Under The Veil of Night

"I admit that I’m weaker than you, Master Rudy, but I’m sure that I’m stronger than him."

Megara pointed his chin towards Kevin with a confident smile. He focused himself in training for the past few years to ensure that he was stronger than Kevin. Their bout always ended with the two of them being equal. As someone with ambition and pride, he didn’t want to accept the loss easily.

Neo frowned. "You don’t have the right to challenge the Clan Head right now."

It was the rule that they were not allowed to challenge the clan head during the gathering. It was because there might be a disaster happened should they challenge him at this time. If something happened to Kevin, the one who wounded him have to bear the punishment.

Megara laughed. "Then, is it fine if I just check the prowess of those around him?"

His gaze was directed towards Mike as ruthless glint appeared. Towards this man, he would surely be able to win very easily.

"Sure," Kevin answered with ease.

Mike was stunned to hear Kevin’s answer. He stepped forward. "Please give me some pointers, Elder Megara."

"You’re too polite."

The two of them walked to the center as the elders moved back. Disputes were rather common in the clan that they didn’t bother stopping these youngsters. It was rather refreshing to see them fought with each other.

"Kevin is asking for a death wish," Master Rudy shook his head as he sat down.

The young man was rather surprised. "Why do you say that, Master?"

"Megara is far stronger than Mike."

Master Rudy has keen eyes, so he could quickly determine their prowess. At the same time, he knew that Kevin didn’t want to fight because this young man didn’t want to expose his strength. Facing those people who secretly opposed him, he needed to have a trump card and that card was his real fighting prowess.

It was not hard to deduce that these people already arrange a trap for Kevin. Should he expose his strength, and they adjusted to it, he would be doomed when they attacked.

His gaze landed on Neo. Right now, Neo was taking out two cream colored sheets. There were some words written in it, but it was unclear what that was.

"Watch carefully. There might be something interesting here."

Mike stood before Megara with cautiousness. In terms of built, he was far bigger than Megara. However, in terms of fighting prowess, he had no doubt that he was slightly weaker than Megara. He had been training himself deeply lately, but he was not that confident.

Well, why that mattered? He should just focus on the fight and enjoyed it as much as possible.

The two of them sprang forward. Loud screech of weapons collided together filled the hall. Mike was using a large blade while Megara was holding a long steel rod. The two of them clashed heavily as they traded blows.

Comparing their weapons, a steel rod has a much longer range compared with the blade. However, their strength was mostly on par. With Megara kept their distance quite far from each other, they were facing deadlock.

CLANG!

Megara blocked the blade coming from beside him. His right hand moved farther below the rod as he pulled the tip of the rod up and clashed with the blade. The force generated from his movement, caused Mike’s grip to weaken slightly. His hand was raised above, and Megara twisted the rod to attack the opening he created.

Stomp!

Mike forcefully moved back to avoid the sudden attack. The rod barely passed his stomach as he felt the pain from the slight touch.

"Do you only know how to run away?" Megara stepped forward once again.

As their attention was fully focused on the fight, one person suddenly sprang out from the crowds towards Kevin. His hand was holding a knife, directed straight to Kevin.

His movement was detected a bit too late by the others. His original position was not far from Kevin, so within seconds, he could reach the young man just fine.

"Your life is mine!"

CLANG!

Kevin was still standing calmly as another person blocked the blade. The person was not big, but the power behind the block was surely much bigger than what they saw.

"You..." the man was about to speak up when the person suddenly raised her feet. Seeing the incoming kick, he quickly moved back and readied his swords again. He had failed his mission. The element of surprise has gone, and the other experts reached his side in a swift movement.

Mike and Megara have stopped fighting. Their eyes were locked on the two figures near Kevin. One was protecting him, and the other one aimed to take his life.

"Who are you? You’re not part of the clan, right?"

Kanae didn’t answer the man in front of her. Of course, she was not part of the clan. With her servant clothes, which were the same as the man before her, it was apparent that she also sneaked into the crowds.

In truth, she didn’t wish to appear right now, but Neo was giving the signal for them to protect Kevin. The simple movement of taking out the cloth was the mark that they should move if it was necessary. She knew that Kevin could block this movement from his fighting prowess that she saw before, but she has the feeling that he didn’t want to show his ability.

She raised her sword and readied it before her. They were stunned speechless when they saw that familiar thin swords.

"Rei of Fiore Group," Master Rudy laughed. "You sure have a lot of money to call one of the legends from the street here, Kevin."

While this hidden clan head laughed, the others couldn’t do the same. They were looking towards Kanae in horror. This was Rei? That Rei whose name was famous on the street as a fighting maniac? All at once, they were paying closer attention to Kanae in fear if she decided to kill them. They wouldn’t have any chance to fight back if she wanted to eliminate them.

"Rei is really popular," Shiro commented. He was looking to their interaction from the lenses. He had to admit, many of their groups’ legends were started by Kanae alone. The others could be as well only helping figures.

"Yep, you have to work hard if you want to be as popular as her."

"No thanks. I prefer to stay in the shadow," Shiro replied.

Hearing the identity of the person before him, the man’s instinct told him to run. He had heard about their ability, but this was the first time he saw for himself how great this person was. There was no one around Kevin using the servants’ clothes other than him, so he knew, Rei is faster than him.

Before he could turn around, he felt that he saw a flash appeared before him. In the next moment, his gaze blurred, and he fell to the floor.

"What?" Mike’s eyes turned wider for this was the first time he saw Kanae fought. In less than one second, she attacked the man and retreated back to her position. If not for his own fighting prowess, he wouldn’t be able to see her movement.

But seeing was not the same as reacting to it. If that flash movement appeared before him and attacked him, he knew for sure that he would never be able to stay alive.

Mike shuddered.

What kind of monster that Neo invited to this gathering?