City of Melen.
At the Loki Familia camp gate, the guards were still sticking to their patrols, looking for any signs of trouble. And the trouble came looking for them in the form of a group of white-hooded figures.
"Hey, you are not allowed here. This is the Loki Familia camp." The guard placed his hand on his sword, ready to draw it at a moment's notice.
"Loki… I beg the great Loki Familia to share some of their Soma wine with us." Some of the figures removed their hoods, revealing sunken eyes and unkept hair.
"Keep your distance. I'm telling you—get out, or we will have to force you out." The guards unsheathed their swords, and the others nearby moved in, surrounding the group.
"Even a sip will do. You are such a great Familia you can at least do this…" With manic expressions, they stepped closer.
"We don't have any wine here. I'm telling you for the last time, get out!" the guard shouted.
"I understand. Now You Are Lying. You don't want to share it with us. Since you won't do it… we will have to take it ourselves." With a grin, he jumped at the guard, the others following.
The guards, seeing their slow movements, subdued the group easily without killing anyone. Looking at the knocked-out pile of bodies, the guard muttered, "Where did these drunks come from?"
"Must be Soma Familia members. I heard they can't live without that wine," another replied.
"These bastards… did they really have to come to our Familia for wine? Who told them we have Soma's special brew?" The first guard complained. Feeling some resistance, he looked down and saw one of the downed cloaked men grabbing his leg. He bent down and pulled the hood up, "What the—"
The hooded figure grinned widely, and replied,"IT WAS ME!"
A flash of light burst from beneath his body.
BANG!
An explosion rocked the camp. People shut off their broadcast screens and rushed out of their tents to see a massive fire blazing in the Loki Familia campsite.
"Attack on the east side! Reinforce it!" The patrol guards moved toward the explosion.
On the farthest side of the camp, away from the blast, figures cloaked in black watched in silence.
Seeing the guards thinning out, they nodded. "It's time. Move."
"Who are you?!" They were spotted instantly.
The leading figure threw a knife. The guard swung his sword, deflecting it.
"INTR—" He couldn't finish the word. A black sword plunged into his throat.
'Level 2…' That was his last thought before death.
The hooded figure pulled his sword free, flicking the air to clean the blood. The dark group continued advancing, their target was in sight.
Inside a tent behind the main one, a heavily bandaged Raul was nervously gripping his sword. Beside him sat a hooded female figure; though her face was hidden, strands of red hair spilled out. In front of her was a table full of food and luxury wine. On a crate nearby sat Aki.
"Calm down, Raul. Captain expected an attack. We're ready. We might not even get a chance to fight." Aki said that, though her tails twitched eagerly.
"Ah… that's right. It's Captain's plan. I'm sure it'll be fine." Raul had lost almost all confidence in his leadership. Being beaten by a bunch of upper-floor monsters shattered the last thing he thought he could rely on—his strength.
Aki, who had been with him since the start of her career, understood his thoughts instantly. Before she could say anything—A figure crashed through the tent wall.
"Arcs!" Raul instantly recognised him by the shield he held in his head. Arcs lay on his back unconscious, smoke rising from him. The smell of burnt flesh filled the room.
Raul noticed everything—no burns on the clothes, no charred armor. Arcs was a Level 4 who specialized in defense, part of the counter-ambush team.
A hooded figure leaped in from the hole. He scanned the room and spotted the red-haired hooded figure protected by Alchat and High Novice.
He rushed straight toward her, reaching into his coat for a weapon. Aki shifted into a defensive stance, while Raul sprinted.
SLASH!
Raul sliced the attacker's arm clean off.
The hooded figure was slow—Raul knew he had guessed right. He kicked the severed arm upward, smashing it into the man's chin. The force launched him skyward, blowing the roof clean off the tent.
Aki froze for a moment. The attacker had defeated a Level 4 defender—yet Raul felled him in seconds. She looked up; in the blue sky, the figure tumbled helplessly. The severed arm floated away, and in its palm rested an intricate ornamental red sword.
"Magic sword…" she muttered.
