“The outsider?” muttered Oren with confusion while leaning on his sword. His lips were trembling, but he could tell that the opponent was not harming him on purpose. Instead, it was a difference in their level of existence. “I have no idea what that is.”
“…interesting,” the voice began to fade away. “This world is much more interesting than I thought, and this mission might be fun.”
Oren frowned as the voice disappeared, and he realized why this human, or monster, ignored him. Streaks of light filled the sky before raining on the Skywalkers and the serpent. The beams of mana tore through the clouds with such heat that they vaporized.
All eyes followed the attacks, hope sparkling within them for this crisis to end before it began. Then, like strands tied in one knot, the attacks reached the head of the serpent, where the monster’s leader was standing.
The mana explosion blinded their eyes from seeing the result, but even Oren had his hopes up. This attack was attempted by the Temple of Kera and the military, so this was one of their sole trump cards.
A 20-meters-radius explosion surrounded the target, which was the giant serpent and the man. Oren assumed that judging from the location of the serpent, it was the boss of Avarice Dungeon.
“The real enemy,” whispered Oren as he squinted to look at the result, “is the man treating the boss as his mount. That attack should have struck him as well, right?”
The lights died down like embers, but what was left everyone looking at the scene speechless. There was not even a scratch on everyone inside the blast, as if that energy had been sucked somewhere.
Oren couldn’t believe his eyes, and his great sword disappeared before he ran to climb the building. Then, after getting a better view, he saw the exact figure atop the serpent raising his arm.
“Thank you for the meal, weaklings!” shouted the figure hoarsely. “Let me give it right back to all of you, then!”
After saying that, Oren saw the man raise his other arm. His hand began to turn white as if it held a miniature sun. An ominous feeling sprouted in Oren’s chest at this site before he turned to look at the city.
Thousands of people were staring at their hopes being crushed and their doom approaching. When Oren turned back toward the man, the attack was already underway. The mana beams that struck the man earlier were now coming out of his arm, but the target was different.
“Run from here!” Oren shouted at the top of his lungs, his throat feeling like knives were scraping it. His mana-filled yell traveled across the city, making the citizens and awakeners alike snap out of their daze and run for their lives.
Everyone’s vision was dyed white as the onslaught of mana rained down on them. Oren might have responded first, but a mana beam was heading straight toward him. His head toward the mana beam, looking like a giant sun before him.
“I hope… they are alright.”
Then, Oren was swallowed whole by the mana beam. Unfortunately, he was not the only one, as the attacks destroyed most of the city like meteors. The buildings vaporized, and screams were silenced. All one could hear now was the explosions that devastated most of Kera.
***
The rubbles fell to the ground, and survivors rose from beneath them. Awakeners used their powers, or whatever their bodies could withstand, to defuse the attacks. However, it didn’t stop countless bodies from lining the streets of Kera.
From beneath the fallen walls and bricks, a hand emerged from between them. It reached toward the surface of the rubble, and the figure underneath began to pull itself out of them. Oren’s clothes were torn apart to shreds, and his body bled from everywhere.
“They are all superficial wounds thanks to the barrier Arthur gave me,” coughed Oren with a dusted face. “I somehow managed to survive, but what about the rest of the people?”
His legs were stuck between the countless rubbles, and Oren had to use his mana to break them apart for him to get out. Then, he pulled himself out and stood atop the destruction, listening to his bones crack and realign.
“Such a destruction,” muttered Oren with sadness as his eyes took in the massacre. “The streets have been dyed red with innocent blood, and for what cause?”
“A true terror of war,” muttered a voice behind him. Oren turned around to see who it was and was surprised to see none other than Mr. Tate, his father’s old friend. “I’m glad to see that you are alive, Oren.”
“Uncle?” asked Oren with confusion. “This place is dangerous! Please find a shelter!” advised Oren with worry, and Mr. Tate smiled. It was then that Oren noticed that Mr. Tate was without a scratch.
“You are a good kid, just like your older brother,” smiled Mr. Tate as he walked toward Oren. “I would have said just like your father, but I doubt you remember anything about him.”
“This is not the time for nostalgia, Uncle Mirani,” panicked Oren as he looked around. “We need to evacuate you to safety immediately!”
“I wonder what installed this strong kindness in a youngster like yourself,” laughed Mr. Tate as he walked toward Oren. “You are the one who needs to be cared about, Oren.”
“…I?” blinked Oren as he saw the gaze in the man’s eyes. “It seems you are confident too, Uncle Mirani. It is also obvious that you are unscathed despite the last attack.”
“A sharp kid, hoho,” laughed the man before looking at the distance. “We are facing a powerful opponent, Oren. I think you should drop this heroism and rush toward your mother. I couldn’t protect that far.”
“That far?” muttered Oren with confusion, as a sense of worry appeared in his heart. “Even if I need to leave, there are still a lot of victims that need saving here. I cannot just….”
“You are talking the same as your old man,” Mr. Tate turned toward him with a frown. “Almost as if you are a replica of Seref. You are of no use here, boy! Leave this work for the professionals, and try to find your mother!”
“…I understand,” said Oren after a brief silence. “I will leave things here for you, Uncle Mirani.”
“My last name stands for shield, after all,” grinned the thick-bearded man before waving his hand at him. “But it seems are we too late, too.”
Oren turned around and followed Mr. Tate’s gaze, and he saw the Skywalkers fly in an orderly fashion toward the citizens. Most of them were standing idly before, but their attack had begun now.
“I am Amelio, The Fallen God!” shouted the man hoarsely. “We did not come in peace, but for war! This is not a visit but an invasion. Those who wish to flee do so now. Those who wish to fight dig a grave first. Bow to me, or perish!”
His voice resonated throughout the city of Kera, embedding the souls of those who heard it with fear. The words made everyone realize that it was as they had feared: an interdimensional war. Furthermore, judging by the man’s strength, they had no hope of surviving.
“A troublesome opponent appeared,” said Mirani Tate as he stared at him. “I guess this is why I couldn’t fully block the earlier attacks.”
“…the attacks?” asked Oren as he turned toward the old man. “You blocked them?”
“Only to a certain degree,” answered the old shop owner with regret. “At least it was enough to prevent vaporizing the city from existence.”
“You blocked all of the attacks?” frowned Oren. “Is there a secret you would like to share, Mr. Tate?” he started addressing him formally.
“Don’t be so cold, kid. You already know that I was working with your dad before a monster fancied my fingers,” said the man cheerfully while waving his disfigured hand. “However, this old bag of bones has a trick or two for hard times.”
“And hard times are upon us,” muttered Oren as he stared at the sky soldiers rushing toward the citizens. “Where the hell is the army and the Temple?”
“Must be shocked that their fancy attack failed and backfired too,” said Mr. Tate before holding Oren’s shoulder. “Go, kid. I will try to hold them back from advancing until the army arrives, and your existence will just be a burden. Go and take your mother to a safe place.”
“…I understand. Thank you, Uncle,” nodded Oren before turning around and jumping off the destroyed building. Blood gushed out of his legs as he landed, and pain shot through them. Finally, however, he sprinted forward to where his house was.
The only fortunate thing was that his house was on the outskirts of Kera, giving him enough time to reach it before the Skywalkers did. That was his hope until he heard countless explosions throughout the city.
“Dungeon Breaks!”
