Chapter 62 - A Flashback From Long Ago 1/2

The group lead by Luken, who was not yet the Commander back then, had fifteen total members.

Many of them were in Faust's rookie class.

Luken took charge and lead them to an open deserted town in the Outer Gates.

"Right, we were briefed that there would be two Angels patrolling here, our mission is to exterminate them and report back to the Commander, The Basilisk Slayer."

Luken said.

"Sir!"

They all saluted as a nod to what he said and continued on with their journey.

Time seemed to stop as they set their gazes on the ruined town.

Ruins from another time, from humanity's past defeats, never to have been conquered again.

But Luken had something to prove, he wanted to show that mankind still has the strength to fight back against these winged harbingers.

He did not want to disgrace his family's name.

The rookies in the team were very confident that they will accomplish this with little to no casualties, after all, they had the up an coming A Rank, soon to be S Rank Slayer, Luken Regalia on their side, right?

Faust felt something was wrong.

His instincts were always top notch and reliable.

He kept telling his team that they should be much more careful strolling around here.

Luken felt it as well.

The A Rank prodigy signaled them all to halt.

He motioned his fingers towards his lips, this had prompted them to be quiet.

Luken knelt and touched the ground.

"Something is wrong…"

Before he could warn his team and give instructions to disperse and stay off the ground, it was far too late.

The ground below them rumbled, only Luken and Faust could sense the faint vibrations which was caused by something slowly moving upwards, thus amplifying the rumbling.

"Everyone! Stay away from the ground! Jump up to the buildings and regroup-"

Luken's instruction was cut short.

Faust had barely pulled two members with his hands and escorted them to safety up on the ruins of what used to be a brick house.

The others, they were not so lucky.

They were annihilated by the Angel's blast.

It had come from below.

Luken was starting to shake.

"From underground?! H-How?!"

He thought to himself.

His frustrations and questions in fact had merit.

There were no documented cases of Angels using advanced fighting tactics such as taking advantage of the terrain and making use of the land to their favor in combat, this was different.

After the rubble and destruction caused by a single Angel, all that was left of Luken's team were Faust and two other rookies scared to their deaths.

Amidst the smoke and chaos, there it was.

The Angel responsible for decimating more than half of Luken's assigned team.

Its wings spread out across the sky.

"W-What is that?!"

Faust pointed out.

This Angel was different.

Unlike the other Angels that the Slayers have encountered, this Angel had no hair on top of its head.

Instead of the usual luminescent and elegant hair, it had a halo on top of it.

One stare was all it took to instill a bit more fear into the remaining survivors.

The deadpan glowing eyes was a sight they will remember for quite some time, that is, if they survive.

"S-Sir Luken, why does it look different than other Angels? Its bloodlust is also emanating much stronger than the other Angels that we have faced so far, what is that thing?!"

Faust asked.

His hands were shaking so much so that he could not wield his knives that well.

His teammates were in a state of shock, blankly staring at the creature and looking down on the bloodied bodies of what remained from their teammates.

Limbs were pulled away from the body.

Some of them were now headless.

Another one was burnt beyond recognition.

There was another desperately clinging to life, breathing in and out, despite having the entirety of his lower body cut in half, every single one of them knew that he was not going to make it.

"I will protect the three of you. Do not engage in combat, no matter what happens. You got that?"

Luken ordered the surviving Slayers who were still petrified.

Faust could not help but fix his eyes on his teammates.

The woman who was comforting him earlier, was now laying on the ground, lifeless and decapitated.

Just five or so minutes ago, they were just marching down and surveying the area.

Now, most of them were on the floor, dead.

The misty atmosphere was colored red with the sanguine and metallic smell of blood.

Luken looked at the two individuals that Faust saved, they were far too gone.

They could barely even stand up from the looks of it. Children, they were only children.

He had no choice.

"Faust! I am putting you in charge of the team as of now. Make sure you protect these two with your life, you got that?!"

Luken exclaimed.

Faust was still silent.

Until the silence he evoked was broken by himself.

"I-If only I sensed it much earlier, I could have saved everyone, right, sir?"

Tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Listen to me! This is no time to show weakness, let us leave it all here on the battlefield. Mourn your weakness later, for now, these two children need you, understood? Take them somewhere safe while I distract this monster. Quick! It is getting ready to launch an attack! Can I trust you with this task, Faust?"

As if he was rejuvenated, Faust was now as limber as ever.

"Yes, sir!"

Tears still continued rolling down his face, but he was moving.

"Good. This will be over in no time."

Luken smirked.

The then A Rank Water Slayer enchanted his sword and drew it out from his sheathe situated in his waist with no delay.

Faust Keisuke knew that fear was completely normal. To be frightened by an event such as this is completely normal, he knew that. 

But something clicked inside him after Luken's words.

"Mourn my weakness later. For now, I have got to focus on the mission!"

He carried the two Slayer children on both his shoulders.

Shockwaves and impacts of the battle behind him were starting to get stronger and stronger.

Luken went blow for blow against this absolutely overpowering humanoid.

If this were a normal Angel, Luken knew that he would have made quick work out of it in no time.

But no, this was not a normal Angel.

It was dodging his attacks with clear intention and use of thoughts and patterns.

This one was learning.

Luken suddenly felt something intruding his thoughts.

This voice was absolutely eerie and unnerving. As if all the animals on the planet morphed their voice into one single cohesive speech.

"I am Sarathiel. One of the Twelve Seraphims."

Luken was confused.

"How are you communicating with me telepathically?!" 

He responded.

"We are not the same as our lesser brothers and sisters. We are much more. Seraphims have ascended."

The Angel, now revealing itself to be a 'Seraphim' as it called himself, said.

"I honestly do not care what type of Angel you are, I am going to exterminate you till nothing is left, nonetheless."

Luken smirked.

"Tell me, human. Have you seen him? The carrier of the System. Have you seen Thanatos? We have searched far and wide, unearthing this wretched planet, yet we still have not found him. Perhaps your kind has found him?"

Sarathiel's unnerving voice asked.

Luken dismissed the Seraphim's words.

"I do not know, and I do not care as well. Die."

His predatory blue eyes locked on to the Seraphim.

"Waterfall Slash!"

Luken lifted his sword upwards and swung it down.

The Seraphim nearly dodged it, but it underestimated humans far too much, this had cost it dearly.

Luken's sword slashed the Seraphim's shoulders, cutting it deeply.

It wailed and cried loudly.

Faust Keisuke turned around, but his eyes could not see anything.

All he saw were blue and white silhouettes moving far too quickly for his eyes to even follow.

"If I were to go back and help Luken, I would only be placing me and these two in danger. Also, I doubt he would be able to move that freely if he had to worry about me. Tch. I am sorry, sir Luken."

He shook his head.

"No! I do not need these thoughts right now, regrets come later, what I need now is to fulfill the mission given to me!"

He carried the children far away, somewhere wherein he was still able to see the battle, well, barely, at least.

Luken and the Seraphim went toe to toe against each other. 

The Seraphim was now bloodied and bruised.

Luken did not go through the battle without his fair share of injuries as well.

His ribs were cracked and his left leg was broken.

During a few seconds of panting and hyperventilating, Sarathiel the Seraphim whispered into Luken's mind again, telepathically.

"You are worthy. You are the strongest human I have ever faced in my years of existence. What is your name?"

It asked.

"Luken, Luken Regalia. A Rank Water Slayer.. It is not like it would make a difference whether I tell you my name or not, anyway, I am still going to strike you down where you stand."