"I mean.. Just to be safe... we should lay low for now," Maria said, her tone calm but firm, trying to ground the situation in practicality. "We need more information first. If we walk out like this, with a group this size, we’ll stand out immediately." She paused briefly before adding, her voice lowering slightly, "And it’s war time. Guards will be patrolling. Suspicion will be high." She looked at him properly now, hoping.. genuinely hoping that this time he would listen.

But Razeal didn’t even slow down. He simply shook his head once.

"Won’t be needing that," he said plainly, as if dismissing the concern entirely. "Don’t worry about it."

Maria’s brows pulled together faintly at that response, her unease deepening rather than easing. She kept walking beside him, but her mind clearly wasn’t settled. "I don’t think that’s a good idea," she said again, this time more direct, as if she didn’t want to let it slide. "And... if you really plan to take over a kingdom..." she hesitated for just a fraction of a second before continuing, making sure her words were clear, "you alone won’t be enough."

Her gaze stayed on him, steady, serious.

"Even if you defeat the king... even if you declare yourself ruler... what then?" she continued, her tone analytical now, laying out the reality of it. "A kingdom doesn’t run on strength alone. You need people.. administrators, officials, commanders... people who are loyal to you. People who will enforce your authority." She gestured lightly with her hand as she spoke. "There will be opposition. Resistance. Internal conflict. You can’t handle all of that alone."

She slowed slightly as she added, "We are only seven people." Her voice carried weight now. "Even if all of us fight... it won’t be enough to control an entire kingdom." She looked directly at him. "You need people. Loyal people. Serious ones who will stand on your side."

There was no hesitation in her words.

She wasn’t even questioning him. She was just warning him.

Razeal turned his head toward her slightly, his expression calm, almost unreadable, and for a moment, it wasn’t clear whether he had even taken her words seriously.

"Don’t worry," he said, his tone steady, carrying that same quiet confidence. "I’ve already taken that into consideration."

Maria blinked once, her attention sharpening.

"And I have a plan for it."

That made her pause.

Not because she didn’t believe him. But because the way he said it... didn’t sound like guesswork.

"What is it?" she asked immediately, curiosity overtaking her concern now, because from the look in his eyes, he wasn’t bluffing.. he knew something.

Razeal’s lips curved into a faint, almost teasing smile.

"You’ll know when the time comes," he replied, ending it just like that.

Maria frowned slightly at that, clearly not satisfied, but before she could press further, another thought struck her.

"Do you... already have an army?" she asked suddenly, her eyes narrowing slightly as she tried to piece things together. "Something you prepared beforehand? Without telling us?" Her gaze stayed fixed on his face, searching for any hint.

At that, everyone behind them instinctively looked toward Razeal as well, even though they were walking just a step behind him. The shift in attention was subtle, but present.. curiosity spreading through the group.

Razeal could feel there gaze’s poking at his back. And at that he smiled. Not fully. Just enough.

"Maybe," he said casually, his tone light, deliberately vague.

"Who knows." And just like that, he ended it again.

Before anyone could push further

"Anyways," he added, his voice shifting slightly as he looked ahead, "we’re here."

They stepped out of the alley.

The transition was immediate.

The confined, suffocating space behind them opened into a wide marketplace filled with movement, sound, and life. The air felt different not cleaner, but less stagnant and the noise of people talking, merchants calling out, and footsteps moving across stone filled the space around them.

Shops lined both sides of the street, their wooden stalls displaying goods grains, fabrics, tools, small trinkets while people moved between them, engaged in quiet trade, bargaining, conversation. Despite the ongoing war, the market was still functioning, still alive, though noticeably subdued. The crowd was thinner than it should have been, the energy lower, as if something heavy lingered over everything.

There were fewer men.

That much was obvious immediately.

Most of the people present were elderly, women, and children, along with a few younger boys not yet of age. The absence of able-bodied men painted a clear picture without needing explanation many had either been sent for war preparations... or were already on the battlefield.

And yet, despite that, the scene held a strange sense of normalcy.

People still worked.

Still traded or whatver..

Just.. Still living. As if life refused to stop, even with war looming over it.

But that calm didn’t last long.

Because the moment Razeal and his group stepped out..

