "Be quiet for a second, you know, for the smartest kid I have ever met, you sure are stubborn. I may not have met your mother, Adam, but even I could tell she had a beautiful soul. She sent you to become mankind''s strongest soldier, to uplift everyone''s spirits and be the beacon of light for hope. This is what I got based on what you''ve told me about her, she loved you, man. She still does. Do not throw away everything in a blind fit of rage, because I am adamant that she would not have wished for this." After saying that, Adam Rosa knew that what his best friend had said was right, to think that he had injured him this fatally without him even fighting back. "What would mother have said at the sight of this?" He asked himself before having streams of tears drip down. "Do not take your rapier out of my stomach, by the way." Artorias said while coughing up more and more blood. "You will only make the bleeding worse, for now, just take me to the healers, man." His lips had turned pale and he was already battling consciousness. Adam realized that not everything should end just because his mother was no longer here, even though she was the reason for all of this. The least he could do was to truly become the beacon of hope for all of humanity in Niflheim. Adam Rosa helped his friend walk by letting him lean on him, he told her what had happened except his mother''s transformation into that angel-humanoid hybrid. To their luck, they came across an organization of healers and Adam requested for them to heal his dying friend up. Before leaving the place, he turned around and had a long look at their house by the hill.. "Goodbye, mother." Chapter 147 - White Silhouette (Present time during Adam Rosa''s infiltration in Niflheim before he had stolen the Book of Alacrity) "The night had not changed how the Grand City looked at all. After all these years, this place is still rotten." Adam said to himself as he remembered the time of his youth. He glanced at the Grand Castle in disgust. "I shall bring this country its feet soon enough. And then we will see each other once again, mother." Adam thought about the night of the incident. There was no mystery as to if he did or did not do it himself, it was far too obvious already, he killed Luken''s sister and the other members of the Six Blades. For one last time, he decided to recall what had happened which lead to that massacre. (A few days before the massacre of half of the Six Blades.) Adam Rosa fondly remembered his mother. He was now a man holding the title of the number one ranked Slayer in the Slayer Corps. The way that he fought was absolutely methodical and done with such sheer ease that all the Angels he fought were dead in under five minutes all in all. Everyone in Niflheim had looked up to the Reaper, as he was affectionally called as such. The Grim Reaper for mankind, he was the personification of mankind''s unwillingness to relent and go extinct without fighting. With him at the helm and leading various missions, mankind was slowly rising up. During this time, the top two ranked Slayer was the Basilisk Slayer, his best friend, Artorias Khalil. Without ever saying it, Adam knew that his friend saved him from being sunken down into the deepest depths of despair. Artorias grabbed his hand before he could fall even deeper. After healing Artorias up, they both went back to the Grand Castle on the eight day, the Basilisk Slayer back then stood by his friend and said that he would not condone it if the High Council went on with their decision to murder Adam. As they were threatened by the young boy''s words, they knew that they needed the political support and funds that all the other subsidiaries that the Khalil family owned if they were to continue with this war, if they were to even stand a chance, they needed the Khalil family''s influence itself, and they could not do anything to him, that was how much Artorias placed everything on the line for his dear friend. Seeing the genuine emotions his best friend showed while trying to appeal his case to the High Council, citing that his mother''s death was something that could warrant one day of being late in coming back and that it should be excused and understood. Adam Rosa was still living for his mother now, but not for her well-being anymore, as she was no longer here, instead, for her dreams in her son. Her aspirations as to what he was meant to become, to be the beacon for humanity, that was his new-found goal. He smiled after remembering how stupid he was as a kid, trying to throw everything away like that. Luckily, he had Artorias with him, he really did not think how bleak the future would have been if he went through with his initial plan of running away from the government and the High Council as well as murdering any pursuers. A dream visited Adam in his sleep that night, it started out with a vague memory of him and his mother. She was cooking the potato stew which he bought the ingredients for after his twelfth birthday. "Wait, wait a minute! This never happened at all, mother! W-When I arrived at our house¡­you¡­you were dead already!" Adam Rosa exclaimed in his dreams. When suddenly, all sense of time seemed to stop in his dreams. Nothing moved, it was like everything was halted in place. The happy expression of his mother paused, as did everything. A shining silhouette of a person appeared behind her, the person''s features were far too bright to make something out of, but it was obvious that it was a woman. "Adam Rosa, I can bring your mother back from the dead. Your dear beloved mother. If you do as I say, then your loyalty to me shall ultimately be rewarded with her re-entering the realm of the living." The silhouette said. "What do you mean? How am I supposed to trust someone whose face I cannot even see at all?" Adam responded back. The silhouette walked towards him and whispered something. "Jen Vanta. She was a ten year old child who died the same day as your mother did, to show you that my feats are not all talk and empty words, I shall revive her. After you wake up from your slumber, go to the brown oak house beside the well in the Grand City, ask the family there what happened to Rose Vanta. When you finish asking them, come back the next day and I will show you that there is truth in what I say." She said before snapping her fingers and resuming the stopped time altogether. Leaving Adam Rosa to enjoy the what-if scenario of him coming back to his mother when he was twelve. The very next day, Adam wrestled the though of actually going to the Vanta family''s residence and asking of Jen. He did not even know what the silhouette meant when she said those words. Against his better judgment, he still did so. He introduced himself to the family but they already knew who he was. "Ah! It if isn''t the Reaper, what brings you to our humble abode, sir?" The patriarch of the family greeted him excitedly. The Reaper peeked into the door as they welcomed him in. At first glance, he noticed that the house was in disarray, it was clean on the outside but the inside of it was a mess. Adam saw that there were only three people here, the father who greeted him, the mother who sat on a chair looking ghastly depressed, and another kid with empty eyes. "I-I am here under the requests of the Emperor himself, I was sent to review the houses on the Grand City one by one and see the well-being of the residents¡­" Adam Rosa lied, sweat began to drip from his temple. "Well, as you can see, our house is still a mess, we are trying to find a cure for the illness that took our dear Jen away¡­" The father said. His words were like a clang that rang on his ears, this meant that the woman in his dreams was right about the kid named Jen Vanta who died on the same day as his mother did. Adam Rosa froze. "S-She was right. But still, that does not mean anything at all, I may have heard the name at one point in time and it just manifested in my dreams subconsciously, I shall come back tomorrow to see what the woman meant, if she even made any sense at all or was it just a figment of my dreamlike imagination?" Adam thought to himself. He bid farewell to the family after he got the information he needed, he talked about Jen Vanta and her untimely death. All the information that the woman pointed out was accurate, but it was going to be what was going to happen tomorrow which would skew the Reaper''s mind. For the night, he had trouble sleeping, constantly twisting and turning. Finally, tomorrow came without delay, he had set out early morning to the Vanta family''s household. Adam Rosa knocked on the door twice, but he was greeted with no response at all. He knocked two times more and still, there was no feedback from the Vantas. When he looked at the window though, everything changed. Not only for him, but for mankind and the entire course of history as a whole. There were now four people in the household, the father, mother, the child, and another child as well. "Who is that?" Adam asked. The father noticed him peering into the window has hurriedly invited him inside. "I-It is you, sir Rosa! C-Could you believe it!? It is my child! Jen! She had come back to life!" He was in tears as he said that, the mother was hugging Jen as well. "Thank goodness you are back!" Adam was taken aback to what he was witnessing. He could not help but fall flat on his back. "I-Impossible¡­" This meant that there was now a clear wrench thrown in the cog of Adam''s goals. He took a long hard look at Jen, he even asked her a couple of questions. "H-How did you come back to life?" he asked the child. "I do not know, mister, I felt like I was floating around a void of endlessness, then suddenly, a speck of light shone so bright that I had to walk towards in.. That was the last thing I would remember." Chapter 148 - Fallen Reaper A sense of shock invaded Adam Rosa. His face turned pale and he was biting his lower lip. After talking to the family, he made himself scarce and waved them a reluctant goodbye. He went on to go back to the place where he buried his mother. As he stood over the place where he dug the hole, a surge of emotions came to him, overflowing the man''s mind, making him think whether what the white woman''s demands were in order to bring his mother back. Adam also did not consult his other co-Slayers and anyone else, even Artorias, about this sensitive matter. The young man remembered everything, the pain and loss of losing his mother was too much as a child, he hid them away inside his heart, but all of the grief came gushing out as he returned to the place where their house used to be. He closed his eyes as he remembered the times where he used to sleep here, not a single care in the world. Rain might come and drip down from the damaged rooftops, but at least he had her and she had him. In his sleep, the white, shining, silhouette of the woman showed herself to him once more. "Greetings, Adam Rosa. I was the one to revive Jen Vanta and dragged her back from the world of the dead into the living." She said. "H-How can you do such a thing?! Is everyone able to come back from the dead?! What of my mother, can she be brought back?!" Adam Rosa stuttered on his words as he was so keen on doing it. "Not a soul is exempted from my reach, Angels, humans, whatever these life forms might be, I am the ultimate and supreme being that can string them together and move their very essence of my own accord." She responded back. Adam was confused at her mentioning the Angels. "Just what are you?! Are you an Angel as well?" He exclaimed. "No. No, my dear, I am not an Angel. I am something more, I am the one who gives life to them, you may call me as the Vessel." "T-The Vessel?" This was the first time that the Vessel introduced herself to the Reaper, and everything would go downhill from here on out. "But I do not bring the dead souls back into the living without a reason or benefit, surely, you must have known that? Heh." The white silhouette said with a chuckle. "T-Then tell me what I must do to bring her back! I will do everything¡­" Adam pleaded with her. "Everything, you say? I do not wish to keep you in debt with my favors or my requests, Adam. This is the first time in history that the Vessel has ever made contact with a human, but not just a regular human, no, you, my dear, are indeed special. Favors are expendable, they run out. What I ask of you is to wave your dedication as a Slayer and become my spear instead, in return, I will bring your mother back." "Your spear? What do you mean, lady?!" Adam was a bit agitated now at the silhouette''s way of speaking indirectly. "Yes, my spear. Tell me, Adam. What do you really want? What is your ultimate desire, no matter how morally grey or evil it might be, tell me." She said. "I want to be with my mother." Adam Rosa responded back with a straight face. "I see. Then kneel." The silhouette said to him. Adam felt that his conviction towards bringing his mother back was much heavier than his pride, his ego, and his servitude to the Slayer Corps, to Niflheim, and to mankind. How selfish it might be for someone to throw those away, he was still bent on it. As were his knees, as he completely kneeled at the creator of the Angels, the Vessel herself. "You have made the perfect choice, my dear. For that, I will educate you on why your mother turned into an Angel looking hybrid. The truth is, Adam, is that she was no human by any definition of the word. She was meant to be the next Vessel for the Angels, but she defected and came here to Niflheim, she wanted to stop this millennia long conflict and have you do it yourself, as she was looking for someone who would impregnate her by the time she arrived. You have never known your father because he was nothing more than a lowly drunkard on the street just lucky enough to plant his seed. On her death bed, she showed what she really looked like, albeit the humanoid disguise was sticking to her too much, she could not hide her real physical body. You, Adam Rosa, are a rare case of an Angel and human hybrid. You tread the line between both worlds, that of Niflheim, and the realm of us Angels. Why do you think you are that strong? I will tell you more once you do what I ask you to, and it will ultimately end up in the resurrection of your beloved mother." Her revelation sent shivers down Adam Rosa''s spine. "M-Me? Half human and half Angel?" Adam was confused, it was all far too much to take in on one dream. But the Vessel had no use lying, she had not lied about being able to show that she could bring dead people back to life, even Adam asked around the day before today about Jen Vanta''s death, and now there she was, walking the streets as a living, breathing, alive human. No matter what he was, it did not hinder him from the goal of reviving his mother. This would be the start of the end for his ties with Niflheim. The Vessel kept feeding him information that she would not have known if not her for state of being a higher entity. Adam Rosa had now turned into a recluse, opting to read about the old Gods and lock himself in the Grand Castle''s libraries. Artorias noticed that Adam always turned him away, he has never even wanted to go out and catch up with him in the taverns over a glass of beer. This was odd, but Artorias respected his friend''s decision. He thought that perhaps he is going through a rough patch, after all, it was nearing the death anniversary of his beloved mother. This went on for over six months. Until finally, the night of reckoning happened. When Adam was dreaming, the Vessel told him it was time to leave Niflheim and join their ranks outside this country. But that was not all, she left him with a very heavy and daunting task; to kill the Six Blades and prove his loyalty towards them. Luken Regalia and Gavin Khalil were out on a mission themselves during this time, but they had already finished it so they were in route back to the Six Blades'' hideout, keen on telling their friends and family about their latest mission, they excitedly made their way back. During this time, however, Adam called the other three who remained in the hideout, including Luken Regalia''s sister. He brought them somewhere secluded and that was when the Reaper first turned his blade against mankind, against Niflheim, and against his family ¨C the Six Blades as a whole. Adam Rosa had painted the grass red with their blood, all three of them were hesitant to fight him back at first, asking if he was pulling some sort of sick joke, but his actions were very real. After that night, Adam Rosa was not seen for a few years ever again. His reappearance was when Yin, Suna, and Cosette eviscerated the Angel on the fifty-rookie Slayer mission. The Reaper has fallen and has betrayed everything he worked so hard for, all to revive his mother on the promise of the Angel''s Vessel. The initial guilt made him feel atrocious, but time and time again, the Vessel whispered words of reassurance and encouragement to him, stating that it would all be for the ultimate goal of reviving her. Adam nodded and repeated the same words to himself, making himself believe that the course of action that he is taking is the right one. That the crooked path he walked on was for good reason, that the blood of his family spilled in the grassy plains of Niflheim would fill the newfound dream of his, to reunite with his mother. (Present Time ¨C Adam Rosa''s infiltration in Niflheim, he has already snuck inside the Grand Castle''s library chambers.) Adam Rosa made quick work of the guards guarding the library and skewered them all against each other, placing their bodies at where the Book of Alacrity would be. "I am sorry for this. I truly am. I hope you all find peace in death, goodbye." He said as he turned to look at the guards he just slaughtered.. "I hope you forgive me in another life." Chapter 149 - Alacrity (On the way towards the ruins of where the Emperor told them the Sword of Alacrity would be located in, everyone was already here.) "Faust, I would like to introduce you to the young core of the Six Blades." The Serpent Summoner said as he showed Faust Keisuke of the Primal Hounds to the trio. Each one of them greeted him and said hello, and shook his hand. But when it came to Yin''s turn in shaking the S Rank Earth Slayer''s palms, Faust Keisuke was taken aback and pulled his hand out instinctively. They all asked him what was wrong. "N-Nothing. Do not mind me, my hand just got cold for some reason. Now, if you will excuse me, I will go back to the person who recruited me, the Basilisk Slayer." He said that last line with such pride, as he should, after all, even if Artorias only invited him for the sake of having someone to invite, it was still an honor to be recruited by the number one ranked Slayer. Kai Xin wanted to catch up with the other members of the Six Blades while the journey was still far away from their exact location. He brought Hector Incendium with him, who had the same look of seriousness and poise that he always wore ever since. "What''s up, guys?" Kai Xin said with a smile. Zachary immediately greeted him with several questions as to how to better use his affinity in combat, as it was really different to ask the advice of someone who shared the same element as you did. "How do I expend my Anima concentration without getting exhausted just as easily?" Zach asked the happy go lucky S Rank Fire Slayer. "Oh, about that, I think Hector can answer those questions himself, so you are better off asking him!" In reality, Hector could, but Zach just wanted to dodge the responsibility of answering the questions of his pupil. He then went on to the Commander and the Serpent Summoner and caught up with them. "So, we are fighting ''him'' eh? Tch. This is going to turn sour really quick if we are not careful." Kai said with a click from his tongue. "I know what I must do. But what if he does not show up?" Luken turned towards Gavin to ask him the question and best case scenario in this situation. If the Reaper really did not finish decoding the book and the whereabouts of the sword that is capable of tearing through the Red Barriers, then it would be beneficial to all of them. In reality, if he was not on the helm of this, they would not even send this many Slayers on a single mission. The sheer amount of them was overwhelming, and if something were to terribly happen to them, the Slayer Corps would take the largest hit ever. Nearly most of their top ten Slayers in the rankings dying would cripple mankind so much. "Deep inside, I kind of hope that Adam has gone rusty and his deduction skills will not be up to par as it was several years ago. It is not that I am scared of fighting him, over the course of a few months after we had seen him again, I''ve already made up my mind to fight him with everything I''ve got. I just worry for the others who are not that experienced with fighting someone in the scale of Adam Rosa''s power." The Serpent Summoner said as he shook his head. The Commander placed his arm on his shoulders and nodded his head, assuring him that no matter what happens, they will always have Yin and the other''s back. "Kill the traitor, and protect the others. It is going to be a hard day of work for us oldies. Heh." The Commander said with a chuckle. "Hey, do not clump me in with you fossils, at this rate, you can actually qualify to be a member of the High Council!" Kai joked. The young trio were all silent, it was not that they did not like Hector, they just did not know what to say to him, he looked like he was always on guard and had a no-nonsense approach to every little thing in life. In short, he was very intimidating as a person. "S-So, do you know the answer to my question for Kai earlier?" Zachary said to him. "Yes. I do. Do you wish to have my answer instead of Kai''s?" he replied back with his wide circled eyes in deep focus. As Zach and Hector struck up an untimely friendship, Yin and Suna were observing the prodigal Slayer that is Hector Incendium. "Do you think I can take him on, Yin?" Suna asked Yin as her competitive nature kicked in. She was studying the A-Rank Slayer with her eyes staring daggers at him. "Definitely, Suna!" Yin, as clueless as he was, was in full support of his friend. Hector definitely felt that Suna and Yin were staring at him. "Is there something wrong with your two other teammates? I could not help but notice that they have been gazing at me, for some reason which I cannot comprehend." He said while scratching the back of his head. "Nah. Do not worry about it, these guys are weirdoes." Kai said to him as they both went on with their conversation, it was more of Zach asking him for tips regarding Fire affinity and different ways to make it much more effective in combat. "You do not seem very enthusiastic about any of this, Fen." The Basilisk Slayer said to the Allcaster, Fen Kaori. "I rarely get excited nor enthusiastic about anything at all, Artorias, you should know that yourself already." He retorted back with a deadpan manner. "But how about you, Art, are you sure you are ready to clash swords with your best friend?" "Everyone here is adamant in taking the traitorous SSS Rank Reaper''s head, I am no different to them. Our goals are all in unison. Well, it is not like I am in charge of this mission entirely, the Emperor entrusted the formation and everything else to the Serpent Summoner, my brother." A look of annoyance invaded the Basilisk Slayer''s face as he said that. "What seems to be the matter, did you want to do it yourself? You rarely even ever work with other Slayers, do not tell me you think yourself as a better leader than either Luken or Gavin." Fen said back. "Yeah, you might be right, but this time, we actually have a chance to kill Adam, and I am all in for that chance, Fen. I will have him explain to me why he became such a detestable fucking monster, I want to hear it straight out of his mouth." The Basilisk Slayer gripped the hilt of his sword so much that veins started to pop out of his temple. "Ease up, we are still a long ways away from where he could potentially be." The Allcaster said to him. This mission was all betting that they would not encounter the Reaper at all. But the Basilisk Slayer, someone who used to see Adam as his best friend, wanted the opposite, in fact. He wanted to shove his great sword straight into his fallen friend''s heart, but not before he could hear the answer as to why he did what he did. "Was it a mistake to save him from the peril he was in when we were twelve years old? Should I have not let emotions get in the way of my mission and proceeded with killing him back then?" Artorias Khalil thought to himself as he walked with the Allcaster. Amara was up above the sky, trying to scout out enemies that would potentially be hiding where they would cross towards. The Emerald Dragon was their eyes up in the skies. She could just send a telepathic message to Artorias if she ever found something of note, that was how deep their bond and connection was. "I heard about what had happened in your last mission, Specter." Ignis Silva said to Vale Ashford. "What of it?" Vale replied back with an annoyed expression. "Calm down, I am not here to agitate you or anything, I am just striking up a casual conversation with a fellow S rank Slayer." Ignis Silva told the Specter with a grin. "Cut that shit out, Ignis, tell me what you really wanted to say." Vale replied back with a fatigued sigh. "It is about that boy, Zachary Lancaster, I wish to recruit him to the Inferno Garden. I believe that his talents are being wasted on the Six blades, as there is not even any other Fire Slayer there other than himself. I can make him much stronger, I will immolate his blue azure flames much brighter than he could ever know would be possible.." The leader of the Inferno Garden said with a malicious grin. Chapter 150 - The Skirmish Outside "Could this be the place?" Kai Xin turned to the Serpent Summoner as he was here before already. "Yeah. No doubt about it. Tread carefully, everyone." "It reeks of death here." The Allcaster said after inhaling a faint gust of air. "Well, it is where almost fifty rookies laid down their lives for that little despicable experiment by the High Council, so yeah." Vale replied back. Yin Sohaya gulped. It was as if the sacrifices of everyone while they fought the Angel here came back to him. All the sense of guilt, powerlessness, and carelessness flooded his mind. Suna tapped him lightly, just enough to shake him out of it. "You alright?" She asked. "Y-Yeah. I am fine." Gavin was the one leading this mission, he had already briefed them of everyone''s positions and what they would do if they were ever going to be locked in battle. He called Fen and asked the Allcaster to approach him. "Do you sense Adam Rosa''s Anima cells anywhere?" The Serpent Summoner asked him. "No. Not at all. But I do sense many Angels heading towards us, about thirty of them. They all share the same Anima cells, so there is no chance they are Seraphims." Fen replied back. "I see. Then it seems like it is safe to assume that Adam already knows of the Sword of Alacrity''s location." Gavin clenched his fist. "Everyone! Prepare for combat! Thirty or more Angels are coming in from the north!" They all went in to attack positions and stances after hearing the mission leader''s calls. As sour as Ignis Silva''s face was that he was not chosen, he had already moved on and was prepared to follow the Serpent Summoner''s shot calls for the entirety of the mission, that was how committed to the rules he was. The long range spell casters formed a line at the back, led by Fen Kaori and Gavin Khalil. They were preparing their grimoires while he pulled out his paintbrush and blank canvas. While the front line bruisers was led by Faust Keisuke and Luken Regalia, the Commander, this was where Yin Sohaya and Suna Izanami was situated in. The middle part was tasked with backing up the bruisers and killing all those who rushed in to the back lines of casters, it was led by Ignis Silva and Kai Xin, this was where Hector Incendium and Zachary Lancaster were placed in. Finally, the reconnaissance team tasked with going straight to where the Sword of Alacrity could have been was the Basilisk Slayer and Vale Ashford, the Specter. "For mankind and Niflheim!" Gavin shouted, they all followed shortly after. Their war cry had already been voiced out, the inevitable battle was getting nearer and nearer as the silhouettes of about thirty Angels began to make themselves clearer in the skies as they approached. The Allcaster noticed them first before Amara the Emerald Dragon did as this was one of the upsides of having that much Anima cells, the sheer concentration it required to act like the team''s ''radar'' was very needed in this situation. Gavin summoned Ryoko, the Elder Wyrm to aid in the assault of the bruisers, this might have been overkill for them to expend everything, but it was also in preparation and assuming that Seraphims would follow soon after they had exterminated them all. A familiar flashing red light invaded Yin''s field of view. It was the System. [ Quest : Survive the Race to the Sword of Alacrity.] the System''s voice said. "What does it look like I should do?!" Yin exclaimed back but he had forgotten to reply back with his mind, he instead said it verbally. This caught the Commander''s attention. "Calm down, Yin boy, I''ve got your back in case something happens, not only yours, but I have got everybody''s back here!" The Commander was pumped up which made the others share in the same fervor as he did. For a moment, time stopped once more. Only Yin was ever aware of this, everyone had been frozen in place. "W-What the hell is happening?" Yin was confused until the blackish void like form of the Creator appeared before him. This was the first time that he showed himself in the outside world to Yin. "Hello, Yin." He said. "Why are you here outside?" Yin was confused. "I have come to bring you a gift of some sort, something that will aid in your incoming battle." The Creator pulled out a sword from out of his own body. "Here." He gave it to Yin. It was a sword with its hilt forming a skull shaped pattern. The sword''s size itself was longer than usual, but too thick to be called a rapier. "T-This sword, is it from the System?" Yin wanted to know. "That is right, my dear Yin, use it well, you do not need to ask how you would be able to wield the sword at all, trust me, you already do. Just rely on your instincts and you will be fine." Said the Creator before he waved Yin goodbye and vanished, resuming time to its natural state and flow altogether afterwards. "Eh? Where did you get that sword, Yin?" Suna was confused after seeing Yin hold on to the long blade. "I-I found it laying on the ground, perhaps it belonged to another Slayer who perished here, yeah, that is probably it." Yin nervously answered back. Sun was confused as to why Yin would use a weapon he has never practiced with ever since, especially now that it was a do or die scenario. The Angels stopped for awhile mid air, scouring the situation for about ten seconds, Gavin gave the signal for the Allcaster and the long range Slayers to throw in their spells first. Some of the Angels dodged them easily but the they were aiming for their wings all along, some fell to the ground after having their wings hit. This was the time where Luken gave the clear go ahead for the bruisers. "Let''s fucking go!" He exclaimed. He placed his rapier in his waist and shot the Angels with water droplets from his fingers. "Aqua Juxtaposition!" he shouted, the water droplets turned into mirages of him and each one pierced the downed Angels straight in the heart. The Commander had already eliminated two Angels in the process of his attack. While their skirmish was taking place, Vale and Artorias sneaked around the place, careful not to be seen by the Angels, they had a map with them which marked the location of the sword, they both followed it intently. Once they got there, they dug deep in the ground, remembering what the Emperor said to them that it would be buried about twenty or so meters down below. The Basilisk Slayer took out his huge great sword from his back and