On the outskirts of the Northern Region, approximately 30 miles away from the Dragna camp.

A battalion of Dragna soldiers were patrolling the borders. It was now three days since Miko and Lennox had left the battlefield. With their departures, the widespread battles increased in occurrence and numbers.

This was because both sides wanted to capitalized on the absences of the enemy leaders and deal serious damage to the enemy.

Battles weren’t just happening in the vicinity of Ragna Lake but in both regions.

The Dragna forces had began invading the Eastern Region, while the Seven Moon Alliance forces had invaded the Northern Region. This resulted in one half of the continent being engulfed in the flames of war.

“Still no signs of enemy presences, Your Highness.”

A soldier reported to his superior. He was using high tech binoculars to search for the enemy. These binoculars scanned for magical readings, body temperature, sound, or anything that can give away a hiding enemy’s location.

“I see. Keep looking. Be sure to report back whenever you find something.”

Ordered the superior, Yota.

He was one of the company commanders of this battalion, despite being a king of his own country.

This was because after his father passed away in an accident, he became even more devoted to Miko and wanted to do all he could to help him.

He even disregarded his privilege as royalty to fight on the front lines.

“It’s getting overcast. Do you think the enemy will use this as a cover to launch more attacks?”

Someone walked up to him and asked.

It was Sola.

Just like Yota she wanted to help Miko and fight on the battle lines like they used to when they first met, before she was named queen of her country.

“There’s a chance. However, thanks to our equipment we should be able to detect them if they do.”

Yota replied.

“Did the don wake up yet?”

Sola asked as she stared in the sky absentmindedly.

“I don’t know.”

Yota replied.

He heard her sigh beside him and turned and looked at her.

“You still haven’t told the don about how you feel about him?”

He asked.

“W-Why are you asking that so suddenly?”

Sola asked clearly flustered.

“Well, you were sighing and was looking out in space. From my experience of growing up with three older sisters, those are the symptoms of a lonely woman or someone worrying about love.”

Yota replied.

“It’s none of your business.”

Sola replied.

“Don’t be like that. We’ve known each other since we were kids. I think I have the right now.”

“What do you mean ‘right’? It’s my business.”

“Fine. Fine.”

Yota replied.

“Knowing you, you’re probably thinking that you’re not good enough for him.”

“Well, isn’t it true? Look at all the beautiful people around him.”

Sola suddenly looked depressed.

That’s when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“So what? You’re beautiful as well.”

Yota smiled and said.

“Besides, I don’t think the don looks for beauty in a woman.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Instinct, I guess.”

“What’s up with that?”

Sola frowned at him.

Yota laughed and spoke.

“I mean think about it. The man has been surrounded by beautiful people from the day he was born. He himself is a beautiful person. I think because of that beauty no longer impresses him.”

Yota smiled.

“I think what he’s looking for is someone he can be comfortable around. Not as the Heavenly Demon King or the great Dragna Emperor, just plain old Miko. I believe that’s what he’s looking for in a companion. Not just women, friends overall. He doesn’t want people who will treat him like a special existence, just people who will see him as him.”

He looked at sola.

“That might be the reason why he hasn’t approached you. You obviously worship him, to the don that might be a turn off. He wants someone to tell him that he’s wrong when he’s wrong, scold him when he’s to be scold. Just someone who love him for him. That’s all.”

“………”

Sola thought about Yota’s words and found that they made sense. All those Miko holds dear are people who treat him like their equal and don’t put up false pretenses.

In fact, sola might not know this but Miko had always knew of her feelings towards him. However, he purposely ignored them.

That’s why when Tia pointed it out back in Grim City after his first battle with Sebas, he simply replied that she worshipped him.

“Since when did you become so insightful?”

Sola asked with a frown.

“I didn’t. Everything I said was what Edward told me. I too was troubled by the fact that the don wasn’t interested in developing a true friendship with me like what he had with Edward. Edward pointed out what I did wrong and open up my eyes.”

Yota replied with a rather embarrassed expression.

“If that’s the case, then you have no right to lecture me.”

Sola replied.

“Edward is the insightful one not you.”

“I appreciate your praise, but could you two be more serious with the patrol?”

