CHAPTER 104: MONSTERS!

Chapter 104

"Water Veil: drench this motherfucking bastard," a voice roared.

SPLASH!

Huhuuuuuuh!

A sharp gasp cut through the air as the man with the hat snapped his eyes open. His clothes were soaked, water running from his hair and down his face.

Beside him, the second man shivered as cold water soaked him as well. He blinked, stunned.

"Wh... what’s happening?!" the hat man muttered, eyes still foggy from the shock.

PA!

A sharp slap landed against his cheek. Heat flamed across his face as tears pricked his eyes. He looked up in disbelief to see a woman crouched before him, her crimson hair fluttering and pink eyes blazing like coals.

"I hear you lot have been extorting innocent residents of this town under our clan’s name," Lyra said, her voice calm but edged with lethal intent.

"I won’t say anything and there’s no..."

"Tom, you are up," Lyra sighed, standing. The temperature in the square dropped several degrees as the hat man’s breath hitched and sweat bead-drops sprang out on his forehead.

Tom stepped forward, massive and unhurried. Flames roared to life along the edge of his greatsword, licking the metal in a furnace glow as he pointed the blade forward.

"I want you to choose one out of these options. Either answer the damn questions we about to, or I burn you to death and when you go to the afterlife, you would still burn for eternity. So pick one." Tom said as flames instantly erupted around his massive great sword which he pointed forward.

"I... I... I will ta... talk!" the hat man stammered. The air relaxed as Tom sheathed his sword with a casual motion.

"Good boy," Tom smirked.

The hat man’s eyes widened as recognition crawled over his features. He swallowed hard. ’These guys... now that I’m calm, I can recognize them both.

That’s Sir Tom, the B-ranked Reaver from SilverFall Clan. And wait... that’s Lyra, the most fearsome A-ranked Reaver of the SilverFall Clan. The strongest female of all four clans. Shit. I’m cooked,’ he thought, panic tightening in his throat.

He glanced at his crew. The three other men were surrounded by the kids they had tried to rob. One boy crouched low with lightning crackling around his hands. He rubbed them together, then slammed them to the chest of one captive while shouting, "Clear!"

"Again," a girl called with a short chuckle, and the lightning kid repeated the action.

The younger kids laughed at their captives, who writhed like insects under a steady, casual electrocution. The men screamed and rolled on the ground, each jolt making their bodies spasm.

’These aren’t normal kids,’ the hat man thought, fear sharpening every sense. ’They are monsters. The one who nullified our Veils earlier... how the hell did he do that? This is worse than I thought. I have to get out and warn the others, but with Lyra and Tom here and those other kids—escape is impossible.’

His hands shook as he watched the group. Sweat mixed with the drying water on his face.

"Will you speak now, or do I send you to your maker?" Lyra snapped, her voice sharp enough to slice through steel.

She lifted her hand, and the air itself responded—crackling loudly as a jagged tear in reality began to form above her palm. The sound alone was enough to make hearts skip.

"I will speak! Ask what you want!" the hat man blurted, both hands raised high in surrender. His eyes were wide, terror etched across his drenched face.

"Good," Lyra said coldly, lowering her hand as the tear sealed shut. "Now answer me. Why are you in this town extorting money and harassing the citizens? And why use the name of our clan?"

"Isn’t it obvious? We are here to make money," the man spat bitterly, his frown deep. "You think it’s easy for people like us who have no jobs?"

"Don’t bullshit me!" Lyra snapped, her voice rising. "You’re awakened. You could easily join a clan, earn your place, and fight with honor. And yet you settle for this pathetic bandit lifestyle? Tch!" She scoffed angrily, glaring like she could incinerate him where he sat.

The man shrugged casually, though his voice trembled beneath the forced bravado. "Take it however you want. There’s no way I’m risking my life battling beasts and diving dungeons every damn day. I’d rather spend my days out here making easy shards. It’s safer, faster, and I get to breathe longer."

"Clear!" Vynn shouted in the background as he pressed his crackling palms against another bandit’s chest. The man spasmed, specks of blood spraying from his mouth as he gasped in agony.

"Will you brats keep it down?! Don’t make me come there and clear your heads off your shoulders!" Lyra snapped furiously, her glare snapping to the kids.

For a brief second, they froze, blank stares locked on her.

’Thank goodness... saved,’ the man under Vynn’s "treatment" thought, sighing with relief.

"Again!" Zen barked, and Vynn immediately smirked, rubbing his palms together once more.

"Clear!" Vynn yelled as he struck the man’s chest again, lightning bursting out. The poor bandit coughed up more blood, his face twisted in pain.

Lyra’s vein pulsed across her temple, teeth gritted so hard it looked like they’d crack. ’Stupid kids!’ she seethed inwardly.

Tom stepped forward casually, crouching down in front of the hat man. His heavy presence smothered the space like a mountain pressing down.

"Now," he said calmly, "how many of you are in this town? What’s your end goal? And most importantly—do you know anything about the A-ranked beast roaming around here?"

"Huh? A-ranked beast? In this town?" The hat man’s eyes went wide as he looked at them, confusion and fear mingling.

"Stop pretending," Lyra barked. "You expect us to believe you don’t know? The moment your group started terrorizing this town, that beast appeared. Don’t act clueless."

The hat man shook his head violently. "Who the hell is acting? Shit, I need to inform the others..."

His words cut off. In a blink, his gaze shifted sharply to the three other men. Their eyes met in silent agreement. Zen’s sharp gaze caught it immediately.

"They’re about to escape!" Zen shouted, but his warning came a fraction too late.

All four men dipped their hands into their pockets at the exact same moment, pulling out small spheres. They slammed them against the ground in perfect unison.

BOOM!

A thick, choking smoke exploded across the room, a dense cloud swallowing everything. Vision vanished in an instant, and the Reavers coughed and covered their noses, blind for several seconds.

By the time the smoke thinned and cleared, the bandits were gone.

"Huh?" Lyra muttered, blinking rapidly, her pink eyes widening in disbelief. The space where they had been was completely empty, nothing left but the faint stink of smoke and ash.