began digging while the Specter stood by, keeping an eye on the surroundings, in case someone had planned to ambush them. Yin could feel that he really was getting stronger, although he was still struggling against Angels, he was not as powerless as he was before. He activated his Binding Chains after decaying a couple of Angel''s limbs. Ignis and all the others who had never seen it first hand were pleasantly surprised. "So, that is the Six Blades'' Yin Sohaya''s powers, eh? Not bad." He said while throwing his playing cards at the winged harbingers trying to close in on the spellcasters at the back. Zachary was also casting his azure flames alongside the leader of the Inferno Garden. "How fascinating, blue flames¡­" Ignis said to himself. Suna Izanami was going one on one against an Angel all by herself, she was pulling her own weight in the fight. There was no way that she would not do anything after being recruited by her seniors, that was what she thought. "I may have underestimated the young core of the Six Blades. They each have their own unique quirks and ways of fighting, yet they all complement each other very much in the battlefield. I have got to give it to you, Gavin, Luken, you two chose exceptional individuals." Ignis said. "Hector, we can handle it here, I want you to join the bruisers in the front, show them how the Inferno Garden does their jobs." He said with a grin. "Very well, sir Ignis." Hector complied and jumped in, pressing an Angel down on the floor by stepping on its neck, before fully eviscerating it with his flames, burning it into ashes until nothing remained of it. Everyone''s eyes were widened by what they saw. "T-That''s the power of a prodigy for you¡­" Someone said from the back. Zachary saw the sheer difference in his and Hector Incendium''s power level. But he was not about to get left behind in this battle, he was casting even more advanced spells now, far too recklessly, in fact. Ignis placed his hand on his shoulders. "Competition is good, believe me, it really is.. But do not exhaust yourself this early by casting far too much than you are normally able to." Chapter 151 - The Arrival Acting as this team''s scout, Vale Ashford was keen on identifying whether there were any other Angels that would come to this spot. Seeing as there were already Angels fighting on the frontlines, it would be safe to assume that Adam has already cracked the code and location. For a split second, the Specter felt a faint feeling of dread and death right beside her, as she turned her head towards her side, there he was, the fallen Reaper, Adam Rosa. He was about to pierce through her side with his rapier if not for the Specter''s quick thinking and instinctual combative blocking. The Basilisk Slayer was already almost finished digging. Twenty meters deep was a small feat for him. But he stopped after hearing what the Specter said. "Art! He is here!" She shouted. Artorias Khalil ascended immediately from the hole he still had not finished digging, and in his resurgence, he locked eyes with the best friend he lost, with Adam Rosa''s blue soulful orbs. The Specter pushed with a heavy gush of wind, sending Adam back for a few meters. The Basilisk Slayer then jolted in, enchanting his feet with green lightning and he did this so fast he looked as if he just teleported to the Reaper''s back. He swung his great sword at his friend who ducked just enough to dodge it, and then responded back by piercing Artorias with such quick succession that one wrongly timed block or dodge would definitely graze the Basilisk Slayer. Together with the Specter, Artorias was not holding back anymore, he was clouded with anger. He was striking his sword with the intent to kill his dear best friend, by all means necessary. Meanwhile there were only half of the numbers of Angels left. Yin was masterfully using the sword that the System gave him. "This is really odd. It feels like I have already been using this sword ever since back then, weird." He thought to himself while swinging the long sword. Luken shot a glance at Gavin, there was something wrong with these Angels, he thought. Gavin nodded even without him saying a word. Ignis called Kai Xin meanwhile, "Kai, these Angels are far too weak for some reason." Ignis said. "Yeah, these guys are about half of their normal strength in combat, I also noticed it." Kai replied back. Zachary heard what he spoke about and wanted to know more. "What do you mean, mister Ignis?" Zachary Lancaster asked him. "I meant exactly what I have said, Zachary, I have spent the entirety of my life fighting Angels and these things are not the normal ones that we normally face all the time." Luken flipped over a dead Angel''s carcass and was surprised at what he saw. The portion of the wings that are attached to their backs seemed off, they looked like they were sewn in to the bodies of the Angels themselves. It was unnatural seeing this. After finally finishing off the last three Angels with the help of the Allcaster''s multiple affinity attacks, they all convened together to talk about what just happened. Ignis stepped in first. "Luken, these things fight like the Wingless Angels we came across against back during the Operation Phoenix mission." Ignis said. "Yeah. I am going to have to agree with this jackass for once, their way of fighting is very crude and unrefined, too rusty for that of a normal Angel''s, in fact." Luken added. Ignis was fuming as to why he had to call him a jackass now of all times. "I also think that observation is astute, take a look at this." The Serpent Summoner said as he dragged ang Angel''s body by pulling its wings and showing it to everyone there. "So, all this time, we have been fighting against weakened Angels?" Yin was confused. "Yeah. I think that is the case, Yin." Responded Suna. Their discussions were interrupted by a tornado appearing right on the location of where the Specter and the Basilisk Slayer was. "What the hell is that!?" Faust exclaimed. "Let us go, we have to hurry, that is the signal that I told Vale to use if ever she and my brother are in a dire situation. Back them up!" The Serpent Summoner was getting used to taking command of the mission, little by little, his confidence was now rising as a leader. They were lucky enough to have no casualties, but fighting weakened Angels was still no small task, there were even thirty of them. When they reached the place, they saw that the Reaper was going toe to toe against the Basilisk Slayer. Both of them were moving far too fast to even be seen by the naked eye. Yin realized just how far he and the others were when it came to real strength, these two were in a league of their own as their swords clashed and sparked in the battlefield. Luken joined in on the battle and made it a one versus two scenario against the Reaper. He attempted to attack his mentor with the Aqua Juxtaposition he did earlier, but Adam dodged the water droplets with no effort whatsoever. "I see that you are able to do that move now, Luken, color me impressed." Adam said with a confident grin. Luken merely ignored his taunts and continued on synergizing his attacks with Artorias instead. After he joined their little reunion, Hai, the Water Seraphim and Ares, the Seraphim of War showed themselves. Adam had in fact not come completely alone here. "Lightning Slayers, form a team and focus on that thing with a hole for a face! It specializes in Water attacks, so Fire Slayers should steer clear from him!" The Serpent Summoner shouted. Ignis, Hector, Kai Xin, and Zachary jumped back in order to not get caught by Hai''s attack. He flooded the ground with water, making the footing very atrocious to fight in. It was also a double edged sword for the Lightning Slayers as well, they might electrocute themselves if they were not careful. Yin was together with Fen Kaori, and other Lightning Slayers, it was going to be a fated rematch with him and the Water Seraphim. The Seraphim of War ran straight towards Gavin, intent on eliminating the ''brains'' of the group. But she was stopped by Ryoko breathing a pillar of fire right in front of her. "Hm. A summoned beast, very interesting, Slayers." Ares thought to herself. "Suna! After we see what this armored Seraphim is capable of, I want you to decide for yourself whether you will be of use against her!" Suna nodded. Faust Keisuke and Hector Incendium jumped in and swung their weapons at Ares, she blocked them with her arms, but was surprised after seeing that she had sustained wounds from it. "I see. So, you are different from the other Slayers that I have killed thus far." She said out loud. This was the first time that the other Slayers had seen a Seraphim, yet they still maintained their calm and kept their composure well. Hector Incendium''s Axe was stopped in the air by Ares'' bracers that she armed her lower arms with. The clang from the impact sent shockwaves to the place. They fought for about two minutes until both Faust and Hector decided on pulling back for now, they both looked at the Serpent Summoner and Ignis Silva''s eyes. "Was that enough intel for you guys?" Faust asked. "Yeah. More than enough, actually, thanks." Gavin replied back. "It seems like this one has no affinity, it has already been closely cornered by the two of them yet she still has not resorted to using them, it is safe to assume for now that it is either incapable of using so, or that it is keeping it a secret for now. Though the latter does not seem like it is the case." The Serpent Summoner looked at Suna. "Do you think you can take her on? I will assign the three of you to fight against this one. Suna Izanami, Hector Incendium, and Faust Keisuke will battle this Seraphim for now! I can sense a couple of others coming in this direction, we cannot afford to place all of our fighters against one enemy." Gavin said. "All of you who still have no designated enemy, make sure to provided long range support and assistance against the Water Seraphim and this new one." Yin worked hand in hand with Fen Kaori, the latter provided him with lightning attacks from the back while Yin was keeping the monstrous Hai company. His powers surprised the Allcaster at first but he began to just not question them and go with it. Yin mistakenly swung his blade and left himself in an open stance, as soon as Hai extended his palm, preparing to smack Yin into oblivion. Fen was still painting a bunch of boulders, he was too late to save him. A burst of flames erupted at Hai''s face. Yin looked to see who it was who saved him.. It was Ignis Silva''s cards enchanted with flames. Chapter 152 - Fulgur And Umbra "I am truly saddened by the death of your sister, Rohan''s, and Keon''s. Not a day goes by that I do not think about them, Luken. Believe me when I say that." Adam said to Luken Regalia. But the Commander was having none of it, his blue cerulean eyes locked in on Adam''s. There was nothing more than pure carnal rage in his pupils. Adam Rosa flung the Basilisk Slayer far away by blocking his attack and shoving his massive blade to the side. "But when I say this, please do not take it personally, I did what I did for a good reason, I may not able to tell you now, but I do not regret it. If my comrades and the Six Blades were the catalyst that is stopping me from achieving my dreams, then I will cut you all down with no hesitation." He said. "Shut the fuck up." Artorias responded back by sneaking behind him and jolting forward, with green lightning up his heels and with the speed of light at his side, Artorias Khalil successfully cut down Adam Rosa''s left hand with one gigantic swing as he was monologuing his thoughts to Luken. Blood gushed out of the Reaper''s hands as his severed arm fell down on the ground. Yet no emotion on his face formed at all, he showed nothing, neither sadness, disgust, anger, really, just nothing at the sight of his hand being cut. Luken was not letting him have a single moment or second to catch his breath, he charged in and stabbed Adam''s face. The latter dodged it by just a few strands of hair it looked like. The Basilisk Slayer calmed down and collected himself. "I am showing you no mercy, Adam. You showed no semblance of it to those kids you executed that night, there is no reason why I should hold back. I should have just killed you back then¡­" Artorias said as he reminisced about the time that he was sent by the High Council to kill his dear friend for not coming back a day later during his week-long visit to his mother. A disgusting sound much like bones crackling multiple times was heard as Adam Rosa''s newly severed hand had now grown back in. It was like nothing happened at all. Adam''s eyes were now showing annoyance. "Then why did you not just kill me back then? I swung my blade at you, my rapier was drawn at you with the intent to kill. Were you that scared of me? Hah. Pathetic. The golden boy of the Khalil family scared of a mere commoner!" Adam exclaimed while laughing in a mocking way. Artorias Khalil snapped his fingers, a second later, balls of hellfire were already starting to rain down from the sky, directed at him from above. It was Amara, the Emerald Dragon. It provided enough of a distraction for the Commander and the Basilisk Slayer to start running towards Adam while his eyes were still facing up. Luken used his rapier imbued with his water affinity and had it coat his blade whilst moving, its sharp edges very reminiscent to that of a chainsaw''s. Adam managed to dodged it once again, but his footing was off and he almost fell, this gave the Basilisk Slayer the appropriate amount of time to swing his gigantic green sword downwards. "I was not scared of you, you fucking idiot. I did it because you were my only and first ever friend. I was not going to lose you as well." Artorias was teary-eyed as he said that. The blade of his sword now crashing down against Adam''s face. "Did he get him?!" Luken asked himself. But it was blocked by Adam Rosa''s black wing. His half wing had managed to sustain the damage dealt by the green lightning imbued great sword. Yet it was rendered far too damaged to be capable of flying away. Adam Rosa now had no other choice but to fight. And since they still did not know what his plans were, they were cautious in every step of the fight. "You should have killed me, Art. Maybe if you did, I would not have met the Vessel." Said Adam Rosa who now had tears flowing down his eyes. The three went on clashing swords and moving at the speed of light, it was not a battle meant to be joined in by the others, it was a fight amongst monsters and generational Slayers meant to lead mankind towards a better tomorrow. Yet here they were, outside the Gates, drawing their swords at each other. Drawing their blades at the traitor they once called their beloved friend and mentor. From a distance, it appeared as though Adam Rosa''s back up has arrived. Two other silhouettes made themselves clear as they flew right into the battlefield. Gavin could see that the other had a lean and thin figure, his skin was pitch black and so was every other part of his body. The other was riding a thundercloud, a humanoid looking Angel with sparks of lightning coming out of its eyes. "Shit. More Seraphims, hm?" Ignis Silva said as he covered the top portion of his forehead to see them much more clearly. Yin and the others who were fighting Hai were already getting the upper hand. The constant barrage and nukes of spells that were coming out from the Allcaster''s canvas made Hai confused. "H-How can it be? This one human is able to use not one, not two, but all of the affinities!" Hai was panicking as he said that to himself. "And this sword that he is wielding, it was not present back when we first fought, has he learned how to wield a new weapon in such a short span of time? Or has the System finally began to acclimate itself in his very soul?" But as soon as his empty face looked above and saw that two other Seraphims had come, he was confident that it would be the end of this skirmish. That they were going to back home with a couple of sticks with Slayer heads and faces on top of it. That was where he was mistaken. Ares was struggling against three bona fide Slayers against her, Suna, Faust, and Hector were doing their best to thwart her off. Although she had no affinity to her belt, her physical attacks were the real deal. It was almost like a perfect mirror of what the Angel version of Suna Izanami would be. She spent a few seconds mesmerized by how she was moving without relying on affinities, it was like looking at a mirror. She would ask her various combat tips in another life, not this one, as they were pitted in an eternal struggle. Angels and humans, Slayers and Seraphims. Both unrelenting and nonstop in their tenacity. Everyone who was not committed to fighting the Seraphims were at the backlines, throwing out spells that were fit in aiding the others who were going toe to toe against these Archangels. The two Seraphims who had come from the skies made themselves known. "Flesh. Consume. Annihilate." The shadowy Seraphim said, it was like he could only communicate via words and incoherent phrases. Like an animal that was taught how to use words in a human setting just a few months ago. Meanwhile the lightning-sparked Seraphim was the one who would actually introduce themselves. "I am Fulgur, the Lightning Seraphim. This one right here is Umbra, the Shadow Seraphim. We would be willing to bargain with you if you listen to our demands." He said while fiddling with his beard. The Lightning Seraphim''s voice was deep and rich in timbre. "It is quite simple, really, if you lay down your arms, I will assure that you will have a quick and easy death. We are here to retrieve the Sword of Alacrity and nothing more, if you turn tail now and run, we might not even chase you down." He said. Ignis Silva slowly clapped as he walked towards the towering Lightning Seraphim. "Look around you, big boy. Do we look like we are struggling against you and your cronies?" He asked Fulgur in a mocking tone. The latter looked around and saw that Adam was being pushed to his limits, Hai was being bombarded and constantly rushed by Yin and Fen Kaori, as well as Ares, the Seraphim of War herself, was giving it everything she had just to dodge the barrage of spells and the weapons swinging in front of her. "Heh. Perhaps I might have underestimated you Slayers. Well, it does not matter, we will all hang your head on sticks and pikes. I will personally see to it, after that, I will usurp Adam Rosa''s position as the leader of the Seraphims!" He exclaimed as lightning came down and enchanted his muscular body. The Shadow Seraphim was already gone, it had been sneakily attacking the other Slayers and has already killed two. "Kill. Eat. La mort." Chapter 153 - Might Of The Allcaster As Umbra was shredding the clueless Slayers into pieces, Kai Xin wanted to see if he could do something to save them, he was attempting a spell and then emitted beams of fire from his palms as he touched the grimoire and finished casting it. The beam was not even close enough to hit the Shadow Seraphim, but it still leaped out much farther than it needed to. Fulgur then wasted no time and immediately started hurling bolts of lightning right at Ignis. The latter jumped back to formulate some kind of plan with the Serpent Summoner. "We have lost two Slayers now, what is your plan, Gavin?" Ignis asked him with a worried look on his face. "I have an idea. Ignis, you and Kai Xin plus the other Fire Slayer that you recruited to this mission will fight Umbra, the Shadow Seraphim." The Serpent Summoner said. "What makes you think that me and Kai would be the perfect opponents for that ghoulish looking creature?" Ignis retorted back. "I do not know if I should tell you this, but it is nothing more than a hunch of mine. A gut feeling, if you could call it that." The Serpent Summoner''s response clearly surprised Kai Xin and Ignis Silva. But since he was the leader appointed by the Emperor, they were going to follow his commands by any means necessary. "Reno, Kai, with me!" Ignis exclaimed as the three of them grouped up with each other, readying themselves to take on the Shadow Seraphim. Ignis glanced at Gavin for a bit, trying to think what made him decide on them being the right Slayers for this fight. But alas, he shrugged it off and just thought that it would be a shame if the leader of the Inferno Garden, the number one ranked organization in the Slayer Corps, cannot even slay a Seraphim. While they were preparing to strike back at Umbra, Gavin stared daggers at the Lightning Seraphim. Narrowly evading his thunder bolt projectiles. Some throwing daggers flew right into Fulgur''s face from far away. The Serpent Summoner turned and saw a familiar face, it was the Specter herself, Vale Ashford. "Mind if I join you in this battle?" She asked him. "I appreciate the help. But shouldn''t you be better off aiding in their fight against Adam?" Gavin responded back. "To be quite honest, I would only burden those two, I am an S Rank Slayer but I feel like I am one step behind from Luken, and five steps behind from your brother, Artorias. But that one single step can cause everything to fall apart if I become a nuisance. Perhaps you should have been the one there, facing Adam with them¡­" She explained to Gavin. "Very well, I understand your point, Vale, I really do, but I am the mission''s leader and I cannot just leave the frontlines in order to vent off my personal grudges against that son of a bitch Adam." He said as he turned at Fulgur, who was studying them as well, examining their weapons and such. "Fill me in on this guy." Vale Ashford wanted to know what they were going to deal with before fighting against it. "From the looks of this one, it is pretty obvious he uses lightning, and from his build, his physical capabilities should not be underestimated. I am not going to sugarcoat it, we seem to be terribly outmatched against him, I can feel his Anima cells, they are absolutely monstrous." The Serpent Summoner said as he gripped his knife and his grimoire. Gavin then proceeded to summon the two headless swordsmen that he summoned when they went toe to toe against Adam Rosa back then, only now, their armors and trappings were much more ''royal'' looking now. They had turned from simple steel now into gold plated ones. The Elder Wyrm also flew by and prepared to battle alongside her master. "Are you ready for this, Ryoko?" Gavin asked while smirking. "Anytime, master." [ Umbra versus Ignis Silva, Kai Xin, and Reno Hill (An A Rank Fire Slayer from the Inferno Garden) ] "Be careful not to get too close to that thing! He has already killed one of ours!" Ignis Silva exclaimed as Hector and Reno were prancing around Umbra. Trying to land hits with their swords as they were avoiding the Shadow Seraphim''s claws. They were still bloodstained from Umbra tearing a Slayer''s abdomen earlier. It moved like it was one with the Shadows, merging with them and vanishing without a trace. This was the first time that they were fighting against something like this. From the past battles against Angels, they were definitely strong but quite one dimensional, almost like they could not think for themselves. Like their minds were controlled from somewhere afar, from the unseen strings by the puppeteer known as the ''Vessel'' of the Angels. But the Slayer Corps and Niflheim did not know this yet. The reason that Vale Ashford vanished during the fight against Adam Rosa was that she knew Luken Regalia was the best complement with the Basilisk Slayer''s way of fighting. Also, because Luken was Adam''s student, both he and Gavin Khalil were his prized and handpicked Slayers that he wanted to teach and observe them much more closely. The Commander and the Basilisk Slayer were the ones fated to cross swords against their former mentor and best friend. Vale then scouted out the area to see if there were nests nearby. If they were to awaken the slumbering Angels sleeping in the nests'' cocoons, it would end in them getting outnumbered, and with the Seraphims still fighting, it would be the worst case scenario if even more backup would arrive from the Angels'' side. After noticing that the coast was clear, she ran back and noticed that there were two more Seraphims now in the vicinity. It was fifteen Slayers against four Seraphims and one demi human traitor. They had to do it quick if they were to have a chance to win, this was uncharted territory in terms of combat division for them. Not to mention the fact that they were outside the Gates, if an escape would be doable, it still required so much to even be pulled off. Yin Sohaya worked with a veteran Slayer and the SS Ranked All Caster in wearing down Hai, the Water Seraphim. But this Seraphim with a hole for a face was unrelenting as ever. Although it moved not as fast as Pugna or the others, it made up for it in sheer durability. It was just built different. "I will bring back Sarathiel and Pugna! Nobody dares to take my siblings away from me!" Hai shouted out. Yin had already been getting grazes and slice wounds from Hai''s water barrages, and he was getting injured much quicker than his regenerative abilities were healing him. But still, he was going to be the front liner for this battle, the other Slayer was a mid ranged fighter armed with a spear and the lightning affinity, while the Allcaster needed every single second he could take in order to cast his array of spells. Yin had enough and finally activated his Nix Eyes. A masquerade appeared from thin air and has fallen perfectly into his face. His pupils had turned a shade of white and his wounds were now scars, fully healed from the bleeding and such. "This is our chance, sir Fen!" Yin exclaimed. "Very well! Keep him occupied and back up when I tell you to!" Fen Kaori shouted back. The old Slayer worked with Yin in order to constantly annoy the shit out of Hai, leaving him no room to cast spells or to block. Some time had passed after the Allcaster''s last spell, he was charging it up. Making his drawings much more detailed and drew it much more intensely. "I cannot allow myself to falter behind as Yin and the lance wielding Slayer are buying time for me. I am an SS Ranked Slayer for a reason. I am called the ''Allcaster'' for a good reason, and I will show these harbingers why." Fen said to himself. "Both of you, back up!" This was the first time that Yin had ever heard Fen raise his voice that much. He and the other Slayer hurriedly jumped out to make room and to not get caught up in his spells. Yin took the left side while the other guy took the right. Hai was confused why they scattered right in front of him, but a few seconds later, his curiosity would be answered. The area had turned dark due to the shadows of the huge looming boulder which was quickly about to come close to the ground, crushing the Water Seraphim flat. Even more is that the boulder was set ablaze as it was on the sky above. The Water Seraphim glared at Fen Kaori in both anger and sheer shock.. "Y-You!" He attempted to fly sideways to evade it but it was far too late. Chapter 154 - Waters End The sound of a boulder absolutely crushing the Water Seraphim underneath its massive weight was heard. Yin was even dodging the chunks of the rocks which were flying out from the impact. His Nix eyes were deactivated in order for him to conserve energy for later battles. "D-Did we get him?!" Yin asked himself. From the corner of his eye, Fen Kaori saw a small puddle of water mixed with some sort of red mixture, that was when he knew that it was blood from the Water Seraphim, Hai. But it was very suspicious, as the blood was not flowing naturally, it seemed as if it was alive. With some quick thinking, he drew bursts of lightning in his canvas and aimed it directly at the sentient puddle of blood and water. As it had turned out, it was Hai himself, trying to let go of his old body because of the damage it had sustained from that massive burning boulder. Hai had the ability to basically ''fit'' in his soul or essence and condense it into mere water. This made him incredibly hard to kill since he could grow out a new body after a few weeks, but the Slayers did not know of this, he thought that he was safe from death because of this ability of his. But the Allcaster had a tingling sense of clarity, it was as if his instincts were telling him to electrify the puddle just in case. The area had tuned fiery red from the smoldering ashes and smoke from the burning gargantuan rock so visibility was going to be poor from here on out. Fen Kaori''s lightning bolts flew out from his canvas and was now trailing the water puddle. This was going to be the last sight that Hai would see before his inevitable death. "T-These damn Slayers do not know who they are dealing with¡­once I grow out a new body for me, I will take back my honor and personally hunt Thanatos and all these other Slayers down to the ends of the Earth!" As he turned back because of a seemingly bright light approaching him from behind. It was Fen Kaori, the Allcaster''s lightning bolts trailing his puddle of a body. Finally, it reached its mark and shocked him into oblivion, a wail caught everyone''s attention as the Water Seraphim, Hai, had been exterminated by Yin, the Allcaster, and another recruited Slayer. Yin did not realize why the Allcaster just hurled a few bolts of electricity somewhere near the boulder, but after seeing the Water Seraphim''s soul leave its body in a disintegrated manner, the same thing happened when he exterminated his first Angel back at the farm. Adam noticed that Hai was no longer with them and stammered for a bit. "Hm. So, they have dealt with the Water Seraphim already¡­" He thought to himself as he continued fencing against his student and his best friend. They were the ones he left behind, the ones he betrayed, the ones whom his dream stepped on. And he would do it all over again if he was given the chance, all for the continuation of his dream, all in order to see his mother again and see that smile of hers that he longed for. Time went by and Adam Rosa could not even remember what she sounded like, her voice, her face, everything about her was getting vanished and forgotten as the sands of time continued to fall down. But the appearance of the white silhouette in his dreams complete changed all that. Her promises propelled him to do the unthinkable, the most gruesome things he never thought he would be capable of. There were some nights that Adam thought about what would have happened to him if the white silhouette did not show herself to him in that dream. If she had not been able to prove that she was able to revive the Vanta child which made him believe in her powers. Although Adam did not regret following through with his actions, the thought still remained for him. "Where would I be now if I stayed back home with everyone¡­" But it was too late for regrets, not that he had any in the first place. They were merely thoughts, scenarios of what could might have been. Nothing more, and nothing less. Sounds and clangs of their swords and rapiers dragged him back to reality. "You do not seem to be taking this battle seriously, Adam?" The Basilisk Slayer asked in a smug manner as he continued to advance in and slice through the Reaper''s thin rapier. He knew that Adam Rosa could not afford to block his great sword''s attacks because of the sheer size difference between their weapons, if Adam did it so frequently, his rapier would shatter under the mass of his blade. Together with Luken supporting his wide slashes and attacks, they both had the Reaper on the backfoot now. Ares looked back to where Hai was fighting Yin and the others and had already realized it. She could no longer sense Hai''s Anima cells so there would be the only logical explanation for it ¨C her dear brother''s death. "You will pay for that you insolent fucking buffoons!" She exclaimed as she kicked Hector Incendium right in the gut. This made the prodigal Fire Slayer get back and control his breath. "Seraphims really are in a league of their own, it is difficult to find an opening even when we are trying to choke her out. How annoying¡­" He