The two heard a voice behind them and saw Edward approaching with a troubled smile.

“Ah, we’re sorry, General!”

The two saluted and said.

Edward was the General that led this battalion. After Miko fell unconscious and war broke out, people were needed to lead the armies. Of course, only the generals handpicked by Miko were qualified for this job.

Ace and Sora were the head of the Imperial Army, but they chose to remained by Miko in his time of need and left the army’s command to talented generals from the Dragna Clan for the time being.

However, the army couldn't handle all points because of numerous battles being fought all over the place. So there was a need for Miko’s generals to take the field as well.

Edward who was driven by logic more than emotion, volunteered to take the old members of Exsul and form a battalion. They would take the job of patrolling some of the borders that had the least amount troops stationed there.

His reason for volunteering was that he knew that Miko would be disappointed if all of his Generals froze in place when he was out of commission. To not let his partner and friend feel such disappointment he chose to prove that his people can act without him.

The others allowed Edward to go since there were less danger in the posts he was heading, and that’s how he ended up here.

“Could you stop the General thing? And the salute as well.”

Edward asked.

“What’s wrong? Don’t like being treated as a General?”

Yota asked in a teasing manner.

“Being called a General just doesn’t feel right. I prefer being called Boss or Codebreaker, even minister. At least then I’ll still feel like a businessman. Now I just feel like a soldier.”

“What’s wrong with being a soldier? They’re brave, respected, and most importantly they’re heroes.”

Said sola.

“Hmph. I’m a gangster. No matter how many medals I receive or how many pins you stick on me that won’t change. I moved for profit not sentiment.”

Edward replied.

“And taking up this dangerous task so that the don can feel peace at mind isn’t sentimental?”

“………”

Edward couldn’t reply to that, which made Yota and Sola laugh.

“Ah, shut up. Miko’s different. He’s the first one to actually give me a chance and took the risk to partner up with me. If I don’t act sentimental towards him I won’t be a gangster or a businessman, I’ll just be a pile of shit.”

Edward replied.

“Yeah, yeah.”

But the two kept teasing him. The three of them were some of the oldest members of Exsul and have been working together for almost two years now. They all felt quite close and didn’t have any problem teasing each other.

While they were having a fun chat among themselves, they heard a sudden shout.

“Enemy spotted! I repeat, enemy spotted!”

They all looked around and saw a group of five travel towards them on what seemed to bikes.

“What the? Are those regular bikes? Are they insane? It’s insane to use regular vehicles in a war zone like this.”

A soldier commented.

Edward walked up and peeked at the group with his binoculars.

“They really are using regular bikes. I can’t see any high tech equipment on it.”

He said.

“What should we do? Maybe they’re enemies?”

Said Sola.

“Don’t be stupid. Only an idiot would come to a battlefield for a cruise. They’re obviously enemies.”

Said Yota.

“I agree.”

Edward brought down his binoculars and said.

“Eliminate them immediately.”

“Yes, sir!”

The soldiers were quick to get in action. They all drew their automatic weapons and took aim at the approaching bikers.

Some even readied the cannons for a second round of fire.

“Shoot!”

On Edward’s command, the soldiers all open fire on the bikers without mercy.

*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*

The area was quickly engulfed in flames as explosions rang out. The soldiers kept firing despite not seeing any resistance from the bikers.

After nearly a minute of nonstop fire, Edward lifted his hand to signal them to stop.

“Did you think that did it?”

A soldier asked.

Edward took his binoculars and looked at where the bikers were. When he looked, the only thing he saw were scraps of metal and broken land.

There were no body in sight.

“Stay sharp! The enemy have disappeared!”

He shouted.

Edward wasn’t stupid enough to believe that the bikers were vaporized by their weapons.

The soldiers were all on their guard as they looked around with weapons in hand.

“Damn, no manners at all.”

“?!”

That’s when they heard an unfamiliar voice. They looked around and saw five people in biker suits and wearing helmets standing on one of the armored weapons.

“The people of the Dragna Kingdom really are savages.”

One of them said.

“Oh, I forgot that it’s an empire now. My apologizes.”

“Fire! Kill them all!”

Edward ignored what the man was saying and ordered his soldiers to open fire.

