"That was quite a handful, wasn't it ?" I nonchalantly remarked to ease the tension of the atmosphere. "Klein!! How could it be? He is a cheater." One of the girls said, "Yeah right Martha, there is no way a small fry like him could defeat Klein." "Hey mister, you won't be getting away with this!" His girlfriends came to his side sobbing and consoling each other and patting Shifton to get the (non-existent) dust off. Feeling utterly defeated and humiliated Klein boasted, "You only won because I didn't have any spells to counter you in close-quarters combat" "Oh don't worry, I understand the pain. Back When I had cut up your sword I could have very easily cut you up as well. But I held back, not wanting to pick such a blossoming flower."

"Father, why did we lose? We may have lost the duel but this rapscallion still deserves retribution! He held up a knife against me!" One of his sons pleaded to the lord. He sensed something wrong in their choice of words. "Hadn't you said yesterday that he tried to push you ?" This shocked the boy and he began mumbling in agreement. "You are just trying to pick on him. But do you seriously think he should be 'killed' ?"

"It's not like he has a family who will mourn for him. Besides he is just a waste of food, water, and shelter" the kid replied, shocking those who were present adding; "furthermore why should I care, as long as it's not me."

"Enough! Both of you go to the house, we will have a nice long discussion over it," turning towards Shifton the lord said "I am so sorry for this. Say, young master, who are you."

"I already stated Shifton is my name. And if there is more to know about me, I was taken in by the SDF of my nation and trained with two other of my friends." With his curiosity piqued, Klein asked "Well then Shifton, could you've possibly known the San-Daijin ." "You mean this nickname the people gave me and my friends from those days? Yes, but we are not very famous in our lands so I don't know the weight of this 'name' if I may."

"So is the man standing before us, he who defeated the vampire Order a few years ago ?" He asked shocked to which I replied yes. That day I learnt that we were not ordinary as far as people go. The strongest one can be in the 'general arrangement' is a full ten on a scale of one to ten and the odds of such individuals occurring in a nation a hundred kilometers wide is nearly one in every few thousand, effectively making them the hundredth part of the whole population. This system was developed in the age of war and that was many generations ago, now it doesn't hold much relevance besides being accepted as a measurement of strength by most nations. My strength is incalculable through it as it depends upon which form I take. But on average I am strong enough that I score a seven which not only is a gross estimation of my power but also irrelevant in studying me as a target. These people were armed with this knowledge, thus they were shocked to see me in action. On the same scale, Forearms will score an eight, the form I had taken just now. But a more powerful form like Radileth or Freaky Devil will be at about ten or twenty respectively. After something reaches a perfect ten, it can't be measured further because a ten means that an entire army can be wiped out by the individual single-handedly. Under the Ricardian system of power-scaling, in which an individual is judged by his destructive power, that is the extent to which he can destroy his surroundings. it was developed for threats requiring artifacts to defeat. I would be better off. In one of the last battles before we got separated I was estimated to be at five Ricks meaning I could destroy entire continents or am at the same level as demon Lords. After this whole ordeal, we received a message from the guild where I had decided to stay.

Klein was recognized for his special talents and was a nobleman thus he had special privileges at inns while on missions. I also got a special room just beside his. In my case, the already-staying individuals were kicked out. We were having dinner together while chatting. "So then for how long been adventuring ?" I asked getting a reply, "Since childhood, I have been slaying monsters. I slayed a dragon at age seven and he still is in my inventory. What about you? Being one of the Daijin you must have had that ring since childhood."

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"Not exactly, I discovered five of which four were sealed and I had only one. I discovered them in our store room while fiddling with things. It came with a book as well detailing its use and power, not quite a reader I didn't read it but my master, or as I like to call him, old Karlwitz read."

"That cynic. I knew he was up to something. I'll never forgive him for bringing shame to my beloved Klein" Mariana added.

"Are you two related by any chance ?"

"Yes he is my older cousin and a nuisance"

"It's a small world, am I right?"

"What about the others?"

"We grew up and went our separate ways. Evana became proficient in magic and Endric enrolled in an academy, though his combat potential far surpasses mine"

"What might be her rank as a mage ?" Mariana asked.

"Last time we talked it was about 7.29903996390 Walts ."

"A rank of seven is acceptable but why the long string of numbers? She couldn't have any blessings or something like that."

"That is there to adjust for her contract which is a Kitsune we rescued a long time ago. Funnily enough, I tended to her but it accepted her as her mother"

"A kitsune! Do you mean the formless shape-shifting foxes? Why would a self-conscious being give up its freedoms for menial service?"

Well, that is because Evana is like a mother to her, not a master or owner, and it's a mother she didn't have because she was kidnapped at birth."

"I am so sorry Shifton that Mary brought it up." Klein apologised silencing Mary.

"Oh, no worries."

"And I would like to know as to what about the third?"

"He is a hysteric ."

"Really? That's a rare sight to see God knows what he had to go through to attain that. What type, by the way? Close or long ?"

"Range-irrelevant and evolving-type with two forms"

"What! What can it do ?"

"One of two things and if he attains the Requiem then both, either reduce the magnitude of incoming projectiles to almost nothing or allow the user to wield any ranged weapon he can think of."

"I didn't understand, pardon ?"

"Other an impenetrable shield or use any ranged weapon like guns, bows, or anything"

"Well, can you beat it ?"

"I have been beating him since the day I met him. But he has more potential than me. The attainment of his hysteric abilities is too much for the mind to handle. That is why if he could get past his sadness he might surpass me."

"He says that the hysteric has more potential which can mean one of two things, either he is fighting at his full potential or that he doesn't have enough scope for growth. In any case, I must be wary of him." Klein thought, not to intrude in other's minds but soon I was to learn he was a reincarnationist explaining his specialness. We heard footsteps thundering towards our room and a member of the staff opened it, she said "An underworld portal has sprung up in the desert please Lord Klein rush towards there!" We all got up. "I will be on my way tomorrow."

"We are the utmost thankful." and she left. I hear the desert is eastwards and coincidently I was also going there only so I might as well accompany them. After our meal, we slept.