Pervard laughed loudly, looking up toward the ceiling as he shrugged off the upper part of his clothing, revealing a tattoo on his chest—a hand drenched in blood.
One of the men behind him quickly stepped forward, draping a jacket over his shoulders.
"Yes, I am Pervard, the executive of the Crimson Hand—the 'Cruel Hand'," Pervard declared, grinning as he soaked in the shocked reactions of the crowd.
His tattoo glistened under the light as he spoke, "You may know my name, boy, but it won't matter. You'll die today, along with Riftain."
Riftain clenched his fists, fury coursing through him.
The Crimson Hand… these bastards. So, I've been harboring one in my own town this whole time.
"Pervard the Cruel Hand, huh? Thanks for making it easier to find you," Oasis said coldly.
In a swift motion, he unleashed an even stronger wind magic barrier, this time enveloping the entire manor.
The gust of wind swept through the hall as the barrier sealed them inside.
Gasps and whispers spread through the crowd of guards and servants.
"Is this kid a mage?"
"How is a child capable of this kind of magic?"
"Where did this boy come from?"
Pervard scoffed, unimpressed.
"So, you're a mage, huh? Definitely not from the valleys, since we don't have mages around here,"
he sneered. "But it doesn't matter." His lips twisted into a smirk.
"You think you're trapping us in here? Ha! A rabbit trapping itself in a cage with a lion," Pervard laughed maniacally, his arrogance unchecked.
Oasis ignored him. "Hey, you two, protect the children," he commanded his guards with authority.
Riftain stepped forward. "Leave Pervard to me, Oasis."
"Alright, I'll deal with the lackeys," Oasis replied calmly.
"My lord, we will help," the guard who had fed Raven said, stepping forward.
"Ok Alto, help Oasis here," Riftain ordered.
"We shall do our best," Alto and the other guards replied in unison, ready to fight.
"No need. Just stay behind and protect the servants," Oasis commanded, his tone carrying an intimidating weight.
Without realizing it, everyone in the room took a step back, their bodies moving as if under a spell.
Even Alto, a seasoned warrior, felt his body comply without his own consent.
What kind of intimidation can come from a kid? Alto thought, surprised as his body obeyed without his mind fully comprehending it.
"Executive, let me kill that brat! He disrespected the Crimson Hand," one of Pervard's men growled, stepping forward, his killing intent clear.
Who is this kid?" Oasis's guards wondered, their thoughts echoing the same question.
Riftain wasted no time.
"I'll leave them to you," he said to Oasis before rushing toward Pervard.
With astonishing speed, Riftain grabbed Pervard by the head, lifting him off his feet and throwing him into the courtyard before anyone could blink.
The thud of Pervard's body hitting the ground echoed through the courtyard, leaving everyone momentarily stunned.
Oasis now stood alone, facing nearly 30 Crimson Hand members.
Their eyes gleamed with bloodlust, hungry for the kill.
The one in front… he's about as strong as Rurik, Oasis thought, his mind quickly assessing the enemies.
But he's not an assassin. The rest… they're mostly beginner stage Tabula-Rasa Realm martial artists, with a few in the intermediate stage.
The leader of the group sneered, his confidence palpable.
"He's a mage. Mages are weak in close combat!" he shouted, and the men immediately charged.
Five of them lunged at Oasis, their weapons drawn, and their auras flaring.
"Die, brat!" they yelled in unison as they leaped into the air their eyes filled with murderous intent., aiming to cut Oasis down.
Oasis's body moved with blinding speed.
As the first attacker brought his sword down, Oasis sidestepped effortlessly, grabbing the man's arm mid-swing.
With a sharp twist, he snapped the man's elbow, sending the sword clattering to the ground.
Oasis's foot shot up, kicking the man in the throat, crushing his windpipe before tossing him aside like a ragdoll.
The second man came at Oasis with a spear, thrusting it toward his chest.
But Oasis grabbed the shaft of the spear and yanked it toward him, pulling the attacker off balance.
In one fluid motion, Oasis drove his elbow into the man's temple, cracking his skull.
He spun the spear around, plunging it into the third man's chest as he charged, blood spurting from the fatal wound.
!!!
Blood sprayed, but Oasis remained calm.
Two more came at him from both sides, their swords raised high.
Oasis leaped into the air, his body twisting in a graceful arc.
As he came down, he slammed his heel into the fourth man's head, driving him into the ground with a sickening crunch.
The last man barely had time to react before Oasis's fist connected with his face, shattering his nose and sending him crumpling to the floor, lifeless.
In mere seconds, five men lay dead at Oasis's feet, their bodies twisted and broken. He hadn't even used a shred of mana.