The five bikers immediately scattered to avoid the onslaught of bullets.

“Wow, they really have some high powered weapons.”

One of them said as they avoided the attacks.

“I want to try some of them out. Is that okay?”

Asked another.

“I don’t see a problem. We can test them on their corpses when we’re done.”

“That’s a great idea! Let’s do that!”

“Alright, let’s do that!”

The bikers all moved together and charged towards the soldiers.

They swung their hands like blades and beheaded a dozen of them in an instant.

“Shit!”

When Edward saw that he realized that his opponents were incredibly strong. However, it was too late to give orders to retreat.

The bikers moved fast and started cutting down Dragna soldiers left right and center.

“Guaaaah?!”

The screams of the soldiers echoed through the area along with the sound of gunfire.

The soldiers tried to fight back, but they weren’t a match for the bikers. They were quickly slaughtered and only less than a half of them remained.

“Damn it!”

Edward shouted.

He then suddenly felt someone lift him over their shoulder.

“Yota, what are you doing?!”

“Getting you out of here!”

Yota said as he ran at full speed.

“Wait, what about the others?!”

Edward asked.

“Don’t worry about them! They’ll try to buy as much time as they can!”

“What?!”

“Edward, you are a smart man someone the don definitely needs! We can’t afford for you to die here!”

Yota shouted.

“What are you talking about?! Those people we are abandoning are Exsul members! They’re people we’ve fought with countless times!”

“That’s why they have no problem sacrificing their lives for you to live! You are also our Boss, Code Breaker!”

“Wait.”

Edward looked around.

“Sola! Where’s Sola?!”

“……..”

Yota remained silent.

“Wait, don’t tell me she stayed behind?!”

“There’s no helping it! Sola knows how important you are to the don!”

“I can’t allow that! I can’t allow her to die a meaningless death!”

Edward started to break free from Yota, however Yota was far stronger than him.

“Let me go dammit!”

“I will not!”

Yota replied.

“Listen here, Edward. Before this war started Sola and I discussed a few things. We discussed the possibility of not all of us returning alive and came to an agreement that if given the chance to decide who makes it back alive, we would choose you.”

Edward could feel Yota’s shoulders trembling.

“We decided that since I’m the weaker of the two of us, that I would take you to safety while Sola buy as much time as she could.”

Edward could hear his voice breaking up as he ran.

“It’s something that we decided on our own! So I won’t allow anyone to step on our resolve! Not even you!”

Back at the base.

Sola was facing off with the five bikers.

“Boss, looks like two of them ran off. One of them appear to be the target.”

One of the bikers said.

“I see.”

The leader looked at sola.

“So I take it that you’re trying to buy time for the other two to get away.”

“…….”

Sola didn’t respond and took out a black dagger.

“Oh? A feisty one.”

The bikers snickered when they saw her with the dagger.

Sola ignored them and held the dagger tight.

At that moment thunder rumbled in the sky and it started to rain.

‘Don….’

In the face of death she started to think of Miko.

She shook her head.

‘No, Miko. I really regret not telling you how I feel.’

Her hands started to trembled.

‘But what I really regret more than that is not treating you like you wanted me to treat you, and for that I’m sorry.’

Her hands stopped trembling and her gaze became fierce.

“But I promise that if we meet again in the afterlife that I will become someone you can lean on!”

She lifted the dagger in the air.

“But until then, I’ll wait for you, MIKO!!!!!”

With a scream she plunged the dagger in her heart without hesitation.

“Wha?! Did she get so scared that she committed suicide?”

One bikers asked.

Strange marks started appearing on sola’s body as blood flowed down her mouth.

Let’s talk about the royalty of the azalea country. They were all adapt in poison and studied poison from the day they were born. Even their blood was filled with poison. Such a family had a forbidden technique where in exchange for their life they would released all the poisons stored in their body on the land.

This poison was so powerful that it was rumored to able to kill even X CLASS. This was the technique that Sola decide to use to buy time for her friends.

“Yota….”

She called out her best friend’s name as her body felt cold.

“I leave the rest to you!”

The marks covered her entire body in an instant.

“Shit! Get back!”

