Chapter 122 Unexpected Relation

"Yes. It's been a long time, is it not?" Loris opened his mask, revealing his face.

"You fucking traitorous bastard, Loran Lavrayn!!!!!" (Alice)

(Loran Lavrayn?) (Lyan)

As the three Valkyries are about to dash in rage, the man, Loris, suddenly raised his right hand.

"I guess it will only be suicide if I continue to fight alone. It's annoying, but I'm going to need the help from you guys," Together with the snap of Loris's fingers, dozens of hooded figures appeared from beneath the broken houses.

"How shameful. After such confident statement about your absolute win and surefire of the operation, you got all of the men lent to you to die just by fighting two people. What a shameful guy you are, how disappointing," The masked man in a hooded cloak uttered. His voice sounded hoarse, but according to his appearance, he seems to be the same member of [Crows] that Lyan once fought before.

But somehow, his voice is different from the leader of the [Crows] that Lyan knew.

(As expected, the ones we killed are not all of them. But that guy before was not the leader? From his attitude, he seems to be in a sort of a higher-up as well. Seems like they have a rather unique organizational structure) (Lyan)

"It's the same for you. You must have seen the flow of the battle from the sidelines since the beginning. If you had joined the battle since the start, we would have already won the battle by now even before the valkyries came," (Loris)

"Surely you jest. You must be a fool to say so. My men would have gotten killed by that monster called Evocatore if I do so. It's foolish to waste the men I trained so hard for just one man, after all," The man said with a scoff.

(Who are you calling monster, huh?) (Lyan)

"Oh? Who do we have here? Isn't it the former knights of the ruined country? To meet the one who contributed greatly to the destruction of your homeland, what a messed up fate you have here," The man stared condescendingly at Surena and the others.

"That bastard... Surena! Emilia! Alice! Don't get riled-" Lyan stopped his words and widened his eyes when he shifted his gaze toward them.

He thought that they would get engulfed by hatred and will blindly attack the man and Loris, but the three of them are showing an unexpected reaction to the mockery.

"Surena? Emilia?" (Lyan)

The two of them are staring at Loris and the cloaked man with pale expressions. Their eyes are widened, their body seems to be frozen, and they seem to be slightly trembling. Lyan could see the hint of fear dwelling inside their eyes.

Except for one girl.

"Looks like they lost themselves," The cloaked man threw two knives accurately aimed at Surena's and Emilia's heads.

"Tch! Emilia! Rena!! Wake up!!" Alice clicked her tongue as she pulled the both of them back, evading the knives thrown by the cloaked man.

It took only several moments for Lyan to realize what happened. When he looks to the side, there are broken buildings, corpses, and blood all over the place, and standing in front of them are the ones who are behind the destruction of their kingdom.

(The scene made them replay the traumatic memory inside them and made them lost inside their mind, huh) (Lyan)

"As expected of the calm and collected, Alice. Never lose your cool and always have your mind focused on taking the best course of things. I'm impressed," Loris made a gentle smile as he praised Alice.

"Don't talk to me as if you know me, you bastard... If not for you-" (Alice)

"If not for me? What? if not for me, you won't suddenly return to the kingdom and saw all of the people you know died including your family and your friends?" (Loris)

Alice clenched her teeth as she gripped her sword tightly to the point that she started to drip some blood from her hands. But if she mindlessly attack forward, she wouldn't be able to protect Emilia and Surena that are in a state where they can't fight as they usually do. If the other hooded men, members of the [Crows] attacked, she must be ready to defend her friends with her life.

On the other side, the malicious words of Loris are causing an even greater effect on Surena and Emilia. The scenes that he mentioned seems to be getting replayed all over their mind as their eyes seem to be staring at the air in horror.

"I remember it clearly... The feeling of giving out the orders to kill your families slowly. The excitement when I slashed the head of the Ekaitza's head. The moment when-" Loris stopped his words and blocked the incoming sword. But the strength is too strong that he couldn't help but get thrown out of his balance.

"Damn. That was-" (Loris)

!!!!!?????