They were noticed as heads turned. Eyes lingering and all..

Because obviously they stood out. Completely. It wasn’t just their number. It was their presence also.

They just didn’t look like locals. They didn’t even look like merchants, travelers, or common citizens. Even at a glance, they carried something different something that didn’t belong in a place like this.

Levy might have blended in somewhat with his more average appearance, but the rest...

They were impossible to ignore.

Sofia, Maria, Aurora each of them carried a refined presence that felt closer to nobility than anything else, their posture, their composure, even the way they walked setting them apart. Nancy, despite her condition, still carried a certain sharpness in her gaze that didn’t align with the people around them.

And even Yograj.

Even in simple clothes, his sheer physique made him stand out broad, muscular, imposing less like a civilian and more like a warrior or a battlefield commander. His presence alone drew attention, making people instinctively keep a bit of distance.

And at the center of it all..

Razeal. Walking ahead with both hands in his pockets, completely unfazed by the attention, his expression calm, almost indifferent, as if none of it mattered.. Not to say such expensive looking robe he was wearing.. As if royal.

To the people around them They didn’t look like ordinary individuals stepping into a marketplace.

They looked like something else entirely. Like nobles. Or warriors or whatver.. But anything but common or easy to mess with.

Anyways they were quite the limelight.. And perhaps that was exactly why it didn’t take long.

As.. From a short distance away, two city guards both clad in full metal armor, their movements steady and practiced noticed them. Their patrol had likely been routine, nothing out of the ordinary, but a group like this... appearing out of an alley with no prior trace, dressed and carrying themselves in ways that didn’t align with the environment it was enough. Suspicion didn’t need much more than that, especially in times like these.

The guards exchanged a brief glance nothing spoken, but understood and then began walking toward them.

Slowly and very Cautiously. Not aggressive, but not relaxed either.

Their steps were measured, their posture alert, and even the way their hands hung near their sides carried a readiness that spoke of training rather than instinct. Obiously.. These weren’t inexperienced men.

They approached until they were close enough to be heard clearly.

"You all," the guard in front spoke first, his voice firm, authoritative, carrying the weight of someone used to being obeyed, "What are you doing here... and who are you all?"

His gaze moved across the group one by one, studying them, analyzing taking in their appearance, their posture, their silence. He lingered just a little longer on Razeal, instinctively identifying him as the center, even without anyone saying it.

Despite his firm tone, there was caution in him. Becaus appearances mattered.

And these people none of them looked ordinary.

Still, there was something that didn’t align.

No aura.

At least... not from most of them.

The guard’s senses had already brushed across them subtly, instinctively checking for threat, and what he found or rather, didn’t find.. was confusing. As.. Only one among them carried any noticeable presence.

Levy.

And even that was not particularly overwhelming.. atleast not something that would immediately signal danger, just enough to indicate he was just slightly above average.

And as for.. The rest?

Nothing.

No aura.

No pressure.

Not even any much of presence.

They felt... like ordinary people. And that made things worse.

Because in situations like this, the absence of presence could mean only two things.. either they truly were nothing... or they were hiding it so well that even trained guards couldn’t detect it.

And during wartime, that second possibility was enough to treat them as a threat.

The guard stepped closer, narrowing his eyes slightly as he examined them again, his suspicion deepening with every second of silence. "I asked a question," he repeated, this time with a sharper edge in his voice. Then, as he studied their faces more closely, something clicked in his mind. "Wait... you aren’t from here, are you? I’ve never seen any of you before."

Still, no one answered.

Not even a word.

Razeal stood there, looking at the guard without any visible reaction, his expression calm, unreadable.

And behind him, the rest of the group did the same.

But not entirely.

Because while they stayed silent, their attention was not on the guard.

It was on Razeal. Every single one of them.

Waiting.. Afterall it was him.. who gotta do something.

The guard noticed that.

His gaze flickered briefly toward the alley behind them, checking once more for any sign of how they had arrived, but there was nothing no carriage, no movement, no trace of anything that explained their presence. When he looked back again, he caught the pattern clearly this time.

They were all looking at one person.

Razeal.

Obiously the Leader.

The conclusion formed instantly in his mind.

