Several months ago shortly after the battle in the caves of the Kingdom of Ryze, all of the Demon Generals convened in a towering black castle looming high in the red sky deep within their realm. Inside the main hall of the fortress sat a giant round table in the middle with six decorated black chairs arranged around it. A white number was written on the back of each indicating the order they were supposed to sit in based on rank. The seats were aligned in a way that had them all facing toward a tall throne made of pure gold at the northern point of the table. The rank one of the group suddenly entered the room and briskly made his way to his spot. His name was Taika, and he had curly ginger hair with a bunch of freckles on his face. He had a very pale skin complexion and resembled a young adult human with an average height. His dark brown eyes annoyingly stared at Kurayami across the table as he tapped his foot against the ground in frustration.
The second strongest of the bunch suddenly slide down in his chair almost falling under the table while saying, "Ughhh! I am so bored sitting here waiting you guys. How much longer?" The fifth rank demon sitting next to him quickly turned and sternly said, "Torikki, it is disrespectful to act that way. Our lord will be here any moment, so straighten up." He reluctantly climbed back up in his seat while crossing his arms in annoyance. His appearance failed to match his position amongst them because he looked like a teenager. He was by far the youngest of them while being the smallest to. He had messy blonde hair that he never combed and was tan in comparison to Taika. He had an ominous deck of black cards floating next to him that had a red pentagram on the back of them. He suddenly started to stare at the stern general next to him with his piercing golden eyes before finally asking, "Why do you always treat me like a kid Gankona?" He shook his head while exhaling a deep breath before saying, "That is a dumb question Torikki. You are only fourteen, which still makes you a child regardless if you rank higher than me. That means as an adult, I should guide you while you continue to grow." Gankona was a giant compared to everyone else at the table. He was incredibly muscular, and his skin was stronger than most metals in existence. He had short combed back grey hair with dark purple eyes. A giant pitch-black rectangular shield called a scutum was on his back partially hiding the white blade of a greatsword that sat diagonally across his back. The hilt was wrapped in an elegant dark purple material that matched the color of his irises.
The last of the team were the rank four and six generals that were conversing with each other on the opposite side of the table. They were the only two females of the six of them, and they were practically best friends. They were discussing what color to paint each other nails after the meeting before they left the castle. The demon destinated as the least strongest of them was studying her friends hand before quietly saying, "I think a shimmering dark green shade would be best for you Noroi. What do you think?" As she thought about the suggested color, she only became cuter in appearance. She was hands down a beautiful young adult female with absolutely exquisite hair that flowed down to the lower part of her back. It was black as night, but it had a certain glow to it showing her dedication to taking care of it daily. Her skin similarly was very healthy and soft from her devotion to moisturizing it regularly. She had an hourglass body shape that allowed her to fill out properly in all of the right places. Because of her beauty and her brilliant mind, she had never met a person that she could not win over. Her delicate emerald eyes started at her hand before she finally nodded in agreement and said, "I think you are right Shisho. A dark green would be gorgeous. Now, let me take a look at yours."
Shisho's personality was the complete opposite of Noroi. She was an introvert who always tried her best to avoid conversing with anyone. Her shy awkward personality routinely had her choosing a good book or research opportunity on magic over socializing or going to events with others. She had very light pink hair with white tips at the end that was currently wrapped into a ponytail. She wore a pair of squared glasses that were huge compared to her tiny face. Her small thin stature made her appear as if she was the kid sister of the rank four general even though they were almost the same age. Anytime her and Noroi were together she would strive for her approval. Her innocent cherry blossom eyes intently stared as she waited for a response. After a long pause, Noroi finally smiled and said, "I think a shimmering dark blue shade would pair fantastically with your beautiful hair." Shisho instantly started to blush before saying, "Please Noroi, do not be ridiculous. Nothing about me compares to your beauty." As she brushed a strand of Shisho's hair behind her ear, she sincerely said, "You do not have to flatter me so. I wish I had the natural pulchritude you possess. I have to work every day to keep this appearance up." Before they could continue, the doors suddenly swung open and slammed into the wall as the Demon Lord entered the hall. A curtain of dread and despair immediately descended upon the table as he made his way to his throne.
