Tirnanog

The dawn of a new day in Ketergia brought with it a sense of duty for the newly inducted Royal Knights. Among their first tasks was a mission to the surface—a land far removed from the grandeur of the floating city. The mission: to collect resources demanded from the people of Earth.

Sarevsael, as the mission leader, stood at the forefront of the group, his golden bow slung across his back. With him were the charismatic yet detached Rooks, and the fiery but idealistic Fort, both ready for their first major assignment as part of Ketergia's military force.

The group descended upon a quiet farming village, their arrival marked by the thundering of hooves and the gleaming of Ketergian armor under the morning sun. The sight of the Royal Knights brought fear and dread to the villagers, who scrambled to meet the demands made by Ketergia seven months prior.

Fort's eyes widened as he took in the scene. Villagers, weak and emaciated, hurriedly gathered what meager supplies they had—sacks of grain, wilted vegetables, and whatever livestock they could spare.

"This is... wrong," Fort muttered under his breath as he watched Ketergian soldiers snatch food from trembling hands.

Rooks, walking beside him, noticed his unease. "Welcome to reality, kid. This is how it's always been."

"You've done this before?" Fort asked, his voice tinged with disbelief and disappointment.

Rooks paused, his usual smirk replaced by a somber expression. "It's not about right or wrong. It's about doing what we're ordered to do."

Fort clenched his fists, his ideals clashing with the harsh reality before him.

Sarevsael stood tall in the center of the village, his piercing gaze sweeping across the frightened crowd. "This... is pathetic," he sneered. "Do you call this tribute? Is this what you've worked seven months to offer Ketergia?"

The villagers trembled, murmuring apologies and excuses.

"You think apologies will fill our granaries?" Sarevsael barked, drawing his bow. He aimed at the nearest house and released an arrow, which exploded on impact, reducing the structure to rubble. "Perhaps destruction will teach you the value of hard work."

The soldiers followed his lead, tearing through the village, destroying homes and farms that failed to meet Ketergia's demands. The air was filled with the cries of the oppressed and the laughter of the oppressors.

Fort, horrified, turned to Rooks. "This is wrong! How can you just stand there and let this happen?"

Rook, visibly uncomfortable, looked away. "It's not our place to question orders, Fort."

From a hill overlooking the village, Youth, Schneizal, and Sequana silently watched the unfolding chaos.

Youth's jaw tightened, his piercing gaze fixed on the destruction below. He already knew the cruelty of Ketergia's knights toward the surface. He had seen it before—experienced it before. But watching it again, seeing the despair etched on the villagers' faces, stoked a fire of rage deep within him.

"This... this is exactly why I hate them," he said through gritted teeth, his voice trembling with fury. "They treat people like dirt beneath their feet, taking and destroying without a second thought."

Schneizal glanced at him, curious. "You sound angrier than usual, dude. What's stopping you from going down there and teaching those butt heads a lesson?"

Youth's fists clenched, his knuckles white. "Because they have a Grade 3 knight with them," he growled, glancing at Sarevsael, whose golden bow gleamed ominously under the sun. "Charging in now would be suicide."

Schneizal shrugged, resting his massive sword against his shoulder. "Wise decision. I like living."

Youth's intense glare returned to the scene below as he muttered, "They'll pay for this one day. Every last one of them."

Behind them, Sequana stood silently, her face pale as she watched the villagers being oppressed. Her eyes darted nervously toward Youth, his seething anger palpable.

"You see this?" Youth suddenly said, his voice cutting through the tense silence. He turned to Sequana, his piercing eyes locking onto her. "You want to join them, Sequana? Be part of this madness?"

Sequana flinched, her shoulders tensing as shame washed over her. She couldn't bring herself to answer, her gaze falling to the ground.

Schneizal raised an eyebrow at the exchange but remained quiet, his attention shifting back to the cruel display below.

Sarevsael flared his majestic wings, the golden feathers glinting under the sunlight. His sharp gaze swept over the village one last time before he turned to his group of knights. "These vermin don't deserve mercy," he sneered. "Teach them a lesson they won't forget. Burn it all."

Without another word, he ascended into the sky, leaving his soldiers behind to carry out his cruel orders.

Below, flames began to engulf the first houses as soldiers set fire to the village. Screams echoed through the air, blending with the crackle of burning wood.

Fort's fists clenched as he stood frozen, his wide eyes reflecting the devastation. "This… this isn't right," he muttered, his voice trembling with anger.

Rooks stood beside him, silent, his usual charisma gone. He stared at the chaos before them, his lips pressed into a thin line.

From the hill, Youth's patience finally snapped. He grabbed his spear and turned to Schneizal, his voice sharp and resolute. "I've had enough of this. You coming or what?"

Schneizal grinned, gripping his massive sword with both hands. "Heh, I was starting to get bored anyway. Besides, most of them are just Grade 0s and 1s. No challenge at all."

Youth charged down the hill without hesitation, his spear blazing in the sunlight. Schneizal followed close behind, his sword resting casually over his shoulder.

Behind them, Sequana hesitated for a moment, her expression conflicted. But then she sighed, muttering under her breath, "I can't believe I'm doing this." She drew her grimoire and ran after them, determination flickering in her eyes.

As the three descended upon the village, the tables began to turn, and the oppressed finally found hope in their unlikely saviors.

Youth charged into the fray, his spear spinning with lethal precision. A handful of soldiers fell instantly, their cries cut short as they hit the ground. The remaining soldiers turned, alarmed, and began to surround him.

Before they could strike, a booming voice rang out. "Grade 0 normies!" Schneizal's massive sword cut through the air, sending the soldiers flying left and right as he carved a path with ease. His movements were almost lazy, yet devastating.