*BOOM!*

Sola’s body exploded and a mist covered the land.

“No! No! No!”

Two of bikers were late to react and got caught in the mist.

Their friends watched as they were instantly turned into bones as their skins melted with their flesh.

When their friends screams disappeared, the bikers all felt a chill done their back.

“L-Let’s go! We must catch the target!”

“Yeah!”

The bikers all took the long way around to avoid the black mist and chased after Yota.

It was at that moment that Yota felt Sola’s life force disappear.

“Damn……”

He gritted his teeth as tears flowed down his cheeks.

“Damn it all to hell!”

He roared.

He then grabbed Edward and lifted him over his head.

“Yota! What are you?!”

“Live Edward! For both of our sakes!”

Yota then activated his Beastly Qi and threw Edward with all of his strength.

Edward was sent fly away.

Seeing that, Yota quickly turned around and ran in the opposite direction.

Tears flowed down his eyes as he ran.

Images of his old friend flashed before his eyes. From her smiles, to her laughs to her crying face.

He honestly loved everything about her and would follow her anywhere no matter how painful it was.

He ran with all of his strength and soon spotted the bikers in the distance. That’s when Miko’s face flashed before his eyes. He had similar regrets as Sola. He regretted never becoming friends with him, regretted never getting to really know him, more importantly he regretted never being able to witness how great of a man he would become.

He clenched his fist and gritted his teeth.

“Hm? Boss, one of the runaways are quickly approaching us?”

“What? Is the Dragna Empire full of crazy people or something?”

The boss cursed.

“What should we do?”

“Kill him of course! We can’t make the same mistake again!”

“Roger!”

Two of the bikers speed up and quickly approached Yota. They swung theirs hands at his neck and stomach. Yota jumped and barely avoided it. They attacked again, and he had to sacrifice an arm to escape this time.

“Ugh!”

He groaned but charged at them regardlessly.

“Is this guy crazy? Common sense would tell you to ran away, but he’s just charging towards us like a madman!”

The bikers attacked again cutting off another arm and a leg. But to their surprise,Yota used his Qi to form substitute limbs in an instant.

“What?!”

Yota looked at the men with fierce eyes.

“Are you watching Miko?!”

He said as he grabbed one of the men.

“This is how the man who is proud to call you his friend die!”

“Let go of him!”

The other biker started kicked and punching Yota to make him let go but he just wouldn’t. The biker Yota was holding struggled and ripped off his jacket. What he saw underneath, made him almost pissed himself.

It was a bomb.

When his ace was revealed Yota smirked.

“All hail the Heavenly Demon King!”

“You crazy mother-!”

*BOOM!*

A huge explosion rang out and devoured the two bikers in an instant. When it faded there was nothing left of them or Yota.

When the last biker saw that, he became paled.

“That bastard was strapped with such a powerful bomb?”

He said as he looked at the crater that stretch for almost a mile.

“I need to hurry up and catch the target and get out of this hellhole of an empire!”

He shouted and accelerated to the top of his speed.

“………”

Edward sat in shock as he witnessed the explosion caused by Yota’s bomb.

He gritted his teeth and stood up. By the time he stood up he could already see the biker chasing after him.

“It doesn’t look like I can out run him.”

He said.

“Sigh. I really wish that I was a gifted fighter.”

He said with a wry smile.

He looked down on the ring Miko gave him and rubbed it.

“A General huh? I wasn’t even able to protect my men.”

He said.

He pressed the ring and a golden light covered him. Soon after he was coated in the armor Miko gave him.

“I also wished that I practiced on how to use this thing….. What am I thinking? I’m not a fighter. There’s no way I could mastered it.”

He watched as the biker approached him.

“I might not be a fighter but I gotta at least kill this fucker.”

He kicked off the ground and charged towards the biker.

“Even if I’m not a fighter, I’m still a gangster!”

*BOOM!*

He hit the biker with a flying kick and blew him back.

“Cough?! What the hell?!”

“Surprise motherfucker!”

Edward appeared in front of him and hit him with an uppercut.

*BOOM!*

He was blown back again.

“Son of a bitch!”

He charged forward and threw a fist which hit Edward square in the face.

“Blegh?!”

