The Port City of Miles is the Empire's most prosperous city, a city even above the capital in terms of production and profit. 79% of all goods that are imported and exported are done so through this city. 90% of all merchants and their company's main branches are situated in this city. Unlike the last two cities number 343 had annihilated, which were all small cities, this one is different. It was indeed a loss for the Empire to lose two cities, but none of them would yield the same results as Miles if it were to be destroyed. If Miles were destroyed, the Empire would lose not only the largest amounts of revenue it produced but also the food and daily necessities required for its citizens. To summarize, if Miles were to be destroyed, the Empire would become hopeless for a long time to come, leaving it open and vulnerable to the attack of the Kingdom of Rior. The Imperial Family speculate that to be their goal, and number 343 is a means for them to achieve it.
And since number 343 originally originates from the Empire, the Empire cannot even criticize and condemn their actions, as the Kingdom is no doubt to rebuttal with something like, "You're blaming us?! Huh, laughable. To being with, it was your incompetence that led to a criminal god escaping into our country, should you not address that issue before you criticize and blame us?' This put the Empire in a complicated situation. Such is the world of politics.
Elton, who had accepted the request to capture number 343 was racing through the desert terrain at a speed that allowed not even a blur of his silhouette to be perceived. Not a single particle of sand had been disturbed from each step he took as he grew closer to his destination. The distance between Miles and the Capital is estimated to be about 5 large galaxies, and Elton had traversed around half of it. He would soon arrive at his destination, floating in the skies.
The reason Elton was running instead of having used the teleportation gate was the limit they possessed. Teleportation gates are devices that open a gate between two locations. They are used by all those who traverse from city to city for various reasons. The only problem was, the teleportation gates were only activated two times a day. Activating them suddenly without prior notice would take a long time, which was something Elton did not possess much of.
'At this rate, it would be faster for me to just run there.' With that, Elton started his sprint to the Port City of Miles.
Some time had passed and Elton had arrived at a distance that allowed him to perceive the floating city that was Miles. There was no entrance to the city as the only way in for most people was through the teleportation gates.
Elton came to a sudden halt as he looked at the city in the distance. He had no other choice than to pass over the walls of the city to make his way inside. A gentle flowing yellow aura seeped out from his body, and with a soft sigh, Elton began to hover above the ground, eventually ascending high into the skies.
[Divine Technique: Unbound]
Divine Techniques are different from Divine Traits. Unlike Divine Traits which are more like special abilities that a divine being is born with, Divine Techniques are techniques that require divine aura. Any being who possesses divine aura and has an affinity for it can learn the Divine Technique. Combine a little talent with hard work, and a genius can be born.
[Divine Technique: Unbound] allows one to release themselves from the chain that binds them to the ground and ascend to the skies.
Now in the air, Elton resumed his speedy approach toward Miles.
[Divine Technique: Unseen]
To not alert the guard of his presence, Elton used stealth art as his body blended in with his surroundings. Flying over the large walls that magnificently protected the city from external threats, Elton looked around while hovering, searching for a suitable place to descend to.
Elton landed in a dark alleyway and undid his stealth art, allowing his body to once again be perceived. Having done his job for a million years, Elton was an expert in capturing and exterminating criminal gods. His target this time was to be captured for questioning, meaning Elton needed him alive. He just had to lie in wait for number 343 to appear within a certain range so Elton's [Divine Trait: Ready For Trouble] could tell him the dangers of the criminal god.
To casually wander around the marketplace as he waited, Elton started to find his way out through the dark alleyway. Turning a corner, a figure bumped into Elton. Due to the difference in size, the figure bounced back, staggering back a few steps before landing on the ground with a thud.
"Owww..." a girl who appeared to be in her late teens groaned from pain in sobs.
"I'm sorry, are you alright?" Elton offered his hand and an apology to the girl. She had long, straight, smooth, and silky blonde hair covered in dust. Her skin tone was light and a noble atmosphere surrounded her, giving off the impression of a well-mannered lady. Contrary to that, her appearance was a mess. Her body was covered with light bruises and dirt, and she had a worn and torn dress as her clothing.
