Now walking down the marble hallway, the man casually strolled like he was on a sightseeing tour, his eyes scanning from wall to wall where podiums lined the sides like a museum display.
On each stood some kind of rare or fancy item, golden vases, gemstone carvings, ancient masks and without hesitation, "Don't mind if I do."
Meanwhile, screams and scurrying footsteps could be heard as the man witnessed a dozen or so individuals dressed like Juniper scurrying away.
Or maybe there were more. He'd lost track due to laziness, casually yelling after them and watching their speed quicken upon noticing he was right behind them.
He instead chose to focus on grabbing whatever caught his eye, stuffing it under his arm or into the makeshift satchel he'd tied from curtains.
He'd already finished all the food and snacks he'd grabbed, and now his arms were loaded with shiny valuables he'd swiped after he had filled his sack.
Jewels, gold-plated trinkets, and a silver goblet he casually used to finish off the last sip of wine.
He walked barefoot down the long hallway, whistling softly to himself, occasionally pausing to glance at paintings or weird statues as if he were judging the place like some snobby critic.
A hallway drenched in gold and red, drapes flowing from the high windows, polished floor reflecting his uneven steps.
He was mumbling to himself the whole time. "Should've taken more of those strawberry things...or maybe that fish platter...eh, too late now."
"Stop." A loud yell made him stop in his tracks.
He looked up to see a woman approaching, clad in the same silver armour as the guards from earlier, though her helmet was off, revealing a stern face, sharp eyes and long flowing hair of multiple colours, primarily purple.
She walked with purpose, one hand resting on the hilt of her sword.
"I am Sirena," she said clearly, "Personal knight and sworn guard to Lord Harloss. Who are you and what happened to my men?"
The man tilted his head, squinting like he was trying to remember something. "Who am I? Really? I guess I don't have my iconic attire. As for your men? They're a little...dead."
Her eyes narrowed as she assessed him.
Despite his aloof demeanour and the fact that he was casually looting like a common thief, something felt off.
If what he said was true, and he had taken down all her men, then he wasn't just some idiot with sticky fingers.
He was dangerous.
Her soldiers weren't weak, and taking them all out wasn't something just anyone could do.
Still, questions could wait.
She drew her sword in one smooth motion, her voice firm and clear.
"You assaulted Celestial Dragon Saint Harloss. For that alone, I will do everything in my power to cut you down here."
A pause erupted as the man suddenly grinned, setting all the valuables he'd been carrying gently off to the side.
He took a deep breath, cracking his neck, his stance shifting slightly.
Sirena's grip tightened on her sword as she prepared for an attack, only for him to throw his arms out wide like a performer on stage, shouting with theatrical flair as if addressing a roaring crowd.
"I am Dante Bond!" He paused, eyes focusing on the female's expression as if he were expecting something.
However, she continued to stare in the same unamused manner.
His theatrical flair began to deflate as he looked at her with a questionable gaze.
'If she doesn't know my real name, would she know my other one?'
"Do you live in the belly of a sea monster or something..."
"Enough of this!"
In the next second, Sirena's back arched forward, her muscles tensing as Dante caught sight of an open gap in her armour, an intentional design, perhaps.
Before he could fully process it, long, sharp feathers exploded outward from her back, beautiful and iridescent, curling upward like the fan of a peacock.
Even her eyes had shifted, becoming darker, elongated, almost alien.
"Die," she hissed, and the feathers detached, whipping toward him with deadly speed.
Like a barrage of throwing knives, they filled the hallway, slicing through the air.
There was no place to hide, no turns to take, just open space.
For any ordinary person, it would've been the end.
Dante exhaled, then blinked. With him, his surroundings, no, the world seemed to follow his calm and still demeanour.
The colour drained from the world, replaced with a dull grey.
The noise dulled like he was underwater.
With the feathered blades locked in the air, frozen mid-attack.
Everything had just...stopped.
He casually stepped forward, weaving through the suspended knives as best he could with his stiff body until he stood before her.
