……  what time is it? I woke up groggily, letting out a yawn as I rubbed my eyes. Huh, it's almost 7 AM……oh, crap, I need to leave already!

  I quickly got up and got dressed, putting on the white robe over the armor. I didn't have anything else to take with me, I had given all my weapons to Clari and King Goldway last night……maybe I should have kept the dagger at least. Well, to be fair, I'd been on the verge of passing out before they left, so I wasn't thinking all that clearly. Oh, wait, I had the 'colossal barrier' Spell Card I found in Dr Reel's room, that might come in handy.

  Alright, time to go. Should I take a cart? Nah, too hard to hide, I'll go by foot and then use my boosts to race along after passing the campsite. Yeah, sounds like a plan……

  what's going on here?

  The Lapdog Tier area was extremely crowded and packed with white-robes, all the pawns appeared to be here right now too. The south gate connecting the Lapdog Tier and Pawn Tier areas was open, and the pawns, lapdogs, and even the researchers, were lined up and walking through it slowly. Sicario, Hacte and Azeria were on the other side, keeping a close eye on each person who passed through the open gates, and seemed to ask them a few questions before letting them go.

  Seriously, what's going on here? I spotted one of the Lapdog Elite Squad members who had been in the training camp with me and walked over.

  "Hey, what's going on here? I just woke up, did something happen?" I inquired.

  "I am not sure, Sir Sicario instructed us to gather everyone into the Lapdog Tier area and lock all the gates except the south gate between the Pawn and Lapdog areas. They are questioning each person one by one, so this will likely take a while."

  No doubt about it, they had found out that King Goldway was missing, and were assuming, or maybe hoping, that he was still in The Empire. They might have also found Dr Reel's body. Sicario was observant and had a strong grasp of psychology, I would know since he taught me a few tricks in reading people, so they were likely doing this to see if anyone showed signs of guilt or panic. Fortunately for me, he had also taught me a few tricks in fooling people. Fooling him was easier said than done, though. My best option is probably to act confused, I don't think I'll have any trouble avoiding showing guilt or panic.

  This is gonna delay me quite a bit, but looks like I can't avoid it, too bad I didn't have the invisibility and intangibility barriers on me, I should have stolen multiple copies or each. Well, no point complaining about that now.

  Just need to maintain my poker face and this shouldn't a problem, just gotta keep my cool and get through it, I guess. And no point lamenting the fact that I hadn't left before this happened, given how much stamina I used up in healing the king last night, it was kinda surprising that I woke up as early I did.

  I reluctantly got in line before it expanded any further, let's get this over with. Hope it doesn't take too long……

  About four hours later, a little past 11 AM, I was finally nearing the front of the line. There were a handful of people in front of me, but it shouldn't take more than a few more minutes before it's my turn. That's when it happened, something alarming……

  With about five people in front of me, when the next person to walk through the open gates, a middle-aged researcher, something happened. His hair color changed, more specifically, from fully black, to black with gray streaks. What the-?

  I strained my ears to hear what was going on, Sicario was talking to the man……

  "What just happened, I-!?"

  "Oh, my apologies, doctor. We have placed a magic-nullification barrier along the open gateway, walking through it will undo any active spells. I forgot about your spell to hide graying hair, I hope you……"

  I didn't hear the rest, but I didn't need to……oh, no……

  This is bad. A magic-nullification barrier……

  This is really fucking bad! The moment I walk through those open gates……my appearance will return to normal. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!

  What do I do? What can I do? There's only five- no, four -people in front of me now! And now it's down to three! Damn it, think……!……

  there's nothing I can do to get out of this situation. In which case……I'll just have to burst through it like my life depends on it……which it most certainly does.

  I began loosening the straps on my armor, as well as taking my arms out of the sleeves of my robe so that I could take it off at a moment's notice. Stay calm, your chances of survival will be significantly better if you don't panic……and I better stop talking to myself in the third person while I'm at it.

  I guess this means that the others had already left before this thing began……I don't see any of them lined up behind me. Good, in that case, I don't need to worry about anyone but myself, just the way I like it.

  Two people in front of me……

  One person in front of me……

  It's my turn.

  "Oh, it's this brat……hey, Sicario, how much longer do we have to do this, anyway?" Groaned Azeria, wiping off a bead of sweat irritably.

  "It looks like we are about a third of the way done……I know it is tedious, but it is a necessary measure. Imsret, if you would, please walk through the gateway," Instructed Sicario, after glancing at the remaining members yet to walk through the open gates.

