The party went on for a while without any issues of any sort. Arthur alongside Luna mingled a bit with the guests present before returning to the more familiar and welcoming faces.While he was appreciative of the calm uneventful route the party was proceeding with, he had a gut feeling that someone or something unexpected may show up.And his intuition was right on the mark when the minister, who he had handled during Ayame's kidnapping case arrived at the party.Whispers flew about as the elderly man walked in with his cane, making a beeline for the celebrant of the occasion who quietly watched him while sipping from his champagne flute.The actions of the crowd was somewhat justified after all as far as the public knew, he was a man who had his son arrested for kidnapping one of the most famous musicians in the world while trying to frame the man who was also the reason for the occasion.As if that wasn't enough, the minister's son was caught up in an awful scandal where due to the
Unlike the likes of the seven great families or even other upper class like Clara Byrne who would invite him just to gloat.Smiling subtly, a single thought surfaced in Arthur's mind, Luna Rhyfel truly was an angel and he had set his mind to not let any harm befall that angel, no matter what.The crowd had now grown silent, watching the interaction between Arthur Smith and Mr Greco.Returning his attention to the other elderly man who had once again stood before him, Arthur spoke with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.“It truly is wonderful to have you here with us, Mr Greco. I would like to give you special thanks because if not for you, such a wonderful event would not be taking place.”Another brief hush fell upon the crowd before they began to whisper once again, the most notable thing about their acts being the approval a majority of them showed in different ways.To them, Arthur was being extremely polite and respectful to Mr Greco, even going as far as to acknowledge him as t
So that was their plan.One thing all four men had in common was that they had been taken down a notch by Arthur Rhyfel, perhaps for standing in his way or just being obnoxious people or a crime far worse than the two in Arthur's books, attempting to harm those he cared about.Pablo Greco and his father, Mr Greco, sat and watched the other two men who had been invited by the latter, their purpose was as straightforward as anything else. They simply wanted to get back at Arthur.But while that was the main reason the four men had gathered, the son of the Hughes family, Saul Hughes had other plans for himself as well.On a normal day, he would not have been caught dead associating with the likes of the Greco father and son family or even a mere auction house shareholder, no matter how big it was.He was from one of the seven great families of the empire, as far as Saul Hughes was concerned, they were far beneath him.But as they were intent on harming Arthur and had the resources and o
[Disarm the bombs: 0/3]Arthur stared at the translucent blue system window with a frown as it alerted him of his new mission while the supposed head of the group made his announcement.While he might have considered that they were bluffing, the fact that the system had notified him meant their threats were not merely threats, but guarantees.Glancing from it to the frightened Luna who held Mrs Elizabeth reassuringly as they huddled together, Arthur's frown deepened.She turned to him and upon noticing his expression forced a reassuring smile even though her hands were shaking.His fists closed tightly as he berated himself for letting something like this happen to Luna, especially seeing as this was her way of overcoming the fear that had locked her down.“Arthur.” A whisper and a gentle tap snapped him out of his thoughts and he turned around to see Commissioner Geston beside him.He looked around the hall and then returned his gaze to Arthur before continuing, “Firstly, I would lik
“So what do you want me to do, sir?” Leon asked, glancing back at the banquet hall where both the enemies and the guests who were being held hostage were.Arthur took off his coat and handed it to Leon, folding up his sleeves while he gave his orders. “I need you to escape the hall to a reasonable distance then call in for backup. Afterwards, you and the other guys will take care of any one of them that might try to run.”“Sir, do you really intend to handle them all by yourself?” Leon asked with a worried expression.While he was aware of who Arthur Rhyfel was and what he was capable of as the war god, at least for the most part.But to him, that was on the battlefield and he would argue that the Arthur of back then was him at his peak.Leon didn't believe Arthur's skills had waned, but he thought that when compared to the battlefield where he had no worries about anyone finding out his true identity, because he had none to hide, battling within the banquet hall would be more difficu
Arthur sat back and took another look at the defused bomb.Sighing and picking up his bloodied military dagger, he got to work seeking out the others.Like an eagle stalking its prey, he watched the entire venue from the floor above.He moved swiftly but silently, any unfortunate guard caught in his path was left as a lifeless body with pools of blood seeping from them.Some time passed and he found the second bomb and alongside it, a guard who had a blueprint of the entire venue.With relative ease, he defused it and sighed in relief at the notification from the system.But that brought back a question to his mind.[Disarm the bombs: 2/3.]Arthur had wondered how the assailants were able to get into the banquet hall that easily for some time.He doubted they were like him who had memorized the entire plan of the building just in case of any emergency but at that moment the answer to his question was before him.Confiscating it from the bloodstained corpse, Arthur observed it, noting
