68 Rosewoods

My friendly quip turns the draconic hybrid into the personification of astonishment and confusion. Even her escort, an impassible old man who remained dignified until I gave him an in-depth lesson about the local trees, stares at me with his mouth wide open.

Or maybe it's because I'm standing in the middle of a sea of corpses?

I shake my head, nobody living in the same world as I do would be shocked with such a scene... it's a bit depressing when I think about it.

"So, I believe we haven't done proper introductions!" I say while resting my shotgun on my shoulder. "You may call me John Thomson, I'm your friendly neighborhood demon slayer. I even dabble in starting rebellions in my free time!"

The shock on Mary's face is so great that I begin to fear that she's about to faint. Her father hides his face in his palm and takes a deep sigh.

"I'm terribly sorry for the mess! I had to take care of the trash around my property. As you probably know, the Enforcers are huge cunts, so the bounty on my head is quite large." I say in a friendly manner. At this point, I'm just having fun, and I'm trying to shock her so much that she faints.

Prometheus, demon slayer and fainter of dragons. It has a nice ring to it!

Mary opens and closes her mouth a few times, "I-I'm Mary Rosewoods. And this is my father, Philip Rosewoods."

"N-Nice to meet you." The old man slightly lowers his head. His cold and confident demeanor has melted in the face of my antics, and I suppress a chuckle.

"But I think you're not here for pleasantries. So you're either after my head or here to join my group of merry revolutionaries. If you're after my head, please take a ticket and wait somewhere in the area." I say as I wave around the sea of corpses.

"I-We are here to see you." Mary stammers. "B-But what happened here?"

"As you can see, a group of mercenaries wanted to have a friendly chat with me. I wasn't interested, so I politely told them to leave, and they must have tripped on a banana peel or something." I smirk.

Mary's shock turns into a smirk, and she soon laughs loudly. "T-this is too much!"

Even her impassible father hides a smirk. It looks like my jokes made the atmosphere a bit less tense. The primary objective of my attitude what to appear unguarded and defenseless. If they were after my head, then we would be fighting right now instead of joking around in the middle of a pile of corpses.

"But let's be serious for a second," I say as I retract my helmet and snap my fingers. This was the signal that the Legionaries were waiting for, and the sound of helicopter rotors soon reach our ears.

"If you want to join my cause, then let me introduce you to the Order Of The First Flame!" I raise my arms as the two helicopters land behind me. The Legionaries burst out of the vehicles and form perfect ranks behind me.

"One minor detail that you may not be aware of, I'm named Prometheus now," I say to the two astonished soon-to-be recruits.

"I- " they exchange a glance and nod in unison. "I knew that you had people with you! There's no way that nobody would have heard your call to arms!" she turns towards her father and sticks out her tongue, "You owe me ice cream!"

The old man sighs and looks at me, "Then shall we go? I think we have plenty of things to discuss."

I nod, and we board the helicopters. The journey is brief and without incidents, at least until the Oath gets mentioned.

"What, so you think we'll accept to bind our soul to you?" the old man exclaims, causing the Legionaries to shift in their seat and reach for their weapons. I stop them with a wave of my hand.

"I can understand that it might seem like a big commitment. But you have to understand that we aren't doing this to make friends, and our cause is too important to risk any betrayal." I reply.

"This is insane! We won't do anything of the-"

"Wait a second." Mary interrupts. "I truly believe that we can accomplish great things, but-"

This time it's my turn to interrupt her, "Are you worried because of your draconic blood?"

Silence falls upon the helicopter, and shock is visible on their faces.

"H-How-" the old man tries to speak, but I silence him with a quick burst of aura that nearly slams him into his seat.

"I know a lot more than I let on. As you probably guessed, I'm not exactly normal either." I smirk.

Mary looks at me with a wide grin and a flushed face. Her breathing also becomes quicker and heavier.

"Let's spar then! If I lose I'll follow you!" she shouts after taking a deep breath.

"A-Are you sure about this? You know that you'll probably outlive-"

"Once again, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I don't think that's possible. To put it simply, I can't die, and I don't age." I declare. The Legionaries listening to the conversation nod in agreement, in their eyes I'm a living God, so invincibility and immortality are a given.

"W-What? Are you also a draconic hybrid?!" the old man exclaims.

The Legionaries frown, but I stop them from intervening. "Not at all. Like I said before, I'm a special case in more ways than one. However, we're very interested in your research, and we would like to replicate the serum you used to 'upgrade' Mary."

Phillip's eyes bulge, "How did you know?"

"I know a lot more than you think," I smirk. "Our goal is to save Humanity and wipe out the Enforcers. I think we can all agree on this point?"

The two nod, "Of course. But I still have my doubts about this... You don't look like you'll be able to wage war against the Enforcers." Philip declares.

"It's understandable. You know what, I'll let you have a chat with Alan Carter. He's the leader of the Incandescent Fabricators. They are the ones responsible for manufacturing and research. He'll tell you all about what we have done, and what we're doing. Then you'll see if we don't have a chance."

