The Ryushin Shadows

[Garfurd]

We mowed through the werewolf warriors easily thanks to this woman. I have no idea who she is but she's strong. It might not be crazy to think she's the same level as my student Shira, the Hero.

I have no idea what she is thinking but she seems calm and nothing seems to surprise her now.

"Anyway, where are you going?"

[Rendora]

I can't believe this old man is following me. I guess it's probably because I helped him a bit.

"Scram uncle, I'm about to get a drink."

"A drink during this time? Can't you see that we are being invaded. It would be ideal if I can get your cooperation."

I sigh. How can I make him leave? Of course, it has been for almost an eternity that I haven't had a pint of beer. Especially, now I had some flesh to enjoy such worldly pleasures. Drinking a beer is priority.

Regardless, since I'm here, I may as well ignore him.

Just when I am about to go to the tavern, I observe for now seeing the old man is meeting with his team. They are a bunch of teenagers who are at Verni's age.

"You guys, I'm glad you are all safe, but you all look terrible." Says the old man.

"Sir Garfurd! I'm glad you are fine."

"Well, we managed to make it through somehow."

"Trouble shows up one after another. We had a hard time."

As I thought, this old man gives a master vibes seeing how the others treat him. And as for these people, his students or something?

Regardless I split of from him and enter the tavern. It is empty. There is no one here. But I think I will serve myself some beer. Getting some mug in the cabinet and pouring for myself, I begin indulging on it.

God, how long has it been. The satisfyingly bitter taste, and the warmth as it glides down ones throat. I exhale from satisfaction.

This is good!

But I wonder, where are Verni and the others.

Oh well, I should enjoy this while it lasts.

[Macdelver]

We managed to escape and hide on a roof of the tallest building of the city. It is close to a tavern.

I still keep an eye around us. Those bastards have sharp senses and we can't let our guards down. I have to prepare a plan.

The two who I helped is a young woman and a middle aged man. They look confused but they seem to understand that I'm their ally, especially the woman.

"Sir, we're thankful that you saved us but what are you planning to do?" Says the woman.

I may as well tell everything to these two if it means I can get their cooperation. I tell them about my identity and a brief story of my clan. The woman listen intently but the man is deep in his thoughts.

The middle-aged man with decent clothing isn't bit relieved. "I see, you were fooled by some powerful strangers, huh?" He goes to me, grabs my hands and yells. "What are they doing with my daughter?! Is she okay?"

Her daughter was taken by my clan?

"How long was she taken?"

"A week."

I grit my teeth since I don't know how to deliver this news. "It's maybe too late, but there's a chance she is still alive."

"What do you mean by that?! What do they do with these kidnapped people?!"

" We are not sure what the apostles do with them or what their purpose is. The short answer is-- they kill them---and use them for sacrifice to create blood crystals."

I show a fragment of it from my pocket. It looks like a solidified blood stone. "My people literally exhausted themselves, paying blood and sweat just for this damn crystal for that Infitius. If only I can change the mind of my people."

The woman gasps in worry. "How horrible!"

The middle aged man stands with a determined look. "Please give me directions to your village."

I shake my head sideways. "It's no use these people won't listen. The only way to change their minds is to let them see the real Eastern Overlord."

"Kekeke, so here you were hiding, traitor." Three powerful presence looms over us as they stand on the edge of the roof.

I didn't even sense their presence. Regardless, we are in the worst case scenario now. I can't believe they were dispatched in this city.

The Ryushin Shadows of the Infitius! The tallest one in the middle is Shenmir, his weapon is a reaper scythe that I haven't seen him using before. He is the most powerful of the group. "Macdelver, were you the one who hurt our comrades?! Unforgivable."

The burly one has scar on his eye. His name is Gerd. He uses monster bone knuckles embedded with spikes. I witnessed how powerful he was before and his strength is monstrous. "A stupid old man like him won't be able to make me budge. I'll crush him with my fists."

The shortest one has a spiky hair. He raises his eyebrow on the middle-aged man and woman. He uses shuriken and strings. What he lacks in power he compensates in tact and skill. His name is Ken. "First, let's deal with the traitor first."

I draw my katana to the three of them. I have no choice but to hold them off and protect these two. "You two run!"

The middle-aged human just sighs and stay still. "Anna, run."

Huh?! He didn't run?

What the hell is he doing?!

