Reith gasped and he opened his eyes. He did not know how long he had been out cold and to be honest, he was expecting to be dead.

Clangs resounded in his ear as two weapons clashed against each other, causing Reith to turn his attention toward it.

He was still in the room and somehow, he could not see anything, only the bright light that erupted as each weapon met.

In that moment, one of the fighters pulled back and he recognised the person.

Felix turned, blood dripping from every orifice on his face. He was getting weaker by the minute and there was a huge gash at the side.

"Reith, run away and get help!" he yelled, but he could not focus as another claw slashed at him. He had expected the boy to immediately wake up after the first healing, but the youngster had fainted instead.

Haze grinned maliciously as he closed the distance in a breath.

"Haven't you been taught? Never take your attention from your opponent," he chortled.

"Demon's Will."

At Haze's thunderous yell, the noises in the background ceased, and the silhouette of a horned beast with a snake-like body appeared behind him.

Sensing the immense power in this move, Felix's heart inevitably became calm.

He twisted his wrists, forming a water bubble around Reith and tossed him through a window and out of the room.

Reith peered through the translucent screen of the water bubble and he clenched his jaw. He could see it, the way the hana lines were growing haywire.

This technique was created to brutally kill and this man who had come to save him was now sacrificing himself.

"Please don't die," Reith muttered as the scene in front of him disappeared.

Haze smiled, ignoring the blood that was dripping from his mouth. He did not care if he was burning up his core for this technique. In fact, he was enjoying every bit of pain.

"Hahaha, you fool! You could have saved yourself." Haze was relentless, but Felix did not think of his words.

Then he chanted, his lips moving smoothly.

If he would sacrifice himself to end such a terror to the region, then he would gladly do so.

A halo made of water appeared in front of him and it began to spin endlessly, turning into a golden halo.

Felix felt like his organs would collapse and every part of him was burning, but he did not stop.

Haze sensed the change in the air, but his technique was not faltering.

"What fun is it if I am not pushed to my limit, right Camilta? Let's finish this."

And he released, causing the room to be enveloped in a bright light.

By this time, Reith was already out of the bubble and he was running to the lobby.

He moved quickly through the stairs and then the lobby opened up, but it was not the elegant place he had seen this morning.

Walls were cracked. Furniture was tossed around and broken. Streaks of blood bathed every area of the room and Reith held his breath.

He could hear someone's voice.

Stepping forward, his eyes widened at the number of bodies that littered the floor. So many adventurers, and he realised some of them were not even breathing.

His hand came to his mouth when he saw Stella lying by the corner. One of her hands had left its place.

Beside her was a fallen Master Lu. His vision swam and his heartbeat became louder.

At the center of the mess, a man stood. His arms had been cleanly cut at the shoulder, but his face was twisted in anger.

Blood dripped from the missing limbs, but his legs were moving.

"Useless trash," the man snarled, kicking a woman on the ground by her side.

A wet sound followed and the woman gasped, barely audible.

"You think you can win me because you cut off my arms?" he said, kicking her again.

"I'll give you a slow death, and the most painful one."

His legs dug into her body as he stamped on her face.

Reith's vision blurred. This man...

An emotion rose within him. It was not just fear. It was something deeper. Anger? Fear? Uselessness?

He wanted to pull his hair.

This man was stronger than him. But deep down, Reith wanted to move, yet he had no power.

His strength was lacking, and he hated it.

So he stood there while the man continued his assault.

His fingers dug into his palm and without thinking twice, he moved.

Reith ran forward with everything he had. No power, no strength, no tricks, no ideas. Just the mere resolve of a seventeen-year-old coreless teenager.

He hurled his body toward the armless man, slamming into him.

The impact felt like he was hitting a solid wall, and it barely moved the man, but it was just enough for him to move away from the woman.

The man turned his head in disbelief.

"You punk," he snapped and moved toward Reith.

Reith looked up. He could barely stand straight.

The impact had done more harm to him than to his intended victim.

"Stop. Please!" he gritted his teeth and spread his arms, blocking the woman from the villain's sight.

The man snickered and he raised his leg.

The first kick came and Reith raised his arm, an attempt to block it.

As the kick connected, something snapped and a crack echoed. He gasped, the pain almost blacking him out.

The second kick came immediately and drove into his side.

Another crack and Reith folded, but he did not leave his position.

He tasted blood and tears stung his eyes.

Another kick. Another kick, one after the other.

The pain was like a storm that raged within him. Both of his arms were now useless and his ribs shattered one after the other.

Reith coughed and dark blood hit the ground.

Still, he refused to move away. As long as there was life, he would stay.

"Why..." Fidd growled and he delivered another kick, "won't you die?!"

The kick landed and Reith cried out, tears streaming down his face.

His vision was dimming, and he immediately bit into his lip, ignoring the metallic taste.

Fidd was fed up.

He raised his leg up. The next one would land on this nuisance's skull and he would kill him.

Reith still held his ground and suddenly a pressure filled the air.

Fidd realised he could not move and cold sweat drenched his back.

Reith turned toward the entrance of the Alliance building.

It was a familiar pressure.

"Leon..." he gasped with a whisper.

And that was when his body relaxed and the world turned black.

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