Year 2283
OCTOBER 27, 5:45 PM - Minesk Square, Basin City, Wodren
"Beat him."
"Yeah, if he does not give the money he owes us today, break both of his hands."
In the middle of the street, a half-conscious adolescent was being beaten by four lackeys under the command of a handsome-looking youth.
"Simon, I think he is dead."
"Dead? him? Like a cockroach, he will survive no matter what. Give him another beating and leave him here. After the dungeon run tomorrow, we'll come to look after him. Finish the job, boys....", said the good-looking young man named Simon before turning to leave the bustling street performance. He can't stay here any longer. He had a date to attend tonight after all.
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Twenty minutes later.
The person who was lying on the street seemed to have regained his consciousness. He stood up with some effort and then looked at himself in disbelief.
"I am still alive?"
Adrian tried to think about everything once again. He, along with his team, The Shadow Legion, was on the 55th Floor of Abyss, fighting the final fight against the King of Hell, Lucifer.
Well, it was not a proper fight at all. Lucifer was still sitting on his magnificent Royal Throne without a care in the world, watching them struggle with a face full of disdain and they were fighting with Lucifer's Royal Guards with their all just to advance a single step towards his throne. Lucifer didn't even make a move personally and they were still getting overwhelmed by his guards.
It was unbelievable.
It was clear that the fight was lost. They couldn't win at all, but it was their last chance. The last chance for Humanity to fight against the Abyss and to end the prolonged war for once and all.
One by one, members of The Shadow Legion died to stop Lucifer's Royal Demon Guards. At last, only five core members of The Shadow Legion were still fighting against them. Among them, Adrian was present. He understood very well that they would not be able to get away today with their lives.
At the last moment, he used the [Time Reverse Scroll], the last Mythical Tier Item which was obtained by The Shadow Legion during their constant fighting against the Abyssal Demons for almost 25 years.
The four core members sacrificed themselves to fight Lucifer's Royal Guards to death so that they couldn't disturb Adrian at all.
Adrian still can remember the shock in Lucifer's face when he saw the Mythical Tier Item in his hands.
Adrian used it there without thinking anymore and before anyone could do anything, the scroll's effect took place.
In reality, Adrian didn't have that much reliance on that scroll.
He obtained the scroll from the ruins of the Elven Royal Palace after the 3rd Elven-Demon Great War.
The scroll was badly damaged, even after using [Appraisal] and [Inspect] skills many times, there were no proper details about the scroll. Only the scroll a Mythical Tier Item, was revealed.
That's why he was very much shocked when he saw himself alive and still kicking.
He thought if the scroll didn't work, this would be the end of Humanity.
But now, he is alive and the Chaos still has not begun.
He still didn't lose anyone from The Shadow Legion.
He still didn't lose Reina.
He can prepare for it as much as he can.
He knows the upcoming future, and with its help, he can prepare for a far better chance than the previous time.
After settling his thoughts, Adrian started to walk away from the Square, and only then did he wince in pain.
Adrian properly looked at his body and then he realized that he was badly beaten.
His whole body was twitching, his clothes were almost torn, his body was bruised, and his hands were in too much pain.
"That Simon bastard and his lackeys..."
Adrian thought to himself that some people will never change. Even after the start of Chaos, there were people like Simon, always trying to take advantage of their fellow humans, and other races and later backstabbing them.
As for Simon, who was he?
Simon von Hines, son of Rowell von Hines, the owner of The Twilight Guild, one of the largest Guild in Wodren, formed to manage the dungeons and to speed up the leveling process in the Twilight Towers.
Being the son of the Lord Rank Human being Rowell von Hines, Simon was nothing but an obnoxious bastard who always tried to take advantage of people, whether it was inside the Guild or outside.
"I will make you pay for today bastard, just wait for two more days... right now I've do something much more important than taking care of you and your lackeys...", Adrian slowly walked away from the Square towards the end of the city.
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After walking for more than thirty minutes, Adrian arrived at the Southern Corner of Basin City.
This part of the city is generally quiet, very few people live here.
The condition of living in this place is also not that good, people who don't have a proper place to stay, mostly come here to stay temporarily.
Now, this is already evening. Criminals are even rampant in this place after 8-9 PM.
Adrian looked at the surrounding environment, everything was still the same, and nothing had changed.
Adrian took out his phone to look at the date and time.
07:05 PM, October 27, Year 2283.
Adrian looked at the time and date again. He is back after almost 25 years of constant fighting and struggle.
Adrian stood on the roadside and took a deep breath.