As he blinked again, time resumed, colour returning in a rush.
"My body's still frozen half-solid from the ice cube they kept me in...so if I pull a hamstring trying to dodge, that's on you, alright?"
Sirena's eyes widened, a mix of shock and disbelief filling her face as she realised the man had crossed the hall and appeared right in front of her without a sound, in the blink of an eye.
However, she quickly regained her composure upon realising she was still in the midst of battle, raising her sword and swinging.
However, the same thing happened.
In the blink of an eye, Dante appeared a foot back, just barely enough to have the sword pass him.
'How is he...no, more importantly, this is my chance.'
She thought, noting she was currently wide open, having over swung her sword.
But she still had her feathers as she used the momentum of the swing to spin around, a few feathers fluttering into action, stiffening as they turned to face Dante.
As for the man.
With half-open eyes as a deadpan expression, his eyes lazily followed along the feathers.
Not just the feathers.
The leg she planned to kick with if he were to dodge the first attack.
And the grip she tightened around her sword just in case he were to do anything slick and unexpected.
'What will he do? I'm ready for his attack. Or will he retreat...'
BANG!
Sirena's eyes widened as she froze upon the ear-piercing bang ringing out.
And in the next second, she dropped to her knees, then onto her stomach.
Countless thoughts and questions ran through her mind as her heart began to race upon the sensation getting to her.
And as if to mock her, Dante kneeled before her, gun in hand and a child-like grin on his face.
"I bet you've never gotten a backshot that crazy, huh? I saw your weak knees. Look at you, you can't even move."
'My spine...he shot my spine. That's...Saint Harloss' gun.'
She realised as she could feel all the feeling in her legs fleeting away, a pool of blood accumulating beneath her.
"I'm considered the most knowledgeable when it comes to the human anatomy. I mean, bet you didn't know the human spine is responsible for most of the movements you take for granted, huh." Dante chuckled.
"Y-You...Do you have any idea what you've just done?"
She let out a struggled hiss, watching Dante leave her line of sight as he went to collect his treasure.
"Yeah. I took away your ability to walk." He responded, only to witness a few strained chuckles escape her lips.
"Please...compared to what you've done...my ability to walk is just a minor price...you've doomed us all..."
Dante rose to his feet, all his treasure in the sack in the sack on his back as he stared at her.
He then took a step forward, soon kneeling before her as he scrutinised her expression.
"You really don't know who I am, huh? No matter. You will soon."
He grabbed her by the nape of her armour as he stared straight at the wall to the side, then...
CRASH!
From the outside, all one could see was a female in armour crash through a solid wall, before a half-naked man waving a golden pistol followed, a sack of goods around his neck and resting on his back.
Upon opening his eyes mid-air, Dante was greeted by a sprawling flatland that stretched beyond sight.
Scattered across the expanse were smaller castle-like structures, each ornate and distinct, but none matched the colossal castle standing directly in front of him in the middle of it all, its grand architecture dwarfing everything else around.
The scene before him looked almost serene: the ground was a blanket of soft grass, speckled with vibrant flowers, manicured bushes, and elegant paths.
Gold-trimmed fountains sparkled under the sunlight, flanked by marble statues that lined the gardens like silent sentinels.
Yet the view beyond the flatland was obscured by a dense mist, a shroud that kept the rest of the world at bay.
Dante blinked, puzzled.
A land this lavish and royal should've been known to him, yet it sparked no recognition.
He muttered under his breath, "Where the hell even am I?"
A moment later, his feet touched the ground, only for his knees to buckle, his body still sluggish from the ice. With a grunt, he faceplanted into the grass.
"Damn it…" he grumbled, pushing himself up just enough to see a duo approaching.
Two imposing figures, larger than most humans, with long white coats draped over their shoulders like cloaks.
One wore a sharp black and yellow suit, the other a simple cap paired with a red floral shirt.
Dante wiped the dirt from his face, eyes narrowing as he clicked his tongue.
"Looks like the welcoming committee just showed up."