"Everyone get moving! The operation'll begin in ten days!"

A man in a cloak shouted out.

"Tch. We'll have barely enough time to start the operation at this rate."

One of the workers said disatissfied.

"It's better than us being worked to death, we just want to see the Dark Guild fall."

Another one of the workers retorted.

"We can blame only ourselves, if we at least had enough power we could attack the Dark Guild with them, but it's better to be involved in the destruction rather than not."

All of the workers here are people who had either no affinity for mana or had insufficient strength. But all of them are here by choice. From grudges to absolute hate, against one thing and one thing only: the Dark Guild.

Families slaughtered, lovers slain in front of their very eyes, and children taken just because they couldn't fight back. The one who caused all this pain and misery is the Dark Guild.

These workers are the survivors of those incidents, or relatives of the ones who had been killed.

An organization as evil as that would be stupid to think they had no enemies.

....

A certain area in the base.

"Hey, did somebody just use the formation?"

A man who looked to be a guard asked.

"Our team just passed through a few hours ago."

One of the cloaked men whom Kai followed answered.

"But the formation shows signs of being activated just a few minutes ago."

"Don't worry about it so much, I mean even if it was activated, wouldn't we immediately find the culprit?"

A man placed his arm over the guard.

"Hahaha, I guess you're right."

The guard laughed half-heartedly.

"That guard is really sharp."

Behind a crate, a silhoutte could be seen crouching.

"[Camouflage]."

[Camouflage] is a spell that makes the user's body, clothing, and even aura merge with the background. Although not at the level of total invisibility, one would still need alot of focus to sense something different.

I'm sure gramps and his party can see me with no difficulty if they want to.

"My goal right now isn't to meet gramps, though I really want to. If I do see him, he's probably gonna detain me somewhere so I won't be harmed during their operation."

Right now, all I need to do is confirm it.

Kai ran but no sound followed.

"[Silent Steps]."

This way I won't be hindered by slowing down. Even so, this base is quite large, it might take me five hours to search it all.

Roughly two hours had passed when Kai had arrived at the center of the base.

'To sum up the information, they're called the Crimson Arrow, an independent force set on destroying the Dark Guild filled with non-magicians and magicians of various races."

The place Kai had reached is where most of the troops are stationed.

"None of this info matters to me, all I need to know is that if gramps is the leader. If any of his party members are here, that would also help me."

Kai whilst concealing himself, headed into the center.

...

"Move it there!"

"Faster, faster!"

"We won't have enough time so go faster!"

Yells like these echoed out.

There was never a moment where the workers stopped to rest, they all had this unwavering determination in their eyes.

"Goes to show that we have to destroy the Dark Guild as fast as we can."

For these people, they lived all this time just to see the Dark Guild fall even if their own families and lives were ruined.

"Gramps gave them this hope."

Kai walked in the crowd while avoiding the people passing through.

Nobody could notice him, even if they did they'd just at most ask Kai what he was doing there and kick him out at most. But even still, he was trying to avoid people noticing him.

If any of gramps' party were informed of a kid being in this area, they'd probably inspect it right away. It's really dangerous for a kid in this area.

Kai walked faster towards the place that looked like their main headquarters. But before he could even get near, he had been grabbed.

"Mmm!"

His mouth had been covered and he's currently being dragged to the side.

His eyes flashed with a ferocious light.

He immediately stopped struggling and ducked down whilst kicking the ground. His stop in the struggle surprised the man and had caught him off-guard.

When Kai had kicked the floor, the man nearly fell down.

"[Air Palm]."

Kai threw the [Air Palm] against the man; expecting the man to be thrown back a few meters.

But it didn't happen.

Whooooshh

The [Air Palm] had been swept away like it was nothing.

"Wha-!"

But before Kai could react, the man rushed towards him with hands brandished like blades.

"Ha!"

The man's right hand shot out towards Kai's shoulder.

One word appeared on Kai's mind when he saw that hand. Danger.

This guy isn't a pushover.

Kai bit his lower lip to get out of the trance and his footing switched. His right foot adopted a tiptoeing stance.

His left foot stepped forward stomped the ground as his elbows retracted.

"[Rotating Cannon]!"

His hands twisted and launched forward while they rotated.

They hit the man by surprise and hit his chest directly.

"Fly."

His hands twisted the opposite direction and the man's expression changed.

BOOM.

The man spat out blood on the spot, eyes devoid of color. The man flew a few dozen meters whilst hitting the ground repeatedly.

Before his body hit a crate, Kai's hands and footwork changed.

His right foot went back to it's normal position, with his hands retracting.

"[Sound Barrier]."

BANG

Just before the man could hit the crate, Kai's barrier had already been placed. The sound had been sealed and only he had heard it.

Phew

Kai breathed a sigh of relief.

"Looks like I'm still not used to surprise attacks, I almost forgot to hold back."

Kai walked towards the man and hid him. He then proceeded to sit down cross-legged right next to him.

I have to regain my mana and stop letting it fluctuate, I might've been discovered already.

Kai looked at the man who he had incapacitated.

"I also beat up one of them even if they're not my enemy."

Wait a second.

Smack

Kai made a facepalm.

"I could've just took one of the workers and used [Mind Search]."

Kai sighed.

He went through all this trouble for nothing at all.

"[Mind Search]."

He touched the man's head and closed his eyes.

Immediately after Kai closed his eyes, he opened them immediately with a trace of pain flashing through his eyes.

Ouch!

"Someone placed a barrier on his mind, concealing the memories involving the Crimson Arrows."

No doubt, the leader is really gramps.

"I guess I should leave now."

But before Kai could stand up he felt a pressure enveloping him which forced him to kneel.

"Gah!"