He was dressed as if he had just come from battle as he clattered across the chamber. He was wearing dark black metal light armor with a double bladed golden white glaive sheathed diagonally across his back. His flowy jet black hair bounced slightly with every step as he sat down at his throne. He paused for a moment as he exhaled a deep breath before leaning forward. As he propped his head up with his right hand, his gaze turned to Kurayami. His piercing ruby red eyes made his general feel as if he was being scowled for requesting all of them to gather. After several minutes, he finally said, "Please began Kurayami. Your news better warrant pulling me away from the battlefield or I will be very displeased." He gulped in fear as he hesitantly said, "Our conversion operation in the Kingdom of Ryze near the border of Akai Suna was discovered. Unfortunately, I was unable to stop it from being shut down. This has set us back significantly in this region as we work on establishing a new place in the southern part." The Demon Lord started to tap his finger on the table and was visibly glowering at him now as he interruptedly said, "There better be some good news coming soon Kurayami or I may have to punish you significantly for your failure."
He nodded as he broke into a cold sweat before getting up from his seat and walking over to a tarp covering a large object. He cleared his throat before continuing, "Your excellency, I was lucky enough to be visiting the caves at the same time they were being raided which allowed me to encounter a former hero we all know too well here." He paused for dramatic effect before quickly ripping the sheet off to reveal a metal cage with Jinsoku bound inside of it. He was gagged and unable to move as he silently glanced around the room. Taika instantly became interested upon seeing the Twin Blade Hero as he leaned forward with a wicked smile. The Demon Lord's finger paused for a moment before he decided to lean back in his seat. His voice was emotionless as he said, "He will be a grand addition to our ranks. This little gem will save you from the disgrace of hindering our operations Kurayami." The Shadow Blade General thankfully bowed grateful to have been spared from his Kings wrath. As he stood back up, he was eager to tell everyone about Ryu as he said, "This pathetic hero next to me had an interesting student fighting alongside him. He was very intriguing because his power was close to rivaling mine even though he was still a child. From my brief exchange with him, I believe he is very gifted in a vast number of skills that these humans can possess. It may be best to deal with him before he becomes a true threat to us."
The Demon lord slammed his hands against the table while swiftly standing up. His black aura started to fill the room till it was pushing against the walls and roof. The air grew thick from it being confined in the hall as he stared menacingly at the rank three general before callously saying, "We know what a true threat is Kurayami or did you forget. Some of these humans may have potential to be strong, but they are nothing in comparison to us. Were you expecting me to hear your pitiful story and agree to devote our limited resources for a man hunt? I could care less about a child amongst these lesser beings; however, since you are scared, please feel free to tell all of us his name, so anyone here can handle him for you if he dares to cross us." Kurayami bite his tongue in shame as he knelt down before his Sire and said, "I apologize for my cowardice Your Majesty. As for the kid, his name is Ryu Seki." The Kings voice echoed off the chamber walls as he said, "If any of you come across a human named Ryu Seki, you are ordered to kill him on sight. Whoever reports anything about this mortal besides his death, will incur a terrible penalty from me. Is that understood?" All of the Demon Generals swiftly nodded as their Lord's magic dispersed. He briskly made his way toward the exit before angrily smashing the double doors open and storming out. The entryway lay broken behind him as he yelled, "You are all dismissed and failure will not be tolerated again Kurayami!" As he disappeared, everyone else got up from their seats and left the room.
Ryu was suddenly awoken by Chinmoku violently shaking him and saying, "Wake up. Hello? Come on get up, we are nearing the city walls." He finally opened his eyes and sat up before looking out the window. As he watched the sun descend into the West, a shadow started to creep across the ground. He turned his focus to the front of the carriage where he noticed the two giant doors looming ahead of them. They had managed to reach Matsubayashi in just under two days of travel, and he was glad to see that the city had not been overrun yet. As they pulled up to the gate, a voice from atop of the wall raspily yelled down, "Our town is on high alert visitors. Unfortunately, our doors are shut for the time being. We advise you to turn and leave immediately." Ryu quickly climbed out of the wagon while holding up the request the guild leader had given them as he loudly said, "We were sent here on an urgent mission to assist you guys from the city of Unemi. We are the adventurer group Shadowflare." Silence fell between them as he awaited a response from the man on top of the wall. After several minutes, the gate started to open as the guard yelled back, "Please enter, we have fetched our lord as well as our commander. They should arrive here shortly." Ryu swiftly got back into the carriage as they made their way into the city. As soon as they were in, the doors were immediately slammed shut again. They all quickly climbed out of the wagon to stretch while they waited.
As he turned to check out the town, he saw two beautiful black horses heading their way from down the road. They were adorned in silver armor with the two riders on top clad in golden light armor. As they came to a stop in front of them, the one of the left quickly dismounted. The man was tall with broad shoulders, and he had short dark brown combed over hair. Ryu was certain as he looked at him that under his slender stature was a muscular man who was in fantastic shape. He suddenly kneeled down in front of them while saying, "Thank you for coming to our aid adventurers. Words cannot express how grateful we are that you have responded to our call for help." They were all caught off guard by the lords sincerity as they awkwardly bowed before Ryu uncomfortably said, "Please, you do not have to bend a knee for us sir. We pride ourselves on assisting those in need. We are just honored to be welcomed by the lord of this land, Marquis…" He hesitantly froze hoping the man would introduce himself just as the other rider dismounted and walked over.
