Rogan and Aeon faced off in the middle of the street. Hooded figures wearing viper-masks approached while the citizens around them slowly vacated the area.

“You’re using a spell to ward off of people. Looks like you’re not all bad, Mamushi.”

“We exist to protect the empire, so we’ll always ensure that our citizens aren’t caught up in our missions.”

“I see. How honorable. I too wish to protect this country.”

Rogan took off his blazer.

“That’s impossible. Your existence itself threatens the empire’s safety.”

“I merely wish to bring forth change.”

“To bring change you must destroy the old. As someone who dedicates his life to protecting the old, I must destroy you.”

Rogan showed a pitiful expression.

“You people fear revolution so much that you would destroy everything that can spark it. This is why the clan, the empire hasn’t advanced in thousands of years.”

Rogan’s blazer turned into light particles and transformed into a purple and gold halberd.

“This is why Krow hated every single one of you.”

He kicked off the ground and thrust his halberd at Aeon.

“?!”

He halted his step and his strike stopped inches away from Aeon’s head. However, this wasn’t his own doing.

(I can’t move my body.)

He moved his eyes around and noticed sparkles in the air around him.

(So they set up invisible wires when they surrounded me.)

He gripped his weapon tighter.

(Then coming up next is the-)

The hooded figures all pounced at him in unison.

“Hunt!”

The wires cut Rogan’s clothes and sliced open his skin as he forced his body to move. He spun around and swung his halberd. Three Mamushi members blocked his swung with swords. The others came from the flanks and the back. Rogan released his weapon. He jumped over a chain and twisted his body to avoid a spear thrust. He accelerated and grabbed one of his attackers by the throat. He threw him in front of him and used his body to block gunshots fired at him. He ducked under a sword slash and leaped to the side to avoid an ax. A heavy chain wrapped around his arm. He pulled its user towards him and smashed her face in with a knee strike. He took her chain and swung it. The chain smacked the person holding his weapon across their face. They dropped the helbred, and Rogan retrieved it using the chain. He gripped his weapon tight and faced his opponents with a grin on his face.

(It’s obvious from the way he fights that he’s used to fighting while being outnumbered. His skills could only be achieved by years of life-threatening battles….The problem is there’s no record of Rogan ever leaving the empire to experience those battles. Where did he fight? More importantly, I heard he was abandoned by his family…So, who taught him to fight?)

Aeon watched Rogan battle his subordinates while trying to analyze the situation.

“Did Krow train him?”

He shook his head.

“I doubt that he would take the time to do something like that. Then, how?.... There are too many mysteries surrounding him and the girl called Nina….I don’t like it.”

He clapped and all of his subordinates froze. Aeon clapped his hands again and Mamushi returned to his side.

“Hm? What’s going on?”

“Let’s see what kind of tricks he’s hiding.”

Azure light engulfed Mamushi.

“Time Zone.”

“Looks like they’re up to something. If that’s the case…”

A golden light engulfed Rogan’s body and weapon.

“I’ll strike first!”

He disappeared with a flash. He popped up in front of Aeon and thrust his weapon. Three Mamushi members formed a queue in front of Aeon. Rogan’s thrust penetrated through their chests and his weapon stopped inches away from his target.

“…You sacrificed your people to protect yourself?”

He gritted his teeth and pulled his weapon out.

“Scum like you deserve to die a thousand deaths!”

The rest of Mamushi attacked him from all angles.

“And you people who don’t bat an eye at your comrades’ death…”

A humming sound came from his halberd as he held it in his right hand. His purple eyes lit up.

“Disappear from my sight!”

He thrust his arm forward and it disappeared along with his weapon.

“Octavian Halbred Art: Blood Seeker!”

With explosive sounds, holes opened up in his attackers’ torsos and their bodies collapsed around him.

(Octavian?)

Rogan’s figure flickered and he moved towards Aeon. He used the same move again to attack Aeon.

“?!”

Rogan’s eyes widened when he saw a human wall appear in front of his attack. It was the Mamushi members he slaughtered a few moments ago. The previous scene repeated itself. Holes opened up in Mamushi’s bodies and they collapsed on the ground. Or that’s what was supposed to happen. Just as they were about to hit the floor, their bodies froze in place. What happened next made him question his sanity.

The blood and flesh that was forced out of their bodies flew back to where they came from. The flesh reattached it and their clothes repaired before his eyes. It was as if time was being reversed to before they were killed. Rogan distanced himself.

(What the hell?)

He held the halbred with both hands. Mamushi moved towards him. He calmly used the same attack. Explosives sounds rung out, however, no one fell victim to the attack. Their bodies flickered and they all surrounded him, in attacking range. He swung his weapon at a woman nearest to him. She avoided his attack with a split. She bent her back and avoided getting kicked in the face. The others attacked him together. He spun his halbred and swung it in a circle to force them back.

“?!”

His eyes widened when he saw two of them held onto his halbred mid-swing and leapfrog over it. They hit him with a double dropkick. He stumbled back and swung his elbow behind him. A woman ducked under it and stabbed him in the side with a dagger.

