Raven had gotten his grind blade back, now with a set of rockets that would hone in on targets with a parrying shield. Now moving ahead into the battlefield as he found Shaw, Max and Black fighting on the frontlines. Shaw equipped with a sniper cannon and a chain scythe, Max wielding an explosive hammer and missiles while Black carried a grind basher with burst cannons. They were facing up against the Heralds with speed. Shaw laying down covering fire while Black swinging the grind basher to break the parts of the Heralds, giving Max the opening for the killing blow.

Cassius and the Hunters were proceeding with taking care of the smaller Heralds.

"Whoa, seems like the newbies that the Director picked up are powerful too. Just look at that." Watching how a Cresno was being crushed beneath Black's grind basher and then him blasting shots into its face with the burst cannon. Killing it as Shaw's pauldron loaded up ammunition. Howling heralds that wished for prey. Only for their joints to be struck by the fast cannon fire. The bullets striking deep into the joints of the Cresnos were making them easy targets for Black and Max. Cassius and Hunters were going on the offensive, joining Max and Black on the frontlines.

Raven was running forward, swinging the grind blade to slash his way through. Mary jumping in with her ballistic javelin, piercing the head of a Cresno while Wick crushed the Cresno with the hammer.

"Greta, update?"

"You're all clear, Hunter One. A helicopter's coming for Hunter squad, are you leaving?"

"One to four is leaving. Five?"

"We're staying. We need to clear out more Heralds or the salvage crews might be dying."

"You heard them Greta, we'll head for the chopper." Cassius left with the others as Raven turned to Shaw, Black and Max.

"How's the gaolers?"

"Feels good to have an alternative weapon like this, think we can bring it back with us?" Max said as she loaded the magazine into her explosive hammer.

Of course.

You can bring the weapons and skills earned from this Causality back to your world.

"So what exactly is going on here?"

"I don't know what's the objective yet, for now it's just hunt down Heralds. The objectives can appear at any time and sometimes they can be abstract."

"Makes sense to why you're so much more powerful now. You lived more than one life." Black mentioned as they heard a howl from a distance. Shaw ejected the spent stripper clip from his sniper cannon, pulling out a fresh clip of 10 and slamming it in.

"Well. Let's hunt then." The four of them gave chase to the noise, finding the largest Herald they've laid their eyes on. As tall as a building and just as wide. The creature had a hundred eyes on the front. Trying to wrap their heads around it. How would they attack it? How would they kill it? It was just stupidly long and wide.

"A mollusk?"

"An octopus?"

"A tentacle monster from that one movie?"

"Let's just kill this thing. Another notch to our belts." Raven answered as he readied his grind basher. They leaped into the fray as the Herald responded with its tentacles to surround them. Raven swung the basher with Black to create an opening, then Shaw leaped out as he fired into the eye. Max launching missiles that were indiscriminately hitting whatever part of the Herald.

"Have I told you how much I hate huge targets?!"

"Yes, you did, Shaw. Just keep firing into the eyes! Max, keep suppressing it. Black we're going to need to strike its joints to figure out where's the weakest. It can't be all tentacles right?" Raven and Black got out from the pillar of tentacles, landing beside Shaw and Max. Max slamming a new rack of missiles to her gaoler while Shaw prepped special lightning bullets from the Cresnos.

"It has to have a bone somewhere. If not it's a weird looking mollusk or a slug."

"We'll figure it out!" They continued with their onslaught. Max went in with the explosive hammer. Striking something, just seeing the shockwave shift through the entire body. Max's eyes were glued on its body as the tentacles began to bounce around. Shaw was trying to confirm with his eyes as he stayed at a distance. Looking for even the tightest gaps in its body. This Herald just swung its arms around, unleashing tentacles that clung onto random objects. Rubble, ruined cars or even tress. Throwing them at Shaw who just leaped away to avoid the oncoming storm of objects.

Shaw turned to Black who just prepped his shield. The shield opened up as Black just lit a cigar, taking a quick drag as the objects continued to slam into his grind basher. Pushing him slowly. His feet skidding on the ground. Max was running with Raven to the side, Black seemed to be at ease.

"Black, how's your shield?"

"It'll hold. I'm just waiting for it to get tired from all the throwing. Think it'll loosen up soon? It should be getting tired throwing all of that at an old man like myself."

"Says the old man who is having a nice smoke break while the rest of us are running for our lives." Max grumbled as she climbed up to the eyes of the Herald. Her hammer made contact with the Herald's face as an explosion occurred. Shaw unleashed his chain scythe that went to give chase on the tentacles. The scythe tore through the layers of flesh, trying to find a spot where it was vulnerable.

