"Damn, I couldn't see it coming because the sealing runes aren't active when I look at the boulders. I thought that the Red Matter members here are all suicide squads. Never thought that they had a plan like this."
Souta smiled to himself.
He only realized it when the three people used a device to project a barrier around themselves. The moment he scanned it using his eyes, that's when he realized that the barrier was for protection against sealing runes.
He should've carefully scanned the boulder before. If he did that, then he could have prevented this incident.
That was his mistake.
"These guys really like plotting something big..."
A wide grin slowly formed on his face.
"If that's the case then let me deal with everything. I'll make your downfall easier Red Matter Association... I'll set up everything."
Souta stood up from his position. He closed his eyes and tried to sense if there was any presence around him.
His [Crimson Perception] detected all the living creatures with blood flowing inside their bodies.
"The closest person is just thirty meters away from me."
He turned his head and looked in the direction where he sensed the person.
"It's not a good idea to go outside right now."
The sealing runes were still active and once it detected him, the runes will try to seal him. If that happens, he will be helpless against the people of the Red Matter Association.
But if he wanted to make a perfect plan that no one will know, he had to make sure to kill those three people that were targeting him.
He failed to kill them even with [Possession] skill. No, it's a good bargain for him since he made them use their [Element Drive]. It means that they will not be able to use their [Element Drive] for the time being.
Once he gets out of this place, it will be his chance to eliminate them.
He calculated his aces. He still had a lot of things that he haven't used. His [Element Drive] could be used for another minute but once the time runs out, he wouldn't be able to use it until the next few days.
His [Energy Drive] power was close to zero. He kept training it in Saya's inner consciousness but it wasn't enough for a long battle. It was only good for a burst one on one fight.
"Okay, I'll keep this one..."
Souta caressed the bracelet on his wrist.
Five minutes had passed and the sealing process was done.
The entire place was silent so Souta decided to get out of the building. He looked around, only to find that the whole place became desolate.
Most of the buildings were ruined and blood dyed the whole, mainly caused by him throwing a river of blood everywhere.
Looking around with his eyes, the souls were making a loud screeching sound that only he could hear due to him possessing the [Soul Blood Earring].
Along with his [Galaxy Eyes], his perspective was different from other people's.
He sensed a creature with blood close to him. He approached the creature and saw that it was a warrior of Athena.
The warrior was an S-rank expert but he couldn't exert any energy from his body. His entire mana pool was sealed by dozens of runes.
"You... You can still fight? They are planning to annihilate us here." The warrior said with great effort.
"What happened here?" Souta asked while looking at the north. He could sense mana fluctuations in that direction.
"After my energy got sealed, I hide myself and those people chased after me. Luckily, they didn't manage to find my hiding spot so I survive." The warrior took a deep breath before he continued, "There are warriors that escaped from the sealing runes. They are currently fighting the people from Red Matter. I think you should go and help them."
"What about you?"
"I'll go too... Even though I couldn't use my energy, I could still fight using my physical strength. It would be enough for me."
"I see... You're a true warrior."
Souta nodded at him. He just observed the surrounding before focusing his attention on the space above the city.
'So that's how it is...'
There was a huge transparent barrier covering the entire nation. It didn't block people from going outside but it block people from entering the city.
'This is the reason why people from the Fourth Set aren't helping us. They have their own problem to deal with.'
What about the Chief Captain? Souta couldn't sense his presence anymore. Sealing runes like these wouldn't probably work against a person like him. So maybe, the Red Matter matter prepare a different dish for him.
"Oho, they truly plan all this shit..."
Souta laughed lightly.
...
Most of the warriors of Athena got their mana pool sealed. They were caught off guard and they couldn't do anything about it. The Red Matter Association started hunting them one by one.
Luckily, there were a number of people that succeeded in breaking through the sealing runes. No, they escaped before their mana pool was sealed. The most crucial part was the blood river that rampaged through the city.
The blood river helped these warriors find an opportunity to escape from the sealing runes. There was one reason why the blood river became an opportunity for them and that was the energy flowing through it.
The best feram. An energy unique to a monster.
The higher energy made hard for the runes to seal the warriors. Although in the end some of them couldn't escape, a number of warriors were prevented from being sealed.
It was simple. The mana of the sealing runes overwhelmed the best feram in the river of blood using their quantity.
"We can still fight and defeat them. The orders of the Chief Captain are to kill the members of the Red Matter Association and we will complete it no matter what."
A high-rank warrior said in a strong tone. He was from the First Grain, the strongest Grain in the entire Third Set.
"Yeah, Banni is right. I'm Xander, the Grain Leader of the First Grain. I'm commanding everyone to kill the Red Matter Association. This is a war. We will not go down without fighting back."
A five-foot-tall man said loudly. He had cat ears and a brown-colored tail sticking on his back.
He didn't have a physique of a normal warrior but his strength was greater than most warriors. He was the Grain Leader of the First Grain. Aside from the Chief Captain, he was the strongest person in the entire Third Set.
Banni was one of the few people that managed to break through from the sealing runes without the help of the blood river. He only relied on his own strength from freeing himself.
"AHHH!!!"
The morale of the warriors had increased tremendously. Their battle intent rose as they fought the people from Red Matter Association.
A huge battle occurred in the middle of the city. It became the battlefield of the two giant organizations.
"How many warriors could still fight?" Banni asked while observing the battlefield.
"All the warriors wanted to fight even though their mana pool is sealed. They all have the hearts of a true warrior." A Squad Leader from First Grain replied.
"What about the other Grain Leaders?" Banni asked.
"They are currently in a battle in the southern and eastern part of the nation. The western part became a desolate place."
"We still have an advantage right now. This is not the entire force of the Red Matter and our current overall might is still higher than theirs. We can still win this battle." Banni said in a cold tone.
Boom!!
Suddenly, a huge energy fluctuation occurred above them.
Banni and the other warriors close to him looked above. All the warriors around him were all high-rank warriors. They weren't afraid of anything from the Red Matter Association.
They were with Vandal when they clashed with the Red Matter Association years ago.
"So you're here... Shiela."
Banni said slowly with a light laugh.
A woman with red flowing hair appeared above them. She had snow-white skin and purple color eyes. She was wearing a green dress and on her back, there was a pair of wide wings covered in brown feathers.
Behind this woman, was a group of people with powerful energy.
Their appearance was noticed by the members of the Red Matter that were fighting the warriors of Athena.
"Executive Shiela is here!!"
"An executive will finally make a move!!"
Shiela was the name of the woman. She was an executive of the notorious Red Matter Association. A person that Banni couldn't underestimate.
They once clashed before so Banni knew how strong the woman that appeared.
"It's been a long time Shiela. Today, I will defeat you and take down the Red Matter Association."
Banni said as he slowly took a step forward. His aura grew stronger and the warriors behind him also released their aura.
"It will be different today," Shiela said with a beautiful smile on her face.
