"Excuse me," a mocking voice sneered. "I'll take this tea."
Reika froze, her hand hovering over the jade box. She turned slowly, her expression as cold as the northern winds.
Standing before her was Kuroto (Black Earth), a young man shrouded in black mist. He wore the uniform of a retainer, but his eyes held the arrogance of a master. He was a prodigy of the Black Cloud Clan, a vassal family of the Ryuzaki Clan, and the right-hand man of Ryuzaki Raijin.
"You must be deaf," Reika said, her voice dripping with ice. "I bought this for the Divine Son. Put it down."
"The Divine Son?" Kuroto laughed, a sound like scraping metal. "Don't use that title to scare me. My master, Lord Raijin, is the Sequence Five. He needs this tea to wash his feet. If Ryuzaki Haruto wants it back, he can come beg for it."
The shopkeeper trembled behind the counter. A conflict between two Ryuzaki factions? This was a disaster waiting to happen.
Reika's eyes narrowed. She was not just a maid; she was a genius of the Ryuzaki Clan in her own right.
"You are courting death," she whispered.
WHOOSH.
Reika moved. Her fingers formed a seal, and a sharp wind blade slashed toward Kuroto's hand.
"Hmph!" Kuroto sneered. His body suddenly dissolved into black smoke. The wind blade passed harmlessly through the mist, striking the wall behind him.
[Mist Form]. The racial talent of the Black Cloud Clan.
Kuroto rematerialized behind Reika, a dagger appearing in his hand. "Too slow, little maid!"
CLANG!
A sword blocked the dagger.
Sparks flew. A powerful shockwave blasted Kuroto backward, forcing him to skid across the floor.
Standing in front of Reika was a young man with a sword on his back. His aura was sharp, indomitable.
Ryuzaki Kenji (Sequence 10).
"Kenji-sama!" Reika exclaimed.
"Who gave you the audacity to touch the Divine Son's people?" Kenji glared at Kuroto. "Was it Raijin?"
Kuroto's face paled. He could handle a maid, but Sequence 10 was out of his league.
"Sequence 10..." Kuroto spat, regaining his composure. "You are a Sequence, yet you act like Haruto's dog. Where is your pride?"
"Loyalty to the strong is not shame," Kenji said coldly. "Apologize, or I will cut off your hand."
Kuroto grit his teeth. He was cornered.
But then...
RUMBLE.
The sky above the market darkened. Blue lightning crackled in the clouds, turning the sunny afternoon into a thunderstorm.
A voice, booming like thunder, echoed from above.
"Ryuzaki Kenji. You have truly fallen."
CRACK-BOOM!
A bolt of lightning struck the street, shattering the pavement. From the dust and ozone, a figure emerged.
He wore silver battle armor that sparked with electricity. His hair stood on end, glowing with static. His eyes were like pools of liquid lightning.
Ryuzaki Raijin. Sequence Five.
"Lord Raijin!" Kuroto knelt immediately, a smug grin returning to his face.
The crowd in the market gasped and retreated.
"It's the Thunder Tyrant!" "Sequence Five versus Sequence Ten? Is the Ryuzaki Clan starting a civil war?"
Raijin ignored the crowd. He looked at Kenji with utter disdain.
"You disgrace the title of Sequence," Raijin growled. "A true dragon does not bow to a child. If you are so eager to be a servant, perhaps you should hand over your Sequence token to someone worthy."
"Raijin," Kenji tightened his grip on his sword. "You are going too far. Reika is just buying tea."
"And she insulted my follower," Raijin said dismissively. "That is an insult to me."
"Kneel."
Raijin raised his hand.
[Thunder Tribulation Battle Body]!
This was a physique ranked in the top 300. It allowed the user to channel the power of Heavenly Tribulation.
ZRRRT!
A massive palm of lightning materialized in the air, crashing down toward Kenji and Reika.
"Defend!" Kenji shouted.
He unleashed the [Undying Sword Body], creating a barrier of sword qi. Reika also channeled her Mana, creating a wind shield.
BOOM!
The lightning palm smashed into their defenses.
The difference in power was clear. Raijin was older, more experienced, and possessed a stronger physique than Kenji.
"Guh!" Kenji grunted, his knees buckling. He was forced back ten steps, his sword trembling.
But Reika fared worse. She was not a combat specialist.
CRACK.
Her wind shield shattered. The shockwave hit her chest.
"Ah!"
Reika flew backward, crashing into a stall of spirit fruits. She coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood onto her pristine uniform. Her face was pale, her internal organs rattled.
"Reika!" Kenji shouted, his eyes burning with rage.
Raijin lowered his hand, the lightning dissipating. He looked at the scene with boredom.
"Weak," Raijin scoffed.
He turned his gaze to Reika, who was struggling to stand up.
"Consider this a message," Raijin said coldly. "Tell Ryuzaki Haruto to keep a low profile in the Secret Realm. The Sequence rank is not determined by birth, but by strength. If he gets in my way... I won't hold back next time."
"Let's go, Kuroto."
Raijin turned and walked away, the crowd parting for him in fear. Kuroto grabbed the jade box of tea, smirked at Reika, and followed his master.
"Wait," Reika whispered.
She stood up, wiping blood from her lip. Her eyes were burning with a terrifying light.
"Give. It. Back."
Kuroto paused, laughing. "Or what? Look at you, you can barely stand."
Suddenly, a shadow fell over the market.
It wasn't a cloud. It wasn't lightning.
It was a Pressure.
A pressure so heavy, so ancient, and so terrifying that gravity seemed to double. The teacups on the shelves shattered. The spirit beasts in the cages whimpered and played dead.
A voice, calm and indifferent, echoed from the direction of the Sky Palace.
"Raijin. Did I give you permission to leave?"