Now, he is back and he can really restart his journey once again and build himself up properly this time.
If his memory serves him right, The First Tribulation of The Great Chaos started on October 30, 10:00 AM, Year 2283.
There is not much time left, only about Two days and some remnant hours.
He needs to do a lot, including taking a proper bath, a healthy meal, and a much-needed sleep.
Adrian kept all these thoughts in the back of his mind and walked hurriedly towards a small-sized Pawn shop at the end of the street.
The shop is half-closed, and no one seems to be present in the shop.
Adrian checked his surroundings once again to make sure that he was not followed by anyone in this area.
After making sure that no one was after him, Adrian came close to the Pawn shop entrance, tapped on the half-closed tin door peculiarly, and then muttered something in a very low voice.
After Adrian finished speaking, an aged man came out of the shop and looked at him with a face full of concern.
Then he invited him into the shop by making hand gestures without uttering a single word.
Adrian looked around once more and then quickly followed him inside.
"How do you know about us?"
The man asked Adrian while taking out two sharp greenish-colored daggers in his hands.
"Easy old man..... we are not enemies of each other", Adrian spoke.
"Boy, just answer the question, if you don't want to die here tell me the truth. How do you know about us?"
Adrian looked at the old man carefully.
He is aged, but still very much careful. Both of his daggers are laced with paralytic poison which can make a normal person paralyzed faster than any other poison.
As expected of the [Hidden Thieves Society].
"How do I know about you is not that important. What can I do for you is much more important, old man."
The old man looked at Adrian carefully.
This boy is not intimidated by him. And from his expressions, it's clear that he was expecting that much from him.
Which means he knows about the [Hidden Thieves Society] and how they work.
"And what can you do for me?", the old man asked in a deep voice.
"I can help you get back your daughter, Cassie."
Adrian spoke nonchalantly.
The old man froze there in the shop.
And in the next second, he attacked Adrian without even asking anything else.
Adrian was prepared for this outburst. After all, he knew very well that his daughter Cassie was his reverse scale.
He touched the old man's reverse scale knowing that the man would attack him in the very next moment.
Adrian dodged the attack by moving to the side gracefully just before the attack almost got connected to his shoulder.
The old man missed his first attack but he didn't stop there. He almost jumped toward Adrian while positioning one hand towards Adrian's neck and the other hand towards his abdomen.
Adrian glanced at the old man, and in the next moment started running towards him with his full speed without caring about the pain in his body.
Just when both of them were about to collide, Adrian slipped on the floor deliberately to dodge both of the old man's attacks and launched a swift kick towards his lower abdomen.
The old man was caught off guard by his sudden movement and almost forced himself to stop before colliding with Adrian.
Adrian did not stop there. He knew this was his only chance. His whole body is in pain and the old man is quite experienced despite his old age.
He can't longer this small fight anymore.
Adrian grabbed the old man's right leg and in a swift motion threw him back to a corner of the room using his momentum and then he pounced on him without delaying anymore.
The old man was now lying in a corner of the room, Adrian was almost over him with one of his daggers.
"Just listen to me first old man. I know Cassie was taken by Simon von Hines to perform his menial tasks, and when you went to confront him about this matter, his father and Twilight Guild denied everything."
"I also know that you are fighting against The Twilight Guild alone for almost five months for your daughter and yet you know nothing about her. Even the [Hidden Thieves Society] were unable to help you out."
The old man looked at Adrian with a cold face.
He didn't say anything. He knew what Adrian was saying was true.
His daughter Cassie was taken forcefully by that bastard child Simon because he refused to give protection money to The Twilight Guild.
He refused to believe that the whole Basin City was under Twilight Guild. There was still Government. But no one gave him an answer when his daughter was taken by them.
He came to know everything from some bystanders who saw that Cassie was taken by Simon and his group, but they didn't do anything to stop them.
They just watched when his daughter was taken by them.
Later, Twilight Guild, Simon von Hines as well as Rowell von Hines denied every allegation against them and even gave a press briefing that some malevolent people were trying to tarnish his reputation and also of Twilight Guild.
Even the people from the Government didn't help him as there was no proof of Simon taking Cassie away.
The people who saw everything outright denied everything regarding this matter.
And the old man never got back his daughter.
He still hoped that his daughter his alive and he continued his fighting against The Twilight Guild.
He joined the [Hidden Thieves Society] even at this age and learned their [Hidden Dagger Techniques] and [Special Dagger Techniques] as much as he could. Then he tried to assassinate Simon on many occasions over the last five months, but he never became successful.
The old man almost lost his hope of getting his daughter back.
