CHAPTER 99: Senior To Rescue

 Levi and Blake reached the edge of the ship port, the chilly breeze of the ocean, and Lark screaming welcomed them. He was being cut to pieces, but still didn't back off. Kuma also had his own battle with the tornados thrown at him.

Violet hadn't noticed Levi yet, so causing a distraction would open up a gap. But, unlike those three, Blake and Levi didn't have that much mana control to walk on water. 

Blake turned to Levi, taking out his bow and quiver of arrows from his storage ring. He took the stance and pulled an arrow, waiting for the perfect moment.

Within a glance, Blake could tell Levi's archery had progressed positively. The mana flow, and the strength put behind the arrow, reminded him of Irene, a prodigy of the bow and arrows. Irene was born with talent and her whole life was dedicated to it.

Except that Irene couldn't use any other weapon. Maybe the basics, but that was it.

But Levi could also use a poleaxe and in a proficient manner. Blake could tell just by seeing some of his moves. It made Blake wonder if Levi was born with it, or someone trained him since his childhood to train him.

Levi kept observing. Waiting for a moment, when Violet underestimated her enemies, let her guard down and gave him a perfect moment to attack.

And like he thought, she underestimated Kuma's strength. He easily destroyed her whirlwinds and attacked her. Violet's mind was so focused on Kuma now and her subconscious mind dealt with Lark that she didn't notice Levi's gaze at him.

'Activate Hunter Eyes and Snipe'

Levi thought and felt his vision become sharper and the feather of the arrow felt a part of him.

*Swish*

He let go, and the arrow moved past the ocean. The arrow possessed so much strength that it caused the ocean to ripple as the arrow flew just above it. And once the arrow was in Violet's range and realisation, it was too late and it pierced her hand. 

It worked out even better than Levi thought. He didn't expect it to go through her hands.

"Yes."

Blake said, clenching his fist. He looked at Levi, getting ready for another attack and his eyes, not even for a moment, left Violet. He didn't celebrate even for a moment and thought of another plan.

That wasn't talent but experience. And a teenager like him cannot possess that sort of experience. Blake admired him even more, because Levi had fought battles he never would nor get to know about.

But Levi had fought no battles, Blake thought of. The emotion-dead Levi couldn't find the joy of celebrating anything.

'One more shot.'

Levi was about to launch another arrow, but next thing he knew, a wave hit him, messing his form and vision. Once the water dripped away from his vision, he watched a red barrier protecting Violet and another man with her.

Levi sensed the man's stare and smile even when his face was covered. He recognized that person even without seeing his face.

'Brian? What is he doing here?'

The main villain of the first arc of the game, Brian to Levi's knowledge, never came to Barl. None of this had happened for any character to get involved. Something must have caused for a change like this to occur.

Levi wondered if helping Brian, getting the Ancient Crown really created this big of a mess. 

'I hate the butterfly effect.'

Levi checked Brian's stats, and like in the game, he had the strength of an S-rank. Kuma wouldn't stand a chance, nor would anybody in the town at the moment.

His feet trembled as he clenched his bow, ready in case Brian said hello….. with a punch, that is.

Instead, Brian turned away. He whispered something to Violet that made her shiver even more. 

Brian looked to the dawn setting in, and the horde of awakeners and guards coming this way. He could rip everyone to shreds, but that wasn't necessary. He wasn't even supposed to be here. Only because of Violet's failure, he had to show himself.

But getting to meet Levi or the person who posed as his friend's friend set his mood. To kill Levi with his own hands.

The red barrier, he cast, started to puff up like a ball.

Kuma didn't bother fighting further and rushed towards Blake and Levi. Lark, however, wasn't in that state of mind. His sword hit the barrier again and again, sending shock waves to his body.

"Tell me where my daughter is?"

He hit the barrier again, and now his nose and even eyes bleed.

"Give me back my daughter, you bitch. Give her back to me."

Now the blood was mixed with tears as his body started wavering.

The barrier kept glowing and glowing, and then

*Boom*

It exploded. Lark flew towards the ship port, and his back hit the deck. That was enough to put him to sleep. Before the ocean devoured his limp body, Blake rushed to him and pulled him up to the deck.

"We need him to snitch out rest of the kidnappers"

Brian started floating in the sky, so did Violet. She still didn't look up and shivered, fearing the failure of her mission. Her eyes glimpsed the three looking at them, floating away from the scene.

None of them moved to stop them. They had won and fighting further wasn't necessary. However, she wanted to fight. For her pride, as the Tempestia, the lady pirate, as Violet. She gritted her teeth and eyed Levi. 

Those confident eyes, her heart desired to gouge it out. And cut the hand that held the bow, interfering with her battle.

She vowed, if she came alive out of the ordeal ready for her, the first thing she would do was to do whatever she had thought to do to Levi.

Once the two villains reached metres above the ocean, they blended in with the atmosphere, not letting even a whiff of their scent in the air.

"Haa."

Levi took a long breath, removing the scarf from his face. The unwanted obstacle in his way was solved. He turned to Kuma and Blake.

"You guys should run. The guards are gonna be here soon."

Kuma nodded, but his eyes were still glued to the sky. A lingering taste of defeat hung on him, even though he didn't fight. His instincts gave up on any tactics, just by a look of that man's aura.

Levi took out two healing potions from the storage ring and passed it to the two. They both accepted it and just by touching the cold glass bottle and seeing how dense the crimson colour, the concoction had, they could tell, the potion wasn't everyday use.

Blake gave it back to Levi.

"It's too valuable for such minor injuries."

"You can get an infection from that burn, and that causes skin problems and might lead to death. Just have it."