The second person quickly took their helmet off to reveal a woman hiding under the armor. She suddenly smacked the noble on the back of his head before loosening her ponytail. Some strands of her dark blonde hair started to fall down next to her cheeks as her light brown hazel eyes stared disappointingly at the man. As she shook her head, she said, "We have talked about this before Bradeyn. When you do not properly introduce yourself before speaking, it confuses people and makes things awkward." She extended her hand out to Ryu as she continued, "My name is Bureina Tachibana, and I am the Marchioness of this land. This gentleman is the commander of my soldiers Bradeyn Yamaguchi." Ryu kindly smiled as he shook her hand before saying, "It is in honor that you came out here to greet us. My name is Ryu, the girl over there with the scythe is Megami, and finally this short stack is Chinmoku." She waved at the two them while saying, "The honor is all mine. As you can tell, we are grateful to get warriors of your caliber to assist us." Bureina quickly turned around and leapt back onto her horse before saying, "Please follow me to my manor, so we can discuss our dilemma in further detail." Ryu nodded as they all got back into their carriage and followed the Marchioness slowly through the town back to her estate.
As they pulled through the gates of the entrance to the mansion, an army of staff greeted them. As she dismounted from her horse, someone swiftly grabbed the reigns and led it away. She patiently waited for them to exit their wagon before walking up the stairs to the front door. As they followed her into the house, she said, "Please make yourself at home and feel free to ask the staff for anything. I am going to change into something more formal, and I will meet you guys in the parlor here shortly." As she disappeared upstairs, a horde of chambermaids trailed behind her. Bradeyn decided to start showing them around as they made their way to the meeting room to wait. Ryu stopped several times to admire the artwork throughout the house. Some of the pieces resembled works of famous artists from his world which was astonishing to him. Bradeyn suddenly stopped in front of a door near the end of the hallway indicating they had arrived at their destination. He motioned for everybody to enter before he bowed and said, "I must part ways with you guys for now. I have to go ensure the soldiers are ready for tonight's hunt. Her ladyship should be by shortly to get you caught up on the situation we are in here." Ryu nodded before saying, "Thank you." As he shut the door, they started to get comfortable in the parlor.
Several minutes pasted before the Marchioness entered the room. She no longer appeared like she was heading into battle. She had straightened her hair, put makeup on, and changed into red heels with a billowing dress to match. They quickly got up upon her coming in, but she quickly waved for them to sit back down. As she settled in on the couch opposite of them, two maids quickly worked to get drinks poured for them. Ryu was excited to see that they would be having coffee as he watched them put down a bowl of sugar, a pint of creamer, and some spoons as well. Bureina motioned for them to start drinking as she grabbed her cup before saying, "I want to start by thanking you guys again for responding to our request. How much do y'all know already?" Ryu despised black coffee and had poured a ton of creamer in his coffee as he listened. As he stirred his drink, he said, "All we know is about a hundred cursed beast of different varieties have gathered close to the city in the forest, but they have not attacked yet." She nodded as she solemnly continued, "That is correct. So far there still has been no movement from them since they gathered a few days ago. We have been trying to work their numbers down, but we do not possess any soldiers capable enough to fight them solo, so we have to attack in a group which significantly hinders us."
Chinmoku was curious on how well they had been faring to this point as she asked, "How has that been working out for you guys? Has there been any casualties? Have you killed any of them?" The Marchioness sighed in anguish before saying, "It has been incredibly difficult to isolate just one from the group, so we have only managed to kill five of them. We have been fortunate enough not to suffer any deaths, but we have had several soldiers wounded." As she finished, Megami decided to join the conversation as she said, "So when Bradeyn left earlier to get the troops ready, he was heading back out there tonight?" Her ladyship nodded as she nervously asked what had been on her mind since she had seen their party, "Are you three enough to complete this quest? I was expecting Jinsoku when the guild leader in Unemi responded that assistance was on the way." Ryu suddenly winced as he felt a phantom pain throughout his body at the mention of his teacher. Bureina quickly apologized since she felt she had disrespected them from his reaction. Megami shook her head before smiling and saying, "There is no need for you to apologize to us Marchioness. You have done nothing wrong. Ryu and Jinsoku were involved in a battle with the third rank demon general and one of his captains a few months ago, and it left Ryu terribly injured. Unfortunately, the whereabouts of Jinsoku have been unknown since then. Our leader here occasionally feels residual pain when his mentor is mentioned."