  I took a step forward, time seeming to flow in slow motion as I neared the boundary between the Lapdog and Pawn areas, but……I felt calm. I was now one step away from crossing it……I got ready to activate Vampire Mode at the drop of a hat, my cover is about to get blown now……

  I walked through the gates, and immediately felt my body begin to change. I stopped, with my back foot planted in the gateway, as I took off the robe and flung it away, my appearance returning back to normal……which, by the way, felt really freaking weird and uncomfortable.

  "What the-!?" Sicario exclaimed in surprise.

  "You!" Snarled Hacte, standing up with a glare.

  "He looks completely different now……you know this person, Hacte?" Azeria inquired, her expression one of high alert as she stared at me cautiously.

  Woah, my body had several internal injuries……I now see why Elina had advised against copying the appearance of someone with a smaller stature. I need a couple of minutes to heal myself, better stall for some time……

  "It's been a while……Lagusa, you old bastard. Gotta say, it was quite the shock to see you in this world, it's been a weird couple of weeks," I greeted with a smirk, feeling eerily calm and collected.

  "Oh……is that you, apprentice? Two weeks, you say……impressive, I never suspected a thing," He remarked calmly, after an initial look of surprise.

  "Ugh, you're as unflappable as ever, you old bastard……and enough with the apprentice crap, I'm not……oh, that's right, you're the reason for my three years of torture, you old bastard asshole motherfucker-!"

  "Your attitude certainly has not changed very much……now, then, where is Aurich Goldway?"

  I'll play dumb to buy more time for my healing……

  "Huh, what are you talking about? I thought this whole thing was because you found that Dr Reel's body after I killed him last ni-," I began with a shrug.

  "You did what-!?"

  Nice, finally got a reaction out of him.

  "You heard me, you old bastard."

  "Apprentice, you……!"

  "Hey, I'm not your fucking apprentice anymore, Lagusa!……wait, is this because you still refuse to call me Kuro?"

  "……perhaps. I mean, could you have possibly gone with a more generic and boring-?"

  "Woah, you take that back, you sick f-!"

  "Enough! This sickens me, just restrain him already, Sicario!" Snapped Hacte, stomping his foot in impatience.

  I still felt calm……

  "Hmph, I do not take orders from you, Hacte……but, yes, I suppose I should……," Sicario remarked, pointing a Spell Card at me and activating it.

  I tilted my head with mock confusion and an overly innocent smile.

  "……nothing's happening, what-?" Began Azeria incredulously.

  "Clever, you've planted your back foot in the magic-nullification field……but you may as well give up, appr……boy, you are surrounded, and the three of us are far stronger than you. Even if you are a Karma user, you do not stand a……what's so funny?" He snapped, as I began laughing with amusement.

  I don't know why I feel so calm……but I wasn't complaining.

  "Karma? That stuff's old news, I don't need it to beat you……I give myself, at most, ten seconds to beat all three of you if I get serious. So if you know what's good for you……get the fuck out of my way, Arturo Lagusa," I remarked, with a cold expression, my tone serious, before saying with a mocking grin, "But I should thank you for one thing……thanks for giving me the pleasure of killing Arg Lehosa."

  "I'm going to kill this insufferable little-!" Growled Hacte, having gotten particularly ticked off at the 'ten seconds to beat you all' part.

  "No, we can use him, I believe our researchers will be quite happy to dissect him. Alternatively……you could join us, boy," Offered Sicario, before adding, "You cannot beat us, we confirmed over two years ago that we are the strongest humans in this world, with Lord Valaque the strongest by far. It would take at least four or five S-Ranked Adventurers to defeat even one of us, and I would estimate that it would take close to ten of them to threaten me. I do acknowledge that you are likely very strong, but you are outmatched and outnumbered. You have two choices, fight us, get captured and then experimented on, or……join us, we could always use more powerful members."……

  he was so against calling me 'Kuro' that he was calling me 'boy'? And he rates himself strong enough to take about ten S-Ranks? While I didn't have proof, I was pretty sure I could take on more in Vampire Mode. I was pretty ticked off at being underestimated this much, though I guess it wasn't too surprising, there's no way he knew about my Vampire Mode form. For an endless amount of reasons, my answer was obvious……

  "Hell no. First off, you got me tortured and eventually killed, and I will get payback for that eventually, by the way, assuming I don't end up killing you now! Second, you said you confirmed it two years ago, in other words, your information is outdated, old man. And third……did you miss the part where I said I'm stronger than you? You know I'm not the bluffing type."

