CHAPTER 22

"Why do you side with the Cloverists ?", Raiku asked Ikta. He was sure that atleast the top ranks in the squads should have been faithful, but he had half expected this to happen. After all, Cultivators were attacking cultivators in broad daylight. It would also be almost safe to say that the Prokofiev has betrayed and turned against the country.

"Because this country was built by demons. It has to be fucking destroyed !", Ikta said.

"Built by demons?", Raiku asked. He couldn't be more confused right now. Is he referring to the 8 specialists. Or some other forces ?

"Who told you they were demons ?", asked Raiku.

"Scum like you don't deserve to know their names !", Ikta said. Ikta's attacks were getting heavier. Truly experience mattered the most. If it continued, Raiku would probably lose. He had also told the other three to not interfere. Raiku wanted to take advantage of the fact the Ikta was angry, but Ikta was far more experienced. He had clean sword techniques.

"Demons huh ?", Arata said while watching from the top. He knew what that meant. There must have been some after effects of those powers obviously. The voice hadn't really mentioned anything. But he knew something must have happened to call those guys demons. Arata was slowly gaining information, but he did not want to come to any conclusions.

"Let us wait until the last moment.", Rachel said. They wanted to use Raiku to find out more about this revolt by units.

"Hasn't Prokofiev betrayed ? Why couldn't you destroy the country with their king itself corrupted ?", Raiku asked.

"Oh ! that Roland Prokofiev. He has been too cautious. He will also soon be eliminated, just you wait ! Lebia squad and the Andre squad has been posing too many problems. But they will also be soon overcomed. It doesn't mean anything if I die here. The gods will save us !", Ikta siad. He was completely mad.

So now we knew who wanted to preserve the country and who wanted to destroy it. The Prokofiev leader was also on the good side. They resisted huh ?

"Looks like it's time to go now.", Arata said. "Wait ! You stay here.", he said to Rachel.

"Ok !", Rachel answered.

Unsurprisingly, Raiku was getting pushed back and an early strike was going for the kill by Ikta. But, it never reached. Because the head wasn't there. But Raiku definitely sensed it. That speed. And that clean cut. Arata had thought he was tough, but I guess after reaching the realization, no one was his match.

The fight was over. Arata and Rachel came back again together. Everyone was surprised at their sudden rise in power.

"Legend Rank ! How !?", Yuri was the first one to exclaim.

"We had someone stop time, and we don't have much to live now.", Rachel answered honestly. Everyone there had helped to kill the enemies, so they were allies.

"What are you going to do now ?", Raiku asked.

"I am going to meet your leader, make everyone stronger and try to gain our life back.", Arata said. Things were getting interesting now. He didn't particularly think that 3 years is a short time, but he definitely wanted to live longer, and he had a feeling there was a way. Also, he wanted to grow old with Rachel together.

"By the way, are your mana collection centres nothingness?", Arata asked Raiku and crew.

"Yes obviously ! No one has ever been able to progress forward from here, even after filling up the mana.", Raiku answered.

Yes, he expected that. To know and to understand are very different things. That's why he wanted to meet the leaders of the S rank squads and ask and know more, now that he had the ability.