thought to himself before picking up his war axe again and charging into the fray. "Both of you, try to sync up with my attacks, let us cover each other''s weakness during each swing of our blades." He said. This was the first time that Hector was actually trying to assert himself and what he wanted to be done in a mission. This had surprised both Suna Izanami and Faust Keisuke, thinking that he was only going to fight and say nothing about teamwork. With the aid of Faust''s Earth spells casted with the aid of his grimoire, Suna and Hector kept her in check so that she would not be able to close the gap between her and Faust. Although the spells were not enough in of itself to take the Seraphim of War down, they were still proving to be a nuisance in her battle. She had to dedicate a couple of her senses towards trying to dodge the hail of rocks and pillars coming straight from the ground below. The three of them were now working together as though they actually had been for months now, Hector had finally landed a clean hit, taking her left feet with his axe enchanted with his flame affinity. "We are both at war for how long now? Not once have I ever questioned if we could ever talk to you guys, as Angels only ever had a world of their own, unrelenting and unwilling to communicate with us humans, but you Seraphims, you guys are different, you can talk and show emotions. Both of our races share Anima cells, that is a given, so how many more similarities do we have? There might be more, but since you are uncooperative, trying to take our heads every single time we step outside the gates wanting to explore the outside world, then I shall not forget the bodies of comrades that I currently stand on to make it this far¡­" Ignis Silva monologued at the Shadow Seraphim while trying to hit him with his throwing cards enchanted with fire. Kai Xin and Reno exchanged stances, from weapon based and melee combat to who''s turn it would be to cast the spells. Umbra did not respond to Ignis Silva''s words and was instead getting more and more ferocious. Much like a hungry animal that could do nothing but devour, the Shadow Seraphim''s mouth was full of pointy teeth which he could stretch out in order to swallow things whole. It was fast but there was one thing that Ignis realized now. He looked back to Gavin and scoffed for a few seconds and grinned. "You bastard, I wonder if you had figured this out all along as well. Tch." He said. "You two, stand down, we are going to end this thing''s tedious life with our own affinities ¨C Fire attacks." Ignis Silva uttered out with a creepy grin. It was the first time that Umbra felt something, sure, he was not easily caught by their attacks, he was maintaining a safe distance. But he felt like he was playing into the hand of Ignis even more. He never really tried to fight with logic in mind, he only ever relied on his sheer physical prowess and speed advantage when it came to fighting these Slayers, but he wanted to use his brains now, for some reason.. He locked eyes with Ignis and knew that the Inferno Garden''s leader was plotting something. Chapter 155 - Inferno Garden Trio A few minutes have passed after the Water Seraphim''s death. And each of the remaining Seraphims were still fighting the Slayers who were assigned to them. After observing Umbra, the Shadow Seraphim, Ignis knew that he was susceptible to his group''s fire attacks, it could be that he was oddly weak against it, making the Serpent Summoner''s hunch correct. "Shadows vanish when the light of the flames come smoldering." Ignis reminded himself of this quote before pulling out his dagger and charging into the battle head on himself. He whispered something into Kai Xin and Reno''s ears and they both nodded afterwards. Umbra was preparing himself as to what these opponents of his were plotting. "Kill. Dismember. Eat." Umbra could only speak in this particular way. He thrived off of being one of the quickest Seraphims, but one single burn on his body was amplified so much more because of his weakness to that affinity. The three of them backed off for a bit and pulled out their grimoires, creating some distance between them and Umbra. The Shadow Seraphim was confused, he was pretty anxious about them knowing his weakness, and it was not only one Fire Slayer he was up against, but three actually strong ones. Kai Xin, Reno, and Ignis Silva casted a circular shield that covered them. Forming the flame shield covering the three Inferno Garden members. But there was a catch, however, this was a spell that needed to be maintained, so this was going to be a bet that Ignis Silva wanted to make. If ever he was wrong and Umbra was actually not weak against flames and their fire spells, it was going to back fire on them if he just cut through the flame shield with his massive claws. He instructed them to walk slowly and keep on maintaining the shield, once his bet turned out wrong, it would be troublesome attempting to fight Umbra who was an adept melee fighter at this close of a range. The Shadow Seraphim was quick on his feet and pounced back as well. Ignis Silva had a grin of confidence etched on his face now. "It seems that I am right, Kai, Reno." He said. They had a timed fight on their hands now, the flame shield was not going to be up for long, they had about five minutes of using it until their Anima cells completely fatigue out and it turned off on itself. Their advances were slowly turning from slowly walking towards Umbra into full on running at him. "Are you scared of being burned, you are, aren''t you?" Kai Xin was trying to tilt Umbra and make him enraged so that he loses his cool and gives in to aggression. "Come on, why aren''t you attacking? Are you that scared and unconfident in the power and size of those claws that you carry?" He said to Umbra. "Do it now, Kai!" Ignis shouted as Kai Xin threw his sword straight into Umbra''s face. Because if he were to break formation and attempt to slice him up, it would break the shield and leave them vulnerable to the range of the Shadow Seraphim''s attacks. Umbra did not expect Kai Xin to launch his sword straight into the air, it was not even a normal sword throw, before Kai Xin let it loose, he enchanted the blade with his flame affinity. It was a glowing hot red blade coming quickly towards Umbra. The blade was sidestepped by the Shadow Seraphim, this was all Ignis needed in order to move on to the next part of his plan. "Reno, now!" While still holding his grimoire, the member of the Inferno Garden placed his other hand on the ground as their flame shield advance was halted due to this. After two seconds, a couple of fire pillars emerged from the ground and caught Umbra off guard, burning the soles of his feet. He was obviously in pain, his screeches were reflective of that. The Inferno Garden trio now turned off and let go of the flame shield. Ignis Silva threw the last of his playing cards up above so that the Shadow Seraphim would not fly away, while Kai Xin and Reno enchanted their feet with flames and burst through the air to close the gap between them and Umbra. They really expected Umbra to just back off, as he would not be able to dodge two attacks coming from each side while his space for escape was covered by the exploding cards of Ignis. But Umbra was not going to run away from this confrontation. No, he still had a few tricks up his sleeves. His devilish face grinning and laughing was the last thing Reno would ever see. He had the ability to control his opponents shadows and turn them into weapons such as spikes and stuff. The Shadow Seraphim knew that they were unaware of this attack, it was not like he could spam it as well, it was going to be a one time thing to use in this fight, and now was the perfect opportunity to use it. Reno and Kai Xin''s shadows moved against what they were doing and stabbed them with spikes. Reno was pierced straight from the back right into his heart. Blood started to pour out from the wound as he turned to look at Ignis Silva for one last time. "I-I am sorry, boss. T-This was my fault." He said as he fell to the ground. Kai Xin turned around almost immediately as he realized a huge concentration of Anima cells coming from behind him, little did he know, they were coming from his own shadows. The spikes were going to pierce his face but he moved ever so slightly, but he was not going to get out of the Shadow Seraphim''s trump card unscathed, however. The Spikes grazed him right in the other eye of his, he paused for a bit and immediately jumped straight into the Shadow Seraphim and sliced his already burning feet off. Afterwards, Kai knew that he was in a vulnerable position, he moved back and dragged Reno''s body from the ground. Their leader, Ignis Silva, was saying nothing at all for five seconds, as if he wanted to take in what the hell just happened to them. After noticing that Kai Xin was fine, albeit his other eye was bleeding pretty heavily, the Dragon was still alive. "Kai, how is Reno?" He asked. Kai Xin responded back with a slight shook of his head. It was far too obvious that Reno was gone. "I see. Can you still fight? Even if you cannot, I want you to fight. This is the only way that we can bring the Shadow Seraphim down. Even if your other eye gets to the point that it can no longer be healed and mended, I want you to draw your sword against that piece of shit and fight." Ignis said so stalwartly. But he was right, though, everyone had their hands full, the Allcaster and Yin were running, trying to find whoever needed help the most in order for them to join the fight and aid in it, they were pretty far from where Kai Xin and Ignis were, though. "I know." Kai replied back. Ignis nodded. Kai Xin took out a clean black cloth and covered his wounded eye with it. "I am not letting Reno''s death end in vain, we are exterminating this one, Ignis." His response assured Ignis that his right hand man was still functional and capable of fighting. But as they were talking, the Shadow Seraphim was already starting to heal its feet, although very scrawny and limp, it was more than enough for him to move. There was a noticeable difference between how he moved now and how he moved earlier. Umbra started running at them now, his bloody claws drawn out, he saw that this would be the chance for him to kill both of them after eliminating the third one. Ignis covered Kai Xin from the back with storms of fire, this stopped Umbra and made his advance take a bit longer than he had expected. The Shadow Seraphim was going to have to wrap around the tornado of flames in order to get to them. Kai was fighting with his vision very impaired. He was not used to fighting with only one eye working, but he still drew his sword as he and his leader was hungry for vengeance. He and Umbra''s claws met in the middle, but the Shadow Seraphim''s attacks were far too much for him. Ignis Silva enchanted his dagger with flames and jumped in as well. Together, both of them were engaged in a melee against the Shadow Seraphim, one which would end in each of their defeat if they were going to make the wrong attack and decision. Kai Xin was landing clean hits and cuts at Umbra, he shrieked the same way as he did when his soles got burnt. Ignis jumped up and placed his palm on top of the Shadow Seraphim''s head while holding his grimoire on the other hand.. "Burn away into nothingness." Chapter 156 - The Serpent The Inferno Garden leader proceeded to burn the living hell out of Umbra. Kai Xin stopped him from escaping by slicing off all of his limbs, each slice dismembered a limb, but the Shadow Seraphim was expending all of its Anima cells into regeneration. Kai had to do it far quicker than Umbra was re-growing the limbs back. But this was more than enough for Ignis Silva. The SS Rank Slayer was ready to blow this Seraphim up. "Combust." He was making Umbra''s blood literally boil. Heating up his own blood to the point of combusting, this continued on for several minutes before the Shadow Seraphim had completely exhausted his regenerative stamina until he could no longer do it. And that was the only thing keeping him alive. "Death. Succumb. Soul¡­" Those were the Shadow Seraphim''s last words until he finally gave in and embraced his end. His soul had gone up into the skies above. All the other living Seraphims took note of this.. By the time that the Allcaster and Yin arrived to help whoever was still in trouble, the battle of the Inferno Garden trio against the Shadow Seraphim had already ended, all three of them were on the ground, Ignis was slowly getting up by himself when he spotted Yin Sohaya and "Kai!" Yin shouted as he ran towards him. "Are you alright?!" the white haired Slayer exclaimed after seeing that his other eye was bleeding through the black cloth he covered it with. "Y-Yeah. I am. You have to calm down a bit, Yin." Despite what had happened, Kai Xin still managed to smile. "How about you guys, did you and Fen defeat the Water Seraphim?" the SS Rank Fire Slayer asked. Yin nodded. Kai turned around to see that Fen Kaori nod as well. Kai Xin fell to his knees, exhaustion had already caught up to him now. Ignis Silva checked up on his friend. "You should rest up for now, Kai. We have already exterminated our target. Who knows, we might be able to do something about that eye of yours." Ignis said to him. "Nah. I know this eye is far too gone, I can handle myself even with one eye, didn''t I?" He replied back with a confident smirk. "After all, if I do not fight, then I do not belong in the battlefield, and I am not fit to be called a Slayer. Is that not what you told me and Reno on the first day of our membership in the Inferno Garden?" Kai retorted as Ignis grabbed his hand to help him up. He obliged and took it. "Well said. I am surprised you still remember those words, considering the fact that you barely ever listen." Ignis chuckled. They all saw from a distance that Ares and the others were still fighting, Kai Xin carried Reno''s body on his back as he covered it. "We are not going back to Niflheim without killing every single one of these Seraphims, Ignis." Kai Xin said with pure uncontained rage. "That goes without saying." Ignis responded. Meanwhile, the Serpent Summoner, Zachary, Ryoko, and Vale Ashford were already cornering Fulgur. They were bloodied as hell but it was worth it. "Should I slide this down his heart, Gavin?" The Specter asked as she had her blade pointed down Fulgur, the Lightning Seraphim''s chest. "Get rid of him, Vale." Gavin responded back as he gave the order to kill. But as the tip of Vale Ashford''s blade was a few centimeters away from his face, the Lightning Seraphim pleaded with them. "W-Wait!" Fulgur exclaimed out as he closed his eyes and looked away. The Serpent Summoner walked towards him. "Did you want to say something?" Gavin wanted to make sure. "D-Do not kill me! I can provide you with vital information regarding how we Angels and Seraphims really came to be! I-I am willing to be taken hostage, even!" He stuttered on his words and claimed that he would be useful to the Slayers. "What do you think, Vale?" the Serpent Summoner turned towards her direction and asked her. "It is your call, you are the one leading this mission, after all." She responded back while trying to catch her breath. Gavin looked him straight in the eye with such intensity that sweat had started to fall from Fulgur''s temple. "If you do anything funny, anything at all, I will cut your throat with no hesitation. Are we clear on that?" He intimidated the Lightning Seraphim. "S-Sure! Just let me live!" The Serpent Summoner definitely did not expect that Fulgur would turn out into such a cowardly pansy, even pleading with his enemies just so spare his own life. "How pathetic." Gavin thought to himself as he took a long hard look at him. "I really think we should just exterminate him right here and now, Gavin." Zachary suggested to the Serpent Summoner as he whispered it into his ear. The Specter was now walking behind the Lightning Seraphim, she was keen on watching his every move. Gavin gave him the permission to end his life if he ever acted strange. The three of them walked around and attempted to regroup with the others. Gavin figured that meeting up with the nearest team would be beneficial and efficient. He followed his senses and walked towards where the highest concentration of Anima cells were. "Hm? How odd¡­" Vale said out loud. "What is it, Vale?" Gavin was perplexed. "The other two Seraphims, Hai and that dark one, I cannot sense them anywhere. Do you think that maybe they have already dealt with the others?" Vale''s question worried Gavin for a bit. But he shook of every negative thought and instead continued on believing his teammates. "No way. I am willing to bet that these Seraphims are slowly getting decimated by them, as angry as Ignis Silva might make me, we cannot deny his intellect and combat prowess. I also trust in the Allcaster to deal with Hai, I am sure Fen is not one to let us down." Gavin replied back when suddenly the skies above had turned dark, the clouds were turning a shade of grey almost instantly, far too quick for it to be a normal occurrence. As both Gavin and Vale looked up for a split second, the Lightning Seraphim had already attempted to fly upwards, he used the storm as a distraction for his escape as he knocked out Zachary by elbowing his nape. "Zach!" Gavin shouted. The Specter immediately touched his pulse to see if he was still alive. "He is fine, Gavin. For now, we have to worry about that coward." She said. "Shit. Very well, then. I should have listened to Zach earlier. Tch. I trust that you have the other wing, Vale?" Gavin wanted both of them to throw their daggers at each wing at the same time to bring Fulgur, the Lightning Seraphim down into the ground once again. "Yeah. I am fine with that, just do not miss on your end, he might be capable of flying with just one of his wings operational." She retorted back. The two threw their signature daggers and knives at the sky where Fulgur was trying to escape. He was far too exhausted to burst through the air and successfully get out of this conundrum he was in, however, and the projectiles successfully pierced his wings, sending him down. Yin and the others had Fulgur fall back down from a couple of ways away. "Hey, isn''t that the other Seraphim?" he asked. "Yes. We have to place our trust in the Serpent Summoner for now, we have something else that needs to be done." Ignis said as he pointed at Ares, she was getting the upper hand against Faust Keisuke, Suna Izanami, and Hector Incendium. "Hurry!" Ignis exclaimed. "How do you want to go about this, Gavin? This one is far too untrustworthy for us to just leave walking around, if there was an unexperienced Slayer alongside us, he might have taken him or her hostage." The Specter said. "Let me go you filthy humans! Once the Vessel completes her plan, you will have nothing left in this world at all! Niflheim will go down in flames as we finally change this planet for the better!" Gavin smacked his face with a punch. This surprised Vale as she never thought that Gavin would lose his temper like that. "We are just going to ask Adam Rosa by ourselves. Do you know what that means, Fulgur?" He asked the Lightning Seraphim. Fulgur did not respond, however. The Serpent Summoner pulled out his grimoire and made Ryoko vanish after he thanked her for her help. He summoned a huge serpent-like snake from out of nothing. "That means you are no longer needed." Fulgur''s vision had turned black after he was slowly getting swallowed by the serpent''s massive mouth with hundreds of teeth. His screams turned into muffled noises only as the serpent closed its mouth. "This is actually the first time I have seen it, and I have known Gavin for years now¡­" She said to herself as she saw the sight of the massive serpent. "That is why he is called the Serpent Summoner, then." Chapter 157 - Mankind Will Never Lose Ares, the Seraphim of War was gaining the upper hand against the three, she was overpowering them because of the intensity and speed that she was healing her wounds with. Every blow that they landed on her was rendered useless because she just regenerated so quick. "You fight pretty well, as I had expected from someone in the Six Blades." Faust Keisuke paid his respects to Suna''s strength. He had not expected her to still be alive at this point in the fight. "I have been taught well by the Commander and Gavin." Suna replied back with a smirk. "That much is obvious." But the tiresome battle they have been fighting since earlier was making them slow and sluggish. Hector Incendium had been staying silent, only ever talking whenever he needed to and when he told them to work together earlier. "Mankind will never lose." He said. Suna and Faust looked at him like they had seen a ghost, they never really made him out to be someone who was meant to say stuff like that and just throw it out on the open.. "What makes you so confident about those wretched and baseless words of yours, puny human?" Ares replied while composing herself. "I am sure because I believe in my own power. I believe in the strength that I have accumulated and worked so hard for during my time as a Slayer so far. I have people who believe in that strength that I possess, as long as we overcome you Seraphims with pure power, freedom is guaranteed to be achieved." Hector Incendium said to the Seraphim of War. She just slow clapped in response. "Your resilience and determination are admirable, boy, but those are not enough to save your race from surviving our onslaught." Ares said. "With me, Suna, Faust." Hector was now taking command of their team but their advance was stopped by a voice that Hector was all too familiar with ¨C his mentor, Ignis Silva. "I told you not to hold your axe with that stance, Hector, it will leave you vulnerable against the enemy''s wide swing attacks." He said from the side. Ares turned around and was far too occupied to notice that even Umbra''s presence and Anima cells were now gone, she could not sense it anymore. "Wretched dogs!" She bit her lower lip as she exclaimed. "We have sent the Shadow Seraphim straight into the depths of hell below, you are going to be the next one to follow him, Seraphim of War." Ignis Silva said to her as he looked her straight dead in the eyes. "S-Sir Ignis." Hector was surprised to see his mentor and leader in such a bloodied and bruised manner. He knew that these Seraphims would be strong, but the actual scope of their strengths and powers were so much more than he had expected. Even seeing Kai Xin with an injured eye was unsurprising to Hector, given the intensity that the Seraphims fought in. But it is understood that they were already finished dealing with their own respective Seraphims if they were here. Ares watched and took a long glance at the backup who just arrived. "So, these Slayers were the ones who exterminated both Hai and Umbra. Tch. If this goes on for much longer, I am going to be the next one who will go down if they all collectively join in and gang up on me." Ares thought to herself as she sensed the immense amount of Anima cells that the others had. Yin and Fen Kaori as going to jump in and help in the battle against the Seraphim of War, but she stomped on the ground and kicked up a good amount of dust and smoke. They were not expecting her to escape, so that was exactly what she did, her wings emerged from her back as she realized she could not take so many Slayers on her own. As she was up in the sky, she saw Yin Sohaya. "White hair and red eyes. There is no mistaking it. That boy is the newest System holder, from what I have heard from Hai and Adam. Well, there is always another time for me to feast on all these Slayers, for now, must retreat with Adam Rosa. The Vessel will not be happy if I leave him behind¡­now where is that putrid human?" She said while trying to squint her eyes and attempting to locate Adam''s location. The Slayers below her tried to throw out some fireballs and other spells to bring them down but she was far too up the sky for them to drag back. "Show me your wounds." Fen said to Suna, Hector, and Faust with the same blank and empty face he had ever since. He applied some advanced healing spells from his grimoire to aid in closing their wounds at least. "Stay put, I am not that good at this stuff yet, I am still getting used to it, if you squirm from the pain, it will all be useless." He warned them before healing. "I am sorry for not finishing off the Seraphim of War, sir." Hector said as he bowed his head to Ignis Silva. "Nonsense, you and the other Six Blades member did well. You know who should actually be at fault? The guy who was supposed to finish that Seraphim off." Ignis replied back as he gazed at Faust Keisuke. "Are you trying to say something, you sack of shit?" The S Rank Earth Slayer was annoyed by the sudden insult thrown at him by Ignis. "I am saying that you should have done more in this fight, instead of having to rely on two inexperienced Slayers who have yet to crack the S ranks." Ignis'' rant was stopped by Kai who shook his head ever so slightly. "I swear your mouth never knows when to shut up, Ignis. No wonder nobody likes you." Faust said as he walked away. "That was a tad bit too harsh, Faust." Ignis replied back in a sarcastic tone. Meanwhile in the place where the Sword of Alacrity was buried in, both good and awful memories were coming back to the three of them. All the time they had spent with each other as Slayers hit them as their swords clashed. "Why did you have to do it, Adam?!" Luken shouted as he used so many rapier stabs and combinations that some of them were actually starting to land on the Reaper himself. "We all have dreams, Luken. As uninspired and lazy as you are, I am sure that deep inside, you also have yours as well. These dreams of ours that we possess and chase might not go hand in hand together. It might even result in one of our dreams and aspirations stomping and completely decimating the other''s. Some other time, I will tell you two everything, but for now, I must politely ask you to die." The extended duration of these fights was now starting to weigh even the three of them down. Adam''s moves were not as concise as before, but so were Luken and Art''s. Artorias whispered something in Luken''s ear. "We have to end this soon. I am pretty gassed up already, and it is obvious that you are as well. But that goes the same for him too." Luken nodded. The Serpent Summoner sensed a huge concentration of Anima cells being activated and ran towards it, carrying the unconscious Zachary and the Specter leading the way towards it. "These number of cells being activated all at once, and this strong, are we going to make it in time, Vale?" The Serpent Summoner was getting impatient. "Do not worry, we are going to make it, Gavin. We have to." She said. After a few minutes, they heard swords clanging against each other, which could only mean one thing, they were here. Gavin watched as his mentor was clashing swords with his dear friend, Luken. But every semblance of nostalgia and longing for his mentor vanished when he remembered the sight of what he did. The bloodied bodies of the two other Six Blades members and Luken''s sister was like a punch in his gut. It was going to be one of the few times that Gavin was going to give in to his rage and let loose. He opened his grimoire and summoned the gigantic Serpent once again, the one that gobbled up the Lightning Seraphim earlier. "You stay here and watch over Zachary, I am going to help them." He said. Although Vale wanted them to launch a surprise attack, one that would catch Adam off guard, she could not argue with someone who had the same face and emotions as Gavin was wearing on his face at that time. She nodded as the Serpent Summoner rode his Serpent like a vehicle, zooming through with a knife on his hand. He was going so fast in fact that not even Artorias was noticing his presence. Chapter 158 - Fairness The Serpent Summoner''s serpent slithered through the ground armed with his knife aimed at Adam Rosa''s neck. But the Reaper noticed something for a split second and turned around, dodging Gavin Khalil''s surprise attack. "I see that you are here now, Gavin. Judging from your Anima cells, my hunch was right about you, both you and Luken really turned out to be one of the strongest Slayers that the Corps have right now. It would be a shame if I took all three of your heads right at once. How would that bode well for Niflheim?" Adam Rosa said with a smirk. "Some backups have arrived. They were also Seraphims as well. We took care of most of them already.. I do not know how the others are faring, however, me, Zach, and Vale went straight here to assist you two." The Serpent Summoner reported in as soon as he got close to his brother and Luken. "What about Yin and Suna?" The Commander asked. "I still have no reports coming in from them, I am sure Ignis knows to regroup with the others after, let us just place our trust in them." Gavin replied back. "I am proud of you, Gavin. You are capable of leading a whole mission on your own now." Artorias said as he smiled. "Yeah. I am doing what you should be doing yourself, brother." Gavin shook his head. "Anyway, you two do not look like you are going to be that useful, you both look like shit." The Serpent Summoner said to them. "Heh. You do not look that good either, Gavin." They were referring to the status of their bodies, all the wounds and tattered clothes that they were wearing were all indicative of all the hardships and fatigue they had been experiencing ever since the start of the mission for the Sword of Alacrity. "The three of us against Adam, then. Even though we all look like shit." The Basilisk Slayer said. Perhaps the Serpent Summoner''s summoned beasts and monsters would be the one thing that they needed in order to add to the firepower that would bring Adam down. Gavin summoned the two headless swordsmen and Ryoko, as well as the Serpent. "Look at you three. My pride and joy¡­" Adam Rosa thought to himself, but it was not something that he could really mouth out. Because if he did, they might not go all out against him. Which was the last thing that he wanted to happen. Adam Rosa wanted to fight them till their dying breaths. It was the ultimate end for soldiers and Slayers like them. Their fight went on as Adam Rosa was noticeably on the backfoot now. He was already struggling against only the Commander and the Basilisk Slayer, now with Gavin joining the fray, he had to go all in or he would be whittled down slowly until he had exhausted everything that was in his tank. "Luken and Gavin have to go first, these two are definitely top tier and I cannot have them slowly trying to make my moves sloppy by interrupting me. These are my pupils, they know how I move. And after that I have to take Artorias. This could get troublesome for me." He said to himself. After about twenty minutes of non stop fighting, Artorias was ready to come through with his plan to end it in one go. But before they could go through with the plan, Adam wasted no time in letting them compose themselves and adjust. He ran straight and was fully prepared to take Luken and Gavin out in one go. His rapier was targeted at the Serpent Summoner first, however, his brother, the Basilisk Slayer noticed it and quickly shoved his brother out of the way. And just like that, Artorias Khalil now had the Reaper''s rapier dug straight into his heart. But it was not only going to be the Basilisk Slayer that was going to go down, he wanted to bring his dear friend along with him as well. Before Adam had pierced his sword straight in his heart, Artorias wanted to make it even. His great sword was already lifted up so that Adam would just get skewered right into it. The adrenaline rush that was flowing in the Reaper''s blood made his reaction delayed, he had not noticed that he was also mortally injured by his dear friend of old. "H-How¡­" Adam coughed out a considerable amount of blood, as would someone who had a great sword embedded directly into his stomach. "Did you think I was going to let you kill these two