The towering mana sentries of Manus City can be seen from a thousand miles away. In the middle of the city is a large oasis with luxurious boats floating atop.

This place was once one of the treasures of the Togoah empire.

Inside the castle of Manus Kingdom, an old man with a huge blue crystal on his side took a deep breath and patted his robe. A whirl of transparent matter is being absorbed by the old man until it finally stabilized.

“Finally out of that godforsaken place!”

The soldiers that are guarding the summoning gate bowed from the waist. He called out to the soldiers and issued a series of commands.

“Send this letter to the empire.”

“Go to the Red Velvet Bar and reserve a seat for me tonight.”

“That’s all! Ohh, and Inform the king that Kaiser Hohen requests a meeting.”

***

Dusk is approaching, the scent of blood is both inside and outside Inedge City. The once lively plaza is now replaced with an eerie silence.

“I can’t hear Father anymore chwik!”

“We” “need” “to” “prepare” “that” “thing”

“Korpic, peek at the window and check if Boss is still around.”

“No, you peek at the window!”

“You should follow your superiors order!”

“Oho! Last time I checked you’re not my superior!”

“At least give respect to the disabled and elderly!”

“You’re a pedo and a quack doctor!”

“You’re a fake noble and a scammer!”

While the two are arguing Semira pushed the window wide open. The stench of blood and flesh that has been roasted by the sun went inside the carriage. The party inside froze. A sword brush-by her neck and the window was broken. It took her a few seconds to realize that she was still alive.

None of the beings inside the carriage move, they didn’t even dare to breathe. But Quinn’s legs are shaking and he fell down, his butt hit the wooden floor of the carriage.

It was not a loud sound, but for Bethel and the others, it was the loudest bang they have heard in their entire lives.

Quinn looked at the eyes of Rus, what he saw is an ancient beast ready to swallow him whole. He lifted his sword ready to slaughter the people in his sight, but an arrow struck his weapon.

A 4th-Rank Bow-Hunter released an arrow that was enough to drive the sword off its path. In front of the Hunter is a Defender that carries a huge shield that’s shaped like a kite.

The two Swordsman got off their horse and got ready for battle. These guys are the 4th-Ranked personal guards that Vice General Heisen sent to capture Rus. The guy carrying a long-bow is the one calling the shots.

“Remember our order! We must bring him back alive! But it doesn’t specify how alive.”

The four of them threaded slowly, the information that was given to them was limited.

They have confidence in their ability, but they all know that rushing in unprepared can lead to their deaths.

They got in position, the target is rushing at them from the front. The defender can see the target’s body moving, but when it got in front of him he wasn’t able to see the direction of the sword.

Thanks to the huge shield he just needs to position it in front of the target and it can block the sword strike that’s coming. The sword hit the shield and a loud clanging and shattering sound were heard. The defender's shield shook and he slid back a few steps.

They all look at the executioner sword that the target is carrying and could see the shattered blade that hit the shield.

The other party members didn’t waste any time and an arrow was shot from behind the defender. The two swordsmen also rushed from left and right ready to give a fatal blow.

The arrow was parried by the targets sword and the attack by the two swordsmen hit nothing but thin air.

The way their target is fighting is illogical they could all see the intention behind it.

His eyes are locked at the hunter, but the Defender keeps blocking his way.

A loud clanging sound could be heard every now and then, and the Executioner Sword he’s carrying is slowly being destroyed.

Their fight became a battle of attrition. The way the target move is inhuman, he will smash the shield with brute force, but somehow still manages to avoid the sword and parry the arrows.

His movements have no pattern or style behind it, you can even say it’s ugly. Every sword slash that was done, every arrow that was shot his way never touched his flesh.

There is only a paper thin margin when he evades the swords and didn’t use much force when parrying the arrows.

But that’s not the worse that bothered the Vice General’s Personal Guards. Their target keeps speaking alien and disgusting words while brandishing his sword. It gave them the feeling that what they’re fighting is not a living being but an empty shell.

