We quickly engaged in battle with Lauv, attacking him with magic and aura alike. He was fast, but I didn't give up yet. Every time Lauv would use aura, I used my main path, Reji, to intercept and nullify his aura enhancements. But, his aura reserves were on a different level to mine and so the most I could was decrease his enhancements instead of fully negating it.
"Even after all these years, you're still the same as before!"
I wanted to kill Lauv right then and there, he was right. Even with my companions backing me we were only exchanging attacks and couldn't make any progress on injuring Lauv.
Lauv was an overwhelming enemy. My companions and I knew that, in fact, this was actually our mission though I didn't expect it to be so soon. Lauv Godwin's nickname was spread throughout the world as an enemy to all kingdoms. His bounty had reached up to values of more than 10,000 gold.
But after facing him the second time, 10,000 wasn't nearly enough for this monster. The reason for why he was so strong was because of his impossible feat. The man rumoured to have achieved the impossible, 'The Irregular.'
He gained this nickname as he was the first person ever recorded to ever gain 11 permanent aura circles. There wasn't any real idea on how Lauv was able to obtain 11 permanent aura circles.
However, there was one rumour that spread, because of an unknown info-broker who leaked information about it. "Lauv's birth", being born with a twin sister, he was able to 'cheat' his way into obtaining 11 by eating his own twin sister to become 'whole'.
A man who had killed his very own twin sister for power, a truly despicable man who wasn't worth living.
The difference between a tenth aura circle master and an eleventh aura circle master was as clear as night and day, that much was realized within my current battle. The attacks stopped on both sides. My companions were rather tired but not worn out yet.
"Why?! Why did you have to kill him?!" Rage was invigorating my body as I roared.
"Why?" His laugh was maniacal as always. "Why!? Why?! Why why why!? You see.. Your shitty 'teacher' raided my village! It was revenge! That's all! Is what I'd like to say.. HAHA! It's actually because of the ecstasy this brings me!"
"What.. Did you just say?" My voice struggled under the pressure of what I had just heard.
I froze in place, did he just say my teacher..? I could hear Frey's voice drowning away in my thoughts.
"Roy? What should we.."
"Hm? Oh?" Lauv held his stomach, bursting into tears as he chuckled, "He didn't tell you? Ah! Your teacher was a raider!"
"A.. Raider?"
"Don't tell me you don't even know what a raider is? I'm surprised! Aren't you a Z-rank adventurer? Surely you'd have heard of them on one of the mission boards!" His tone was condescending yet I was too puzzled to feel agitated.
"My teacher.. Was a raider..?" I was baffled, and lost.
'Raider', a group of hostile individuals who assault, plunder and illegally sell off drugs, creatures and civilians as slaves. Usually associated with a red bandit tattoo on the left shoulder, which glows when using aether or aura depending on the individual.
"Yes yes yes! He was indeed. He and his lackeys raided my village 2 decades ago, burned everything to the ground, chained the women, killed off the men while I hid.. Fearing for my insignificant life!"
A metallic sound occurred nearby, who was it? I don't know. What was I doing all my life? What was I training for? For what purpose? To avenge my teacher who was a criminal? What was it all for? I wanted to become a hero, yet my goal was to avenge someone who was as guilty as the one I sought after?
"It seems like you've lost your will, your sword, and your purpose." His tone was something that I didn't think could come out of Lauv. Was it all a lie? Was my teacher a lie? Was his words a lie too? Did he attack my village?
I collapsed to my knees, I wanted to be a hero to everyone. I wanted to be strong. And here I was, deluded from the start. I'm not powerful, I was never powerful to begin with.
"Kid.. Join me. I'll show you a new path! A true path! You won't be alone this time." His voice felt resolute to my ears. It was powerful, something that I wasn't.
"A true path.. Are you really able to do that?"
"Yes of course! Your teacher wasn't able to teach you properly, but with me by your side.. We can reach greater heights!"