like that?" Artorias replied back with a smug grin. Just as Luken and Gavin were about to rush in and finish Adam off, Artorias waved his hand and non verbally told them to calm down and hold their weapons down. The Serpent Summoner hastily pulled out his grimoire and got rid of his creatures, replacing them with small healing snakes. Luken was too shocked at what the hell just happened right in front of him, even though they had already expected to kill Adam, they did not put the fact that he would be able to bring Artorias down into the equation. "Do not bother, brother, my wounds are too deep to have your snakes heal it. The same goes for this asshole here, is that not right, Adam?" "Y-You idiot! What the fuck are you doing?!" Adam shouted out. "What seems to be the matter? You do not look like the person who was ready to sink his sword deep into his best friend. Why are you in tears?" Artorias was laughing as if he was not dying at all. With the Basilisk Slayer''s great sword stabbed into his stomach, Adam was no longer in any condition to fly away because of the sheer weight of Artorias'' sword. And with Artorias'' chest stabbed by Adam in return, they were both going to die at any point now. They were just trying to force the wounds to not bleed out with sheer Anima cell manipulation but it was not going to be this way for long. "Both of you, j-just stand down, we both cannot do anything about our death at this point. Let us just have this moment together. Just like the old days." Artorias smiled as he said that, but his smile was unlike any other he had shown so far, there was no animosity behind it. Adam Rosa attempted to struggle out of it, but even he was finding it far too painful to get the massive sword out from his stomach. "T-This cannot be¡­I-I can''t end it like this!" He shouted out while trying to get the massive blade out of his body. With what little strength he had left, Artorias actually placed some of that into his fist and punched Adam, just to knock some sort of sense into him, for one last time. "It is too late, idiot. We are going straight into hell at this point, we might as well enjoy the minutes we have left here alive." Artorias said. Gavin was starting to tear up at the thought of his brother dying. Even Luken was holding off his emotions as he sat there, just looking straight at the three of them. He got up and could not manage to act numb any longer anymore, all of the rage that he managed to control so far just came gushing out. He also wanted to have a shot at Adam as well. "Why did you fucking kill my sister?! I trusted the Six Blades so much so that I even asked her to join the organization! I trusted you, Adam¡­" Luken had to held back by Gavin. "Stop it, Luken!" his friend exclaimed. Adam stared at Luken as his lips turned pale, as well as his skin. "I-I wanted to bring my mother back¡­" Adam said as he revealed a summary about everything that had happened which caused him to do what he did. After he said that, all of them actually calmed down for a bit. "I still will never forgive you for what you did." Luken said nothing and sat down. "It has been hard without you in Niflheim, Adam. It really has been." Artorias said to his best friend. "Couldn''t you have handled it without me, mister ranked one?" Adam joked around the fact that the Basilisk Slayer was the highest ranked Slayer in the Corps now. "Are you kidding me? I did not have to do everything, your pupils were doing the heavy lifting, even that scumbag Ignis Silva was pulling his own weight out there." Art replied back. "W-Were we not enough for you, Adam? I thought we were your family, every single one of us in the Six Blades that time, we thought we were enough." Tears started to fall from the Serpent Summoner''s eyes as he said that. "Yeah. I do not know the answer to that, Gavin." Chapter 159 - Regrets "Maybe I was just being selfish." Adam Rosa faintly said. "But I have said this time and time again, I am blinded by the opportunity to see my mother after two decades." The Reaper''s words were truthful, as he had no reason to lie on his deathbed at all anymore. Artorias Khalil said nothing, as he was never in a position that his best friend was in. "Do you remember our supposed plan for her, Adam?" The Basilisk Slayer said with a smile. "Yeah, oddly enough, I do remember your promise back when we were kids, Art. Back when I still did not know my mother was dead¡­" A somber mood once again took hold of the vibe. All the while this was happening, Vale Ashford was observing everything that was happening. If she were to tell the High Council what was currently happening, a bunch of top ranked Slayers and prodigies at that, sitting down with the Reaper himself. But she knew that the great sword''s wound was going to be critical for him, there was no chance that Adam Rosa was going to be alive after that. But the Basilisk Slayer was never going to survive it as well. There was something else that Adam Rosa was still withholding from them. He still had not said the fact that his mother turned into an angel and humanoid hybrid right as he walked through the door and found her body.. "I guess there would be no point in letting this secret die with me. When I arrived at our old home, my mother''s deceased and rotting body was not the only thing that I found." Adam said. All three of them stared at him, confused as to what else he discovered when he went home that day. "H-Her body¡­she turned into an Angel." Adam Rosa''s words startled them all to the bone. "What do you mean she turned into an Angel?!" Luken exclaimed. "Calm down, Luken, geez." Artorias attempted to make Luken keep his cool, since they were all as confused as he was. "How did she exactly turn into an Angel, Adam? Are you telling us this metaphorically or however do you intend to mean it?" Gavin got up. "No. Her body literally turned from human into an Angel. That was what happened. I buried her quickly, I was afraid of what people or Slayers might say about me if they ever found out about her body, as me myself did not know what the fuck just happened as well." "Does that mean you are an Angel as well, Adam?" his best friend, Artorias, asked him. "I still have not been told by the Vessel about what I really am. All I know so far is that I am half human and half Angel, that is for certain. The Vessel even revived someone who died the same time as my mother did, someone residing in the Grand City at that." The Reaper muttered. "Are you willing to tell us everything that you know now, Adam? Are you going to aid Niflheim and mankind before we go?" Artorias was keen on making Adam talk and spill everything that he had about the Angels and Seraphims. "Only a bit, Art. I still have my pride as a fighter, and I choose to die on the side that I chose. I choose my mother''s Angelic side." He said stubbornly. "Would you just cut the shit, Adam? You left us and killed the others, including my sister, you turned your blade against mankind and had fallen so deep down and turned into this creature that you are now. Look at your pitch black wings!" Luken exclaimed. Adam was prepared to hear the words of his angry past disciple, as the Commander was catching his breath, the Reaper was bracing for it, and what the others would say to him. Although he already knew it, he was still bracing for the pain he would feel after hearing it explicitly. "Your pitch black wings could have been the ones carrying mankind into victory, you stupid piece of shit!" Luken blurted out. "W-What?" Adam asked himself in his thoughts, he was confused and absolutely perplexed. He was expecting Luken to say that he was no longer even human at this point. "You think I still could have been a Slayer with these dark wings of mine?" Adam asked. "Of course, why the hell not?" Gavin replied back. "We could have had some really sick missions together, me flying with Amara and you on the skies above with us. You did not have to go, man." "For the first time ever since he left Niflheim, I am actually imagining ''what if'' scenarios about what would have happened if I did not leave. I have not yet felt remorse or regret for what I did. Until now, that is. Was it right for me to cling to old promises of the past? Or should I have been content with the family I once had?" He said to himself. Adam looked down and seemed like he was remorseful of the past. "Just because you are some sort of Angel humanoid hybrid, that does not mean you should side with them and this ''Vessel'' you kept saying of, Adam. Even if you had told me everything about your lineage, your mother, and every single thing whatsoever, I will never look at you less than that of a human, and my best friend." Artorias was bawling while placing his hand on Adam Rosa''s cheek. "I still do not forgive you for what you did to the others and to Luken''s sister. But know that I will always be by your side, no matter what." The sight of these two also made Luken and Gavin tear up. Even though hatred was swallowing the two of them up in anger, they still gave in. "Why are you two giving up?! We can still make it to Niflheim! We can try and heal you two there! After that, I will show you just how strong the Slayer Corps are right now, Adam. I am not a slouch of a Commander, I actually take my job seriously!" Luken Regalia exclaimed out, he was in denial about their inevitable deaths. "Even if we did get to Niflheim, it would be useless, Luken, you know that yourself, your judgment is being clouded by sentimentality. I also do not wish to spend my last dying times on Amara''s back trying to get me to safety. You know that already, Commander, I am as good as dead." Artorias said with a confident smile. "You talk a lot for a dead man, brother." Gavin chipped in. "You are going to have to take care of mother, Gavin. Please tell me you are going to visit her more than I did, do not let her grow old alone, please, brother, always be there for her." The Basilisk Slayer said to his brother. "I-I promise. I am not like you, of course I will keep on visiting her, dumbass¡­" The Serpent Summoner responded back. "Are you two seriously not even going to try and live!? We can still fucking make it, I do not care how long it is going to take, we can all ride Amara back to Niflheim and tell her to hurry the fuck up so we can get you two to the best healers there are!" Luken was still in denial. "Look at me, Luken. Do you think that the High Council and the Emperor would even allow you and the others to operate as Slayers and not lock you up in a dungeon for insubordination? You were not even supposed to let me live this long, after Art stabbed me in the stomach, you two should not have hesitated in finishing me off, you could have hacked my head off of my shoulders so cleanly. But you did not, how do you think that would go for your reputation and actions as the Commander of the whole Slayer Corps? Think, Luken." Adam Rosa said as he shook his head. "Adam is right, Luken, there is nothing we can do for now but to let them slowly go into the afterlife right here. It is not such a bad way to go, to be surrounded by family and friends, isn''t it, Adam?" The Serpent Summoner asked his former mentor. "Yeah. It really is not, Gavin. I am glad you grew up to be the mature one, Luken would not survive this long if not for your constant nagging and high mental capabilities. You will become a fantastic Slayer in your tenure, that much I am sure of." The Reaper said to him. Vale Ashford noticed a that Ignis and the others were sprinting towards their location. She thought that if they were to ever see what was going on right now, someone would tattle and tell the High Council, and in turn, the Emperor. It might jeopardize everything, mostly the Commander''s reputation and even the Six Blades'' loyalty itself. Chapter 160 - The Reaper - Adam Rosa "What is going on there, Vale?" Ignis Silva wanted to know as he approached the Specter casually. She waved her hand around as if to make the situation seem dire and such. "Me and Zach attempted to go there and help, but look what happened to him¡­we have to rely on Luken Regalia, Gavin, and Artorias to bring the Reaper down!" She said, Vale was aware that lying would definitely be punishable, specially with someone as cautious as Ignis was. But still, she felt that this was the least she could do to buy enough time for the four friends and their one last reunion. "Is Zach okay?" Suna asked in a worried expression as she felt his pulse. Yin also followed. They were both calm and collected after realizing that he was only unconscious. "Y-Yeah. But please just listen to me, to go there right now would be like welcoming death for no reason at all. Just place your faith in those three, I am sure they would be able to find the best way to kill Adam Rosa." Vale blurted out. "Very well. I will give them ten minutes, if I see something shady or if they still have not returned yet within that time, I will go there personally, whether you like it or not, Vale." Ignis was serious as he said that.. "Suit yourself, but for now, just stay put." She retorted back. "As what I have said, I still have my pride as someone who stood against mankind, I will die an Angel, more so than a human. But never keep Yin Sohaya out of your field of view, that kid is special. He is special in a way that I am not able to tell exactly why right this moment, but trust me, he is going to be the key to everything. Thanatos'' bloodline runs deep, there have only been a few humans that survived with his blood, but I do believe that Yin is one of them. That is just my hypothesis, anyway." The Reaper said with no hesitation, causing the others to wrinkle their eyebrows trying to figure out what exactly he was meaning to say. "Just who is Thanatos, really, Adam?" the Serpent Summoner demanded to know. "I know you have been reading up more on him before you left Niflheim, the books back at the hideout still have those notes that you kept regarding that topic." Adam was trying his hardest to stay alive as long as possible, Artorias as well. He caught his breath and proceeded to tell Gavin. "Long ago, the Old Gods were attempting to conquer this desolate planet, it was occupied by the winged harbingers that we call ''Angels'' still. Thanatos was the God of Death and Decay, one of the strongest of the old Gods. Humans back then even worked with the Gods in establishing civilization and trying to build a city for them to call their ''last'' bastion. Niflheim back then was a great kingdom which were not at the mercy of Angels, they were actually going toe to toe against them during combat and expeditions. But the Niflheim we have now has been reduced so much that we have trouble in trying to feed the whole population. It is quite sad. I have discovered that Thanatos was an avid piano musician, one day, he caught the eye of a girl his age as well. They both fell in love and even had a couple of children. But there was one thing that they both knew that all the others did not know of. This girl was an Angel taking the shape and appearance of a human, for some reason, she deserted the Angels and has decided to settle down in Niflheim alongside humans. They hid the real truth from everyone, even the children." Adam was coughing out even more blood now. Luken approached him to try and help but he could not do anything at all anymore. The Reaper shook his head as if to say that this was expected and it would end in how they all expected it would. But he wanted to continue the story of Thanatos. "As Thanatos was getting deployed to more and more expeditions and missions, he spent most of his time away from home now. He was focused and determined in killing all these Angels. Keep in mind that the Angels and Gods already existed during the same time, these are beings that far transcend the mortality of man, so it is useless to liken them to human beings, it just does not work like that. Anyway, one time, when Thanatos was getting back from a blood-filled and impossibly difficult mission, he went straight to his house and found that his wife was not there. He was confused so he went somewhere outside and there he saw it, a bunch of people being burnt at the stake, he saw the other Old Gods accuse them of being Angels and the others being conspirators and the ones who were helping the Angels to infiltrate Niflheim. But he would see something which would change the course of history forever. His wife was there. It was too late for Thanatos to reach her in time, the flames were lit and she was burning already. Her face was not in pain, though, she was oddly calm for someone who was burning to her death. But before she completely lost consciousness and knocked in to death''s doors, her true form was revealed. The grotesque burnt body of an Angel replaced the woman''s body. All of the Old Gods turned around and saw that Thanatos was there. The situation was not looking good for him, they all understood that he knew who she actually was and was covering up for her. They accused him of insubordination, Thanatos vehemently denied the accusations but there was no way he was going to talk his way out of it now, was there? No matter how strong of a God he was, there was no way he could take them all on. He attempted to run away into the outskirts but a spear throw from one of the Gods halted his steps, Thanatos turned around and saw that the spear projectile was stopped right in the air. As if time was ceased in that very moment. That was when Thanatos heard his lover''s voice call out to him. ''No matter where you are, no matter what life, and what form you take, I will always find you. Until then, do not die. This System I grant you shall ensure that no harm will ever come to you, use it wisely, my love.'' She said to him. The white silhouette which was her true appearance held his cheek and kissed him goodbye. When time resumed, Thanatos had already had the full power of the System given to him and fully unlocked. That day, the blood of the Old Gods colored the walls of Niflheim as Thanatos went absolutely berserk and eviscerated every single one of them. It was already past the point of diplomacy at that time, anyway. Without the protection and force of the Old Gods defending Niflheim, the humans could not withstand the might of the Angels and were driven into this corner, the one that Niflheim currently stands on right now. As a last ditch effort to ensure their survival, they used the spells that the Old Gods taught them, how to construct a barrier which would not allow any Angel to get in. Thanatos'' lover was actually not any ordinary Angel, she was supposed to be the next Vessel. The one whom all the Angels would mold their physical prowess, emotion, and everything else on. All the old Angels took their own lives and vanished into oblivion as the new Angels are now torn on looking for Thanatos. Rummaging across Niflheim, trying to find the lover she lost to time." Adam Rosa stopped talking now. "I-Is everything you have said so far the truth?" Artorias was absolutely dumbfounded. "Look at me, Artorias. Have I any reason to lie whatsoever, old friend? Anyway, it was not like I was ratting everything out. I was merely telling the untold story not of how this conflict between mankind and Angels started, but the middle part of it. Think of it like a puzzle, you are free to do whatever you want with what I have told you, Luken, Gavin. Now, come here, you three." Adam pulled out the Basilisk Slayer''s blade in his stomach and made the bleeding even worse. But he was smiling. "We have never done anything like this, we bonded through strength and steel, through swords and affinities, through Anima cells and valor. But for now, my friends, I would like the warmth of an embrace before I depart from this plane of existence. I am sure your brother would like that as well, no matter how much he might deny it, Gavin." This was the first time that they had ever seen Adam Rosa''s genuine smile in years. It was a sad and melancholic sight, yet oddly heartwarming. Chapter 161 - News After the time that Ignis allotted had already passed, he was getting impatient. He wanted to have the chance to cross blades and fight the Reaper for himself. It was an opportunity that the leader of the Inferno Garden did not want to miss. "Ten minutes have already gone by, Vale, we are going to go there and help them right now. Step aside." Ignis Silva said to the Specter. Vale Ashford thought about attempting to keep Ignis and the others out by any means necessary, but she herself was worried that she would get dismissed for insubordination. She was now hoping that the four of them had finished their reunion. "Tch. Fine." She agreed with a scoff. Ignis made the others come with him as they ran towards the location to ''help'' Gavin, Luken, and Artorias. But as soon as they got there, the sight which they saw was not the one which they had expected. "C-Commander! Gavin!" Yin shouted out as he saw Luken and Gavin''s bruised and injured state. He wanted to run towards them but after seeing what was behind both of them, Yin held back his worry and hesitated. Amara, the Emerald Dragon was walking right behind them. But more importantly, right on top of her back was the bodies of both the Basilisk Slayer, Artorias Khalil, and the Reaper, Adam Rosa''s bodies. They were already dead. "What the hell happened here?" Ignis Silva was in sheer shock. "What do you think, Ignis?" Luken replied with a lifeless tone. "After all these years, the Reaper''s strength as the top one ranked Slayer in the Corps before my brother still holds up. His strength was overpowering, in the confusion of combat, I did not realize that he was coming straight for me, my brother, the Basilisk Slayer, saved me." The Serpent Summoner said. "How about the sword, did you get the Sword of Alacrity already?" Fen Kaori, the Allcaster asked them. Luken pulled out the translucent blade out from the hilt on his hips and presented it to them. The Sword of Alacrity was almost looking like it was made straight out of glass, it had a fragile build to it, so they took care of how they handled it immensely. "I shall hold on to this for now, up until we get to the Grand Castle." Luken said to them. All the other Slayers were mourning the sudden death of the Basilisk Slayer. Yin and Suna included. Faust Keisuke was awfully depressed as well, he wanted to show the Basilisk Slayer and Luken that he would be able to pay them back for saving him that one time from long ago. The walk back home was somber and absolutely silent. Zachary Lancaster''s consciousness came back to him shortly after everyone regrouped. After hearing the talks and whispers of the Basilisk Slayer''s death, he thought that it was only some kind of sick joke that Artorias was playing, but as soon as he wanted to ask Gavin, his feet stopped from walking towards him. This was the first time that he saw the Serpent Summoner this distraught and down. He knew better than to doubt the situation now. "So, now, who is going to be the rank one Slayer?" Faust Keisuke asked while he was still crying. "It would obviously be the Commander, Luken Regalia." Hector replied back. "I think it would take a heavy toll on him, though, he has to lead the Slayer Corps and be the trump card of mankind at the same time, it would not be easy on him." He added. Ignis was still in shock. He wanted to live out his life and become an SSS Rank Slayer as well, but now that Artorias and Adam were gone, he could no longer have anyone else higher in rankings than Luken. That did not bother him that much, actually. Because deep down, he wanted to show the Reaper and the Basilisk Slayer that his methods and way of living as a Slayer would be he most efficient and viable if mankind were to survive. But with them gone, he thought that it would be difficult to let go of such emotions, after all, Ignis Silva lived just to spite everyone else who doubted him. The leader of the Inferno Garden wanted to become the strongest Slayer of mankind by surpassing all the others that came before him, not by having them gone this way. "I guess nobody really is invincible, huh, Kai?" He asked his right hand man and his friend, Kai Xin. "I guess so, Ignis." After hours of walking back to Niflheim, they finally arrived home and went straight to the Grand Castle, carrying the remains of the other Slayers who lost their lives in this mission to reclaim the sword. The Emperor prepared for the worst, that the Sword of Alacrity would actually end up in the hands of the Angels'' side, but he did not expect this outcome, however. "B-By the Gods¡­Artorias¡­" he was in pure shock. After hearing the reports from the leader of this specific mission, Gavin Khalil, he sat down and took it all in. "I am sorry about your brother, Gavin. He was a unique individual, but also the strongest sword mankind had after the Reaper''s departure. I am sorry, I really am." The Emperor bowed his head to the Slayers present there. "I am also in due of an apology to you all, I could not afford to send in back up or even more Slayers to the mission. I was thinking about how chaotic it would be if you had arrived after Adam Rosa took the Sword and had already started to invade Niflheim, the lives lost would be unheard of." "Keep your head up, sire." Luken Regalia assured the Emperor that he was in no fault whatsoever. The whole mission itself was based on a gamble that Adam would not figure out the location of the sword and that they would be able to extract it with zero casualties, but he still constructed the team with many capable Slayers in the top ten rankings just to prepare for the worst. "Slayers live and die for humanity, we are not supposed to be pampered and worshipped. We do our jobs because it is the only thing that we know. Soldiers live and die, and we are the ones that mankind has in order to combat the winged harbingers. This mission was not a waste. Although we did lose Artorias Khalil, the enemy has also suffered heavy numbers of casualties. Thirty Angels is not a small number that should be shoved off. Also, the Seraphims which we left dead in our expedition just goes to show that we are still capable of fighting these Archangels. Judging on how they referred to Adam Rosa, it would seem that he was their leader. I shall fill you in on the details later, sir." Luken said. Yin was still trying to absorb what just happened. It finally sank into him that in this war, nobody was going to be invincible. Everyone was at the risk of death, with their foots at the door of demise during every step outside the Outer Gates. But this did not stop him from wanting to become the hero that Niflheim desperately needed specially in these times when they lost the symbol of strength. "Would you like me to lift off some of the weight off of your shoulders, Luken? We can always give your best friend, Gavin Khalil, the role of the Commander, hell, even Vale Ashford is fit for it, perhaps it might be strenuous for you to be the strongest Slayer mankind has to offer and also lead the Corps at the same time?" The Emperor asked him. True enough, it would not be easy for Luken. He had to do two jobs at the same time, and Artorias'' work was not going to be easy. "I am fine, sire. Do not concern yourself with such trivial matters, no matter what might happen after this, I know where my heart burns and for who. It is for the people of Niflheim, the last bastion of mankind. So, even if it is hard. I shall persevere and do everything it takes to play my part in everything." The Commander said. "After all, I cannot just always goof around and procrastinate, sometimes, we have to just grow up, right?" He turned towards the Slayers present there. "We will be right beside you, sir Luken!" Faust shouted out in support. All the others shortly followed afterwards. The Emperor prepared for a meeting with only the surviving ones from the first emergency meeting he had called for. So, it would be Luken, Gavin, Fen Kaori, Ignis Silva, and Vale Ashford. Everyone other than Artorias Khalil, anyway. They were going to discuss about what the next step would be for humanity and how they should proceed. But before that, Luken called Gavin to talk to him about something. Chapter 162 - What Theyre After "How are you feeling, Gavin?" The Commander asked his friend. Gavin lost his brother and his mentor, though the latter was bound to happen at some point, or else Adam Rosa''s pitch black wings would swoop down and take mankind at the mercy of his sharp talons. "I do not know, Luken. Death is something that we Slayers embraced long ago, after our Anima cells have awoken, we already knew that Angels and monsters will be our end if we are not careful. I am both empty and sad at the same time, if that makes sense." The Serpent Summoner replied back. "Yeah. I know. We are going to have to do fill some big shoes, Gavin. I hope you are ready." Luken forced out a confident nod as he glanced at his friend. The pressure that all the remaining top ten Slayers in the rankings had now that the Basilisk Slayer was gone was absolutely hard. "I always am, Luken." Gavin replied back.. They both sat down and walked to the balcony outside while all the other Slayers were hearing words of encouragement and assurance from the Emperor himself. "I believe that we should call Ignis Silva, Fen Kaori, and Vale Ashford. Hell, I think Kai is also ready for the responsibility. He has to step up and play a vital role. We have to work together if we want to be the pillars of mankind against the winged harbingers." Luken said. "I am surprised you suggested that, I thought you could not stomach that asshole, Ignis." Gavin joked around. "The same as you, but still, we cannot deny that we need him to finally work this shit out." The Serpent Summoner went back in to call the others. But before doing so, Luken''s words made him stop. "Do not tell them about everything regarding Adam. I will do the talking for this one." Luken said with a thumbs up at his friend with his hand. "That is a surprise, with you doing the talking and all that. Heh. Very well, I can respect that." Gavin cracked a smile. Yin sat around with Suna and Zachary in the room, Emperor Nicholas had already finished his speech and went outside the room. The trio of the Six Blades talked about the battle earlier and what each of them were doing, but Zach was the one who was most annoyed since he did not really get to see the Lightning Seraphim, Fulgur, die, as he was unconscious while it happened. He wanted to land the final blow as well, but Suna told him that the Seraphim of War fled the battle in search of their leader, the Reaper, Adam Rosa. Yin was the only one who actually finished his respective Seraphim off with his team. "The Allcaster is really strong¡­those SS Rank Slayers are just on another realm of strength compared to us." Yin was a bit down specially since he was feeling the pressure of the Basilisk Slayer''s untimely death. Suna placed her hand on his shoulders and gave him an assuring gaze. "Do not worry, Yin. We will get there as well, we will match their strengths in our own way, and even surpass it¡­I hope so." She ended her words with a smile. "Good job on Hai, Yin. But I bet you were just getting carried by the Allcaster. Tch." Zach said to him with a scoff, Yin retorted back and the two of them continued arguing. Gavin opened the doors from the balcony and approached Ignis Silva, Fen Kaori, Kai Xin, and Vale Ashford one by one. Each of them got up and went outside the booths with no word said to their subordinates. Yin and the others were also here as they wanted to wait for their seniors. "Hey, Hector, do you think you can get to the SSS Ranks one day?" Faust asked him. It seems that the two of them have struck a unique friendship. Faust Keisuke was the one who spoke most of the time anyway, but Hector welcomed the fact that he made a friend and an acquaintance from another organization and not just any other person in the Inferno Garden. Kai took a look at Hector and had a faint smile on his face. He was assured and happy that Hector was slowly opening up to people, as he thought that the young prodigy only really ever relied on Ignis Silva and him for