Chinmoku felt that her ladyship should know of Ryu's accomplishment in the battle though as she said, "I promise you Bureina we are more than capable of dispatching these cursed beasts at the border for you. Even though he was left badly hurt from the fight, he did manage to land a blow on the demon general that almost killed it. He is incredibly strong, and we have been training with him over the past few weeks, so we are not to be underestimated either." Bureina smiled in relief as she stood up and clapped her hands together before saying, "Now that we have finished discussing business, I believe it is time I get you guys some dinner and show you to your rooms. Tomorrow we can go out to the area where they are located for some scouting. How does that sound?" Ryu stood up and bowed before softly saying, "That works for us. Thank you for being so accommodating to us, and I swear we will slay every last one of these beasts for you." The marchioness nodded as she led them to the dining room before dismissing herself. She wished she could stay to socialize, but she had tons of paperwork to catch up on before it was too late. As the three of them settled in, they were shocked by the delicious spread when it came out from the kitchen. Their meal consisted of perfectly cooked elk meat paired with an assortment of fresh fruits, cooked vegetables, and brioche with strawberry butter.
As they finished enjoying the amazing food, the staff guided them to the back of the house to freshen up. The manor had two separate outdoor bathing spots which was a huge relief to Ryu. He always hated waiting for Megami and Chinmoku because they always took forever. As he slipped into the warm water, he instantly started to feel rejuvenated. It was roughly forty five minutes before they finally made their way to their rooms for some rest. Just as he sat down on his bed, someone started banging loudly on his door while frantically saying, "Mister Ryu, we need your assistance!" He sighed as he quickly exited to the hallway. One of the butlers swiftly escorted the three of them back to the foyer where Bureina was speaking with a badly injured soldier that was being treated by the staff while they waited for the doctor. As they ran up, they could hear the man struggling to speak as he said, "The pack started moving toward the town my lady. The rest of the group is doing their best to delay them, but we will not be able to hold them much longer. Please flee why you can Marchioness."
Ryu and Megami exchanged a quick look as Bureina stood back up and bravely said, "I will not leave my men to die out there without their leader. Maids, quickly retrieve my gear! I will defend this land and lay down my life if I must. Guards, swiftly get to the town and start escorting as many people as you can away from this area!" As she finished instructing her staff, she turned toward them and said, "I am sorry things have changed so quickly and that the battlefield is unpredictable now, but will you guys please join me in the fight?" They all nodded before taking off to their rooms to get their gear. Only a few minutes passed before they had all gathered back out in front of the house. Four horses had been quickly prepared for them as they quickly took off to the west. They could only hope they would arrive at the front lines before it was too late for the fighters there. After riding for about forty-five minutes, they came across the remaining twentyish soldiers of the hunting party. Brayden had smartly instructed them to use guerrilla warfare tactics to slow the charging pack. They were about a mile away from the troops when one of them suddenly broke off to intercept them. As he grew closer, Ryu could tell it was Bradeyn. He looked exhausted and his left arm was badly burned. He came to a sudden stop in front of them as he frantically asked, "Why are you here Marchioness!? You must flee from here immediately. We have already lost two thirds of our men slowing them down. We can only provide you another twenty minutes at most to escape."
As he finished speaking, Ryu stood up on the back of his horse and morphed his dagger into a bow. He rapidly fired a trio of fire arrows twice. The six bolts whizzed through the air with incredible speed before striking the two closest cursed wolves. They both immediately ignited into a giant ball of flames causing the other four creatures to quickly retreat backwards. It was clear they were waiting for the rest of their pack to get closer before they would attack again. As Ryu sat back down, he took control of the situation by using the wind to carry his voice to the men. He quickly instructing them to retreat back to their position before he turned to Bradeyn and sternly told him, "Please protect Miss Bureina. Keep her and your men behind us. We will take over from here. If any of the swarm get through us, have your men prepared to fight. As soon as we are free, we will circle back to assist." Bradeyn was still shocked from Ryu's display of archery, but he quickly got ahold of himself and nodded. As he pulled the Marchioness and his men back, he swiftly got them in a defensive guard to protect Bureina. As Ryu turned his attention back ahead, he morphed his weapon into a katana and dismounted from his horse. Chinmoku and Megami immediately joined him on the ground as all of three of them let their steeds run away from the soon to be battlefield.
