Author’s notes: EDIT(June 26)

Just wanted to let any new readers know that there are many info dumps in later chapters and not enough character interactions. I will be focusing on interactions more in the future, so you can merely glance at the info dumps if you want and not take it too seriously.

If you can get through those, then you might like the story.

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The doors exploded, sending chips of wood and dust everywhere.

Slowly, leisurely, several figures walked in, each one emitting an aura of absolute power.

Their mere presence almost seemed to distort space. The pressure coming off of their combined bodies made the air feel heavy, almost chokingly so.

‘Immortals” Lilith whispered, her heart filling with dread.

They were what the four had been afraid of. Before, there was no sign of enemies as strong as this. But, some time ago, something changed that caused the men before them to start moving in on them.

They had been very lucky to escape so far. It seems that luck had now run out.

The men looked indifferently towards Reina, who was still in the middle of the summoning. Slowly, a cruel, mocking smile came to the middle one’s face.

“A summoning, eh? Ha, how ridiculous. Did you become so desperate as to resort to this? Did you think it work, against us? No matter how you struggle, you cannot escape the plans our master have set for you. All this . . . Is meaningless. ”

Looking at the four of us with obvious disdain, he continued, “ But, since you are determined to fight till the end, i suppose we could humour you. Our masters need you alive, not whole. Who shoud we start with first? Ah, how about the pretty red-hair over there?"

Without another word, his arm flashed with inhuman speed and sent a sword made of condensed magical energy flying straight at us.

There was no time to react.

An instant later, the sword pierced through Reina's chest. Her eyes, which until then had glowed with an inner white light as she was still in the middle of the spell, reverted back to their original emerald color. Blood ran down her mouth.

"Reina!" Lilith cried out. Reina's body, not even two feet away from her, started to fall.

The sword, having finished its purpose, dissolved into tiny particles of light. Lilith was feeling shock, hatred, fear, and worry. But she bit her lip and held it in.

She was losing too much blood. At this rate...

"Bastard!" Saren drew a sword from his waist and charged at them recklessly.

A loud boom resounded throughout the hall and Saren was thrown backward. smashing against the wall before crumbling on the floor. He looked towards his brother, passing a silent message befre passing out.

"Lilith, the summoning failed, take her and go!" But it was useless. The Immortals didnt bother with an exchange of blows.

They assaulted him with waves of pressure that left him unable to fight. Against such weak opponents, the Immortals didnt even need to raise a hand.

The entire thing was pitiful. Against the other dangers, the two brothers had been reliable. But against the absolute power of the five Immortals, the two seemed weak and pathetic in comparison.

But all that was lost on Lilith. Right now, with Reina dying, it was only the two of them in their own little world. Nothing else mattered right now except her sister.

Lilith was numb. The presence of the Immortals had made her lose all hope of surviving. And yet, despite that, she still didnt want to see her sister die before her.

Reina whispered something.

Lilith had to lean closer to hear, and what she heard was unexpected at this point.

What she whispered was...

“He’s here...”

Standing in front of the, was a man she had never seen before, facing the Immortals. He was tall, perhaps 6'2, and though he was slim his figure was long and lean like a panther, seemingly built for explosive power and speed. His hair was midnight black like a raven’s wing. She couldn’t see his face.

He had no weapon on him that she could see.

Lilith felt something from him. A certain aura that dominated the air around him.

When he spoke, his voice was calm and carrying a faint hint of amusement.

" Ah, well, isn't this interesting. I was expecting a battlefield, and yet all I find is a few Immortals? I'm disappointed. But, it appears the situation itself is worth my attention. It's not every day an Immortal goes around harassing children like this"

He turned his head toward the two of us, revealing a handsome face with azure blue eyes.

She didn't know why, but Lilith felt exposed under his sharp gaze.

“Oh? That's quite the Curse you girls have there. It's actually attached to your souls. I wonder who you pissed off to get them.

Well, never mind. Before that, let’s get that girl there fixed up. Ah, she’s already half-dead. That's no good. I didn't give you permission to die yet, you know " There was a bit of arrogance to his words, and yet also a hint of friviolity that implied there was little that could faze him.

He waved a hand, and soon light spread across Reina's body. Lilith was shocked. The fatal wound, something that was caused by the attack which would ever heal on its own, was completely gone by the time the light faded, not a mark to be seen. As if it never happened.

While Lilith stared in amazement at the now-missing wound, the young man looked at the five Immortals. Not a trace of fear could be seen on his face.

The leader of the Immortals spoke, his voice cold.

" I dont know who you are, boy, but it is best that you move aside. Our business is not with you."

Before he even finished talking, the young man’s body flickered and an instant later he appeared in front of the Immortal.

A thin, gleaming sword had somehow appeared in his hands, and was held against not the Immortal’s throat, but the inside of his still open mouth.

The Immortal was in a state of shock. He never even saw the man move yet he had already drew his sword and held it into his throat before he even finished speaking?

In all his life, he had never experienced such a thing.

A cold sweat running down his back, the Immortal didn’t move an inch.