His posture stiffened slightly, his focus locking more firmly onto him. "I asked you something," he said again, his tone now carrying a clear warning beneath it. "Answer... or.."

His hand slowly began to move. Sliding toward the sword at his waist.

Not drawn yet.

But ready.

That single motion was enough to shift the atmosphere. A few nearby civilians instinctively moved away, sensing tension before anything even escalated, creating a subtle distance around the group without anyone saying a word.

"I wouldn’t do that if I were you." Yograj’s voice suddenly broke through the moment. As his gaze rested on the guard’s hand as it moved toward the sword, and though his posture did not change much, there was a quiet firmness in him now. At the same time, his eyes flickered briefly toward Razeal from the side, a subtle check, a trace of concern buried beneath his composure.

Because he knew one thing.

If this escalated..

It would not end well.

Not for the guards ofcourse.. Boys crazy.. he knows that.. guards dont.

The guard’s hand paused mid-motion.

His eyes snapped toward Yograj, sharpening instantly behind the helmet. "What did you say?" he asked, his tone colder now, more focused, as his attention shifted fully onto the older man.

Yograj didn’t respond. He didn’t repeat himself.

He simply held the guard’s gaze.

Unmoving.

That silence changed something.

It was no longer neutral.

It felt like defiance. And that was enough.

The guard’s expression hardened as he ran through everything he had been trained for unknown individuals, uncooperative behavior, suspicious entry point, possible concealment of strength and came to a decision.

These were no longer just questionable civilians.

They were potential threats.

His hand completed its movement. Gripping the sword handle firmly.

His posture straightened completely now, all hesitation gone, his intent clear as his body shifted into readiness.

Then..

Energy flared.

Controlled And very Measured.

A steady release of power spread from him as a C-rank warrior aura manifested around his body, not explosive, not wild, but disciplined and precise, enough to assert authority, enough to make it clear that he was not just a guard.. but a trained soldier prepared to act.

"I am ordering you," he said, his voice now carrying full command, sharp and unwavering, "State your identities and your purpose here."

Behind him, the second guard adjusted his stance slightly too, as his hand now also closer to his weapon, ready to react if needed, his eyes moving between Yograj and Razeal and all, clearly understanding that this situation had crossed into something more serious.

"I think I found a way... how to proceed with our first move," Razeal said, his tone almost casual, as if the situation in front of him two armed guards, rising tension, the marketplace watching was nothing more than a passing inconvenience. He tilted his head slightly back toward his team, not even looking at them fully, his voice carrying just enough for them to hear, and yet the words themselves held a quiet certainty that didn’t match the chaos building around them.

Yograj’s brows furrowed immediately. "And what exactly is that?" he asked, his eyes fixed on Razeal’s side profile, trying to read something from him, anything that would explain what he was about to do, because the timing, the tone, and most of all that look

In his eyes.. it didn’t sit right.

Razeal didn’t answer. Not even a glance.

He simply turned his head back toward the guard in front of him.

And then

He smiled. Not something light or amused.

It widened slowly, deliberately, stretching across his face in a way that felt wrong, almost unnatural in that moment.

The first guard saw it.

And froze.

For a split second, his entire body locked under his armor, his breath catching without him even realizing it, because something about that expression those crimson eyes looking straight into his felt like stepping into the gaze of something far beyond what he had been trained to face. It wasn’t just intimidation, not just confidence.. it was pressure. Heavy, suffocating, predatory pressure, the kind that didn’t come from strength alone but from something deeper, something that made his instincts scream before his mind could catch up.

It felt like prey being looked at.

And for that one moment

His soul shivered.

Maria saw that smile too. And her expression tightened instantly.

This was not good. Not at all.

She didn’t even need to understand the plan to know that whatever Razeal was about to do.. it wasn’t going to be subtle, and it definitely wasn’t going to follow any kind of careful approach she had just suggested. The way he was looking at the guard, the way his smile had changed.. it was already clear. Trouble is coming..

"Don’t do that... don’t!" she said quickly, her voice low but urgent, trying to stop him before whatever decision in his head turned into action.

But it was too late.

Or maybe

He simply didn’t care.

Because in the very next moment

The guard moved.

His training took over before his fear could paralyze him completely. Instinct, discipline, survival.. all of it converged into one decision. If something felt this dangerous, this wrong, you didn’t hesitate.

