"Did you really do it, Mr. Jule?" Faith asked, her expression stern.
Anon smiled but remained silent.
"I asked you something, Mr. Jule. Did you murder your own father with two other civilians, who were also your neighbors? Because all of your neighbors have confirmed this statement," Faith repeated.
Anon glanced at his neighbors' houses and noticed their fearful expressions, as if someone had coerced them into corroborating this lie.
Anon quickly grasped the situation.
"Not only did he kill Ian and abduct girls from my collection, but he also threatened them to corroborate this false statement in their testimonies. This bastard has planned this out. Let's see how this game unfolds," Anon thought, a smile forming on his face.
Anon turned his attention back to Faith and confessed, "I did it..."
"Good, soldiers, arrest this boy and place him in the prison cell," Faith ordered.
"Yes, Ma'am." Two female elves approached Anon.
"Show us your hands," one of them said as she produced a golden, glowing rope from her bag.
"Yes, Ma'am," Anon complied, raising his hands.
The elf girl proceeded to bind Anon's hands with the golden rope, and a message popped up before him: [Your Magic has been sealed.]
"Wow, that's some impressive rope," Anon commented with a smile.
"This is a Magic Sealing rope, you criminal," the elf girl replied with disdain, gripping the rope's other end.
"Get him inside the carriage..." Faith commanded.
"Yes, ma'am," the elf girl said as she pulled on the rope, directing Anon to walk alongside her.
"You'll be serving a long sentence. Did you not feel any guilt after killing your own father?" the elf soldier asked Anon.
Anon closed the distance between them and whispered coldly and menacingly in her ear, "I enjoy killing, and I have no mercy for anyone, girl. You shouldn't ask questions like that. I'm not in a good mood right now, so shut up and get me inside the damn carriage."
A shiver ran down the elf soldier's spine.
"Y-You piece of garbage," she muttered as she opened the door to the criminal carriage.
Anon stepped inside, but Faith's voice rang out from behind.
"Yes, ma'am?" the female elf soldier turned and asked, her expression one of shock and bewilderment.
"Get him into my carriage," Faith ordered.
"But ma'am...?" The elf soldier was visibly surprised.
"Just do it," Faith insisted.
"Y-Yes, ma'am. Oi, you heard her... Get down and walk toward Madam Faith's carriage," the elf soldier announced, addressing Anon.
Anon quietly disembarked from the carriage and moved toward Faith's.
Once he reached it, Anon entered and saw Faith already seated inside.
He sat down, and the elf soldier closed the gate.
"Hyaa..."
Whip
The carriage driver cracked his whip, and the carriage set off.
"Who did it, Jule?" Faith asked, her expression serious.
"Hmm...? I did it. Didn't you get the statement from the neighbors?" Anon replied.
"You were at the academy the entire day, sleeping. You only returned home recently, and your neighbors are being monitored. That's why they lied. I can easily detect falsehoods. Just as I caught you," Faith noted.
"You should work on your lying skills. So, who is trying to frame you for this?" Faith asked, her expression still serious.
"Why did you arrest me if you knew I was lying?" Anon inquired.
"Well, now that I've arrested you, the ones trying to frame you for this murder will be at ease, thinking you're in prison. This will be the perfect opportunity to catch them, as they believe you're behind bars. Now, tell me, who are they?" Faith pressed with a serious expression.
"Well, there was this guy named Oxmaul that I may have hurt in the Immortal Arena previously. Now, his brother is looking for me. He killed my father and kidnapped my sister and mother. He wants me to reach a certain location within two hours if I want to see them alive," Anon explained, displaying the letter to Faith.
Faith examined the letter with a grave expression.
"This bastard. I'll dispatch someone to rescue your mother and sister as soon as we reach the prison. You won't be in there for long. Afterward, I'll get you out," Faith promised.
"Yeah, that's the problem. You see, I found this letter just about an hour and thirty minutes ago, which means I only have about thirty minutes to do something about it. The city prison is still forty minutes away from here, and this location is only two blocks from our current position," Anon remarked, smiling at Faith.
"I'm sorry, but I don't have an experienced team available right now, so I can't help you immediately. But believe me, once we get back to the prison, I'll send my best soldier to aid your mother and sister," Faith replied.
Anon suddenly stood up and looked at Faith with a smile.
"Jule, sit down. Don't do anything foolish. This could be used against you in the Royal Court, you don't know how strictly children like gets punished. The queen can easily grant you death penalty for this." Faith warned.