His face turning red from the pressure, he grit his teeth and with eyes scanning for an area he could hide in.

"There!"

Kai's figured vanished.

"Huh?"

The man got to the place above Kai.

"Where is that person?"

....

In an area hidden from sight, Kai was leaning on the wall panting.

"That confirms it..."

Kai said with rough breathing.

"That was definitely Gai-san."

Kai let out a huge breath of air and began making his way out.

"[Camouflage]."

Kai activated his [Camouflage] once more and ran as fast as she can.

"I better hurry or gramps will get word of me."

....

Blue Waters Guild Hall

Kanako was sitting down with a look that was even more worried than before.

"Kanako?"

Kyoko sat across Kanako with a worried expression. Though the worry was more directed at something other than Kanako.

"I'm fine, Onee-san."

Kyoko shook her head.

"It's not that, but I have something to tell you."

Kyoko stood up and gestured for Kanako to follow.

She complied with a lowered head showing her worry.

Kyoko sighed.

Kyoko went to her room, Kanako following closely.

As they arrived, Kanako stepped in first by the wishes of her sister.

Kyoko looked around before stepping inside as well.

"I have to tell you something about your friend."

Kanako's eyes looked up.

"It's not at all good news, in fact if it proves my suspicions are correct then things will only worsen."

Kyoko looked downcast and gulped.

"I can handle it."

Kyoko raised her head and began.

An hour passes as Kyoko told Kanako all about the Crimson Arrow.

"So you're saying, the leader is the strongest Human Mage in the continent and his reason for trying to launch a full scale-war against the Dark Guild is because of his grandson named Chikara Kai?"

Kyoko nodded.

"But Kai's last name is different! He's definitely named Kuroshi!"

Kyoko sighed.

"Let me tell you a legend of long ago, Kanako."

Kanako was confused but decided to let her sister continue.

"In the five Continents, with Heavenly God leading and Red Sky being the lowest, there was an ancient clan so strong that the current Heavenly God had no way of matching it."

Kanako gulped. She knew the difference between the Red Sky and Heavenly God, so if a single clan could destroy that continent, it would have to be terrifying.

"That ancient clan ruled Gaia, including the Continents above us."

Kyoko stopped for a second before continuing.

"It was said that the clan wasn't ruthless and did nothing to others unless provoked, but when one of the strongest in the Continents above challenged them, they were wiped with no trace left behind."

Kyoko was scared at the tale though it seemed a little too much to believe.

"This legend had been brought by the founder of this village which she found in an ancient library during her travels, I came across it accidentally and took a few years to decipher it."

"It spoke of unbelievable tales but the tale of that ancient clan was the one that struck fear into me the most."

"I haven't figured out the name of the ancient clan from the book cause it was torn but there was one thing that I saw that could lead to your friend."

Kyoko stopped for a second to let Kanako absorb the information.

"There was another legend about it but this time it was like a premonition. These were the words written: "Countless eons will have passed and the world ever changing, we will have long since been forgotten so I write this in hope that the world may find sanctuary against the coming storm. He shall descend and rule the world, from the ancient clan he has connections yet he does not know of them. His rebirth will have started from the weakest climbing his way up

to become a God. Countless troubles and obstacles he will face yet he will not give in. Any being that he encounters will become a stepping stone, he will become a God of war and slaughter everyone of his enemies. At his arrival, thunders will roar, lightning will strike, monsters will howl, night and day combined. He is the storm that this world will face, Ku...shi.."

Kyoko stopped talking.

"Aren't those the final words of a dead man?"

Kanako asked.

Kyoko nodded in reply.

"To be honest, I don't really believe this legend. Even if it was true, I doubt we'd live long enough to see it."

Kanako, still shaken by the story had a face that was even more downcast.

"Those last words, Kushi. Why did it feel like it was cut?"

"Cause it was."

Kanako stared in surprise with eyes begging for her to continue.

"The book I found was in the ancient tomb of the ancestor, the one who created the [Redirection Arts]. The pages looked like they would tear off any second, and unluckily it was already torn, the words I have said to you aren't the complete story. There were many ripped pages and even the words at the end."

"The words were Ku then it was ripped and I only saw the words Shi afterwards. But when I heard your friend's name, Kuroshi, two letters were the only thing that could fit in that small tear. At first I didn't connect it to the legend but when the strongest Human Mage was protecting him I just told myself, was this a coincidence?"

Kanako was shaken.

"It said he will start from the lowest and become the strongest. It also mentioned the words 'rebirth'. Do not think too much of this story as I am still speculating about whether it is trustworthy."

Kyoko stood up.

"Let's just hope that this story is false. And remember, never speak of this to anyone, especially your friend."

BANG BANG BANG

"Kyoko, are you there!?"

Kane's voice rang as he slammed the door.

"What is it?"

She hurriedly opened the door.

"Kai is back!"

Kanako leapt up and immediately ran outside.

She was met with the sight of Kai, clothes slightly messy.

But she did not mind it, she immediately lunged towards him with what seemed to be a hug.

"I'm back Kanak-!"

"Gah!"

Kai had been attacked by Kanako's move.

"What did you do that for!?"

Kanako, tears streaming down her face with rage written on her face.

"How much do you think everyone was worried about you, you idiot!"

Kanako smacked his head again.

Ryo nearly burst out laughing but covered his mouth with his hand.

"I'm finally back and the first thing you do is hit me!"

"Of course I would, you idiot! Have you no idea how much we searched for you after you ran after those cloaked men!?"

Kai was speechless. Kai breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sorry for worrying you."

He stood up and gave her a smile.

Kanako immediately knelt on the floor crying.

Ryo finally stepped forward.

"Welcome back, Kai."

"I'm back."