everything. It was a breath of fresh air to see that him and Faust Keisuke were really building a solid friendship among each other after the Operation Phoenix. "This would not really happen if Hector did not respect Faust''s strength as a Slayer in the battlefield. For him, to acknowledge another Slayer as a friend, is to respect his or her combat prowess. He is not a normal kid, not that it''s a bad thing, we are all different, aren''t we, Ignis?" Kai Xin asked his friend and the leader of the Inferno Garden. "Hm. Perhaps you are correct. His strength causes him to be like a vacuum that sucks out every other skill he has in socializing with people, but it seeks and befriends other strong individuals, it is good to see that." Ignis replied back with a rare affectionate smile. The Commander, Gavin Khalil, Vale Ashford, Fen Kaori, Ignis Silva, and Kai Xin were now on the balcony. Their position placed them somewhere that they could see the bright lights of the Grand City and other neighboring towns and villages. "You know, I have been in this balcony for so long now. Far too long, that is, to realize just how beautiful this nation is. The very last stand of humanity ¨C Niflheim." Luken opened up with those words as he started his speech. "We no longer have the Basilisk Slayer with us. As you know, he died after his battle against the Reaper. If he did not do what he did, Gavin would no longer be here. He prioritized Gavin more so than his own life itself. I know that not everyone of us here are selfless enough to sacrifice ourselves for other people, that much is obvious. But I want us to work together to form the supporting pillars that hold on this nation together. I have never been that much of a leader, even when I was appointed as the Commander by the Emperor. I have had shortcomings and disappointments during my time in this position, I know that much." Luken stopped to catch his breath. "But what I am about to tell you is what the last words of the Reaper were. We managed to interrogate him before he succumbed to the cold embrace of death. These Angels¡­they are after Yin Sohaya, a C Rank Lightning Slayer under the organization of the Six Blades." His words caused an array of gasps and looks of surprise among the Slayers present there. "Does that mean there is something within that boy that the Angels are looking for?" Ignis asked as he raised his hand. "Why do they want Yin so much? Is that the reason why they are after mankind? How the fuck does that work, Luken?" Kai Xin was agitated because of that revelation. He was trying desperately hard to understand the correlation between Yin Sohaya being a person of interest among the winged harbingers and mankind''s continued suffering. Luken took his sword out and smacked it against the floor, breaking his rapier to pieces. "Everyone calm down! We cannot afford to lose our heads now, there are still many things that we do not know of, I will tell you the details now, but I need you to promise me that you will not disclose this information to anyone outside of the people within this balcony. If this goes out, the kid could be in serious trouble and danger." The Commander said. "He is on our side, right, Gavin?" The Specter turned towards Gavin Khalil to assure herself that they did not have a spy at their hands. "Very much so. You should not worry about Yin''s loyalty. I can vouch for him, I would place the name of the Khalil family on the line if I am proven to be wrong. For now, let us listen to what Luken is going to say so we can get on with it." He said. Ignis placed his hand down and was prepared to listen to what the Commander was going to say. "Let us see if this piece of information is good enough for what the Basilisk Slayer died for." Ignis Silva said out loud. "I need you all to maintain a cool head before we go any further with this conversation. If we crumble under anything right now, mankind itself would cease to exist. That is the dilemma that we are currently pitted against. Do I have your word that everything that we talk about here only stays here and nowhere else?" Luken wanted to make sure of it. Chapter 163 - Balcony [ Three minutes before Adam Rosa and Artorias Khalil succumbed to their wounds and passed on to the other side of life. ] "T-The System?!" All three of Luken, Gavin, and Art''s eyes were tense. "That is correct, you heard me right. The system¡­it is what that boy Yin Sohaya possesses." Adam told them. "It will protect him and see to it that anything that will ever seem like the mildest of threats shall be seen as expendable. T-That boy is carrying a heavy burden¡­I sure do hope you two manage to do what you can for whatever sake you are fighting for. One more thing, the location of the main nest¡­" Adam Rosa pulled both Luken and Gavin in a bit closer and whispered the location to both of them. Those were the Reaper''s last words to them. This left them dumbfounded as he always kept repeating how he was still at the side of the Angels minutes before. "What a jackass, I really can''t believe he went on ahead like that. Well, it is inevitable, I guess. I have a bunch of catching up to do with Adam.. I leave Niflheim and mankind in your hands, Luken, Gavin. As well as the others¡­" The embers of life had already been snuffed out from the Basilisk Slayer''s body. He was gone. There was knowing where both of their souls might have gone on after today, but the match that they both lit in their successor''s hearts will always burn for humanity. Now and forever. [ Present time, still at the balcony. ] They all responded to Luken Regalia, the Commander, with a nod. "You have always had our trust, Luken, no matter how callous and foolish you have always been." Kai Xin shook his head and smiled while he said that. "Tch. I do not really care whoever I have to fight or work alongside with, as long as we get our results as the strongest Slayers of mankind, there is no reason why we should not succeed." Although Ignis Silva said with a scoff, he uniformed Kai''s smile. That was the arrogant leader of the Inferno Garden that they all knew all too well. Fen Kaori said nothing and just shrugged his elbows. His eyebrows raised as he sighed. "So, what is the plan now, Luken?" Vale Ashford asked him. "We are going to have to cancel the upcoming Slayer Tournament, I am afraid." He replied. "I agree with that course of action. And not just because I do not want festivity and the entertainment that it brings because of my grievance, I believe that it is too untimely for everyone else as well. We have still not announced the Basilisk Slayer''s death to the people, chaos is going to ensue soon." Gavin muttered out. Normally, the entire Slayer Corps is divided between the Commander and the top one Ranked Slayer. The top one ranked Slayer is in charge of much harder missions, that was also why the Basilisk Slayer was heading out on missions that would often result in an ensured failure if other Slayers would have been given the job of carrying it out. To be the rank one is very prestigious, it is a mirror of the strength that flows within your veins as a Slayer, but the weight of it looms on one''s shoulder like a heavy piece of baggage. "You know, Luken, you can just give me the title of the Commander, I can lead the Corps while you go on the missions that are fit for that of the ''top one'' as you currently are as of the moment." Ignis Silva said with an innocent tone, but really, he was just being opportunistic. Gavin was staring at Luken, afraid that he might cede the power and role of the Commander to Ignis. He was sweating bullets right now. "Do not do it, Luken. You know better than this. Artorias left the Slayer Corps to you, and you are the second in line after him in terms of raw strength and combative prowess. Do not yield to his manipulativeness¡­" Gavin said to his friend in his head. "Fair point, Ignis. But I do not think an ass like you should be the Commander, honestly." Luken retorted back which made the green-haired Serpent Summoner sigh in relief. Vale Ashford also did the same. "Thank God." She said. "Do you really think you can do the job of two important roles at once? Do not forget, we are both the vanguards and the swords of Niflheim. If you dawdle, it will not only be you who shall be affected. Everyone else living here too. "I know that. I know that much, Ignis, believe me. But it is not uncommon for the Commander to be the top one ranked Slayer in the Corps, it is not the first time this has happened, in fact, there have been many instances of this throughout time. Plus, you have always hated how ''immature'' or ''childish'' I was. I think it is about time I grew up, don''t you think so?" Luken spoke with oozing confidence and maturity, it was a very rare sight for them. "Very well, suit yourself." Ignis replied. Luken took out a stick of cigarette from his pocket and lit it with the slight flicker from a match in his matchbox. "The Angels have some kind of vendetta against Yin. I will tell you the full details some other time, but it is believed that boy is a descendant of the Old Gods, and in return, the Angels want to bring him to their nest, that was what the Seraphims were after. That, and to bring back that bald looking Seraphim which Artorias killed a long time ago, Sarathiel or some shit." Luken said as he huffed out a cloud of smoke straight into the air. "That is not all, I know the exact location of where the Angel''s main hive is. Where their base of operations is. Adam told me and Gavin as we threatened him by pointing our blades at his neck. He relented and just gave the information up for a few seconds more of living. It was pathetic, really." Luken put up the fa?ade that Adam Rosa died as rotten as he lived. Gavin found it hard to hear these but he knew that it was necessary. As revealing to them that Adam Rosa going from being a traitor to being the person informing them of the key things about the Angels would cause the others to doubt the two of them as well. Luken Regalia pulled out a map and pointed at the direction where Adam Rosa told them the main hive would be located. "That is pretty far away from here, judging from that distance from Niflheim, it is about a two to three day hike towards there." Kai Xin said as soon as Luken placed his fingers at a specific location in the map. "How do we know if those hives will still be there if ever we decide to siege?" Fen Kaori asked a good question which everyone wanted to know the answer to. "It is simple, this is their main hive. Even if they wanted to, there would be no way to actually move it. It is far too colossal to even be moved an inch further. Well, that is what Adam said anyway." The Commander answered Fen Kaori. "Why do you seem to place so much trust on a dying man''s words? For all that we know, he might be attempting to lure us into a trap. Once we get there, we shall be decimated by something else. I don''t know. I do not like it." Ignis Silva said. "Because I do not fuck around when I interrogate enemies, Ignis. Have you forgotten that he killed my sister? There is no way that he was lying, his eyes were teeming with fear. A fear so palpable that I could even taste it. Now, if word ever gets out that whatever I have said to everyone of you here reaches the masses, I will personally show you how that traitor would have felt back then." The Commander''s eyes showed that he was not messing around, his cerulean eyes lit up with intensity, much like that of a shark smelling its prey. Vale Ashford was conflicted for a bit; however, she knew that Luken and Gavin were not traitors, and whatever they were doing with Artorias and Adam''s last moments alive were only what friends normally do. To reminisce about the past and feel the slightest shame and regret for their shortcomings. Both of them did not realize that she saw them talking and sitting around, however. And in her mind, she did not need to say anything to them, just in case things might go sour. They wrapped up their meeting after Luken told them most of the things that Adam had, without the stuff about why he turned traitor and about his lineage as a half-Angel, however, he thought that it would just cause unnecessary fear and paranoia among the people of Niflheim if it got out. Chapter 164 - Relief The morning after, Niflheim had received the grim news of the SSS Rank Basilisk Slayer''s passing. Although he was not the most popular and sociable of all Slayers, his loss was still felt across the country. Young aspiring children who wanted to become the top one Ranked Slayers wept their eyes out as some of the netizens did as well. "Who is going to protect us now?!" They cried out. Most were hypocrites who simply denied the fact that Artorias Khalil was doing everything he could while he was still alive. Green streamers bearing the insignia of the Khalil family were decorated on the Grand Castle''s walls. The rain poured hard and drenched everything in the country, it was Gavin and Art''s mother who wept the hardest. As the entirety of the Six Blades were inside the manor of the Khalils, Gavin personally asked them to accompany him at their residence so that his mother would be able to meet the Six Blades young core trio, but also because he did not want her to be alone. Yin asked the Serpent Summoner where the training room was, or if there was somewhere open where they could practice in. Gavin led them towards a gigantic room with all sorts of weapons and armor. "This is where you can train, though I think you all should rest up and take everything in for a moment, specially you, Yin." Gavin said with a concerned tone. "Nah, that is fine, thanks, Gavin." Yin responded back with a heartfelt thank you. Together with Suna, Zachary, and Oliver, they were going to train here for a while. "So, Yin, you saw how people treated the Basilisk Slayer when he was still alive, right? Despite being the top one Ranked Slayer, not everybody saw him as a hero, in fact, they were doubting whether he was actually doing everything he could at his position. Do you still want to be a ''hero'' after witnessing how some of them are being treated?" Zachary asked as he wanted to know what it was that Yin wanted to do next. "I realized something after our fated battle against those many Seraphims back then. I do not need to be the rank one Slayer in the whole Corps to be a hero. If Fen Kaori was not there, I am pretty sure the Water Seraphim would have overpowered me. Sometimes, doing everything by yourself is not a sign of being independent, it can also be a detriment. With what power and strength that I have right now, I will still aid in eradicating these Angels from the face of the world." Yin Sohaya said with such sureness. His eyes glinted with determination and poise that had never been there before. Suna placed both of her hands on their shoulders, as if to assure them that they are going to do it together in the end. "Less talking, more training, guys. Heh." She said with a chuckle, but she noticed that both of them were still down because of the Basilisk Slayer''s demise. Even though they have only known him for a short amount of time, but he was as genuine as a person could ever be. "Artorias would not have wanted us to grieve his death this much. Come on, let us train!" Suna was tearing up but she desperately held it back in. So were Yin and Zach. "Thank you so much for being there for Gavin as always, Luken." The Khalil family''s matriarch, Gavin''s mother held his hand as she said it. She has known Luken ever since they were kids as the Commander and the Serpent Summoner were both like two peas stuck in a pod back then, not a whole lot has changed in the present. They talked for a bit as the three of them waited for dinner to be served. In the table, Yin and the others said the story of when Artorias treated them to eat outside after a mission, and how delicious the food was. She smiled as she heard her son showing that side of his to a bunch of young Slayers. After eating, they were introduced to where they would sleep. Suna was offered a room of her own which she would stay in but she politely declined the offer, saying that it would be a hassle for them to prepare another room just for her and that she would be fine staying with the others. Meanwhile Gavin went to his own room in the house and slept as he cried one more time for the death of his brother and everything surrounding that all around shitty situation. Luken was by the window once again, he was not his usual humorous self, but it was understandable given what just happened. He walked towards where Yin and the others were, they were playing cards together with Oliver who actually did not know what he was doing, he just felt happy to be included. "Yin, a moment?" Luken asked the white haired Slayer. "S-Sure, Commander¡­" Yin complied and went to the spot where Luken was smoking earlier. "What was that about?" Suna asked Zachary. "I have no clue at all. But the Commander seemed pretty serious." He said. Luken leaned by the window and asked Yin to sit on a chair. With his back turned towards him, Luken turned around and faced Yin. "The System." He uttered out. Yin was visibly uneasy. "W-What the hell?" Yin said to himself as he was in complete shock. "You have the System as its holder right now, correct?" The Commander''s question now made it clear to Yin Sohaya, his secret was out. But he still wanted to wiggle his way out of this one. "I-I do not know what that is, sir." Yin stuttered on his words. Luken sighed. "You are a bad liar, Yin, it is fine, I am not going to tell everyone about it. So far, only me and Gavin are the only ones who know of your power''s origins, Art knew as well, but he is not here anymore, so he does not count." Luken was not being pushy or being interrogative at all. He spoke seriously but it was not like he was angry at Yin at all. "I know you are probably confused as to why we know about it. Adam Rosa told us." Yin was still silent and was trying to think of what the proper thing to do would be in this situation. "We know why the System is built the way that it is, Yin." After hearing that Yin had an expression of shock. "It also seems that we know a lot of things about the System more than you, judging from your reaction, let us work together on this one, Yin. You can trust us. I do not want to let Art''s life to just go down the drain for nothing at all." A long silence clouded the place as Yin was trying to bide his time as to what the proper response would be. "If I tell you everything, Commander, what is going to happen next?" Yin was worried that he might be sent to the dungeons and to have his body picked apart like some kind of sick research subject. "We are going to go forward without telling anyone at all, as long as we know what you know and exchange information, nothing is going to change, Yin. You are still a member of the Six Blades and I am not going to let anyone else take you from us. An organization is not just a mere group that you can put in your name, it is much more than that for us. Nobody is taking you away, Yin. We are staying with you no matter what, you do not have to worry about that at all." Luken said with a resounding smile. And just like that, Yin cried more than he ever had in all his life. It was a collective burst of emotions and sadness that he kept bottled into himself with nobody else to tell. The Commander hugged him and assured him that all will be alright. "You have been carrying something heavy in your heart all this time, huh? I am sorry Yin, I could not have known just how much you have been enduring all this time." He said. "Do you think we should tell Zach and Suna?" Yin asked the Commander. "You have known Suna ever since you were children, right? And even though you and Zach might not have gotten off to a friendly start, I am sure that you two have your backs when it comes to fighting. That was what the Specter said, anyway." Yin nodded. It was like a wooden spike was taken out of his heart. For the first time in months after he received the System back in the farm, the opportunity to tell the people he referred to as his family ''everything.'' But deep inside the recesses of his mind, the Creator was looking on with anger and disgust on his face at what he just saw. Chapter 165 - Words Unsaid Before Luken Regalia and Yin would go back ahead to where the others were, the Commander wished to tell him exactly what Adam told him. "Are you okay?" Luken asked his pupil before pulling back from the hug. "Y-Yeah." Yin replied. "Yin, I believe that Adam had no reason to lie on his deathbed, as much as I hated him for what he did, I could not muster the courage to finish him off, since death was the only destination he had left at that point. But before that, do you mind if I ask you something?" The Commander was careful just in case it was a sensitive subject for Yin Sohaya. "Ask away, sir Luken." The boy replied back. "It is about your parents¡­they were not your real parents, were they not?" Luken expected himself to need to apologize in case he offended Yin or something, but the white haired Slayer replied back with a smile instead. "I do not know how you got that, but yes, sir, that is correct. I was told by my foster parents that they found me near the farmlands when I was only a baby. But they cared for me and loved me even though we were not related by blood. We were family, no matter what." Yin''s words made Luken confused.. "Were?" He asked. "Yeah, that is right, after they passed away from some sort of disease, I was left all alone again. But that does not matter anymore, what is important is that I have you guys now." Luken noticed the number of scars and marks that came from battle wounds that Yin had accumulated from training and missions. "You are correct, we are here now. Anyway, I asked you that because I think I know who exactly you are a descendant of." Luken made Yin''s eyebrows furrow and meet. "Only descendants of Thanatos, the Old God of Death, are able to use and be chosen by the System. At least that is what Adam told us, anyway." Yin just stared off into oblivion, taking it all in. He had a blank expression on his face. "You do not seem surprised, Yin. Did you know this ahead of time already?" Luken asked. "N-No, this is the first time that I have known of it, sir Luken. It is just surreal to me. If I had not been carrying the bloodline of an Old God, where would I still be right now? I really expected that the System only came to my hands because of something that I had control over. Because I was special in my own way or efforts, maybe somewhere, somehow, divinity intervened and saw that I was worthy of giving such a gift. As it turns out, I only got the System because of a blood relation to some God I barely even know of." A noticeable sadness plagued Yin''s face as he said that. Luken threw his cigarette outside the window and took a long hard look at Yin. "There is nothing wrong with that Yin, nothing at all. Think about it, now, you have the System, there is so many things that you can do with that power, it is all yours now. That is what matters." The Commander''s words still did not bright up Yin''s mood, and his own would be devastated after hearing what his pupil would say next. "When I accepted the System''s request to ''merge'' with my own soul, it gave me a year left to live before Thanatos would be reborn in my body, killing my soul in the process in replacement for his." Yin said with a down and sad tone. "H-How many months do you have left, since when did you accept that wager from the System, Yin?" The Commander followed up with another question. "I only have about ten months and a couple of days left, sir. I still do not know what Thanatos would do when he is resurrected in my body." Luken sighed and proceeded to tell Yin about the entire history of Thanatos and his beloved whom was burnt in front of him. It was a tale that was left forgotten by the passing of time, to the point that people now treat it as some kind of fairytale or myth that had no grip with the truth whatsoever. But little did they actually know, it was a story that was grounded in reality. As real as the headless Slayers that are not even brought back to Niflheim after a failed expedition outside the Gates. "What do you think, sir, can we still gamble on the fact that Thanatos would be on our side when he comes back?" Yin was worried now, he had expected that Thanatos would be someone who would fight the Angels, but after remembering the many times that the Angels and Seraphims called him ''Thanatos'' that was when he realized it. He spoke up before the Commander could answer him. "Shit." Yin clicked his tongue. "Judging from what you have said, it seems like Thanatos only really cares about his beloved, and has no time for petty squabbles like what we have going on right now. It is going to be dangerous¡­" After Luken had fully absorbed the fact that Yin would no longer be here after ten months, he was still hoping that there would be some kind of spell to undo what Yin just gambled on. He shook his head in disapproval. "Why did you even accept such a risky gamble like that?!" He wanted to know from Yin, the Commander was so frustrated that he raised his own voice without realizing it. "Because if not for the System, I would not even have awakened my Anima Cells! I do not want to be working in the farmlands no matter how honorable it might be! It is not that I despised life there, it is just that I think I would be able to do more if I had the chance to fight in the frontlines! I mean take a look at Suna, she has no Anima cells and even she is risking her neck out there in the battlefield. If I did not accept the wager and have the System merge with my soul, then my lightning affinity would be gone forever! Is it really such a sin for someone like me to chase this opportunity to do something meaningful in my life?" Yin exclaimed. Luken realized that he did not really get what was at stake and had not considered the fact that Yin Sohaya did not have Anima cells before getting the System, he was inconsiderate and never really thought about life without his powers and affinities, because that was the default for him. There was never a time in his life wherein he did not have Slayer abilities. He realized that he was insensitive and was not considering Yin''s feelings at all before asking such a question. "I-I am sorry, Yin. I should have thought of all the factors before asking you why you did it." The Commander apologized to Yin. "N-No, Commander, you do not need to apologize at all, in fact, it should be me, I have no right to raise my voice at you." Yin said as he looked down. Their conversation was disrupted by Gavin, who walked in on them talking. "I heard some people shouting and stuff, so I got up to see what the commotion was all about. What''s up with you two?" He asked as he held some sort of stack of papers cheaply sewn to look like a book, it was titled ''The Green Knight of Niflheim.'' "I told Yin everything, Gavin." Luken said. "Good, he deserves to know. Are you alright, Yin?" The Serpent Summoner, instead of asking him a volley of questions right off the bat, instead wanted to make sure that he was fine. Yin was touched by his genuineness. "I am now, Gavin. Sorry to wake you up." Gavin shook his head in response. "Even though I was trying my hardest invite sleep to my consciousness, it never really came. I just ended up reading these discount ''books'' that I wrote when I was a kid. "This particular one was about my brother. I really thought he would be called the ''Green Knight'' when he was still young. But that name never really stuck to him. Heh." Gavin chuckled slightly. "Fill me in on the details later, or perhaps it can wait until tomorrow. I would be fine with that. For now, you both need to get some shuteye so you can tell me and the others about everything, are we clear on that?" Gavin asked. Both Yin and Luken did not want to incur the Serpent Summoner''s drowsy anger, so they both agreed to continue what they talked about tomorrow and in time to tell the other Six Blades members. They waved goodnight to Gavin as they got back to the room and fount that Suna, Zach, and Oliver were already passed out on the floor. Chapter 166 - Truth Yin had expected the revelation to be upsetting for Zach and Suna because how long he had kept it from them. "Y-You are a descendant of some God long ago?!" Zach exclaimed as he could not believe what he heard in his ears. "And you are saying you got your Anima cells awakened from this sort of ''power'' or System as you called it because of that?" Suna asked. Yin faced down and nodded. "Y-Yeah. I am sorry for not telling you that. I thought it would be better if I was guarding the secret without ever telling anyone. In fact, I do not think I would even tell you guys if not for the Reaper revealing some key details about my powers to the Commander and Gavin. He was especially being considerate of how Suna felt. In contrast, she seemed like she deserved the System much more than Yin did. And quite honestly, she would have made a powerful System holder. That was what Yin was afraid of, to alienate the others and to make them feel small because of his secret being revealed. "That settles it, then! I am going to have to train even harder now that I know just how strong my peers are!" Suna got up and clapped her hands to fire herself up.. Gavin and Luken smiled and looked at Yin, as if to non verbally tell him that his worries were all for naught. "Whatever, you are still the annoying simpleton that I have always known, and there is no way I am going to lose to someone like you." Zach said as he sipped his tea. But there was one more thing that Yin did not tell them, and that was his life was dependent on time. That he would be gone soon from this world, in exchange for Thanatos'' rebirth. Just as Luken was about to ask Yin if he had forgotten about something, Gavin pulled his arm back and ceased him from doing so, he also shook his head in disapproval. The Commander got the hint and did not go through with it. "He knows that, Luken. He knows that better than anyone." The Serpent Summoner said. "Thank you, everyone." Yin bowed his head at the table in front of everyone to show them how relieved he was that they were not upset at such a huge thing being hidden from them. Granted, it was for a reason, though. "What is our next move now, Luken?" The Serpent Summoner asked his friend, who was now in charge of all the Slayers as well as the most difficult of missions in Niflheim. "Now, my friend, we bide our time and bulk up. Train as many Slayers as we can and get ready for the inevitable fight in their main nest. Five months from now, we will strike it down and burn it until nothing remains but ashes and ruin." The Commander said. "Five months?" Zach was confused. "Is that not a bit too long? What if the hive will no longer be there?" Indeed, the Fire Slayer''s concerns were based on the truth, but he did not know that Adam Rosa told them that the main hive cannot move nor vanish, as it is the primary place of operations within the Angels. "They do not know about the information that Adam Rosa gave to us in his deathbed. I made sure of it, there were no other Angel or nor Seraphim present as he took his final breath. We can still surprise them." The Commander said with a confident tone. "So, we are launching a surprise attack, is that it?" Suna was excited at the thought of one last final battle to end everything. "That is precisely what we are planning to do, Suna." Gavin answered her. "But now, we need the Specter and other reconnaissance experts to travel to the main hive''s location slowly in the course of five months and try to find out what the terrain is, and if there are any other variables that we can make do of once the time comes." Oliver was munching on a piece of bamboo cane that he found in the garden of the Khalil family''s residence. "Looks like someone is in a good mood for once." Luken said in a snark manner, which made Oliver roll his eyes, indicating that the baby panda was annoyed. "You really have to control your temper, you furball. Seems like Zachary''s rudeness is rubbing off