"Love, a man has to take care of his family. I'm sorry, but I have to go," Anon declared, breaking the carriage door with a single kick.
Boom
"Jule don't get me to withdraw my sword or something very wrong will happen." Faith spoke with a serious expression.
"Sorry, Luv. I have got to do, what I have got to do." Anon spoke as he smiled at her.
"Jule, you're not going anywhere, you will come to the city prison with me. You can't even use magic with the magic seal Whip around your arms." Faith declared, drawing her sword and placing it against Anon's throat.
"This toy is useless against me," Anon said as Auric Energy enveloped his body, shattering the blade that Faith had pressed against his throat. Anon pulled his hands away from each other and the Golden whip that was tied around his hand was torn apart.
Crack
"What...? How did you do that?" Faith asked, bewildered, as she examined the handle of her sword because that was the only thing that remained of her sword.
"Oh and about that date...I'll make it up to you, I promise," Anon said, planting a brief kiss on Faith's lips before leaping out of the carriage.ย
"Did he just kiss me on the lips?" Faith wondered, her cheeks turning red after Anon's audacious act.
Throughout her life, Faith had encountered many men, but Anon stood apart from them all. He possessed a unique charm, intelligence, and the physical prowess to achieve his goals. He was, in her eyes, the perfect man.
Suddenly, Faith snapped out of her reverie and assessed the situation. "Oh, hell... I totally forgot he was a prisoner. I can't allow a prisoner to escape. Jule, you colossal idiot," she muttered, withdrawing a small dagger from her waist belt and pointing it toward her own stomach.
Gritting her teeth, she plunged the dagger into her abdomen.
Chek
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh..." Faith cried out as the dagger penetrated her, her painful shriek echoing.
Screeeechhh
All the carriages came to an immediate halt, and the elf soldiers disembarked, rushing to Faith's carriage.
"Commander, are you alright?" one of the female soldiers inquired, entering the carriage and noticing the dagger embedded in Faith's abdomen.
"Oh, shit, I need healing potions. Get me some healing potions," the elf soldier urgently requested of her companions.
"Yes, ma'am," one of them responded and hurried to retrieve the healing potions.
"Ma'am, did he do this? Was it that boy, ma'am?" the elf soldier inquired, her expression seething with anger.
"Yes... Ahhh... damn, it hurts," Faith pretended, observing the elf soldier.
"Soldiers, capture that man immediately and kill him on sight," the elf soldier commanded.
"Yes, ma'am," the soldiers chorused.
"Wait... we need him alive," Faith murmured in a soft but audible tone.
"But, ma'am... he tried to kill you," the elf soldier protested.
"Ma'am, here is the healing potion," one of the elf soldiers said, handing the healing potion to her.
"Here, ma'am, drink this; you'll feel better," another elf soldier offered, passing Faith the healing potion.
Chek
Suddenly, the elf soldier gripped the dagger's hilt and yanked it out.
"Ahhh... Fuck. At least give me a warning when you're about to do that," Faith yelled, feeling her wound rapidly mend thanks to the healing potion, although the pain of the abrupt dagger removal still throbbed.
"I'm sorry, ma'am," the elf soldier quickly apologized.
"We need that guy alive. I will personally present him before the Royal court," Faith declared, her expression resolute.
"Yes, ma'am," the elf soldier replied.
"Everyone, find him and bring him back alive," the elf soldier ordered the other soldiers.
"Yes, ma'am," the soldiers promptly dispersed to search for Anon.
"Ma'am, there's something I don't understand," the elf soldier said, looking at Faith.
"What is it?" Faith inquired as she stood up.
"How did he manage to stab you? Wasn't he tied up with the magic-sealing rope?" the elf soldier asked.
"He was, but somehow he broke free," Faith explained.
"What? He broke an unbreakable rope?" the elf soldier questioned in disbelief.
"Are you implying that I allowed him to escape and stabbed myself on purpose to make it seem like he fled?" Faith countered with a very angry expression and loud tone.
'Well, the dagger part is true but i had to save my reputation as well.' Faith thought as she continued to look at The elf soldier in anger.
"N-No, ma'am, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me," the elf soldier hastily apologized.
"Good, now go and find him," Faith ordered.
"Yes, ma'am," the soldier acknowledged before heading off to search for Anon.
Once Faith exited the carriage, she surveyed her surroundings and sensed that something was amiss.
"What?" Faith murmured, retrieving the letter Anon had given her and studying the location mentioned on it.
