Olorun leaned back in his chair, surrounded by the soft chatter of the bar. With a grin, he spoke up, his voice loud enough to catch the attention of the two women sitting next to him.
"Yeah, I've fought some real tough guys. One time, there was this dude with the powers of a god. Thought he had me for sure," he chuckled, pausing for dramatic effect. "And then there were demons and devils—supposedly infinitely stronger than anything I'd faced before."
The two women exchanged glances, leaning in closer with curious eyes. "So, what did you do?" one of them asked, excitement creeping into her voice.
Olorun smirked, his confidence palpable. "One-tapped him. Easy."
Their eyes widened in awe. "Wow!" one of them gasped, clearly impressed. The second woman slid closer, her hand lightly trailing up Olorun's arm, sending a shiver through him. The first followed suit, both of them practically draping themselves over him. Olorun's face flushed a deep red.
"Uh, ladies..." he stammered, feeling their touch. "I don't think we should be doing this. Not here. There are, uh... eyes watching."
The second woman smirked, her voice teasing. "Looks like it's time for us to go then."
Before he could react, the first woman leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Goodbye," they both chimed, smiling as they gracefully stood and exited the bar. Olorun sat there for a moment, still smiling, before reality kicked in.
"Oy!" a gruff voice called from behind the bar. It was Tommy, the pig-like owner. "You better be paying for their drinks like you promised."
Olorun groaned, his hand moving to his pocket. "Alright, alright. Chill out, Tommy." He patted his pocket, then froze. "What the—?" His eyes darted to the other pocket, panic setting in. "Oi, Tommy! They took my wallet!"
The bartender shook his head, clearly unimpressed. "Welp, looks like you'll be working to pay off their tab then."
Olorun sighed, slumping back in his chair. "Of course... just my luck."
Olorun bolted out of the bar, Tommy shouting after him, "Oi! You still gotta pay for those drinks!" Olorun threw a hand over his shoulder, yelling back, "I will, I will!" His eyes darted around the crowded streets, his mind still half on his missing wallet when suddenly—**thud**—he collided into someone. Stumbling back, he blinked and saw a familiar face.
"Yo, Kenji!" Olorun exclaimed, steadying his friend. "You alright?"
Kenji looked pale, his normally sharp gaze dulled, beads of sweat glistening on his brow. "Yeah... I'm... I'm fine," Kenji muttered, clutching his side as though trying to hide something.
Olorun frowned, noticing the dark stain spreading across Kenji's shirt. "You're bleeding a lot, man. From your stomach. You sure you're okay?"
Kenji's eyes narrowed, a mix of pain and frustration flaring up in them. "I said I'm fine. Stop asking."
Olorun raised his hands defensively. "Alright, alright. No need to bite my head off. But seriously, let's get you to Tony. He should be able to patch you up."
Kenji sighed, his voice strained as he relented, "Yeah... just... get me there. I'm feeling like I'm about to pass out." His breathing was ragged, each step clearly taking a toll on him.
Olorun threw Kenji's arm over his shoulder, supporting his weight as they navigated the busy street. People were too engrossed in their own lives to notice the injured man or Olorun's concern. As they moved toward Tony's, a figure bumped roughly into Kenji, sending him stumbling.
"Oi!" Olorun barked, his anger flaring. "Watch where you're going, asshole. You just bumped into my friend!"
The man barely glanced back, his hat pulled low over his eyes, hiding his expression. He spoke with an air of indifference. "So what? You don't know who you're dealing with. I'm part of the Supreme Council." He paused, turning slightly. "A **Novice Sentinel**."
Olorun raised an eyebrow. "And I'm supposed to care because…?"
The man scoffed, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Novice Sentinels are the entry-level soldiers of the Supreme Council's military force. We're trained in combat, tactics, and the Council's ideologies. We're the future defenders of law and order. So if you mess with me, you mess with the Council itself."
Olorun's lip curled into a smirk. "Yeah? That's real impressive." His smirk dropped, and in one swift motion, his fist slammed into the Sentinel's face, sending him sprawling to the ground. Kenji winced but couldn't help but mutter, "Nice hit."
