"Let's pierce through."

When Yoko heard that, she tilted her head. They were surrounded from every direction other than the back. Natsumi on the other hand, became very pale.

"Pierce through?"

Yoko was trying to figure out his meaning until Kai suddenly pointed his scythe forward. It immediately stopped after spinning that fast, the force needed to spin it was incredible but the force needed to stop it that smoothly was even more outrageous. Just as the scythe stopped, a huge blast of wind blasted out of his scythe without magic.

"AHHH!"

"WHAT IS THIS?!"

The guards that were running towards Kai from in front felt like they were hit by cars. The ones who were directly hit were forced to spit out some blood while the others who were only hit by the flying bodies of their comrades were knocked unconscious from the force.

"...Monster."

"I get that a lot. Let's go."

Kai nonchalantly ignored Yoko's comment and ran forward. The royal guards split up and fought the reduced numbers of the guards. The only guards left were the ones on the side but their numbers weren't to be underestimated.

"Remember your training! If even one of you were to lose to a single one of them, you'll all get a punishment!"

The royal guards visibly twitched. They were trained until they collapsed by Kai while he was still wearing the mask and disguise. They were taught how to fight against multiple opponents and how to read the habits of their opponents even through a helmet.

"""Yes, sir!"""

The royal guards were more motivated than ever. Kai and the rest of the members of Memento Mori ran together through the path in front of them. Even though the guards in front were blown away, the numbers on the sides were still over a hundred. Yoko used her superior speed coupled with [Fast Movement], severed the tendons of the guards who got too close. It was a ruthless move but with the small gaps in their armor, she could only target limited places that had none or were weaker than the rest. Though, if she were to use her full power, she could cut through normal armor like paper.

Natsumi did her best to knock them out, her arrow tips were dulled but the impact from the wind and bow could still knock someone out. Kazuki was focusing on defending Natsumi. Kei and Date were only blocking the knights and didn't attack, they were still hesitating.

"Kai, how much further?!"

"In the next room, there's someone who's significantly stronger than these guards. Erina is in the farthest and largest room in the palace, most likely the ballroom, she's with two other people, one of them the strongest here."

Kai barged through the large door in his way but the instant he did so, he raised his scythe to block a blade of wind. There was a youth there a bit older than Kai and looked like Kazuki's age. Mariko Yoshino had his sword in one hand and a rapier on his waist.

Erina was born with ice while her brother was born with Dual Attributes, this was common knowledge in the kingdom. Yoshino had water and wind, the same attributes as Hyosuke and his wife, Eimi. No doubt that in terms of strength, Erina was superior but in knowledge, Yoshino was levels ahead. At a young age, he had been termed as a genius.

Yoshino's level was at most C-class, this was also public knowledge.

"Kai, why is his power at A-class?"

Natsumi asked.

"...It's the same as the clan. I knew it. He's been given demonic powers, it gives strain to the soul and life of a person in exchange for power. The clan also had the members absorb demonic miasma to get stronger without their knowledge, I'm not even sure if that damned Patriarch knew or if he was being used."

Yoko who heard that fact for the first time furrowed her brows.

"You mean to say that the sudden increase in power for the clan members was demonic miasma?"

"Yeah. They were only affected to the minimum but each of them had the power of E-class. The Patriarch absorbed the most and even became A-class albeit weaker."

Yoshino glared at Kai and slashed out once more.

"Don't you dare ignore me!"

"Like I care."

Kai stabbed his scythe on the floor and a wall of earth rose up to block the blade of wind. Although wind was strong against earth, a mere slash wouldn't be able to destroy the wall. Then, he slashed the wall so fast that his hand and scythe became a blur. Once the pieces of earth were turned into tiny little blocks, they flew towards Yoshino. 

Yoshino simply raised his sword and a gust of wind blew the earth upwards and they turned into even smaller pieces.

Kai used his open hand and placed Yoshino above it in his field of vision. Then, he closed his palm as if crushing something. Then, the tiny pieces that spread in the area converged towards Yoshino. The tiny pieces acted like they were being called towards Yoshino's position and fixed themselves, soon Yoshino was encased in a sphere of earth.