  "Normally, yes, but this is a rather hopeless situation for you."

  "……you know what, I'm not gonna stand here and try to convince you. After all……," I began with a menacing grin, "Actions speak louder than words!"

  "Enough of this farse, just give……what the-!?"

  Red electricity burst out and began crackling all around me, as I activated Vampire Mode for the first time in over two weeks. My fingernails extended out into claws, the whites of my eyes turned black as my pupils turned red, my canines extending out into fangs as red streaks appeared in my hair. The back of my armor tore as my wings burst out and spread out, my tail extending out and whipping across the ground. Hm, I think I should be able to maintain this for significantly longer than twenty seconds, I felt like my hold on the transformation was stronger right now.

  I immediately began charging up lightning in my hands. I need to knock them away and then bolt, pun intended……I'll try to kill them, but if I can't do so with one strike, I don't have time to stay and finish the job, reinforcements could arrive at any moment, and I'm not sure that I can take on the entire Retribution Tier even in this form.

  "What in the……?" Azeria trailed off, the fur on her ears and tail standing up as her expression tensed, "My instincts are going crazy, what is this!?"

  "It does not matter, seize him-!"

  Alright, four seconds have passed. I cut him off as I pointed my left hand behind me and blasted out the lightning I had been charging up in it, wiping out several dozens of the white-robes who had been standing behind me.

  "You bastard!" Yelled Hacte, shooting towards me……

  huh, I thought he was faster than that.

  He was moving a little faster than slow motion, but I still had so much time to react. He rapidly swung his hands at me repeatedly, his fingers wrapped in wind, I evaded and deflected them without much trouble. He then drew back his right fist, increased the concentration of wind around his fingers, extended them straight out and drove it towards my chest. I casually stepped off to my right to avoid his strike and then swiftly swiped my left hand towards his heart, coating my claws with lightning and aiming to rip out the entire left cavity of his chest.

  Before I could, Sicario began to pull him out of the way……actually, it's more like he was trying to drag and throw him out of the way. Impressive reaction time, but……too slow, Lagusa!

  I slashed off a chunk of Hacte's left side before Sicario grabbed his right shoulder and threw him off to the side. He crashed onto the ground with a groan, clutching his left side with a pained expression. He was bleeding profusely, but I had missed a vital hit. Tch, too bad. Also, his body was so much harder to rip into than normal humans……guess that was a given though.

  Sicario began to point the paralysis Spell Card at me, I quickly fired the lightning stored up in my right hand at him. He dropped the card and unleashed a continuous blast of black lightning from both his hands while springing back, but it wasn't even close to enough to stop my lightning.

  He kept up his lightning output as much as he could, before my attack canceled out his lightning, overwhelmed and blasted onto him, sending him flying back. His arms were burnt black and smoke was billowing out of them, and his torso was pretty scorched too. He was still conscious, but just barely.

  Azeria then sprung up behind me, flames in her hands, a ball of normal flames in her right and black flames in her left, and a glare that had traces of fear in it. She could instinctively sense it……the gap in our power levels. I whipped the end of my tail up and across towards her heart, looking to pierce through it. She began to twist her body across to the left while in mid-air……so, she can actually see my tail moving? Too bad she's too slow react physically, though I'll give her credit for evading a fatal strike.

  My tail struck and pierced her bicep……before ripping through it and slashing her right arm off. She let out a scream of pain before gritting her teeth and firing the ball of black flames in her remaining arm at my head. I tilted my head to avoid it, but got my ear singed.

  Ow!……just kidding.

  She sprang up above me and unleashed a barrage of kangaroo kicks down at me, I blocked her kicks with my forearms, before she planted her feet on them and back flipped off. She shot forward and swung the stump where her right arm used to be up at me, splattering her blood into my eyes and blinding me for a second.

  As I quickly wiped the blood off, I felt a kick just below my ribcage, followed by two more at my chest, and then a backflipped kick to my chin, causing me to stumble back a bit. She then sprang at and above me, black flames beginning to sprout around her right side as intense orange flames coated her left arm.

  Huh, looks like a lotta heat and those strikes earlier seemed to have bruised me, not bad……but her fun's over, I could see again now that I wiped her blood off my eyes.