You struck first.

His sword came out in a swift, practiced motion, the metal flashing as it cleared the sheath, and in the same movement, he stepped forward and swung it directly toward Razeal’s neck, fast, precise, aimed to end it before whatever threat he felt could fully manifest.

He didn’t shout or warn anymore.

He just attacked directly.

And Razeal smile widened.

He didn’t move away.

He justwatched the blade come toward him, his crimson eyes following the motion with unsettling calm, as if what was happening was exactly what he had been waiting for.

And then suddenly..

It happened.

So fast

That most people didn’t even realize anything had changed.

A sharp sound cracked through the air.

And in the very next instant

The guard was no longer standing.

He was on the ground.

Flat.

On his back.

A pained grunt forced out of his mouth as his body hit the stone floor, the impact heavy enough to echo faintly in the suddenly stunned silence of the surroundings.

His sword.. Was no longer in his hand either.

It was in Razeal’s.

And his arm.. Was caught?

Twisted.

Held in place with a grip that didn’t look forceful, yet left no room for movement, Razeal standing over him without even a shift in expression, his other hand gripping the guard’s armored arm in a way that suggested absolute control, as if the entire exchange had taken no effort at all.

It had happened in a fraction of a second.

Too fast and Too clean.

No one saw it.

Not Yograj.

Not Levy.

Not Aurora.

Not even the onlookers who had already begun to gather at a distance, drawn in by the earlier tension.

Only two people truly registered what had happened.

Sofia.

And Maria.

They stood there silently, their eyes fixed on Razeal, both having caught just enough of the movement to understand that what they had seen was not something normal.. not something that could be dismissed as simple skill.

He got stronger again? They both confusedly thought to themselves.

Nancy’s mouth slowly parted as she stared at the scene in front of her, her eyes wide in disbelief as she tried to process what had just happened. One moment the guard had been attacking and the next, he was already down, completely overpowered.

"So fast..." she murmured in her head, unable to even piece together the sequence of events. "I didn’t even see anything..."

On the ground, the guard groaned, his body tensing under the pain of his twisted arm, his grip broken, his weapon gone, but still conscious, still aware of what had just happened.. aware that he had been taken down instantly, without even understanding how.

The second guard reacted immediately.

He hadn’t seen the movement either.. only the result.

One moment his partner was attacking.

The next..

He was on the ground.

That alone was enough.

So.. Without hesitation, without even attempting to engage, he stepped back sharply, putting distance between himself and Razeal, his instincts screaming danger now far louder than before. His hand moved not toward his sword this time.. but elsewhere, reaching into his gear as he pulled out a small signaling device.

A flare.

His movements were quick, efficient, driven by training.

He didn’t waste any time.

Didn’t speak.

Didn’t question.

He just directly pulled the trigger mechanism, igniting it, and raised it upward, aiming toward the sky above the marketplace.

Razeal didn’t stop him.

He simply watched.. Calmly.

As if this.. Was exactly what he wanted.

The flare shot upward, cutting through the air in a straight line before reaching its peak and bursting open into a bright, vivid explosion of light, spreading across the sky in a deep crimson signal that lingered for several seconds, unmistakable, impossible to ignore.

A call for reinforcement.

Razeal didn’t move. Even after everything that had just happened the guard brought down in a blink, the flare launched into the sky, the quiet panic spreading through the nearby crowd he just stood there as if nothing about the situation required urgency, his posture relaxed, his expression unchanged, the faint curve of that same unsettling smile still resting on his face as he watched the crimson signal burn above them.

Maria stepped slightly closer to him from the side, her brows drawn together, her voice lowered but sharp with frustration. "What are you doing?" she whispered trying to keep it contained but failing to hide the tension underneath. "You just put yourself in even more limelight. This wasn’t how it was supposed to work." Her gaze moved briefly toward the sky, where the flare still lingered, before returning to him. Everything she had warned him about.. attention, suspicion, escalation and.. he had just accelerated it.

Razeal just smiled at that.

Just... as if he had already accounted for it.

