Belphegor

On the coast of the city of Ranoa, a giant sailboat sailed away as it slowly disappeared from the horizon.

A long haired middle-aged man with pointed chin wearing a rugged brown robe stood there quietly as he watched the giant sailboat on its way. Fresh winds from the sea blew while the waves continued crashing on the boulders. Whistles of the sea breeze whipped the man's body.

His black hair blew along with the winds but his body stood still and unmoving.

Behind him, some men in green robes were rushing on his way. They looked at the sea, and someone said, "Damn, she got away!"

"You over there! Did you see a black-haired woman in red dress on board that ship?" a burly mage saw the man standing on the coast and asked him.

The man just stood there quietly and stared ahead at the sea as if he didn't hear anything.

"Answer him!" a young mage came forward and pointed a sword at the man.

The young mage had spiky gray hair. He seemed to carry an exceptional aura with him.

However, the man ignored his presence along with his companions, as if they were not worthy of his time. The young mage then frowned at him.

"Are you deaf? I said, answer him!" the young mage continued threatening the man.

The man turned his head on the young mage and just flashed out a simple smile. His figure radiated a seemingly harmless and ordinary aura.

The wind was still blowing, and the sea waves were crashing on the rocks all the same. But the young mage's expression turned pale as he sweated profusely. Panic surged through his eyes as his heart began to race uncontrollably.

The burly mage saw the young mage's expression. He laughed as he said, "Hey, hey, what's gotten into you? Don't tell me you're afraid."

"Get a-away! D-d-d-don't provoke h-h-him!" the young mage said with a stutter as he pointed at the man.

The corners of the burly mage's lips curled up to a lopsided grin as he approached the man.

"N-no!" The young mage raised his right hand forward as he tried to stop the burly mage but he found that he was unable to move. He suddenly felt cold and sick to his stomach.

The burly mage raised his right hand forward and tried to grab the man's cloth but before his hand reached his cloth, the man turned his gaze on the burly mage. With an overpowering spirit, his eyes seemed to penetrate the space as it landed directly on the burly mage.

The man didn't even move from his spot.

It was then that the burly mage's hand stopped its approach. The burly mage felt energy leaving his body as he lost his strength.

'What the-' was the burly mage's last thoughts before he fell down with his eyes wide open. His pupils seem to be hidden.

"What happened?" said another man in green robes.

"You! What did you do to him? Surround him!" shouted a spiky haired man as he pointed a spear on the man.

The mages in green robes surrounded the man and pointed their weapons on him.

"Hmmm? What is this feeling?" the man muttered with a low voice as he turned his head over.

'This direction... It seems to be Parlon city?' the man thought to himself.

"Attack!" someone commanded.

They were about to attack when suddenly, the man muttered, "Noisy".

A sudden burst of invisible oppressive force swept through their bodies.

The mages fell down one by one with their eyes widened, as if they had seen something terrifying. Just like the burly mage, their pupils were gone!

The only one remaining was the young mage who shuddered in terror.

'I told you guys not to provoke him!' the young mage inwardly exclaimed as he clicked his tongue.

He tried to move his body but his body felt heavy and didn't listen to him. He opened his mouth and tried to warn them but no voice came out of his mouth.

Fortunately, the man didn't seem to do anything else to him.

'This feeling... It feels familiar... Luric?' the man mused as his eyes narrowed.

Suddenly his eyes lit up in realization.

"I see, so that's how it is" the man muttered with a low voice as his lips curled up to a grin.

The man then walked away as if nothing happened.

"N-n-name.. What is your name?" the young mage said with a stutter.

The man stopped walking and turned as he cast a look on the young mage with an amused expression on his face.

'Now I've done it! I'm doomed!' the young mage inwardly exclaimed as he regretted asking for his name.

"I'm just a nobody.. But you can call me Belphegor" the man said as he scrutinized the young mage before he walked away. He walked calmly as if nothing happened as his figure slowly disappeared from the horizon.

Only then was the young mage able to move his body. He then approached the bodies of his fellow mages and checked if they're still alive.

He heaved a sigh of relief after realizing that they're still alive and just unconscious. He then turned his head to the direction where the man walked away.

"What a terrifying man. Fortunately, he didn't do anything to us" the young mage muttered with a low voice.

Shortly afterwards, men in green robes arrived at the scene.

"Zell, what happened here?" a skinny mage said as his brows furrowed.

The young mage narrated the scene earlier and how they provoked the man named Belphegor.

"You were lucky he showed you mercy. He does indeed look like someone we can't afford to provoke" the skinny mage said as he held his chin. He then turned to look at the unconscious figures.

"What about the criminal?" the skinny mage asked.

"I don't know. But she must have gotten away by now" Zell answered.

'Damnit! That bitch Leah got away this time.' the skinny mage inwardly cursed as he gnashed his teeth.

"Men, carry these guys and bring them back to the guild" the skinny mage yelled as he pointed at the unconscious figures.

"Green Owls won't let this slide. Just you wait, Leah!" the skinny mage murmured as his eyes flashed with a cold light.