"They've broken in!"
A decade ago, in another village within the Kalakasan Kingdom.
"Drive these monsters back! They're no match for our Bloodline of Knowledge!"
It was one of the wealthy and large villages, hosting many mages and nobles. But in this specific incident, it was reduced to chaos.
"W-We're no match for them! They're more than monsters!"
Perlas Village, The Home of Monster Hunters, now reduced to rubbles by High Orcs, Witches and one Dark Lord.
And on a high hill, a child watched all of it crumble. His eyes filled with the light of his home's fire, his left eye glowing of a distant future.
"Viktor... Live..."
"Sir Viktor!" A Voice called and Viktor snaps awake.
He rested while standing, taking a quick nap as his Ex-Knights stood guard. Though it seems there's a new report.
"What is it?" Viktor went back to business, looking at his loyal soldiers.
"The Goblin Scouts reported back. It's been confirmed that a Hobgoblin Group is marching through the forest." An Ex-Knight says.
"One of them wore dark armor, it seems it could be Nevfalta."
"Very well." Viktor starts walking forward before he sways away his cloak.
He then unsheathes his broadsword and continues to march, the Ex-Knights followed behind him and held their blades at the ready.
"Were already dead, death just hasn't claimed our souls yet." Viktor says to his Knights.
"Let's see if he claims us today."
As Viktor and the Ex-Knights marched to battle, Pan and Kilat had started their training.
"Krispy Doughnut!" Pan sends out a punch at Kilat, her fist hardened into crackers but it was sloppy.
Kilat dodged it with ease and charged in, sending a kick at Pan that knocked her away.
"Tch... Alright, let's take a break..." Pan sighed as she looks at her reforming hand.
"The cracker concept is good, but I can only use it once everytime I punch or kick. It makes me stronger but it'll use a lot of my mana in the long run." Pan muttered.
Kilat then approaches Pan and helps her stand up, he was curious and impressed with the technique she's using.
"You're entirely made out of flour, yet with the magic you're using, you managed become such a formidable fighter." Kilat says.
"A Tasty Fighter, but a fighter nonetheless. Is there any more of those doughnuts!?"
"Yeah, over there, by Clara." Pan pointed at a picnic area, where Clara was watching.
"Yahoo! More doughnuts!" Kilat ran over there on all fours.
"Hm..." Pan looked at her hand once more, she forms another cracker arm, trying to perfect it.
But she glances behind her, feeling a presence.
"How long are you going to stay there?" Pan asked casually.
"Huh!?
Pan then turns around, staring at a tree. She awaits for this person to appear.
And slowly, a familiar girl appears. She was an Ex-Knight, specifically the one to spearhead humanity's first collaboration with.
"Piedad, was it?" Pan asked, approaching the young girl.
"Y-Yes, I've been ordered by Sir Viktor to watch over Clara and you in his stead." Piedad says, taking off her hood.
Her other eye was bandaged, yet her short black hair and red eye were still there to form her young and round face.
"Cruel that they did that to you, how old are you?" Pan asked.
"I'm only 14..." Piedad answered as she looked away.
Pan looked back at Kilat, noticing that they're at the same age. Though she looks back to Piedad with curiosity.
"Say, Piedad, I'm curious about Viktor. You know anything about him? I haven't asked him about where he came from." Pan crossed her arms, awaiting a response.
"I don't know much about him, I've only become an Anihan Knight... Err... I was a Knight for only a year. But some of my seniors have told me stories about where he came from." Piedad answered.
"Oh?" Pan's curiosity piqued.
"From what I heard... He's the only survivor of Perlas Village."
And we return to Viktor and his Ex-Knights, who were tailing Nevfalta and his group of hobgoblins.
They still have their tactics with them, they trained everyday as Monster Hunters. Now it's time to shine.
Viktor makes a slight knock on wood, and the ambush begins. As the Ex-Knights jumped out of the shadows and a brawl began.
The Hobgoblins were many in number but the Ex-Knights tipped the scales with their skill and ambush.
"Fight them with ferocity, let them know humanity's domination!" Viktor says as he fought with brutality, there's still harmony in the Ex-Knights.
Though the Hobgoblins didn't falter, especially when their ringleader gathered them and formed.
"Tch, we cut their numbers but they regained their resolve." Viktor muttered as he stands before the Dark Revenant.
"My Knights, form up on me." Viktor commanded and his Knights gathered.
"I see, you're a leader of these band of humans..." A Hobgoblin clad in dark armor walked up, wielding a shield and sword of the same colour.
"You have knowledge of fighting monsters. You're no regular Knights."
"That armor..." Viktor prepared to attack.
"I advise you not to attack me, I have a mission to fulfill." Nevfalta prepares himself as well.
"I haven't seen that kind of armor... But I sense mana from it... It'll take everything for me to defeat him." Viktor thought.
"Knights! Keep the others busy, I'll take him on!" Viktor commanded before charging forward, wind following his trail.
"I'll take you up on that." Nevfalta moves forward as well, preparing to block with his shield.