  As she reached the peak of her jump, I jumped up, with a swift flap of my wings to increase my rising momentum and unfurled a vicious knee-kick at her midriff, feeling the bottom of her ribcage cracking, before slamming an uppercut at her chin, dazing her. Before she could fall back down, I hovered by spreading out my wings and unleashed a rapid spin-kick at her abdomen, she coughed out blood and got sent flying back several dozens of meters, only stopping when she crashed onto the gates leading into the Research Tier building with a loud clang and echo, coughing up a ton of blood and collapsing forward onto the ground.

  Damn it, I think she's still alive, that wasn't a fatal strike, these Karma users have some tough bodies, most people would have been turned into a bloody pancake with that last kick of mine……

  I was snapped out of my thoughts as Sicario stood up and his scorched arms morphed into green jointed sections with a row of curved thorn-like spikes across each arm……a Retractable praying mantis Anima, maybe? Doesn't matter.

  He used Stream on his arms to coat them in lightning and swung a couple of rapid black lightning-enhanced slashes at me, I narrowly evaded them, getting a graze across my shoulder, before raising my forearm up to my left side to block a high kick aimed at my neck. I quickly began charging up lightning in both hands again. Woah, even in Vampire Mode……he made me stumble.

  Oh, looks like his Anima retracted back into his normal arms……maybe he was in too much pain to maintain it?

  That was some force behind that last kick. From his expression, it was clear that he was in a ton of pain from his deep-fried arms and scorched torso, but he was ignoring it as much as he possibly could.

  I threw a punch at him, he evaded but I clipped his right shoulder, dislocating it. He sprang back, but I didn't let him get away, immediately closing the gap and throwing another punch……he spun around and let my strike graze the same shoulder, fixing the dislocation.

  How annoying, he's definitely following my movements with his eyes, even though his body can't keep up. He then jumped and spun around to unfurl a flying spin kick at my chest, I blocked by crossing my forearms in front of me, but the force nearly knocked me back.

  Enough, I don't have time to mess around anymore. I rapidly flew up using my wings, as he began charging up lightning in his hands. Nineteen seconds have passed since I transformed……and I'd been charging up lightning in my hands for the past four seconds. Time to fire.

  I brought my hands together and pointed straight down at him, unleashing the lightning I'd been charging up, firing a massive blast of red lightning straight down.

  Scarlet Lightning Incineration Cannon!

  He fired his lightning as well, but my blast cut through it like it was nothing. He shot away as fast as he could, managing to evade the brunt of it. However, the force and shockwave upon impact sent his body flying back and crashing onto the second outermost wall, severely cracking it and leaving a deep indentation in the spot he crashed onto.

  He was still conscious, though just barely, and definitely alive. Damn it, I couldn't even kill one of them……and it looks like the other three members of the Retribution Tier had arrived, they had just walked out the Research Building, as some of the researchers tended to Azeria……crap, I should have destroyed her arm after I tore it off. I've used up nearly twenty seconds in this form now and I'd likely reach my limit with it soon, I can't afford to hang around anymore.

  I don't have time to keep fighting these guys. I turned my back to The Empire and flew back as fast as I could, noticing that the three uninjured Retribution Tier members were running after me along the ground……heh, good luck catching me in the air. None of them could fly and I was much faster, so I have the advantage. The moment I shot past the outermost wall, I swiftly drew out the colossal barrier Spell Card, pointed it straight behind me……and activated it.

  As I rapidly flapped my wings to blast myself towards the grassland area, keeping an eye behind me, The Empire got shrouded in a massive blue barrier, the same one I had seen during the Zombie incident. Rion and Kuua was racing after me, a few meters from reaching the outermost gate……but the barrier closed before they could get past it. It should take them a while to break through it or take it down, and by then……I'll be long gone……

  My Vampire Mode transformation soon wore off, lasting over thirty-five seconds. Guess I had increased my mastery over it while using it on the journey here. I wasted no time extracting all the Karma in my Mana Orb and racing forward at top speed with my Lightning Boost at x3.3. I ran past the grassland campsite, but no one was around……guess they called everyone back for the search. Too bad they hadn't left a cart for me to steal.

  I was more than a little salty about the fact that I was the only one who had my cover blown……well, unless one of the others had gotten left behind back there, but I had a feeling that they had already left. Though I guess Misen dying wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

  Once I ran out of Karma, I continued on while using just Lightning Boost, reaching the lake with the waterfall before too long.

  Finally, the infiltration……is over.

  _____________________________________________

  Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to vote, and feel free to leave a comment, I appreciate any and all feedback and criticism! Also, check out my Instagram account @aimdaqs for posts relating to this book.