That was one of the two answers Raul had considered when he saw Arcs. The other was that the attacker was Level 5—in which case Raul would have fought to buy time for Aki to escape.
Mid-air, the hood fell from the attacker's head, revealing a man with short black hair and a face twisted in fury and madness. He pointed down with his remaining hand and screamed, "LOKI IS THERE! FIRE!!"
Raul turned to see the cloaked figures rushing toward the tent. They opened their cloaks, revealing Kaenseki—red drops that explode on contact with fire.
Raul lunged toward Aki as the figures ignited the Kaenseki.
BOOM!!Xn
Numerous explosions engulfed the tent.
Falling back toward the burning rubble, the hooded attacker's expression softened. He closed his eyes, recalling his early days as an adventurer… the beautiful rapier-wielding woman who once saved his life. "I'm coming to you, Asuna… I'm sure we'll go on another adventure. But this time… I'll be strong…"
-----------------------------------
The underground tunnels beneath Folkvangr, dug by the rats of the first wave, were numerous and confusing for an average person. But like they say, where there's a will there's a way, and the zealots had found their way.
The army of cultists mapped the tunnels for a whole day before finding a safe route to enter Folkvangr without being spotted by the Freya Familia. Crawling through the hole big enough for only one person, they reached the underground food storage unit.
After the twenty members crawled out of the tunnel, the leader gathered them in a circle. Pointing to the exit gate, he said, "We don't have any info on what lies beyond that. But you know what your target is. I'm sure you remember what the gate of Goddess Freya's room looks like. If you have any doubts, look at it again."
He took out the drawing of a gate, showing it to all of them. He continued, "Unfortunately, our informant could not provide the location of her room. But luck is on our side. During the first wave, some of our men mixed in with the refugees to gather info. They noted that only the 3rd floor was patrolled, which means her room might be on the third floor. We will all separately search for it. Whoever finds it, light up the Kaenseki. Remember, no matter what happens, do not look at the goddess or you're done for."
The charm of Goddess Freya was famous in Genkai. It was said it took only a second for her to ensnare the minds of mortals and gods alike.
Seeing the group getting nervous, he continued, "Don't worry. You only have to light up the Kaenseki near her. Even if she is a goddess, her body is mortal. Think only about your loved ones that you will meet soon."
With that, they went out of the storage room, separating at every crossroad, hoping at least one would get lucky.
The leader of the unit was running with all his might. He knew no amount of sneaking would get him past the hearing of First Class Adventurers. As he travelled more and more, he felt a sense of dread. The fact he hadn't met anyone yet was concerning.
Looking outside through the window, he could see he was on the 2nd floor. Guessing his current position using the view of Babel Tower, he felt he might be closest to the goal.
Climbing up the stairs, he reached the third floor. Looking at the long corridor to his left, he saw the door he was searching for. The light from the braziers outside poured in through the windows, showing a person guarding the door.
Allen Fromel, a Level 6.
Seeing the intruder standing still, Allen couldn't help but mock, "What? Are you afraid now? Why don't you let me give you a painless death? I don't want to dirty my Goddess's sanctuary with your blood."
"HAHAHAHA!" Seeing the Vice Captain of Freya Familia here, the hooded figure was ecstatic. He took off his long coat, throwing it to the ground.
He was a male white elf with blond hair and bright blue eyes. He wore light armor covering his chest, knees, and arms. Underneath the armor, he wore white traditional clothing from the east. On his waist were two straight katanas—one normal size, one small. Beside that, small knives of various colors were strung along his belt. Allen recognized those blades: low-level magic swords that wealthy people used for showing off; they only carried enough power to light a campfire.
The opponent unsheathed his two blades. The blades looked shiny and new without a speck of scratch on them. His expression turned from maniac laughter to serene. "I don't fear you, Vana Freya. I only fear failure. Now that you are here, that means my target is behind that door. And I, Ryan Namikaze, the Shining Blade of the End, will complete my mission."
"You really have a big mouth, elf. You shouldn't have even thought about threatening my Goddess. Now your death will be excruciatingly painful." Allen readied his spear.