"Grr... If its magical, then physical attacks should do the trick!" Viktor then swings his broadsword, making contact with his shield with a loud clang.
They struggled to push each other back for a moment, but Viktor quickly noticed the shield start to glow.
His instincts told him to jump back, and he managed to dodge the sudden shockwave that the shield omitted.
"Tch... What the hell is that?" Viktor muttered before standing up, preparing for the next attack.
"Now you see, that you're no match for monsters like me, human." Nevfalta stands up, pointing his black blade at Viktor.
"What are you trying to achieve stopping us? Retreat and you'll be spared."
"I can't do that, you're hunting someone that I'm indebted for. I can't back down until my mission is finished." Viktor charges once again, blade at the ready.
"So you're with that monster, huh? Then I have no choice but to kill you as well." Nevfalta charges once more, preparing his defense.
Viktor now knows the danger of Nevfalta's shield, so he prepares himself for a daring stunt.
He feints an attack, targeting his head which prompted Nevfalta to block. But in truth, Viktor jumped over him and landed behind him, where he coats his blade with wind magic for a devastating attack.
"Amihan Slash!" Viktor slashes with all his might against Nevfalta's back, making him stumble forward.
Viktor then observes, seeing how much damage he inflicted but to his shock, not a single scratch was seen on his armor. And the armor started glowing, as if magical energy surged around before it collected onto his black blade.
"Even his armor? Damn it! It looks like he absorbed power!" Viktor then moves out of the way.
Nevfalta then quickly slashes his blade at Viktor, who barely dodged the large wave of mana. It pushed away the Ex-Knights and took out a few.
"It's hopeless, human. You can never hurt me." Nevfalta stands up, triumphant and confident.
Viktor looks back to his comrades, gritting his teeth in frustration. He's worried about them but they all know what they signed up for.
"I remember reading something about these kinds of armor... They're supposedly anti-magic armor, it can absorb magical attacks and even return them to the attacker..." Viktor thought.
"But his armor... It can also absorb physical attacks. He is virtually indestructible."
Viktor then assesses the battle for a moment, seeing that there's still hobgoblins around.
"I have to make an advantage, so I'll have to take out the rest of his goons." Viktor then activates his wind magic once more.
"Knights! Follow my lead!" Viktor then powers up before dashing around the battlefield.
"Habagat's Gale!" Viktor unleashes his fastest form and kicks up dust into the air.
Nevfalta was alerted, he raises up his shield and calls for his Hobgoblins to form up.
But it was too late when he heard the pained screams of his Hobgoblins, as the Ex-Knights used Viktor's veil to finish off the rest of them.
"No! They went after my soldiers!" Nevfalta growled.
"The monster you're hunting for defeated me and my men singlehandedly." Viktor's voice echoed in the dust storm.
And then the fighting stopped for a moment, so did the wind and dust flying around. Only Nevfalta was left standing, his comrades are taken out.
"What makes you think you'll win against her, let alone us?
The Ex-Knights gathered and surrounded the lone Dark Revenant, prepared to strike.
"Tch... Your wind magic is troublesome, you're no ordinary knight." Nevfalta then goes into a stance.
"But what use does it have against the likes me!?"
Nevfalta then charges forward against the Ex-Knights and battled them 10 to 1.
Even outnumbered, there's nothing they could do to challenge his sword play. He was a one man army, and slowly, Viktor's soldiers were cut down one by one by the hobgoblin captain.
Viktor then gestured for his soldiers to retreat, backing they're now few in numbers.
"And besides, we still outnumber the likes of you." Nevfalta points his sword at them before signalling an attack.
And from above the canopy, more Hobgoblins jumped down, ambushing them instead.
"They were hiding in the trees!" An Ex-Knight said.
"Defensive positions!" Viktor then goes into a defensive stance, fighting off against the larger force.
But the sudden attack broke their lines quickly, and they all dropped, leaving Viktor to fend for himself.
"Humans think they're smarter than us, but they forget that we have the power to back it up." Nevfalta marched to Viktor, now with his new group of hobgoblins.
"Even without the power to use magic, my skills in combat and my armor will be the equaliser."
"Tch... I'm too far to call for reinforcements. But even so, they have the numbers advantage and we don't have the element of surprise anymore..." Viktor then slowly stands up, holding his broadsword tightly.
"Will you still challenge us?" Nevfalta takes a step forward and his hobgoblins prepared to charge.
"I can't let you lay a hand on the village, and the monster you hunt." Viktor says as he kneels down and slowly picks up another broadsword from his fallen comrades.
"Dual Wielding?" Nevfalta thought.
"No matter, you're no match for my soldiers, even with two swords." Nevfalta then gestured for his soldiers to attack with him.
A wave of hobgoblins charged onto the lone Viktor Malvado, he was nervous to fight such a large number.
"They're too many..." Viktor thought before time slows down.
"If I had my foresight eye, then this would've been an easier fight... Tch, damn it all!"
"If you don't know what to do against your opponent, then stick to the basics!"
A voice shouted in Viktor's mind, and this snapped him from his doom-filled thoughts.