Kai clicked his tongue.

The sphere of earth wouldn't close, there was some resistance from inside.

"[Wind Shield: Sphere]!"

The sphere of earth cracked and soon broke apart. Surrounding Yoshino was a fierce sphere of wind.

Just as Kai was about to attack for a second time with flames, Yoko stood in front of him.

"Kai, we'll take care of this. Go, take Natsumi with you."

Natsumi used wind, her arrows did little against others who can manipulate wind. Arata was earth but he rarely used his attribute. Kazuki held a great sword so he could still fight.

Kai stared at her for a second before nodding.

"Alright, let's go."

Kai appeared beside Natsumi and held her waist. Kazuki cursed Kai and his anger spiked but before he could attack Kai, he disappeared. Kai left a sonic boom which sent Kazuki flying.

"Kai, you bastard!"

Kazuki gnashed his teeth as he watched Natsumi disappear in front of him with Kai's arm wrapped around her waist.

"Stop being so creepy! We're facing someone strengthened by a demon!"

Everyone's view of the crown prince was shattered when they found out he was a total siscon but Yoko was the only one with the guts to berate him.

While Yoko had her head turned, Yoshino moved. He dashed forward accompanied by the power of wind and arrived at Yoko's position in the blink of an eye. Arata who was closely watching Yoshino's movements managed to arrive in time to block the attack. But Arata only had a C-class body, how could he hope to withstand the strike of an A-class?

Arata's shield only held back the sword for an instant. Arata quickly got knocked away towards the wall and a huge bang resounded.

Yoko grit her teeth and faced Yoshino, she brandished her daggers and descended into the shadows. Yoshino created a sphere of water around him and Yoko was forced to materialize outside.

He created shadows in a sphere by using the water and in turn blocked the shadows that had led to him. This man isn't to be underestimated.

Yoko stepped forward once and vanished, then she appeared on the wall, then the floor, the ceiling, she leaped from each position faster and faster. Now, Yoshino was surrounded by Yoko's speed.

Umi raised her palms.

"[Water Bullets]!"

Tiny bullets of water quickly launched from Umi's hands but were stopped by the sphere. If two of the same attributes were to clash, it would be question about which one has more magical power. If Umi's magical power was stronger than Yoshino, the water bullets would have pierced through while simultaneously creating holes in the sphere.

Arata had a tough body, he quickly charged forward using his spear with the tips covered in earth. Yoshino's sphere of water was his form of defense against Yoko and the rest.

"HAAAAA!"

Arata roared as he pushed his spear forward with all his might.

Kei couldn't help because if he had plunged his sword into the sphere of water, he would just become stuck. He couldn't use his flames that would be extinguished instantly. Date also had a water attribute so he accompanied Arata in piercing through the sphere.

"Pathetic."

When Yoshino's words fell, the sphere of water expanded then burst. Arata wasn't affected much but Kei had trouble defending. Just as Arata opened his eyes, he saw Yoshino in front of him using wind. Kei was occupied so the only support he had was Date.

But just as Yoshino's sword would land, Yoko knocked him aside using her body. Then, she leapt up and used the ceiling to charge back down with force.

"[Twin Shadow Assault]!"

Yoko spun around, she looked like a dark tonado launching downwards. Yoshino had to raise his sword to stop Yoko's attack but at that moment, she was able to graze his cheek.

Yoko did several somersaults just as water bullets arrived at Yoshino's position.

"Game over. Just a single graze from my dagger is enough to make your movements sluggish."

Yoko said this as she brandished her dagger that had Yoshino's blood on it. Umi prepared to launch more water bullets, Kei and Date were on opposite sides of Yoshino with their swords pointed at him. Arata had his spear aimed at the front while Kazuki was prepared to cast a spell in case Yoshino moved.

"...Hahahaha...Hahahahaha!"

Yoshino suddenly laughed.

"What's so funny?"

Yoko was prepared to launch another assault.

"The fact that you think you have me cornered, you pests. I'll show you what power really is."

When Yoshino's words fell, those around him instantly felt a sense of danger.

"Die for me."