When they began to plan, they expected no difficulty of any kind.When they started the mission, though it was difficult, it was only a little.So the assailants expected it would go smoothly, after all they just had to hold a few hostages and kidnap two rich self entitled brats, get their money and be on their merry way.That was what they were promised. That was what it looked like from the start.But what none of the attackers; not Saul Hughes, Pablo Greco, Wellesley or even the mastermind behind it all, Pablo's father, Juan Greco, expected was that there would be such an unknown variable.If they had not seen what had taken place and had the news reported to them, they would not have believed it.That one man would weave through the frightened kneeling hostages and execute every single attacker in his path with a military dagger while dodging gunfire.Saul had heard stories of a man, not to call him a man would not do him justice, it wouldn't show him the respect he supposedly des
Arthur's statement further emphasized the fear the guests felt upon seeing what he was capable of. A few dared to rise and protest, but a single glance at the piles of lifeless bodies that the masked man had brought about made them rethink their choices.After all, remaining silent and watching the scenario play out granted them a higher chance at surviving, even if it was only a little.Saul noticed this and gulped, suppressing another shiver that ran down his spine from the inexplicable chill that emanated from the masked man.Pushing out all of his emotions and confusions with a yell, he pressed down the detonator’s switch, bracing for impact or an explosion of any sort.But instead the hall grew extremely silent and Saul looked from the detonator to Arthur with a confused expression.“What? Why didn't it go off?” Saul muttered.He didn't understand, he was sure that his subordinates had set up the bombs. The plan was supposed to be flawless but where did it go wrong?Saul turned
Leonard Hughes sat behind his large desk in his study, a chilled glass of whiskey in his frail hands.If he had been told this would be how the great Hughes family that had survived and prevailed for centuries would fall, he would not believe.But that was the cold harsh reality.It was ironic and somewhat of a sick joke that it all ended on the same day that it started.Like someone had chosen it particularly because of its significance. Perhaps they had.On that very day fifteen years ago, The Hughes family, Burton family and Williams family, three of the seven great had joined hands together to bring the downfall of the Rhyfel family.Their actions against them had long begun, but that day marked the finale, the end of it all.They had pooled their resources together and attacked the Rhyfel family estate with the intention to spare not a single soul.And surely they would have succeeded at that, if not for the bravery of the young flower of the Rhyfel family, Luna Rhyfel.Pushing a
His eyes widened as he took in the information: financial records, names, operations, evidence that implicated the Hughes family in countless crimes. It was the breakthrough he had been waiting for, but even more comprehensive than he had hoped."This is… beyond what I expected," he murmured, still processing the weight of what he held. Then, snapping into action, he pressed a button on his desk intercom. "Bring in Agent Marlowe and Special Operative Ryder."Within moments, the door opened, and two figures entered. Agent Marlowe, a sharp-eyed woman with an air of calm authority, and Special Operative Ryder, a tall, muscular man with a cold, calculating demeanor. They had been sent from the capital, handpicked by the emperor to assist in cleaning up the city, a task that had proven more daunting than either had anticipated."Commissioner," Marlowe greeted, nodding as her eyes flicked over to Isabella, recognizing the family resemblance.The commissioner wasted no time. "We’ve just rec
His voice, though weakened, was laced with bitterness. “Saul... if only you had been more competent. We wouldn’t be facing this now.”With a final, pained sigh, Leonard collected himself, his expression hardening into a grim resolve. “Summon all the Hands back to the estate immediately. We cannot let Rhyfel breach our defenses.”Ian nodded sharply, understanding the gravity of the command. “Yes, Father. I’ll see to it.”As Ian departed to carry out his father’s orders, Leonard muttered under his breath, his words dripping with venom. “Uther Rhyfel… you’ve always been a thorn in my side. Even from beyond the grave, your son continues to cause me trouble.”Meanwhile, Arthur Rhyfel was making his way through the bustling city streets with a purposeful stride. The same city that had seen his return for the first time was once again unaware of the storm that was brewing beneath.He approached a sleek black vehicle, where Elias, his driver, waited at the wheel. Arthur’s destination was Is