Elton felt the presence of five shady men emitting hostility drawing near their location, not long after, they turned a corner and appeared before him.
"There she is," one of the men cried at the sight of the girl.
"Damn bitch, made us run a marathon," another one carrying a bow in one hand and countless arrows on his back spat with ragged breaths. "If you weren't needed I would have just shot you ages ago instead of all this trouble."
The men were all clearly tired and appeared to be chasing something. Elton did not doubt that the girl before him was their target.
"P-please, h-help me..." the girl pleaded while sobbing, her crystal blue eyes drowned with tears as she latched onto Elton's leg.
The men in their rush had not taken notice of Elton. "Who are you...?" one of the men questioned with suspicion.
Ignoring them, Elton helped the sobbing girl to her feet.
The men traded quick glances before returning their gazes back to Elton. "I'm telling you, don't interfere if you want to live," the leader, a large man with a muscular build and bald head threatened Elton. He appeared to be the makeshift leader of the group in this current situation.
"What's your name, little lady? It seems you are in trouble," Elton politely asked in an attempt to calm the girl down, prompting her to explain her current predicament, simultaneously ignoring the men before him once more.
"Y-you bastard, you dare ignore me? Do you have a death wish?!"
"Oi, hurry up, we don't have time for this!" A man yelled at the bald one from behind him, impatient. "We don't have time for this! They are getting closer. If we fail to retrieve her 'he' won't let us live!" his eyes clearly feared something.
"I know, dammit," the man snapped back with impatience and frustration. "God damn it all! Move out of our way, otherwise don't blame us... You, hurry up and go get her," the bald man instructed the man beside him.
Elton had made no particular stance in the matter, but the bald man seemed to have drawn the conclusion that Elton was protecting the girl.
"Y-yes," the man ran up to the girl, grabbing her by the arm.
"N-no, stop! Please help!" the girl resisted, trying to escape the man's grasp.
"Stop resisting," the man told her.
"N-no! No!" the girl's cries only grew louder.
Elton sighed and stepped in. He instantly closed the distance between the man and him, grabbing the arm that held the girl. With great force, Elton crushed the man's arm. As he released his grip, the man fell to his knees, letting out a cry of agony as he held his crushed arm in an attempt to reduce the pain.
"Y-you...!" the bald man looked at him in shock. Snapping back to his senses he ordered the rest of them to attack while charging himself toward Elton, "You all, attack and take the girl!"
The man with the bow leapt back, drawing the string of his bow and preparing to shoot an arrow. Three other men, one tall and lanky, the other as brawny as the bald man, and the last a man with a spear rushed toward Elton.
The man with the spear thrust his weapon at Elton. Elton casually dodged it with a slight turn of his body, grabbing onto the spear. With great force, he pushed the spear. The force made the man holding the other end lose his grip as he went flying through the air and landed beneath the feet of the bald man with a thud.
The bald man looked up at Elton with trembling eyes, 'Who the hell is this guy?!'
His show of great strength did not hinder the others who continued to charge toward him.
"Let's take him on together!" the brawny man shouted at his remaining partner who nodded back in response.
The men flanked Elton from opposite ends. The brawny man swung his longsword down and the tall one swung his arm horizontally at Elton. A large force rendered their efforts futile and repelled their bodies, hurtling them through the air, much like the man with the spear, except this time the men were sent a larger distance when compared with the man with the spear.
Just as Elton had finished with the two men, the one with the bow finished infusing his arrow with a large amount of divine aura. The arrow brimming with a blindingly radiant golden glow charged toward Elton, aiming for his head. Unfortunately for the man with the bow, the arrow stopped an inch from Elton's head, as if blocked by an invisible wall. Sparks of divine aura were sent flying from the tip of the arrow as all the divine aura infused within it decreased until it disappeared.