Ryan sprinted forward. His slashes were blurringly fast, but Allen easily deflected them. The instant they clashed, Allen realized Ryan was weak—a veteran Level 3 at best. He thrusted the spear a little faster than before, aiming for his stomach.
CLANG! x2
Ryan crossed his swords, pushing the spear down, putting all his weight on it. Allen, seeing him struggle, lifted the tip of the spear up, throwing him into the air.
Twisting his body in the air, Ryan's feet landed on the roof. Bending his knees, he crossed his arms and put the katanas back in their sheaths. Keeping his grip on the sword handles, he shifted his hand to tap a knife on his waist, hiding it from Allen's gaze. Lightning coursed through his skin, releasing sparks. His hair stood up due to static.
ZAP!
With a bolt of lightning, he disappeared and appeared behind Allen, katanas unsheathed. "Thunderclap."
His hair fell back down and the lightning dissipated. Looking straight ahead, he could see his target. Tapping another knife at his waist, a green wind appeared around him.
THWACK!
A massive hit to his stomach stunned him. The force was massive as he was thrown off his feet, flying back. Landing on his feet, he covered his bleeding stomach wound, his breath quickening. Opposite him stood Allen with a cross-cut on his skin-tight shirt, but the sword wasn't even deep enough to cause a wound.
"That was the best you could do? Looks like I overestimated you, elf." Allen said. The reason the slash was unsuccessful wasn't because the shirt was strong—Allen was simply too fast.
'That was my fastest move. He dodged even that, looks like I can only buy time for the others.' He stopped covering his wound, letting the bleeding go. He tapped another knife, lighting his sword on fire. Putting the burning sword on his stomach, he sealed it. He drank a health potion too.
Getting back into his stance, he politely said, "Thank you for letting me patch up. I am ready for the next round."
"Don't misunderstand. I gave you time because I know I can crush you any time I want," Allen replied.
They continued clashing their weapons. In the silence of the mansion, the sound of katanas and spear clanging was somewhat soothing.
Ryan used all types of enchantments—speed of lightning, sharpness of wind, explosiveness of fire, torrent of water, weight of the earth, illusion of light, and even the sneakiness of darkness. But all were unsuccessful against the massive strength of a Level 6.
Ryan was feeling a little lightheaded, his hands shaking from all the clashes. The shiny katanas had become dull with scratches, their sharp edges chipped.
'Just a few more minutes, I am sure someone will come. At least one…' he prayed.
TAP! TAP! TAP!
"Are you not done yet? The rat you missed has reached the roof. Van will be taking care of that one," the unknown voice from behind said, dashing his hope.
"The clash of fists drowns the heart in pleasure, blinding it to its true call," a dark elf said.
"Hogni doesn't make sense."
"Hedin."
"Translate."
"Please," the four pallum brothers asked.
The first voice, Hedin, said, "Allen, you are wasting time. Your orders were to finish the battle quickly."
Looking at the destruction, he looked at the tired elf. "You! Your friends are all dead. You should surrender. I have a lot of questions for you. And don't tell me you are doing this to see your loved one in the afterlife. You have lived long enough to know that's not the whole story."
Ryan, tired of the fight, closed his eyes, remembering the past. Unlike others, Ryan's loved one didn't die from an accident or monster attack. His wife died after living her full lifetime. The problem was she was a normal human. Her whole lifetime passed in the blink of an eye for him.
At the start, he thought he could cope with it, relying on the memories they made together. But just a few days after her death, he realized even a day without her felt like eternity.
Ryan was not like other elves—too prideful about their race—but he still thought that if given a choice to choose his race, he would still choose to be an elf.
But the fact that he would have to live his long life with this pain nearly drove him mad. He tried to get drunk at night to ease the pain, but by morning his Abnormal Resistance would nullify the drunkenness, and he would wake up to a miserable morning.
Then came a god with an offer. He had been an adventurer long enough to know the nature of gods, so he knew the words "meeting your loved ones in the afterlife" were only half true. When the god revealed the whole truth—that souls are washed away of all memory—he wasn't surprised.
