5

"What did you say a divine curse."

My friend was quite baffled when he heard about the divine curse and it was quite understandable as Samantha was someone blessed by the God of Flora and it was very likely for her children to be blessed by the Gods too but instead her son was cursed by the Gods.

"Yes a divine curse with unknown origin, its effects are also unclear, but Ash is having some weird dreams since it partially awakened."

As I tell him about the curse he begins to rub his beard and begin thinking deeply about it.

It was a habit of his that he did since his childhood. He always stroked his chin thinking about something important.

Icarus is a handsome man who stands at five foot nine, with platinum color hair and a platinum color beard, and with his majestic ocean-like blue eyes, he looks like a gentleman through and through.

Interrupting my thoughts Icarus said.

" It really is strange, how could he be cursed by the Gods other than the seven great Gods? All other gods are already confirmed to be dead in the primordial war between Gods and demons. I may have to inspect the curse myself to reach a plausible conclusion. "

The reason why I contacted Icarus is because of the knowledge and curiosity of an S-rank mage. Mages are naturally more prone to collect knowledge of various things as that is a must for mages to ascend ranks.

" Thanks my friend, I shall repay this favor, whenever you ask of me."

" Haha if you really want to repay the favor why don't you join my knight's order? I will treat you very well if I may say."

"Well, let's put that matter aside and tell me about the unusual behavior of the demonic beasts in the Grand line."

"Tch avoiding troublesome questions like that why am I not surprised? As I said the behavior of the demonic beasts is very concerning not only the usual order of the Grand forest is broken as you know the weak monsters are always at the outskirts or in the Grand line and the strong monster reside inside but now B to A rank beasts are now appearing on the Grand line and not only that an S-rank behemoth also attacked our northern forces yesterday."

"What a behemoth. The situation is more dangerous than I thought. How did you defend yourself against a behemoth"

A behemoth is an ancient beast with a size rivaling titans. It has a form of an elephant with big tusks that can rip through any metal with ease.

A behemoth is an incantation of strength with its size it could even destroy a kingdom with its one single charge.

" We killed it."

"What! did you kill it? "

"Of course not, it was none other than my younger brother Stain who killed it."

" AH! so Stain has also returned from his expedition from the capital Agnus. "

Stain von Avalon also known as the continent's youngest sword Saint, he was an exceptional force that no one denied.

Originally Avalon dutchy was an estate of knights and its Duke had always been an S-rank knight but Icarus became the first magician to be Avalon's Duke, due to his immense talent but it looks like this time the Dutchy was blessed with another immense talent Stain.

Speak of the devil. As we were conversing about Stain, he barged into the room.

Stein was quite surprised to see me there in the office.

"Yo Aaron."

Even though Stein was twenty-three. He looked like an eighteen-year-old. He had long platinum hair and a child-like face with the same eyes as the Duke. It wasn't helping it as Stein also behaved like a child.

"Yo Stein. How have you been."

"I am good. What brings you here? "

As we were conversing Icarus interrupted us.

"Ahem! I think that's enough chitchat. Aaron has come for our help."

As soon as Icarus said that. Stein lunged at me and begin to thank me like I was his lifesaver.

"Thank you, Aaron."

" Now I can finally rest a bit. Your friend had me done overwork for Six days straight without a tinge of sleep. "

Ah! Now I see what's the reason for his sudden gratitude.

"STAIN tell me first the reason for your visit, then you can chat with Aaron."

You see Stein always had a habit of forgetting important things and Duke was aware of it. That's why he was pestering him so much to tell him his reason to come here.

"Oooh! yeah I forgot we are being attacked by a pack of wyverns at the base in front of the estate. I came here to ask for support."

We were all greatly alarmed by that news. The front base was only four miles away from the capital.

"WHY didn't you tell us first? Forget it at least tell me their rank."

" There are two S-ranks and five A-rank wyvern."

We all quickly rushed outside.

As we got outside Duke quickly ordered the butler.

Quickly assemble the 1st and 2nd battalions and prepare three horses for us. There is a demonic beast attack on the front Base.

<<Half an hour later>>

Standing in front of the pack of wyvern with Stein and the 1st and 2nd battalions we were all ready to start our attack. The 3rd battalion had done a good job defending the place and was now retiring from the scene.

Our strategy was simple, the two S-rank wyvern will be attracted toward me and Stein and all the other five A-rank wyvern will be attracted by the 1st and 2nd battalions, there were only eight knights available from the 1st and 2nd battalions but fortunately, we did have the two A-rank commanders of the 1st and 2nd battalions. Duke will help the battalions from behind to slay the A-rank wyvern and we will slay the S-rank wyvern.

Stein looking toward the pack of wyvern said to me.

"You may have to remove your limiter, Aaron. It won't be that easy."

" Ha! I didn't want to remove my limiter like that. "

In truth my true rank was S-rank and I have been using an artifact to turn my demonic energy into mana but that came with a price that limited my strength to A-rank.

The real reason I have to keep my powers hidden and the reason why I was kicked out of the count's family was because of my mother.

I was a child born between a demon who had entered the estate as a maid and the count. The demon had lured the count to have sex with her and became a mistress in the count's estate by giving birth to me.

The main reason the demon or my mom infiltrated the count's estate was to get close to the Duke and kill her. As the Count's family was quite close to the Duke's family. She could get close to them more easily.

My mom was a part of some cult of some sort whose purpose was the destruction of the world and they believed in an Abyss of some sort called the Abyss Order. They wanted to ignite the flames of war by killing the Duke and making a start of another war between humans and demons.