"Right side, there's a gap in there! Max!" Max swung her hammer at it. The impact broke through the tentacles as Raven and Black readied their grind bashers, heavy swings that tore through the pieces. Tentacles flew off as a result, giving Shaw the opening to fire a shot straight through the gap, leaving it exposed. Raven switched for a ballistic javelin, leaping into it as he stabbed into it. Seeing the heart pulsating as the blood oozed over his body.

Just a little more as he relentlessly impaled the heart until it stopped beating. The Herald fell as Raven got off where Black caught him.

"You alright, kid?"

"Thanks, President."

"Call me Black, Raven. I have to say, I'm not one for using weapons but this is fun." Shaw and Max joined the pair. Their pauldrons began to activate, tendrils that tore through the massive Herald to gain as much resources as they could. Harvesting the resources that were stored into the pauldron.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Greta." Shaw, Max and Black were still poking at the large Herald's corpse. As if they needed to find out if it was truly dead or alive. It can't be helped because they were curious, a whole new world opened to their fingertips and all that.

"Yes, Hunter Five?"

"We faced a large Herald. Any data on this?"

"The Director may have more information on that. Please head back for now." The helicopter arrived as the four of them boarded onto it. They had been on a few missions lately, handling heralds of all sizes. There was plenty to be done and plenty food for thought. The places that were once considered safe for the child Convicts to operate in were no longer deemed to be safe. Rather it was an even bigger crisis than before. The heralds that were sighted were far too dangerous. Even for the regulars and veterans.

Arriving back at Reclaimer where Raven found the Zealots in the Directors office.

"Oh ho! If it isn't Mister Dead Flower Swordsman himself! How have you been?!" A hug from the grizzly bear of a man, Zealot 1 called to him.

"AGH! MY BONES! EASY ZEALOT 1! YOU'LL BREAK IT!"

"Ah shit, sorry. Sorry I didn't expect you to be so fragile. Thanks for killing that large herald. Damn Mushers are annoying. They pop out of nowhere, their tentacles get all solid and they keep regenerating after you hit them." Zealot 1 spoke as he patted Raven's back. Their gaolers were fashioned to be what they used in the past. Zealot 1's claymore. The 12 who fought against him.

"I can feel my scars from Dead Flower Swordsman kicking in again. God this is going to be tedious."

"Good to see you're all here. Raven. I made this Gaoler for you." Throwing the jikdo which Raven drew it, the blade was dark as night. The hilt was black with gold patterns inlayed into it.

"It's made from a Corrupted Herald that Zealots hunted. When I told them it was for the Dead Flowers Swordsman, they immediately went hunting. What's so special about that name of yours?"

"The Dead Flowers Swordsmen are known for their skills with their blade. A single one of them can match an army of thousands. They practice a swordsmanship called Preying Flowers. Prey as in P-R-E-Y not P-R-A-Y. Wildflowers that hunt after everything but each has its own discipline. Raven for example is a master of The Rose style. It's a full on attacker style with the evasive and parrying movements. Sure to kill with each swing. To master the Dead Flowers style, you have to kill your own master. It's why there's only one disciple at a time. Every Master of Rose holds a different combat style. Raven's predecessor was known for his counters. I took one head on and I barely survived. Raven's though. If his master is a calm river. Raven's more like a tsunami that swallows everything whole." Zealot 1 spoke.

"Yet, you never used the technique when you faced me?" Director Snowden inquired.

"I need to train my body accordingly. Just because I know the technique. Doesn't mean I can use it however well I please. Body needs to match it. I am a Grand Master of all the techniques of Preying Flowers but I'm more comfortable with Rose. Irises are wise and they fight with fast slashes, constantly taking a step back after every attack or combo. Orchid's just pure power and cunning. Azaleas are passionate and they got the intensity. Hyacinths make their blades dance and they have the speed to match. Rose is like Zealot 1 said. It's self serving. It's perfected the art of counter-attacks and maximum offense. To use any of those I need to train the body to match. Only training I can do right now is just cut up some more Heralds. This jikdo will be a weapon I'll keep with me at all times. But I'll need to brush up my skills with the regular gaolers too."

"That'll be fine. I've got some designs for you. Your team will not be Hunter. The four of you took on a Musher. Which is why I'm designating your unit as the Abyss. Shaw is Abyss Two, Black is Abyss Three and Max is Abyss Four. Despite that, Raven will be operating with Hunter squads unless there's a need for him to be called from Hunter unit. You'll need them as allies, Raven."

"Fair point."