“Quinoa Jesus Cum Salad!”

“Teriyaki Cucumber Chopped Nipples!”

Once again their target brandished his sword and it smashed on the huge shield that the defender is carrying. The Executioners sword shattered into pieces and some of the debris got embedded on the shield.

Seeing the broken sword their target is carrying, they were able to relax a little.

But during that split second before they heightened up their senses again. Their target vanished and the gurgling sound of the Hunter drowning in his own blood was heard. He then twists the broken sword in the neck of the Hunter.

Before the Defender could turn around, their target hugged him from the back and stabbed an arrow in his eyes.

The two swordsmen looked at each other, they both dropped the sword and buckler and ran in a separate direction.

When the Bow-Hunter and Defender died, the mission changed from Capturing the target to delivering accurate information to their boss.

The plan worked, Rus gave chase to one of the swordsmen and the other escaped.

Semira and others watched the battle unfold, while Korpic approached them carrying cylindrical metal tubes. He handed one to Emeralda and the Twins leaving the last one to himself. He looked at Semira and Quinn and with his chin pointing up, and tapped the metal tube.

“This here is called [Korpic’s Thunder Launcher].”

“Are you kidding me? I’m the one who designed it, its called [Bethel’s Rod of Destruction].”

“Ignore them chwik. I think father called it uhh, Bazooka Chwik.”

“Emeralda, Korpic, Geal, and Byal be ready to move when that happens and be careful.”

Bethel is stroking his beard while looking up in the sky.

“He’s already saying salads soon we’ll be able to wake him up. Don’t waste the ammunition it’s really expensive.”

Rus chased the swordsman until they arrived at the residential area. He caught up with the swordsman and threw a palm-sized rock behind his head. After his pray fell down he continuously bashed the rock at the swordsman's face until it has turned into mush.

Everyone is inside their house due to the ongoing war. But a little redhead girl is peeking at him. His eyes moved at the side looking directly at the little girl.

No, not again, stop, don’t move, just stay where you are!

He didn’t know if his thoughts are for himself or for the little girl. But when Rus looked at her she slammed the door shut.

She ran inside the kitchen and hugged her mom that’s preparing dinner.

“Mommy, I saw a scary guy!”

Her mom pinched both her cheeks until it went beet red.

“Didn’t I told you not to go outside and read your book?”

“I’m soweee!”

“You don’t need to worry, Big Brother will protect you both! After I take the test I’ll be a 1st-Rank Adventurer!”

She ran behind her big brother seemingly asking for protection from her mom.

They suddenly heard their door being opened.

A tall guy that’s covered in blood from head to toes was standing in front of them.

They are not the richest household in the neighborhood but they still have money that they have been saving for rainy days. She went in front of her two children hiding them from the stranger.

“Go upstairs, don’t go down until I call you!”

The two kids ran upstairs and went inside their parent's bedroom.

“Please take anything you want, the money is hidden underneath the chair in the living room.”

Rus was shouting inside his head, this time it seems to be working. Because he didn’t jump and ripped them to shreds like animals.

Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!

He kept repeating these words inside his mind over and over again. But, it simply slowed his movements. The mother of the two kids tried her best to hide her fear.

“I I If you don’t want m m money, you you can have me. B b but please leave my children alone!”

Her instincts as a mother kicked in she will do anything for her children to survive. Even though she’s still in her mid 30’s she knows that she’s still a charmer that can turn peoples head.

She backed away from him and leaned at the kitchen sink. She untied her shirt exposing her subtle breast. She grabbed the skillet behind her while her naked upper body is exposed in front of a stranger. She got everything planned out.

Blood is dripping from his body as he approaches her. He walked slowly and stretched his hands almost touching her shoulders. He grabbed her neck and slowly squeeze it harder and harder.

She waved the skillet aiming at his head but it was blocked by his left hand. He felt everything, from the moment he touched her soft skin up to the point where her neck is broken from his grip. He saw the fear in her eyes while her face lost color.

The two kids saw everything that happened. The little girl screamed with all her might.

