Ashan smirked at Rowan. "Are you going to come along with her?"
"Of course I will. I need to take care of my sister," Rowan replied.
"I have no problem with your sister, but what can I expect from an arrogant fool? You're the type who will jump into a monster's mouth."
Rowan tried to move his body using all of his strength.
"Don't look down on me because of your petty tricks. I'm an S-ranker. If it weren't for those, I would've destroyed your entire face with one blow."
"Alright then, you can come. I'm saying the same thing as I said to your sister. I won't take responsibility for your life."
Ashan turned to Sorin. "I will come here at 7:00 a.m. sharp. Get ready before that time. And thank you for hearing my request."
"It's my pleasure. Thank you for your cooperation."
She glanced at Rowan. "Can you release him now?"
Ashan nodded and faced Rowan. "You can go now."
With that, Ashan lifted the Authority of the Blood King, freeing Rowan. As soon as he was released, Rowan stretched his body, his muscles aching from the ordeal. "I'll make sure you won't be able to use that shit against me ever again."
Ashan stepped closer to Rowan. "That's a really good thing. I also like to know whether my technique is invincible or not. So do your best."
Ashan placed a hand on Rowan's shoulder, his Sharingan activating in his eyes. Rowan's eyes widened, a chill running down his spine.
"Make sure to be more polite. Today you just ran like a dog. And if you dare to mess with me again, I will make sure you bark like one. The same thing will happen if you try to follow me or find me."
Ashan vanished into the shadows, disappearing from sight. Rowan rubbed his eyes, still confused. "Are you alright, brother? Why did you jump into an unknown person like that? He wasn't someone ordinary. What if you got hurt?"
"Sister, my body... it acted on its own. I was helpless."
Sorin grasped Rowan's hand. "At first, I also didn't notice how it happened, but later I figured it out. He controlled your blood and manipulated your movements. That was horrifying."
"So that's what happened. That bastard!"
"But what happened when he came closer to you? Your face tells me you saw something I didn't. What is it?"
Rowan recalled Ashan's crimson eyes.
"It's his eyes. They were so strange. I'd never seen such creepy-looking eyes before."
An armored woman approached Sorin and bowed her head. "Greetings, madam. It's an honor to see you again."
Sorin smiled warmly. "Maliya. It's nice to see you again. So you also came here to stop the dungeon break. Can you tell me what happened here?"
"I'll tell you, madam. We suddenly got the message that a dungeon appeared here. So we came as soon as possible. But we didn't know it was an A-rank dungeon. B-rank trolls started pouring out, putting us in a miserable situation. We were almost wiped out. That's when that masked man appeared."
"Tell me how he defeated these monsters in detail."
Maliya recounted the events, describing how Ashan had dispatched the trolls with mysterious powers.
Sorin was amazed.
"He killed most of these trolls with a single punch? A black wave emitted from his punches too? I don't know what those dark waves are, but as I thought, he is strong."
"Why the hell did you ask him to go with him? Do we care if anything happens to him?" Rowan interjected.
"No matter who he is, we still have a responsibility. And it will be a good opportunity for us. Since we can see what he can do," Sorin replied calmly.
"... you have a point. I'm also curious about his powers. Since I have a debt to settle with him, it will be a good opportunity."
…
Narasha observed Sorin and Rowan from afar, clenching her fists.
"They are pretty strong. It seems not all humans are weak after all."
Ashan appeared behind her, removing his mask and hugging her from behind. "How was it? Not bad, right?"
Narasha turned to him with an emotionless face. "You... What was that strange punch? You never used it against me."
"Ahh... that. It's also something I used for the first time. It turns out to be more useful than I thought."
Narasha shifted her gaze back to the S-rankers. "Who are they? They are very strong compared to other humans."
"They are S-rankers. They are the strongest in this country. But there are only a few of them. They are comparable to you."
"Don't compare those humans with me. I feel insulted."
"Ohh... sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. Ahh... I'm planning to raid that dungeon tomorrow morning."
Narasha gave a puzzled expression. "So you're going further than this. Well, I don't care what you're going to do. Are you going alone?"
"No, I'm going with those two."
"That human just attacked you and tried to harm you. Yet you're trying to go with them. You are an idiot."
Ashan looked into Narasha's eyes and touched her chin. "Do you think they can harm me? Only you in the whole world can hurt me."
Narasha looked away, her face flushing red. "Tch.. You're only good at sweet talk."
Ashan grabbed her hand. "Let's go now. I'm a bit sleepy. Since tomorrow is gonna be a productive one, I should get enough sleep."
…
Next Morning..
Sorin and Rowan stood before the dungeon portal, surrounded by a horde of reporters. Camera flashes erupted every second, capturing the scene. Sorin's bodyguards and raiders formed a line, blocking the reporters' view and preventing them from approaching the siblings.
"Reporters are so energetic as always. Can't our association stop them?" Rowan grumbled to Sorin, eyeing the crowd.
Sorin waved dismissively. "The media is something we should treat carefully. They have the power to make or break impressions. So we need to use minimum force against them."
She checked her watch. "It's almost time. He should come now."
As the clock struck 7:00, Ashan materialized out of nowhere and strode toward the portal. His appearance had changed; he wore a black robe that concealed his entire body, paired with his mask, exuding a dark, enigmatic aura. Reporters spotted him and began snapping photos furiously.
"This site is quite annoying, isn't it?" Ashan remarked as he approached Sorin. He glanced at Rowan, who shot him a disgusted look and turned away.
"Yes, you're right. But we can't do much about it. Since it might affect public opinion," Sorin replied with a nod.
Ashan sighed.
'She is right. S-rankers need to maintain their status in front of the media. No matter how much authority high-rankers have, they can't completely control them.'
"Shall we go then?"
"Wait, mister," Sorin halted him. "Are you not using any weapons? A weapon is a must in a high-rank dungeon."
"A weapon, huh..."
Ashan stretched out his hand, and his Gunbai materialized in his grasp. Both Sorin and Rowan stared in shock.
"You can use space magic? That's amazing. Not every mage can perform that. "
"Well, kind of." Ashan replied casually.
"May I know how large your space is?"
"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you about that. I like to keep it a secret."
"What a waste," Rowan snorted. "This idiot is using such a good skill to store that trash-looking thing."
Hearing that, Ashan chuckled. "Trash? But it's more reliable than that piece of metal junk you have on your waist."
"You calling my sword junk? Do you even know what it is? This thing is made out of dragon bones and scales. It's one of the best weapons in this country. If used properly, it can even slay a dragon."
—-------------------------------------------
The Dragon Slayer (S)
One of the ten great swords. Made out of a red dragon's backbone. Can be used for fire-based attacks. Has floating abilities, allowing users to land attacks from a distance. The creator is the legendary dwarf, Solagon.
Additional:
It's currently sealed. After it is unlocked, a long-range mana slash of 50 meters can be performed. To unlock it, the user need to pour mana into the blade until the seal breaks.
—---------------------------------------------
"Oh... it sounds like a great weapon. But what to do. The owner it has is quite weak. It won't be able to meet its full potential. Poor thing."
Rowan gave a mocking laugh.
"Is that so? Wait until we go to the dungeon. I will show you who is lucky to have whom."
Ashan walked towards the dungeon, ignoring Rowan's mockery completely.
"Whatever, let's go."