"!"

Everyone in the room was shocked at the intruder that came in through the roof of a 20 Story castle.

"Hold your step!"

Before Larian could speak he realised that he was surrounded by blades. Each pointing his vital points.

'What? Ninjas? I didn't even sense them when I entered. Their auras were masked by the immense magic radiating from Shinon.'

Shinon's eyes showed mild interest in the uninvited guest.

"Climbing my castle to see me, what a funny young man. I don't recall such a face in my country. Tell me, what have you come for stranger? To die?"

As she spoke of death, the energy in the air turned intense. The members of the different clans dared not speak over the Queen for fear of being in her bad graces.

The queen stared at Larian.

For some reason Larian felt his entire body being touched like every fiber was under the scrutiny of the Queen's gaze, it was oppressing.

'Get a grip! You are here to take revenge for Master! This is the moment, don't hesitate, don't show fear. And never back down!'

Gripping his fist in determination, the ninjas surrounding him took it as a sign of hostility and plunged their blades into Larian.

But Larian was faster, his Draconic energy wrapped around his armor. Turning it black and blue. The armor took its draconic design and repelled the blades.

But Larian didn't completely transform yet. Hiding his tails, horns and wings, Larian walked closer to the queen.

When he was 5 feet away he stopped and spoke.

"I am the last and only disciple of Shiro. Your sister who you've dishonored and shamed."

Untying the blades from his waist Larian pulled it up and showed Master Shiro's blade to the Queen.

"During my darkest times, Master Shiro saved my life twice. I have a debt to pay and I am here to collect it from you, Shinon, Master Shiro's Sister."

A man behind the elder who had a white flower sewn to his shoulder blurted out while pointed at Larian

"Blasphemy! The devil has died and been slain by the Divine Queen! That devil knows no compassion and human emotion. She is a monster who only craves to deprive the joy of others which she desperately lacks!"

Larian stared at the man. There was silence and tension in the air as they digested the information.

But Larian laughed out loud.

"Ha! That's what you think is the truth? Look at the expressions of your elders and the queen. They have lived to be in direct contact with Master Shiro yet look at them. Do they look angry or mad that this 'Monster' still has some semblance of a legacy?"

Larian was laughing but inwards his hatred was starting to bloom.

His anger had reached its peak. The difference between reading about it on the news and being told was too much for Larian to contain.

"Shinon! I don't care about these mobs who feed on the nonsense you tell them. All the crimes written about Shinon has been committed by you, you fucking backstabbing cheat! You know the truth in your heart of how Shiro felt as you betrayed her!"

It was at this moment that the cocoon in Larian fully bloomed.

"Plotting to kill the people you grew up with just so you could rise above the rest. Was it worth it you sagging hag? Until the end, Shiro had only spoken the good things about you despite what you've done to her. Are you proud of how you trampled all over her history?!"

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

The Queen's face told Larian many things. Her shocked gasp, the slight shame as Larian pointed out her flaws. But up until the end, there was no guilt. Only an ugly glee surfaced as Larian hinted at Shiro's death.

'Master. You might have advocated peace and letting bygones be bygones. But look at her. Your sister only feels elated by your suffering. There is no salvaging them. There is no justice as you've hoped.'

Larians face had turned ugly. The red energy surged from within him. Encasing his armour entirely. The horns and wings grew from them. Larian had let the anger consume him.

"Look at you clinging to your youth like it's your only pride left. You are just a granny who cares only about the face you show to the world. Caked in makeup and hanging around with men half your age. Even a hag living in a swamp knows some shame!"

Shinon, who has lived many years in luxury, had not been insulted this severely. Her pride was scratched and so she screamed for her men.

"Guard's, Everyone. Get this man to shut his mouth or else!"

These guards were Samurais, they were military nobility who were the best of the elite warriors under the Divine Queen.

Her words were like a command. Everyone drew their blades and released their magic listening to her words.

Their blades radiated energies of different colors that matched their clan's flower.

To Larian it almost looked like a bunch of samurais holding lightsabers.

Getting into his stance, Larian anticipated the fight and fully transformed. His wings and horns amplified this struck first.

"Elder Hitsumoto!"

The slash which should have hit multiple targets from the wide swing had instead been deflected onto the ceiling by an Elder. It was the same person who had spoken up to the Queen earlier.

'This guy is special!'

Losing his initiative Larian could only block in the face of multiple opponents. He was at a severe disadvantage in numbers and he already lost his first strike.

When Larian blocked the red sword, a blue beam struck his thighs.

The moment Larian focused on the next object, a blade had already descended upon him. He dodged the white sword aimed at his stomach and an orange one struck his head.

Leaving an afterimage Larian avoided the combined attack from three different attackers but fell right into range of another three.

In the face of danger, Larian's instinct told him to run. There was simply no way to take a chance. Every twist or turn would result in an attack that slipped in and he could not react in time.

