46 Grudge

*Thud!*

In the dim depths of the alley, the sound of a falling body emerged, announcing the conclusion of a battle.

Each attacker, clad in a black cloak, lay on the ground without exception. Some lost consciousness, others lay there wailing, their bodies stained with blood. Around their bodies, whether on the ground or the walls, sword marks were engraved.

Riezel stood among these fallen attackers with his sword dripping with blood. His expression was stern, resembling a ruthless executioner.

The scene triggered various shifts in the gaze of the leader of these black-cloaked attackers, who leaned against a wall in the shadow. However, from start to finish, this black-cloaked leader didn't make a move and didn't intervene in the fight at all.

"What a good skill and temperament." The leader blurted out, praising Riezel, but the tone carried a piercing sarcasm. "Someone like you doesn't seem to be from the loving Loki Familia but rather more like one of us."

Witnessing Riezel's fight, the leader began to acknowledge him to some extent.

Although Riezel had just leveled up to Level 4, his skills and combat techniques far exceeded the average Level 4. In one-on-many situations, he could effortlessly crush a group of adventurers with the same level.

This strength truly made people take notice.

The thing that surprised the leader was Riezel's speed, nearly rivaling a first-class adventurer specialized in 'AGI'.

With outstanding speed and remarkable swordsmanship, Riezel could easily maneuver through the group's attacks, systematically defeating each attacker without trouble.

The result was the successful defeat of the attackers, while Riezel himself remained unscathed. He didn't even break a sweat or breathe heavily, leading the leader to conclude that he undoubtedly possessed 'Healing Power' development ability and at a very high rank at that.

Just leveled up to Level 4, but already had such capabilities. Even the leader couldn't help but admit that Riezel, even though irritating, was indeed special.

However, there was still something irritating about Riezel that made the leader couldn't shake that particular feeling.

As a result, the leader's tone remained unpleasant.

"You might as well switch sides." The leader sarcastically remarked. "If you come to our side, I could rightfully beat you into shape."

At those words, Riezel's expression remained unchanged. He just stared at the black-cloaked leader silently, and after a while, spoke up.

"Vana Freya?"

As that name came out, the black-cloaked leader's face hidden under the hood froze.

Riezel keenly sensed the change in the atmosphere around the leader and instantly understood that his guess was correct.

"Allen Fromel, Level 6, Freya Familia's Vice-Captain, Orario's fastest, bearer of the alias—Vana Freya." Riezel calmly revealed the identity of the black-cloaked leader. "It's really you, huh..."

As his words fell, the leader fell silent for a moment, and soon a faint murderous aura began to emanate from him.

The black-cloaked leader—or rather, Allen Fromel, stepped forward, removing the black cloak from his body and revealing his true face.

It was a young catman, somewhat short and small in stature, but with sharp eyes and expressions.

"How did you figure out it was me?"

The renowned 'Vana Freya' shot Riezel a sharp look.

However, Riezel remained unshaken.

"All those who attacked me were at least Level 3, and there were even several Level 4. Yet, it was clear they were following your orders. So, your strength is likely above these people."

"To command experts with Level 3 and Level 4, the possibility of being a Level 5 or higher is very high. In Orario, there aren't too many familias that can have a first-class adventurer. At most, there are only a handful."

"Considering all this, there's only one familia left that dares to attack members of Loki Familia so brazenly, and that's yours. With this in mind, isn't the answer obvious? Other than your Freya Familia, who else could pull off something like this?"

Riezel calmly explained with a tranquil expression.

As for why he could guess Allen's identity, it was even simpler.

"A first-class adventurer from Freya Familia, with such a foul mouth—who else but you, Vana Freya?"

This deduction was based on his knowledge of the original work. After all, he had never seen Allen or heard any rumors about him after he arrived in this world.

But Allen was unaware of this.

Riezel's analysis, as it reached his ears, only led him to think that perhaps some rumors about him had reached Riezel's ears, allowing Riezel to guess his identity.

In fact, foul-mouthed rumors about him were not uncommon.

Anyone familiar with Loki Familia and Freya Familia would know that in these two familias, there was a Level 5 'Vanargand'—Bete Loga, known for his foul mouth, and a Level 6 'Vana Freya'—Allen Fromel, who was equally notorious for his sharp tongue.

Both of them were first-class adventurers specializing in 'AGI', often being compared by gods and adventurers alike, leading to a deep-seated animosity between Bete and Allen.