I then turn towards the draconic woman, "As for you, I'll accept your challenge. But let me set some rules first. Don't go all out, and no area of effects attacks. I don't want to burn my compound down."

"All right!" she clenches her fist, and her cheeks redden even more.

I'm beginning to regret my decision. It looks like this dragon woman is a battle-junkie.

The rest of the brief journey is spent in silence, and we soon land in the compound. Philip is escorted to Alan's workshop while Mary and I head towards a large empty area.

"Is this far enough?" I ask Mary, and she nods.

"We should be all right." she declares before raising an eyebrow, "I can feel a recording spell hovering around here, it is one of yours?"

"Yes, I asked my men to record our fight, I think it would be useful for both of us." I lie. Of course, the recordings will be used to make even more propaganda, but she doesn't have to know about all my schemes.

"Then shall we start?" she nods and grins. "On the count to three. One, two... Three!" I say just as I press the button hidden in my palm.

I said that we were going to fight, but I had no plan to fight fairly from the start.

Once was enough, this woman almost turned me into a pile of ashes.

Twenty Rewinds should be enough to distract her. I then memorize the coordinates of her position and Rewind to before our fight, where I discreetly create a new program on the Portal Gun.

"On the count to three. One, two... Three!" I say again, and my hand launches the program as soon as I finish my sentence. I push my shotgun through the portal and fire an MH Shell directly into her unprotected back.

The resulting blast sends her flying.

She gets back up and kicks the ground. The shockwave almost sends me flying into the trees.

I Rewind just in time to avoid her flaming fist and memorize the coordinates of her landing area before Rewinding at the start of our battle.

*Let's see if you can even hit me once! I bEt yOu CaN't!*

...Mary's PoV...

"On the count to three. One, two... Three!" I activate my ability. This should be easy. I have to-

Mana surges from my back and interrupts my train of thoughts.

*What's this?! I need to raise a barrier before-*

However, my spell doesn't have the time to be finished before an even greater charge emerges. I release the incomplete spell and brace for the impact. A burst of pure, uncontrolled mana hits me in the back and breaks through my unfinished barrier before stinging my flesh.

I can't help but smile. Finally, some challenge!

But another blast to the face that hits me as soon as I land puts an end to my potential plans. I can't even move a muscle as I'm thrown around each time I'm sent flying. The beams of mana hit me with full force one after the other, and I can't retaliate no matter how much I slow down time.

*How is he so fast?!*

I grimace as I am sent flying again. Each time, the beams almost disintegrate me before I can do anything. This game continues for a few seconds, and I raise my hands in the air.

"I give up!" I shout as loudly as I can, hoping that my opponent hears my pleas.

The barrage stops, and I take a deep breath. I groan as I get up, and realize that the attacks have obliterated most of my clothes. My eye wanders towards my opponent. He's still in the same spot!

*He did so much without moving a single step!*

My excitement rises, I almost want to unleash all my power at once. But I remember that burst of golden aura during the helicopter trip, and it's enough to stop me. It was unlike anything I ever felt. He could have crushed me in an instant. If we went all out, there's no doubt that I would be turned into a pile of ash before I could even understand what's happening.

"Are you all right?" his voice reaches my ears. He teleports next to me and extends his hand to help me up.

"I didn't even have a chance to touch you. It's not fair." I pout, and he smiles at me.

...John's PoV...

Not fair?!

The half-dragon is seriously complaining about fairness!

Let's see how you fare without your superhuman speed and strength. She did hit me once during my Rewinds, and my jaw got turned into powder. Meanwhile, I just gave you a few third-degree burns and destroyed your clothes.

But this fight taught me something interesting. This woman seems to be somewhat immune to purely magical attacks. My MH Shells didn't disintegrate her, but my EGBs easily penetrated her skin.

It's good to know. I never know when I'll face another person like Mary.

A weak cough interrupts my train of thoughts.

"I don't want to impose, but do you have a change of clothes for me?" she asks as she covers her more private areas.

Oh. The sight of a blushing, almost naked voluptuous woman would be enjoyable in normal circumstances. But the problem is that certain parts of her skin look like burned bacon, and chunks of flesh are missing.

It's regenerating rapidly, but it's still isn't something that I want to see. I hand her a Legionary robe that I prepared for this occasion, and she quickly dresses up while I look in another direction.

She signals that she's dressed, and I have to say that it's a better sight. The robe must be too small for her since it hugs her body like a second skin, and I have to stop myself from staring.

"Thanks," Mary mumbles while avoiding my gaze.

"Don't worry about it, but I have to ask one last thing. It's about the noises you keep hearing." I say while looking straight into her eyes.

She seems a bit surprised, "All right. What do you want to know?"

I take a deep breath. This is the question that I've been dying to ask. Now she shouldn't lie to me since we have a good relationship. "Do you have any power, spell or ability related to time?"

The draconic hybrid seems taken aback, "How did you know?!"

I try to maintain my composure, but alarm bells are going off in my head.