"That will be all." Raven headed out with Shaw, Max and Black who went to get some chow. Raven was heading back to the simulation room to practice with his jikdo. He was hoping things were okay in the other world.

Meanwhile.

Laguna was sipping a cup of tea. He was brought here to wait for trouble. The Hunters of Syriacus and their people had many questions to why he wore the hanbok. His answer?

"It's been the robes of Dead Flowers Swordsmen for many years. Same goes for the jikdo that we use." To many martial artists, it was a sign of respect as Plum Blossom Swordsman and Hwan spoke of the might of Laguna and the Dead Flowers Swordsmen. Not using aura or mana. Merely the strength and techniques of their weapons to prove their worth. People snapped photos of Laguna who was calmly enjoying his cup of tea. The sight of his long hair tied, the calmness in his thoughts despite the dungeon that was within his sights.

Finishing the cup as he went to the counter to pay, only for the waiter telling him that it was paid by a customer.

"Be sure to thank them for me." Laguna spoke as he stepped out to where the dungeon was. Holding the jikdo by the scabbard, making his way forward as he thought about the peacefulness. The plum blossom trees that were in bloom. People were snapping photos as discreetly as possible and a child called him an actor of a historical drama. Not that he would take offense to that since the hanbok was worn as formal wear in Syriacus. It was their traditional garments in the past, though that was not his concern.

"Ah, Mister Laguna!" A Hunter Association Agent greeted him. She was out of breath. Taking a moment to catch her breath as she showed Laguna the details. It was a dungeon filled with high orcs and the Hunters inside had severely underestimated the threat and are in retreat. The dungeon is expected to break in a few minutes. Laguna's role was to buy time. Something he had obliged.

The Hunters who used their return stones had arrived, badly wounded. That was expected as they were rushed to the side. The high orcs broke through the dungeon gate, rushing out with their weapons in hand.

"Kill all the humans! Pillage them! Turn them into corpses!" The first dozen charged at him, Laguna held his jikdo in front of him. A quick draw, one singular slash that sent a dozen heads flying into the air.

"May flowers bloom over your corpses." A mantra that every Dead Flowers Swordsmen must know by heart. He made his move, dashing straight into them. A leap above as he spiraled forward. Landing on an orc's shoulders as he slit its throat. Then jumping to the high orcs near the civilians. Claiming their limbs in one go. The way his blade moved, to the eyes of those who witnessed it. It was like a whirlwind of flowers. If his blade could not cut through it, he would use the scabbard to strike the armored part. Fracturing the bones as he went for the neck. Blood stained his face and hair yet he seemed calm. A one sided massacre. Elegant. Ruthless. Efficient.

The high orcs that were roaring with power felt their pride and morale shatter. Blown away like castles made up of sand. Wildflowers weren't meant to be placed in pots, they were meant to be free. To bask in the sun peacefully. Blooming in combat as they watched how Laguna split high orcs in two. Dancing his way with the blade as his partner, they were all swallowed up by Laguna's flow. The rhythm of combat following his demand. They were helpless against a lone human. The high orc chieftain remained as Laguna swung the blood off his blade.

"I'll kill you human!" The Chieftain's hammer struck Laguna. Parrying it back with an inch of the blade, followed by a shoulder charge that caused the chieftain to take a step back. Drawing a blade as a myriad of slashes cut through the chieftain's body. By the end of it, Laguna's blade trickled with drops of blood. Standing in the aftermath of the chaos. It was perfect. Picturesque to the eyes of many. Sheathing the blade as he walked away to another dungeon's location.

It didn't matter what was before Laguna, be it dragons, angels or demons. He will slay them. When it was done, Laguna headed back to the hotel. That was the start of the rumors. Where news articles published how a single person was able to turn the tides so easily. Taking a nice bath with the bath bombs he was provided, Laguna sank into the tub. Watching some videos of cats being cats. This was peaceful. Amused by the cats behavior of constantly pushing objects away from them. Their owners freaking out because of the broken objects.

"This peace... It's a whole lot better than fighting constantly. Perhaps I'll need to do maintenance on my blade later..." Laguna cleaned himself up, grabbing the hair dryer to blow dry his hair. Switching on the television as he prepared to clean his blade. The news story broke out as people talked about what they saw. Praises sung for Laguna but he just switched channels. Then seeing an actress who was in some sort of scene.

"Why are you leaving me?"

"Because we're done! I've had it with you! Yo-" It was good for ambient noise but Laguna disliked soap operas because he felt it was tedious. Though now, he had to think about what he would want to eat for dinner. Should he go out for a barbeque? Or should he just order some fried chicken? Decisions. Decisions. Decisions.