"Who is this voice..?" Viktor thought.
"Against stronger opponents, you defend and counter. Against many enemies, you avoid being surrounded! Humanity has built up a history with tenacity and patience!" This Voice was familiar but he couldn't remember who it was.
"So bide your time, and wait for the right moment to strike!"
Viktor's eyes widened before he focuses up, following this memory that's been recalled for him. He takes a deep breath before going into a stance.
"Hm?" Nevfalta noticed his stance, but mostly his confidence.
"Surround him!" Nevfalta shouted.
The hobgoblins began to surround Viktor but he quickly dashed back.
He slashes them one by one with extreme focus, he went into a flow state that let's him use both of his blade effectively.
As if muscle memory kicked in, and that empowered his resolve as the intimidating numbers of his opponents dwindled down.
Nevfalta then charges into the fray, not letting him get any more chances to equalise the fight.
Viktor blocked his attacks, but knowing his opponent's strengths, he couldn't attack back.
"Dwindle the numbers, even the playing field..." Viktor thought as he dodges Nevfalta and attacker the rest or the Hobgoblins.
"Damn it! Fight me!" Nevfalta says before bashing his shield against Viktor, knocking him away.
"Gh... Hobgoblin strength is no joke... But..." Viktor's eye then lights up as wind gathered in his blade.
"My magic will even the odds!"
"Amihan Gust!" Viktor slashes and a powerful wave of wind magic blows back the hobgoblins, though Nevfalta absorbed the magic.
Viktor then quickly went behind him and finished up the rest of the hobgoblins.
And with one swift action, he sends a kick on Nevfalta's head, making him stumble.
The Battlefield was reduced to just them and only them. It was now a fight between captains.
"Tch... You're impressive." Nevfalta's armour glowed before it gathered into his sword.
Viktor starts running towards him, and Nevfalta sends back the magic he used.
"You're deserving of respect as well, Nevfalta." Viktor says before he swings his magic coated blade, sending the both their magic sky high.
And finally, they clashed once more. Meeting eye to eye.
"Protecting your princess from that monster, huh? Is she really that much of threat?" Viktor says as he pushes him back.
"Tch... So you know..." Nevfalta then pushes him back, swinging his blade.
"I follow what she commands! And no other monster can stand up to her, those who do must be removed from her sight!" Nevfalta struggled to land a hit on Viktor, clashing swords once again.
"Is that really what she wants?" Viktor says and Nevfalta's eyes widened.
"What do you mean?" Nevfalta sounded nervous.
Viktor kicked him back, now ready to use the information he has.
"Little did you know that one of you commanders has been defeated." Viktor says as he starts circling, and Nevfalta did the same.
"We have the means to defeat your Princess."
"Impossible! No human could stand up to them..." Nevfalta looks down in distraught but he gathers himself, glaring at Viktor.
"Who was it!?"
"Kilat, the Lightning Wolf. Defeated by the very 'monster' you're hunting down." Viktor says without hesitation.
"N-No! What have you done to him!?" Nevfalta pounces on him, releasing a series of angered slashes.
"I'll slaughter you if you've killed him!"
"Relax!" Viktor countered once, knocking him back.
"Kilat's not dead, more importantly, he's agreed to help us take down Lalahon."
"What?" Nevfalta was shocked.
"How could he-"
"He told us his experience with the princess. And the monster, Pan Disalo, has decided to save your princess." Viktor explained.
"W-What do you mean?" Nevfalta was confused.
"I'm saying that we're no longer trying to kill your princess, but stop her. And on behalf of Pan Disalo, my savior, I will follow her until the end." Viktor raises his sword.
"So will you follow your princess' orders, or will you join us in stopping her from destroying herself?"
Viktor has used information against him, but suddenly, Nevfalta charges forward with rage in his eyes. Viktor blocked just in time but he was pushed back from his sheer strength and the armor's shockwave.
"You lie!" Nevfalta shouted.
"I will slay you and all those who oppose the princess. And I will get revenge for Kilat and free him!" Nevfalta was now enraged.
"Calm down, Nevfalta! Keep your emotions in check!" Viktor then prepares himself, but Nevfalta kept charging forward.
"I will not trust the words of a filthy human like you!" Nevfalta slashes once more.
Viktor blocks once again, but one of his broadsword breaks away. He stumbles backwards and kneels, weakened.
"Such strength... These commanders are no joke... I should've expected that when Pan came back barely alive." Viktor thought.
"But... I can't die here... I must see this through..." Viktor then stands up, taking a deep breath as he holds his broadsword.
Viktor then sees Pan in his mind, and the bravery she has done for both monsters and humans.
"I have to see what kind of world Pan will make through her actions..." Viktor then charges forward as Nevfalta rushes for him.
"In order to do that, I must defeat him and bring him to her!" Viktor yelled as he swings his broadsword and they clash blades.
"I'm not going to die here!"
"You've fought well for a human! But this ends here!" Nevfalta shouted as he pushed back.
"I will not let you get your hands on the princess!"