“Ugh?!”

He grabbed her and threw at her comrades. He used the ax of his halbred to widened the wound on his side and his blood poured out.

(He even knows how to quickly stop poison from spreading. He did it so fast that I’m certain it’s not his first time being poisoned.)

“That bastard is analyzing me.”

Rogan cut a lightning attack and leaped into the air.

(They got faster and stronger than before. Why?)

They leaped into the air and chased after him.

“Blood Seeker!”

Heads were blown off their bodies. Just like before blood and flesh reversed and they continued their attack.

(Yup, their time is being reversed to prevent their deaths. Looks like the rumors about Aeon controlling time were true.)

He remembered when Aeon covered his subordinates in azure light.

“He said Timezone, didn’t he?”

He thrust his halbred and attacked Mamushi. A path opened up and he dove to the ground.

(It’s likely that he’s sharing his abilities with them. If that’s so, it’s a waste of time fighting them.)

He kicked off the ground the moment he landed.

(I don’t need to kill him. I just need him to break concentration and he won’t be able to accurately control their time.)

He headed straight for Aeon.

(What he’s thinking is so obvious.)

Aeon clapped his hands and Mamushi flew back towards him as if in rewind. Rogan saw this and smirked.

“You people underestimate me too much.”

His weapon blackened like the night sky.

“Octavian Halbred Arts: Revised!”

Aeon's eyes widened at the sight of Rogan and his weapon morphing together to take a certain form.

“Black Mamba!”

A giant black serpent slid pass Mamushi and pierced Aeon’s back and came out his chest. It didn’t stop there. It pierced through Mamushi and linked them together like a chain. The serpent vanished and Rogan reappeared with his weapon in his left hand.

“Octavian Halbred Arts: Red Storm!”

He thrust his arm and as if multiplying, hundreds of halbred rushed towards Mamushi. Blood, flesh, and bones scatter into the wind as the storm of thrusts tore them apart. The storm headed towards Aeon and filled his body with holes.

“Let’s see how you respond to that!”

Rogan laughed. However, his laughter was short-lived. A giant clock appeared underneath Aeon and Mamushi. He witnessed their bodies move in reverse and repair themselves. He stopped laughing and lowered his weapon.

“I see. So that’s how it’s gonna be. You can reverse time from anything, huh?”

He grinned.

“Like I’ll believe that. Everything has a limit. No technique can make you and others immortal. So there has to be a trick to it. I just gotta figure it out.”

He tightened his grip on his weapon and took a step forward.

“?!”

A stifling pressure fell on the area. The buildings and air started to tremble.

(What is this pressure?)

The golden light engulfing Rogan saw explosive growth.

(This amount of Vita….Is he gonna use his Battle Avatar? No…!)

The golden light compressed until it was skin-thin.

“I know that you’re observing me to figure out my secrets, that’s why I was being selective of what I was using but you’re starting to piss me.”

Rogan’s halbred blackened with a rumbling sound.

“Since you want to see so badly, I’ll show you.”

With his Heavenly Vita covering him, Rogan’s body blackened and was covered by a shadowy mist. Aeon’s eyes widened to the max.

“Is he able to project his weapon’s “Intent” onto himself?”

Rogan took another step and the earth burst apart.

“Hahaha….I don’t think I can stop this one.”

“Octavian Halbred Arts: Revised!”

He disappeared leaving a black spark behind.

“Black Heaven’s Wrath!”

A thunderous explosion erupted in the district. Buildings crumbled, the earth burst apart, and the air trembled in fear. When everything was settled the district was leveled with only Rogan left behind. He rested his halbred on his shoulder with a smile.

“I guess you can’t reverse from being blown to bits.”

He burst out laughing but soon stopped when he looked at the district.

“I wanted to avoid destroying this place…Since I’m heading there anyway, I’ll ask the church to have some of its followers rebuild this place.”

His halbred turned into light particles, wrapped around him, and returned to being a blazer. He left the area while humming.

Elsewhere, someone was laying on a bed in a white room filled with floating clocks. It was Aeon. He opened his eyes and sat up.

“So he was strong enough to take out Mamushi from 5 years ago? It’s a good thing I used copies to test the waters first.”

He recalled everything the Aeon who fought Rogan witnessed and one thing stood out the most.

“Octavian…Why does that name sound so familiar?.... He said “Revised”, so it means that he took someone’s techniques and improved them….There are too many things that don’t make sense. Is this Krow’s doing? Did he really share Augustus’ Legacy with him? If so, why?”

He jumped out of bed.

“For once, I’m stumped….I hate it but only that bastard of a father can explain to me what’s going on.”

At the same time, at the Hall of Rebirth in Renacido. Miko was behind his office desk with Natasa at his side. He had a troubled expression on his face as he looked at the person sitting across from him.

“What did you just say, Uncle Rihan?”

Rihan looked at Miko with his usual smile and then-

“Almost two years ago, you used the Dragna Clan to contact the mercenary group Juggernaut, didn’t you? I’ve come to hear what business you have for us since I’m its leader.”

Miko looked at him and smiled.

“Well, fuck.”