“I didnt say you could speak, did I? You're annoying me. Ah, and I dont appreciate you harming those kids. Since they are the ones who summoned me here, I cant let them get bullied, now can I? ” he smiled.

He was answered by various attacks from the other four Immortals. Without another word, he stabbed his sword through the other man’s throat, killing him.

It has to be said, Immortal are some of the most powerful beings on the planet. Simply stabbing their hearts or brains will not cut it. Even doing so would be exceedingly difficult. Their bodies were harder than steel. Not to mention the vast combat prowess from an untold number of centuries and battles. Yet how could he kill one so easily? A wound like that shouldn’t be enough to takedown an Immortal.

No matter how she thought of it, there was no logical reason for the Immortal to have died by an attack like that.

That said, even as they fought with everything they had, they were played with like children by the strange man

Whether it be in speed, skill or raw strength, they were far outclassed by the young man.

Everytime they exchanged blows, it was like their every action was controlled by the strange man. No matter how the Immortals attacked, their weapons never came close to harming their opponent.

Never had Lilith seem someone who moved so fast, yet made it seem as if they were merely taking a leisurely stroll.

30 seconds in the battle and one Immortal was decapitated while the other was hacked to pieces. She didn’t see how, only the result. Them, along with that first one, made the numbers drop to only two.

The Immortals who remained felt an inescapable sense of fear that they couldnt explain. They had faced countless dangers and tribulations before, yet now, against this man, they felt small and insignificant.

No matter how swift their weapons were or how intricate their techniques were, against him they were all useless.

Thee way he fought was both skillful yet unpredictable. They could clearly see the man's blade, yet when they went to block it, the sword came from another direction entirely and they had to scramble to keep up.

Yet what terrified them most, was that throughout everything, the man didnt loose like faint almost amused expression and neither did he move to attack any of their fatal points.

Did that not imply he didn't consider them his opponents at all? Did that not signify he was merely playing with them like a cat would play with a mouse?

They inwardly despaired, yet they didnt back down.

Couldn't.

The remaining Immortals struck in unison. One fired a bolt of condensed energy in the form of lightning, the manifestation of his power being discharged all at once.

The other lunged at Roland’s heart, his sword arm steady as an arrow flying towards its mark, while the sword itself was glowing with a fierce red aura. His spirit energy, the power of his very soul, was coating the blade and made it reach an entire new realm of power.

To everyone’s shock, Roland only raised a single palm and took on the bolt directly.

With a flash and a loud boom, the attack was completely nullified. His hand didn’t even bear a scratch.

Then he materialized another sword, just as the first Immortal did, and launched it at the one who shot the bolt, plunging it with deadly accuracy at his heart. Driven by the force of the sword, the Immortal went flying backwards and was pinned to the wall by the sword. However, the sword, unlike the first immortal's, didn't disappear.

For the other, Roland, in a show of inhuman precision and control, used the tip of his blade to stop the Immortal’s sword.

As the two points of their swords met, a shock-wave went off in the hall, knocking the Immortal ten feet away. Roland, for his part, was not affected at all. Walking with a calm, unhurried gait he soon stood over the last living Immortal. With a flick of his hand, the man's head was severed.

Having watched the scene, Lilith was in a daze.

It was amazing. In less than a minute, five Immortals, beings that made Lilith and the others couldnt hope to beat, were killed with such ease. Reina, bearing a wound that normally couldnt be healed, was saved with but a wave of a hand.

Just as Reina had said, everything had turned out far better than what Lilith would have thought possible.

Was this him? Was this really the one that Reina summoned to save them?

If it’s the man before her, then . . .

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Roland looked to the two women behind him. The one he healed was unconscious but, obviously, alive. After using the method he did, he dared anyone to try dying with him present.

The boy that was thrown against the wall was injured but was fine. There was another, even younger boy who passed out from the pressure by the five immortals. Well, that was understandable. Not many his age could even survive being in the same room with one Immortal, not to mention five. The fact the two lived after suffering the Immortal's arrival was fairly amazing.

Roland thought that if it was anyone else, forget moving to attack, they wouldnt even have the chance to think about moving before being turned into meatpaste from the combined pressure five Immortals could emit from their presence alone.

After he carried them to the dais with the other two and healed them, he looked towards the black haired female, who now unconscious as well. How strange. She shouldn’t be…

And then he felt a subtle energy in the room, ancient and yet young at the same time.

Wait, this feeling. The only one person Roland know with this particular type of energy, and that would be…

“Ah~, so you noticed me. Quicker than I expected. It’s nice to meet you again, Roland~. Haha, I truly never thought that girl over there would be able to summon you, of all people! She must have a monstrously high compatibility with you! How interesting~! Very surprising, since she seems a bit weak willed. Ah, and don’t mind the other woman. I just put her to sleep for a bit so the grown-ups can talk~”

It was a friendly voice, a bit inherently mocking yet one that was filled with good humor that was hard to get angry at. It was a voice he knew instantly. Roland smiled.

“ Loki.”