A bit over the top reason, but Levi appreciated their help.

Blake put it in his pocket and so did Kuma. After that, both of them ran towards one of the shops, broke the window, got into the shop and disappeared from the scene.

The guards soon rushed to the ship port, from the burnt ticket shop, and saw a young boy, standing next to quite a famous sailor on the island, lying on the floor, knocking on death's door.

The guards approached him and pointed his weapons at him.

"Get on your knees and put your hands behind your back."

Levi smirked as he channelled mana into this wrist.

'Time to act as a benevolent priest.'

******

"Okay, this wasn't like how I planned it."

Levi said, as he sat next to a toilet. Acting as a man of God and trying to explain the situation in a low tone, with a glow on the face, didn't do the job.

They didn't even let him talk properly. Just pushed him down, handcuffed him and brought him here.

Sat inside the jail, Levi wondered how to get out. Running away would make him look like a culprit, but he didn't have anyone to rely on. Blake and Kuma were useless in this situation.

As Levi wondered in ways to get out, one of the guards approached the iron bars, and started putting in the key. He opened the door, entered the room and fully bowed at Levi.

"I am sorry for misunderstanding and nor trusting a messenger of God. Please forgive me. I needed to do my job and couldn't trust anybody."

The head of the guards in the city ordered Levi to be handcuffed and put into the jail, not giving him the chance to talk at all. He identified Levi as a corrupt priest, but now his actions and identity were justified.

'How did his attitude take a turn?'

The man left the room again, bowing to someone who Levi couldn't see from the corner. 

Soon, a woman taller than Levi, probably cause of the heel she wore, walked in and stood in front of Levi

'Why is she here?'

The woman pushed her black hair to the sides, and disappointment was visible in her blue eyes.

"This is not how I wanted to meet you for the first time."

She folded her arms.

"The Saint told me about you and honestly, I thought it to be an exaggeration but looking at you now, he was undermining what you can do."

However, Levi didn't listen to her. The character in front occupied his mind. Every time a new character entered his view, he observed their voice, behaviours, the way their body moved, everything, because it was fascinating how a computer, a game he used to play, replicated their character so perfectly.

'Nio Dracon. She looks exactly like in the game and even her demeanour. As if the monitor back on earth perfectly displayed her aura to me.'

Seeing Levi not listen, she stammered her heels.

"Listen to me."

Levi immediately pulled himself out of his thoughts and paid attention. Angering The Executioner would be the quickest way to die.

Now, everyone remained silent except for the murmuring of the guards on the other side of the room.

Nio observed Levi. Average, the mana and aura he excluded screamed average. His face was a thing to look at but except that, Nio didn't find anything praiseworthy.

But how could he save these children and capture a B-rank as well? Somebody had helped him. She had to find out about that, yet. What he did wasn't normal for someone like him.

"Who helped you?"

She asked, and Levi shook his head.

"So you're telling me you did all of this by yourself?"

"No. I got help, but I cannot reveal who."

Levi replied without faltering in his voice.

As he said, he felt a lump in his throat and heart, trying to squeeze it out of his body. Nio behind it, watched Levi grab his throat, and tried to act calm.

"You won't tell me, even if I torture you. Misusing the church's authority, even for minor cases, will lead to cutting either your hand or your legs. You got involved in something the royal family itself had banned anyone from getting into and exploited your status. Killing you is the best option for what you have done."

The church wasn't going to involve itself in this incident. They had other missions to take care of. But since the kidnapping cases kept on increasing, Siras got curious, and sent his best weapon. He ordered Nio not to do anything and report everything that was happening here.

She had just stepped on to the island two hours ago, and Levi had already done everything Siras didn't want her to do.

Nio increased her mana a bit more, and Levi's face started turning blue, because of the lack of oxygen. He deserved this for making a mess hard for even Nio to clean.

"But aren't you doing the same thing that I did? I don't think the pope ordered you to choke to death."

That was a bold statement to say in front of someone whose killing was justified.

Nio chuckled and grabbed Levi's hair.

"You know who I am right. They should know that whatever I do to you will not even affect me."

"I know."

Levi replied.

"But- the pope isn't going to let this slide. I am sure he has told you about me. And whatever you are going to do to me, it will affect you."

Before she acted, Nio had told Siras everything, who kept rubbing his forehead, the more he heard about Levi's antics.

"Just get him out of jail."

That is the only order he gave, which shocked Levi. If anyone else had done this, in the name of the church, they would be stripped of their title, maybe even some arms and legs.

Nio again chuckled. This time, she let go of Levi's hair and stopped her magic. A fresh air entered Levi's lungs. It felt like being revived from the dead by the kiss of an angel.

Nio understood why the pope took an interest in him. Even with such a small talk, she could tell Levi's wasn't ordinary.

"Stand up. You might as well thank me for getting you out."

"Thank you, my senior."

Nino, about to talk back, stopped and looked at Levi.

"Senior?"

"Yes, I'm a junior priest, and you are an executioner. I don't know for how long you have held this position but, you are older than me so that makes you my senior."

Nino didn't like hearing that as Levi kept a straight face.

"Just refer to me as Nino and never call me senior ever again."

"Why?"

"I don't like it."

Because it made her really feel old. Nino walked out of the cell, followed by Levi. 

He thought about why she didn't like it and instead of keeping his thoughts to himself, he blurted it out.

"Do you not like being called a senior cause you're approaching middle age?"

As soon as he said that, a heavy sensation was pushing Levi onto the ground, but he stood still, and not giving in. Nio's blue eyes stared into Levi's soul as a never in her forehead popped up.

Levi sighed as he realised the mistake the foul mouth of his made.

'When will I learn?'