Chapter 378 - The Fiery-Haired Man

"Is that…?" Iris began to say, staying tucked near one of the indented spaces where a door sat. 

"That's Macheo, no doubt about it," Ren smiled, "there's no mistaking that attitude!" 

It was hard to see past the hulking, bald man covered in scars and a fur-lined set of leather armor, but his eyes met with the much shorter in comparison young man behind the bulky bandit; golden-locks and crimson eyes that were filled with exhausted contempt for the man who was nothing more than trash in front of him. 

"You two were taking forever to come down, so I came up to check. Looks like trouble always finds a way to you, huh, Ren?" Macheo asked with his hands in his pockets. 

But he came from over there...did he get lost?! Stop trying to look cool! Ren thought. 

Holding a wry smile, he nodded, "You can say that again." 

"Well, let's get to it then. Aiko will chew my ear out if I let my food get cold," Macheo spoke calmly. 

Finding his balance again, the large, scarred man in front of Macheo finally turned to face the Lucrauvian loyal with saliva coating the edges of his lips from the sheer anger he snarled with. 

"You're dead, brat! I'm going to enjoy snapping your little arms...arm," the bald-headed man corrected himself. 

"Don't worry, I don't even need one arm to handle the likes of you," Macheo smiled. 

Thanks, Macheo, because of you...I don't need to resort to actions I'd rather not commit to, Ren thought. 

With the number of enemies halved, Ren found the necessity to draw his lethally sharp blade gone, instead facing the crimson-haired bandit with his two fists unsheathed. 

"Let's get this over with," he said. 

"It'll be my pleasure, boy," the bandit replied. 

--But once more, the prospect of a fight was interrupted, but this time it was the crimson-haired bandit that was on the receiving end of an unseen force. 

"Gah! What the!" The bandit gasped. 

Holding the back of his head, the crimson-haired man winced as he turned around--immediately falling silent as he faced a figure that loomed over him completely. 

Who the hell is that? Talk about tall, Ren thought. 

"...B-boss Rengoku…!" The red-haired man stammered out. 

"Boss?!"

"Rengoku"? Ren thought, a name like that...in Purgatory? What're the chances? He must be Japanese--or, well, Akiteinien. 

Hearing the title, the bald-headed man completely halted, swiftly turning around to abandon his fight without hesitance. 

Coming into light, the figure was revealed as he stepped forward, forcing the crimson-headed bandit to stumble backward, falling onto his rear as he looked like nothing more than a frightened child now. 

Even in comparison to the bald giant, the so-called boss held a presence on an entirely different level of imposing. 

Like the proud mane of a lion, the man possessed bright, fiery, red-orange locks that complimented his physique that could only be described as a divine temple; perfectly carved with muscles honed to human perfection. 

Unlike the grungy-looking bandits, his attire spoke of high-status, wearing a pristine, white uniform that was outlined with black. An orange cloak hung from his shoulders, holding accents that resembled flames as studded, leather armor could be seen just beneath his mantle. 

A look of impunity sat in his crimson eyes that bore a special, golden outline around his irises. 

"Richard," he spoke with a deep, commanding voice, "Pierre." 

The crimson-haired man trembled at the first name, while the bald giant shook with the second; a small detail Ren picked up on. 

Without hesitation, the two bandits placed themselves in front of the man named Rengoku, prostrating before him as the others could only watch. 

Must be their names. Just who is this guy though? He thought. 

Two, sheathed swords sat at each of the man's hips, while two more swords were crossed behind his back. 

Sucking in a breath through his mighty lungs, Rengoku shouted, "You fools!" 

It was enough to make the three that were uninvolved to cover their ears as the corridor itself shook from Rengoku's commanding shout. 

...Huh? The ground is vibrating--just from his voice? He thought. 

"You leave my sight for a few minutes and I find you both regressing back to such barbaric ways! I placed you both under my wing, only under the condition you'd better your ways!" Rengoku's words continued to shake not only the walls, but the two bandits. 

"--I'm sorry, Boss! Please! I-I-I...my judgment was clouded! I swear--it'll never happen again!" Richard pleaded as tears streamed down his cheeks. 

There was genuine fear embedded in his wide eyes as he looked up at the towering, imposing man. 

"It was a mistake! A mistake, Boss!" Pierre begged with his hands held together in a prayer. 

Rengoku remained unmoving to their words, stomping his spotless, snow-white boot down as the shock wave that resounded silenced the bandits. 

It could be felt in the air like a sudden, expanding heat; the indifferent bloodlust of the stoic-faced man. Ren recognized the intent behind it, stepping forward for the first time after being caught in a silent trance in the face of the man's imposing aura. 

"Don't kill them…!" He yelled. 

His judgment was proven correct as he watched as the man with bountiful, orange locks ignored his words, reaching both of his hands to the sheathed blades at his hips. 