*What's her ability? How does it work? Can she interfere with the Rewinder?*

If she can interfere with the Rewinder, then forget about the recruitment. This woman could kill me instantly, so I may have to eliminate her.

"It isn't anything much. I can alter my perception of time, and it allows me to think faster than normal. So I can cast spells faster and the likes." she answers.

I relax after hearing her sentence. It's a lot better than I expected. Her ability only affects her perception, not the actual timeline.

So I should be safe, at least for now.

"All right, I don't have more questions. Shall we check on your father?" I ask, and she answers with a timid nod. Her change in attitude is confusing. Before our battle, she was brazen and energetic. Now she's shy and reserved.

I hope I didn't traumatize her.

We approach Alan's workshop. Our timing is perfect since Philip is being escorted outside the building.

"How was your visit? Did you see anything you like?" I ask the old man. His haggard glance goes to his daughter, the to me.

He takes a deep breath and puts a cigarette in his mouth. "The things I've seen in that workshop... I might have underestimated you, Prometheus." He says before lighting his cigarette.

*Did he call me Prometheus? I know that our propaganda is effective, but it can't be that good.*

"Really? What makes you say that?" I ask while feigning indifference.

"Those shields, they make a majority of offensive spells completely useless. They don't require any exotic materials and can be mass-produced so that every soldier can have one of those. Not to mention those rifles. Those weapons honestly make me shudder, even Mary will not be able to survive a volley. Those two alone could redefine warfare as we know it."

I don't know why people keep saying this. Those items aren't that good, and I know there are better alternatives out there.

"Mister Carter also showed me the prototypes of other projects... You're serious about this war, aren't you?" he asks.

"Of course," I reply with a severe expression. "The Enforcers need to be wiped out. If we don't act, then our species is going to go extinct, or it's going to be enslaved."

"Yeah, I'm not the only one who thinks that... With a mad scientist like you at our helm, then we might have a shot at this." Philip replies after taking a long drag on his cigarette. "So, did he win?" he asks his daughter.

Mary scratches the back of her head, "I couldn't even touch him, he obliterated me without moving a single step."

"Ah, I was expecting something like this to happen." Mary's father says before turning towards me. "I'll be honest. I don't believe this whole Prometheus nonsense. But I think we have a real chance of changing things." He faces his daughter, "In the end, it's up to you. Do you think we should risk everything and ally with these people?"

"John- Prometheus did beat me, so he has plenty of strength. And if you praise their equipment so much, then it must be something noteworthy. And I'm sick of living like a fugitive on my planet, so I'll join in a heartbeat if it means that I can be free again." Mary says while clenching her fist.

Philip sigh, "Then it's decided."

The graying man turns towards me, "You convinced us, we'll join your Order."

"A wise decision, welcome aboard! These Legionaries will guide you through the administrative process." I say before pointing at a group of stationed Legionaries. The two new members of my Order are escorted to another part of the camp, and I teleport back into my mansion.

*Now that this debacle is finally over, I better check on the Shard.*

I take a deep breath, leading a rebellion is more work than I thought it would be.

...Riley's PoV...

This can't be happening.

The creation of the Stonecrusher Empire fragmented our Family even more than before. Rumors of a Reformist-Freedom Movement alliance are spreading in the ranks, and Loyalists are losings members at an alarming pace.

Other Families who were still loyal to us, as well as some outsiders, are joining those movements as a knee-jerk reaction to the might of the Stonecrusher Empire. They are seeking protection against this new formidable threat, and tensions are higher than ever.

Numerous reports about troops being positioned around essential facilities and at borders are continually showing up on the HiddenNet. Certain Families are turning their home base into an impregnable fortress and leaving their territory to whoever wants it.

Right now, nobody is even pretending to protect the people. Reports about attacks and criminal activities are ignored, and Outsiders who might be involved in incidents are summarily executed.

If news of this reaches the ears of a certain someone, then I'm sure he won't hesitate to make the situation even worse. I learned from our Trackers that large amounts of magical signatures had been detected near John's property. It looks like he got his army, and it might be a real threat.

The situation couldn't be more dire. On the one hand, we have the Stonecrusher Empire, which is peaceful for now. But it's evident that they have plans to conquer the entire area. Then we have our internal problems. At this point, a civil war seems inevitable unless the leadership offers compromises to both sides. We also have gangs to worry about. Not to mention a potential coalition coming from other Councils. The rise of a new power like the Stonecrusher Empire isn't going to go unnoticed.

John is the unknown variable in all of this. He could be a real threat, or he could be a minor annoyance. Either way, I think I'm the only one who still pays attention to him.

Mom doesn't know what to do, she's panicking and tries to hold onto what she still has. But it's not going to be enough. Times are changing. The rise of the Stonecrusher Empire, the inexistent public order, inter-Family movements, and John's rebellion are all things that threaten the very foundations of the Enforcer system.

The origin of this mess can be traced back to the Beelzebub Incident, and to our incompetence.

In a way, that demon really did bring about the end of the world.