on you." Luken whispered softly. "I heard that, you know." Zach retorted back. Yin was so happy that nothing was changed within the Six Blades, and that the group remained the goofy yet powerful organization it always was when he first joined. "You look like you are in a better mood than Oliver." Suna said to him as she elbowed the white haired Slayer lightly. "N-No. I am just glad that you guys were not upset at me." Yin said softly. "Do not be like that, no matter who or what your descendants were back in a million years ago, that does not matter anymore. You are Yin Sohaya of the Six Blades, my wimpy friend whom I have known ever since we were kids. Lighten up, you have got to place more trust in your comrades, after all, nobody can carry the burden of this world on his or her own shoulder all alone." Suna said with a reassuring smile. Luken cleared his throat and addressed Yin. "Hey, do you mind having a talk with me and Gavin after this?" He asked Yin. "N-Not at all, Commander." After the workers cleaned the table and washed the dishes, the three of them walked to the garden with Oliver, as Suna and Zachary were in the training room sparring. "Do you have any idea how we should approach Thanatos'' resurrection?" Luken asked him straight to the point. "So far, there is still no certainty that he would still be on mankind''s side. I mean hell, I think he probably only fought for them when his rage for all the other Gods were uncontainable. We have no way of knowing where his loyalty lies after all these years." The Commander said directly. Gavin closed his book. "I am going to have to agree with Luken here, but I still would like to ask you first hand before making any rash decision, what do you think we should do, Yin?" "I-I am going to be honest, I still do not know. In fact, I have never even met Thanatos, not even in my dreams. I am going to ask the Creator, it is some sort of voice in my head other than the System''s which tells me things vaguely." Yin answered back. The Commander sighed. "This is so fucked. Why can''t we just have you and not this Old God which is too unpredictable to even make decisions about right now!?" Luken was mad at the fact that Yin''s life was going to end in under a year. "Keep your cool, Luken. You are scaring the kid." Gavin said in an intimidating voice. "I am sorry, Yin. Please know that I only want you to live longer than ten freaking months. I do not care who gets resurrected in your place, but you are too irreplaceable. You have made the Six Blades feel like home." Yin was battling his tears out, but he forced a smile instead. "All the more reason that we should make the most out of the time I have left alive, right?" The white haired Slayer muttered. The Serpent Summoner realized something as they talked it out. "Yin¡­is this the reason why you wanted to rank up quickly? That you wished to do so much with the time allotted to you?" Gavin realized it just now. "Y-Yeah. That was why I always wanted to be included in missions and to be recruited so that I can have a meaningful impact, no matter how little time I have left. I am sorry for rushing things like that." Yin replied back. Luken grinned. "I know I am not supposed to tell you this early, but I received the official papers of who would be promoted, do you want to know if your name is in there now or do you want to wait a week from now?" Gavin smacked the back of Luken''s head. "What kind of a Commander are you? Leaking official documents like that and stuff." The Serpent Summoner sighed. Yin was far too uneasy to contain his excitement. "Please, I would like to know now. I want to know about Zachary''s rank as well, if it had changed." Yin said. "Very well." Luken opened the papers and showed it to Yin Sohaya. "Alright!" Yin shouted out in happiness. "Congratulations on your promotion, B Rank Lightning Slayer, Yin Sohaya of the Six Blades. Even Zachary is there, can you actually believe it? A rookie like him getting to the B Ranks that early! Both of your actions and achievements bring great pride to us. You did good, Yin boy. You three did amazingly well." Chapter 167 - Training Camp Tomorrow came without delay. "Would you look at that, the three of us are now of the same ranks!" Suna said happily but with a slightly annoyed manner. If she actually won the Slayer Tournament, she would have been an A Rank Slayer now, the same as Cosette Akim, but because of its postponement, now Zach and Yin have caught up to her, not that she was angry about it. "Damn I kind of jumped up a couple ranks from a rookie, eh? Isn''t that impressive?" Zach flaunted in a joking manner, meant to provoke Yin and Suna. None of the two went on and took his bait, however. Yin was still worried about the time he had left, but he was thankful for the opportunity to rise up in ranks. The Serpent Summoner walked in. "Still, that is no reason that you should be content with your current rank and strength, Zach, I am sure you know that as well, right?" Gavin asked him. "Of course, I have no intention of losing to Yin nor Suna, even though we are of the same side." Zachary Lancaster was as intense as ever. "I am going to have other Slayers in your peer group and ranks to come over to train with you. That includes some names you have already known throughout the months prior, including the A Rank Earth Slayer, Cosette Akim, and even Hector Incendium, the prodigal A Rank Fire Slayer of the Inferno Garden.. I suggested this idea to Ignis Silva and his stubbornness could not dismiss how important it shall be. We currently have five months to train our assess off for hopefully, the final battle mankind will ever have. It is going to be all or nothing. Make sure you have no regrets such as ''I should have trained more'' or other such ideas. I expect a lot from you three." Gavin ended his speech with that. The young core trio of the Six Blades got up and saluted him. "Yes, sir!" they said. "So, it is going to be like the Slayer Tournament but unofficial and without the winning rewards, eh?" Suna rubbed her hands together. "I want to fight that Hector guy. I will show the Commander that we will not lose to the Inferno Garden so easily." The B Rank Slayer was excited for it. "I have not seen Cosette ever since we took down Pugna." Yin said. "The last time I have seen her was when we were deployed to you first ever mission, Yin." Suna inserted. "I am surprised she did not get recruited to the Sword of Alacrity mission at all, considering her strength and renown as an up and coming Slayer." Zachary said as he was reading the papers about potential Slayers who could be taking on the role of the ''Commander'' when the time comes. There were only three names listed, though. Hector Incendium of the Inferno Garden, Cosette Akim, who has no organization, and Yin Sohaya of the Six Blades. Zachary choked on the water he was drinking and wiped his nose off of it. "What the¡­why are you here?" He exclaimed as he stared at Yin. "Huh?" Yin was confused, he took the paper off of Zach''s hand and saw that he was indeed listed there. "Those pages were written by the journalists and media people, although those are not official papers and it is not a concrete list released by the Corps, it is still impressive for you to be among the likes of those two, Yin." Luken said from behind them, surprising the three as he was by the window, lighting a cigarette. They all stared at him and was wondering how and why he ended up there. "Did he just pull a ''Vale'' for no reason?" Zach asked Yin, referring to the time that Vale Ashford snuck up on the two of them back at the Grand Castle as she recruited them for a mission. "I think so, but I still do not understand what the purpose of it was, seems like a lot of work to climb up a window just to look cool, is it not?" Yin asked cluelessly. "I did not do it to be cool!" Luken reacted in a guilty manner. "You sound defensive right now, Luken." Gavin added. "He is right, Commander." Suna said as she shrugged her shoulders. "Alright, I am out of here." Luken said as he jumped out of the window from where he came from. The Serpent Summoner sighed. "Bear with him for a bit, he is quite bored. I do hope you understand." Gavin said while massaging his temple with a tired expression. "Anyway, Hector and Cosette will be coming in an hour, Kai Xin will accompany them, I will join you here when they arrive, to greet them and such. For now, prepare your weapons and grimoires for a hard training session." Suna, Yin, Zach, and Oliver all went outside to meet them an hour after. Some time has passed and they were still not here. "Where the hell are they?" Suna asked impatiently as Oliver was nibbling on her feet. "Stop that, Oli!" Suna shook her head and gently tapped the baby panda''s head. "All this waiting has got me hungry, man." Yin sighed. "Are you some sort of vacuum once it comes to food? I swear I have never seen you eat only what you actually need." Zachary said. "Mind your own business, beansprout." Yin retorted back. "You do know I am taller and older than you, right?" Zachary face palmed. After ten more minutes, they finally showed up. Kai Xin was waving at them from afar. In his hand was a basket full of bread and sweets. "Oh. So that is why they are late¡­" Gavin said. "What do you mean, sir?" Suna was confused. "Those two, Cosette and Hector, they probably got caught up in this glutton''s eating spree." Gavin said jokingly. The Serpent Summoner welcomed them to the Khalil family''s manor and led them to where the training room was. "How are you doing, Gav?" Kai Xin asked him after a hug. "I am doing what I can right now. As much as I miss my brother, I am sure he would not have wanted his loss to be a detriment to the Slayer Corps'' development." The Serpent summoner responded back. Cosette and Hector took turns in telling Gavin how sorry they were for his loss. "I am fine." Gavin smiled. "But thank you for your concerns, it is good to know that you have my back." Kai Xin asked Zach a question. "Do you think you can take Hector on for a friendly spar?" He asked with a smug grin. It would be an opportunity for two of Kai Xin''s students to face off against each other, he was not going to let this pass. "Yo, Yin, Suna. How have you two been?" Cosette wanted to catch up with the two of them. "I do not see Luken anywhere, do you know where he is?" Kai Xin asked Gavin. "No, I do not. He is just around here, I bet. He said he would come here when you guys arrive, let us kill time and commence training. First match up, Zachary Lancaster and Hector Incendium!" The Serpent Summoner exclaimed. Their training camp went on for many months, even having Fen Kaori and Ignis Silva visiting from time to time, as well as other ''weaker'' Slayers being shown the ropes by Yin and the others. "How does it feel to be on the side that has to teach others, Yin?" Kai asked the white haired Slayer. "It really is a pain, but I can handle it, Kai." Yin replied back with a confident smile. Throughout the months, the Slayers in their ranks learned so much from each other''s varying fighting style. This would not have happened if not for Gavin Khalil''s initiative of making some sort of ''Slayer Training Camp'' ranging from D to A Rank Slayers in preparation for the fated mission. Yin Sohaya now had only six months left to live, after the entirety of the four months passed by in a flash. The Slayer Corps did not encourage the young Slayers to partake in missions during these times, instead, focusing on their training camp. The missions were taken by the S and higher rank Slayers in order to avoid losing potential future generation Slayers for no reason, if their final push did not work out, that is. There was an itching sense of worry that was prevalent in the Commander''s head. "Can we really do this? What if we mess up?" Thoughts just like that plagued his mind and was knocking on his self confidence, that was pretty rare for someone like Luken Regalia. "One month more. The others have had some significant improvements because of the makeshift camp devised by Gavin. Heh. I am truly lucky to have him by my side. I do not think I would have been able to think of such an initiative by myself." Chapter 168 - Creator Unmasked Yin walked by the mirror and noticed that he got really bulked up over the course of four months. The Creator had never really showed himself to Yin after the Commander revealed everything that Adam said to him. "I wonder how the Creator is doing now." Yin said to himself. Indeed, his question would be answered that night as the Creator would show himself to the white haired System holder. Yin Sohaya closed his eyes while sleep carried him somewhere he had not ever been in months. The realm of the System. Yin Sohaya realized something was odd about the surroundings. Where there would normally be flowers waiting to be decayed as he walked by, he found them already lying dead and wilted on the floor below. "So, Yin, what do you think of the System?" The Creator''s voiced asked him from up above the stairs leading into the room where the piano was. "I-I am very grateful for it. Without the System, I would not be able to fight in the front lines, I would not even get to know the Six Blades at all." He said. "And I do not know if there is any other life for me than to serve humanity and Niflheim." The Creator''s body was still a dark, texture less void that had no features and discerning looks that could identify it. "Still, you only have six months left in your life until the rightful being ascends to the ''control room'' of your brain. You should make do of what you are able to in your remaining time as yourself." He blurted out, which caused Yin''s smiles of gratitude to vanish out of thin air. "Is there no other way for me to keep on living as Yin Sohaya after six months? I am sorry to ask something as selfish as this, but I do not think I am ready to give up my body if we do not accomplish the task of annihilating the Angels just yet-" Just before Yin could finish what he was talking about, the Creator butted in with an annoyed tone. "Fool! Do you think you can just stop divide providence just because you wish so? There is no stopping fate itself, Yin Sohaya. Six months more and you will no longer be yourself. Mark my words, no matter what you do, it will prove to be useless in the end!" The Creator exclaimed. Yin slowly walked up to the flight of stairs. "Would you still want to be reborn into my body even if it meant that we would kill the Vessel herself before my time as the System holder ends?" Yin gambled everything on this question. It was meant to throw the Creator off guard and have him admit who he really was. "You may try, but I do not believe my beloved will lose that easily-" Suddenly, the Creator''s words stopped coming out of his mouth. "You slipped up, Creator, or rather, Thanatos." Yin aimed that question as some sort of a trap to see how the Creator would respond. This response sealed the deal for him. It was now confirmed, the Creator himself was Thanatos, or rather, his very soul. "The Commander told me about the ''white silhouette'' which showed Adam Rosa some sort of way to bring his mother back to life, corrupting him in the process. Something as white as snow, plaguing the heart and soul of someone like that¡­utterly despicable." Yin shook his head as he said it. The Creator, who is revealed to actually be Thanatos, showed his teeth and grinned while slowly clapping. "Splendid, Yin, splendid, splendid, splendid!" He excitedly muttered out. "I truly am your forefather! It runs it the fucking blood, eh?" He jumped from the stairs to meet Yin Sohaya head on. "Tell me, Yin boy, how did you figure it out? Surely, I have not telegraphed the signs myself? Was there any other source of information regarding me or the System''s origins aside from Luken Regalia''s own mouth?" Thanatos seemed to be having fun. Yin walked closer towards him, now coming face to face against the progenitor of his own bloodline. "I gambled everything on those threats of mine, I wanted to see how you would react. You know, for an Old God, you reacted very human, in a way." Thanatos laughed even harder. "Marvelous! Those empty threats of yours really got me that time, huh?" he continued grinning as he said that. "Wrong, Thanatos, you are mistaken." Yin corrected him. "Those were not empty threats. I mean it. The Slayer Corps will fail. No matter if the Vessel is your beloved woman or not, there is no way we are showing mercy. Mankind has endured long enough, being treated like mere animals, stuck in our red barriers, we have slowly been fighting back. And we will finish what we have started." The white haired Slayer confidently planted his foot as he uttered that. "If you ever lay a finger on her, I will vanquish you all with no hesitation, Yin Sohaya. Mark my words." Thanatos retorted back to Yin. Slowly, his void like appearance vanished and was replaced with his true body. Thanatos had pale skin as white as the fractals of snow, the same as Yin. As well as possessing his signature red set of orbs which was like the color of bloodshed itself, he towered above Yin in height, hell, he looked to even be taller than Artorias Khalil himself. A massive, imposing figure holding a sword which could only be described as ''crude'', having spikes all around it, even the hilt. His silver hair covering his face every now and then. The face which could no doubt rival the most well-kept and handsome of the entire human population. His thick eyelashes and sanguine orbs looking down on the B Rank Lightning Slayer like he was just some mere insect on the road. In front of this massive gigantic titan of a being, Yin did not falter, he did not waiver nor did he ever tremble, not one bit. Although he was only at the same height as Thanatos'' chest, Yin stood stalwartly and stared at him back. "You have finally revealed what you really look like." Yin could not help but realize that this would be how he would look like if ever got to the age of what Thanatos was in during this appearance reveal of his. "There is no point in hiding it from you, then. Once I get word that you filthy Slayers even touched the smallest part of my beloved''s skin, I will send you to the darkest depths of hell from which there will never be any saving. Make sure you tell Luken Regalia that." Thanatos threatened Yin. "I will, I will make sure that your threats get to him as soon as I wake up." Yin retorted back. "Funny how you humans forget just who it is that is keeping you alive up till now, who fucking taught you how to cast the incantations needed to manifest the Red Barrier that shields you from these Angels? Tell me!?" he was losing his temper now. But there was this underlying voice of reason that kept assuring Yin that Thanatos would not be able to touch him inside this dream as he was still technically the holder of the System, the Old God of Death and Decay could do nothing but scare him. Yin looked him straight in the eye. "We all just want to live, Thanatos. And once something or someone threatens our sense of living, like these winged harbingers have over the course of millions of years, even if it is someone you hold dear, even if you did help in creating the Red Barrier spell which keeps them at bay on Niflheim, even then, mankind will still not relent. I have seen friends and comrades die by the blades and claws, by these wings and scythes that the Angels possess, we just want to live ¨C and to continue living, we will embody the wrath that we have suffered from greatly ever since." "I do hope that your kind can deal with me once the time comes for my rebirth. I will reciprocate the emotions you have shown me today." Thanatos retorted back. "Our species are not just mere tools for both of your emotions, is it really so hard to understand that? Each person has their own dreams and promises left to fulfill, we are not born into the world just to die of old age or to be annihilated by Angels. But I do not suppose a God such as yourself can relate to such premises." Yin knew that it would be better for him to stop talking, but he wanted to show his forefather that no matter what Thanatos would say, the Slayer Corps would never stop from deploying a month from now towards the main hive. "I just want to be with her, Yin. Frankly, I could not care less about your puny species. You all could burn in a ditch and I would not bat an eye." Chapter 169 - Liberation "This discussion is over, then. The next time I will meet you will be the last time. You will give up your body for me to control. Your soul shall fizzle out and begone from the world of the living." Thanatos added. Yin Sohaya did not say a word nor retort anything back. He knew that it would be useless to try and reason anything with Thanatos. He just turned around and ignored him. After Yin was woken up by the glare of the sun staring directly at him, he got up and noticed some that he was tearing up while he was asleep. "Eh?" Yin wiped them off with a piece of cloth. "Bad dream?" Suna checked up on him and asked him. "Y-Yeah, I guess you could say that.." Yin replied back. "Yin is probably scared to death for the decisive battle a month from now, is that not right, Yin?" Zachary teased him. "Oh? Passing your fear onto me now, are you, Zach?" Yin said. The two were butting heads already first thing in the morning. The Khalil residence was the Six Blades'' main base up until after the siege on the main hive. "I wonder how the hideout is holding up with us being gone for this long¡­" Suna was curious. "Do not worry, I send out rookie Slayers to clean the place up and tidy it a bit for like once a month ever since we decided to camp it up out here!" Luken said as he made his presence known. "Is that really a good use for their time?" Zachary asked. "Hmm. Probably not, but still, they are on standby anyway. We tried to have Ignis Silva and the Inferno Garden train the rookies for a bit, that lead to them not wanting to continue being a Slayer anymore¡­so, I guess cleaning up over there would be better than the psychological torment they had to endure from hearing Ignis." The Commander said comically. Emperor Nicholas called for an emergency meeting once more with the Commander, Gavin Khalil, Ignis Silva, Kai Xin, Fen Kaori, and Vale Ashford. But now, the Emperor personally requested for the second in command of the Primal Hounds, Faust Keisuke to join in on it. As well as Shaheen Patel, the leader of the Enforcers. "You look like you have put on quite a bit of weight, Shaheen!" Luken jokingly exclaimed at him. The head of the Enforces, which are the ones keeping the peace within Niflheim, rolled his eyes and sighed. "Why must you torment me every single time you speak out, Luken?" He retorted back. The Emperor clapped his hands one time to get the attention of the others and to make them stop bickering amongst one another. "Everyone, settle down." He said, clearing the room of any other excess noise or voices that were not his. "A month from now, the day of reckoning shall be upon us. It is not only a simple mission or expedition. No. The very fate of mankind relies on our collective effort to win! If we lose then it will signal the end of us all, a million years of fighting against these winged harbingers, with them and us locked in an eternal dark age ¨C it will finally be over soon! But for it to end, victory must be guaranteed." He said the last line while looking intently at the Commander. Luken looked back and nodded his head. "We will not disappoint you nor anyone else here in this country." The Commander said. "I expect positive results from your leadership in this mission, Luken Regalia, do not falter. I have called this meeting in order to announce the structure of the mission itself." He motioned for Shaheen to step up to the stage with him, and he did just that. "Everyone, I am certain that you already know who this is - Shaheen Patel, the S Rank Earth Enforcer that has been the head of the Enforcer division in Niflheim. I plan to leave Niflheim to him temporarily when the mission begins." The Emperor''s words signaled a few shocked expressions and noticeable gasps among the members there. "Where will you be, your majesty?" The Serpent Summoner asked him. "I shall be personally accompanying you lot to the main hive of the Angels, where else would I be?" Emperor Nicholas grinned as he said that. "W-Why would you be present during the mission, sire? It will be the most dangerous expedition the Corps will ever have to date, I worry for your safety." Ignis said to him, but in reality, the SS Rank Fire Slayer was just worried that the High Council might swoop in and try to assume control from Shaheen Patel''s grasp. The Emperor kept on grinning. "I am a fighter as well, Ignis. I understand your concerns and uncertainty of whether or not my capabilities still hold up in my old age, but keep in mind that I led the Six Blades back in my youth, I am no pushover nor will I request to have special treatment or some kind of dedicated healing Slayer assigned to me." Emperor Nicholas was being modest, in fact, he could still be one of the strongest Slayers in the country, but he had to give up his rank and position in the Slayer Corps when the inevitable crowning of him and his Wilhelm bloodline came to be. "I guess I cannot argue with that. Heh." Luken just shrugged his shoulders. "As the Emperor for a few years now, I have been subjected to numerous criticisms and riots from the residents of Niflheim. They spoke ill of my actions and said they were not enough to stop the conflict and win against the Angels, the same type of words that were said to the late Basilisk Slayer from when he was still with us. Keep in mind that I am not doing this to showoff that I, the Emperor himself, has descended from the throne and will fight to show that I am competent." Emperor Nicholas said. "I seek no glory nor will I gain any from joining the battle. What I wish to do is to finally charge into battle carrying the bodies of every dead Slayer there is from the first day of me as the Emperor." He cleared his throat. "I wish to repent. Luken! This is a command from the Emperor himself, let me fight alongside you all. It is the least I can do for the ghosts of the many yesterdays that have gone by." Emperor Nicholas ordered the Commander. Luken lit up a cigarette and grinned as well. "You will be assigned to a section of the Corps where your abilities will be viable for. I will not treat you as nothing more or less than a Slayer." Luken muttered. "Thank you, Luken." The Emperor showed gratitude by bowing to the Commander himself. "Can you not smoke in here?" Ignis Silva said to Luken as he covered his nose. "I can and I will, my friend." Luken retorted back Gavin took the main stage as he was about to brief them about how the mission will go. "First things first, I expect you all to work with one another despite your obvious hatred, differences, and altercations you might have had against each other in the past. This might not need to have been said at all. But I do not want egos to clash and result in a shitty situation, you got that?" The Serpent Summoner''s green orbs stared daggers at both Luken Regalia and Ignis Silva. "The mission will be called ''Liberation'', Operation Liberation''s main goal is the burning of the main hive and the extermination of every single Angel plaguing the area. The team compositions will come shortly after this." The Serpent Summoner said. "Operation Liberation, huh? Not bad." Kai Xin said under his breath. "Each of the top ten Slayers in the rankings will command ten particular squadrons, it will not be divided into affinities, rather, it must be divided evenly. Each squadron will need to be able to do the bare minimum when it comes to combating the Angels, and that is the ability to burn the hives, the ability to exterminate the Angels, and the ability to work together and make use of each other''s abilities in order to achieve positive results." Gavin Khalil said. "Who gets to choose the groups and whatnot?" Ignis Silva immediately raised his hand and asked a question. "Excellent question, I personally think that it should be a task for the SS Rank Slayers, as there are no longer SSS Rank ones left alive, as my brother has passed on already. So, the ones in charge of the squadron compositions will be Luken Regalia of the Six Blades, Ignis Silva of the Inferno Garden, and Fen Kaori, the Allcaster. Any objections?" There were no objections and disagreements from the participants of the meeting, they were all on board and trusted the decisions of those three. Chapter 170 - Alpha, Beta, Gamma "Very well, I will allocate one full day for you three to finalize the squadron compositions." Emperor Nicholas said with a resounding nod. With that, the meeting was adjourned. Everyone went outside the room with some feelings of being tense deep inside despite the Operation Liberation''s preparations going smoothly. "There is no other alternative or result, we have to win." The Specter said as she walked out. "Clearly, victory is the end goal here, I do not need to tell you all what would happen if we lost, right?" Ignis Silva uttered out while fixing his glasses with his other hand. "You yourself are an ill omen for the mission, Ignis, I wish you had just kept quiet all the freaking time. Tch." Faust Keisuke blurted out as he clicked his tongue. The Commander and Gavin were now walking back to where the Khalil family''s manor was. "By the way, Gavin, why did you not include yourself in the ones who gets to decide who goes to what team?" Luken asked his friend. "I was choosing who gets to decide in terms of strength and rank.. And seeing that only you, Ignis Silva, and Fen Kaori are the only ones possessing the rank of ''SS'', it would only be fitting for you three to choose, besides, as annoying as Ignis is, he still has the brains for it." The Serpent Summoner replied back while patting Luken on the shoulder. "By the way, I do not intend on making decisions for you, I can offer advices every now and then, but it is entirely up to you." They both noticed someone creeping up on them. "Who goes there?!" Luken shouted. "Relax. It is me. I did not want to be loud as it is the dead of night already." Fen Kaori revealed himself. "I wanted to ask if it would be fine for me and Ignis to come over tomorrow the Gavin''s place so we could discuss squadron formations." The Allcaster said with a timid voice. "Sure. I have no problem with that." The Serpent Summoner accepted his request. "Man¡­being left alone in a room with Ignis is going to be so fucking awful." Luken said while scratching his head. "I am surprised you can stand him, Fen." The Commander glanced at the Fen Kaori. "I do not need to, I believe. It is just that I kind of disassociate whenever he goes on these rants and tangents." His answer made Gavin and Luken laugh out loud, but they were quickly hushed down by Fen telling them to be quiet. "Did I say anything funny?" the Allcaster was clueless. "Hah. N-No, do not mind us." The Serpent Summoner replied. "You have got to try that tomorrow, Luken." He said, still chuckling. "Definitely, thanks, Fen, does an hour after twelve work for you?" Luken asked him. "Sure." The curtains closed as the day ended. It was six o''clock in the evening the very next day already. Yin Sohaya could now activate his decay aura for up to thirty seconds without any interruptions so far. "Oh! That is a new record, Yin, I remember when you could only use it for five or ten seconds it felt like, now you are capable of doing it for almost a minute." Suna said as she applauded the white haired Slayer''s determination. Zachary''s close quarters combat also got better over the months, with the help of Suna and Yin, he was not a threat with his scythe at close range, imbued with his azure flames. "Is your weapon not heavy at all, sir?" A child asked walked up to Zachary Lancaster and asked him about his scythe. "Hm?" he glared at the kid. "I-I am a C Rank Slayer here for training, sir." The poor kid was intimidated by the B Rank Fire Slayer''s gaze. "It is lighter than it looks." Zach handed it t the kid for him to hold, he got caught off