Behind them, the second guard discarded the spent flare mechanism, letting the empty casing fall to the ground with a dull metallic sound, and in the same motion, his other hand drew his sword fully this time, the blade coming out with a sharp metallic ring as he raised it in front of him, taking a defensive stance rather than advancing. His posture was controlled, calculatedzz he had already understood that rushing in blindly would be a mistake.

"Put the weapon down and let go of the city guard," he ordered, his voice firm and echoing slightly from behind the helmet, though there was now a clear tension beneath it. "You have just made a serious mistake. Attacking a city watchguard..." He paused just slightly, steadying his breathing before continuing. "I’ve already sent the signal. Within seconds, reinforcements will arrive. City watch, enforcers, and even the standing army will be here. Your luck is especially bad.. Lieutenant and Captain patrol units were assigned to this area today. They will be here as well." His grip tightened on his sword.

"So surrender now," he continued, his tone hardening, trying to assert control over the situation again, "And that will be the best choice for all of you."

Razeal tilted his head slightly as he listened, his expression thoughtful in a strange, almost amused way.

"Quite quick-witted, aren’t you," he commented casually, as if he was evaluating the guard rather than being threatened by him. His eyes flickered briefly toward the flare that had just gone off, then back to the guard.

As how he didn even try to fight after seeing him go down. Just.. Straight to calling reinforcements... and now trying to pressure us into surrender.? There was a faint nod of approval. ’Professional.’ Razeal thought to himself.

The guard though didn’t respond to that.

He only tightened his stance further.

"I said, let go of the guard!" he shouted again, louder this time, his voice cutting through the growing tension as he kept his blade aimed toward Razeal, unwilling to let even a second of control slip.

"Ah... right," Razeal said, as if only now remembering.

And just like that

He let go.

His grip on the first guard’s arm released, his hand falling away as if it had never held anything in the first place.

The guard on the ground sucked in a breath, his body reacting immediately as the pressure was gone, and he pushed himself up slowly, carefully, every movement cautious, measured, his eyes fixed on Razeal the entire time. There was no rush in him now, no aggression.. only awareness. He knew exactly what had happened a moment ago, knew how easily he had been taken down, and that knowledge sat heavily in his movements.

He stood up.. Very Slowly.

And Carefully.

Never taking his eyes off Razeal.

Not daring to make any sudden motion, especially not at this distance, especially not when the person in front of him was still holding his weapon.

Behind him, the second guard watched closely, his grip firm, his stance ready, but he didn’t move forward. He had already understood the difference in strength he wasn’t going to make the same mistake.

Still, when he saw Razeal comply

He was surprised. Just for a moment. Because that wasn’t expected.

He exhaled slowly, a controlled breath, not lowering his guard but adjusting slightly. "Alright good.. Now slowly put the weapon down," he ordered again, this time more measured, less forceful but no less serious. "And step back."

Razeal turned his head slightly toward him.

Then back to the first guard standing in front of him.

His team didn’t move.

None of them stepped in.

They simply watched. Because at this point

Whatever Razeal was doing.. Let him be..

Razeal’s gaze settled on the first guard again, who now stood a few steps away, tense, alert, his breathing still uneven beneath the armor.

And then

Razeal extended his hand. Holding the sword. As.. Offering it back.

"Here," he said calmly. "Take it."

The guard hesitated. Just for a fraction of a second.

His throat moved as he swallowed, the fear still present, still lingering from what he had just experienced, but training forced him forward. Slowly, cautiously, he reached out and took the sword from Razeal’s hand, his grip firming around it as soon as it was back in his possession.

And then without another word.

He stepped back.. Quickly.

Putting distance between them as he retreated until he stood near the second guard, aligning himself beside him, both of them now holding their weapons, both aimed toward Razeal and his group.

But the difference was clear.

The first guard.. Was no longer confident.

"What exactly are you trying to do?" Maria asked quietly, turning her head toward Razeal, her voice low but filled with confusion now. This didn’t make sense. None of it did. He had escalated the situation... and now he was complying? Returning the weapon and all? Letting them regroup?

She couldn’t see the direction in this. And that was what unsettled her the most.

Razeal didn’t answer immediately. His eyes remained on the guards for a moment longer.

The faint smile still there.

But just as he was about to say something ..

A sharp sound cut through the air.

Then another.

Then several more.

Swish. Swish. Swish.

——