Invitation

The surprise attack from the mysterious plane gave hope to the desperate soldiers.

The jet plane rose above to the air, then dove down at an incredible speed and finally turned horizontally, flying low at high speed.

A figure then jumped from a jet that traveled faster than sound.

The person who jumped down deliberately did a Kamikaze and stabbed the creature with great force, the sound of the impact was very loud, and the creature was thrown hundreds of meters away.

A woman dressed in all white appeared slowly from behind a cloud of slowly dissipating dust. She stood in the middle of the road, her long hair flashing as she approached Ryo.

The acrobatic action performed by the woman managed to make everyone stunned. The power that was displayed was extraordinary, and they had never seen anything like it.

Smoke and dust camouflaged the woman's figure as she walked towards Ryo.

"Wow, well, looks like a Rifter has just been awakened tonight," said the woman as she put her hands on her waist.

Her beautiful hips looked even more seductive when she squatted in front of Ryo, and her gaze seemed to be mocking him, who was having trouble getting up.

"Elena?" Ryo replied as he struggled to his feet when he heard a familiar voice.

"Here I am.. sorry I was a little late, had a little business in China."

When he heard Ryo felt irritated, he was sure that the energy he felt in the air earlier was this woman.

"You were the one watching from above the atmosphere, weren't you?"

Elena chuckled, "That's right! I was really curious what would happen, but you lost anyway, that's why I helped."

"Thanks, but no, thanks"

Elena ignored him and then walked towards the open portal, with just a snap of her fingers, suddenly five Elite Rifters wearing crow masks immediately appeared beside her on one knee. She casually pointed at the huge portal in the sky.

The five figures that appeared to be Elena's subordinates flew into the air, dumping the bodies of the monsters into the portal and closing it in just a matter of minutes.

"My business is done, so what about you? Now you believe in me, don't you? Now you must come with me immediately!'

Seeing Ryo, who was still indecisive, Elena's mood changed again

"Such a stupid—whatever! I'm just carrying out orders from my mother, this is the official letter, whether you want to come or not is up to you!" said Elena very curtly and threw a small envelope towards Ryo.

Ryo caught the envelope and opened its contents to check its validity.

[Take the boy to the White Raven or spend five years in the Dark Continent. Katya Katyushka.]

Once Ryo saw the signature of solid red ink written in the bottom corner of the warrant. He couldn't help but believe Elena.

"Okay, I'll come with you, but you have to promise to explain everything when I'm at White Raven, alright?" Ryo stuck out his hand towards her.

"Huh! We'll see," replied Elena, then turned around and walked away.

Ryo's gaze narrowed at her as he lowered his hand.

"I'll be waiting for you at the airport, tomorrow at exactly noon we'll leave so don't be late," said Elena casually and disappeared into the shadows.

—----

Meanwhile, at the top of a Sky Tower not far from the scene of the battle, two Rifters were quietly observing everything in the shadows.

They were the Japanese Elite Rifters who had come, quietly observing the situation at the top of the buildings while clicking their tongues, as their 'part' had been taken over by Elena.

A wrinkly Japanese Rifter watched with wide round eyes, while a young Rifter stuck his spear into the concrete in annoyance.

"Is this the power of the White Raven? Crazy, really crazy! Taking care of a monster like that and treating it like they were throwing trash on the side of the road!"

The young Rifter didn't realize he had lost control of [Stealth] and unexpectedly made the female figure, who was being watched from a distance, feel their presence.

Suddenly a jolt of energy attacked them, followed by a cold stare from the woman in the distance. This immediately took the two of them by surprise.

With a single jolt of energy, Elena warned them to back off and not to interfere.

The white-haired senior Rifter was shocked when he received the mental attack from Elena. He restrained the junior next to him when he noticed Elena's attack and was about to retaliate, "Enough Hiroshi, you will die if you try to fight Elena."

"But what about the contract? We should have caught Ryo alive, the Empress would be furious if we came back empty-handed!" Hiroshi complained as he gripped the short man next to him tightly.

"I said, ENOUGH!" snapped the senior Rifter, as his originally calm gaze turned violent. His eyes bulged with a murderous aura.

Hiroshi became silent and gritted his teeth until he was chattering. It didn't take too long for the two of them to leave. They both disappeared into the shadows from the top of the building.

After the two of them left, Elena smirked in satisfaction as they both complied, "Breadcrumbs like you guys just shut up and watch from afar," she mumbled.

***

Kyoto

Hiroshi and the Senior Rifter who accompanied him finally arrived at a large castle that stood firmly in the middle of the forest. The fully armed gatekeepers immediately saluted and opened the gate.

The two of them immediately headed for the Throne Hall to report the failure of their mission to the emperor.

Soon they came to the end of a long hallway dimly lit by candlelight.

The scent of candles wafted in Hiroshi's nostrils, this was the first time he was going to see the Empress.

Gulp!

He swallowed hard, and sweat dripped down his forehead from fear. He could feel a very strong energy pressure from behind the golden dragon paper door.

Before he knew it, the door of the room slowly shifted by itself, and they entered without being ordered and sat cross-legged in front of a bamboo curtain.

They saw a shadowy figure of a woman sitting leisurely on a throne covered by a curtain while she smoked a long cigarette pipe.

"Fukuro, I don't see 'that boy' with you," said the Emperor in her well-enunciated dialect.

The two immediately prostrated as low as possible, then Fukuro answered for the two of them. "Forgive us, Your Majesty. We didn't think the White Raven would come."

The woman behind the curtain tapped her pipe on the ashtray when she heard the White Raven, she paused for a moment and burst out laughing as she realized something.

"White Raven, Katya, then Ryuji… Haha! I see now. Apparently, it's true! He is Ryuji's adopted son."

Fukuro raised his head, his facial expression was terrified after hearing that. "If he is the Child of the Prophecy, then it means the great war that Ryuji foretold before will actually happen?!"

"Maybe, or maybe not, one thing is for sure… That kid must die! Before it's too late!" said the emperor in her increasingly high pitched voice.

"Should we infiltrate and kill that kid in White Raven?" Hiroshi suggested.

"No need, since I'm sure he will return to Japan, we just have to wait. I'm not ready to face that Romanian whore with this wound." said the Emperor.

There was no more argument when she mentioned the wounds that ran across her body. 'Damn you, Katya!' cursed the Emperor in her heart.

The Emperor regained her composure after taking a deep sip of the opium. She then puffed a thick smoke above her head.

"You can go out, I need to rest."

The two Rifters immediately stood up and saluted. Then disappeared without a trace of sound.