Chapter 1 - Attacking Soma Familia
The massive fireball, over a meter in diameter, hovered in the air, its flames flickering at the edges.
The red glow illuminated the dimming area, casting a fiery hue over the surroundings.
This was the most basic form of fire magic.
By infusing more mana, its power could be increased exponentially.
At its current level, the fireball's destructive force was comparable to that of a grenade.
Seeing Lili step aside, Mahiro flicked his hand, and the fireball shot forward like a cannonball, slamming into the gate.
Boom—!
The fireball exploded on impact, unleashing a deafening roar.
The gate was obliterated, reduced to splinters in an instant.
The flames didn't stop there—they engulfed the surrounding stone walls, tearing them apart and sending rubble flying in all directions from the force of the blast.
The explosion echoed through the area, startling the members of the Soma Familia inside.
Panicked shouts and chaotic movements erupted from within the base.
Lili, who had taken cover to the side, stared in shock at the scene.
Despite being a member of the Soma Familia, she felt no anger or resentment at seeing their gate destroyed.
Instead, a complex mix of emotions welled up inside her—pleasure and despair intertwined.
Lili had no fond memories of the Soma Familia.
Even though it was where she had grown up, she had never felt any warmth or belonging.
Leftovers, bullying, and neglect were all she had known.
Watching Mahiro blow open the gate with such force filled her with a strange sense of satisfaction.
If she had his power, she might have done the same.
But at the same time, despair crept in.
Mahiro had just cast a fireball with ease.
This was on top of the teleportation magic and tracking spell he had already demonstrated.
Three magics.
That was already the limit of what most adventurers could get through the Falna.
But Mahiro wasn't done.
Lili had also seen his weapon appear and disappear at will.
That had to be magic too.
Four magics.
The thought made her scalp tingle.
Mahiro wasn't just a genius—he was a freak of nature.
"The Soma Familia's reaction time is pretty slow. Even after all this, no one's come out yet," Mahiro remarked, his gaze fixed on the shattered gate.
"Mahiro-sama, while this method of 'knocking' is effective, are you sure it won't cause unnecessary trouble?" Lili asked hesitantly.
"You think I can't handle it?" Mahiro glanced at her.
'Can't handle it?' Lili thought.
He had taken on nearly a thousand Level 3 monsters.
The Soma Familia, despite its numbers, only had a few Level 2 adventurers at most.
There was no way they could stop him.
"No," Lili shook her head. "But the guild might get involved. That could be troublesome."
The guild had strict rules regarding adventurer conduct.
Even private fights were prohibited.
Mahiro's direct approach was a blatant challenge to the guild's authority.
"It doesn't matter," Mahiro said dismissively.
"Don't forget, I'm the one in charge here."
Rules are made to be broken.
Lili: "..."
His logic was both infuriating and undeniable.
As they spoke, a group of figures finally rushed out from inside.
"What the hell happened?!"
"The gate's been destroyed! Who did this?"
"Who dares to cause trouble at our Familia's doorstep?"
Dozens of adventurers emerged, their faces a mix of anger and shock as they took in the burning wreckage of the gate.
"Lili's here too."
"And there's an outsider."
"Did he destroy our gate?"
Their attention quickly shifted to Mahiro and Lili standing at the entrance.
Mahiro scanned the crowd but didn't see the four men who had plotted against him earlier.
It didn't matter, though.
Dealing with them was just a pretext.
What surprised him more was the state of the Soma Familia members.
More than half of them looked sluggish and disheveled, their eyes hollow and unfocused.
They looked more like addicts than adventurers.
"Lili, did you see who destroyed our gate?" one of the adventurers demanded, his face twisted in anger.
Lili opened her mouth but didn't speak, her eyes flicking to Mahiro.
"Don't bother asking. It was me," Mahiro said coolly.
"This guy got some nerve!"
"Who does he think he is, coming here to cause trouble?"
"Destroy our gate? Either you fix it or pay for the damages!"
Mahiro's expression remained cold as he addressed the crowd.
"I'm here to see your captain or your god. Bring them out."
"You think you can just waltz in here and demand to see our captain?"
"After destroying our gate and insulting our Familia? You've got some—"
Before the adventurer could finish, Mahiro moved.
In an instant, he was in the crowd, kicking the man to the ground and stepping on his chest.
"Got some what?" Mahiro asked back.
He pressed his foot down, causing the man's face to contort in pain as he struggled to speak.
"You bastard! How dare you attack us!"
"Get him!"
"You're not leaving here alive!"
The crowd erupted in fury, surrounding Mahiro and preparing to attack.
"What's going on? I was reporting this month's progress to Soma-sama when I heard this commotion."
A calm, authoritative voice cut through the chaos.
A man stepped out, his expression stern as he surveyed the scene.
Seeing him, Lili's body trembled involuntarily.