“MOMMY!!”

He saw the two children at the stairs.

The big brother grabbed her little sister and shoved her inside the closet. He stood guard carrying the dagger that his father gave him.

The wooden stairs squeaked every time the Rus took a step. He saw a boy pointing a dagger at him. The boy’s whole body is shaking but his eyes never wavered.

Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!

Rus kept screaming but no sound was heard. He grabbed the boys head and pushed it down the bed. The boy is thrashing about and little by little the movement stopped the dagger the little boy is holding fell on the wooden floor. Rus didn’t speak a single word since he entered their house.

He knelt on the ground and looked at his hands that are covered in blood. He grabbed his hair and shouted in a very agonizing tone. Like a wounded beast that’s calling out for his kin.

The little girl was watching him through the slits of the closet. She didn’t feel fear or sadness. She didn’t feel grief or loss. Instead, she felt hatred. She hated that the man that took her brother and mother is shedding tears. The mere act of him showing any shred of emotion is unacceptable to her.

She went out of the closet and grabbed the dagger that her brother dropped and stabbed Rus in his back.

“DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!”

The dagger only managed to pierce his skin but didn’t make it through his thick muscles. He stood up and looked at the little girl straight in the eye. The eyes he saw was the kind of eyes that he always looks at in front of a mirror.

“My name is Rus, 4th Head of the Tessaro Familia. If you want to take revenge, get stronger.”

He knocked her out and tucked her inside the bed. He carried the brother downstairs and covered his dead body. He then went to the kitchen and put the clothes of the mother back on. He put her dead body beside her child.

He wants to close his eyes and take rest. He slumped on the floor. But before he could lay his body on the ground his body moved again on its own. Rus grabbed the decorated sword inside the house and stormed outside looking for his next prey.

Rus will meet the little girl that he gently tucked in the bed again. In a few years time, She will gain a name for herself, the bards will sing a song about the Flawed Empress of the West, and the people will fear her every step.

***

“Vice General, the mana came back for a few minutes and did significant damage to the ice wall.”

“Vice General, the spike wall has been fully placed and the archers are ready for a volley.”

“Vice General, the personal guard you sent after the suspect came back, and Captain Kurac has been found but he’s not in a very good condition.

Reports were being delivered inside the command center in succession. The Vice General is handling it like a conductor in an orchestra. Commands are being given out without stop. The General was in awe he knows in his heart that sooner or later his friend's position in the empire will be higher than his.

“Ask the Logistics department if any of the mana storage has been filled.”

“I and the General will accompany you soon at the front lines. Tell the commanders to be ready to defend with their flesh and blood until reinforcement arrives.”

“Take me to my guards and Kurac.”

The Vice General went to the barracks where the injured people are residing.

His Guards feet are covered in bandages from running non-stop with metal greaves. But he still tried to stand up to greet him.

“My Liege!”

“At ease, tell me everything.”

“The strength and agility of our target are comparable to a high being, two of our members died and the other one is still missing.”

On top of another bed, Kurac was curled like a baby staring at the ceiling and muttering words repeatedly.

“Tell me what happened to him? Did he get attacked and injured his head?”

“Vice General, we found him walking around aimlessly and bought him inside the barracks the doctor checked if he has any injuries and found none.”

The Vice General gave him a hard slap on the face to wake him up, but it doesn’t seem to be working.

“Demon, Demon, Demon, Demon, Cataclysmic!”

“Try everything to bring back his sanity, he’s the only one that knows the full details about what went down before all this.”

He went back inside the command center to speak with the general.

He gave his honest opinion without holding anything back.

“General, I have no solid evidence but just a hunch. The key to defending the city lies within it.”

“Here’s the report regarding the target, and the newest information hasn’t been written yet. He defeated four 4th-Rank Personal guards of mine and is estimated to be a high being. I still don’t know how the mana disappearance is connected with this person. It will be a gamble.”

“Leave it to me. I might not be the smartest person in this city but I know I’m the strongest!”