Zeno entered the city right away after finishing the doll; though his steps showed a lack of interest, they were the opposite. The tremors from the fight were enough to capture his attention.
As certain monts passed, he felt the sudden silence of tremors from the castle. So to know what was happening, he activated Eliana’s Legacy as soon as the surface with three skulls from the red dice hanging on his left ear emitted a bright light.
"One has left the castle, and he’s now coming closer," Zeno uttered, halting his steps.
"Should I just wait?" He asked himself, but a grin curled on his lips.
"Naaaah, let surprise him a little," he said, answering his own question.
Then Zeno pulled the black dice from his pocket and tossed them in mid-air. The dice spun before it transford into a jet-black bow that landed on his palm.
The next second, he aid a shot above in the direction of the castle. He fired it afterward, but another arrow materialized on the tip of his fingers as he prepared another shot.
He repeated the action several tis, launching a total of seven arrows with a second interval between each.
"Now, that’s enough of a greeting!" Zeno stated as he resud walking to the castle.
. . . . .
Rain got another stick of cigar after leaving the castle. He stared in the direction where the entrance was located while puffing smoke.
"Another Diamond-class or a knight from the empire’s capital?" He tried to take a guess who was strong enough to destroy his companion’s doll in just a matter of ti.
Then, as soon as the cigar’s fla ran out, he tossed it below and resud flying towards the entrance. Seconds later, he noticed several projectiles moving toward him at an incredible speed. In that instance, he tried to control the arrows with the thought of sending them back to where they ca from.
However, his brows knitted as he failed to control the jet-black objects, so he had no choice but to stop and use the golden piercings from his ears to alter so of the arrows’ trajectory while evading the rest.
Then he grabbed one of the arrows, but its montum was so strong that he felt his hand almost get ripped off his body if he failed to exert most of his strength.
"What in the world is this?" Rain exclaid as he looked at the object in his hand.
He examined it and tried to discern why he couldn’t control it, but aside from its jet-black color and the pure energy embedded in it, he found nothing special. Seconds later, it vanished from his palm without a single trace.
"An archer, huh?" Rain comnted, figuring out the owner of the arrow.
"Interesting, a type of tal that I failed to control. I never saw such thing in my entire life," he added as he resud flying.
This ti, he was vigilant, taking extra care of his surroundings, but as he moved forward, no sneak attacks like the one he experienced ca at him.
Then, after covering a long distance, he spotted a silver-haired man walking down the empty street.
Hiding above the curtain of clouds, he stopped once more and pulled out another cigar from his pocket.
"Is it him? But from his looks alone, he’s definitely not an archer," he contemplated while observing the man.
"There’s no point thinking about it; I’ll test him out," he stated afterward, and the mont he raised his hand and flicked his finger towards the man, one of the buildings was uprooted and slamd into the man’s position.
However, the building split into two, and the silver-haired man ca charging to him above with a jet-black scythe in his hand.
The cigar in his mouth fell off as his jaw dropped from sudden shock. The building, made of concrete, was sliced clean in just a second.
Quite surprised by the scene, he still regained his composure after seeing the silhouette coming at him from below.
Clicking his tongue, the piercings on his ears were unbound and hurled towards the man, but all of them were deflected; however, as if he expected that scene, Rain smiled, and the piercings stopped midair before propelling back, aiming for the man from behind.
The tiny projectiles swirled in silence as they closed the gap between their targets.
"That smile..." The silver-haired man began to open his lips.
Then he put the scythe behind him and parried the piercings with its blade.
"You’ll find it troubleso to do so later. I guarantee it," he added, grinning as he doubled his speed as soon as his weapon changed into a pair of jet-black daggers.
’Is it a space elent?’ Rain thought after seeing the man’s scythe disappear.
The curl on his lips vanished while his brows were knitting in confusion. He tried to control the man’s weapon, but his ability failed to grasp the object. He retracted the piercings; however, they were too far, so he had no choice but to clench his fist for the ti being and cover them with energy to protect himself from the man.