'W-What just happened? My... my arrow..." The man, still unable to comprehend what had happened stood in shock. The bald man was not in any better of a condition. Both the remaining men stood grounded to their positions in shock as they peered at Elton with wide eyes, their faces pale.
Elton sighed, deciding to end this farce. A raging storm of divine aura burst forth from Elton's body, taking the form of a horrendously terrifying creature above him. The men all clearly saw the sight of Elton and what was above him.
"N-no!"
"Monster!"
The men all shrieked in fear at the sight of the creature that was above Elton.
"Haghhh!" the men scurried to their feet, fleeing the scene. Some tripped as they pathetically ran for their lives, disappearing from view.
Having killed quadrillions of gods in the last million years, Elton had a bloodlust that could intimidate even an S-rank. Elton normally controls his bloodlust so that not even a single drop leaves his body. What he showed the men was something that could not even be called a fraction of his bloodlust.
Having taken care of the men, Elton approached the confused girl. The girl watched in surprise as Elton closed the distance between them.
"I'm Elton. What's your name?" Elton asked politely now that she had regained a fraction of her senses, his expression as indifferent as ever, and only his tone had the slightest hint of concern. He started off by asking her name, leaving the other questions on his mind for later.
"Ahhh!" The girl exclaimed in surprise, bowing politely before him as a tankful gesture as she raised the ends of her worn and torn dress, "My name is..." She most definitely ran a long distance while the man perused her. Perhaps because all that pressure and fear had been replaced with a sense of safety, she lost all strength in her legs and fell to the ground, unconscious. It seemed all the fatigue that had built up had finally caught up to her now that she felt she was safe.
Elton caught the falling girl. Looking at her face, he heaved a heavy sigh. 'Well, not like I have anything better to do while I wait.' he thought as he decided to carry the girl along with him out the alley.
As he approached closer to the light that signalled the exit to the alley and the entrance to the streets, Elton closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against the girls.
[Divine Technique: Parapsychology]
The memories of the girl's recent week flowed into Elton's mind.
Savana Rindell, the first-born daughter of City Lord Rindell, the Lord of Miles City. Seventeen this year, she had been kidnapped for a week. Last week, as always, she escaped the City Lord's mansion with the help of her trusted bodyguard. While she leisurely strolled around the marketplace, indulging herself in the many products from the many different stalls, such as food, accessories, clothing, books, and many more, she was attacked.
The group, all clad in black robes that covered all their features, attacked them in the broad daylight. Whilst protecting Savana, the guard lost his life in battle, and she was taken away. They locked her in a dark room, only providing her with food and water, along with a toilet. She was forced to live for a week in an inhumane and unsanitary condition.
By a stroke of luck, the group that had kidnapped her was attacked by another anonymous group. After defeating the previous group that had kidnapped her, they soon realized Savana's true identity.
"Holy shit! Isn't this girl the daughter of the City Lord?!"
"Shit, you're right! We hit the jackpot!"
Thus, she was kidnapped once more. But, with a stroke of luck once more, she successfully escaped.
"Get her! If you fail I'll take your heads!" He ordered a group of men to give chase and retrieve her safely. Those were the men that Elton had just scared off. After escaping she ran to the city, while constantly running from her pursuers. She possessed an incredible amount of Divine Aura, but only the basics of Divine Techniques to put them to any effective use. With the use of her low-level Divine Techniques and a large amount of luck, she escaped and came across Elton, who saved her.
That brings things to the present...
Elton pulled his head back, opening his eyes after he finished processing and organizing all of Savana's memories from the past week/
'First, I should return her to the City Lord's mansion and wait for her to awaken.' Elton decided.
Elton's and Savana faded into the surroundings as Elton took to the air, his destination the large mansion on the top of the mountain that was at the centre of the city.