As they approached the burnt corpses of the two beast he had sniped, another four wolves arrived bringing their numbers to eight. They had also brought three lions and a jaguar to join their ranks. He quickly waved for the two of them to fan out to the left and right which meant Megami would be handling the pride while Chinmoku fought the panther. Ryu swiftly created a pair of clones that immediately started to fire a barrage of basic elemental attacks at the wolves. This allowed him to disappear while he reinforced himself with buffs as he prepared to strike. The pack was forced to disperse to avoid the spells hurling toward them which gave him the opening to get close. He suddenly appeared in front of the two nearest to him that had been isolated from the group. He swiftly sliced deeply through both of their chest as three of the remaining six wolves circled behind him toward his copies while the others surrounded him. Before they could attack him, he released his magic control causing the road to be bathed in a golden glow. Because of the black tips lapping at the end, the wolves hesitated to strike. His aura confused the beast causing them to hesitate because they were unsure if they were still fighting a human.
Their indecision allowed him to cast Shadow Spikes from the darkness created from their silhouettes. They were all simultaneously pierced clean through their hearts dying instantly as their bodies fell to the ground. As he turned toward his clones, they were holding off the last of the creatures but were close to being destroyed. He quickly channeled his magic through his katana turning into a flaming sword that lit up the night as he ambushed the beasts from behind. As he rapidly closed in on them, he completely hid his presence as he flew up next to the one in the back. He cut its head clean off before pirouetting past it as he positioned himself underneath the other two that had just gone airborne to pounce on his clones. In an orange flash, he sliced both of them across their chest as he slide to a stop right past his duplicates. Their bodies hit the dirt and erupted into a ball of fire as he quickly turned to check on Megami. She had already dispatched two of the lions and had the last one cornered with her spirits. As it dodged the blade of the warrior, it lost track of her as she slide into its blind spot. The accursed suddenly leapt at one of her specters forcing it to block with its shield just as she fired multiple light rods at it. The spears penetrated the beast across its entire body as it fell to the earth, and its black blood stained the grass.
As he glanced over at Chinmoku, he could tell she had severely weakened the jaguar. It was struggling to evade, and it had several cuts across its body as its breathing grew labored. She suddenly launched a volley of shadows at the creature forcing it to retreat. It failed to realize that it was being funneled to a specific place as it came to a stop for a moment deep in the shadows of the forest. The darkness quickly engulfed it similar to an iron maiden as its entire body was pierced. As her magic dispelled, its lifeless body dropped to the ground. Seeing they both were done with their fights, he quickly barked out instructions to both of them as he said, "This wave is done. Regain your magic, set traps, and prepare yourselves for the next battle. I will open up the fighting and force the beasts to split apart just like we did now." They both nodded as they swiftly carried out his orders. Meanwhile further back down the path, Bureina stared awestruck at how easy they had just dispatched the first group of the accursed. She had never seen such power like they possessed as their fighting looked effortless. Bradeyn exhaled a sigh of relief next to her as he quietly said, "They are amazing aren't they? I am starting to think we might actually win this and protect everyone. I had accepted death before you guys had arrived. Thank you for bringing them my lady." She had a solace expression on her face as she shook her head and said, "I haven't done anything to help you or my people Bradeyn. All of your praise should go to these adventurers. I am just glad that I did not lose you."
As she finished speaking, the next wave of creatures arrived at the battlefield. It was double the size of the first, and it consisted of several packs of wolves, almost ten brown bears, and roughly twenty king cobras. Ryu suddenly launched himself high into the air and casted Solar Flare. A gigantic ball of fire rapidly descended upon the ground searing the path for several yards causing most of the snakes to be immediately incinerated. The majority of the wolves managed to evade the attack but only half of the bears avoided the deadly flames. As his feet landed back on the dirt, a bright white flash of light went off to his left. A barrage of searing hot spears followed as Megami's trap managed to kill the remaining cobras. The six wolves that had been forced to split to her side were not fatally wounded from the ambush, but they had all sustained varying degrees of damage. To his right, Chinmoku had managed to surprise the remaining hounds that had gone her way by suddenly appearing out of the darkness. She stabbed deep underneath the ribs of the two closest to her poisoning them while her shadows cut the other four in multiple areas of their bodies. As they retreated, the ones she had infected quickly succumbed to the effects of her toxin.
