Swordmeister of Rome

"Hmm. Something's off."

Stiel, who was waiting for Sian at the dorm, felt the energy and ran to Lavne at once. Then she saw something weird. The two Granines she fought before were looking down into the well. Another Granine that ran up from the village seemed to feel the same strange feeling and carefully approached, but he also got stuck and started looking down into the well.

Stiel was curious as she knew that the well had spirits in there. Most of them had no conscious and the strongest spirits that were thousands of years old only had their instincts left. So she knew those spirits would have no power over the people here. Nonetheless, she didn't want to end up like those Granines. So she watched from a distance.

"Oh well."

She couldn't hold back anymore and decided to look into the well, but something changed. The Granines began moving into the well.

'…are they committing suicide?'

Stiel stopped still and watched them. All three of them were soon submerged in the well for a few seconds and before they started walking out. Stiel frowned at once.

"Ugh. Why do I have to run so much these days?"

Stiel ran immediately. She wasn't the fastest of the Ra-Banders, so she needed to have a headstart to run away from them. She could fight the three of them before, but these three were different. She needed to find Sian fast. As she jumped out, the three Elders quickly chased after her.

The well water was now decreasing as if the well itself had a hole somewhere.

"Something's off."

"What's going on?"

"No, brother. I just feel something strong."

Rian frowned. "If you say so… is there something dangerous at our destination?"

"No. I don't think it's that place."

<We should go… the pain is increasing…>

Rian, Sian, and the Fifth Elder were going to Sian's crater ground. The Elder thought it was not the reason, but there was no clue so they decided to go anyway. After looking at the ground, Rian narrowed his eyes.

"I didn't see that before."

"Hehe."

"You practiced a lot. How come I didn't feel anything though?"

Rian sighed. Sian would not let his energy flow outward, so no one would've sensed it anyway.

"So… Fifth Elder. Do you find anything weird?"

<I am not sure… But I do feel… something here…>

The Elder scowled as he felt the pain growing stronger.

"Let's search the area. Split into teams of two and let me know if you find anything!"

"Yes, sir!"

As the people spread out, Sian looked far toward the mountain and sighed.

"Ugh. Brother, you should stay here."

"Where are you going?"

"I need to look after my friend. Don't try to fight if something dangerous happens."

"Okay. Go ahead."

Sian then jumped out. He needed to fight far away so that his brother would not get hurt.

'At least there aren't that many people around here.'

"Ugh…!"

Stiel felt her body get struck against and backed away.

'Just a little more…'

She had no way to run and these guys were too strong. Stiel knew who these new spirits were.

"How did they take the bodies!"

It was the three superhumans in the well that she couldn't win against. They somehow managed to come out of the well. It seemed like the spirits were now used to the new bodies they had gained.

"I like Sian, but never have I ever missed him so much!" Stiel ranted as she fought off the attackers. Then she turned to the familiar power approaching.

"Finally!"

It was Sian. As she brightened up, Sian did not stop and picked Stiel up.

"I missed- huh?"

"You can't fight here. Come."

Sian grabbed Stiel and began running in opposite direction.

"Where did you get those?"

Sian spoke as he glanced to three Elders chasing him.

"I told you, I'm popular. My charm transcends races."

"You seem relaxed."

"You're going to protect me, right?"

"Ugh."

There was no running away. He couldn't leave Stiel alone and they would attack the city anyway, which would include Rian and Celine.

He needed to fight them here.

"I didn't think they were that strong. What happened to them?" Sian asked as he couldn't understand the sudden increase in power.

"I'm not sure, but they became like that once they bathed in the well."

"A bath?"

"Yeah."

"Where is that well? I should bath in it and break a barrier myself."

"I'm not joking. It's true."

"...I know."

"I think the spirits in the well took over their bodies and got out."

"Huh… didn't they need special bones?"

"That's what I thought. But if it's just taking over the body, it can be different…"

Sian and Stiel then stopped at the middle of a mountain and turned back to the three Granines.

"Hm… you don't think we can solve this by talking?"

"No. They've lived for thousands of years so they've forgotten everything. They only move with their instincts."

Ra-Banders fought with their instincts, so it did not matter anyway.

"You should take the far left. I'll handle the other two."

"Okay. I'll take care of one."

Sian then charged at them with Chrona-Phon.

As Reynold, the investigative team, looked through the crater site, he found something shining in red within the dirt. But a large explosion came from far away and he looked toward the direction of the source. There was a bright light coming from the place. Reynold forgot what he was trying to observe at such a grand sight. He couldn't see that the object he was going to observe was moving by itself.