The attacks were strong and precise, something Larian was exceptionally familiar at dishing out. But now the opposite was happening.

In under a minute, Larian was pushed into a corner.

Deep cuts were slowly riddling Larian, his armor could only mitigate so much.

Here in the middle of the battle Larian achieved an epiphany. He had to make sacrifices and plans to even gain the chance to attack.

'Ignore the urge to avoid the attacks and endure it!'

This time when another attack came, Larain charged forward.

He felt six new wounds all around his body, but now he could initiate one quick draw.

Learning from the mistake he struck the weakest link he could find. The man who had spoken ill of his Master being a disgrace in front of him was the target.

The blade severed the man's head and it toppled onto the floor.

"No!"

The shocked expression in the group was a sight to see. Larian took it as a chance and dashed deeper into the group while leaving his blood trailing the floor.

Some cuts were deep and Larian was bleeding heavily. But Larian was close enough to a woman to grab her.

As he held her neck in his wrist he noticed the wounds on his arm. These must be all over his body by now but he had no time to check.

Plunging the blade straight through her neck, a blade stabbed into his waist. Without looking Larian knew that the woman he killed had chosen to injure Larian even as she died.

'Trade flesh for bones. I have to kill them all while maintaining my injuries.'

Larian's mangled body was reaching its limit. The wounds were piling up and he was enduring too much pain. He had traded his near-death state for only two kills of the weakest enemies.

*Shhhh

A potion was injected into Larian's bloodstream. His body closed up his wounds at a visible rate. Within 5 seconds Larian's body was back to its peak, it was the Potion with the side effect of ageing 5 years.

'This is really a lifesaver. I have to finish this cleanly, otherwise knowing the Alchemist there will be another side effect if I inject too much.'

The drug might be a wonder for Larian, but he never pinned his hopes on endlessly using all of them.

"This beast! He completely recovered!"

"His arm! Something in his arm has healed him, I can see it."

In the midst of battle, many eyes were analyzing him. There was no way he could withhold information against this many people.

Once again Larian ignored what they said and jumped into the fray.

New attacks were cutting his flesh, some targeted at the same spot as the previous attacks which have now become unarmoured.They dug deeper and deeper which each cut.

Larian's eyes had turned bloodshot even though they were never hit. Not because of the blood splattered all around, but because the pain that he had to endure was too agonizing.

But grit his teeth and his blade slashed into another man who wore white robes with a pink engraving. Larian's swing twisted and flew to another target in hopes of chaining the kill, but the enemies around were quick to recognise it and dodge ahead of time.

'Is this why master had not trained this aspect? In a battle between Shinki style, hitting multiple targets is easily read!'

Swinging around Larian gained some space, but the samurais in the back shot out a slash that shone like crescent moons that flew towards Larian. They were like a gunman who was exploiting every one of Larian's moves.

Now Larian knew his mastery of Shinki Style was acting against him. If he swung like how his master had trained him, everyone here would foresee it and know the perfect time to counterattack.

Larian realized now that he had to pull everything within his arsenal to compete.

A shield bloomed from Larian's prosthetic arm as he moved with Illusory steps. He was still getting hit but he wasn't done. Multiple pieces of Paper were thrown all around. They flew into the air in this arena and each held a marking in the middle which radiated Larian's Magic Energy.

"They are talismans! Get away from them!"

The paper all turned into daggers and shot down against everybody. In one attack everyone was distracted, the daggers were nothing much against the elite forces but they took the time to parry or dodge to safe space.

Larian slipped in as they moved according to his expectations. In one slash he managed to pick out 3 who had stepped out of formation

Done with the ones who were close enough Larian shot a rope out from his arm. It struck the ceiling right above the ranged Samurais.

His wings finally had time to shine. With one pull he flew through the air and arrived in front of a few of the ranged samurais.

In an open area so close to the ledge, Larian didn't slash down on them. Instead, he gave them a kick. He spun and sent the momentum towards another samurai and sent them falling down from the 20-story castle.

'That's 2 more taken care of. Now there are 13 more left. And there's still Shinon herself.'

In the midst of this blood-curdling battle Larian's spine froze.

'Shinon! The strongest person here has not made a move yet!'

Shinon was still sitting comfortably on her throne. She looked at Larian with great interest, not bothered that her men were getting slaughtered in front of her.

'What's going on in her head? Is she mad? I can't get a grip on her mind.'

But Larian had no time to think, there were still enemies in the room trying to kill him.

"Everyone, stand back. Fighting against this Devil will just be throwing away your lives. I will take care of him alone."

Elder Hitsumoto drew a second blade from his waist. He held a blade in each hand, the one on his left being much longer than the other.

The remaining survivors gathered around Larian and the elder, forming a circle that seemed to cage Larian in.

This has become a duel.