Of course, all of this was irrelevant now, since, at this moment, Allen was only furious about his identity being exposed and Riezel indirectly insulting him for having a foul mouth.

"Bold of you to say those words right in front of me..." Allen remarked with an overflowing murderous aura. "Just a mere Level 4, do you think you can fight me?"

With those words, he vanished.

His figure completely merged into the darkness, moving at a speed akin to a war chariot charging forward.

*Whoosh—!*

Carrying a howling momentum, he blinked and appeared in front of Riezel in an instant.

In his hand was a splendid spear, its elegance accentuated as it sliced through the air like lightning, thrust towards Riezel.

*Swish—*

At that moment, time seemed to come to a halt.

Against someone who was a Level 6 and dubbed as the 'City's Fastest', Riezel couldn't react in time.

Dodging? Not possible!

Counterattacking? Not possible!

Blocking? Not possible!

Not possible... Not possible... Not possible... Every possible method proved futile!

Feeling the imminent danger, Riezel made a seemingly reckless move without hesitation.

He advanced instead of retreating.

*Pu-chi!*

Accompanied by the sound of flesh tearing, the spear pierced through Riezel's shoulder, emerging from his back.

"What?" Allen was shocked by this scene. He hadn't expected Riezel to take such a reckless action.

If Riezel hadn't advanced, he had only intended to pierce through Riezel's shoulder, causing some flesh wounds at most. However, Riezel willingly stepped forward, offering his entire shoulder, allowing the sharp long spear to penetrate through his back.

In a flash of blood, Allen's pupils contracted, losing that split second of reaction, and in that split second, a tempest swept through.

"Tempest..."

A low voice, as if from hell, resounded clearly in the alley.

Ignoring his pierced shoulder, Riezel awakened the power of 'Ariel' and concentrated all the wind force onto his sword's edge. He swung it down towards the visibly alarmed Allen with all his might.

"Tch!"

Allen's expression changed rapidly as he uttered a surprised sound. He instinctively unleashed the speed that made him the best in Orario, attempting to retreat.

However, Riezel's empty hand tightly gripped the spear piercing his shoulder, leaving Allen with no room to retreat.

*Pu-chi!*

The sound of tearing echoed once again.

In the burst of blood, the catman abandoned his spear, narrowly avoiding the extremely fast slash imbued with wind force, escaping the fate of having his head severed on the spot.

Yet, Allen was a step too slow. A large gash was cut open directly in front of him, blood staining the dark alley.

"Y-You bastard?!" Allen clutched his wound, glaring at Riezel with intense anger.

"Ugh..." Riezel pulled out the spear embedded in his shoulder and tossed it aside, meeting Allen's furious gaze with a calm gaze.

Blood flowed profusely from his shoulder, yet he seemed indifferent, his face pale as he looked up at Allen.

"A mere Level 4, so what?" Riezel sneered. "You Level 6 isn't that impressive though."

"Son of a bitch!"

Allen was so enraged that he lost his composure. The murderous aura emanating from his body intensified, surpassing its previous intensity by an unknown factor.

The city's fastest adventurer was truly provoked.

Faced with this enraged Allen, Riezel remained calm and composed, his expression unchanged. Only his eyes revealed an icy coldness, as if at absolute zero.

That coldness, like a bucket of cold water, not only extinguished the flames of anger in Allen's heart but also sent shivers down his spine.

Instinct told him that if he went all out again and charged forward, Riezel would absolutely risk and do everything to cut off his head no matter what.

Even if the opponent was a Level 6 first-class adventurer, if Riezel abandoned defense and engaged in a life-and-death battle without regard for his own safety, the probability of Riezel's sword landing on his head would be no less than 70%.

Realizing this, Allen's face contorted.

"Damn lunatic!" Allen cursed. He didn't want to play a life-for-a-life game with this human in this boring task. "I'll remember you, Riezel Brynhart!"

He stared at Riezel intensely for a while as if trying to memorize every detail of his appearance. After a while, he leaped up, landing on the roof of a building and disappearing from sight.

Riezel watched Allen's disappearing figure quietly until complete silence enveloped the surroundings. Only then did he clutch his shoulder and kneel down on one knee, unable to endure the pain.

*Crack—*

The wind dissipated, and a crack appeared on his sword.

Glancing at the crack on the sword and feeling the intense pain in his shoulder, Riezel murmured after a while.

"Freya, huh...?"

The image of the Goddess of Beauty flashed in his mind as he silently licked his own blood.

"I'll remember this grudge..."