Kilian stretched lazily, arms reaching overhead as if waking from a restful nine-hour sleep. His body relaxed, completely unfazed by the intense battle, as though the entire ordeal had been nothing more than a mild inconvenience.
After stretching, Kilian tossed the ring back to Haruo with a careless flick, the motion casual and effortless.
Haruo caught the ring, his hands trembling from the immense force he had just endured. He gripped it tightly, feeling its weight and the gravity of their situation, determined to steady himself despite the shaking.
Ena hurried to Haruo's side, her eyes scanning him for any fatal injuries. She moved with urgency, her hands trembling slightly as she checked for wounds, focused on ensuring he was alright.
'Most of his bones were cracked, and some veins had popped. Not only that, his organs were a chaotic mess, all compressed, and every muscle in his body screamed in protest. How can he still move?' Ena quickly rushed to his side, activating her ability to fix most of his internal injuries. even she regenerates them the pain will still linger.
After healing Haruo's injuries, he quickly stood up, wincing as a fresh trickle of blood seeped from his mouth. Taiyo clung to him tightly, tears soaking into Haruo's coat, a mix of fear and relief washing over him. The sight of his brother's distress deepened the weight of his injuries, reminding him of how close they had come to losing everything.
Kilian clapped his hands together, a sharp sound that cut through the tension, drawing the attention of his contractees. He wore a calm smile, hinting that he had something to say.
"Alright, it's about time we head to the Marion Kingdom. I have to get this beast there before Su-nae beats my ass again." He laughed, giving the dead creature a playful pat, the sound echoing off its lifeless form.
"Who?" Ena asked, tilting her head in curiosity, her expression light and inquisitive.
"You guys will meet her later. For now, let's get going," Kilian said, before grabbing all of them, his grip firm as he prepared to lead the way.
"Hey, wait! What exactly are you planning?" A look of distress filled Haruo's expression as he struggled against Kilian's grip, uncertainty gnawing at him.
"It's way faster if we do this. Don't worry; I'll take it slow so you guys won't incinerate."
Kilian smirked before sprinting out of the forest at top speed. The world around them blurred as he moved, leaving Haruo and Taiyo grappling with the sudden rush of wind.
Meanwhile, Ena, being carried along with the others, accepted her fate with a blank expression. Her mind drifted as she watched Kilian sprint away, feeling a mix of resignation and curiosity about how this chaotic journey would unfold.
"Wait! what about the beast!?"
Ena asked, her voice breaking through the rush of wind as she realized Kilian was leaving it behind.
"It's fine, I already got him too!"
Kilian said, jumping from mountain to mountain, effortlessly balancing the weight of his passengers as he moved.
"The beast is right in here!"
Kilian shouted, holding up Haruo's ring as they jumped. Haruo looked visibly confused, trying to process how Kilian had managed to grab it while they were mid-air.
"This is actually a storage artifact. These rings are the only artifacts we can produce right now!" Kilian explained with a grin as they continued to soar through the air.
"But it takes years to make. I was supposed to bring mine during this mission, but I forgot. Luckily, you guys and Chiharu's disciple showed up at the perfect time," Kilian added, his tone light as they leaped from one peak to another.
"Why can't you just use your mana storage?!" Haruo replied angrily, frustration boiling over at Kilian for taking his ring.
"Mana storage is only limited to small objects, and you can't put living things inside—that includes corpses!" Kilian replied, starting to run atop the trees, his speed barely slowing as he navigated the branches with ease.
"Are we there yet? I'm getting sick!" Taiyo said, covering his mouth and looking a shade of purple as the rush of speed overwhelmed him.
"Yes, just two more minutes!" Kilian said, his voice steady as he began to jump again, leaping from tree to tree with fluid grace, determined to reach their destination quickly.
As he jumped, Kilian accidentally collided with a flock of birds, sending them into a flurry of panic. The sudden commotion startled him, but he quickly regained his balance, trying to navigate through the chaos of flapping wings and startled cries.
"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" Haruo shouted at Kilian, his voice laced with frustration as he tried to steady himself amid the chaos.
"AHHHHH!" Ena screamed, swatting at the bird that had landed right in her face, its flapping wings adding to the chaos around them.
"I WANNA GO HOME!!!" Taiyo shouted, sobbing midair as the wild ride continued, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and desperation.
"Do you guys even have one?" Kilian asked with a straight face, his tone devoid of amusement as he effortlessly navigated through the chaos around them.
Just in the middle of the chaos, they finally made it to the kingdom. Though they were still quite far away, the sheer size of it loomed before them, its towering structures visible against the horizon, shimmering in the sunlight like a beacon of hope amidst their frantic journey.
"Welcome to Marion, the seventh biggest kingdom on the continent, spanning over 2,267 square kilometers," Kilian announced proudly, gesturing toward the sprawling landscape as they approached the majestic kingdom.
They all gasped in awe as they laid eyes on the kingdom, barely able to take in its vastness. The towering walls and grand architecture rose majestically before them, hinting at the wonders that lay beyond, igniting their curiosity and excitement.
The kingdom sprawled across three sections, each walled and fortified with a mix of medieval stonework and sleek, futuristic metal. Buildings lined the streets, their stone facades blending with metallic and glass accents. At the center, a grand castle rose, its towers casting an almost ethereal glow over the bustling kingdom below.
"Wait, seventh!? How big is the first then?!" Haruo exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief as he tried to wrap his mind around the enormity of the kingdoms.