The woman speaks even though she is scared. "Sir Stervin, what do you think you are doing? If we are going to run let's do it together."

"Run, huh? My goal here was to find my daughter and my men. If she is-- She is alive. They will bring me to her."

After some thinking, the woman holds her ground. "Then--I'm gonna stay here with you!"

"Damn you humans, you are giving me a headache!" I say from frustration.

Just when I looked back for few seconds, Gerd lunges at me with an exhilarated look. "Where do you think you are looking at? Old man? Hehehe!" He swings a punch at me.

Damn it! I have to block this!

I use my blade to shield against his fierce punch. I use all my strength and with my back just to stop the momentum of his fist.

Unfortunately, the sword cracks and shatters, striking me on the chest harshly. I vomit blood as I get blown away. Afterward my vision turns black.

[Stervin]

I can't believe that guy didn't even last a second. What a monstrous strength! The old man fell off the roof. I wonder if he will be okay.

"Hahaha! You think you can hold the three of us, huh? Old man? It's better if you just hold a cane at your age." Says the burly guy.

The one with spiky hair points his finger at us. "You two, if you don't want to get hurt. Come with us peacefully."

I'm actually afraid but I have to comply with them so that I can find her.

"I have no intentions to fight." I say while surrendering myself.

Out of nowhere, Anna then asks out of concern? "After you've taken us what are you going to do with us?"

The leader grunts as though annoyed. "You're all going to die, of course." He stares at the burly man giving a signal. "Finish the old man off first before we capture these humans."

Looks like there is no escaping this, huh? Even if we comply with them they are going to kill us eventually. Is there anyway I can dodge this situation? I have to think.

The burly warrior is at the edge of the roof. Trying to look for the old man. "Hehe, found him."

Anna grabs some rock debris. She throws it at the burly warrior. She pants afterward, probably from mustering that much courage.

The burly warrior's eyes pierce at her. "What do you think you're doing wench?"

"I can't just do nothing and let you kill my savior."

Damn, I think she is screwed but I respect her bravery. Though she just signed her death warrant faster.

The burly warrior force a laugh, though he is angry. "Shenmir, you don't mind if I kill her first don't you?"

"We have a big catch today so killing her won't make a difference."

The burly warrior grins, he poses with his front body forward and with his legs retracted. "Human, you should have behaved well and you would have lived a little bit longer."

Anna is in shock and she can't move a muscle.

Damn it! I have to do something.

The burly warrior appears in front of her with his fist ready. If its gonna hit Anna, no doubt she will be a mush of flesh because she is a normal human being. "Help!"

To my surprise, Anna's ring glows brightly. "Huh?! What's going on?" She exclaims.

A winged legless lizard slime comes out of the ring, and with its strength it tackles the burly warrior away. They fall off the roof and disappears from our sight.

Anna stares at her ring as though mesmerized.

"Anna, what's going on?"

"Sir Verni, gave this to me. I can't believe a magical monster came out of it."

For some reason, Anna's arm gets yanked up by an invisible force. "Kyah."

"What's going on?"

Looking at her arm, there is an almost invisible thin string tying on her arm. It is coming from the warrior with spiky hair. "It must be from that ring. Should I cut off his arms off?"

"Do it." Says their leader.

Then suddenly, the slime lizard monster that came from the ring shows up, punching the spiky haired warrior, causing him to fly away off the roof.

Amazing, I never saw an item before that can summon such a strong monster. Just who is this Verni person?

However, the leader is pissed. His eyes are raging at the lizard slime monster. "You did a good job at pissing me off woman. I guess I have to kill you myself."

The leader grabs his scythe and dark energy brims from it that it shakes the air.

The lizard monster flies to the leader, but the lizard in an instant breaks apart as though sliced thousand times. Shenmer must have sliced the lizard slime hundred times in a blink of an eye. Some people's strength are really out of this world!

The ring on Anna's finger glows and the remnants of the lizard slime is being sucked by the ring as though returning to it.

"No way, that lizard got defeated." Anna says disappointedly.

"You fools, unlike those two. I, Shenmir is on a different level. Don't think that a mere summoned monster is enough to defeat me."

A silver haired knight appears out of nowhere. She looks strong and majestic as though she came from fairy tale. "Hey, Shenmir, is it? Was that your buddy who fell on me and ruined my drink?" She looks pissed as she grabs the hilt of her sword draping on her waist. "I'll make you pay for it!"