On paper, Ryu appeared to have the toughest test since he had to fight the five cursed bears. He quickly gave himself a powerful Speed Buff before vanishing and appearing next to the one in the middle. He placed his hand on its side as he quietly said, "Ice Coffin." Its entire body was immediately enveloped by frost as the one on his right raised up and swung at him. The strike missed and instead shattered the crystalized abomination as he slide underneath its arm. As he touched the ground, he casted Earthen Grasp. The dirt instantly softened causing the accursed to sink as its back paws got pulled down into the land. As it went back down to all fours, it started to submerge even faster as the soil churned beneath it. Its weight and inability to move caused it to get swallowed up completely in mere seconds as the surface resolidified. The last remaining one on the right was separated from the other two that had backed away to ensure they did not get pulled into the earth as well. Ryu swiftly appeared in front of it forcing it to attack. As it swung at him, he effortlessly weaved past it as his katana pierced through its chest almost all the way up to his hilt. He rapidly channeled his wind magic into his blade causing a sudden explosion of compressed air to blast through the bears body. Black blood splattered everywhere as it fell backwards. As Ryu turned to face the remaining two, he casted Arc Light causing a sudden flash that burned their eyes and temporarily blinded them.
He quickly vanished into the shadows as they regained their sight. Since they were uncertain of his location, they scooted closer together and scanned the road. Just as he had anticipated, they stayed near each other to avoid getting separated. He hid his presence as he appeared out of the darkness right between them. He touched both of them on their sides and casted Inferno Touch. A flame suddenly sparked across their bodies engulfing them in a blink of an eye. The fire shot high into the sky staining the area with a brief orange glow before going dark again as their burnt corpses fell to the ground in embers. As he looked to his left, he watched Megami's scythe cut the final cursed wolf on her side clean in half horizontally across its midsection. A quick glance to his right revealed Chinmoku finished her fight as well. The final beast of the wave was struggling to stand before finally collapsing to the ground from the poison of one of her kunai's stuck in its shoulder. He quietly whistled utilizing the wind to carry the sound of it to Chinmoku and Megami. As they turned toward him, he waved for them to move in closer.
As they joined him by his side, he smiled and said, "Good job you two. How are you doing?" They were both sweating pretty good as they exchanged a look with each other before Megami said, "We still have plenty of fight left, so you do not have to worry about us." Ryu nodded before accidentally yawning which irritated Megami as she slapped him on the arm and scoldingly said, "What the heck Ryu!? Is this really that easy for you?" He rubbed his arm like her punch had hurt him as he defensively said, "No, I am just exhausted. We just got here from our long travel and before we could rest, we got thrusted into a battle. Plus, isn't like midnight? Look at how high the moon is in the sky." Chinmoku started giggling as she watched the two of them before saying, "Get a room you two." Megami's face instantly turned red as she angrily shot a look at her. Before she could say something, Ryu interjected with a grin on his face and said, "How about we end this with a big finale then?" As they started listening to his plan, their eyes eagerly lit up. As he finished explaining the details, They both nodded before quickly vanishing into the forest. As he exhaled, he started to float a few feet into the air. He conjured two copies of himself and positioned them in the darkness of the underbrush near the edges of the road.
Ryu could see in the distance the last group of beasts coming toward them as he observed roughly fifteen tigers and jaguars. With his replicas hidden, he watched as Megami and Chinmoku started the fighting. Shadows and white light rapidly flew across both sides of the path forcing the beast to stay clustered together as they evaded. The pattern of the strikes appeared sporadic to carefully hid the fact that they were funneling the accursed forward to Ryu. He was patiently waiting ahead when he suddenly had his duplicates simultaneously cast Earth Wall. A giant rectangular box instantly formed around the creatures stopping them in their tracks. As they tried to figure out how to escape the trap they had fallen into, Ryu started to set the parameters for his spell from his vantage point above the battlefield. As the moon momentarily disappeared behind a cloud, a darkness descended upon the trail when he suddenly released his magic. His golden aura illuminated the night sky in a brilliant ray of light as he quietly said, "Erase." Everyone watched as the space confining the beasts got engulfed by an eerily empty blackness before vanishing into nothing leaving no trace behind of any of the creatures.
The air whirled as it rushed in to fill the void left from his spell as he fell from the sky and his clones disappeared. He had exhausted all of his magical reserves to finish the battle in one strike as Megami and Chinmoku quickly got back to catch him. As they all collapsed to the dirt in a heap, they started laughing together because they were glad to have won the fight. As Bureina and her soldiers trotted up to them on the ground, her men were excitedly murmuring amongst themselves from the amazing display of combat they had just witnessed before Bradeyn held a fist up in the air. They all went silent as they watched the Marchioness dismount from her horse. She swiftly knelt before them while saying, "Brave adventurers of Shadowflare, we will forever be indebted to you for your heroics here today. If you ever need assistance, please do not hesitate to ask me. Thank you for saving our city and protecting our land." The rest of her guards quickly got off of their steeds and mimicked her actions. As Ryu weakly stood up, Megami had to catch him and hold his arm to keep him balanced as he said, "You are welcome Lady Bureina. The only thing I wish for at the moment though is a bed please." Her ladyship proudly stood back up while turning toward her men and saying, "You heard our hero, Let's get him back to the city immediately to get him a bed. He will need plenty of rest, so he is ready for tomorrow's celebration!"
