revolution

The massive fireball continued to swell, casting an eerie glow across the landscape. Renai's grin widened, bordering on manic.

"So long, kid," he said, preparing to unleash the inferno. But suddenly, he felt a touch on his shoulder.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Renai glanced over his shoulder. A dark-skinned man with sharp, chiseled features frowned back at him.

"Well, good thing I'm not you," Renai retorted, and released the fireball.

The dark figure behind Renai grunted, and moved with such impossible speed that he seemed to vanish, then to enter the fireball as seamlessly as a pin piercing a balloon, and deflated it, the flames dissipating immediately.

He landed beside Renai—who also just did, and was visibly surprised that his supposed adversary had plunged into the heart of his conflagration and emerged unscathed, not even his skin or armor was parched.

"Impressive."

"You finally decided to show yourself, eh?" Renai asked, only to have his question met with another.

"Do you know what you almost did?" the man inquired rhetorically. "You almost started the revolution."

"How is killing a random Convert important to the revolution?"

"No… not because you almost killed the Convert, but because you almost went against me."

"Uhh?" Renai regarded the man with a curious gaze. Given his disposition, he must be high up in the ranks.

"What nonsense are you spouting? I did throw the fireball."

"Of course, you did. But you were ready to dissipate it at any moment had I moved against you, and the fireball... when I entered it, I found it was hollow, not something you'd conjure if you truly intended to kill someone."

Renai nodded, impressed, although he could see the situation as more that he wanted to flex.

"You got me. But now that I think about it, you're the one unnecessarily coming against me. I'm just here to retrieve something that's ours."

For the first time in their conversation, the man smiled, but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Sorry to break it to you, but Ichl is dead, killed by Auror. If you have any complaints about that, you can reach out to Auror himself."

Renai's eyes darkened. Auror, popularly known as "the Devil in Gold" or "the Golden Devil." Even though he wasn't the strongest member of the other faction, he was the most feared and revered. Renai knew the man had mentioned his name to deter him from pursuing the matter.

"Well, you really don't expect those who sent me to believe the words coming out of your mouth alone. I'm going to need evidence, and this newbie's soul core will do just fine."

"But that'll be going against me," the man said again, his voice laced with finality.

Seeing that they were back where they started, Renai's groaned in fraustration.

He knew too well that they were at a disadvantage if the revolution started immediately. Their leader, a powerful Sovereign, was… severely incapacitated at the moment. One of their seven Overlords was dead, leaving them with six who could never agree on anything.

The other faction had a fully functional Sovereign, three Overlords, including that bastard Auror, not to mention that secret weapon they seemed to be hiding. Renai's faction did have a secret weapon too but that really wasn't the point.

What infuriated Renai the most was that he had traveled all the way from headquarters just to be made a fool of by this man. It didn't sit well with him. Some fighting and beating would have to happen, revolution or not.

"Weren't you the one who made the first move? Your side killed… attempted to kill Ichl. That was more than enough to blow the trumpet of war, but we held on to the hope that he might still be living inside this kid. And you're still stopping us? Haven't you already started the war yourself?" Renai said, his voice echoing through the abysmal night. He wasn't finished yet.

"He's wielding the mace! Only Ichl can do that, so he's still alive, you liar! Now, get out of my face and let me finish my assignment."

"Oh, wielder of anger, don't let your concept cloud your judgment," the man replied, his low voice like a dangerous rumble.

"Hey bastard, the revolution began the moment we separated. Both factions have only been searching for a weak point to exploit. Now that it's finally revealed itself, you suddenly want to make use of it. But now I'm also surprised that you suddenly want to postpone your attack again. I can only assume some inner blow has been dealt to your faction."

Renai paused, narrowing his eyes, the fiery red of his hair dancing with his anger. "Now tell me: what better time is there to kickstart this war than now? I'll say this once more, get out of my way."

The figure smiled again, this time his facial change was more unnerving,

"If the Revolution has indeed begun, as you claim, what makes you think I'll allow you to waltz away with one of your aces?"

"I'm stronger. That's what," Renai retorted, his voice tight with barely controlled fury.

"Never count your wins without truly knowing your enemies," The figure remarked, stance shifting subtly, assuming a combat-ready posture.

Renai laughed, a dry, humorless sound, "Who said I don't know you, Persia? Commander of Squad Iron Heart, wielder of Perseverance."

"I see you're quite informed," Persia replied, his expression unreadable,

"But I'm sure you must have heard that I'm quite hard to break, you will see, trust me."

"I'll be the judge of that," Renai growled, surging forward, his body wreathed in searing heat.