Chapter 8: Squad 4
Confusion and disbelief painted the expressions of those gathered around the lake, their faces a canvas of shock and uncertainty under the morning light.
Yet Old Man Thomas stood tall with a regal smile, reminiscent of a sovereign surveying his vast realm, his rejuvenated form radiating vitality that seemed to mock the passage of time itself.
"As it should be," he proclaimed, his voice vibrant and resonant, filling the space with an undeniable authority that brooked no argument. "My very presence commands the respect that is rightfully due to royalty."
"Father," Abel interjected, his tone threaded with calm determination even as his mind reeled from the impossible sight before him, "even with this newfound vitality, your actions border on the absurd. If this continues unchecked, the citizens of the Void Territory will spiral into chaos: panic, rebellion, or worse."
Alfie, unable to contain his disdain any longer, retorted sharply, "Is it not clear that the mischievous child at your side has ignited this madness within you? I struggle to grasp the source of your confidence, but I assure you, I will dismantle it piece by piece."
A flicker of anger ignited in Old Man Thomas's eyes like sparks in dry tinder, his aura flaring briefly and causing the lake's surface to ripple unnaturally. "Abel, Alfie," he admonished, voice heavy with the weight of centuries, "you both possess remarkable talents, gifts that could have elevated our family to new heights, yet you are shackled by ignorance and petty ambition."
Fear rippled through Abel and Alfie like cold wind through autumn leaves, their bodies instinctively tensing under the pressure of their father's power.
Yet Damon remained unperturbed, leisurely savoring a crisp apple he had produced from his robes, biting into it with deliberate calm as juice dripped down his chin.
"Under your misguided leadership," Old Man Thomas continued, his words cutting like void blades, "the Void family has endured unspeakable suffering. Bandits have ravaged our border lands without mercy, slaughtering innocent farmers and burning fields that fed our people. And just recently, adversaries from rival territories have attempted to breach our defenses, nearly succeeding in their vile schemes to assassinate our core members and kidnap the Lady of the Void."
With a surge of raw power, Old Man Thomas's energy erupted outward, shattering the ground beneath him and leaving a deep, smoking crater in its wake, the shockwave forcing Abel and Alfie to stagger back.
"If you were not my sons, if not for the blood we share, I would have claimed your heads as trophies long ago, to serve as a warning to all who dare weaken this family."
Abel, despite recognizing the bitter truth in his father's words, maintained his composure, his mind racing for a way to de-escalate. "I understand your anger, Father, but the infiltration was peculiar, planned over many years, only to falter due to a fatal misunderstanding on their part." He sought to temper Old Man Thomas's fury, hoping reason could prevail.
"Tsk," Alfie mused, his sharp mind sensing something deeper amiss amid the chaos. "How can one believe that two Yomi Realm experts could fall into such 'misunderstandings' on the very day their mission was set to unfold?" He clenched his fist slowly, knuckles whitening, and turned to his father with forced calm. "Father, please calm your anger; we are solely concerned for the well-being of this family. We must find a way to prevent both the citizens and any remaining infiltrators from leaving the territory. Seal the borders, root out the rot."
Old Man Thomas smirked, his demeanor softening like storm clouds parting after rain. "Do not fret over such trivial matters," he said, retracting his aura with effortless control. "Today is a day of joy, not conflict." He smiled broadly, golden wings folding neatly behind him. "Instead of worrying about the Void Territory, rejoice. I have received a letter from your brothers. Draco and Von will be returning from the front lines at the Raksha border this week."
Alfie's eyes sparkled with genuine joy, the news cutting through his anger like sunlight through fog. "I shall take my leave," he declared abruptly, activating the legendary Void Step, a technique imbued with pure Void energy that allowed its user to cover three kilometers in a single heartbeat, vanishing in a ripple of darkness.
Damon watched in quiet astonishment as Alfie executed the famed movement art, the space around him folding like paper before he disappeared entirely.
Damon turned his cold, distant gaze toward Abel and Old Man Thomas, the apple core discarded casually at his feet. "There is a common flaw among humans," he remarked, voice calm yet carrying an edge of ancient wisdom, "they confine themselves, stifling their potential out of fear, while trembling before the very creatures that are terrified of them." He waved his hand dismissively, as if brushing away insignificant dust, and began walking away. "I will seize everything I desire, even if it means wrestling it from devils and demons myself." A mad, exhilarated smile spread across his face as he jogged toward Squad 4's training hall, the wind whipping his wild hair.
Inside Squad 4's vast training hall, a cavernous space reinforced with void stones and etched with countless battle scars from generations of warriors, several trainees stood poised for clash, tension crackling in the air like lightning before a storm.
"Yoroki, you bastard, just wait! I will wipe that smirk off your face!" a girl no taller than 5'6" declared fiercely, brandishing two gleaming blades in her hands. Her eyes gleamed with unyielding determination, her petite frame belying the explosive power coiled within.