As he rounded a corner, he saw her, Luna, his older cousin, the only living family he had left and his only true reason for engaging in such a war. Yes, he wished to avenge his deceased family, yet if she had not saved him on that day, fifteen years ago, he would not have been alive to do so.She was his sole purpose for being alive and the one dearest to him. The one he had to protect at all costs.Many would claim that the war god had no weaknesses, and that was in fact true. Luna Rhyfel was not his weakness but his strength and while she might be the weaker of the two, should anything befall her it will not break the war god, no.It would simply unleash the demise of the ones foolish enough to commit such an act.The earth itself would not hide them from his fury if they were to do something as hopelessly stupid as even attempting to bring about the demise of the flower of the Rhyfel family.She was standing by the large windows that overlooked the estate’s gardens, her gaze dist
But what he did not expect was that his former mission would be erased and replaced with a new one. This had never happened since he had first got the system and the message alongside it hinted that he was in the endgame now.[New Mission: Destroy the final family involved in the downfall of the User's family, the Hughes family.][Rewards: The avenger, Acquisitions of the Hughes family possessions and the revelation of the origin of the {System}.]He leaned back in his seat, holding his chin in thought. There was no time to waste and failure was not an option.It never was.A rapid knock alerted him as the door opened and the three he had called in, walked inside, prepared for their new tasks.“Take a seat, all three of you.” He ordered, his tone cold and reserved.The three picked up on it, doing as they were told immediately. While one would have assumed that Leon would be the first to pick up on the graveness of the situation from his tone, it was actually Briar.Due to her previou
Ian took a deep breath, knowing the next part would be the hardest to convey. “To gain more information about him, we need to surrender information on the Hands of the Hughes family.”Leonard’s eyes sharpened, a dangerous glint appearing in his gaze. The Hands of the Hughes family were their most protected assets, their identities known only to the inner circle. To give up that information was to expose the family’s very core, to lay bare their most guarded secrets.He leaned back, closing his eyes for a moment as he considered the implications. Ian waited, his breath almost held as he watched his father’s face for any sign of what he might decide.Outside the warehouse that served as Charles’ base, Laura sat in the backseat of the car, her fingers tapping against the leather seat in a rare display of impatience. The weight of the conversation with Ian earlier still hung over her, the gravity of what was at stake gnawing at her composure. She glanced at the warehouse, its weathered
So while she was not one to so readily show emotions outwardly unless she deemed it necessary. Her experience growing up as the daughter of the patriarch in the Hughes family had made her this way.It was necessary for her survival, so her visible nervousness had hinted to her bodyguard and driver who watched her from the side, on how drastic the situation was.Her mind drifted to the response of her father should the news be delivered. She wondered if he would side with her uncle, his brother who had blamed the fall of two of the Hands on her “bad management.”As if that wasn't enough, more stray thoughts seemed to emerge, only further worsening her nervous state.What would the patriarch say? How would he react to the news of the war god’s return? And more importantly, what would he decide about the information Charles held?Taking a deep breath, Laura pushed those thoughts aside and steeled herself. She had a role to play, and she would do it to the best of her ability. The Hughes
Laura stepped out of the study, her heels once again clicking against the marble floor as she moved briskly through the corridor. The conversation with Ian and their uncle still echoed in her mind, but she couldn’t afford to dwell on it now. There were more pressing matters to attend to.As she stood by the car that had brought her, she began to consider her next course of action. While she was granted authority over the Hands of the Hughes family due to her father, the patriarch's current state as well as her older brother, the heir apparent’s view on handling things, her authority was limited.Something as drastic as handing over information on the group whose identities were the most secured amongst all of the seven great families was not something she had the clearance to do, so in that case, she needed to seek who could.This was a one in a million opportunity and she was sure no one else but Charles could grant her the information that would help both her and the rest of the Hug
It was what the likes of a treacherous family like them deserved.The Hughes family would get no mercy from the war god, just the pain, suffering and tears they had brought upon the Rhyfel family.Their actions had birthed the unstoppable existence that was the war god, and that very same existence that their actions had created would now be what would bring about their demise.Truly ironic if one were to consider it.And so following his order while having an idea of Arthur's intentions, the prominent information broker returned to his seat, eyeing the bodyguard as he prepared to carry out his plans.“So, are you done compiling the necessary information?” She questioned, her tone hinting at the sense of urgency she felt, although she tried to hide it.“Well, I am now, lady Laura.” he replied, adjusting his posture on his chair.“Then why the delay? Is he that important of a person that revealing his identity is problematic?” Her question did little to hide not just the sense of urgen