The Regressor’s Younger Brother’s Insanity

Bogura grabbed Aether by the neck and lifted him high into the air. Aether was struggling , as he wasbeaten one sideded. He had only one option left, to use his Berserk Technique.

Berserk was a state where he lost control of his mind, but his strength became many times stronger. The problem was, after using it, his body would become too weak to even stand.

Still, he had no choice. If he didn't fight back now, he could die… or worse, be taken and tortured.

So he used it.

Ding!

[ Berserk Mode Activating ]

Aether quickly took out a small poison bottle and two daggers from his system.

Then, in his berserk state, he attacked Bogura with full power, Nearly severing Bogura's leg bone.

[Warning: User's body is too weak for Berserk. Activating Emergency Regeneration.]

* * *

Bogura got angry after being mocked. But Aether's dagger had nearly severed the bone, so he couldn't stand.

He reached into his pocket and took out a drug, the same one the other two warriors had used.

As he took the drug, his veins swelled, his skin turned black, and the veins on his face looked like they might burst.

Aether saw this and swung his sword, but Bogura jumped and dodged the strike.

Despite his badly injured leg, Bogura could still move.

The drug had numbed his pain. It was a higher-tier drug.

"You bastard, don't look down on me" Bogura shouted, unleashed his fist Technique.

'Mountain king fist technique: Seventh form.'

He threw a rapid barrage of punches. His speed was so fast, it looked like hundreds of fists were coming at once.

In response, Aether used one of his strongest sword techniques.

'Noctvain sword art: 4th form'

Clang! Ssskkk! Slice!

Their swords clashed violently, creating a powerful shockwave.

The wind pressure was so strong, the branch leader was thrown backward.

"They're monsters…" he whispered, his voice shaking with fear.

He wasn't a warrior, but a scholar who used his knowledge in terrorism and kidnapping. The cult needed someone smart to lead, so they chose him.

As Aether and Bogura's clashes grew more violent, the surroundings were caught in the fight too. Cuts appeared on the branch leader's body and on the other cult members nearby.

The arena turned into hell itself. The remaining cultists ran in all directions, trying to escape the chaos.

"Aaa"

"Hkkk"

"Aggghh"

But most of them were caught up and cut down in the fierce clashes.

As their battle neared its peak, both Aether and Bogura stepped back a few steps. They were preparing for one final, all-out strike.

Because both had pushed their bodies to the limit, if the fight dragged on any longer, their conditions would only get worse.

Just as they took their stances....

Suddenly

Slice! Boom!

The ceiling above was sliced apart by a single, powerful slash, revealing the sky.

Both Aether and Bogura froze, eyes wide in shock.

"Who could it be... to use such a powerful sword strike?"

They were deep inside an underground base hidden under a mountain. But the top of the mountain had been sliced off by the powerful attack.

The entire mountain shook violently. And then...

Boom!

A second explosion followed, this time from powerful magic.

The mountain's upper half, Separated by the sword strike, was blasted into the sky. Debris rained down as light poured into the once-dark underground chamber.

The sword strike was powerful enough to split the mountain's peak from its base. The warrior behind it must be a swordsman from the Unrestrained Realm.

Aether's thoughts raced. This was only a branch of the cultists. Their main branch had warriors as strong as the Empire's best. If one of their leaders showed up, things would be seriously bad.

Thud...Thud...swoosh.

Hundreds of warriors in black robes, swords in hand, and mages completely surrounded Aether and Bogura.

Bogura was sweating, while Aether's eyes widened in disbelief.

He recognized the robes and the Imugi dragon symbol on their chests.

They are from the Noctvain Household.

Then one man stepped, Aether recognised him instantly.

"Sorry for being late, young lord."

It was the left guardian of the Patriarch.

Ser Caldus Ryn.

The ancestor of the Left Guardian's family, Ryn, was once saved by the founding patriarch of the Noctvain family. From that day, he swore loyalty to the founding patriarch.

After Ryn passed away, his descendants continued to serve the Noctvain family.

For 1,200 years, the Ryn bloodline had served the head of the family and earned respect in the household.

"Left Guardian? How are you here?" Aether asked, confused.

In his past life, he had been tortured for thirty days before anyone came. But this time, it had only been twenty days.

They had arrived Ten days earlier than before.

"Lady Cierra went to the Elf Kingdom for help. With their support, we were able to track your mana and find this place." The Left Guardian replied calmly.

"...Ah."

In his past life, his fiancée had also gone to the Elf Kingdom to seek help. They had tried to trace his mana...but it had been sealed, making it hard to find him.

After using many resources, they were finally able to save him around the 30th day.

But now, Aether had gained the ability to resist Mana Suppression.

His mana had become visible Ten days earlier. And because of that, they found him faster compare to his past life.

"Mages, heal Young Master Aether. And Warriors, clean up the rest," the Left Guardian, Caldus, ordered his subordinate.

At his command, the warriors moved without hesitation, cutting down the remaining cultists with brutal force.

"You… Who are you people?" Bogura asked cautiously, his voice shaking.

"It seems you don't know who you've kidnapped," Caldus said, slowly drawing his treasured sword from its sheath.

"…"

Bogura fell silent. They truly hadn't known Aether's identity before the kidnapping.

"He is Aether Von Noctvain...the Young Master of the Noctvain family, and its rightful successor."

As the words hit him, Bogura dropped to his knees, trembling.

'Noctvain family'

In this vast Empire, seven great families stood just beneath the Emperor himself. Even the Emperor treated them with respect.

And among those seven, the Noctvain family was known to be the most ruthless of all.

Some say they are the very incarnation of evil itself.

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To be continued...