Edward was blown back.

‘That hurt like hell! How do people take this kind of beating everyday?!’

He shouted in his head.

“We were ordered to capture you but ill just say you struggled and we had no choice but to kill you!”

The biker summon a spear and thrust it towards Edward.

The amateur fighter Edward couldn’t avoided it in time and was stabbed in the arm that wasn’t coated with armor.

“Hahaha! I stabbed you! This spear is coated in deadly poison. Once stabbed with it there’s no way to escape death!”

The biker shouted.

“So what?!”

*BOOM!*

Edward hit him with another kick.

“Guh?!”

“Because of you people my friends are dead! I don’t care if I die along with them!”

*BOOM!*

The biker tried to block his fist with the spear, but the spear shattered and Edward hit him straight in the face.

“Die!”

Edward threw another wild punch and hit him across the face and caused his teeth to fly out.

“Y-You!”

The biker got mad and entered a fist fight with Edward.

*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*

Even though he landed more hits, Edward’s armor negated it all, but his body couldn’t handle Edward’s wild attacks. Before long, the biker collapsed on the ground.

“M-Mercy…”

He muttered with a swollen face.

“Mercy?”

Edward looked down at him coldly.

“I don’t know the bitch. My name’s Edward Akabe aka code breaker, crime partner of Heavenly Demon King Miko, second in command of Exsul.”

Edward lifted his foot over the biker's head.

“And in Exsul, we don’t recognize the bitch called mercy.”

*Splat!*

After saying that Edward squished the man’s head without hesitation.

He looked around and saw black mist and smoke in the distance.

“Yota, Sola…..Ugh.”

He suddenly collapsed on the ground.

“Looks like the poison is finally kicking in. Cough!”

He coughed up some blood and smiled.

“Haaaaah~. I can’t believe that this is where I die. Well, I guess it isn’t so bad compare to the death I always imagined. In a dark alley somewhere and getting pissed on by a dog or something.”

He laughed as the rain fell on his face and washed away the blood from his lips.

He looked up at the dark cloud sky. At this moment, he truly felt what it means to die a dog’s death.

“Well, I guess this is the fate of all gangsters.”

He smiled.

He slowly felt the warmth disappear from his body and his limbs go numb. He could tell that he didn’t have much time left.

“Yota, Sola. I’m sorry, I wasn’t able to make it back either. But don’t worry, I’m coming to where you are. How about we take over hell with the rest of Exsul?”

Water flowed down the side of his face. Whether it was tears or rain, only Edward knew.

“Yeah, let’s do that. And we’ll offer it to the don when he finally comes down there. Then we’ll listen to his stories of triumph and all the amazing things he did in life. I won’t be surprised if he tell us that he once took over the world.”

He laughed.

“I’m sure he can do it. There’s nothing that our boss can’t do, right?”

No one replied to him, but that was fine because he wasn’t expecting one in the first place.

“I wonder how Miko will react when he finds out about what happens here? I hope he doesn’t lose sight of his goals because of this.”

Edward suddenly became worried. He knew that Miko had his weak moments and couldn't help but become worried that he would grieve for them too much.

“Nah, I’m sure he’ll be fine. After all, I told him to see us as nothing but stepping stones myself.”

He said.

“I wonder if I was a good stepping stone though.”

His skin started to pale and blood flowed from his eyes and ears, and his body was numb and cold. Even so, he took a deep breath.

“You mustn’t falter! Hold your head high and step over our corpses and continue your path to the top! Don’t stop! No matter how tough it gets or how many people you lose, don’t stop! You’re the man destined to stand at top of this world!”

He took another breath.

“YOU HEAR ME, MIKO?!”

His voice echoed across the desolate land with no one to hear them. Even so, Edward smiled his brightest smile as if his message had been delivered.

“Now then…”

He slowly closed his eyes.

All his time with the man who quickly became his most trusted friend flashed before his eyes. If one was to ask Edward if he was glad to have met Miko he would smile and ask you what do you think?

As the rain cleansed his body he whispered for one final time.

“See ya…..Partner.”

This was how the man who was known as the Code Breaker met his end.

This was how the group called Exsul met their end.

With a smile on their faces wishing their don the best.