Then the god gave him an offer he couldn't refuse. Not to meet his wife in the afterlife, but the promise that he would reincarnate both him and her as close to each other as possible. Of course, he would have no memories of this life, but that was okay. He believed in fate—and more so in their love. He believed everything would be okay because that was all he had left.
Opening his eyes, he smiled, remembering his wife's beautiful face. Looking at Hedin, he asked, "I heard Freya Familia members love and adore their goddess."
"Yeah. That's right," Hedin replied.
"Then you must understand what a man can do to get a chance to be with the one he loves." Ryan gripped his sword tighter, getting ready to fight.
"I am sure what you are doing is against the wishes of your lost one. Seeing you like this might hurt her, and she might hate you for it. Will you still do it?" Hedin asked.
"Even if I go against her wishes and I hurt her. I would still do it."
Allen interjected, "Going against the wishes of your love is not love but obsession. There is no way she will accept you. You psycho."
Ryan turned to face him, his expression resolute. "If she doesn't accept me, that just means our love was not strong enough. But I am willing to bet on its strength."
"Now get ready, Vana Freya. I will show you the strength of my so-called obsession." Ryan moved his knife handle over his waist, activating all the magic swords.
'If there is anybody watching above, give me strength.' Various colored enchantments covered his body. His skin started peeling apart due to all the rampaging magic. The status on his back started glowing.
"That is limit off."
"Plus all this magic."
"Isn't this dangerous?"
"Should we help?" the pallums suggested.
"The burning flame of passions doesn't discriminate," Hogni stated.
"I got that one."
"Me too."
"Me too."
"Me too," the four brothers replied.
Hedin silently looked at the fighters, more interested in the aftermath of the battle, because he already knew the result.
Ryan sprinted forward. Opposite him, Allen took a more stable wide-leg stance, pointing his spear, interested in seeing Ryan's full strength.
Ryan swung the longer sword, hitting the spear shaft. The sword, enchanted with fire magic, caused an explosion on impact, pushing the spear tip away.
ZAP!
Ryan, with the speed of lightning, got close to Allen in an instant.
SHINE!
Ryan's short sword shined with a blinding light, causing Allen to close his eyes. Relying on muscle memory, Allen pulled the spear back to block the next attack.
TANG!
The strike was done by a katana covered in earth enchantment, increasing the weight of the strike by multiple times. The strike didn't disarm Allen, but it left him wide open.
SWISH!
Ryan thrust his short sword forward, covered by wind, aiming for the heart. Allen slightly opened his eyes as they adjusted to normal lighting.
PUCHI!
The spear fell to the ground. Blood dripped between the two opponents.
"So close," Ryan muttered as his sword pierced through Allen's palm but failed to reach his chest. On the other hand, Allen's other hand tore through Ryan's chest, coming out his back.
He gave it all but still failed. But as they say, even the wicked have their days.
SHATTER!
A window in the corridor behind Allen broke apart, and a hooded figure crashed in, swinging on a rope connected to the roof. There was no one between him and the door.
"SHIT!" Allen cursed and turned back to catch him.
PUCHI!
The long katana was dropped on Allen's foot, piercing it and embedding into the floor. With his empty palm, Ryan grabbed the arm piercing his chest and shouted, "RUN! RUN!"
Allen was surprised by the unexpected burst of strength, giving the hooded figure a second head start. The other executive broke into a sprint.
SWALLOW!
Ryan pulled the short sword from Allen's palm, swinging it backward to fire a shadow slash, turning their sight into darkness, stopping any quick-range attack.
RIP!
Allen pulled his arm from Ryan's grip. Not caring about the katana, he turned and jumped toward the goddess's room, bisecting his own foot in the process. But it was all for naught—the hooded figure slightly opened the door, simultaneously igniting the Kaenseki, completing his mission.
Seeing the wave of fire rapidly approaching, Ryan smiled in relief, closing his eyes. "I am coming home. Kushina…"
...............…...
(A/N: This one is big too long. I don't know why but I just couldn't stop writing.)