********************
Once at the top of the mountain, Elton descended to the ground, a large gate separating him and the mansion grounds. Undoing his stealth, Elton made himself known to the two guards that stood on either side of the gate. The guards were temporarily shocked at Elton's sudden appearance. Regaining their composure, the two guards traded glances, they both nodded to each other and one of them stepped up and approached Elton.
The guard was a man with long bronze hair and a pair of rough red eyes. He sported bright gold armour, carrying a shield in his left hand and a spear in his right. "Unauthorized personnel are not allowed here," the guard informed Elton in a harsh tone.
"Oh, sorry about that. I just came here to return something that belonged here." Elton replied, looking down at the girl he carried in his arms.
"Hmmm?" The guard confused followed Elton's gaze. "This-!" the guard exclaimed in surprise, staggering back a few steps. "I-it's Lady Savana. Inform Stewardess Lin right now!" The guard turned on his heels and instructed his fellow guard.
"W-what? L-lady Savana?" a young lady as young as Savana asked back in confusion, unable to process the development.
"Stop dilly-dallying. Inform Stewardess Lin about Lady Savana. Hurry!"
"Ah, y-yes," she stuttered before running right through the large gate.
The gate was no normal gate. It allowed all authorized people to pass right through it, while those without permission from the master of the place are denied entry.
"You, do not move! We have some questions for you to answer," the guard pointed the tip of his spear at Elton, narrowing his eyes.
"Are you sure you should do that? If I was an enemy, I could use her as a hostage, you know?" Elton regarded the unconscious Savana before returning his gaze to the guard.
"Ahh," the fact left the guard at a loss for what to do.
"Don't worry, I am not an enemy. I rescued this girl from her kidnappers. You can ask her when she wakes up," Elton reassured.
Since Elton had seen Savana's memories, he knew she remembered Elton as her saviour.
"Rescued?" The guard's expression softened as he retracted his spear, still on guard against Elton.
"Take her inside first. I will explain after she wakes up," Elton extended his arms, and Savana along with them.
"I see," the guard answered with a vague response as he accepted Savana onto his arms from Elton's.
"What's going on?" A voice resounded from the other side of the gate.
The voice belonged to a woman who appeared to be in her early twenties. She had long black hair tied in a ponytail with a bun on the top that was held together by a needle-like object, paired with eyes of the same colour, and pale skin that glistened underneath the rays of the sun. Her mannerism exuded a mature feminine aura. The long black Qipao she wore was rich with embroidery and overbearing, exposing multiple parts of her body, though within limits. Her dress outlined and enhanced the appeal of the curves of her body and drew attention to a particular part, her moderately large bosom, revealing a tiny proportion of her cream-coloured skin through a slit in the chest area and underneath both her armpits.
"Stewardess Lin!" The guard rejoiced as the woman passed through the gate, with the previous guard who had gone to call her in tow.
"Lady Savana," Stewardess Lin took notice of Savana, who the guard was now carrying in his arms. She placed a hand on her head, closing her eyes temporarily. Once she had confirmed Savana's safety, she turned to Elton. "I am Lin, the Stewardess of the Rindell family. Might you introduce yourself, mysterious man?" she asked of Elton with a blank expression.
"I am sorry, but that will have to wait. I have more pressing matters to attend to. I will provide a clear explanation once she has awakened," Elton turned around, side-glancing at Savana who still remained unconscious before beginning to walk away.
"Pressing matters?" the Stewardess inquired.
"Yes... that is correct. I have matters of my own to attend to, so if you will excuse me... " Elton stopped to say.
"W-wait...!" Lin extended her hand out and tried to stop Elton, but he had already disappeared without a trace. Lin retracted her hand as she blankly stared at the empty air where Elton once was.
"What should we do about Lady Savana?" The male guard queried Lin.
Snapping back from her daze she relayed instructions regarding Savana, "Right! Take her into her room and let her rest. Prepare for that man just now... he said he will return once Lady Savana has awakened. I will take care of the procedures to inform the City Lord of what has happened."
"Yes, ma'am!" The guards both responded.