Unable to watch, Iris shielded her eyes while Macheo didn't much care to step in--but more so found himself frightened by Rengoku's aura. 

This guy is something else, Macheo thought, an aura like that...I've only felt it from a few of the Heavenly Kings back in Lucrauv. 

It was untraceable, none of them could see it; in a flash, Rengoku drew both blades and returned them to their proper scabbards before the wind could crack, returning to his prior stance before the visceral slashes left their mark upon both of the prostrated bandits' backs. 

A slash?...I couldn't see it at all. Magic is forbidden, right? Am I seriously supposed to believe he did that without magic…? There's just no way. His speed is on a completely separate level. I doubted it for the other two, but this guy...I can't see Arthur even standing a chance against him, Ren thought. 

"...It is only because of the benevolence of one you sought to harm that I've spared my blades from tasting your necks. Remember that, and never cross my sight again, scoundrels," Rengoku commanded the two. 

Even with such brutal lacerations across their now bloodied backs, Richard and Pierre heeded the words well--getting up and bolting in the opposite direction from their former boss. 

It was a bewildering sight; almost surreal, but it all felt real once Ren found himself now on the other end of the mighty man's gaze. 

"You three," Rengoku spoke. 

"Yes…?" He replied, unsure of the man's intent. 

As Rengoku walked forward with each of his steps feeling as if a mountain was approaching, Ren gulped down, looking up at the colossal man, who stopped right in front of him. 

"I apologize greatly for those fools' unnoble ways," Rengoku spoke humbly. 

It was perplexing, yet immensely relieving for him to realize the man wasn't intending on cutting him down with the same impunity as the bandits. 

"...You're their boss, right?" 

"That's what they called me, but I was more like their guardian. I mistakenly chose to take pity on those weaklings. I knew they would've found an ill fate on the second floor had I not aided them, but it seems some aren't prone to change," Rengoku answered. 

There was no change in his bright eyes no matter what he said; it was unnerving to be on the receiving end of his blazing gaze.

"I see…" He replied.

After a moment, a smile perched across Rengoku's face as he folded his arms across his gallant chest, "I must say though, it's quite a rare sight to see a couple in Purgatory!"

He laughed with such volume that the floor vibrated subtly. 

Of course, his words brought a deep, scarlet blush to fill Iris' cheeks while Ren somewhat suffered the same fate, but he didn't shy away, placing his boots down firmly.

"Yeah, that's right, we are a couple!" He proclaimed.

Macheo's expression dropped to shock for a moment before a smirk replaced it, walking over behind the white-haired man before slapping him on the back. 

"It's about time! I thought you were never going to man up," Macheo teased, "I placed my bet that you two would finally get together on the third floor. Close enough."

Wait, the group was putting bets on this?! He thought. 

An embarrassed hue of pink found his cheeks at the realization of how obvious his crush was this entire time. 

Still, the golden-haired prince lightly tapped his chest with his palm, whispering to him, "Looks like we've both got something to fight for now, right? How did two guys like us get so lucky in a hellhole like this?" 

"You've got a point there," he smiled. 

He looked back at Iris with the same smile, who was still blushing intensely—though a tiny smile found her lips as their eyes met. 

Turning his gaze back up, Rengoku was still staring at him as if judging his entire being. 

"A fine group of challengers; I can see why you've managed to make it this far," Rengoku complimented. 

Accepting the kind words, he nodded, but looked up at the imposing man, gulping before finally asking what they all wanted to ask, "Urr, Rengoku…?"

"Now hold on," Rengoku interrupted him. 

Being so promptly stopped by the monumental man, a chill swiftly ran down his back--even with his impression of the man being one of fairness. 

"Yes…?" He gulped. 

Rengoku stared down at him with his massive arms folded across his chest, still holding that grandiose aura that thickened the air with his sense of undeniable greatness. 

"I don't know any of your names!" Rengoku proclaimed. 

"Ah…?" He hung his mouth. 

It was such a bold, striking proclamation as if the man endured great shame for not knowing such pivotal information. 

Squeezing his right fist as the leather of his orange glove seemed to squeal from such tight strength, tears streamed from Rengoku's hardly-blinking eyes, "I am ashamed! I did not think to ask any sooner…! My heart aches with such injustice! I have shamed myself dearly!" 

Is he crying?! Ren thought. 

While Iris was mostly left agasp still, Macheo held a slight space between his lips, crinkling his eyebrows as if disgusted at the scene that suddenly became flooded with the tears of the still-imposing man. 

"R-really...it's alright," Ren tried to assure him. 

Though words felt feeble against the eccentricities of the colossal figure of a man. 

--Suddenly, Rengoku stomped his foot down, standing high and tall as he straightened out his expression. 

"I am Rengoku! It is a pleasure to meet you!"