And then, this young man came out of nowhere and told him he could take his daughter back from the clutches of those bastards.
He even fought with him from which the old man can easily tell that this young man has at least some foundations in Martial Arts and Closed Combats.
His mind was in shock and disbelief after listening to Adrian's words.
"How? How are you gonna do it?", the old man asked Adrian in a hoarse voice suppressing his pain of losing his daughter to those evil bastards.
"I'll do the same thing that you were trying to do back then."
Adrian paused for a moment and looked at the old man's face, and then he continued, "I know very well that The Twilight Guild, Rowell, and Simon are nothing but scums in this world. They killed people to suppress the news about The Demon outbreak in [Silent Cave] dungeon. They are also involved in the slave trade, drugs, and other underhanded things. Even after the Tribulation starts, they are not gonna change their way. So, it's best to get rid of them."
Adrian stopped speaking.
The old man looked at him in disbelief.
"You know about the Demon outbreak? You even know about the upcoming Tribulation?"
"I know about them." Adrian said nonchalantly, "Or do you think I am like those people who still believe that those Towers in our world are God's Domain? And if we are ever able to go to the top, we'll be able to see the Creator. These are nothing but bullshits, made up for the people to use them as the Cannon Fodders when the Real Apocalypse descends."
The old man understood Adrian's words. He is not like the others. He knows the truth about the Towers.
"Still, how are you going to kill them? Rowell is a Lord Rank human being, and he even has his own Special Protection Group. The same goes for his son Simon. And if there is a small mistake, Cassie's life will be in danger."
Adrian understood his words. But he has his methods. Killing Simon and his father is not that much hard when the Tribulation is almost about to begin. In almost two days, all hell will break loose.
Adrian nodded and answered, "I understand your doubts old man, but there is very little time before the Tribulation. What we have to do, we must do it before it. Once the Chaos descends, everyone will run for their own life, and neither I nor you will be able to find Cassie anymore. And I've my methods to deal with them, I just need your utmost support."
The old man nodded.
"Fine, tell me what do you need from me? to get me back my daughter?"
"Five things. Tier-2 Abyssal Demon Blood, Nether Grass, Blood Moss, Phantom leaves, and a set of Silver Daggers."
Adrian answered briefly.
The old man looked at Adrian with more surprise.
This young man knows his staff. But still, he was hesitant. These items are mostly used for.....
"Tell me, young man, are you thinking of a Summoning or Ritual?"
Adrian nodded.
The old man understood his thinking. It's not a bad way, and it can be helpful if the Tribulation is really about to descend in some days.
"Are you sure that you can perform the Ritual perfectly?", the old man asked him again.
"I'm sure. Just give me the materials. I will return with your daughter. Oh, and I don't have any money with me right now."
The old man's mouth twitched.
What a little devious fellow.
The old man nodded silently and got up. Adrian waited for five minutes. The old man came back pretty fast with all the materials.
Adrian checked everything and put them in a small leather bag, which of course he had taken from the old man's shop.
Seeing this, the old man's mouth twitched again.
Adrian left without saying anything and the old man looked at his retreating.
"I hope he gets successful, I will be able to see you again Cassie....", the old man closed his shop and returned inside to sleep to endure his pain.
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Adrian started walking towards the west of the Basin City. It will take him almost one to two hours to get there by walking. He still wasn't using any vehicles to keep himself out of the radar.
After the Chaos descends, he has to save himself from others' eyes.
And as for this old man and his daughter Cassie?
Adrian knew about Cassie from his previous life. Cassie was well known among the humans after the Chaos because of her [Innate Medical Knowledge].
When the Chaos descended, Cassie managed to get away from Simon's clutches and told many people about Simon's evil deeds. Many people believed in her, but many did not.
But she still helped Humanity during the First Tribulation Period of The Great Chaos tremendously.
Later she died in a demon outbreak during the Second Tribulation Period.
But this time Adrian needed to save her for himself, as he was going to make a reckless journey where a doctor or healer was very much needed.
And for Simon, Rowell & The Twilight Guild?
They needed to be destroyed by any means.
In his previous lifetime, after the Chaos descended, when humans were gathered together in the Solaris Continent, they took advantage of their previous [Slave Contracts] to make lower-level people their cannon fodders against the continuous demon outbreaks.
It was a classic Human Wave tactic in which many talented people died.
Even Adrian himself almost died last time in those outbreaks.
So, this time The von Hines Family needs to be destroyed, by any means necessary.
Adrian walked away to complete his next goal as fast as he could. There is not much time left.