But luckily she was caught before that and killed. Count however loved me dearly and sent me to the Duke's estate there I learned swordsmanship from the previous Duke and make good friends with Icarus and Stein. The count couldn't help but send me to the Duke as there was no place in that estate after my mother's identity got leaked that's why he sent me to the Duke's estate so that I could become strong and make my own path.

This was an A-rank artifact given to me by the previous Duke. Even though the humans and demons have established peace and are also in a good diplomatic relationship. But the opinion of demons was very low in some places. That's why Duke bestowed me with this artifact <The veil of shadow>.

Shaking me out of my thoughts Stein roared

" CHARGE "

And all the knights began to charge toward the pack of a wyvern.

To attract the attention of the S-rank wyvern we began to send slashes of aura at the wyvern. The plan was working fine as the Duke had also cast a B-rank aggravate spell and the wyvern became angrier at us after receiving those aura slashes and began to charge to our side crazily.

As wyverns are from the family of dragons they are adept in magic and flying. They are even said to be unbeatable in the air and they may not be able to use dragon breath but they can use a degraded version, fire breath of it. So I knew that facing tan S-rank wyvern with the limiter was simply crazy.

So I removed the limiter<The veil of shadow> which was in form of a black ring. Seeing the incoming wyvern at me my heartbeat began to race and I was becoming excited about the fight.

Even though it was a wyvern approaching me, for me, it was nothing more than a flying lizard trying to copy a dragon. Dragons are a whole different breed than them. This is going to be nothing but a warm-up.

I saw the wyvern flying at me with frightening speed and without breaking that momentum he lunged at me. He was considering his prey weak because of my previous slashes. Wyverns are a proud species like dragons and mainly consider their prey weak or judge them based on their initial encounter.

And I was just exploiting that as he lunged at me. I used my A-rank sill blink to reappear exactly above his right wing.

As that was my only chance to get him by surprise I put all the demonic energy I could put into my sword and also infused the element best suited for me pyro into it. I decided to go a little over the top and used my first Fang of the Lion's roar Pierce, Twisting my body In mid-air and creating a Shockwave from my demonic energy. I used all my demonic energy and my element of fire to create a slash whose sole purpose was to pierce. Pierce was my first Fang of my swordsmanship and my most skilled one too.

As my sword met the skin of the wyvern. My fire and the slash work together to cut through its wing like butter. The Wyvern was confused for a second but as he registered what had happened to him, it began to roar with anger and pain.

The wyvern began to shoot wind slashes at me left and right. I have cut its whole wing off now flight will be impossible for him, so that's why it began to pour its all in its magic and began to strike me with air slashes of at least rank-A from all directions.

I also put my all into dodging its slashes and begin to look for an opening. But this time wyvern was also alert and was looking carefully at my all advances and was also using his big tail to attack me from different positions.

He was using his big tail to attack me and defend his weak points at the same time.

I was beginning to get cornered by his onslaught of air slashes and its various tail attacks. Its tail was the most durable part of its body and also the heaviest but it moved its tail at frightening speeds at me that could end an A-rank knight's life when hit.

As I was dodging its wind slash suddenly a tail was thrown at me toward my escape point. I was able to dodge it by pumping demonic energy in my legs and creating a Shockwave through it and going midair, but while in midair I was attacked by the claws of the wyvern.

There was no escaping it now, I could only take the claws head on. I infused demonic energy in my sword toward the point where its claws were going to clash to increase its durability.

I may have underestimated the wyvern too much as it sent me flying into a nearby rock. The sword was in good state but as I had no ground to stand in mid-air I couldn't handle its raw power and was sent flying away.

Getting out of the debris I created, I tried to get my bearing as fast as possible, as I had been hit pretty hard and I couldn't even stand straight. When I did get my bearing straight and opened my eyes. I could see the wyvern's neck becoming redder and redder.

As I saw that I knew I was fucked. The Wyvern was charging its flame breath and also giving up most of his mana to cast a partial draconic breath.

Kidding, It was so boring to fight this creature that I started to doze off in the middle of a fight and was sent flying in the air. But still, it was all so predictable I was regretting pulling my limiter off. Its attack patterns and Its way of thinking when cornered were all too predictable.

Its last resort to mimic draconic breath was also pure idiocy. He was giving up all his defense around his neck and was practically asking me to slash its neck and I just did that. I again used Blink to appear in front of his neck, using the first fang Pierce again. I pierced its neck and slashed its neck without even using my flames.

As I was putting my limiter on me again I saw Stein approaching me from behind.

"So how was the fight, Stain."

"I killed it with a single slash why do I have to do overwork for a creature like them anyways? I just want to sleep now. "

" Yeah, they really were weak for S-rank that is. Did you notice? "

" Oh yeah I forgot again, their rank appeared to be raised forcefully. They only had the strength and mana of an S-rank all their attacks were too clumsy and their mana was too unstable. "

" I knew you would be able to see it, Stain. "

Even though Icarus was an immense talent in Avalon. There was no denying that Stein was still the best talent seen ever in the history of Avalon Dutchy.

"HAHAHA I know right? Praise me. Stein is the best. "

Oh yeah, Stein was also weak to praise. So I rubbed her head with my hand, it was always cute to see his childish acts. He has always been like a little brother to me. So I couldn't help but spoil him a little.

" Yes, Yes our Stein is the best. "

But still raising forcefully the rank of an A-rank beast to an S-rank was not a matter to be taken lightly. In past, Abyss Order had been forcefully raising the ranks of demonic beasts and using them to do their dirty deeds. Is it the Abyss Order again this time?