Olorun grinned, shaking his fist out. "Thanks. This guy was really getting on my nerves." He bent down, grabbing the fallen man by the collar and lifting him effortlessly. Glancing at his name tag, Olorun snorted. "Frank, huh? Alright, Frank, how about you apologize to my friend here for being such a jackass?"
Frank groaned, clutching his face. "You're in deep shit for this. You put your hands on me, and now you've got the Supreme Council on your ass."
Without missing a beat, Olorun planted another punch across Frank's face, silencing his threats. "I said, apologize. Now."
Frank, blood dripping from his nose, spat out a few broken teeth, his eyes narrowing in defiance. "You think you can just punch me around and get away with it?"
Olorun shrugged, dropping him unceremoniously. "Yeah, pretty much."
But Frank only grinned through the pain, his eyes glinting with something darker. "You've no idea what you've just triggered."
Kenji, still leaning heavily on Olorun, glanced warily at Frank. "What the hell is he talking about?"
Before Olorun could respond, Frank staggered to his feet, his hand pressing over the Mark of Allegiance on his chest. A sinister energy began to radiate from his body, the air growing thick and oppressive. "By the blood of the Council, I stand unwavering," Frank chanted, his voice growing louder, filled with reverence and madness.
A surge of life energy erupted from Frank's mark, swirling into a glowing conduit of pure power. The street around them dimmed as a rift in space tore open, crackling with malevolent energy. From the rift, a towering figure began to emerge.
Kenji's hand instinctively went to his sword, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and disbelief. "What the hell is *that*? And why does a low-ranking grunt like him have the power to summon it?"
The creature that stepped through the rift was unlike anything they had seen before. The **Morphian Sovereign**—its elongated head devoid of features except for a ghostly, unnatural smile—towered over them, its muscular frame rippling with dark energy. Its body crackled, the edges disintegrating into black flames that flickered menacingly. Its glowing white eyes stared down at them, empty yet filled with malevolent intent.
Frank, now emboldened by the creature's presence, sneered. "A higher-up died in battle with the mayor of this city. I took his body and learned his secrets—how to summon this beast. You're both dead."
Kenji, barely standing, gripped his sword tighter, his knuckles white from the strain. "Olorun, I don't care how strong this thing looks. I'm not leaving you to fight it alone."
Olorun glanced at Kenji's wounds, concern flashing in his eyes. "Kenji, you need to heal. You're in no condition to fight right now."
Kenji growled, the stubborn fire in his eyes refusing to dim. "And leave you with this freak? No way in hell."
Olorun sighed, his usual laid-back demeanor replaced with cold determination. His fists began to crackle with blue lightning, surging with raw power. "Alright then. But keep your distance and let me handle the heavy lifting. This monster looks tough."
The **Morphian Sovereign** let out a low, bone-chilling growl as it advanced, its steps shaking the ground beneath their feet. Olorun clenched his fists, the lightning intensifying, arcs of electricity dancing across his body.
Frank's voice rang out again, mocking and full of pride. "You two have no idea what you're up against. The Sovereign is invincible. Its very existence is tied to the Council itself."
Olorun cracked his neck, the energy around him growing more intense. "Yeah? Let's see how invincible it really is."
The Morphian Sovereign lunged, its massive, clawed hand reaching out to crush them. Olorun moved like lightning—literally—dodging the attack in a blur of motion. His fist connected with the creature's chest, but the impact barely made it flinch. The Sovereign swung back, its arm leaving a trail of black fire in the air as Olorun narrowly ducked under it.
"Kenji!" Olorun yelled, his voice urgent. "Get to Tony. Now."
Kenji grunted, wiping blood from his mouth. "I said I'm not—"
"Dammit, Kenji!" Olorun shot back, blocking another blow from the Sovereign. "I can't fight this thing and worry about you bleeding out!"
Kenji hesitated, the weight of the situation settling on him. Reluctantly, he nodded, starting to back away as his strength faltered. "Fine. But don't you die on me, you idiot."
Olorun grinned, despite the situation. "Wouldn't dream of it."
The Morphian Sovereign let out a roar, its body flaring with dark energy as the battle reached a fever pitch. And as Olorun's lightning clashed against the Sovereign's dark flames, the air itself seemed to crackle with the intensity of their fight.