"This place is on the other side of the Kingdom. Why did he jump out here? This doesn't make any senseโ" Then, a realization struck her.
"Oh, shit. I have to stop him. Everyone, return to your carriages. I know exactly where he went," Faith ordered.
"Ma'am, is something wrong ? Did you found him ?" The elf soldier asked with a confused expression.
"No, but I may know where we can find him. So, get in the carriage." Faith ordered. n.-๐ธ./๐)-๐ข.(๐ต/-๐ฏ..I--n
"Yes, ma'am," the elf soldiers obeyed, returning to their carriages.
On the other side, Anon stood in front of a grand mansion, painted in red and yellow hues, with two imposing golden lion statues flanking its entrance.
"Well, well... if we're going to play the family-for-family game, why not involve your family as well, Mr. Ares?" Anon remarked, his tone wicked and a psychotic smile gracing his lips.
Anon began walking toward the mansion but abruptly noticed over five guards at the outer gates.
Additionally, ten to twelve guards safeguarded the main entrance of the mansion.
"Hmm... it seems it's time to hunt some bastards, right, mate?" Anon inquired, glancing at Gin.
Woof-Woof
Gin barked twice, prepared to transform into his true form at a moment's notice.
With both hands in his pockets, Anon continued toward the mansion.
?? There lived a certain man... in Russia long ago. He was big and strong, in his eyes a flaming glow.??
Anon started singing the Ballad of Irina as he strolled toward the elven guards who were engrossed in conversation and laughter.
As he reached the entrance, the guards immediately halted him.
"Who the hell are you, kid? Do you even know who this mansion belongs to?" one of the guards, wearing a disdainful expression, confronted Anon.
Anon remained silent, as did Gin, awaiting his master's order to transform into his original form and eliminate these guards at a single command.
?? But when his drinking and his lusting and his hunger for power became known to more and more people... the demands to do something about this outrageous man grew louder and louder. ??
Anon continued to sing, gazing at the ground.
"What's this guy talking about?" one of the guards asked, chuckling.
"I have no idea. He's talking about drinking and lusting... I think he's drunk. Let's toss him out of here before the master sees him," another guard suggested.
"Yeah, you're right," the remaining guards agreed, seizing Anon's shoulders.
"HUNT," Anon ordered.
As soon as Gin heard the word 'Hunt,' his primal instincts awakened, and he leaped off Anon's shoulder, reverting to his original form.
Grrrawwww
Gin immediately lunged at one of the soldiers, clamping his jaws around the man's leg and tearing it off.
"Huh...? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-" The soldier initially watched in confusion, but when the pain hit him, and he comprehended the gruesome reality of his situation, he screamed in agony.
The other soldiers, startled, backed away from Anon and Gin. "He's dangerous... maintain your distance, soldiers," one of them warned, brandishing his spear at Anon. The rest followed suit, aiming their weapons at Anon.
"He's hostile... save me-" the soldier who was being devoured cried out one last time before Gin ripped his head off.
Grraawwww
Gin then shifted his attention toward another elf soldier. "Oi, help me. Help me..." The panicked elf soldier pleaded as he saw Gin approaching.
Observing this scene, the inner guards dispatched their informant inside the house to alert everyone about the situation at the outer gate. They rushed toward the outer guards to provide backup.
"Soldiers, kill them at once," one of the guards shouted, charging at Anon with his spear. The other soldiers followed suit, brandishing their spears menacingly.
Grawwwwhhh
Chek
"Ahhhhhhhh-"
Chek
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh"
chek
"No, I have kids... Ahhhhhhhh"
Before any of them could reach Anon, Gin had eliminated all of them in less than three seconds. He tore their bodies apart and decapitated them, showing no mercy. Gin's ruthlessness mirrored Anon's, and Anon couldn't have been prouder.
"Oi, what's going on here- ?!" one of the inner guards demanded, but upon witnessing the gruesome scene of his friends being devoured by a hell hound, he quickly realized that Anon was a deadly threat and immediately raised his spear against him. The other guards, arriving from behind, observed the situation carefully.
"Guards, keep your distance from him. He's hostile," the first guard warned, and the others pointed their spears at Anon.
?? This man just got to go declare his enemies, but the ladies begged, don't you try to do it, please. ??
Anon sang with a grin as he looked at them.
"What's he saying?" one of the guards asked, perplexed.
"I don't know, but if he or his dog takes even one step from their position, we'll kill them immediately," the first guard declared.
"Sir, the reinforcements are coming," the informer guard reported from behind.
