Rise of the Crusader



As the woman emerged from the building, her body still trembled from the lingering effects of Raphael's oppressive presence. The chilling aura of his killing intent haunted her, even as she tried to regain her composure.

Sybilla paused to survey the scene before her, taking a deep breath. A fierce battle raged on between the humans and beasts throughout the city, their struggle to enter the building only intensifying the conflict.

Blood stained the ground, and the broken remains of both combatants lay scattered across the battlefield. The beast guarding the entrance of the building had prevented either side from breaching the building, but its efforts had done nothing to quell the mounting violence.

With each passing second, the carnage grew more brutal, and the death toll climbed. Elemental forces clashed as rings of fire, shards of ice, and bolts of lightning filled the air. It was a maelstrom of death and destruction, a testament to the raw power wielded by both the humans and the beasts.

Steeling herself, Sybilla tore her gaze away from the chaos and focused on the enormous beast standing nearby. Sensing her distress, the seven-foot-tall creature left Gus's side and approached her cautiously. His eyes met hers, and after a brief moment of hesitation, he ventured a question.

"What happened? Did the meeting not go well?" he asked, genuine concern lacing his voice.

Sybilla shook her head, her expression solemn. "We're canceling all our other meetings in the city. We need to head back to the academy immediately."

The beast's expression shifted to one of disbelief and bewilderment. He had anticipated that something had gone awry during the meeting, but Sybilla's words confirmed that the situation was far more dire than he had imagined.

Glancing towards the owl at his side, his face was a silent question, to which Gus merely responded with a reassuring smile.

"We can't afford to waste any more time," Sybilla announced, mounting the beast with determination etched across her features. "Let's go."

The beast was about to charge forward when he hesitated, conflicted. "Sybilla, what about the others? I made a promise that I would help some of the beasts get into the building."

Sybilla's eyes flashed with irritation, but she swallowed her frustration and nodded her head in agreement. "Fine. Tell the ones you promised to step forward."

The beast's eyes lit up with gratitude, knowing that possession of Raphael's life-changing gadgets would elevate his status and strength within the city. Without further delay, he called for the six beasts he had vowed to assist.

As the chosen few emerged from the chaos, an unmistakable grin and an air of pompous confidence radiated from their bodies. The six majestic figures strode forward, heedless of the furious beasts and humans surrounding them. No one dared lay a finger on them.

Anger and resentment burned in the eyes of the onlookers as they watched the six beasts enter the building without resistance.

The intensity of the struggle to gain entrance had been brutal, yet these beasts had seemingly breezed through without a scratch. Unable to contain their fury, the crowd glared at the seven-foot-tall creature leading the procession. Despite their rage, they knew better than to voice their dissatisfaction.

Once the six beasts had entered the building, the towering creature nodded in satisfaction. Sybilla, perched atop the beast, shook her head with displeasure. "Is that all?" she asked, her tone dripping with disdain. "Or do you have something else in mind?"

The creature seemed unfazed by her tone, pausing for a moment before addressing the crowd of bandits, both human and beast, who were waiting to steal the gadgets the moment the beasts left the building.

"I know what you're waiting for," he said, his voice low and menacing. "But if I find out that those beasts don't leave this place with their gadgets, I will ruin you."

Fear washed over the faces of the would-be thieves, and they bowed their heads meekly, not daring to challenge the creature's words. With the situation seemingly under control, the creature and Sybilla disappeared from sight, leaving the others to continue their battle.

Meanwhile, Gus relayed the message to Raphael. "They're gone, Raphael. When do we make our move?" the owl inquired.

Raphael shook his head, his voice resolute. "There's no 'we' in this situation. I'll take care of the woman myself. You won't be involved in the battle."

"No way!" Gus protested. "You must be insane if you want to go against an SS-Rank meta without my help. I know this past few days haven't been easy on you, but that doesn't mean you should throw your life away like that."

Raphael's silence stretched out, allowing a grim expression to settle on Gus's face. Just as the owl was about to enter the building, Raphael's voice sounded.

"If I gave you the impression that there was room for discussion, then I apologize. I'll handle the woman alone. That's final," he declared, his tone resolute.

"You'll be throwing your life away, Raphael," Gus yelled, clearly upset with how Raphael chose to handle this. "It's two against one. You won't only be dealing with the woman but that creature as well. Do you really want to face an SS-Rank meta and an S-Rank meta beast alone? That's suicide."

"I know the breakup hurt you deeply, but that doesn't justify such recklessness," Gus added, his voice heavy with concern.

"Raphael?"

"Raphael?" Gus called out again, only to be met with silence. His face hardened as realization struck. "That bastard!" He exclaimed, understanding that Raphael had already left the building.

Gus shot a glare at the beasts clawing their way towards the entrance, then took a long, deep breath.

This turn of events was deeply troubling. Raphael had always maintained his composure, even in the most dire of circumstances. But ever since the breakup with Elisa, it seemed as if he had become a different person.

A few meters away from the building, the seven-foot-tall creature suddenly paused. Sybilla, perched atop its body, spoke in a hushed tone. Her words were unclear, but as she surveyed the surroundings, her lips curled into a knowing smile.

"Why don't you come out? I know you're here," she called calmly, her voice tinged with dark amusement.

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