"Roy! Don't let him manipulate you!" It was Frey, I could hear her again. "Are you really going to join him?! His choices made him evil! You may have been taught by a criminal, but you, your path and your choices till now are still heroic! Don't let him sway you Roy!"
She was right, my teacher may have been a criminal, but he changed. His actions were good in my eyes. He changed for the better, and I can too.
"I was never alone Lauv, I still have Frey and Grid, and my teacher with me." Grabbing my sword that fell out of my hands before, I gripped the handle tightly. "Sorry Frey. Grid. We have a criminal to beat!"
"Right!"
A sigh left Lauv's mouth, "Really? I gave you a chance Roy.. A chance! You've been swayed.. And now it's time for your death. A pity, really."
I ignored him, I wasn't going to allow him to manipulate me again!
"I won't let him get to you guys, so make an opening for me, Frey, Grid!"
"Yes!"
Within a split second, Grid and I quickly dashed forward attacking Lauv on both sides, our synchronization was perfect, as well as Frey's spell which she continuously fired at Lauv, we were the perfect trio. This is what our Z-rank party was capable of, and yet, Lauv continued to deflect and throw out attacks of his own.
If we were capable of taking down an army of 1000 Aura and Aether enhanced men, then he was capable of taking down an entire kingdom full of them. He was a literal one-man fortress.
"Roy! I'll fall behind and support you with my gravity magic!"
"Alright!"
The effects of gravity that was placed on me lightened my body, my sword had also gained wind-slicing effects as well which was most likely from Frey. They now opted for a different approach and I quickly adjusted to it, instead of the 3 versus 1, it was now technically a 1 versus 1.
My speed had considerably increased by at least 2 fold and my slicing speed had also increased. It also looked like Grid had made gravity that much heavier for Lauv and wind bullets kept shooting at Lauv. Lauv was finally starting to get pushed back, the gap between us had closed and Lauv was on the losing end now.
His large axe that he had held couldn't keep up any longer, the sword sliced away at his skin. I don't know what my face looked like at the time but I felt exhilarated, my entire body felt powerful and I knew that my mouth had widened with a disgusting grin. The terrain shook as the ground broke each time I pushed off of it.
His face had a stressed expression plastered all over, and my rage continued to burn within every fibre of my body. I sliced off his right arm with one smooth movement, and into his body right after. We were winning.. Victory was in sight! So why? Why was there a hole in my chest? Why did my companions' faces look so petrified?
Weren't we winning? I fell to the floor, the blood within my body clogged up my throat making it nigh-impossible to speak. Lauv grabbed me up by my neck, and blood dripped out of my mouth.
"F.. F*ck.."
Lauv gripped my neck, making it so I couldn't turn to see my friends' faces. I had to tell them to run, but I couldn't.
"You rat.. I can't believe you sliced off my arm. Well, it seems you'll die just like your master. HAHAHA! haah.. I should've killed you before.. Oh well, I'll just kill your friends. And those people you sent off? I'll torture them and tell them how I killed you all! AHAHA!"
I used what was left of my depleting aura to stay alive. The man's satanic grin was once again placed on his face. I couldn't avenge my teacher.. And now my friends were about to die.
The man dropped me onto the floor, as I watched my friends struggle to fend off the man's brutal attacks. Even with the damage Lauv sustained, it was only a matter of time till Grid was the first to fall, having his head ripped off from his body, soon after his spinal cord would be ripped out of the body itself.
Lauv swiftly mangled Frey's body, limbs being twisted in grotesque and horrid ways, before she too also fell to the floor.
Tears began to clog up my eyes as I lay to watch my beloved friends die, the most cherished memories, my most hated ones too flooded my mind. Would I have been able to achieve my goal? To be a hero?
If only.. I could be a hero that I dreamt of.
Sorry Lia. I guess we won't be able to meet again. And, I hope you like my gift.