"Good..."
"Hah... it looks like it's time to end the slow play. Gin, kill them, boy," Anon commanded.
Grawwwwhhh
Gin leaped at the guards.
"Kill them...." the guard leader shouted.
Gin dispatched them with his razor-sharp teeth one by one. They attempted to fend him off with their frail spears, but nothing could penetrate his rock-hard skin. Some tried to escape, while others put up a fight. In the end, they all met a grisly demise.
Woof-Woof
After eliminating everyone, Gin returned to Anon's side.
"Good work, boy. I'd pat you, but your head is covered in blood, and I'd rather not dirty my hands with blood, at least not this soon," Anon complimented Gin with a smile.
"Let's head in..." Anon said as he advanced toward the mansion's main gate.
Gin followed, using his supersonic sound to gauge how many soldiers were waiting inside the house to confront them when they entered.
Woof-Woof
"Hmm... 30? That's no big deal. You can handle them alone," Anon remarked.
Woof-Woof
"Yeah, yeah, don't get too excited," Anon replied.
As Anon approached the gate, he sensed numerous arrays had been cast around it, designed to seal it like a rock.
"Hmmm.... indeed a good Array, but you're using it on the wrong person," Anon said as he grabbed both gate doors with his hands and ripped them off their hinges.
"Mages, fire now," a voice from inside commanded as soon as Anon tore off the gates.
Zzzzzzzz
Booom
Booom
Boooom
Suddenly, multiple spells were unleashed at Anon from various mages positioned behind the door.
"Melee warriors, he must be weakened now, attack," their captain ordered.
Following his orders, the melee warriors charged into the cloud of smoke formed by multiple simultaneous spellcasts.
As they entered the smoke, the clattering of metal rang out.
"Come on, boys, we have to kill him quickly. We don't have much time. Just take him out and retreat-" the team captain spoke, a grin on his face. However, he suddenly realized that all sounds coming from the smoke had ceased.
"Soldiers, what's happening? What's going on in there? Did you take him out?" the team captain demanded, but there was no response from the other side.
Finally, a sound emerged from the dissipating smoke...
?? No doubt this Rasputin had lots of hidden charms. Though he was a brute, they just fell into his arms. ??
Anon's voice sang the Ballad of Irina, revealing his deadly presence.
The smoke cleared, revealing Anon sitting amidst the dead bodies of the soldiers who had entered the smoke cloud.
"Do you have anything else?" Anon asked with a grin as he began walking toward the commanding officer.
"Mages, hit him with your most potent spell," the commander ordered.
The mages started chanting their spells, but before they could complete their incantations, Gin severed their hands.
"Ahhhhhh-... my hand."
"I'm bleeding, please save me."
"Ahhhhhhhhhh.... fuckkk."
The mages screamed in pain, looking at their severed arms and blood flowing out of them non-stop.
Suddenly Gin jumped over and ripped off their heads as well.
*Thud*
*Thud*
*Thud*
....
The corpses fell on the ground lifeless.
The backline was completely destroyed.
"Melee Soldiers... kill that dog at once," the commander shouted, but nothing happened.
"What melee are you talking about? These guys ?" Anon inquired.
The commander suddenly turned his gaze toward Anon, completely shocked. Anon had already eliminated every melee soldier and was now seated atop an even larger pile of corpses.
'This is impossible, how can an Elf move so swiftly and kill so silently ? He isn't even using weapons. Who is this monster ?' The commander wondered as he looked at Anon with a shocked expression and realised that he is the only one standing in the room right now.
In an underground basement beneath the Elven Kingdom's coast...
Two girls were bound to their chairs with thick ropes, struggling relentlessly to break free by squirming and jerking. These unfortunate captives were none other than Hillary and Moon. Their mouths had been gagged with white cloths, preventing any communication between them.
Facing them stood a man of around 5'2 in height, clad entirely in a black suit, who had been observing Hillary and Moon for the past two hours.
"Oi, I told you. You can't break free. These ropes are made from exceptionally strong material. Your efforts are in vain, so why don't you just sit quietly...?" the guard remarked as he peered at the girls.
"Mnhhhh-" Moon attempted to shout, her face twisted in anger, but the cloth muffled her voice.
"I know you can curse me, but guess what... only five minutes remain until the time limit for your brother expires. Once that happens, you can't even fathom what I will do to you. I will cut your tiny-" Before he could finish his threat, the sound of the door opening abruptly interrupted him.
He swiftly turned to see Ares approaching with ten more men dressed in black suits, a delighted expression on his face.
