[Wrath Level: 45%]
[System Suggestion: Excessive Force unnecessary for D-Rank targets. Applying 0.01% Output.]
The first circle of Goblins reached him.
They leaped, their jagged daggers aimed at his eyes, his throat, his heart while Rio simply spun in a slow, casual circle.
The sheer wind pressure from his rotation, multiplied by the [Sovereign's Heart], turned into a personalized vacuum formed by Rio at that spot.
He didn't need the Goblins to touch him first or get too close before he could sucked them into the circular vacuum.
He watched as their bodies disintegrated into a green mist that sprayed outward like a fire sprinkler.
The Orc leader reached him next, swinging its massive black iron axe towards Rio.
Rio raised one hand and caught the blade between two fingers.
The sound of the impact was a deafening as it shattered the remaining glass in the park's streetlamps.
Then the next second, the Orc's arms shattered instantly from the recoil.
Rio then flicked the axe blade as a way of retaliating towards him.
[Action: Energy Return.]
The black iron axe reversed direction with 1,000x the force it was swung with.
It tore through the Orc leader, through the five Orcs behind it, and continued for another fifty yards, leveling a row of oak trees before finally vanishing.
Within sixty seconds, the massacre of the Gate's vanguard was over.
Rio stood in the middle, surrounded by the remains of a hundred monsters.
That was when the soundof the news helicopter finally broke the silence.
The spotlight swerved, blindingly bright, catching Rio in its center.
From the park entrance, Rio heard the sound of polished boots rushing towards him.
"Hold it right there, civilian!"
Rio turned his head slowly and saw a group of five hunters in pristine, expensive tactical gear.
A young man with golden hair and a smile that had been practiced for the camera led them.
It was Marcus.
In this timeline, he was just a C-Rank "Prodigy," a golden boy who hadn't yet become the traitorous S-Rank Saint who would one day kill Rio's sister.
He looked at the mess around him, then at Rio's worn-out hoodie, and his face twisted with a mix of jealousy and confusion.
"State your name and rank!" Marcus commanded, raising a glowing silver sword.
"Actually, don't bother. You're clearly a looter. Did you find some experimental military tech? Or did you just come across these monsters after they killed each other?"
Marcus stepped closer, his eyes flicking to the glowing Mana Cores scattered everywhere.
"This is a government-sanctioned operation. Any loot you've 'harvested' belongs to the Hero Association. Hand them over and leave the professional work to the real heroes."
Rio looked at Marcus. The man who would eventually murder Ellie was standing ten feet away, calling himself a "hero."
[Warning: Target 'Marcus' possesses 200 Luck.]
[Would you like to apply the 1,000x Return to his Ego?]
Rio's lips pulled back into a smile that didn't reach his glowing, crimson eyes.
It was a terrifying expression that made the Marcus take an involuntary step back.
"Real heroes?" Rio whispered. "I've been waiting a long time to show you what a real hero looks like, Marcus."
"What?! What did you just say to me!" Marcus flared, as if he just regained his composure after Rio's degrading statement.
Before Rio could open his mouth to reply, the sky tore wider than before. A loud scream was heard from the rift.
They all lifted their gaze to find three massive figures fell from the void and hitting the grass with a loud thud.
They were Elite Orc-Berserkers. They were about ten feet tall, all covered in jagged black iron armor, their skin was the color of dried blood.
They didn't look like the small killers from before, they looked like real destructors.
The "Hero Team" went pale. Marcus's arrogance disappeared immediately.
He swung his expensive sword at the nearest Orc's leg, but the blade just bounced off the armor with a pathetic ting. It didn't cut through.
Marcus's jaw dropped in shock.
The Orc backhanded him, and Marcus flew twenty feet, sliding through the dirt.
"Retreat!" Marcus yelled, scrambling to his feet. His polished armor was covered in mud. "It's a mutation! We can't handle this! Everyone, fall back now!"
In the future, Marcus was famous for this. He would save himself and leave everyone else to die, calling it a tactical move.
He and his team turned to run, but they suddenly stopped as Rio stood in their way.
His gaze was cold without moving an inch.
"Move, you moron!" Marcus screamed, his voice cackled with fear.
"We have to go! If you stay, you're dead meat!"
Rio shifted his gaze to the three monsters charging toward them.
The ground vibrated due to their heavy boots. He felt the [Sovereign's Heart] in his chest pulse, eager to vent his wrath on these monsters.
"You're not a hero, Marcus," Rio said quietly. "You're just a coward in a shiny suit."
"Out of my way!" Marcus tried to shove Rio aside, but it was like trying to push a skyscraper.
Rio raised his right foot and with a huge force, he hit the ground.
[Action: Basic Foot Stomp.]
[Force Detected: 10kg.]
[Multiplier Applied: 1,000x.]
[Total Output: 10,000kg Energy Impact.]
BOOM!
The sound was like a bomb going off. The ground beneath Rio's boot rippled like water in a pond.
A massive shockwave shot forward, tearing through the dirt and stone.
The humans, Marcus and his team, felt a blast of wind that nearly knocked them over, but they weren't hurt.
The monsters, however, were completely wiped off.
When the shockwave hit the Elite Orcs, their heavy iron armor shattered into tiny pieces.
The force traveled through the ground and up into their legs, snapping the thick bones like dry toothpicks.
All three Berserkers crashed into the dirt at the same time, their legs completely twisted.
They didn't even have time to roar before they were pinned to the earth by the incredible weight of the impact.
The park was silent again.
The news helicopter circled above, the camera had caught everything that happened.
Marcus sat in the mud, staring at the defeated giants.
He looked at Rio, his eyes wide and shaking. This wasn't "military tech." It was the kind of power that shouldn't exist. More like a god tier level magic!
"Who... what Rank are you?" Marcus whispered. "Are you an S-Rank?"
Rio didn't answer, instead he began to walk towards the gate which was now glowing with a dark, angry light.
And a realization dawned on him, the real boss was about to step out.