Zeno spun the dagger around his hand before slicing it downward, but Rain raised his arm to block the short blade.
"Naaah, I’m not that low to attack an unard man with a weapon," Zeno whispered, and the dagger vanished right before it hit Rain.
"Though I always make sure to pay back tenfold," he added, clenching his fist afterward.
’Jack,’ he thought.
Then, with a loud bang that dispersed the clouds above, he struck his opponent. Rain raised both of his arms to block the attack, but he was sent hundreds of ters away. He looked at his arms, and their bones were shattered despite the thick layer of energy coating them.
’Who the hell is he?’ He thought.
Afterward, he felt another heavy blow on his stomach, making him cough a mouthful of blood.
"Hey, don’t space out! I’m not done yet," Zeno voiced out.
Then he grabbed Rain by the foot and tossed him down the street.
Rain stared at the silhouette, looking at him as he lifted his body with telekinesis. With both of his arms and ribs broken, he was experiencing excruciating pain, enough for a normal person to pass out.
"W-Who a-are you?" He tried his best to ask, even though he found it difficult to open his mouth, but the man ignored his query.
The golden piercings returned to him and circled around his body. Then the pack of cigars flew out of his pocket, and a piece moved towards the gap between his lips.
"D-Do you h-have a light?" He stuttered.
Then, the demon descended on the street while tossing the black dice up in the air.
"I like that positive outlook of yours; you gain my respect," Zeno said.
"I-Is it really the ti to praise a dying man?" Rain answered with a question.
However, Zeno let out a laugh, and the jet-black scythe appeared on his hand once more.
"I wonder about that. Your Legacy is quite fascinating that I’m pondering why you kept it hidden until now," he said.
Upon hearing this, Rain’s eyes widened due to extre shock. Not a single person knew what his Legacy was; even Djaneryse just thought that it was related to telekinesis, and now the man in front of him was talking like he knew it all along.
"How?" He asked, and the small debris around him started to float as a turbulent wave of energy circulated up in the air.
. . . . .
anwhile, in front of the castle of Duskstalker Kingdom, three figures arrived at the entrance; one was an old man, while the other two were won walking behind him.
The knights guarding the place showed no reaction; they remained still and paid no heed to the people. One of the won let her peach-colored eyes roam around the creepy atmosphere, while her ash-colored hair with red highlights was braided like a waterfall. On her shoulder, a maroon umbrella with three white lotus designs on one of its sectors’ canopy was resting.
The next second, the main gate of the castle opened, and the Duskstalker King personally received the guests.
"Greetings, Professor Sid!" He exclaid with wide-opened arms.
"Strannard, you’re still as healthy as the last ti I saw you," the old man replied with a smile.
"Enough with the flattery, Professor; I’m very happy to see you here," the king answered, then he moved his gaze towards the young maiden behind the old man.
"Ahhh, Celestine, you’re still as gorgeous as before," he greeted the enchantress with a wide grin.
However, the woman just smiled, then rolled her eyes in reply, and resud her steps without saying a word.
Strannard bit his lips, and though he expected such a response, he was still quite disappointed.
"Don’t mind her; she’s still mad about her loss," Professor Sid said upon seeing the veins in the king’s temple bulge.
Upon hearing this, Strannard shook his head and replied.
"Indeed! The Manipulator of Souls trashed her so badly," he said, chuckling.
Then he looked at the other woman behind the professor. Her head was covered with a hood, and her face even had a mask.
"And she is..." He tried to rember if their organization had such a person but even her presence was unknown to him.
"A new mber, Alisteine’s replacent," the old man said.
"She’s quite shy, but her abilities are the real deal," he added.
Then he made a step forward and asked. "Is everyone already here?"
Strannard shook his head and answered with a smile.
"Three are still missing: Rain, Djaneryse, and Him," he said.
Upon hearing the king’s reply, Professor Sid let out laughter.
"He called this gathering, and yet He would be the last one to arrive. That man never changes as well," he stated, and the three of them paved their way inside the castle.
. . . . .
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