"Well, well, well... How are our guests doing, Barney?" Ares inquired, gazing at the man standing next to the girls.
"T-They are doing g-good, Sir," Barney stammered, his voice trembling with fear.
Slap
Suddenly, Ares slapped Barney and snapped, "Well, I don't want them to feel good, you shit bag. Do you think I brought them here so they can feel good?"
"I-I-I am sorry, Sir. This won't happen again," Barney hurriedly bowed down and apologized.
"Clear the way; I want to speak with the girls personally," Ares ordered as he sat down in front of them, a psychopathic smile on his face.
The other assassins immediately stepped aside, allowing Ares to approach the captives.
"Hello, cute little sister. How are you?" Ares inquired with a creepy smile.
"Mnhhhmnnnnff-" Moon shouted, her eyes locked onto Ares.
"Ah, yes. Let me remove that cloth from your mouth," Ares said as he took off the white cloth.
"You fucking son of a bitch, you piece of shit. Do you really think you can keep me here? My brother will come and kill all of you," Moon shouted without restraint.
"Well, good talking to you. Seems like you're way too aggressive to have a civil conversation, huh?" Ares remarked before gagging her once again with the same white cloth.
"Hey, don't yo- Mahhhhnhhhhh." Moon tried to bite his hand, but her attempt was futile, and Ares quickly silenced her.
"Hmm... it looks like your brother is late... only ten seconds remain until you die. Everyone, count with me...10," Ares began counting down.
"9..." The others in the room joined in.
"8...7....6....5....4...3...2-" Suddenly, Ares stopped as he felt a vibration from his spatial ring.
He swiftly retrieved a communication crystal ball from the ring, gazing at it in bewilderment. The crystal ball glowed with a red hue from within.
"Oi, what does the red color signify again?" Ares asked one of the assassins.
"S-Sir, it means your home. It's an emergency message from your home," the assassin explained.
"Yes, you have a good memory. I remember now; I gave this crystal to Mom once, but she never used it, until now. Why is she using an emergency crystal to call me?" Ares pondered aloud, injecting his mana into the ball.
"Hello, Mom... what's the problem? Why are you sending me messages on the emergency ball? Is there some kind of emerge-" Ares started but was abruptly interrupted by an unfamiliar male voice emanating from the other side of the crystal, a voice he had never heard before.
"Oh, yes... there is an emergency. I've just invaded your house. I've slain all the mages and soldiers present inside your house, and I have your entire family right in front of me. Here, speak to them..." Anon said as he presented the crystal ball to Ares's mother, who knelt before Anon, terror in her eyes.
"Want to say something to your good kid?" Anon asked, his smile menacing.
"A-Ares... Save me, Ares. H-He beat me with a hot iron rod; he even slapped your father so hard he went unconscious and broke your brother's nose by punching him in the face. P-Please..."
Slap
Anon slapped Ares's mother and rose to his feet.
"OIIII, DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE TOUCH MY MOTHER, YOU FUCKING BASTARD...." Ares shouted angrily.
"Ouch... don't shout, bitch; I don't like loud noises. So, what was I saying? Yes, so you've heard your mother, right? That's essentially what I did with them until now, but if you don't return to your house in approximately, let's say, 15 minutes, with my girls... I will do something far worse to them. Believe me, death doesn't come close; it's even worse than death.
Oh, yes, one more thing... If I see even a single cut on their skin... you can consider your father dead-"
"Jule, you fucking-" Ares attempted to say something but was immediately interrupted by Anon.
"Let me finish, Sir. Don't speak in the middle of my talk, or your mother will be a goner. So, what was I saying?
Yes, your time has started ticking. Goodbye, bastard," Anon declared before smashing the crystal ball on the floor.
Ares on the other side was seething with anger, every second increasing his fury.
"Ahhhhhhhhhh.... Fuckkkkk." Ares yelled as he hurled the crystal ball against the wall, shattering it.
"Master, shouldn't we kill them?" one of the assassins inquired.
Ares turned to the assassin, drawing his wand. He pointed it at the assassin and incanted a spell.
[Thunder Jolt]
Booom
A bolt of lightning struck the man, instantly ending his life.
"Anyone else have any more stupid questions?" Ares demanded with a furious expression as he scanned his assassins.
"N-No, Sir," all the assassins promptly replied.
"Good... prepare your weapons. We're going to kill a dog and load them into the carriage," Ares ordered as he pointed towards Moon and Hillary.