[Ruforal Town] [Life and Death Arena]
Leader Valliant Rosewarth and Lady Alice were happy with the outcome of the battle between Lucas and Scarlet Maiden.
For the first time in history, both fighters walked out of the arena alive. There was no death, only glory for the two young Heroes who fought to their extremes. The cheering of the crowds was almost deafening.
Leader Valliant jumped on the arena and stopped Lucas from leaving, "Lucas," he grinned.
Lucas stopped and looked back, "Can't hold your excitement?"
Lucas sends out a wave of bloodlust and uses his skill [FULL POTENTIAL]
Lucas gathered the green lightning essence in his fists and rushed towards Leader Valliant with a grin, "Neither can I."
[Bang, Crackle] A loud explosion with the crackle of lightning covered the arena.
The crowd was confused to see the situation. The debris and dust made it impossible to see the situation in the arena.
[Inside the dust-covered arena]
"Don't get ahead of yourself, kid," Leader Valliant stopped Lucas's punch with his bare hand. A silver-colored essence covered Leader Valliant's body.
Following up his punch, Lucas kicked Leader Valliant on his knees.
In a blink of an eye, Leader Valiant lost his balance and tumbled back, "What the hell?"
Seeing Leader Valliant tumble back, Lucas jumped up and grabbed his face, and slammed him on the wall in the arena, "That silver essence, tell me where is the Berserker?"
Leader Valliant was confused and angry, "My defense was perfect and, yet your attack went through, hahaha, very interesting."
Leader Valliant tried to gather his essence but failed.
[Bang] Lucas punched Leader Valliant's belly, "That won't work."
[Arrgg] Leader Valliant threw out blood from his mouth, "Damn you, brat."
"Tell me, where is Berserker?" Lucas punched him again but, to his surprise, Leader Valliant vanished and, his punch struck the concrete wall.
"Berserker is my great grandfather," Leader Valliant wiped the blood from his face, "But, the most important question here is, who are you?"
"Hahaha, great grandfather, that little brat got married," Lucas began to laugh but, tears began to fall from his eyes, "Silver Moon, I am sorry."
[The dust and debris settled]
Everyone sighed a breath of relief to see both Lucas and Leader Valliant alright without any injury.
"I am sorry for my rude behavior," Lucas wiped his tears and looked at Leader Valliant, "And as for who I am, ask that great grandfather of yours."
"Humm," Leader Valliant smiled a little, "Lost Hero, I see."
"Earlier, Your battle with the Scarlet Maiden was really awesome," Leader Valliant smiled, "Thanks to you, our nation got another Hidden Awakened Hero."
"And?" Lucas asked curiously, "What now?"
"You even helped us to identify the traitor," Leader Valliant grinned, "You deserve a gift, Young Hero Lucas, so, ask away and, I will try my best to fulfill your wish."
Lucas thought for a few minutes about how to take full advantage of the situation.
"Two weeks," Lucas showed two fingers to Leader Valliant, "Postpone the throne battle by two weeks and, that's all I need."
Leader Valliant looked at Lucas curiously, "Well, that's all?"
Lucas nodded at Leader Valliant.
"Very well," Leader Valliant jumped up to the VIP Section and announced that the Rosewarth Family throne battle would take place after two weeks.
Crowd dispersed.
The VIPs returned to their castle.
Lucas went home.
The workers began to fix the destroyed arena.
The news of today's battle spread throughout the Sappharix Nation like a wildfire. Everywhere people were talking about the new rising Hero who defeated the Nation's Eon.
Finally, people began to notice the presence of Lucas.
[Two Days Later] [Rosewarth Main Castle]
"Cough, cough," Leader Valliant groaned in pain, "Damn, he was about to kill me and... I escaped using a magic item."
"You were careless," a man shrouded in black clock spoke without any emotions, "No, I hate to admit but, Lucas is better at close combat than me."
"So, what are you going to do next?" the shrouded man spoke.
"Next, haaa," Leader Valliant sighed, "I need to meet the old man Berserker."
"You want to die or what," the shrouded man screamed at Leader Valliant, "You missed his birthday party last month, and believe me, he knew what you were doing that day with that Madame Clara of Hong Brothel."
"Shhh," Leader Valliant signed the shrouded man to lower his voice, "Tell that old man Berserker that I want to meet him and, if he refuses, tell him two things, Silver Moon and Weapon Master."
"Very well," the shrouded man vanished in thin air, "Get that wound treated."
[Aldenland town] [Rosewarth castle]
Lucas couldn't sleep for the past two days. Whenever he tried to sleep, he saw a nightmare over and over again.
[Lucas's Nightmare]
Regrets of the past.
Faces of his dead comrades.
Cries of children.
Death and destruction.
Lucas held his head and curled up on the ground. Tears began to fall from his eyes.
"Why?" the voice of a dying woman with silver hair came from the fallen Hero, "You said we will return together but, you are alive and, I....."
"Did you ever look back, Lucas," the woman with silver hair coughed up blood, "They all died and, why are you alive alone?"
"No, you are not real," Lucas screamed.
Everything around Lucas vanished.
There was no sound, no air.
Shadows of his fallen comrades stood in front of him one by one.
"One last push, you said," one of the five shadows spoke.
"I don't even know what happened to my clan," the second shadow spoke, "We trusted you, Leader."
"My daughter, I don't even know what happened to her," the third shadow spoke.
All the five shadows kept torturing Lucas with guilt and regrets trying to break his mind.
"Enough," Lucas screamed with a wave of bloodlust.
"You all lost many precious things," Lucas spoke with a wavering voice, "But, do you know how hard it is to live knowing all my past."
"Then die and join us," the fourth shadow spoke.
"No, not yet," Lucas spoke with determination, "Not until the enemy is still alive and I find the real truth."
"Real truth," the fifth shadow spoke, "Then find the real truth Lucas, we will be waiting for the truth."
As Lucas began to wake up from his nightmares, he heard a familiar voice in his head.
"You must remember Lucas," the familiar voice screamed, "when the time stops, only fragments remain."
"Emilia....," Lucas screamed and woke up from his nightmare.