balance and fell to the floor, but not before Zach could swoop in and save him from getting wounded by the scythe before he was about to fall. "Maybe it is. My bad, sorry." The kid ran back to his group and waved goodbye to the Six Blades members. Meanwhile in the other room, the three highest ranked Slayers in the Corps were finalizing everything up already. Fen Kaori arranged the paper works and compiled it. "I assume that we are finished here, but just to make sure of it, let us run over the list one last time." The Allcaster said. Both Luken Regalia and Ignis Silva nodded in unison. Gavin knocked on the door. "I brought some tea. May I come in?" He asked beforehand. "Y-Yeah." Luken answered him. As they took a sip from their respective cups while waiting for Fen to finish the papers up, Ignis finally opened his mouth. "Such an excellently brewed tea, as expected from the Khalil family''s matriarch." He said out loud. Luken noticed that he was oddly much more quiet today than normal. The Commander did not make the effort of pointing it out, however. He just assumed that Ignis was taking it seriously since it might actually be the last mission of the Slayer Corps. Ignis called for Gavin once more. "The squadron composition and formation are complete. We plan to reveal it to the other Slayers tomorrow." He said as Fen and him walked outside to go their respective ways, but not before both of them thanking Gavin Khalil for being a good host. "The tea was phenomenal." The Inferno Garden leader said. "Thank you, I will make sure to relay that to my mother." "Please do." The Commander and the Serpent Summoner met up with the other Six Blades members as they all sat in a circle. One by one, Gavin handed out the papers indicating what squad they would belong to. "We currently have a concrete list formed by the SS Rank Slayers, Luken Regalia, the Commander, Ignis Silva, the leader of the Inferno Garden, as well as Fen Kaori, also known as the ''Allcaster'', as you can see, it is divided into three parts, each one to be led by one of those three. Luken cleared his throat and spoke up. "The entirety of the Slayer Corps will be divided into three, just like what Gavin said ¨C Team Alpha, Team Beta, and Team Gamma. We did not really get too creative with the names, as you can see, heh. Anyway, Team Alpha will be led by me, yours truly, Luken Regalia!" he exclaimed proudly. Gavin glared at him with dead eyes. "To continue my explanation, Alpha shall be the team with the most ''bruisers'' during the mission, I am referring to the Slayers who excel or specialize at close quarters combat such as Yin Sohaya, Suna Izanami, and Hector Incendium. The second team, which is Team Beta, will have Slayers who are not particularly fixated on just one fighting style, they can excel at both spellcasting as well as brawling in close range, most notably would be Vale Ashford, Zachary Lancaster, and Kai Xin. As you can guess, it will be led by Ignis Silva, the third and last team is Team Gamma, which are mostly comprised of Spellcasters and Summoners, it shall be led by the Allcaster, Fen Kaori, along with Gavin Khalil." The Commander exhaled as he finished explaining how the teams are structured. "This composition seems oddly too simple and generic, does it not, Commander?" Suna pointed it out. "We have been using this for quite some time, right?" She asked. Gavin answered her question. "Correct, we also used this during our investigation regarding the hives as well, Operation Phoenix followed this structure pretty loosely. It works, thus we shall keep on using it. Whatever tactic that brings in results, that is the one that we shall employ during our siege against the main hive." The Serpent Summoner said. "To be honest, this is going to a war of stamina and living for as long as we can, when it comes down to it. There is no knowing how many Angels we might come across on the way there. Chances are, we are going to have to leave some in order to deal with them, if we do not do that, the looming risk of being hit from both sides will be a dangerous thing which might occur." Gavin added. The young core trio of the Six Blades looked down, they were obviously worried about who would be left behind and how the mission would be affected by it, as well as the morale and overall strength of what would be left at the main hive itself. "What is stopping us from pummeling every single Angel that comes our way, by doing that, we preserve the original number of our squadrons and we will not need to leave a soul behind!?" Yin voiced out his concerns. "Because, Yin boy, these Angels might buy enough time for their other brethren to inform the Vessel that we are coming. We cannot risk that." Luken said with a disheartened voice. Chapter 171 - Up Above Just as the birds chirped indicating that morning has come, a horrific sight greeted the citizens of Niflheim once the sunlight shone. There were about a thousand Angels flying up above the Red Barrier, their wings flapping about as they stared at the species whom they forced to live in a cage. "You have got to see this, Commander!" An enforcer exclaimed as he ran towards the Khalil manor with a grim expression. Everyone inside the house walked outside to see what the commotion was all about. As they looked up, their faces went from curiosity to absolute fear. "W-What the actual fuck?!" The Serpent Summoner said out loud. "Tch. We have to remain calm, remember, we succeeded in bringing the Sword of Alacrity back to Niflheim, there is no way that they can dispel the Red Barrier as it is right now!" Luken quickly replied back to stop everyone from panicking.. Yin Sohaya''s sanguine red eyes fixated on one particular Angel. "I-Is that her?" Yin asked out loud. But before the others could look at what he was pointing out, the Angel vanished in the crowd of the numerous other winged harbingers. "You look much more pale than usual, Yin, is something the matter?" Suna asked him. "Y-Yeah. I thought I saw the Vessel among those Angels outside, but she vanished into the shadows before I could make her features out. I could just sense her presence. It felt like she was calling out to the Old God inside of me." Yin said in a worried tone. "Do not be so afraid. You trained for this." Zachary assured Yin with a nudge. "Let us all meetup in the Outer Gates! I have sent the letter to the Emperor, he should have gotten it by now, in an hour at least, we will all be there. He will inform the others, for now, we should get going ourselves. Prepare your weapons and other armaments, we are going to war, boys." The Commander said with a headstrong voice. Gavin''s mother hugged him and the other Six Blades members. "Please, I want you all to come back safely." She said. "Do not worry, mother, we will." The matriarch of the Khalil family shed a tear as the others walked away. They left Oliver in her care, in case they might not make it out alive. After forty minutes, the Outer Gates was slowly filled with the Slayer Corps members. Luken walked up to the front of the crowd and made his presence known. "Slayers of Niflheim, it seems as if we do not need to march down to the main hive right off the bat. The winged harbingers have come to us themselves, they waive their weapons and grimoires at us like we are mere animals waiting to be slain! Watch! Watch as they brandish their might at us, staring through the red curtains of the barrier, belittling and insulting our very being. These monsters fly up to our nation and try to scare us, it is either we fight them now or we cower in fear as we sleep through hundreds of Angels'' staring right at us from above. We still do not know what they are after or what they are exactly doing right now, but the question is, are we going to wait and find out?!" The Commander asked everyone present as he raised his voice. "No! I say we exterminate these pieces of shits out of the stratosphere from where they came from!" A Slayer responded back with the same fervor and voracity that the Commander displayed. "That is right! Are we really going to wait for them to knock the Barrier down, or just stand and laze around, trembled in fear as we wonder if they could even do that? I say we go out there and fight!" Another one shouted back. "I say we commence with the Operation Liberation starting right here and right now!" Someone said from the crowd of Slayers once more. Everyone chimed in and voiced out that they should act now. But they were silenced as the Emperor removed his cloak and revealed that he was part of the mission itself. "Calm down! Please!" He desperately waved his arms to get the attention of the Slayers. "T-That is the Emperor, isn''t it? What is he doing here?" Zach said to Yin and Suna. "Beats me." Suna replied back. Yin was still fixated on the harbingers just flying above Niflheim, afraid of what they were planning to do, afraid of what the Vessel''s plans actually were. The Emperor took out his grimoire and showed it to everyone. "I am going to fight alongside you! Do not treat me as your Emperor in any special way, for this mission ¨C for Operation Liberation, I am here as a member of the team Gamma, led by Fen Kaori, the Allcaster. Here, there are no names, there are no ranks which show us who is much more important than the other. Here, we are all humans who wish to liberate our species from millions of years of torment!" Shouts and chants from the Slayers erupted out as they cheered the Emperor on. "This is not merely a cheer or means of showing that they are completely fine with going out and duking it out against the Angels¡­" Hector Incendium said from afar. "Yeah. You are right, Hector." Kai Xin responded. "These chants are a way of numbing themselves from fear. To place ice in their veins and to dull their sense of fear. Fear of everything ¨C of death, of the Angels, of the fact that if we ever mess this fucking thing up, then we are as good as done." Ignis Silva placed his hand on the shoulders of those two. "And? There is nothing wrong with that, if I say so myself, everyone copes with their emotions in a different way, I think this war cry is important. That way, they will die fighting instead of cowering in fear." The leader of the Inferno Garden said. "Now, if you will excuse me, gentlemen." Luken stared at the Emperor, waiting intently for his decision. "What do you say, sire? Are we going to commence the Operation here and now?" His eyes non verbally asked Emperor Nicholas, and he knew this as well. "Commence Operation Liberation!" The Emperor shouted as the Slayers formed thee separate groups of lines. There was no stopping it now, blood is going to be spilled. Whether it would be from the Slayers or the Angels, it matters not. What matters in the end is the victor. Who will control the new world that is to be birthed from this battle? "Team Alpha, over here!" Luken exclaimed as he waived the red flag with the sign of a fist and a sword. "I guess that is where we are headed, Suna. Let us go." Yin said in a cold and apathetic manner. "Zach, we will meet you out there in the battlefield. Make sure you do not die." The white haired Slayer said to him. "Oh? Big words coming from you. I should say that to you, Yin. Anyway, make sure to not embarrass the Six Blades, you two. I will see you later." The Fire Slayer walked towards where team Beta was, led by Ignis Silva. Cosette Akim waved at both Yin and Suna. "Yo, over here, guys." As the three of them met up, Kai Xin and Zachary also did in their own respective team. "You look pissed, Zach, I bet you would have like to go with Yin and Suna, is that it?" He teased him. "Yeah. You are correct, I wanted to fight side by side with them¡­" Zachary said with a melancholic smile. "I wanted to see what the fruits of our training would look like up close." Kai Xin was surprised at how honest Zachary was being as he said that. "Come on, lighten up, we are going to see them after this Operation, right? You can always count your kills and compare it with Yin''s or some shit. Heh." Kai laughed it out, but deep down, he was surprised at how nervous he actually was. "Shit. Even I am shaken up, eh?" He said to himself as he held his own hands together and rubbed them by conducting heat. The long range spellcasters and Summoners unified themselves under the command of Fen Kaori. "I am not a man of many words, I am sure those of you who know me are aware of that as much. I will only tell you the main objective of Team Gamma, no matter how obvious it might be; protect the ones fighting in the frontline with an array of spells as well as with our summoned beasts, keep that up, and we will win." The Allcaster said. "Artorias¡­this is for you. I hope you are watching us from up above, the Slayer Corps will now be deployed into the biggest and most important mission there ever is. Watch me." The Commander said as he looked up. Chapter 172 - Commence The only ones who were members of the Slayer Corps who were not allowed to take part in the Operation Liberation were the D Rank Slayers, to be clear, they were mostly made up of children who were still not even remotely good at using their affinities. They would not even make for good meat shields or baits in a real battle at all. A couple of Enforcers stayed back in the Grand Castle as well as the High Council''s members. The old cretins did not even volunteer to take part in the operation. But, it is doubtful that they would even perform well because of their age. "Come here, children, hide in here." Willis, the leader of the High Council was the one who was tasked with directing the D Rank children where to hide in order to be safe. It would be vital for them to live out this operation just in case it had failed, they were like the ''safety nets'' of the Slayer Corps.. Even Shaheen went out with Team Alpha and wished to fight with them after seeing the Angels up close with his own two eyes. "Are you sure you can handle these Angels, Shaheen? They are not mere criminals and such, you know?" The Commander asked, teasing him in the process. "You might have forgotten that I am also an S Rank-capable fighter, Luken. Watch your words." The Enforcer''s leader replied back with a slightly annoyed voice and face. "This is not the exact start to the mission that you had expected, isn''t it, Luken?" Emperor Nicholas jokingly asked him. "Nope. Not at all, sire. Not at all." The Commander said while gripping his rapier with his dominant hand. The Angels up above backed off from the Red Barrier as they lined up in front of the Outer Gate''s entrance. "Would you look at that, they are pretty coordinated, like an army, eh?" Ignis Silva pointed out after seeing what just happened." "Once the Outer Gates open up, Alpha will go out first and try to suppress them from moving forward. We would not want them to actually get inside Niflheim." Gavin Khalil gave the order to the other summoners with them that they needed to summon their beasts right about now. "When Alpha shoves in, have your defensive beasts guard the rear and our sides, we do not have dedicated defenders in our team, even if some are adept at close quarters combat here, the last thing we want to do is to break our formation. Have the offensive beasts take charge and make them coordinate with the others up in front, make sure to always prioritize saving others. Alpha is in the most dangerous position, the least we could do is add additional firepower and help them." The Serpent Summoner said as he opened his green grimoire. He called upon the aid of Ryoko the Elder Wyrm, as well as the Serpent which swallowed Fulgur, the Lightning Seraphim a few months ago. All the other Summoners soon followed and an array of beasts manifested out of thin air, the Allcaster grinned. "I do not need to tell you again and again what spellcasters are meant to do, am I?!" He raised his voice, it was a rare occasion for everyone to see. Yin Sohaya, Suna Izanami, Cosette Akim, and Hector Incendium stood close to the Commander, Shaheen Patel, and the Emperor. "This is the riskiest place you could be during the start of the mission, are you guys sure about where you are standing?" Luken asked them. "Of course, Commander. Do not worry, I do not plan on dying just yet." Yin gave out a confident grin along with his answer. "I am ready to fucking bash some Angel''s head in." Suna said as she cracked her knuckles. Cosette Akim took out her grimoire and enchanted her weapon with her Earth affinity. "I guess this is it." She muttered out nonchalantly. Hector noticed just how calm they all were. He said nothing and proceeded to enchant his weapon as well. Every other Slayer followed their preparations, from enchanting their weapons down to opening their grimoire''s pages in advance. "Looks like nobody is dragging their feet just to be here." Luken said to himself. "Slayer Corps! This is a battle not only for our survival as soldiers, but for everyone in Niflheim as well! Our families residing here, our children that are still too young to be aware of what the world they live in looks like, for everything else that these despicable Seraphims and Angels have done to our ancestors. Stand tall and stand proud, cut off as many Angel heads as you possibly can!" The Commander exclaimed, bolstering the war cries from earlier, sending them all to a frenzy of anticipation. The Outer Gates'' doors opened up ¨C the Angels and Slayers now shared the same goal, to annihilate the enemy before the enemy completely slaughters them. "Go." Luken blurted out as he led the charge himself. Team Alpha were on the offensive, but they saw that the Angels were now flying upwards, abandoning the chances of being stuck in a close quarter confrontation against them. Ignis Silva and Fen Kaori noticed this and immediately gave the order for the long range attackers to start unleashing their barrages up above to make the Angels fly back down. The Inferno Garden leader threw out his enchanted blood stained playing cards and aimed it at the Angel''s wings up above. "Come back down here, you pieces of shit!" Ignis exclaimed. Summoned beasts who had wings and could fight in the air were sent up to face them. Ryoko had multiple beasts on her wings, they all jumped at the Angels and were desperately dragging them down into the ground below. Indeed, the three leaders of each team knew that this would be a possibility that might occur during the mission. They had talked about this back when they were still at the Khalil family''s manor, arranging the squadron and their members. "Heh. You were right about this, Ignis." Luken whispered under his breath and he was waiting for an Angel to be plucked down from the heavens above. But they were not just going to fly up and wait for them to get hit by the spells and the beasts, it was the first time that the Slayer Corps noticed it ¨C Angels with bows and arrows equipped instead of the traditional blades that they had. Yin looked around and it was going to be hard to fight under these conditions. "Fuck. We have to force them to come down to us or we will get wiped up before the we could even get started!" Then he realized it, he called for the Black Lightning from above and enchanted his weapon, but that was not his main trump card, however, he thought that since his enchantment process was unique, the black lightning would hit the Angels from above as it came down towards his sword. He ran forward without a single word. "I have to hurry!" Yin was tunnel visioning at one particular thing that he did not notice an Angel creeping up behind his back with its blade drawn. "Yin! Behind you!" Suna screamed but the white haired Slayer was too slow to turn around. "Damn, is Yin going to be one of the first ones to die out here?!" Cosette desperately tried to sprint and move forward to save him but her feet felt like it was stuck in place. "Move, legs!" She shouted. "A-Am I really this stricken with fear?!" Hector Incendium zoomed past them with his feet burning from the enchantment. With one swing from his axe, he chopped off the Angel''s head. The blood of his target painted his axe''s blade as well as his some part of his face red. He wiped it off with his arms. "T-Thanks, Hector!" Yin said to him. "Do not do dumb things, Yin. I know you want to do the most that you can, but you cannot do anything at all if you are dead and six feet under." The prodigal Fire Slayer said. They could no longer see the Commander, he went on up ahead directly below where the Angels were. "Take cover for now, they have long range projectile throwers in the form of archers. I did not expect them to have this, it was never in the data books or anywhere at all." He said. "We could have prepared for the long range spells since it has a pretty high cooldown rate, but this constant barrage of arrows will not bode well for us at all." Gamma and Beta did the same, they took cover with the rocky terrain outside and hid from the arrows. "This is the first time I have ever seen them make use of bows, what has gotten into these Angels? Tch." Kai Xin said as he clicked his tongue. "Relax, Kai, we still have to think about what our next move would be after they exhaust their arrow quivers." Chapter 173 - War As the Angels with bows and arrows continued to rain them down, most Slayers deferred back to taking cover using the rocky terrains. The other ones were not so lucky at all, however. Bodies of dead Slayers pierced to death by the sharp golden arrows laid on the ground, lifeless and bloodied. Those Slayers who have yet to even be deployed to missions and have been subjected to being in the Operation Liberation as their first real taste of battle were shook to their core. Majority of them were the ones who died first. "This is a massacre¡­" Cosette whispered to herself. "We can still do it. If the Commander, the Emperor, and sir Patel manages to actually bring them down, then that will direct them closer to our blades. Just trust in their capabilities, Yin.. Do not be impulsive, or that will be the death of you and those who seek to save you from it." Hector said to the white haired Slayer. Yin was annoyed at himself after he realized that he focused too much on tunnel visioning towards the amalgamation of Angels up above and was keen on bringing them down. "I-I only wanted to help." Yin said softly with some implications of regret in his voice. "Everyone wishes to help, Yin. But for now, we have to trust in the Commander." Suna consoled him. Waves of water began to rise up from the ground below as the Commander casted them to do so while Shaheen elevated a slab of the concrete from the ground to rise up with them, making it their stepping stone. The Angels focused fire on the three, but Emperor Nicholas created a Wind shield around them, rendering the arrows useless. "A-Are you telling me they plan to charge right in and break their formation?!" Fen Kaori was surprised at what he saw, his eyes dilated at the sight of the three of them performing something as reckless as this. "At this rate, we will all get whittled down slowly by the archers. We have no other choice but to bet on that. It is what you planned, right?" The Serpent Summoner asked the Allcaster. "Yeah. I believe it is, but I did not expect them to do it this up close¡­" The Angels were being bombarded on both sides, from team Gamma who were hurling projectile spells as well as the beasts flying up above ¨C they also had the Commander''s group to take care of. A lone Angel walked in front of ever other Angel which caused them to step aside to give her room. "Who the fuck is that supposed to be?!" Luken Regalia exclaimed. It was an Angel who took on the appearance of a child, with glowing white eyes and shining platinum blonde hair, coupled with the generic traits of an Angel, such as the wings and grimoire. Yet this one was not armed at all. "Does not matter, Luken, this is not the first of the ''new'' variations of Angels that we have seen today." The Emperor said to him. Yin''s head started to hurt as his eyes fixated on the one Angel that gave the Commander the creeps. "That one Angel, she looks familiar." He said to himself. Indeed, there was some sort of memory gnawing at Yin which made him recognize her. Luken and the other successfully managed to break through the ranks of the Angels and ruined their positioning. With the help of team Gamma and Beta providing covering fire as well as the beasts, the Angels were now one by one starting to fall from the sky. "Aqua Juxtaposition." The Commander threw out droplets of water from his fingers, whoever made contact with those were now targets of his attack. In less than a second, speed was the Commander''s main weapon as well as his rapier. He sliced off as many wings as he could muster. Shaheen Patel also smacked those who were getting near them with his hammer, white the Emperor blew away the projectiles. This trio which was conceived not more than two hours ago was doing work in the front lines of the battle. "Now!" Hector shouted out, signaling the other team Alpha members to take charge in just get in there. Team Beta also ran right behind them. The casualties brought upon by the archers were still ramping up, there was no way to successfully evade all the arrows. Hell, even Suna''s shoulders were pierced by the arrows, but the wound was only superficial as her armor underneath her Six Blades robe covered most of the damage. Yin Sohaya activated his Nix Eyes, in the battlefield, he glowed up much like an Angel would. As he danced around the area, decaying each Angel to death while the others held and clobbered at their footing in order to keep them in place, they wanted to rescue the Commander and the others who were slowly falling down from the Enforcer leader''s stone stepping spell. "We are falling down, Shaheen! Can''t you do anything about it?!" Luken worriedly pointed out. "This is my limit, shit, I could not notice that my control over our footing was slowly getting sloppy!" The three braced themselves in preparation for their fall. "Save them!" Yin Sohaya shouted out as Cosette, Suna, and Hector backed him up. "Now I know that I cannot be a hero all by myself. I would not have been able to make it this far without their help. No matter how much stronger I get, the strength of relying on others is a valuable aspect in of itself." Yin said as he smiled. "Are you seriously grinning at this situation?!" Cosette facepalmed herself. "Oh well, whatever keeps you fighting, I guess. Heh." She followed it up with a chuckle. "We''ve got to speed up if we want to catch those three!" Suna exclaimed. Ryoko noticed that Luken Regalia was going to turn into mush after kissing the ground below from that height, she hurriedly flew downwards in order to save them. "Pardon me, Master Gavin, your orders regarding disrupting the Angels will have to wait." She communicated telepathically to her master. "W-Why is that, Ryoko?!" The Serpent Summoner was startled at the way she phrased her words. "Because I have to save you idiot of a friend, master." Her last line assured Gavin that all was well. She dove down and caught the three of them in mid air. "Damn. Thanks, Ryoko, I owe you one." Luken said while giving a thumbs up sign to the Elder Wyrm. She just scoffed and flew right back into action. "Even when Gavin is not near us, he is still out here saving your butt, Luken, it is just like the olden days." The Emperor pointed out. After seeing that they were already safe, Yin and the others slowed down. Suna mistakenly turned around and what she saw would haunt her for the years to come if she ever were to survive this operation. Mountains and mountains of bodies of Slayers as well as Angels trailed them. "So, this is the height of this war¡­" She said to herself after noticing that some of the ones who have died were familiar faces which she fought alongside with many missions ago. Hector Incendium had no emotions after seeing his fallen comrades, some of them even wearing the Inferno Garden''s robes. "Do not let your emotions get the better of you. Emotions will not help us survive here, just feel lucky that it was not you lot who bit the dust and died. If they died that quickly into Operation Liberation, then that can only mean one thing ¨C they were not strong enough to live. Their deaths are their fault entirely." He said. Yin got fed up and just straight up threw a punch at the prodigal Fire Slayer. "Watch your fucking words, do not say that type of things in front of our dead brethren." Yin towered in front of Hector who was now on the ground himself. "Why not? Are you not relieved that you yourself did not perish instead of them?" Hector kept talking. "Both of you calm down!" Suna attempted to separate them by dragging Yin back. "Seriously, we are in the midst of a war and you two decide to bicker like children. Hector ¨C that was wrong of you to think like that, I do not know what sort of shit the Inferno Garden has taught you, but you have to keep thoughts like that to yourself." Cosette said as she sighed. "As for you, Yin, if you decide to let your temper get the better of you and attack another Slayer, I will personally see to it that you will get reprimanded from your duties as one. Do not test me." This was the first time that they saw Cosette act like this. Yin helped Hector up by offering his hand. The Inferno Garden A Rank Fire Slayer kindly declined. "I am fine. It was my bad anyway, I apologize." Chapter 174 - Bodies "I do not really care about your individual approaches and ideologies towards combat and war, all I know is that we should do our best to work together and work our way out of this hell hole." Cosette said with her back turned from them. The other members of team Alpha who have survived the initial first few minutes of battle gathered with them in a circle. "Have you kids finished bickering already or what?" Vale Ashford said, she was from team Gamma came to their aid and of the other Slayers. The four of them immediately got up and got into their respective stances. Parades of Angels quickly got down by themselves from up above with their scythes drawn out, ready to take any Slayer''s head. "Now, show me the fruits of your training!" The Specter shouted out as she drew her short sword as well. "Strength to live and to be worthy of standing here. Strength to be called a Slayer, and the strength to kill as many Angels as I can. I sure do hope I have not gotten rusty from not fighting against Angels for many months¡­" Hector Incendium said to himself. "I have to fight while keeping an eye on the others, not just only the ones I know, but also all the other Slayers right here in the frontlines with me, I will fight to protect them and Niflheim." Yin thought to himself. When the Angels got too close for comfort, they went all in and met them in the middle of their charge.. Clangs of blades and the sound of bones and limbs being crushed and torn apart ¨C those were the sounds of this battlefield. Whether it was human or Angel limbs, one could never really tell from the sheer chaos enveloping this war. [ Four months ago, right after Ares, the Seraphim of War escaped the clutches of certain death, she flew up above and was looking for Adam Rosa in order to tell him to call off the mission to find the Sword of Alacrity and just back up. ] "Where is that cretin of a human!?" She exclaimed as she held her wounds with her hands to make them heal quicker. She knew that the Vessel would absolutely be fuming with rage if she did not manage to go back to their hive without Adam. "I wonder what really drove her to trust Adam Rosa this much. A mere human commanding the Twelve Seraphims. It is unthinkable!" Ares thought to herself. As she flew up in search for their leader, it was already too late, her eyes locked in on Adam Rosa''s wound. Even with his advanced regenerative healing, that was a fatal wound. "Tch. Suits you well, Reaper. There was no knowing if when you might turn traitor and betray the Angels and the Vessel altogether, considering that is how you ended up with us in the first place." She said as she clicked her tongue with a grin. "Shit. I am going to have to explain the Vessel what happened. Although I did not know how he came to die. Whatever, it matters not, even if I were to swoop down and try to get his body and have the Vessel revive him, there would be no way of being sure of my safety. "Those Slayers down there¡­." She said as she pointed downwards at The Commander and the Serpent Summoner. "They are utterly dangerous if they managed to kill Adam Rosa. I am not going to try my luck out in getting his body back." It seemed like the Seraphim of War knew that the Vessel would be furious after knowing of her prized champion''s demise, but she was still not going to risk her own life in an insane attempt to ''save'' his already deceased body. After Ares got back to the main hive, she greeted the Vessel after walking in. "Y-Your Highness, I have returned." She was actually trembling while she knelt and acknowledged her presence. "The others¡­they have died. Fulgur, Umbra, and even Hai!