As all of the soldiers cheered, Ryu suddenly fell forward in exhaustion crashing right into the Marchioness's back. As they both collapsed to the ground, Megami was briefly in disbelief before quickly trying to get him off of her. She was struggling to lift him up though because he was dead to the world fast asleep. Chinmoku laughed for a moment before starting to help her as they thrusted him onto a horse while profusely apologizing to Bureina for his actions. She smiled as she got back to her feet and waved her hand at them while saying, "Please do not worry about it. He did nothing wrong. Let's get him to a warm comfy bed to get some much needed rest." After almost an hour of riding, they finally arrived back at the town. Bradeyn immediately had his men go spread the word that everything was okay now and to lift the restrictions that had been implemented. As they entered the gates of the manor, Bureina quickly had her staff tend to Ryu, Megami, and Chinmoku. She made sure they got to their rooms before she forced Bradeyn to go with her to the doctor to treat his arm. The next morning she allowed her guest to sleep in as long as they wanted. The sun had climbed high into the sky by the time Megami and Chinmoku awoke from their slumber. As soon as they emerged from their rooms, the staff directed them to the dining hall for brunch with the Marchioness. As they took their seats, the maids asked them if there was anything they wanted to drink.
Megami was craving an iced caramel latte while Chinmoku requested a glass of orange juice. They bowed before departing to the kitchen just as the Marchioness came in. She quickly asked them if they could get her some tea to which they nodded before continuing out of the room. Bureina had a smile on her face as she sat down and asked, "How do you guys feel today? Do you need me to get the staff to get you anything?" They both shook their heads no as Megami said, "The beds were so comfortable that I didn't want to get up this morning. As for the staff, they are fantastic. They have been so nice and attentive. Thank you for providing us a place to stay while we are here in the city." The maids were incredibly fast as they came back in just as she finished to drop off their drinks. They informed the Marchioness that the food would be out shortly before dismissing themselves. As they sipped on their refreshments, they started to share stories and converse about boys. Bureina was very curious if Megami and Ryu were together. She quickly avoided the question by asking about her and Bradeyn's relationship.
Several minutes went by before Ryu slowly pushed the door open and walked in shirtless. His hair was a mess, and he still looked tired as he yawned. As he walked over to the table, he asked, "What happen last night? For some reason, I cannot remember anything right after the battle was over." He sat down next to Megami who was beet red as she turned to him and frustratingly said, "You passed out last night and fell into the Marchioness knocking her to the ground. You are lucky she forgave you and allowed you to rest and recovery in her house. We could have easily just left you out there." He almost toppled out of his seat from his feet getting tangled up as he tried to get up to apologize. He quickly bowed and said he was sorry for any discomfort or pain he may have caused her ladyship by collapsing into her. She waved at him to stop while saying, "You were only exhausted from defending my land. I have no qualms about the accident. Please sit down. Breakfast should be out soon."
He exhaled a sigh of relief as he got back in his chair just as the doors swung wide open. The maids quickly flooded into the room filling the table with food and bringing Ryu a glass of milk. His jaw almost hit the floor as he stared at all the amazing and delicious dishes that were available for him to choose from. They had brought in a variety of fresh fruit, pancakes, bacon, sausage, toast, and omelets. They had also put a little basket near each person that consisted of salt, pepper, ketchup, strawberry jam, and syrup. As the ladies started to make their plates, Ryu was already racing for seconds because he had been eating while the food was still being placed down on the table. Bureina was astonished at how fast he devoured his plate as she giggled and asked, "Did you even savor any of it Ryu?" He nodded as he swallowed and said, "I have always been an expeditious eater since I was little, but I got even quicker when I arrived in Unemi. My master never afforded me much time for anything in between trainings, so I had to devour my meals whenever he gave me a chance to eat something." He paused for second before adding on, "Also, consuming large amounts of my MP makes me feel like I haven't eaten in days, so I might eat everything here."
