Requiem Of A Failed Hero

After what felt like forever, Raith finally dropped on American soil. The land, as the tales tell, was different. As much as it has been said to be a state considered to be the pinnacle of technology and talent, Raith couldn't help but perceive it as a nation that is heading for damnation.

It made him curious as to what the UK would be like.

Raith was greeted by American agents from their hunter association. The man who received him and drove him to the hotel where he would be staying for the night was a very polite one.

He didn't utter a single word from the point of greeting Raith until the moment he showed him to his room which was on the topmost floor of a five-star hotel in California.

The room was excellent and one of the best Raith had been in. Although in the course of these past few months and his days as a hunter, he had gone in and out of places with more impressive settings.

Most especially Min-Ho's house. It was the best Raith had been in.

Nevertheless, he settled in and made himself at home. Slept and woke up in the even–rather... he was woken by a knock.

Raith managed to sluggishly get up and dragged himself to the door to answer whoever it was which he was certain was Ruan Zhaohui.

'It is high time she came.'

[Received. A slight and almost unnoticeable killing intent has been noticed]

Whatever was left of the sleep on Raith's face quickly ran away turning his facial expression to a stern one.

Raith frowned and opened the door regardless... but slowly...

"Hello?"

With an unwelcoming tone, he greeted the two strangers who were in front of him. They both were dressed in black and with a black nose mask.

"We are from..."

Before the one talking could finish, with a lightning strike movement, the other one grabbed Raith's hand.

Raith was ready to strike by reflex but his hand stopped before he could throw it to his face.

He frowned deeply.

"What are you doing?"

Raising an eyebrow at the guy, he asked.

[Received. Analysis complete]

[Confirmed. This individual uses an ability that blocks out skills for three minutes]

'I see... so my skills are blocked out for three minutes?'

Raith with a striking grim face looked at the one holding his wrist.

"What are you doing?"

He said in English. His English needed a lot of work in between, not with his odd Korean accent already intertwining with it audibilizing quite the odd pronunciation.

Without a response, a short dagger appeared in the hand of the other one and he lunged with voraciously to stab his chest.

But Raith took a few steps back, effortlessly pulling the guy holding his hand with him. As the guy uncontrollably followed Raith inside, Raith rerouted his fist and delved a crushing blow into his stomach causing him to bite on his tongue and spit out blood.

His grip on Raith's wrist loosened as he sank to the floor holding his belly together. The blow must have hurt a lot.

"I don't need skills to defeat you lot"

He slammed his foot on the head of the guy–the floor cracked and created a resounding crash as the guy's head was smashed into the floor by his fist.

The other one lunged at him without a hint of fear in his eyes, if anything, this one's eyes shone with a deathly intense as he wielded the dagger, skillfully exchanging it between his hands as he launched strikes at Raith aiming to stab into different points at different times.

Raith all through blocked with his hand stopping the guy's wrist, not like he could block out a dagger with his hand after all. He clearly followed the uncanny and sharp movements of the guy, his eyes at first on his legs, then on the guy's hand after an attack managed to run across his cheeks by a hair's breadth.

Raith had first stepped back to take a recess. Did he underestimate this guy, for a minute the two of them were locked in a tight exchange of skills and this guy managed to explore every possible opening that Raith had, with his fast movement, he was lacking nothing, his skills were basic but impressive.

If Raith was not as fast as he was he would have sustained several cuts by now. Fast as he was? That was an understatement... Raith knew he was faster, in fact, he hadn't been stressing himself to block the guy's attack, and this slash managed to escape because he was focused on something else.

He was trying to absorb the guy's movement so much that he lost his hand movement. Of course, Raith had that notion that every possible move, possible turn of the body, down to the hand could be predicted based on the movement of the leg.

But this guy had quite the technique. He didn't know that before but was beginning to suspect it.

[Suggestion. Use God's eyes]

'I can? I can do that. I thought you said all my skills had been blocked out'

[You didn't allow me to finish before coming to that conclusion]

Omnisavant seemed to be speaking with some hint of disappointment.

[Only skills lower than Unique Skills have been affected]

'I see, is that so... alright activate my God eyes then.'

[Received. God's eyes activated]

Immediately, Raith's left eye changed from black color to gold. The perception of his surroundings was very much the same... until movements began.

The guy for a few seconds was silent, beneath his black nose mask he was slowly panting, seeming to be catching his breath. It was just one or two minutes of intense battle and throughout his opponent was just blocking his attack but he felt so exhausted, that his muscles were biting excruciatingly beneath his skin.

He looked down at his opponent that had passed out.

'Damnit! Did the skill block fail because he fainted? I thought the chairman said this guy is very useful.'

He knitted his brows to Raith who slowly curled the corner of his lips.

'I've been wanting to test my abilities but I needed someone weak. Antarctica is filled with so many mad strong monsters... this is a good warm up'

Normally, Raith would have ventured into the gates and had a beautiful time basking in the blood of monsters slain by his hands but he didn't do that this time.

He was skeptical, what if a thunderous blow came from somewhere and he died before he knew it? Then he would be dead for real.

He also thought of ways to refuse this expedition also, to call Ruan Zhaohui and tell her that he would give up on it and wouldn't be able to do it due to some losses. But the thought of losing that large amount of money... especially since all his gold in the abyss was now inaccessible.

Besides... if was going to be very powerful as the ruler of greed, he needed a lot of money. There was just no way he could refuse the offer despite his fear.

His love for wealth and power outweighed his fear of death. If was a good thing about being the ruler of greed at the same time it was a very very bad thing.

Raith smiled devilishly at the guy.

"Come at me with all you've got"