Loris suddenly stop his words when his eyes met the gaze of Lyan. He's not emitting his murderous intent openly, but he could feel the seeping terror hiding beneath his eyes.

"Evocatore, huh... Such a monstrous strength. Let's retreat here, Loris. The plan is already failed," The cloaked man takes out a ball out of his pocket.

"But if you look at it, the two valkyries are currently not in a state of battle. Even if we attack now-" (Loris)

Suddenly, a change of course of events occurred.

"[Wind step]," (Surena)

Surena that should have been trembling in terror behind Alice suddenly appeared before Loris.

"Surena!!!" (Alice)

(Such speed! But-) (Loris)

"Walking your way right before me, you've just dug your own grave, Valkyrie!!!" With a slight raise of his hand, Loris moved the ground below Surena's footing, forcing her to lose her balance. Such carelessness leaves a huge opening from all sides, making her vulnerable to attacks.

"Wait, Loris. Dodge!" The cloaked man shouted.

Noticing something strange, Loris halt his attack and jumped backward. Right at that moment, countless wind blades appeared and struck the ground where he was standing before from above.

(She unleashed those wind blades beforehand?) (Loris)

Loris observes Surena's expression.

Her eyes are narrowed, and there could be only bloodlust and madness within them. She's gritting her teeth as saliva is dripping from her mouth like a beast. He couldn't see where the elegant knight Surena was in her current state.

"Getting yourself absorbed by anger, seems like you've not grown yet, Surena," (Loris)

Loris stomped his right foot on the ground, and Surena's feet suddenly got absorbed into the ground, depriving her mobility.

"But this time, I'll make sure you have no opportunity to grow any longer!!!" Holding his greatsword in an overhead stance, Loris gathered his mana on his arms and greatsword. At the side, the cloaked man also take out his sword and aimed to attack Surena with even greater speed as well. The both of them seem to be determined to not let Surena leave alive.

But of course, 'he' won't just watch the scene unfold and remain as a spectator any longer.

*Clank!* *Clank!*

A graceful spin that blocked both of the blades perfectly, but it was also strong enough to make the both of them almost lose their grip on their weapons. But more importantly-

!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

The hidden bloodlust that had only been contained within his eyes finally got unleashed.

(W-What a powerful bloodlust) (Cloaked man)

(Such a pressure...) (Loris)

"Sorry," (Lyan)

Holding Surena in one of his arms, Lyan watched the two men before him trying their best to withstand the enormous murderous intent he was emitting.

"But she's mine," (Lyan)

His eyes gleamed with a dangerous purple light, and his gaze made the both of them feel like they are going to get sucked into an abyss.

Not only the both of them, but the other members of [Crows] that had appeared also got affected by the murderous intent. It's the bloodlust of the person that had killed countless of demons and creatures in the demon world for hundreds of years. Mere people like them won't be able to withstand it.

Some of the members of the [Crows] started to faint. Some of them lost their consciousness because of fear, while the rest of them fainted because they cannot breathe.

"So you're involved in their bad past, huh... Seems like I can no longer hold back," (Lyan)

Sparks of various colors started to appear from Lyan.

"I'll have you die here," (Lyan)

___________________________________________________________________________

Name: Lyan Arkanium Evocatore

Occupation: Mythril-ranked Mercenary

Money: 3,798,710,950 Elnes / 3798 gold 71 big silver 9 big coppers 5 coppers

Weapon: Magic Glaive, 1 (Decent) One-handed Sword, 2 (Good-Quality) One-handed swords, 1 (Decent) bow

Equipment: Black leather cloak, Leather Armor, Breastplate, 2 Health Potions, 2 Poison Vials

Grimoire's Companions: 8 High Spirits, 3 Valkyrie, Shadow Goblin Lord (Lv. 5), Papilio Slime (Lv. 45), Galewing Butterfly (Lv. 45), Rock Golem (Lv. 50), Deadlight (Lv. 63), Moonlight Butterfly (Lv. 45), Ice Golem (Lv. 50), Acid Ant Queen (Lv. 9), Magma Bear (Lv. 1)

Grimoire's Army: 6 Shadow Servants, 800 Skeleton Army