Megami smacked him on the arm while scolding him for not having some decency. Chinmoku decided to take his words as a challenge as she swiftly finished her meal, so she could keep up with him. Megami could not believe the two of them as she continued to lecture them before giving up since they never listened to her. Bureina laughed as she watched them act so genuine with each other before she started to indulge in the wonderfully prepared dishes as well. Almost half an hour passed before everyone started to put their silverware down. As they finished eating, the Marchioness took the opportunity to ask them, "If you do not mind me inquiring, where are you guys heading next on your adventures? You can always stay here if you want to settle down for a bit." Ryu leaned back in his chair while graciously saying, "Thank you for the offer Lady Bureina, but we must politely deny it. It is important we join the heroes army in the capital without delay, so we will be heading out later this afternoon." She softly smiled as she said, "Well, you will always have a place here in our city if you ever change your mind. As for Shinjitsu, do you have a spot to stay when you arrive there? Also, why is it so urgent you join the heroes army? You guys are a high-ranking adventurer party. How could that farse of a group help y'all?"
Ryu grabbed his necklace as he locked eyes with her. He had an unwavering expression as he said without hesitation, "My master left a letter for me instructing me to join them to grow stronger. He had to sacrifice himself to save me because I was too weak to stand next to him when he needed me, so I will faithfully follow his wishes and travel whatever path necessary to become stronger. I never want to allow those I care about to get hurt ever again because of me." She nodded because she understand that feeling all too well as she said, "Thank you for your openness Ryu, it is truly refreshing. I can tell I will be unable to convince you to stay, so I will stop trying to hinder you from continuing your journey; however, please do know my hand is always extended to you guys whenever you need me." Megami suddenly chimed in as she finished and said, "Well, if you are offering to assist us, who are we to slap away your gracious hand of kindness. To answer your first question, we do not have a place to stay when we get to the capital, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated?" Bureina clapped her hands as she stood up. She had a grin on her face as she excitedly said, "Then allow me to show you guys how grateful I am by getting you a comfortable stay at the famous Crosswind Inn."
Chinmoku started laughing as everyone looked at her curious on what was so funny. She finally stopped realizing that nobody had joined her as she said, "That place is attached to a portion of the hot springs on the outskirts of the capital. It is slightly up the base of the mountain, so it overlooks the capital and the surrounding forest. It is very beautiful and luxurious. I have heard only the elites in the city can even afford one night there." Bureina crossed her arms and blew her hair out of her face before saying, "I was hoping it would be a surprise to you guys when you got there." started to blush in embarrassment as she said, "Sorry." The Marchioness shook her head as she motion them to the door while continuing, "Well, now that the cat is out of the bag, my cousin and her family are the proud honors of that establishment. I can have them give you an affordable rate as a favor to me." As they exited to the hallway, Ryu turned around to protest, but Bureina put her finger on his mouth while saying, "No objections. Now you guys go get ready while I make arrangements for your travels." She shut the door as he shook his head, but he could tell she was not going to budge.
The three of them decided to split up to handle various things before they departed. He wanted to take one more warm bath and get some more rest before getting ready while Chinmoku and Megami wanted to head into the city to try to find snacks for the couple of days that they were going to be on the road. They all agreed to meet back at the front of the manor before the sun set for the evening. Several hours passed before Ryu lazily yawned as he made his way to the entrance of the house. As he opened the door, Bureina suddenly yelled from upstairs, "Please wait a minute for me before leaving." He shouted back, "Okay" as he stepped outside. Megami and Chinmoku were packing their stuff up in the wagon as he walked up. As he put his belongs away, he asked, "Did you two find anything good?" Megami's eyes had a glint of excitement in them as she said, "You should of went with us. You would have had a lot of fun checking out the town. Let me show you what we found." They proceeded to present to him their spoils from the city which consisted of beef jerky, various fruit flavored gummies, and a few bags of baked plantain chips. As the Marchioness emerged from the mansion, she had Bradeyn in hand. She waved at them as they approached while saying, "I was able to make those arrangements we discussed with my cousin for when you guys arrive. She said please let the staff know when you get there that I sent you."
Megami hugged Bureina with a tear in her eye as she thought about relaxing in luxury and reading her books as she gratefully said, "Thank you so much!" She smiled as Ryu pulled her off. Bradeyn suddenly extended his hand toward him while humbly saying, "Thank you again for protecting the Marchioness, saving my men, and protecting my home. It was a pleasure to meet such an honorable individual like you in these turbulent times." Ryu nodded before shaking his hand. As he turned around, he started to push Megami and Chinmoku into the carriage. As they started to leave, they all hung out the window and waved goodbye to the two of them as they exited the gates of the manor. As Ryu situated himself back in his seat, he was glad to have made such a powerful ally. He started to stare out the window at the setting sun with a glint of fire in his eyes as his passion grew stronger to protect the people dearest to him. As the God watched from above, he was the only one who knew the suffering that awaited Ryu on the path he had chosen in this new world.