-" She was quickly cut off by the Vessel asking her with a question. Adam Rosa?" The Vessel asked as she made her appearance known after moving out of the shadows. It was the same small Angel that the Commander saw, the one with the black lines painted all over her face. This was mankind''s greatest enemy, the one who has tormented them all for eons and eons. "Eh? How unfortunate for them, then. Now, where is Adam Rosa?" She asked with a jolly and energetic voice. "H-He has died, your highness. Along with the other Seraphims." Ares slowly responded back. "Then why are you not carrying his remains? I could have resurrected him in less than a day, you know that, right?" The Vessel replied back with a question of her own, albeit with a slightly annoyed voice. The Seraphim of War could do nothing but keep her head bowed down as droplets of sweat started to pour down from her temple. "There were some fairly high ranked Slayers guarding his remains, your highness, I could not have gone down there and pick it up even if I wanted to. Adam Rosa himself told us of the existence of budding Slayers who would have the highest chances of actually being able to kill him, I believe those were the ones who he fought against." Ares said to her. "How disappointing of you, Ares." The Vessel said as she turned around. "B-But what else was I meant to do back there?!" Ares did not notice it but she inadvertently raised her voice. This action triggered the Vessel so much that she turned back and just removed the Seraphim of War''s arm by tearing it up with her bare hands. "I am going to do a whole lot more than this if you do not know your place, Seraphim." She said coldly as Ares screamed out in pain. "The next time you raise your voice against me like that, make sure you do not value your own life, I will take that instead of your arm." She said so calmly as though it was an everyday occasion for her. "Soon. I will get to see my beloved Thanatos¡­I am thrilled for it, aren''t you, Ares?" She acted like a nonchalant teenager drunk in love. "O-Of course, your highness." Ares forced out a response while attempting to heal her left arm by sticking it together. "Good. When things get messy, I am going to be forced to use all the remaining Seraphims'' bodies'' in order to encage my true powers. But I do not see the purpose of including you in it." Whether Ares would take that as a compliment or an insult would be entirely up to her, so she stayed quiet. [ Present time during Operation Liberation ] "I can sense Thanatos inside that white haired boy. Yes¡­there is no mistaking it¡­" The Vessel said as she pointed towards Yin. "That is correct, your highness, that boy is the carrier of the System you exclusively built for Thanatos millions of years ago." Ares said while she nodded. About an hour has passed and many bodies of both Angels and Slayers alike were now laying on the bloody floor, lifeless and defeated. Yin and the others were still standing, however. "Just how many of them are there?!" he exclaimed. "Save your energy for fighting, Yin!" Suna shouted back. "It is as though there are no end to these things¡­" Hector said softly. "I am sorry, I have to retreat for now, Master Gavin." Ryoko was at her limit now, she was far too wounded to be useful and thus was recalled back by the Serpent Summoner. Gavin then summoned nearly all of his beasts at once. "Go!" He gave them the order to help the others out. Team Gamma and Beta were both pushing through in order to reunite with Alpha. Ignis Silva and Kai Xin were battling their hearts out in the battlefield, as well as Zach. "Be safe, Yin, Suna." He said to himself. "We are coming, just stay alive for a little longer." Even though Zach said that, there was still no guarantee that they would even survive this onslaught by the Angels. It feels like whenever they cut one down, two more takes its place and flies down from above. "Damn, you really are old now, sire." Luken jokingly pointed out at the Emperor who was out of breath after brawling it out with the Angels. "Do not make fun of his majesty, Luken!" Shaheen blurted out with a tired expression as he himself was close to his limit. "It is a bit different than catching petty thieves and criminal underworld figures back in Niflheim, right, Shaheen?" Luken asked him. "You might be right about that¡­" The S Rank Enforcer replied back. "Hang on, I think I see Vale and the others over there!" The Commander said. "Try to counter their attacks but do not commit, let us regroup with team Alpha once more!" Chapter 175 - So Close Yet So Far [ Two hours after Operation Liberation ] The Commander successfully regrouped with the others but they were now battling it out with Ares, the Seraphim of War and all the other remaining six Seraphims. Yin was doing his best to conserve his energy and stamina. Alternating between the Nix Eyes and using his decay touch. "There is no end to these damn Angels!" He exclaimed. "You can say that again." The Specter replied back as her legs were already filled with cuts and wounds. So were everyone else''s bodies, all mangled up, tired, and bloodied. Yin wiped the sanguine blood covering up his eyes. "We have to kill the Vessel!" He said to the Commander. "You are the only one who knows what the Vessel looks like, I am a bit busy here, can I entrust that to you?" Luken asked his pupil. Yin Sohaya nodded back in response. "Good." He grinned before moving forward and stabbing an Angel right in the heart. Team Beta was now close to the front lines, they were held back even though the distance between the teams were not that huge, it was because of the constant assault of the Angels. Gamma was following them slowly but surely from behind, both teams knew that Alpha would not be able to withstand much all alone in the front lines any longer. The Seraphims were slowly overpowering team Alpha now, even with the combined efforts of this many S Rank Slayers, it was too much for them to be fighting against seven different Seraphims at the same time. At a distance, however, Yin saw her once again. It was the Vessel for real now. The white haired Slayer knew this because the System felt like it was ''throbbing'' after he locked eyes with her. She raised her hand and pointed to the ground in front of her. With no delay whatsoever, the Seraphims, including Ares, knelt in front of her. "What the hell is happening?" Suna said as she noticed that the Seraphims backed out and was now kneeling in front of an Angel with black lines across her face. "Yin¡­is that her?" Luken turned towards the B Rank Lighting Slayer to confirm it. "That is right. She has finally revealed herself out in the open without hiding, that, Commander, is the Vessel herself." Luken Regalia enchanted his feet with his water affinity and began sprinting towards their direction. With his rapier in hand, he was prepared to deal a fatal blow to the Vessel, while the Seraphims were still turning their backs and facing her. "If I end her right here and now, then the Operation Liberation will end as well, it will be a success if we manage to kill her. But I have to move now, I cannot wait for the others. Who knows when the next opportunity such as this will show itself?" Luken said to himself while he kept on running. The Seraphims now had their eyes closed as they faced the Vessel. She turned her head around and saw Luken dashing towards her. "I see. So, you are one of the despicable Slayers who killed Adam Rosa. You seem capable enough." She said with her eyes opened wide. A faint memory of what is to happen started to intrude itself and invade Yin''s mind. It was a vivid memory or situation which looked exactly like what is going on right now with the Vessel. Yin saw the Commander dying after stabbing the Vessel in the neck. He snapped back to reality immediately after. "Should we go there and help the Commander?!" Cosette exclaimed while asking the Emperor and Vale Ashford. But before they could answer her, Yin butted in. "No! Trust me, that Angel is their leader, I will go there myself, there is no need to put your lives in that much of a risk." Yin said calmly. "Let me come with you, Yin!" Suna said. "No, Suna. I will be fine." Yin turned around and smiled. A smile that was not reflective of happiness, it was a smile filled with sadness and melancholy. Yin Sohaya burst through with lightning on his feet. "I have to be the one to kill her, Commander! You have done far too much for us already, I will not have you die right here!" Yin said to himself as he made his way towards where the Vessel was. But he was already far too late. Once he reached the place, Luken had his rapier deeply piercing the Vessel''s neck. "This is for Artorias and everyone else that you piece of shits have taken from us!" He screamed out. "N-No¡­something is wrong¡­" Yin thought to himself after seeing the Vessel not looking like someone or something who had just been killed. Her facial expression remained the same, hell, she was even smirking. Even the Seraphims were not moving at all, they were still on the ground kneeling and closing their eyes. Surely the imminent death of their matriarch would make them react even a little, right? But it was not the case this time. After seeing Yin being here up close, the Commander had a look of surprise on his face. Yin tackled the Commander in order to save him from something which he felt is going to happen if they did not get out of this place. "Yin?! What are you doing?!" Luken asked in anger. "You did not kill her, Commander, nor were you actually going to, look at that." Yin said after pointing out to the Vessel and the Seraphims. The Vessel took out a golden glowing knife from her pocket and immediately started slashing their chests, taking their bloody hearts out and absorbing it with her hand until it turned into vanished into nothingness. The Seraphims did not react, it was as if they had already died from the moment they knelt in front of her. "H-How did you know about this?" Luken asked Yin. "The System, it gave me visions of what might have happened, I even saw you lay on the ground lifeless. That was why I had to save you." Yin replied back. "I see. In that case, thanks, Yin. You really do make a fine Slayer." The Commander said with a resounding tone. A bright light came from where the Vessel was and to the sky above, a vibrating noise accompanied the beam of light, this made all the other Angels still fighting fly back and retreat towards it. "I have no idea what she is doing, but we have to be prepared for the worst." Yin said. "Something is up. They are backing off for no reason at all, it is not like they were at a disadvantage, if anything, they were about to overrun us with their sheer numbers. Just what is happening out there?" Ignis Silva said while covering his eyes from the beam of the bright beacon. "Yeah. I am going to have to agree with that, but this will also allow us to regroup with Alpha much faster without any hindrances like those Angels, we should make the most of this opportunity." Kai Xin uttered out to the SS Rank Fire Slayer. Fen Kaori and Gavin caught up with them and regrouped with the remaining surviving Slayers in order to move forward, even closer to the pits of hell itself. Yin had overdone it, he could not make it in time if he did not overcharge his legs, so he had no choice but to deliver much more lightning than his body could handle. The Commander carried him on his shoulders as he walked back. "Sorry, everyone. I fucked up." Luken said to everyone in team Alpha. "Nonsense! You did good enough to make it out of that attempt alive!" The Emperor said to him. "Actually, I would have been dead if Yin did not intervene. So, yeah, I am here now thanks to him." Luken said as he scratched the back of his head. "It is kind of fascinating, really, the first time I met this kid, I saved him from an Angel sneaking into Niflheim. I did not expect him to save me back in a mission just like this one. Heh. He sure is something." Yin was struggling in and out of consciousness after the sheer amount of lightning that his body took. "What do we do now?" Suna aske as she helped in having Yin lay down. "There is no way that we can approach that beam of light right now. I am sure you can feel it as well, that pillar of light is made up of Anima cell concentration, one wrong move and we might end up throwing our lives away." The Specter said. "I am afraid she is correct, we have no choice but to let their leader finish with whatever preparation she is currently doing, but that does not mean we are going to be at a disadvantage. Gamma and Beta will be arriving soon.." Shaheen Patel uttered out as his carrier pigeon delivered a note to him exclusively. Chapter 176 - Systems End There were about two hundred Slayers left alive so far. Gamma and Beta finally managed to meet up in the front lines with Alpha. "Yin! Suna!" Zachary shouted from the back as he ran towards them. The three core of the Six Blades finally reunited. "I thought you guys were dead meat already." Zach said which made Yin snarl at him. "I could say the same thing to you." He responded back. "The Vessel¡­what is she doing?" Luken asked the others. "I might be wrong, but it definitely does feel like the Angels are slowly vanishing one by one when they come close to that beam up above right there." Ignis Silva said as he adjusted his glasses. "I am going to have to agree with Ignis here, all of those Angels flying right into that pillar of light''s Anima cells just straight up vanish." Fen Kaori uttered out in support of Ignis'' statement. "Could it be that they are teleporting somewhere else? Some kind of transportation device which helps them withdraw from the fight?" A Slayer from team Gamma asked. "No. No, that is not it. For one thing, it would definitely be a waste for them to die out here and not accomplish anything else but to take down some of our own. Keep in mind that they were about to overrun us earlier, this makes no tactical sense whatsoever for them to just withdraw this way." The Serpent Summoner answered the Slayer''s concerns. "To add to that, if they were to move from one place to another in a single second, we would be able to sense their Anima cells as it slowly fades away, but this, this is like they are disappearing with no delay." Kai Xin pointed out. "This feels like they are dying." Luken said with a tone of someone who just had an epiphany. "Could they be sacrificing themselves?" Gavin asked. "That might actually be the case, but we do not know the ways and magics of these Angels enough to deduce just what or who they are sacrificing themselves for." Emperor Nicholas said as he sat down and shook his head. The plan for the Slayers now were to wait. It was not like they were in any immediate threat as the Angels were flying up above and just ignoring them, heading straight into the beam of light. "We have to be replenished and at full strength once whatever ritual they are currently doing ends." Cosette Akim said as she placed her axe down to get some rest. Hector Incendium lit a bonfire after noticing that it had gone pretty cold compared to when they started the Operation. "I have a suggestion, but it might be too polarizing for some of you." Ignis said hesitantly. "What is it?" Fen Kaori''s interest was piqued. "We could send someone to go into that light. Preferably someone who is mortally injured already, someone who no longer has any chance of surviving when the sun goes down. Or it would be possible to use a lower rank Slayer from Niflheim, a D Rank child, perhaps." Ignis Silva''s words made everyone recoil in disgust and dismay at his lack of humanity. "What are you fucking saying?! Are you telling us to send someone into that light pillar to see what would happen? Have you utterly lost your mind, Ignis?" Luken stood up and immediately began charging at Ignis, who just maintained his ground. The others had to hold Luken back, in fear of him doing anything to Ignis. "Calm down, Luken. It is just a suggestion, we do not have to do it if nobody volunteers. But do not forget that the three of us with Fen Kaori are the ones leading this operation, Liberation is not just on your hands alone. We get to make and suggest decisions as well." Ignis responded back. "H-He has a point, Luken. If nobody volunteers for it, then there is no reason that it should be commenced through and through." Emperor Nicholas said. Surely, nobody was insane enough to attempt what the leader of the Inferno Garden suggested, right? There was no possible way someone, even if they were at their death bed nobody would actually wish to go into the den of the Angels. The horrors of what awaits them creeps in the unknown. "I''ll do it." Yin volunteered as he stood up with his hand raised. "Yin!?" Suna was surprised. Zachary said nothing as he looked at his fellow Six Blades member suggest that he would risk it all just to try and see just what they are doing. The Commander approached Yin and attempted to talk him out of it. But after seeing the white haired Slayer''s sanguine red eyes shine bright with determination and resiliency, he knew that there would be no way to convince him out of it. "Are you certain about this, Yin?" Luken whispered to his ear. "Face it, Commander, I am going to be dead soon in a few months anyway, I would rather do it in a way that would benefit mankind the most." Yin Sohaya said with a smile. "I do not want to say farewell. I am going to make it back out of there alive." He said to the others. "You better come back, we still have not sparred to our fullest yet, I am not holding back next time." Zach said as he scoffed. But deep inside, he was actually worried for his friend. Suna was about to cry but she held her tears back as much as she could in order to put on a brave face for Yin. "Do you promise us that you will come back?" She asked. "Yeah. For sure, Suna. I promise." He patted her head as he walked approaching the pillar of light. Gavin placed his hand on the shoulders of Luken Regalia. "Stop worrying. Remember, he is one of us, there is no way he is going to die this way." The Serpent Summoner said. He had full trust in Yin, in fact, in all honesty, Gavin was relying on Yin to do his best and make do of what he is able to in the amount of time he is inside that place. "I suppose you are correct, Gavin. The kid has had the most brushes with death in such a short amount of time out of all the Slayers I know, he''s got this." Luken said. "It is odd. I do not feel afraid at all as I walk through this hellish landscape full of bodies from both sides of this war. It really does feel like I have been here before." Yin said to himself. Ignis walked up and demanded the attention of everyone there as soon as Yin was gone from their sight. "We have to be close by in order to help the B Rank Lightning Slayer Yin Sohaya after he accomplishes his job. But I still do not think we should all move near towards it, just in case it might explode and engulf all of us. I believe that the Six Blades should standby near the pillar in order to keep surveillance and to provide backup to Yin if he ever so needs it or signals for it." Ignis Silva said to them as he looked at the Six Blades members. "Any problem or disagreement with my proposition?" He asked. "I think we should pursue that course of action for now, besides, it is not like we can do anything while we are waiting, right?" Fen Kaori said as he shrugged his shoulders. Indeed, he was worried about Yin, specially after he remembered what the Commander and the Serpent Summoner revealed at their meeting in the balcony a few months ago. "You four are the best possible individuals for this task. I truthfully believe that." He added. "No objections here, Ignis." Luken said with a smirk. The four of them got up and quickly made their way towards where Yin would be. But not before Gavin turned around and addressed the leader of the Inferno Garden. "Thank you, Ignis." He said. "Oh, please. I am not doing this for you. I am doing it for the success of the mission and for mankind''s survival." He replied back. Kai stared at Ignis while lightly chuckling. "I never knew you would ever go soft, Ignis. Specially not for Luken Regalia''s posse." Kai comically said to his friend. "Is that true, sir Ignis?" Hector asked Ignis straight up. "Of course not!" The SS Rank Fire Slayer immediately replied as he shook his head. But there was definitely some part of him which wanted for them to help the boy till the end. "Yin! Wait up!" Suna shouted from the back after seeing Yin''s silhouette from afar. "Y-You guys¡­what are you doing here? Did you come here of your own volition?!" Yin was worried that they had prioritized him over Operation Liberation itself. "Relax, Yin boy, Ignis himself suggested that we keep you company here." Luken said to him. They strolled together towards the pillar of light, as soon as they got there, Yin took out some spare cloth out from his pocket and threw it at the pillar. It immediately disintegrated. "I knew it, this was not going to be possible. Tch. Damn." Zachary clicked his tongue. Yin stuck his hand slowly into the light, expecting some sort of painful sensation, but he felt nothing. "Hm. I think I can go inside, actually." Yin said. "Hang on. Let me try." Luken stepped beside Yin and slowly inserted his hand at the pillar''s outer area. But a burning sensation made him pull it back out in an instant. "Shit. I guess you are right, Yin." As he touched his hot hand. "We will be out here waiting for you, Yin." Gavin smiled as he said that. "Gotcha. Thank you so much, everyone. For everything." Yin turned his back and got inside the pillar of light. As soon as he stepped in, his senses were dulled by the bright light invading his sight. He opened his eyes and saw what was in front of him. They were inside a white room similar to that of the System, complete with the piano and everything. "Took you long enough to get here, my beloved." She said while stabbing the hearts of Angels and Seraphims alike. "Eh? But you are not him yet, are you not?" The Vessel added. "Why are you doing this to us?" asked her. "Doing what? The world of humans and their species as a whole have been long overdue of being wiped out. You kept struggling all these hundreds of thousands and even millions of years to keep us at bay, but the inevitable will still come. The destruction of your race is imminent, and a Red Barrier will soon prove to be ineffective in stalling me." She said normally and nonchalantly as if what she just blurted out was not a big thing at all. "You still have not answered me. Why does humanity need to be wiped out at all?!" Yin raised his voice as he asked that question. "Does a human ever look down and do their best to avoid stepping on ants crawling on the ground? Do these monsters outside ever wonder why they wish to kill other monsters as well as humans? That is just how things are in this world. You do not treat another species as your equal if you are far above it." The Vessel said as the Angels kept lining up for her to stab their hearts. As soon as she finishes stabbing it, the lifeless husk of these Angels'' bodies falls down the infinite void and abyss. Yin was speechless. "If you are wondering why I am killing these Angels, it is because I am absorbing their Anima cells. After I finish everyone''s offerings here, I will subdue you and wait until Thanatos emerges from your body as you watch Niflheim burn to the ground. I have been waiting for how many millenniums for this. Each Seraphim takes so long to ''build'', it is such a shame that I will not be at full power since you inferior creatures decided to murder my Seraphims." She shook her head as she said that. "I have been watching over you for quite some time now, Yin Sohaya. You say you wish to be a hero? You want to be the one who shall solve mankind''s problems, but for what? Do you really want to do that for the sake of saving everyone? Or are you just looking to die in a heroic way to be branded as one? You are a childish individual, Yin. You have been throwing yourself at danger''s way for so many times not because you wish to be a hero. But you wish to end your suffering and the burden you carry in a way which you can be called as one." The Vessel''s words were blunt and crude. But the most important thing of all, they were true. Deep inside Yin Sohaya''s subconscious ¨C the Vessel hit everything spot on. Yin was left in a state of shock and self-doubt. "Even if your friends out there did manage to wound me, each and every strike, every spell that hits me, would mirror to your own body. Because keep in mind, you should have died a long time ago. Your life itself is borrowed from the System which me and Thanatos made. In short, Yin, you are nothing but a remnant of your fantasies and who you wished so badly you could be back when you were a child with no Anima cells." While talking, never did she stop from commencing the ritual to absorb every Angel''s cells here. When she finally stabbed Ares, the Seraphim of War''s chest, this signaled the end of the ritual. "Ashes you all came, to ashes you shall return." The Vessel said as she got up and prepared to go out of the pillar of light, straight into Niflheim. "No such barrier can withstand this much power." But as soon as she got out, Yin immediately snapped back to reality and held her on a chokehold from the back. The two fought as they emerged from the pillar of light straight into reality once again. Luken and the others were on guard after hearing various voices but not being able to hear what they were speaking of at all. They noticed Yin grabbing the Vessel by the neck by now, surging through thin air. "Wait up!" Gavin stopped them as he summoned Ryoko. "Are you good to go now, Ryoko?" He asked the Elder Wyrm. "Yes, master." The four of them rode the back of the dragon as they chased Yin and the Vessel. "Yin!" Luken shouted out. The other Slayers noticed this and were on the move, desperately charging through where they estimated they would fall. "Let go of me you filthy creature!" The Vessel shouted at him, Yin never responded. She activated her wings and they emerged from her back, piercing Yin''s body up. "I told you to let go, didn''t I?" The Vessel laughed. She noticed that her body also had the same wounds that inflicted on Yin. "Tch. How annoying." This was because of their shared sense of existence due to the System. "Now then, I shall make quick work of these ''Slayers'' that you so firmly believe in." Yin''s body was caught by Ryoko and the others meanwhile. The Vessel was far too strong, stronger than any Seraphim or Angel that they have ever even faced so far. Screams of anguish and despair filled the air of the battlefield as a massacre by the Vessel commenced through and through. "Retreat! Retreat back to Niflheim!" Ignis Silva screamed as the others made a run back for it. They all ran in hopes that the Vessel would not catch up to them, but little did they know, she was far too powerful to be contained by the Red Barrier already. "Tuck your tails and run, I will still bring you death." She said while trying to regenerate her wounds. Yin was writhing in pain, not even Gavin''s healing snakes could mitigate the injuries done by the Vessel to him. Suna and Zachary were all crying out, worried sick for Yin Sohaya''s well-being and whether or not he would actually make it. "Seriously, you guys have to keep it down a bit." Yin joked around as he forced himself to speak. "Do not talk, idiot! Focus on healing yourself up, your regenerative capabilities are the same as that of an Angel''s, right?!" Zach asked him fervently. "We are going to get you home, Yin. The others have already begun running back. It is safe to assume we have lost this one." Gavin said. "She is going to kill everyone! The barrier no longer works on her, that was why she was absorbing all those Anima cells from the Angels! D-Do not go back to Niflheim! We have to kill her right here and now!" Luken''s face began to turn pale after hearing this. It was too late to inform the troops below of this, so, Luken just jumped up from Ryoko''s back straight into the Vessel, who was suspended in the air trying to heal her injuries. Luken dragged her down to the ground and used her as a cushion to safeguard his landing. Meanwhile Yin was screaming in pain even more, because of their shared pain receptors. Ryoko was ordered by Gavin to come back down to assist Luken. After landing close to the other Slayers, their decision to retreat was stopped by the Emperor himself. "That is their leader! We will never have a chance like this in forever! Kill her!" He shouted. A beaming surge of light enveloped the ground as each pulse emanating from the Vessel killed most of the Slayers who were too slow to dodge. Decaying them into ashes. Almost like the one that Yin does. Because of the pain, Yin went unconscious as Ryoko guarded him for the others, such as Gavin instructed. Thirty minutes passes by in the blink of an eye as Yin was awoken by something loud. "What happened?" He asked as he only ever saw about fifteen Slayers left, nearly all of them were killed by the Vessel already. He saw the Specter''s body on the ground, torn in half. Even the Emperor''s head was mounted on a stick. "I haven''t fought like this in ages! You Slayers really are something!" The Vessel exclaimed. Luken was fighting alongside Ignis, Kai Xin, Hector, Suna, Fen, Gavin, and Zachary. All the others who were still living were not in any condition to fight at all. "Y-Yin? Is that you?" He saw Cosette walk around, her eyes had been slashed through, rendering her blind. Yin wanted to get up but he couldn''t, his wounds were still not healed. Suna had already lost her right hand, she was fighting with only one right now. And Zachary''s stomach was bleeding out from a cut. "S-Stop it¡­" Yin cried out. But his wails fell on deaf ears as they were preoccupied with staying alive. Finally, Yin remembered why he was in this position in the first place, it was because he failed. He failed in killing the Vessel in the pillar of light. He felt like he was the reason for all of this happening right now. Most importantly, he remembered how the Vessel screamed out in pain after she pulled out her wings because she wounded herself after piercing Yin. The Commander, already out of breath and running on fumes was far too late. The Vessel now had her hand on Suna''s neck. "I believe you are of importance to Yin, my dear." She said. She lifted her arms up in preparation choke Suna to death, but Yin acted quickly and realized what must be done. He took out his sword and stabbed himself straight in the stomach. The Vessel let out an ear-piercing scream as she let go of Suna. Yin was already dying. But he noticed that the Vessel was still not giving up. "I will not die here! You will embrace death first before I do, Yin Sohaya!" She exclaimed. This was the time when the war finally was about to end. "I do not care if I die a failure, a hero, a nobody, or a descendant of an Old God. What I do know is that we share the same feeling of pain. Goodbye." He took out his sword from his stomach and stabbed his heart as he screamed out in pain until his voice could no longer be heard. Yin''s field of view turned red and was flashing with lights from the Thanatos System. [ Quest : Live ] "It is far too late for that now."