"Sacha, why do you act as though I speak lies?" Yoroki replied, his gaze cold and unyielding, his imposing build, broad shoulders and towering height, marking him as a true menace on the battlefield. "If you all had simply followed orders without question, we would not be in this mess."
"Stupid fool!" another voice chimed in coolly. A tall woman with long legs and perfectly proportioned curves stepped forward, her massive battle axe resting casually on her back like an extension of her body. "What could we have done differently? Were you expecting us to fight to our deaths without strategy? If that's the case, why did you follow behind like a shadow?" She turned away from Yoroki with deliberate disdain. "At least we didn't waste Razor's gift to us."
"Daniella," Yoroki warned, rage boiling within him like a volcano on the verge of eruption, veins popping from his forehead as he drew his blade with a sharp ring of steel. "The next disrespectful word from you, and I swear I will cut you down where you stand."
"Yoroki," Daniella replied evenly, her hand resting on the hilt of her great axe, fingers tightening with ready menace, "I don't know who you think you are, but if you truly seek humbling, I am not one to shy away from a challenge."
Sacha and several others watched the standoff with bated breath, a fierce smile spreading across Sacha's face. "Yeah, sis, show him who's boss!" Her eyes sparkled with excitement, twin blades twitching in anticipation.
"Ah, Sacha, your smile reminds me of a ghost I saw in the Raksha forest: beautiful yet terrifying," a stout boy remarked lazily, rubbing his round belly with one hand, his eyes closed as though they were too heavy to open fully.
"Pyo!" Sacha exclaimed joyously, rushing forward to embrace him, her face radiant with pure happiness. "You have finally recovered!"
"Don't you think we should calm those two before blood is spilled?" Pyo said with a gentle, Buddha-like smile, his voice calm amid the rising tension.
Before he could intervene, a figure jogged casually into the training hall.
"Who is that guy?" Pyo wondered aloud, squinting slightly.
As soon as Damon took his second step into the room, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. Air thickening with an invisible, oppressive pressure that made every cadet's instincts scream danger. They jumped back in fright, weapons half-drawn, hearts pounding.
The sudden reaction only made Damon smile wider, madness glinting in his crimson eyes.
He immediately changed direction, heading straight toward the group with unhurried confidence.
"Everyone, get behind me!" Pyo shouted, charging forward without hesitation. "Flood Dragon Touch!"
He activated his technique in a burst of motion. A powerful stream of water erupted from the huge calabash strapped to his back, twisting into the form of a raging dragon that surged toward Damon with crushing force.
Damon's eyes widened in genuine surprise and delight. "Pillar of Strength, level 2!"
Like a flash of primal fury, Damon leaped forward. His hand heated up with divine power as he collided directly with Pyo's attack.
The impact sent shockwaves through the hall.
Pyo flew backward, gasping in stunned disbelief, "How did he...?", before crashing hard into the reinforced training wall, cracks spiderwebbing outward from the point of impact.
Before Damon could fully catch his breath or savor the moment, Yoroki dashed in from the side like a shadow assassin, hands gripping his sword with lethal intent. "Who do you think you are?" he demanded, lunging toward Damon with piercing killing thrust.
Damon smiled, excitement coursing through his veins like fire as he sidestepped the attack effortlessly, the blade whistling past his ear.
"He's fast," Daniella assessed in a heartbeat. She spun into action, her long leg whipping out in a powerful kick that caught Yoroki squarely in the ribs mid-lunge, sending him crashing into a nearby wall with bone-jarring force.
She followed through seamlessly, spinning her great axe with practiced, deadly ease. The massive weapon hummed through the air, slashing several times in wide, devastating arcs. Her prowess evident in every fluid motion, power and grace combined.
"This girl is good," Damon thought, genuine admiration flashing in his eyes as he dodged her attacks by mere inches, feeling the wind pressure slice the air around him.
"Daniella, hold him!" Sacha called out, charging in with fierce determination, her twin blades flashing.
Pyo, recovering quickly, surged slightly ahead of her, moving with surprising speed for his build.
Like a burst of infernal fire, Yoroki recovered and rejoined the fray, activating his blade to unleash burning red flames that licked hungrily toward Damon.
"Ha! This one has special flames," Damon noted with exhilarated interest, his heart pounding with the thrill of true battle.
Soon he caught Sacha's figure slightly behind the others. He observed her heartbeat slow deliberately, her breath becoming measured and deep, preparation for something devastating. "Lightning Blade, Form One."
"Haaa!" Damon exclaimed, a manic, joyous smile stretching across his face as he spread his arms wide, embracing the chaos fully. "This is so much fun! Tell me, are you all having a good time?"
His voice rang with pure, unadulterated madness.
"I fucking love this!"