Nearby, Sequana opened her grimoire, chanting a spell that sent gusts of wind and bursts of light scattering through the battlefield. Her magic blasted several knights away and extinguished the spreading fires, sparing the remaining homes.

Amid the chaos, Youth fought relentlessly, parrying blows and cutting through ranks. His movements were precise, efficient, and unyielding.

Then, a shout came from behind. "Stop right there!" Fort charged toward Youth, sword drawn, his red hair whipping in the wind. "Why do you have that armor?"

Youth glanced at him briefly but said nothing, his focus unwavering. In one swift motion, he deflected Fort's attack and sent him sprawling with a powerful strike.

Fort scrambled to his feet, coughing as he gripped his sword tighter. "You're strong, but—"

A new voice cut him off. "So, you stole that armor, huh?" Rooks strode forward, adjusting his headband to cover his eyes like a visor. His spear rested against his shoulder as he studied Youth with a smirk.

"Rooks, wait!" Fort called out, his voice urgent. "He's not like anyone we've fought before—he's strong!"

Rooks chuckled, brushing off the warning. "Good. I could use a warm up." With a flash of movement, he lunged at Youth, their spears clashing in a flurry of sparks.

The two exchanged rapid strikes, each testing the other's skill. Rooks grinned, his confidence growing. "Nice moves, kid, but I'm better." He pushed Youth back, his strikes becoming faster and more aggressive.

Youth growled, his movements growing sharper. Their weapons collided with a resounding clang, the force sending ripples through the air.

"You were this strong all along?" Fort muttered, his eyes wide in disbelief as he watched his partner battle with skill and ferocity.

Rooks laughed, his voice tinged with amusement. "You're not bad, kid. Thanks for giving me a warm-up."

His spear began to glow faintly, a surge of power coursing through it. With a burst of speed, he struck Youth, sending him stumbling back.

Youth's grip on his spear tightened, his eyes blazing with anger. He launched himself forward, their weapons colliding again in a shower of sparks. The ground beneath them trembled as the two warriors fought, evenly matched in strength and skill.

Rooks grinned, unfazed by the intensity. "Woah, woah, impressive. Now let's see what you've really got."

Rooks' entire body began to glow a brilliant blue, his aura expanding like a rising storm. Magic swirled around him, amplifying his strength and speed. His movements became almost too fast for the eye to follow. He charged at Youth once more, his spear flashing like lightning as he launched himself into the attack.

Youth found himself immediately on the defensive, struggling to keep up with Rooks' enhanced speed. Each strike from Rooks seemed to push him back further, forcing him to retreat step by step.

But as Rooks continued to press him, Youth's right eye began to glow red, an intense pain shooting through his skull. His muscles tensed, his grip on his spear tightened, but the agony only grew stronger, clouding his focus.

Seeing his opponent falter, Rook seized the moment. With a powerful thrust, he knocked Youth back, sending him crashing into the ground. The impact rattled Youth's bones, but he forced himself to stand.

Schneizal, still in the midst of his own fight with the knights, glanced over at the struggle. His eyes widened in realization. "A Grade 2? Hah! Let's dance, pretty boy!"

He swung his enormous sword, charging toward Rooks with a fiery grin, eager to challenge the much stronger opponent.

Rooks didn't even flinch. He met Schneizal's charge with ease, effortlessly dodging the massive sword with a casual sidestep. He struck, his spear slashing through the air with pinpoint precision.

In seconds, Schneizal was on the defensive, trying desperately to block Rooks' quick and powerful attacks. His large sword became a liability, its size making it difficult to maneuver against Rooks' agility.

"What's with the large sword?" Rooks mocked, grinning as he easily varied another of Schneizal's strikes. "Surprised you can even lift that thing with your small body, loser!"

With a final, swift movement, Rooks knocked Schneizal to the ground, his sword spinning out of his hand. He stood over him, grinning down at the defeated warrior. "You're all talk, pretty boy."

As Rooks stood over Schneizal, smirking, he suddenly felt a shift in the air. His eyes flickered as he saw a red glow emanating from beneath Youth's eyepatch. Youth's right eye was now fully visible, glowing a deep crimson.

"Oh. I guess you're not yet done, eh?" Rook muttered, raising an eyebrow.

With a swift motion, he launched himself toward Youth, aiming a powerful strike at his opponent. The sheer force of the attack threatened to overwhelm Youth, but with a calm, measured movement, he raised his spear, blocking the strike.

The clash of weapons sent shockwaves through the air, and Rooks's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected Youth to withstand his full force. But what truly caught his attention was the change in the aura surrounding Youth.

An X-shaped symbol began to form around Youth's glowing right eye. It pulsed with energy, as if preparing to transform into something greater. Rook took a step back, sensing that this wasn't the same Youth he'd faced moments before. The air around him crackled with raw power.

Before the battle could escalate further, a sudden volley of arrows shot through the air, aimed directly at Youth's back.

"Hey, what are you losers doing?!" Sarevsael's voice rang out as he landed behind the group, his bow raised and ready for another shot. Three arrows embedded themselves into the ground near Youth, their energy unmistakable.

But before anyone could react, a bright flash of magic exploded in front of them. The knights were momentarily blinded by the burst of light, and when their vision cleared, they found themselves face-to-face with Sequana, who had jumped into the fray.

"Let's get out of here," she said, her voice sharp and commanding.

In a swift motion, she cast another spell, creating a magical barrier that shielded both Youth and Schneizal from further attacks. The barrier flared brightly, stunning the knights long enough for Sequana to pull both of them into the shadows, rescuing them from the onslaught.

The knights stood in confusion, momentarily thrown off balance by the interruption.

"Next time, Sarevsael, maybe you should focus less on the flashy arrows and more on the enemy," Rooks said with a smirk, clearly unimpressed with the angel's arrival.

Seravsael merely glared in response. "This isn't over."