FLOODGATE OPEN

Nothing came out.

"Ahem! Rosarsio, the sword!" Still no result.

Sisa pushed a water lily-shaped red stone in Aildrin's palm before rushing to save her children.

"Dang!" Aildrin said. He stored the stone in his inventory and the bow reappeared in his hand. He did not know what to expect, and he was not even sure if the NPCs in Fitz could be resurrected.

"Stan! Sven!" Sisa said when she appeared by the doorway, barely catching her breath.

"Ma, stay away!" the older of the two kids said. Two figures in black cloaks pointed daggers at their throats.

Meanwhile, Aildrin crouched near the doorway, not yet revealing himself.

"Please let them go... What do you want?" Sisa raised both of her hands in surrender.

"Despair and death for all members of the Blood Sirens," the tallest cloaked figure said in a ghastly voice.

"No!" But Sisa's plea for mercy was too late.

Blood showered on the wooden floor and hope fled Sisa's eyes. She lost her footing and fell on her knees.

The tallest of the figure then dashed straight to the helpless woman, but a red arrow met him head-on. He caught the shaft and broke it into half. Though the hood hid his face, tendrils of black smoke slithered out of his mouth when he hissed.

[Dark Surrender, Level 50, Silver Rank—Tier I, Demon Assassin (NPC).]

Dark surrender then continued his charge while the short one followed behind.

[Abandoned Hope, Level 55, Gold Rank—Tier V, Demon Assassin (NPC).]

"Demons!" Aildrin gulped after a quick check of their details. "Sars! Please, just this time! Save this woman!" He passed the message to the necklace with conviction and urgency.

Just when Dark Surrender's dagger was about to reach Sisa, the demon screeched and shielded its eyes from the red light that glowed around Aildrin.

"The stone! He has it!" Abandoned Hope said with squinted eyes. "Kill him!"

Soul of Blades! Aildrin immediately activated his secret skill, but it felt different this time. His vision no longer blurred. Instead, time seemed to slow around him and he could even hear the frenzy of energy around his body. And his eyes no longer glowed in crimson. It was still brown.

The vibrant red light coated his body with a godlike armor made of ruby-colored aura, and on his head, a fiery crown sat. Aildrin flicked his right arm, and the Soulsworth appeared.

An immense power flowed out of him. He was like a dam with its floodgate opened.

Dark Surrender's head flew before he could react.

[You have reached Level 50!] A system pop-up appeared. Aildrin was surprised, but he ignored it and focused on Abandon Hope.

The remaining demon took advantage of the momentary gap and disappeared under his own shadow before Aildrin reached him.

Aildrin immediately reached for the two children on the floor. The aura and sword vanished and his stamina plunged. His knees almost gave out.

"I'm sorry, I was slow." His hands shook. He could not bring himself to touch them.

No tears came out of Sisa's eyes, but despair had already overtaken her.

"What do I do? Sars? Can't they be resurrected?" Aildrin said to the necklace through his mind.

"Death is beyond the realm of the mortal. Even I have no power over it, except for one," Sars replied.

"Who?"

"Haza, the heliodor."

"Sisa, we need to get you out of here. For sure, that demon called out for reinforcement." Aildrin rushed to aid the poor woman.

"Sir, my husband and children had already paid the price. Please, don't let the others suffer… save them while you can. You must leave now… to the bridge before they could find it. I have done my part, so let me grieve. Go. Now!"

"Kid, you must leave now. I won't be able to help you again if more enemies arrive," Sars said.

"Please, save yourself. Go to Silas, bring their bodies with you. I'll return together with someone who could bring them back to life. And I'll take that Karcel's head and offer it to you as a gift. Until then, stay alive!" With one last glance at Sisa, Aildrin used what's left of his strength and limped towards the narrow stone bridge.

Aildrin found no ladder or foothold to get to the bridge's underside. He looked around for any suspicious figure, but it seemed that his fight disturbed no one in the neighborhood. The cobblestone street was still empty and only the rushing river hummed in the background.

"I guess I'll have to dive." Aildrin then jumped straight to the murky river. He then struggled his way until he was beneath the bridge.

"Where is it?" He searched for a keyhole in the shape of a water lily but found nothing. "Let me see," he took out the stone. Then the river pulled him down.

Meanwhile, back in the Battle Arena. Six figures clashed over clumps of trees. It was Lidar against the five members of Burning Orient, who were heavily wounded.

A giant purple aura shaped like two great swords enveloped him, warding off the projectiles and attacks from the divines.

"Time to end this, my allies are getting bored," Lidar said. He then took a glance at the branches below where four of his teammates waited for him to call for help.

The team stage had already started for fifteen minutes, but Lidar never called for help. He told them he needed some time for his experiment.

Zoraida and the two other magic dealers were useless against Lidar. And Zeru and Zodin could not match the swordsman's prowess even in a simultaneous attack midair. They were helpless against him.

Lidar charged, and the five met him head on. Their wounded pride blinded them and foreshadowed their fall.

The members of Burning Orient dropped one by one from the sky along with their hope to enter the semi-finals. It only took one man to bring down.

Zoraida kicked her chair when she got out of her Battle Station. She then marched out of their booth and headed to their guild's locker room. Zaito was there, along with the other rookies. He looked her in the eye, but she glared at him.

"Lidar is our bane. You should have changed the roster after the group stage," Zaito said. It was his chance to insult her, but he was not that kind of person.

"Win your match against Aoki, maybe then I'll listen to you."

Zaito then glanced at the scarlet-haired boy grinning behind him. It was time to settle the score.