"Hard to say since no one really told me yet," Kilian replied, scratching his head as he glanced back at the impressive kingdom, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
"Wait, how the heck??? You scratched your head! You were holding Taiyo with that hand???" Haruo exclaimed, disbelief etched across his face as he tried to comprehend Kilian's seemingly impossible maneuver.
"I caught him before he could even fall," Kilian said, landing gracefully on the ground in front of the massive gate of the city. The enormous entrance loomed ahead, its intricate designs hinting at the grandeur that lay within.
Kilian then placed his ID and Haruo's ring on a scanner at the gate, the device humming to life as it scanned the items, preparing to grant them access to the vast kingdom beyond.
The moment they stepped into the kingdom, a mysterious woman appeared before them, her presence commanding attention. Dressed in elegant robes that flowed like shadows, she had short brown hair and striking black eyes that seemed to pierce through the atmosphere, drawing them in.
"Oh hey, Su-nae, how are yo—" Kilian started, but he was cut off.
"Where's Chiharu!?" Su-nae interrupted, her expression intense as she focused on Kilian, demanding an explanation.
"He isn't here, and the ring belongs to the pale man over there—Chiharu's disciple," Kilian explained, gesturing towards Haruo as he tried to convey the urgency of the situation.
"Those are Chiharu's clothes!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening with recognition and concern. She then grabbed Haruo's shoulders, her expression urgent as she locked eyes with him, seeking any hint of information about Chiharu.
"He's dead," Haruo said, his voice heavy with the weight of the truth.
Both Kilian and Su-nae's expressions darkened in shock when they heard that line, their eyes widening as the weight of Haruo's words settled around them. A heavy silence followed, the realization crashing over them like a wave, leaving them momentarily speechless as they processed the gravity of the situation.
"There aren't many people who could kill Chiharu. Haruo, how exactly did he die?" Su-nae asked, her voice steady but laced with tension as she sought answers.
Haruo then turned away, an uncomfortable expression crossing his face as the light faded from his eyes. He clearly didn't want to answer, retreating into his thoughts as the weight of the question hung in the air.
Su-nae sighed, the tension easing slightly as she let go of his shoulders, understanding the difficulty of the moment. She took a step back, allowing Haruo the space he needed.
"If you don't want to answer, it's fine. It sounds like it was a bad experience. Just tell me and Kilian whenever you're ready," Su-nae said softly, her tone reassuring as she gave Haruo the freedom to open up at his own pace.
"Why are you in a sorcerer's robe? You look stupid," Kilian said bluntly, his tone lacking any trace of humor as he genuinely insulted Su-nae's appearance.
"READ THE ROOM, DUMBASS!" Su-nae shouted at Kilian, her voice laced with irritation as she glared at him, frustrated by his lack of sensitivity in such a tense moment.
"OH SO ITS MY FAULT!? WEREN'T YOU JUST PRESSURING HIM TO ANSWER!?" Kilian shouted back, his irritation matching hers as the tension between them escalated.
"What am I saying?!" Kilian exclaimed, interrupting himself.
"Good, finally you understand—" Su-nae began, but was quickly cut off.
"YOU ALWAYS LOOK STUPID!!" he shouted teasingly, a smirk creeping onto his face as he pointed an accusatory finger at her.
'Are they children?' Haruo thought to himself, feeling exasperated as he had more than enough of the absurdity for one day.
'How can they act like this in such a situation?' Haruo shook his head, incredulous, as he watched them squabble like kids. Kilian pinched Su-nae's cheek while she retaliated by grabbing his hair, their playful antics almost surreal amid the chaos surrounding them.
"How old are you guys, exactly?" Ena asked, raising an eyebrow as she observed the childish bickering, her curiosity piqued by their seemingly immature behavior. how ironic
"I forgot to introduce myself!" Su-nae said, releasing her grip on Kilian as she straightened up, her demeanor shifting to one of formality as she prepared to properly introduce herself.
"I'm Kim Su-nae, the assistant vice executive of the main branch." she stated confidently, her earlier childish demeanor giving way to a more serious introduction as she made her position clear.
"That's Kilian Weber, the executive of the main branch," she said, her tone laced with irritation as she pointed to him, clearly frustrated by his earlier antics.
"I'm Haruo Chiharu, and this is my brother, Taiyo Chiharu," he introduced himself, gesturing toward Taiyo with a sense of pride, despite the chaos surrounding them.
"Wow, you're not even going to introduce me?" Ena chimed in, glancing at the group with a hint of disappointment as she felt slightly left out of the introductions.
"Do it yourself," Haruo replied, a hint of exasperation in his voice as he crossed his arms, clearly not in the mood for more introductions.
"I'm Ena Hyakagure," she said, standing a little taller as she introduced herself, eager to make her presence known despite the ongoing chaos.
"So you took his name?" Su-nae asked, her tone inquisitive as she looked at Ena, trying to understand the relationship between them. She tapped her chin thoughtfully, nodding with narrowed eyes as she processed the information.
'I can already tell that she's making assumptions', Haruo thought, feeling more tired than usual. The weariness was evident on his face, a clear sign that the bullshit had finally caught up to him.
"So, how old are you guys?" Ena asked again, echoing her earlier question as she looked around, eager for answers and trying to shift the focus away from the chaotic banter.
"Lost count after 500," Kilian said, scratching his head as he tried to remember his exact age, a smirk playing on his lips as if he found the whole thing amusing.
"500!?" all three of them shouted in unison, their voices filled with disbelief as they stared at Kilian, trying to process the absurdity of his claim.